>> a call to action of the un's general assembly with a warning, the world must wake up to the triple threat of climate change, conflict, and the coronavirus. ♪ >> hello, i am barbara serra. you are watching al jazeera from london. thousands of haitian migrants faced deportation from the u.s. without the opportunity to seek asylum. the u.n. says that might violate international law. a failed coup in sudan, more

than 20 arrested including senior members of the military. u.k. police charge a third russian with the attempted murder of a former spy, but none of them are likely to face justice. warnings about coronavirus, climate change, and conflict have set the tone on the first day of keynote speeches at the u.n. general assembly. more than 100 world leaders are appearing in person after most of them stayed away last year due to the pandemic. the world's response to covid-19 was a key point for secretary-general antonio guterres. he criticized wealthier nations for what he called the obscenity of letting poor nations struggle to source vaccines. u.s. president joe biden spoke of a decisive decade, pledging to increase funding to fight climate change but steered clear

of stoking tension with china, saying he was not seeking a new cold war. china's leader, xi jinping, did not address the u.s. had on, but the key message was that this dispute between countries should be handled through dialogue and cooperation. the strongest words of the day came from the secretary-general himself. our diplomatic editor reports from the you and -- u.n. >> please take your seats. reporter:reporter: this year's gathering of world leaders started on a somber note, the secretary-general highlighting the growing list of global problems -- covid-19, the climate crisis, and conflicts, all of them getting worse. >> i'm here to sound the alarm. the world must wake up. we are on the edge of an abyss and moving in the wrong direction. our world has never been more

threatened or more divided. we face the greatest cascade of crises in our lifetimes. reporter: this was the first u.n. general assembly attended by president joe biden, speaking weeks after the taliban takeover in kabul, a war that in effect led to the u.s. defeat. he laid out his strategy on future u.s. military involvement. >> u.s. military power must be our tool of last resort, not our first. it should not be used as an answer to every problem we see around the world. we have ended 20 years of conflict in afghanistan. as we close this period of relentless war, we are opening a new era of relentless clemency, abusing the power of our development aid -- of using the power of l developing aid to lift people up around the world. reporter: as he spoke, just one mid-level french official

listening. after his speech, biden met with australia's prime minister scott morrison, saying the u.s. had no closer or more reliable ally. in his speech, president but it did not speak much about the way forward in afghanistan. wednesday, the foreign ministers of the g20 group and the five public members of the security council and their foreign ministers will discuss how to deal with the taliban. the reality though is the international community has limited leverage on the new rulers in kabul. james bays, al jazeera at the united nations. barbara: we are joined by mike cano who was at the u.n. and was following the speeches. all eyes on how the chinese president would react from the controversial security pact between australia, the u.k., and the u.s. all things considered, the response was quite measured. reporter: it was indeed, some would call a very moderate and

tempered, particularly given the words that have come out of china in the wake of that particular deal, words used like renewing a cold war ideology. but the chinese president stayed away from any direct criticism of the united states and its allies in that particular deal. he adopted a very measured, equitable tone, putting china forward as a country interested in globalization, multilateralism, insisting the important thing is to negotiate a dialogue rather than indulge in confrontation. this is what the chinese president had to say. >> differences and problems among countries are hardly avoidable, need to be handled on the basis of equality and mutual respect. one countries success does not have to mean another country's

failure. the world is big enough to accommodate common development and progress of all countries. we need to pursue a dialogue and inclusiveness over confrontation and exclusion. barbara: mike, joe biden, the u.s. president, and the british prime minister boris johnson have met. has anything come out of that meeting? reporter: it was a very friendly meeting, some may say overly friendly. the two appear to enjoy each other's company. boris traveled to washington, d.c. by train. joe biden used amtrak for decades while he was a senator, making reference to the photo opportunity the leaders had. it is significant.

biden met with boris johnson and d.c., given that early on in the day, he met with the australian prime minister, his other ally, and that controversial lines announced in recent days. this alliance has come under major attack from the eu, and in particular from france, all arguing the u.s. is indulging in a type of unilateralism that cuts out of the orbit its traditional allies such as the eu and nato. this is something biden addressed in his speech, insisting the u.s. needs to keep warm relationships with all of its traditional allies and will continue to do so, attempting to project the idea of a multilateral u.s. in the face of what many of its critics are now saying is the evolving of a unilateral diplomatic foreign policy. barbara: the latest from the u.n. headquarters in new york, thank you. the treatment of people from haiti trying to cross into the

united states via mexico has drawn criticism internationally and from the white house. the you and talk refugee official says mass expulsions without screening for protection , border guards using horse rains and whips to those seeking refuge. the video was discussed in a senate hearing. more from washington, d.c. reporter: these are the al jazeera pictures causing outrage across the united states. desperate and hungry, haitian migrants trying to make it back to a makeshift camp with food and water, met by force. the men on horseback work for the department of homeland security secretary alejandra moret gus, who promised in a hearing tuesday that there will be consequences. >> i directed that the office of

professional responsibility be present on site in del rio 24/7 to ensure that the conduct of our personnel adheres to our policies, training, and values. i was horrified to see the images and we look forward to seeing the facts that are induced from the investigation. reporter: the u.s. vice president also weighed in. >> what i saw, treating human beings the way they were is horrible and i fully support what is happening right now, a thorough investigation into exactly what is going on there. human beings should never be treated that way. i am deeply troubled about it. reporter: but republicans in congress are making a broader political point saying border security is broken and president biden is to blame. >> all i can say is sooner or later, this administration will have to take responsibility for

the crisis that gets worse and worse at the border every day and so for every time we hear from you, it is somebody else's fault, something else will happen later. it is unbelievable. reporter: but to the thousands of haitians who thought this would be the first up to new life in amemerica, they are beig moved to other processing centers and are expected to be flown back to haiti in the next 10 days. the biden administration is continuing the policy set up by the trump administration saying because of the pandemic, they can deport people right away without giving them a chance to ask for asylum. it has angered many people in his own political party, but so far, it does not appear the administration plans to change course, and if it did, it would likely be too late for the thousands on the border. patti keohane, al jazeera, washington. barbara: thousands of patients who cross the mexican border into the u.s. will now be sent back home. many people had been staying at

a makeshift camp at a texas border town where conditions are said to be going from bad to worse. as john holman reports now, many are crossing back temporarily onto the mexican side to avoid deportation. >> look at this. look at this. reporter: inside the makeshift camp of more than 8000 people, mostly haitians in del rio, texas, they crossed the reaver -- river illegally and were hoping the u.s. would let them in. most shelters are just blankets propped up by sticks. together with a lot of rubbish, the little water or food. someone inside the camp filmed these images for us. u.s. authority blocked the media from seeing it and now they are entering the place. >> irregular migration poses a significant threat to the health and welfare -- of border communities and should not be

attempted. if you come to the united states illegally, you will be returned. reporter: daily flights are taking off from the u.s., sending people back to haiti. to avoid deportation, some people have crossed back into mexico. we found him in a park with his 20-month-old son. he still has not given up on his dream. >> i'm 30 years old and i don't know how many years i have left before i die, but my dream is to enter the u.s. if i cross today and they send me back to haiti, will enter again. reporter:reporter: he told me he had been deeply traumatized by parts of the 5000 kilometer journey to get this far in talks about dying. >> many people died in the jungle. you could be wading through the water and the river would take you away. a pregnant woman, hungry people who could not walk, died in the forest. i saw many things and these images haunt me. reporter: most patients we spoke

to have similar stories, and now mexico is not a safe haven either. authorities are rounding up migrants, aiding the u.s. effort. an effort -- in essence, they are now trapped. >> here we are prisoners. nobody knows what to do. some people have decided to go to haiti, but if they arrive like this with nothing, it will be very tough. with the poverty, the crime, they will get even poor. reporter: so instead, he was hoping for the best, heading back to the u.s. in the camp after getting nappies and milk for his son. we left him as he waded into the river, crossing between two countries, neither of which want him. john holman, al jazeera, mexico. barbara: still to come, the taliban says afghan girls will be allowed to go back to school, but it will not say when.

and made in turkey. techno fest showcases the country's new military hardware as it aims to sell more abroad. ♪ >> hello, there. let's have a look at the weather in australia. we have a strong cold front sweeping across the southeast which has brought temperatures down and snow to parts of victoria and new south wales. up to 20 centimeters following in places there. it will pull away, leaving some cloud behind it, but it does clear up. we will see sunshine coming through by the time we get to thursday and temperatures will pick up in places like adelaide and sydney. speaking of high temperatures,

and the north, darwin registered its hottest september day on record tuesday, thanks to inland winds that are sleeping and taking up the warmth. it is going to cool down slightly, but the temperature will sit in the early 30's. over the tasman sea to new zealand, we are seeing wet and windy weather affecting the north island and northern areas of the south island. down to the south, it remains drier. thursday, heavy falls affecting brisbane and plenty of rain in the bay. to southeast asia, heavy rain affecting parts of iochina with a swirling system sweeping into vietnam. >> too often, afghanistan is portrayed through the prism of war. but there were many afghanistan's. thanks to the brave individuals

who risked their lives to protect it from destruction, and extraordinary film archives spanning four decades reveals the forgotten truths of the country's modern history. the forbidden real part two, the communist revolution, on al jazeera. ♪ barbara: a reminder of the top stories here on al jazeera. the united nations general assembly is open with a stark warning from its secretary-general. in what has been labeled the most serious speech he has good -- given, antonio guterres says the world stands on the edge of an abyss.

thousands of patients who have crossed into the u.s. via mexico are being sent home, but the u.n. top refugee official says mass expulsions without screening for protection needs could be in breach of international law. the taliban has requested to speak at the u and general assembly this week. it nominated a doha based spokesman as the afghan ambassador to the united nations. the request was made in a letter to the secretary-general on monday, but the country's seat is already taken by a united nations official who was put in the post just two months ago. a committee including members from the u.s., china, and russia will meet to decide who will serve. staying with the taliban, the group says it hopes to allow teenage girls to return to school, "as soon as possible." it has given no timeline to allow them to resume classes or for women to go back to work for that matter. the group says it is drafting

rules to allow the return and there -- under islamic guidelines. on saturday, some afghan girls returned to primary schools with gender segregated classes. the interim government allowed -- announced a list of deputy ministers tuesday. >> we are trying to strengthen the cabinet further and god willing, women will be appointed to positions and one day we will announce their names here. in the case of female students, the ministry is working hard to lay the groundwork for the education of high school girls as soon as possible. work is underway and it is hoped this will be done, god willing. barbara: authorities in sudan have blamed military plotters lawyer will -- loyal to the former president for a coup. this is the latest threat to the country's tentative moves towards democracy. reporter: in sudan's capital, a

nearby city, tuesday morning started with reports of intense military activity and closure of bridges across the river nile. according to government medium, they were trying to take over the state media building. the military measures were taken to contain the situation. news of the attempted coup first broke on state media that sought to reassure the public. >> the failed coup attempt clearly indicates it is necessary to reform the military and security apparatuses. it calls for an all-out reconsideration of the transition process and the necessity to forge a partnership based on the values and principles of the revolution towards a civil, democratic transition only. reporter: sudan's military says senior army officials were behind the coup attempt and 21 of them and the number of soldiers from the armored core were arrested and would be interrogated. hours later, traffic appeared to

be flowing smoothly, including around army headquarters that officials they had been targeted by the coup plotters. sudan has been on a fragile path to democratic rule since its longtime ruler was removed from power by the military in april 2019, following four months of protests. the country is now ruled by a joint civilian and military government. both sides of the transitional government have reiterated the balance of power is a unique model and provides the best way to democracy, but has not been free from tension. political parties and the ruling coalition have accused the military of holding too much power and the military has repeatedly hinted their civilian counterparts of the reason sudan's growth has been slow. some analysts stay -- stay the whole government is to blame. >> this does not seem like a transition government. there are not any steps taken to put together a road for

elections or political parties. the census has not been done. gerrymandering for the electoral order has not been designed. it seems that even the public is now very serious. reporter: the transition of 30 say the coup attempt is not the first challenge they have faced and foiled or detected linked to factions loyal to the former president and adds to a sense of insecurity in a nation already facing high inflation and shortages of goods. barbara: more people have been forced to evacuate their homes after a volcanic eruption on one of spain's canary islands on sunday. authorities say the neighborhood is the latest in the path of flowing lava. more than 160 homes on la palma have been destroyed. this is the first time the volcano has erected in 50 years.

sightseers are being urged to stay away from the area. >> it's a moving situation. we have seen the cordon moving slowly away from this area. we are not very far from here, a few kilometers off, but what really surprised me was the sound of this volcano, these loud eruptions, tonight keeping many awake. many people are still hold up in their homes and unwilling to leave, despite the fear and sense that this could destroy their homes. so there is a sound, a sense of unknown of what is going to happen next, but there is still this awe of what is happening. the volcano that had remained silent for almost 50 years and decided to make itself heard, and now we can see both authorities, scientists, and people living here are observing

what's happening behind us closely. barbara: police in the u.k. have charged the third russian for the attempt to murder a former spy using nerve agent. the attack on sergei skripal in a quiet city three years ago led to the death of a local woman. this comes on the same day at top european court officially blamed russia for another assassination on british soil. but as reported, none of the three russians in this case are likely to face justice. reporter: this, according to britain's metropolitan police force, is denise sergey lavrov, within alias. he's charged with being the third man with an attempted murder of sergei skripal and his daughter in the u.k. using the nerve agent novichok in march 2018. a police officer nick bailey also became critically ill, and a woman named dawn sturgess died months later after she came into

contact with nerve agent left behind. skripal had been a russian spy turned double agent, feeding secrets to britain's intelligence service, released as part of a spy swap and settled in the city of salisbury where he was targeted by agents working for russia's g are you intelligence agency. prime minister boris johnson the suspects beheaded over. >> they should recognize that our sense that justice must be done is not abated, and dawn sturgess, an innocent member of the british public, died in that event and we want to see those suspects handed over. reporter: it is the first time british police and prosecuting authorities have linked the crime and all three suspects to the gru, confirming the findings of the investigations. the trio are alleged to have worked together before in bulgaria and the czech republic although this is the first time they have been active in the

u.k.. however, it's not the first time russia stands accused of going after its enemies on u.k. soil. in london in 2006, outspoken kremlin critic died in agony after being poisoned using a rare radioactive isotope. it was slipped into his tea in a smart london hotel, allegedly by two russian agents. a judgment by the european court at human rights has found the russian state was -- was to blame for it described as an assassination. > there have not even been any results of the investigation so far, so such statements are at the very least unfounded. we are not willing to take this ruling on board. reporter: the kremlin continues to deny involvement in either case, and another thing unlikely to change is that with no extradition treaty and no help from the russian authorities, all the suspects are likely to remain safe and at large in

russia. jonah hull, al jazeera. barbara: the border between kosovo and serbia is still blocked after the government denied entry to vehicles with serbian license plates. kosovo sent armed police officers to the area after ethnic serbs parked trucks in the border crossings in protest. under the new rules, drivers must pay to replace their serbian license plates with temporary kosovan ones. serbia does not recognize the province as an independent state. canada's prime minister says he's ready to cooperate with his political opponents after failing to win an outright majority in monday's snap election. justin trudeau has been reelected for a third term, but provisional results say he has fallen 12 seats short of a majority. he has faced opposition criticism for colic the election two years early in a bid to

capitalize on public approval of his successful covid-19 policies. turkey's largest aerospace and technology event, techno fest, took off in istanbul tuesday. it aims to showcase and promote the country's rapid advances in defense technology and attract young talent to the industry. we have a report from istanbul. reporter: helicopters augment aerial vehicles and plates, turkey showcasing its domestically produced air defense technologies for the fourth time in his bowl. 200,000 students competed in 35 fields to take part in the six-day festival. spirits are high among young participants. his team won first prize with a drone designed to extinguish fire. with hundreds of wildfires in the mediterranean region this summer, devastating much of the

tourism industry, their invention has been given more significance. >> our drone is capable of 100 meters of fire, and it has been the international technology move. we are aware of the vision our state has chosen. reporter: other winners are being chosen, but those who make it are seen as assets for the countries -- more than 50% of turkeys armed forces are supplied by domestic companies. the government aims to eliminate all foreign suppliers and make that 100% by 2023, the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the turkish republic. >> when we look at techno fest youth, we see the architects of great turkey, engineers, scientists, and intrapreneurs who will make their marks tomorrow. reporter: the drones are named after the family members behind

them, known for their effectiveness in helping azerbaijan achieve victory over armenia over the disputed territories in 2020. ■wwññ■ñ■ñ■ 8

(sophie fouron) it's such a small plane. it's not your first flight, is it? (pilot) first flight of the day. (sophie fouron) first flight of the day! o.k. good enough. we're off to great barrier island this morning. it's a 30-minute flight from auckland, new zealand. they have incredible fauna and flora over there, as well as secluded and quiet bays and beaches. i think i could get used to this. great barrier is quite isolated. living t m