Prisoners free. Europes longest serving leader tries to hold on to power in a bellary selection thats brought an unexpected challenger. Im going hey in bangkok where the government is facing the threats of a collapsing economy at a protest movement thats bound to intensify. And sport Dustin Johnson takes a one shot lead at the u. S. P. G. A. Championship the american has moved within sight the 2nd major title of his career. Because of for complete political reform and are growing louder and louder after the beirut port explosion that killed at least 158 people lebanons information minister has become the 1st Senior Member of government to resign since it happened on tuesday when all says theres little hope for change 6 m. P. s have now resigned and the most powerful christian leader. Is the whole cabinet to quit. The political upheaval comes after mass protests blaming the government and corruption for the blast the demonstrations descended into hours of street battles with Security Forces on saturday igniting a 2700. 00 tons of explosive Ammonium Nitrate caused billions of dollars of damage in just a few seconds a virtual donors conference seeking to raise money for a rebuild will begin in just under 2 hours from now its being hosted by france and the u. N. Lets join harder now shes live for us in beirut so. The information minister resigning this is the back of 5 other m ps how significant this is for the government. Well she is the most senior Government Official to resign since tuesdays alas there are reports suggesting that other ministers may tender their resignation later today but so far its unconfirmed significant well its symbolic youre going to need 7 ministers to resign for this government to be toppled thats a 3rd plus one this is a 20 member government the government is under a lot of pressure people are angry ill just show you whats going on behind us people are coming to to get bread and to get medicine they tell us there is no government there is no state we have to rely on n. G. O. S on Civil Society groups in order to survive this is a cash strapped government the state this near bankruptcy and last night the Prime Minister has found to have addressed the nation many were hopeful that he would announce his resignation instead he proposed a way out of the crisis by Holding Early elections when he also asked for 2 months time table to do that so some believe that the Prime Minister. And many believe that behind the scenes there are negotiations to reach some sort of a political deal when the french president visited lebanon a few days ago he made it very clear that there is a Political Initiative on the table and he was not just speaking on behalf of france many believe he was speaking on behalf of the west so the International Community really involved in the lebanon crisis at the time being its not clear how much pressure they can put on the ruling elites to change their ways and to cave in and make concessions to the people because what the people want is a new leadership what the people want is a lot. Ship thats not corrupt and the leadership that can provide them with at least basic services. And the one that they love this is the point of no return people are starving the economy has deteriorated the economic crisis is heightening our families children friends have just been left behind fear and disappointments lives within them in this fateful moments we cannot just sit behind we have to stand in dignity together as a nation i feel that i need to send an apology to the lebanese people because we failed to achieve their ambitions due to the difficulties i have worked with my colleagues in the cabinet according to the directions of the Prime Minister who is following all the details with a lot of was done in order to respond to the demands of the people but no way does the reality go parallel with the ambitions after the barrier earthquake that has shaken the nation and due to the displaced the martyrs those who are still hungry i respect all of this and i submit my resignation to the government and i wish all the best to lebanon and stability and unity in long live lebanon. And saying i want strength so those was by the christian my not patriotic hold the government to resign if it cant help lebanon. Well the maronite patriarch is an influential figure in lebanon are in fact he has been leading a campaign trying to convince the government the best way forward is to resign the best way forward is to this associate levanon from regional conflict so the maronite patriarch is considered to be part of the opposition camp they believe the ruling governing alliance which is led by hezbollah a group that doesnt hide its links with iran they believe that hezbollah is responsible for lebanons isolation because it has fighters in syria and across the middle east and they believe it is because of hezbollahs policies in the region that lead to lebanons isolation hezbollah is under u. S. Sanctions the gulf arabs also call it a terrorist organization so what hes trying to say is that look at on these 2 go back to its traditional allies the west the arab world countries that used to support this country because currently the government this considered belonging to the iranian syrian axis in the region and ever since has found to have took office in january it has been isolated no westerner arab country visited the government or welcomed the government so that i preach are undoubtedly influential his voice will be heard in the west no doubt and among many people in lebanon as well and then in the streets behind the looking calm and soft contrast to yesterdays street battles or do we know of more protests perhaps later today. Some activists are talking about the possibility of further protests you talked about you talked about last night running battles in the streets of beirut weve seen scenes like in recent months. Ever since the protest Movement Began in october demanding a new leadership but yesterday the anger was very palpable people demanding justice revenge for them its just not enough to do for new leadership what they want is those in power to be held accountable for tuesdays blast they believe negligence or incompetence corruption that is why tons of thousands of tons of explosive material was stored at beirut ports for years and nobody did anything about it and the beirut port is located in in this city and in a densely populated city so people are demanding justice they wanted independent investigation they dont believe the government led inquiry into the pastor will give the required result they believe that there will be some sort of a cover up thats the feeling in the streets so lets have a look at the scenes yesterday in central beirut. I they stood their ground in the face of power. Relentless tear gas by Security Forces at times live ammunition. But protestors 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 died 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 cannot so what can we do what they did was return 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 wont 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 i mean we are not leaving if you go to them or us in this country and you know what the people always prevails and we will fight we want revenge and all revenge is by putting all the Political Class either either on the high ground she will see over there or in the dustbins 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 standing who took office early 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 early elections to elect a new problem. And a new parliament we need a new political elite and a new parliament we need to Work Together to overcome the stifel parried 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 is a good step but im afraid that the Political Parties although they still have the power over the people and a solar 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. Is a member of the Opposition Group and f f t he also has a Teaching FellowHolloway University of london joins us now via skype 6 m. P. s resigned since the blast the information minister bring them a senior and the foreign minister resigning before the blast is this the downfall of the government the protesters were calling for. Yeah i mean this is the 1st step i think but its fair to say that we as a society i speak with were still shocked and astonished at the magnitude and size of this disaster and its not an accident by any measure so i think the resignation the trend now is mass resignation but that is not necessarily the answer to the crisis its mind the way for the. Parties and their own children in the parliament and the state institutions to really kind of allow the people to blow off some steam so that they can reduce the anger of the mass and get and then reproduce their grip on power so its a resignation and so its not really an answer we have to be able to be part as a people organized as part of the transitional process something from and on and this is this call from the Prime Minister on saturday to give him 2 months to sort this out to hold early elections does that not also pacify what the protesters want. No treaty and this is also not just our stance citizens in a state party its also the stance of every other Physician Group we do believe that early elections is not really the answer because the regime the power sharing arrangement which kept the sectarian parties in power for decades they are the ones there thought it in the taking that was of the election and therefore they have the ability to devise the thought a law that would ensure that he production of the same regime so elections itself is not an answer when i would assessment is the state itself has collapsed and therefore what we believe is the answer is to continue to decide together with the at all in parties on a transitional process that can save society when we are in the midst of all the lobbying and emerging and urgent. Crises be it fiscal or economic or now as we can see also humanitarian so this sectarian power sharing agreement it was put in place was that after the civil war to keep the peace do you believe that its now outdated. Yeah absolutely i think it was put in place after the war but it was meant to be temporary even the toys agreement which is basically the peace agreements between the warlords d who are turned now into states meant it was meant to give them temporary sectarian arrangement that would benefit for the emergence of a civil state and that 2nd part did not happen and therefore they were able to extend and sustain a very corrupt and plan to stick sectarian thats what so yes this is outdated but the question now and this is where we are at a concert as a business groups and also from an Economic Perspective is that france and the u. S. Seem to be proactively trying to contain the crisis and what they are presenting is not really the stablish meant that the civil state but something that would allow these sectarian parties to sustain their grip on society albeit in some sort of more passive manner. Avoid future disasters like the one weve seen in the past as you know asking about the International Help and how much lebanon needs it or how can it achieve what your your asking for what you are demanding without any International Help who does take the reins. You know thats the dilemma of politics unfortunately and one hand we do need help society at large needs help and it is very much commendable that states that would be providing this hold are suggesting that this can be done die to keep society rather than going through the channels the vertical up channels of the states this is something that at least on the short term is much needed however we cannot really rely on and on states be it regional to national. That sort of sustainable solution which is the formation of a civil state which every society really needs at the end of the end of the way. Thats what we think that the solution has to come from the people unfortunately the site at largest still very much divided bodies are the large stake in how communities perceive the crisis and where the blame game be basically. How is it framed how the blame game is framed it for him holloway many thanks for taking time to join us from london everyone hello a number of the Opposition Group and f. T. Theres plenty more still ahead here on this news hour including a former president in sri lanka becomes Prime Minister again why many fear this could lead to an autocracy. Here in south africa where the pressure is on to stop whats described as the countrys pandemic. And in sports miami takes the heat. The hottest team in the n. B. A. Theres new hope for afghan peace talks president ashraf ghani says he will approve the release of 400. 00 taliban prisoners which paves the way the negotiations to begin his announcement comes after the countrys highest Consultative Assembly called the loya jirga made the recommendation on saturday now gone he says hell sign the order in a few hours time the Prisoners Released was a precondition for the armed group to take part in talks on afghanistans future. Today i will sign the decree that i did not have the authority to sign before now i will sign the decree to authorize the release of the 400 taliban prisoners based on the request of the loya jirga and they will be released. An afghan journalist he joins us via skype from kabul good to have you with us so 400 Prisoners Released have been assured does this clear the path now for peace talks between the taliban and the government. It should from the Afghan Governments point of view the government now has released 5600. 00 prisoners which could lead the way for the 1st time the day after an government actually sits across from taliban leaders and da and what we also saw during these 3 days for afghans from across the country especially afghan mothers some of them losing 3 of their sons some of them actually losing 12 members of their family so we are from kabul in away from places that there is a world where afghans are getting killed on a daily basis and if there is a comprehensive cease fire then i think that will be a win win situation for People Living in villages in valleys because every day you hear about is franks night raids suicide attacks indiscriminate mortar attacks killing entire families roadside bombs the country really needs rest fired from violence and then you are talking about a process where a future government will be discussed amendments in the constitution is something that we expect will be brought up so no one actually thinks that this is a Peace Process that will be done in an overnight youre looking at a number of sticking points from now on what are those future sticking points. Well for example what happens to the house and thousands of taliban fighters become for Afghan NationalSecurity Forces where does afghanistan go from here does it become a matter of public what happens to the rights a woman to the several society to media because afghanistan today is a changed country from the one that the taliban were ruling out of the taliban really changed do they want. A system of sharia and more importantly i think at some stage the issue of victims on all sides has to be brought up and discussed because there is the fear of revenge is you know if victims really feel that their grievances are not address that could lead to more and more assassinations as we see it right now trend unfortunately you know that does not make it to the International Media and daily basis but those are some of the challenges that a