Hello, I'm Rose Ramen with the BBC News. The Japanese Emperor Naruhito has expressed deep remorse for his country's past military actions on the 75th anniversary of its surrender at the end of the Second World War. The Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan was committed never to repeat the tragedy of war. However, four members of his cabinet ignited controversy by visiting the Yasakuni Shrine in Tokyo. It's seen by neighboring countries, especially China and South Korea, as a symbol of Japan's past military aggression. Speaking at a ceremony in Tokyo, Emperor Naruhito said Japan is now a different country. 75 years have passed since the end of the war. Our country today enjoys peace and prosperity, thanks to the ceaseless efforts made by the people of Japan. When I look back on the arduous steps taken by the people, I cannot help but be overcome with deep emotion.
The Prime Ministers of three Baltic republics, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, have jointly called on Belarus to hold free and fair presidential elections monitored by international observers. They repeated calls for the Belarusian authorities to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters and release political prisoners and those detained in recent demonstrations. Here is Danny Eberhardt. The statement from the Baltic prime ministers, two of whose country's border Belarus, edges up the pressure on President Alexander Lukashenko. On Friday, European Union Foreign Ministers cast doubt on his election victory, saying they believe the results were falsified. In Belarus, people are gathering near metro station in Minsk for an unofficial wake to commemorate a man who died in disputed circumstances at a protest on Monday. Other opposition rallies are planned today with a big March expected on Sunday.
The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said the US has been humiliated by its failure to extend United Nation arms embargo. The UN Security Council rejected the US proposal on Friday with only the Dominican Republic joining America in voting for it. The current ban is due to expire in October under the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers. Sebastian Usher reports. The US resolution never had much hope of being passed as Russia and China were opposed to it from the start. But the scale of the defeat has been an embarrassment. The Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hit out at other member countries, saying their failure to act decisively was inexcusable. That seems set only to harden US determination to intensify its policy of maximum pressure against Iran. It may well make good on its threat to trigger a return of all sanctions on Iran as part of a mechanism in the 2015 nuclear deal, despite President Trump having abandoned that two years ago. World news from the BBC.
