china sends in a team to test for poison gas after a series of explosions. i'm deandrarren jordan. a debate on greece's bail-put ordeal debates through the night plus... ..a witness to history, we take a tour to havana's momentous day

in cuba first, to china, where a team of nuclear and chemical experts is on the ground at the scene of two massive explosions leaving 50 dead. >> they are testing the area for tox irk gases. they fear it was contaminated with gases. let's talk first about this press conference given earlier by the authorities. what more have they said. >> reporter: that press conference ended a short time ago. we were told that at 7 o'clock local time a man was rescued from the epicentre of the disaster zone. we don't know how he'll survive or the condition he was in.

it was short on details. people have been rescued since thursday morning. and the one question that is on everyone's mind is this - is this air here safe to breathe. i put that question to an environmentalist who is part of the government team. we think the air is safe. the key word is think. not the most reassuring of answers. the government says it set up 17 monitoring takes. there is a lot of - when you speak to other people in the streets. most are worried what it want

the anti-or despair, as we talk, we see live pictures of black spoke. what is happening on the ground there, apt the site of the explosions? >> well as you say, the smoke you can see in the background is burning. it's a combustible area. officials worry that the fires that are smouldering could ignite more chemicals. this is a center for petrochemical processing. it's been confirmed today that the company where the multiple explosions happened late on wednesday night was a company where in the warehouses

50,000 tonnes of chemicals are stored. what we don't is the government is insisting that what would have been a busy bus station. those explosions happened at night on wednesday. the explosion happened a few hours earlier, if it was a few hours earlier, in the rush hour, there could have been a death toll in the thousands. >> adrian brown there. >> the u.s. is investigating reports of chemical weapons used by i.s.i.l., the incident said to have happened thursday, near erbil. german troops have been in the area training peshmerga forces, reporting kurdish fighters suffered difficulty since the attack >

samantha power, envoy to the u.n. says if it's true they'll be held accountable. >> it's a test ament of i.s.i.l has a movement. and its brutal approach to what it calls warfare, but would - appears to be just systematic attacks on civilians who don't accord to their particularly perverse world view. so i think we will have to again move ford on the allegations, get whatever evidence we can. if i have seen a report, i believe it was kurds that came forward. engaging with them greek politicians are due to vote on a bale out. the deal pledges tax rises and spending cuts in exchange for 85 billion euros. greece needs the money to make a

debt payment. the terms of the deal is putting pressure on the ruling syriza matter. >> summer is a time for unpopular bills to pass notice while people escape the heat. it didn't work out this that way. the first bill bringing parties to the left of syriza, hoping to cultivate disappointing voters, chief among them the communist party's labour union. frnchts i don't think -- >> translation: i don't think the measures can be implemented. people can't pay more taxes unless we become homeless and eat at soup kitchens, i discovered a kidney medicine, basic to my health, is out of the stock. from this point of view, i don't think more measures can work. >> reporter: inside the chamber the government defended other aspects to its policy, such as a

$28 billion bailout to keep the system collapsing. >> we had a huge debate, as you understand, the bad loans are interconnected with the recapitalization of the banks. we had a big disagreement with the institutions. we'll have to discuss the topic in october, and hope to find a compromise. >> sparks flew as opposition m.p.s blame syriza for creating more debt. >> so why do we need 25 billion for the recapitalization from the bank. the previous stress test shows no recapitalization was needed. we have a buffer of 11 million that could have been used to enter the market, which was given away. >> the bill provides some impetus for growth, it lineralizes energy and commodities, and requires more businesses to enter protection. it gives the government bigger teeth with which to go after tax

evasion, it tightens the screws on public spend, austerity trends which are expected to deepen in bills still to come. perhaps most hurtful to syriza politically, it ends early retirement over the next seven years and cuts pensions. the former social welfare minister ousted for opposing the bailout said pensioners will lose $3 billion this year and next. >> governments held to the promise, but syriza's about turn introduced a fundamental imbalance in greek politics. more than 60% of the vote is against austerity, lawmakers support it, and that creates a political market and potential instability people in turkey may go back to the polls in autumn. political parties failed to form a government.

the commissioner urged parliament to call for a new vote as soon as possible. turkey's p.m. says new elections are the most likely outcome after a failure to establish a coalition government with the opposition secular c.h.p. party, the talks have been going on since the results of june election failed to give the party a majority, forcing it into coalition talks. the prime minister says they seemed to come close, but it was not quite enough in the end. the opposition says it doesn't believe the akp was serious about sharing power for a full 4-year term, it was interested in sharing power for a few months, until new elections, whatever, the results have not gone down well on the markets. the currency hitting a new low against the u.s. dollar, and there has been a stock market sell off, now it's up to the

president recep tayyip erdogan to call new elections - him or the parliament will do this. the most likely date is some time in november. friday marks two years since egyptian security forces raided two protest camps in cairo. the two sides have been occupied by supporters of ousted president mohamed mursi. at least 1,000 people died. as reported, many of the families of those killed continue their search for justice. a warning that this report contains graphic images. >> reporter: august the 14th, 2013. scenes that egyptians thought they would never witness. hundreds of dead bodies lie in the streets in the square in cairo, and another in giza. killed by the army and police. some burnt alive. egypt's security forces stormed

the two sides against the military coup, which overthrew egypt's first democratically elected president mohamed mursi. for 48 days. tens of thousands of supporters and pro-democracy activists camped at the main camp. throughout that time, the government newspaper, radio and tv stations carried out a concerted campaign to demonize the protesters. >> whatever the cost. if you have to kill them all. >> we have to cleanse our city and country from the filthy people. >> reporter: less than a week after the muslim holiday, the top posterior approved a request -- prosecutor approved arequest to disperse the citizens. human rights described it as a crime against humanity. 850 were killed, including women and children.

thousands much others were injured. the then vice president resigned in protest. fleeing the country because he, too, feared the military take over. several journalists were killed in the massacre, including cameraman mike dean, who worked for sky news. in an attempt to erase what happened, the camp was burnt to the ground, including the main mosque. the army rebuilt and rename the care after the prosecutor general who was assassinated this year. the memory of the kimmings is fresh -- killings is fresh in the minds of many. >> translation: because two years have gone buy doesn't mean i forget my son. i will not rest until i get justice. >> reporter: since the massacre, egypt has looked at its darkest days. hundreds of egyptians have been killed. more than 40,000 arrested, and a free press and speech are almost

non-existent. following the 2011 uprising which toppled president hosni mubarak, much was said about the people and the bright fired they were looking forward to. for many, it was killed, together with loved ones, two years ago lots more to come on al jazeera. is the jp niece industrial -- japanese industrial giant on the verge of extending an apology to prisoners of forced labour. plus... >> i'm reporting from reunion on what is dubbed as the most what is dubbed as the most expensive road

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welcome back, a recap. top stories, nuclear and chemical experts investigate the site of two massive explosions in the chinese city. a blast happened after a container of hazardous materials exploded in a warehouse. 50 died, 700 injured. the u.s. is investigating reports of chemical weapons used biff i.s.i.l. in northern iraq. the incident said to have happened on thursday, near erbil turkey may be facing a new election after political parties failed to form a coalition government. the prime minister has urged parliament to call for a new vote as soon as possible. syria's main opposition group

rejected a peace plan offered by russia, leaders of the syrian national coalition met in moscow. they want president bashar al-assad to step down before peace talks begin. russia says fighting i.s.i.l. should be the priority, and the syrian government joining the coalition against the group an expert on the middle east says even if a peace deal is agreed, it's unlikely to work. >> i think the different sides view this as a zero sum game. the syrian opposition, the people would want him removed from power. it teems that russia and iran are still trying to put forward a peace settlement that allows bashar al-assad or the remnants of the regime to remain in power. that's a position that will not be accepted by a credible negotiating partner. that is one of the bigger - one of the bigger sticking points

that is hindering a negotiated settlement. the other sticking point that needs to be acknowledged is if you could arrive at a peace settlement, all the major parties, how would you implement the settlement when the two biggest entities and milt forces that occupy territory, are not at the nightsing table. and they refuse a settlement that may be arrived at in moscow, geneva. >> a strike by several groups brought the ecuadoran ketoto a stand stall, calling for the resignation of the president. >> reporter: for hours people tried to break the police barriers around the perimeter of the palace. protest jorls have been protesting throughout the -- protesters have been protesting

throughout the day. many walked and travelled for more than 10 days to reach the capital for a day of strikes. many of the protesters had different grievances. some of them asking for reductions, others wanting better improvements in education or health. others manage the land or water resources, but the one issue that most said they agree on is the fact that they want the government to shelve a plan to amend the constitution that will allow the president to run for a fourth term. there's violent protests in other parts of the countries and cities. violent protests, police men wounded, civilians wounded, people detained and staying safe until the president listens and responds to their demands. >> in a few hours time the u.s. flag will be raised outside its embassy in the capital for the first time in 50 years.

these are pictures from a rehearsal of the ceremony to be attended by secretary of state john kerry. the flag will be raised by the same retired u.s. marines who lowered it back in 1961. the two countries restored diplomatic ties. >> well one building in havana witnessed some of the most important events of that period in u.s.-cuban relations. lucia newman took a tour of the 85-year-old hotel nationale. >> reporter: it stands above havana, on top of what was a spanish fortress, where canons were used during the spanish american war decorated the gardens. it is not just a hotel, it's a monument to history, inscribed in the world of memory register.

>> the hotel's historian takes us on a tour of the nationale. built 85 years ago by american architects. it's a symbol of a chess board with pawns, nights and the king and queen represented. >> for the hotel, it's important to conserve the style. it's all original. >> the front desk is made of mahogany. incredibly the mailbox works as it did 85 years ago. coming with the came lock and key every day. >> it's the history that fascinates visitors. hollywood's stars were regulars. like frank sin art ra, who spent the hollywood in this room. in the days it was his

playground the mafia bosses hired the entire hotel. >> this is named offer former p.m. churchill. he used to smoke his favourite cigars. >> reporter: the hotel's cabaret puts on a nightly show. a venue that has been immortalized in films like the godfather two, and documentaries about the fight that again changed cuban history. >> it was 1 january 1959, and all of cuba's high society was here, celebrating the new year, when they fled the news that the dictator fled the country and revolutionaries triumphed. the casino closed down, mafia thrown out and it was not long before the hotel nationale became a fortress, with trenches

dug around the garden at the height of the missile crisis. >> translation: we are under the gardens now. the only thing that is new is the lights. >> tunnels opened to the public commemorated the crisis bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war. >> that uniform you see was mine. yes, i was here when i was 18. not working for the hotel, but as part of the university militia. >> half a century later, the hotel is a major tourist attraction. the hotel created something not common to hotels. a history that in some way came full circle. with the arrival of new hollywood stars. again, the americans. to the hotel nationale

japan is marking the 70th anniversary of its defeat in world war ii. prime minister shinzo abe is expected to issue an apology for his country's role in the war. it comes a few weeks after one of the biggest countries apologised for using american p.o.w.s as forced labour. no apology has been extended to chinese victims systems. >> reporter: he remembers the beatings, but mostly the relentless hunger. he was 21 when captured by japanese soldiers and sent to dig for coal in a mine operated by a giant japanese company, mitsubishi. >> i was always hungry, no matter how hungry we were, we had to work. >> in all, 10 young men were abducted from a chinese village, where he still lives.

3,700 men were rounded up from other parts of china and shipped to japan. he was one of 17 forced labourers still alive. last month mitsubishi made an unprecedented apology to u.s. prisoners of war, used as forced labour. japan extended a similar apology saying a treaty was signed in the 1970s. chinese survivors pressured the government. 70 years after the war, a mitsubishi executive says they are ready to offer $16,000 in compensation to each chinese victim, and an apology. >> translation: i believe the day mitsubishi will apologise will come soon. they are under pressure from china, the victims. mitsubishi rrlds if it doesn't solve the -- it can never be a

normal functioning policy. >> at 92. time is not on his side. cap i forgive the japanese, what does it mean to forgive or not. the guys that forgive us are dead. there's a new generation. i hope shinzo abe will apologise. how can they not. mitsubishi is yet to confirm the apology, most are willing to accept one, some are holding out for more compensation. if the deal goes ahead, it could be the largest pay out by a japanese country over war-time wrongs a state of emergency has been declared in argentina's capital as the city and surrounding province suffers heavy down pores of rain. thousands have been evacuated from flood affected areas. the governor and candidate cut short a trip to italy where he was given medical treatment. record levels of rain caused

flooding in santa fe province. >> it's been called the most expensive road in france. a 12km stretch of highway built off the coast of the french island of reunion island. tania page has the story. >> christoph is working on his dream project. an engineering feet that could save lives. rock falls killed 23 motorists in the last decade. debris closes the high which 40 times a year, cutting a supply route. this shows the proposed solution, they are building a highway in the sea. a 51 huge columns holding 12km of highway. foundations are five meters deep. it's flexible enough to withstand earthquakes. it may not handle an eruption of reunion's volcano, but all other extremes will be catered for.

>> it's a project of my life. we have to deal with the extremes. it's strong enough to resist a cyclone, and big waves. >> at about 2 billion, it's the most expensive road in france. many question whether so much should be spent. an outer most territory. the islanders say the investment is needed. >> it's good. >> we are an equal region, a part of france. two conservative governments confirmed the highway is necessary for our economy to go. the cost is not any higher than building a big train line in france. >> it will be five years before the project is complete, in which time they will have moved an impressive 19 million tonnes of rock, gravel and sand from quarries in the mountain ear to

the site. >> that bothers a community group called don't touch our rocks. they agree the road is necessary, but are opposed to a quarry site. >> with the wind you see here. we'll have death everywhere around, and all the team will be concerned, especially the children, and yazidi. >> a coward in reunion agreed that the environmental impact reports are inaccurate. that may slow construction, but will not stop the highway rising from the sea to become a vital link in the island's economy now, california's reservoirs are suffering from the worst drought history. now the city of los angeles is hoping that some novel black plastic balls may provide a solution. they are called shade balls, and the last 96 million of them were released into a large reservoir this week. they sit on top of the water and

reduce evaporation, as well as natural contamination. it's estimated that they'll shave more than a billion litres of water every year. you can keep up to date with all the news on the website. there it is aljazeera.com. on "america tonight", doubts about rebuilding afghanistan. >> reporter: how much are you getting from u.s.a. d. stopped. >> reporter: 10 years, billions spent. what did the u.s. effort buy? also tonight - hiding in plain sight. behind tinsel town's glittering facade is a major environmental threat brewing. >> the bed room windows - they have no notification that toxic