pangs causing alarm amongst environmentalists. they say it's all down to pollution from a nearby industrial park. one expert says the color is down to is from so sodium sulfite, which is used by fish farms, and that no fish wildlife can now surviving this water. not a 1st time this particular reservoir of the southern city of charlotte has changed color, but this time the shade is more intense. and people living there by reporting a foul stench. ah, the main stories now and the united states has condemned an attack on the un compound in western afghanistan. at least one person was killed in the attack in iraq. the us ambassadors, the un describe the actors deplorable and set, the perpetrators must be found. there has been intense fighting between government

forces and the taliban in that part of the country and diplomatic added to james bass has more on the fighting now from campbell coating to local report. is this fighting on the road between herat city and herat airport? we believe the airport is currently closed because of that fighting. we're also hearing that the un compound, which is all that road from the city to the airport has come on the attack. i'm hearing from local sources that no un stuff had been killed or injured. but there were guards working for the african government around that compound, and there are reports that some may have been taken injured. the reports been taken hostage, they're also reported some been injured and i've got one report that at least one has been killed. meanwhile, us president joe biden is welcome. the 1st plain note of afghans who works alongside american forces into the united states. 221. people were on that flight. they were taken on bosses to for a military base in the state of virginia. $20000.00 others have applied for special

immigrant visas in what's been a long and complicated process. many of them are interpreters who are considered a major target for the taliban in are the headlines? unicef is one that will than a 100000 children. integra could suffer life threatening acute malnutrition in the next 12 months. unless aid is allowed into the region. you and children fun says half of all pregnant and breast feeding women and growing are acutely malnourished . this leaves them and their babies trying to sickness fighting between the government and i was our by the way pupils liberation front has intensified in the past month and monsoon range of triggered more landslides in northern india. at least 7 people died in a landslide and how much for dash state more than 200 and missing. and then a bridge collapsed and rose caved in, and the indian administered territories of jamel and kashmir. counting, the cost is coming up next, looking at the economy in sri lanka,

stay with us after a one year delay the tokyo olympics. finally, despite growing opposition and spiraling costs, thousands of athletes are competing in empty stadiums. amid the corona virus and demick algae. here it will be inside the olympic bubble bringing you the latest from again, right? no other. ah, hello, i'm sammy's a than this is counting the cost on al jazeera. you're look at the world of business and economics this week, trying to avoid the debt defaults, but it's fast running out of money to pay for import. will china and india continue to bailout colombo? lebanon has a new prime minister, designate the 3rd, since the government resigned a year ago, can form a cabinet and thought the economic rock. what's driving up food prices in

bangladesh. and it's not only the poorest been hit hard. the middle classes are suffering in silence. ah, despite avoiding that default for now should anchors finances are in a precarious state, was for lankin, president has appointed his brother as a new finance minister. the sign of how serious the situation is shanaiah because economy was in trouble before the pandemic between 20052015. colombo borrowed billions from china, accumulating a mountain of debt for expensive infrastructure projects. you may remember sure, lanka was forced to hand over its strategic humble toto port on a 99 year lease to a chinese company in 2017. that was because it failed to service the $1400000000.00 debt from beijing used to build it. the government that rose to

101 percent of g d p last year, up from 86.8 percent in 2019 credit rating agencies are concerned. it may not be able to service its debt according to bloomberg. the probability of a one year default was that 27.9 percent. the steepest in asia to make sure it can make free payments. the government's put limits on the amount of money that can leave the country. the central bank says it has currency reserves of $4000000000.00 enough to buy imports for the next 3 months to boost its reserves. its strong currency swamps with some of its biggest trading partners, which basically sense the exchange rate, reducing volatility. the biggest deal was with china with $1500000000.00. and that's important because china and india have been trying to pull shoreline into the geopolitical orbit. spot of

a struggle to control key maritime routes in the indian ocean. now, one of its key sources of foreign currency tourism is dried up to, to the pandemic of the industry. that accounts for 5 percent of g d, p and, and employs about 3000000 people has recovered from the suicide attacks on easter day in 2019 to conserve calling. see if the government is also banned the import of fertilizers. the ramifications could be profound as al jazeera, as mel fernandez explains. john, because i sometimes worried the petite of my entry long because we're putting a gun. the region says he used less than half the usual amount of chemical fertilizer on his crop. i'm off and i'm going to have to buying it off on the root of the plants was effected. usually by this time we are harvesting in the about 2 months or $75.00 days after planting the area is covered by the plants. but this time growth is far less. farmers across the country have been protesting the shortage of chemical fertilizer. since the government been in port in may in

because these are not good successful greenhouse farmer has had to cut down his crop as well. he says farmers should have been consulted about the ban. every last cannot have enough. when things are being changed, they must consult us, make us aware of how things will change the scar. this is going to be done. the ban on fertilizers come during an economic crisis that has like a badly for in reserves have fallen below $4000000000.00. people incomes has suffered since easter bombings 2019. and the corona virus pandemic has worked in the situation. the government is under pressure to find the money to pay back billions of dollars in debt. that's one of the reasons present good or bad. roger says he's government ban the import of doesn't the items including agro chemicals, awful lot, 80000000000, repeated. 80000000000 re pcs bought this country spends just to import fertilizer.

who does it's money? go to. the money goes to companies abroad. there are only 4 to 5 local companies making money from this. but the decision we talk will make this industry into a local industry. the president says he will not back down on the fertilizer ban, which he says is also aimed at improving the heads of citizen, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet. a government blitz of money printing has driven up inflation, which is the central bank at 6 point one percent daily journey, roster income because of the pandemic. if you are a pensioner, the interest rates are low and your income has come down. you're lucky if you have a permanent job, but without 11th is to get an income. income is limited, expenditures are rising. the can make situation is creating a challenge for millions of she lanton thought i might be able to find out it's very difficult to survive because we have to spend more than what we own back

informing country communities. bracing the smaller harvest and a major impact on income, one from a leader as an even more di, warning, america, farmable manage the season with whatever fertilizer and chemicals they bought, a higher prices. but i say with responsibility that we clearly going toward food shortages. that's a certainty, even god can't prevent that. most farmers agreed. the plan to cut down on chemicals use is a good thing. but said the sudden decision is not practical. let's pack what's happening now with russia decides the fund manager of asia frontier capital joined us now from hong kong. good to have you with us. so other fears of a debt default overblown. well, i mean, do you see about the default thing on the board has been a story for the last one, your story, auto issue, which has come to the last couple of weeks a couple of months. in fact, just a few days ago when you did speak, she paid

a $1000000000.00 towards bondholders sovereign born. and also last year in the 4th quarter of 2022 was she's got a bit of the not a 1000000000 dollars last year, but so he's what it is. i've been around for quite a while. so i will keep him in for you this week. defaults on that was kind of done. i mean the issue is one of the, the payments of 21 issues or concerns about the dtm in 2022. so you have 2 bonds which are due in 2022 will 51 minute already been due in january, 22 and up and a $1000000000.00 due in july. and we need to, and that's a concern, especially now that you know, those are all foreigners of the law. and also the important for me to do and i like to do him sector and speak it by the end of it. i'm glad you mentioned that. so how's it going to deal because it's still obviously have financial problems even if some of the that default worries are overblown. how is it going to finance it's huge debt burden. right,

so i think she got some funds on the next couple of months. in fact, they've got some, especially some point actually funding from important partners in the region like india and china and also some forms coming through from the m f. s d. possibly in the next to the next one months or so. they haven't started lined up. you know, funding for almost $3000000000.00 and if that comes through, in fact, they should be okay for the payments which i do 20. it was not for the if it kind of the can down the road because you take more money to pay off more money the, the mountain grows. exactly. that's the issue or concern that must have because it's not about, you know, she didn't before now or after 6 months. but i think what i want to look at is somewhat structured from so most structured, long term financing. otherwise you already have this coming locked every 6 months, but the she failed, the structure was so i think it may meet your locations or next month i think the

issues with different been as long as the such a reform. so what happened, but more importantly, i think that the room sector was started a pretty large percentage on the country, but we did it on us deep and to make and also before visa found your text. but hopefully, you know, once the activation level is improve nobody the region and they can pull some of the sauces and go in and show x each pollution as well. position has been pushing for the government to turn to the i m f. something that government has been opposed to. why do you think any, i'm a program, especially in countries with the highest and a lot extra g p issue with almost the measure of such i think leaving tax expenditure in our balance. so, you know, if you do some of the specials on the, on the economy and also on the deficit. but i think especially at this point in time, the quantity is one given the enemy can get to go to the last. so i don't want to

going to be wants to take any positions, at least in the unpopular positions, especially one in time. so i think they would probably really put some of the government going on. so, but for the all the meet them. tom, if they can do that, some of the reasons revenues or if they get the vaccination right. and the vaccination thing, can i want to keep it as well? and that should have some somewhat using some of the shows and then proven to can for the ins and probably a bit of operating for the she will help also, with relieving the ban on the imports of some goods like fertilizer. all they also just storing up problems for the future and pushing that can further down the road . but i think the board ban on it is not just like the motor vehicles and some of the other border goods has been there for almost more than the, especially since the panoramic began. but if you look at, you look for it in context, point to this was about $4000000000.00 of inflows for the pending. and that

basically went to 0. the last last to especially images defendant, also the last month. and i think from this and i and also initially the initial few months of the pen to be exposed to it as well. so the lot of government export warnings has been in the, in the past, the 4 months of the funding. so i think given the given situation of the country wasn't, they had to stop measures and i think they were using or bands will continue. probably want to stick with new problem to the end of the you know, especially now that you don't have any be coming out of the bonds when you do and do they have some long term funding lined up. they would probably the thought using this issue for the next 6 months. all right, and then let's talk about maybe the plus side. the competition between china and india for influence in the indian ocean does not offer sure lanka, some strategic advantage and how best and how far can use that. absolutely. i think you guys to lawfully leverage this position, but in the reason,

so if you seen that a last couple of years, which i'm, i'm making investments and also in debt coming in now. and especially now, you know, for the funding require 40 payments going there. and i have been quite helpful in finding some funding she was given that she was important that she as mostly in china to go home and can do more. i mean, you can do much more with the position. i mean, they can pretty much more long term funded jake investments. even transportation at logistics sectors of which has not yet happened in enlarge. and also some important points. it can be long term very much for the foreign response given the location of the other countries. so yes, i think that is something that will continue going forward is alright, we'll decide. thanks so much for talking to us. thank you. thank you. thank you. the migrant workers from me and my living in thailand, border areas of facing increased hardship, locked down. that means there's less work leaving many to rely on donations,

yet people still flee to thailand, to escape from military rule. back home florence louis reports says, usually no shortage of work for laborers for farms in pop prod, district in western thailand. many farmers here employ migrants from across the border in myanmar to work the fields. but the surgeon corona virus cases in the 2 countries has made life more difficult for migrant workers. thailand has imposed a nighttime curve. you and travel restrictions. this lady who doesn't want to be identified had gone back to me on my last year to renew her passport. but she couldn't return to thailand, eagerly after the borders were closed and ended up paying brokers to sneak her back in illegally down on the loading malay, i mean in many migrant for me and my in trouble. now, many of us have to hide and escape to thailand to find

a job. some of us got caught and was sent to prison. more watson, johnny id curry, is also a migrant from me. and mom who has settled in thailand for many years. he helps run a local charity. there are a lot of children also come along with the parents and some parents. they don't have a document. so they had a, a lot of, you know, issues to going around. and if the parents get arrested, the children will be left behind in a hot or in houses and who is going to take care of their children. he says, live here is also getting increasingly difficult for migrant workers because of corona virus restrictions. when a new infection is reported in a village, no one is allowed to leave unless they can show that tested negative for cove at 19 . many are unable to find work and have been relying on donations, but supplies are slowly dwindling, as continued restrictions cause economic hardship for every one else. the struggle

for survival is also made was by a sense of frustration at what's happening back home. me, my vision. i want the manmohan touch release and sun city and focus on helping the people from the crisis. i want democracy in men more than the country can move forward to develop. but there's no indication the generals in myanmar are ready to give up power. now, global development institutions, like the international monetary fund, usually cautious and circumspect in their assessments of member countries. but the world banks, recent assessments of lebanon, have given up on the niceties it seems. it's gone as far as calling out the deliberate depression that has seen the economy contract, 40 percent, and the poverty rate increased by 50 percent in the world banks. assessments such a brutal and rapid contraction is usually associated with conflicts or was, it goes on to say the bankrupt economic system that benefits the few has the

backing of the political elise. now all of this has been public knowledge with even the europe in union preparing to sanction some of the key characters 11 has a new prime minister designate. now the 3rd, since the government resigned a year ago, and g mccarty has to form a government to reverse the economic crisis. until that happens, the growing concerns that 4000000 people are more immediate risk of losing access to safe water. among them, a 1000000 refugees already facing hardship, with shortages of funding, fuel, and supplies. unicef estimates most water pumping will gradually cease across the country in the next 4 to 6 weeks. and to years since a huge explosion in beirut pulled killed 200 people injured thousands and devastated the capital. let's get some analysis now with diana madame, she's managing director of advocacy group co luna it although which promotes

solutions to the crisis. good to have with us so that the world bank is being very critical lately of the lebanese political elite. not a huge surprise to the lebanese, or frankly, to anyone is being familiar with lebanese affairs for a while. everyone knows there's been a problem with the elite for decades, right? why the change in the world banks tow now? i mean the change in the world banks to now it, because this is honestly now bordering the criminal. you have the poverty rate that are increasing in a way that has been unprecedented in the country over 50 percent of the lebanese, our court, and the world back anticipates that over 75 percent of the lebanese will be poor by end of year. this is really devastating. the incapacity of this political class to govern is manifested day by day. it's really appalling that this is a political class, but the still trying to cling to power. despite all the misery and the destruction

that has called, i mean since the resignation of the 4th of august of black government. there have been several times after government formation. today, a 3rd prime minister has been designated and then as you can at the end, the tempting to form a government for the 3rd time. i mean, this clearly indicates that the problem goes beyond prime minister nomination. the system is blocked. the people that are today in power are incapable of reinventing themselves. they have lost their legitimacy. people will no longer tolerate recycled formula of the same components of the political clap. and everybody realizes today that any government formed using the same orbit, randy that has been adopted for the past years will no longer be acceptable. this is a government, it will be required to conduct radical and sometimes very painful reforms to the

financial and economic system. and to pursue the investigation in the be who the court laughed. and there is no way this political class is going to do this. let me jump in. if i could then ask the question, would sanctions on the political elites? would that fix the situation and fix the economy? sanctions would definitely be $1.00 to $1.00 to, to increase pressure on this political class. and to legitimize them, i mean, and they would also hit the political indeed where it hurts the more which is their pockets. but it's not definitely not the only tool. there is another track that is all the more crucial. and it is to continue with opposition off the lebanese to disqualify class. it is about the la beneath trying to strip this political class out of power tripping them out of their positions. incentive in municipal counseling, and particularly in the upcoming elections in 2022 functions known will not suffice

. and here i need to say something very important to me. we should not even think that increasing sanction to force this political need to form a government is a way out. the same people forming a government over and over again would only lead to further destruction and further poverty. the only option that is available is a truly independent government formed outside of the political class and with eggs, with exception, and just little power that will allow it to sideline. the 2 d. d led to the mind parliament and conduct the forms that i have just mentioned. so let me jump off the question though. would it be enough to change the faces in the position? or are we ultimately talking about the necessity to change the entire confessional based political system? right? doesn't key. as i said earlier, there is a deadlock in the system is there is the need to really ask ourselves,

what is the new model? what does the new state that we want to go much all the lebanese, ready to answer that question. do they truly want the system of government that reflects no confessional interests or balance between the different confessional sections of society? the lebanese, are definitely ready to answer this, the post october 17 uprising has shown that there is today a new group of lebanese, that i really and sincerely pushing towards the formation of the real estate. that 3, that side of the shackles of political confession, elysium is in need and the court for, for this faith to be, to be really free from any condition related to political confessions, them has been very clear. it has been a main slogan that has been repeated over and over again in the streets. i believe that there are beneath already yes. ready. but really like this will be a long and i've heard about the all right, it's

a time to do this because if you look at the situation now economically that needs pound pretty much worthless poverty, rising electricity, patchy. now we're talking about possibility of both supplies being held up. if the country about to collapse before the kind of reform you're talking about can take place. the country is collapsing as we speak. yes, it is true. the lebanese pound has lost nearly 92 percent of its of its value to the dollar. people have lost all of their savings and purchasing power. there is an urgent need for very urgent economic and social reforms and for virgina i am a talk them. but inject liquidity in the system. we are system versus out of learned currency. we urgently need foreign currency. there is no way the foreign currency is going to come in without an eye on the program. there is no way and i am a program is going to come in without necessarily the form and there is no way this

political class going to conduct these forms. i think good talking to you. thanks so much. diana manenda, thank you. and bangladesh is battling not just the pandemic, but soaring food prices too. and that's putting basic foods out of the reach of many times. the chandry has more from the capital dot com. kern buzzer is one of the busiest open air kitchen markets in dhaka. but there are hardly any shoppers on this day because of a nationwide lockdown to prevent koby. 1900 begum is among the few who came out for groceries, but finds food items are more expensive than usual. so yes, kicking the initial, i came out to buy some green vegetables, the prices of everything has gone up and the market, maybe it's due to the lockdown or because they're not enough buyers, but logistics and supplies are open. not sure why. market export se soaring

inflation, along with rising foot prices in bangladesh and recent month have put an additional burden on low and middle income households. many here have lost their jobs. the sources of income during the current a virus pandemic was that the all the essential food items price given height. but in comparison, people's income has risen. so it's becoming hard for middle class families like ours to cope with. it would be good if the government intervenes to stabilize the market. according to data from government agency, nearly all types of daily commodities are now been sold at a higher prices compared to the same period last year. right. adelanto, 2 of the most basic food staples are most bangladesh, and recent prices are many for the essential have gone up, making it increasingly hard for people to make ends meet. the government has announced a number of stimulus packages for different sectors and beneficiaries. during this health crisis, but not everyone is getting the help that need. so we've got

a lot of them. it's very hard on the daily vigilant. they're not able to own enough money or get a full square, mean estimated class with suffering the most. many are not able to go to work and they are also embarrassed to seek help. they're not getting any kind of help. many are suffering likely at home and some here believe holding of goods and manipulation of the market might be creating an artificial crisis. we think one of the main reasons for the price, like if the desire to make an unreasonable profit by vested business interest groups, and lack of proper regulation and monitoring by the government and the business it's open access to manipulate the market. despite the pandemic bank, this is economy continues to grow by more than 5 percent, but annually swung the rising inflation and growing food prices could hamper economic recovery and possibly lead to food shortages in a country already heat by severe weather and pandemic related disruption. and

that's our show for this week. there's more for you online bo, down just 0. don't. com slash ccc. that'll take you straight to the page which has hire you to catch up on. i'm sammy's a than from the counting the cost team here. thanks for joining us. the news, and i'll just say era is next. the hi. lise and melissa market for the rich and powerful i was needing special undercover just yours investigative unit, exposes the inner workings of key players in the murky underbelly of football finance. he's a part you need to sell something like one in addition has been said that you can make an elephant disappeared. i have many of the 6 like brazen example. i've seen the man who so football coming soon on. i just, you know, we town the untold story. ah,

we speak when others don't. ah, we cover all sides. no matter where it takes a police fin, your guys and power impulsion. we tell your story. we are your voice, your new, your neck out here. ah, me getting out for their own safety, the 1st flight of afghans who helped american forces arrives in the us. many others are looking for an exit to. i'm charlotte bellis, outside the passport office here in cobb where there's been a huge surge and application as well as increases across ah,

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