this is bbc news, the headlines... the taliban have captured afghanistan's third biggest city, herat, and appear poised to gain control of kandahar, the second largest. in herat, previously controlled by government forces, militants freed thousands of prisoners from jail. the united states says it's sending troops to the afghan capital, kabul, to help evacuate some civilian staff from the american embassy. but the state department insisted the us embassy in kabul would remain open. the head of the world meteorological organisation has voiced concern about the effects of climate change in the mediterranean region after italy registered what's thought to be a record temperature of 48.8 celsius. there's also been extreme weather in turkey. kathmandu, a city in the north of the country, has been hit by flash floods after heavy rainfall. 17 people have reportedly died, with more than 1,400 people evacuated from the areas affected. this is bbc news.

ijust had a stinky look at our guests, i didn't recognise them. —— sneaky look. hello, and welcome to our look ahead to what the papers will be bringing us tomorrow. with me are the broadcaster henry bonsu, and lord jones, who is a former trade minster. look at them with their intellectual beards. let's see how intellectual they are, let's start with the front pages. asking a lot, i know. let's start with the financial times. it leads with the us and uk sending troops to afghanistan to help evacuate staff in the capital kabul. the metro says the move follows a wave of attacks from the taliban, as it accelerated its plans and seized ii of afghanistan's 3a provincial capitals. according to the telegraph, multiple fatalites have

occured in plymouth. the home secretary priti patel described the incident as shocking. in the guardian, it says gcse results this year have revealed a widening attainment gap between pupils at selective schools and those from other state schools. let's start with the international news as it's reported on the front of the financial times. " uk and us send troops to..." they knew they were going to have to relocate some of these embassy staff, but not at this pace. it of these embassy staff, but not at this ace. , i. , of these embassy staff, but not at this ace. , ,, , ., this pace. it tells you 'ust how dire the situation _ this pace. it tells you 'ust how dire the situation is h this pace. it tells you just how dire the situation is on - this pace. it tells you just how dire the situation is on the - this pace. it tells you just how - dire the situation is on the ground in the last week or so, ten regional capitals have fallen, the latest just 100 miles or so south the capital, cabell, and people are getting more and more concerned. all these places which we've come to know over the past 20 years since

the coalition went in after the 9/11 attacks, and remember what the original premise of that initial move was to topple the taliban and prevent afghanistan from being a haven for terrorist groups and stop them being able to launch attacks on european capitals and the us. that's a member there were attacks in african countries as well, you know, kenya and tanzania. and it would appear that for all the talks that are taking place between the us, the taliban, the qatari is that her hosting and the afghan government, they say one thing in doha, another is happening. the taliban think they can topple this government, it's very weak, everyone talks about the corruption, and the troops are melting away. everyone is rushing to get western people out, 3000 us

troops coming in, 600 british troops coming in, and leaving afghanistan to its fate. for all the money that's been spent, all the lives lost — how many, 240 something british lives, 457 british lives, over 2000 american lives and 120,000 afghan lives — and what for? it's very sad. afghan lives - and what for? it's ve sad. , ., ,, ., , very sad. yes, and troops who served their must be — very sad. yes, and troops who served their must be wondering _ very sad. yes, and troops who served their must be wondering what - very sad. yes, and troops who served their must be wondering what they i their must be wondering what they sacrificed so much for, especially those people who were injured. and of course, the troops that were left behind — before we even start talking about the civilians? yes. talking about the civilians? yes, aood talking about the civilians? yes, good evening. — talking about the civilians? yes, good evening, and _ talking about the civilians? yes, good evening, and good - talking about the civilians? yes, good evening, and good evening, henry _ good evening, and good evening, henry hi; — good evening, and good evening, hen . , _ good evening, and good evening, hen . , , i good evening, and good evening, henry-_ i think - good evening, and good evening, henry._ i think we - good evening, and good evening, henry._ i think we need j good evening, and good evening, i henry._ i think we need to henry. hi, digby. i think we need to ut this henry. hi, digby. i think we need to put this into — henry. hi, digby. i think we need to put this into context. _ henry. hi, digby. i think we need to put this into context. henry - henry. hi, digby. i think we need to put this into context. henryjust - put this into context. henryjust referred — put this into context. henryjust referred to saigon, and those of us who are _ referred to saigon, and those of us who are old — referred to saigon, and those of us who are old enough remember the ignominy— who are old enough remember the ignominy of america generally pulling — ignominy of america generally pulling out with helicopters and people — pulling out with helicopters and people scrambling to get on board,

knowing _ people scrambling to get on board, knowing what was waiting for them if they didn't _ knowing what was waiting for them if they didn't. and this has so many shades_ they didn't. and this has so many shades of— they didn't. and this has so many shades of that to it, and that is awfui~ — shades of that to it, and that is awful. putting this into the context. _ awful. putting this into the context, as you said, of the soldiers. _ context, as you said, of the soldiers, the relatives of those who died, _ soldiers, the relatives of those who died. or— soldiers, the relatives of those who died. or the — soldiers, the relatives of those who died, or the soldiers themselves who remain— died, or the soldiers themselves who remain - _ died, or the soldiers themselves who remain - i_ died, or the soldiers themselves who remain — i guess there's two things here _ remain — i guess there's two things here one — remain — i guess there's two things here one is— remain — i guess there's two things here. one is a professional soldier takes _ here. one is a professional soldier takes orders and fulfils, and he is a professional, both he and she do these _ a professional, both he and she do these things in these places. and i was listening to an american special forces _ was listening to an american special forces soldier earlier on this evening _ forces soldier earlier on this evening who was saying that they actually _ evening who was saying that they actually did the two things to which henry— actually did the two things to which henry referred — get the taliban out of power. _ henry referred — get the taliban out of power, and secondly, get al-qaeda out of— of power, and secondly, get al-qaeda out of tora _ of power, and secondly, get al-qaeda out of tora bora, which was the big mountain— out of tora bora, which was the big mountain hiding place for them where they nurtured terrorism. and those

two things— they nurtured terrorism. and those two things were actually done very quickly, _ two things were actually done very quickly, in — two things were actually done very quickly, in about 100 days. then we've _ quickly, in about 100 days. then we've had — quickly, in about 100 days. then we've had 20 years after that of so-caiied — we've had 20 years after that of so—called nation—building. and it's that issue — so—called nation—building. and it's that issue which is the problem. the one thing _ that issue which is the problem. the one thing that i think people can hold their— one thing that i think people can hold their head up about in that time _ hold their head up about in that time is — hold their head up about in that time is that a lot of women were seriously— time is that a lot of women were seriously -- _ time is that a lot of women were seriously —— a lot of women were seriously— seriously —— a lot of women were seriously improved. and if you've ever_ seriously improved. and if you've ever read — seriously improved. and if you've ever read the novel the kite runner, you understand what it was like there _ you understand what it was like there for— you understand what it was like there for a _ you understand what it was like there for a woman under the taliban. for women— there for a woman under the taliban. for women to be set free in so many areas _ for women to be set free in so many areas with— for women to be set free in so many areas with something of which the americans, the ritz, the french, canadians, — americans, the ritz, the french, canadians, the danes, everybody could _ canadians, the danes, everybody could he — canadians, the danes, everybody could be proud. —— the brits. the problem — could be proud. —— the brits. the problem is — could be proud. —— the brits. the problem is america pulled out, and out goes _ problem is america pulled out, and out goes everybody with them. and if i was out goes everybody with them. and if i was a _ out goes everybody with them. and if i was a woman right now in kabul, i would _ i was a woman right now in kabul, i would he _ i was a woman right now in kabul, i would be terrified, absolutely terrified. forthe

would be terrified, absolutely terrified. for the western world to sit here _ terrified. for the western world to sit here and watch that about to happen, — sit here and watch that about to happen, i— sit here and watch that about to happen, i think, sit here and watch that about to happen, ithink, is sit here and watch that about to happen, i think, is the greatest tragedy— happen, i think, is the greatest tragedy of all of it.— happen, i think, is the greatest tragedy of all of it. talking about the taliban _ tragedy of all of it. talking about the taliban saying _ tragedy of all of it. talking about the taliban saying that _ tragedy of all of it. talking about the taliban saying that women i tragedy of all of it. talking about i the taliban saying that women will be educated, it's their right — but of course we've seen how the taliban operates on the dutch in the past. we've got afghan children being displaced by the taliban, and offensive taking refuge in the camp somewhere in the capital, of course there are quite a lot of afghan nationals who helped the allied forces who also need to get out because their fate isn't worth thinking about if there left behind. absolutely, and it's to britain and america's shame that it's taken so long to think about these people and create special visas to get them out. right at the last minute when this should've done ages ago, if not years ago. look at the pictures of those poor children, looking frightened — and you can imagine the

refugee flows that will be triggered by the instability, by the coming civil war. by the instability, by the coming civilwar. because by the instability, by the coming civil war. because let's think about it, there will be lots of ordinary afghans who will try to arm themselves, there will be warlords from the north and east of the country who won't sit and wait like sitting ducks stop they know the government cannot help them, the african national security force can't help them, they are melting away in some cases because of the sheer terror at what the taliban might do. so there will be blowback. it might be some time before you see the kinds of terrorist attacks that people fear will come to european cities, to american cities — that may or may not happen, let's wait and see. but there will be regional instability, movements of people, and we will be wondering why people are coming over to our country, they should be staying over there — look at the situation, would you stay there? the taliban have said, "yes, we think girls have the right to

education up until the age of 12." all the gains over the last 20 years, many of them will melt away. and while we've been talking about the west, let's think about afghanistan's strategic position afg hanistan's strategic position where afghanistan's strategic position where it is in south asia, with neighbours like pakistan and iran. think of the role of pakistan — often blamed for nurturing and helping to create the taliban back in the 1990s for strategic regions, they've received blowback themselves because of all the attacks they've had in their own country. so one wonders what their strategic aims are and why they haven't been brought into the talks in a much more robust and high—profile way. because pakistan may hold the keys to a more secure future in that region. let's bring them in. the russians too, the chinese too. this is where geopolitics is very important. is where geopolitics is very important-— is where geopolitics is very imortant. , ., ,, i. ., important. henry, thank you. iwant to touch upon _ important. henry, thank you. iwant to touch upon one _ important. henry, thank you. iwant to touch upon one of— important. henry, thank you. iwant to touch upon one of the _ important. henry, thank you. iwant

to touch upon one of the stories - to touch upon one of the stories on the daily telegraph, we won't discuss it because there's so little known about it at the moment and we've onlyjust been speculating, but the headline there is multiple fatalities in plymouth gun attack. this was the story we broke earlier this evening, i think it was around 8:15pm we got the first notification of it from the southwestern ambulance service in devon and cornwall police, a very big incident and crisis had been declared in plymouth, and we understand that there were shots fired and there have been a number of fatalities and other casualties still receiving treatment. people are asked to stay inside their homes for their own safety. let's look at the guardian again. this time, gcses — they were over levels when we took them,

chaps, weren't they? gcses show widening gaps in attainment". not just between private schools in state schools, but there are geographical differences, racial differences.— geographical differences, racial differences. ., ~ ., geographical differences, racial differences. ., ~' ., differences. you know something, you certainly don't — differences. you know something, you certainly don't look _ differences. you know something, you certainly don't look old _ differences. you know something, you certainly don't look old enough - differences. you know something, you certainly don't look old enough to - certainly don't look old enough to remember them certainly don't look old enough to rememberthem as old certainly don't look old enough to remember them as old levels. gld remember them as old levels. old ntcham! only _ remember them as old levels. old ntcham! only old _ remember them as old levels. old ntcham! only old stages - remember them as old levels. old ntcham! only old stages like - remember them as old levels. old ntcham! only old stages like me l remember them as old levels. old i ntcham! only old stages like me and henry remember— ntcham! only old stages like me and henry remember all— ntcham! only old stages like me and henry remember all levels _ ntcham! only old stages like me and henry remember all levels is - ntcham! only old stages like me and henry remember all levels is popular speak— henry remember all levels is popular speak for— henry remember all levels is popular speak for yourself, henry remember all levels is popular speakforyourself, henry. i'm henry remember all levels is popular speak for yourself, henry. i'm very worried, _ speak for yourself, henry. i'm very worried, and — speak for yourself, henry. i'm very worried, and i still share quite a few companies, and you might imagine i try few companies, and you might imagine itry and _ few companies, and you might imagine itry and get— few companies, and you might imagine i try and get involved with these, i'm i try and get involved with these, i'm quite — i try and get involved with these, i'm quite keen on apprenticeships, keen_ i'm quite keen on apprenticeships, keen on— i'm quite keen on apprenticeships, keen on getting people out from gcses _ keen on getting people out from gcses time and into the world of work, _ work, and get them onto apprenticeships. it's a big thing for me — apprenticeships. it's a big thing for me. and because of that worry dummett— for me. and because of that worry dummett reason, i'm worried, i'm worried _

dummett reason, i'm worried, i'm worried for— dummett reason, i'm worried, i'm worried for the reasons you espoused. the first and biggest reason — espoused. the first and biggest reason is — espoused. the first and biggest reason is there's a degree of grade inflation _ reason is there's a degree of grade inflation i— reason is there's a degree of grade inflation. i won't go there as to inflation. iwon't go there as to whether— inflation. i won't go there as to whether it's big or small, or whether— whether it's big or small, or whether exams favour always in continuous assessment favour girls, whether— continuous assessment favour girls, whether the exams system has been unfair— whether the exams system has been unfair - _ whether the exams system has been unfair - i_ whether the exams system has been unfair — i won't go there, but the fact unfair — iwon't go there, but the fact of— unfair — i won't go there, but the fact of the — unfair — i won't go there, but the fact of the matter is more young people _ fact of the matter is more young people are getting higher grades through— people are getting higher grades through this system then they were in the _ through this system then they were in the past. and exams should not be about, _ in the past. and exams should not be about, "0h. _ in the past. and exams should not be about, "0h, they work really hard, they deserve it". it's about the retainment of something in the test of their— retainment of something in the test of their ability — and sadly in the world, _ of their ability — and sadly in the world, i— of their ability — and sadly in the world, i could train incredibly hard to do— world, i could train incredibly hard to do the — world, i could train incredibly hard to do the 100 metres and i wouldn't do very— to do the 100 metres and i wouldn't do very well, no matter how hard i work, _ do very well, no matter how hard i work. i_ do very well, no matter how hard i work, i wasn't built that way. and i work, iwasn't built that way. and i worry— work, i wasn't built that way. and i worry that — work, i wasn't built that way. and i worry that you'll have young people who go _ worry that you'll have young people who go out — worry that you'll have young people who go out into either a levels or the world — who go out into either a levels or the world of work and they aren't actually— the world of work and they aren't

actually factually ready or skilled enough — actually factually ready or skilled enough to do what's expected of them, _ enough to do what's expected of them, and — enough to do what's expected of them, and it'll put enormous pressure _ them, and it'll put enormous pressure on them, causing health issues _ pressure on them, causing health issues for— pressure on them, causing health issues for sure — and at the same time, _ issues for sure — and at the same time, employers will have a hard time, _ time, employers will have a hard time, and — time, employers will have a hard time, and if— time, employers will have a hard time, and if they go into a levels because — time, and if they go into a levels because of— time, and if they go into a levels because of the results, the education system isn't equipped to handle _ education system isn't equipped to handle so — education system isn't equipped to handle so many a—level students because — handle so many a—level students because not many people in the past have been— because not many people in the past have been going on to the a—levels because _ have been going on to the a—levels because of— have been going on to the a—levels because of the results. have been going on to the a-levels because of the results.— because of the results. leave so i really worry _ because of the results. leave so i really worry that _ because of the results. leave so i really worry that this _ because of the results. leave so i really worry that this will - because of the results. leave so i really worry that this will have - really worry that this will have consequences the likes of which we've not seen. the yorkshire post reports that the labour leader, sir keir starmer, henry, says that gavin williamson, the education secretary, should be sacked because of these growing gaps. and to touch upon what digby hasjust said, growing gaps. and to touch upon what digby has just said, apparently there's a £6 billion cost to businesses because we aren't

equipping young people with the skills they need for the current workplace?— skills they need for the current worklace? ~ ,, ,, ., �* , workplace? well, sir keir starmer's call is echoed _ workplace? well, sir keir starmer's call is echoed by _ workplace? well, sir keir starmer's call is echoed by the _ workplace? well, sir keir starmer's call is echoed by the pulse - workplace? well, sir keir starmer's call is echoed by the pulse itself- call is echoed by the pulse itself and the leader, saying look, despite gavin williamson's scarborough route, we don't think he is equipped. we've watched and the last few months, we've considered the infant —— interventions he's made and he's not equipped for the job. so it's a matter of emergency that he needs to leave. they talk about the wider cost of business of the skills shortage, and if you think about it, the yorkshire post represents its region very proudly, and all the regional papers due, and they look at the big national story through the prism of what's happening on the ground in their environment. and they've made this calculation — i haven't seen the raw data, but i'm sure they've got a reason why they've come up with that particular figure reason why they've come up with that particularfigure — eight and it will concentrate borisjohnson's mind like nothing else, because that area in another part of the country,

represented by conservative mps for the first time in generations, and if leveling up is about anything, it has to be about education as well as employment. and let's remember that that it's a direct relationship between the education people get, whether they are gcses, a—levels, btec, and their likelihood of doing well in higher education and industry in the world of work, i think it is a massive gap on the ground at education, than obviously the government cannot be said to be leveling up in the way that is promised in the 2019 general election. ~ ., ,, ., , election. we will talk about this in the next review, _ election. we will talk about this in the next review, but _ election. we will talk about this in the next review, but i _ election. we will talk about this in the next review, but i want to - election. we will talk about this in i the next review, but i want to move on to the telegraph and get a comment from each of you briefly. the world health organization inquiry chief points a finger at pat infection in wuhan lab, saying the chinese need to come clean. thea;r

infection in wuhan lab, saying the chinese need to come clean.