>> tanzanians go to the polls as the ruling party tries to hold on to more than half a century of power. . >> i'm in doha with the world news. also ahead - ivory coast president is widely tipped to win a second term in hospital, five years after a poll sparked deadly riots. thousands of demonstrators clash with police during anti-government rallies in montenegro.

plus... >> i'm andrew thomas at ooul rur in australia. a world famous landmark and for aboriginal people a sacred site - when tourists climb it they are insulted. why are people still trekking up? hello. polls opened in what is expected to be the fighters ever election in tanzania. africa's longest reining political party, the ccm has been in power for the last 54 years since independence. they are under pressure from on opposition alliance trying to capitalise on public discontent. catherine wambua-soi reports from dar es salam.

>> the president resigned in 2008 because of a corruption scandal. he denied involvement in fraud and is promising change. >> we'll lead you well, get you out of poverty, fight corruption and transform education. >> reporter: ccm's candidate and minister for work john magufuli is credited with overseeing most infrastructure projects in tanzania, and will continue that job. political rallies like this - if you attend you under the excitement and intensity. the ccm is facing fierce competition. crowds like this don't necessarily translate to voting, but there are a lot of people. the only female presidential

candidate is a newcomer in a new party, the presidential debate in dar es salam, she pledged to increase food production and help collapse said industries. >> people are taking our campaign as the serious alternative government, if possible. if not, then a serious opposition. >> reporter: none of the candidates are giving realistic plans on how to transfer the growing democracy. >> if you are waiting for someone to rescue the country from this transition, from this sea of transition, into an island for transformations, where you see a country having a direction. just over 22 million people are registered to vote. those we talked to hope the election will be free, fair, and the leaders will be true to the

many promises catherine wambua-soi joins us live now. as we say a hotly contested election. what is the turn out looking like? >> it seems like this is going to be over soon. this polling station where we are has been very smooth and organized. polls are expected to close 13 g.m.t. there's more than 63,000 polling stations in the country, and each has a maximum of 50 voters to vote there. and this basically is to make the process fast. and we can see - we have been here since the polls opened. and everything is moving consistently. [ no audio ] as you can see there we have lost our sound connection to

catherine wambua-soi in dar es salam. we'll move on. people in ivory coast are voting in presidential elections. the current president alassane ouattara expected to win a second term in office. he's been credited with helping to revive the economy with a growth of 9%. five years ago his main rival laurent gbagbo, who refused to leave office, more than 3,000 were killed in post election violence. laurent gbagbo is facing charges at the international criminal court for his role in the unvest. tania major has more from the ivory coast capital. >> this is a high stake election for ivory coast, and could draw a line and cement ivory coast's economic revival, which happened under the current president alassane ouattara, who is favoured to win the vote. he doesn't have a lot of strong competition. the former president laurent gbagbo awaiting trial for war

crimes at the hague. a man that leads the party divided his party. many supporters are not going to vote for that presidential candidate. three of the 10 candidates pulled out, leading to voter apathy, people feel they don't have a lot of choice leading to some frustration. the officials are aware of that, the military is on the street. strongholds for laurent gbagbo, patrolling and maintaining a high presence and surprisibility. police on the streets with vehicles mounting, just in case there's trouble. now, israel and jordan agreed on new measures to calm tensions over the al-aqsa mosque compound. a key commitment is that the rules allowing muslims to pray in the compound will be maintained. 56 palestinians and eight

israelis died in violence since the beginning of october. the measures outlined by u.s. secretary of state after a meeting with mahmoud abbas. a palestinian has been shot by israeli settlers in the occupied west bank. stephanie dekker has the latest from ramallah. >> there's a few moving parts to this. let me break it down. we spoke to the mayor of a village close to hebron, where a settler shot a palestinian man, and the palestinian health minister said he was shot five times, he's been taken to hospital tore treatment. the mayor of the village said the israeli army entered the village, checking palestinian i.d.s, there is a stand off. the israeli army told the mayor, there's another incident in the area, 20 minutes away from this

area. there was an attempted stabbing, we are told. an israeli vehicle was moving through. according to reports it was stoned. the israeli man got out of the car and was stabbed in the chest. he was removed from medical treatment. difficult to confirm what is going on. there's a potential connection - perhaps not. this is what the israeli army told the mayor, confusing. what was clear is that the tensions remains on the ground regardless of whatever diplomatic push is under way. >> as we were saying there, israel and jordan agreeing to new measures to calm the tensions over the al-aqsa mosque compound, which is what sparked the violence in the first place. i suppose we'll have to wait and see whether that is reflected in the situation on the ground, and the tensions there. >> absolutely, and what

palestinians have been saying is there has been the announcement that cameras will be installed on the temple mount. they will tell you that nothing is clear, what is put in writing. it's good and well to hear the statements from diplomat which sort of seem a world away as to the reality on the ground. palestinians will say there has been an increase in jewish right wing settler groups allowed to visit the compound under israeli armed protection during this time. muslims were not allowed to access. there has been insightful language from members of parliament, the knesset, from the government calling for access to the temple mount. all this insightful language has not helped, and the reality on the ground that you see more and more of these groups. the language is good and well. cameras, people tell you, don't make a difference or not. it needs to translate to what is

happening on the ground. we'll have to wait and see how it develops. it is tense. people are suspicious of each other. it's been a very, very violent month here. not only in the occupied west bank, but in jerusalem. so we'll have to wait and see how any of these diplomatic moves calm the ground, if it happens. >> for the moment stephanie dekker live in ramallah in the occupied west bank syrian president bashar al-assad says the elimination of what he describes as terrorist groups leads to a political solution to the civil war. state tv is reporting he may be ready to hold presidential elections, earlier russia says it was willing to provide reports to the syrian army. it's referring to all groups fighting bashar al-assad as terrorists. americans being unwilling to cooperate prevent russia supporting the free syrian army. >> translation: the americans refusal to coordinate their

anti-terrorist campaign is a big mistake. we are seriously prepared for a coordination and ready to give air support to the patriotic constitution and the so-called free syrian army. we need to get in contact with the people with the authority to representatives the groups a free balkan states threaten to close their borders. the prime minister insists three countries will not become a buffer zones for new arrivals, the warning as thousands prepare to enter europe. >> police in guatemala dispersed tear gas. opposition demanded the provision of the prime minister

milo djukanovic in montenegro. the dimension began peacefully but turned violent after people through molotov cocktails. the government plan to join n.a.t.o. angered some opponents. >> an advisor to the prime minister says montenegro's challenges don't justify depends for the government to resign. >> if you are talking about about t economy, we are not the leader in european integrations in europe but also if we are talking about foreign investment. if you are going to compare us with the neighbours, the leaders, we can talk about bad economies. if we are talking about corruption and organized crime, the problem in all transitional countries, it's no problem in montenegro less or more than other countries. we are trying to solve the problems, but it could be a reason to ask for the resigning of one government. all the elections was held in a democratic way.

the european union, the western service, everyone doesn't see anything abnormal there we'll take a break. when we come back, the clean-up after hurricane katrina, and mexico deals with flash flooding and a film about banned in india - criminals saying it gives too much focus to the criminals. criminals. the only way to get better is to challenge yourself,

and that's what we're doing at xfinity. we are challenging ourselves to improve every aspect of your experience. and this includes our commitment to being on time. every time. that's why if we're ever late for an appointment, we'll credit your account $20. it's our promise to you. we're doing everything we can to give you the best experience possible. because we should fit into your life. not the other way around.

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jazz reason, an al jazeera, a reminder of the headlines. africa's longest reining party is under pressure capitalizing on positive discontent. bashar al-assad says the elimination would lead to the solution of the civil war. state tv is reporting he may be ready to hold presidential elections police in montenegro fire tear gas on several thousands of protesters, demonstrators in the capital podgovica called on the prime minister milo djukanovic to quit now, it is six months since nepal was hit by the worst earthquake your in a century, more than 9,000 were killed. we look back at the event that devastated a nation. >> reporter: the magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck around midday

on april 21st. across nepal more than half a million homes crumbled. the epicentre was 34km east of the district. what made it all the more devastating was it was shallow 15km under ground. the most severe shaking extended to the capital city. the quake shifted kathmandu 3 meter to the south in 30 seconds. damage covered 30,000km, a quarter of the country. this is the moment the quake hit. survivors said the ground shook for nearly a minute. 9,000 people were killed. then there were the landslides and in this himalayan region, the avalanches. in the langtang provages the earthquake dismantled the

avalanches, what the quake didn't will, the avalanche did. a priceless statue, is now a play thing for children. the earth didn't stay still. nepal was plagued by aftershocks. every 15-20 minutes. almost three weeks later. a magnitude 7.3 earthquake killed a further 200 people. >> six months on, it kept the tourist dollars away. the unrest and shortages hampered the rebuild. many say what aid there is trickling down to those that need it. >> a large part of nepal is in ruins, we talk to some survivors taking refuge in a monastery in the capital kathmandu. >> this woman came to light a lamp for her mother at a shrine

in kathmandu. she was buried in a village when an avalanche triggered by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake swept across the valley in april. with her mother gone, the 18-year-old is learning to survive on her own. >> translation: i stay with my uncle and aunt. family that used to guide me when i was a child. now i have to help them navigate the city. it's difficult to see them struggle. >> reporter: her friend lost her father. the teenagers are together. >> translation: it feels like a dream at times, i struggle to anticipate it. the mind races with thoughts. i wonder how to manage and live. >> 380 dies, sharing a population of less than 500. more than 100 trekkers were killed. people here are from a tight-knit community. much of the valley is

uninhabitable locals have gone back and tried to rebuild broken homes and revive tourism, the only income in the area. >> this woman has become a community organiser. one or two people have returned to the village, we have cattle that need care. we have made temporary shelters, hired helicopters from the money raised. we can't afford to wait for the government. >> this person is living with four other families, 15 people in a 2-bedroom flat. "i miss my mother, i miss everything about her." "this is how she pinched our cheeks", her brother said. he was saved by his father. everyone in the room lost a mother, father, brother or wife. the government allocated money for reconstruction.

not a cents has been spent yet. nepal's leaders focused attention on forming a government and drafting a constitution. while the government does little to rebuild their lives, survivors rely on each other and the funds raised through we'll wishers. a documentary film about a gang rape banned in india could be in the running for an oscar. movie goers in the united states are about to see "india's daughter", which the indian government banned. women's rights activists are unhappy as kristen saloomey reports. >> reporter: this director is the toast of hollywood. her documentary "india's daughter" celebrated by sean penn and merrill streep. >> movie reel: the brutal gang rape of a 23-year-old girl on her way home from a movie triggered an awakening... >> reporter: the film was inspired by mass protests taking

place after the rape and murder of a 23-year-old on a bus. but indian feminists have not embraced the film, which was banned by the government on the ground it could insight more violence. one of the six convicted rapists is featured prominently. >> : indian feminists describe it as one dimensional. >> a film focussing mostly on the rapist and terrible lawyers making statements they were making rather than the struggle going on. >> what is the point of not staring truth in the face and finding out why the men do what they do.

we had better another whether to change them. >> the upapologetic director interviewed women and men and the people on the review committee. >> every statement of his lives in the context of enlightened views around it. india's daughter is opening in u.s. theatres. viewers are not likely to recognise the sensitivities. outrage over the crime has been universal. the film is about india's daughter, it end with statistics about violence around the world. showing that rape is not just india's problem a massive clean up operation is under way across several mexican states hit by tropical depression patricia. most areas suffered minor damage. smaller rural communities are struggling to recover.

we have this report. >> this is the result of the strongest hurricane in the western hemisphere near the peak of power. roads strewn with trees, crops ruined and children ripped apart. >> authorities fear it would be worse. those in the path of hurricane patricia escaped unscathed. we found this woman in a shelter. she had nowhere to go. >> our house collapsed in the wind. >> reporter: she showed us the ruined home she shares with father and daughters. all are homeless. >> this is my house. it was the only refuge that i had. >> reporter: it's the same story in village after village. it's the rural poor rather than

the wealthiest tourist towns bearing the brunt of the storm. >> this is the coastal area where hurricane patricia made land fall. but importantly the high winds at the center missed the port and holiday resort town with high urban populations. as the storm subsided armed forces and government agencies started work, and clearing roads. mexican authorities react quickly. they have often been less willing to provide long-term solutions once the danger's pass. they just finished paying for the damage from the last big storm. what he needed that time and this one was a concrete roof >> translation: we are going to have to start from zero, there's no help. you have to do it yourself. >> reporter: he couldn't afford

the roof or get government funds for it. now he's sorting through his few remaining possessions again. it's a common story. >> the federal funds arrive late. people have forgotten, or if they have not documented everything they lost, they don't receive help. the challenge for authorities this time around is to make sure that the many people like this woman and jose-luis are not so vulnerable when the next storm comes patricia is adding to flooding across the u.s. state of texas. rain there triggered flash floods, forcing evacuations, a union pacific train derailed stranding passengers and nearly half a meter of rain fell in navarro country south of dallas. floods in brazil caused a state of emergency to be

declared by the president. dilma rousseff saw the damage after rivers burst their banks following torrential rain debates over whether tourists should be allowed to climb a famous landmark in australia is heating up. the british named it ayres rock in the 19th century. the aboriginal name is uluru. it's 30 years since control was handed back to the indigenous community. andrew thomas has the story. >> reporter: it's in every tourist vulture, to aboriginal people uluru is sacred. equivalent to a grand cathedral or mosque. >> translation: this place has huge ancestral and spiritual significance to us, holding the story of many ancestors. >> reporter: to climb uluru is to disrespect it and those to whom it is special. until the 1980s, it was known by

the name colonialists gave it, ayres rock, and not much thought was given to that. signs and tour guides make it clear. >> this is a sacred site. they ask us not to climb. >> reporter: filming people on the rock is considered offensive. we are not showing people climbing. a significant minority of visitors are. >> it's one of those things in life, isn't it. you do it once, maybe, if you can do it. >> looking at it from the bottom is not the same as from the top. >> i see it as a supportive element not a cultural thing. >> reporter: it's understandable why some climb. next to the sign asking people not to is another saying whether the climb is open or closed. only certain weather conditions mean it and the gate leading to it are shut. >> if they really don't want to climb. maybe they should close it. but they open - means it's okay to climb. >> it's true. there's a handrail to help

people up. >> the management team want people to choose not to climb, not force them not to. if people insist on going up. they want them to be safe. >> reporter: people died falling from the rock. a taiwanese tourist spent 24 hours in hospital after slipping and fall. it's feared if they can't climb, it will mean less tourists and revenues. >> thinks take time. there is a board and they have taken steps to close the climb. >> reporter: there have been a criteria, alternative walks encouraged and the walks decreased. the days of people on top of the rock are numbered and the legendary iron actress maureen o-harra died.

the queen of tech ni colour was 95. she starred in "miracle on 24th street", and "the black sworn" in the 1940s and '50s. more on the website aljazeera.com.