this is bbc news, i'm david eades, our top stories: three more afghan cities fall to the taliban, as they dismiss international calls for a ceasefire. farewell to one of the most challenging summer olympics of them all, as tokyo closes the games. next stop, paris. the orange glow of wildfires burning out of control on a greek island, forcing holidaymakers and residents to flee. here the error is full of smoke and ash. and it is making it harderfor people to and ash. and it is making it harder for people to breathe —— here, the air is full. iran records its highest official death rate from covid—19, as it's hit

by a fifth wave of the virus. hello and welcome to bbc news. the taliban has captured three more provincial capitals, this time in northern afghanistan, as they intensify their offensive to seize power, following the withdrawal of western troops. the three cities appear to have largely fallen to the islamist militants within hours of each other. the biggest is kunduz, a city of more than a quarter of a million. the provincial capitals sar—e pul and taloqan are also largely in militant hands. but the government in kabul insists its forces are fighting back to retake lost ground. here's our diplomatic

correspondent, paul adams. fire and confusion in the centre of kunduz. taliban pictures appear to show yet another city falling under their control. this is their biggest prize so far — a large city, economically and strategically important, and it seems to have fallen easily. afraid of the fighting as much as the taliban, civilians are fleeing, some of them heading south for kabul. a government spokesman says the taliban will soon be ousted, but similar claims have been made elsewhere, apparently without result. to the west, taliban fighters inspect newly captured government buildings in sar—e pul, another provincial capital. one of three reportedly captured in just one day. the taliban have now captured five provincial centres. as well as sar—e pul and kunduz, they now appear to control zaranj, sheberghan and taloqan.

no longer content to control the countryside, but confident enough to move on major cities. if the taliban can make it to kunduz maybe they can make it to kabul, and that in itself is a big fear. the only good option would be if there is some kind of a political settlement, but that doesn't seem any more possible today than it did two or three years ago. and tens of thousands of afghans are being displaced. this is notjust a political and military disaster. decades of conflict in afghanistan have created whole generations of refugees. the west's military withdrawal is almost complete. afg ha ns fear they�* re being abandoned. the government can request american air strikes, but for how long and to what effect? paul adams, bbc news. to get a little bit more on this continuing afghan conflict. i've been speaking to

dr dipali mukhopadhyay, a senior expert on the afghanistan peace process for the us institute of peace. she expects the taliban advance to go much further. there is a kind of momentum to the teller ban�*s —— tallebudgera's campaign, particularly in parts of the country that don't continue the stronghold —— taliban for stubby gives a feeling of inevitability in this moment. what could have been done to stop this a sweep in the first place? stop this a sweep in the first lace? , ., , stop this a sweep in the first lace? , .,, ., , stop this a sweep in the first lace? , ., _, stop this a sweep in the first lace? , ., ,, place? this was really a crisis that was not _ place? this was really a crisis that was not at _ place? this was really a crisis that was not at all— place? this was really a crisis that was not at all inevitable | that was not at all inevitable and really, what we see is that since the withdrawal announcement on the part of the biden administration and the tremendous speed with which that withdrawal has been pursued, teller ban has felt emboldened to take new territory and in part we know

that that could have been stemmed had they felt they would have been consequences for that kind of bold action and the forcible imposition of their rule. i think part of what we're seeing now is the use of air power on the part of the americans that will be sensual, i think, the americans that will be sensual, ithink, to the americans that will be sensual, i think, to stemming this tide. there will be resistance in the cities that have been taken. —— added think the taliban has an easy task —— i don't think. the areas caught in the middle are in for a very difficult time to come.- difficult time to come. these cities are _ difficult time to come. these cities are still— difficult time to come. these cities are still falling. - cities are still falling. resistance, i suppose we have to and see how that pans out. it is the truth here that the americans and their allies and indeed the afghan government to an extent have simply been

hoodwinked by a teller ban who had said yes we want a peaceful resolution and never really did? i resolution and never really did? ~' resolution and never really did? ~ ., , resolution and never really did? ~ . , ., did? i think that is what many afu hans did? i think that is what many afghans will _ did? i think that is what many afghans will tell— did? i think that is what many afghans will tell you. - did? i think that is what many afghans will tell you. the - afghans will tell you. the parameters within which the us negotiated with the teller ban really marginalised the afghan government and the afghan people from the beginning and made the conflict about the withdrawal of us troops and once that troop withdrawal began, there has been very little incentive for the taliban to negotiate in any good faith and we are seeing the consequence of that right now. ., y ., , the consequence of that right now. . , the consequence of that right now. ., , ., i, ., the consequence of that right now. ., , ., ., now. can you see any sign of a ceasefire _ now. can you see any sign of a ceasefire or _ now. can you see any sign of a ceasefire or deal _ now. can you see any sign of a ceasefire or deal or _ ceasefire or deal or settlement? i ceasefire or deal or settlement? ., �* ~ ., settlement? i don't think a ceasefire — settlement? i don't think a ceasefire - _ settlement? i don't think a ceasefire - despite - settlement? i don't think a ceasefire - despite being l ceasefire — despite being desperately needed in this moment — is on the horizon any time soon. really, the only jazz to an end to the fighting

and a negotiated settlement that would hold is if the international community comes together both at the level of the united nations and the security council, but also in the region, and makes clear to the region, and makes clear to the taliban that are forcible re— imposition of the emirate will not stand, that there will be consequences for the leadership, for the rank and file, and that is going to be what is required, i think, in order to move the taliban on this. , order to move the taliban on this. ~~ this. dipali mukhopadhyay talkinu this. dipali mukhopadhyay talking to _ this. dipali mukhopadhyay talking to me. _ breaking news. a top aide to the governor of new york state has resigned and has admitted the sexual assault relating to his roles. —— her boss. he/she described it mentally and emotionally trying. her boss is basing possible impeachment and removal of office i state lawmakers was not having been

accused by 11 women now of sexual harassment, mr cuomo has denied the allegations and has resisted the mounting calls of his resignation, some of which have come from his fellow democrats. among them, president biden. to tokyo, where after more than two weeks of competition in everything from karate to bmx biking, to athletics and swimming, the olympic games have come to an end. the us finished top of the medal table ahead of china and japan, the host nation having their best ever performance at an olympic games. and the closing ceremony was an upbeat celebration of all aspects of japanese culture. culminating in all the athletes thanking the people of japan for hosting the games in the midst of this pandemic. no fans inside the olympic stadium to enjoy it, but plenty did turn up outside to try and catch a glimpse of events. so what's the legacy for the host city? here's our tokyo correspondent

rupert wingfield—hayes. if you tried to get to the olympic stadium tonight, this is what you were met with. hundreds of police blocking alleyways ordering people to move along. even the closing fireworks lasted just 15 seconds. but if the authorities were trying to prevent the large gathering spot took place during the opening ceremony, then they failed. out of the park, this sport loving family have spent much of the last two weeks glued to the television but even for them watching games on television has not been unmitigated joy. translation: | really | wanted to go and watch. it is totally different to watch on television than actually been there.

translation: it's almost | like the olympics was taking place in the mother country. you can only watch it on television. the last couple of weeks have been a tale of two cities, two tokyos. there is the one behind the fence where there has been this amazing sport and tremendous success forjapan and the tokyo outside the fence, where most of the time, you wouldn't even have noticed that the olympics has been happening and the same contrast is true for the pandemic. inside the fence, daily testing meant things were kept under control but outside, the pandemic is now out of control. critics say the olympics has sucked away resources leaving the city without enough covid testing kits or vaccinations. it has left a scar on the japanese society, meaning people are divided and above all, the games left the economic debt, if you look at numbers in tokyo, it is just increasing.

there's no doubt that the record—breaking haul of medals forjapan has bought realjoy to the host nation, as the olympic roadshow leaves town, the olympic host city has been left facing a medical crisis. rupert wingfield—hayes, bbc news, tokyo. was next and then los angeles but by 2032, the games will be heading to brisbane in australia. i have been speaking to matt carroll, ceo of the australian olympic committee about the tokyo experience and also the great success of australian athletes this time. a great games for the australian team. we equalled our high mark achieved in athens with 17 gold medals and 46 medals across all the sports and disciplines, it was great. and also it served a great time for australians who are expressing lockdowns and some of our cities and the inspiration of the games, and notjust medals but the people who get six, seven, the

mateship, the sportsmanship, all those things that we hold dear to about the olympics and sport. i dear to about the olympics and sort. ., , dear to about the olympics and sort, ., , ., dear to about the olympics and sort. ., , ., ., dear to about the olympics and sort. ., ., ., dear to about the olympics and sort, .,, ., ., ., r, sport. i was going to ask you what you _ sport. i was going to ask you what you have _ sport. i was going to ask you what you have learned - sport. i was going to ask you what you have learned from | sport. i was going to ask you i what you have learned from the tokyo games given what they have been so different. but given what you say as you call it mateship, the athletes depended on each other more than ever before, didn't they, they had no other support that they had no other support that they would have expected normally. they would have expected normally-— they would have expected normall . . �*, ., normally. that's right. from all the athletes _ normally. that's right. from all the athletes from - normally. that's right. from all the athletes from almostj all the athletes from almost every country, arrived from tokyo airport into the village, to the training venues, competition venues, within 48 hours. the village became the only space they could congregate during the games and we felt that built a great team ethos with the australian team and i think that was also reflected in olympic teams across the world, representing other parts of the world as well. you saw in the marathon.

the first, second and third embraced each other after the race. we saw it in a lot of other events during the course of the games. it was great. [30 of the games. it was great. do ou ick of the games. it was great. do you pick through that and start thinking about how that might impact 2032, the brisbane games? i appreciate that is not entirely yourjob games? i appreciate that is not entirely your job that games? i appreciate that is not entirely yourjob that it is obviously, it is your patch, it will be your manner and you have a long way, 11 years to prepare for this. a lot of thinking as to how you might be different, more creative? taste different, more creative? we actually think _ different, more creative? - actually think it is a once in actually think it is a once in a generational opportunity. the ten year runway, it took ten years this way. a ten year runway into the games. there is another summer games in that period. there are about 30 events are scheduled into australia already, but it is also an opportunity to build a legacy already. the 80 —— eight

—year—olds watching today will be the olympians in 2032. it is that opportunity the olympic committee is looking at to use the power of sport to make a difference in australia.- difference in australia. matt carroll, difference in australia. matt carroll. the _ difference in australia. matt carroll, the ceo _ difference in australia. matt carroll, the ceo of- difference in australia. matt | carroll, the ceo of australian olympic committee. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: coming up injust a moment, he is off. leaving home, lionel messi bids an emotional farewell to the club he's played for all his professional career. 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 brutal former dictator has died at the age of 80. he's been buried in saudi

arabia where he lived in exile since being overthrown in 1979. two billion people around the world have seen - the last total- eclipse of the sun to take place - in this millennium. it began its journey off- the coast of canada ending three hours later when the sun set over the bay of bengal. - you are watching bbc world news, our main headline: the caliban seizing three more provincial capitals and afghanistan in the course of just one day as they reject calls for a ceasefire. clashes

have gone on into the night between palestinian protesters between palesti nia n protesters and between palestinian protesters and israeli forces, near the occupied west bank. protesters are causing on israel to hand over the body of a palestinian who was killed by the israeli army last month. residents have been demonstrating since may against the jewish settlement in the west bank which is deemed illegal by the international community. iran's latest covid-i9 international community. iran's latest covid—i9 figures show the countries in the grips of a deadly fifth way of the virus at its leading to daily record, 542 deaths, that is the highest so far and almost 40,000 positive cases. the delta variant had low vaccine update are thought to be behind surge. new figures confirm what a

runny and officials feared most, that the country is now facing its deadliest surge of the covid-i9 facing its deadliest surge of the covid—i9 virus. iran reported more than 500 daily covid deaths on sunday and 2000 positive cases. it is all—time high which is the total number of cases to four million and deaths to more than 94,000. iran remains the hardest—hit country and all of the middle east. cases have been spiking since latejune and officials are warning the delta variant is causing a fifth wave of the virus, overwhelming hospitals with critical cases. so despite sanctions that are crippling iran's economy, the supreme leader has asked the government to consider a full national lockdown.— to consider a full national lockdown. one of the main reasons — lockdown. one of the main reasons for _ lockdown. one of the main reasons for this _ lockdown. one of the main reasons for this most - lockdown. one of the main. reasons for this most recent surge has been the slowness in vaccination in the country, one of the lowest vaccination rates

in the region, approximately 3% of the country has received both vaccines, or the full set of vaccines i should say, and for the most part, iranians have not had access to well tested vaccines from the west. the government is banking on iran's own vaccine which they say offers 85% protection from the virus although no data has been released to back those claims. , , been released to back those claims. , _ , claims. judging by the number of iranians _ claims. judging by the number of iranians who _ claims. judging by the number of iranians who are _ claims. judging by the number of iranians who are able - claims. judging by the number of iranians who are able to - of iranians who are able to leave the country, to go to the caucuses and obtain vaccines produced in the west, there is ample evidence that iranians themselves do not trust the vaccines that are produced in the country. vaccines that are produced in the country-— vaccines that are produced in the country. hoping to boost a la: rm: the country. hoping to boost a lagging vaccine _ the country. hoping to boost a lagging vaccine campaign, - lagging vaccine campaign, president ebrahim racey publicly received his first dose on sunday, and with officials expect this deadly

surge to worsen, convincing the public to follow suit is crucial. hundreds more people have been forced to leave their homes in parts of greece, as wildfires continue to burn out of control. this summer, scorching temperatures across much of southern europe have left woodland tinder dry and susceptible to fire. greece itself is experiencing it's worst heatwave, in 30 years. the region north of athens, and evia, the country's second—largest island, are among the worst hit areas from where ferries are helping evacuate residents and holidaymakers. our europe correspondent, bethany bell, has sent us this report from evia. exodus from evia. there are long queues at the port. people are waiting to get on ferries to the mainland. holiday—makers and some locals are leaving, after villages and parts of the north of the island were evacuated.

chris, who works on evia as a singer, says the wildfires are spreading and the authorities aren't doing enough. the most people see that we don't have any help until yesterday and they could save everybody and it wasn't true. the people don't know where to go. the big problem is that we feel that they let us burn. this is what they're fleeing from. wildfires have been blazing out of control for almost a week now. siren wails. houses and forests have been destroyed. this village is being evacuated. as thick orange smoke fills the air, people wait nervously for the ferry to depart. it's like the scene of an apocalyptic movie definitely because there's no sky, the sun is red.

it's quite scary. it's time to leave. the fires are getting closer and closer to this village. just a few miles from here, there are bright blue skies but here, the air is full of smoke and ash and it's making it harder for people to breathe. no—one knows if this village will be spared. it's now up to the gods of the winds and the weather. bethany bell, bbc news, evia. the argentine footballer lionel messi has made a tearful farewell to barcelona, the spanish club hejoined at the age of 13. messi has been at barcelona for more than 20 years, helping them win 34 trophies, including ten spanish and four uefa champions league titles. barcelona said it was letting him go because it could not afford to pay his wages.

he expressed his deep affection for the club where he'd spent so much of his life. translation: many beautiful thin . s translation: many beautiful things happened _ translation: many beautiful things happened to _ translation: many beautiful things happened to me - translation: many beautiful things happened to me how. l translation: many beautiful - things happened to me how. bad, too, but all of this helped me too, but all of this helped me to grow, improve, and made me the person i am today. we've had very good moments, bad ones too, but the affection of the people has been constant. i always felt at. the recognition, the love. ifelt it towards them too, and the club, and will do all my life, i hope. fix. club, and will do all my life, i hoe. �* ., club, and will do all my life, ihoe. �* ., ., ., club, and will do all my life, ihoe. ., ., ., ., i hope. a lot of mutual love auoin i hope. a lot of mutual love going on- — i hope. a lot of mutual love going on- as _ i hope. a lot of mutual love going on. as to _ i hope. a lot of mutual love going on. as to what - i hope. a lot of mutual love going on. as to what messi | going on. as to what messi means to barcelona, here is our correspondence. he means to barcelona, here is our correspondence.— correspondence. he is the most valuable asset _ correspondence. he is the most valuable asset that _ correspondence. he is the most valuable asset that not - correspondence. he is the most valuable asset that not only - valuable asset that not only barcelona and the spanish league has. he gives you a

guaranteed return in terms of people waking up in the middle of the night in the far east, that asian audience, the return that asian audience, the return thatis that asian audience, the return that is guaranteed and they can have him now for half the price that they've been paying for him, but they have to say goodbye to him in order to keep on paying on those assets who haven't given them a return. it really is almost suicidal, you would have thought, not only from barcelona but from the spanish league, the spanish league was built around the real madrid, barcelona rival, christiana rinaldi will on —— christiana rinaldi will on —— christiana reynaldo on one hand and lien or messy on the other. is he a free agent or will they get hundred and 50 million euros if they sell him on?

absolutely nothing, he is a free agent. the only thing they have to do is pay his wages, the anything the club who acquires him will have to do as pay his wages. acquires him will have to do as pay his wages-— pay his wages. remind me of what that _ pay his wages. remind me of what that amounts _ pay his wages. remind me of what that amounts to, - pay his wages. remind me of what that amounts to, even l pay his wages. remind me of - what that amounts to, even 50%? a lot more money than we will ever see in our lives, dazzling sums. but really the story here is the incompetence of barcelona over the years and football is a very strange as this anyway and barcelona are especially strange because they are not run on a business model, it is a social membership club where the president is in the elected position and that means there's always politics happening inside the club, there is no planning, some of these findings that they have made have been vanity signings on the behalf of a particular director for electoral purposes, and now, as i say, in order to retain the likes of philip a geo who they bought from a fortune from liverpool, an order to keep paying him, they have to let go leonor messi, the one is that that

gives them a guaranteed return. and the most likely destination for him? �* . ., ., for him? again, that word mateship _ for him? again, that word mateship that _ for him? again, that word mateship that i've - for him? again, that word j mateship that i've learned during the course of this programme today, his great friend and former teammate at barcelona and they also have mauricio put it in oh, his compatriot, and one of the reasons that they think he was brought and was, in the event that messi became a free agent, that messi became a free agent, that argentine connection could hit the ballot. —— mauricio pochettino. but in the time being, we could all dream. he could end up at our club! doubt it. the indian _ could end up at our club! doubt it. the indian actor— could end up at our club! doubt it. the indian actor renowned i it. the indian actor renowned for playing villains in bollywood films has died, he was admitted to hospital with a kidney infection, a very

familiarface on tv, pairing and many films including the oscar—winning slum dog millionaire. he has died at the age of 63. this is bbc news. hello. some of you have been able to stay dry, some of you have had a month's worth of rainfall. some good news ahead, fewer showers around, it should turn warmer, temperatures close to where they should be. to get there we need to get rid of this area of low pressure that has been with us for days. still with us today, we have outbreaks of rain, some thunderstorms around from that, warm weather system in the southeast with the heaviest of the rain. some clear skies, temperatures dropping back into single figures, most with temperatures around the low teens to start the day. showers on monday morning across parts of southern scotland and northern ireland, brightening through the day, heaviest of

the showers across the northern half of scotland, some of those torrential especially towards the east. that could cause flash flooding. brightest of the weather in northern england, north midlands, north wales, staying dry through the day, further south after a wet start, sunshine and blustery showers through the day and temperatures more widely into the low 20s. showers continuing into the evening across scotland, for many they will fade over night and the sign of something improving, area of low pressure toward scandinavia, becoming less of a feature, high pressure pushing in, stopping some of those showers. still some on tuesday in the northern half of scotla nd. south of that, isolated showers, more of you staying dry with longer spells of sunshine, temperatures climbing a little bit day by day. for the middle part of the week this broad area of low pressure towards the west will bring welcome rain in this weather front towards the highlands and islands, much—needed rain but it's approaching and we start

to drag in southerly winds which tap in warmer air across the near continent pushing temperatures back to where they should be for the time of year, sunny spells, the best in the morning across central and eastern areas, hazy sunshine, clouding over in the west, outbreaks of rain in northern ireland, the heaviest and most persistent across western scotland. for more, temperatures above 20 degrees, where we should be for the time of year, one or two spots getting 25 or higher. staying warm in the south and east into the weekend, further rain at times in western scotland. see you soon.

this is bbc news, the headlines: the taliban have seized three more provincial capitals in afghanistan in the course of a day. in kunduz, afghan government forces appear to hold only their own base and the airport. the taliban have dismissed international calls for a ceasefire, and warned the us against any further intervention. wildfires are continuing to burn on the greek island of evia. dozens of villages have been evacuated and ferries are on standby to take more people to safety. in some areas, thick orange smoke and ash have obscured the sun. the argentine football star, lionel messi, has given an emotional farewell press conference, following confirmation that he will be leaving barcelona after twenty—one years at the club. fc barcelona is facing serious financial problems, and says it has to comply with the spanish league's rules on spending.

now on bbc news hardtalk.