beethoven is for us. is for. beethoven 202250th anniversary year. and turkey's biggest tourist attraction is no longer a museum built 1500 years ago the highest the fear started life as the biggest church and biggest building in the world when there's a bison teen model fell to the ottoman empire it became a mosque and state that well to 935 and the founding of the turkish republic transformed it into a museum on friday president heard of one his court battle to change the museum back into a mosque so what see up to i'm phil gale in berlin and this is the day. i

also feel that the fact that i it's a fear is losing its status as a museum i mean coming a mosque again makes us muslims feel extremely happy. that's filled existing mosques 1st i do not want to speak about i as a fear i think is politics. the decision is good because it's taking the decision we are turkish and we live in turkey. decision to turn it into a mosque is like a race in 1000 years of history in my opinion. this is the awakening of the mosque that was opened by sultan for the rights of muslims and islam once again. also on the day remembering europe's worst atrocity since the 2nd world war d.w. speaks with survivors of the shrub and it's a massacre and when i put 2 tanks facing each other and people had to walk for then

they started charging people they took them and then shot them right in front of me they were like family to me. a turkish president obama has announced istanbul's world famous highest the field will be reopened for muslim worship he's declaration about his country's most popular tourist destination a comes after turkey's highest administrative court favor. it's status as a museum clearing the way for it to be turned back into a mosque dozens of people were gathered outside the building to celebrate a built in the 6th century as an orthodox christian church it's now unesco world heritage site greece and the russian orthodox church strongly criticize the change while the united states and the nest go also expressed regret at the alterations of its status. empires have fallen religions have been replaced the city itself has changed names but the dome of the high yes the

fia has withstood it all built in the 6th century as a byzantine church it was for centuries the world's largest christian cathedral almost a millennium later it was converted into an islamic mosque during the awesome an empire. but in the 1930 s. it was turned into a museum under the founder of the modern turkish republic ataturk a symbol of the new secular state inclusive of all religions since then it has been a meeting point of many faiths but held by none a place where pope's and presidents have come to pay their respects and marvel at the architecture. the religion is a tool for president red chip type of on he has overseen prayers in the museum and raised its status at local election rallies. i also feel subs over the individual sort of as you know they converted the higher sophia from a mosque to a museum

a while ago. now we hope to be able to call that a mosque again after the election. i just islamic groups have fought to pray at the highest the fear angering neighboring greece which says the building is part of its author docs christian history unesco has warned turkey its conversion to a mosque could violate the world cultural heritage convention. a flashpoint of religious and national struggle the higher saffir will remain an icon of istanbul. let's take a closer look at this with that bad chap who's written extensively on turkey in southeast europe he joins us from a chapel hill in the u.s. where he's currently a research fellow at the university of north carolina but welcome to the day the

courts today decided the 934 cabinet decision that ended the highest affair is used as a mosque and defined it as a museum did not comply with the law why do you think it took 86 years for anyone to notice. well the show has been making branson thickish politics for a long time indeed it's been a colson ever a for slot miss but also for right wing nationalists in turkey. for whatever reason they're going to get if it secure does this is a long time ago decided it's now a good time to get it through the course system and by do we should have told selves this is totally independent really by the court is clearly in the political influence and i think the only plausible explanation of this short term political calculations. to take this economy is not doing great cull but they team this is much a challenge to think it's elsewhere distant bowling balls it's the president's.

political standing but i am afraid it will be a visual to me it will make a difference with all due to its this does for the government over longer to why you see this as a distraction this is a short term political win for the president absolutely but it will be costly for taking itself. because salute initial titian's it breeds little soul because is that mental to the kind of rants to keep but also stumble the municipality if a stumble has good nurturing for a long long time is a meeting point across the political center a city. of a group who believes that the cross was ruled of several historical regions and it's the connections to the past. that it's that it's

a decision of the goals right. against the steam its trajectory by turkey but also in the city itself i saw you that you tweeted a little earlier face why why why did you say that you think this will provoke islamophobia. it's the usual simply gains plea by early 2 of which syria thought of many many issues for example with their median jealous ape issue he likes to raise hell to rally supporters behind the cloak of the often he strikes. european leaders 1000000 viewers might remember the kind of swipes he directed. leadership or determine it's not espoused nazi past which then of course triggers backlash on the other side. which then the president himself uses the device to drum up

support nobody likes us the world is against us it's a standard technique you see with many old across. has been playing the same game in russia occasionally this hole so expect there will be this they begin to play but again i don't think that's the kind of issue that mates the citizens local they killed of the basis that this effect will be ephemeral i mean i'm intrigued by the how to you know you forgive me for interrupting about the point that you your you made that things very interesting you say this is an issue that has been kicking around in politics for decades this is not an issue that generally exercises the public in turkey and certainly outside turkey i'm thinking that most of the public probably wouldn't pass along as they can still get to go and see which the president seems to indicate that that will still be the case so nobody wins except

except presidents are on a short term basis but he still got problems to deal with this does not sound like the actions of a a calculating votes winner but we have seen him to be a. oh yeah but. it's a shorter political gait and by we spoke to said well willing i guess there will be opportunity for others the populist the nationalists in greece but also in western europe to seize on this issue i wouldn't be surprised to see discussed in the european parliament by the way going back to bite the week of this political football sites but again we look maybe experts myself included we were wrong because we assumed all over the edge that he will be just played this game of smoke and mirrors promising to speak for supporters that hew to the status but will go before while well he did well and he probably thinks that the course it was this

will be that serious but he may well have a point but i think again the myths. is that true mental. doesn't play well. we're talking to thank you for joining us that dimitar better from the european policy institute here. this weekend marks the 25th anniversary of the worst a war crime on your pin soil since the 2nd world war in july 9095 during the bosnian war more than 8000 muslim men and boys were killed by bosnian serb forces in the town to strengthen itself which was supposed to be a safe haven and under the protection of u.n. troops the bodies were disposed off in mass graves in an attempt to cover up the slaughter and it happened in europe's backyard as dutch peacekeeper stood back at a memorial ceremony in the european parliament today the e.u. had knowledge to turn fadia today we are remembering one of the darkest

days of modern european history and one of the most tragic crimes committed in europe since the 2nd world war europe has not forgotten. what happened in 72. and our own responsibility for not being able to prevent and stop the genocide in 72. you know failed and we are faced with o'shane or commemoration events are also being held in bosnia and herzegovina every year on the 11th of july our relatives of the most recently identified victims gathered for a funeral he has been speaking with 2 survivors of the massacre here in. the center froze us takes her back to a farmer peaceful life in the hills of spread parineeta until the age of 45 so

little had a happy life but then yugoslavia fell apart serbian forces shelled the town and tried to stuff its residents out now i go to. the mornings where the worst every day and not even one am i had children in front of my house begging they wanted something to eat but we didn't have anything ourselves nothing yet they wanted to go aadmi blood not yet. between 93 and 95 the fighting between serb forces and bosnian militias intensified the serbs were trying to force the population out of their homes to make their opponents surrender. in july of 95 general ragon lot it's later convicted of war crimes and genocide and roots rubber meets the separation between life and death began. as i've got them abroad used that one i put 2 tanks facing each other and people

had to walk through then they started charging people old women and children on one side young women on the other fort and entertainment tonight. the men were taken away even little boys from the age of 8 even 90 year olds. was scottish so really if there were this it got you know study on a suit to. an estimated 8000 men and boys were shot in the following days. lost his father and spread bernita he often imagines his final moments before he got shot. after one point did he feel hungry did he feel 1st. if he was conscious did he think about us his family did anything give him strength

we're going to craft. in 20053 manes of his father were a dentist in 3 different mass graves thanks to d.n.a. tests before the burial he insisted on seeing them and recognized his father skull . when you brought him when remains are found they are often already charred and decomposed for the reason. but that makes the teeth stand out more in contrast and i recognized my father's smile. from my new father. in july 95 women and children left represents are under the eyes of serving forces. was amongst them but on her way out she witnessed something she will never be able to forget assume put them some stories of whatever friends of mine try to scape but

the soldiers caught them and drag them back to the street they wanted everyone to see what happens to those who try to escape they took them and then shot them right in front of me they were like family to me i'm still mad most about not so many believe we should family. just like demi kluge she lives with the trauma to this day but still the smell of roses lives on and reminds her of her farm a peaceful you've inspired parineeta. a more ball of arborist with this president of remembering srebrenica that's a british charity raises awareness about the bosnian genocide and tries to bring communities together using the lessons learned from this trip and its amassed a welcome to day doubly the people will say this was actually a terrible thing that happened nearly a lifetime ago so why is it important to remember. well 1st of all it's 25 years ago it wasn't yesterday but it was not very long ago it was on

european soil it was the most dreadful genocide it was the most awful event in europe since the 2nd world war and the holocaust it is something truly awful it is a stain on europe history and it's very important that we learn the lessons of the past because that's the only way we stop these things happening in the future so it's very important that british shoulder and british are educated about this and indeed the population at large and that's what we're seeking to do so that we can ensure that nothing like this happens again except that. i mean the word the words in the sentiment i think we all agree with him as a that individual level we say the sense and we say that the horrors of war but when we look around the world and when you look around the news the lessons really aren't being learned the the war the world is still full of internal war and strife

you look at me and my you look at syria you look at libya eunuch and the yemen we are still fighting each other those lessons are not being. learned. well i say 2 things that i mean 1st 1st of all we're not talking about a war here we're talking about genocide and that isn't to minimize some of the dreadful things that are happening around the world at the moment in any way but we don't learn the lessons of the past we don't stop these things happening in the future by simply saying look these things always happen they're going to carry on happening we have to fight back as an international community and that's what remembering strugar nisa does this week in memorial week in britain that have been over 1000 events up and down the country throughout the 4 parts of the country in town holes in community is in schools police stations small acts that may look small and insignificant in themselves but when you look at them building up it just

shows that every action matters not is the but the title and the moral of this particular week that we've adopted and considering that we're in lockdown because of the for the virus to have achieved that in their level of awareness on the level of resistance to this i think that's something that we should be proud of and i'm not being complacent about it there's still a lot to do and that we don't stop these things happening if we sit by do nothing and then the history the the narrative the way we remember these events that's important as well it explains why it's important to point and yes i what went on in bosnia as genocide for instance. well it's very important because it is one community against another i mean community is that the looked on the surface identical you couldn't tell. a search of an. opinion. from

a bosnian muslim on the face of it and it was only when people were identified as of a different religion a number identified for slaughter that that difference became apparent and that is why it is absolutely truly awful renders hannah's crimes that we have to make sure never happen again tomorrow of course we have the national commemoration happening at 7 o'clock and people can view that by remembering struggle it's a twitter handle or on facebook or on you tube and i hope they do hundreds of thousands of people will be looking at this and learning from this because that is it cruel usually important and the most significant event of my political like with . that is that the i think the mothers of srebrenica who showed such incredible grace and courage and briefly then how much of a shadow do those events of 25 years ago still cast over politics today in bosnia and herzegovina governor. an immense amount they they cost

a very long shadows you'd expect i don't want to minimize some of the progress that has been because undoubtedly there has been of course the house but of course it's also true that these will cost a very long shadow people who lived through that and people who didn't live through that that they're going to be massively affected and as is true of the bosnian community bosnia and britons still feel this immensely those who lived through it and then came to our country and 2nd generation survivors of course it will do so but the way we help is to to ensure that the lessons are learned for the future that's the only thing we can do we can't stop it happening in the past we call jock backwards and stop it happening but what we can do is make sure these lessons are learned for the future and that's why the national commemoration tomorrow the culmination of memorial weekend is so crucially important sudden a clock so i would urge people to to listen and watch watch what's happening on

remembering strieber to twitter handle facebook or on you tube ok thank you for joining us born of a very special measuring i'm hearing a strip and it's. a space that the press freedom in the philippines has been down to heavy blow lawmakers that have refused to renew the broadcast license of the country's largest t.v. network and the s.t.b. and the station has repeatedly clashed with president van gogh to 30 over its critical coverage of his government. t. is an anger from the people who have power the largest t.v. network in the philippines by the 11000 strong workforce is now bob from filipino airwaves. she didn't. want you to buy. a b.s. see the un had already ceased broadcasting since my 5 after their franchise lost

since expired and were a whiting a decision from the house of representatives to renew it but after 13 hearings in the palm and the application was rejected by lawmakers who are overwhelmingly allied with president rhodri go to target it means a network normally viewed by millions is now permanently off the air. the organizations president says he's deeply hurt by the decision all rights groups say is the latest assault on press freedom in a country growing more authoritarian. against . president to target a has attacked a.b.'s a.b.n. in the past claiming the network is biased against him but legislators say the decision had nothing to do with the president's attacks claiming a.b.s. a.b.n.

was involved in unfair tax avoidance schemes the network has denied these allegations. now as 11000 media workers are plunged into job insecurity the president of a.b.s. c b n hopes the company can find other ways to broadcast news to the public. symposium go to the polls this week to choose the next president in a runoff election on a highly divisive campaign incumbent a president who's backed by the governing conservative populist party has been criticized inside and outside the country or campaigning against al g.b.t. rights his opponent. only entered the race in may he's more liberal in pro and has found himself having to defend some views on l g b t rights so they suggest a neck and neck contest between 2 competing visions of poland's future.

conservative versus liberal big city versus countryside poland is divided russia is a community of 8000 people in central poland most here work in agriculture the town is a bastion of support for incumbent president on jay do the people here say things have gotten better under his party did to say things that i have 2 children and i get child support during the drought we got 8000 euros that was a great help and there's also more money for the animals. and whether those of us want opposition candidate ref l. just called skeet has also made extravagant campaign promises he's courting the youth vote up to this that. i propose a grant program for the 50000 best and most talented young people from towns and villages so they can develop their abilities and get a shot at an education from the best schools and universities. just go if he appeals to people who are disappointed by the incumbent president. so in watching

the at how was i going my son just went to holland as well because his apprenticeship from the employment office pays only $240.00 euro's a month that's what kind of salary is that for working 8 hours a day and president do talks about opportunities for young people their only chance is to go abroad that's it hundreds of people come out to see and to me as mayor in towns like rochester. but due to the incumbent attraction crowds of thousands of people who don't want things to change they're satisfied with the child support extra subsidies for pensions and tax cuts he's provided. stuff that could happen no law that restricts or liquidate such benefits will be signed by me you can be assured of that. due to is confident of victory but it looks to be a tight race. has the lead in liberal cities victory in sunday's elections may we.

i'll be decided by a handful of votes. while the day is nearly done but the conversation continues online you can join us on twitter either. use or all of. us watching the day.

in good shape is the. song our live earth is our main that's about it all that gets rid of many talks of. the consumption of alcohol the 1st conflict in its home thank you very much i am surprised to see so how can you protect your image for. 30 minutes w.

. about this issue when i arrived here i slept with 6 people in a room. it was hard. i even got white hair. that said language. this gives me a little push maybe to instruct the slave you want to know their story. or fighting him for a little information for margaret. a male something welcome to the 2nd season on the. system back environment it's still about society it's still about us planets on the brink he spoke to several leading experts a message. look at just the only real sense. this

is some notes story a stubborn rice farmer from thailand. his problem tests. his credo no chemicals his wife thought it was crazy. and i botched up. step. orders. or. don't stand a chance the rest is. history and he has the finest production to top it off. successful. starts to lead to 7.

this is developing news live from lifesaving aid to syria so un roadblock russia and china vetoed security council efforts to continue sending food and supplies to civilians in rebel held territory in syria aid workers born this will strengthen the familiar also on the program. becomes a mosque ok the president says all faiths are still welcome international critics describe the move was a provocation.