this is bbc news — these are the latest headlines in the uk and around the world. taliban insurgents continue their advance in afghanistan, as us troops prepare for a massive airlift of civilians from kabul. president biden stands by his decision to withdraw us forces, but a former us general in afghanistan disagrees. taliban insurgents continue their advance in afghanistan, when the decision was announced months ago, i said that i feared we would come to regret this decision. and we already are. this — again — is a nightmare. the plymouth shootings — devon and cornwall police face an investigation over the decision to return a shotgun licence to the man who killed five people. flash flooding in turkey kills at least 31 people — as southern europe records one of the hottest summers ever.

the nhs warns that tens of thousands of people are risking their lives in england because they're unable to spot the first warning signs of cancer. hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. heavy fighting has broken out in the afghan city of mazar—i—sharif, as taliban militants tighten their stranglehold around kabul. american troops have flown into kabul to help evacuate embassy personnel and other civilians stranded in the afghan capital. britain and several other western nations are also sending troops as resistance from afghan government forces crumbles. the taliban also claims to have captured territory in two other provinces overnight.

here's our asia editor anbarasan ethirajan talking about the military advances made by the taliban so far. the taliban showed no sign of stopping or even slowing down the military advance. as we speak, heavy fighting is raging in a town very close to kabul, about a0 kilometres, and also in a province in the southern part of kabul so they are making their intentions very clear, that they want to surround and besiege kabul as early as possible. and us jets are reportedly carried out air strikes on militant positions outside kabul city so the fighting is leading towards the city as we speak. and in the last few minutes, the taliban say they have launched another assault on the northern city of mazar—i—sharif, that is the biggest city in the region, close to the border with uzbekistan. it is a trading commercial hub, very very important city, that is one of the major cities

still in the government control in the northern region so that is an interesting place to watch today. while the government in kabul is relying on the us and other western countries�* financial support, the taliban has reached out to china which is currently the biggest foreign investor in afghanistan. the german marshall fund is a us think—tank promoting cooperation and understanding between north america and europe. andrew small is is a senior transatlantic fellow gmf�*s asia programme. thank you very much forjoining thank you very much forjoining us. thank you very much forjoining us. tell us about the extent of china's involvement in afghanistan? although the are involvement in afghanistan? although they are described _ involvement in afghanistan? although they are described as _ involvement in afghanistan? although they are described as the _ involvement in afghanistan? although they are described as the largest - they are described as the largest investor in the country, in many ways this is on paper. they have committed large—scale investment, committed la rge—scale investment, significant committed large—scale investment, significant commitments to a copper

mine investment and oil investment in the north but in practical terms, it has been extremely difficult to get these projects in motion. essentially they have been mothballed. china is waiting out the situation in which there is sufficient stability to be able to make these investments viable. for now they set their dormant, waiting for a situation when that is possible. china is willing to make investment in scale and make afghanistan a central help for a lot of their infrastructure investments in the region but are extremely concerned about the security situation, notjust now but for the last decade. they still will be for some years to come i think so i think the chinese economic role is still quite sensitive and more talked about than something that translates effectively on the ground. 50 translates effectively on the i round. ., translates effectively on the round. ., ., , , ., ground. so how does the rise of the taliban, the — ground. so how does the rise of the taliban, the re-emergence -

ground. so how does the rise of the taliban, the re-emergence of- ground. so how does the rise of the taliban, the re-emergence of the l taliban, the re—emergence of the taliban, the re—emergence of the taliban fit into that picture for china? ., ., , taliban fit into that picture for china? . . , . taliban fit into that picture for china? . ., ., , ., china? china has had long-standing arrangements _ china? china has had long-standing arrangements with _ china? china has had long-standing arrangements with taliban - china? china has had long-standing arrangements with taliban when - china? china has had long-standing. arrangements with taliban when they were in government last time. china was one of the few with access to have investment and economic interest in the country. taliban know that in a situation where they will struggle for legitimacy internationally, they will not get aid from the west, another government might find china a lifeline on the economic side. there will be trying to create the conditions for at least a good political relationship with the chinese. there was a prominent meeting which took place recently between the chinese foreign minister in which the taliban made statements that there would be no attacks launched against china from afghan territory. they want to have china on—site politically but china is still very nervous about the taliban

and the destabilising impact on the rest of the region. and the concern that afghan territory would be used to host various of the groups that china is most concerned about so they will see depending on the situation on the ground and whether the taliban are able to consolidate power, how some of these political promises the taliban has made translate. they are worried about the current situation, the condition in which the us was the dominant military power, those were the conditions in which —— china was starting to make economic commitments 15 years ago. this current situation is vastly concerning to them and they will be very tentative about a taliban led government. if) very tentative about a taliban led government-— very tentative about a taliban led government. very tentative about a taliban led covernment. 11, . , , ., ., government. 20 years has been a long time although — government. 20 years has been a long time although now _ government. 20 years has been a long time although now it _ government. 20 years has been a long time although now it seems _ government. 20 years has been a long time although now it seems like - government. 20 years has been a long time although now it seems like a - time although now it seems like a short period in the bigger picture but a relatively long time to try and build new infrastructure in some sort of stability, how much has been

done over the past 20 years? if you look at the — done over the past 20 years? if you look at the changes _ done over the past 20 years? if you look at the changes to _ done over the past 20 years? if you look at the changes to the - done over the past 20 years? if gm. look at the changes to the education system, the roads are being built, this is not the same country that the taliban are taking control of the taliban are taking control of the dead last time. there has been a transformative effect from the western presence. nonetheless, there have been significant limitations to the state of the afghan economy given the wartime conditions. most of the money that has been flowing into the country has been flowing in that relate to the war or to drugs, the vast mineral resources of a country that should be one of the main sources of revenue for the government have never been able to be extracted effectively. that is what chinese infrastructure commitments would be able to make possible on the right circumstances but this has been true of afghanistan for a long time, there

is substantial wealth are but without the political security context to make it possible to translate this into taxation revenue for the government, essentially this also stands taument and again this is something where china would be willing and capable of coming in to do that but the infrastructure situation in the country last 20 years has certainly not made that possible. years has certainly not made that ossible. ~ ., , , , possible. who is supporting the taliban in terms _ possible. who is supporting the taliban in terms of— possible. who is supporting the taliban in terms of foreign - taliban in terms of foreign financial support and foreign fighters and who would be prepared, you describe china being prepared to work with the taliban in specific circumstances, but who is supporting the taliban going forward?— the taliban going forward? again, if ou to the taliban going forward? again, if you go back — the taliban going forward? again, if you go back to _ the taliban going forward? again, if you go back to when _ the taliban going forward? again, if you go back to when the _ the taliban going forward? again, if you go back to when the taliban - the taliban going forward? again, if| you go back to when the taliban was paralysed time, obviously pakistan is the principal backer to the taliban. they are the ones who help funnel money, arms, political support. saudi arabia was only other

country at the time china was tentatively involved back at that time but it was a fairly limited band of countries willing to back and support the taliban, help finance. in the intervening period, the taliban have achieved a greater level of international standing, especially through the reconciliation talks but also through a number of different anchors who have reached out to develop relationships with the taliban, including the russians for instance. the process in doha and the taliban international presence has given them a different sort of level of equality and political relationships than they had before so despite the fact that as this line the us and others are trying to stress which is that the taliban take power by force, they will be international pariahs, i think there is a degree of confidence on their

side they have built enough of our constituency of outside political actors that they will have two politically deal with them and they would not face the same level of sanctions and isolation needed in the late 1990s when they take power thatis the late 1990s when they take power that is something they will test out and there are some countries which do include china and traditional backers and a couple of others that would most likely deal with them for pragmatic reasons that they have to. there are things they have to secure from whoever is in power in afghanistan.— from whoever is in power in afghanistan. from whoever is in power in afuhanistan. ., ~ , . afghanistan. thank you very much. andrew mentioned _ afghanistan. thank you very much. andrew mentioned the _ afghanistan. thank you very much. | andrew mentioned the reconciliation talks, we will talk to someone involved in those reconciliation talks, she was the first women deputy speaker of parliament in afghanistan, a former mp and prominent women's rights activist and she willjoin us shortly.

here in the uk, hundreds of people gathered at a candlelit vigil in plymouth last night, to remember the five people killed in thursday's mass shooting. the youngest victim, sophie martyn, was just three years old. it comes as an investigation is launched by the police watchdog to understand why the gunman, jake davison, was allowed to take back his confiscated firearm and permit, weeks before the attack. aru na iyengar reports. the youngest face of plymouth's tragedy, sophie martin just three years old out for a walk with her dad lee when they were both shot dead by jake davison. a sad time for this part of the world but our community will show the rest of it how good we are. last night people came together from keyham and surrounding areas to try to make sense of what happened. it could have been any of us. we regularly walk our dogs in the area, we go for runs in the area and it is tough to know what has happened has happened. it has now emerged that the killer

jake davison had his shotgun and permit taken off him by police in december following an allegation of assault. these were returned to him last month. then on thursday evening, six minutes of violence, the worst mass shooting in more than a decade. the sequence of events started at a house in biddick drive where davison shot and killed his mother. he then went onto the road killing three—year—old sophie martyn and her father lee. the gunman then headed into a nearby park, shooting and injuring another man and woman, they are both being treated in hospital. in the park he killed 59—year—old stephen washington before heading to henderson place, where he shot his fifth victim, 66—year—old kate shepherd who later died in hospital. it was here the gunman then shot himself and was declared dead at the scene. police are looking at motives for the shooting. online jake davison was involved

in the incel or involuntary celibates subculture of people who resent their lack of a sexual partner. his youtube content mostly showed him lifting weights in his home gym. in one message he posted he spoke of feeling beaten down and defeated by life. we are the lucky ones. what those families and friends are going through for those lost ones, terrible. the candles here mark this community's hope for the future. iruna iyengar, bbc news. our correspondent luxmy gopal is in keyham. lots of questions amidst obviously the absolute devastation of what has happened. the absolute devastation of what has ha ened. . v the absolute devastation of what has hauened. . v , happened. that's right, beyond the olice ta -e happened. that's right, beyond the police tape you _ happened. that's right, beyond the police tape you can _ happened. that's right, beyond the police tape you can see _ happened. that's right, beyond the police tape you can see the - happened. that's right, beyond the police tape you can see the activity| police tape you can see the activity behind, the officers had been there carrying out their investigations throughout the morning. forensic teams are examining evidence. it is

one of 13 areas within the police cordoned that are being investigated by devon and cornwall with the help of officers from other areas. the force itself is being investigated by the police watchdog. they are looking at how much was known about the killer's mental health and questions over his firearms licence. jake davison shot gun and license were returned to him just last month after they were removed from him in december last year, three months after an alleged assault. here in the community of keyham it is about coming to terms with what happened. hundreds of people gathered last night for a candlelit vigil leaving flowers and tributes and even today there is still a very raw feeling of grief. one of the people we spoke to her walk past earlier would not talk on camera but told us she remembered hearing the gunshots on thursday and she broke down in tears talking about it so it is still a very raw

feeling in the community. the community has been given support, there is counselling available, a local church and school have been turned into community hubs to help people and the commemoration, the memorial aspect continues this weekend. flags are flying at half mast at official buildings in plymouth and there are plans for one minute's silence to mark and commemorate the victims on monday morning at 11 o'clock.— morning at 11 o'clock. thank you very much- _ more now on our top story — and the taliban in afghanistan is edging closer to capturing its key target, kabul. i'm joined now by fawzia koofi in kabul. she is an afghan politican and was one of the few women who took part in talks with the taliban. welcome, thank you forjoining us. i know today as a symbolic day for you because one year ago you were shot

in an assassination attempt. you have been participating in reconciliation talks in the hope of a betterfuture reconciliation talks in the hope of a better future for afghanistan. reconciliation talks in the hope of a betterfuture for afghanistan. in the current climate, how are you feeling? it isa it is a very chaotic situation in afghanistan. 18 plus provinces falter the taliban. there is active fighting in many places in the country, thousands of people have to flee their communities and houses and villages, come to kabul. kabul is extremely crowded with people who are in the parks and in temporary settlements. i am are in the parks and in temporary settlements. iam receiving reports of a lot of women's rights

violations in the provinces so unfortunately, the hope that i and thousands and millions of people in the country put in the peace process, i can see that it is actually taking a u—turn back to the place where we started 20 years back. even worse than 20 years back. we have a delay on the line which we can see there but it is good to talk to so we will continue. as i mentioned, you have risk your life in the fight for women's rights in afghanistan. you have said that it is worse than a u—turn now in terms of what's happening, what are your fears for where things turn now and you have any personal fears for your own safety?

i can't hear you unfortunately. this is a connection.— i can't hear you unfortunately. this is a connection. unfortunately there is a connection. unfortunately there is a connection. unfortunately there is a problem — is a connection. unfortunately there is a problem with _ is a connection. unfortunately there is a problem with that _ is a connection. unfortunately there is a problem with that line - is a connection. unfortunately there is a problem with that line so - is a connection. unfortunately there is a problem with that line so we - is a problem with that line so we will try to return as soon as we can. to turkey now, and just as crews battled to bring wildfires under control, devastating floods have swept through northern parts of the country. at least 38 people have died, and president erdogan has declared a disaster zone in flood—hit regions. tanya dendrinos reports. vehicles tossing in the torrent. this terrifying eyewitness footage captured the scene in northern turkey just days ago. roads turned to rivers and buildings simply crumbled. and this is the aftermath, a mangled heap of mud,

debris and belongings. translation: i went out and all of a sudden - floodwaters gushed behind me. i couldn't look back, it swallowed homes, people, everything. president erdogan visited here on friday declaring flood—hit regions along the black sea coast disaster areas. translation: we cannot bring back people who lost their lives _ but our state has the power, opportunity and determination to compensate for any loss other than that. a mammoth search and rescue operation is now under way, more than 1700 people have been evacuated and hundreds of villagers have been left without power. turkey's interior ministry labelling the situation as the worst flood disaster he has ever seen. this on the back of wildfires

in the south of country and across the mediterranean in the week a landmark un climate report sounded a code red for humanity. tanya dendrinos, bbc news. i'm joined now by fawzia koofi in kabul. she is an afghan politican and was one of the few women who took part in talks with the taliban. hello, we are back with you. i was asking _ hello, we are back with you. i was asking about your fears if kabul falls to — asking about your fears if kabul falls to the taliban and whether you have fears _ falls to the taliban and whether you have fears around your own personal safety _ have fears around your own personal safety is _ have fears around your own personal safety is a _ have fears around your own personal safety is a prominent women's rights activists? _ safety is a prominent women's rights activists? |_ safety is a prominent women's rights activists? . , safety is a prominent women's rights activists? ., , ., ., , safety is a prominent women's rights activists? ., ., , ., safety is a prominent women's rights activists? ., ., ., activists? i was already a target. i think a lot — activists? i was already a target. i think a lot of _ activists? i was already a target. i think a lot of these _ activists? i was already a target. i think a lot of these military - think a lot of these military extremist groups are not afraid of the superpowers but they are certainly afraid of the women and the women's increased power so i was already the target of many attempts

like thousands of afghan women i will certainly be at risk. there are a lot of women at risk. my heart bleeds when icy women, human rights act of us with whom i worked with promoting advancement of gender and equity, i can see them now in the parks in kabul with no houses, with nothing. to survive this actually exhausts me for the fact that after 20 years, the country is shattering again, we have to experience the same thing as a child and teenager i had to experience. not only my security about the security of those people will be at risk in the adult risk but some of these prominent people, women who have stood to promote democracy and gender equity, certainly they have always been at risk with this chaotic and lawless

situation they will be more at risk. there are times we see that how the behaviour with women in different promises and how women were forced to leave their villages and communities.— to leave their villages and communities. ~ ., ., ., communities. what do you say to the international — communities. what do you say to the international community _ communities. what do you say to the international community right - communities. what do you say to the international community right now? i international community right now? international community must act. when i say this, a lot of my friends tell me that what does that mean? they were present in afghanistan for 20 years. let us remember that the international community did act and we were gratefulfor that international community did act and we were grateful for that but they acted based on what they think is best, not based on what the afghan people think is best for security and stability in afghanistan so i think we need an emergency meeting of the un security council to pressurise the taliban for a ceasefire because the communities, the local areas, the villages and

provinces need humanitarian assistance. people need to get out of the war zone and hopefully that emergency ceasefire will pave the way for a political settlement because we still have people in negotiations. i am because we still have people in negotiations. iam hoping because we still have people in negotiations. i am hoping we will have a chance tourism the task and a serious talk for settlement because my experience living in afghanistan, evenif my experience living in afghanistan, even if taliban come to kabul, people will be killed, do they think they will be able to rule the country in peace and stability? no so the only solution is political settlement. we need a ceasefire in afghanistan. settlement. we need a ceasefire in afghanistan-— settlement. we need a ceasefire in afihanistan. ., ,, , . ., afghanistan. thank you very much for “oinini us. let's go live to ozge ozdenmir from the bbc turkish service. welcome, what is the extent of the flooding, what is the latest?

according to the authorities, 41 people died and there are so many people died and there are so many people missing. the heavy rain started on tuesday night and there were heavy floods on the streets and mudslides, even sometimes the water was exceeding 400 metres in some streets so that people try to save themselves and their houses but the houses, shops and cars are being destroyed and some people have been rescued from rooftops. there are still search and rescue operations going on in the black sea region. we are looking at pictures and the devastation is unbelievable. particularly shocking coming so quickly after those wildfires, how are people reacting to this onslaught and how are the authorities coping?- onslaught and how are the authorities coping? onslaught and how are the authorities co-iin ? , authorities coping? yes, there were thousands of _ authorities coping? yes, there were thousands of wildfires _ authorities coping? yes, there were thousands of wildfires in _ authorities coping? yes, there were thousands of wildfires in the - thousands of wildfires in the southern coast of turkey, no they're under control but this week we have been dealing with this flood in

turkey and the problem, experts have been saying yes there is climate change, so experts have been warming about it but when it comes to repercussions, if you talk about this flood, the construction sites are also problematic. —— have been warning about it. the houses which have been demolished are built on the river bank and on the streams of rivers so the rivers are flooded and the houses are destroyed in these areas so people have been talking about the construction and every kind of housing programme should be reconsidered in this area. the people from this area have been also come planing about how the government is dealing with this. they have been saying the local authorities did not warm enough to save themselves and their families and also the government has been accused how it was dealing with the

wildfires in the south of jackie. thank you very much indeed. the government is cutting the cost of nhs covid tests for people who arrive in the uk from abroad. you are watching bbc news. the new head of the nhs in england says she fears tens of thousands of people are are risking their lives because they're unable to spot the first warning signs of cancer. research also suggests three in five people would delay seeking medical advice because they don't want to be a burden during the pandemic. our health correspondent anna collinson reports. cancer services are back to pre—pandemic levels and are busy, but nhs england says over the past year there has been a 10% drop in cancer patients receiving treatment. we know that people are out there and we are worried they may have symptoms and not be coming forward, so the purpose of this campaign is to highlight those symptoms, to make sure people are aware of what is normal and what's not normal

for them, and to come forward if they need help. just, you've said it too. health officials are particularly concerned about abdominal, neurological and lung cancers, as this new advert shows, symptoms can include discomfort in the stomach, blood and urine, persistent diarrhoea or a cough that lasts longer than three weeks. it was a gp who first detected declan's kidney cancer eight years ago. he is now a patient at this urology clinic at guy's hospital in london, and is mostly able to live a normal life. if there is something bothering you it may not be something serious but it is absolutely worth getting it checked out, you know? and i know that you can go to your gp. i think some people think that these things aren't happening now, but they are. the earlier cancers are detected, the more likely it is that we can treat them effectively. if a patient spots a possible symptom, the nhs as it is ready to help. anna collinson, bbc news.

now it's time for a look at the weather with sarah. hello, the extreme heat is on going across southern europe, especially spain. in the uk, it is cooler than average. it will be a mix of sunshine, quite dry weather but some rain in the forecast. this area of low pressure moves on from the west bringing increasing amounts of cloud across england and wales. a few spots of light rain at times packs of wales in the midlands. rain arriving across northern england and northern island. scotland seeing a mixture of sunshine and showers but showers confined to the north part of scotland. through this evening and overnight, quite cloudy, rainy round here and there particularly in the north and west. large and —— trying humid in england. afairly cloudy day, outbreaks of rain for

some of us on sunday. killer in the south—east, 22 degrees in the south—east. 22 degrees. —— cooler in the south—east.