>> talks an syria get underway in new york as world powers try to find common ground on a way forward. hello, this is al jazeera live from doha. also ahead, outgunned and under pressure, kurdish fighters in iraq appeal for more help in the fight against isil. the u.n. said refugee numbers are at record levels and millions more will soon be on the move. a dutch court rules that oil it. >> shell can be sued in the netherlands for oil spills in nigeria.

>> for the purpose ministers from around the world are in new york to try to revive the syrian peace pros. they hope to arrange a ceasefire and direct talks between the syrian government and the opposition. let's go live now to new york. our diplomatic editor james bays is with us from there. james, the meeting is underway. what's the latest? >> well, they've all arrived, the foreign ministers for this meeting, as you say, the aim is very ambitious. after many years of bloodshed, more than over 250,000 people dead in syria, they're trying in january to get a ceasefire in syria, and to get face-to-face talks between the syrian government and the syrian opposition. having said all that, there are great sticking points here, sticking points some of them that have been around when they loft tried to have talks two

years ago, but also throughout the five years of the conflict. for example, the future of president assad in syria, would he have any role in the future of syria, would he have any role in transition and also ma makes up the opposition and who counts as what the international community would deem terrorists. these are the sort of things they're going to discuss here in the hotel behind me, the five star hotel in mid town manhattan where they're having their private session and then they'll be going on later on to sit in public around the horseshoe table of the u.n. security council to make public statements to try and push on this pros. the plan is when they get to the security council, they're going to try and pass a resolution endorsing all of this process to give it a little bit more weight because of course the security council resolution means it's then international law. formally when you have a security council resolution, it should be submitted 24 hours before the meeting.

they've shot way past that deadline. they're still negotiationing and there is still no agreement on a resolution that's supposed to pass in just a matter of hours from now. i spoke a short time ago to the british ambassador to the united nations, one of those who's been involved in the negotiations. he told me he's still hopeful they will get a resolution but said right now, they are dancing on the head of a pin on some of the details and some of the wording. now my understanding from diplomats is that russia is concerned about some of the things that the western nations want in this resolution and some of the language i think is about that transition. will they use the language of the last meeting in vienna, the vienna communique which talked about transition or will they go back to the geneva communique of 2012, which talked about a transitional governing body with full executive powers. those are the sort of details i

believe that are being wrinkled over at this very late stage ahead of a possible vote if they manage to come up with some language they agree on in the security council in just hours' time. >> many things, james bays from new york. turkey is also attending those talks, as well and the unlike other countries has its own list of terror groups, including the p.k.k., a kurdish armed group. the kurds are an ethnic group of 25 million people who live across syria, turkey, iran and iraq. in turkey, the kurdistan workers party has been fighting for independence for years. in iraq, an armed group called the peshmerga fighting isil, then there's the y.p.g. or people's protection unit, also kurds fighting isil in syria. kurdish soldiers in northern roc are appealing for more

international support and weapons to defeat isil. peshmerga forces are leading the fight on the ground but isil fighters are better armed as using stolen u.s. weapons. despite being outgunned, the peshmerga have regained territory. we we have this report. >> it's a symbolic day for peshmerga forces. they've regained control of their tone from isil a year ago. many isil commanders were killed during the battles, including the brother of isil leader abu bakr al-baghdadi. weapons were seized from isil now used on the front lines. they say most of the captured military equipment is u.s. made, stolen from the iraqi army. it is a reminder that they can did he death isil, also known as daish. >> daish does not have the strength or morale to attack kurdish areas because it is

known that the peshmerga will fight and crush them. >> peshmerga fighters are eager to show the gains they have made against isil. these are some of the symbols that they've captured during fighting, but isil still remains strong in other areas on the outskirts of various peshmerga strongholds. isil has carried out many coordinated attacks across several front. peshmerga forces have repelled several isil attacks across the kurdish region. besides suicide bombers, isil fighters use armored vehicle bombs to fill frenches dug by the peshmerga. for now, a push towards mosul remains on hold, but soldiers say they're ready. >> this is a political decision now, peshmerga and the coalition fighting with the iraqi military have a plan to liberate mosul

from daish. >> they complain about a lack of weapons. they are helped by coalition airstrikes and foreign volunteer he witness but they don't seem to be enough to win the war against a more sophisticated and better equipped enemy. >> daish are armed to the teeth, but the peshmerga, the ones that are holding the line, defeating daish and they're holding the line for the west, so enough it's time the west starts doing more than air support. they must be crushed here for humanity. it's that simple. >> the competing interests of international powers involved in this conflict, defeating isil remains far from simple. al jazeera, northern iraq. iraqi medical sources say 11 people from two families have been killed in an air strike on fallujah. u.s. led coalition forces. at least three killed were children. the coalition jets were targeting isil fighters in the center of the stiff. a siege by the iraqi army is

causing shortages of food and other basic necessities in the area. the president of the european commission has met european leaders to discuss the refugee crisis, this as a new u.n. report warns that due to the war in syria, the number of people forced to leave their homes this year is likely to exceed all previous records. the figures cover a six month period showing the number of people fleeing their countries has now passed 20 million. fighting and wars especially in the middle east, the number of people internally displaced has jumped from 2 million to 34 million. worldwide, displacement will reach a record high of more than 60 million people by the end of this year. the report also touches on the impact that these in connection are having on countries who take in refugees. turkey alone that taken in almost 1.9 million refugees, main by syrians. we have this report from the

aegean sea. he is two months old. his parents want to take him and his four siblings to greece. they tell me they know the risks and they can all die. >> we have no other alternative, no chance to live here or in afghanistan. we can't stay here. we want to go to europe. we want to go to germany. >> sick, tired and cold, some have been here for days, waiting for a call from the smugglers. they 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. >> why i am coming here is because we have lots of problems in afghanistan. we are faced with a lot of challenges.

they are not good for the young generation in order to learn something. we cannot guarantee our life. >> 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 up to an hour depending on weather conditions, but this is a dangerous journey. the international organization for migration said more than 650 people have died this year crossing to greece. many were children. in the last weeks, 15 children have drowned in the aegean sea. >> the recorded death of refugees using two other routes in the mediterranean have reached over 2,900. since october, more than 70 children have died crossing the aegean sea, according to save the children. at the meeting point on the

coast, as the right moment came, the first overloaded cheap dingy sets off, carrying refugees happy to leave, but risking it all. others wait as the smugglers prepare more boats. at the small shop, volunteers rely on the nations to feed the refugees but feel helpless to persuade them not to take more risks. >> you feel terrible, and so we bring them to hospital another day ago, because they were really hot and they all sick. and one day after, they will die in the sea later on. >> 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. >> polls are closed on a

referendum to allow presidents to stay longer. if a yes vote, the president could possibly stay on until president at 1834. he has run rwanda after a genocide. >> the opposition has had a say, whatever they want, addressing international media, talking to the people. nobody has denied them any opportunity to speak what they want and convince the people to vote the way they want. the international community of course we respect their views, but our primary obligation, primary responsibility is to warn the people. >> still to come here on al jazeera, the u.n. admits its response to sexual abuse carried out by its peacekeepers in the central african republic was seriously flawed.

plus. >> i'm reporting from jonesburg downtown trying to launch more african actors on to the word stage.

>> hello again, the top stories here on al jazeera, foreign ministers from around the world are in new york to try to revive the syrian peace process. in europe, the president of the european commission has met with european leaders to discuss the refugee crisis.

this as a new u.n. report warns that the number of refugees of displaced people is likely to receive a record 60 million this year, chard with fleeing the war in syria. the polls are now closed in rwanda for a referendum on presidential term limit. if the vote is yes, the current president could possibly stay on as president until 2034. >> houthi rebels returned to negotiation witness yemen's government in switzerland, upset over the announcement of a humanitarian aid deal. meanwhile, pro-government fighters say they've taken more territory from the houthis. the fighting is on going despite a ceasefire and prisoner exchange. gerald tan reports. >> a rare moment of joy against the sorrow of yemen's war. celebrations on the streets of aden mark the return of more than 260 prisoners of war.

these fighters with the pro government resistance movement, some barely into their teens were freed in exchange for more than 300 houthi rebels. >> we suffered a lot. the houthis exercised all kinds of abuse. we didn't get any prisoner rights. we aren't even entitled to a proper diets. >> what is clear is both sides have suffered. it is hoped the u.n. would sponsor peace talks in switzerland. the houthis and yemen's government agreed to allow desperately needed aid into the contested city of taiz, but details contained in the u.n.'s announcement of the deal appear to have antagonized houthi representatives. in taiz, the situation looks no different than it did before the talks began. a ceasefire has been in place since tuesday on paper, but

hardly in practice. [ explosion ] >> the battles continue and humanitarian agencies on the ground say they haven't seen any aid arrive. elsewhere, pro-government fighters say they have now captured houthi camps in the provinces, destroying their vehicles and taking prisoners. as the fighting drags on, it's estimated four in every five people in yemen now require aid. the situation is more acute for the sick. health services have been badly disrupted. doctor at this cancer clinic in aden are worried they will soon run out of supplies. >> these children suffer because they lack medicine. they need help and support so we can treat them and take care of them. >> the conflict has already killed nearly 6,000 people since march. half of them are civilians. gerald tan, al jazeera. >> nigerian farmers and

fisherman are told they can sue the oil giant shell in a dutch court. a judge in the jorge mario bergoglio ruled that the multi-national can be held reasonably responsible for alleged pollution. shell says that it's disappointed by the ruling. the company has in the past fused accusation is as over alleged arrests, torture and wrongful death in nigeria. in 2009, shell paid out more than $15 million to the family of an environmentalist but denied culpability and said the payment was a humanitarian gesture. in january, shell agreed to a $75 million out of out of court settlement for fishermen and their communities in the delta region. the companies rusted pipelines have ruptured in two places in 2008, polluting water supplies. shell was taken to court over its exploration program in the

arctic. the company halted all drilling this earlier this year. more on the reaction from nigeria. >> this is more like a victory day, activists from the communities we've spoken to some minutes ago are celebrating and wondering when they will see the compensation and necessary action on the part of she. that of course dependency whether shell takes it to the next level, appeals it to the highest court. basically the mood is celebratory, saying now not only shell, but other multi-oil companies, oil companies operating in the region can be held responsible or can be taken to court in their home countries and judgment can be made against them. we are going to show you some picture from space right now. this is the first official british astronaut aboard the

international space station. there have been other british astronauts, but he is the first official british astronaut. at the moment, he's giving a press conference, his first since arriving in the international space station just a few days ago. he's looking pretty perky. >> we basically have a body wash. it's a little bit like camping for six months. you keep yourself clean as best you can. we have special no rinse shampoo so we can wash our hair without rinsing it out with water. that's basically how we keep clean. hi, tim. christmas day, we'll obviously be thinking of family and friends. will you also spare a thought or british personnel for from home at christmas scattered across the planet, but you've got a pretty amazing view of it at the

moment. >> that's right, i'm very in a very privileged position and although i'll be missing friends and family on christmas day, i'll at least be able to orbit the earth 16 times and be able to look down on the whole planet. also, of course, we have great communications on the space station, so i'll be able to call my family at home. i do, of course, wish everybody who's deployed on operations all the very best of luck and a happy christmas and happy new year. >> hi, tim. this is a german radio broadcast. i'd like to know for our audience, how does it feel to train at zero gravity? june the feeling of zero gravity is a bit like the first time i put on a pair of skis and tried

to go skiing. it does take a while to become proficient. it also takes a while to get oriented, because quite often, you'll be working in the roof and suddenly lose your sense of direction. it's amazing how quickly your brain adapt to say that. i think within another week, i'll be extremely comfortable working in this environment. >> british astronaut taking a press conference from the international space station. we'll bring you anything newsworthy here on al jazeera. now, the head of the united nations promises action after its own damning report on sex abuse carried out by peacekeepers. it was found the organizational failed to act on gross institutional failures in the central african republic. >> when french troops in the central african republic working under a united nations mandate

were accused of raping six young boys, the u.n. failed the very people they were sent to protect. according to a highly anticipated over 100 page long independent report, commissioned by the u.n. as he can jen ban ki-moon, the united nations and its agencies grossly mishandled those allegations. the report states among other things, instead of following up on the allegations of child rape, the claims went from desk to desk, in box to in box across multiple u.n. offices with no one willing to take responsibility. >> the lack of coordination between policies leaves most victims unattended and vulnerable. >> 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 commissioner of rights and

former chief of staff all came under question in the report. >> ban ki-moon has been presiding over the united nations now for nine years. he has been saying that he has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse and this report essentially shows us that that's more slogan than reality. >> at u.n. headquarters, a spokesperson for ban ki-moon said the secretary general accepts the findings and agrees the u.n. failed to respond meaningfully. >> what does the as h secretary general plan to do that this is not happening in the other countries with u.n. peacekeepers. >> we plan to take a new approach to sexual abuse that it is seen very much through the lens of human rights violations, not just of misconduct. we need to align the two man dates. >> the problems and shortcomings

of the united nations have now been laid bare for everyone to see. if there is no action, it could exacerbate that the u.n. is more concerned about rhetoric than action. al jazeera at the united nation. >> the head of the international monetary fund will appeal against an order to stand trial in france. christine la guard denies wrongdoing over the payment of $400 million to a business tycoon seven years ago when she was the french finance minister. leguard could spend a year in prison if convicted. the vatican has confirmed mother teresa will be made a saint in the roman catholic church. the pope confirmed a second miracle performed by the knop. she devoted much of her life to helping the poor and was known as the saint of the gutters. she died in 1997 at the age of

87. in south africa, the downtown music hub of johannesburg, we have this report. >> this is a kind of zulu folk music, one of the most popular genres in south africa. working in a factory at night, he in additional his passion for the music at music hub. it is one of the best recording studios in the country. >> to bring my voice, when person listens to what i'm singing, it can be proper. now as we're working, i'm working with the people. >> the building which is home to the music hub has been associated with the music industry since the 1970's.

the government bought it seven years ago with the idea of making word class recording facilities accessible to the general public at a happy to price. the renovations aren't quite finished, bub the studios are busy with budding artists. >> access has been a core issue. our aim is to keep price at a level where everyone can come through and record their music. >> this building has housed a music studio for decades during apartheid, one of the few places musicians could come to record. it's full of memories. >> it has been malanyified by the inclusion of the first music museum in south africa. >> he recorded at the studio. their music was among the music

banned by the regime but helped illuminate to the world what many called the evil of apardon hide. >> the music itself kept it shining, kept the will of the people for everybody to feel, to hear and so on. i think it was really very poignant. >> today, it's an italian composer working with south african musicians, a collaboration made possible by a music hub dedicated to creating opportunities for south africans and their unique sound. tanya page, al jazeera, johannesburg. >> i'm in doha, qatar, the skyline behind me. the people of this nation are celebrating the people's national day today. the military parade has been held here in the capital, doha. >> that was early this morning where soldiers tanks and fighters, fighter jets impressed

a cloud including the country's emir. it commemorates qatar declaring its independence. oil has made it the richest country in the world per capita. >> syria crisis, world powers meetinging new york this morning to try to finally broke a year solution to the five year civil war. >> accused of conspiring in the attack, a friend of the san bernardino shooter is arrested, ma prosecutors say he also planned. >> soon to be a saint, pope francis clears the way for the vatican to canonize mother teresa.