welcome to bbc news — i'm rich preston — our top stories. the united states insists the kabul airlift will continue despite two attacks killing more than 60 people near the airport. an eyewitness described carnage at the scene. 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. president biden praises the 13 us service personnel victims as heroes and vows to 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 group says it carried out the attacks —

we'll look at what that means for the future of afghanistan. and seeking another escape route , as thousands of afghans struggle to flee their country we report from the border with pakistan. president biden�*s 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. map)the first explosion happened just before dusk outside the abbey gate, leaving bodies strewn in a sewage ditch. the second blast was near the baron hotel, which has been used by some western nations as a staging 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, mr biden insisted that the airlift would continue despite the bombing. he said the servicemen who lost their lives were heros, and the attackers would be made to pay. we have a sacred obligation to all of you. the families of those heroes. that obligation is not temporary. it lasts forever. the lives we 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 in the struggle against terrorism of the fall on this day they are part of a

great noble company of american heroes. forthose great noble 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 make you pgy- hunt you down. and 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 position at our time of the phase we choose the moment of our choosing.

he showed empathy and compassion. some of the traits he is very well known for. he has been criticised for not showing enough of those traits but he did, he showed emotion but, yes, it was very defiant and on that clip we just heard, thatis and on that clip we just heard, that is the one played out, you can imagine, across the american networks, saying we were lined you down and make you were lined you down and make y°u pay were lined you down and make you pay to isis—k. the question is, how does he plan to do that? we understand 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 mission continue given this threat? why would america stay even one more day? but is pretty confident still that this mission will go to plan and everyone who wants to get out will get out next tuesday. you mention the us

networks there. for a review is not in america what is the public mood and reaction been to this? this is the deadliest day for the us military since 2011. how's it going down in america?— 2011. how's it going down in america? ~ , . , america? well, predictably, the republicans _ america? well, predictably, the republicans are _ america? well, predictably, the republicans are really _ america? well, predictably, the republicans are really going - republicans are really going after mr biden. some republicans are calling for him to be impeached, to resign, they seem to forget, and it was something they reminded... biden reminded the american public of, it was mr trump who signed the agreement when he was president. of course the liberal media points out mr biden could have overturned that policy given that he overturned other trump policies as well. in terms of the american public, you know, the us decided many years ago that afghanistan was not worth the cost. they want out and they want this wrapped up. they are worried about how it is going in terms of the evacuation mission and don't want to see headlines of american citizens

or troops being killed there but this is a cold—hearted political calculation and i think he is thinking that if we get everyone out he will be judged by the weird ends and not how it started. we will get more in his comments on a few moments but first, our chief international correspondent sent this report on the latest in kabul and a warning there are distressing ridges from the very 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. we can now speak to bradley bowman who serves as senior director of the center on military and political power at the foundation for defense of democracies. he previously served as a national security advisor to members of the us senate armed services and foreign relations committees, as well as serving in afghanistan as an active duty us army officer. thank you very much for being with us. i have to ask you, we were warned in the last few days of the potential imminent

attack, but what for that? was the us and its allies blind to this? was there some kind of strategic failure? thank you for the opportunity to discuss this. ijust want for the opportunity to discuss this. i just want to express for the opportunity to discuss this. ijust want to express my deep sympathies to those that have been lost both afghans and american service members. and it is important, i think, to remember what is happening here. we have innocent families fleeing the taliban regime in trying to get to safety. us service are risking their lives to help them get to safety. and we had the islamic and murder them in cold blood. and attack are a great servicemembers who are a great servicemembers who are trying to help them so i think it is important to be clear about what has happened here and to be clear that these were the are enemies of all civilised nations that we are looking at here and it is a sobering reminder of the atmosphere we can fund. in

terms of an intelligence failure, there has been a lot of internal agents failures leading to this point but i think, you know, it is easy to say that but we have to be fair. the us intelligence community warned the president repeatedly that if he conducted timeline —based withdraw the taliban would make gains and topple the government. so that is not a surprise. what is a surprise for many is how quickly it happened and they also predicted that isis—k, an islamic state was trying to get the airports we've seen serious hits and misses on the part of the intelligence community but i'm not confident there is anything that president biden could have her that would have changed his mind. he made a mistake in 2011 in iraq and i'm not sure anything would have persuaded him of the rise now. the deadline is just days away. present biden, in a speech earlier on, said all americans in afghanistan is will be of recovered from the country and america will get them out. do

you think that is feasible? it is a good question. the august 31 deadline is self—imposed and arbitrary. that was not even in foolish trump administration deal. present biden extended that so that is a self—imposed deadline. and the top us commander in the middle east that there are over 1000 american civilian still in the country. i'm not sure i'd trust how precise that number is but thatis how precise that number is but that is a lot of americans. some are unable to get the board and some are conflicted about whether they relieve some of their non—us citizen family members behind. and i'm honestly sceptical about whether we can get all americans out by the 31st but i saw present biden said today that even though we may close down the airport we will take other measures to get remaining americans who want to leave. that is how i read his comments today. that is howl read his comments toda . ~ . that is howl read his comments toda .~ ., ., , that is howl read his comments toda. ., .,, today. what does the military

and government _ today. what does the military and government need - today. what does the military and government need to - today. what does the military and government need to do l today. what does the military - and government need to do next? the other make this as a catastrophe. we have taliban and al-qaeda syndicate in charge of the safe haven once again, as we had on september 11, 2001. we will see a ii, 2001. we will see a terrorist bonanza in terms of radicalisation. this is a deep and tragic mistake that we have made and we will have to spend years cleaning up. stay with us on bbc news. still to come, scientists in egypt discovered the fossilised remains of an ancient four—legged whale.

i'm not 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.

this is bbc news, the latest headlines. president biden has insisted the kabul airlift 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. and let's stay with that story now on events in the afghan capital. i spoke with a retired colonel, an author and foreign policy analyst who served in afghanistan. this is what he had to say about the latest attack. it had to say about the latest attack. , . , had to say about the latest attack. , ., , ., , attack. it is really anguish in. i attack. it is really anguish in- i was _ attack. it is really anguish in. i was actually - attack. it is really anguish in. i was actually in - in. i was actually in afghanistan exactly ten years afg ha nista n exactly ten yea rs ago afghanistan exactly ten years ago in august 2011 when a

helicopter crashed and 30 americans lost their lives at once. this is the next deadliest day in the 20 years of war and it is a tough one. i'm not lying. anytime 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. president biden has remained steadfast and says the withdrawal is right and it will continue and he 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. 100%. i absolutely _ with that? yes. 100%. i absolutely wish - with that? yes. 10096. i absolutely wish it - with that? yes. 10096. i absolutely wish it had i with that? yes. 10096. i. absolutely 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 weight happened because the only reason all of these things are falling apart right here at the last 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 extraordinary level of corruption within the afghan government and military. all although which was on display over a ten day period when their entire edifice collapse and about the taliban not even have to fight for most of the territory and literally drive into kabul.— territory and literally drive into kabul. ~ ., ., into kabul. whatever foreign oli into kabul. whatever foreign policy failures _ into kabul. whatever foreign policy failures been - into kabul. whatever foreign policy failures been and - into kabul. whatever foreign policy failures been and how| policy failures been and how have the american public been misled or not given the full picture? misled or not given the full icture? , :: :: :: picture? never served in 2000 500,006 picture? never served in 2000 500.006 and _ picture? never served in 2000 500,006 and then _ picture? never served in 2000 500,006 and then again - picture? never served in 2000 500,006 and then again in - picture? never served in 2000 i 500,006 and then again in 2010 and 2011 and i saw first hand on the ground exactly what made this veil as did several others are matters because the afghan military were not being trained to a level where they could stand on their own. we were trying to train them with they had to depend on us. we saw the government was continually and can extraordinarily corrupt. instead of holding anyone accountable we kept telling everybody things are getting

better and they are succeeding, that they are getting the corruption under control and getting people support, none of which was ever true. if we have been honest about this, especially to say in 2014 or as late in 2016, president obama had gotten is out there in the taliban only possessed about 6% of the territory. almost all of this could have been avoided and we could have gotten out in order and the afghan government would have had a chance but by not being honest and waiting until this last time when he finally pulled the plug, then they had no chance and collapsed overnight. the president has said the us will hunt down those responsible and they will pay the price. is that possible. how will he go about doing that? absolutely and that really 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 elsewhere, all of those were taken out without the results of any troops on the results of any troops on the ground. our reconnaissance ability to strike direct targets anywhere in the world when a threat arises, we have that capacity and we have done it and we are going to continue to do it. having troops on the ground or having troops withdrawn, takes the target of their back. now we won't have any more of these kind of killings that we shall have the ability to reach out any time we identify a thread. it's notjust kabul airport where people have been gathering to try to leave afghanistan since the taliban took over the country. thousands have also travelled to the border with pakistan, in the hope of getting out via the land border there. but many aren't being allowed through. our 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. still, they do not want to stay behind.

it is said the social fabric of the country is being torn apart. more than 200 people have been killed in the west of the country. dozens of children abducted from nigeria two months ago have been freed. 136 --uils months ago have been freed. 136 pupils were seized by gunmen demanding a ransom. six children reportedly died in captivity and another 15 escaped injune. michel barnier has announced plans to travel challenge the french president at next year's collections. he is one of several potential candidates for the central right republican party which is

expected to name its final peak in november. how are you? emmanuel macron spent a day in ireland and it was one of the last countries on his to—do list after he made an election promise to go to all eu member states within his presidential term. but all eyes are now on next year was my collection and michel barnier has entered the race to become the conservative candidate. his bid could open a new front in the election which until now was and widely seen as a race between president michael and the far right politician. he says he wants to change the country, adding that limiting immigration would be a key policy pledge. he has previously held several top posts in french politics including foreign minister but he is most well forfielding this question will they be a deal? overand this question will they be a deal? over and over.

this question will they be a deal? overand over. patience and determination were his brexit tomatoes but his challenge now is to distance himself from the brussels bubble and reconnect with french voters many of whom don't know who he is. scientists in egypt say they've discovered the fossilised remains ofan amphibious, four—legged whale. the bones were found in rock formations that are 43 million years old. it's thought they could help trace the transition of whales from land to sea. the bbc�*s tim allman has the details. they are some of the most impressive and majestic animals on earth. giants of the ocean, we know they are most definitely not fish and up until now we knew they didn't normally have legs. but then, in the western deserts of egypt, these bones were unearthed. translation: the

discoveries of a new species of an amphibious wheel that could both swim and walk on land. we named it after the ancient egyptian god for his deadly bite and strong jaw. this is what it may have looked like some 40 odd million years ago. it is estimated to be around three metres long and would have weighed some in the region of 600 kilos. it may be a sort of 600 kilos. it may be a sort of missing link as wales evolved, moving from land to the oceans. translation: the question here is, can we find skeletons of other wales? they considered one of the creatures that develop the most in their evolution because they evolve from living on land living in the sea. the hunt is now on for more bones, more fossils. a chance to discover the secret of wales that could walk. that

is it from me. you can reach me on twitter. from me and the rest of the team, thank you for watching. goodbye. 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. overnight 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 that the kabul arab lift will continue despite two attacks killing more than 60 people near the airport. he says he has been advised by commanders on the ground that the

evacuation of us citizens and the afghans would work for them to be completed by the end of august deadline. 13 us service personnel are among those killed along with dozens of afghans and the bomb attacks at kabul airport. president biden describes those lost their lives as heroes and promises the perpetrators would be made to pay for their actions. islamic state groups is they carried out the attacks. there been warnings about the security implications of gatherings at kabul airport. the secretary—general has called an emergency meeting to discuss the crisis in afghanistan. now on bbc news. panorama. music: sun is shining by bob marley and the wailers # sun is shining # the weather is sweet...# 2021 is the year

of the staycation. more than 20 million of us plan to stay at home for our holidays this year. but are we paying more to holiday in the uk? ifelt like i could've gone abroad and got way more, and also had, like, a lot more fun. some staycationers feel they're not getting value for money. it cost £1,700. it's not cheap! no, it's not! the hospitality industry is struggling to cope with the rise in demand. in the lake district, _ we have an employment crisis. we're very understaffed. we're doing our best. the staff who are working are bearing the brunt of our frustrations. having, like, a grown man squaring up to you, with no—one there else to protect you — it's quite daunting. in a summer like no other, we ask what it's been like for britain's staycationers. when you're on holiday, you're on holiday, aren't you? you take it as it is.

50, rain or shine.