this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. despair and danger in afghanistan, as thousands at kabul airport beg for safe passage away from the taliban. i'v e i've been here since morning. five o'clock, still waiting here and i'm trying. o'clock, still waiting here and i'm t inc. �* , ., �* o'clock, still waiting here and i'm t in, �* , ., trying. and they won't let you into the the embassy _ trying. and they won't let you into the the embassy told _ trying. and they won't let you into the the embassy told me - trying. and they won't let you into the the embassy told me to - trying. and they won't let you into the the embassy told me to comei the the embassy told me to come here. president biden says the us has made clear to the taliban that any attack on the afghan evacuation mission would be met quickly and with force. as we continue to work the logistics

of evacuation, we are in constant contact with the taliban. uk prime minister borisjohnson says he has full confidence in his foreign secretary after heavy criticism over his handling of the crisis in afghanistan nearly a week after the earthquake in haiti, some victims are getting aid, but many still struggle. hello and welcome. we're drawing to the end of a seismic week for the people of afghanistan, and those who have served there during america's 20—year military involvement. evacuation flights are continuing from the international airport at kabul, with nato officials saying

that 18—thousand people have now been airlifted out since the taliban took over. many more are trying desperately to escape. our afghanistan correspondent, secunder kermani and cameraman malik mu—dassir, have this report from kabul. get back! panic and chaos close to kabul airport. british soldiers guarding a secure compound for those being evacuated. british passport holders in the crowd, desperately trying to get through. this is my british passport. like this uber driver from west london. he's got kids. we've been waiting. how long have you been here waiting? i came morning, five o'clock. still, i'm waiting here. in the last three days, i'm trying to go inside... and they won't letl you into the hotel? even though the embassy has told you to come here. - yes, he said i had to go here.

even more distressing scenes at the main entrance to the compound. british soldiers trying to keep the crowd back. this is a scene of total and utter chaos, many of the people here don't have any permission to board an evacuation flight but they are so desperate that they just turned up here anyway. that's making it extremely difficult for those who have been told to come here by the british embassy to get through. my family, my newborn baby. amongst those trapped by the crowd, this former british army interpreter. his wife gave birth just two weeks ago and he's deeply worried about the baby. maybe i lose my kid and maybe she is not good. she is not good, my wife. you can't stay here. i can't stay here, look at the situation, look at the dirt on the floor here. and, until now, i'm here since morning, i came here, taliban lashed me on the back. most of the people here

are in a state of total confusion. they don't know how they can, but just want to leave the country before the evacuation flights end. what makes you think you will be able to travel? this woman says she was a player on the national basketball team. i am so scared, because i'm a girl. my life is in danger. what... as the day goes on, some of those who are meant to be here eventually get through, including the family with the young baby. many others are still struggling, though. even more who want to leave but can't will be left behind. so that's the scene on the ground —— in washington, president biden has been putting a brave face on a difficult situation.

the administration's withdrawal has been met by fierce criticism, on both sides of the political aisle. at the white house today, mr biden deflected those concerns, and instead focused on evacuation efforts —— for americans, and their afghan allies. we are going to do everything, everything that we can to provide safe evacuation for afghan allies, partners and afghans who might be targeted because of their association with the united states. but let me be clear, any american who wants to come home, we will get you home. for his take onjoe biden�*s speech, here's our north america editorjon sopel. the thing that struck me most about it was the extent to which the worlds most powerful armed forces are almost entirely dependent on the

goodwill of the taliban for this process to unfold in the way that the americans wanted to. joe biden has at any american that wants to leave afghanistan is able to do so with the cooperation of the afghans, the taliban. that is not the way the journalists on the ground or seeing it in the us defence secretary has briefed lawmakers on capitol hill and told them that americans have been beaten, trying to get to the airport and then there's the position of the translators. and joe biden said they must be able to come out as well. but think of the optics of it. you're a translator, you help the us armed forces attacked the taliban and you have to present your credentials to the taliban to get to the airport. so, that is left many people feeling incredibly frustrated and vulnerable. joe biden dismisses all of this and says this is our process and the policy is right. but the chaotic way in which the process has unfolded, has left tens of

thousands of people, afghans will help the americans over the past 20 years feeling very insecure, abandoned, and betrayed. jason campbell worked as the afghanistan country director in the office of the secretary of defense for policy in the trump administration. what do you make of what the president had to say in the us friday afternoon?— president had to say in the us friday afternoon? welcome i think it was important _ friday afternoon? welcome i think it was important that _ friday afternoon? welcome i think it was important that the _ friday afternoon? welcome i think it was important that the president - was important that the president himself provided an update of what has been obviously a very chaotic situation that is been evolving by the minute on the ground in kabul. he also adopted a more even tone this time and less defensive than he was a few days ago when he first addressed the nation and i think he

demonstrated a little bit more acknowledgement for some of those afghans who supported the united states and other allies and are desperately trying to make their way out although some of the details of how they are going to make that very difficult trek from outside the airport onto the military side of the airport, some of those details were left still to be determined. some apologists for president biden said he inherited a policy from the previous administration president donald trump. the peace deal with the taliban leadership on the territory. is that sufficient justification though, do you think for the way this is been handled? after a president biden has been in office since the end of january and

he is said to date back when america was going to go in yet it appears that the actual evacuation process has not been smooth and looks rather last—minute, really. has not been smooth and looks rather last-minute, really.— last-minute, really. there is some truth there- _ last-minute, really. there is some truth there. on _ last-minute, really. there is some truth there. on both _ last-minute, really. there is some truth there. on both sides. - last-minute, really. there is some truth there. on both sides. the - truth there. on both sides. the biden administration was dealt a very difficult hand politically in having an agreement in place with the taliban where the united states would be leaving around may one giving them limited time to review the tenants of the document and what they wanted to do from a strategic standpoint. but i also think that even once the decision was made, certainly the way it's been implemented over the last few months, leaves much to be desired in some of the warning signs were very clear, not least of which was the byzantine process of these afghan

supporters vying for pieces in the united states and given these runaround to be given an interview that really were not ruled out very well and certainly were not in the position to react to what was in utter collapse of the afghan government.— utter collapse of the afghan government. utter collapse of the afghan covernment. ., , , ., , government. you immersed yourself in the time in afghanistan _ government. you immersed yourself in the time in afghanistan and _ government. you immersed yourself in the time in afghanistan and its - the time in afghanistan and its culture, its history. the history of the afghan people. the absence of why this particular country beyond just the geographical coincidence of who it's neighbours are and where it sits, why this particular country has been so difficult for outsiders to really understand? i has been so difficult for outsiders to really understand?— to really understand? i think it is a very unique _ to really understand? i think it is a very unique culture. _ to really understand? i think it is a very unique culture. it's - to really understand? i think it is a very unique culture. it's very i a very unique culture. it's very diverse and it has not attended to

conform well to centralised type of governing system and i think that the way conflicts are resolved in the way conflicts are resolved in the way conflicts are resolved in the way of various tribal networks and other ethnicities interact with each other is certainly a unique to some of the other countries that are observing it earth finding themselves and it involved you can perhaps, become fairly well in a certain region or area of afghanistan, it is a country that truly is a unique in various corners and decentralisation of a governing system simply doesn't conform to some of the realities of afghan society.

some of the realities of afghan socie . ., ,. ., some of the realities of afghan socie . . , . . ., some of the realities of afghan socie . . ,. ., ., ., ~ some of the realities of afghan socie . ., ., ., ~ ., some of the realities of afghan socie . . ,. . ., . ~ ., ,., society. fascinating to talk to you. thank ou society. fascinating to talk to you. thank you so _ society. fascinating to talk to you. thank you so very _ society. fascinating to talk to you. thank you so very much _ society. fascinating to talk to you. thank you so very much for - society. fascinating to talk to you. thank you so very much for your. society. fascinating to talk to you. i thank you so very much for your time this friday on bbc news. and that is a country that has humbled the british, the soviets and now the americans. here in the uk, the prime minister says he "absolutely" has confidence in the foreign secretary, dominic raab, who's come under fire for his handling of the crisis in afghanistan. he failed to call his afghan counterpart to discuss evacuations, after being advised to do so by officials. mr raab said his priority, at the time, had been dealing with security issues, at kabul airport. here's our political correspondent alex forsyth. arriving in a place of safety, this past week has been a scramble to evacuate brits and afghans who worked with them, planes drafted in to get people out, but could more have been done? the foreign secretary, seen heading to downing street yesterday, has been under pressure... are you going to resign, mr raab? no. ..for not calling his afghan counterpart last week

about translators who'd helped foreign forces. tonight, the prime minister said... the whole of the government has been working virtually round—the—clock on the phones to do what we can, and to make sure that we get as many people back as possible. so how did events unfold? last friday, dominic raab was advised to call the afghan foreign minister. he was on holiday in crete. he says the call was delegated to a junior minister because he was prioritising security and capacity at the airport on the direct advice of the director and the director general overseeing the crisis response. on saturday, the taliban reached the outskirts of kabul. the foreign secretary was still on holiday. by now no call was made. the government said that was down to the rapidly deteriorating situation. on sunday, the taliban took kabul. the prime minister chaired a cobra meeting, and the foreign secretary flew back from holiday.

the government says securing the airport was the right priority and meant more than 1600 people could be evacuated. though not everyone. it's not safe for us. this interpreter, who we are not identifying, worked with british forces. he has been told he is eligible to come to the uk but hasn't had the paperwork so he's hiding in afghanistan. every second i am checking my e—mails. you know? it's not in my control. i have four kids. i am thinking about my wife. i am thinking my life is quite important for them. with the foreign office under pressure, some tory mps have rallied round. supporters of the foreign secretary have said today he is hard—working, and suggested one phone call would not have made a material difference given the pace of events on the ground. but this has become a focal point for frustration, even anger among those who question the government's readiness for and reaction to what has

happened in afghanistan. there has been little coordination of security matters across whitehall itself. 0ur foreign policy is reactive not proactive. it is lacking confidence in its ability to lead and lacking coordination. the prime minister, after meeting some of those the government has brought to safety, said the uk's effort over 20 years in afghanistan has changed the lives of millions. his actions now could affect the lives of many more. alex forsyth, bbc news, westminster. stay with us on bbc world news, still to come: in washington, the world's most political city is today assessing the political health of the world's most powerful man. indeed i did have a relationship with miss lewinsky that was not appropriate. in fact, it was wrong. in south africa, 97 people have

been killed today on one of the worst days of violence between rival black groups. over the last ten days, 500 have died. czechoslovakia must be free. russia is observing a national day of mourning for the 118 sub—mariners who died on board the kursk. we are all with them now, in our hearts. the pope has celebrated mass in front of a congregation of more than 2.5 million people in his hometown of krakow. "stay with us, stay with us," chanted this ocean of humanity. "well, well," joked the pope, "so you want me to desert rome?" this is bbc news,

the latest headlines. thousands of people continue to mass at kabul�*s airport, in the hope of being flown out of the afghanistan. it comes amid reports of executions and torture by the taliban. president biden says the us has made clear to the taliban that any attack on the afghan evacuation mission would be met quickly and with force. it's been nearly a week since a powerful earthquake hit southwest haiti, and there are still some areas that have yet to receive any help whatsoever. more than 2000 people are known to have died. an estimated 135,000 families have been displaced. 0ur correspondent, james clayton, reports now from the small town of les anglais, where an entire parish is in mourning. to get to the small town of les anglais, you have to take the coastal road.

the town is two hours from les cayes, and the road snakes through earthquake—scarred villages and even through a river. this is what's left of the town's church. a mass christening was about to begin just before the earthquake struck. the church had been filling up with people. dafica had woken up excited. her daughter was one of the dozens of children to be christened that day. translation: the church already had a lot of people inside, _ so i was looking for a good place to sit. i put my bag down and just as i was about to sit down, the earthquake struck. everyone started running but each side of the church was full of people. i was holding my baby. i tried to get out of the front. i was so nearly out and that's when it collapsed on me. dafica suffered injuries to her

head, back and legs, but survived. her daughter esther died in her arms. translation: we were inseparable. when we went to the church, we were two, but i came back alone. i will never forget her. this is a town still in mourning. 22 people died here in the collapse, including many children. this man shows us belongings laid out in the cemetery across the street, including a christening veil, as yet uncollected. "sometimes i ask myself, does god exist?" he says. "it's too much, it's too much." nearly a week after this earthquake and the true scale of the devastation is still revealing itself, and that's why it's feared that the death toll here could rise further. some help has started

to arrived here, desperately needed food and clothes. but this earthquake has turned communities upside down. trauma that may never heal. well, james clayton has now made his way to the capital port—au—prince, where he says aid is in short supply. eight is trickling in but that took two hours and we do not see any nongovernmental organisations here, there's only one church handing out eight, once again, should be a hive of activity, but there was nothing today there. there was one un helicopter and there was one middle sized plane and i was it and we spoke to a pilot is that there is a bottleneck here but then we went to the airport today and didn't seem like there is much activity there either and there's a big desperation and frustration here that not more food has come, medical supplies have

come, and by the way, it is due to rain here later and lots of people just don't even have basic shelter. it's pretty desperate situation and of people are wondering whether or not any help is going to come at all. why the issues here is that the government is an absolute turmoil and the president was assassinated last month and people do not trust ngo here when a lot of them did not cover themselves with glory there. so it's very confusing era and we don't know who should be doing what and the result of that is people on the ground actually need that help and theyjust the ground actually need that help and they just are the ground actually need that help and theyjust are not getting it. let's look at some of the day's other news. 0n the one—year anniversary of the poisoning of russian 0pposition leader alexei navalny, western nations and russia are taking actions against one other. the us and britain have imposed further sanctions on russian individuals, both for the attack and russia's chemical weapons programme. for their part, russian authorities have now raided more than five

hundred navalny supporters whose names were leaked online the head of the us agency for international development has warned that food aid in ethiopia's tigray region will run out this week. samantha power has accused the government in addis ababa of obstructing aid convoys to the area, where a regional conflict is raging. ethiopia insists it's allowing aid into the area, but it must stop weapons from reaching the rebels. from broadway to the west end and many places in between, theatre productions are gearing back up. but it's been a long year—and—a—half for performers. many of them had to find a way to fill their time, and pay their bills. david sillito has been speaking to one group of people who found themselves facing an unexpected career change, the cast of the west end musical, mamma mia. it always begins with an over chore.

it always begins with an overture. a little musical welcome from the 93—year—old david dennis, to his carer, stephen beckett. i saw a sign, a care agency was looking for staff. i wanted to contribute, i wanted to do something. i can'tjust sit around. # here i go again. people at the care agency, they gave me five minutes. it is a bit of a change from what he was doing just over a year and a half ago, performing in london's west end as one of the three dads in mamma mia. and his co—stars? richard has been painting and decorating and dad number three has been out on the road. my name is neil and this is gilbert. i normally play harry in the west end version of mamma mia. but now i am delivering parcels.

i am only doing this for something to do as well. you need to pay the bills and things, but it was to get out of the house. lockdown is tough. i am on my own, i am not interacting with people, i am delivering parcels and getting out each day. the theatre closed in march of last year, much of the cast thought they would be back in a few weeks, a few months at most. 16 months later they are finally back in the theatre and reflecting back, like millions of us, a year in which life was completely transformed. and a nd steve ns and stevens unexpected pandemic career. how are you going to look back on this year? i’m career. how are you going to look back on this year?— career. how are you going to look back on this year? i'm going to look back on this year? i'm going to look

back on this year? i'm going to look back on it with _ back on this year? i'm going to look back on it with gratitude. _ back on this year? i'm going to look back on it with gratitude. other - back on it with gratitude. other people in lockdown, especially that first wave of lockdown, were the only people that our clients saw for weeks and weeks, sometimes months on end. , , ., , weeks and weeks, sometimes months on end. ,, ~ end. this is the last day. are you auoin to end. this is the last day. are you going to miss— end. this is the last day. are you going to miss it? _ end. this is the last day. are you going to miss it? they've - end. this is the last day. are you going to miss it? they've got - end. this is the last day. are you going to miss it? they've got my| going to miss it? they've got my number that _ going to miss it? they've got my number that got _ going to miss it? they've got my number that got his _ going to miss it? they've got my number that got his number - going to miss it? they've got my number that got his number and | going to miss it? they've got my i number that got his number and so going to miss it? they've got my - number that got his number and so we will keep— number that got his number and so we will keep in_ number that got his number and so we will keep in touch anyway and he's a good _ will keep in touch anyway and he's a good fellow. it is will keep in touch anyway and he's a good fellow-— good fellow. it is what keeps us auoin , good fellow. it is what keeps us going. care. — good fellow. it is what keeps us going, care, music, _ good fellow. it is what keeps us going, care, music, friendship. | it's been confirmed that the world premiere of the new james bond film, �*no time to die', will take place in london late next month. it's faced repeated delays because of the coronavirus pandemic. critics say today's announcement might be an attempt to counter speculation that the screening could be postponed for a fourth time. the film, daniel craig's last appearance as bond, is due to be shown in cinemas

from october the 8th. hello again. for most of us, it's been another cloudy day, and that cloudy theme is one thing that we've noticed a lot actually this month. it's been a particularly dull month so far. but like yesterday, there were a few gaps opening out in the cloud. inverness sitting in one of these, so a bit of sunshine here, but the gaps have been fairly few and far between. the main driver of today's weather, low pressure to our west. we've had this weather front moving into western areas bringing outbreaks of rain, particularly for northern ireland, but we've also seen some rain at times in southwest england and wales as well — bringing these rather dull looking skies into pembrokeshire. the rain's been quite heavy here for a time as well. now, overnight tonight, that rain is going to quite erratically push its way northwards and eastwards. it's coming along in pulses.

there will be some heavy rain, then it will turn a little bit lighter and drizzly. some mist and fog patches around the hills and the coast as well. it's quite murky for some, and a mild night, temperatures no lower than 16 in both liverpool and for hull as well. now, the weekend is going to start off wet with these weather fronts slowly progressing eastwards. sunday, the better of the two days of the weekend, in that, the rain will ease to a mixture of sunshine and showers. saturday's forecast then, we've got the rain with us. and the rain is probably going to be heaviest, really, across wales, northern england, perhaps the midlands as well. many of us will see some pulses of rain through the day, perhaps northern scotland one of the drier areas, and later in the afternoon, wales and parts of northern ireland and southwest england brighten up with some sunshine. but there will be some heavy showers following in here. temperatures generally high teens, might reach about 22 celsius across eastern most areas of england, but for most, temperatures a bit below par. now, for sunday, as i say, this is going to be the better of the two days of the weekend. cloud will tend to thin and break up

with some sunny spells coming out. there will be some heavy showers around, though, maybe a few thunderstorms. these are likely to affect parts of central and eastern scotland, central and eastern england, drier southwest england, wales, northern ireland, western scotland, for the most part with some sunny spells. but, there is a big change in the weather on the way for next week, as this high pressure builds in. winds coming down from scandinavia, so no heat wave on the way, the hottest air stays in southern europe and around about the mediterranean, but that said, next week is still looking fine. and in the august sunshine that we'll have quite a bit of next week, it's going to be a pleasantly warm with temperature generally for most areas reaching the low 20s, perhaps something a bit cloudier towards the end of the week. that's your latest weather. bye— bye.

this is bbc news. i'm shaun ley with the headlines.

thousands of people continue to mass at kabul�*s airport in the hope of being flown out of the afghanistan. it comes amid reports of executions and torture by the taliban. president biden says the us has made clear to the taliban that any attack on the afghan evacuation mission would be met quickly and with force. mr biden said he was in constant contact with the taliban. borisjohnson says he has full confidence in his foreign secretary, dominic raab, after criticism over his handling of the crisis. there's been anger in haiti over the slow delivery of aid to areas affected by saturday's earthquake. damage to roads is hampering access. more than 2000 people died in the quake. many more were injured.