a welcome to newsday, reporting a live from singapore, i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines. taliban fighters enter the presidential palace in kabul as they retake the afghan capital — 20 years after being forced from power. their arrival sparks an exodus from the city — as afghans head towards the border — and president ghani flees the country. embassies are closing — diplomats are flying out — leaving afghan civilians — and former top officials fearing what lies ahead. imight i might face consequences that i never even dream dull. find i might face consequences that i

never even dream dull.- i might face consequences that i never even dream dull. and i guess that is the price _ never even dream dull. and i guess that is the price that _ never even dream dull. and i guess that is the price that we _ never even dream dull. and i guess that is the price that we pay - never even dream dull. and i guess that is the price that we pay for - that is the price that we pay for trying to make this world a little better. , never even dream dull. , never even dream dull. we'll speak live to a us army colonel— who commanded combat units in afghanistan — about how us veterans feel watching the taliban taking over their former bases. also on the programme. in haiti — the search for survivors — as the death toll from a huge earthquake rises above 700. we'll be live in port—au—prince. welcome to bbc news — broadcasting to viewers in the uk and around the world. it's six in the morning in singapore, and 2.30 in the morning in kabul — where taliban forces have entered the heart of the afghan capital — almost exactly two decades after they were ousted from power.

fighters were filmed inside the presidential palace, after ashraf ghani — now the former president — fled the country. afghans — and foreign nationals — have been trying to get on planes at kabul airport, but security there is reported to be fragile. the latest developments come after the taliban moved through one province after another in recent days, without much resistance. 0urfirst report is from our diplomatic correspondent, paul adams. afghanistan has new masters. 20 years after their first experiment in power came to a shattering end, the taliban are back. hours after arriving in kabul. earlier, at the same desk the president was clinging to the last fragments of power. but the man gazing down on kabul street has gone, fleeing to neighbouring

uzbekistan. in a facebook post he said he had left to avoid bloodshed. as the taliban moves in the west moves out. american helicopters busy over ten by michael day today ferrying diplomats in the us embassy to the airport and this disorder the end was not the plan. hundreds of british troops have now arrived in kabul to help with the evacuation of thousands of british and afghan civilians. ~ . ., ., thousands of british and afghan civilians. ~ . . ., ., ., , civilians. wear a mask at all times. i'd make the _ civilians. wear a mask at all times. i'd make the operation _ civilians. wear a mask at all times. i'd make the operation is _ civilians. wear a mask at all times. i'd make the operation is well- civilians. wear a mask at all times. i'd make the operation is well on i i'd make the operation is well on these trips may not be on the ground for long. kabul is in chaos, people desperate to leave, taking what they can, fearing a bloody assault. there is little by and so far but a lot of panic. crowds descended on banks, trying to take out their savings as police officers and security officials abandoned their positions. the taliban urged people to stay calm. ~ ., ., ., ., , , calm. we wanted to avoid bloodshed and disruption _

calm. we wanted to avoid bloodshed and disruption to _ calm. we wanted to avoid bloodshed and disruption to properties - calm. we wanted to avoid bloodshed and disruption to properties of - calm. we wanted to avoid bloodshed and disruption to properties of the i and disruption to properties of the people _ and disruption to properties of the people and to not give a chance to plunderers, — people and to not give a chance to plunderers, looters who are the waiting — plunderers, looters who are the waiting for such moments to loot and plunder— waiting for such moments to loot and plunder the _ waiting for such moments to loot and plunder the properties of the pepple _ plunder the properties of the eo - le. �* , , plunder the properties of the --eole. �* , , ., ., people. but the streets are full of dread. people. but the streets are full of dread- tens _ people. but the streets are full of dread. tens of _ people. but the streets are full of dread. tens of thousands - people. but the streets are full of dread. tens of thousands of - dread. tens of thousands of civilians displaced by fighting elsewhere living out in the open. telling stories of abuse at the hands of the taliban. translation: the taliban came into our village in the night. a few days we managed to escape because they were murdering the men and boys. they accused him of being in the army or the police. they were taken out their homes and murdered because they worked for the government. outside the capital the taliban are consolidating their grip on afg hanistan's consolidating their grip on afghanistan's major cities. unfazed

afg hanistan's major cities. unfazed by afghanistan's major cities. unfazed by their headlong success, which has government ministers reeling. the saddest government ministers reeling. tue: saddest part government ministers reeling. tte: saddest part is government ministers reeling. tt2 saddest part is that i did not expect this. but now i might face consequences that i never even dream of, and i guess that is the price that we pay for trying to make this world a little better. fit that we pay for trying to make this world a little better.— world a little better. at the border with pakistan _ world a little better. at the border with pakistan afghans _ world a little better. at the border with pakistan afghans are - world a little better. at the border with pakistan afghans are leaving. with or without fighting the taliban's takeover looks set to to get yet another wave of refugees. tonight at the airport military and civilian planes offer the only way out. at the gates, chaotic scenes. you will leave and who will be left behind. is this how the west's 20 year adventure in afghanistan will be remembered. for the united states — the lowering of the flag and the closure of its embassy in kabul mark the end of a phase that began almost exactly two

decades ago in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. our north america editorjon sopel has been looking what these events mean for the biden administration. over many years and at a cost of tens of billions of dollars, the us trained and equipped afghan forces to be ready to take back control of their country. but they collapsed like a house of cards — one of many miscalculations made by the biden administration over these dizzying few weeks. and today america's most senior diplomat was trying to put a brave face on events. what we're focused on now is making sure that we can get our people to a safe and secure place, that we can do right by the people who stood with us in afghanistan all these years, including afghans who worked for the embassy, worked for our military. we have a massive effort under way to bring afghans at risk out of the country, if that's what they so desire. america's attempt to export liberal democracy to afghanistan is well and truly over.

america's effort to build a civil society in kabul and beyond also in tatters. and joe biden's prediction from five weeks ago that everything would be just fine has not worn well. first of all, the mission hasn't failed — yet. so the question now is, where do they go from here? that, the jury is still out, but the likelihood there's going to be the taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely. the taliban wants to make a deal... the withdrawal policy was framed during the trump administration and embraced byjoe biden, who is at camp david and today was being briefed by his officials. he believes passionately that america can't stay in afghanistan indefinitely. but foreign—policy hawks are rounding on both men. what we are watching now in afghanistan is what happens when america withdraws from the world, so everybody who has been saying america needs to withdraw, america needs

to retreat, we are getting a devastating, catastrophic, real—time lesson in what that means. archive: the us embassy helicopters flew from roof to roof... _ america's most scarring military defeat was summed up in the images of the last helicopter flying off the roof of the us embassy in saigon at the end of the vietnam war. today's scramble to get out of kabul may not be that, but it's not far short. jon sopel, bbc news, washington. here's more from our north america editorjon sopel, on how president biden and the us have reacted to the news out of kabul. a few hundred afghans who gathered here are furious at what has unfolded in these dizzying few days. i think you've got to distinguish between the policy and the implementation. the policy of america saying look, we cannot stay forever, will need to apply. afghanistan needs to take charge of its own affairs. i think that enjoys widespread support. but the implementation, the miscalculations, the warnings ignored

are something else altogether. there are talks going on with the taliban and us officials. and the taliban have ridden roughshod over them, so what leverage does that leave the americans in future going forward? joe biden hasn't spoken yet. he's going to have to address the country. this may have been donald trump's policy, but it isjoe biden's implementation date you'll pay quite a price for the shambles that has unfolded over the past few days. in the uk — the prime minister boris johnson has said that its now clear there will be a new government in kabul — and that every effort is being made to move british citizens from afghanistan as soon as possible. he chaired an emergency cobra meeting this afternoon — and parliament is being recalled. here's our political correspondent ben wright. for 20 years, the uk has committed its military, money and lives to afghanistan. some of the fiercest fighting was here in helmand. the effort ends with a frantic scramble to get out.

the situation in afghanistan continues to be extremely difficult, getting more difficult, i would say. and our priority is to make sure that we deliver on our obligations to uk nationals in afghanistan, to all those who have helped the british effort in afghanistan over 20 years, and to get them out as fast as we can. uk troops first went to afghanistan in october 2001 after the 9/11 attacks, joining us—led action against al-qaeda and the taliban. by the time combat operations ended in 2014, a54 uk soldiers and military personnel had died. successive prime ministers stressed their commitment to the country and protecting the progress made. today, cross—party fear that progress could vanish. the real danger is that we're going to see every female mp murdered. we're going to see ministers strung up on street lamps, and this is the decision that i'm afraid has been taken. we haven't heard from the foreign

secretary in about a week, despite this being the biggest single foreign policy department, disaster, sorry, since suez. it has been a catastrophic miscalculation, that is absolutely clear. the uk and the united states both overestimated the capacity of the afghan government to hold off the taliban and underestimated the capacity of the taliban to advance throughout the country, and that has been clear, actually, for days. the uk says its mission in afghanistan had to end once the us announced its decision to leave, despite the consequences. it's a mark of the crisis that mps and peers will be brought back from their summer break on wednesday for a day's debate. many are livid about the way afghanistan is being left. but talking here won't stop the taliban and all mps can do is ask ministers how a humanitarian and security disaster might be avoided.

the situation in afghanistan will be deeply felt by many families closer to home, reflecting on a mission that wasn't meant to end like this. i don't know how i could ever, ever look the parents of fallen soldiers in the eye and say that what they did was worth it. the situation will be deeply felt by many families closer to home, reflecting on a mission that was not meant to end like this. we'll have more on afghanistan a bit later in the programme — and you can of course find much more about the situation

in afganistan on our website. we have a special live page — with all the latest lines and developments. just go to bbc.com/news and follow the links. the death toll from the earthquake that hit haiti on saturday has risen to 724 and 2,800 people have been injured. the epicentre of the 7.2 magnitude quake was 150km from the capital port au prince — where hundreds of buildings have been flattened. james clayton reports. the last thing a country in political turmoil needed was this. friends and family searching the rubble for loved ones — looking, praying, for any signs of life. translation: we recorded a total of 724 deaths, and we have - registered 2,800 injured. these people have been treated in hospitals without adding the people who are probably under the rubble. search operations continue.

the morning earthquake brought buildings tumbling down — buildings made of heavy cinderblocks and cement. many people didn't have a chance. translation: the quake killed her. this death hurt us a lot because she is a street seller like us. this church was one of many structures that succumbed. the scenes eerily reminiscent of haiti's devastating 2010 earthquake. this area is remote, and many of the injured are being tended to in makeshift emergency treatment centres. translation: we cannot | provide an assessment yet, because the situation is very critical. we have to mobilise and divide the resources of the hospital. the president has declared a state of emergency. however, the previous president was assassinated only last month, and some worry that haiti's turbulent political situation makes the country poorly placed to handle a humanitarian disaster

on this scale. james clayton, bbc news. i'm joined now by peter finlay from the red cross, who's in port—au—prince. thank you for coming on to talk to us. how is the rescue and relief effort coming right now?- us. how is the rescue and relief effort coming right now? well, the rescue operations _ effort coming right now? well, the rescue operations are _ effort coming right now? well, the rescue operations are still - effort coming right now? well, the | rescue operations are still ongoing. there is a very difficult situation in trying to get to the area, which is pretty much only by air and by sea that we can arrive at the locations. construction equipment to assist in the rescue effort is also scarce. so mostly picks and shovels are being used. t

scarce. so mostly picks and shovels are being used-— are being used. i understand that 1696 or so of _ are being used. i understand that 1696 or so of haitians _ are being used. i understand that 1696 or so of haitians live - are being used. i understand that 1696 or so of haitians live in - are being used. i understand that 1696 or so of haitians live in the i 16% or so of haitians live in the affected area from the quake. i know you have talked about construction equipment that you need. what are the other key priorities. what the people there need? bill the other key priorities. what the people there need?— people there need? all the international _ people there need? all the international federation i people there need? all the i international federation which people there need? all the - international federation which is supporting the haitian red cross is launching an emergency appeal to assist 25,000 persons, 5000 households with the basic needs and first response activities, search and rescue. the supplying of health, water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. basically, trying to supply shelter materials. basically we are working in certain areas. our goal is to be able to supply these needs for at least 18 months. the emergency appeal we have an effect, which is for, i guess, 10 million,

it will focus on providing shelter, protecting livelihood and basic needs. we also wish to facilitate... i am so sorry. just to say, i understand there is also a tropical storm headed your way. tropical storm headed your way. tropical storm grace. that is likely to make because is more difficult, isn't it? well, the tropical storm is approaching the dominican republic and is downgraded to a tropical depression that is bringing tonnes of water. the bands of rain have already started touching the dominican republic. we expected to cross into haiti sometime after midnight today. so, yes, that will come. . ~' midnight today. so, yes, that will come. ., ~ i. midnight today. so, yes, that will come. ., ~ ., ., , if you want to get in touch with me i'm on twitter — @bbckarishma

you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme. as the united states evacuates its people from kabul — we talk to a retired colonel — about how veterens feel as the taliban takes over. the big crowds became bigger as the time of the funeral approach. at the lines of fans became longer, the police prepared for a hugejob of crowd control. eddie emin, uganda's bootle former dictator, has died at the age of 80. he has been buried in

saudi arabia where he lived after been overthrown in 1979. 2 billion people around the world have seen the last total eclipse of the sun to take place in this millennium. it began itsjourney of take place in this millennium. it began its journey of the course of canada, ending three hours later when the sunset of the bay of bengal. this is newsday on the bbc. our headlines: taliban fighters enter the presidential palace in kabul as they retake the afghan capital — 20 years after being forced from power. their arrival sparks an exodus from the city — as afghans head towards the border — and president ghani flees the country.

let's get more now on the situation in afghanistan. i'm joined now by retired us colonel mike jason in washington — an afghanistan veteran, with more than two decades of experience in active duty. great to have you with us on the programme today. started just by asking you had to think us veterans and soldiers who have done afghan tours and feel at the moment watching the pictures of the taliban in their form a watching the pictures of the taliban in theirform a basis? yes. watching the pictures of the taliban in their form a basis?— in their form a basis? yes, it is really shocking. _ in their form a basis? yes, it is really shocking. it _ in their form a basis? yes, it is really shocking. it is _ really shocking. it is disconcerting. infuriating in many ways, frustrating, sad, i mean all of those words. the reality is most of those words. the reality is most of us who are on the ground, in the trenches, doing those missions, near the back of our minds that this day was likely coming so that is a sad reality. the speed awaits the last

72 hours have really brought these images home and the network that we have a know, i am texting with at least two widows are very close friends of mine lost in afghanistan. i'm texting with war college classmates of mine who was an afghan officer in hiding right now. we are talking live. all of us talking about our interpreters and friends, trying to track them down. it is faster than any of us can process all of our emotions. fin faster than any of us can process all of our emotions.— faster than any of us can process all of our emotions. on that, the fact that it _ all of our emotions. on that, the fact that it is — all of our emotions. on that, the fact that it is faster _ all of our emotions. on that, the fact that it is faster than - all of our emotions. on that, the fact that it is faster than any - all of our emotions. on that, the fact that it is faster than any of l fact that it is faster than any of you can process. how much do you think the sudden pull—out of us by president biden has been part of this problem? it is president biden has been part of this problem?— this problem? it is hard to say. i mean we — this problem? it is hard to say. i mean we are _ this problem? it is hard to say. i mean we are talking _ this problem? it is hard to say. i mean we are talking about - this problem? it is hard to say. i mean we are talking about i - this problem? it is hard to say. i l mean we are talking about i think 2500 troops and i would just be guessing here, but the reality of the end of operations has been going on for six or seven years. the taliban have been working on their time. foryears. taking taliban have been working on their time. for years. taking over districts and towns and really, was

it a symbolic pull—out? what was the final straw that caused this rapid deterioration over the last week? it was definitely a symbolic trigger has been pulled a gate was open and that makes it really hard to watch. your experience and time there, the amount of money that was spent in capacity building for both the police and the army. what of the us get wrong, in your view? it police and the army. what of the us get wrong, in your view?— get wrong, in your view? it took 20 ears, get wrong, in your view? it took 20 years, $89 _ get wrong, in your view? it took 20 years, $89 billion, _ get wrong, in your view? it took 20 years, $89 billion, 300,000, - get wrong, in your view? it took 20 years, $89 billion, 300,000, and. years, $89 billion, 300,000, and here we are. you can only talk about my little corner of the global war on terror and it was a deja vu centre because i was a trainer, an operations officer in mosul and three years after i left i felt we had done some good and i worked with

three divisions and they all collapsed, as we all saw, and isis. and the problems, i think, are the same. we went in all of us together with a light footprint and lightning speed and took over the country. two years later we were going into iraq and all the assets started leaving and all the assets started leaving and really, what we get to, we trace the years and it is not a 20 year war, she said, it is 20 individual wars are fought one year at a time without a single defining strategy when it comes to partner capacity. some point the us army and our allies, we inherited this mission. we have a list of acronyms of all the different efforts that we used. but it was really never a set piece operation. instability operations, what i did in 2012 was fairly new. sammy, ten years into the operation. and by the end of the surge, you

know, seven years ago, we were starting to taper down all their forces again.— starting to taper down all their forces again. starting to taper down all their forces aain. . ~ . ., forces again. thank you so much for “oininu us forces again. thank you so much for joining us on — forces again. thank you so much for joining us on this _ forces again. thank you so much for joining us on this story. _ forces again. thank you so much for joining us on this story. thank - forces again. thank you so much for joining us on this story. thank you l joining us on this story. thank you for havin: joining us on this story. thank you for having me- _ let's take a look at some other stories in the headlines. anti—government demonstrators in thailand have staged a protest involving thousands of cars to demand the resignation of the prime minister over the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. the organisers said they used vehicles to help stop the spread of the virus. infection rates and deaths from covid—19 have soared to record levels in thailand injapan — nearly two million people have been urged to evacuate their homes because of heavy rainfall in parts of the country. highest—level rain warnings have been issued in a number of prefectures, including fukuoka and hiroshima. soldier, police and firefighters have been sent to help with rescue operations in the area.

wildfires in forested hills to the west of the israeli city ofjerusalem, have forced the evacuation of the homes of thousands of people. firefighting planes and helicopters have supported firefighters battling the blaze. and just before we go — a quick reminder of our top story. the chaos in kabul — after the taliban entered the afghan capital. president ashraf ghani fled the country — leaving the militants in nationwide control for the first time in twenty years. in a statement, mr ghani said he had left to prevent what he described as a flood of blood. you can get the latest live

developments taking place in afghanistan, analysis and context and correspondence were there and around the world. that is it. thank you for watching. cloud features quite prominently in our forecast for this weekend with the grey skies comes a relatively cool conditions for the time of year. north—westerly winds bringing all that cloudy and cool air particularly at the start of the week but will often, if not always, be it dry. just a bit of light and patchy rain here and there. this is the earlier satellite picture. we

have got low pressure up to the north—east. weak frontal systems which are bringing in cloud and some showery rain. quite a lot of low cloud waiting up to the west and this is the set up the west of the week. high pressure to the west, low to the east and that is driving the north—westerly wind. quite brisk first thing especially on monday we will see some sunshine, north and east of scotland. whereas further west we will keep on the way the cloud and perhaps spots of light rain and drizzle at times. slightly heavier rain approaching north—west scotland and northern ireland heavier on the day. this winter slowly easing. it stays breezy for us through the day and temperatures a bit below par generally speaking. i7, 18, i9, a bit below par generally speaking. 17, 18, 19, may a bit below par generally speaking. 17,18,19, may be hitting 20. and as we head through monday night we will see this area of wet weather pushing its way south—eastwards. the rain is mostly quite patchy but there will be the odd heavy burst. a lot of low cloud, mist and murk. and

that sets the scene to the middle part of the week. we still have this north—westerly wind with high—pressure and low—pressure trapping is between the two, essentially, but that north—westerly wind picking up enough a lot of moisture in cloud and depositing it on top of the uk. so, largely cloudy conditions on tuesday. a little bit patchy rain and drizzle. that cloud is baking to give some sunny spells especially to the south and south—east of high ground. temperatures had burst 18, 19, 20 degrees still a little bit disappointing. into wednesday, more of the same, really. moore mist denmark in cloud. the odd spot of drizzle. the to the east of any hills. temperatures creeping up attach. 21 degrees in london and 17 in aberdeen. as with it towards the end of the week a quiet sort of day on thursday and by friday there is the chance that we will see some rain pushing in from the west.

hello and welcome to our look ahead to what the the papers will be

bringing us tomorrow.