welcome to bbc news, i'm lewis vaughanjones. our top stories... president biden says us troops could stay in afghanistan beyond the end of the month — if more time is needed to get every american out. the taliban strengthens its grip on power — as many afghans desperately try to flee their country. who will help us? the people of haiti hit by saturday's powerful earthquake say there's still no assistance. and thousands are moved to safety as firefighters continue to battle blazes from greece to the french riveria.

hello and welcome to the programme. president biden says us troops might stay in afghanistan beyond his deadline at the end of the month — if more time is needed to get every american out of the country. it comes three days after the taliban takeover, which prompted thousands of people to try to leave. we'll have a full report from there in a moment, but first here's president biden explaining the chaos we've seen in kabul in the last few days. he's been speaking to us network abc news. when you had the government of afghanistan, the leader of that government getting on a plane and taking off and going to another country. when you saw the significant collapse of the afghan troops we had trained, up to 300,000 of them, just leaving their equipment

and taking off, that was, you know, that's what happened. that's simply what happened. 0ur north america correspondent, david willis, has more on what presidnet biden had to say. and the president making the point he is committed to keeping us forces in afghanistan until every american is evacuated. even if that means maintaining a military presence in afghanistan beyond august the 31st deadline that he himself set for a full american withdrawal. he said if there is american citizens left, we are going to stay until we get them all out. given the current pace of the withdrawal it does seem as though the us is not going to make the deadline, which is less than two weeks away. it might still do, but at the current pace it's probably not going to do so. that and the declaration by mr biden today in the same

interview, that the chaos we saw was unavoidable. that will fuel criticism over the way the us has handled this withdrawal. what about the wider public? i gather there is support for the idea and the principle of withdrawing from afghanistan, but the political fallout for biden is still there? very much so. there was consistent approval in the polls coming up to the last few weeks for the withdrawal of american forces from afghanistan. but a poll conducted on monday by the reuters news agency showed that mr biden�*s approval rating is now at its lowest since he took office seven months ago and less than half of those questioned for that poll approved of the way the withdrawal has been carried out. joe biden has received criticism, not only

from republicans, but members from his own party, who believed this operation was botched, to put it mildly. meanwhile the taliban are strengthening their grip on power in afghanistan. they've violently put down a demonstration in the eastern city of jalalabad. heavily—armed taliban militants are patrolling the capital, kabul, and there are fewer women on the streets. 0ur correspondent, secunder kermani, has returned to the afghan capital for the first time since the taliban takeover on sunday and has sent this report. outside the airport, chaos continues. thousands are still desperate to leave the country. here, a girl — terrified. "the taliban are coming for me", she cries. this family has been camped outside here for five days. "the situation here is very bad", she says. "no one wants to live here. "everyone wants to live in

peace and to be able to study. "we want to go anywhere that is safe." despite assurances from the taliban that anyone linked to the government will be given an amnesty, many here are deeply fearful for their future, and that's why we're still seeing these chaotic scenes the airport. no one's clear yet what comes next, but political discussions have begun. this was the arrival of a deputy leader of the taliban in kandahar — their spiritual home. whilst this is a member of the notorious haqqani family, deeply entrenched in the taliban's leadership, meeting with former president hamid karzai and other senior afghan politicians. in a speech tonight from the gulf, the former president, ashraf ghani, said he supported the efforts and hoped to return to the country. that seems unlikely. in the centre of kabul,

early signs everyday life is beginning to resume. heavily armed taliban patrols are all around but shops and streets are busier than they've been since the takeover. "it's not the same as before", says this man. "people are scared but it's better than the past few days, at least." there are far fewer women out and about than before and they're dressed more conservatively, though not in the all—encompassing burqa. many major businesses have sent female employees home, unsure whether the taliban will allow them to work. but there have been signs of defiance. this is a protest in support of the afghan flag, replaced in some areas by the taliban's. a number of demonstrators were reportedly shot dead in jalalabad. whilst this was another rally in eastern afghanistan. look at the huge taliban convoy that's speeding towards it.

the taliban have been making conciliatory noises in public, but many fear they won't tolerate any challenges to their authority. secunder kermani, bbc news, kabul. the international monetary fund has said afghanistan cannot access the fund's resources because of uncertainty over the recognition of the government in kabul by the international community. afghanistan was due to receive around m60 million next week as part of a global imf response to the economic crisis. later we'll be looking at the role of afghan women under the new taliban regime and i'll be speaking to a woman's rights activist from the country — so do stay with me for that. in other news let's turn to haiti now. the head of the pan american health organization has called on the international community to provide urgent medical personnel and equipment

to the country, which suffered a devastating earthquake last saturday. the earthquake is now known to have killed nearly 2,000 people. 0ur correspondent james clayton reports from the village of near the epicentre of the quake. as you head out from the city of les cayes to rural marceline, the road is marked by landslides... ..and deep cracks. the village is remote and the scale of the damage, catastrophic. rosemary took me to her house. her 15—year—old son was charging his phone when the quake hit. the wall collapsed on him. translation: these are his books. - he had recently got them so he could start a new year of school. and now, he's gone. i wrap his shirt around my waist. it keeps me strong.

when you come to these rural areas, the level of destruction just ups a notch. almost every single house here is completely destroyed. five people were killed in this house alone. and to understand why, you have to look at the cement and rock that these houses are built from. it's really hard to lift this, it's really heavy and of course, when those kinds of walls fall down, they can cause catastrophic injuries. with no sign of aid or help, many people are living on top of the rubble of what was their homes. "do we have to scream for the government to hear us," this woman says, "or is life over?" the people of haiti feel like they've been forgotten, and in many ways, they have. james clayton, bbc news, marceline. earlier we spoke to steve verdieu who lives in lay kay. his home was badly damaged and he's been living outside

for fear of aftershocks. i asked him how he's managing to survive. we are still living outside because staying inside is not safe right now. because we are afraid, we are living outside. we are outside during all the day and also during the night. that is tough for obvious reasons. i am that is tough for obvious reasons. iam going that is tough for obvious reasons. i am going to bring in some pictures, because i know you filmed these and we will show them to our viewers now. this is the devastation around you, what happened near your home. it is devastating and heartbreaking to look at the damage. clearly you are ok physically, what kind of help are you getting, what kind of assistance? 0r are you getting, what kind of assistance? or are you not getting anything at all? right now, we don't _ getting anything at all? right now, we don't get _ getting anything at all? right now, we don't get any - now, we don't get any

assistance. we have no food, we have no water to drink. we are trying to survive, but we get no assistance.— assistance. you said you haven't _ assistance. you said you haven't got _ assistance. you said you haven't got water, - assistance. you said you haven't got water, what| assistance. you said you i haven't got water, what is assistance. you said you - haven't got water, what is the problem with water?- problem with water? because usually we — problem with water? because usually we use _ problem with water? because usually we use to _ problem with water? because usually we use to buy - problem with water? because usually we use to buy the - problem with water? because i usually we use to buy the water we drank. so after the earthquake, all the places where we used to buy water are closed. and also to do other things like washing but back foot of the use, we use water from the wells. but right now after the earthquake, all the water from the wells is dirty, so it is really hard to find what to use right now. so no water, what to use right now. so no water. no — what to use right now. so no water, no food, _ what to use right now. so no water, no food, no -

what to use right now. so no l water, no food, no assistance, what about people around you? there must be family, friends, people who live near you struggling as well. is everyone still like you, living out on the streets in the weather conditions?— the streets in the weather conditions? . , , , conditions? yeah, everybody is t in: conditions? yeah, everybody is trying physically- _ conditions? yeah, everybody is trying physically. mentally, - conditions? yeah, everybody is trying physically. mentally, we| trying physically. mentally, we are really bad, we feel really sad. we have no assistance, we are helping each other.- are helping each other. steve, we 'ust are helping each other. steve, we just lost — are helping each other. steve, we just lost the _ are helping each other. steve, we just lost the line, - are helping each other. steve, we just lost the line, so - are helping each other. steve, we just lost the line, so i - we just lost the line, so i will try one more question and we may have to leave it there, because we are losing you a little bit. what is your message to the outside world? right now, the earth is shaking... it was shaking right now. , , ., ~

now. oh, it is shaking right now? are _ now. oh, it is shaking right now? are you... _ now. oh, it is shaking right now? are you... do - now. oh, it is shaking right now? are you... do you . now. oh, it is shaking right. now? are you... do you need now. oh, it is shaking right- now? are you... do you need to move outside? are you safe where you are right now, can you carry on talking, or should we leave it right there? i think right now i am safe and i will go out after this interview. but right now, i think we can continue. i will ask ou think we can continue. i will ask you one _ think we can continue. i will ask you one last, _ think we can continue. i will ask you one last, very - think we can continue. i will ask you one last, very quick question and then i will let you go outside. what is your message quickly to the international community to people watching around the world? i people watching around the world? ., ~' people watching around the world? ., ~ ., ., world? i would like to say that we really _ world? i would like to say that we really need _ world? i would like to say that we really need help _ world? i would like to say that we really need help because l world? i would like to say that. we really need help because we have nothing, we have nothing to eat. we need food, we need water. so anybody who can help, just do it. water. so anybody who can help, 'ust do it. �* , just do it. because we needed. hue just do it. because we needed. huge thanks — just do it. because we needed. huge thanks to _ just do it. because we needed. huge thanks to steve - just do it. because we needed. huge thanks to steve speakingj huge thanks to steve speaking to us under difficult circumstances in haiti. stay

with us on bbc world news. plenty more to come... york's central park becomes an impromptu battlefield as teams of knights battle it out in full medieval armour. 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 brutal former 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. two 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 news, the latest headlines . president biden has defended his decision to withdraw us troops from afghanistan, insisting there wasn't a way for them to leave "without chaos ensuing." there have been chaotic scenes outside kabul airport as governments rush to bring home their citizens as well as afghan colleagues. let's stay with that now — earlier i spoke to dr seth jones who is director of the international security programme at the center for strategic and international studies. i asked him if president biden was right to say the afghanistan government was responsible for the swift taliban takeover.

i don't think he is, i think it is a little disingenuous. i think in conversations i have had with recently with senior afghan officials, what they have indicated is that morale collapsed in part because the us was going to withdraw all of its forces, it was not going to provide any support, including close air support in case of engagements and that the taliban had the backing of the chinese. we saw that with the chinese foreign minister meeting with one of the taliban leaders just a few weeks ago. pakistan, which is the main backer, the iranians and the russians. this was a fait accompli and the morale issue, which was triggered by the us withdrawal, was a critical factor. that is interesting. and that morale issue, therefore was it a failure

in us intelligence to work out that that would happen? i don't think it was a failure of us intelligence, because us intelligence agencies had been becoming more dire in their assessments of a collapse of the afghan national security forces as we got into the spring and the early summer of 2021. if anything, it is a failure of policy, so the decision to leave, knowing the afghan national security forces might collapse, that is what us intelligence indicated. what could have been handled differently? they were probably two choices, one, to relieve a small footprint in the country, including keep a limited presence at bases. the other was to

start earlier in the spring evacuating american citizens bit by bit and other translators and those who have worked with us and western forces. that wasn't done either. in the us congress there had been a lot of pressure from republicans and democrats to start doing it months ago and the pentagon did not do it. given we are where we are now, if you were in any role in the administration, what would be your priority? in addition to getting americans and those that worked with us or other nato forces out. i would prepare for what is likely to be a coming humanitarian crisis with displaced people and refugees. the second is to put together a counterterrorism mission, because one of the most striking developments over the past few days has been the

release of thousands of foreign fighters, including al-qaeda fighters from prison in turkey, kandahar and other places. the terrorism issue is not over. events unfolding in afghanistan are still capturing the world's headlines. so check out our website for all the latest news and development, plus analysis from our team on the ground. we have had messages from the taliban since they swept into kabul, reassuring messages about women saying public life is still open to them, are you reassured by this messages? i

am afraid to say, not. that is because they have been using the term, islamic rights. they have shown what islamic rights mean to them when they were ruling the country in 1986. the islam they are talking about is not acceptable, restricting women from getting an education or employment, public life, mobility. he or employment, public life, mobility-— mobility. he fundamentally don't believe _ mobility. he fundamentally don't believe they - mobility. he fundamentally don't believe they have - don't believe they have changed? they will argue things are different from the last time round, but you fundamentally don't take them at their word and believe that actually, once the publicity dies down and the world's attention moves on, the status for women in afghanistan will

deteriorate significantly? that is my concern _ deteriorate significantly? that is my concern exactly. - deteriorate significantly? t�*isgt is my concern exactly. not only because comparing them in 1986, but also what have they done in the provinces they took over before kabul? they have restrictive limond" access to education, work and public life has shown no difference for the time they ruled the country in 1986. women were shot, and they were sent home when they showed up were sent home when they showed up in the office. these are reports coming out of the provinces which indicates the taliban haven't changed. what taliban haven't changed. what can be done — taliban haven't changed. what can be done from _ taliban haven't changed. what can be done from the - can be done from the international community is' point of view, to try to support women in the country? now the taliban are in kabul

and trying to form a new government, this is the international community's job to fix the mess that has been done because of the neglect of the international community over the past two years since these negotiations started. it still can be fixed with political pressure on the taliban for an inclusive government, for establishing an inclusive government where women's rights, women's participation in the government is secured, minority groups are represented. so an inclusive government which is acceptable for afghan people.— for afghan people. thank you very much — for afghan people. thank you very much for— for afghan people. thank you very much for coming - for afghan people. thank you very much for coming on - for afghan people. thank you very much for coming on and| very much for coming on and talking to us.— hundreds of firefighters in france have spent a third day battling a fast—moving fire near the french riveria. it's the latest in a string

of deadly fires in the mediterranean in recent weeks, amid intense heatwaves. officials have blamed man—made climate change. courtney bembridge reports. this is what firefighters are up against — a fast—moving fire fuelled by an intense heatwave. thousands of residents and tourists have been moved to safety while others went back to inspect the damage after a terrifying escape. translation: the fire arrived about eight o'clock. _ it was so fast, it came from higher up. we tried to control the sparks, but it was too intense. so we took refuge in the vineyards. europe has been ravaged by wildfires this summer with record temperatures across the mediterranean. greece has been badly hit. this is the latest fire burning through one of the last pine forests near athens. residents here were caught by surprise atjust how quickly the flames reached their homes.

translation: we watched as it all burned, from - the front and the back. and there was no one, no one here, no one to warn the citizens here where there are houses. and we were running, we were running. greece has fought more than 500 wildfires this month alone as the country also battles its most severe heat in decades. scientists say it's yet another reminder of the impact of man—made climate change. courtney bembridge, bbc news. let's get some of the day's other news. the prosecution has made its opening statements at the trial of the american r&b singer r kelly in new york. the prosecutor said the musician had targeted, groomed and exploited young girls and boys, calling him a sexual predator. r kelly has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. a court battle in canada over the extradition of huawei's chief financial officer to the united states has ended after two and a half years.

the canadian government prosecutor said the court should have no difficulty in finding mung wanjoe had committed fraud, and so should be handed over to the americans. her defence team deny any fraud. a date for a ruling will be set in october. european union interior ministers have pledged to send experts and equipment to the eu's borders with belarus to cope with what they see as an orchestrated influx of migrants. they're accusing president alexander lukashenka of encouraging migrants to cross in retaliation for sanctions. that's been denied by belarus. the tissue used by lionel messi during his farewell adress to the spanish football club fc barcelona is being sold at auction. the tear—soaked kleenex was put on the market by an anonymous seller, with the price set at £1 million. messi announced earlier this month he would be leaving barcelona, ending his 21—year spell at the club. you can reach me on twitter —

i'm tlvaughanjones. this is bbc news. hello. it feels a little like our weather has been sulking so far this week — kind of stuck in a rut of greyness and lingering cloud. it's not in a great hurry to get out of that position through today, either. we did see some sunshine on wednesday across central and eastern england, and i'm hopeful we will see some for at least a time today — this break in the clouds ahead of a weak weather front coming in from the west. so through the morning, some sunnier skies working their way eastwards, perhaps something a bit brighter behind that band of showery rain further west for the afternoon. but still, a lot of cloud for many of us, and temperatures a little down for the time of year. a few heavier showers roaming around through the evening, but overnight, guess what — it's all pretty quiet and light

winds, a lot of cloud, quite misty and murky around the coast and the hills. friday daytime, looking at that chart, you think, oh, things might start to get moving. well, not in any great hurry, i'm afraid. this weather front will push some rain into northern ireland through the day, throwing some showers towards wales, as well. potentially, though, with a strengthening southerly breeze, we could break the cloud up a little more across southern and eastern england. looking pretty gloomy and murky there across scotland and generally across the northern half of the uk. for the weekend, this low will make a bit more effort, and friday into saturday, this front pushes slowly further eastwards. the notable thing that it does, though, is drag up some warmer air from the south for central and eastern england. so after a week where temperatures have sat below average, we could see some significantly warmer weather, at least briefly this weekend — but there is a price to pay. saturday, we will see, i think, temperatures into the mid—20s across central and eastern

england with some sunshine. but coming into the west, heavier and more persistent rain, some strengthening winds as well, as that area of low pressure finally gets down to business. for sunday, even more widespread showers, i think, as the low pressure sits across the uk. and we start to lose that southerly airstream as the low shifts, temperatures edge down yet again. a bit drierfor monday, but still on the cool side.

taliban has this is bbc news, the headlines: president biden has said us troops might stay in afghanistan beyond his deadline at the end of the month, if more time is needed to get every american out of the country. it comes four days after the taliban takeover, which prompted thousands of people to try to leave. the head of the pan american health organisation has called on the international community to provide urgent medical personnel and equipment to haiti, following a devastating earthquake on saturday. the disaster is now known to have killed nearly 2,000 people. hundreds of firefighters have spent a third day battling a fast—moving wildfire near the french riveria. it's the latest in a string of deadly fires to affect the mediterranean in recent weeks during intense heatwaves. scientists have blamed the impact of man—made climate change. now on bbc news — click.

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