$args2 = array   (
                        
                        'hide_empty'    => 0,
//                        'child_of'    => 995,
                        );
    $cats2 = get_categories( $args2 );
    echo "<pre>";
        print_r( $cats2);
    echo"</pre>";
       $cat_array = array('category_parent'    => $parent, 'cat_name' => 'my new category');
       $new_cat_id = wp_insert_category($cat_array,$wp_error );
       var_dump($new_cat_id);
       var_dump($wp_error);
              $args2 = array   (
                        
                        'hide_empty'    => 0,
//                        'child_of'    => 995,
                        );
    $cats2 = get_categories( $args2 );
    echo "<pre>";
        print_r( $cats2);
    echo"</pre>";


-=============================================-
Array
(
    [0] => stdClass Object
        (
            [term_id] => 1
            [name] => Uncategorized
            [slug] => uncategorized
            [term_group] => 0
            [term_taxonomy_id] => 1
            [taxonomy] => category
            [description] => 
            [parent] => 0
            [count] => 17
            [cat_ID] => 1
            [category_count] => 17
            [category_description] => 
            [cat_name] => Uncategorized
            [category_nicename] => uncategorized
            [category_parent] => 0
        )

)

int(1027) NULL

Array
(
    [0] => stdClass Object
        (
            [term_id] => 1
            [name] => Uncategorized
            [slug] => uncategorized
            [term_group] => 0
            [term_taxonomy_id] => 1
            [taxonomy] => category
            [description] => 
            [parent] => 0
            [count] => 17
            [cat_ID] => 1
            [category_count] => 17
            [category_description] => 
            [cat_name] => Uncategorized
            [category_nicename] => uncategorized
            [category_parent] => 0
        )

)