this is deja vu news live from berlin will they or won't they germany's social democrats see last minute unity ahead of a vote that could decide the country's political future and stick our coalition talks with ongoing markets conservatives will have the latest from the party special congress also coming up. turkey drives texas across the border into syria as the country's defense minister says a ground offensive on the new front there is only a matter of time. and in the bundesliga hamburg's coach marcus has told has been

fired after a bitter defeat against cologne. i'm michel henery thanks for joining us german chancellor angela merkel's future hangs in the balance today the country's center left social democrat party is due to hold a key vote on whether to enter coalition talks with merkel's conservatives social democrat leader martin shelf is in favor of forming a coalition but he faces strong resistance from within his own party a no vote could lead to minority government which merkel has already said she won't lead or to fresh elections. i'm joined now by our correspondent thomas sparrow at the s.p.d. congress in bonn. thomas thanks for joining us. the congress has just

started what's the plan for today the congress is about to start here in bonn and the delegates will soon be discussing the different options in other words whether to join the formal coalition talks with angela merkel's conservatives or whether to reject that plan whether to decide against another grand coalition the party is indeed divided for example the youth wing of the party the so-called users have been clearly pressing against the idea of a new grand coalition the party leadership on the other hand has been saying that it is the party's responsibility to at least to negotiate and discuss this is certainly what we will be seeing here today in bonn a very delicate debate on the future not only of the social democrats but also indeed whether germany will be able to form a new government or whether germany will have the option that you yourself

mentioned namely a minority government or fresh elections there's talk of a yes vote but with conditions there are some s.p.d. delegates have already said that they're going to vote no to the grand coalition give us an overview of the positions. well first the party leaders they have said that the party has a responsibility in germany that they want to be able to pass proposals for example on key issues that the social democrats have like in social justice and they can only do that if they form a government that they would only be able to push for those policies policies for example also on the future of the european union that's something that martin shows has been very interested in in fact he described this as something important for europe's future on the other hand those who are against the new grand coalition say this is all about the renewal of the party they see the image of the party tarnished by the past grand coalition and tarnished also in the elections that them

are twenty four and they say that their new all of the party will only happen outside of a grand coalition and a second argument they say is that if the party did join another grand coalition then the main opposition party in the german parliament would be the alternative for germany the party described as far right or populous and that's something that goes against a new version of the grand coalition certainly want to prevent so there are different opinions here many who want a new version of the grand coalition or at least to sit down with the conservatives others that have been advocating against another version of the grand coalition what is the mood today amongst the s.t.d. leadership are they nervous or are they quietly confident. the mood is tense that something that you can clearly sense here in this party conference in bonn which is about to start a party leadership and by the way all the other delegates as well are not certain what the outcome will be of today's debate here of the vote that will be taking

place later today it is unclear whether the s.p.d. will vote in favor of will vote against that measure so from that perspective the party leadership is certainly nervous and i think those are certainly knows about the debate that's going to take place behind us but yet again both the party leadership and those against have to they welcome such a debate and that's also a sign that the s.p.d. as a democratic party is willing at least to discuss and debate those positions openly we're getting a sense that today's vote isn't only important for the s.t.d. but also for merkel what's at stake for her for the country you say. well for her is a lot at stake merkel has already tried to form one coalition with the greens and the liberals with didn't work the only remaining option that she has to form a coalition is with the social democrats if today the social democrats vote against that then merkel would be left with very little options one of those options a minority government is something that the certain doesn't favor and she also

doesn't favor the idea of a fresh election so for merkel this is certainly a very difficult moment and a moment that she will be watching very carefully today thomas sparrow in bonn thank you very much kurdish why p.g. militia in syria says it was forced back turkish troops trying to enter the northwestern town of a free turkey's military announce it has so far struck one hundred fifty three kurdish militia targets in the region it's part of an offensive and her calls operation all of branch but it threatens to further inflame the nearly seven year old conflict in syria. tekkie civilians cheering on the tanks headed towards the syrian border. many support and kurds light is military operation dubbed olive branch. he's in safe turkey why shouldn't we be placed. to take his air and ground forces pounding kurdish positions in africa

they're targeting the wipe a.j. militia which is backed by the us. turkish tanks have been shelling the kurdish controlled syrian on clive and fighter jets have been bombing from the sky and chris says the wipe a.j. is a syrian army of the kurdish workers party. it considers the a terror group. here. just on workers party and the why p.g. in syria they couldn't stand worker's party is on the terror list of the u.s. and the e.u. the organization that works within syria is exactly the sign. that says. but the syrian operation doesn't come without risks for turkey i've been out several rockets from syria landed in a turkish border city one person has been reported wounded as turkey escalates its involvement in syria the dangers for civilians grow on both sides of the border. the taliban have claimed responsibility for a deadly siege on

a hotel in kabul security forces say the standoff is now over after more than twelve hours of fighting on saturday evening three gunmen stormed the landmark intercontinental hotel killing at least six people it took security forces more than twelve hours to clear the landmark hotels but even as officials announced they all deal with reporters on the scene said they continued to hear gunfire and explosions coming from the building. we've rescued more than one hundred people including sixteen foreign as i did the women. we've moved them to a safe place and right now the clearance and search operation is ongoing on the sixth floor of the hotel. towards the end of the siege it was the top of the hotel where the fighting was most intense some tried to escape scaling down the side of the building. those who made it out may be lucky to be alive but many didn't make

it out unscathed. as to myself i jumped from the second floor my back and leg got injured i was unconscious for about five minutes for someone my age it was very dangerous. the taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack it's not the first time the militant group of targeted the hotel and twenty eleven the taliban carried out an attack which killed twenty one people including nine gunman. not some of the other stories making news around the world the iraqi government has condemned a german woman to death after finding her guilty of belonging to the so-called islamic state of that course of the woman who is of moroccan descent had traveled to syria and then to iraq to join the terrorist organization. a silicone valley funded rocket successfully reached orbit after launching from a remote new zealand island the mission called still testing is the second

successful fight for u.s. air space company rocket lab the rocket is carrying satellites to track weather and got a shipping data a north korean delegation has arrived in seoul to inspect the news and prepare for formats as for next month's winter olympics it's the first visit by facials from pyongyang in four years the group was led by one song wall the head of a popular north korean girl band who was due to perform at the games. bundle's league a club hamburg have fired coach marcus caused all that word from german media day after the club lost to cologne the league's last place team in hamburg in a post match news conference pistol was already telling reporters he'd given his all for the club with passion and heart. a show of togetherness from hamburg before the game surely they would finally get the win that saluted them since november and

the first chance of the game fell to the horse andree hung up but cologne keeper team a horn was alert to the danger of humbugs early pressing a load cologne chances on the break you asako to too long to make up his mind here though i've. the visitors grew in confidence and went ahead in the twenty seventh minute as he mounted harder forcing home by a new signing lunched on to a socceroos neat flick to beat denis dick meyer was number gideon young so yellow for his petulant reaction to going behind. for that cost it shot weakly when presented with a chance to level before half time i and things didn't improve much for hamburg after the break up. of cologne sealed victory in the sixty seventh minute. i it was not months ago to again fast becoming a talisman for cologne as they seek

a miraculous escape from relegation have the desire of the way one for cologne and yet more misery for hamburg where time is running out for coach marcus his dog leg but it is the club freiburg have been showing a bit of muscle lately giving themselves some distance from the relegation zone on home turf they've proven hard to beat on saturday the link second place club leipsic came up short as they travel to germany's black forest today leipsic sits in third place. christian saw him freiburg went into that clash with a lot sikh on the back of the six match on bait and run another victory would put relegation concerns on the back burner but the visitors had the ball in the net first. bruna celebrations however were cut short. joined kevin oga stung was ruled marginally offside in the build up.

fribourg hit back the pizza kalash the foiled meals paid to seven. full square after an eva and first. simo then i was out of the blocks quick a softer the break my the germany international dancing his way through front legs defense. but the lake didn't last yannick harbor drawing freiburg level in the seventy second minute was the fifth goal lots of have conceded from a set pace in the last five games. lot six achilles heels surge struck again was. robin cut funding spaces much six defense fellas laid. the strike clearly

delighted with the two one victory the bucket and so on cough titian expects gives us strength to start the year like this wonderful most especially after all our problems you know with injuries and the like with very happy today. show him some good choice. of fortresses that jump up to a season high twelve. and just a reminder of the top stories we're following for you ahead of germany social democrats martin schultz is seeking last minute party unity kind of a vote that could decide the country's political future at stake our coalition talks with conservatives to form a new government. turkish backsliders reportedly entered the northwestern syria challenge for the attacks are part of an offensive on kurdish militias that anger is calling operation all the french military says it has so far struck over

one hundred kurdish kurdish militia targets in northern syria. more news coming up here at the top of the hour you can always get the latest headlines on our website dot com thanks for watching. tons of. stories. and. trouble. images. from emotion than now.