Orders for Financial Relief for the millions made jobless because of coronavirus. Welcome to the Program Breaking News coming out of lebanon where the calls grow for complete political reform lebanons information minister has become the 1st Senior Member of the government to resign since explosion in beirut on choose day when all of those some are made the surprise announcement in her office in the past half hour she apologized to the lebanese people saying there was little hope for change it comes after thousands came out in protests demanding reform in the wake of tuesdays port disaster 158 people have been reported killed when 2700 tons of Ammonium Nitrate exploded in a hot a joins us now from beirut lets just talk about the resignation of that government minister how signet. Is it in the fore in the makeup of the cabinet. Well the cabinet will not be toppled she is the 1st senior minister to resign we are getting reports that a 2nd minister the environment minister may tender his resignation later today were going to have to wait to see how the Prime Minister is going to react because before the blast a minister resigned from his cabinet the foreign minister he resigned because he believes the governments performance the government has not been able to deal with the dire Economic Conditions in the country and the government was failing to carry out much needed reforms in order for lebanon to reach a deal with the International Monetary fund to kick start the economy when the foreign minister resigned it took the ruling elite just a few hours to replace him so were going to have to wait to see if this minister will be immediately replaced because it will be a sign from those in power that theyre going to hang on to this government last night when the Prime Minister has found dead address the nation people who are angry in the streets were hoping that he would resign instead he said hes going to propose Holding Early elections and that he asked the people give me 2 months now some people will say that hes buying time as behind the scenes negotiations continue between the lebanese political elite and International PowersInternational Powers have now become really involved in the crisis in lebanon others will say that this is a sign that those in power realize that they need to get cave in that they need to give some sort of concession because its not only pressure from the streets theyre facing pressure from the International Community and those in power realize that their cash strapped they arent able to cope with this disaster and to give the people what they what they need and indeed. You know we saw 10 scenes in the city center just tell us what its like where you are how people feel about things that are going all the what they really need the morning after. Yes Martyrs Square this this was a battleground for a few hours last night this is an epicenter of the protest Movement Today you could see volunteers in the street giving food and water to the poor to the needy i asked them you know who are you helping this anyone who is hungry and many people are hungry in 11 on 50 percent of the population now live before the below the poverty line aid agencies say that 5 100000. 00 children just in the beirut area alone are going hungry so its the people who are helping each other theres solidarity in the streets the state is noticeably absent like i mentioned the government this cash strapped so people took this took to the streets last night this area turned into a battleground and now were hearing from some people here that they may plan another protest later today so lets lets head just have a look at the scenes that we witnessed yesterday. They stood their ground in the face of power. Relentless tear gas by Security Forces at times live ammunition. But protesters didnt leave too angry at a Political Class they blame for tuesdays blast that killed dozens and destroyed and damaged many neighborhoods in the lebanese capital the authorities were aware that thousands of tons of highly explosive material was stored at the beirut port for years we have survived the explosion but part of all of us has to be honest but what can we do i am one of the fortunate ones who can leave and establish myself outside but all these people can know what can we do what they did was returned to the streets they have been demanding a new leadership for months many were injured in running battles that lasted for hours but this time they say they will be silenced they want justice and revenge for the victims of the explosion and believe a government led inquiry into the. Disaster wont hold senior officials accountable. We are not leaving its either them or us in this country and you know what the people always do things and we will fight we want revenge and all revenge is by putting all the political plus either either on the huygens to see over there or in the dust bins but we want them out. Protesters also storm 3 ministries state institutions people say are run by corrupt politicians who they blame for draining the states treasury they say they want the state and a competent government currently levanon since the 2 sions are controlled by Political Parties and there is a parallel state run by the iranian backed hezbollah the Prime Minister has sandy who took office earlier this year is now offering a way out of the crisis conclusion as making ability when you know we we cannot face these problems unless we have a really elections to elect a new politicians and a new parliament we need a new political elite and a new parliament we need to Work Together to overcome the stiff aperient we know and i know the people have questions about the catastrophe and how the government plans to handle it the catastrophe is way bigger than anyone could imagine the impact my stay forever. Over early elections have been one of the oppositions demands but there are concerns the sectarian based political system and electoral law wont give independent candidates a chance. To every election is good as a good step but im afraid that the Political Parties although they still have the power over the people and a soul about the system like im afraid that they will have just we will have the same people again i thought the 1st time central beirut turns into a battleground between the people and the establishment the struggle for change is not new the anger has been building for years. Many feel those in power caved in by proposing early elections the governing alliance is not just facing pressure from the street the state is nearly bankrupt and the International Community wont help unless politicians fight state corruption for now many people here feel they won a round in what is likely to be a long battle. Beirut. On to the other top story that were following these past few hours and theres been new hope for afghan peace talks were present garley says that hell approve the release of 400 taliban prisoners which paves the way for negotiations to begin his announcement comes after the countrys highest Consultative Assembly called the loya jirga made the recommendation on saturday gone he says that hell sign the order in the next few hours their release was a precondition for the armed group to take part in talks about the future of the country which soccer team is a Founding Member of going to start affairs unit afghan think tank he says the prisoner release was the only roadblock remaining in the Peace Process and president garny was under significant pressure to approve it. From one side he was fees to a legal hurdles for that hes a full 100 prisoners it was serious issues around those 400 and hes from a legal perspective but from the other site holy sites were putting pressure on the government that im less and until it actually happens that in taiwan talks were not going to start so thats why everybody was due money to ease of this business so he was caught between iraq and hartleys and thats why one can say that he was under pressure but now that pressure has been released and thanks to the ledger to the taliban at least for the dying being cannot compromise a military position and cannot go into ceasefire and more just because they want to maintain your hold on the conflict context and until theyre sure off any misunderstanding of progress dont expect them to engage in a ceasefire so well the time being one can see at that instead of considering who are the ball the basic thing is that we are all safe for the entrance wound up which should be a watershed event in the current Peace Process thats going to open the way for negotiation among outlines in order to settle on a future outlook off the water to go sit down. On. Giving up on the armed while ns and engaging in political processes. The president ial election is underway with Alexander Lukashenko facing a tough test to win reelection for a 6th term his main challenger to some of sky went into hiding after her top aides were detained several activists were also detained during a recent crackdown by the government but the president s dismissive response to the krona virus pandemic and the worsening economy is causing widespread discontent start vasant has more from the capital minsk. Election observation belorussian style. I am. Independent observers have not only been detained but also been barred from entering polling stations nonetheless they have found irregularities in the voting process that started on tuesday and will have its peak on sunday at the 1st day of the elections. 39 people fired even protocol. Mission so there where 89 so they added 50 people is the mood of this new president Alexander Lukashenko has been accused of stealing previous elections but this time hes facing an opposition on a scale has not witnessed before led by this woman 37 year olds but learn at the hand of sky she reluctantly decided to run for president after her husband a popular blogger was jailed suppose the elections were going to be free and fair how many percent of the vote would you get i suppose 65. 00 said. He would be a big winner then. I would be awarded. But the woman who attracted large crowds does not expect this to be the official election result she has promised that if she becomes president the 1st thing she will do is call for free elections even if this. Doesnt happen now because elections will be. I dont think that he will. Be. I dont know how can a person. Country where people. Softly speaking dont like him just. Most of them. And. But will he go quietly. The fact of this guy has accused the opposition of trying to cause a bloodbath and russia of provoking violence but analysts say these accusations are made to hide the countrys real problems. In the last 10 years theyre going to meet has gone down and society is not happy and basically all levels of society are united against look at despite their ideological position their values and their political priorities all of them think are the main obstacle for development. But as long as the president is still backed by the military and high ranking officials he believes look as shanker will remain in power the moment of truth for look i shant go will not be on election day but on the days after that if as announced large crowds protest what they believe will be another fraudulent election here at this square the threat of violence can then become reality a scenario most balor russians want to avoid step fasten aljazeera menthe. Joke as president of the once a Scientific Research center think tank he says where the president wins or loses the country has changed forever. 7080 percent of the receivers want change we have people of culture Business People people from different areas supporting role change by the authorities that really are quite in bad and we have this said number of about 22 percent of early votes on different you will get calls of why in favor of the tension is very very tired and im sure that people will come out and try to do their best to support their growth i dont know whether it will be tonight told the day after tomorrow d but well it was will never be the same again as before this parliament or the actual action and bring the previous elections the perfect 0 all observer it was no democratic and did not prevent the west from dealing with the question and direct way so i would bet it would be like moral psychological support but its not likely to influence deliberations between the rebel the russian regime and the world. Bowl still have his own aljazeera a former president in sri lanka becomes Prime Minister again point many fear this could lead to proceedings. 100 south africa where the pressure is on to sort whats being described as the countries of a pandemic those stories too after the break. But. I know that plenty of cloud across much of indonesia also some rain very much in the forecast you can see where the massive cloud is across areas to the west over the philippines and were watching a couple of disturbances one has become a tropical depression is not she to the north of the philippines but what its doing is dragging all of this rain out towards the north that is i will say most of the heaviest downpours we can see also fairly widespread across much of cambodia and then its too cheesy that rain continue crossed. Philippines but also becoming rather more widespread across borneo again and also some heavy downpours in and around western java such a cause so certainly having a very wet day on it chews day i mean all across into australia and new zealand has some rain all the way to new zealand but still we have to see the back of this system which is still impacting New South Wales and this is severe across the west are all the slaves to move there is the area of low pressure and this line of rain is a front trailing all the way back and really extending through much of Western Australia so a down day in perth of the hive 19 degrees and still the childs a few showers in sydney but the winds of course one of the main features with this system very strong along that Central Coast so again not helping with the erosion that continues to take place that front working its way across South Australia through tuesday taking the showers tools id lay but mostly fine and dry across into malbon. Rewind returns with a new series. Right on the back to town to see you dont. Think. You need. To. Rewind continues with the last try secret tell me at the cia 675 to live in the same way that the and sisters did living in the forest in the jungle and seems like theyre abandoned by everybody on aljazeera. But back to watching officer of the cell robin a reminder of our top stories lebanons information minister has become the 1st Senior Member of government to resign since the explosion in beirut on tuesday 158 people were killed when 2700 tons of Ammonium Nitrate exploded. Afghanistans president is backing the release of 400. 00 taliban prisoners of guard he says he respects the decision of the loya jirgah consultative body to approve freeing socalled hardcore taliban fighters but their release is a taliban precondition for talks about the war battered countrys future. And polls opened in the recent president ial election as its longtime leader seeks a 6th term the main opposition candidate has gone into hiding hours before the vote after her top aides were detained by police. In sri lanka and the rajapaksa has been sworn in as the Prime Minister for the 4th time his ruling party won wednesdays parliamentary election by a landslide the 2 thirds majority means power means that power means that he can make the promise changes to the constitution critics fear that had lead to an autocracy the Prime Minister was appointed by his brother and president got the buyer rajapaksa reported an elf and there saw the inauguration ceremony in the capital colombo. And Mahinda Rajapaksa is Prime Minister of lanka once again his 4th time around in the job obviously he swept the general elections concluded on the 5th of august with one of the highest number of preferential votes for a candidate ever over 5000000 votes now this paves the way for the s. L. P. Be led by the rajapaksa to carry on with the work program set out by president gore tabi rajapaksa in his election bid in 2019 its called the stars for prosperity and aims to take sri lanka forward dealing with some of the pressing issues that this country faces now obviously the consolidation of the rajapaksa hold on power has been confirmed with the swearing in of my in the rajapaksa as we saw here at the calorie temple a little while ago but it also shows the kind of dynamic the family is now in charge and even when we saw the swearing in of the Prime Minister you had the president go tubby rajapaksa his younger brother who went around the table and actually worshiped his brother once he saw him in as Prime Minister these are some of the kind of ways the family operates obviously a number of siblings all of them involved in sri lankan politics now there have been some concerns about a potential reversal of some of the Democratic Institutions the achievements of the last constitution because the right boxes have said that with control of parliament and a 2 thirds majority one of their targets is going to be the constitution that theyre going to bring changes that allows them to get on with the business of government as they map it out so its going to