>> who killed their former leader. >> welcome to al jazeera live from our headquarters in doha. we'll have the latest from lebanon car bomb. and officers accused of cheating in proficiency tests.

>> this is unacceptable behavior. and the biggest migration on earth, 220 million people in china head home for the spring festival. >> the trial of four men accused of murdering a man nine years ago is set to begin in the netherlands shortly. they have not been arrested, and they're being tried in absentia. first we have reports from beirut. >> reporter: he was a prominent politician, a businessman whose influence went far beyond

lebanon. his murder was a political earthquake that tore lebanon apart. five men have been indicted. all members are part of the hezbollah. it's power base lies in lebanon's shia community. >> the assassination had a severe impact on lebanon. muslims were divided. sunnies and shias, everyone was against each other. >> reporter: they were last le n leaving in a car, now proper cuters from the international tribunal say they have enough evidence to start the trial. they base the indictments on witness testimonies as well as mobile telephone network that

was used exclusively by the five suspects. it is circumstantial evidence, the prosecutors at the hague say they will prove otherwise. none of the men have been arrested, and they have urged the government to step up and find the men. hezbollah has promised not to cooperate with a court it says is an international conspiracy against it, and said the tribunal is discredited. this is the first time one of lebanon's long list of political crimes is being prosecuted. some lebanese ask why. for others it's a trial for justice. >> they have a lot of people here in lebanon that this is political tribunal, and for us we think it's a very series tribunal. >> reporter: the assassinations

sparked protests, anger and accusations were directed against the syrian state. forcing it to end its presence in lebanon. hezbollah is accused of complicit, even though it insi insists that hezbollah is not on trial. it is unlikely to heal divisions in lebanese society. >> let's go live now to our diplomatic editor james bay. >> it's takens an awfully long time. it's been nine years since that massive bombing in 2005. but in about 25 minutes time the tribunal in the building behind me will open its case. we're going hear the case first from the prosecutioning, the opening arguments from the prosecutor laying out his case. this particular tribunal taking

place in the haig. we've seen so many tryings concerning yugoslavia and sierra leone, and whilwhat is different about thie they are accused in the dark because they are being tried, as said, in absentia. >> that's our diplomatic editor james bay from the hague. three people have killed in a car explosion in lebanon. at least 22 others have been injured. it happened close to the border. a correspondent is joining me on the phone. it's on route, what can you tell

us about this. >> well, like you mentioned we're on our way to approximately two hours drive from beirut. like you mentioned it is a hezbollah stronghold. yes, another explosion. this country has been plagued by violence, and yet again civilians are victims. you mentioned at least three dead. we're getting reports that the number could rise. there have been quite a number of people were injured. this bombing in the early hours of the morning during rush hour when people were on their way to work, when parents were dropping their children to school, this explosion took place in the main square of the city, the eastern city right next to a municipality building. this is according to the head of the municipality. he's calling it this a crime.

it was suggested that it was a car bombing, now the interior minister as well as other officials are saying they're not ruling out that this is the work of a suicide-bomber. they found remains next to the vehicle, the booby trapped vehicle, and they collected the body parts. the investigations have now begun. as i mentioned this is not the first attack. the last attack was just two weeks ago, and that attack targeted hezbollah's support base in the southern suburbs of beirut. there is still no claim of responsibility, but according to the interior minister of lebanon this is linked to the situation in syria and lebanon. excuse me-- >> thank you, and we'll of course bring you more information abou on this incides we get it. to other news now, 34 usa air

force officers have been accused of cheating on tests to make them competent enough to run the weapons. >> reporter: they're the heart of deterrent, but on wednesday the civilian head of the air force along with the service chief of staff revealed that 34 air force officers at the air force base in montana are now under investigation for drug use and cheating on proficiency exams. they're the officers in charge of the nuclear ibcs. >> this is unacceptable behavior, and as everyone knows the number one core value for us is integrity. >> reporter: 16 officers shared the answers on a monthly test by texting them too open other. another 18 knew about the

cheating but failed to report it. >> they're restricted from missile crew duty. their security clearance has been suspended. and their investigation to the level of their individual involvement will continue. >> reporter: the command and control system dates back to the 1950's, but to this day 600 air force officers usually in pairs oversee the readiness working from the missile silos themselves. nearly 5% of the nuclear force has been caught in the cheating scandal. air force officials insist that the mission has not been compromised. >> i want you all to know that based on everything that i know today i have great confidence in the security and effectiveness of our icbm force. >> reporter: still the secretary announced that all remaining icbm officers will be retested by the end of the week. the air force has long been concerned about the potentially boring nature of the officer

responsibilities. the cheating scandal emerged from a drug investigation. two officers were accused of drug use and stripped of their duties. ten others officers at four other bases are now facing drug investigations as well. but drug and cheating infractions are considered especially sensitive at any of the launch facilities for america's 400 land-based nuclear missiles. as under scored by the pentagon the officers in charge of those missiles have no margin of error. david shuster, al jazeera. >> the latest of sectarian attacks in iraq have killed 75 people. prime minister nouri al-maliki is calling for international help. he's warning of a long fight ahead. well, this wave of attacks comes as fighters from the islamic state of iraq have taken mortar tore in anbar province.

earlier we spoke to a professor at the university of michigan, he said al maliki has failed to unite the country. >> it's a flaw in the iraqi political system that al maliki is can be prime minister even if not a single sunni voter votes for him. he does have incentive to the shia, that's his power base. the party that incorporates sunnies and shiites, and the politics is purely sectarian. this is al maliki's preference. he was a conspirator for 20 years, and he doesn't reach out very easily. he has been prime minister for some time now, and he has taken on militias and won, and so he is a street fighter, but i really wonder if that's what iraq needs right now. it seems to me that someone who

is able to spread around the oil largess, and who is able to convince people that he's there president as well, united, not a divider, it seems to me what is needed, and al maliki is a very polarizing figure. >> after two days of voting on a new constitution, this is the first ballot since mohammed morsi was ousted from presidency in july. it's a crucial test of support for the military-backed government. the military backed government is seeking a yes vote in order to replace the constitution passed under president mohamed morsi. if approved parliamentary and presidential elections will be held. >> i didn't read the constitution before, but i saw how it was used by the brotherhood to abuse power. now i follow up on articles like

power sharing and women's rights, two issues that cause sufferance, and this constitution covered them perfectly. >> we've seen three constitutions and five elections in three years, but nothing has changed. an institution has no affect on our lives. we need laws to be implemented, chaos must be irradicated first. we then will make the right choice of the constitution and the new leaders, otherwise it's pointless. >> an analyst on middle east politics at the university of oklahoma. he said a vote in favor of the new constitution may not necessarily bring peace to the country. >> the new regime is going to say to the world and to

egyptians, look, we had a referendum on a constitution. it passed overwhelmingly. we have elect traditional legitimacy. we don't want the muslim brotherhood any more, and so on. they of course as you know have been classified as a terrorist organization. but there are also alarming signs of reduced space for political freedom and activity for others. there was an arrest of a number of activists campaigning peacefully against the referendum, and there have been others who youth activists who were crucial in the 2011 revolution who are now facing trial and in prison on other charges. so it is a troubling time, and certainly i don't believe the referendum necessarily will produce stability in egypt. >> al jazeera continues to call for the immediate release of five of its journalist who is are still being detained in egypt. produced mohamed fahmy and bader

mohammed, and peter greste have been held for 19 days. and they're being accused of joining muslim brotherhood, which al jazeera call fabrications. two other journalists have been detained for five months. still to come on al jazeera, the gift of flight, the new treatment for people who live with an incurable disease. time to get the roof on. the temperatures soar as the australian open.

>> good to have you with us. these are our top stories on al jazeera. the trial of four men accused to be involved in the murder of lebanon prime minister nine years ago. they have been indicted but they have not been arrested. at least three people have died in a car explosion, 22 others have been injured. the attack happened in the main square close to a municipal building. and 34 usa air force officers responsible for launching nuclear missiles have been accused of cheating on

their tests, while others who knew about the cheating failed to report it. federal forces in mexico have stepped up their efforts to control the western state as vigilanties and the drug cartel fight over the region of the state. municipal police have been investigated for their alleged ties to the drug cartel. >> our objective is that men and women of this great state return to civic activating. our objective is reconstruct relations between society and government. our objective is to secure at all times state of law without

objection. >> it comes after three prison prisoners were decapitated during the riot. they have been linked to corruption from jailers who are involved in prison violence. >> usually a jailer should receive three to six months of training, but thos some oh "z" t know how to use handcuffs or guns. >> venezuela won't be devaluing to curve invasion. instead they have announced a different plan. an alter neigh nativanan rampana

problem. we have reports from caracas. >> we're wait forgive other initiatives and other duvall ways of the local currency, but they will keep the six government exchange rate for 2014, and they're also hop hoping to get some foreign investment into the country letting foreign investors into some sections of the economy and foto be able to sell u.s. dollas at a higher rate. many here are doubting this will be enough to restart the economy and address the most important issues. >> at least one person was injured when a building spanishly collapsed in the turkish city of istanbul. the building was said to be holding a family of refugee

families. one person was taken to the hospital with a broken leg. it's not clear what caused the collapse. >> they are our neighbors. i heard screaming. when i got out and got closer to the scene i saw the building collapsing. they said one person had been rescued, one was rescued from under the ruins. >> accused of high treason of thementherebellion was crushed e al-qaeda fighters poured into the country. >> reporter: in northern mali, they call this region asuat and declared themselves independent after they forced malien soldiers out of the region, but it was short lived. al-qaeda linked fighters moved in, and now allegations are being made that the former

government worked with them to try to end rebellan. >> the evidence that i have is that the welcome they get from the government of mali. we can see how the mallien government is implicated. >> reporter: president torre is now facing charges of high treason. this martian has been accused of taking money from traitors, and they have encouraged drug smuggling which brought in even more money. >> the money from drugs and hostages were being used to

fight the rebellion. they are the same militia raising the flag that says upon it no god but allah. >> this at the u.n. embassy fuels ties to terrorism. the tour rig's fight for autonomy goes on but it remains one of the most unstable regions in a fragile region. >> and that report was from a documentary called "orphans of the is a harrah's. sahara."

>> many are using trains, planes and automobiles to get home for the lunar holiday. it's the biggest migration. >> reporter: imagine your worst travel experience. overcrowded airport, long train, arguments, that is a picnic compared to this. today in china is the start of spring transport. that means hundreds of millions of chinese migrants begin their annual migration to their villages for chinese new year. that places enormous stress on the transportation system here. 220 million will travel by train. 43 million by boat, and 35 million by air, and it is the largest migration of people

anywhere on the planet. so how does china's rail system cope? well, the simple answer is it doesn't. despite billions being spent on the network in the past few years, 120,000 kilometers of track being laid simply isn't enough. what is the experience like for chinese? >> if i bought a train ticket now the ticket would be sold out so i have to buy it ten days earlier. we got up very early to come here from the construction site, 3:00 in the morning. we're lucky we got the tickets. two tickets left. >> i don't know how to use internet. i am just a miner worker. younger people know how to buy the train tickets online. >> making this year's travel even more difficult for chinese is the raisin rising costs of tn tickets. a trip normally taking 22 hours

now taking 8el ours can cost $125 u.s. that's half a monthly wage of a migrant worker. for $25 u.s. you can get a trip on a local train, that can take 28 hours, toe it toe of chinese as you make your way back to your village across country. it's a grueling journey but one that many chinese are willing to make to spend just a few weeks with family and friends during the chinese lunar new year. al jazeera at the beijing train station. >> helping people with a diagnose that effects 150,000 people, mostly men. >> reporter: many of us take our

eyesight for granted, but if you live with this disease, it can lead to blindness. first experiencing problems with his sight when he was a bore. >> you--when he was a boy. >> it becomes more difficult, and ultimately i'm left with only left can core vision which enables me to read. >> reporter: after taking part in a trial the vision of the eye has improved. it is linked to a mutation in a gene, and it causes the receip , the back of the eye to degenerate. in this study scientists injected the retina with a virus made safe. it delivers a correct version of the defective gene which halts the further loss of vision in

surviving cells and can improve it, too. >> reporter: six months later vision improved, and a third of them could see further down on the line chart. >> we're genetically modifying people, i would say we're doing it in a positive way because we're putting in the gene that they're missing. ing knoll that woe an organize-t we're enhancing, making them better than normal. >> it has helped participants to think positively about the future. >> until then there was no real hope, and it has given me and people like me real and tangible hope as i call the awful inevitability, the creep of blindness, that now is not going to happen.

>> reporter: the study should offer new hope for sufferers and it may help in the treatment of other eye conditions. al jazeera, oxford. >> that story and the rest of the day's news can always be found on our website, www.aljaze