Iam sarah i am sarah mulkerrins, live in tokyo, day 15 of the Olympic Games where tanya has won gold in the Womens Marathon. Kenya. And the remarkable spectacle of south Africas Sardine Run and the predators it attacks. Attracts. Hello and welcome to the programme. Lets begin in afghanistan, where in a major escalation of the talibans offensive, the militants have captured a Provincial Capital, zaranj, close to the border with afghanistan, and assassinated a close aide of the president s. Theyve made sweeping gains since foreign forces started withdrawing from the country. The united nations� Special Envoy has warned the country is facing a possible catastrophe, and called on the taliban to halt the violence and take part in meaningful peace talks. Our World Affiars correspondent Richard Galpin has more. In the heart of the afghan capital, another assassination. Taliban gunmen opening fire on this car, killing the head of the governments media information centre, dawa Khan Menapal. Theyd warned officials would be targeted in response to Air Strikes by afghan and us forces. The war now increasingly spilling into the capital. But the taliban are also now targeting other key cities in this, their latest offensive. They claim to have captured the city of zaranj in the South West of the country. Officials say if true, it would be the first Provincial Capital to fall into their hands in this, the latest upsurge in fighting. And the taliban claim more will follow. At the united nations in new york, there are now calls for action. The council must act and prevent a catastrophic situation. We are alarmed by reports of incidents of gross Human Rights Violations by the taliban and their foreign terrorist associates in almost half of our country. And we are extremely concerned about the Safety And Security of people in cities under taliban attacks, and what brutality would await them. The question now, though, is what action can be taken, given the taliban advances have been precipitated by the withdrawal of foreign troops from afghanistan. The futures of millions of afghans are at stake. I think the region should very clearly tell the taliban that taliban coming to power through force and continuing the violence is unacceptable. They need to see that their government will not be accepted and recognised. But for now, at least, it seems unlikely the taliban will stop their offensive. They seem determined to seize as much ground as they can. Richard galpin, bbc news. Lets stay with this story for the time being. Im joined by Christopher Kolenda who is a retired us Army Colonel who commanded troops in Eastern Afghanistan before acting as a us representative in talks with the taliban from 20102012. Colonel, thank you for being with us. Lets start with a personal question if i may, you served in the country how does it make you feel, seeing the militant gain ground, take a Provincial Capital and assassinate a senior afghan Government Official . Assassinate a senior afghan Government Official . First of all thanks Government Official . First of all thanks for Government Official . First of all thanks for having Government Official . First of all thanks for having me Government Official . First of all thanks for having me on | all thanks for having me on your programme. I mean, it feels very frustrating, quite frankly, to have spent a lot of time on the ground in afghanistan, both in Eastern Afghanistan, both in Eastern Afghanistan as a commander and later as a senior adviser, and time there as, consulting for non government organisations and supporting them, and we have all put a lot of energy and a lot of Heart And Soul into afghanistan. And none of us would have imagined leaving the way the united states reportedly left, sort of in the middle of the night, slinking away in bhagram. It is frustrating and embarrassing and i certainly thought we would leave afghanistan in a much better condition than it is now. But unforced errors let us down this path. Us down this path. Dawa Khan Mena Al us down this path. Dawa Khan Menapal was us down this path. Dawa Khan Menapal was the us down this path. Dawa Khan Menapal was the Afghan Menapal was the afghan Government Official who was assassinated, for many afghans he was the face of the government, what does it do for the morale in the country for afghans to know he has been assassinated by the taliban . The face of the afghan, of the afghan government that afghans see often isnt the same face that we see in the west. The face of the afghan government that too many afghans have seen has been a predatory and clapped aquatic government. Kleptocratic. I remember talking to some elders and they look at me and i asked them, who do you support . They looked at me and they said we are not on anybody� s side because they are not on our side. The government robs us, the taliban Beats Us and the others rob us. So you tell us who we should support. It is that dilemma that many afghans have found themselves in, and to the extent that the afghan government has been predatory and kleptocratic, it has driven afghans into the arms of the taliban who are now fighting the government. Taliban who are now fighting the government. Thousands of civilians have the government. Thousands of civilians have been the government. Thousands of civilians have been reportedlyl civilians have been reportedly killed by the taliban in the last few months, do we have any sense of the scale of the reported Human Rights abuses the taliban have been carrying out . ~. , �. ,. , the taliban have been carrying out . , �. The taliban have been carrying out . ,. , , out . We dont have a good sense ofthe out . We dont have a good sense of the human out . We dont have a good sense of the Human Rights out . We dont have a good sense of the Human Rights abuses of the Human Rights Abuses Anybody has been carrying out at this point. It points to a real strategic risk for the taliban. The biggest risk right now is catastrophic growth, where they grow beyond their ability to manage it. Some of these reports of gross violations of Human Rights, most likely by inexperienced local commanders and leaders, are starting to turn afghan public away from the taliban and leading them to think that the taliban arent these sort of innovative people that we thought they were. This is a return to the 1990s, and people find that repulsive and unacceptable, so the taliban is at real risk, they are on the cusp of catastrophic growth and if they dont begin to rain these problems in, then you are likely to see the taliban begin to come apart from within. We will have to to come apart from within. We will have to leave it there, colonel, thank you forjoining us. Colonel, thank you for oining us. ~ colonel, thank you for oining us. ~ ,. , colonel, thank you for oining us. ~. , colonel, thank you for oining us. ~. ,. , here in europe, a severe heatwave has caused a series of wildfires in greece, with strong winds fanning the flames. Thousands of people have been moved from their homes in the Suburbs North of the capital athens. An extreme Fire Warning has been issued, with the greek Prime Minister saying the countrys in the midst of an unprecedented environmental crisis. Bethany bell sent this report from athens. Around athens, the hillsides are burning. People are desperately trying to put out the flames using whatever they can find. Helicopters are bringing water to drop on the fires, but the scorching winds dont help. Its so dry here you can actually hear the parched branches crackle as they burn. Emergency crews are struggling to stop the wildfires from spreading. This woman is trying to save her home. Her husbands a firefighter, but she has no idea where he is. Translation im not leaving here, at least for as long as i can. My house is behind here. You can see the roof. Im not leaving, whatever happens. The effects of the fires are devastating. Villages have been burnt out, and dead animals litter the roads. And its continuing. Tonight, we watched as another blaze raged in the outskirts of athens. All day long, a fire has been burning on the other side of this mountain, and now its coming over the hill. People have been told to leave this area as soon as possible, and Weve Seen People pack up their cars and go. The air is full of smoke and ash. People here are desperately worried about whats going to happen to their homes. This mans house is up on that hillside. He managed to bring his family to safety. As the Flames Head towards his house, all he can do is watch. I cannot sleep. I have my mind there. I dont think that someone can sleep if he knows that maybe his only house will be destroyed. It was too dangerous to stay here. The police arrived to move people away. Its going to be a long night. People hoping against hope that their homes will be spared. Bethany bell, bbc news, athens. Lets get some of the days other news. Police have arrested two burmese citizens accused of plotting to kill or injure myanmar� s ambassador to the united nations. Kyaw Moe Tun has been a vocal critic of myanmar� s military rulers. He earlier thanked the us Government And Un for their protection. Family members of the victims of the September 11 attacks in the united states have called on President Biden to stay away from next months memorial events unless he declassifies files about the assaults, which they believe implicate Saudi Arabian officials in the plot. Saudi arabia denies any involvement. A russian court has given a suspended Prison Sentence of 5. 5 years to an american investor, michael calvey, a day after he was found guilty of embezzlement. He denies any wrongdoing and called the sentence deeply unfair. And the us military� s Central Command has announced the results of an investigation into a Drone Attack on a Merchant Tank off the coast of oman, concluding that the drone was made in iran. A british and romanian were killed, iran has already denied the attack. In the united states, its estimated up to 750,000 people will flock to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota over the next ten days. The rally is mecca for bikers who are determined to come despite the pandemic and a rise in covid cases due to the delta variant. So what are organisers doing this year to keep cases down . Daniel ainslie is the City Manager For Sturgis, South Dakota and hejoins us from there now. Thank you very much for being with us. There was a lot of criticism last year, some call it a Super Spreader event, some estimations said it caused 250,000 cases across the country. How do you react to that, and in light of that, should this event this year be going ahead . Going ahead . You know, that estimate really going ahead . You know, that estimate really came going ahead . You know, that estimate really came from i going ahead . You know, that estimate really came from an incredibly biased study that used a false narrative before they even began doing any of their actual research. When you look at the oxford study that actually counted real cases that were verified, there was about a63 cases that came from the event last year, that had almost 500,000 people. If you compare that to another metropolitan area in america, of a00 500,000 metropolitan area in america, of a00 500,000 people, we were actually the second lowest amount of transmission. So actually all things considered it was a very, very low transmission rate, especially when you look at the actual verified cases, versus people just using pure speculation. Can you talk us through. crosstalk . Can you talk us through what is going ahead this year and the measures you have put in place to keep this event as safe as possible . To keep this event as safe as ossible . ,. ,. ,. , possible . This year so far what we have started possible . This year so far what we have started to possible . This year so far what we have started to see possible . This year so far what we have started to see is possible . This year so far what we have started to see is our l we have started to see is our numbers are easily beating what they were for our largest rally which was in 2015, that was the 75th anniversary, at that we had 750,000 people, so i think you can probably anticipate somewhere in the range of 600 800,000 people will come here over the course of the last, or the next ten days. As far as Mitigation Measures, of course we have, anyone who would like to have a vaccine, they are able to do that, we also have numerous, we have thousands of Covid Tests that are available, we have actually started delivering those to anyone who requests them, we have Hand Sanitising stations, we have all sorts of Mitigation Measures that are in place, but the reality is, this comes down to personal choice, and there comes a point where i think so many people have already reached that immunity level, whether it is through vaccinations or through their previous cases, and if someone is not immune to the virus, in the acceptable range, we would recommend them not to attend and to come next year. We recommend them not to attend and to come next year. And to come next year. We can see the backdrop and to come next year. We can see the backdrop behind and to come next year. We can see the backdrop behind you, | see the backdrop behind you, the streets filling with people, for those who dont follow the motorcycle culture, give us a sense of the event and what is about . Give us a sense of the event and what is about . Sure, most ofthe and what is about . Sure, most of the time and what is about . Sure, most of the time when and what is about . Sure, most of the time when people and what is about . Sure, most of the time when people come| and what is about . Sure, most i of the time when people come to sturgis they spend the vast majority of their time outdoors, which i think is something that dont necessarily understand. They will spend easily half the day riding through the mountains of South Dakota, it is spectacular scenery, most of the time they will end up going to either crazy Horse Or Mount rushmore, spending time at lakes and going through canyons, seeing our wildlife, and then when they end up coming to downtown sturgis, which most people end p sturgis, which most people end up doing, they will spend most of their time outside and they will end upjust watching will end up just watching literally thousands of motorcycles that are lining our Main Street as well as all the sidestreets, it is by far the greatest display of motorcycles you could ever see in the world. So almost all the time is spent outdoors. crosstalk it does look quite the incredible event but we will have to leave it there for now. Daniel ainslie, City Manager For Sturgis in south carolina, thank you forjoining us. The taliban have seized the Provincial Capital in southern afghanistan as the us envoy demands the militants and their offensive. Nearly half the regions in greece are on high alert as the worst wildfires in decades rage across the country. Now lets get an update from the olympics. Day 15 of the games is well under way in tokyo for more on this, we can now cross live to Tokyo And Sarah mulkerrins. Sarah, before we get to the penultimate day of the games theres plenty to reflect on in terms of action from Last Night. Good morning from tokyo. It was very busy Last Night and we had plenty of drama particularly on the track. All eyes on the american runner felix, bidding to become the most decorated Track And Field athlete at an olympics and she did it by winning bronze in the Womens A00 metres. She now has ten olympic medals. Six of those are gold. She also has a chance to become outright the most decorated athlete if she were to win in the Relay A little later. The bahamas won gold in that Relay And then we had the four x 100 metres relays. Always a great Spectator Watch and the italians raced to a Surprise Victory in the mens one and we had jamaica winning the Womens Event and Elaine Thomson already won gold in the individual 100 and 200 metres and she capped off a great Track And Field competition with gold in that and also there was drama on the Football Pitch because we had the Football Final between canada and sweden. It was one all after extra time and nothing could separate the sides so it went to penalties and it was heartbreak for sweden because they lost but absolute Joy And Delight to canada after bronze at the last two Olympic Games, they got into the final and were able to clinch a Gold Medal. It were able to clinch a Gold Medal. ,. , . , were able to clinch a Gold Medal. ,. . , medal. It is ust after 9am but we already medal. It isjust after 9am but we already had medal. It isjust after 9am but we already had our medal. It isjust after 9am but we already had our first medal. It isjust after 9am but we already had our first Gold L we already had our first Gold Medal of the day in tokyo. Indeed. This was the Womens Marathon. It had been moved to sapporo in the North Ofjapan to try and counteract the extreme heat that happens here at this time of the year but it was as hot there for the athletes. They put forward the start by one hours so they started at 6am and there is hell winner, peresjepchirchir from kenya, winning ahead of the favourite, her fellow kenyan brigid kosgei, the World Record Holder going into this. She finished in second. And a word on the woman who won bronze, she qualified for the olympics by running her first ever marathon. This is her second ever official marathon and she has won a Bronze Medal at the olympics. Great story there. Than great story there. An incredible great story there. An incredible achievement. What else is on the cards for today, sarah . , else is on the cards for today, sarah . ,. , sarah . The final events on the track are later. Sarah . The final events on the track are later. There sarah . The final events on the track are later. There will sarah . The final events on the track are later. There will be i track are later. There will be the mens 1500 track are later. There will be the mens1500 metres final and the mens1500 metres final and the womens 10,000 the mens1500 metres final and the womens10,000 metre final. A big story in the distance running for winning was our Son Tom are trying to go for an unprecedented travel. She won gold in the 5000 metres and is doubt on the gold in the 1500 metres Last Night that went to faith. So she will go on the 10,000 metre final a little later and also we will have the Mens Basketball final. The Dream Team from the usa looking for their fourth consecutive Gold Medal and they will take on the only team that has beaten them so far in this competition, france. And that will be quite the grudge match. One of the big stories of the olympics this year has been the Mental Health of athletes. How has that been received by athletes in tokyo . It has that been received by athletes in tokyo . Has that been received by athletes in tokyo . It has been so interesting athletes in tokyo . It has been so interesting hearing athletes in tokyo . It has been so interesting hearing and so interesting hearing and listening to all of the athletes and their Post Race events and the interviews that they do because there is more of an honesty, you feel, to them. They are being open and letting everybody and on the pressures of competing here and how much that can potentially take a toll on them. And We Saw, didnt we, with simone biles, somebody coming in is one of the biggest names in these games with so much Focus And Attention on her that she almost began the conversation and since then everybody has felt comfortable talking about it. We had no opening up, the 200 metres sprinter, and many more athletes talking about it. And it has resonated because you see the support from across the world on social media, realising that these athletes, while they can pull off some amazing and superhuman feats in whatever their sports are, ultimately they are people and they have the same struggles that everybody has and there was a rare connection in that. It could potentially prove to be a watershed moment in realising that it is important for athletes to look after their physical health as well as their Mental Health. The closinu as their Mental Health. The Closing Ceremony as their Mental Health. The Closing Ceremony is as their Mental Health. The Closing Ceremony is this weekend and we mention Mental Health, coronavirus will always be mentioned with his games. Youve been covering it for us for our throughout, what else has stood out for you about this Olympic Games . It has been so different. None of us knew what was going to happen when we got here because it is the delayed Olympic Games, because of the pandemic and the restrictions that all the athletes have been under, media, everybody has been under coming in here. Whether the japanese population would want the Olympic Games to take place. I think much of the joy that people has felt has been watching the athletes able to compete. Many of them have felt privileged and lucky that they have been able to get to hear. I think one of the legacies of it has been athletes speaking out. Also we had new sport coming in. The olympics are trying to update itself and its view, help puts itself forward in the world. We had a lot of mixed events as well where you have Men And Women competing together in the same sport and i think that has really hit home with people. I think this is a time where the olympics tries to re evaluate itself and tries to re evaluate itself and tries to re evaluate itself and tries to move itself forward and protect its Legacy For The Future and brings younger fans with it and i think We Saw an awful lot of that in these Olympic Games amidst everything else that you mentioned was going on at these games coming into it. ,. ,. , ~. , into it. Lovely to talk to you aaain into it. Lovely to talk to you again and into it. Lovely to talk to you again and thank into it. Lovely to talk to you again and thank you into it. Lovely to talk to you again and thank you for into it. Lovely to talk to you i again and thank you forjoining us. Now the atlantic Ocean System of currents could be breaking down causing irreversible changes to the earths weather. Climate models show the currents are at their weakest in more than 1000 years. The potential collapse of the system is being called one of the most catastrophic results of climate change. Now to South Africa where a truly phenomenal event occurs each year the sardine run. From may tojuly, millions of sardines move northward along the East Coast of South Africa with thousands of Ocean Predators and birds in their trail. Clarisse fortune has the story. Deep under South Africas East Coast, a beautiful and intriguing ballet� s being performed, a choreographed dance of nature. Its the annual migration of millions of sardines, the so called sardine run, in this part of the indian ocean. But behind the beautiful sight looms danger. It attracts a host of marine predators looking for food. These dolphins lead the trail. Theyre on the hunt, a sure sign of an upcoming feast. This is a Super Pod of common dolphins. So, Hejust Sort of breached there. Thousands and thousands of commons dolphins, and these guys are always seen associated with the sardine run. This group of divers are scanning the surface for activity. And after several hours at sea, they strike it lucky. The cape gannets are there already. This is whats known as a Bait Ball, a group of sardines that predators have cut off from the main shoal. Sardines are always looking for depth, for protection, so theyre trying to go down deep and thats where the sharks come in. The sharks are at the bottom, stopping them from going down. So, you have the sharks at the bottom, youve got the dolphins around the edges. And you can see how those dolphins. You see how theyre jumping around like that . Theyre basically stopping the sardines from running away. And then one of the most menacing of guests arrives. Stealthy, deadly, a large Dusky Sharkjoins the frenzy. The Bait Ball is decimated in minutes, to thejoy of the watching tourists. It was great it was amazing best time ever if you havent had that, youre not living. Youve got to have that. That is an amazing experience. The hunt will repeat itself many times over the next three to four months as kilometres of shoals migrate. Clarisse fortune, bbc news. Just before we go we leave you with one of belgiums best kept secrets. A trove of ten treasures. Collecting these vintage boxes is 83 year old yvettes passion. She has acquired more than 60,000 of them in the last 30 years, keeping them in four different houses. Although she has never travelled her boxes are from all over the world. The first engraved Tin Box is part of her collection dates back to 1868. A reminder of our top stories. The united Nations Security Council has held an Emergency Meeting to discuss the worsening violence in afghan and whether tell about have seized the city of the round. It is the first city to fall to the militants who have made sweeping gains as troops withdraw. The un was warned that afghanistan is facing catastrophe. More on our app and on our website. For me and the team, thank you for watching. Hello there. The very unsettled August Weather continues into this weekend. Low pressure nearby will generate further showers, and again, like friday, we could see some thunderstorms which could lead to some localised flooding in places. But there will be some good spells of sunshine in between, particularly across more southern areas. So, here it is, this area of Low Pressure, which is going to stick around both saturday, sunday and indeed even into monday. Lots of isobars on the charts, so itll be quite breezy again, particularly across southern, South Western areas, and across the northern isles, gusts of 30 a0 mph. Well have showers pretty much from the word go anywhere, but most of them will be across scotland, northern ireland, western england and wales. They will drift their way further eastwards into the afternoon, and again therell be some torrential downpours in places. But some good spells of sunshine, particularly across the South East. Another breezy day, these are the mean wind speeds. Temperatures will be a bit disappointing for august, particularly when the showers come along, Itll Feel quite cool. But in the sunny spells, we could make 20 degrees or so across the South East. Otherwise, generally the mid to high teens celsius. As we head through saturday night, we continue with the breeze, further showers. Again, some of them will be quite heavy, particularly across central, northern and western areas. Perhaps turning a little bit quieter across the South East quadrant of the country. And again nowhere particularly cold, with overnight lows 12 1a degrees. So, into sunday, ourarea of Low Pressure still with us, drifting a little bit further northwards and weakening a little bit. Theres fewer isobars on the charts, but theres still enough energy in the low Pressure System to generate further showers, which again could be quite heavy in places throughout sunday. Mainly across central and northern parts of the country, because i think as we head on into the afternoon, there may be a Greater Chance of seeing some sunnier, drier weather for wales, central and southern england. So, that mayjust bump up temperatures to 21 degrees, slightly lighter winds. Again, for most, though, the high teens celsius. Into next week, then, for monday, our area of Low Pressures still with us, so its going to be another day of sunshine and showers. But the winds will turn light, and the system continues to weaken. And as we head on into tuesday, weve got this bump of High Pressure which will build in, and that should settle things down. But Low Pressure always close by to the north and the west of the uk. So, well have most of the showers through the new week across northern and western areas. Greater chance of seeing some drier, sunnier and warmer weather in the south and east. This is bbc news, the headlines afghan officials say the taliban have seized the South West city of zaranj the first Provincial Capital to fall to the militants for five years. During a un Emergency Meeting to discuss the worsening violence, its envoy to the region demanded the militants end their offensive. Nearly half the regions in greece are on high alert as the worst wildfires in decades rage across the country. The government has issued a warning about a second wave of blazes as strong winds whip up many of the fires that were being brought under control. And the penultimate day of action at the olympics is under way in tokyo. Kenyas peresjepchirchir has won the Womens Marathon title, and later medals will also be up for grabs in volleyball, basketball, volleyball and golf. Now on bbc news, click looks at how artificial