>> a major win for isil fighters in iraq, the armed group secures a key route in anbar province. >> you're watching al jazeera live from our headquarters in doha. also ahead funerals are held for the victims of avalanches in afghanistan, almost 200 people now reported dead. >> more spy cable revelations how south africa is spying on russia over their joint satellite project. >> following the deaths of the leading prosecutor, argentina's president reveals the changing

face of the national spy agency. we begin in iraq, where there's been major developments in fighting in the western province of anbar. the center ice as ithe islamic state of iraq and the levant has secured a bridge, more than 20 iraqi soldiers killed. >> there's been a major development in fighting in the western province of anbar, where security forces tell that you say isil has seize add main bridge across the euphrates river, it cuts across iraqi army supply lines. more than 20 iraqi soldiers were killed in that attack. isil has taken a confiscated iraqi vehicle put suicide

bombers on it and driven them towards the gate of the air base. that's the huge, sprawling base, almost a small city that's home to u.s. military trainers, other coalition forces and the iraqi army. they didn't make it to the base, but did make it to a checkpoint five kilometers from there and further on, where they were repelled by iraqi forces, but not at least before thee suicide bombers detonated explosives, an indication that some of the fiercest fighting is still going on far into the western desert in iraq. >> a christian leader in northeast syria has called for airstrikes object isil fighters where 220 people were abducted this week. they were taken captive as the group advanced in the province. more from beirut. >> on tuesday activists reported that syrian christians

were taken. they put the number at 90. they are now revising it, saying that they've been in contact with community leaders, as well as activists on the ground, family members. they now say 220 syrian christians are hostages and their whereabouts are not known. there are conflicting reports that some say isil took them to the stronghold south of the city. the community as you can imagine is worried about their fate, they don't know if they're alive or dead. isil has not made demands and it is not clear if they will agree to exchange them in a prisoner swap. what we understand is that arab tribal leaders on the ground are trying to mediate some sort of deal to release these people. this is not the first time isil has captured people.

they've captured hundreds if not thousands in syria and iraq, but this is the first time they captured such a large number of christians at once. >> the funerals are being held in afghanistan after 190 people died in a series of avalanches in the northeast of the country. homes, schools and mosques were all buried in the region. nicole johnston has more. >> the police chief has told us that two helicopters tried to reach the area, but the weather was so bad and terrain so difficult, all they could do was drop blankets and some food to people below. the real problem has been trying to clear the one and only road into this province. the road is covered in snow. so far 50 kilometers have been cleared. it could take up to 10 days to clear it. the worst hit area has 60 to 70

people appeared to have been trapped in that area. the chief executive for the government has visited the area. he took a flight above to it try and see what sort of assistance the government could provide but really, at the moment, they're hampered by inaccessibility of the road. >> ukraine has begun withdrawing artillery from the front lines in the east. a large column of government military vehicles was seen moving down a highway on thursday. pro-russian separatists rebels have been withdrawing heavy weapons drop the front of the ceasefire for the past two days. >> south african agent are spying on russia for details on their joint satellite project according to information obtained. the plan is so secretive, even

the spies around sure what's going on. >> a satellite watches it's a joint spring ken and russian project code named condor. while it monitors all of africa, its creators are struggling to monitor it. few in government even know what project condor is or what they are paying for. opposition politician and shadow defense minister has spent five years trying to find out. government are trying to hide a massive irregularity. >> military intelligence has kept state intelligence in the dark. in fact, so little is known, al jazeera can reveal the state security agency is spying on its military counterpart relying on a spy in russia.

agent africanist is said to have direct access to the russian government. this top secret cable reports information he provided in 2012. according to him russia that 30 technicians working on the satellite and they hope it will allow them to spy object all of africa potentially right up to israel but the secrecy surrounding the satellite and accused accounting of almost $100 million has sparked conspiracy theories. >> it wasn't long before i came across the theory that a former secretary of defense was assassinated because of his involvement in this project. it was suggested to me by one individual that this is the kind of thing that i should perhaps not be looking into, and it was a warning. >> for years the status of this satellite program has been unclear. africa's defense minister

recently said it was on going and now cost over $100 million. with revelations that south africa is spying on russia to get information about its own initiative. it's not clear the government fully understands what is going on with project condor. >> at least three people have been injured in an attack near the presidential palace in somalia. al shabab fighters say they were targeting the highly secure compound. no government officials were wounded. >> the congolese army said it's retaken areas that were under rebel control soldiers recapturing territory held by the democratic forces for the liberation of rwanda, or fdlr. the government has been under pressure to crack down on the rebels. >> this part of the word is full of wanted men. here are some of them. rwanda says this rebel group

took part in the 1994 genocide and massacred many ethnic toot sees. >> i was told the ethnic rebels are comfortable. that is unacceptable. >> with international backing rwanda has pressured its neighbor to act and that's what the d! c army did this week. when soldiers raided the rebel camps, they found not much, just a small stash of weapons. the reaction from some people in rwanda were not impressed. one tweet reads zero people

captured. this reaction appears to abswipe at the d.c.c. army, suggesting that it didn't try very hard. rwanda and the d.r.c. are uneasy neighbors, each accuses the other of supporting rival militias that rape and kill. aid agencies say this is the deadliest conflict since world war ii. far more people have died after the rwanda genocide than during the genocide itself, six times more. al jazeera. >> nigeria's president goodluck jonathan says he'll create 2 million jobs if he's reelected. the country has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world it will be no easy task. we have a report. >> they were clamoring for seats to take an aptitude test for jobs at nigeria's immigration service at the national stadium in march last year. moments later, there was a

stampede and 16 people were killed. over 700,000 had shown up at venues like this to apply for just 4,500 jobs. paul has three children and lost his wife that day. the government promised to give him and others like him a job as compensation, something he says the government is working on. >> i feel like it's an accident that occurred. it's not an intentional act so i believe that nobody invites people to. in the name of -- i give you job. i believe it's an accident and the federal government has promised to recruit the three members of the families so they can fill in the gaps. >> the government is advertising more jobs. moses has decided to apply. he survived last year's stampede. >> i had to survive so i looked for a safe place and stayed there, and after the stampede,

after everything calmed down, i moved with some of of the friends i went there with. >> the stampede at the jobs fair showed unemployment is a serious problem. around 1.6 million students graduate every year, but there are not nearly enough jobs for them. when the government advertise vacancies, literally millions of people apply. >> the government says safety has been improved. >> crowd control has been put in place now. only eligible persons dully selected dully invited at this point in time will be allowed to attend. >> moses is hope that go will be the case. >> i almost lost hope, especially looking at the

disease of africans, i almost lost hope, but i was able to pick up and say ok, i don't have to lose hope like that. >> the impact of new government jobs offered is expected to be minimal. nearly 25% of people here are without jobs. al jazeera nigeria. >> still ahead on al jazeera an emergency is declared in argentina, where forest fires are raising across thousands of hectares. >> coastal and inland water way erosion has affected the livelihood of thousands of fishermen. i'll tell you how they are trying to turn that tide around.

>> today on "the stream". >> how one man's inability to read drove him to become one of the country's biggest crack dealers, and the consequences, on "the stream". >> "the stream". today, 12:30 eastern.

on al jazeera america. >> the top stories on al jazeera, isil fighters secured a bridge a main route in the western pro advice of anbar. more than 22 iraqi soldiers were killed. >> a christian leader in northeastern syria called for u.s. led airstrikes on isil fighters in villages where 220 people were abducted this week. they were taken captive as the group advanced across the province. >> funerals are being held in afghanistan after people died in avalanches in the northeast of the country homes schools and mosques were all buried in the region. >> the u.n. high commissioner for human rights warned recent developments in myanmar could lead to instability saying

fighting between government forces and ethnic rebels in the northeast threaten recent democratic gains. the government was urged to stop jail journalists and peaceful protestors. >> we have seen the transition in myanmar as a story of promise and hope, but recent developments in the relation to home rights are threaten to go set it back. >> the french president francois hollande warned climate change could leads to wars and more disasters, making comments while in the philippines at the start of the two day visit. he's being joined by a delegation of u.n. officials to press for urgent action on climate change. the trip is part of a campaign on climate change to be held in

december intend to go create a legally binding agreement to cut greenhouse emisses. at the previous talks in peru last september, a framework was set at the time, but experts wash striking a deal will not be easy and the paris talks are likely to see fierce debates. we have more from manila. >> it's an historic visit by the french president the first time ever has a head of state from france is visiting the country. two days jampacked schedule, he will meet with government leaders and leaders of industry and businessmen, and also visiting one of the most damaged communities by tropical storm haiyan from nearly two years ago. that storm was the strongest on record to make landfall and greatly, it is put down to climate change. storms have always come across the philippines, but not as strong as haiyan. it is expected storms will only get stronger if nothing is done

to cut down on the carbon footprint of the global community. the visit is a collective responsibility not just for countries, but to work with the most vulnerable nations, such as the philippines. the philippines is receiving the brunt of the climate change crisis. storms are going to be getting stronger, the country is struggling to cope with the effects of such typhoons and basically, the presidents of both nations, france and philippines wanting to emphasize climate change is real and the global community has to go into action now to basically try to avert a more pressing or a worst disaster in the future. >> one country with high hopes for the climate change conference is malaysia. coastal erosion has taken a toll on the country's wildlife and communities. we have a report.

>> miles and miles of beautiful sandy beaches do surround malaysia, it's a peninsula with water on all sides. the rising water levels have really set a precedent of concern amongst government officials. they're hoping that during 2015, they can make their voices heard at gatherings such as the conference later in the year. its concern is that those who survive and live off the sea want to their from their government to make sure that in the future, the sea remains their friend and not their foe. seventy years ago, the coastline used to be there. now it's here. this is the effect of rising sea levels. it's caused coastal erosion. the sea has been battering malaysia shores for decades.

for fishermen, times are tough. sea levels rise, it weakens coastlines and sand and soil fall into the sea, then more salt water enters the waterways. fresh water fish die. >> i've been fishing for over 20 years, i used to be able to catch two-kilos of fish in two hours. i barely catch one kilo in four hours. >> erosion is a major threat to coastal villages that depend on a balanced eco system for living. rapid urban development along the water's edge is another factor, paralyzing economic activity. 30% of the country's coast is at risk, according to government figures. >> coastal erosion is at a critical level, according to the authorities in the east of the country, along the shoreline. yet with two very unique

monsoons that affect from the north and south, areas such as where i am and further south are causing concern for those who have to deal with the problem. for some, the solution is balancing urban development, being mindful of the environment. >> any development that is proposed must incorporate and ensure that the swamps still exist, so that you have both wetlands, as well as the sea. >> mangroves act as a nursery, protecting fish within their roots. it's also a food source for wildlife above and below the water line. >> a shoreline management plan has been in place since 2010. replanting mangroves in vulnerable areas where they once thrived has become urgent. >> mangroves reinforce the soil and sand, and strengthen it against the force of coastal water. collectively, if we planted

three hectares, that's 150,000 plants in this area. thirty years ago, the water never came this far. >> he feels the same way, but wants to get his message across to those who can really make a difference when it comes to climate change, especially president hollande. remember, we are the poor. your decisions affect us directly and i don't want my home, livelihood and memories to disappear into the sea forever. >> while malaysia holds two important positions, as a seat on the united nations security council and chairman of the southeastation nations economic block here in asia pacific including indonesia, cambodia, vietnam and the philippines, they will as a block make their presence and their concerns known to the international community, certainly in france in december when they gather for that u.n. climate change conference. malaysia will hope that it can get its message across also at

the u.n. security council and listen to the concerns of other nations that have similar problems. >> in bolivia there's been severe flooding, at least 800 families have had their homes destroyed. it is promised that residents of the hardest-hit areas will be relocated. food and supplies have been flown into the affected area. >> in mexico, a volcano has spewed ash 700 meters into the sky. the eruption east of mexico city force add series of flights to be canceled. experts say the volcano has freak subsequent low intensity explosions. it is the second tallest volcano in mexico. >> fierce forest fires continue to rage in southern argentina. hundreds of firefighters scrambling to get to a remote

area declared an emergency zone. we have this report. >> huge clouds of thick smoke pollute the skies the fires are burning out of control destroying 1,000 hectares of vegetation a day. some remain, guarding owl they have, never knowing where the winds will blow, where the flames will ignite. >> they are discussing where to tackle the blaze next, what should have been done to prevent this, what needs to be done to stop it happening again. the provincial authorities have responded, deploying hundreds of firefighters, planes and helicopters, but many local residents say it's too little, too late. the damage is irreparable. >> what we're losing here is 500-year-old vegetations places that have had little human

contact. many precious trees will take generation to say replace. >> there's no end in sight and locals are increasingly desperate, wonder if anything their properties will be there the next day. >> we are crossing our fingers doing rain dances, but it's not looking very good today. >> on this side, you can see the devastation that the fire caused reducing to burned stubble, vegetation that was here. the fire continues to rage, very, very difficult to control always a case of which way the wind is going to blow. local authorities say the blaze was started by a bolt of lightning. some suspect careless campers or land speculators. the fires continue, leaving in their wake, this charred smoldering devastation. al jazeera argentina. >> the congress inar convenient tina pass add law to get rid of the intelligence agency and get

a new one following the death of a prosecutor. the president suggest that isar jen teen in his old spy service had him killed to discredit her. it is report that had questions about argentina's spy services date back much further. >> it's an old photo, one of the very few of former intelligence chief, a man said to have moved in the shadows. from this building located next to the presidential palace, effectively controlled the nation's all powerful spy agency for decades. information is power and for years, president kirchner used and abused it. >> the president liked to receive not just the transscripts of illegal wiretaps but also the tapes to hear people's tone of voice. she controls her political

adversaries, and allies, her ministers. >> he should know. he's a former secretary of the intelligence agency himself. he describes the still unsolved 1992 bombs of the jewish cultural center as the agencies black box. a former investigator says five years ago his abduction was ordered and he had words carved on his back. the spy agency was accused of paying $500,000 for false testimony to derail the original investigation. >> today we don't know what line of investigation to follow, because intelligence agency erased or contaminated evidence to cover its own tracks. >> in december, the president fired him and after the suspicious death of prosecutor alberto nisman asked congress to create a new intelligence service. >> friends and foes of the

president agree that the dismantling of the intelligence service was long overdo. the question is why now. sources close to the presidential palace say it's because the president discovered that the spy agency had turned against her and was leaking damaging information to the media. >> 14 months ago the president named a general, a seasoned intelligence officer accused of human rights abuses as head of the armed forces, creating what many reward as a parallel spy service more loyal to her. now the president is asking her countrymen to believe that a new agency will be more transparent. given the history of their espionage services, the people can't be blamed for having doubts. >> south korea's constitutional court has struck down an adultery law that criminalized

extra marital affairs. the 1953 statute was aimed at protecting traditional family values, but the court ruled that it's unconstitutional. under the law invitors could serve up to two years in prison, but fewer person have served time in recent years. this week on "talk to al jazeera", musician, songwriter, producer akon, the senna galees american artist that sold for than 30 million records. >> first i'm a businessman. >> akon is an activist and philanthropist and spend a lot of time promoting peace in areas congo. he's spending a lot of money to i don't have the quality of life