you are watching bbc news. our top stories this hour: the united states insists the kabul airlift will continue despite two attacks killing 60 people near the airport. an eyewitness described carnage at the scene. the explosion was really powerful. powerful hold on to the water and others on the ground outside. we carry the wounded here and my clothes are completely bloodied.— completely bloodied. president biden praises _ completely bloodied. president biden praises the _ completely bloodied. president biden praises the serviceman l completely bloodied. president| biden praises the serviceman as heroes and vows to track down the perpetrators. we heroes and vows to track down the perpetrators.— the perpetrators. we will not for: ive. the perpetrators. we will not forgive- we _ the perpetrators. we will not forgive. we will _ the perpetrators. we will not forgive. we will not - the perpetrators. we will not forgive. we will not forget. l the perpetrators. we will not l forgive. we will not forget. we will hunt you down and make you pgy- will hunt you down and make you pay. pm will hunt you down and make you pay. an affiliate of the

islamic _ pay. an affiliate of the islamic state - pay. an affiliate of the islamic state group i pay. an affiliate of the | islamic state group said pay. an affiliate of the - islamic state group said it carried out the attacks and we will see what that means the future of afghanistan. seeking another escape route has thousands of afghan struggle to flee their country. we report from the with pakistan. —— from the border with pakistan. welcome to our viewers on pbs america and around the world. president biden has vowed to hunt down the islamic state militants who carried out a twin bomb attack at kabul airport which killed at least 13 us service personnel and dozens of afghans. the first explosion happened just before dusk outside the abbey gate leaving bodies strewn in the sewage dates and the second blast was newer hotel which has been used by some western

nation for evacuations. there had been warnings that an offshoot of the islamic state group in the region was planning an attack. speaking at the white house president biden insisted it would continue despite the bombings and said the serviceman who lost their lives where he rose and the attackers would be made to pay. we have a continuing obligation. a sacred obligation to all of you. the families of those heroes. the obligation is not temporary. it lasts forever. their lives to be lost today were lives given in the service of liberty, the service of security, the service of others. in the service of america. like theirfellow brothers and sisters in arms who died defending our vision and our values, who died defending our vision and ourvalues, in who died defending our vision and our values, in the struggle against terrorism, of the full

on this day they are part of a great number company of american heroes. for those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes america harm, no this. we will not forgive. we will not forget. we will hunt you down and we will make you pay. i will defend our interests and people with every measure at my command. we will not be deterred by terrorists. we will not let them stop our mission. we will continue the evacuation. i've also ordered my command is to develop operational plans to strike isis—k assets, leadership and facilities. we will respond with force and precision at our time, at the place we choose at a moment of our choosing. lets no live a moment of our choosing. lets go live to _ a moment of our choosing. lets go live to washington. - a moment of our choosing. lets go live to washington. thank you for being with us. there

was some emotion in this speech but it was overwhelmingly defiant as well. president biden said america would not be intimidated.— intimidated. that is right. and, intimidated. that is right. and. yes. _ intimidated. that is right. and. yes. it _ intimidated. that is right. and, yes, it was - intimidated. that is right. and, yes, it was very - and, yes, it was very emotional. he showed empathy and compassion. some of the traits that mr biden is very well known for. he has been criticised for not showing up of those traits but he did show emotion. it was very defiant and on that clip we just heard, thatis and on that clip we just heard, that is the one that is being played out, you can imagine, across the american networks, saying we will hunt you down and make you pay, to isis—k of taking responsibility for those explosions in kabul. the question is, how does he plan to do that? we the us military has been instructed by him to attack them somehow but that suspiciously sounds like military action which is the very thing he wants to avoid. the big question, of course, is will this evacuation mission continue given the threats? why

would america stay even one more day in afghanistan? he is confident still that this mission will go to plan and that everyone who wants to get out will get out by tuesday. white make you mention the us networks. for our reviewer is not in america what is the public mood and reaction been? this is the deadliest day for the us military since you 2011. i was going down in america? predictably, the republicans are going after mr biden and some republicans are calling for him to resign. they seem to forget, which is something biden reminded the american public up in his speech, that was actually mr trump who signed the agreement with the taliban when he was president. of course, the liberal media of course, the liberal media points out that mr trump... mr biden could have overturned that policy given that he overturned other trump policies as well. given the american public, the us decided many

years ago that afghanistan was not worth the cost. they want out. they want this wrapped up was that they are worried about how it is going in terms of the evacuation mission and they certainly don't want to see headlines of american citizens or troops being killed there but i think this is a political calculation by mr biden and he is thinking that in the end, we get everyone out, he will be judged by the way not how it started. thank you we'll get more on president biden�*s comments in a few thank you minutes, but first our chief international correspondent, lyse doucet, has sent this report, on the latest situation in kabul. a warning that there are 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. thank you for making the time fries. what is your assessment

of this attack and in particular how isis—k were able to carry it out. particular how isis-k were able to carry it out-— to carry it out. first let me start by — to carry it out. first let me start by saying _ to carry it out. first let me start by saying that - to carry it out. first let me start by saying that my - to carry it out. first let me l start by saying that my heart goes out to everyone who lost their life in this terrible attack today. i'm from a family of marines so today's been a devastating day. this was a devastating day. this was a devastating attack. this was a complex operation planned and executed by islamic state. this is a group that for the last two weeks has been relatively quiet leaving experts like myself to suggest that they may be planning something and sure enough there is intelligence pointing to that we the result today. this had all the hallmarks of a classic operation. soft targets that were attacked. civilian casualties and significant propaganda value. this mayjust be the beginning. tell propaganda value. this may 'ust be the beginningi be the beginning. tell us about that because _ be the beginning. tell us about that because there _ be the beginning. tell us about that because there are - be the beginning. tell us about that because there are still - that because there are still foreign forces in the country,

not to mention a course of the nationals around the airport and around other cities. what are the risks of further attacks?— attacks? the risks are extremely _ attacks? the risks are extremely high. - attacks? the risks are extremely high. i- attacks? the risks are| extremely high. i don't attacks? the risks are - extremely high. i don't expect they will stop now. this was a sense of momentum for them. if you think about isis in iraq and syria, they have been depending on their franchise groups to generate an operational tempo. they have looked at groups in sub—saharan africa and now they are looking at groups to be the frank the flag bearer at groups to be the frank the flag beare— flag bearer they came on the scene in 2015 _ flag bearer they came on the scene in 2015 with _ flag bearer they came on the scene in 2015 with us - flag bearer they came on the scene in 2015 with us forces | scene in 2015 with us forces about to withdraw from the country, are theyjust going to grow and grow and grow within afghanistan? your without question. especially after an attack like this, it is going to generate a sense that this is the group to join. because success breeds success and so

it is likely to attract foreign fighters and other recruits from the region to reinforce this group and to swell its ranks and i think in the case of all the militant groups including the taliban and al-qaeda, it is a case of a rising tide lifts all boats. we will see an influx ofjihadists waiting to get into the mix and join the fray and this is going to prolong the civil war in afghanistan. what about the bigger global picture. how much of a threat to isis—k pose to the world? of a threat to isis-k pose to the world?— the world? well, i think the threat right _ the world? well, i think the threat right now _ the world? well, i think the threat right now is - the world? well, i think the threat right now is primarily within afghanistan and the region itself but over time this is a group that can very well regenerate its networks and to rebuild its external operations and planning capability and so, you know, if i was in europe i would be very concerned that six or 12 months down the road this is a group that could be gunning for an

attack on western capital. in other news — the united nations secretary general antonio guterres has warned the security council that the conflict in ethiopia has spread beyond tigray, and the social fabric of the country is being torn apart. more than 200 people have been killed in fighting between the 0romo and amhara peoples in the west of the country. hundreds of greek health workers have demonstrated in athens against mandatory covid—19 vaccines. the government says workers must be vaccinated or take unpaid leave. the union organising the protest says the vast majority of health workers are already vaccinated, but it opposes jabs being made compulsory. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: seeking another escape route, thousands of afghans

flee 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, an 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 bbc news, the latest headlines. president biden has insisted the kabul are left will continue despite two attacks, killing more than 60 people near the airport. the us president described the 13 americans who lost their lives as heroes and promised the perpetrators would pay for their actions. thank you very much for being with us. i have to start by asking. you served in the military in afghanistan foot of this has been the deadliest day

for the us army and more than a decade. what is your reaction? it is really languishing. i was actually in afghanistan ten years ago in august of 2011 it is a tough one. i'm not lying. anytime you've been there everybody in uniform, it feels like they are a brother and especially as a kinsman of our country it is a tough day. kinsman of our country it is a tough day-— kinsman of our country it is a tou~h da . , �* ., , tough day. president biden has remained steadfast _ tough day. president biden has remained steadfast and - tough day. president biden has remained steadfast and says i tough day. president biden has| remained steadfast and says the withdrawal is right and it will continue. you will stick to the deadline and he says he has given the military all the support it needs. do you agree with that?— with that? yes, i've hundred percent- _ with that? yes, i've hundred percent- i — with that? yes, i've hundred percent. i wish _ with that? yes, i've hundred percent. i wish it _ with that? yes, i've hundred percent. i wish it had - with that? yes, i've hundred percent. i wish it had been l percent. i wish it had been done better. it could have been coordinated much more tightly and i think there are other things we could have done to minimise and mitigate some of

this but, look, this was always going to be a disaster the way it happened because the only reason that all of these things are falling apart right here is because we have had 20 years of abject failure of american policy and unwillingness to be honest with the american people and the west generally and the extraordinary level of corruption within the afghan government and military. all of which was on display over a 10—day period when the entire edifice collapsed and allowed the taliban not to even have to fight for most of the territory and literally drive into campbell. and literally drive into campbell-— and literally drive into campbell. and literally drive into cambell. . ., ., campbell. what are the foreign oli campbell. what are the foreign policy failures _ campbell. what are the foreign policy failures been _ campbell. what are the foreign policy failures been and - campbell. what are the foreign policy failures been and how i policy failures been and how have the american public been misled or not given the full picture? i misled or not given the full icture? , , picture? i first served there in 2005 in _ picture? i first served there in 2005 in 2006 _ picture? i first served there in 2005 in 2006 in - picture? i first served there in 2005 in 2006 in 2010 - picture? i first served there | in 2005 in 2006 in 2010 and 2011 and i saw first hand on the ground exactly why this failed as did several others and that is namely because the afghan military were not being

trained to a level where they could stand on their own. we are trying to train them where they had to depend on us and we saw that the government was continue the corrupt buttons that of being honest about it or holding anyone accountable we kept telling everybody things are getting better. they are succeeding. they are getting corruption under control and getting the people support, none of which was ever true. if we had been honest about this, especially in 2014 as late as 2016. if president 0bama done then, the town a man possessed about 6% of the territory. all of this been avoided and we could have gotten out in order and the afghan government would at least have had a chance but by not being honest and waiting until this time when the president has finally pulled the plug they had no chance and just collapsed overnight. president biden has said the us want down those responsible and they will pay the price. is that possible? how will he go

about doing that? absolutely. and that underscores - about doing that? absolutely. and that underscores one - about doing that? absolutely. and that underscores one of. about doing that? absolutely. l and that underscores one of the reasons why i have been advocating for more than a decade for us to withdraw because our security is not tied to having troops on the ground in afghanistan. it never was. and as we have demonstrated when we took out some of bin laden in pakistan and others in syria, the leader in iran, all of those were taken out without the results of any troops on the ground. 0ur intelligence, reconnaissance ability to strike direct targets anywhere in the world when threat arises, we have that capacity. we have done it and we will continue to do it. having troops on the ground or troops withdrawing, the main thing is it takes the target of their backs are now we will still have the ability to reach out any time we identify a threat. we have to leave it there. thank you very much for being with ours. thank you very much for being with ours-—

thank you very much for being with ours. ., ~ i. ., ., with ours. thank you for having me. it's notjust kabul airport where people 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 aren't being allowed through. 0ur correspondent, shumaila jaffery reports from the afg hanista n/pakistan 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. boris johnson says the uk will also carry on evacuation efforts. more than 13—thousand people have been airlifted out of afghanistan by british aircraft in the past fortnight. 0ne afghan interpreter who worked with uk forces spoke to our special correspondent, lucy manning. he's now in quarantine with his family. a new life inside the uk. this is what freedom looks like when you leave your homeland and have to build a home again. this is refuge. how are you and all the family doing?

everyone is ok and now we are in safety and we are very thankful. we spoke to bohan, a former interpreter and his family last week, hiding in kabul. "uk, please do not leave us," they pleaded. this country didn't leave them. today, they're in quarantine in a hotel in england. how is your son coping with all the big changes? he's just watching the window and telling me, "when quarantine is finished, i'll walk the street, i walk and see that car." happiness is in his face. it was a hellish journey. bohan filmed part of it — the crush outside the airport, close to today's explosion. it was dangerous for me and everyone. everyone was worried about this situation. finally, their last steps on afghan soil, their first towards a new future. so how was the feeling when you made it onto that raf plane? it was the happiest moment

of my life i have ever faced. they've left the taliban behind, but also family and friends and other interpreters who almost certainly now can't escape. what's your message to this government about your colleagues who still can't get out? i demand from them, kindly demand from them, to do their best to evacuate those who are left behind in kabul to do their best to evacuate those who are left behind in kabul. actually, they have to do, because they served the british army and they are endangered. at heathrow today, hundreds more of the fortunate. girls who would have had little future under the taliban. who can say what the children will make of this time? lucy manning, bbc news.

his wife as a doctor. he has this promise. i will serve this country. this promise. i will serve this count . ., , , country. you will serve this country? — country. you will serve this country? my _ country. you will serve this country? my guess - country. you will serve this | country? my guess because country. you will serve this - country? my guess because they host me and i'm very thankful to everyone. the kind people here. way to make this country has opened its doors at the time it took means others who served britain will not be helped. 13 us servicemen have been killed along with dozens of afghans in an attack by the islamic state group on the crowd at kabul airport. president biden promised that the assailants would be made to pay for their actions. the head of the us central command said a gun battle had followed the explosions. and of course you can get much more on that story on the bbc news website and you can reach me on twitter. i will

be back in a moment with the headlines and from me and the team thank you for watching. goodbye for now. 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. probably faring quite well for sunny spells during saturday. temperatures, high teens, just a few creeping into the low 20s. a bit of a change for part two of the weekend on sunday. the high pressurejust drifting more towards the northwest, allowing a flow of a little more moist air to run down into scotland, with more widely cloudier skies on sunday, 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, the headlines

president biden has insisted the kabul airlift will continue, despite two attacks killing more than sixty people near the airport. he said he'd been advised by commanders on the ground that the evacuation of us citizens and the afghans who had worked for them could be completed by the end of august deadline. thirteen us servicemen are among those killed along with dozens of afghans in the bomb attacks by the islamic state group at kabul airport. president biden described the americans who lost their lives as �*heroes' and promised that the perpetrators would be made to pay for their actions. an affiliate of the islamic state group in the region says it carried out the attacks. there had been warnings about the security implications of large gatherings at kabul airport. the un secretary—general has called an emergency meeting of the security council to discuss the crisis in afghanistan. now on bbc news.

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