with another global crisis, the climate breakdown destruction of nature can lead to destruction of people. all hail the lockdown examines links between these 2 crises and asks why it took upon them to bring on changes that should have been made long ago. all these things, we would tell him a complete, impossible, suddenly become connected, the wake up call that can't be ignored on a job. you know? oh, i pulls openings and be as presidential and parliamentary elections during the worst economic crisis in decades. the tight race expected for the top job. i'm bottom in the way upholds of open wasn't 7000000 people have written to devote invest relations, the highest number in a long time and the say the election are going to be hotly contested.

ah, hello, welcome. i peter don't be you're watching live from headquarters here and also coming up a warning that again the stones, capital capital could be surrounded by the taliban by september as the arm groups of bonds continues. despite international talks, seeking a c spine. i'm charlotte thomas with that kenneth stones and perry, a minister who tell us how the government plans to fight back against taliban reason. it's on the u. k. national, working at the british embassy in berlin's, arrested on suspicion of spying for russia for cash. greasy. government pledges billions of dollars in aid and tax breaks for people who lost everything in the ramp and wildfires that ah,

ah, the polls have just opened in zombie as parliamentary and presidential elections. it follows a campaign dominated by a struggling economy and to fight against corruption. the president at colonial is expected to face a strong challenge from his opposition rival, who spacing him for a 3rd time her in the class. the reports now from the sucker. the candidate, her guy in the lemme is promising to get jobs for them as job refused unemployment . his tenure high last year, there's been anger and frustration about the economy. that's why supported will kill him as opposition. united party for national development, a confidence he can beat incumbent president. it's along. so he's scared of that nature because sanity is going to the dentist can do this gave. you have committed some benefits. it's been too much for the cases. so they are scared to handle the power, but there's been people who the about pipper will make sure that they handle the

power the president lose batches, say they are not worried. they candidates plan to increase their control of the minds as well as development projects built by the government and paid for by debt . zambia has more than $12000000000.00 of external debt, as well as an unknown amount of debt to china. but little governing party supported believe the new roads, bridges, power stations, hospitals and airports are with it. all that people do in the position is to accuse us of what up to actually us of stealing black is the thing that they can not even 25. so they're losing us, but there's much and you know, because we've tested the ground, we've read what people i think corruption is another issue for voters waste and donors have suspended age to ambia saying they are concerned about financial mismanagement. if we do not tackle corruption, then you find that we've got a distortion within the economy. and we have seen this in the last year that the people that seem to have the resources in the country are not the private sector

who run businesses. but people who fill the aged to political parties, and this is speaking to corruption, which is really negative to want to make. the country is relatively calm, but endless. predict this is going to be a hotly contested election after they vote, if no candidate to kill them outright. majority in the 1st round in iran has to take place. 5 years ago, president edgarland narrowly defeated his rival, had he lemme resolve the opposition. it was rig, but they failed to overturn it in court. there had been some incidents of violence by governing party and opposition support of the cross the country in the run up to the vote. that's why president lincoln said he deployed the military to maintain peace. but mean he's an been sphere that could be more political violence if the election results are disputed and harrow joins his live now from the socket. harry, what kind of turn are they expecting today?

well, it's just after 6 am local time and it will be long lines outside, many polling stations, at least here in the socket. now, most people who read the devote are young people, people people younger than 34 years old. and it depends on which party they support and done what the one from the candidates, those who support the ruling party say they support the government pro poor policies. the government is promising to low attacks. they probably thing to create jobs. they probably see more influence structure breaches, hospital power stations, more development in the country, the young people and other voters as while we're supporting the position to the government hasn't done enough in the 10 years or so. they've been in power. they say people have gotten poor and poor inflation is sorry, they can't even afford to buy the basic services. so it's likely going to be a big to a, not everyone you speak to in the ground. well, i spoken to keep saying that this election feels very,

very different. it depends of course, and whether vote or the result is going to be. but right now it seems it's looking like it's going to be a very big turn out in the saga and possibly across the rest of the country. does the arithmetic make sense? terror? i mean, how does a government, any government, whoever wins the election? how do they spend their way to economic confidential success is built on such pre existing massive levels of debt anyway? the best one of the economists have been trying to say and trying to explain. it's a mixed feeling on the grind because when you get to the socket in particular, i was last year 5 years ago and 5 or 6 years ago. and i can say that the amount of development i've seen on the ground is massive in some parts of soccer. beautiful roads, nice bridges, nice public hospital, nice infrastructure in some parts of the country. you speak to people who particular support the routing parts of the governing policy. they say, you know,

this is good, it's showing some kind of progress. and then you speak to opposition to say, well, it's great, i can drive on my road, but if i can't feed my family, then what is the point? the fact that government isn't so much did a lot of money is going to paying interest on that. they don't actually paying the debt itself. so it means that they not actually waiting as much money as they should on services for the poor, like public health care, like other things people need, that's what people say we are struggling. so it's debate was one of those countries where things are strange way you go around and you see for yourself physically where the government is trying to do the development. but then you see that a lot of people are really, really struggling. a lot of people are frustrated as well. so it all depends on how people vote, but it's going to be an interesting election because it's a government way. yes. this corruption and some of the corruption. yes is development. but when you look on the other side, the frustration of the poor, it is one of those countries where i think it's an election way. it's going to be

quite interesting. the fact that more than 7000000 people registered to vote the last election, only about 4000000 people with the vote. so there is interest in the polls. of course, in a few days time will know which way they have decided to fund ok. however, we have to leave it. there are many things matessa correspond they're reporting live from lusaka. ah, a u. s. defense official has till the reuters news agency. the taliban could surround kennasoft capital cobble within one month. in the past week, it's taken 9 that the countries 34 provincial capitals, the afghan president, national, have gone. he has learned the government's laws, northern stronghold. mr. ghani is trying to run the troops to defend the city of missouri sharif, the biggest in northern afghanistan. the interior minister has told this channel. afghan forces are also trying to secure the main highways. the big cities and

border crossings too slow the taliban, lightening advance. charlotte bellis has this exclusive report. 5 weeks ago, general abdel sat, her mirth quelled, stepped into the roll of f gonna stones, interior minister in all he commands a force of 130000 people. today he is driving toward deck a province west of cobble, much of the provinces controlled by the taliban. government personnel travelling by road is rear and requires an escort official forsooth. in the last 3 months the taliban has more than doubled its territory. and in the last week started to take provincial capitals. what's going through your head at the moment about those provinces? how? how worried you and how do you stop in the room? look, you got to cool. we are working in 3 phases. the 1st is to stop the defeat. second, the regather, our forces,

security rings around the city and all those soldiers that abandoned their posts were bringing them back to their posts. so the 3rd is to begin offensive operation . the moment on these trips are about boosting morale. he admits that is suffered with the advances the taliban has made. also the telephone attempt to assassinate the defense minister and promised to target other government lead security around minister murder quo has never been tied to. a simple task of visiting checkpoints requires this many special forces. you survived multiple taliban assassination attempts, and his previous jobs as the governor of turner and condos was. i'm a soldier, a soldier never gets frightened. when we wear the uniform, it means we are ready for death. i'm not worried about it. he says a lot of the governments losses are as a result of them losing control of roads and highways. many areas must be resupplied by ear, and after the us withdrew, they lost

a lot of that paper military. but that's fun. unfortunately, with their withdrawal, the fighting started in $400.00 areas of the country and we have very limited air support. helicopters have been busy with moving supplies and evacuating our dead and injured forces. so they are delegating to local leaders, empowering them to recruit within their community to rise against the taliban. billy car millions for lemma, that there are concerns from the international community about these uprising forces. at the moment, all their members will eventually merge into the afghan national security forces. would have governor says he already has 300 men fighting in one 4th. but he complained he could only provide weapons for 2 thirds the rest. he said he cannot provide with water, let alone money or arms. we're going to limit for the last few months, people are waiting for the weapons. but unfortunately, the promises i made to these people were not fulfilled, but there is no doubt and

a loyalty and desire to help get around outside the room. the minister's min wage ward at police and soldiers joined them. the talk of last nights, gains and losses, where they may be st next and how the many injuries are healing. some briefly leave to push off taliban assaults. the thousands of police officers have abandoned their posts some recent months. the interior ministry says they are returning and will be retrained, then sent back to the provinces. they say 5000 people have signed up for the police force and just the last 3 weeks with another 2000 and graduating this weekend. ah, the government strategy is slowly becoming clear, but it's implementation is still fraud. and the stakes have never been higher. the tell about what. what would you say to them them to do? i know i'm asking the taliban to stop their brutality. leave killing. sit down with

love and we should find solution. i'm asking them not to destroy buildings or are chief minutes and that's come and sit together and make a coalition. government are going to one that would be acceptable to all sides of the sooner we do this. the better yet they need leverage on the battlefield to force a group to make political compromises. and every day, with every loss that leverage weakens. charlotte bellis, osha, 0 water. afghanistan. i'll just say rob mcbride as monitoring developments from cobble, he says the military can no longer count on help from the arm groups in the north. this ever changing map of who controls what in afghanistan really not looking good for the government after. what's been another very heavy day of fighting more than 25 years ago when the taliban 1st emerged largely from the south of the country, it found resistance to it in the north. what eventually became known as the

northern alliance? well, you know, we seem with this latest resurgence that resistance simply being swept away with the gains of these territories and provincial cities really leaving only bizarre e sharif, ms. r e sharif as the only the city holding out against the taliban in the north. the another city conduce which is very important in the north, fell to the taliban at the weekend. and now we know that the airport, which had been holding out to conduce that is also full. and there are reports of very heavy fighting around conduce. and that is significant because given its importance, the government has promised a will. we take this city and we have been expecting a counter attack. so that's a real test because if it fails that test, if it doesn't, we take that safety. that's going to be very telling on which direction this whole conflict is moving. so you have all of these gains in the north. and then of course there's that continuing violence in the south. in helmand, in kandahar the strongholds of the taliban in the city of laska, which is heavily contested, there has been a massive car bomb. this was

a humvee packed with explosives, the trying to get to the main police headquarters. it was intercepted as he was detonated, causing a number of casualties. meanwhile, in neighboring kandahar city, that city has been under attack from all 4 sides. so the fighting in the north and the fighting and advance is made in the south. it really puts a psychological pressure on the center still to come here on al jazeera to job or not to job while a health workers in the u. s. at the center. the debate of the backseat mandates also had the polish governments is accused of trying to silence its critics of the media reform bill crosses a major harland hurdle in the pump. ah, ah, it's time for the journey to winter sponsored by kettle airways.

hello, hot sunshine and high temperatures. it's really the name of the came across the middle east. so come, let me show you what we're dealing with on thursday. we've got 50 degrees and boxed at around $38.00 and that is well above average. next, i did want to take you to pakistan where toward the south, it is settled, but further toward the north, we're dealing with that mon sooner moisture so impacting places like is the warm about with the high of 33 degrees. we do have big concern over a disturbance hanging over the black sea. this could intensify to a tropical life cycle own and look, it's going to throw rain to turkey's northeastern black sea region. this is an area still recovering from flooding. places like our hobby, hundreds of people have been forced from their homes. so 1st the fires, and now we're going to be dealing with some flooding rains. speaking of flooding rains toward the tropics of africa, these storms are really getting going in particular through cameroon. and i, julia,

we have seen some very heavy rainfall in the past 24 hours further toward the south . we do have a lot of sunshine for places like botswana. habit are only $29.00 degrees, but toward the eastern cape. it is unsettled and we've got to deal with gusty winds to 55 kilometers per hour. sharp, the see soon. sponsored cattle airways joined the debate, do not have vaccines preaching those who are most of the needs and amplify your voice. it allows a diverse community and how an array of different story know topic it's of the table. it's such a tough ethical debate where there is obvious discrimination and systematic discrimination of play. people are thursdays or new wasted. this dream where a global audience becomes a global community on al jazeera. ah,

ah, the almost 18 minutes past the hour, your top story so far today, the polls have just opened and zombies, presidential and parliamentary elections. president edgar local scene voting here in the last few minutes as expected. they say strong challenge from his opposition rival spacing him for 3rd time soaring unemployment and corruption around both his biggest concerns. the us defense official is still the reuters news agency. the taliban could surround the canister, arms capital, cobble within one month. in the last week has taken 9 that the countries 34 provincial capitals, miasca and president ashura gun. it has been the government's last northern stronghold as the taliban closes in. he's trying to run the troops to defend the

city of missouri sharif, the biggest in northern afghanistan to europe. now, where the german authorities have arrested a british man working at the case embassy and berlin on suspicion of spying for russia. he's accused of sending documents acquired through his job to russian intelligence in exchange for cash. the suspects is now in pre trial detention and awaiting a decision from a judge. dominant cane has more from berlin. well, the man concerned that this 7 year old british national, engaged here on a local hire has been accused of infringing to different parts of german law, specifically in so far as it concerns espionage and the accusations against them all. but he received money to pass on sensitive about his confidential information to a representative of the russian intelligent services. now the man has been remanded in custody. so now the authorities here half the time that they will need to build

whatever case they are able to build against. the presumption of innocence applies to this individual, but he is in custody. asked the forward to continue investigating with making the point. this was a bilateral investigation by the british and the german authorities with the german authorities in the leave. what makes this interesting is that the person concerned working in the embassy here behind me? well, let me clear the russian embassy, in other words, the representation of the government that he was. if the accusations are correct, that he was allegedly receiving money to provide information to will there and just the 100 meters down the road from here, the man concerned this david s was picked up by the authorities in his apartment in pops found on the western ice gets in bus, his apartment is being such that so has his office here in the british embassy. algeria is starting 3 days of warning,

off to the number of people killed in wildfire there rose to at least 65. the old cheering red crescent says more than a 1000 people have been injured, and hundreds of families are now homeless. heat wave has fueled the spread of the fires. authorities believe many of them was started deliberately. a heat wave is also fanning wildfires and jesse as west and mountainous region temperatures on weapons. they reached highest of 49 degrees celsius. the demand for power to run air conditioning has led to electricity, power cuts in some parts of the country. forecast as in eastern sicily have reports the temperature of $48.00 degrees is a heat way, fuels fires there in the north, which destroyed homes and crops. if confirmed it would be the highest temperature ever recorded in europe. the greek government has pledged billions of dollars in aid for people and forests hit by the devastating wildfires those who've lost their homes. we'll get cash payouts and tax exemptions. however, as in bas robbie reports now from the island of elvia,

it may not be enough to quell public anger. but i hope you can let me know, my buddy, god, they're going to put the ball. there is anger and regret in. when wildfires began greece's prime minister kitty customer to talk to us said, houses can be rebuilt. now is the time to save your lives where the fires have stopped on the island. there is a clear picture of the price people paid to heed his words. if you've anything i did. okay, so basically i want to see the government hanged from that pine tree and burning. that's it. that's what the government did. are they going to give me back the house as it was? what i'm going through now? can they give everything back to me? my happiness, my joy. right now? no amount of money seems like enough compensation. most can i spoke to the law office to say thank you very interesting. i'm going to tell you what the government's mistake was. they told us to evacuate the villages and towns, so there were no casualties. i remember in the past when there was a fire,

the church bells would ring. all the people in the nearby towns and villages would go to the fire and put it out themselves with their own hands. men, young kids, so the fire doesn't spread the mama now with the evacuation the people left. so there are no victims. and the evacuation was obligatory, whoever's homes were not burned, they saved their homes because they were hiding under their cars. so the police could not find them and tell them to leave. these are the people who saved their homes and the wildfires in heavier happened at the same time as the ones in the north of athens. residents blamed the decision to divert rescue teams and water dropping aircraft away from, for the severity of the fires. many who followed evacuation orders lost everything. one woman who was told help is on the way, said her form ended up burning down. and she is still waiting for the firefighters to show up the speed it will be to my house caught fire. everything was burned,

detracted agricultural equipment, animals are warehouses in food. that's what we lived off. we asked to help and nobody offered it. my husband could talk to you in the other villages to help fight fires. why now? house burned down and what can i say? what else can i say at this church and community center in rob? yes, 8 has been coming in from all over the country, food, water, all kinds of other supplies. and it is available here for whoever needs it. the overwhelming message from the people that we've met here is it now is a time for solidarity. now is the time to help and support each other because of as many of them have said to us, they feel there is no other help coming across greece. communities like this have had hard days and the road to recovery looks long zane bus robbie: oh jazeera grove, yes. village on greece's area island. mm. hospital

systems across the us to find themselves at the center of the national debate on vaccine mandates. there are calls to make the vaccination mandatory for all health workers after some refuse to get the job or continuing to care for sick patients. john henry, now from chicago. to work at rush university medical center, there's a new rule. get the jab or get another job. i think it's the right thing to do. we are in health care. we should be maintaining how and we shouldn't be putting our patients at risk. and even though the risk of transmitting covert from health care worker to a patient is low, it's not 0. there are strict exemptions or religious or medical reasons, but in general, health care workers are now required to practice what they preach about 70 percent of us adults, or at least partly vaccinated recovered 19. it's 60 percent if you include the

children under 12 who are not eligible for health care workers. the numbers are similar though at rush they've now reached 85 percent. were trying to decrease transmission of the delta variance. so you come here and everybody's vaccinated. done. you're less likely to leave with the virus rushed and the vanguard of a growing movement. nearly 15000 hospitals about one in 4 across the us, now require staffers to get the coven vaccine, according to the american hospital association, and states like new york, california and washington have issued vaccine mandates for health care workers like it or not. vaccine mandates work since chicago began requiring a vaccination or a negative test to attend most concert, more people who gotten vaccinated. and since france began requiring a similar help, fast food and bars, restaurants and most indoor venues, millions more people signed up to get the shot. and that's crucial to reach the

kind of heard immunity that those new variance from popping up. still some are saying no to inoculation. and there have been protests across the country by thousands of vaccine wary health care workers. 7 you have every right now to get vaccinated, we're not gonna force you to get vaccinated, but you may have to find another place to work. that's exactly what happened to workers at our w. j. barn of his health in new jersey, which recently fired half a dozen senior employees for refusing to get vaccinated with more companies in and out of health care, requiring the vaccine to enter the office doors each day. that leaves anti vaccines with increasingly few options. john henry and al jazeera chicago. israel is re imposing corona virus restrictions to curb a search and infections fuel by the delta barriers they're the measures include a limit on mass gatherings and the implementation of

a digital vaccine. passport. the health ministry reported more than $5700.00 cases on wednesday, the highest day the increase since the month of february. ponens parliament has been to controversially media reform bill that legislation would strengthen a ban on non european firms, controlling polish broadcasters. the opposition says it aims to silence an american . a news channel has been critical of the government. he has pull brennan. oh yeah. free media is a chance. and thousands of demonstrators in dozens of polish towns and cities have taken up the call. to convince that the right wing government a prime minister, much more of the sky is trying to silence the channel. tv and 24 whose flagship news program is watch daily by millions that's exhibit. gotcha. so if that happened, we would have party began to from the possible bosses. no, that would be no democracy, no freedom of speech and nothing for the new law would stop non european own us

from having a controlling say can polish broadcasters, tv in is owned by the american group discovery. the prime minister said it will protect poland from foreign interference and disinformation, but many see it as late and censorship of a critical media outlets. a move reminiscence of poems communist past. what's going to be that the source is imposing us? what we have to watch on there has to be in principle, a diverse agenda for every one of the issues of interest. and i'm scared that they will be seen to ship that it will be followed by a lack of democracy. basically at hotel a terry and state democracy itself seems in crisis that was outrage on wednesday after the opposition won a vote to postpone the matter until next week and for the speaker to set aside that result and order the vote to be run. now you made intense political, and twisting and horse trading. the government won the re run and then push the media ownership the through by 12. that's the cost of victory is the prime

ministers. justice and law party has been left without a stable parliamentary majority the form of pm, donald tusk. the scene by some of the potential leader of a rival coalition near the engine it. oh boy. yes, we will not be indifferent. we are not resigned. we will shout, we will fight, and we will win. the justice and law party has been use of repeatedly defined democratic principles during its 6 years of power. there are on going to with brussels on the p and course and but on issues, including judicial independence and l g b t. right? and the white house says president vital is taking a keen interest in the fate of tv in for now, the prime minister is pressing on. but a snap election looks increasingly likely. the whole brennan al jazeera post. ah,

this is al jazeera, these are the top stories the poles have opened in zambia as presidential and parliamentary elections.