>> 100 million indians go to the polls on one of the biggest days of the world's biggest election. >> hello, you're watching al jazeera, live from doha. also coming up, the united nations prepares to vote on a peacekeeping mission to the central african republic as violence leaves 30 dead. >> back in court - the trial resumes of three al jazeera journalists held in prison in egypt now for 103 days. and myanmar's censors.

how rohingyas have become non-people. >> hello there. thank you for joining us. it's the biggest selection on the planet. over 800 million people are eligible to vote. the process of choosing a new government in india will take over a month. well it's a truly ma'am oath undertaking. the vote is being held in nine phases from april 7th to may 12th, with results expected on may 16th. nearly a million polling stations will be ready to receive more than 800 million registered voter. they'll elect members of parliament into the 543 seat came ber. 272 seats are needed for an outright majority. no political party is expected to achieve this. >> we go to new delhi, the

numbers are really astounding. just remind us what are the main issues for the 840 million indians voting in the elections? >> there's so many subjects to talk about, and not enough time. we've been to a south delhi suburb. it's voting today. he has the one word ripping in your ear. at every level and experience people have a way of describing what corruption means to them, whether it's getting a certain form at the post office or not getting the passport maid or remarking on the high level corruption that people see broadcast and advertised and reported about in the media at large and one example is we saw a telekom scam here where telekom licences were sold at a very low price to vendors subsequently a government minister was arrested, charged

and gaoled, and there's still an investigation ongoing. licences were revoked. they had to be resold and they gained a lot more money. those sort of incidents really ring across the country. and they reverberate down to every single person. everybody carries a smartphone with them. that is one particular issue. and corruption, whether it be getting a water supply or electricity metre, it's there for everybody to comment on, and speaking to young people today, that's what they said, they are voting on issues of corruption, who is a cleaner politician to represent them in the parliament. >> corruption, one of the issues important to the indians themselves, but india is a massive economic power with diplomatic cloud. what dmps could we see on -- difference could we see on the global stage, depending on who wins the elections.

>> it's interesting, singh has been a stable prime minister. seemed to be a steady hand on india's diplomatic front. certainly if you look at the west relations it's chilly and continue to be so. several skirmishes across the kashmir border have heightened tensions. but the underlying tension is over the 26/11 attacks in mumbai. india wants the perpetrators and the master minds brought to justice on indian soil. to the east they have a good reputation and relationship with bangladesh, there's the issue of hindu migrants who have left bangladesh wanting to come to india and nationality. it's always a bone of contention. who can deal with it is interesting.

possibly they are a firmer hand. certainly the pakistani - whether they want to have outside influences such as russia, a long-standing america who they have been warming up to a past decade, coming in on the event. it's a debate that is happening within the political circles of indian politics. i don't think the indian public at large worry too much about international relations at the moment. they think that the issues that matter for them are inflation, unemployment, health care, utilities, and international relations and relationships where the neighbours come well down the wishlist. >> thank you. it was mentioned the issues that would appeal to the average voter. we have been speaking to voters in one of india's modern towns. >> people here are checking their names against a registered

list of voters. they have been coming to the polling station since the polls opened at seven this morning. it is very different here, very modern, 21st century architecture, and has been built up in the last 10-is a years. among younger voters the economy is not the only issue that is important to them. >> i also wanted a stable government. someone who would stick to the policy who i knew what the next move would need. i need a stable government. >> just a few kilometres from here the landscape changes into a rural area. the villages are part of the area but are different from the modern architecture. in the villages, having a good economy is important as they see benefits in the last 10-15 years. whether you are in an urban area or a village, the economy is an

important part for whoever forms the next government. >> russia's foreign minister has accused n.a.t.o. of trying to justify its existence by creating an imaginary threat. the comment follow a warning that u.s. forces could be september to eastern europe if member countries feel threatened by russia. >> inside ukraine the government is offering pro-russian activists an amnesty if they give up weapons and end the siege. protesters barricade themselves in the cities of donetsk and luhansk. >> a car bomb has exploded outside greece's central bank in the capital athens. the blast happened before dawn, a few blocks away from the greek parliament. no one was injured. surrounding vehicles were damaged. >> the u.n. is preparing to vote on whether to send the

peace-keeping mission to the central african republic. troops from the union have been struggling to contain fighting between christian and muslim communities. >> a french army truck patrols the streets of bangui. escalating tensions sparked violence in recent months. since december many thousands have left the city. the situation could descend into ethnic cleansing. and where muslims and christians can meet, the atmosphere is tense. the few people would go on camera, saying the main wish is for peace to return. >> we are together, altogether. all we want is peace, peace so we can go back it oo business, to deal with our needs. into this volatile position came the u.s. ambassador to the united nations. the security council will vote

on the peace-keeping force for the country, she says it cannot come too soon. >> no question that we need to redouble our efforts every day. with this add - it adds more urgency to the task of getting more troops and police deployed rapidly. >> one contentious issue is the make-up of the international force that is currently in country. chad supplied thousands of troops. many are muslim, and that is an issue for some people. >> we'd like our central african authorities to accept those in the third should leave and g else were. they go away whether to their country, so the authorities can talk to the christian rebels, disarm them and see how best to pursue peace efforts. >> the central african republic saw two changes of government

since march of last year, with christian and muslim presidents deboffed. many in both communities want peace to return. >> kenya has deported more than 80 somalis as part of its security crackdown. hundreds of others are held in custody under anti-terrorism laws. we have this report from nairobi. >> these women say they don't know what is going to happen to them. they were arrested for being in kenya without proper documents. after a number of attacks in nairobi and the port city, the government ordered all refugees to be moved to designated camps. first, they are screened to make sure some are not kenyan somalis who were born here. >> we have departed 82 -- deported 82 somali citizen and

are glad to say they were escorted by the government of somali to kenya. it was part of the team that esported them to their country. we have also individuals with appropriate documents, and those who have refugee documents are tape to the rev gee camps. >> the u.n.'s refugee agency is concerned about the arrest. it's making sure the deportation process is handled correctly. >> we were in a position to ensure that no one who had refugee identification was deported. the other thing is we informed our colleagues in somalia, mogadishu, because they were central to somalia, to make sure they'd follow these cases and possible cases in the future. in the last 24 hours police officials say 500 people have been arrested. the arrests are happening in the east. a neighbourhood of nairobi.

>> police are moving house to house, door to door, looking for illegal immigrants and refugees, when they get to a house they ask to see ids and passports. if you can't produce it, they arrest you, take you to the station and release only when you can prove you have a right to stay in kenya. >> some somalis and kenyan somalis feel the community is blamed for the actions of a few. the arrests will continue to protect kenyans from what it calls terrorists. >> two oil terminals captured by libyan rebels have been handed back to the army. a deal was reached at the weekend. fighters are demanding greater regional autonomy and a share of oil revenues. >> the trial of three al jazeera journalists held in egypt resumed. peter greste, mohamed fadel fahmy, and mohammed badr have been detained for 103 days.

they are falsely accused of providing a platform for the outlawed muslim brotherhood. >> al jazeera journalists peter greste, mohamed fadel fahmy, and mohammed badr have now spent more than 100 days in an egyptian gaol. the egyptian authorities falsely accused them of providing a platform to the outlawed muslim brotherhood. which has been designated a terrorist organization. al jazeera rejects all charges against the journalists and continues to call for its release. mohammed badr's brother expresses his sentence. >> my brother is an award-winning journalist and in no way is associated with anything illegal. >> the trial has been condemned by governments, human rights organizations and journalists. journal efforts on monday observed a minute's silence in london as the three reached

their 100th day in prison. the bbc's director of global news said it was important to show unity. >> they are competitors. we have different points of view. we are united in saying journalism is not a crime. >> 17 other journalists are also being tried in their absence. al jazeera's arabic abdullah al-shami has been gaoled since august and been on a hunger strike for several months. >> lots more to come on the program, including drug companies under pressure from a rising demand for cheaper drugs to fight hepatitis c. and flying with the power of the sun. ambitious plans to fly a solar plane nonstop around the world.

here is a reminder of the top stories on al jazeera. in india, the spirit phase of voting is underway. more than 100 million people voted on thursday for 91 parliamentary seats. >> the u.n. is preparing to vote on whether to send a peacekeeping submission to the central african republic. 30 were killed in the latest violence. >> and the trial of three journalists in egypt were resumed. peter greste, mohammed badr, and mohamed fadel fahmy have been detained for 103 days, a fourth

journalist abdullah al-shami, from al jazeera arabic has been detained since august. >> myanmar finished its census. some ethnic groups are being omitted. >> the cep suss takers are ready to begin the day's work. before that the police accompanying them get a quick briefing. there had been tension in myanmar's western state in the days leading up to the census. mean regard the muslim row hippinga as undocumented -- rohingya as undocumented might grants from the west. >> in this ethnic village, they get a warm reception. the family who live her are happy to april questions. but in a neighbouring muslim row hippinga village the treatment and reception are different.

census takers first ask what ethnicity a family is. this one applies muslim. details are taken down. another family has a different answer. rohingya. the officials walk away. they have been told not to include anyone identified as rohingya. some people will not be included in the census at all. that includes this woman and her mother. >> we desire nothing but for the rohingya to be recognised. >> she was born here, as was her mother. they know of no other country. >> the government had initially said it would allow people to describe themselves as whatever ethnic group they wanted, under a category listed as others. a day before the census, it went back on its word saying there was no group as rohingya, but

could describe themselves as being gallie. there's taught to be as many as 1 million. the united nations is concerned about the departure from international census standard. the government rejected the accusation. >> when we discuss census issue, even the minister for immigration clearly stated not the rohingya. >> there are problems in other areas controlled by ethnic armies, some of whom refused entry to government officials. the first census in 30 years. there are questions about how reliable the data will be, and whether it will worsen ethnic tensions. >> a mass rally has taken place in north korea to celebrate the re-election of its leader.

thousands have gathered in the capital. the re-election was never in doubt. >> makeshift evacuation centres in the solomon islands are being overwhelmed with tens of thousands left homeless by flash floods. this school has been turned into a camp. most here have lost their homes, and 21 people have been killed. >> a group of researchers say that governments who stockpile tam tamil flue are wasting billions. the drug doesn't prevent the spread and is slightly more effective than par seat mols. the makers of tamil flu say the research is flawed. >> meanwhile, dramatic advances in the treatment of hep c have been showcased in london.

the world health organization says most people can't afford the drugs. it wants to revolutionize the way hep c is treated, particularly in poorer countries. we have this report much >> 10 years ago. john was diagnosed with hep c. that developed into liver cancer. john believes he was infected when he had a tattoo at the age of 14 and lived for years, not knowing he had the hep c virus. >> a lot of people can get through without having no simply symptoms. most have symptoms, with a lot of support for them. it's not like going. you need someone there purely for support. >> it's estimated between 130 and 150 million people are

uneffected with hep c. up to 5 million die from it. it's generally transmitted through ex-personal to contaminated blood. during medical treatment, with contaminated needles. once contracted it can lead to cirrhosis and cancer of the liver. >> the world health organization hopes guidelines can help to combat hep c and calling for better screening for people considered high risk. they want governments to invest in new types of medication. >> there has been treatments for a few decades. it's been difficult. they require investments once a week for 48 weeks. now there's new drugs and medicines that are - the treatment is all over 12 weeks and a higher success rate. >> one group welcomed the guidelines, but said there should be international funding. >> viral help tight us kills as

many as hiv and more than malaria or tb. this is not been appreciated. so it was not included in the millennium development goals. it was not part of the global fund. there has been no big global movement to do something about it. and that's why we are incredibly late and we have a lot of catching up to do. >> the areas most effected by hep c are developing countries in africa and asia. they hope through price discounting the world can tackle an often ignored disease. >> venezuela's government and the opposition are to begin talks to try to end two months of protests. the vat cans secretary of state has been invited to mediate from the south american union of nations. the opposition wants protest leader leopoldo lopez to be set

free. >> the student remain determined. living on a main street in the capital. it is a time for resistance. >> there are painting banners and building paper telescopes with messages inside, call n on all venezuela to have the fight. >> students are divided. most are demanding the resignation of president nicolas maduro. >> to be honest, we don't have proposals for the government, but we don't want to have a dialogue. >> in spite of weeks of protests, nicolas maduro can count on a solid core of support. it is shrinking, according to opinion polls. what may be helping him is political divisions run deep among the leaders. >> the opposition hasn't gained anything from the protests because public opinion rejects violence. instead it is evident that there

are internal subdivisions among the -- divisions among the leaders and that is damaging. >> protests have died down. there are barricades like this, left as demonstrators around the city. after two months the crisis left all sides weakened. and that's a context thing in which they will hold talks. >> not surprisingly there's little trust. the venezuela precedent describes the opposition as fascists. the opposition says nicolas maduro is a dictator. the south american group of nations will act as mediators. there's little optimism. >> the government cannot say we'll only talk about the economy and insecurity. there's no reason for the opposition to sit at the negotiating table if they can't talk about politics and the political prisoners. >> on thursday, at the very

least, the two sides will meet. with the students and opposition radicals boycotting the talks and the president insisting there's nothing to negotiate, a resolution to the venezuelan political crisis is some ways off. >> a candle lit vigil has been held for the victims of a school stabbing in pennsylvania. 20 students and a security guard were stabbed or slashed at franklin high school in murrysville on wednesday. four are in intensive care with life-threatening injuries. a 16-year-old pupil has been charged. >> a plane that can stay in the air indefinitely has been unveiled in switzerland. it's fuelled by solar power. and their eyes are on making it the first to fly around the world. >> if you have no interest in planes, you have to admit this

is impressive. solar impulse set a record when it flew across the united states. not the first plane to do that, of course, but definitely the first to do it without a single drop of fuel in its tanks. in fact, all that they needed with this - sunlight. the natural form of fuel there is. enough to power solar batteries in the air. that trip across the u.s. was deemed a success. back where it all begone. they made a sequel. >> and here it is, premiered on wednesday. the name not so imagine ty. it's solar impulse two. the wing span the same as a boeing 747. this is a huge craft covered in 17,000 solar cells, but weighing 1.5 dons. the plan is to fly this around the world and do it in less than

a year's time. you can take off with empty batteries, climb through. fill up the batteries. in the evening you could land and give the energy to the grid or use it for the car. the more you fly, the more energy you get. >> the pilot needs to be comfortable. there's barely any room to stretch or fit another in. there'll be no heating, pressurised cabin. it's a feat of endurance in a plane. >> the area plane flying slow with one pilot. that's the technical price for an unlimited endurance. thanks to this, the plane can fly forever. >> the trip around the world is expected to take 20 days all in all. solar planes may never be adopted commercially.

the pilots, the sponsors, the airlines are waiting to see if this takes off. >> a reminder that you can keep up to date with all the news that we have been covering on the website. the address aljazeera.com. and you can see on your screens that address now. combine, where does that leave you, the little guy? comcast is defending it's take over of time warner cable. and a world without extreme poverty in 2003. i'm talking to the man who trying to make it ham jim yong ki database making it happen, i'm talking with jim yong kim. i'm ali velshi in washington tonight. this is real money.