to the sultan of punjab and used to be 70 carats it was violently seized by dutch troops who bullish the sultanate and sent the rough diamond back to the netherlands to be caught into rectangular 36 karat. is something belongs to indonesia they should return it to indonesia but the repatriation of such a valuable item is complicated the descendants of the sultan say it should be given to them and not to the government jessica washington al-jazeera. this is all to syria these are the top stories 25000000 people have now been infected with corona virus in the united states the country is the worst affected by the pandemic that comes less than a week after it recorded 400000 deaths. as more in the reaction from washington d.c. the 1st case of now in case of corollaries in the u.s.

was in january of 2020 and it took the u.s. 9 months to hit the 1st 10000000 cases but then as it kept accelerating at the end of last year it only took 7 weeks for the u.s. to hit the 2nd 10000000 cases of corona virus in the u.s. primarily because the big surge during the holiday season here and now course at $25000000.00 from monday air passengers won't be able to fly in and out of israel unless they have a special exemption that's in a bid to stop new covert $900.00 strains from being carried into the country is locked and is set to respond at the end of the month a surge in violence in central african republic forcing tens of thousands of people to escape across the border the un refugee agency says those fleeing attacks by on groups desperately need help. 11 miners have been rescued in china's northeast

after being trapped underground for 2 weeks they were among $22.00 caught in a blast at a gold mine in shandong province at least one miner is known to have died it's not known what condition the remaining others are in taiwan says several chinese military planes have entered its airspace for a 2nd day the islands defense ministry has reported that a total of 15 chinese aircraft including 12 fighter jets entered the southwestern corner of its air defense identification zone. the scottish national party has revealed plans to hold what it calls its own legal referendum on leaving the united kingdom scotland's 1st minister nicola sturgeon says they'll push ahead with a 2nd vote after the pandemic if the british prime minister refuses to grant one him self you pose reported in the british newspaper the sunday times so 50 percent of scottish voters want a referendum those are the headlines the news continues here on al-jazeera after inside story go by.

freezing cold fails to deter the biggest anti-government protest in russia in years thousands demanding the release of opposition leader election of only are arrested while the demonstrations game momentum and pose a real challenge to what amir putin this is inside story. hello and welcome to the program. people in russia have defied police warnings and freezing temperatures to hold some of the biggest protests yet against president

vladimir putin tens of thousands rallied in nearly 70 cities to demand the release of alexei navalny the opposition leader was arrested as he returned from germany where he'd been treated for a poisoning he says was ordered by the president security forces detained more than 3000 demonstrators triggering condemnation from countries including the u.s. and u.k. they've only supporters are promising more protests so we're going to go reports. from the sole eastern city of louisville stuck. with only simpletons faced off with police in subzero temperatures. in the search he's had denied permission for the demonstration. that he didn't stick to crowd gathering to call for the release of the man russia's most prominent opposition movement. in the capitalist. tens of thousands could gather it

was released using batons on the crowds so more fierce backed by protesters as a challenge to freedom alexei navalny was was are you familiar among those detained wife u.t.m. . apologies for the poor quality she wrote on her social media page very bad light in the police van was as much as president vladimir putin has attempted to play down alexei nepalis influenced the arrest of one of russia's most prominent opposition leaders has only inflamed his supporters was on the law is being trampled on can an absolutely incredible man at this arrest is one of the most serious violations of human and civil rights in the russian federation but it will set a precedent that could lead to the destruction of all our civil liberties of a glove nigger away at the with him earlier in the week novelli had released

a video alleging president putin was the owner of a 1000000000 dollar property on the black sea this was denied by putin spokes person. one of only supporters corruption is a major source of a discontent in the clouds to crack down on the movement is they say an attempt to silence them all to the video. this is the i'm fed up with keeping quiet we've been silent for too long and it's probably time to speak that's my position and time to say that we have the right that we have the freedoms and that we have the desire to live in a completely different country. literally may not pose an immediate danger to president clinton's power but economic problems in the country are only going as is the discontent and some analysts believe the kremlin fears the potential of the della reese style mass dissent and the prospect of more protests. sunny day you go out jazeera. all right let's bring in

our guests in moscow sergey markov director of the institute for political studies and former member of the russian parliament in london dom until a lecturer in security and development at the department of war studies king's college london also in moscow maria lipman senior associate at the institute for european russian and eurasian studies at george washington university welcome to the program maria let me start with you today the fact that there were so many people coming out in so many cities across russia despite the cold despite the pandemic despite the risk of arrest does that suggest to you that these protests will gain momentum. it is very hard to say at this point we had protests before and we had them over the years protests a huge show of emotion though character not of political ones and they have it to rise and it is true however that this time around the geography of the protests

has been much broader than ever before and what is also important is that the slogans that people chanted were the same in basically the same everywhere so what we are what we have now is clearly a minority but a sizeable one that feels strong discontent with regard to the russian authorities and with regard to the russian regime this seems like some change compared from before however it is not clear at this point whether this might be yet another way that will have with time sergey from your vantage point do you believe that alexina vali poses a threat to vladimir putin's grip on power. norms are going we're doing a series of little. interim order to extent and whether it's among the

pollution monk or actually people because. pretty soon the army get in their rule it's limited or mubarak. people who would be deep sit ins a complete victory in russia and so we're just russia is getting around and dressers diminish it suited in you'd see it to be a sort of them are just as you might say and they're not european as from the sense with russia great. history will fall short and see if there's a number of such people get it small is it why we'll have support already set up on a good act if you've been aggressive but reduced smoke room by little points if you're from elected of those electors but if you and i want to know what chance it's all but that i see another name on the president because he just rip on the race or you know real animus or play beautiful young irish is because of all and

tender sensitive community it was that you're not that states and great britain and not as a country or us well it. says a real sort it was these people may. be in ukraine they try to or is generally well sort of president or bill or russia x. and now or they will try to run knights but it's called why owens. did it or was it coming by limits alexion will happen on september was this year this is preparation was courting this election not free and fair though until you heard sargon the their talk about the upcoming elections of course in september russia's going to have these parliamentary elections for the state duma do you believe that what's happening now could have an impact on the election. well i think that that's the objective of the demonstrators and of the sort of bernanke and i mean he's i

mean his followers and his team i mean the effort is really to try and see if i sort of what i'm tell you now i did russia what can be established which could have an impact and i think that's what really the kremlin is quite warry down i think i disagree with sergey i think there is concern in the kremlin otherwise it would have taken all these proportions they would have been efforts to persuade people not to go curbing for example access to. social media platforms so i think the kremlin is war it is worried that there could be a sort of upper 10 show backlash. in the elections on the not at that massive scale but the big name of of a significant turn and that there is pressure for political purely because of a lot of the realities of the situation in the ground i think that russians those who sort of call a star all not only not necessarily his only his followers but people who are probably dissatisfied with the overall situation in russia with the economic

situation with their covidien by the impact of covariate consumption about. me so i think that there is there is a possibility that there is some impact but of course i don't really bend on how i think kremlin manages these opposition what would happen with now about me and whether the momentum. pointed out can be sustained and i think that there is there are many months ahead it's not very clear what is clear is that the government is really eager to or sort of the same ario of our sort of outcomes constant line of series of demonstrations on a regular basis which increase in time maria i'm curious to know your thoughts about something of president putin has largely stayed out of public view the last several months. he's been working from his residence a lot of the time and there's this perception among many that he's just essentially

trying to stay out of view when you compare that to the fact that alexei of on the you know returned to the country where he was poisoned that he knew that he most likely risked being arrested when he returned are those optics damaging for president putin does this mean that no vali has gotten the upper hand. well. i would still not want not over estimate the offer him for alexina there is a conservative constituency in russia at least one 3rd russians will vote for powers that be whatever the situation whatever is happening there is another 3rd that will support that it's a nonviolent and certainly not because he in any way represents the west and is a hand of the west he is a totally homebred politician and his supporters admire his courage in share

he is his discontent and his outrage over the corruption in the country about one 3rd of those people who are the way totally under represented in the russian legislature today and this is actually the core of the problem people are protesting because there is no way for them to engage politically and there's also one more 3rd that is actually refrains from politics and evades politics and would like to stay away from politics but maybe can't be mob it lies by. his supporters if they sustain the momentum as. if this wave does not but continues to rise we may see each divisions that will not be in $23.00 thirds but maybe something something different. and that one you

will have more supporters it should not be it should never be underestimated the distaste 8 has jake can take advantage over the public in russia in so many different ways including in maybe 1st and foremost law enforcement bodies in the government's readiness to use them against the public sergey president putin does not refer to this from a volley by name state run media outlets largely depict him as an unimportant figure based on what happened you know with these protests do you think that that's going to start to change. i don't think that will change too much because i've seen a lot of these military got right by russia and by russian wouldn't class as and dependent russian. side to it you know it's a home base he's they've got it just as clear plain. edge and or. russian and i miss there's

a whole nice united states and why legend if we didn't didn't mention is a name or was that guy will see it it got known to depend by actions. which one's eyes understand that one is some kind of mysterious meet for a movie much 6 and which i mean it's not 6 bucknall want to see mr sneed. going but if you. greet them on all sides i'm used to this new cool will attack you know what you mean which in effect it's new you'll and you know holes are global goals or something. sure that it will i think see in the writing and elizabeth. will not die to mention it and not before let it year it's you know russia is bit is small because

exactly it is east on. malk on them both russian citizens want to clear away and i didn't tell you not to say so to be. rushed. them attila election of ali's team released in the past few days of video on you tube which they said was an investigation into a property on the black sea that was allegedly owned by president putin this is a claim of course that the kremlin has denied but this video has been viewed tens of millions of times since its release and it's just the latest in a series of videos that the vollies team say shows corruption at the highest levels in the russian government how damaging has this video been to president putin. i think it has been quite damaging i think it's on the one night it's a bit early to dress exactly what the impact has been but from what i saw yesterday

i mean people where. great i mean there were some who were really upset about the fact that there is this sort of luxury with you know people with whom i spoke there is a great concern about the russian elite. you know spending only it's money and you know when the russians you know russians are stated many are in sort of a situation of poverty and not doing very well when the last years the situation of the economy has not significantly improved and you know wages and have been stagnating so i'm sure that had an impact especially maybe among the younger generations and it also has had an impact that wrote i think now i think that many many abroad are starting to question because. there are there is a constituency abroad that is very supportive and i think these events are starting to have a sort of a questioning so means easier to judge at this moment how people are perceiving

would sing abroad i think that internally what is really important is a younger generations those that are have been growing up with putin all these years i'm haven't seen one and tentative leadership and i think that these younger generations are much more and have a mystic towards the leadership than a previous generations and i think that they really learn to determine the popularity of nominee is that in russia there are no proper free and fair elections so it's very very hard to know exactly how popular he would be. not you know unfair con so it's may mean we can claim that he's popular he's not popular but all of these you know it's very hard to assess if we do not have an open and effective a system off competition maria are there indications that there are differences of opinion within various factions of the russian government over how exactly to

handle mr in a volley in his case going forward. well if there are differences they are hidden far from the public. they have been no defections that's for sure and this is one of those advantages that i mentioned when i was talking at. the government the kremlin. put ins elites visa v. those who are critically minded in russia. there have been the defections no signs of defections in a very recent duma session have all factions of. the of the duma parties. humana mislay very angrily a very passionately and i would say the area in a jet italy denouncing the now and saying that it was a demonstration of loyalty to the regime i cannot interpret it otherwise if it looked like other lawmakers were competing in eloquence in how else they can really

find the violently so there may be differences there probably are differences there may be differences between different agencies law enforcement may be different from the kremlin the ministration but even if such differences exist we do not have hard evidence for that. sergei let me ask you the u.s. of course has condemned what happened at the protests they've also condemned the arrest of alexei in a volley you've had the e.u. also condemn the disproportionate use of force against protesters how is all this going to affect russia's relationship especially when it comes to the new joe biden administration in the u.s. . kissel cole i seen it through he's going to say that's a strong support the police in the heart and they won't would rule if you're from put across that you are russian. and not as it is so.

medicalization all 'd politics and i want it will be mad at me again and he's hopeful that it's to be limited because it sees as to us crush on the relationship it's. definitional to march because you're sort of militias now so awful is it such. portals are. warm enough but it's a kind of a light little maastricht on it's some sink with sudden korea had been predicted by every day and it was expected. more important. he said there's a war i don't wish to sit. and be 3 in your institutions and you will either miscreation or cooperated and by then it will be i did it through december some kind of confrontation the security issues and we should be in block.

joining but it is yes and also reaches more straight people or how far what you're going to miss ration will gold and term investment the russian government state what it's we expect that you're not to say we're interfere it's russian domestic but it's a great intensity during cease yeah it's their sort of a. connective where you're not going to let me know what's done until a while public awareness of alexina volley may be growing in russia right now do russians actually know what no volley stands for what his platform is. i yes i think they do but what is interesting i think there are 2 elements full civil war and i think there is a knot of concern as was noted it in your introduction about you know the treatment of the russian citizen and get them to poison him and the decision to to actually

then you know sending to prison when he comes back to russia and i think that is something that now russians you know in this group of those who are opposed to move to the system this one said which might mush i mentioned i think there is a note of sort of. anger probably or a warrior it's not this is sort of the new nature of the regime they really don't want that i think he's known for his videos i mean the videos that he produced in the past have always attracted a lot of attention a few years ago there was a video producer bound to make lives and his own corruption and i think that that is something that tends to modern on steeple but i think the question is a bit broader people who are dissatisfied with a system know much of whether they would support have on me and i heard many saying you know they they do not like the fact that she's been treated in such

a way i mean fine may just come back to the point that was raised by sergey i think that if we can still have an impact i think that the new by the not ministration is going to look very carefully and denounced much more that she meant it and the behavior of the russian leadership and in europe in particular and europe is very important especially if we think about for example north stream too which is a project that is very dear to the russian leadership and i think that a few days i will there was a big resolution that for example not screen should not move forward if not by me is not really story there is not a better treatment of him and so i think the. there is every day we beat me shows outside europe. to do something about me now it may not may be interpreted defeat against arabs but certainly it got us a quarter it touches a chord among among european so very much maria we only have about a minute and

a half left let me just ask you could alexina vali have remained an effective opposition figure or opposition leader if he had stayed outside of russia. i mean not and i think this was the main reason why he decided to come back. being a popular political figure not a leader of an organized opposition certainly not the most popular opponent of their regime if he had stated fraud that would put an end to his career as a public politician. let me ask you one of the thing when it comes to that 3rd of the russian population. do you think that those who support the you were talking about those who support president putin is it possible that they might now he might lose support among those. well it's hard to tell i'm talking about one 3rd that is

generally the more conservative russians. older russians people who rely on state television in its propaganda as their source of quote unquote news this is the main difference age wise up people a difference this is where the line of division goes and the source of information the vast space of the internet with its social networks with its you tube with its into instagram its separate twitter. versus television that has become these a propaganda all right we've run out of times we're going to have to leave the discussion there thank you so much to all our guests sergey mark of them until a saga more so and maria lipman. and thank you too for watching you can see the program again any time of visiting our website al-jazeera dot com and to further discussion go to our facebook page that's facebook dot com forward slash a.j. inside story you can also join the conversation on twitter our handle is at a.j. inside story for me i'm a gentleman the whole team here by for now. the

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