strategy was seriously pursuing ricardo fabiani thank you very much for your time thank you still to come on counting the cost it's bigger than apple alphabet and amazon combined we take a dive into saudi aramco is financial. but first an actor who once played the president of ukraine and a hit t.v. show is leading the race to unseat president petro poroshenko whoever wins the second round one off will inherit a deadlocked conflict in the east with russian backed faces now into its fifth year the war has hurt ukraine's most economically important region drained public resources and exhausted voters and there's no end in sight now to zero as jonah hole reports now from the city of mary a poll where the conflict is never far away. from cranes war zone a new breed of entrepreneurs. alexi used his disability payout as an injured veteran

to set up a pizza business. being given a motivator in war people are happy to spend their money rather than save it because they know anything could happen at any moment. he's not particularly enthusiastic about the upcoming presidential election. and back. because of their spinelessness it took volunteers to protect this country where the leadership was too weak to protect it it's all soldiers like alexi from the port city of mariupol formed the hours of but tally in in two thousand and fourteen famous for preventing russian backed separatists from extending their territorial gains in the donbass region all the way to the sea but mario poll has paid a heavy price its once busy port sits idle empty of the cargo ships that carried steel and coal produced here to international markets russia's efforts to disrupt sea traffic off the annexed crimea peninsula include illegal cargo inspections and

a bridge built across the curch strait that's too low for larger vessels heading for mariupol to pass beneath you more but if. they can forgive us that our country is in the band until zenda stands that ukraine is a free and democratic country unfortunately it will be hard to establish these. then late last year an unprovoked russian attack on three ukrainian navy boats twenty four captured ukrainian sailors are still being held in moscow and international shipping is far less frequently seen in these waters since last november's attacks on those ukrainian naval vessel suggested russia had new territorial designs by strangling traded ukraine's two main force on the sea of as of russia has taken effective control of this inland sea off the coast of crimea. in response president petro poroshenko declared martial law in the east if he

thought that would win him votes he was wrong with more than thirteen thousand dead this country is no longer united behind a war it can't win anna knows that despite losing her brother on the front line in two thousand and fifteen she says it's time for peace. he died for ukraine to be trained for the ukrainian language to be spoken to the crane to be an equal strong european country that hope of a bright future has begun to fade on the shores and battlefields of eastern ukraine now more and more americans are struggling to pay their rent on the problem isn't just limited to major cities eight million people in one hundred fifty two rural communities are struggling without decent homes poverty job losses and a lack of government programs are fueling the crisis gallica reports from florida across rural communities in the us a crisis is unfolding with potentially

catastrophic consequences affordable housing is in desperately short supply while the rents for existing homes which are often in disrepair a rising to one affordable rates. it's a story that panetta al gray may knows all too well like many in rural communities she's paid minimum wage and will be facing a branch of post a two thousand dollars if she had found help a message to politicians is simple everything is so high. expensive and we don't get paid. so everything goes up but our pay doesn't get goes up they say we still get paid as a minimum wage so we can afford it panetta in a family now live here at rural neighborhoods in homestead rents a subsidized by the government as the projects like hitting are in woefully short supplies and we lose business and if we lose businesses. our boots

president stephen kirk says if issues like funding new construction and government intervention on to dressed the future for rural communities is bleak it may just require low interest loans that may require. some police ferenc but without the we're we're killing rural america we're killing rural towns and people have to leave to find jobs in other places and then they face a similar problem in urban america across the u.s. newly arrived migrant workers the elderly and the poor a facing a crisis that if left unchecked will have consequences for the entire nation in many places food banks are busier than ever direct effect of the rising cost of living what projects like rural neighborhoods do for families is give them dignity and security but the picture for eight million others across the u.s. is growing increasingly desperate experts say one in four rural communities is now facing an affordable housing crisis set to get worse if it's not addressed. as

india prepares for elections prime minister there under modi is fighting his campaign on security the threat of terrorism from pakistan rather than his economic track record but a former governor of the indian central bank has cast doubts on the country's growth numbers rajon said that he doubted that india was really growing at seven percent the respected economist warned the greatest problem for the country was job highlighting twenty five million people had applied for just ninety thousand jobs on the roadways he called on the government to improve the collection of jobs data despite those concerns most investors expect moody's ruling coalition to retain power the widely followed s. and p. b.s.e. sensex stock index roared to a record high which is surprising as of the last month it was one of the region's worst performers so what's behind the surge well international investors have snapped up a net four point three billion dollars in indian stocks in march the biggest

monthly total in two years so why are overseas investors buying indian stocks let's find out joining us now from london u.n. thompson the head of emerging market equities at neptune investment management and runs an india fund good to have you with us so we've got this form a reserve bank of india governor calling into question the real rate of growth in india what does that mean to you as someone who invests in the country. but then you look at india you've got a country which is always demonstrating really a was a growth premium in terms of economic growth relative to the rest of merging markets i think what you get with india is always this this great premium you get an earnings premium you get an hour a week premium so it was a very attractive market i think right now in the short this clearly a lot going on in terms of the political roadmap ahead with elections coming up and i think the results of that will obviously have a particularly significant impact on the reform goes and where growth goes i think in the short term that there is obviously

a question of election how that will play out in terms of growth but i think when you take a step back you've also got to consider that no india really has that level of growth which is frankly pretty consistent regardless of who is in power so you actually get five six percent growth as ready as a bedrock and then you can get that extra growth on top of that so i think you know within emerging markets over a longer term if that growth rate is pretty consistent there obviously right now there is quite a high degree of uncertainty whether it's from outside of india the fed looking at bond yields looking where the dollar is looking where oil prices are i don't see within india in terms of where the election is going to sort of come out in the end of may in about a month's time as an investor does that not make you nervous and the the relationship between india and pakistan to show you that must because you suggest us here i think when you look at india one of the things i want to keep given what's happened with kashmir is that india actually one of the sort of least geopolitically affected markets with an emerging market so clearly within each you

have a number of markets which are extremely sensitive to the broader geopolitical events and actually what you have in india is largely a country which is removed from most of the major geopolitical issues now what you do have clearly is the frictions across the border with pakistan particularly surrounding kashmir therefore it's actually quite ironic in a way that since these tensions most recently fled in february you actually see that the markets behaved relatively well. and actually that this situation is to diffuse to an extent so actually this is the one geopolitical issue that can sort of arise for india it actually india's been one of the better performing markets since this has kicked off and actually as. tensions really settle down this is really sort of moved out of the headlines which is an extremely rich showing as an investor so in a way this flash point we've seen recently is very very happy to see that that has sort of defused as the last month has gone on but also we see that actually f.b.i. investors have actually put about six or seven billion dollars in india over the

last six or seven weeks which is from the point in me if every when we started see these tensions varying up so i think that it's not always because looking at it sort of geopolitical tensions are running for the door actually we've seen quite the opposite over the last month and a half there's no doubt that the country has huge potential well educated population a entrepreneurial class if you like as an investor what is it that you're looking at when you make investment decisions in the country absolutely so i think you know we open the conversation just now talking about the elections coming up we're also talking about the sort of the growth rate prospects in the short term for me as an emerging market investor looking over the longer you know with my eyes of broader hats on and looking at a wide array of a virgin markets the thing that makes growth really sustainable is just meet the the quality. of the people the quality of the companies that we're investing in i think when you look at india so from my perspective i see release of the best

companies best run companies in emerging markets i see a very very talented workforce and huge demographic potential of the country and i see a strength of institutions and i think that really can't be overestimated the importance of having a strong and independent central bank you want to have an independent judiciary and oversee as we see with the election india is. you know the world's largest democracy and that is going to be done. straighted new billion people go to the polls in the next month so i think really that long term framework for growth in terms of institutions in terms of that demographic growth potential i think that's what you're getting as well as the talented people who run the companies that are in the workforce that's really what you're accessing when you're looking at new growth and office in the short term there is all this noise but i think over the longer term that's really where the capacity to have that high return on equity comes in here and really good to talk to you on counting the cost many thanks indeed for being with us thanks for having me saudi arabia has released financial details for the first time since the one nine hundred seventy s.

the data shows the reserves of the world's number one oil firm a much lower than expected despite that saudi aramco has still overtaken apple road dutch shell and exxon mobil to become the world's most profitable company some of in java deports. one of saudi arabia's most highly guarded secrets is out or at least partly revealed the state oil company has unveiled data for the first time since the one nine hundred seventy s. saudi aramco had to publish the information in a prospectus for potential investors as it prepares to raise capital and buy a petrochemical company called sobbing the data also raises questions about the size of saudi oil reserves betrayed by the revenue to run the kingdom that of our oil field is one of the world's largest surprise in the prospectus is that the around close its production capacity is three point eight million barrels a day now that still is far away the largest deal in the world what people are

concerned about as it used to produce well referred to in those days what we've understood over the years is that this is an intentional reduction of capacity in the war the sabbath purchase comes after saudi aramco plans for a public share offering their i.p.o. was put on hold last year it was meant to be the world's largest which saudi arabia evaluated at two trillion dollars the i.p.o. is not only going to be about whether those interests it's also going to be about whether the salaries are prepared to offer their crown jewel their most important company the thing that is very rabia provides all the revenue for the country or the bulk of it are they willing to really put that overseas and put them in a position where you know people could potentially have lawsuits against it you know make claims against it and i think a lot of people in saudi arabia are think very carefully that's what they want to do. the data shows that tax pays to the state has been greatly reduced to investors there are also questions about crown prince mohammed bin solomon's ambitious vision

twenty thirty the investors who look at these all of these aspects technical influence on government interference on government in their oil company operations and then of course the overall sustainability of saudi regime in the next ten twenty years money raised from around cause business and potential sell off is at the heart of diversifying the saudi economy which so far remains a distant vision and that's our show for this week if you'd like to comment on anything that you've seen you can get in touch with us tweet me i'm at a finnigan on twitter use the hash tag c.t.c. when you do or you can drop us a line counting the cost of al-jazeera dot net is our e-mail address as always there's plenty more few online at al-jazeera dot com slash c.t.c. that takes you straight to our page there you'll find individual reports links even entire episodes for you to catch up on but that's it for this edition of counting the cost of a very unfettered for the whole team here and thanks for being with us the news on

al-jazeera is next. we live in a time of war and tragedy it's crimes against humanity. activist repression. enforced disappearance arbitrary arrests. extrajudicial executions brutal torture the list goes on. who investigates who judges the criminals. who compensates the victims the international conference on national regional and international mechanisms to combat impunity and ensure accountability under international law. organized by the national human rights committee. united nations human rights office of the high commissioner. european parliament's. and global alliance of national human rights

institutions. the u.s. does ignatz iran's revolutionary guard corps a terrorist organization iran responds in kind towards us armed forces. who want to know the zero life from the headquarters and. also ahead forces loyal

to war telling us about launching airstrikes at tripoli's only operational airport as the battle for control of the libyan capital intensifies antigovernment protesters and so done calling the army to hold talks on a transitional government to replace president on martin bashir. also the face of iraq's new unemployment problem we need a political science graduate selling in baghdad's traffic. hello iran has designated the u.s. military central command as a terrorist organization shortly after a similar announcement from washington on iran's revolutionary guard it's the first time the u.s. has formally labeled part of another country's armed forces as a terrorist group the trumpet ministration says iran's elite force actively participates in finances and promotes terrorism as

a tool of statecraft today the united states is continuing to build its maximum pressure campaign against the iranian regime. i am announcing our intent to designate the islamic revolutionary guard corps including its good force as a foreign terrorist organization in accordance with section two nineteen of the immigration and nationality act as a nation will take effect one week from today this is the first time that the united states has just made it a part of another government as an f.d.r. we're doing it because the regime's use of terrorism as a tool of statecraft makes it fundamentally different from any other government. the historic step of read the world's leading state sponsor of terror the financial means to spread misery and death around the world. is the editor in chief of the forest news agency in tehran who says the move increases the chances for a conflict in the region this move is that kind of a game changer but not in the way that that is desired by the tribe administration

you know iran and the u.s. have been arch post. current state status of a verse that has been in limbo somehow between these two arch foes will you know turn. spiral out of control as a result of this smallest mistakes you know a misfire or a story like the u.s. marines that were captured by iran in iranian waters in the persian gulf this could you know spiral out of control and end up in war and only the beginning you know the in the show impact would be rising crude and energy prices in the you know well as a result of such conflicts and clashes in the persian gulf therefore it seems that donald trump is forcing the whole board and the region to pay for the costs of these illogical you know decision making policies and decisions and i believe democrats and others if there are any you know wise minds left in washington or

your out there foot they need to you know harness such crazy moves whose economic gains already united states are rather nothing but the security impacts and the mess in fact the united states iran and the whole wars would be grave and out of control let's bring in roland jordan she's joining us from the u.s. state department has there been any reaction rosler into iran now designating u.s. military forces as a terrorist organization and response to that decision by the trumpet ministration . daryn there hasn't been any official action but it's certainly not something that people were not discounting could happen but it is important to us trusting u.s. officials that iran gets the message that it's a it's ongoing campaign to destabilize other countries across the middle east to go after its perceived opponents and enemies in third countries cannot and will not be

tolerated and also by designating. r.g.c. as a foreign terrorist organization the u.s. is trying to not just ramp up the pressure unilaterally but it's trying to bring other countries on board in its campaign to further isolate iran and why is it that this decision was made now we didn't expect it but is there something to be said about the timing. well the u.s. administration is arguing that there is nothing particularly special about this moment they say that this is simply another tool in the kit but i very powerful one let's not forget that i.r.g.c. had already been designated a specially designated global terrorist several years ago and so it is not. expected as it were that the u.s. would take this step what is unusual is that this is an actual part of another

country's government that is being formally added to a list that includes groups such as. in pakistan such as al qaida such as has boma you don't see any government organizations or agencies on that list a foreign terrorist organization all right so quite unprecedented. with an update from the state department thank you. the main apartment airports rather in libya's capital tripoli has been evacuated after it was struck in an air raid launched by warlords have that its forces. targeted airport in tripoli eastern suburbs flights have been suspended as a result there's also been fighting at the former international airport which has not been used since an earlier round of violence in twenty fourteen a reporter mom with heads is there. two major airports in the capital tripoli

were targeted by you have to visit craps today twice and this international airport and once in a mighty good airport as you know that a mighty good airport is the only functioning air force in the capital city since twenty fourteen but this airport where the government forces are positioned has not being functioning the tripoli international airport has not been functioning since twenty four thirty in during the libya i don't appreciate now government forces here say that they continue receiving military units and detachment from civil areas and towns and there west of libya including the city of misrata the city of his lead in and also the city of zintan and they clashing area is not far from where i'm standing now if you can hear the gunfire right behind in the background have to dispose of the position and not far from where i'm standing now and the

civilians living in the areas around the clashing area have been asked to leave have to dispose according to the government forces the government will say that have those voices continue receiving enforcements from the city of their own at this situation is very tense and civilians around these areas are very terrified protestors in sudan are calling for direct talks with the army about forming a transitional government earlier a soldier was killed as the army intervene to protect demonstrators from security forces which are sort of demanding the resignation of president come out and bashir have been outside army headquarters and hard to know since saturday at least twelve people have been killed since that means some a bunch of aid has more. the moment soldiers step in to stop police and security forces turning on anti-government protesters it happened as the protests outside the military headquarters in khartoum ended its third day medical sources

say at least one soldier died in the clash. earlier warning shots and tear gas was used to disperse crowds who are calling for an end to president to model bashir rule activists say soldiers intervened to protect protesters from the police. and ran with through to side with. and. that's a possibility or they would have to. take a stand and least. try to os for the president to resign the same way as happened in all of you i. i in videos uploaded to the internet the crowd swelled up tonight saddam's been in a state of emergency since february after a government crackdown failed to stop the demonstrations president bashir acknowledges protest as demands and has stepped down as the head of the ruling party but he's also met military leaders and his defense council has voted against

allowing any unrest the government insists change can come through the ballot box but the people on the street want change now on monday some security vehicles are overrun by protest as the soldiers mingled in the crowds as the army has so far tried to keep its distance from politics what started as anger against prices and the distance and on political turns. the call to organize protests at the army headquarters coincided with the thirty fourth anniversary of the one nine hundred eighty five uprising president mary's government was toppled then and the military later handed over power to an elected government that government was overthrown by president bashir was to be activist. social media at least are hoping for similar intervention some. for their. fighters are attacking the taliban in eastern afghanistan the fighting in crude are provinces forced many civilians to escape on foot they lack food water and clothing and in jalalabad the

capital of neighboring province and i still affiliate claimed responsibility for a roadside bomb explosion the blast killed at least three people and injured twenty others so all about us reports from. where a non-god just south of where despising has broken out between taliban and isolette started about two weeks ago the initial clashes and since then clashes it continued and a lot of people have fled we're talking about twenty thousand take hold that's played throughout kearney now which is just north of where i am and then down here towards jalalabad a lot of them side by foot describing whatever they could be talking exploding on them is exploiting limited bedding limited hygenic supply of food and water so a lot of them are in pretty bad way but as far as the u.n. and i don't see a scar there actually finding it very difficult to reach these people because a lot of them are in taliban or beisel held areas so it's very difficult to find sites we're in to see what these people need and how they can be

a safe i talked to the non-god governor a short time ago and he said that they have had pains out and i've found nine hundred families that have ended up in jalalabad since this fighting has been assisting them here's what he had to say a nice and clear for the commercial hub and been bitten by the brown and isis. job with an increment. the initial reports we have. nine hundred families they can bridge in other words or disaster not. support role for international was dragged through identify them and have their children assistance you a traditionally nanga hot and who not just north of here has been taliban stronghold and i feel has bubbled up here in the last few years initially they were just disenfranchised taliban but now you're saying you're right of recruitment.