eating the melting of it and, and that's important because that i shop is kind of propping up the whole glass. yeah. and if we lose a bit of ice from the floating bit, then the rest could start accelerating towards the sea. so. so yes, we're going to be measuring, measuring the currents on the water. ah, i'm on the inside here. the headlines on out as they are placed in kazakhstan, largest city, say they've killed thousands of rises. the last 24 hours purchase began of a few price hike and i've since escalated into some, according enough pricing, or than $3.00 and a half 1000, mainly russian troops for russian lead security lines that being deployed to help secure order. i think for us, the important thing is that security forces, whether they are cosmetic or whether they are non cows or troops need to uphold the

same of human rights standards, which is to show restraint and protect people's rights to demonstrate peacefully. yes, president joe biden says his predecessor, donald trump remains a threat to democracy. a year to the storming of capitol hill. incident was triggered by claims of versa. food in the 2020 presidential election house of representatives has held the ceremonies most the day, but many republicans absent. former president, united states of america, has created spread a web of lies about the 2020 election. he's done so because he values power over principle because he sees his own interest is more important than his country's interest and america's interest. and because his bruised ego matters more to have done our democracy or our constitution, he can't accept. he lost at least 3 people have been killed and see don as people

continue to protest against the ongoing political crisis. oh justice, demanding the military play, no part in any future government. the low house of friends is parliament has approved tough. a coven 19 measures on to 3 days of often intense debate, the bell would make full vaccination mandatory for people to eat at restaurants go to public events or travel on into the city trains. the parents? well, number one tennis plan, novak joke of which have come out fighting on behalf of their son is currently in detention in australia where his chances of playing at the australian opened his mouth now depend on a court decision order. authorities refused to accept jock ventures medical exemption for not being vaccinated. as the headlines coming up next, eas, inside story, stay with us. ah,

violent demonstrations in kazakhstan, sparks by rising fuel prices in an oil rich nation. protest is now call for leadership change. russia responds to the president plead for health and fence truth. so what more is behind the unrest in this former soviet republic? this is inside story. ah. hello, welcome to the program. i'm kim vanelle. a russian lead alliance has deployed troops as peacekeepers to kazakstan. after the president asked for help to quell mass

demonstrations across the country, they began on january 1st after the government announced a sharp increase in fuel prices. indignation and violence followed in an effort to calm the unrest, the government resigned. the president then declared a 2 week nationwide state of emergency the shop down of the internet. but still the protest escalated into calls for a change of leadership. demonstrated say they've run out of patience or presence cason jamal took are you is blaming the unrest on foreign act is, what are what a program was east your litter did. what is dia journalists and blockers? many versions of what's happened here have been told. you have to understand what's happened to the coil springs now been unleashed after 30 years. look, all of us have been fired upon them and all of us went through these things. but none of us wants to kill or put pressure on another person. please come here and see it with your nice. we show you the face of a new country and you should witness it for we cassock,

people have patience. so stop, it was sick of this look, soldiers advancing here or to let them see it all. stay with us and let us see where it goes into this year. but when you read, sir, the terrorist mobs are essentially international. are you there under want serious training abroad and their attacks of kazakhstan you can be and shouldn't be viewed as an act of aggression? for this reason, relying on the collective security treaty, i reached out to the heads of the collective security treaty organization states to assist kazakhstan and overcoming this terrorist threats and reality. it is no longer a threat, it is undermining the states integrity. and most importantly, it is an attack on our citizens who are asking me as the head of the state to help them immediately. lastly, rushes foreign ministry. he said it was closely monitoring the situation saying in a statement, we advocate the peaceful resolution of all problems within the constitutional and

legal framework and dialogue, rather than through st rides. the violation of laws. adding that it was the aim of cause, i'm president, cason jama, talk i if to stabilize the situation and resolve existing problems quickly, including those contained in the legitimate demands of the protest is speaking. on behalf of the un secretary general stefan to jericho urged restraint following with concern in monitoring the situation. oh, in kazakhstan, i think it's very important for all involved in these current events, to exercise restraint, refrain from violence and promote oh dialogue. in addressing all of the pertinent issues and father reaction came from the white house which denied any involvement in the protests or monitoring reports of protests and kazakstan. we support calls for con, for protesters to express themselves peacefully and for authorities to exercise restraint on. there are some crazy russian claims about the us being behind this.

so let me just use this opportunity to convey that is absolutely false. and clearly a part of the standard russian disinformation playbook. we've seen a lot of in past years or call. thanks, don, is an oil rich country in central asia. it's the thighs of western europe with an ethnically diverse population of 18000000 people. it gained independence from the soviet union in 1991. but it remained a close ally of russia which brought it to the north, cause exxon is also a crucial transport hub for chinese products. heading to europe from the east. it is kept a delicate balance between its neighbors and the west, especially the united states, which it sees both as a potential force for trade and investment. and as a partner to balance the influence of russia and china in central asia. ah, that's now bring in our guests from prague. we have bruce pannier, veteran journalist and correspondent at radio free europe specializing in central

asia. for belle, great, we have victor and h, who is the lead expert at the center for actual politics. and on the line from al marcy, cars like sans lodge city, we have a caea to the sofa who is a political activist. very welcome to the program to you all. now the reason that she is on the phone line is because the internet has been cos ah, so it makes you know, doing a zoom very difficult as well as getting information out very difficult. i that's come to you 1st a see i just saw it was the latest there on the ground in terms of these protests and in terms of the reaction to them. well, we are currently on lock down. the everyone is we are advised to stay home because it's not safe to be on the street to, to a so called anti terrorist alteration that is in progress. what do you make of

these assertions? i see that from the president that these protests are coming from foreign active terrorists who are causing this unrest. ah, you see it's everything is so unclear now, but there are definitely for 2 years to protest and their own interest, which i'm not sure. and we're all caught up on each other and we have no reliable information to judge to have like a complete understanding of the situation of the situation. ok, are there, protest is who, off from kazakhstan, are they among the people? the many thousands of people were looking at right now who are out on the street. they're just, you know, it's, it's some people just people just simple protestors who like came to i mean,

angry people who have just been just, you know, it's a mix right now. it's hard to tell who are on the streets. i mean, the process started as a peaceful process like 2 days. it was a peaceful march on the street. of like it started somewhere in the west of the city and then the people peacefully march towards the city city hall. and they were faced with a tear gas and and apparently it caused it turned like a peaceful module into into, into vida,

which is what we're looking at. the pictures we're looking at right now. ok, i want to cross over to bruce penny, who is in prague. explain 2 of you is how country has gotten to this point, why we've seen these protests now. you know, i, me ever the, it started out of course, with the, with the protest in the bar was to respond with the higher the price of fuel. that was double, there was just involved a few dozen people in an oil workers town called john, oh, you know, would that the, the rule point watershed moment. i think for this study is probably march 2019 when they change presidents 1st. president nurses are by a step down from our up to 20 years as the country leader. and he handed over a power to his to his own chosen successor customs among tomorrow. at that point, i think a lot of people figured that this was going to be a moment when conflicts on took a turn to a different direction a little bit. you know that some were for

a long overdue reforms. will be implemented center living with start to improve more, you know, what really none of that happens since that, i mean some changes or not, but not much. that's why it's interesting that you know, these protests when they started. and as they gathered seen, the demands that people were making, we're really the demand that we've been hearing for a couple of years now. they wanted more. busy of the read a role and the political system in picking their own leaders. and this was specifically something that people pointed out when there were some local officials to talk to the protesters. they would say we didn't have a chance to elect you. you're not elected officials, i'm going to recognize you. this is not new. something that's been more repeated in the last few days, but it's not a new compliant at all, you know, honest, as far as like, you know, increasing wages because inflation is going up. of course, these things are all common common demand that they've been making for a long time. range is foreign influence because the complaints are absolutely domestic and they've been that no, that was my next question before we move on. here was then the spread of these

protests from this one region to the rest of the country. was that a surprise at all then? and what should we may cause of the president's response or for? well, yes it was. i mean, i got to admit, i was surprised. there been a lot of strikes and a lot of protest in western college on, certainly last year. ah, you know, so the fact that it went all the way from the west to the east and really was in every major town and city. and the sun was, was definitely a shock when the authorities did try to make some concessions. but this was an old packet for them of giving, giving something to the protesters who said, some of this on russ has been summary for a couple of years. i think it just needed you know, something to spark it. and that's really what we've seen in the last 4 days. right? we're cross over now to belgrade, where we have victor rich, how is the russian president vladimir putin likely to be viewing these developments? well, this has the steering events in kazakhstan, it has been

a surprise unexpected. it's an unexpected turn of events for moscow. and it comes at a sensitive time when moscow is preparing for negotiations with the united states and with nita on the security guarantees in europe and on ukraine. this is hardly going, it's hardly going to make rushes negotiating position stronger. in fact, if russia is involvement in, in kazakhstan through the collective for security 3 children is ation. if it goes sour, ah, this will negatively impact this will weaken russians position in the upcoming negotiation. so this is definitely not something moscow was looking for, especially at this time or at any time because it's done is an important ally. for moscow. it is the largest state and central asia. it is the both

territory and the economic way. it is the 2nd largest country in the region economic union where russia dominates. and so for russia, it is very important to keep because next on both a member of the you are asian economic union and the member of the collective treaty organization collect a security breach organization. so when russia saw that the situation in kazakhstan was getting out of control and it was happening quite fast. and when russia deemed that the cause of leadership was unable to deal with the situation and calm the situation on. so and when the president of cause extent archive essentially issued

a call for the collective security teacher can use ation to intervene in russia bill or so. i mean, yeah, and several other states agreed to do so. now, there are several other important points as to what's going on in kazakhstan that have still not been made. of course, the trigger for the current situation, of course, the as correctly pointed out was the year increase in gas prices. however, the president of because he has essentially used these for this to be able to use this critical this crisis to sideline and essentially remove the former president of cause a national ton as a buyer, who still had an important position in because extent is the head over the nation security council, and the as a, as a so called by the father of the nation are all because it's time for several

decades. he has been able to remove him from catholic stance political here. but what happened was that a lot of it wasn't, there wasn't a lot of the anger or some of the anger from the protest is directed at the former president. exactly, exactly, and it is very interesting that that angle has been channeled effectively channeled by the cure, present of cause, stung by 5 to both remove another by have from the political landscape of cars, extend and also you move in as a buyer's colleagues. those who were lukia's loyalists from the government, essentially one the 3rd they are for this to kind of announce the resignation of not a bias. close l i, i, scott, my mean was the prime minister, of course x done and put his own ally in his place in that means place ok. they

took 5, they moved to the head of the national security committee, was also not that a bias l. i. so this is a transformation of coverage in a political way also. and the cry of at 1st was interested in that we used the sport s directed against another buyer in his own favor. but at this point some of the port that's got out of hand and took i of needs, needs assistance from abroad. ok, he said, we will come back to you in a moment. i want to go back down the line to see it over who i believe we still have on the phone from last 8. if you can hear me, sir, i just want to ask you some of the reasons why people have been so angry in terms of the cost of living. i mean, it's interesting that these protests started, you know, in an area which was experiencing a boom energy boom. and yet those same people are struggling with the rising cost of fuel. so just talk me through some of those reasons why people have been

taken to the streets. yeah, i mean it's just, i think it's a, it's a cumulative sort of the protocol accumulated over the years. because for the past years and even decades, people have made countless attempts to have a peaceful dialogue with the government. and they protested, pay the protection of land for elections and living conditions. but i think none of their demand have never been addressed. and over the years, all attempt to oppose suppressed and was many participants killed or put to jail or named tara? and i think it's, it's what is happening. it just

said answer a question. do you, did you did answer answer my question. it is, it's accumulated over time. i'd like to cross over to prague bruce penny. i was interested to see the spokesperson for the russian president said that no foreign forces should interfere in causing stones affairs. what should we make of that? is that a threat and where would the west ever respond? that's a distraction there's, there's really no evidence that any or courses have interfered and corresponds internal affairs in the last few days or are even interested in doing that. you know, you pointed out that the discovery stands been, been fairly adapted balanced in its foreign policy between china, russia and the worst. no one in the west, one to see turmoil, instability and on any more than anyone in russia or china would want to see that either. so this is just one of those, you know, big illusions. create a bogeyman that you can point to for being with albums are and you know,

that's what even in present because comments last night. all those that he referred to, you know, terrorist bands who had been hood received for and training. you know, and again, there was, there's really no evidence to suggest that anybody that's been out on the streets and protesting is an agent of some foreign terrorist or anything. you know. so it's just one of those, one of those catch phrases that the crime one and not just the chrome or other countries, they're out there and say, well, you know, we don't want it or parents from outside. well, you know, that's, that's pretty big. and, and really there's, there's nothing to show that, that there is any truth for that. is there any eventuality? is there any turn of events that could happen in context on that would draw the west and you're saying that conflicts on has tried to play a diplomatic balancing game over the years. is there anything that might draw the the engagement of the west? well, i really can't see that happening today. the truth. it's the color sun still

a long way in the world. certainly along with the united states for example. you know, i think a lot of countries would be willing to help to get through a traumatic time and help them sort out any turmoil that's in there. but you know what, you can imagine a western intervention really in any country and central asia, but certainly colleagues thought it would be impossible, logistically. it would be, it would be radically impossible. how would you bring any forces are already major in the amount of people are personnel. and alex don, you have to all of you have to go through china or russia. and if you don't go through china or russia, then you have a long route to get in there. so it's really, you know, i think there's been an understanding for a long time between the west and colleagues on the west is only able to help because it's done so much and both sides appreciate that. certainly everyone in the world wants to see a strong solver independent context on the table to stand on its own 2 feet and keep the same kind of relations at least,

that it's already met with the worst for 3 decades now. so there's really no interest in stabilizing the situation in conflicts on, but if it was the stabilizer, i cannot imagine. there's a lot that any western country could do because the government really invited them in with russian and chinese acquiescence. victor, all of it, over in belgrade, let's cross over to you who were talking about china. how do you think china is going to be viewing these protest? i mean, the 2 countries share a lot land border and china has been increasing its investment into context on how do you think it's going to be viewing what's happening there. now, while of course, cherry is also not interested in the care and turmoil in kazakhstan, as you correctly pointed out, chain that has been expanding, gets economic influence in central asia, including, you know, because i've done. and of course, frequently with economic influence comes creeps in political influence and the,

the cars are, society has been wide, sensitive about increasing chinese activity and chinese influencing their country. so on the one hand channel is not interested in the cure and turmoil. on the other hand, beijing understands that the introduction of collective security feature is ation forces. basically, russian bill or russian force of some or, i mean, you know, some others from central asia into cars next done will increase rushes influence and cause ex done and possibly, but then surely. sideline, chinese influence perhaps a little bit in the country of our however, since china is the interested in stability because it's done and that agent as a whole. of course it has a korea to that. it's also important to know that for russia, this peacekeeping mission, katie, is quite

a few risks. if rush it is important for russian troops not to engage directly with cause protesters or, and not to get involved in a new in any real military action. because any such incidence could be interpreted and viewed by various opposition forces in cause i've done and outside the country in a russian manner. so in fact, it's important for moscow throughout carefully here to show support and including with its 1st projection in kazakhstan, show support to the current president of the extent that the crime and his government show support for stability. but at the same time, not to be seen by the cause of population as, as a force from the outside that came in to pacify or to

wage violence against because people. so that's very important. yeah, i want to actually, i was actually, why don't you saying that that is very important. how it's perceived by the population on that note i want to ask, i see it really. so the how do you feel about russian bell? russian troops coming into cars. it's dawn, they say on a peacekeeping mission, i think it's, ah, and i do believe that we and, and our government, we need to put all our efforts to stop balance. that is taking place in my being and the cds in canada. but definitely not by letting a russian or any other for an army, carry out the so called anti terrorist operation against cause of people. all right, and we have to leave it there for time with come to the end of the program. thank you very much for joining us here on inside story bruce. the rich and i see

a to this over and thank you to for watching. you can see the program again any time by visiting our website al jazeera dot com. and for further discussion, you can go to our facebook page at facebook dot com, forward slash ha, inside story. you can also join the competition on twitter. handle is as a inside story for me, kim fidel and the whole team here and oh, how about for now the ah a mineral central to the quest for clean energy? a key ingredient for the production of electric car batteries,

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believe me, to by the said, the on forces were applied to the friends that come through from your regular groups, but added that human rights needed to be respected and that the events at the border would be investigated with ah ah

ah ah. and money inside into your top stories on al jazeera police and cossick stones largest cities say that kill dozens of rice has in the last 24 hours. purchase began to have a fuel price high can of since escalated into what from a cooling and uprising robin far. she'll walk as munching. events from tbilisi because it's stones government calls. it's an antique terror operation. millet 3 units on the streets of cassock, stones, largest city, albuquerque, authorized.