was on i was just, there are me be the hero, the world needs right now. i was, ah ah, did you momentum appears to be sort of with the tell him it depends on raises the alarm over the telephone advance and i'm going to stop us troop pull out. ah, either i'm kimbell, this is elder. they're alive from bill. also coming up, the military joins rescue efforts and central china as the region grapples with the worst floods in decades. a boost in the fight against the painkiller addiction

epidemic in the us. drug companies reach a $26000000000.00 settlement to resolve also. plus, i'm on the richardson in tokyo, a city preparing to host an olympic games like no other. ah, the pentagon is expressing an alarm over the rapidly deteriorating security situation in afghanistan. general mark mitty says the taliban now controls nearly half of the countries, $400.00 plus districts. all this is, of course, happening as us troops pull out the fighting between africa and government forces and the taliban is intensifying. the 7 people were killed in the southern province of canada hall on wednesday. that happened during shelling between the military and taliban fighters in a separate incident for telephone fighters were killed when the vehicle had a roadside bomb and done to district or mike hannah joins me now live from

washington d. c. and mike concerns about these gains by the taliban really being expressed at the most senior level for the military and senior levels. indeed, the secretary of defense and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff who spoke to the media in the course of the day. they say that withdrawal is going on as scheduled. some 8000 troops have already been moved out of a gun. he's done. they also made specific reference to locals who were employed by the us military, such as drivers and translators. a number of them have already been removed from the country as well. but the main point that they were making all the games that kind of bond has made in recent times, the chairman of the joint chiefs the stop mark, milly saying that as of last month the taliban controlled the son 80 of a gun. he stands 419 district, but this number has now doubled i would tell you that as of today,

more or less, i guess it's about 212232 in that range. 2 hundreds of the district centers are in taliban control. it's about half of the $419.00 that are out there. you've got 34 provincial capitols in afghanistan. none of them have been seized as of today by the taliban. although the taliban is putting pressure on the outskirts of probably a half of them. 17 of them in fact, and what they're trying to do is isolate the major population centers. they're trying to do the same thing to cobble. and roughly speaking order of magnitude. a significant amount of territory has been seized over the course of 6810 months sort of thing by the, by the taliban. so momentum appears to be strategic. momentum appears to be sort of with the tell him the african security forces that are consolidating their forces. my given the general milly's concerns, is there any indication then that the withdraw timeline might change?

well, at this stage, very much, not the military leaders making very clear that president biden had set the end of last month as a deadline for a complete withdrawal of us forces. and they insist that the deadline will not shift at all. they make mention of a strike force headed by the u. s. s. ronald reagan, a massive aircraft carrier, just store the coast. they make reference to ports us on stand by should they need to deploy, but they make very clear that the time table for the withdrawal of troops is going to go ahead. that being said, though, they also say that they are in consultation with the department of state with regard to providing security at diplomatic care facilities such as the embassy. now the possibility arises here that we may see a mirror image of what happened at one stage in iraq. where although the us forces withdrew department of state, started employing private contractors to run security on its facilities. so very

much the groundwork is already being made to see such a similar scenario happening in a gun. he's done and mike hannah in washington dc. thank you. meanwhile, the head of afghanistan's reconciliation council is expressing confidence in the rough like future bill bill a spoke to al jazeera about the taliban leverage on the ground. taliban cannot convert the whole population of upon the sand into taliban taliban. a zation of her finest son is not acceptable. yes, of course. they feel at this moment that their hand militarily on the ground too. and that will not last that way. i'm sure. i'm not talking about days and weeks that we're talking about the course of time because that see this and from out his state there is no peaceful settlement. unfortunately, the world will continue. and as a result of the war,

tinge will change and it will go and to hand that part. if you're talking about the survival of the state, i should say that yes, while when the slide makes it public, that is opposition. there are different roofs which are not happy with our conduct, but a day criticize as they are unhappy. but they're the same time a daily with the principles in the principle of the public one person one vote and so to neither principals. and if you're talking about the survival of the state, yes. and you can watch the full interview with the de la and now next talk to al jazeera and said for 30 g m t. this saturday. the military has been called in to join rescue efforts and central china's hunan province. the was flooding and decades. the regional capital joe has seen the heaviest rains since records began.

homes have been swept away st. subway factories and farmland. nothing has been spared. more than 200000 people have moved to higher ground. these 25 people have been killed. katrina, you reports from asian rescue teams, worked through the night to help subway passengers get to safety in downtown john doe, in the space of just 3 days. the capital of china's central clinic and province received as much rain as it usually gets in the year. hundreds of traps for hours, underground tunnels was flooded. this man says he was lucky to survive. high by impact of the flood water was so powerful that i have to remove my shirts, backpack, and everything except my pain. we smashed the upper part of the glass window to let some aaron, otherwise it would have been suffocating, said intervention rainfall. john jo, 7, the residence of god. these pedestrians formed

a human chain to avoid being swept away. more than 10000 emergency workers have been deployed to help with rescue and clean up operations. in the neighboring city of go, there will, people will, children, landslides, more than 200000, have been evacuated from their homes to safe areas. china's yellow river runs through a province for the population of 100000000. authorities say a down in the historic city of william has been severely damaged and could burst at anytime. where the experts say these are the worst all the ship. the region in recorded history, president, she did pay, has described prevention efforts as extremely difficult. he's called on all local governments around the country to review the emergency response system to prevent similar tragedies. severe storms have also hit cities in intimate goliad in china's northeast. to dam burst there after a weekend of torrential rain environmental group say the extreme weather is caused

by climate change. these kind of a disaster going to becoming more and more frequent because of the change in climate. and we would see that this kind of disaster poses very sort of huge economic and social loss. the city of jungle remains on high alert. rain is expected to continue until friday. residents have been advised to remain indoors to stay dry and safe between you all 0 paging. the news in red crescent says at least 70 migrants from bangladesh have drowned trying to cross the mediterranean sea. the boat sank off to setting off for italy from the water on the b as north west coast. 380 people were rescued. father transient coast guard. among them were migrants from syria, egypt to don eritrea. molly ben gresh, drug manufacturer, johnson johnson, and 3 distributors have agreed to pay $26000000000.00 to resolve thousands of

claims of their role in the us opioid epidemic. the law said lawsuits rather, were brought by state and local governments. would you choose the companies of letting the painkillers reach attics through illegal channels? gabriel was on the report from york. robert canter was addicted to opioids for 3 years. it nearly killed him. all my relationships collapsed, my finances, clap, my health, everything on wednesday faced with mounting lawsuits. johnson and johnson, the largest maker of prescription opioids, plus 3 other of the largest distributors, agreed to a proposed $26000000000.00 settlement announced by coalition of state attorneys general. today's actions sends a message to drug distributors and pharmaceutical companies. we simply will not accept this type of behavior. opioids or a class of drugs naturally found in opium. poppy plants that are then used in illegal st. drugs like heroine, but also in some prescription medicines,

like highly addictive painkillers, such as oxy, cotton and bacon and fentenol, a synthetic opioid as much as $100.00 times more potent than morphine. america in the middle of an opioid epidemic. a half 1000000 people died from opioid drug overdoses in the last 20 years. 93000 last year alone. and state say, it's the pharmaceutical companies that produce the opioids that are mostly to blame, not only for the loss of life, but also for the huge financial strain that it puts on local governments and their health systems. in a statement, the company said it had deep sympathy for every one affected by the opioid endemic but added. the settlement is not an admission of any liability or wrong doing, and the company would continue to defend against any litigation that the final

agreement does not resolve. i don't think that 26000000000 is announced just to end the town to the united states has with addiction and overdose, but it could save a lot of lives as for canter. he feels a settlement now is better than going through more lengthy litigation. it's a victory because we have to balance the amount that these distributors and johnson johnson are willing to pay versus the amount of time that's going to be lost. so we can get these dollars for treatment. it might not be the end of the settlements. prosecutor said they are investigating other companies with involvement and opioids and are leaving the door open to filing more lawsuits. gabriel's ando jazz eater, new york still ahead on al jazeera jail wall edition from long song to cheese party dies of coven 19 in. be involved with a virus is running rampant, and wildfire raging in the west and us leave guys hazy on the east coast.

ah, ah, it's time for the journey to winter sponsored by cattle airways. hello. nice to see you. the south west monsoon has really been giving a lashing toward the west coast of india. this includes for the financial capital moon. by over the past 7 days, you had picked up a meter and a half of rain and we can expect much of the same as we head toward thursday. i do want to take it toward the bay and then call because we have a disturbance swirling around and that's really dialing up the rainfall as we head toward the northeast of india on thursday. next up are going to southeast asia and you know, across much of the region we are actually going to get some spells of sunshine. but this southwest monsoon is steering some heavy rain toward the philippines in

particular for the northern island. so this will include manila on thursday is a pacific a lot going. so we had tie food chem packet make landfall. was the 1st type food to make landfall in china so far this year. but we are also keeping a close eye on typhoon info. and this is going to have a major impact for northern areas of taiwan. look at this type a project. it wind gusts on friday, 70 kilometers per hour, and rainfall will look for to see ok, 90 millimeters on friday. but these conditions will persist as we head towards saturday, across taiwan. so you can almost bet that flooding will be a major concern that your forecast will see you soon. sponsored cut on airways about the board and determined to succeed. it can be on your side to keep on training by obstacle. i'll just say we'll, we'll tell themes fine story of the group of the money women into the future. their dream of playing football for that country. despite its culture and traditions,

we are in the money and it's difficult for people to accept the money, golden go on and just hear me the me here, what's your algebra? reminder of our top story? the saw, the thing you most us generals to tell a bonfire who's now control nearly half of the countries, 400 talk districts. mark, milly says the group has strategic momentum that takes over new areas or versus us troops pull out. at least 25 people have died and severe flooding and china essential on province of the heaviest rainfall since recalled. again,

200000 people have been moved to safety and this concern to dam could collapse. 4 major drug companies have agreed to pay $26000000000.00 to resolve thousands of claims over their role in the us. opioid epidemic also secures the companies of nation, the painkillers reach attics through illegal channels. police and protesters have clashed outside greece's parliament during a rally against mandatory corona virus. vaccinations for health care workers i it was the 2nd south rally in week offices. use tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowd. cover 900 infections have been rising and greece in recent weeks. almost 3000 cases reported on wednesday in me in law medical infrastructure is on the edge of collapse. the country is unable to cope with

a rising number of corona virus infections. on tuesday, a senior politician from the former ruling party died in j love to contracting the virus and a warnings that tony change report shows some distressing images. on the old issue, emergency medical responders enter a house in east gone in yang, gone by the doorway. a middle aged man sits as if he just dozed off to sleep. in a bedroom, an old man, his father lies unmoving on the bed. both men are dead, suspected victims of coven 19 as it spreads on check. across men ma. elsewhere, mamma's largest city. they've been queuing through the night to refill oxygen canisters most have to risk breaking. the military imposed curfew to get in line with a weight of at least 12 hours ahead of them. for some, it's too long. my sister has been suffering from coven 19 for 3 days.

while i was queuing to fill the oxygen tank this morning, my niece called me to come home as my sister died because she ran out of oxygen. now the pandemic has played the life of a senior and the politician when the spokesman and legal advisor to uncensored cheese party, he was jailed by the military following the qu, off the contracting covered 19 in prison. he died in hospital on tuesday night. even getting help to those who needed his hard, natty, used to live in young, gone. now she's trying to raise funds for oxygen and aid to send back from neighboring thailand. from the report she's guessing from inside me on my the official death toll of several 100 people a day is a gross underestimate. the volunteers and the ambulance. people say that all the young gone alone. 6 to 800 people died every day since last week. so of course, the number that we see from the official shadow of the government,

the military government is not very reliable across se asia nations and being overwhelmed by coven 19 as the delta variance sweeps across the region. but no, we're the defense is weaker than the miasma. where those charge was fighting. the pandemic had been arrested by the military. no social distancing this young going crematorium for the living or the dead bodies stacked, waiting for the furnace relatives waiting to get to the front of the queue. ambulances empty of their patience and a smokestack, bellowing black smoke. tony ching al jazeera parts of iran are into the 2nd day of a lockdown because 19 restrictions were bought in ahead of the muslim holiday of a dollar on wednesday, which usually prompts millions to travel around is battling a 5th outbreak fueled by the delta. various reported reco daily high of more than 27000 infections on tuesday. the government has been criticized for slow vaccine

rollout, which had blames on us sanctions the vaccine shortage. and it has led many iranians to travel to neighboring armenia for jobs tourist. there are being offered free vaccines and boosting tourism with around to 8 and a half 1000 radians traveling to armenia in june from $5000.00 a month earlier. best than 3 percent of around the population has been fully vaccinated. cuba is raising to banks and its population as it faces its 1st major wave of corona, virus infections. an average of 6000 cases now being reported every day of the 2000 deaths since the pandemic began. more than a 3rd were registered this month. strict lockdown had kept infections down before the 3rd, which authorities partly blame on the del for variance, members of tens. and he is main opposition. party. demanding to know whether chairman is off for an overnight police rate. police officers rounded up freeman and boy, and 10 other child and party members. early on wednesday,

the party says the arrest the proof. the president saw me as to who her son is continuing the authoritarianism of the predecessor catherine sawyer reports. the police, the northwest townsend, he is one of the city i looking for anyone trying to attend a meeting called by the opposition chatter my partner. that's despite the rest of 11 party members, including its leader freeman. boy. the opposition has been calling for constitutional changes, such as the reduction of presidential powers and an independent electoral commission. but the constitution we are fighting for is not just for us, but for everybody. it is to foster unity and make sure few individuals do not make decisions to hurt the nation. the constitution will hold ladies to account when they overstep their mandate. police say by holding public gatherings. the politicians were breaking cove in 1900 regulation. put in place by speaker. sorry

about the topic, but we're just making sure people ahead of the laws of the country that invited many people who are turning their plan, meeting from a party meeting into a public line, even though their plans before an indoor meeting. but party officials say this is an attempt by the government to the capital, their post for constitutional reform, semi as we will husband, tanzania, had the new president sent me as to lu hassan to cov, after the death of john michael fully in march. people are hopeful, she would move away from her predecessors, policies, they say rolled back them aquatic freedoms that country had gained. she has said, the main priority is growing the economy. the president's position is that the constitution will, the reforms will need to white lifting the bond on political rallies that's in place and times and year. we'll also need to wait until she had time to in her words,

open up the economy. that's something that's consistent with with our previous magazine. you said more or less the same things, but you need the time to fix up the economy before coming back to this constitutional question. this is a fast the rest of a key political leader since a president to power tanzania is slowly shifting its handling of covet 19 from denial to putting some health pod all the place. authority said will not allow a flouting of the room to demo officials insist. the motive behind the rest of the leaders is to stifle their voice county, so i'll just 0. smoke for more than 80 wildfires in the western united states has now blanketing the east coast farm through the pollution alert and washington d. c. while new york's air quality rank among the worst in the world on tuesday, the biggest fires in the state of oregon, 455 is to retreat. particle hannibal band in your mission and this is the western united states and according to scientists,

this is the result of climate change. wildfires have been a part of life in this part of the country, but scientists say not like this. not this early, not this intense, not this many fires. we're seeing more fire days across not only the us, but other parts of the world as well. and certainly the conditions are becoming worked. do so for wildfires, you know, we're seeing increased cheap waves ah, in oregon, the bootleg fire scorching more than 1500 square kilometers of land. roughly the size of los angeles happening in the state that is already seen and share of weather challenge. in february we saw devastating ice storms over a half a 1000000 people lost power. last fall as you are well aware. we had unprecedented wildfires. we had over 4000 homes, lost in that fire,

and it is literally climate change playing out before eyes desires and oregon are so intense, so they are creating their own weather system, producing massive dr. thunderstorms with lightning and strong wind, the can start more fire. this is just one of the gulf of fires burning throughout the american west. and there is a major shortage of firefighters. prison inmates are often used to flight fires, but hundreds have been released to prevent the spread of co good. and with this many fires burning and controlled, it is creating smoke that can be seen from satellite. it's drifting eastwards, producing hazardous air across the entire country that smoke is being transported by the wind aloft in the atmosphere to places it normally doesn't end up at least in most years. i'm making it all the way to the east coast of the u. s. this is the american west new reality, uncontrolled fires, hazardous air homes and lives already lost and many more believe likely to come in

the months ahead. patty colleen al jazeera washington. the u. s. congress has been hearing from klein. this is a health experts, the founding, the alarm bell about the disproportional impact because natural disasters, they say lower income communities and minorities hottest his we know that people of color, particularly black americans, are exposed on average to 2 degrees celsius of temperature, more heat than others and that rates of mortality among people of color are manifold, greater than others, with black americans being 3 times more likely to die from it. and particularly indigenous peoples in this country. 6 times smart risk. so we have a tremendous amount of stake for health equity. and importantly, our economy, and we can do much more cheer. he has taken a big step toward legalizing same sex marriage. we're looking to assist you in a cylinder. the senate approved a landmark bill that could see the same sex couples. enjoy the same rights as

heterosexual. couples must now pass to these chamber of deputies and a possible 3rd parliamentary vote. argentina has become the 1st country and that in america to have a neutral gender on id cards. those who don't recognize themselves as male or female can opt for non binary which would appear as a letter x. similar measures have been adopted in canada, australia, and new zealand. belgium's national holiday on wednesday was a subdued affair, not of respect for the 31. people killed and flooding last week, and because of the panoramic, the streets around the world palace were deserted due to corona virus restrictions. normally tens of thousands attend the parade as part of celebrations. in less than 48 hours, the tokyo olympics will begin in the shadow of the global covert 19 pandemic. there's been 67 infection since july. the 1st, when teens and officials began arriving for the games,

the olympic president thomas spark has admitted to having doubts every day about the wisdom of going ahead with the tokyo games. and he richardson reports from tokyo. everyone heading to the lympics is taking a step into the unknown. the 1st hurdle for athletes and media, arriving in japan, making sure all the right paperwork is in place past strict cove with 19 safety protocols. well, we just made it through a fairly complex immigration process. it took around 4 hours and involve taking a covey test. i also had to take to cobra test in the days immediately prior to coming to japan. i'll be tested every day for the 1st 3 days and then at regular intervals after that, after the athletes will go through something very similar, but they will be tested every single day that they're at these olympics. some public health experts are concerned, the efforts being taken to keep these games safe don't go far enough. for example, the daily test athlete to taking is a rapid result, anti gen test,

not the more reliable and accurate p c r test. i think the fundamental problem was a lack of open, transparent, and the scientific discussions about the conditions under which do your impacts could be held in a safe and secure manner. i think that is totally irresponsible. her own a virus tasking ready derailed. the plans of many potential olympians. you can disrupt the 7th team. we're hoping to compete at the games for the 1st time. but if the sum of their plans tested positive dakota 19 at their phone, a qualifying event, they had to withdraw. and similar scenarios on already playing else in japan. the preparation is very, very difficult for me athletes. and of course that experience is not playing similar with the viruses impacted some countries in a devastating wind hubs. handshakes and high fines are open that the athletes

village competitors have been told. they could be kicked out of the games if they ignore regulations, aimed at preventing the spread of corona virus. the not all lock leaks are concerned by the restrictions that they focus on winning olympic gold. you can congregate in big groups in the dining, or you're going to span your little bubble of 4 or 5 people the whole time and stay the room and all of that. that's exactly how i've always treated on. but games like it hasn't been a big sociable experience for me, it's all about the competition. and so it's going to be pretty routine. that sense of isolation is set to continue into the family's empty stadiums that will surrounds and lympics like no other. andy richardson, al jazeera, tokyo ah, can valid doha with the headlines on al jazeera, the senior most u. s. general.