Hello and welcome to the Intelligence on Economist Radio. I'm your host, Jason Palmer.

Every weekday we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

For 26 years, one man has led the Eastern European country of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko.

But he's bungled the response to COVID-19. Turns out vodka doesn't cure it.

Now, he faces an unexpected and wildly popular challenger in Sunday's election.

And horror movies have long hung plots on the tools of communication.

Think of the television and poltergeist, or the calls are coming from inside the house.

So it's no surprise that there's a new flick in which Zoom plays a role.

But it is creepy.

First up, though.

75 years ago this week, the B-29 bomber, the Anola Gay, dropped Littleboy, the world's first use of an atomic weapon.

At 8.15 in the morning of August 6, Japanese time, the first atomic bomb hit an enemy target.

It detonated over Hiroshima, immediately killing around 140,000 people.

The bomb was aimed to explode above zero point, a spat in the city at the junction of the Mato-Isso and Ota River.

Three days later, another struck Nagasaki.

As Japan marks the anniversary, it hopes to keep the wartime memories alive using the stories of people who survived the attacks.

But the average age of survivors is now over 83.

And this will be the last chance to hear from those witnesses during a major anniversary.

August 6, 1945 was supposed to be a day off for 17-year-old Takeoka, Chisako.

Nois Knighter is the economist Tokyo Buro Chief.

She had made plans to meet two girlfriends at 8.15 in that morning at a train station on the west side of Hiroshima.

She was running late and then she stepped outside. She saw a flash and heard a bang.

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