Foundation of a hindu temple on the ruins of a mosque. 11 and has woken up to large parts of beirut in wreckage after an explosion tore through the capital the red cross says at least 100 people have been killed more deaths are expected thousands have been wounded rescue workers will been searching for the missing people through the night the explosion happened at the port warehouse near a busy commercial district the government says about 2700 tons of Ammonium Nitrate had been stored there for years the blast was felt a 160 kilometers away in cyprus now countries around the world they are offering help so a holder in beirut. Begins our coverage. A massive explosion in the heart of the lebanese capital. Was. The blast essential quavers across beirut shattering windows destroying buildings. And injuring hundreds. The streets were filled with panic and confusion cautiously auto my call was down there it rolled over i think my injuries all because of the loss the last copy up my call was like this i dont know about i dont know what happened i was fishing i heard there was a fire so i began to hit home then i heard something explode and then this happened i got injured this is all i know. Rescue work began quickly and emergency vehicles converged on the site of the blast. Putting out fires. And getting the injured to safety lebanons internal security chief confirmed the blast originated in the Port District in a section housing highly explosive materials. Lebanons Prime Minister has addressed the nation promising that the victims would get justice for what happened. It will not post without accountability those responsible for this catastrophe will pay the price this is a promise to the martyrs and injured this is a National Commitment while the cause is still unknown some are already blaming the government levanon is an accident waiting to happen and so many wait so many places whether its. Public Services Like just any all kinds of Government Industries are not regulated well we dont like inspectors that so many buildings could collapse so you know again all the problems that lebanon face because we dont really have a strong government that is able to ensure the safety of its citizens and thats been why people have a. Protesting thats why the currency has been balling so you know there are so many possible accidents. Its very hard to speculate ambulances continue to arrive at this explosion there have been dozens of casualties many victims are still trapped in the rubble and rescue work looks set to continue long into the night the destruction of central beirut appear to come out of nowhere and theres the shock of what happened subsides the demands for answers will continue to grow louder. Amid the doom it is president of the order of nurses of lebanon she described the scene in hospitals as catastrophic. Hospitals are not on the over when we have 3 hospitals that are completely destroyed so we have evacuated patients to where in those past but theres 2 other hospitals and this and we have 2 other hospitals that were partially destroyed so it was a catastrophe it was a big hit to the head. I was or the hospital them and lebanon is already bleeding so this situation its kept us traffic and very sadly i say that we lost 3 nurses 3 nurses who were working at the hospital and they are dead so i dont find worse to describe what happened if. We had never seen such a thing i was 1st on the on the road and i saw the floors and i heard 2 of the explosion and then i started to. Seeing the when the people. We started the operation on the ground we have to ask other hospitals to accept patients to accept the injured people we start started evacuating the the house with the. Completely demolished. We have lots of when the when the people we have that. Situation cannot be described really its a its like were were living in the heart of. European leaders in the u. S. Government are offering their assistance gulf nations who are among the 1st to offer help cutters a mere ship to mean been one of those found he says his country will send medical equipment to set up field hospitals iran is also offering support as has regional rival saudi arabia and israel is offering humanitarian aid through foreign channels as it has no formal diplomatic relations with lebanon. News now Columbia Supreme Court has ordered the tension of former president. Made allegations of witness tampering and fraud our correspondent. Has more from. The spite the coronavirus locked down supporters of former president took to their cars waving the National Flag of their political hero. After the countrys Supreme Court ordered his detention and charged him of witness tampering and fraud in an investigation linking him to paramilitary groups look. This is not right its a political judgment where they want to put a president of the republican prison just because we demand a fair trial and we are grateful to alviro. Tuesdays decision shocked promising to further polarize the country over legacy who remains a senator and the most powerful and divisive politician in the nation the court reached their decision after concluding there was potential for obstruction of justice. The measure restricting rebase freedom is based on a large amount of evidentiary material collected and analyzed by the courts including testimonial evidence judicial inspections film recordings and telephone interceptions who are yours for many colombians the country savior the president who fought marxist rebel fighters bringing the country back from the brink of collapse. But for his critics his success came at a high human rights cost as right wing paramilitary groups and the army terrorized and killed thousands of civilians. People that came out to celebrate the courts decision. I think most of us have been waiting for this day for a long time we want justice we really feel we deserve justice and that this needed to happen. The 1st former president to ever face detention in the country is allies including current president of the fended him questioning the courts independence. He said this year i am and always will be a believer in the innocence and honor of someone who by example is a place in colombias history. Stems from a long running feud with the leftist senator who would he be accuses of plotting to falsely link him to paramilitary groups but the judges believe it was relieving stead who was trying to temper the witnesses in his defense if found guilty would you could face up to 12 years in prison in a case that could change the Political Landscape in the country where powerful titians longer avoided persecution despite years of investigations. Ill just. Im sure lankans are voting in twice delayed parliamentary elections the country is the 1st in south asia to hold the general vote during the pandemic in march president got a buyer rajapaksa dissolve the 225 Member Parliament 6 months ahead of schedule and he called the snap election in sri lanka peoples front party which is led by brother Prime MinisterMahinda Rajapaksa is a frontrunner in these elections and if it holds a majority in parliament it will give the rajapaksa brothers more power and control over the islands politics the journal and the United National party are the main challengers the Economy National security the pandemic and corruption just some of the Major Concerns among sri lankan voters now well lets speak to how should the silver in colombo hes a former sri lankan state minister and member of Parliament Good to have you with us so up until at least about an hour ago it seemed like the turnout was a little less than usual do you think it was the right decision to hold near election now amidst all the concerns over a pandemic. Well i mean it was the choice of the president will have the election that soon as possible because he won the right don and they started up the president sitting next solo and also weve been campaigning in the long period of time usually a campaign is just maybe 6 weeks but this time its been 4 months so everybody wants to get these all these also i think so we. Can all see what happens to end of the day today and how the it seems expectations are when for vs how. Are you resigned to a loss for the opposition well i can say that because you know we all think mystic that b. B. Would somehow try to get one in. 4 at least and even help with the 7. 27 body if we dont make it big time into our strong strong opposition and not let them have the 2 thirds majority that that seeking to been so were working hard to prevent them from getting that. If they do win and if they get that 2 thirds what does that mean for the constitutional changes. It especially sauced because they really dont you know want d to continue with the Good Governance legislation brought in you know in the last they deem. They want to get the limits they want to bring back the are thought to be to the president so he can get to the independent commissions and get the power to appoint justices as the police come in some and so on the must somehow stop him from doing that sole d opposition can likely do that theyve been criticized as being. Too weak by sickly provided. I mean. Its not going to be asking e. C. S. Government things to get a group that censorious the funds to say i dont see it on the ground. You know absolutely i dont think at all do we get the school to use the funds to use it is going to be a very very difficult challenge but it alright thank you so much for your thoughts on that. Still ahead on aljazeera oppin cold hong kongs prodemocracy leaders face a crucial test for the future of their movement. Hello there plenty of nice warm sunshine across much of europe but its not all clear skies quite a bit of cloud across the northern sections as you can see here and also a little of their precious sitting across the central med really but really pushing some heavy amounts of rain across into the balkans but ahead of that it is warm and sunny very nice into the western side of turkey not so nice across into scotland this is look when i can you can see have very heavy amounts of rain this is cheesy of course and the warnings in place for that very heavy amount of rain others more showers set now wednesday across these northern sections of the u. K. Not as heavy as it was the heavy rain though is across the balkans really from croatia right there were down into Northern Areas of greece and all the while showers through central and southern italy the rain still in the forecast on thursday we could have some localized flooding not quite as heavy but even so its very persistent this rain but really elsewhere it is fine and dry look at these temperatures it really is warming up very nicely as we head through the middle and tools the end of this week so much so the temperatures are well above the average now london on friday 330 expected high temperatures sunny skies 10 degrees above the average for august similar sort of story across into use europe a warm day on friday even more on saturday and one of the warmest spots is book rest with a high of 35 on friday and saturday. Jump into the stream and julian on Global Community this generation will have to create its own democracy with social media on hand will online be part of the debate let me put some huge she comments to you when no topic is off the table is taking on all the systemic arlens that people of color have suffered not only now but for decades we are going to be to transform lives the way tickets human way to a business if were going to adapt to climate breakout this street on out is the era. Heard. Hearken back youre watching aljazeera time to recap our headlines now a large explosion in lebanons capital beirut has killed at least 100 people and injured 1000 as a shockwave swept through the city the government says Ammonium Nitrate ignited in an Industrial Facility lebanons president michel aoun is called for an emergency Cabinet Meeting hospitals strained by the coronavirus of being overwhelmed by wounded countries around the world including qatar israel and iran are offering help triangles are electing a new Parliament President got a biologic parkss party seeking a 2 thirds majority to allow changes to the constitution the vote was postponed twice because of her and a virus. Demonstrations are being held in the capital of pakistan administered kashmir most often about there in solidarity with people in the indian administered part of kashmir marcie years since the region lost its special status Prime Minister a man can accuses india of turning the muslim majority region into an open air prison is expected to address a local assembling indian administered kashmir has been locked down to prevent protesters from gathering the curfew is being overseen by the military many local political leaders have been detained for months officials have also banned large gatherings because of the pandemic well the limo was speed purana moos standing by for us live in new delhi but 1st lets go over to come on hi there hes in islamabad and the Prime Minister is supposed to make an address whats this message. Well the Prime Minister is going to be a great thing to legislate david assembly. Made because it will be sending a message of solidarity with the people of kashmir. One near over and they meet all india revoked article chief 70 earlier the pakistani president also came out in front of Parliament Addressing a large protest gathering and we. Had learned from asia on how to change their demography. If the indians were so confident about the fact that dad support sure did allow the international and local media into the message from august on that day stand by with the people of coach made yesterday an important decision made by the cabinet. Decision on what theyre now and saying a new political map of. August on which of course included saying that dates more than International Issue under the United Nations that are live and reduce. Their delusions employer mandate 11 implemented illusions that made its concerns of course brushed aside any notion of a military solution saying that up political solution would need to. Get done would die again and again remind the United Nations also its promise it did made to the people of coach made regarding a nation all right thanks so much come on high this continue this with elizabeth random shes in new delhi for us so is the long run keeping a lid on things. Hi sami very much so it was very quiet in kashmir because that was on lockdown. Because of coronavirus restrictions and on monday the Indian Government had announced that it was in fact imposing a curfew on tuesday and wednesday because of the possibility of protests to mark the one Year Anniversary of autonomy being revoked it went back on that curfew but journalists have spoken to and pushed me to say that whether its called a curfew or not they very much feel that the restrictions which are in place are there to stifle any cash miti opposition on to send on the one Year Anniversary not just media political leaders who had been planning to meet on august 5th to try to find a political solution to go to get special status back that meeting is not being that not being allowed to at all and we heard from a former chief minister all model he said that you know the b j p government thats in power in india that its sold this narrative that midis the happy with what happened adding that if they happy why arent they celebrating and why is there a curfew in place. And weve also got the issue i think is the Foundation Stone right elizabeth being laid this ceremony to establish a hindu temple on the side of a destroyed moscow provoke with who is that proving. Well the timing is very interesting isnt it sammy because the Indian Government decided that Prime Minister in that interim or david inaugurated the construction of a temple a very long standing promise off the government on the same day on the one Year Anniversary of another longstanding promise which was to revote mirs autonomy and you know most of many hindus in the country do support this and that is because many believe that the site of the temple is being built which is the birthplace of their god drama but the reason why it is so controversial is the cause and 992. 00 thousands of hindus actually destructed a. Mosque a 16th century mosque which stood at that site not only is the construction of this temple thats finally been allowed the Supreme Court cleared the way for it last year up to decades of battles its not just important for the hindus who believe that is the birthplace of their god but also the b. J. Ph which really rose to prominence around this issue and for Prime Minister in that interim order whos inaugurating it you know 30 years after he actually joined the campaign for this temple to be built on elizabeth piron im bad from new delhi now Business Owners in the occupied west bank are calling for the government to ease restrictions despite the surgeon infections there may though brian has more from obama. This is the season many businesses in the occupied west bank wait for all the year long tourism is one of the sectors that has been worst hit why the pandemic tourists used to be an important source of income for many businesses here restaurants like this one have been forced to close for months and Business Owners have been lobbying in pressuring the