during tensions with north korea. yes such a state rex tillerson is in saudi arabia as part of a new push to end the gulf crisis but he says he doesn't expect a breakthrough it's now four months in saudi arabia the united arab emirates egypt and bahrain all suspended ties to qatar five former u.s. presidents are joining forces for a charity concert to support hurricane relief the one america concert in texas is raising money for the people affected by hurricane harvey and maria tens of thousands of people were displaced and millions of dollars worth of property destroyed after the storms hit the u.s. in the caribbean president donald trump sent a video recording. presidents jimmy carter george h.w. bush bill clinton george w. bush and barack obama and i want to express our deep gratitude for your tremendous assistance and president trump says he won't block the release of classified government documents about the assassination of john f. kennedy. kennedy's killing in dallas in one thousand nine hundred

sixty three spawned numerous conspiracy theories that have endured for decades congress set a deadline of thursday for the release of the documents trump says he'll make them available unless law enforcement agencies provide compelling reasons against it well those were the headlines the news continues here on al-jazeera after people in power thank you thanks for watching by fire. valued as a gentle of africa nairobi has gone through many changes over the past decades took to al-jazeera travels to the kenyan capital to hail from those who witnessed the city's progress to becoming a metropolis and discusses where it's heading now at this time on al-jazeera. under communism the russian orthodox church was suppressed its property confiscated

its followers perished and imprisoned now a resurgent church is central to president putin's idea of russian identity an echo chamber to kremlin policies and abroad so what lies behind these ever closer ties. the russian orthodox church claims the allegiance of three quarters of the population. so it's no surprise that blood to me a peach and acknowledges its importance. all that its spiritual leader patriarch

kirill returns the favor calling the president a miracle of god. but some say the relationship between putin states and the orthodox faith goes far beyond mere recognition and expediency but it's a much made in heaven. christian activist church has made russia today. others see it as an unholy alliance blaming the all the dogs church for everything from the war in ukraine to providing cover for intolerance and repression. with a stolen in africa. discouraged or even named crazy so what blood is behind these ever closer ties increasingly evocative of russia's pre-code meanest imperial past. president putin's our leader that. given to us by good.

clues to the synchronicity between church and state can be found in most corners of putin's russia take the mike nissen by the ministry situated on an island in the middle of lakeland doga europe's largest despite its remoteness thousands of pilgrims come to the sacred monastery which according to legend stands on the site where st andrew planted a cross. but these days the island is also home to a private waterside touches the. used by president putin strictly off limits. it's a sign of the times since the collapse of the ceviche union the russian orthodox church the scene a dramatic rise in its fortunes. twenty five thousand new

build or restore churches eight hundred one of stories millions of them believe us we are on the way and now the trend you from europe to question is goes down in venice and going down in russia we have moral trends back to christian roots. every week a staggering nineteen new orthodox churches are either built or restored in russian . many welcome this increase including president putin seen here opening a new church with patriarch kirill the primate of moscow and all russia. but not everyone is happy. you have kenny lebedev is part of a group of parents who oppose the churches illegal seizure and why frequent utilization of a mosque a park in order to build a new church. which is.

what he says it is not much and it shouldn't surprise you are. pretty sure that the most i see you the receipt. like you would need a pretty accurate but it's what you. look for your new. most sundays he and dozens of other locals gather to share their own position. but to openly questions such developments carries a risk as any discovered in november two thousand and sixteen. his home along with eleven others was stormed by police office. as in much time raids across the capital. is getting to me and not all what it's done to the us where you are as a breach of being my nation when you get to go but what if the police would have you all for whatever money they would get the book was the biggest of.

which were easily forgotten is that what you did. they officers were investigating a possible violation of a relatively new russian law that makes it a criminal offense to insult the feelings of religious believers. the raids were broadcast on national t.v. but the patriarch denouncing lebedev and his friends as pagans and cultists yes special but we still must sign a because the but not with us from if we put it from the house because that passed out of process of effect. we really mean it but for the young is just saying yes thanks for the time you took it as richard butler peter king and the youth of. three park when did. the new legislation was introduced in the wake of

a now infamous anti putin protest by punk band pussy riot in moscow christ the savior cathedral in two thousand and twelve. when members of the group mounted a older to such a rise the increasingly k.z. relationship between the church and state. following the protest members of the burns served two years in penal colonies. this laws are based on fear and actually all this power all. power based on fear to lose this power. that's why they try to vent everything it means that he afraid of that. we wanted to talk to the russian government to get a response to these claims and find out why it feel so strongly that insults

against religious sensibilities should be a criminal offense. blasphemy laws are still in place in some parts of the world europe and the west put more emphasis on protecting freedom of speech. and all of the officials we contacted were prepared to be interviewed. critics claim the wide scope of this law has given a green light to religious zealots bent on stifling any views they disagree with. the country is now a war with groups who hold back to pre-revolutionary russia and the mana came. like the old the dog by an embarrassed whose motto is also dog see all day.

perhaps the most controversial and belligerent of these groups is sorrel cough funded by most gay businessman. one of us. also the group holds this extraordinary event. of muscular brand of orthodox christianity is very evident. and. they used to. look at that and you.

know aren't. there so. so rocks or a cough or frequently compared to near you know sees they are unashamedly nationalistic and say critics openly intolerant of other faiths. and i see it takes. some time. before mr aslaksen at low level to. address your. sorrow or deploy to the protesters and church construction sites. but they are. here. but they are so slow.

about this which by the but they are six. david david brooks more liberal elements within the church feel uneasy about the patriarchs links to such groups. who do nothing go down after new word of god should move more observer system when the bush least when he leaves the army and they you. the one craft and then and then says i think bush was just doing the comparing. what's the question you're still trying to deal with what's chance he shows the other two are some of the switches. the chemo guy gets around the corner of the school there. who criticize wrong doing from within the church can face chilling consequences. the new kid scheme ministry is russia's oldest. when a former monk mikhail bottlenose explains how his superiors had encouraged her husband to abandon his wife and child in order to join the monasteries choir he was

abducted and taken to a nearby forest hung upside down and beaten. she just said because i knew he was watching videos you look you know you you are where you are like you're . from group he was there are millions of. what you. now probably via thought yes the iraq story where the people of obama one thing no creature no creature at this time of the of the statute is not. one of the if you're just now it's you and you know we're all thinking the same. the romanov niren is a website exposing the clerical eyes ation of russia and was he ses is the church is involvement with near fascist paramilitaries. you see what's happening with the internet. the former monk believes it is essential to raise

public awareness before russia reaches the point of no return on. churchill thank you to ship. them on a ship there it's. over they don't trust the sidenote or the. mikhail bowron or is fighting against the time. orthodoxy is becoming mainstream. grudged t.v. a staunchly orthodox channel was launched two years ago and boasts russia's fastest growing audience. its proprietor kremlin connected investment bank a constant in malaysia have says he is on a mission to spread the word about god and to tell president putin as our leader that given to albert court nobody could imagine that we would get a leader as a party. leader who can. make so many steps

for russia to be back on. on its values. the horse topic dominating the show jules is matilda a film which portrays on nicholas the second a kind of noise drifting over dog st as an adult for. these pictures can you still that he's going to ask you to take the shooting if you eat your own cinema has already been torched and last month the lawyer representing the film's director was targeted by olsen ists. and you. think you hold that the soul of. a muscle such a beam simulate all. of those things i. mean yeah i mean. just

a but i almost. hated to get a lot. of that which is not it would just rather that they said. yeah but that's a lunge at the lights that create that video lots of tell us a lot to it and he feel like. there is nothing to ties or grudge t.v. to the incident which it condemns but in general it makes no apologies for its mission to promote all the doxy across a russian life. that's how aim to help our church we believe now in russia in the pyramid of true for christianity look at the west and west becoming to be less and less religious and lose and any values. according to the channel's editor in chief alexander doogan democracy in liberalism is a satanic idea that spells a death sentence for humanity that is the ideal for liberalism and globalization

and political elites just. united states their western europe and that is. conversing putin is viewed as a blessed. is symbol he reflects their russian society and the russian people in my life but you. can imagine you. and you know me but you get the. crucial point is he belongs to the globalist elite. in that sense he is an exception. because. he's not part of this. army of seven and it is enough to create. as

a kind of saint. grudged t.v. pushes putin's geo political agenda its proprietor has even been accused of fueling the pro russian rebellion in neighboring ukraine. pressure for which with ukraine with what's happening on the last are you happy to talk about that now please it is not a new page and we are almost over and your film about. christianity. squeeze dumbass we don't talk about it than hell. mother fear denies involvement in the war in ukraine but is on an e.u. blacklist of those deemed responsible for the conflict. indeed

two of my life yes former employees became defense minister and prime minister of the breakaway donja people's republic. there is little doubt that all the dogs church members all heavily involved in don't buy. an ark is a priest as well as being a member of the russian imperial legion a paramilitary group who see it is their religious judy to retake ukraine. showing us which a shock of ideas because then you. sort of stay on the borders of just income taxes nationalization i mean the kind of marry someone you hear is just. a little girl. she has served three tours of duty in done by us seeing action on each occasion. but i wanted them cut off so you're forced to wake up but i think of what i want to see said on the way we're open just it. was the tory that's the

hours good student you will. never see for sure when he wasn't just press a button which. was not imo sort of a question it was going to do us national not. when you were what they said or thought you fit into that yes it does get sports where it's more than. that. but it's not just in matters military that the russian orthodox church is making its presence felt. a raft of new socially conservative legislation is turning back the clock. among the rules for. ated by patriarchal commission is one which effectively decriminalized domestic violence. lona and her three children are in hiding from an abusive father and husband even

starting right out of the last one but also on your. number you know what you know i was asked would you. are you more the bucks just you were always here but your answer is not in your own voice in your i knew i should be on the phone. he's not about such a lady gaga. genius has asked our mom question yet you don't actually know much to show mom there are. under the new law a person is allowed to beat his spouse or child until she is bloody toe bruised as long as the injuries don't require a hospital stay. the most severe penalty for such an offense is a fine comparable to a parking ticket. the church five hundred to encourage this idea yes. i. believe i believe in god. i don't go to her church because

i just stopped believing in people who work in the church because one of them said to me that i am treated the right way and it is all my fault that i chose the wrong man and after that i stopped going to the church. perhaps the most controversial law with strong religious implications introduced by the government of blood to me it is the anti terra rovio law aimed at extremists. it's sunday in moscow and we've been invited to a secret meeting by a group considered so dangerous by the russian government that activities have been outlawed. at any moment the police could rate this flat.

to all of your values and i usually just you might be surprised to learn that these people are in fact jehovah's witnesses. well you know that. yes every time you may think i have to root for bible what it is that i ask a frost as ago. i believe i salute. you some of what i believe i want to do with it. but does it mean you will you could only put in the usual good news that says he had to live over. you want i do and say you have it not the last but will it. last june fifteenth owned f.s.b. officers raided a private home arresting dennis christiansen a danish yes he was witness to a russian. yes we.

went to. meet. a court ordered his pretrial detention for two months christianson could face up to ten years in prison for. his crime attending a premie to. one you just saw so he's a lawyer one more of. a chance and that's what you've got quit doing that and i just can't with you national candidate cruel or even name crazy it's. just tossed off your clothes but. boy you know that you could when you asked me small talk sport but it was obvious that. it was a put city's. forgive to say it's come so used it already is out to bring it looks to me. the law imposes strict

restrictions on orthodox religious groups that hark back to the dog days of the soviet union. a nine hundred ninety seven government commission concluded that most top clerics including patriarch kirill were informants for the k.g.b. an organization in which putin was a senior officer and was ultimately control in its new guys the f.s.b. . its shores is. the church i mean christianity was banned in the. people killed repressed seven years labor. because they were christians they were oppressed. and now it's. just like forget everything. going. back

to the. kind of. the irony is that this is only been achieved by the use of brutal methods similar to those ones deployed by the communists to suppress the russian orthodox church itself. one.

girl as america's struggles to contain its worst ever drunk crisis for lines looks at the devastating impact it's having on the children who are left to pick up the pace and. heroines children of this time on al-jazeera. running six continents across the globe. out his heroes corresponding snooping through the stories they tell you have. no opinions about the letters. were at the. camp for palestinian rights of just zero food in world news. to.

an indian mining company is heading to australia to build one of the world's biggest mines will it be an economic bonanza or an ecological disaster. at this time on al-jazeera. on counting the cost china two point zero zero how president xi jinping wants to reboot the economy with ai and robotics look at what hijack an all makes is causing tension along the river nile plus the u.k.'s few divorce is breaks it failing counting the cost at this time.