and intelligence and money to solve them. that is our show today i'm ali >> searching for answers in bangkok after a bomb blast at a popular tourist spot kills at least 20 people. coming up on the program, we are getting reports of explosives thrown into a river in bangkok. blues votes have been tallied, results of elections are expected to be out within hours. rebel leader finds a peace deal, but his rival needs more time. >> i'm reporting on the efforts

of the south korean police to export their tactics to other countries. when it comes to crowd control, nobody does it better. the question is when does crowd control with him a dissent. >> thailand's prime minister has promised those responsible for a bomb attack will be found quickly. 20 people have died. police are looking for suspects from surveillance footage. am fewer video highlights just how busy the area was at the time. [explosion] [screaming] we are at the scene in bangkok. we'll join him in a moment.

first, this report from veroni veronica. >> reporter: with the fire from the explosion still burning, there was a desperate race to reach survivors. as the emergency services moved, police tried to secure the area. a bomb had exploded minutes before. and closed circuit television shows the moment fear struck in the heart of bangkok with people running for their lives. the bomb went off close to the shrine, twisted metal and debris was scattered across the street, at a place popular with worshipers and tourists. several foreigners have known to have died. >> translator: i rushed to the scene right after i heard the explosion. there were destroyed motorbikes as well as body parts lying around. >> reporter: survivors were rushed to hospital. government officials say those

behind the attack were trying to destroy thailand's economy and tourism industry. but no group has yet claimed responsibility for this. >> translator: the perpetrators are cruel and heartless because they intend to take lives. everyone knows at 7:00 p.m. there are lots of people gathered around. if they planned to bomb there, they know they will cause casualties. >> reporter: the thai government is scrambling to deal with the crisis. it may present the biggest security threat of the prime minister who took power 15 months ago in a coup saying he wanted to bring security at a time of political turmoil. >> let's talk to wayne in central bangkok. we are hearing about another incident today. tell us about this grenade that was thrown at a busy pier.

>> that's right. we learned about that in the last hour or so. a second incident that took place some kilometers from here. this is near the river which a popular tourist destination. many tourist boats going up and down to various tourist sites around there. a grenade for explosive device similar to a grenade was fired or thrown from a bridge down towards the pier. from some reports it bounced off the pier bo th into water. no one was hurt. this is a busy area again. if this was the idea or the motive behind this attack to cause more disruption to the tourism side of things for thailand, perhaps a luck yes cape in that one. that's coming to life in the last couple of hours. more details to come soon.

>> going to set people there more on edge. what are the authorities saying to try to calm people down and assure them they are on the case? >> well, i think there is an expectation that this military government that took power in a coup just over a year ago will want to find someone responsible for the blast that took place on monday night very, very quickly. now, the only real concrete lead, if you can call it that so far, has been the release of this security camera footage which may or may not show a suspect who was in the area of the shrine at the time of the blast. now, the prime minister who gave a brief statement spoke about this security camera footage earlier in the day saying it may be a suspect, but the quality of the footage, the quality of the photo poor, so it will require

further investigation. that's all we have seen so far. bangkok is nervous given this latest incident as we near the 24 hour mark since that large explosion on monday night and night falls in bangkok. it will be a nervous city indeed. >> thank you very much indeed. thank you for keeping us up with the latest from bangkok. now, voteds are being counted in sri lanka's election. the poll was seen as a comeback bid for the former president. let's go straight to our correspondent. any closer to getting a result? >> a little bit closer, but not there yet. essentially still showing a close race. at this point in time, with a few polling divisions to be announced. we are seeing each of the two main sides having security 61

seats. however, the united national front surging slightly ahead. the lead at the moment from what the results, the official results we have seen so far just over two%. we are getting there, but we'll still need to wait longer until we see the final results being announced. >> the former president conceded defeat, he said it was unlikely he was going to make a comeback. do you think that call was a little too early to make? >> it seemed that way early hours this morning. we found that he was being quoted as saying that we have lost going further. another thing attributed to him, my dreams of becoming prime minister have faded away. fairly quickly, we found people in the camp sounding a lot of caution, saying that he hasn't

said as much. that yes, that the united national front has appeared to have a stronger showing. but they were being cautious. hinting at the possibility of coalitionings and deals bringing together different parties even though the side hadn't done as well. however, we are sort of generally talking to the united people's freedom alliance. it does seem that they are ready essentially for that loss. however, people still waiting, just waiting for those final results which will decide the shape and color of that 16 parliament of 225 members. >> thanks for keeping us up to date with the latest. we wait for those results from the parliamentary election. search crews have found the black box and recovered all bodies from the plane that crashed on sunday. it was carrying 54 people

including five crew when it went down ten minutes before landing in the remote settlement. bodies have to be transported by helicopter because of the remoteness of the site. bad weather has been hampering recovery efforts. in china residents have gather in tianjin. 70 people, mostly firefighters, are still missing. the blast originateddality a warehouse used to store highly toxic sodium cyanide. funerals for 19 people were killed on sunday. the prime minister was amongst those killed. he was leading a crackdown on arms groups on pakistan's largest province. a group with links to al qaeda

said they ordered the attack. amnesty international is condemning all sides fighting in yemen. the growing number of casualties have not stopped in fighting. anti-houthi fighters captured most of the city and saudi air strikings have hit a port city. a warning, viewers may find images in this report disturbing. >> reporter: a victory march sums up the feelings of these fighters in yemen. these are pro government troops who have taken over. since april they fought houthi rebels. they have advanced from the north and east and now trying to capture the eastern gate of the capital. heavy fighting continues in western parts, still under the

control of pro houthi forces. fighters are trying to take the republican palace held by the forces and the city's airport. and streets are lined with bodies of houthi fighters. there are efforts to bring some rule of law in southern provinces. >> translator: there is no escape for anyone who a cares to violate the law r we have the means and support to reach them no matter where they try to hide. >>hide. >> reporter: military fighters believe they are trying to advance. after making gains in the south, they have pushing forces back. and pushing forth from southern provinces. in the heavy fighting yemen's infrastructure has been badly damaged. human rights groups are criticizing led coalition

strikes and houthi forces for indiscriminate use of force in heavily populated areas. the intense fighting is affecting the population. since march, healthcare facilities have been damaged or are unable to function properly because of lack of electricity and fuel. the u.n. says 2.6 million children are at risk for measles. and there seems to be no relief any time soon as the war continues to escalate. plenty more still ahead on al-jazeera. from the rooftops of ramadi, iraqis try to take back the city from isil. it's a slow and tough battle. and once stifled by still in a, heroin addicts are offered a different kind of help to

overcome their habits.

>> al jazeera america, weekday mornings. catch up on what happened overnight with a full morning brief. get a first hand look with in-depth reports and investigations. start weekday mornings with al jazeera america. open your eyes to a world in motion. >> top stories here on al jazeera. a small explosive device is thrown from a bridge towards on pier just one day after a blast killed 20 people in the city center. police are searching for clues to find out who is behind monday's attack. votes are being counted in veer lank ka with result its expected

to be coming in. amness city international is condemning all sides fighting in yemen saying they have shown a wanton disregard for safety of civilians. u.n. security council has given its support to get peace talks started in syria. it paves the way for u.n. special envoy to progress with his plan to find a political solution. inside syria the military launched another round of air strikes near damascus. it follows the government offensive that left more than a hundred people dead. it's being described as one of the worst since the war began more than four years ago. the iraqi government said it's entered the second phase of a campaign to retake anbar province from isil fighters.

>> reporter: on the front lines iraqi security forces battle isil, one shot at a time. [gunfire] despite the government's promise, the battle has been slow. while the defense ministry insists things are going well and moved on to phase 2, part of the larger anbar offensive, some analysts are skeptical. >> translator: i believe isil in ramadi is still strong and the joint iraqi forces are weak. they haven't been able to put an end to that organization since the start of the anbar offensive. >> reporter: the defense ministry maintains security forces are fighting as effectively as possible. with scenes like this in which a

shoulder held rocket propelled grenade launcher is incorrectly held, it shows how untrained they are. the intensity of this struggle leaves most fighters warn out. these days iraq's government faces a converge yens of crisis, one on the battle field, the other in the court of public opinion. as tens of thousands of fed up iraqis continue demonstrating against corruption and demanding a return of basic services including electricity and air conditioning. while iraq's prime minister and its parliament have been quick to pass sweeping reform measures, many say that's not enough. protesters vowed to keep coming out into the streets no matter how hot it gets and no matter how long it takes. many say it's actions and not

words that ultimately count. >> translator: it seems like the reform list and decrees and ratification of these proposals is like ink on paper. protesters are waiting for implementation of these reforms. and if no action is taken, the protests will develop into sit-ins. >> reporter: now the prime minister isn't promising to cut corruption, he insists he will also improve security. by court marshalling officers who abandon their posts when isil stormed the city in april. but it's not clear yet what effect that may have on these weary fighters and a weary public. people in the italian city have canceled their annual fireworks show after 41 migrants

died. they were taken to the port city and will be buried there. south sudan's president says the government needs more time to make a dision. the points include a transitional period of two and a half years. he also wants a provision which calls for him to consult with the president. he had a problem for the deadline for the united armed force within a year and a half. we have a senior policy advisers, he says south sudanese are desperate for peace. >> the pressures have spoken with a clear voice and a single voice through the adoption of a u.n. security council resolution a few months back. what's really important is the

voice of the south sudanese. that's the voice that's been missing. what they are saying is this war is not bringing us anything, it's making our lives more difficult and it needs to come to an end. the people are incredibly resillant, strong and hopeful people. what they have seen is just tremendous suffering and a breaking down of that resilience and strength. there are many people living in really appalling situations. the height of the rainy season, people living in mud, having to sleep on the ground, having been displaced from their homes, they are having to hide from attacks happening often in bushy areas. where it's difficult for aid workers to reach them. you are seeing as a result of that 4.6 million people in south sudan, 40% of the population, are severely hungry and our fears and their fears if the

conflict continues, that's only going to get worse and more people will be hungry. in eastern ukraine fighting has left nine people dead. the latest talks have broken down. >> reporter: the remains of a family home in a village. it took 20 minutes to reduce this street to rubble. the military said two people were killed as russian backed rebels shelled the village. >> translator: a man 30 years old and a woman of 22 were killed. six other its were wound the the. most serious were injuries sustained by a mother with child. >> reporter: the separatists are blaming the ukrainians for bombing. it's enough despite a tenuous

cease fire. as the attacks increase, moscow is accusing the ukraine military of planning a renewed offensive against pro russian separatists. >> translator: we worried by the latest developments. it was like that last august. when the attack failed, they agreed to starts the talks. it was like that this past january when there was another attempt to resolve the situation by using force. that also failed and the ukrainian side agreed to more talks. we believe one shouldn't experiment in trying one's luck. one should just fulfill to what's been agreed. >> reporter: this has driven 1.5 million civilians from their home. several units on sites side refused to obey their commanders. the gulf of mistrust grows even

wider. a conservative politician in australia has broken ranks with his part to introduce a legalization of guy marriage. there is little chance it will succeed. the governing coalition will not allow its mps to vote on the issue. south korea launched what it's calling the k police wave inspired by the global spread of k-pop. it's trying to export techniques in the same way it does entertainment. >> reporter: protest is part of the national dna. scenes like this rally against the government's handling of last year's ferry disaster are a regular feature of life. as are the police's tactics and response.

barriers, they are used to keep protesters to designated areas. now the use of tear gas is banned. offensive measures replaced by defensive ones. the watch word, no casualties. >> translator: in the past there was direct physical confrontation resulting in casualties. now this has been prevented. >> reporter: it's a transformation the police say that reflects huge advances elsewhere. embattling cyber crime. all worthy of promotion overseas in the k police wave. part of the national brand. they point out this is one element of the k police wave. the he can makes they are exporting. this kind of crowd control is the most controversial.

>> translator: protests end up becoming just for those inside the walls. citizens outside the police wall feel separated and feel those people inside are different from them. the nature of protests is openness, but the walls hinder communication with society. >> reporter: at the police university, officers are trained in cyber crime techniques. they have seen exchanges with 69 other countries, it's about sharing all kinds of expertise. they admit for some of their partners, particularly middle eastern ones, it's in equipment and tactics for maintaining public order. the chemical munitions were used in the past. i don't have precise knowledge. but the concept is rising in the middle east. as such countries recognize the techniques are not appropriate. it could stop people from getting hurt. >> the police's unbeatable array of tactics.

the k police wave is likely to export that mixed reputation as it breaks on foreign shores. 200 u.s. soldiers are sent to help firefighters battling wildfires in seven western states. the fires have burned more than 400,000 sec hares of land. one woman died while trying to leave her home. 50 homes have been destroyed. the u.s. government is changing tactics in its fight for drug addiction. instead of addicts being prosecuted, they are going to get help to overcome their dangerous habit. >> reporter: nowhere in the u.s. is the drug problem more severe than in the state of massachusetts. >> abuse is stealing the livelihood of our children, our

siblings, our parents, relatives and friends one person at a time. >> reporter: this year on average more than two people have died in apparent heroin overdoses. people call it a playing. >> since 7th grade i started smoking weed and drinking all the time. next thing i know, by 10th grade i'm doing heroin. >> reporter: they are giving top priority to the problem. but after years of filling prisons with addicts, they are shifting to a different approach. >> we are not going to arrest our way out of this. this is a disease, this is a public health crisis and we must treat it and address it as such. >> reporter: the police chief has taken the most radical step by promising nil addict who turns in his drugs immediate

treatment. >> the more we get people involved,ette less problem we are going to v. >> reporter: in three months more than 100 people have taken up the offer. massachusetts is also one of 25 states which authorize emergency first responders to prevent addict deaths by administering narcan. >> it's completely benign. it's a medicine that the only function is to reverse narcotic overdose. >> reporter: an addict can walk into a pharmacy and get it. the police department promises to pay for it with money seized from drug dealers. such local initiatives are encouraged by the obama administration. >> the administration wants more money, congress is saying we are going to level within caps. if we don't get this resolved, we'll see more people die, more people getting hepatitis c.

>> reporter: america has a way before admitting its bigger drug problem is one of demand, not supply. you can always keep up to date with the latest news on our website. there it is on your screens, al jazeera.com. genetically modified food sets off a new round of anger and fear. >> i should have punched you in the blank face. now "techknow" goes to the field where is scientists stay under the radar to conduct research. >> what if i told you that they were gmo strawberries. >> she'll show us the latest innovations. >> these tomatoes here are special tomatoes. >> and then