>> an explosion hits the southern part of lebanon's capital, beirut. we'll have a live report in a moment. >> hello, i'm steven cole in doha, with the world news from al jazeera. also in the program - looking like a war zone. central kiev shrouded in smoke after ukraine's deadliest anti-government protest yet. >> in venezuela, protest leaders call on forces to surrender to police. >> an official inquiry started

in singapore. we look at the way workers are treated there. >> but, first, there has been an explosion in the lebanese capital beirut. it happened near the capital, near the iranian culture center and embassy. zeina khodr joins us live from beirut. can you tell us what happened? >> there's chaotic scenes outside the iranian cultural center. we understand initial reports, two dead, several people wounded. security sources - these are initial reports because it happened within the past half hour. the explosion. some security forces are talking about two explosions, and they are also talking about two suicide bombers who were

onmotorcycles. then again i have to stress these are initial reports. these attacks are becoming more frequent. up until now we had no claim of responsibility. in the past there are groups linked to al-qaeda. groups that upgrade in syria claimed responsibility for the attacks. they have threatened similar attacks and more attacks in the future because of hezbollah's role in syria. hezbollah is a lebanese shia group. and the iranians - the syrian opposition blames them for propping up the syrian regime. the attacks are becoming more frequent, and over rent weeks, really, the lebanese army managed to dismantle a number of trapped vehicles, explosive laden vehicles. this time, if the initial

reports are correct, and the suicide bombers were on motorcycles, it would be difficult for security forces to stop them. it seems the target of today's attack is the iranian cultural center. >> zeina khodr in beirut, reporting on two dead that we know about in this double suicide attack which is reported as being a double suicide attack. stefanie dekker is on the line, and joins me from beirut, to tell us more about the area and where the explosions happened. >> well, in is south beirut and this is a heavy populated area. it's residential, shops. it's somewhere where a lot of people are happening on a busy street. we are getting around 10 wounded. three bodies, three which are potentially the suicide bombing, the bombing of a woman. these are coming out.

still unconfirmed. we are hearing two suicide bombers on motorcycles, but we are heading there now. it's a busy residential areas. this is something where people are living in fear, highlighting the security situation. the people don't know where the threats are coming from. >> so a twin attack, we think, up to two dead and six wounded, at least according to the reuters newsagency in the double bombing. could these attacks be linked to conflicts outside of lebanon. i'm afraid that will have to be rhetorical for the moment with stefanie dekker. i'll just check - no, we'll move on. obviously we'll follow this. you see the pictures. you are watching the pictures now of this explosion in the southern suburbs of beirut.

we'll update you as we get more information on that. >> let's go to ukraine. president viktor yanukovych says anti-government protests crossed the limits after a day and night of violence, the worst since demonstrations in november. 34 have been killed in the last 24 hours, including nine police officers. this is the scene at independence square in kiev. as you can see the smoke is rising from the barricades. the protesters set them on fire. al jazeera's correspondent reports. >> the situation is tense right now. in my opinion policemen were killed, and as much as 25 protesters, and the negotiations are nowhere to be seen, because the president - he addressed the

nation and he said he's not going to speak to the opposition unless they disaswayed themselves were the protesters - he called them raddicals. in kiev right now, we have pictures of mayhem. it was the blood yesterday. a sea of fire. as riot police advanced to clear independence square, the people responded with whatever they could lay their hands on. fireworks were lobbed. bricks, paving stones, molotov cocktails flew through the air. from the other side stun grenades and rubber bullets. tear gas cans terse, an armoured vehicle attempting to break through. it didn't last long before being set on fire. also on fire, protesters tense.

the ferocity of confrontation through the morning. fire and noise, a spectacle of destruction and death. on the ground, in the middle of mayhem people died on both sides as the battle raged. >> president viktor yanukovych accused the opposition of disregarding the fundamental principal of democracy, saying radical developments took part in an armed struggle of violence and murder. >> opposition leader vitaly klitschko was scathing of the government but called for calm. >> they don't want to listen. opposition and all protesters have stopped protest, have stopped demonstration. but right now it's important to make is a break and no fighting any more. >> earlier vitaly klitschko

described independence square as an island of freedom that would be defended. those in the square fought for hours, protecting territory held since last november, when president viktor yanukovych rented a trade deal with the eu, in favour of closer ties. the e.u.'s foreign policy chief was appalled. >> i'm worried by the violence in kiev and the numbers of reported casualty. this violence and bloodshed must stop immediately. i'm also very concerned about the ult mate um to stop this by force. i call upon president viktor yanukovy yanukovych, the government and the opposition to find a way out of this deep nipping crisis. >> the fire burned, but the intensity gone. in its place, a stunned disbelief on what had gone on.

>> that report clearly from our correspondent. a report from our producer in kiev with the previous report. >> libya - the prime minister condemned a report. the militias are angry because parliament expanded a mandate due to expire on february the 7th. the prime minister said attempts to overthrow the government would be stopped. >> translation: we refuse a military coup. we refuse the use of power to force the libyan people on something. we are with the peaceful dialogue. we are for peaceful and wise communication between all libyans. >> all parties have to know that the libyan people have to have an opinion and that should be tape into consideration.

now the libyan people want a swift action for a transition of power to a legitimate body, which is what is needed. >> employees of a number of organizations, including the bbc, calling for the release of mohamed fadel fahmy, peter greste, and mohammed badr. held for 53 days in an egyptian prison. it is part of the a group of 20 people charged with having links to the muslim brotherhood, which egypt declared a terrorist organization. abdullah al-shami, from our arabic sister channel has been in custody since july. al jazeera rejects all charges and calls for their release. >> we spoke to a former prisoner saying it's in egypt best

interests to release detained journalists. >> the fact that so many journalists are detained and are in prison for doing their job it a retro grade step. it means egypt is losing the international support. it's fightal in any situation, no matter how polarize the, difficult or extreme, that journalists do their job and report impartially all sides of the art. that is what the journalists, men and women, have been doing. the first thing i would say, it's definitely in the interests of egypt to bring the metre to a speedy close, release the men and women, and get greater international support to deal with the problems that face them. >> our colleagues in prison know little about what is going on. they don't have much information

or access to their lawyers. how hard is it to cope with that isolation. >> i spent almost five years in solitary confinement. you grave news of the outside world. i had no news from my family for 4.5 years, no news from the outside world. you're isolated. to the families i say take heart. you will find that those who have been imprisoned will have within them that resilience, that resistance, an ability to withstand difficulty that they didn't know they had. encourage them to maintain hope. >> a lot is being done to get the al jazeera journalists out of prison. how weren't is it to keep up that work, to keep the cases in the public consciousness? >> it's an important thing to keep in the public mind the fact that journalists who were doing

their job have been in prison. it is very important. it's important for diplomats, and for independent negotiators to get across quite clearly to those at the moment who are exercising power in egypt that it is in their own interests. to see this matter resolved and free the men. every day that the men are kept in prison, and these women include both of them, someone from skye tv. every day that they are in prison, goes against an effective and successful resolution of the problems that face egypt. make no mistake. many of us on the outside understand how difficult it is. i have worked myself in polarize said situations. and i know very well as a negotiator, when we stand in the midst of a polarized situation,

one side will think you're biased, and the other side will think you're biassed. really you are standing there trying to be impartial. it is difficult. so we have to keep aware, keep alive the fact that they are there doing their job, and it is in the interests of egypt that they can be allowed to continue to do their job and be freed immediately. >> protests intensified in venezuela capital after a high manufacture profile opposition leader was arrested. shortly after leopoldo lopez was taken into custody his party released a video and he said in the video that charges against him were unjust. leopoldo lopez is accused of ipp citing violence. he came out of hiding to give himself up. >> the excitement of supporters

was plain as leopoldo lopez emerged after days of hiding, addressing the crowds of thousands in caracas. he told them he was ready to surrender to security forces to face charms of terrorism and murder. >> i have nothing to hide. when i turn myself in i beg you to remain peaceful. >> the former mayor emerged as the face of a protest movement that took to the streets a week ago, they took to the streets, blaming the government for soring inflation and increased violence. >> translation: this is a fight for all venezuelans. >> president nicolas maduro accuses leopoldo lopez of inciting marchers leaving four dead. >> leopoldo lopez crossed the security barrier. he told the crowd he would give himself up, turning himself into the authorities and told the

crowd to take to the streets if he is imprisoned. moments later he was detained. in a sign of how politically divided the nation is, hours later thousands of oil workers and nicolas maduro supporters held their open rally in caracas. addressing the crowd the president accused the opposition of destabilising the country. >> translation: i have been personally overseeing the operations so i can guarantee peace in the face of the fascist gathering with the armed gangs and the trained groups, so there'll be peace. i can say now at this hour that we have ensured peace. >> as the police tried to escort leopoldo lopez and his family to a military base, the supporters flocked around him shouting, "the people are with you". nicolas maduro faces a tough political decision - whether leopoldo lopez is put on trial or remains free, he is becoming

a powerful symbol of discontent. >> the president of columbia fired the head of the armed forces for criticising public prosecutors intereght extrajudicial killings. audio recordings were published. columbian soldiers have been convicted of killing almost 900 civilians, who they claim to be gurr illas. the military has been fighting f.a.r.c. for half a century. the commander has been named as the new head of the armed forces. >> you're watching al jazeera. back after the break with more coverage of the explosions in beirut. the local red cross report two killed and another 35 wounded.

>> welcome back. we are covering breaking news. two bombs exploded in beirut, detonated within metres of each other. close to the iranian culture center and embassy. two have been killed, 35 have been wounded. joining me on the line from beirut a professor of international relations at the lebanese international university. what is your reaction to the bombs? >> first, i could see them - the

smoke from the explosions, from my office. they are 300m away. i believe that it comes as a reaction to the formation of the new government, which is a coalition government between various groups. i believe it's a message that terrorist attacks will not stop. interpretation will escalate in lebanon. >> why should the formation of a new government create tensions. the creation of the new government tried to come to a solution, but the attacks - the new attacks mean that they are persistent, and we see more and more of these attacks in the

near future. >> and destabilize lebanon. do you think the purpose of what we think are two attacks, two suicide attacks is to destabilize the country, rather than have definite targets? >> well, we know the formation of the new government came as part of an international will to stablilize the situation in lebanon. especially at the time when the national community tried to tart terrorist groups acting at will in syria and iraq. i believe that these attacks are a challenge to this international will and the formation of this coalition government, especially that it targets the iranian cultural center, and not far from areas

that are part of hezbollah. >> you think the targets could have been the iranian embassy. sorry, carry on. >> i believe that the groups that are implicated are the same groups that started the iranian embassy, and were responsible of various explosions and various - and mainly the southern suburb of beirut, the shia concentration in the southern suburb of beirut, a stronghold. hezbollah. i believe it's the same group acting, especially at the time when the syrian army is pressing against them. >> professor, we are looking at pictures of the aftermath, as we

talk to you, of the bomb. it is a familiar scene to viewers who see these kinds of explosions as investigators and police trying to work out what happened, or offed of the -- evidence of the army there as well. which groups could be behind the attack. >> the responsibility of similar attacks in the past few months so most probably we'll expect declaration by these groups bearing responsibility for the tax. >> and are the attacks linked directly in your view to sectarian tensions. >> definitely. lebanon is a very effective - very affected by what is going on, and vice versa.

there's a lot of things in common. and various political parties in lebanon, whether from 14th of march coalition of 8 march coalition. or the city of - the regime. the discussions are clear. >> we'll leave it at that. we'll follow the story in the next hour or so when we get more information. thanks for joining us. >> let's go back to our other main headlines. the continuing protest in ukraine. the police crackdown. here is a look at the reaction over the past few hours to what has been taking place, kiev. >> it's the first case in the ukrainian history, and nobody could expect police to be so

brutal. there were incredible video, and there's evidence of this - even not just using the live boot k, but beating people with hammers. it's not provoked. people are shocked by that. and the moments of them. >> i'm ready to go out on the front line. as a woman, protesters will not allow me to get there, and staying here. i'm not scared. people who stay here do not have fear. >> all the barricades are in the fire, and the fire is what protects them from the force, and they defend themselves with such a thing like a fire upon a barricade. people have to protect themselves like what they do now, and they call - i don't know why they call them, that's

not true. >> we are tired of the authorities, they have to be removed. i'm not afraid to be here. building trade unions who was - which had protests. it is out of electricity, and out of water, and firefighters are trying to fight the flame and smog inside this building. as i see all the - all the units, all self-defence units, it's ever created to another point and other places. it is very central. >> translation: our task is to defend the square, armed people and vehicles. people are not afraid and will

not leave. >> defiant thai opposition protesters rally outside the prime minister yingluck shinawatra's crisis headquarters. interpretations are high. protesters campaigned sips november for the prime minister to stepdown. veronica pedrosa is in bangkok at the center of the tuesday's clashes. >> what you see on the street, among the protesters, the clashes with police, with the army. you have to understand is part of the very specific make-up of politics here in thailand. the institutions are poll it sized. the police are seen as being proxies for the government, pro-government. the military are seen as anti-government. the fact that there was a clash yesterday has been red by some observers as a show of the breakdown of communications between the two sides. one side saying that the other

let it down, and that is why they came and raided and were beaten back and we saw deaths on the streets. it seems inevitable that this is just going to happen again at this point. >> you are watching al jazeera. back after a break with more coverage of the explosion in beirut. local emergency services reporting two killed, 35 wounded.

>> welcome back you are watching al jazeera. i'm steven cole. we are following breaking n