�*welcome to newsday, reporting live from singapore, i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines. afghanistan in meltdown, us officials say the taliban could be in the capital, kabul within weeks, as thousands flee the advancing militants. many of those we have met here have run once, twice, multiple times and now they come here to afghanistan is capital. from here, they say there's nowhere else to go. we have a special report from inside taliban controlled areas. the bbc gets rare access to the taliban, and the territory they've retaken. we came through here a little earlier this year. back then, is

still under government control. now it is around one of 200 district centres ta ken by it is around one of 200 district centres taken by the taliban. at least 65 people have died in algeria as more than a hundred wildfires tear across the country. and we catch up with the teens bringing skateboarding to the olympics and the streets of japan. even our reporter goes for a spin! live her from her live herfrom her studio in singapore. this is bbc news. it is newsday. it's 6am in singapore, and half past two in the morning in afghanistan where events are unfolding at a dizzying pace. as the taliban captured a ninth provincial capital, afghan president ashraf ghani fired his army chief. the government still remains

in control in key urban centres, but their hold on many areas is fragile. us officials say the taliban could reach the capital, kabul, within weeks. our correspondent yogita limaye is in kabul, a city crammed with thousands of people who've desperately fled from other parts of the country. desperation on a scale not seen in decades. thousands have arrived in kabul... ..in the past few days. people who had homes and jobs, who led dignified lives... ..forced to leave everything behind. angry that they have been left on their own — no government, no humanitarian agencies. this woman's sons are in the army. she says only the poor go to the battlefield, while politicians watch.

we have seen this camp grow by the hour. people have been coming in from different parts of the country, as more and more provincial capitals, more and more cities are being taken over by the taliban. many of those we have met here have run once, twice, multiple times, and now they have come here to afghanistan's capital, kabul. from here, they say, there's nowhere else to go. to get here, they've survived dangerous journeys, past taliban checkpoints and active front lines. this woman says they moved from one place to another for three days before they got to kabul. she has four children — the youngest is two.

many have seen their loved ones being killed. they've had to leave their dead behind to save their own lives. this man's parents died in the violence. many here have fled from kunduz in north afghanistan, which fell to the taliban on sunday.

today, in kabul, we bumped into these men, who we'd met four weeks ago in kunduz. then, the city was a refuge for tens of thousands of people who had fled fighting in villages. now, we learned that in recent days, mortar shells landed in these camps. we don't know what happened to the people we'd met there. most of the north of the country has been taken over by the taliban now. those who have escaped to kabul are staring at uncertainty. fears that the capital, too, could fall within weeks. yogita limaye, bbc news, kabul. a humanitarian disaster is fast unfolding in afghanistan. the un says more than a thousand civilians have been killed in fighting between the taliban

and government forces. injuly, the areas controlled by the taliban were these, shown in red. with contested regions in yellow. but now — a lot more territory has fallen to the taliban, including nine of the country's 3a provincial capitals. our afghanistan correspondent secunder kermani has been given rare access to newly captured taliban territory — his report was filmed by fred scott. a warning — you may find some of the images upsetting. new territory. new weapons. all captured in this unprecedented taliban advance. caught in the middle, afghan families right across the country. how can you justify all this fighting when it is causing the deaths of thousands of ordinary afghans, thousands of ordinary muslims?

you are the ones who started the fighting here, though. shortly after the interview ends, the sound of helicopters. the taliban are still vulnerable to government air strikes. this is balkh, a town with ancient roots, thought to be the birthplace of one of islam's best known mystic poets, rumi. now, it is under taliban control. we came through here a little earlier this year. back then, it was still under government control. now it is one of around 200 district centres taken by the taliban.

schools are open here, though in other taliban areas, girls are reportedly prevented from attending. the market is still busy. women have apparently been allowed to come here without male companions if they need to. but elsewhere, taliban commanders have reportedly banned them. this is a local taliban leader. despite what i have been told, he insists they have not made the burqa compulsory. you have said that women have to wear the burqa, the chadar. that is right, isn't it? what happens if someone doesn't want to wear it?

i heard that members of the taliban here caught one man listening to music and to punish him, made him walk for two kilometres without any shoes on until he fainted as punishment. the next day, a young woman was killed close by, allegedly for wearing immodest clothing. the taliban denied involvement. they seem to want to play down their more hardline views internationally, but at times are in tune with some conservative afghans. many here praise improved security. accompanied by taliban fighters at all times, it is hard to know what residents really think. having already captured many rural areas and some border crossings, the taliban are now pushing in on afghan cities. half an hour's drive away, in mazar—i—sharif, the government are still in control.

there is a greater sense of personal freedom here it is hard to imagine the taliban accepting. many fear the taliban want to resurrect their practice of brutal punishments. they insist they were not responsible for this flogging, supposedly filmed last year, but they did recently hang two child kidnappers in public. on the steps of the government's old court house in balkh, the taliban's legal system was in force. for many, the taliban's brutal form ofjustice is what scares them the most about the group, but for others, they at least offer a swifter resolution than the notoriously corrupt government courts. thejudge here says he has never ordered serious corporal punishment and that there is a system of appeal courts, but he defends stoning adulterers and cutting the hands of thieves. many people here in afghanistan

and around the world would be horrified. the taliban are capturing new territory on an almost daily basis. they are still facing fierce resistance but they vow to install what they term an islamic government. if that does not come through the stalled peace process, they say, it will come through more violence. secunder kermani, bbc news, balkh. let's take a look at some of the stories in the headlines in the uk. a british man has been arrested in germany on suspicion

of spying for russia. german federal prosecutors said the man — identified only as david s — worked at the british embassy in berlin. he allegedly passed documents to russian intelligence on at least one occasion. an undercover police officer has described how he feared for his life, when a convicted terrorist charged towards him wielding a knife, before he fatally shot him. sudesh amman stabbed two people, who survived, last february, ten days after he was released from prison. still to come a bit later in the programme: we'll look at china's role in cutting global emissions. but first. wildfires in algeria have killed at least sixty five people, including twenty— five members of the military who were fighting the fires in forests to the east of the capital, algiers. algeria is the latest country on the mediterranean to be hit by wildfires.

the bbc�*s north africa correspondent, rana jawad reports. fires are still tearing through the region. the flames destroying a lush green forest that once took them. this is not a natural disaster, according to algerian officials. but the work of arsonists. it is killed civilians, soldiers and volunteer firefighters. residents used with little means they had at their disposal to help firefighters extinguished the raging flames that reached their homes. it is difficult and strenuous moments like this that the capacities of the state and the distrust that many algerians have in it are laid bare— it are laid bare there fires everywhere- _ it are laid bare there fires everywhere. we - it are laid bare there fires everywhere. we have - it are laid bare there fires everywhere. we have noti it are laid bare there fires - everywhere. we have not seen the government here. the people of the government here. the people of the government come live the members of

the protection team. the government come live the members of the protection team.— the protection team. the citizens are -a in: the protection team. the citizens are paying the — the protection team. the citizens are paying the price. _ the protection team. the citizens are paying the price. the - the protection team. the citizens are paying the price. the fires i the protection team. the citizens are paying the price. the fires of| are paying the price. the fires of reached — are paying the price. the fires of reached our homes we have three dead and four_ reached our homes we have three dead and four wounded people brought into to the _ and four wounded people brought into to the violence —— due to the violence _ to the violence —— due to the violence. bring back those to set the fires — violence. bring back those to set the fires are accountable to him. thank— the fires are accountable to him. thank god — the fires are accountable to him. thank god we are still standing. we will never_ thank god we are still standing. we will never abandon our country or our land~ — will never abandon our country or our land. �* ., , ., ., will never abandon our country or ourland. �* ., , ., ., our land. algeria is not a stranger to forest fires. _ our land. algeria is not a stranger to forest fires. but _ our land. algeria is not a stranger to forest fires. but this _ our land. algeria is not a stranger to forest fires. but this week's . to forest fires. but this week's particularly high temperatures and dry conditions have made an already bad incident worse. in the past, the cause of wildfires were largely unknown and delivered arson and negligence social and environmental practices and the wild are known to have played a role. algerian officials say they have launched an investigation to identify the people they believe are behind what they

described as highly synchronised acts, given the numerous fires that broke out at the same time. but no details are provided on what the motivations could be. if you want to get in touch with me. i'm on twitter — @bbckarishma you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme. he's already injail, now the kremlin critic alexei nalvany is facing new charges the big crowds became bigger as the time of the funeral approached. as the lines of fans became longer, the police prepared for a huge job of crowd control.

idi amin, uganda's brutalformer dictator, has died at the age of 80. he's being buried in saudi arabia, where he lived in exile since being overthrown in 1979. 2 billion people around the world have seen the last total eclipse of the sun to take place in this millennium. it began itsjourney off the coast of canada, ending three hours later when the sun set over the bay of bengal. this is newsday on the bbc. i'm in singapore. our headlines.

the afghan army chief is sacked as taliban fighters take more and more territory. it's thought they've now taken over nine provincial capitals. at least 65 people have been killed in raging wildfires in algeria, including twenty—eight soldiers who were trying to fight the flames. it's believed italy has recorded the hottest temperature ever in europe. a reading from near syracuse on the island of sicily registered forty—eight— point—eight degrees celsius. italy's current heatwave, nicknamed lucifer, is being caused by an anticyclone moving up from africa. china has said the world should have �*full confidence' in its climate actions plans. the statement comes a day after the un's climate body urged beijing to take "immediate, rapid and large—scale action." china is the world's largest emmitter of carbon dioxide.

so, is china doing enough? i'm joined now by lauri mylly—verta, lead analyst for the centre for research on energy and clean air. just how important is china in the global effort to reverse climate change? chanis chan is responsible for 30% of global emissions and two thirds of the increase —— china is responsible. china's contribution is absolutely crucial. there is no way to do this by china. —— without. beijing has made a new commitment to carbon neutrality by 2060. it is being taken very seriously in terms of authority and the priority given

to the making. china's co2 emissions have 5% of pre—pandemic level, it is very cool heavy industry and construction. and so, there is a lot to bridge between the targets for later this decade and what is happening right now on the ground. as you point out, the dependence on coal, a really big part of china's economic development, what is holding them back now from doing more on this front was yellow it is not that much from any other country. they're very significant economy interests and political interests. �* , interests. behind the energy in economy model _ interests. behind the energy in economy model that _ interests. behind the energy in economy model that focuses i interests. behind the energy in | economy model that focuses on interests. behind the energy in - economy model that focuses on heavy industry and construction. overcoming the opposition in setting this is certainly a big obstacle and

the decision is being made right now on how fast to move on the transition.— on how fast to move on the transition. ., , ., transition. the arguments i hear from china _ transition. the arguments i hear from china and _ transition. the arguments i hear from china and a _ transition. the arguments i hear from china and a lot _ transition. the arguments i hear from china and a lot of - transition. the arguments i hear i from china and a lot of developing countries is the west had its turn to industrialise. why shouldn't countries like china?— to industrialise. why shouldn't countries like china? there's no auestion countries like china? there's no question that — countries like china? there's no question that china _ countries like china? there's no question that china already - question that china already industrialised and is going to develop its industry. the thing is china's emissions per capita per person of already overtaken the european union, the uk and the block off a lot of countries as a whole. china is starting to have a very significant responsibility also on the per capita basis. likely, if you look at china's plans and policies,

this is all about developing new industries, making sure that china possibles industries are ready for this century and for the, and so there's no contradiction between industrialisation and carbon neutrality. industrialisation and carbon neutrality-— industrialisation and carbon neutrali . ., , industrialisation and carbon neutrali . ., neutrality. thank you. joining us on newsda . new charges have been filed against the prominent kremlin critic alexei navalny, who is already serving time in prison. the authorities claim his anti—corruption foundation infringes on people's rights. the organisation was recently declared extremist and banned. it had published investigations into alleged corruption in the heart of russian power, allegations the kremlin denied. our moscow correspondent steve rosenberg has more.

he is already injail, sent he is already in jail, sent to prison for more than two and a half years back in february in a case might be perceived as politically motivated. back then he is found guilty of breaking probation rules of the suspended sentence for embezzlement. now he is facing fresh charges which could extend his time behind bars. the anti—corruption foundation that he founded and the russian authorities labelled extremist, has been accused of acting and illegal activities and unsanctioned protests. and as the anti—corruption foundation which anti—corru ption foundation which published anti—corruption foundation which published a string of high—profile investigations alleging massive corruption at the heart of russian power. one of those investigations claimed that vladimir putin had built himself £1 billion palace on the black sea, something the kremlin denied. the other thing to keep in mind is that the men were talking

about, one year ago was poisoned in siberia with a nerve agent. an evidences emerged implicating the state and that assassination attempt. no one here is been prosecuted for that and instead it is him who was imprisoned. alexei navalny. now — skateboarding has become very popular injapan after its teenage athletes achieved a sweeping victory at tokyo 2020 summer games. you may remember, i told our reporter mariko oi we should try it out when she gets back to singapore — and she appeared reluctant but she actually went to learn the sport from the country's youngest gold medallist.

she's going to have to teach me when she gets back. this may sound like the begining of a joke; "a grizzly bear walks into a supermarket." but in this case it's not a joke, it actually happened. a bear decided to do a little brousing of their own at the store in the porter ranch neibourhood of los angeles. several people snapped photos and recorded videos as the animal roamed the aisles. luckily nobody was hurt in the insident and the animal was safely returned to the wild.

that's all for now — stay with bbc world news. hello there. the weather story for many over recent days has been a bit wishy—washy, and that's the theme as we head into the weekend. that said, there has been some lovely sunshine and some warmth today. take a look at brixham, devon earlier on. but the vast majority saw quite a lot of cloud into the afternoon and some rain, some of it quite heavy pushing its way through scotland and north west england. brightening up, though, into the afternoon for northern ireland. so, you can see across taynuilt in argyll and bute, there's quite a lot of cloud around and at times some heavy, showery rain. that weather front continues to trundle its way south and east, but it will weaken off. so, really as we go through the night, a band of cloud, the odd spot or two of rain, and with some clearer skies further north and west, temperatures may well dip into single figures here. it'll be a mild start in the south, but this weather front is going to be a little bit

of a nuisance. it's going to meander its way further north as we go through the day. it's this low pressure that's the key story as we go through the course of thursday. it's going to bring some blustery winds on exposed coasts, gusts of a0 mph, and some sharp showers moving their way through northern ireland, western scotland and eventually into north west england. our weather front sits across, let's say, dorset up towards yorkshire. anywhere south and east of that will see the best of the sunshine and potentially the best of the warmth with 2a degrees, 75 fahrenheit. friday, we've still got that low up into the north. it'll build fewer showers as we go through the day, particularly to the north—west of the great glen. so, a better chance of seeing some drier weather through much of eastern scotland and northern ireland. highs further south of 22. that's 72 fahrenheit. that wishy—washy theme is going to continue into the weekend. still got that low slowly drifting off into scandinavia.

another weather front potentially will bring some outbreaks of rain, but the position of this rain is going to be subject to question. so, you'll need to keep abreast of the forecast for saturday. it may welljust be that little bit further north or south. at the moment, current thinking are is it goes through the north of wales into northern england. south of that, it stays dry and sunny. north of that, a few scattered showers and a little bit cooler. as we go into sunday and monday, the weather story may well quieten down, but the wind direction changes to more of a north—westerly. so, it willjust feel a little bit fresher despite the sunshine. take care.

this is bbc news, the headlines... the head of the afghan army has been sacked following a rapid offensive by the taliban, who've taken over nine provincial capitals. tens of thousands of civilians have fleed their homes, and hundreds have died in recent weeks. president ashraf ghani has been rallying beleaguered troops in mazar—i—sharif, a crucial northern city under pressure from the offensive. it's long been a bastion of anti—taliban militias. new charges have been filed against the prominent kremlin critic alexei navalny, who is already serving time in prison. the authorities claim his anti—corruption foundation infringes on people's rights. it investigates corruption among the russian elite. italy may have registered the hottest temperature ever recorded in europe. a reading on the island of sicily registered 48.8 celsius.