welcome to newsday. reporting live from singapore, i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines: twin bomb attacks at kabul airport leave at least 60 dead and 140 others wounded. translation: people started running away and we got out. | i saw at least 400 or 500 people there. the explosion was really powerful. half were hurled into the water, others on the ground outside. we carried the wounded on stretchers and, here, my clothes are completely bloodied. 12 us service personnel are among those killed. president biden vows to finish the evacuation mission and track down the perpetrators. we will not forgive. we will not forget.

we will hunt you down and make you pay. an affiliate of the islamic state says they carried out the attacks. what now for the us—led evacuation from afghanistan? live from our studio in singapore, this is bbc news. it's newsday. it's 7am in the morning in singapore and 7pm in washington, where president biden has vowed to continue airlifts out of afghanistan despite the deadly bombings at kabul airport on thursday. at least 60 people died in the attacks, including 12 us military personnel. the first explosion took place just before dusk outside the abbey gate at kabul airport, leaving bodies strewn

all over a sewage ditch. the second blast happened near the baron hotel, which has been used by some western nations as a staging point for evacuations since the airlift began. there had been warnings in recent days that an off—shoot of the islamic state group in the region was planning an attack. speaking at the white house, presidentjoe biden called the servicemen who lost their lives heroes and said the attackers would be made to pay. the lives we lost today were the lives given in the service of liberty, the service of security, the service of others, in the service of america. like their fellow brothers and sisters in arms who have died defending our vision and our values in the struggle against terrorism, of the fallen this day, they're part of a great and noble company of american heroes. to those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone

who wishes america harm, know this. we will not forgive. we will not forget. we will hunt you down and make you pay. i would defend our interests and our people with every measure and my command. 0ver measure and my command. over the past few weeks, i know any of you are probably tired of hearing me say it, we have been made aware by our intelligence community that the isis k, and archenemy of the taliban, people who were freed when both those prisons were opened, has been planning a complex set of attacks on us personnel and others. this is why, from the outset, i repeatedly said this

mission was extraordinarily dangerous and why i've been so determined to limit the duration of this mission. we'll get more on president biden�*s comments in a few minutes, but first let's get more on the situation on kabul. 0ur chief international correspondent lyse doucet has just sent this report, which does has some distressing images from the start. the feared attack, a bombing forewarned, casualties rushed yet again into kabul�*s emergency hospital after twin bombings close to kabul airport. this man was there. translation: i saw at least 400 or 500 people there. _ the explosion was really powerful. half were hurled into the water, others on the ground outside. we carried the wounded here on stretchers and, here, my clothes are completely bloodied. so many wounded, some shoved into wheelbarrows, afghans who'd hoped to be on an aeroplane tonight,

flying to a safer place. this attack — claimed by the islamic state group — shattered that hope and struck one of the deadliest blows against us troops in the past 20 years. the pentagon put on a brave face. i would like to offer my profound condolences to the families of our service men and women and afghan civilians who lost their lives today. we have put more than 5,000 us servicemembers at risk to save as many civilians as we can. it's a noble mission, and today we have seen first—hand how dangerous that mission is. isis will not deter us from accomplishing the mission, i can assure you of that. hours earlier, in the centre of kabul, an ever growing clamour, people desperate to find ways to get that airport. i worked in security with british people. how many years? maybe one year.

a few years ago. but now the british are saying it's too dangerous to go to the airport. it's dangerous, yes. i cannot go in the airport. i cannot go. even three—year—old salim is worried, just listening to his mother. she tells us they got to the airport and were sent from gate to gate. she says the taliban asked, "why do you want to leave?" and threatened to shoot her. now, it's been two days on this street for her exhausted children. the taliban are now stopping afghans from even travelling to the airport. but still they try. they're bringing certificates, they're bringing flight details, they're bringing whatever letter they've ever had from any government anywhere in the world. whatever the risks there are in going to the airport, whatever the risks there are at the airport today,

for all of them — just look at this — for them, the greatest danger is staying here in afghanistan. and tonight, that danger all too clear. there had been warnings for a week of an attack like this — a last strike against western troops set to leave within days, another blow to many afghans�* last hope of leaving this chaos behind. lyse doucet, bbc news, kabul. that's the situation in afghanistan. asi as i mentioned earlier, we can bring more commentary on what president biden said. 0ur correspondent nomia iqbal is in washington. i asked her if president biden was on the brink of retaliating over the kabul attack. i think it wasn't surprising he said those tough words. we were expecting him to comment in that way, i think. but he did not really give

any details when he was asked by a reporter, and it was interesting because he did take questions from the press. he has been criticised for not doing that enough. when he was asked what he planned to do in response, he would not go into any details. all he said was that they will find ways of retaliating which does not involve a big military operation. yeah, nomia, there's been some criticism, even in president biden�*s own party, of the us having to depend on the taliban to secure the perimeter of the airport. what's been his response to that? he rejects that criticism. he stands by it. he praised general mckenzie, who's the top commander in the region, saying that he thinks he did well to try and keep that area secure. and he made the point, and he keeps reminding people of this, that it is in the taliban's interest for isis k, this group who has taken responsibility for the explosions at kabul, to not get bigger. remember, the taliban want to try and show that they can govern afghanistan, that they can take over the country

and they can run it, and it is not in their interest for isis k to get bigger, which is the point that he made, and so he stands by that decision. and in terms of the evacuation, the question is, will this evacuation continue? why would america stay for even one more day, given these attacks, given the loss of life? and he said, he was very steadfast about that, he says this mission will continue and they will meet that deadline of the 31st of august. yeah, we saw a very emotional president biden at some point during those remarks, didn't we, nomia, bringing up his son, the experience that he'd had there? but also committing to the fact that he would get everyone out of afghanistan that the us is responsible for by that deadline, but the deadline is fast approaching. so what does it mean for the process, the evacuation process of getting people out? that's right, it was

a very emotional speech. it was very... we saw that empathetic side of biden, that compassionate side that he is very well known for. he even invoked scripture in his speech. he is a committed catholic. he talked about his son beau biden, who served in the iraq war and then died later on from cancer, and so he said he could understand the grief that the families of these us service people who have died are going through, but, yes, he is still committed to the evacuation mission. he still believes that it can be achieved, and there was no... i don't think there was an expectation that he would suddenly pull out. instead, he said that this was his rationale for trying to get people out as soon as possible. he was asked what happens after august 31 if people can't get out or people have not got out that want to leave, and he said there are numerous opportunities for people to get out, but he didn't actually go

into any detail on that. and he ended his speech by saying, quote, "ladies and gentlemen, it was time to end a 20—year war." that is his baseline, that is his mantra and that does deeply resonate with the american public, who... he obviously really cares about what they think. nomia iqbal there in washington. ijust want nomia iqbal there in washington. i just want to bring you some breaking news thatis bring you some breaking news that is coming across the newswires right now. the us defence department, an official from the defence department, has told reuters news agency that the number of american troops killed in these suicide bombings a couple airport has now risen by one to 13. that is the information that we are getting at the moment. we understand that the us service member, according to the statement, has died from his wounds and that he suffered as a result of the attack on abbey gate. that information coming in on reuters and other news

agencies at the moment. i'm joined now by former solider bill roggio, now senior fellow of the foundation for defense of democracies. hejoins us from belford, newjersey. great to have you on newsday. in the first instance, you have been a soldier. just tell me, your reaction to the judgements we have had in the last 2a hours? —— tragic events. we have had in the last 24 hours? -- tragic events. today was a fickle — hours? -- tragic events. today was a fickle day _ hours? -- tragic events. today was a fickle day for _ hours? -- tragic events. today was a fickle day for the - hours? -- tragic events. today was a fickle day for the us - was a fickle day for the us military, the family stash make difficult day. they are there to do a mission, help americans and allies get out of the country, and they are in a very difficult situation and their loss is mourned by all. it becomes very personal. you often cover this war from a very high level, military, strategy, but days like today remind us that there is real people involved in this. yes,

absolutely. _ people involved in this. yes, absolutely, and _ people involved in this. yes, absolutely, and certainly - people involved in this. yes, absolutely, and certainly we | absolutely, and certainly we saw that emotion from president biden, didn't we, when he made those marks about an hour ago? he also said, bill, that for those who carried out the attacks, we will not forgive, we will not forget, we will hundred on and make you pay. does that sound like retaliation to you? —— hunt you down. does that sound even possible?— down. does that sound even ossible? , ., , possible? first, iwould say is what happened _ possible? first, iwould say is what happened today - possible? first, iwould say is what happened today is - possible? first, iwould say is what happened today is the l what happened today is the result of trusting terrorists who use suicide tactics — that would be the taliban — to prevent other terrorists that you suicide tactics — that would be the islamic state — to protect american citizens and western citizens and the afghans try to get out. this should have been expected for and as far as his talk about targeting the islamic state, how is this going to happen? what method? you need intelligence to drive these operations and the us visibility in afghanistan has

dropped to zero. you no longer have a national directorate of security, which was the afghan security service, you no longer have an afghan army and no... tens of thousands have laid down their lives to help the us in their own because, in the us because, so he may be talking a big talk about going after the islamic state, but the proof is in the pudding. let's see how he goes after them. are they going to go to the taliban, who they trust to provide information on the islamic state? that is really where we are at this point.— are at this point. bill, president _ are at this point. bill, president biden - are at this point. bill, president biden alsol are at this point. bill, - president biden also says he is sticking to that august 31 deadline for the withdrawal. is that the right move in all of this? ., , ., , .,

this? he really only has two options. one _ this? he really only has two options. one would - this? he really only has two options. one would be - this? he really only has twoj options. one would be to... this? he really only has two - options. one would be to... and that would require tens of thousands of troops to do this, to ensure that everyone would be able to get out for speed does not want to do this. his option is to leave and leave as soon as possible. this option very likely will abandon americans, british citizens and other western citizens and tens of thousands of afghans who supported our efforts in afghanistan, who supported their own country, and will now fall to the predations of the taliban. �* ., ., ., ~ taliban. bill roggio, thank you so much for— taliban. bill roggio, thank you so much forjoining _ taliban. bill roggio, thank you so much forjoining us - taliban. bill roggio, thank you so much forjoining us on - so much forjoining us on newsday with your thoughts. for more on the situation in kabul, you can go to the bbc news website. there's a live page running for the very latest information, and also this explainer from our security correspondent frank gardner on the group known as isis k, which is thought to have carried out the attack. in fact, claimed responsibility for the attack. if you want to

get in touch with me on any of the stories, the main story you've seen on newsday this morning, i am on twitter. @bbckarishma i'm looking forward to hearing from you. you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme: seeking another escape route — thousands of afghans travel to the border with pakistan, but many are not being allowed through. he's the first african—american to win the presidential nomination of a major party, and he accepts exactly 45 years ago to the day that martin luther king declared, "i have a dream." as darkness falls tonight, and unfamiliar light will appear in the southeastern sky — an orange glowing disc that's brighter than anything save the moon — our neighbouring planet, mars. there is no doubt that this election is an important milestone in the birth of east timor as the world's newest nation.

it'll take months and billions of dollars to repair— what katrina achieved injust hours. - three weeks is the longest the great clock has been off—duty in 117 years, so it was with great satisfaction that clockmaker john vernon swung the pendulum to set the clock going again. big ben chimes this is newsday on the bbc. i'm karishma vaswani in singapore. 0ur headlines: at least 60 people have been killed and 140 others wounded in twin bomb blasts at kabul airport. 13 us service personnel are among the dead. president biden says the evacuation will continue and promises to hunt down the perpetrators. let's look at some of

the international reaction to the attacks in kabul. germany has called it a heinous attack and says a hospital plane is on standby to help treat injured people at kabul airport. here's chancellor angela merkel. there is a high level of pressure to be exerted in the mission to airlift people out of kabul. we know that the window of opportunity is closing. tens of thousand people have been airlifted to security. today i would like to once again repeat that those who have not been able to leave kabul with the help of the airlift will not be forgotten. we will continue to work to ensure that they can leave their country if they so wish. angela merkel has actually cancelled a trip to israel due to the unfolding crisis in afghanistan. separately, the uk prime minister has also weighed in. borisjohnson condemned the attack as "barbaric", paying tribute to the "phenomenal effort" of those involved in

the evacuation operation. but he added that the uk evacuation effort would continue. we have already extracted the overwhelming majority of those under both the schemes, the uk persons, uk nationals, plus the afghans, the interpreters and others, and it has been a totally phenomenal effort by the uk. there's been nothing like it for decades and decades. but clearly what this attack shows is the importance of continuing that work, in as fast and as efficient a manner as possible, in the hours that remain to us, and that's what we're going to do. borisjohnson there. i'm joined now by ben scott in sydney. he's a foreign policy expert from the lowy institute. he formerly worked at the australian embassy in washington. great to have you on newsday.

in the first instance, we are starting to get that international reaction to what has happened in the last 2a hours in afghanistan. from around the world. president biden very strong in his speech this morning. what is your sense of what the international community is taking away from that? ., , community is taking away from that? . , . ., that? thanks very much for havin: that? thanks very much for having me- _ that? thanks very much for having me. i— that? thanks very much for having me. i think- that? thanks very much for having me. i think the - that? thanks very much for. having me. i think the biggest question now for most countries with an interest in afghanistan locally, but especially afg hanistan�*s locally, but especially afghanistan's neighbours, is afg hanistan�*s neighbours, is what afghanistan's neighbours, is what is the relationship going to be going forward between the taliban and jihadist groups? the taliban had an unbroken election with al-qaeda. .. election with al-qaeda... —— unbroken relationship. is it going to have the capability to go through on that? that is the real

question. and from my perspective, the taliban are actually torn. 0n the one hand, they are this proven ideological violent jihadist group with, as i say, this long connection with al-qaeda. 0n the other hand, then off to govern landlocked and poor state with neighbours who all view them as a source of potential security threats. yeah, ben... that has also been one of the main reasons, i understand, that groups like isis see the taliban as having beard away from the purest ideology ofjihad for about you see this playing out in the future? ., ., , ., ~' future? -- how do you? ithink the taliban _ future? -- how do you? ithink the taliban is _ future? -- how do you? ithink the taliban is now _ future? -- how do you? ithink the taliban is now in _ future? -- how do you? ithink the taliban is now in a - future? -- how do you? ithink the taliban is now in a very - the taliban is now in a very delicate stage of regime

consolidation, or the sides being pulled in are being played out the same time, and this means that for a group like i , which has many, many motivations, ranging from the purely ideological hatred driven through two more tactical ones to kind of a more strategic objective, which is just to create further instability and humility at the taliban at this point, but it is notjust isis k. a group like al-qaeda now would be very worried and thinking carefully, how can we best play the situation? how can we avoid a situation? how can we avoid a situation where the taliban does actually put more priority on maintaining civil relations with its neighbours and governing and keeps us on a tight leash? the al-qaeda approach to this problem is going to be much more long game, looking further ahead, then isis k, which isjust pushing for valid —— violence is weekly as

possible and is really struggling with any taliban consolidation of afghanistan. there's a whole spectrum of issues and it is just a question for all of the afghanistan neighbours. i am thinking of pakistan, for example. i know they are... indeed. , , ., , example. i know they are... indeed. i, ., , indeed. they should be careful what they wish _ indeed. they should be careful what they wish for. _ indeed. they should be careful what they wish for. yes, - indeed. they should be careful what they wish for. yes, ben l what they wish for. yes, ben scott, thank _ what they wish for. yes, ben scott, thank you _ what they wish for. yes, ben scott, thank you so - what they wish for. yes, ben scott, thank you so much - what they wish for. yes, ben scott, thank you so much for joining us on newsday. it's notjust kabul airport where thousands have been gathering to try to leave afghanistan since the taliban took over of the country. thousands have also travelled to the border with pakistan, in the hope of getting out, but many are not being allowed through. 0ur correspondent shumaila jaffery reports from the border. this is the border point. thousands of desperate families, trying to escape into pakistan.

these are people who knew they had no chance at kabul airport. they are desperate to reach safety. but there is chaos here, too. just a few are being let across. these families left almost everything behind. with small children in tow, exhausted from walking in the baking heat, the elderly and sick pushed on wheelbarrows. as the taliban flag flutters at the border, people tell us they don't trust their country's new rulers and see no future in afghanistan any more. no—one can trust the taliban, because we have some experience 20 years ago. right now, we just want to come to a safe area. the people here have come from across afghanistan. since the taliban captured kabul, thousands of ordinary afghans are crossing through the border every day. this woman is from the minority

hazara community, persecuted by the taliban. she has made the dangerous trip from kabul with her daughters. she tells me that her daughter—in—law was killed in a taliban bombing some years ago. translation: they are terrible people. | i am scared of them. they have martyred my daughter—in—law. they do not have any sympathy. they are heartless. the people here are scared for their safety. there are many reasons for afghans to fear the taliban. they are walking into unknown futures. still, they do not want to stay behind. shumaila jaffery, bbc news, chaman, pakistan. such a distressing time for so many people over there. that is all that we have for you on

newsday at this hour. do stay with bbc news for more on the top story. thank you for joining us. hello. it's a mark of how strange a summer it's been when i can tell the truth and say it's been warmer than average for the uk. some of you will look at me like i've gone crazy. the met office say that it's been about a degree warmer than average this summer so far, warmest compared with average in scotland and northern ireland. you know in london and southeast england, even though it has been a little warmer than average, it's been really quite wet and dull this summer. it is at least now dry, but it is still quite dull with all the cloud we've had. high pressure is close to the uk, keeping things settled friday, the weekend and throughout much of next week. doesn't mean sunny, though, and overnight and into the morning, a lot of cloud will have pushed in from the east. and temperatures will be a little lower than this in the countryside.

across scotland, a lot of the cloud will clear during friday, but still keeping some towards the east coast. northern ireland, once any fog patches clear, some sunny spells here. for wales, especially in the west, far southwest of england, for cumbria, some occasional sunshine, perhaps developing more widely through some eastern parts of england on through the afternoon. this wind direction, though, will continue a feed of cloud and breeze into the coast of eastern scotland and northeast england, keeping temperatures down here at around 15, 16 degrees, whereas elsewhere, mainly 17 to 20. a little higher, though, with prolonged sunny spells across western parts. 0vernight and into saturday, areas of cloud, clear spells, down into single figures where you're clear. and by the end of the night and first thing on saturday, the chance of a few showers running in across southeast england, more especially into kent. so this is how the weekend is shaping up. it is looking, for the most part, dry, barthe chance of that shower towards the far southeast on saturday

for a time, variable cloud and some sunny spells around. perhaps northern ireland, too, and running in across the eastern side of england, where, still, along that north sea coast, it'll be rather cool in the cloud. but really quite pleasant where you're still getting to see a bit of sunshine.

this is bbc news. we will have the headlines and all the main news stories at the top of the hour is newsday continue straight after hardtalk. welcome to hardtalk. i am stephen sackur. a harsh spotlight on two decades of us and nato military commitment in afghanistan. it looks and feels like a strategic defeat. but what does it tell us about the geopolitical balance of power.