diplomats from around 20 countries meet in vienna to try to find a solution to the syrian conflict. ♪ ♪ welcome to al jazeera. i am sammy zeidan in doha. also ahead on the show. fighting in intensifies in yemen as houthi rebels and saudi-backed government troops battle for the city of taiz. chaotic scenes it is as low-slovenia border as thousands of jefes try to breakthrough. plus a proposal to create the world's biggest marine reserve gets support from china, but still falls short of an

agreement. ♪ ♪ france's foreign minister says there must be significant political change in syria. he spoke ahead of a second day of meetings in vienna with a major international players in syria's war. it's the first time all sides have been invited to the negotiating table. the u.n. secretary general is calling for flexibility. mohamed jamjoon reports from vienna. >> reporter: in vee en ar vienne talks may be about syria but on thursday talks turned to another country. >> we believe that iran is a positive force in the renal and unyou cannot put condition on his iran's presence, therefore no conditions were placed on aura 10 tans at these talks if there had been we would not have said accepted at that.

>> reporter: in this latest round of diplomacy. iran's prime minister took a seat at the negotiating table for the first time of the the importance of his reps was made ever clearer when u.s. secretary of state john kerry walked from his hotel to hold a by lateral meeting with him. while the renewed diplomatic push for find a lunge solution s in overdrive. >> i think we have reached a point when there is a feeling that military formulas are leading nowhere. even the russian intervention as you know, which has been a game changer and [ inaudible ] acceleration of the political diplomatic [ inaudible ] is realizing that without a parallel political concrete, substantive, informative type of governance in syria we will not be able to end this conflict

certainly not be able to fight and win isis. >> reporter: where bombs continue to drop and displaced citizens continue to flee. bridging the ideological divide over syria will be more difficult than ever. in these discussions, the u.s., saudi arabia and turkey stand firmly behind the syrian opposition. while russia and iran continue to support the regime of syrian president bashar al-assad. in the past four years, every other attempt to form a political solution to the syrian crisis has ended in relative failure. raising the stakes at a time when it seems expectations are relatively low. >> i believe it is already a relevant compromise, a relevant commitment to all of the sides to be here tonight and tomorrow to come together to accept to sit together this is already very relevant starting point. only one week ago it was very

difficult to anticipate. >> reporter: the mood, one of extremely guarded optimism. the fact that the regional arch rival saudi arabia and iran will actually be sitting across a negotiating table from each other on friday is, indeed, a very big development. but what results that may yield is for now anybody's guess. mohamed jamjoon, al jazeera, vienna. the key players of that negotiating table include the united states, russia, turkey, saudi arabia and as mohamed explained there, crucially iran. but also as important is who is not there. no one is representing syria's opposition groups. the syrian regime isn't attending either. the biggest issue and stumbling block on the table is the fate of syrian president bashar al-assad. while the different parties have is off ended their stance somewhat the u.s. and its arab allies want him to go and russia and iran want him to stay. u.s. officials are hopeful an

agreement can be received on a transition that will see assad step aside. just this weeklies office issued a statement saying he would not consider any political initiatives until after, quote, irradicating terrorism. let's now talk to mohamed jamjoon, he joins me now live from vienna. a busy day. we are already heard some top diplomats speak. mark out the schedule for us there in vienna, would you, mohamed. >> reporter: yes, sammy, u.s. secretary of state john kerry just about two minutes ago, actually, arrived his motorcade pulled up at the hotel behind us the hotel imperial where the talks will be happening today. today is the make or break day. all the parties will be here. the plenary session will be begin we are told in about a half an hour toe 45 minutes from now. if they stick to schedule. i must say that yesterday the schedule really was thrown out the window throughout the day. nothing really went according to

plan. including the fact that the iranians showed up here a day earlier than expected. now, as you mentioned in your lead in to me, one of the more interesting things that we have observed not just here but in the run up to these talks, is how many of the world lead who's have previously insisted upon the immediate departure of syrian president bashar al-assad from office before any political transition could take place in syria, seemed to be softening their tone when it comes to that. now, the u.s. seems to have done that in the past week and now today we have heard just a short while ago from french foreign minteminister who seems to be dg that. no longer demand that go bashar al-assad leave office immediately before a transition can take place, although continuing to maintain that bashar al-assad plays no role in the future of syria. let's listen to more of what foreign minister had to say when he spoke to reporters a short while ago.

>> translator: france's position is well known, we want to free syria, say syria that is the entire company that has all the components of a saturday to live properly [ technical difficulties ] first of all to fight even more effect tilt terrorist al-nusra, then we need to authorize a political transition and of course mr. bashar al-assad who is pons i believe for a large part of the syrian crisis, cannot be the leader of syria. >> mohamed, just because you can get everyone in to the same room doesn't mean that everybody is on the same page, take us through some of the key issues that they need to tackle there. >> reporter: oh, this is going to be a very, very difficult undertaking. even before these talks started, u.s. secretary of state john kerry had said this will be tantamount to charting a course out of hell that's how bad the

situation has got then sear yeah. all the diplomats who have spoken to the press here since they have arrived have very much tempered their remarks. really seem to be setting the diplomatic bar very low. because this will be difficult. yes, it is extremely significant that you have all the parties that are backing different factions in this war in the same room together. the fact that iran is here, that was something that was a nonstarter for the u.s. just a year ago. but since the iranian nuclear deal was reached the u.s. now wants iran to play a vital role in these talks, iran being a primary backer along with russia of bashar al-assad. everybody here believes no deal, no compromise can be effected unless iran is here so that's already significant. the fact that their regional arch rival along with u.s., turkey and so many others back the syrian opposition that they are here is a very significant development. but all that being said the fact this these team can sit across from a negotiating table from one another does not mean that any deal can be reached and even

though there is a they knewed intensity in trying to affect some kind of political solution and the fact that it is a big deal that everybody is here does not mean that this will yield any results when it comes to the situation on the ground in syria, which, again, we are told is did he tear you deterioratinl bombs, more russian airstrikes and syrian airstrikes and the humanitarian crisis gets worse by the day. this will be a tough day. whether talked will continue after this really has yet to be seen. even if some kind of compromise is reached today, if that can actually be implemented on the ground in syria, that would be a very, very significant and very different kind of development when it comes to these talks and the talks that have happened before now. sammy. >> the. >> all right, mohamed jamjoon from vienna. fighting has intensified around the southern yemeni city of taiz. 45 houthi rebels and eight fighters loyal to former

president hadi. doctors without borders want security guarantees to continue working in yemen. gerald tan reports. >> reporter: the sky has been the greatest advantage for the saudi-led coalition in yemen. since march, jets have launched strikes to dislodge houthi fighters and their allies loyal to former president saleh. both sides are locked in a fierce battle for the city of taiz attacking each other from opposing hilltops on thursday. but the saudi-led coalition is also being taxed on a different front facing mounting pressure for a bombing in a hospital in saada district ran by doctors without borders. >> it is very clear that the hospital was bombed by an aerial bomb. and so a bomb from the coalition. there is only the coalition occupying the skies of saada. >> reporter: one nurse was injured in the attack on monday. footage taken of the aftermath shows the facility reduce today rubble angering residents.

>> translator: this is the hospital hit by the saudi-americana agrees ores. the airstrikes that destroyed the only hospital in the district that sevens dozens of surrounding areas. it's the only hospital they can go to for treatment. >> reporter: the u.n. has repeated its condemnation of the bombing again blaming the coalition. for its part the saudi government continues to deny responsibility. >> we have provided -- msf has provided the coalition with the exact coordinates of the hospital, in turn these coordinates were placed within the forbidden targets accordingly this hospital could not have been targeted by the coalition forces. >> reporter: as the war drags on, rights groups pressing alarm at the deteriorating humanitarian crisis. thousands of civilians have died and many aid agencies are saying yemen is becoming too dangerous for them. gerald tan, al jazeera. palestinians have called for

a day of rage across israel in the occupied west bank. on thursday israeli forces shot dead two palestinians in several attacks in hebron. the israeli militaries in both inning den the palestinians stabbed is rally soldiers before they opened fire. a palestinian eyewitnesses dispute the israeli accounts though. and israeli soldiers fired on palestinian protesters near the cities of had h hebron. the palestinian red crescent said 40 people were injured. 66 palestinians and nine israelis have done since the beginning of october. qatar's foreign minister is warning that some of the worst violence between is rallies and palestinians may be yet to come he spoke to al jazeera. >> you are offending 1.5 billion muslims when you talk about al-aqsa in palestine you are provokinging the whole muslims we have raised the flag before

saying it's very dangerous that the west bank started a third intifada. >> reporter: do you believe this is a third intifada? >> i believe so. i believe so. if the occupation is still there, if the settlement is still spreading. then we are going to see one of the worst intifada. >> well, you can watch that full interview with qatar's foreign minister on up front on friday at 193 1930 gmt. coming up on al jazeera. celebrations in tanzania as the winner of the presidential he selection announced but the opposition is rejecting the result. plus argentina's president rallies support for her party after a disappointing first round result for her successor. the only way to get better is to challenge yourself,

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♪ ♪ welcome back. a reminder now of our top stories. france's foreign minister says there must be significant change in syria. he spoke ahead of a second day of meetings in vienna with major international players in syria's war. fighting has intensified around the southern yemeni city of taiz, at least 45 houthi rebels and eight fighters loyal to president hadi were killed. palestinians are calling for i day of rage across israel and the occupied west bank. on thursday israeli forces shot dead two palestinians in separate attacks in hebron. the israeli mail theory says in

both incidents the palestinian stabbed israeli soldiers before they open fire. palestinian eyewitnesses dispute the israeli account. russia has prevented the go ahead to create the world's large of the protected marine zone off ant action ca. it's fast expense of water 2.2 million square kilometers let's look at what scientists and governments have been fighting so hard to protect the cold nutrient rich waters he is sean to earth feeding the world's ocean scientist is argue human activity is putting this ecosystem at risk. for the fifth consecutive year governments from the u.s., knew is he land, australia, france, and the european union argue today two zones in the southern ocean to be given marine protection status. the first is a 1.25 million square kilometer area one of the most up tact ecosystem in the

sea. the second is 940,000 square kilometers in east ant arc at that. andrew thomas has been covering it for us. >> reporter: it's unlikelily this will be agreed to this year, very disappointing because as you say for five years straight now they have tried to agree yet again it seems they will be blocked. we are hearing that china at the last minute is now agreeing to one of those two areas becoming a marine park area. but russia is still not on board. there will be further meetings between now and another meeting in a year's time. the hope now is that a meeting then can set these marine parks up. i am joined by mark epstein from the antarctic and southern ocean coalition. mark, let's go back to basics. why do you believe it's so important for these marine park -- marine protected areas

to be established. >> we talk about both marine protected areas and marine reserves, marine reserves meaning don't take zones, they are important because they live up to what the conservation -- the commission for the conservation of antarctic marine resources was create today do which is help preserve and conserve the 10,000 species that the live in the southern oceans but also because they provide climate reference zones that are increasingly important as climate change accelerates in the world. >> reporter: because there are species of creatures that live nowhere else. >> that's right. there are four species of penguins and what we are seeing is one of them is actually expanding but two are declining rapidly. we want to understand why that's happening. >> reporter: so where we should know formally whether the countries are in agreement or not in a couple of hours time. but if, as it looks, these marine protected areas are still not agreed to this year, then the delegations will go back to their home countries and meet informally over the next 12 months and be back again in hobart 12 months from now when

they hope they can get russia on board and agree to this important safety zone for the antarctica. chaos has broken out in the border between slovenia and all industry a hundreds of asylum seekers tried to climb over barriers. sloslovenian police and austria soldiers tried to stop them. an australian policeman was punched in the face. many families in afghanistan are hoping to go to germany and seek a better future. the threat of deportation isn't enough to deter people from making the journey as jennifer glasse reports from kabul. >> reporter: for a month, she didn't know whether her 16-year-old son was dead or alive. in june, left his home in kunduz in northern afghanistan hoping to get to germany. it was a dangerous trip. >> translator: on the sea he almost drowned think he told me the boat was sinking. the water was up to his neck. after lots of difficulties he reached land. they stayed in greece for a couple of days and then went to serbia. for 10 days the smuggler lock

them in in a dark room with only a small hole in the ceiling. he said they only fed them once a day 672 and a half months ago he reached berlin, where his aunt lives. the family says they miss him. but they were forced to send him after a man who they say might have been the taliban or isil asked him to work with them. >> translator: we sent our son because we had no choice. we didn't send our son because we wanted to. >> reporter: his father, a shop keep her to borrow nearly $7,000 for the trip. i promise today pay the money back when his son got to germany. but last month the taliban captured kunduz city. the family fled their home and shop are destroyed. now they say there is no way to pay their debt. she says her son in germany is the family's only hope. >> translator: we want our son to stud there, to be accepted there. to work there and to bring us there to join him. there is no other hope. now we are hearing they are deporting people f they deport him, what will happen to us?

>> translator: i feel very sad. not only my son, all these people went there with the hope that they would be accepted. they have taken all of this risk. now why are they going to deport them. >> reporter: they say there is nothing left for them in afghanistan, if they had the money they would leave for germany now. even though they know the risks of the journey and have small children. she says she would rather take the chance at giving her children a future because they won't have one here. thousands of afghans don't make the dangerous trip to europe. germany's latest warning that afghans might be sent back here isn't likely to change the mind of those determined to leave. jennifer glasse, al jazeera, kabul. opposition leaders in ta tanzania are accusing the ruling party of rigging last sunday's presidential election. catherine soi has the latest on the most fiercely contested election in more than 50 years. >> reporter: the victory was no surprise to his supporters. john has been leading since

counting began on monday. in the streets of tanzania's commercial capital, his supporters danced to a favoritee party tune. they say the former minister iss the change the party and country needs. >> i believe he is like a tractor, [ inaudible ] life will be better with him as president. >> translator: the elects were free and fair. even the international observers have said this. >> reporter: he has won the election with 8.8 million votes again his closest opponent, edward, who had roughly 6 million. earlier members of the main opposition coalition filed a formal complaint to the national election commission. they say there was massive rigging and the result do not tally with some of the figures from polling stations. they also say they are disappointed with international

observers who have so far said that the election was largely fair. >> i don't think they have done a good job. they did not do anything. they come for two days and say [ inaudible ] it should be done this way and this way. >> reporter: this ruling c.c. m party director of elections say the victory is clean. >> and no one could specifically claim a plot or a plan to do rigging. yes, it is true there are challenges, but they were not of magnitude and frequency to change, you know, the outcome. >> reporter: they all say they don't want trouble. the opposition is, however, adamant that they also want justice. right here, at this moment, his supporters just bask in the victory. catherine soi, al jazeera. another election is to be

held in argentina next month to choose the next president. the government's happened picked successor to president christina kerkirschner failed to win enouh votes laughed sunday. daniel will now face the leader of the let's change coalition, mauricio in the run off. he also faces opposition within his own party. as teresa bow reports. >> reporter: argentina's presidential palace filled with thousands of government supporters think inside, president christina kirschner and her cabinet. the rule party's candidate to the presidency was nowhere to be seen. for many, an example that tensions are running high within the ruling party. >> translator: everything we have achieved. everything we have done i hope it will remain the same.

[applause] >> reporter: got less votes then expected in the presidential elections last sunday. evening though he won, he did not get enough votes to win on the first round. now polls show mauricio mack recipientfrom thelet's change pr chance of beating christina kerr kirschner's hand picked selection. >> there is an internal fight within the party and it happens because they are trying to find who to blame for the poor results. >> reporter: even though they belong to the same party, he is not very popular among christina kirschner supporters. >> translator: people are trying to divide us, but what you have to do is what ulysses did, tie yourself to a stick and continue. >> reporter: many see him as being too close to the corporations. this government has spent years fighting against. >> translator: if we vote for limits because christina has

picked him to be her successor, he will continue with the model kirschnerism there started 12 year old ago. >> reporter: he is in an uncomfortable situation he needs to convince the left within the perilous party represented by these people to vote with him. but he needs to get votes located toward the sent right failing to do this could cost him election. the votes from sergio who came in third, are now the cherished prize for both candidates. but masa says, that he i his followers should vote for whom they want. >> translator: in the last elects, 36% voted for the continuation of this government and 65% voted for change. >> reporter: the run off is less than a month away. the coming months may see tensions rise as the country is choosing between continuing or change. teresa bow, al jazeera.

let's bring you some breaking news now coming in, and we are getting reports that the last remaining british resident in guantanmo bay prison has been released. he had been held at the u.s. detention facility for over 13 years but he had never actually been put on trial or even been charged. we'll bring you more information as we get it. well, emma hayward reports now. >> reporter: he had been held at guantanmo bay for more than 5,000 days. never charged, never convicted. the last british resident to be detained at the u.s. base. his supporters have always maintained that he is an innocent man. and that his family have been robbed of a father, a husband, and a friend. the campaign for his reelyse has been a long one. >> 14 years of torture. i mean, torture is bad enough, but in someone has never been charged and therefore assumed innocent it's just intolerable.

shaker was picked up in afghanistan in 2001, his family say he was doing charity work and that he was sold for a bounty to u.s. forces. u.s. authorities alleged he was leading a unit of taliban fighters. in his 13 years as an inmate in the world's most notorious prison, he was never charged. shaker did go on hunger strike several times. one of the many prisoners whose only form of protest was through their stomach. campaigners say he was held in appalling conditions. sometimes in solitary confinement and beaten. early in his presidency, barack obama promise today close guantanamo. a legacy of his predecessor's war on taro so far it reremains open and is the subject of human rights allegations. shaker's release comes after 13

years it's expected he will be reunited with his family including one child born during the initial stage of his incarceration the fate of the 113 inmates still inside guantanmo, though, is uncertain. emma hayward, al jazeera. this week on talk to al jazeera musician and activist, moby. >> glamorous dating, going to the right parties, et cetera, these can be fun, but they're not. they won't sustain you. it's like junk food or cocaine. >> he went from being a relative unknown to one of the most important electronic dance music pioneers. moby has made more than a dozen albums. the singer-songwriter has another set to come out in 2016. >> quite electronic, very song oriented. i have no idea if it's good. >> in addition to his musical