shock turns to rage in lebanon where a capital still reeling from tuesday's massive explosion the events of security i perceive government incompetence which protesters allege led to the deadly disaster in rest comes as rescue teams continue to look for people still trapped under the rubble for blast killed 150 people and injured more than 6000. people in st. jude street but it. actually. 'd 75 years after the atomic bombings of hiroshima and nagasaki by the u.s.

japan marks the anniversary of the tragedy with a minute of silence japanese and americans what they think about the events of 925 . terms of. the justified i don't know i think it's tough to believe people for the mistakes of history and i think the use of the atomic bomb was unacceptable there was no reason to do it. this is the weekly here on our to our roundup of the day's headlines along with the stories that shape the week thanks for joining us this hour. there's been a tense standoff in the lebanese capital amid an outpouring of grief and anger over tuesday's deadly explosion security forces use rubber bullets and tear gas to break up crowds calling for justice.

we went to martyr square to sort of gallows for those who did this to our country today we'll hey museums plan a single government ministers. a police officer was reportedly killed in the clashes and a large number of people injured over 700 some demonstrators reportedly trying to break through a barrier blocking a street leading to parliament 1 and a number of arrests were made protesters were demanding the removal of the country's political elite. civil unrest has intensified the following the massive blasts in the port area of beirut the tragedy has claimed the lives of at least 158

people with thousands more left injured the city's health system has been overwhelmed by the disaster as numerous city buildings have been dipping damage with hundreds of thousands of locals now homeless here's a recap of the week that shook lebanon. i know my son we found the boom everything turned over our hands i turned around and i was he pushed something in my right hand people screaming kids screaming but if i saw it and i saw today. the devastation here in the lebanese capital is very massive the blast was felt at 10 kilometers away from the

board where it took place i believe this is going to be a sleepless night for the lebanese and a very sad 9. 11 us army and fire fighters have been still trying to put off the fire which is still until today burning through the remains of the warehouses rescue workers are still trying to take to the rubble to find the remainder or the the missing individuals that they are allowed to fear to fight of. 'd

as russian rescuers are getting down to well what they have been flown in here for i want you to just look around and let something sink in about the sheer and ultimate demolition power. behind this explosion we are in the very epicenter as close's 1000000000 can get and this is the very 1st site where russian rescue is searching for survivors. have occurred you can still pinpoint the telltale signs of people's panic over their rush to leave the area as they were caught up in the blustery place to call home. where the. room was used to start up inside.

their. bluegrass he said. the. lebanon already home to syrian and palestinian refugee camps now may need a camp for its own people with over 300000 displaced by the blast. we are standing on the doorstep of martyrs square as you can see behind me the ambulances are still gushing in and out now these demonstrators to express their dismay over what they say is poor handling of the lebanese government after tuesday's a explosion. they

say they are going to stay here until their demands are met also at the same time we know that in the district of east of beirut protesters have managed to storm and . the foreign ministry. we are coming back to the property of our people is building belongs to the people. and their protesters have turned up at least foreign ministry is this in addition to torching a number of buildings. seems like the last became the final the straw that broke the camel's back if i may say so and it seems like all the all the work that the volunteers had previously done yesterday the day before yesterday it has been undone by today's action we had time to speak with them are angry bear sad we lost the country we lost beirut we have

people. who didn't find out we have family members we don't know anything about the people who will daily go back to the streets they will daily ask for the justice we need the justice they do doesn't deserve this and we would if you is what happened to us. lebanon had already been going through its worst financial crisis in years inflation is soaring and almost half the population lives below the poverty line about a 3rd of the potential workforce is unemployed mass protests against corruption and the dire state of the economy have been sweeping the country since last october the blast that destroyed the country's main port has only ever created the situation on saturday demonstrators put up gallows protesters raise cardboard cutouts with ropes around their necks depicting lebanon's prime minister and hezbollah's leader in response to the surge in civil unrest the prime minister has called for an early election he says that corruption was to blame for tuesday's tragedy and earlier

today it lebanon's information minister announced her resignation saying the current government had failed to live up to the lebanese people's expectation. we're now joined live by dan kadlec human and labor rights lawyer now one of the main demands of the protesters is justice and accountability is that something we're going to see. well i don't know i mean what we 1st of all the tragedy there can be underestimated it is a very sad situation if you know the facts we know now is that the chemicals the ammonium nitrate was allowed to sit by the government for a number of years it to support and then for a fireworks factory to be built next to it i mean the negligence here is just catastrophic i don't know if there will be a true reckoning for what has happened obviously the people demand then they

deserve that. but it really implicates the government at its highest levels and whether the government will be willing to you know investigate itself and bring itself to justice i don't know but we now know that the prime minister has called for an election could that deliberate meaningful change or will it just bring many of the same people back to power well i'd like to think it could bring meaningful change it does seem like people want change and so. i think having elections makes a lot of sense right now and i hope it does bring about some positive change for the people of lebanon. you know many of the protesters want the whole political class to go how much are they represented in parliament the everyday people. well at this point i'm not sure you know i think people do feel alienated from their government and don't feel represented. as has been pointed out before the sea even

happened the economy was collapsing the political situation was already unstable though i do want to mention that lebanon has been under crushing western sanctions which have you know contributed to say the least to their economic woes and so i think the west in the united states should not be let off the hook for a lot of what's happening there but nonetheless i do think there is a lot of unhappiness with the government people don't feel represented one that when it comes to that global response lebanon is experiencing a food crisis a banking crisis a debt crisis and it needs that international help but will it be the case that foreign governments will want to see an end to the corruption before they start funneling money into the country well some countries have made that clear yes but i think others like russia for example have already been bringing massive aid so you know i think the countries of the east will be happy to give aid

unconditionally. but i think the west will probably be as a tent with its aid in again in part because the west never liked this government to begin with and you know what's happening right now. probably the west is not completely unhappy with how important is it for regional stability that lebanon has helped to recover from this crisis. i mean it's critical i mean at this point you're looking at a failed state and you're looking it mass suffering the world needs to come together to help lebanon you know beirut used to be known as the paris of the east . you know and now the only time we hear about beirut lebanon is when something bad happens you know and i think. the world has to help lebanon and beirut rebuild and to stabilize. human and labor rights lawyer dan kadlec thank you for your time

and your comments thank you very much. lebanon isn't the only middle eastern country gripped by public unrest some 15000 people took to the streets of jerusalem on saturday night they gathered outside the residence of the israeli prime minister denouncing corruption and the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. after midnight police ordered the demonstrators to go home personally removing those who refused to leave but now who is facing charges of bribery fraud and breach of trust the prime minister denies any wrongdoing at the same time unemployment has soared as a result of crown of our structure us. it's now been 75 years since the us dropped the atomic bomb on the japanese city of nagasaki it came just days after the bombing of hiroshima on the 6th of august attacks led to some 200000 civilian deaths people continue to die years after the tragedy due to severe

burns radiation sickness and other injuries. macdougall you know it just. doesn't do much you would seem it's a sin must. morris who go. to guy night. i get to meet on this group. why you must. say the actions you have could you q how come you can't you can't i want to talk to

. every night. and as you're about to take on. going to change you can smash a. chair going to get to cut down at my desk when i get to. talking on you you catch me to. a gas and she die and i'm going to take what you have and have commissioned. the memorial events have been scaled back this year due to the pandemic but small ceremony still took place in both cities affected by the tragedy during the commemorations japan's prime minister was joined by the few surviving witnesses of the attacks they marked the blasts with a minute of silence. in

the u.s. and japan are forever linked by the tragedy here is what people in new york city and must say about the events of 945. take a drastic measure here and like to say i feel like i haven't learned much about. use the u.s. . japan and just. the consequence of more positive results for people like harbor maybe pearl harbor had something to do with the u.s. response to world war over. we're. fixing our terms of. it's justified i don't know i think it's tough to blame people for the mistakes of history he was something like that catastrophic

should go like an apology were like but i'm pretty sure i'm looking for reparations i'm native american beef think i'm going to get any that's not going to happen it's not going to happen but it just nice. but. when my mother was 7 months pregnant with me the atomic bomb was dropped my cousin was also an atomic bomb survivor and died of leukemia after 75 years i'm still very sorry for those who died. when i think the use of the atomic bomb was unacceptable there was no reason to do it the military situation was utterly hopeless for japan haps it wouldn't have taken much longer for the water end would have been over without the bombings and the war between japan and the us it's a shame the us hasn't apologized to japan for the bomb and. it's very important to see it out loud to emphasize what the real purpose of the hiroshima bombing was if we keep silent the propaganda war when. the time is between the us

and japan are now stronger there are strains the latest corner of our spike in okinawa where the us has military bases has angered japanese officials u.s. steel tariffs and the white house's withdrawal from the trans-pacific partnership haven't help the situation either and the atomic bomb didn't just change the political landscape but the cultural one as well or just ask a teller takes a look at how the deadly blast helped to form the popular culture we consume on a daily basis. there are moments in history as a memory so powerful they have shaped our culture tragic but defining of the mushroom clouds billowing over the japanese cities of hiroshima and nagasaki. for decades the us suppressed almost all footage it was only in the eighty's the

color images sought by the u.s. military will possibly be released to this day the material has never been shown in its entirety. but out of the unimaginable suffering roy who's a new pop culture in america the devastating release of radioactive particles change the country's take on comic books and superheroes spite of the fantastic full of the incredible hulk all derived from exposure to radiation. we've never seen anything even close to your levels of exposure you survive an event like that which the superhero always smell better than ever it's the old

regional series. i don't believe in the us atomic power was mostly about heroism and influence but japan how different take associations were instead made with destruction and mutation take up a new killer mutant rampaging through the streets of tokyo to city payoffs a kind of crisis powerless before us. as relations between countries change so to do the movies to follow in 10 kong. at pitt battle between the japanese and us pop culture icons atop mount fuji is defeated. around 10000000 what to watch that film in japan and it remains the most watched in the could still a series to date but turned out japan had a not for shaping our childhoods from hello kitty in

a route and they were as much hits abroad. i couldn't get enough of them it didn't matter if i could see the wires and the seams and the costumes and the least moving when the words didn't it was so fanciful and imaginative it was clear japan was at the forefront of pop culture and technology from the nintendo game console to the fos possible cassette by sony it's mainly the kids of america saying this is great we've got to have one for boys in this country between the ages of $8.15 not having an intent is like not having a baseball bat japan continues to successfully export its pop culture like minder and animate some say that creates a sort of outlet for nothing is from the anxieties that paid triggered by events back in 1905 but teenagers in the us who consume the poverty and colorful characters and stories don't see this fantasy is being created to escape from the darkness of tragedy. thousands of healthcare workers have rallied across the

u.k. demanding a pay rise and recognition for their work during the penn national health service staff feel snubbed after the government announced last week that $900000.00 public sector workers would get salary hikes the measure is meant to reward workers on the front lines of the fight against covert 19 but it did not include the majority of n.h.s. staff as a separate deal had been negotiated 2 years ago we spoke to some medical professionals at a march in london. ever since we've had him a different demi and we've had these incredible times where people been dying struggling we've been separated for our families we just want some recognition for what we actually did and what we feel like we deserve over the last 1015 years let alone well. it wasn't too long ago that we were talking about a nasty if he were surviving on charitable donations and family trying to have a stop just because it came and just pretty crap for us we deserve back as

a profession and a home and a test to serve better and that was what stage was really me to find out that 900000 public sector workers to get a pay rise but not now this i think is just appalling if we spend anywhere not going to be about right we're not allowed to do anything more as well as all these hard times new movie and that's the problem when i love to fly and this is moving and i know is you know we have to fight because nobody at home over literally no one else is going to. and i just nurse naomi bennett says moral among health care workers has hit a new low. at the moment i myself being on the front line we are actually put in our lives at risk to save the country however we've been left out of this pay rise and it's absolutely diabolical really makes us know that we are not valued nobody's valuing us every day we get out we go and work with patients who have

codes or potentially have copd we're not given enough equipment we're not given enough protection however are when now being this is going to be even more because you know you get a pay rise i think is absolutely disgusting this is so bad and among. frontline staff we actually look at amber options in terms of is this what we really want to be doing because we will also have families it's a terrible shame that the government are not recognizing that frontline staff are more disproportionately being affected we've coped with 90 especially black nurses and from ethnic minorities also so that's another issue there's no risk assessment in place to protect us and now a slap in the face. belorussian voters are casting their ballots in the country's presidential election alexander lukashenko is seeking a 6th term in office is being challenged by a political newcomer. artist and

a hawkins has the details. of the embassy here where the queues of going right around the block as far as the eye can see has been that way for a few hours now probably close to 2000 people here ready to cast their ballots just while we've been reporting now everything is very calm and quiet here that's a sharp contrast of course from what's happening in itself reports there of detentions and arrest of opposition activists even internet blackouts problems with internet connection in some parts of the country now we understand from a lot of ticked off headquarters she's the main opposition leader that she herself has gone into hiding somewhere. legibly for her own safety as around 9 members of our campaign staff have been detained now this pattern is really a continuation of what's been going on in belarus over the past days and weeks alexander lukashenko has held the post of president since 9094 winning 5 consecutive terms often in landslide victories this is his biggest political

challenge yet there is discontent over the political situation in the country and he faces a reinvigorated resurgent opposition led by a lawyer. who is of course standing in for her husband's surrogate he was detained back in may and remains in custody she's managed to rally a huge base of support bring tens of thousands of people to the streets. now despite having his own base of support as well alexander lukashenko has come under fire repeatedly from both opposition within the country and international organizations for cracking down on the opposition candidates now he is expected to

win but the incumbent president has said himself he doesn't expect widespread recognition of his elections as free and fair should that happen because of the way things have been handled he's also facing hot water over his relations with russia following accusations by the by the russian president that 33 russian nationals were arrested in but a ruse russian mercenaries allegedly trying to stage some sort of political coup in the country to do this and it's true as for the detention of 33 fighters and then a ruse these people have testified this was their final destinations. i think it's . just a cover story of our country has its native run of the russians and their leaders must new this new. law at those accusations saying the men were on their way to work in a 3rd country not having any attention to stay in a better itself now we understand the example of the shank who has cost his vote as

house with a lot of. flights not expected evidence of that here a outside the embassy in moscow of course for many this presidential election certainly seems to be a turning point for the political climate in the country. india is on its way to abolishing primary schools teaching an english the prime minister's cabinet has approved reforms which urge schools to teach and local native languages. the changes in the education policy will develop in these languages however it will increase the knowledge not only. english was 1st introduced to india in the 17th century as a result of trade with britain it remained a 2nd official language along with him many years after its colonial past being widely used in business and politics today about 11 percent of the indian population speaks english the opposition congress party as well as people online expressed their concern over the change arguing it will put

a strain on lower class communities who won't be able to afford private tutors for english also robbing children of a chance to find work and other parts of india as well as higher education abroad but supporters of the move argue it will bring unity by erasing colonial ties we spoke to dr. day president of the indian consul for cultural relations and a member of parliament he says it's time to promote regional languages. we would like to destroy the reputation man but it's putting yet let me guess we didn't go at it well english is important everybody should be able to speak good english because english is something which is widely spoken only what it was but that doesn't mean that it should happen at the cost of the devil it meant the freedom that language just after all the language is added to it it beats you don't be additional that nobody else is going to play or do you really would like to read dependence on english meets any means it cannot be elitist definitely would like to

stand on all the legs and want to read a language just speak is that right and. you want to bring in the modern world that's been the weekly here on r.t. international thanks for tuning out wherever you maybe. one else towards seems wrong. but i'll hold just don't hold. me. up to see how it just comes down to. an endangered list. when something is find themselves.