♪ ap dutch court rules oil giant shell can be sued for oil spills in nigeria. ♪ welcome to al jazeera, i'm jane dutton in doha and also on the program iran foreign minister says there is still little agreement on key issues ahead of peace talks in syria. kurdish fighters in iraq appeal for more help in the fight against i.s.i.l. rwanda president casts his vote in a referendum that could see him serve three more terms in office. ♪

ap dutch court has ruled the oil company shell can be sued in the netherlands for the actions of its subsidiary in nigeria and four nigerian farmers and fishermen from river state first filed the lawsuit back in 2008. they want shell to cleanup its oil spills and pay compensation. appeals court finding opens a way for other possible legal action against shell. the company has previously faced accusations over all ledged arrest, forfeiture and wrongful death in nigeria. in 2009 shell paid more than 15 million dollars to the family of the environmentalists but the company denied any culpability in the death and the payment they say was a humanitarian gesture. in january shell agreed to a $75 million out of court settlement with community in the delta

region. the company's rusted oil infrastructure ruptured twice this 2008 flooding a village with more than 40 million liters of oil and shell taken to court over its exploration program in the arctic, the company in year halted its drilling there. let's talk from abuja and talk us through this ruling and the response there. >> well, it's more like a victory day for all communities in the nigeria delta, activists and communities we have spoken to, some minutes ago are celebrating and wondering when they will see the compensation and necessary action on the part of shell. that of course depends on whether or not shell takes it to the next level, appeals it to the highest court in the netherlands and it's celebratory and activists say now not only shell but also other multi

national companies operating in the nigeria delta producing companies can be held responsible or can be taken to court in their home countries and judgment can be made against them. >> thank you for that. houthi rebels not attending friday's sessions of peace talks in switzerland with the government, each side accuses the other of violating the ceasefire put in place for the talks. meanwhile exchange of prisoners of war in southern yemen sparked celebrations in the city of aiden. houthi rebels said hundreds of fighters from the southern resistance movement allied with abd rabbuh mansur hadi. iranian foreign minister zarif says there are still major obstacles to overcome in talks on the syrian war. he will be joining foreign ministers from around the world later in new york to discuss the crisis and hoping to arrange direct negotiations between the

syrian government and the opposition. roslyn jordan reports. >> reporter: the civil war in syria is nearly five years old and on friday in new york city diplomates will try to create a definitive plan to stop the fighting and restore the peace. the russian president said on thursday he is on board. >> translator: we are basically supporting the u.s. security council in syria, it's with the blueprint of the resolution that u.s. secretary of state arrived in moscow. >> reporter: but putin is a long time supporter of president bashar al-assad and he told reporters the international community can't decide who will run the country. another question which members of the opposition will actually join the talks? >> translator: it is clear i.s.i.l. and al-nusra are considered terrorist

organizations and should not be part of negotiations or ceasefire and there are other organizations recognized as terrorists by the majority of members meeting in new york and hope we all can agree. >> reporter: met in riyadh and will not bargain with assad and has to leave because a transitional government takes over and kerry said assad's future is not predetermined. >> that is not the position of the international syrian group and not the basis of the geneva communication and not the basis of the u.n. resolution. >> reporter: opposition is doubling down telling al jazeera it won't agree to a ceasefire unless assad goes. u.s. officials say they are forging ahead nonetheless. >> the issg may have or has a different sense of what a political transition might look like than the group of opposition groups so what does that tell you?

there is more work to be done. >> the talks may be a waste of time. >> as long as assad is in place and people feel unrepresented by the governments you will have constant insurgency until you really get a political solution. >> reporter: while there is a sense of urgency to end the civil war the reality is that the parties may not be ready to do so, roslyn jordan, al jazeera, washington. the number of people forced to leave their homes this year is likely to exceed all previous records according to the latest united nations refugee report and the figures only cover a six-month period but show the number of people fleeing their countries has now passed 20 million. the fighting the war especially if the middle east the number of people internally displaced jumped from 2 million to 34 million and worldwide displacement is likely to reach a record high of more than 60 million people by the end of this year. the report also touches on impact these numbers have on

countries taken in refugees, turkey alone has taken in almost 1.9 million refugees mainly syrians. and we have this report from the town on the aegean sea. >> reporter: river is two months old and his parents want to take him and his four siblings to greece and they tell me they know the risks and they can all die. >> translator: we have no other alternative and no chance to live here or in afghanistan and we can't stay here. we have to go to europe. we want to go to germany. >> reporter: entire families of refugees are waiting here in the turkish coastal town of kashmir, sick, tired and cold, some have been here for days. waiting for a call from the smugglers and have to be ready all the time. outside there are more children and adults. they sit and wait. it's cold here.

and the winds are strong. all determined to cross the aegean sea to get to greece which seems close but remains out of reach. >> i'm coming here because we have lots of problems in afghanistan and faced a lot of challenges. there are not good facilities for the young generations to learn something and we cannot guaranty our life. >> reporter: every morning they hope the sea is calmer. greece is a short distance away but crossing the aegean sea is risky. the journey to the greek island could take an hour depending on weather conditions but this is a dangerous journey. international organization for migration says more than 650 people have died this year while trying to cross from turkey to greece. many of them were children. and in the last two weeks at least 15 children have drowned in the aegean sea. the rights groups said it recorded the death of refugees

using two of the routes in the mediterranean have reached over 2900. and since october more than 70 children have died crossing the aegean sea according to save the children. at the meeting point on the coast here as the right moment came the first overloaded cheap dinghy sets off carrying the refugees happy to leave but risking it all while others wait as their smugglers prepare more boats. at the small shop volunteers rely on donations to feed the refugees but they feel helpless to persuade them not to take morrri more risks. >> feel terrible and taken to a hospital a day ago because they were really hurt and they are all sick and one day after they will die in the sea, they drown. >> reporter: back on the shore those who didn't make it this

time feel disappointed. waiting their turn to seize their chance between life and death. al jazeera on the aegean sea. >> u.n. promising action after a damning report on child sex abuse and u.n. investigation in the central african republic found the organization failed to act on gross institutional failures by peace keepers and we have more from u.n. headquarters in new york. >> reporter: when french troops in the central african republic working under u.n. mandate were accused of raping six young boys the u.n. failed the very people they were sent there to protect. according to a highly anticipated over 100 page long independent report commissioned by the u.n. secretary-general ban ki-moon them and the agencies grossly mishandled allegations and report states among other things instead of

following up on the allegations of child rape the claims went from desk to desk and in box and in box across u.n. offices with no one willing to take responsibility. >> the lack of coordination between policies leaves most victims unattended and vulnerable. >> reporter: the scathing criticism reaches high u.n. officials around the world. from the former top u.n. official in the central african republic to the current high commissioner of human rights in geneva to new york and ban ki-moon's former chief of staff all came under question in the report. >> ban ki-moon has been presiding over the u.n. for nine years and says he has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse and this report essentially shows us that that is more slogan than reality. >> reporter: at u.n. headquarters a spokesperson for ban ki-moon said the

secretary-general accepts the findings and failed to respond meaningful. >> what will they do to make sure the failures are not taking place in some of the other 15 countries where the u.n. has peace keepers? >> panel is clear we need to take a new approach to sexual exploitation abuse to ensure that it's also seen very much through the lens of human rights violations, not just of misconduct by troops, that we need to align the two mandates. >> reporter: the problems and short comings of the u.n. have been laid bare for everyone to see as the report itself states if there is no follow through or action it could only exacerbate the perception by some that the u.n. is more concerned about rhetoric than action. gabrielle al jazeera, at the u.n. much more ahead on al jazeera, only a push back

against argentina's new president and his economic reforms. that is coming up. ♪ >> you're gonna go to school, so you don't have to go war. >> hard earned pride. hard earned respect. hard earned future. >> we can not afford for one of us to lose a job. we're just a family that's trying to make it. >> a real look at the american dream. "hard earned". sunday, 10:00 eastern. only on al jazeera america.

♪ hello again the top stories on al jazeera, a dutch court has ruled the oil company shell can be held liable in the netherlands for the actions of its subsidiary in nigeria and farmers and fishermen filed the lawsuit in 2008, they want shell to cleanup its oil spills and pay compensation. u.n. investigate has found the

organization failed to act on child sex abuse allegations against peace keepers in central african republic. secretary-general ban ki-moon says he accepts the findings and he will take action. iran's foreign minister zarif says there are still major obstacles to overcome and talks on the syrian war, foreign ministers from around the world are meeting in new york later to discuss the crisis. the iranian foreign minister told al jazeera there are two main sticking points. >> on the two important aspects one is the opposition groups and the other is a composition of the opposition and list of terrorist organizations that seems to be no agreement and we have not seen anything to agree upon. african union says it's planning to send 5,000 peace keepers to burundi. the au says it wants to protect civilians from fighting that has killed 400 people since april

and the u.n. says it's going to investigate human rights violations there, violence began when president zizi sought a third term in office and went on to win. referendum underway in rwanda on weather to change the constitution to allow presidents to stay in office longer. the country's leader has cast his vote. if the public votes yes for change then he could run for a third term which would see him stay on as president until 2034 and he has run it since they ended the 1994 genocide, around 6 1/2 million people are eligible to vote. malcolm web reports. >> reporter: public meetings about the referendum on changing the constitution have been impossible to miss. these people say they want president to stay in power after he finishes his second term in

2017. he has been president of rwanda since 2000 and effectively in power since the rebel group ended genocide and took control in 1994. and now politicians say millions of rwanda people petition them to hold referendum to change term limits. opposition politician told me they were sure of winning the referendum, i hold him good luck and five million people are supporting the change and it's not possible they can have more votes. >> reporter: we have been told that people are pressured into attending these political meetings. the government says people come freely and supporters say it's because they want them to stay. >> translator: we asked members of parliament to change the term limits because they were an obstacle to us reelecting the president. >> reporter: for the last ten days members of parliament and senators have been campaigning hard not just here in the capitol but also in towns and

villages all over the country where they gathered crowds of hundreds like this and delivered speeches and song and dance all in favor of changing the constitution to remove presidential term limits but there has not really been any visible campaign against it. some opposition figures are in prison accused of inciting ethnic conflict. others have been killed or disappeared. the government denies it is responsible. john claud is with the green party and one of few who are openly critical and said the party had plans for people to vote against changing the constitution. >> the national commission has said it's not organized, it's not provided to do the campaign so we can do it in new deli. >> reporter: easy to find critics in other countries and peter was born in rwanda and campaigns against the government from london and says he receives regular threats for it.

>> it's a big shock to the world and us there is a referendum which has been arranged in one week to see or to allow president to continue being president for life essentially and we think it's a legitimate and we think that it will pass because we don't think it's being held in a situation where people can speak open and freely. >> reporter: the president is popular among many people for bringing stability and development to a country that suffered so much violence but others say public opinion on extending his rule is a lot more divided than the government suggests. malcolm web, al jazeera, rwanda. >> joining us from there is johnston and good to have you on the show, what is the need for this referendum? >> pardon me? >> i'm just wondering why the country feels the need to have this referendum on changing the constitution, what is behind it?

>> thank you very much for having me. this referendum is because the people need to have their say of what happened with their lives. we have had a second referendum so far and one in 2003 when we changed the constitution and now we have got a revised constitution which replaces the 2003 constitution and right now we are having a referendum so that the people have a say on the way they are governed for the future. >> isn't that what elections are for? >> pardon me? >> isn't that what elections are fo for? >> the election is to confirm that they accept the people of rwanda accept the revised constitution and this revised constitution includes very important articles on term

limits of the president, on term limits of senators and term limits of the heads of the judiciary and a few other changes that are in the constitution so we and the parliament are told this was one of those things that need to be subjected to the people in our referendum. >> yeah i mean you think a constitution is there to protect the people and effectively he could be in office for most of his life, how is that going to benefit the country? >> well, the president has been in power for some time and already we know what it has of benefit of the country. but let me say that this constitution has not been challenged so the president remains in power for the rest of his life. it has been changed so that our future is properly with or without the president. >> right, okay, if you look at

what happened in burundi, the problems there, because of the extension, because zizi is running for a third term are you not worried there may be some sort of fall out if this is indeed passed, if there is a yes with the referendum? >> well, rwanda is not burundi and probably you would say also the republic of germany has heard the same kind of situation and you would not compare that to burundi and rwanda not the same as burundi and it effects the people and if democracy is about people's choices and the people's will then this is the perfect for democrat to think about. >> the international community or many in the international community including opposition saying that this is a trampeling of democracy and not good for

the country and a lot of repression of the opposition who feel they are not been able to have a say in this. >> i do not believe that. the opposition has been having a say and their position of whatever they want and have been addressing international media and talking to the people and nobody has denied any opportunity to speak what they want and convince the people to do what they want. the international community of course we respect their views but our primary obligation and responsibility is to the rwanda people and we would love to respect the international community's views but having respected those, the final decision and what happens to the people is determined by the rwanda people. >> very interesting talking to you, rwanda minister of justice

johnston. the president of argentina facing protests barely a week after being sworn in and delivering on his campaign promises by relaxing crawls on foreign currency exchange and accused of helping the rich at expense of the poor and we report from buenos aires. >> reporter: he has been argentina's president for one week. and there is already thousands on the streets protesting against some of his policies. >> translator: saying the government is benefitting the rich and not the poor. this is a protest to tell the new president we are on alert. >> reporter: he has to unravel a system of currency controls, trade restrictions and subsidies implemented by his predecessor, on thursday a new government evaluated the currency as part of economic overhaul he says he is needed to lure investment and

jump start the company and talking about high inflation and growth. >> reporter: and reports of the next president kirchner and feel what they call the liberal policies will cause more inflation and hurt the working class. economies say the government will have to take measures to protect the country's most vulnerable. >> translator: for the middle class sectors they are announcing some tax example s n example exemptions. >> and named two supreme court judges without usual channels by the senate and accuse him of being undemocratic but he says the new president is not afraid of opposition. >> translator: those that are saying that now there is a wave

of right wing toll picks in latin america i think they are making a mistake in argentina, our government is not going to be a neo liberal government and we have an agreement between labor unions and companies and propose to take care of prices and going to protect those who need us the most. >> reporter: but argentina's economic collapse in 2001 continues to be very present in this country. that is why many are weary about the consequences that the radical changes will bring about. al jazeera, buenos aires. a brief look now at other headlines around the world there has been a third arrest in the san bernardino shootings, a friend of the alleged gunman has been charged with supplying assault rifles for the attack in california earlier this month and syed farook and his wife tashfeen malik killed 14 people at a company party. the couple was killed by police. it's difficult to breathe for

many in beijing a second red alert for pollution has been issued ten days after the first ever highest smog warning in the chinese capitol and emergency measures to close schools and limit car use have again been imposed and the rocket carried two european satellites into orbit from french and are part of the consolation of satellites that will orbit the earth and begin to provide navigational services next year. mother theresa made a saint in the roman catholic church and the pope has a second miracle to the late nun and the case of a man who is said to be healed of multiple brain tumors and nobel peace prize winner devoted her life to helping the poor and known as the saint of the gutters and we have more from new deli. >> reporter: quite significant for india if you look at how many saints india has, once

moth mother theresa is canonized and we expect it to happen next year in the year of mercy and one of a handful of indian saints and say she was born in what is now macedonia but she gained indian citizenship in 1951 and just putting this story into numbers there are around 24 million christians in india and 20 million of them are catholic so this is a much anticipated amount of news for those who are catholics in india but we should say there is another side to this story over the life work of mother theresa or years here there are sections of indian society that did raise concern esabout the religious under tones of her work, a particularly sensitive issue in india and that is going to be a talking point as well as we move forward and lots of anticipation if, in fact, it is september next year that she is declared officially a saint. >> that is good to hear in qatar

people are celebrating the country's national day. ♪ military parade has been held in the capital doha and declared independence from britain in 1971. ♪ >> i'm ali velshi, "on target", slick dealing. congress clears the way for america to export oil for the first time since disco was king. >> and the c.e.o. blasted for jacking up pharmaceutical prices, faces trouble on a different front it's almost sad how happy i am to report that your elected leaders are on the brink of a deal to keep the government shutting down.