syria talks the u.s. pushes for an immediate ceasefire after russia's proposal for i it to start in march. ♪ ♪ i am lauren taylor, this is al jazeera live from london. also coming up. >> you are out of order. [speaking at the same time] >> a president under pressure in south africa. jacob zuma is heckled inside parliament as the row tests continue outside. next can prison riot frustrated families demand answers after more than 50 people die in a monterey jail. and new window on the study of

the cosmos as sig as einstein ws proved right about gravitational waves. ♪ ♪ hello, we start with renewed effort to his revive the floundering talks in syria with diplomats gathering in germany ahead of the proposed meeting between the government and rebels later this month. the u.s. secretary of state john kerry and his russian counterpart sergei lavrov are hosting the talks in munich, a ceasefire to begin on the 1st of march has suggested by russia but the u.s. wants it to begin immediately. meanwhile ago there is continued fighting with near the border of turkey. turkish fighters captured an air base that was originally controlled by the syrian pill military it was it was ceased by rebel. nato as has agreed to send

troops to stop smuggling. james, we have been waiting for this news conference for sometime now. do we know whether it's afternoon live going to go ahead this evening? >> reporter: well, i think it is. i think we have to hear from someone about what this meeting has achieved or has not achieved. earlier on the u.n. special envoy stefan dee my stew a told me this was an absolutely crucial meeting. lelet me remind you why it is crucial. last we're there were talks between the on opposition delegation and government delegation they never sat down together and never even really god to have the proximity talks but were in geneva at the same time but those talks basically were on hold because of the russian bam board. because of the syrian army's advance around aleppo and it was decided to get all the international sponsors of this

process back around the table to try to get things back on track. that is what they have been trying to do here in munich. the meeting of all of the different delegations, there are 19 going on now for almost five hours. and the even more important meeting i think before that was the meeting between the russians and the u.s. the russians saying, well, why don't we have a ceasefire start on this 1st of march. the u.s. saying that's three weeks from now, that means that you will be continuing your aerial bombardment for another three weeks and changing radically the situation on the ground. it doesn't seem like they have imagined to bridge that gap between the russian position of a ceasefire in three weeks and the u.s. position that it should happen very, very soon possibly as early as this weekend. >> without any kind of breakthrough, if you like, today or in the next few days, what is the plan "b"? >> reporter: well, i think what is most likely from most people i am speaking to here, is that

they will announce that even if they haven't got agreement on a ceasefire, perhaps there can be some humanitarian measures on the ground in syria working towards some new measures that can relieve some of the suffering, but i don't think that will bring the opposition back for the negotiating table. so it looks like this process, even if they announce that, is in a pretty critical phase. then that leaves i think some of the parties to look at other options. already the russians and the syrian government are obviously pursuing a military option on the ground in northern syria and i can testimony you the opposition are also talking about in tactics, some high-level opposition sources telling me that the moderate opposition is no more and now they have to look at a different way of working, maybe using gorilla tactics on the ground. >> james bays live in munich, thank you very much indeed. on the ground in syria, fighting is as fierce as ever. this report now from al

jazeera's zeina khodr. >> reporter: the syrian opposition has lost more ground in the northern province of aleppo. the military air base, however being what not recaptured by government troops and their allies. it was taken by the kurdish armed group the y.p.g. and it's a arab allies. syria's opposition says the y.p.g. has taken advantage of the offensive to expand areas under its control in aleppo. >> translator: jpg militia from the start of the revolution has been working for its own interests. it created an autonomous area, never recognizing the syrian revolution but used it to create its own state. >> reporter: the capture of the air base means the y.p.g. is now close to the main rebel-held border crossing with turkey. this has increased concern in turkey, which considers the group and its political wing the p.y.d. a terrorist organization. >> translator: p.y.d. has been

the unstoppable winner it will gain it's territorial aspirations and stretch to the west. it is not logical for turkey to carry out military operations while aisles has a presence this, will draw reaction from the u.s. and even russia. >> reporter: the y.p.g. and it's a ally the syrian democratic forces are partners u.s.-led coalition against isil, turkey has harshly criticized the u.s. for accepting the groups as allies but the obama administration has made it clear this policy is not going to change. the y.p.g. also enjoys good relations with russia. it's a complicated web of alliances on the ground in syria. officially, the damascus government and the y.p.g. are not allies but they have not turned their guns on each other since the start of the uprising. it's not clear if there is any coordination in the offensive against the opposition in aleppo. but what is clear is that the government and the y.p.g. are both heading towards aleppo's border crossing with turkey. the border towns close to that

crossing have received 10s of thousands of syrians displays babes the ongoing military operation. turkey continues to be criticized for not allowing them to enter, instead it argues the refugees could safely remain in a designated zona long the syrian side of the border. such a safe zone with surf turkey's national security interests by acting also as a buffer and stopping y.p.g.'s expansion and keeping the syria regime away from its doorstep. zeina khodr, al jazeera, southern turkey. nato ships are being sent to the eastern mediterranean in response to the ongoing refugee crisis. a multinational group of frigots and destroyers is requested by germany, greece and turkey. paul brennan reports from brussels. >> reporter: in defiance of tougher border controls and in spite of windser storms and dangerous seize, refugees and migrants continue to a he want it the crossing from turkey to greece. this group was rescued on tuesday, so far this year around 1500 people a day are making the dangerous crossing. turkey has taken in some

2 million refugees from the syrian conflict and now wants hem. the turkish president in a critical speech on thursday warned that without more support, he could simply open the borders and let the refugees leave. >> translator: in the border town, we put them on a bus and turn them back. but we can only do this once or twice. and i am sorry, but we can open the doors and tell them have a good journey. >> reporter: nato defense ministers have been meeting in brussels, but the german-turkish greek proposal to sends nato ships to the eastern a gia was only floated monday this week and seemed to take nato by surprise, nonetheless the ships are being sent. >> our military authorities will work out all the other details as soon as possible. and allies will be looking to reinforce this mission. this is not about stopping or

pushing back refugee boats. nato will contribute critical information and surveillance to help counter human trafficking and criminal networks. >> reporter: it's not going to be plain sailing, the nato group will arrive in the aegean by the weekend with its mission still being worked out. the greek and turkish vessels in the group will have to stay within their own territorial waters. for it to actually work it needs the turkish coast guard to act effectively on the nato intelligence which will be provided to it. one thing this mission is not is an intercept and rescue operation. any refugees that are saved by nato vessels will be returned to turkey. and turkey has so far expressed a willingness to receive them back. but for how much longer? paul brennan, al jazeera, russells. ♪ ♪

south africa's president jacob assume has been repeatedly interrupted while make his annual state of the nation address. in the end representatives from the economic freedom fighters party walked out after being asked to leave or remain silence. and outside parliament in cape town, police fires stun grenades at protesters demanding that zuma stand down. al jazeera's fa media miller has more on why -- on the unrest over zuma. they left parliament after trying to disrupt proceed eggs number of times and ultimately not getting in to what they say the major issue around prison zuma and the influence and the negative influence he has had on the con my in firing two finance minister in two weeks and the decision that he has made here has received at although criticism in out africa. at least 52 people killed in a prison riot in northern mexico coming just one day before pope francis is set to a rave on his

first visit to mexico as pontiff. al jazeera's adam raney reports from mexico city. >> reporter: witnesses say the fire and riot began just after midnight on thursday. dozens of prisoners were killed before authorities took back control of the prison. the fire lasted for several hours according to witnesses. it is the largest prison in the northern state and it's known for being overcrowded. rescue workers evacuated victims, some apparently with burns. on thursday morning the governor of the state spoke to the president. >> translator: we have ruled out any jail breaks or escape attempt or the use of firearms a security perimeter was set up around the president as well as the rest of the prisons in the states. >> reporter: family members gathered outside the prison and start today try to break their way in. several hours after authorities took control family members were still waiting for answers. >> translator: i don't know, please help us the woman director with all due respect come out and confront us, give us the names, please, the names.

that's it. where is she? >> reporter: in recent years, deadly prison riots have become common in mexico where members of rival drug gangs are often house ed in the fame sims. but francis is set to arrive in mexico on friday he's planning for visit a prison that used to be controlled by violent drug cartels. adam rainy, al jazeera, mexico city. trosting greek farmers who have been blocking highways with their trachea tours are week are taking their anti-austerity fight for the capital. they are planning to ride to the capital on friday. neave barker met some of them on the road to athens. >> reporter: on the hillside above karinth, he tends his vines. when summer comes his grapes will be shipped as far as away as germany. but the changing seasonses breen uncertain tim the greek government wants to induce tax hikes and sharp increases in pension contributions changes

the farmers say will leave them destitute. >> about 70 to 75% of our income to go for taxes and pension, this is not affordable. this is a death of the farmers, especially the little and the middle class of farmers. >> reporter: for the past 20 days, local farmers have gathered at a makeshift blockade on the highway to athens. if their demands aren't met, they say they'll drive in convoy for the capital. the humble tractor has become a symbol of resis sense. >> translator: our message is for the government to take back the tax measures and to sit down and discuss our new set of terms. >> reporter: elsewhere in greece farmers have used their vehicle to his block highways and border crosses, forcing people to take long detours and brought chaos to the country's roads. the government is calling for negotiation to his end the standoff. the e.u. and international monetary fund has agreed to give

grease $96 billion to avoid financial meltdown, but only if the country shows its capable of economic changes. >> what should be clear is that this reform is not optional. nor merely a contractual obligation of the country. it's absolutely necessary for the pension system itself to have a future. >> reporter: but it's not just the farmers that are angry. in the last month, the threat of tax hikes have led to a general strike, and even brought the police out in protest here on the streets of athens. the government's slim grip on power is being tested to the limits. as night draws in at the blockade. the farmers gather to plan their convoy, they know the police will be out in force to stop them. they say they don't want try lens but many are willing to fight if they have to. for these farmers, the seeds of discontent have been sewn. and now it's time to act. neave barker, al jazeera, on the athens highway. you are watching al jazeera. still to come. why north korea has kicked out

all south koreans from a joints i run industrial park. plus. a standoff between armed men occupying a wildlife refuge and police in oregon has ended more than a month after it started.

>> i respect him as a reporter and i love him as a brother. >> one mississippi journalist seeking justice for civil rights cases gone cold. >> it's not just about prosecution, it's about remembering. detailing of history. >> our special report. only on al jazeera america. ♪ ♪ reminder of the top stories here on al jazeera. diplomatic discussions to revive talks on syria are underway between the u.s. and russia in munich. moscow says it will begin a ceasefire in syria on march the 1st, but washington says it must begin immediately.

south africa's president jacob zuma has been repeatedly interrupted while making his annual state of the nation address. outside of lament in cape town police fired stun grenades at protesters demanding that zuma stand down. at least fest two prison immaterial mates diet following a try nut mexico. tensions between the two career as have escalated further after the north demanded everyone leave from the industrial park and ceased all the assets -- seized all the assets. >> reporter: on the southern side of the korean boarder the first con crean consequences of north korea's recent rocket launch the vehicles headed south from the industry kpr*ebgs, the joint venture that south korea declared indefinitely closed as of wednesday. >> translator: i feel horrible. if it stops operating companies like ours have to close business, it's difficult.

>> translator: we jokingly said it might be shutdown but i was surprised to see it really happening. i feel sorry for the north koreans because they are more worried than we are. >> reporter: as the vehicles start to come through it's clear it will not be a quick process, there are 124 companies inside the industrial complex. getting all of their equipment and finished goods out is going take a while. but a few hours later it became clear it wouldn't be happening at all. north korea says seoul's action was a dangerous declaration of war. cutting the last lifeline of north-south relations it was putting the facility under military control freezing all south korean assets and ejecting all south korean nationals. more than four hours after the deadline that north korea had imposed those staff members, 280 of them, streamed south. finished products, raw materials, valuable equipment, all had to be left behind. the catalyst for all of this, sunday's launch by north korea

of its long range rocket coming just a month after it carried out a nuclear test. pyongyang broad broadcast the first footage on monday. the whole process guided according to the commentary by the nation's young leadser. there are mounting reports, though, that kim jong u.n. had other pressing matters on his mind a south korean government official quoted as saying that north korea's army chief of staff was executed for corruption and abuse of power this month. it can't be corroborated and such reports have proved false in the past. but it would chime with a high-level meeting in pyongyang last week where kim jong un declared a crack down on crumbs and the fact that the man has been missing from post launch festivities. a 94-year-old former nazi guard is on trial for being involved in the murder of at least 17,000 people. prosecutors say he escorted jewish prisoners to the gas chamber of the auschwitz death camp. he admits being a guard there,

but denies involvement in mass murder. south sudan's president has appointed his former arch rival as vice president, a decree on state television said the former rebel leader will be first vice president without giving further details a conflict between government troops and forces loyal to the rebel leader has seen south sudan embodied in a civil war since december 2013. proceedings in the trial of former chad president have ended. he was charged with war crimes, torture and crimes against humanity in an especially established court in senegal. nicholas hack results from senegal. >> reporter: a final act of defiance. the former president of chad leaching court wavering the victory sign to hands. of supporters. prosecutors have called for the maximum penalty, life imprisonment for the crimes against humanity he's accused of

having committed during time in office during the 1980s. outside the courtroom, victims of torture say the trial itself already represents a victory. for two decades victims like this and the human rights lawyers who supported them have braved threats and intimidation while fight to go get him taken to court. then in 2013, he was charged. and order today stand trial in the extraordinary african chambers. the court had been specially set up by senegal and the african union to hear his case. >> translator: our first victory is to be able to empty ourselves of all the horrors we have been victims of. with him present and acting like a child. >> reporter: the proceedings ended like they started. high in drama. here he removed from court calling the trial a masquerade. from the start the former chad president refuse today couldn't. eventually the court order him to be restrained, forced to listen to the hundreds of

victims of torture testifying at the stand. people such as this who calm lie described being raped repeatedly by him himself. or this woman, she too was rained and tortured, she was just 13 years old. he saw his friend starve to death in detention. >> this is a trial whose architects are the victims. this isn't a trial that comes down from the hague or from the security council. this is a trial that has been achieved by the sweat and the determination of people who came out of jail 30 years ago and never gave up. >> reporter: he was living in quite exile in senegal before being arrested by the court. this is the first time that an individual accused of crimes against humanity committed in one country on the continent, chad, has been prosecuted by another, senegal. for international human rights organizations, this is a victory for the concept of international

justice. the idea that anyone can be prosecute today war crimes, no matter where they are. they will have to wait until march to hear the court's verdict. they say it will be the end of their long march to justice. nicholas hawk, al jazeera. for years work has been going onto make it happen. now one millennium after the eastern and western worlds of christianity split. the patriarch of the russian orthodox church will meet the roman catholic pope. from moscow rory challands reports. >> reporter: the sights and sounds of a russian orthodox service. in the crate schism of 1054 political and theological differences split christianity in to what are now the eastern orthodox and roman catholic worlds. although other orthodox patriarchs have met the pope since moscow's patriarch never has. >> translator: the main topic sought agenda will be defending

christies in the middle east who are being destroyed. there have been loud voices from the catholic church and the orthodox world especially the russians calling for people to pay attention. unfortunately, these voices haven't been heard. >> reporter: for some of russia's faithful, the meeting is a welcomed, if rather abstract events. >> translator: i think any negotiations are good. maybe they are going to discuss some issues or solve some problems. >> we hope this meeting will be useful for people, for world, for everything, peace is the most important thing. >> reporter: though president putin wasn't among the priests waving the patriarch off on thursday, the kremlin has presumably given this trip approval. the two men will sign a joint declaration as well as the fate of christies in the war-torn middle east, political tensions between russia and the west might well be discussed too. after recent meetings it seems

that putin views of o or gin tin vinnie frances as -- argentinian francis as less critical of russia than many western leaders. the services are held in polish, armenian, spanish english and russian. the father going on the trip to cuba has high hopes. >> when leaders come together and they show they are willingness to speak, to talk to each other, to overcome hostility, maybe not hostility, but suspicion towards each other, something is changing. >> reporter: as historic as this meeting is, it's not really about history. in the end, it will be judged on whether the meeting can, in any way, help with the problems of today. and whether it can open a new chapter, a new era of greater cooperation between the roman catholic and the russian orthodox worlds. rory challands, al jazeera, moscow. a standoff between armed men

who had been occupying a wildlife refuge and police in oregon has ended. the last remaining four protesters have now left the national wildlife refuge. they had been there for nearly a month, forcing their -- voicing their anger over the government's ownership of land. 100 years after einstein first predicted their existence sign tiffs say say they have finally detected gravitational waves. the discovery opens the door to a new way of observing the universe, al jazeera's tom ackerman has more. >> reporter: space and time, the two basic elements of the universe that once seemed distinction being until albert einsein's general theory of relatively changed our perception of them. >> here we go. >> reporter: it was a perception explored by science fiction in a movie one could travel through all collapsing star or black hole where time and space meld in to a forth dimension. now scientists say they have

witnessed a colossal merging of two black holes some 1 billion years ago. and the ripple of gravity that followed. >> the colliding black hole that his produced these gravitational waves created a violent storm in the fabric of space and time. the storm in which time speeded up and slowed down, speeded up again, a storm in which the shape of space was bent in this way and that way. >> reporter: last september 2 facilities located on opposite sides of the u.s., detected the wave. which lasted just a fraction of a second. the lasers which picked it up could their as a chirp. slowed down here for the human ear. >> that's the chirp we have been looking for. this is the signal that we have measured. >> reporter: in the next few years, scientists from india, italy and japan, some of whom are here slam to expand the scope and frequency of such monitoring at facilities of their own. they and a proposed joint u.s.-european space antenna

dedicated to gravitational wave detection could discover more than black holes and neutron stars. we will also hear things that we never expected. and as we hope a new window of astronomy we may see things that we never saw before. >> reporter: phenomenon that einstein envisioned a century ago, now actually observed by his successors. tom ackerman, al jazeera, washington. the berlin film festival is underway and this year the organizers are trying to do more to include some of the 10s of thousands of refugees who now call the german capital home. almost 80,000 arrived in berlin last year. and this edition of the festival is focusing on getting them involved. as well as appearances from a-listers like george clooney and spike lee there are also free and discount the tickets for asylum seekers and a range of films looking at the risks people take trying to get to europe. meryl streep is the head of the jury, that will hand out the coveted golden beara ward for

best film. and just a quick reminder that we are keeping an eye on a news conference. where conjure i, sergei lavrov and stefan dee m de mistura on e talks have you been having in munich. >> this week on talk to al jazeera, katrina adams, she sits atop u.s. tennis as chairman of the board, ceo, and president of the united states tennis association. >> it's been 133 years since we were founded, so it is an honor to be the first... i don't think i have to fight for it, uh...i was just being me. >> adams' climb to the top took a decade, and now the first african american and former professional player lea