syrian groups start arriving in switzerland ahead of friday talks. there are still divisions over the inclusion of a prominent kurdish faction. welcome. i'm live from our headquarters in doha. also coming up, local reports suggest the f.b.i. is sending reinforcements to the oregon wildlife refuge occupied by an armed group.

brazil announces new measures to stop the zika virus. we are two days from the proposed that talks in the syrian crisis. there's confusion and agreement over who should take part. it does seem clear that one of the most influential kurdish groups will not attend. russia says their participation is necessary, but turkey says the group is linked to what it calls terrorism. james bays reports. >> some opposition politicians have already arrived in switzerland. political groups who are not on the list of opposition delegates drawn up in saudi arabia are staying in this hotel in the resort town. some have received have its, others have not. the co-chairman of the one of the large evident kurdishs groups, the p.y.d., a group

turkeys is a terrorist entity. turkey's objections have been heard by the u.n. he has not received an invitation. >> really if they want a peaceful syria, if they want political solution for syria and if they don't like maybe the same outcome of geneva two, all the syrians should be included on the tail and there should be negotiations with others, not by the influence of forces outside looking at interests in syria or they have their plans for syria. >> others who have got an invitation are now considering whether to accept, because their allies have been excluded. >> are you going to go to these talks that are supposed to start friday? >> we hope to be present in the geneva talks with a strong and balanced delegation. as we consider these talks very important to us and the syrian people. >> if the talks finally go ahead

an friday, the controversy over invitations will have given them a difficult start. that's almost nothing compared with the tasks they have ahead trying to end the war that's lasted almost five years and claimed more than 300,000 lives. james bays, al jazeera, lausanne. the u.n. special represents to libya is insisting on a peaceful transfer of power in the country. since 2014, libya has had two competing parliaments, one based in tripoli, the other in the east. last month, the warring sides signed an agreement to forge an unity government. the tobruk parliament voted to reject the plan. that could lead to further expansion of the islamic state group in the region. >> the political process is

slow. people are discussing the agreement in parliament. this isn't a problem for islamist groups, they keep expanding particularly in the south, which is worrying, because the terrorist organizations are there, too, so we really must work quickly. >> 25 iraqi security forces have been killed north of rimadi. isil has been believed to carry out the attack. in the united states, five people including the leader of an armed group occupying government property have been arrested. authorities say shots were fired during the arrest in the state of oregon. at least one person was killed and another injured. local reports suggest the f.b.i. are sending reinforcements to the wildlife refuge that some people still occupy. the group has been at the site near the city of burn since the beginning of january. the takeover began in support of two farmers ordered to go to jail for setting fire to

government land. the occupation later became about landownership. the armed protestors accuse the government of illegally seizing land from farmers in the area of the decades and demanded that it be returned to local control. gabriel has been monitoring from new york and sends this report. >> it appears that a car van of militia members had left the wildlife refuge and were on their way to some sort of a community meeting. details are still unclear but at some point on a rural highway outside of the refuge is when f.b.i. and local law enforcement officials confronted these militia members. that's when a gunfight ensued. five militia members arrested and the key point is that amman bundy was one of the five arrested. the militia member killed. he was the number two in command, often the spokesperson

for the militia group. now what is going on at the refuge right now, there continues to be several other militia members still there hunkered down there. they have put out calls on social media and elsewhere calling for other militia members around the country to come join them, to make sort of as they say a last stand there. it's unclear if federal law enforcement officials plan a raid the refuge to arrest the final men still there or if they plan to negotiate. either way, it could be complicated as i'm told there could still be women and children inside, as well. >> japan's emperor received a red carpet welcome in the philippines 60 years after diplomatic releases were restored. main filipinos have painful memories of the invasion. not everyone is happy about the emperor's visit. >> trying to make peace with the

past, the emperor of japan welcomed warmly by the philippine president, a reaffirmation of the strides made between the countries since the 1940's when japan occupied the philippines during world war ii. the period under the emperor's father was one of the darkest in philippine history. >> since then, japan has become one of the philippine's closest friends, its largest aid donor. they are deepening security ties with shared concerns over china extending its territories, japan and the philippines started conducting joint military exercises. there will be an exchange of information and transfer of hardware from japan to the philippines. also an agreement allowing return of japanese troops. the possibility of japanese soldiers back in the philippines is horrifying for many filipinos especially these women.

they were kept as sex slaves by the japanese imperial army during world war ii. seventy years on, they still wait for justice. >> she was 14 when she was taken from home and made a sex slave by the japanese imperial army. >> what happened to us during the war will just happen again to a new generation of women. we strongly oppose the return of any soldiers. >> many are concerned over the filipino government mover to deepen security ties with original allies like the united states and japan. >> we view it with great apprehension because we appear to be going back to a situation of militarization and we go into these agreements that jeopardize or aspirations for peace. >> peace is this japanese emperor's message. he is here also to honor the war dead. on the streets outside the presidential palace.

some filipinos wonder why he can't do more to help restore the honor of those who survived the war. al jazeera, manila. >> malaysia's anti corruption agency is to appeal the attorney general decision to clear prime minister of criminal charges over corruption scandals. more than $680 million were transferred to his private accounts in 2013, but the attorney general says it was a personal donation from the saudi royal family and most of it returned. john kerry has been meeting his chinese counterpart in bibling. he described north korea's nuclear program as a global challenge to international security. >> whether he achieved the

explosion of a hydrogen weapon is not what makes the difference. it's that he is trying, that he wants to do that, and made the attempt, against all of the international sanctions and resolutions that have been passed by the global community to prohibit that behavior. italy and iran signed billions of dollars worth of business deals as part of iranian president rouhani's first visit to europe since sakes against his country were lifted. the two plan to build ties after years of sanctions. we have more from rome. >> the iranian leader spoke for an hour and covered a very wide range of topics including freedom of speech which he said couldn't be used as a pretext for insulting people's religion.

he said primarily european countries suffered from the sanctions because other countries had continued to do business with iran. he invoked the possibility in the future of u.s. companies also taking advantage which new businesses in iran but said the key to that lay in washington. the longest and most strange statements that president rouhani made were on the subject of saudi arabia. he was very critical in particular about the recent beheading of a number of people including the prominent cleric. he said this had been completely unjustified and people in iran had been angry and with reason. he listed a number of other allegations and complaints against saudi arabia.

he accused the saudis of meddling in the internal affairs of a number of countries, including syria and lebanon. in particular yemen, he accused the saudi military of being responsible for the deaths of many civilians there. in particular, he spoke about what he described as the saudi mismanagement of the harsh pilgrimage which in recent years led to the deaths of many hundred was pilgrims, possibly thousands in accidents often to do with stampedes, crushes, or in the most recent case, the crane collapsing. despite all these complaints and angry allegations, president rouhani said that in principle, he was interested in deescalating tensions with saudi arabia and ultimately trying to improve relations between the two countries which he described as brotherly muslim nations. still to come, france's justice minister quits in

protest ahead of the crucial parliamentary debate. one syrian making a slash in aleppo reopening a a much loved institution of the city.

jewel in the united states five people including the leader of away armed group have been arrested. shots were fired and one killed during the arrest in the state of oregon. japan's emperor in the philippines for the first time since troops occupied the country since the second word war. the french justice minister resigned, expressing concerns over controversy government propose also that strip french citizenship from people convicted of terrorism. the plan would apply to those with dual nationality. it was proposed after the paris attacks in november that killed 130 people. the president of the institute of european security prospective said the resignation illustrates the divide in the ruling socialist party. >> it leaves the socialist party in a very harsh contradiction, because we have the impression and this is exactly what the

poll confirms to us, that there is a sort of gap which is created inside the political majority of the president amongst which a number of members of parliament and member of -- representative of socialist parties are not in favor of the opinion that the president and prime minister are willing to push throughout this law. a must not kay said that he was going to sustain the government but at the same time say that the government was very cautious not to throw out the core values of the socialist parties among which the nationality, the ownership of the citizenship is a very strong and very old value of the socialist party in france. denmark pads controversial legislation allowing the con if

i say occasion of valuables from refugees. the new law will allow police to seize assets worth more than $1,500 from see limb seekers. >> the mood was subdued, the three hour debate polite. the result shocked many in denmark. by ate one votes to 27, danish politicians have said police can seize valuables worth more than $1,500 from refugees. the cash will help to cover housing and foot casts while they wait for asylum claims to be heard. those behind the bill are determined that it is fair. >> the argument that denmark doesn't do its bit, we absolutely do our bit when it comes to refugees in europe. it's not a secret that when we stand here today, it is because we wish to take a smaller share.

>> denmark took in a record 20,000 refugees last year and it's not the only country to make them pay for living expenses. switzerland takes valuables worth more than $985. parts of germany have a similar policy. critics and supporters of the bill say it has more to do with deterring refugees to cross the border. the united nations is concerned. >> the decision to give danish police the authority to search and confiscate values from asylum seekers sends damaging messages and runs the risk of fueling sentiments of fear rather than solidarity for people in need of protection. >> the danish politician say it is in line with danes themselves who have to sell assets of more than $1,500 to receive benefits.

they may keep wedding and engagement rings, family portraits and metals. they might have to hand over watches, computers and mobile phones, sometimes their only link to family and friends they may have left behind. al jazeera. two hun thousand troops in brazil are mobilized to help track down mosquitoes as the zika virus continues to spread. the u.s. penalty is urging the rapid development of a vaccine. rob reynolds has the story. >> there's a somber mood at rio de janeiro, areas drenched with insecticide. in two weeks, thousands of people will be here celebrating carnival. it will be a key venue when

brazil hosts the 2016 games, both risking the spread of the zika virus. >> any crowded place is considered a strategic place to combat the mosquitoes. all the football places considered strategic points. we have a different treatment entirely for those places. the dome is a strategic place this season. >> scientists are trying to find a link between the virus and hundreds of birth defects in babies, the u.s. is researching a to find a vaccine. president obama has been briefed on how the virus might spread apartment possible him impact. cases have been regarded in the u.s. states of virginia and arkansas. u.s. airlines are offering refunds to passengers worried about flying to areas affected by the virus. here in california, so far, there's been only one confirmed

case of zika virus infection in a teenage girl who involved to el salvador late last year. she has fortunately made a full recovery. >> in brazil, some say warnings about zika and ways to avoid contracting it aren't getting through. >> when i arrived here in the city, i did not see any information about anything. we knew about it from the television, but here in the city, i've not seen or heard about it. >> 25 countries now have the zika virus and scientists estimate that more than 60% of the u.s. population live in areas where the virus might spread during warm months. al jazeera. thousands in south africa rallied in johannesburg to protest high rates of unemployment. the march has been held by the democratic alliance.

close to 2 million south africans are out of work. we have more from johannesburg. >> this is south africas main opposition party, the democratic alliance. they say since 2009, nearly 2 million people lost their jobs, saying that number is too high and something must be done about the unemployment problem in south africa. the national congress are doing all they can to create jobs, has a national development plan to tries to cut the level of unemployment from 25 to 6% within the next 15 years. people are getting increasingly disillusioned. not far from here, you see long lines of people waiting for jobs, security jobs, any kind of work to make ends meet. when asked about the march, some said they feel it's a good thing. people should protest and demand jobs. some are actually wondering whether a march like this is a gimmick and will have any effect

on poor people on the ground. israel's prime minister accused the u.n. secretary general of encouraging terrorism. the comments followed ban ki-moon's condemnation of israeli settlement expansion, saying the construction projection are a provocative act which violates international law. >> these provocative acts are bound to increase tensions and undermine any prospects for a political road ahead. some may say the current volatility across the region makes it too risky to seek peace. i say the greater problem is not seeking an answer to the palestinian. >> the words bolster terrorism. there is no justification for terrorism period. the palestinian murderers do not want to build a state, they want

to destroy a state and they declare it publicly. the u.n. has longing a lost its neutrality and moral powers and these words by the secretary general do not improve the situation. >> the 71 anniversary of the liberation of the nazi death camp, 1.5 million people mostly jews were killed at the nazi camp during world war ii. the united nations estimate 45% of afghan children don't go to school because their families send them to work to earn a living. we have a report from jalalabad. >> these children are forced into hard labor, working to make bricks to help their family pay off debts. everyone has to work, the young

and old. this child is eight. >> i collect the broken bits of the bricks and put them together. my hands and feet hurt. >> she is 11. she said she wants to be at school. >> if we have an education, it would be better than this. my head hurts a lot. >> their father tells me he borrowed money from the brick factory owner to cover the daily expenses of his family of 15. the family's entire income is less than $20 a day, leaving them always needing to borrow more. he says it hurts him to see his children suffer, but he that no other choice. >> you can find entire families working here making bricks, but the main working force are children. those under the age of 10 get to work eight hours a day. over 10 years old, they will have to work 15 hours a day.

>> child labor in afghanistan is in r. endemic. it's been illegal since 2003, but families are desperate to send their children to work in order to survive. the government says it's aware of the problem and is trying to moment education and create jobs. at the capitol kabul, the situation is not any better. children are found working in many sectors as cheap labor force. government figures show around 1.9 million children work across the country. >> the issue of child labor is a serious one. the responsibility lies with the government and families. the government has a program with the help of the international community to support the children. >> child labor is a long established custom that's difficult to overcome and is related to the countries lack of development and poverty. back in jalalabad, these children work silently. they have to make 4,000 bricks a

day. every brick bears their sweat and pain. going to the public bath house is part of life in aleppo. five years of war has brought many things to a halt but a businessman is trying to revive the century's old tradition despite the fighting all around. we have his story. >> at this public bath in aleppo, muhammed recalls happier times. he sings to welcome new customers and returning familiar faces. >> this is my profession before the revolution. i was in the bath housing during the revolution and i will also die here in the bath house. aleppo is a place where my heart and soul want to be. this bath house was bombarded. if someone is to die, it should be at home or in a bath house. >> before the syrian war, he

operated four bath houses. he shut them owl down as aleppo turned into the battle ground it is today. he's now decided to reopen one in an area controlled by the opposition. he says it's his way of carrying on despite the daily bombardment. threatened with death, he is trying to live. others share that sentiment. >> i swear we are happy. we haven't seen such a bath house in liberated areas for the past five years. this is the heritage of aleppo. to have hot water in such a crisis is something great. >> festivities mark the social ceremony for a man on the eve of his wedding. such gatherings at public baths have also been a feature of life in aleppo. they have disappeared as fighting intensified. now he is keeping an ancient tradition alive in one of the world's oldest cities and its

citizens hope they stay alive to enjoy it. gerald tan, al jazeera. you can read more about us from your bath, anywhere in your home by logging on to our website at aljazeera.com. >> oregon arrests, the leader of the armed pro test at a wildlife center is now in police custody. one member is dead. i won't be dog the debate. >> donald trump pulls ouch final faceoff before the iowa caucuses. the reason he won't take part. stopping the virus, president obama calls for action as zika is found in another u.s. state.