this is bbc news. our top stories: the defiance of an american president — joe biden stands by the us pullout from afghanistan, but accepts the speed of the taliban's takeover caught them by surprise. i stand squarely behind my decision. after 20 years i have learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw us forces. desperate and chaotic scenes at kabul airport — people cling to moving planes in their attempt to flee the country. taliban militants patrol the streets of kabul — how repressive will they be as the regime takes root? more than 1,400 people

are known to have died in haiti's earthquake — now a tropical storm is bearing down on the country. welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. we begin in washington, where president biden has sought to defend the manner of the us troop withdrawal from afghanistan. he was speaking after a day of chaos at kabul airport, as desperate afghans were prepared to cling on to aircraft as they took off, to escape the country. the taliban have taken control of most of afghanistan, encountering very little resistance on the way. but mr biden said he stood squarely behind his decision, and that there was never a good time to withdraw.

our first report is from our north america editorjon sopel. the sudden capture of the country's capital has shocked the world. whatever the political bent of the network... the taliban has taken over afghanistan, seizing control of kabul... ..the verdict today has been unanimous and brutal. the biden administration is redefining the word "incompetent". an epic humiliation of us foreign policy, a woeful mishandling by president biden. just a month ago, the president said a taliban takeover of afghanistan was highly unlikely. and given this backdrop, joe biden had little choice but to cut short his vacation and return to washington by helicopter to answer his critics. he was unrepentant. i stand squarely behind my decision. after 20 years, i've learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw us forces. i always promised the american people i would be straight with you and truth is this

did unfold more quickly than we had anticipated. he shifted the blame firmly on the leaders of afghanistan and the military. we gave them every tool that they could need and paid their salaries, provided for the maintenance of their airforce. we gave them every chance to determine their own future. then he posed this question. i'm left again to ask of those who argue that we should stay, how many more generations of our daughters and sons would you have me sent to fight the afghanistan civil war? the hurried evacuation of the us embassy caught everyone by surprise and has unleashed a torrent of criticism. it seems again the biden administration has no plan and has created another crisis in afghanistan where it didn't need to be. this is about leadership and the way in which we are

removing ourselves and withdrawing from afghanistan didn't need to occur. outside the white house, there have been protests from pro—afghan groups. this woman served two tours of duty in afghanistan with the us air force. today, i'm embarrassed to an american. why? because we pretended to be allies with these people and then we just left them like lambs to the slaughter and it's immoral. america is better than this. the anguish is deep among former afghan nationals. they don't care any more about afghanistan. we are not as important as we were back in 2000. that's the reason we are here, we're here to speak up for the women who worked for the united states. today near the iranian border, life is carrying on with an air of normality, but what will the city and the country feel like in a few months with the taliban

back in charge? will it be 2001 all over again? jon sopel, bbc news, washington. these are going to be some of the lasting images of that attempt to the lasting images of that attempt to flee the lasting images of that attempt to flee from afghanistan. we have heard in the last few minutes from reuters, quoting a western security official that military flights at the airport have started taking off again and that the runway is being cleared of crowds, but when it was like this, american forces were firing into the air to disperse some of those crowds attempting to force their way onto departing planes. several people are reported to have been killed. american and british troops are in the process of evacuating their citizens, while the international community tries to define its response to the taliban's very swift victory. here's our afghanistan correspondent secunder kermani.

running for their lives, frantically trying to escape afghanistan on this us military plane. this is how desperate some afghans are to leave the country. a handful tragically clinging on even after take—off, before falling to their deaths. foreign nationals — and some afghans — are being evacuated, but huge crowds gathered after rumours even those without visas could travel. gunfire. outside the airport, even more chaos. taliban members firing in the air to assert their authority, trying to keep control. despite the dangers, some residents still risking their lives to try and get inside. the group has promised

an amnesty to those with links to the government, but many still fear they'll be targeted by the militants. inside the airport, american forces fired into the air too. us officials claimed two armed afghans were killed. an eyewitness told the bbc the victims were ordinary people. i just saw with my eyes three people, but there's more people, maybe. it's a very, very bad situation and people are in chaos. no—one is quite sure what comes next in afghanistan, though it's clear the taliban are in charge. their members are out in force, patrolling in vehicles seized from government security forces. "we're preventing looters and thieves from harming the people," says this fighter. the group has also reportedly been demanding all weapons are handed over to them. the unravelling of the state

has come at a pace many are still struggling to comprehend. now it will be the taliban who decide what direction the country takes. we want an afghan inclusive islamic government. so, by that, we mean all other afghans have also participation in that government. so, of course, that needs a little bit of time and deliberation and talks. the terror and panic at the airport today an awful ending to two decades of international efforts to rebuild this country. for all its fractures and rampant corruption, afghanistan had also seen fragile progress. the future for its people is now deeply uncertain. secunder kermani, bbc news. uncertainty and aspiration

really the watchwords there. france foang is a vietnamese refugee, a former senior white house staffer in the george w bush administration and he also served with us special forces in afghanistan. he's in colorado springs. thank you forjoining us. we heard the saigon mentioned so many times in the last few days. 0bviously many times in the last few days. obviously the residence for you is only too obvious. how great a moral imperative do you feeljoe biden has two bring out as many of these afghans as possible? those who are clearly desperate to get away? are clearly desperate to get awa ? , �* ., , away? president biden has the createst away? president biden has the greatest moral— away? president biden has the greatest moral imperative. - greatest moral imperative. myself, my family, 130,000 vietnamese allies are here in america because president forward showed the political fortitude and the willpower to make it priority to not leave our vietnamese allies behind when saigon fell. president biden has the same imperative

today, all the more so because he initially opposed the evacuation of allies like myself in 1975.- evacuation of allies like m self in 1975. ., ., ., ~ myself in 1975. you are talking about 130,000 _ myself in 1975. you are talking about 130,000 people - myself in 1975. you are talking about 130,000 people being l about 130,000 people being brought out. that sounds like an unrealistic figure in this scenario. it an unrealistic figure in this scenari0-_ scenario. it isn't. the evacuation _ scenario. it isn't. the evacuation of - scenario. it isn't. the evacuation of saigon | scenario. it isn't. the - evacuation of saigon occurred, the planning for it occurred within a matter of days, the execution was a matter of weeks and when the real power is there, when the presidential imperative and resources are provided, the united states can accomplish amazing things, i know, having served on all three branches of government at some point. joe biden has the same resources at his disposal, in fact he is in a better position. we know more about our afghan allies than we did about our vietnamese allies, we have control of the airport, we have control of the airport, we have the ability to keep forces on the ground, we have the ability every wanted to do bring our vietnamese, for our

afghan allies out every wanted to. ., ., ., ~' afghan allies out every wanted to. ., ., ., ~ ., afghan allies out every wanted to. ., ., .w ., , afghan allies out every wanted to. ., ., ., ,~ ., to. you are making a very clear oint to. you are making a very clear point about _ to. you are making a very clear point about the _ to. you are making a very clear point about the need _ to. you are making a very clear point about the need to - to. you are making a very clear point about the need to look i point about the need to look after in particular, those who have cooperated and done so much to help notjust the united states, but other international bodies out there as well. we are in a world where mitch mcconnell, the senate minority leader is saying every terrorist around the world is cheering when they see what is happening in afghanistan. do you in any sense except that there is nonetheless an inevitability that comes with a long period of let's call it occupation, but involvement in a country like afghanistan. it does have to come to an end. i like afghanistan. it does have to come to an end.— to come to an end. i think rational— to come to an end. i think rational people _ to come to an end. i think rational people can - to come to an end. i think. rational people can disagree to come to an end. i think- rational people can disagree on whether it should have ended five years ago, five years from now or we should maintain a presence from there, but since we chose to edit now, we have a responsibility to end it right and do right by eric young by our allies and bring them out. we knew this was coming,

president biden�*s advisors had been told about this inevitability, the possibility of collapse of the afghan government, about the persecution and death of the american allies who stood by oursons american allies who stood by our sons and daughters, there is no excuse for the lack of planning that has occurred. i have to ask you one other question, because you have the most extraordinary biography to bring to the table here, how much do you feel you argued the united states was yellow i feel i know them pretty much everything. when i came to the united states, my first home was agp medium tent and a marine corps base, and i grew up marine corps base, and i grew up ina marine corps base, and i grew up in a small town and learn about my family's history in the exodus, and that's what led me in so many others to decide serve america because as one reagan once said, anyone can be an american, and now when i serve in afghanistan i have looked into the eyes of the afghan they're fighting for their homelands, and now that their homelands, and now that the home—made is gone, ifeel we have a responsibility to look after their sons and

daughtersjust like look after their sons and daughters just like they looked after american sons and daughters when we fought there. thank you very much forjoining us. more than 60 countries have issued a joint statement calling on the taliban to allow international citizens and afghans to leave the country. but the question of where they'll go is more difficult. european leaders will today hold a crisis meeting to discuss the unfolding crisis, and what it means for migration to europe. french president emmanuel macron says europe alone cannot bear the consequences. courtney bembridge reports. this man is one of thousands who worked with western forces during the 20 year military campaign. he is now in paris where his asylum papers entitle him to two meals a day, but he is not allowed to work. his family remains in kabul, and he is worried they will face reprisals from the taliban.

this is the moment he finally got through to his sister. details in the family is safe, but not leaving their home. they say because of your work, the neighbours know, and if they come... they will take my two brothers, that's what they are going to do, this isjust the beginning. he are going to do, this is 'ust the beginningi are going to do, this is 'ust the beginning. he worked as a translator— the beginning. he worked as a translator for— the beginning. he worked as a translator for spanish - the beginning. he worked as a translator for spanish troops l translator for spanish troops for almost five years. he is now in madrid with his wife, but the rest of his family is in kabul. but the rest of his family is in kabul-— but the rest of his family is in kabul. �* ,, ~ . ., in kabul. translation: what i am most worried _ in kabul. translation: what i am most worried about - in kabul. translation: what i am most worried about is - in kabul. translation: what i am most worried about is my i am most worried about is my sister. and she is a minor, 17 years old. it breaks my heart when i hear or see news from there saying the taliban researching homes, looking for young girls. researching homes, looking for young girls-_ young girls. these fears have prompted _ young girls. these fears have prompted desperate - young girls. these fears have prompted desperate scenes i young girls. these fears have i prompted desperate scenes like this, and many eu member states are worried about a repeat of

europe's migration crisis in 2015 and 16, when the arrival of more than1 2015 and 16, when the arrival of more than 1 million 2015 and 16, when the arrival of more than1 million migrants and refugees stretched security and refugees stretched security and welfare systems and field support for far right groups. translation: we must anticipate and protect ourselves from major irregular flows of major irregularflows of migrants, major irregular flows of migrants, journeys that would endanger those that take them and freed trafficking of all types. it and freed trafficking of all es, ., , ., and freed trafficking of all es. ., , ., , ., and freed trafficking of all ies. .,, ., , ., , types. it was a similar message for the man _ types. it was a similar message for the man hoping _ types. it was a similar message for the man hoping to - types. it was a similar message for the man hoping to take - types. it was a similar messagej for the man hoping to take over as german chancellor. translation: 2015 must not repeat itself. we need an orderly protection for those who are heading towards europe. for many afghans, watching from europe, the time for orderly protection has passed. translation: i believe that spain as well as other european countries should not leave anyone behind, and not disappear, not destroy what they have done for 20 years there. ., ., , there. united nations refugee auen there. united nations refugee agency estimates _ there. united nations refugee agency estimates that - there. united nations refugee i agency estimates that 400,000 afghans have been forced to

flee their homes since the start of this year. they warn that this is only the beginning of a much bigger humanitarian crisis, with devastating consequences. stay with us on bbc news — still to come: the mystery of the missing manuscripts — the work of the controversial french writer that reappeared after three—quarters of a century. the big crowds became bigger as the time of the funeral approached. as the lines of fans became longer, the police prepared for a huge job of crowd control. idi amin, uganda's brutalformer dictator, has died at the age of 80. he's been buried

in saudi arabia, where he lived in exile since being overthrown in 1979. 2 billion people around the world have seen the last total eclipse of the sun take place in this millennium. it began itsjourney off the coast of canada, ending three hours later, when the sun set over the bay of bengal. this is bbc world news. the latest headlines: president biden has strongly defended his decision to withdraw american troops from afghanistan, saying the us goal had been counter—terrorism, not nation—building. with the taliban patrolling the streets of kabul, the un has urged maximum restraint to protect lives.

aid workers in haiti are racing to provide food, water and shelter to survivors of saturday's earthquake, before a major tropical storm hits the country. hospitals are struggling to cope with thousands of injured survivors. more than 1,400 people are known to have died after the quake struck on saturday. 0ur correspondentjames clayton managed to travel to the town of les cayes from where he sent us this report. many of these people were asleep when the earthquake hit, their homes caving in. it's hard enough to treat survivors of any natural disaster, but when the hospitals themselves are under fear of collapse, it makes it all the more difficult. well, this hospital is simply too unsafe to have people stay inside. so they've brought everyone outside here and they've tried to place them under trees, under tents, to try and keep

them a little bit cooler and out of the hot sun. but what you're seeing here is 48 hours after the quake, the doctors have run out of painkillers, they've run out of antibiotics, and there are major concerns about things like infection. elsie had just woken up when the earthquake hit. her son has a serious compound fracture and needs to be taken to the airport to be lifted out. seeing him in such pain is overwhelming. there simply aren't enough facilities to treat people in this remote part of the country. from the hospital, some of the injured are taken to this airport, waiting for a flight out to the capital, port—au—prince — like 19—year—old tanya, who's pregnant. so, you woke up and basically tried to run out, but then the house collapsed on top of her? she says her leg hurts and she has abdominal pain. most of the hospitals here are in need of the basics. iv solutions, bandages, medications, including antibiotics and pain management medications. they're in the same situation where they've run out. 0verall, it's dire.

you know, we're sitting here with three hospitals that are moving patients to the airport for transportation out. there's no coordination. a tropical storm here is also preventing flights in and out of the capital. the people here need help, but at the moment, not enough is coming. james clayton, bbc news. pierre honnorat is the world food programme's country director for haiti, he gave me an update on what's currently happening there. very windy, it just went very windy, itjust went off, a lot of rains that will bring a lot of rains that will bring a lot of rains that will bring a lot of problems for the people that are already sleeping outside with outhouses and sharing to go back in the house which are very much damaged, so yes, just went through, more update tomorrow with the flooding is, most probably, but a terrible night for those people already without the new roof. , .., ,., , people already without the new roof. , , ., , roof. edges compound this awful

situation that _ roof. edges compound this awful situation that you _ roof. edges compound this awful situation that you are _ roof. edges compound this awful situation that you are faced - situation that you are faced with, that the people are faced with. in terms of getting to them, how are you doing there? first of all, it is a health situation, that is really the matter. and the second is really the access and the logistics that we have to prioritise to those health actors and this is where the world food programme is going strong trying to mobilise and the logistics that we have two really give priority to those humanitarian actors with the protection, so then second of course, you have seen those images from the hospitals when the people are outside, i was there yesterday where you have all those people outside coming with their families, ambulance, motorbikes, they are staying outside because they don't want to stay in the hospital because of the infrastructure fears, so they are there and they need food assistance as well. it is

really a crisis on another. so how are _ really a crisis on another. so how are you managing that? are you going around almost person by person to leave them with a food parcel and water? what are you doing?— you doing? what's amazing alread , you doing? what's amazing already. the _ you doing? what's amazing already, the people - you doing? what's amazing already, the people haiti i already, the people haiti themselves, you can see immediately, the schools, some local association and just the people around the hospital bringing baskets with food, with soup, and you just want to help those people as well, but it's really amazing, how the solidarity you can see her in haiti, and they can tell you it's people who already have nothing who are already helping, the people who are really suffering.— really suffering. that is heartwarming, - really suffering. that is heartwarming, in - really suffering. that is heartwarming, in a - really suffering. that is l heartwarming, in a tragic scenario and i'd appreciate yourjobis scenario and i'd appreciate yourjob is not the hands on rescue as it were, but you have a sense as to how much longer that will go on for? they have

been able to pull survivors out from time to time.— from time to time. very difficult _ from time to time. very difficult to _ from time to time. very difficult to say, - from time to time. very difficult to say, i - from time to time. very difficult to say, i am - from time to time. veryj difficult to say, i am not from time to time. very i difficult to say, i am not in that area. i notice search and rescue teams are working on the ground with the city protection. 0no already a lot of health actors are mobilised, we are already doing some food distribution already, this is an area where already you have an area where already you have a lot of food insecure people, so this is an area where you are already, the food insecurity is going to last for still months, those people cannotjust still months, those people cannot just stand still months, those people cannotjust stand up like this, they need support, but on the health sector, this is really catastrophic. we can see already a lot of movement, a lot of national ngos, international ngos also that were in haiti already and are working very hard on that. shockwaves have been felt in french literary circles after the discovery of thousands of pages of lost manuscripts by a renowned

but controversial author. the work, by louis—ferdinand celine, went missing more than 75 years ago. it's believed to include an unpublished novel. the bbc�*s tim allman reports. ina in a flat in paris, an elderly man examinesa in a flat in paris, an elderly man examines a literary treasure trove. the previously lost work of a writer some view as a genius, but others condemn as a genius, but others condemn as a genius, but others condemn as a villain. whatever the legacy, this is an emotional moment. translation: when you have them in _ moment. translation: when you have them in your _ moment. translation: when you have them in your hands, - moment. translation: when you have them in your hands, you - have them in your hands, you have them in your hands, you have a part of celine that comes alive. it's the physical contact with manuscripts that has been hidden for 75 years and that celine lived with and that he worked on. it is very moving. that he worked on. it is very moving-— that he worked on. it is very movinu. ., , ., moving. louis-ferdinand celine wrote under— moving. louis-ferdinand celine wrote under the _ moving. louis-ferdinand celine wrote under the pen _ moving. louis-ferdinand celine wrote under the pen name - wrote under the pen name

celine. he was regarded as one of the giants of 20th—century french renowned for his distinct style and pessimistic view of the human condition. but he was also accused of being a nazi sympathiser, an anti—semite and was convicted for collaboration. has manuscripts were stolen towards the end of world war ii, possibly by members of the french resistance. rumour has it they were kept hidden away, waiting for a very specific event. translation: in a sense, this discovery — event. translation: in a sense, this discovery is _ event. translation: in a sense, this discovery is both _ this discovery is both unexpected and expected. 20 years ago i asked celine's widow, where other manuscripts? and she said to me, don't worry, the i'd die these manuscripts will reappear and that's exactly what happened. the documents include a new novel called london, and the complete script of another work which only a fragment had previously been published. some estimate this fine could be

worth millions, creativity and notoriety from beyond the grave. and that is bbc news, you up—to—date. hello there. we're looking at a pretty benign week of weather. we've got high—pressure fairly nearby, but a lot of cloud streaming in off the north atlantic, bringing us rather cool and cloudy conditions throughout the week. a little bit of sunshine here and there, but there will also be some patchy rain, too. these weather fronts bringing the patchy rain through this morning. generally, though, we've got this airflow coming in from the north atlantic, and it's moisture—laden air, hence all the cloud. so, rather grey skies this morning, that patchy rain eventually clearing away from the eastern side of england. there will be further patchy rain for northern and western hills, but many places will turn drier, and we could see some sunshine breaking through eastern scotland, eastern england, perhaps across south wales and the southwest. a breezy day to come, those winds quite fresh from the northwest, and temperatures pretty disappointing for mid—august, generally 15—21 degrees

in the sunnier spots further south. and we hold onto the cloud and the breeze through tuesday night, as well. most places will be dry, further spots of drizzle, though, across some western hills, especially, especially northern and western scotland. but with all the cloud cover and the breeze, temperatures no lower than around 11—15 degrees. so then, for wednesday, very little change — it looks similar, rather grey and breezy once again, further patchy drizzle across some northern and western hills. but again, with some shelter from the breeze, from the higher ground further west, we should see some sunny spells, again, eastern england, perhaps across the south of wales and southwest. again, that pushes temperatures up to 21 degrees — otherwise for most, mid—to—high teens. into thursday, some subtle changes. this weather front�*s a bit more active, it'll start to wriggle into parts of england and wales. the winds will be lighter on thursday, too, coming in from a more west—southwest direction. again, a lot of cloud around, but we'll have these showers pushing into england

and wales — thanks to that weatherfront, some of these could be on the heavy side. a bit of sunshine again towards the southwest, highs of 20—21 degrees, otherwise, again, mid—to—high teens. as we move out of thursday into friday, we start to see this more substantial area of low pressure sweeping up very slowly from the southwest. so, that'll change the wind direction to a south—westerly for many of us, it will be light with breeze. again, quite a bit of cloud around, a few sunny spells here and there, the more substantial rain pushing into northern ireland and later, western england and wales. and again, those temperatures range from 15—20 celsius.

crisis, with devastating consequences.

this is bbc news, the headlines: president biden has strongly defended his decision to withdraw american troops from afghanistan, saying the goals of the us mission had been counter—terrorism, not nation—building. he also said he had made clear to the taliban that any attack on us personnel would be met with devastating force if necessary. the us and britain say they'll send more troops to the afghan capital to help the evacuation of hundreds of people desperate to escape kabul after the taliban takeover. there have been chaotic scenes at the airport, with people clinging to, and then falling from, planes taking off. a tropical storm has made landfall in haiti, drenching the country with heavy rain as it deals with the aftermath of saturday's powerful earthquak. at least 1,400 people were killed in the quake and almost 7,000 injured.