Welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. Britain and the united states are sending troops back into afghanistan to help their nationals leave. The taliban continue their rapid advance across the country. It now appears that the militants have captured the countrys second biggest city, kandahar giving them control of about a third of afghanistans main cities, as well as much of the countryside. Lets get the latest from kabul and our correspondent, yogita limaye. We woke up talking about the fall of ghazni which is about 100 miles south of kabul, and we are ending the day with multiple provincial capitals falling to the taliban. Many of them significant cities for the afghan government. Herat, fiercely contested between the two sides but the afghan government was not able to hold onto it. Staring at defeat in kandahar, the second largest city in this country, Lashkar Gah the capital of the Helmand Province falling as well. And there are real worries among citizens here about what is next. What is the future of their capital, kabul . I see messages and Social Media from afghans talking about the last moments of freedom. But i think what happens here in the coming days will depend heavily on how the afghan government reacts to whats happened in this one day. So far, we have heard nothing from the top brass of the government, nothing from the president , nothing from the Vice President or any of the big ministers. How they respond tomorrow to this situation will determine, you know, what happens next in the capital, kabul. The first british and american troops are set to arrive in kabul this weekend. Ramzan karmali has this assessment of the task ahead. Another day of taliban advances sawthe militants move into the third largest city. And another city less than 100 kilometres from the capital. The taliban have taken control of 11 provincial capitals. They also claim to have taken kandahar. The us and other foreign troops withdrew after 20 years of military operations, but now the us is sending 3000 soldiers back to help evacuate a significant amount of embassy staff. This is a temporary mission with a narrow focus. As with all deployments of our troops into harms way, our commanders have the inherent right of Self Defence and any attack on them can and will be met with a forceful and aapropriate response. The uk is deploying 600 troops to help relocate nationals, staff and interpreters. At one british politician and former soldier is clear as to who is to blame for the current turmoil. These are decisions we made to ten, 15 years ago. Of not talking to the taliban. Not training of afghan forces. At most critically, imposing Western Solutions on a country that was not ready for it, by any means. Now we are departing, as i say, and leaving the country to what we will see as a massive humanitarian disaster. Peace talks are still ongoing, but they seem far removed from what is going on on the ground. The rapid takeover of territory by the insurgents has been startling. According to the un, more than 1000 afghan civilians have been killed in the past month, with thousands more travelling to kabul to seek refuge. 0ne estimate says that more than 70,000 children arrived in recent days, with most sleeping rough. With the fall of a significantly strategic city, the fear is that kabul could fall sooner rather than later. Michael 0hanlon is a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution this is what he told me about the current situation. This is what he told me about i this is what he told me about think we are alljustl for i think we are alljust looking for Raw Data right now and the Raw Data is clearly discouraging because i can tell a story about how the afghan military should be able to hold onto a good chunk of the country but i cant really know until you get a feel for the Psychology And Dynamism and pace at which things are happening. The afghan Special Forces are still the best fighters in the country and they are on the side of the government. There are a couple of the Army Corps who are very well led. The Minister Of Defence is a very dedicated fighter and more strategic than any taliban commander in terms of sophistication. We watch as you have been pointing out, roughly one third of the provincial capitals have fallen. Perhaps even kandahar shifting into taliban hands. This dynamism produces a kind of reality of its own which i dont purport to be able to fully understand from 8000 miles away but i believe the government has assets it gives it an decent chance to hang on to the remaining cities but thatis to the remaining cities but that is the stronger statement i can make. That is the stronger statement i can make i can make. Given that you do have some i can make. Given that you do have some optimism, i can make. Given that you do have some optimism, what i i can make. Given that you do have some optimism, what about the level of why people, there must be people inside the us government, military, warning that this could happen. If this withdrawal took place. Do you think even despite those warnings that has been a level of Shock And Surprise that this has happened . Of Shock And Surprise that this has happened . Absolutely. The cia, for example, has happened . Absolutely. The cia, for example, were cia, for example, were projecting it would take six or 12 months for afghanistan to fall. I dont know why that was a reassuring message, 6 12 months may seem that a long time now but to me it sounds failure. Whether 6 1201 three, but apparently that was the advice being provided. Most of his advisers said it made more sense to keep forces but President Biden had just had enough. And i suspect he will live to regret this. Afghanistan is now dominating half of his national security day. With the potential collapse of fendi government. His decision is now prevented that from happening. So i think these arguments were made. I dont know if they were made with enough passion. I dont know if they were made with enough thinking three or four orfive steps down enough thinking three or four or five steps down the line as to what might happen once things began to go south. That i feel like everyone is catching up now. I feel like everyone is catching up now. I feel like everyone is catchinaunow. , ,. , catching up now. You sense that there is no catching up now. You sense that there is no sense catching up now. You sense that there is no sense of catching up now. You sense that there is no sense of any there is no sense of any reversal here in us policy, it is just reversal here in us policy, it isjust a reversal here in us policy, it is just a new reality, and that will be if this taliban offensive continues, continuing to take up more time, and actually in years to come still dominating it actually in years to come still dominatin dominating it is interesting. We could dominating it is interesting. We could use dominating it is interesting. We could use us dominating it is interesting. We could use us or dominating it is interesting. We could use us or nato i dominating it is interesting. We could use us or nato air power. A sort of striking that when the united states decided to leave all the rest of nato decided it had to leave to. We knew that in advance but this was a Mission Attorney concluded a total of 12,000 nato soldiers and frankly, it shouldnt have required that the united states to be there for the rest of nato to be willing to be there but as weve seen in britain and canada and france, other countries over the years, the people came to the same kind of sense of frustration that President Biden just sense of frustration that President Bidenjust did sense of frustration that President Biden just did this and therefore most of nato as main countries have elected not to. But we could provide airpower out of this, we could help them find centuries in the north where they could have solid bases to repair their equipment, protect refugees, from sums kind of the Staging Base for operations against the taliban. So there are still many tools. Ijust taliban. So there are still many tools. I just dont taliban. So there are still many tools. Ijust dont know if they are going to be enough. And i also dont know what decisions President Biden and others will make. They fly Strike Missions out of Qatar And Kuwait in support of the government . These are answers. These are questions we just dont know the answers to and it is really going to be President Biden who decides the coming weeks. President biden who decides the coming weeke President Biden who decides the coming weeks. Developments are movin so coming weeks. Developments are moving so fast coming weeks. Developments are moving so fast in coming weeks. Developments are moving so fast in afghanistan moving so fast in afghanistan there is plenty to keep up to date with. Do add up to date to the Bbc News website. Plenty there as we have been watching the taliban take city and the city and you can seat in that map the police in the uk Say A Gunman has killed five people in a shooting in a residential area of plymouth. Devon and Cornwall Police say the suspect was also found dead when they arrived at the scene. Lets get the very latest from our reporter, aruna iyengar. Whatever please been saying . Devon and Cornwall Police have confirmed that six people died. That figure of six includes the government. Serious Firearms Incident in plymouth. That is around 6p last night. And according to the local Plymouth Mp one of the victims is believed to be a child under the age of ten years old. And police say two females and two males were dead at the scene and another male is dead at the scene and all are believed to have died with Gunshot Wounds. Another female died at hospital. The Next Of Kin have been informed by the police. The police want to stress that this is not a terrorism related incident and they are not looking for anyone else in connection with this. They have also stressed that they are concerned that people may be posting pictures of the scene on Social Media and have told people please not to do that, out of respect for the relatives and victims and also because it is an ongoing investigation, still. Witnesses say they heard multiple Gunshot Wounds and there were police and ambulance crews that raced to the scene. There were four Air Ambulances to the scene. There were four airambulances up in to the scene. There were four Air Ambulances up in the air. A police helicopter. Roads were cordoned off and residents were told to stay indoors and lock their doors. It was very much a terrifying experience for all concerned. Plymouth is seen as a very tranquil town in the South Coast of the uk and is a popular Uk HolidayDestination And Home to the biggest naval base in western europe. So this is really a kind of a terrifying experience. Unprecedented in that area. The uk also has one of the lowest homicide rates in the World And Mass shootings are very rare. This is the first Mass Shooting in this country for 11 years. The Home Secretary said the incident in plymouth are shocking and her thoughts are with those who have been affected and their families. Stay with us on Bbc News, still to come fanned by strong winds and searing heat, wildfires continue to burn across algeria. 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, ugandas brutal former dictator, has died at the age of 80. Hes being buried in saudi arabia, where he lived in exile this 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. The taliban capture afghanistans third biggest city herat, with reports theyve taken kandahar too. Police in south West England say five people have died following Shooting Incident in the city of plymouth. Covid cases are surging in the united states as the Delta Variant spreads in what Health Professionals there are calling an epidemic of the unvaccinated. But the sharp increase in hospitalisations and deaths is nearly all concentrated in Southern States where vaccine take up has been virtually half the national average. 0ur North America editor, Jon Sopel is in louisiana to find out why. The Life Tabernacle Church in louisiana. Congregation thousands. Influence in the state considerable. A message dont get vaccinated. What percentage would you think have been vaccinated . 0h, probably less than 1 at any given time. And you dont think you have a social responsibility to encourage them to go and get vaccinated . We do not. 0urjob is to preach the Gospel Ofjesus Christ and preach faith. But wont vaccinations keep them alive . They will not, that has not been proven. And those we spoke to before the service began were of like mind. Have you been vaccinated . No, sir, i have not. And will you get vaccinated . No, sir, iwont. Why . Because i dont trust it, and i dont know whats in them. Are you going to get vaccinated . No, im not. Why . I dont think theres a need for a vaccination. Like, ifeel. I feel like im 0k without it. Though our time was cut short when we were ordered off the premises. Dont ask any questions of our congregation, its not your business. Someone else who bought into this viewpoint was 22 year old Josh Bradstreet contreras. He was a fit, healthy College Kid and last friday, after Contracting Covid a week earlier, died. He was unvaccinated. His Mother Tarsha is now on a mission to persuade other young people that, actually, theyre not invincible. If i could sell all my worldly possessions, and its not much that i have, to bring josh back i would. Everything, even the shirt on my back. So in other words, get the vaccine . Take the vaccine. Take the vaccine. In louisiana, just 37 of adults have had the jab. Across the state line, that drops to 35 the lowest in the country. Weve just crossed the border from louisiana into mississippi another state where cases are surging, another state where its impossible to get an Intensive Care bed. But the republican governor is refusing to follow Government Advice that people should wear a mask. Once again, issues of politics have become hopelessly intertwined with matters of public health. And the politics is this the areas with the lowest Vaccine Rates are in districts where support for Donald Trump was highest. And in a rewriting of one of americas most famous gun supporting slogans, these people are defending the right not to bare their arms. But that has resulted in the kings Daughters Hospital in rural mississippi being inundated like never before with covid cases. The senior physician is wrung out. Its pretty dire. Were running out of beds, were running out of staff. Were running out of the oxygen means that we give these patients. Were interrupted by him having to deal with an emergency in Intensive Care. We have a patient that is maxed out on Life Support in the Intensive Care unit. Despite our best efforts and measures, theyre just not getting better. A couple of hours after wed stopped filming, we were told that the 68 year Old Man had died. He hadnt been vaccinated. Jon sopel, Bbc News, in the deep south. Lets get some of the days other news. The authorities in Northern Germany have asked more than 8,000 people to repeat their covid jabs, because a nurse is suspected of having injected Saline Solution instead of vaccine in many cases. Police are investigating whether the nurse gave saline jabs in more than the six cases shes admitted to. Us Border Agents say they detained more than 212 Thousand migrants trying to enter the country from mexico last month. Its the highest monthly figure in 20 years. Almost half of those stopped at the border have been expelled from the united states under special regulations introduced to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The united nations says it is alarmed by the plight of civilians caught up in fighting in southern syria, where the government is confronting armed opposition forces. The un envoy for syria said the hostilities in the daraa Al Balad Area had included heavy shelling. The heir of samsung, Lee Jae Yong has been released from prison and is now on parole. The 53 year old de facto leader of south koreas largest conglomerate was convicted of bribery and other charges and has served 207 days in prison just over half of his sentence. Outside the prison he apologised for causing concern to the people. Emergency teams in Northern India have now rescued thousands of people stranded by floods in the state of uttar pradesh. Indias most populous state is suffering some of its worst flooding in decades, following days of torrential downpours. Algeria has observed the first of three days of national mourning as wildfires continue to burn across the north of the country. Fanned by strong winds and searing heat, the fires have claimed 69 lives since monday. Tanya dendrinos has the story. Flames licking at the three tops. A Wall Of Fire quickly swells. It is a devastating scene. Villagers on the front line, armed only with branches and shovels. Translation we have been fighting this fire for five days. There is no electricity, no water, no gas, no network. There is nothing here. We are tired. 0n the tarmac at the airport, a lifeline. The two Water Bombing planes chartered by the government from the eu. Another two arriving from france. But for those already firmly in the grip of this battle, Government Support seems nonexistent. The people of algeria are alone. We have received nothing from the government except threats. People are acting together as one and we have received aid from everywhere. Across algeria, volunteers and aid organisations are gathering supplies. In each village there are Partner Associations with whom we work directly. We give them the donations and they distribute them to the families. Appeals are under way in paris, too. Translation we came to possibly lend a hand and do some voluntary work to help with all the sorting. And maybe to see what is missing in terms of medicine, clothes and other things. These fires are some of the worst in the Countrys History and officials believe in many Instances Arson is to blame. With the president confirming more than 20 suspects had been arrested so far. The actress Una Stubbs has died at the age of 8a. She starred most recently as Mrs Hudson in the bbc� s Sherlock Drama Series and was known to a generation of children as Aunt Sally in worzel gummidge. Una stubbs played alf garnett� s exasperated daughter rita in the 1960s and 70s Sitcom til death us do part, and her big Screen Debut was starring alongside Sir Cliff richard in the hit british film summer holiday. Una stubbs, whos died at the age of 8a. Britney Spears Father is to step down from his legal role of overseeing the popstar� s finances. Last month miss spears launched a bid to remove Jamie Spears as conservator claiming the agreement controlling her Life And Career was abusive. Mr spears has been in control of his Daughters Estate since 2008. Ive been speaking to entertainmentjournalist kj matthews, who says the Move Isnt as straightforward as it seems. It is like anything else. You have to read the fine print. You know, a lot of the people in the free Britney Movement were elated when they heard today that her father was going to step down from his role as Co Conservator, particularly over her finances. But what they did not realise is that he said he would only step down when there is a smooth transition, in other words, yes, eventually he will step down but not right now. To think hes made the decision to step down because of Public Pressure . Because of movements like the free britney that you express there which supporters and fans were speaking up so vocally on Social Media, or do you think is a direct result of what happened in that case . It is definitely a result of the pressure put on him. Remember her new attorney just last month wanted to terminate his access. She made it perfectly clear within the last month or so she does not want her father to be a conservatory. She said that. He heard. What he basically said is, look, the move has already been made. We were already going to remove her father as a Co Conservator but it has to be done in an orderly matter in which the transition to the new conservative to come in is taking place at the right time. We dont know when that is going to be, exactly. You neatly laid out the timetable of the next steps. Not all does go through what does this actually mean for Britney Spears . Well, the next hearing in september 29. Her attorney had filed paperwork to try to rush the Hearing And Speed it up, so to speak. Avid earlier. However, thejudge said no. The next hearing, what they will have to do is come together and decide what the next step is. Immediately, she wants to have her father taken off of being her Co Conservator but ultimately, remember, Britney Spears once this conservatorship, after 13 years, to end. The ultimate goal is that and does this step make it more or less likely . It may. But you know, there are so many other things happening in the case, now, too. It has been unearthed that the attorney, not the attorney. The judge in the case is now receiving Death Threats on twitter, so now we have the local Sheriffs Department looking into that. There is so much awareness in this case and so many different angles. We willjust have to see what happens and take it step by step but, you know, these things take time. You dontjust enter conservatorship especially when you have not had a psychiatric evaluation. There are so many things a play that even if the conservatorship would end it would not be immediately and it might not even be this year. Our thanks. You can reach me on twitter im l vaughanjones hello. There is no real heat in the Uk Forecast for the next few days. But across southern europe, its a different story its been an exceptionally hot week, with that heat now migrating westwards. The orange colours on this Chart Show places where temperatures will be well above the average. In parts of southern spain, we could be looking at temperatures as high as 47 celsius because high pressure is trapping the heat in place. But for us, low pressure is close by that means some brisk winds, some rain at times but not all the time, and temperatures will struggle especially across northwestern parts of the uk. And here through friday, we will see some quite hefty showers working through some heavy, some thundery, especially widespread across the far northwest of scotland. Further south and east, many parts of england and wales will be dry with just the odd shower here. And while there will be big areas of cloud floating past, there will also be some good spells of sunshine. But its breezy for all of us, especially windy up towards the northwest, and top temperatures in Glasgow Ofjust 17 celsius. Could get to 22 or 23 across parts of eastern and southeastern england. Now as we head through friday night, we will see some further showers especially across the northern half of scotland. Further south, it turns predominantly dry, some clear spells at least for a time, and temperatures between 11 15 celsius as we start saturday morning. So as we head into the start of the weekend, weve got one area of low pressure tending to push away north eastwards, but here comes another low drifting in from the west. A bit of uncertainty still at this range about the detail of saturdays forecast, but its likely we will see Cloud And Rain spreading in most likely across some central parts of the uk. To the north, its a mix of sunshine with just a few showers at this stage, and across the south of england, maybe south wales, its likely to stay pretty much dry with some sunshine. Those temperatures, for the most part, between 19 and 22 celsius. Now, the messy picture continues on into sunday. This area of low pressure continues to drift in from the west. You will see this frontal system dropping down from the north, so could well be a few different areas of rain on sunday. 0ne pushing into northern scotland, some rain across Northern England and wales. Perhaps some further south as well. But in between the areas of the wet weather there will be some spells of sunshine. But by this stage turning really cool in northern scotland, maybe just 1a degrees. This is Bbc News, the headlines. The taliban have captured a string of crucial cities in afghanistan. Theyve driven out government forces in the third biggest city, herat, and claim to have taken control of Kandahar The Second largest. As the Security Situation deteriorates thousands of us and british troops are being sent back to help evacuate american and uk nationals. Police in south West England say that five people have been killed in a Shooting Incident in the city of plymouth. The suspect also died in the incident. Detectives say it was not terror related and they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the shooting. The father of Britney Spears has agreed to step down as conservator of her estate. The arrangement began in 2008 after concerns over the singers mental health. Jamie spears took legal control of her life and finances. Now on Bbc News, its hardtalk