been to under reported the commitment to the human story, but it's also the idea of challenging those in power. if a politician comes on this channel, they will be challenged and that's what people expect for us. they want the questions answered. that is what we've always done. that's what we will continue to use me. taliban sizes capture their 1st provincial capital in afghanistan since the withdrawal of foreign troops from 2 mornings of a catastrophe at the un ghana stand is now at a dangerous turning point. head lice either a genuine piece, negotiation or a tragically intertwined set of crises. ah,

i'm have a, he's been i. this is just the real life. and also coming up, i have control wildfires ravaged part of southern europe and america's west coast for 6000 of people to abandon their homes. un peacekeepers patrol areas the, the lebanese border after has for law and israel and exchange fire for 3rd state. i'm. they have all in the town on nick oakley in columbia, where it's thousands of people are stranded and directed to migrate to north america. ah, afghanistan is heading for a catastrophe, so serious, but it would have few if any parallels thus century. that's the warning to the un security council by its special envoy to afghanistan for the 1st time,

the withdrawal of us and nato troops. the taliban has captured a provincial capital. their fighters shared images of themselves, of the airport on the entrance to the city over surrounds the capital of minerals, province in the size. they're also they can gains elsewhere. i've kind official say the group now controls more stove lashed car garb of the capital of hell month province, and a major city. and the commanders have been deployed to defendants with support from the afghan and us air forces, or diploma to get sir james base begins our coverage from consul this is significance around the 1st provincial capital enough can start to fall into taliban control. these pictures released by the taliban ship fighters driving humvees and other vehicles paid for by the us and nato and taken from africa and forces the airport the only one in the desert province, as well as key government offices were captured,

were told by eye witnesses with barely a short being fired. earlier the taliban fighters had broken into the prison breaking out detainees which included some of their own fighters. they urged the governor abdul karim brough who to surrender. he released this video saying he would not. but just hours later, taliban fighters were filming themselves in his office. one of them is shouting, you are a law. you said on facebook. the taliban would be unable to fight you. where are you? we've entered your office. the whereabouts now of the governor and other key provincial officials is not known. there been other important developments to cobble the deputy press. secretary to president ghani. and the head of the government media office dot com monopoly was shot dead, the taliban se they carried out that attack. and in the north of the country. and jose june, province, there and the provincial capital, the taliban say they taken control of the palace of the veteran commander of the

receipt. dost him in the provincial capital of helman, laska, god battles continue. so the taliban now have taken one provincial capital to a teetering on the edge. well, as we mentioned in the past few hours, the un security council convened a special session to address the escalating violence which is killed were the one size and civilians in the past. month alone is christian salumi reporting from new york thing. the country is at a dangerous turning point. the un special representative for afghanistan called on the security council to act and act quickly 1st by demanding an end to taliban attacks against cities to attack urban areas is to knowingly inflict enormous harm and cause massive civilian casualties. nonetheless, the threatening of large urban areas appears to be

a strategic decision by the taliban, who have accepted the likely carnage that will ensue. russia said the emphasis should be on restarting stalled political talks between the afghan government and the taliban. achieved mister william lewis showing you how it is clear that there is no military solution to the afghans situation. but in the current situation, given the absence of progress on the negotiation track of the prospects of afghanistan slipping into full scale and protracted civil war. unfortunately is a stark reality. the united states whose withdrawal of forces precipitated the escalation put the focus on the taliban. the taliban must hear from the international community that we will not accept to military takeover of afghanistan or return of the taliban islamic emerett. in addition to the worsening humanitarian situation, many speakers described grave human rights abuses from summary executions to the

flooring of children with women. at particular risk, afghanistan's ambassador told the council that their own report suggests more than 20 foreign terrorist groups, including al qaeda, are operating in afghanistan. let's not forget that. these fighters are there for a reason for reciprocity. they will be demand. they are, they are helping taliban today. tomorrow they will be demanding a favor from the taliban. so we, our, our concern is afghanistan. once again, if not prevented, turn into a terrorist hub. with more and more people fleeing afghanistan, the situation there is already affecting its neighbors and could be stabilized the entire region, giving the security council grounds to act. another meeting on the us mission to get a status scheduled for september. but there's growing concern that will be too late . kristen salumi al jazeera, the united nation. well let's bring in laurel mir miller. she's the asia director

with the international crisis group and previously served as the us state departments. former special representative for afghan stan and pakistan and she joins us by skype for washington. gets out with this. here on al jazeera, if we look at the status of what's happening enough. galveston right now, a little comes after the us to withdrawal. surely none of this comes as a surprise to washington. what would you say the us strategy is right now? well, as your just said, nothing that has happened so far is a surprise. it was not only predictable but was in fact predicted both by external experts and analysts and by people within the us government that's been publicly expressed by us government officials. and so you have to consider that

the, the buying, the administration of the president biden personally made the decision to withdraw . knowing that this could well be what happens next. it gridable situation for an american perspective. it is an undesirable situation, but it is a no way of surprising situation. thank you. the by then ministration will stay the course. so basically, this is having a horrible implications, so that the civilians caught up in afghanistan, authority lived through decades of war. but if the, if there are the new concerns for the wiser implications of what this will mean in the region, in terms of the lack of intelligence going forward, birds and indeed the taliban getting wiser. international recognition is this something that the bite administration is priced into their decisions essentially turn their backs on galveston. i think they have to then mean these. the factors that you identify were considered,

i have no doubt in the context of making the decision about what to do. going ahead and, and you know, i'm, i'm sure that people in the administration saw that there were pros and cons to that decision and ultimately determined that from a purely us national security interest, at least in the short term perspective, that these were tolerable costs. i don't think we're going to see a revision of that decision. we're not going to see a roll back of the withdrawal and a commitment to us forces on the ground in afghanistan. the one area where i think there probably will be some debate ahead and topically a change in policy is on the question of using american air support to back up the afghan government and to try to hold the line against the taliban. and for some kind of stay only that could put the government in a better position for seeking a deal. so far, the, by the administration has said it's only going to use american air power over

afghanistan for counterterrorism purposes. but it would be relatively easy for them to expand that targeting to include going after the taliban and supported the afghan government easy, practically. but perhaps the difficult political calculations for president by the but that's the really long term solution though, because the us has been essentially supporting the afghan governments and training the afghan government for, for years. and the africa and government just does not seem able to defeat the taliban, even providing air support would keep them tend to that for, for more years to come. right. i mean, the debate here in washington on one side will include voices, but say just that, what's the point of continuing to use american air power in support of the government if you're just delaying the inevitable, which is in continued taliban and basses. the argument on the other side is that

it's not clear and i would agree with this point. it's not clear that the taliban is on a linear trajectory from where they are today to the gates of cobble. they have the number of military challenges ahead. and so the argument for using american air power and support the government would be give them a morale, boost and create some possibility that the government is able to force stalemate. that could bring the child in the table in more equal terms, if not equal terms, at least close to the terms negotiation. then itala re dictating the terms of surrender. ok. you refer to the state department's representative for a kind of senate and pakistan. you're very well versed in everything that's been happening over the last 20 years from your perspective,

given where we are. no. do you think the 20 years that america was engaged in afghanistan was worth it essentially for america? well, for america, i think it's hard to say that the last 10 years were worth it in the sense that the major counterterrorism objectives, which were the main rationale for going into afghanistan, were largely achieved about 10 years ago. but in the broader sense. so was it worth it? i don't think there's one universal answer to that question. there are a lot of different individual answers for a young woman who has gone to university never was under taliban rule. it was probably worth it over. throw the taliban machine for business people who and entrepreneurs who has been able to help to develop the afghan economy to a certain extent. it might have been worth it to have opportunities. but on the other hand, i think we're at

a point where it is not difficult to envision afghanistan returning to where it was in 2001 the taliban in control. okay, i'm afraid we're out of time at laura miller, but great to get your thoughts. thank you very much for speaking. says laurel miller, the asian director, with the international crisis group. thank you. at least 56 was far as a burning across greece. a major blaze, just north of athens, is forced fences to flee the fire as smoothing towards lake marathon capitals. main water reservoir houses have been destroyed, and a man has been killed by a falling electricity pile on several countries descending far fighters. i'm trunks to help fill the survey has more from cry, an airy when a neighborhood here in north athens where the sky is, it's with dark black smoke. every direction you look in there seems to be black,

smoke rising over neighborhood high into the sky, and that's because of situation. the causes have been burning for more than 24 hours. now. much of these areas are still very much on fire and there are fewer and fewer helicopters dropping water from the air. you feel if you're a fire rescue teams trying to put out these places because they're simply so many that are done in many parts of north, in 0 fires, burning and hotspots everywhere, all over this part of the city and fire rescue team as well as aerial water drop teams are spread thin and they bring turkey tens of thousands of hex is the forests have been destroyed and what precedent type are the one cold? it's worse ever. won't science efforts to put the farms into their 10 stay missile start or takes a course a look from above that the work being done? yeah, looking at thought i'm on the moon bow just. 2 couple of weeks ago,

we will have a different will be this. one of you must precious both of them. all right, in the russian making the same type of a, this gravity, georgia. so you had a book, the proven, well, you don't flight engineers get up up up to a point 5 total water, one of the helicopters will done. don't use the field on average. it doesn't make one for this in just one hour, which is what i'm right now. i have another 50 buzz up the top in the dog with 9 more joining them, but ukraine, russia and john, i'm joined by barbara book,

but a ton of buyers that are off 1st the now as well as well. and but seeing how work one day to hand out on the claim region in the region. but with the day just one step closer. look at 4 or 5 inches in the us are also trying to stop a raging world far from reaching the chain of quincy in northern california. the so called dixie far has already destroyed much should be historic gold rush. china greenville, the far sausage in mid july is the biggest factor fire in the state. and the 3rd biggest in its history science has said, tried some climate change, have made for explosive conditions. well don't, hadn't, or in a life or as in quincy, northern, california. john, what's happening were, you are well, just

a day ago this fire was this 2nd largest fire in the u. s. and today on friday, it is the largest, and that's because it's grown exponentially over the past couple of days. just to give you an idea it eat up an area. the size of new york city is a massive central park. every 11 minutes, it is already bigger than new york city itself. it's 14 times this size of san francisco. and right now it's heading up north intro wilderness area called last and national park, eating up a lot of forestry. one of the things the firefighters are trying to do is, are trying to keep it away from the property here. now that didn't work in the past couple of days where the fire did rip through towns nearby. they've evacuated a lot of people yesterday. my phone was pinging over and over with warnings for people to evacuate today. we're not seeing that quite as much in that may be

because it's moved up toward that wilderness area. but the smoke was a plume above the fire, very identifiable like cloud appearance. and now it's descended to ground level and what that meant is it's really deteriorated. the quality of the air, even 3 hours away in the city, is sacramento. the capital, the california through firefighters are trying to get a hold of this fire, but it is still only 35 percent contained. that means most of it is out of control . okay, john handle the law firm and quincy. thank you. john. still ahead on al jazeera alleged to attack, the marson basset is to be united nations has been speaking against the trustees within the country. ah

hello, thank you for tuning in. i want to take you to in northern california. this is a dixie wild fire. it is a largest wildfire in california, and it has destroyed the town of greenville. the flames were found by winds of about 65 kilometers per hour. we can see them rolling through right there, and there are no signs of relief in your tinder dry conditions. continue even for the southwest desert, where we won't see any monsoon moister in the days to come across the gulf states, we have instability, hugging the shoreline, some heavier bursts of rain across florida. but i want to take you to the great lakes now because we have seen hazy and smoky conditions caused by wildfire toward the northwest. but this cold front slicing across should help queer and freshen out the air. you know, for western canada is while this is much needed, rain for the lower mainland, vancouver has went. it's dry a stretch and about 35 years. ok next we're going to central america. we do have some concentrated rain along that pacific coast of mexico impacting areas like i

could poco on saturday, still heavy bouts of what weather for a costa rica and panama. and you know, for areas of south america, temperatures are bouncing back quite nicely after that cold snap. also see on 33 on saturday. the weather bank energy and change to every part of our universe. or small to continue change all around the shape by technology and human ingenuity. we can make it work for you and your business. the

the me. this is al jazeera, quick reminder of the top stories. this r u. n has been born. such have ghana found us heading for a catastrophe, so serious would have few. if any parallels the century, it comes as the taliban captured its 1st 50 provincial capitals ranch since us and natal troops withdrew at least $56.00, well far as a burning across greece. major blaine's just north of athens, as for thousands to flee a neighbouring turkey, tens of thousands of factors, the forests have been destroyed. invoice, president, stretch of piper to one cold. the worse ever while science firefighters in the us are trying to stop california. i think it was far from reaching the time of quincy,

so called fixing foreigners, already destroyed much of the sort of gold rush, the greenville israel said it's ready for an escalation on the lebanese border roster and exchange of far with has below the israel's, i'm doom defense system intercepted several rockets, far from southern lebanon. iranian backed has been, says the borrower's just in retaliation for israelis strikes was targeted southern lebanon a day earlier. israeli military, far back with artillery, says, while it doesn't, once a war is prepared for one, if necessary. st. holder has the latest from april of saki in southern lebanon. there is a cautious calm after a brief flare up of violence along the wall. the border between long time enemies has below. and israel, the area behind me was a battle ground cross border shelling. but it was clear that neither israel nor has,

well, i was interested in any major escalation if you read has well, a statement that said that we targeted open areas around is really military outpost, basically saying that we could have hit the military outpost. we could have caused casualties. what as well as trying to do is to tell the israelis do not change the rules of engagement, which have been in place since 2006, because on early thursday, israel retaliated to rocket fire with air strikes in the past at any retaliation along this border, they used to, you know, shell areas of the not air strikes. but i think there was also another message today. and the message was from iran via has a lot to israel, a day or 2 after the israeli saying that we are able to directly, militarily engage with iran. so you run is saying that, well, we have allies in the region. we are able to open a number of front. one of those fronts is here in southern lebanon, especially since we had statements also from the palestinian group. come us as well

as the hotels in yemen, congratulating has bella for what they have done. so really a message, 2 messages here has valesa. israel do not change the rules of engagement and iran to israel to not start war unless you are on multiple fronts. un secretary general antonio cherish, has appointed hans greenberg as his new special envoy for yemen. greenberg succeeds the case. martin griffin is moving to lead the un humanitarian affairs departments . last long, chris said he regrets the failure to mediate a see far in the last 3 years. authorities in the us of arrested to me and my citizens pulsing to kill or injure mars and basset, or to the united nations. the un buster joe moved to and had spoken eyes against the ruling military jones and the atrocities they can. i sense, let's get more from o reynolds. he joins his life on the fans. list rope, just tell us more about these of rest meet. who are these individuals?

what we don't know a great deal more about them at this point hall other than what the federal authorities are saying, a justice department has them in custody now they've been charged with conspiracy to injure or, or kill a for an official on us soil. we know they are both me and more citizens. they are living, we're living in new york, just north of new york city and they apparently hatch this plot according to the justice department, which says it has recorded telephone phone conversations between the 2 and a 3rd party talking about hiring, attackers to, to go after the ambassador to injure him, try to force him to resign his position, and then if he refused to do that, according to the complaint against the 2, they said they would have, he would have been killed. the ambassador would have been killed. one of the 2 men

who is in custody now use the wire transfer services over the internet to send $5000.00 to in furtherance of this alleged plot. now, the ambassador, as you mentioned, joe, joe moore, joan, is actually a leftover from the previous elected re government of me and mar, which was overthrown by a military hunter. in february, he is still on the job there in new york at the un, even though he's been fired by the one to because the us doesn't recognize this military government. now back to the 2 individuals who are in custody. if they are convicted, found guilty and convicted, they could face up to 5 years each in prison, reynolds their life for us. in los angeles real, thank he columbia and panama se they will work together to stem the floor

sizes of migrant stranded at the border around 10000 people from cuba, haiti, and countries. as far as gone, molly and toko, stuck in the small border time of the coke. lee, well let's have that right now. and we can join teresa bo, whose life are as in nicole creek in columbia for us like their tens of phase 10000 people stranded in this one time. what a conditions like that be. well, that's correct. we're in the coastal counties of nick oakley where thousands of people have been arriving in the past months. some of them have left and have been able to continue with our journey towards the united states and canada. this is what they have been telling us, and many others remain here. and that's what has generated on migration crisis, where we are right now, people arrive here from different parts of the region. many are coming from haiti. many are haitians but we're leaving either in brazil, argentina, or sheila. but because of the mechanical crisis that we're forced to come here and

are heading towards, i've had before north america, there's also people from cuba, from africa, among many others. but they just found out today that they're only going to be allowing 200 people on the votes that help them cross. what is known as the gulf of the town that we are is an important call says home, but people need to get in a boat and travel to another area of columbia in order to be able to cross what is known as a gap. that's right up the border between panama and columbia. it's a very, very dangerous journey, an area where there's drug traffickers, criminal if they have the risk of drowning, for example, among other things. and then they continue toward central america, mexico, and the us. i'm kind of what people are telling us that they're desperate. many of them came with a little savings they had, and now they have to pay a hotel or a room, or some food and try to subsist in the city. they're also denouncing. this is what they got to actually say that they're being charged and us dollars and they're

paying 5 or 6 times the price says of the things that normal columbia, the irregular columbia, it's our pay here. so they say that they're being taken advantage off of their vulnerability because of the crisis that's happening here for a minister of columbia on a fund i'm. i met this friday in order to discuss how to create a humanitarian cory door to help if people move towards the north. for example, this, they think that they will announce on monday to set up a point of entry in panama to have some type of security guaranteed by colombia fully to what we have seen so far. here is very little from the colombian government. people here are 3030, extremely hot, extremely humid. we're seeing women or pregnant children, dozens of children everywhere. so many of them are desperate. they're running out of money in order to sustain themselves here. and that's why they're requesting for it is to allow them to get on those vote. we've seen some protect up later today

earlier today in front of the shipping company, asking people to be able allow to, to live this area they're gathering there right now. this is happening as we speak, they're hoping that they will be allowed to get on those votes on saturday, on sunday, as i said before, when you talk to them, they say they're desperate. the need to get out of here. they need to be able to find a new way of life. ok, today's book they're bringing us the very latest from the coakley in columbia. theresa, thank you very much in deeds. ah, this is l 0 correct tonight, over headlines for you know, the u. n. has been born that if ghana stone is heading for a catastrophe, so serious that it would have few if any parallels the century comes with taliban captured its 1st city, the provincial capitals are ons. so for us and they to troops withdrew. again

a stan is now at a dangerous turning point ahead.