the me ah i. ready use the warning that afghan, the stones, capital capital could be surrounded by the taliban by september of the on groups of bonds continues despite international talk, seeking a see spot ah, logan peter w. watching out to the are alive from the are also coming up. the poles have opened in zambia as presidential and parliamentary elections during the worst economic crisis in decades with a tight race expected for the top job. we look at how this turkish lake has gone

from being home to dozens of species of animals to looking like this in just a few months. also ahead, desperate for a new start leaders from across latin america discuss the ongoing migration and humanitarian crisis on the panama, columbia. border me a developing aspect to what's going on. and i'm gonna start this out. the taliban says it's captured another city as afghan. histones military struggles to stop its lightning advance. gafney is the 10th provincial capital claimed by the group within one week. it's about 150 kilometers south of the capital city. cobble earlier a us defense official told the reuters news agency. the taliban could surround the african capital within one months. the same source, his warning. cobble could fall to the taliban within 9

t days. let's go straight life to rob mcbride, who's in, cobble, rob, what else do we know? well, this is, as you said, the 10 provincial capital now to full gas these down to the south, west of cobble. they've been fighting going on there for some days. and when you look at the map of the changing map of who controls what gods knew was always very vulnerable. it was expected that if there was going to be another provincial capital default and that look to, that could be the next one to go. and so it is, the taliban claimed it and we've not confirmed it with sources that it has full. and now it's a fairly small safety. but as with other cities that have fallen in the north earlier this week, it does put the pressure on cobble itself. it brings the fighting and the presence of the taliban a lot closer to the seat of government here. and of course it does connect down to the south, which is the taliban. a stronghold. and we have continued fighting, going on down there in those 2 main per provinces of panda. ha,

and helmand. we know that they've been heavy fighting in kandahar and kind of ha city itself. that is really very much on the c, j. and if that ever falls that and that is a real blow for the, for the government, but a neighboring helmet province in the capital city that alaska guy fighting. it's continuing inside the city. we know that the fighting has been very close to the police headquarters there. it was. wednesday that the taliban loads the car bama suicide bomb attack on the police headquarters. the home be packed with explosives. it didn't get their rates with intercepted and detonated, causing a number of casualties. and we're also hearing about increased an upsurge in fighting in the west towards a hierarchy. that again, is the government stronghold in the west of the country. the, the forces that the government set forth back offensive using its own forces, but also what's called the uprising force is locally raised militia to fight off at the taliban. so increasingly when you look at the map of stand,

it is almost looking like the afghan archipelago, a series of strongholds that are still very much boom. the in the grip of the government, but very much isolated from each other. and rob tell us is gas, ne, kind of mirroring what we've seen over the past couple of weeks take gaffney, you all to take the roads into it and out of it. so not only does the taliban take the city, they take the wider region as well. well that's right, and then once you take those roads, then it's very difficult to connect any of the remaining government strongholds together. increasingly, the only way to get between these places is by air. we are still waiting to see what the, the government's response is going to be. we're expecting at some point that once you've lost the small provincial cities and ro provinces, once you're left with the larger urban areas, we may see some stiffer resistance. we may even see a fight back. that's what we saw ashworth county,

the president doing wednesday flying up to missouri, re sharif. that the last remaining strong hold up in the north of the country. really trying to stiffen the result of people that said that they should be fighting back. we're waiting to see what that counter attack look will look like. interesting the wednesday we also saw the appearance of another very important name here in afghan military dealings in politics. marshall marshall recede duster now, he is a former vice president, but also a character, very much involved in politics and both in warfare in a going back enough to understand decades he was involved in the soviet era. he was very instrumental in resisting the taliban in the mid ninety's. he, his stronghold is in the north. and he has promised to fight back as telling the taliban that the ne, easy to enter. but it is always very difficult to leave promising that there will be a counter attack, but these for the moment remain words we're waiting to see if they are going to be backed up with action. but of course, as each provincial capital falls,

the clock for the afghan government, it seems, is picking. rob many things from a ride on correspondent, they're reporting live from the afghan capital cobble. well, the interior minister has told al jazeera that afghan forces also trying to secure the main highways. large cities and border crossings to slow the taliban, lightening advance out his ears. charlotte bellis has this exclusive report. 5 weeks ago general until saturday. well stepped into the role of f canister, santeria 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 of special forces. 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, and how do you stop in the room and look, you gotta cool. we are working in 3 phases. the 1st is to stop the defeat. the 2nd, the re gather our forces, security rings around the stadium of all those soldiers that abandoned their post 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 leaders 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 air. and after the us withdrew, they lost a lot of that paper ability. but that's fun, it's unfortunately with their withdrawal, the fighting started in $400.00 areas of the country and we have very limited air support. helicopters have busy with moving supplies and evacuating our dead and injured forces, or they are delegating to local leaders, empowering them to recruit within their community to rise against the taliban. really. com millions paloma they. 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 force, 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 men, which would at police and soldiers joined them. the talk of last nights, gains and losses, where they may be seen next and how the many injuries are healing. some briefly leave to push off the telephone, assault. thousands of police officers have abandoned their post some recent months . the interior ministry says they are returning and will be retrained in st. back to the provinces. they say 5000 people have signed up for the police force and just the last 3 weeks with another 2000 graduating this weekend. ah,

the government strategy is slowly becoming clear, but its implementation is still fraud and the stakes have never been higher. the telephone at watching. 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 let's come and sit together and make a co lucian. 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, the bowls have opened, an example is parliamentary and presidential elections. it follows a campaign dominated by a struggling economy to fight against corruption. the president ed colonial is

expected to face a strong challenge from his opposition rival, who spacing him for the 3rd time her in the castle reports now from mazacco. the candidate again, the lemma 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 be to live with opposition. united party for national development are confident he can beat incumbent president. it's along. so he's scared of that nature because sanity is going to the dentist can to these days, we have committed some benefits. it's been too much for the cases, so they're scared to handle the power. but there's been people who the boat pip a whole mixture, whether 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 his 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 loos governing party supported believe the new roads, bridges, power stations, hospitals, and airports. a with it. all the people don't in the position is to accuse us of put up to actually us of stealing because of the things that they cannot even when you fly. so they're losing us, but there's not enough cabinet because we've tested the ground, we've read what people think corruption is another issue for voters waste and donors have suspended age to zambia, 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 years that the people that seem to have the resources in the country. i'm 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 3 when i make the country is relatively calm. but,

and this 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 edgar lingual narrowly defeated, his rival had. lemme resolve the opposition 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 roadmap to the vote. that's why president lucas said he deployed the military to maintain peace, but minis ambien sphere that could be more political violence if the election results are disputed and harrowed. joyce's life now from a putting station in lusaka harrow, that scene behind you, looking pretty busy. people still obviously keen to be able to cast their votes. yes we thing long lines at several calling station in the capital the last time most people were registered to vote or young people and some of them are here at

this particular polling station in the one of the busiest neighbor in blue stock. and when you talk to people depends who they support and what they're voting for those supporting the ruling party. they like the pro pul policies of the governments. they say that they like the fact the government is promising to lower taxes like the fact that the government is promising integrated job is that the, like the fact of a government is both over the last see of a lot of infrastructure talking about bridges. a couple of good roads in soccer, couple of public hospital power stations and other things as well that they say if benefiting the local, when you speak to the opposition they, they see the infrastructure development, but people are still struggling not just for people as well. but middle class that be, and he's saying that, you know, over the past few years is struggling by even the basic price is going up. but salaries are not doing the same. so people frustrated. it's going to an interesting

election. one doesn't that way more than 7000000 people have registered to vote the last and that looking at about 4000000 people of a seems to be a lot of interest in these polls. well, you know, in a few days time with which way the devoted, interesting aspect to your report that we played just before we started this conversation. harrow talking about corruption is the sense there for the voters that whoever wins has got to get a handle on this. because if they don't, corruption then is out of control and it becomes endemic almost exactly. from all sides. the spoken to corruption seems to be a big issue for a lot of voters, they saying they seeing a politically, a mold and seemingly getting richer and retail, while the poor people are struggling. some people say, you know, these deals that they've cut with the international community, these loans, they've gotten way they've both nice infrastructure in some parts of the country.

they saying that they believe some of the lead for the public to some of that task for themselves. and they're not seeing it on the ground, the fact the countries and so much bit just trying to pay back the interest on that and then pay the debt off to the government is really in a tight spot way. the money that should be spending on lifting the lives of the pool and general that in general is not happening because they owe so many people so much money more than $12000000000.00 of external day. so they is that for whoever, when selection people want them to tackle that as well, but interesting the someone to meet, you know, let's say for example, the opposition when they say that what guarantee is that they will do the same with the ruling party where the perception is when you get into power, the 1st you want to do to try and a maximum of much amounts of waltz. we assault if the cost of the poor, all of those things playing out as well. it is a close election predicted to be

a close election util emma whitening for the 6th time to try and be president country lou, who has made it very clear that you have no intentions offsetting down. so a lot of people why that if the result is disputed, what would be the season, what a country? many things term attached to the reporting life from new soccer field to come here on al jazeera algeria in morning is the number of people killed in wildfires. rises ah hello hot sunshine and high temperatures, that'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 barked at to round $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 much sooner moisture so impacting places like is the one me 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 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 can maroon and i g area . 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, 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 at sharp the sea. soon, the

freezing winds and rugged terrain and at times seem impossible. but for afghan traders who brave the will con corridor, that is no choice. combating the impossible to sell that goods in isolated area. we follow that daring journeys as they overcome the extremes. risking it all i've got is john on al jazeera oh the me

here, let's revisit your top story so far. this half a ton of been in the last hour. so saying they have captured a 10th provincial capital from government forces. we're talking about the southeastern city against me. it's just a 150 kilometers from the capital city. cobble. the us defense specialist told the reuters news agency the group could capture the capital within 90 days. the goals have opened in zambia as presidential and parliamentary elections. president gun don't go seen voting here in the last few hours is expected basically strong challenge from the opposition rival is facing him for a 3rd time. soaring unemployment and corruption among bushes. biggest concerns. well, local media in afghanistan is facing an uncertain future there. as the conflict intensifies, one radio station manager and a journalist were killed by suspected taliban fighters this week. now that are plants, we have actually evacuate others to safe countries. he has a diplomatic editor, james bass. ah, this is afghan, astonish top rated tv network. tolo. media was one of the successes of the country

in the last 2 decades. are over 200 tv outlet over 400 radio stations. and over a 1000 newspapers and magazines, but work is getting harder every day is the conflict intensifies. talos needs director lafleur measure of his order holds his morning meeting to decide on the channels coverage. he tells me the safety of his team must come 1st. our number one priority is to make sure our colleagues are safe and then you know, they're able to go out and do their job. it's all of the journalists. they are showing the most level of bravery and commitment. the network, the ones to follow is now a thriving business, but it started as a single radio station. we spoke to the morning d. j. masoud san jose, 15 years ago, he'd previously had

a very different life. the young news reader on state radio, when the taliban were in control. i've never wanted to go out of afghanistan. the only place i have been was to buy, and that was the 1st of mine out of hopkinson fee. if i go out, if other young people go out, if the other educated people go out who's building this country. so we have to work hard to get this country like dubai. that's my dream, really. when we spoke you 15 years ago, you seemed optimistic about the future of afghanistan. are you optimistic now? unfortunately, i would say no. because the 200675. i would say we were seeing kind of stand differently. there were no tele bond. there were no fighting's, there were a lot of money in the market. there were a lot of, i think energy in the country for the progress, which is not anymore. when the taliban ran the country in the 1900000000 tis

watching television or holding a musical performance like this was strictly banned. stop here are understandably why not just about the future, but about this safety right now. the sun is without doubt. one of the most dangerous places in the world to a journalist, the media work in this network. tolo. last in one year in 201611, i saw this series of attacks africa photographer fatima his seine has been working to document the lives of when in the country. she told me of her daily concerns. i got so many like messages on my tutor, instagram, and someone else like the talk about members started following me and send me messages that what are you doing and why you are showing them and like did african women are 9 like this? and especially like my gender and my city, make me a double target the media sector in afghanistan once

a success story, now faces an uncertain and dangerous future. james bay's al jazeera, cobble. algeria is beginning, 3 days of morning, up to the number of people killed in. wildfires rose to at least $65.00. they all jittery and red crescent says more than a 1000 people have been injured and hundreds of families are now homeless. a heat wave has fueled the spread of the fires. the authorities believe many was started deliberately. forecast as in eastern sicily have reported a temperature of 48.8 degrees celsius of the heat way fuels fires in the north switch of destroyed homes and crops. if confirmed, it would be the highest temperature ever recorded on the european continent. turkey has been seeing the worsting impact of climate change in recent years. lake i goal, which used to be home to dozens of species of animals, including flamingoes, has dried up. and that's concerning, the local sim casino has more now from the eastern city of van. if you came to this

area 2 months ago, you would have found a $476.00 tier. like instead, there is now a giant, dried up land where dozens of spacious of fish and slamming goes once made their home growled, has been a major problem here in turkey, especially in its eastern city, is like van zillow's family has lived near lake for more than 70 years, he's not happy with the change of all of us. we don't have drinking water. we have access to the city water. but even before we tab, they cut off. you see the animals, you see the grass, we have no barley, no grass. if it continues like this, we will all die, our animals will die. we may need to leave this village, but go where we're waiting for god's mercy lake. i was on the migration path of various types of birds and featured several speeches of fleming goes, like many other lagoon and lakes in the space and watching them used to be

a visual feast. aka lake has a mind kilometer called slide, but after this year's lego frame, the lake has shrunk and dried up. here is a closed basin, meaning there isn't any other water source to feed the lake. experts warn after this years dry up, the lake may never be full of water again. professor morocco direct is head of the agriculture faculty at the university of van. he says less and irregular precipitation and higher temperatures are the reasons for the drought in the basin . we'll alicia mother takes longer. i'm characteristically, the temperature is $3.00 to $4.00 degrees higher this year and the lake van basin, generally wheat and barley, a dry farm tier plans that are supposed to be 60 centimeters long, came out as only 20 centimeters this year. we used to have big harvest, but this year it's down a lot and all of it became photo we'll ground water in aquifers is an important

resource for crop negation and turkey. but crop production could be threatened if drought conditions persist. livestock raising will also be effected some irrigation methods in this part of turkey caused 60 percent of water loss. how do they study them as it will lead the food prices to increase? this means costs will go up for livestock raising and agriculture and a couple of months. what we as citizens need to do is 1st of all, save on water. the local authorities also should reuse, surface borders for irrigation damage. lake van is the largest body of water in turkey and the 2nd largest, and the middle east is switch, and sodium carbonate and other salts. according to nissan service observatory, lake van is evaporating because it has no outlet to release water. c, noncustodial al jazeera from turkey, panama, and columbia have agreed to impose a daily limit on the number of migrants passing across their trench from border.

$650.00 will be allowed through every day until the end of the month, thousands of migrants mostly from haiti, and cuba, had been waiting on columbia's northern border, hoping to eventually reach the united states. theresa bo reports. they had been living in this reception center in panama for 2 days, but this group of cuban says what they experienced over the past week was like a nightmare. they ventured into the dairying gap, a jungle that separates columbia and panama, and managed to survive. on the journey through the jungle and you could amend this says they were robbed and shorter by criminal organizations. and i'm a little guy. we were on 60 people when a man was mosse and weapons, asked us to give them $100.00 each. many of us didn't have the money, we escaped that situation because on the other side of the river, somebody started shooting and we were in the middle with pregnant women and lots of children. and then this has the group lost all their belongings and still bear this

cars of the jungle. they tell you one thing, but you see another imagine you walk through a trail and you start seeing bodies that thousands of people are daring to make the crossing. they come from cuba, haiti, and other countries around the world. there's over 300 people in this reception center, most of them call themselves survivors of the area and gap in this place. people are giving some shelter, some food they're treated for their injuries, and this is a place where they get ready to continue with our journey video center 0 by migrant show people trying to cross the mountains and cliff in the jungle. nobody knows how many people have died this year. there are only the tales of those who saw them go missing. rescue operations have become an everyday show. this video, so the team of fin ammonium border patrol agents rescuing ca,

migrant. course bolt was destroyed by current countries in the region. i trying to address the ongoing crisis by now my fast. it would like to help the migrants, but insists needs to organize the flow by now my, my husband receiving 1000 migrants a day which surpasses our capacity and the capacity of our neighbors. so we and now to quote, to attend the crisis, will, will start at $650.00 and then go down to $500.00 and controlling the entrance to panama is a major challenge. people here don't know how or when they will arrive, but they're determined to reach north america just by the dangers they faced along the way. they said, well, i'll just see their daddy in panama. ah, this is al jazeera, these are the top stories. the taliban says it's captured, attends proven.