this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. the taliban say they've moved in to kabul airport and are ready to take control as soon as american forces leave. it's thought us and uk troops could end their operations within hours. this door is closing and closing loudly, but other windows are going to open. but will they be open enough? the us warns of another possible attack at the airport, as the death toll from thursday's suicide bombing climbs to 170. those killed in this awful attack were trying to escape years of violence in afghanistan. instead, they became the latest victims in a country torn apart by bloodshed.

also, america publishes its assessment of the origins of covid—19, but the results are inconclusive. hello and welcome. i'm martine croxall. senior taliban officials say they have taken up positions inside kabul airport and are ready to take control as soon as the americans leave. the us insists it will keep evacuating afghans until the last moment and that its forces are still in charge of the site. but it's thought they may be out in a matter of hours. reports now suggest as many as 170 people died in thursday's suicide bomb and gun attack on dense crowds at the airport gates. let's hear this report now from our

international correspondent lyse doucet. it seems in the same way the taliban fighters stole a march suddenly on kabul last week, they're doing the same tonight at the airport. for the past few hours, we've been watching on social media as senior officials among the taliban and their supporters are posting photographs with exclamations like, "the foreign occupation has ended," "the islamic emirate is entering the airport," pictures of luxury vehicles, their lights blaring, going into the airport ground. of course, we checked with the pentagon. they say, "we still control the gates, we still control the operation." the mod in london says the military flights are continuing, but it underlines again it is just a matter of time. but such is the desperation of those who got so close and now feel they may lose out, i'm even receiving messages tonight. a friend said, "my sister got an e—mail tonight saying she can go to the airport. how can you get her there?"

and people there showing passports, their afghan passports, saying, "how can we get there?" this door is closing and closing loudly, but other windows are going to open. but will they be open enough? lyse doucet. our correspondent in kabul, secunder kermani, reports now on the day's events. and a warning, his report contains distressing images. distraught relatives search kabul�*s morgues looking for their loved ones. this baby, you managed to save? but there's another baby? amongst those killed, mohammad niazi, a british afghan who had travelled into kabul from london to try and help his family get inside the airport. —— a taxi from london. his eldest daughter and youngest child are still missing. his wife was also killed. his brother was at the airport alongside him. i saw some small children in the river.

it was so bad. it was dark day for us. many of those we meet say their relatives were not killed in the blast but by firing in the confusion afterwards, they believe by foreign soldiers. somehow, i saw an american soldier... and beside this there were turkish soldiers, so the fire comes from the bridges, the towers. from the soldiers? yes, from the soldiers. america's department of defense didn't reply to our request for comment. the suicide bombing claimed by the islamic state group would have ripped through the densely packed crowd, causing panic. is has repeatedly launched devastating attacks in the city. the blast has left two—year—old mohammed reza fighting for his life. this looks set to be one of the deadliest incidents ever in this horrific conflict. so many of the victims those that had worked with the international community. noor muhammad had been employed

alongside american forces. the guy has served us army for years. and the reason he lost his life... he wasn't killed by taliban, he wasn't killed by isis. us army started shelling. how can you be sure? because of the bullet. the bullet inside of his head, right here, near to his ear. he didn't have, he doesn't have any injury. these are noor mohammed's eight children. he had hoped to give them a better life. instead, this afternoon, they said a final goodbye. those killed in this awful attack were trying to escape years of violence in afghanistan. instead, they became the latest victims in a country torn apart by bloodshed. tens of thousands of people have

been flown out of the country but now only foreign nationals are being allowed inside the airport. the british government has acknowledged some of those who want to leave will be left behind, like this former interpreter. there is no place for us to stay and we are so worried about our future. i think it's not fair. it is like a betrayal of their own heroes. these are the last days of a chaotic evacuation effort. for those that haven't made it out, a deeply uncertain future. secunder kermani, bbc news, kabul. as the western military presence ends in afghanistan over the coming days, the focus will turn to how to engage with the taliban regime. our correspondent caroline hawley looks at the diplomatic challenges ahead. for two decades, the west fought these men. now they're calling the shots. and western leaders must work out the best way to deal with them so they cause the least

harm in power. i think there is absolutely no choice but to develop channels to communicate with them at senior level over how they are now going to run afghanistan. what leverage does the west, does the uk, have now? i think in reality, our leveraged is very limited. we can withhold recognition. but i'm not sure how much the taliban care about that. we can, as the foreign secretary has hinted, withhold aid, and afghan military reserves are mostly held and frozen in american banks, so we can withhold money. but the risk with that is that it mainly impact on the afghan people, who are facing a bleak future anyway. the un says millions of people were already on the brink of famine before the taliban takeover. the ousted government of president ghani was almost

entirely dependent on foreign funding. as much as 75% of state spending came from the outside world, which helped to pay for everything from security forces to government officials to schools that offered girls and education for the first time and hospitals and health care. now the taliban are in charge, who is going to pay the bills? could western aid with strings attached moderates in militants or will they look elsewhere for support? earlier this week, the taliban proudly tweeted a photo of themselves meeting the chinese ambassador. both china and russia have embassies in the capital. the difficulty with using economic leverage is that it only works if the target of your leverage has no other options, and in this case the taliban does have the option of looking to the regional countries for support. and those countries — china, russia, iran, pakistan — are likely to be more flexible in their expectations of the taliban. terror of the taliban, fears for the future have prompted a desperate rush to escape.

the un warned today that half a million afghans could flee the country this year alone, and europe fears a repeat of the refugee crisis in the mediterranean in 2015. the west can leave afghanistan but can't walk away from its problems, and there are no easy options now for how to respond. caroline hawley, bbc news. the final british and afghan citizens being flown out by the uk, are expected to leave in the coming hours. our defence correspondent jonathan beale reports now on the struggle to airlift thousands to safety. it's been the biggest airlift in recent history — a mammoth operation, overall more than 100,000 people evacuated in less than two weeks. more than 111,000 flown out by the raf, twice the number they originally planned. but the british effort is now over, with hundreds still left behind. as we come now to the final hours of the operation,

there will sadly be people who haven't got through, people who might qualify. and what i would say to them is that we will shift heaven and earth to help them get out, we will do whatever we can. the final phase of this operation is getting out the 1,000 british troops who've provided security. that is now under way. it's us troops who'll be the last to leave. drawing down forces in a hostile environment is already high risk, all the more so with the continuing threat of another terrorist attack. the dangers are the same — somebody will target the aeroplanes or the runway, or the aircraft as they leave or depart, or try to penetrate the perimeter of the airport in order to break in to the evacuation. we have seen no sign of that happening so far, other than the terrible carnage

of the bomb yesterday. the government has expressed deep regret it wasn't able to get everyone out. those left behind may now have to join the rush for the border. few of these were being allowed to cross into pakistan. around 1,000 afghans who worked for the british are still stranded, living in danger. so, how will they get out now? these are people that are eligible to come out because they've worked alongside us on the front line in afghanistan. some of those individuals haven't had their claims processed in time, some of them were not called forward, haven't managed to get through the barriers, and we need an urgent plan for them because they are very much at risk. it's notjust people left behind but the military hardware of an entire army, trained and equipped by the us and its allies, now in the hands of the taliban, who will decide what happens next. the airlift will soon be over, but the inquest into how afghanistan

fell apart so quickly has onlyjust begun. jonathan beale, bbc news. well, on top of the chaos and crisis we see around kabul airport, the humanitarian situation in afghanistan is worsening rapidly. united nations aid agencies are warning that they only have a few days of medical supplies left. the world health organization, which helps more than 2,000 afghan medicalfacilities, says the emergency hospital it supports in kabul is overwhelmed with casualties from yesterday's bombings. dr rick brennan, who is the world health organization's emergency director for the region, explains how the shortage in medical supplies are crippling their support for afghan medical infrastructure. we have a large staff across the country. we have a presence in all 34 country. we have a presence in all 3a provinces. and we are supporting 70 hospitals across the country, but

our ability to support those health facilities is declining just as the humanitarian needs are really escalating. and this is our biggest challenge right now, is trying to get the emergent military need in the country. get the emergent military need in the country-— get the emergent military need in the country. what in particular are ou the country. what in particular are you lacking? _ the country. what in particular are you lacking? -- — the country. what in particular are you lacking? -- humanitarian - the country. what in particular are i you lacking? -- humanitarian need. i you lacking? —— humanitarian need. i think yesterday highlighted but we need more. trauma supplies both a basic hospitals and clinics need essential medicines and supplies, which we have both sets of equipment — we have the essential medicines and supplies, we have the trauma kits in our warehouse in dubai, but to date we have not been able to move them into the country over the last three weeks, and we have been trying every option. what last three weeks, and we have been trying every option-— trying every option. what are those lo . istical trying every option. what are those logistical challenges _ trying every option. what are those logistical challenges and _ trying every option. what are those logistical challenges and how - trying every option. what are those logistical challenges and how do i trying every option. what are those | logistical challenges and how do you think you're going to get around them, then?

think you're going to get around them. then?— them, then? firstly, we actually had... them, then? firstly, we actually had- -- we _ them, then? firstly, we actually had... we did — them, then? firstly, we actually had... we did try— them, then? firstly, we actually had... we did try to _ them, then? firstly, we actually had... we did try to piggyback i them, then? firstly, we actually i had... we did try to piggyback on a few of the military flights into kabul airport, few of the military flights into kabulairport, but few of the military flights into kabul airport, but there were significant logistical and security concerns there, estimates rented by the event yesterday. —— as demonstrated by for over the last couple of days we have developed a new option which we hope will eventuate and we hope you will have good news and we will be able to ship a large proportion of those supplies in about two or three days. how variable is the health infrastructure across afghanistan? because i'm imagining that some places will be easier to get services up and running quickly to people than others.— services up and running quickly to people than others. 95-97% of those are functioning, _ people than others. 95-97% of those are functioning, but - people than others. 95-97% of those are functioning, but the - people than others. 95-97% of. those are functioning, but the level of their functioning is

those are functioning, but the level of theirfunctioning is incredibly area bulk, as you say, and that's largely based on the availability of medical supplies, and those hospitals and clinics in the more remote areas, the more rural areas, they are the hardest leases to service right now —— incredibly variable. notjust in the short—term but the long—term, because the health system is going to take a significant hit because of recent events, and the hard work is going to really after august 31, when a large part of the international committee will depart. security is obviousl , committee will depart. security is obviously. as _ committee will depart. security is obviously, as you _ committee will depart. security is obviously, as you said, _ committee will depart. security is obviously, as you said, going - committee will depart. security is obviously, as you said, going to l committee will depart. security is| obviously, as you said, going to be a major concern for you and your staff on the ground. how do you go about making sure you have got human at aid corridors —— humanitarian aid corridors? you need the cooperation of the taliban and the other armed groups that operate in the country. that's right. there is the big picture and then there's the local picture. the big picture, right now,

one of the biggest priorities for the humanitarian community is to have a humanitarian air bridge establish so we can consistently bring supplies into the country. a lot of work going on for that right now, but we start not solve that problem. at local level, one of the best assurances for our security is the fact that we have a presence on the fact that we have a presence on the ground, we know their communities, we have good working relationship with the communities, we have trust other communities, and that gives us great credibility and help select security —— not solved that problem. we do have a need for convoysin that problem. we do have a need for convoys in some instances, and the way we arrange security is very much context specific.

dr rick brennan of the world health organization. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: football superstar cristiano ronaldo is returning to manchester united 12 years after he left. 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 i 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 clockmakerjohn vernon swung the pendulum to set the clock going again. big ben chimes this is bbc news. the latest headlines: the taliban say they've taken up positions inside kabul airport and are ready to take control as soon as american forces leave. america publishes its assessment of the origins of covid—19, but the results are inconclusive. afghans fleeing the crisis are arriving in calais in noryhern france, joining those who fled the taliban in the past few months. president emmanuel macron says more than 2,000 afghans deemed at risk are among the people france evacuated from kabul on military flights. those flights are due to end today, though the french government says

it's taking a "prudent" approach. 0ur paris correspondent lucy williamson has been speaking to afghans in calais. among the regulars lining up for lunch at a well—known migrant camp near calais, a new face. mohammed arrived here a week ago after getting on a french evacuation flight from kabul airport. i come airport, too many families, too many kids, too many child crying, "please, give me a way, i want to go out, any country." no england, no france, any country. mohammed tells me he worked for one of afghanistan's political parties, whose members were targeted by the taliban. i tried there at the us army — he say, "no, ijust take family, child or family. without family, i can't take you." so the next day, i tried for the french... ..aeroplane. so...

he accept me. this man fled the taliban six years ago after local leaders suspected him of passing information to the army. when they couldn't find him, they killed his father instead. he's speaking every day with the family he left behind. they are really afraid, really scared. they can't... theyjust stay in the house. and i was saying, "i will get you out, don't worry," but my brother say, "if you send visa, how will you go to airport? every area's now controlled by the taliban. they are checking everything." aid agencies say they're expecting a big influx of afghans here over the next few weeks. calais has been home to those fleeing the taliban for years. theyjust don't arrive in france

on a military plane. mohammed's journey is not over. like many here, he wants to get to the uk. his plan is to hide inside a refrigerated lorry. afghans in the camps here are telling us they believe more than 60 people have made it to the uk in refrigerated lorries through this ferry terminal just in the past week. we've got no way of verifying these figures, but the picture that is emerging is of afghans who've escaped their country preparing to risk their lives again. with britain watching events in afghanistan, afghans here are watching the channel and asking themselves, what's one more risk? lucy williamson, bbc news, calais. the united states has published its assessment on the origins of covid—19. its conclusion is that it's inconclusive and intelligence officials are divided on how the pandemic began. they do say coronavirus likely wasn't genetically engineered or developed as a bio—weapon.

but officials say china is withholding information, and that would need to change before the world gets any definitive answers on the origins of the virus. here's more from our security correspondent gordon corera. it's an unclassified summary of a longer report. it came after president biden asked his intelligence community to go back again and look at this issue. and he gave them 90 days to do that, after they previously couldn't come to a conclusion. they've looked again, they've gone through the data and they still can't come to a conclusion. we get a bit more detail here. for instance, they say they think covid—19 really began spread in november in china — of 2019 — that it was not a biological weapon, they say. but on this crucial question, which is "was it naturally occurring? did it naturally transmit from animals to humans? or was it the result of a lab leak, an accident at a lab?", they cannot come to a conclusion still. there's a division.

four intelligence agencies lean one way, one the other. the analysts basically say they haven't got enough information. so, in a sense, we've not got any further despite this attempt to look again. 0ur security correspondent gordon corera. a parole board in california has recommended the man who assassinated robert f kennedy, the brother of presidentjohn f kennedy, should be released from prison. sirhan sirhan has served injail since 1968, after the event, one of the most... the ruling does not mean mr sirhan would be released automatically. manchester united have agreed a deal with the italian clubjuventus to re—sign cristiano ronaldo.

it is dependent on the club agreeing to terms with their former player. bbc sport's simon stone is in manchester and has been following this major transfer. it was a surprise compared to this morning, when we thought ronaldo was more likely tojoin morning, when we thought ronaldo was more likely to join manchester city, but behind the scenes, is not quite as much a surprise because united had accelerated this deal for the last 48 hours. we got a little bit of an inkling earlier on today when ronaldo basically went to juventus training ground, he basically went in and told the club that he was leaving and left the training ground without training, and i think he knew at that point that manchester united were about to come in with a deal. manchester city very quickly this afternoon said that they would not be pursuing ronaldo and then it became obvious that united were, and then a bid went in withjuventus that they do is go to be accepted

the stump it's all happened relatively quickly for a big deal like this. simon stone in manchester. the gun used to kill the wild west outlaw billy the kid 140 years ago has been sold at auction for $6 million. the colt single action gun belonged to sheriff pat garrett. he killed billy the kid in new mexico in 1881. the auction house called it a "relic of one of the most important and well known stories of the wild west." a reminder of our top story. the taliban say that they have taken up positions inside kabul airport and are ready to take control as soon the americans leave. the bbc understands that british and us troops could and their operations within a matter of hours will sum the us says it will keep evacuating afghans from kabul airport until the last moment, despite continuing concerns about is attacks. reports now suggest as many as 170 people

died in thursday's suicide bomb and gun attack on dense crowds at one of the airport's gates. you can reach me on twitter. thanks for watching. the weather on the last weekend of august last year didn't cover itself in glory. a high ofjust 16 throughout the weekend in edinburgh, in birmingham and manchester. it is going to be warmer this weekend, at least to start with. it's going to be dry throughout the weekend with this area of high pressure. it's going to last into next week as well, although as the weekend goes on, there will be more cloud and breeze, so it will start to feel cooler once again. and actually quite chilly as the weekend begins in rural spots, with temperatures into single figures. but in the sunshine, we're all going to warm up really quite nicely as the day goes on. there will be some areas of cloud in north—west scotland, some patches of cloud

in eastern scotland, and in england, though a lot of this will start to break up to allow some some time to come through, increasingly so in the afternoon. 0n the breeze, it is quite stiff in east anglia and south—west england. a stray shower cannot be ruled out, and the breeze pushing in the north sea coast will keep temperatures right along the coast close to 16, 17 degrees. but for many, it's low 20s, and up to 23 in glasgow, so very pleasantly warm in some of that sunshine. it'll stay dry through saturday night, but notice how the cloud is increasing into scotland, north—east england, and into northern ireland. here, temperatures will be hotting up compared with the night before. as we start sunday, there will be more cloud across scotland, northern ireland, north—east england, pushing in across more of eastern england during the day. the lion's share of sunday's sunny spells will be in wales,

parts of the midlands and southern england. this is where the temperatures will be highest. elsewhere, it'll feel cooler, and the breeze starts to pick up more widely, as well, coming in from the north—east. as this area of high pressure just backs a little bit more towards the north—west of us, allowing more of us to feel that east or north—easterly breeze going through monday and into the week ahead. it may be a bank holiday where you are, there will be a lot of cloud around on monday, so only limited sunny spells. you will notice by then the temperatures have come down a few degrees, and just towards the south—west of the uk, where we will see most of the sunshine, breaking into the 20s. so, it'll feel cooler next week. there will be a lot of cloud around. just occasional sunny spells coming through, and it is still dry, with that high pressure in control as we get into september.

this is bbc news, the headlines. the taliban says it has taken up positions inside kabul airport and is ready to take control as soon as the americans leave. the bbc understands british and us troops could end their operations within hours. the death toll after thursday's devastating bomb attack in kabul airport has increased to 170. two were british nationals, and the child of another briton was also killed. a us report into the origins of the coronavirus has been published, but its findings are inconclusive. it was unable to determine if the virus came from an animal or a lab leak. manchester united say they've reached an agreement with the italian clubjuventus to re—sign cristiano ronaldo. the portugal star left manchester in 2009 for real madrid.