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narrator: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. by judy and peter blum kovler foundation; pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. and by contributions to this pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. announcer: and now, "bbc world news". laura: laura tw york city and this is "bbc world news america." it has been 100 days since the taliban seized power in afghanistan. we have a special report on the unfolding humanitarian crisis, as more than half the population is facing hunger. >> what's the point of living with no food or water. >> my landlord tells me if i can pay, i can stay. if not, i will leave. we have just been abandoned. laura: the biden administration

is tapping into the oil reserves to bring down gas prices. a move coordinated with five other nations, including china. kobe cases are rising again in the u.s. ahead of the thanksgiving holiday. we will hear from dr. anthony fauci what people can do to stay safe. dr. fauci: i believe we should try to get people who are vaccinated indoors so they can enjoy themselves with a thanksgiving meal. if someone is not vaccinated in that group, like a relative who wants to join, i believe we should ask that individual to get tested. laura: in bulgaria, 46 people were killed when a tour bus crashed. 12 of the victims were children. we will have the latest. plus, it sounds like a hollywood script. when bashar plans to this -- a spacecraft into an asteroid. it's actually a dress rehearsal, just in case.

♪ laura: welcome to the world news america and pbs around the globe. it's been days since stacy's control. the economy has crumbled still further. security concerns have risen. most women and girls are getting an education. on top of everything else, the u.n. says half the population is at risk of going hungry in the coming months. my colleague reports. >> at the food distribution center, the hungry wait. this is a nation on the brink of salvation. and for aid agencies, it's a race against time. emotions begin to run high. she has arrived with her disabled son, pleading for help. the world food program says they are doing everything they can, but it's not enough.

>> i keep coming and they keep turning me away. i don't know where my next meal is coming from. >> she tells me she's desperate. >> it has been eight years since my husband left me for his other wife. i used to work at a school, my salary was 5000 afghani's. it has been for months that i have had no salary. what is the point, living with no food and water? we have just been abandoned. i'd often pray and ask god to just end my life. >> the taliban says the world needs to act. >> the international community has hand in that, because they have imposed sanctions and other steps, which has hit the humanitarian crisis. i think the international community advocating for human

rights, they have such claims, they should reconsider. not to take steps that lead to humanitarian crisis. >> and these are the faces of the crisis. this is the ward where some of the most severely malnourished children are being looked after. she is three. so week, she can barely open her eyes. she is nearly one. >> the powdered milk we get in afghanistan does not have the required nutrients for infants and might not produce enough milk to feed her, so she became malnourished. >> it's not just patients suffering, health care staff not been paid for months. >> every single person i'm speaking to has the same story. they campaign for their ticket to come here, they can't pay for their food here. she was just saying that someday they may have to admit her here

as a malnutrition patient because she doesn't know where she will get her next meal from. even before the taliban came to power, there was a humanitarian crisis in this country. drought, a cuts in the economic collapse have turned crisis into catastrophe. laura: we are joined out from kabul. thtaliban promised to bring security to afghanistan, but how does it feel to you when people don't even have enough to eat? >> that's right, laura. it is not just physical security, it's also food insecurity that they suffer from. you will remember in the 1990's that the one thing that the taliban could fer and could promise the afghan people, it was security. in this time around, they are not just dealing with food and securities in the country, but the threat from the i.s. k from the country. they have managed to gain a

bigger foothold in afghanistan. we have seen them launch several attacks since the talib came to power. an attack on a mosque that killed 100 people. an attack on a mosque that killed dozens of people. and we have seen several attacks here in the capital. so, people are feeling fearful of the future, not just the uncertainty of the security situation, but the uncertainty of the economic and humanitarian crisis that has also grip dish nation. laura: when it comes to not just the education of girls, the role of women in afghan society under the taliban, what exactly is happening? >> you remember in the 1990's, that the taliban promised the girls could go to school once the security situation had improved. they have to wait five years, then when the taliban were toppled in the new government was brought into power, that is

the first time girls were able to return to their schools. they have now waited up to 67 days. girls over the age of 12 and most of the provinces in this country have been denied education. women have been prevented from going to work in most professions. in the health care sector, the taliban say it's crucial that women remain at work. but as my report was pointing out, they are not being paid for three and a half months. the taliban say they will start paying salaries, but this is something that has also gripped the nation. it's not just those who are hungry and facing famine, but those who are treating them are also facing a crisis because their salaries are not being paid. laura: the taliban wants the world to act, as you were reporting there, and donate food, but do you think that's going to happen? will governments use a as leverage? >> the taliban has said to me in

the various interviews i have done with various members of the taliban, that a should not be used as a bargaining chip. it should not be conditions based deal. that it should be given because they are concerned about the afghan populatiobecause they are concerned about the afghan people in the humanitarian crisis that this nation faces. with the international community has conditions. they don't want to deal with a taliban government that isn't inclusive. at present the taliban government is made up of their own base, whichre all exclusively men, no women apart of this government. the international community is concerned about the role of women and girls within the regime, and how they wish to impact the future of girls and women in the country. like i said and pointed out, there are rollbacks to that. this country is yet to see

exactly how the taliban plan to rule, and there will be a tough and harsh road ahead. both for the talib and the people of afghanistan. lisa: -- laura: thank you. as americans prepare to hit the road, president biden is trying to bring down gas prices and curb inflation by releasing 50 million barrels of oil from america's strategic reserve. five other countries, china, india, japan, south korea and the u.k. are doing the same thing. here is the president speaking earlier. president biden: while our combined actions will not solve the problem of high gas prices overnight, it will make a difference. it will take time, but before long you will see the gas prices drop when you fill up your tank. in the longer-term, we will reduce our reliance on oil as we shift to clean energy. right now, i will do it needs to be done to reduce the price you pay at the pump. laura: for more on what this

means, we are joined by our business correspondent from new york. is this release from the strategic reserve by president biden and other governments enough to bring dn the price of gas at the pump and also curb inflation? >> look, i think a big component of inflation is what's happening at the petrol pump. we have seen just speculation or anticipation that this move had driven the price lower. when the announcement came today, a lot of that was bake in. he saw the price of oil rise slightly. most experts will say, it does ha a limited impact, but also one that is pretty temporary. long-term, it won't do much to move the needle. the problem at the core of this is the fact that demand and supply has been mismatched as economies try to recover from the pandemic.

laura: is there a ris that oil companies don't like what the u.s. is doing and could retaliate -- retaliate? >> what so fascinating about watching this is that, typically, when the u.s. releases reserves, it's related to weather incidents. hear what you have is they got together with other big energy consuming countries to try to essentially put some pressure on big oil-producing countries to try to lower their supply. whether or not that will work, we will have to wait and see, they are due to meet, opec plus countries next week, and this will be the test of how effective this pressure from these energy consuming countries is. laura: is it interesting that the u.s. and china are cooperating on this one? >> that was one of the things that stood out to me is when you listen to what joe biden was saying. in the statement from the white house they talked about the fact

that this was something joe biden discussed with president xi and their conversation, their zoom meeting earlier in november. it has been in the works for some time. i think it's a recognition of how concerned democrats are about inflation in the united states. knowing that it could have an impact on the road on midterm elections next year. also, the fact that is not just an issue in the united states. the fact that you have cooperation from china, from other asian nations, shows it's a global problem in response to a global pandemic. laura: we were talking about the holidays and gas prices are flags. families in america will celebrate thanksgiving on thursday, which means travel and multiple generations gathering under one roof. what are the risks we should be aware of as covid cases rise in the u.s.?

the chief medical advisor to the president, dr. anthony fauci, gave the bbc this advice for those wanting to enjoy the holidays. dr. fauci: we have the thanksgiving holiday, which is a few weeks before the christmas holiday. during that time, i believe we should try to get people who are vaccinated indoors so they can enjoy themselves with a thanksgiving meal. if someone is not vaccinated in that group, like a relative who wants to joi i believe we should ask that individual to get tested before they come into the home with vaccinated people if they are not vaccinated. that's one of the things we can do. that's why i say other mitigation issues besides testing. myself and my family, i will be vaccinated, they will be vaccinated we will have dinner with friends who are vaccinated. laura: dr. fauci on how to have a covid free thanksgiving. in other news, the jury has begun its deliberations in the trial of three men accused of

murdering ahmaud arbery, an african-american man from georgia. the men have pleaded not guilty to all the chaes against them and say ahmaud arbery was a suspected intruder. the prosecution says the defendants attacked him because he was a black man running down the street. a federal jury in virginia is the organizers of the unite the right white nationalist party, liable for injuring the counter protesters. u.s. media is reporting over 25 million dollars will be awarded in damages. the deadly protest took place in charlottesville over the city's plan to remove the statue of a confederate soldier. officials in wisconsin have charged the man who drove into a christmas parade with five counts of intentional homicide. police say the man, darrell edward brooks, was fleeing a domestic dispute and he mowed into the crowd, killing five people and injuring 48 others. let's go to bulgaria now where

at least 46 people died when a bus crashed and caught fire after swerving off a motorway. 12 of the victims were children. many of the passengers were traveling through bulgaria on their way back to macedonia after a weekend trip to istanbul. the cause of the crash remains unknown. our europe correspondent sent this report from bulgaria. >> a catastrophic crash. the bus rammed a barrier on the motorway. it tore away a 50 meter section, and then burst into flames. onboard were terrorists. mostly from north macedonia. they were returning from a trip to istanbul in turkey. the victims have not yet been officially named. the cause has yet to be determined. but witnesses reported hearing a blast. >> the question is what caused

the blast. if it was an explosion inside the bus or a blast caused by hitting the guardrails. if it was a technical fault of the vehicle or a human error that caused the crash. >> seven people escaped from the wreckage. this survivors were brought here to this emergency hospital. they are being treated for burns and other injuries. it seems they only managed to escape by breaking through the windows of the bus. for relatives and friends, this is an agonizing time. this man said he hadn't heard from his nephew. >> i saw information about the crash at 6:00 a.m. this morning. i saw it on the internet, on facebook to be more precise. as my nephew was in turkey, i started searching for more information. i called the company's phone number. for 3, 4 hours, we did not have

any information, nor were they answering the phone. >> locals say accidents are common on this stretch of motorway. as the authorities continue their investigations, the families mourn their dead. bethany bell, bbc news, sophia. laura: a catastrophe there. you are watching "bbc world news america." still to come on tonight's program. ethiopia's prime minister is headed to the front line is the governments conflict with rebels escalates. we will have the latest. ♪ laura: the french prime minister has appeals for calm in the countries oversee territory of waterloo after days of unrest sparked by anger of covid rules. >> quiet on the straits of guadalupe. after days of violent riots, schools have been closed, shops shuttered, and tourists, notably

absent. but there are many reminders of the anger here in recent days. protest broke out after the french government announced compulsory vaccinations for health-care workers. paris sent in elite police and counterterrorism officers to try to quell the violence. the protests have also revealed a deeper discontent over the relationship between france and its overseas territories. vaccination rates in the caribbean, indian ocean and pacific territories have bid lower than those on the mainland. in guadalupe only 46% have received one dose. laura: warning of escalation and fighting in ethiopia is threatening any progress towards a cease-fire. both the government and the

rebels seem to believe they are on the cusp of vic erie. ethiopia's prime minister said he is heading to the front line to defenhis country. that surprise move comes amid reports of rebel forces advancing towards the capital. the latest gain is the town on the main road linking the capital to the north. bbc has more from nairobi. >> it's a startling moment. just two years ago, the prime minister won the nobel peace prize describing war as the up it to me of hell. today, he is marching to the battlefront to join his troops in the war against the tigre people's liberation fighter. the cpl l, which has joined forces with the army, have dismissed the statement and claim to have captured key towns and cities as they advance up towards the capital. the government denies this.

supporters of the prime minister have cheered him on, calling him brave. but critics say it's just a publicity stunt, he was once in the military. this has been a devastating war. there have been casualties, thousands killed and millions displaced by the conflict. they hope to be cleared as a state of emergency. nearly half a million people are living in famine like conditions. even at workers have been targeted. nearly 30 of them killed since fighting broke out. rights grouphave accused both sides of this. the u.n. has reiterated calls for the use of human workers on more than 70 drivers detained by appointees earlier this month. no reason was given for the arrest. >> in ethiopia, it's a fluctuating picture, the latest numbers i st received are five u.n. staff and two dependents are in custody. six staff were released

yesterday, and one was released today. one u.n. staff member and a dependent were detained today. >> the african union is leading efforts to bring an end to the fighting. neither side has committed to talks. the u.s. secretary of state warned that out and out conflict would be disastrous for the ethiopian people and also for others in the region. at the root of the war is a disagreement between the prime minister and that cpl f, which were almost three decades, dominated the country. interrupted in toward 12 months ago when forces were accused of attacking them to still weapons in the federal government responded. he came into power bringing with him sweeping reforms and promising to heal all wounds. the country is torn apart and has led people to question how have things gone so wrong. bbc news.

laura: early on wednesday morning, nasa will launch a mission unlike any other. the aim is to crash a spacecraft into an asteroid on purpose to try to change its path through space. it's a test of the technologies that could be vital if a dangerous asteroid is ever heading towards earth. our science correspondent has more. >> on till now, it's been the stuff of hollywood blockbusters like armageddon, an asteroid headed for earth and a mission to stop it. science fiction is becoming science fact. for the first time, nasa is sending up a spacecraft to knock an asteroid of course. it is a trial of technology for the future. >> typically will we talk about a mission to go to space we will explore some new world. but in this case we are going to crash a spaceship into an asteroid and change the direction and speed at which it moves through space. we are doing that to test the

technique, to save the planet if there was ever a killer asteroid coming towards earth. >> nasa is targeting a small asteroid, which is or birding around -- orbiting a large -- around a larger spacecraft. the spacecraft will fly into it, leaving an impact crater up to 20 meters wide. but, this should also give the rock a kick, which will speed up its orbit. this can be monitored from the earth to see if it has wked. on board is also a mini satellite that will film the crash. even a small nudge could make a big difference to asteroids path. and that could be vital. a 160 meter wide rock could devastate populated areas. the smaller ones are a problem. anything bigger than the 20 meter asteroid that broke up over russia in 2013 and injured hundreds of people are a concern. >> even smaller objects create a lot of damage.

25 meter asteroids will be really hard to spot with telescopes. we are always pushing the technology in the science we can do, and we try to detect where every single obje is so we know what's coming in the future. >> this spacecraft will take nearly one year to travel the 7 million miles to its destination. no one has ever tried anything like this before, but it could be the best chance of defending our planet if an asteroid is ever on a disastrous collision course. laura: let's hope it's not mission impossible. before we go, for you physics buffs, a rare working manuscript of albert einstein's has been auctioned off for nearly $30 million. the document shows the calculations armstrong did as he tried to formulate his general theory of relativity. one of the seven breakthroughs in modern physics. books and manuscripts show he went through phases of doubt. and even he made some mistakes.

a finished theory published in 1915, transformed humankind's understanding of space, time and gravity. the final sale price was nearly 13 times the amount paid earlier year for a letter in which einstein mentored -- mentioned his favorite equals mc square narrator: funding for this presentation of this program is provided by... narrator: financial services firm, raymond james. man: bdo. accountants and advisors. narrator: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. by judy and peter blum kovler foundation; pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. and by contributions to this pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. ♪ ♪

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captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc >> woodruff: good evening. i'm judy woodruff. on the newshour tonight: pain at the pump. the president taps the strategic oil reserve to try to ease gas prices, as millions of americans travel for the holidays. then, the verdict. a jury finds white nationalists liable for the violence perpetrated at the deadly 2017 rally in charlottesville, virginia. and, vaccinating kids. how disparities highlighted by the pandemic are now preventing children of color from getting the covid-19 vaccine. >> there aren't the systems of a lot of other health care facilities. there's a lot of poverty. there's a lot of people working several jobs; there's a lot of i-