welcome to newsday. reporting live from singapore, i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines... in afghanistan, the leader of the resistance group fighting the taliban, says he's willing to enter peace talks. beyond kabul, we have a special report from rural afghanistan on life under the taliban. and we'll hear from the head of foreign relations for the resistance movement. also in the programme... football's world cup qualifier between brazil and argentina is dramatically abandoned after a row about covid quarantine rules. and tributes to former girls aloud singer sarah harding, who's died at the age of 39, after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

live from our studio in singapore, this is bbc news. it's newsday. hello and thanks forjoining us. the afghan resistance leader ahmad massoud says he is ready for peace talks to end fighting in the panjshir valley. the northern province of panjshir is two hours from the capital, kabul, and is now the only region not controlled by the taliban. they claim they have reached panjshir�*s provincial capital after securing the surrounding districts, but massoud's national resistance front disputes this. posting on facebook, mr massoud said that to reach a lasting peace, the nrf is ready to stop fighting on condition that the taliban also stop their attacks and military movements on panjshir and andarab, a district in a neighbouring province.

it's not clear if the taliban are likely to agree to the truce proposal. ali nazary is the head of foreign relations for the national resistance front of afghanistan. speaking to us from an undisclosed location outside of the country, he gave his assessment of the taliban's assault on the valley. we are present throughout panjshir at the moment. panjshir at the moment. panjshir has many semi—valleys. right now, the taliban are only in a few locations. they are facing difficulties. ourforces are defending their people, their owner, their home and their owner, their home and their values. this isn't a resistance that will end with the taliban entering panjshir. panjshir is the lion's ten.

anyone who enters will not leave, any enemy who enters will not leave alive. but leave, any enemy who enters will not leave alive.— will not leave alive. but it's true, will not leave alive. but it's true. isn't _ will not leave alive. but it's true, isn't it, _ will not leave alive. but it's true, isn't it, that - will not leave alive. but it's true, isn't it, that there - will not leave alive. but it'si true, isn't it, that there are a number of key commanders of the nrf that have been either injured or killed in this battle. reports of emerging that he's been killed. what details are you able to give us on this? can you tell us what he represented? in on this? can you tell us what he represented?— on this? can you tell us what he represented? in war, there is always _ he represented? in war, there is always casualties _ he represented? in war, there is always casualties on - he represented? in war, there is always casualties on both i is always casualties on both sides. this is something normal. we are not going to deny that we've had casualties. two of my colleagues, the spokesperson and the general, who was a formidable military officer, who served under the late commander and was the nephew of him, were martyred. unfortunately, they were

martyred, but however, their spirit is going to be alive and the people will resist. both speak. just to the people will resist. both speak. just to jump the people will resist. both speak. just tojump in, why are you offering a truce now, given the fact the taliban have not made the encroachments in the panjshir valley as they claim? in the pan'shir valley as they claim? ~ �* in the pan'shir valley as they claim? �* . , in the pan'shir valley as they claim? ~ �* . , ., claim? we've always extended an olive branch. _ claim? we've always extended an olive branch, whether _ claim? we've always extended an olive branch, whether it _ claim? we've always extended an olive branch, whether it was - claim? we've always extended an olive branch, whether it was 27 i olive branch, whether it was 27 years ago, when the taliban movement first formed, whether it was ten years ago, when he was assassinated. whether it's today. this has always been our legacy because we prefer peace over war. we prefer reconciliation and negotiations over conflict. this has always been valued by us, and we will

always... been valued by us, and we will always- - -_ always... but the taliban are unlikely to — always... but the taliban are unlikely to want _ always... but the taliban are unlikely to want to _ always... but the taliban are unlikely to want to share - always... but the taliban are i unlikely to want to share power with you. isn't that right? they don't want to bring in non—members, they don't want to bring in outsiders into the government. that doesn't seem to be on the cards right now, so what kind of compromise or piece sharing agreement is possible?— piece sharing agreement is ossible? ~ , ., possible? well, they need to read afghanistan's _ possible? well, they need to read afghanistan's history. i read afg hanistan�*s history. afghanistan read afghanistan's history. afghanistan is a country made up afghanistan is a country made up of ethnic minorities. one political force up of ethnic minorities. one politicalforce cannot up of ethnic minorities. one political force cannot dominate the country. what the taliban are doing today isn't going to bring peace and stability. they deepen their operation against panjshir, they've deepened pa njshir, they've deepened social cleavage panjshir, they've deepened social cleavage saves so much in our society that it irreversible. we will see the negative impact in the years to come. the taliban with their

narrative of dominance will never rule afghanistan. this isn't the approach to bring peace and stability, and we are completely against this. so does that mean that the resistance in the panjshir valley, are you saying that will continue, despite the fact there's been this offer of a truce and the taliban say they now control the area? eli now control the area? of course- _ now control the area? of course. look, _ now control the area? of course. look, from 1979 up to 1992, or89, the course. look, from 1979 up to 1992, or 89, the soviets entered panjshir nine times. every time they come into the panjshir, they left the valley defeated. the taliban are not as strong as the red army. if you are able to manage that in the 1980s, when we were able to defeat our enemies, we're able to defeat the taliban. it is going to be a struggle and a challenge, but we've overcome these challenges before and we

will in the future. in other developments, a heavily pregnant police officer in afghanistan has been shot dead by armed men inside her home. witnesses said banu negar had been beaten the previous day after taking down a taliban flag. the taliban have told the bbc they had no involvement. meanwhile, across the country, people are adapting to life under the new regime. our correspondent secunder kermani has travelled from the capital, kabul, to the province of logar, from where he sent this report. they've grown up along the front line but their first taste of peace is bittersweet. in the final weeks of the war, government forces flattened these houses after coming under fire from taliban fighters somewhere nearby. the home of this school cleaner was closest to the army base. it's nowjust a pile of rubble.

the afghan army frequently accused the taliban of firing from residential areas. either way, civilians have often been caught in the middle of this conflict. everywhere we go in this village, people are trying to show us signs of the war — where the army used to fire down on the bazaar, where the taliban used to be based, the ceiling hit by bullets, that shop over there hit by a rocket. this man saying to come with him. the signs of destruction might not look that much, but they've had a devastating impact on people's lives.

now you've got peace, but what other challenges do you have here? and we are here, and i don't see any women around us, so is that because of the taliban? in more conservative areas like this, social attitudes do align more closely with those of the taliban. what local women think remains unclear. elsewhere today, a female police officer was allegedly killed by the taliban, though they've denied that. by the time we arrive, the local girls' school has already closed for the day. across much of the country, classes are taking place — but, for now, only for primary pupils. this village boys' school is under—resourced and overcrowded, with most taught outside.

in the past, lessons would often be interrupted by clashes, the principal tells me, with children cowering inside classrooms. in villages like this, an end to the violence was the biggest priority. but so many other challenges still remain. will the taliban be able to take them on? secunder kermani, bbc news, logar province. you can find much more on this story on our website, including more reports and analysis from our correspondents secunder kermani and lyse doucet and the rest of the team in kabul. this piece about life in kabul

under taliban by lyse is well worth a read — descriptions of what life is like in afghanistan for people now, as the taliban take control of more of the country. just go to the bbc news site — bbc.com/news or download the bbc news app. let's take a look at some other stories in the headlines. specialforces in guinea have declared a nationwide curfew until further notice. they seized power in a coup on sunday capturing the president, alpha conde. in a statement read on the state broadcaster, the group said they guaranteed the well—being of the president. four people including a young child have been killed in a shooting in florida. police say it happened at two houses in the lakeland area of the state. an 11—year—old girl was seriously injured and is being treated in hospital. police shot and injured the gunman, who is also in hospital. it's not known why he

targetted these houses. the former south african president, jacob zuma, has been released from prison on medical parole. the authorities say due to ill health, he will serve the remainder of his sentence in the community. jacob zuma has served two months of a 15—month prison sentence he received after being found guilty of contempt of court. conjoined twins from israel have been able to see each other for the first time after a marathon operation to separate them. the one—year—old sisters, who were born conjoined at the back of their heads, underwent a 12—hour operation. it's the first time such an operation, which has only been conducted 20 times worldwide, has been performed in israel. a football world cup qualifying match between brazil and argentina has been stopped minutes after kick—off, following a dramatic intervention on the pitch

by brazilian health officials. they accused four argentine players of having broken brazil's covid quarantine rules. sports journalist tim vickery, who's in brazil, told me why they entered the pitch when the game was already under way. it is indeed bizarre, one of the world's rate sporting rivalries reduced to the level of absolute farce. the uk is on brazil's red list for covid, just let us brazil is on the uk's, and four of the argentine squad, including three of the starting line—up, live, work, play in the uk. when they arrived in brazil, they had come down from venezuela, but they had to fill out forms saying where they had been. had they been in read this countries over the last 1a days. it appears, according to

brazil's health authority, the four argentine players did not include this information, did not state they had been in a red this country. this would have required them to spend 1a daysin have required them to spend 1a days in quarantine. it was clear on saturday that there was a problem, the brazil health authorities had been alerted to the fact that incorrect information had been given at the airport. they wanted those four argentine players to be quarantined and deported. what happened then is argentina it seems receiving the backing of the football authorities in south america, that argentina decided that they would play the game only if there players, all of their players, could play. they went to the stadium and started the game with the starting line—up featuring three of these players, brazil's health authority to apprehend these players. argentina would not carry on the game without them. i see. just briefly, what does

this mean for world cup qualifiers now? is this mean for world cup qualifiers now?- this mean for world cup qualifiers now? is a huge problem _ qualifiers now? is a huge problem for _ qualifiers now? is a huge problem for fifa, - qualifiers now? is a huge problem for fifa, who i qualifiers now? is a huge l problem for fifa, who have qualifiers now? is a huge - problem for fifa, who have to decide what to do. this is a story about the perils of trying to go ahead with a full calendar of games and the reality of covid. it's a huge problem south america could've simplified by not playing in june and july. it didn't and is now reaping the produce of a decision to try and plough ahead for too many games in a covid situation. if you want to get in touch with me i'm on twitter — @bbckarishma. i'm looking forward to hearing from you. you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme... tributes to girls aloud singers sarah harding, who has died from breast cancer at the age of 39. freedom itself was attacked this morning,

and freedom will be defended. the united states will hunt down and punish those responsible. bishop tutu now becomes spiritual leader of 100,000 anglicans here, of the blacks in soweto township, as well as the whites in their rich suburbs. we say to you today in a loud and a clear voice, enough of blood and tears. enough. the difficult decision - we reached together was one that required great- and exceptional courage. it's an exodus of up to 60,000 people caused by the uneven pace of political change in eastern europe. iam free!

this is newsday on the bbc. i'm karishma vaswani in singapore. our main story... an afghan resistance leader who's been spearheading a battle against the taliban says he's willing to enter peace talks. let's get more on afghanistan, particularly the plight of refugees. i'm joined now by professor guy goodwin—gill from the kaldor centre for international refugee law. great to have you on the programme, professor. ijust programme, professor. i just want programme, professor. ijust want to start by asking, with the taliban having more control across the country, how much do you believe they will be able to allow refugees to leave? are they cooperating with requests to help people who want to

leave get out? at to help people who want to leave get out?— to help people who want to leave get out? at the moment, it doesn't _ leave get out? at the moment, it doesn't appear _ leave get out? at the moment, it doesn't appear they - leave get out? at the moment, it doesn't appear they are, - leave get out? at the moment, it doesn't appear they are, but | it doesn't appear they are, but there's not many contacts. i'm sure they will be because... i think that could be used. professor, how much leverage... you talked a little bit about the kind of things western countries can do, but how much leverage do they have to put pressure on the taliban to play ball? i pressure on the taliban to play ball? ~' pressure on the taliban to play ball? ~ �* , ., pressure on the taliban to play ball? ~ �*, ., ., ball? i think it's a two-way street. ball? i think it's a two-way street- it _ ball? i think it's a two-way street. it has _ ball? i think it's a two-way street. it has to _ ball? i think it's a two-way street. it has to go - ball? i think it's a two-way street. it has to go both i ball? i think it's a two-way - street. it has to go both ways. everyone holding their fires... the report is so far fairly optimistic.

and i think we have to wait and see. at the moment, there are many afghans who have visas and many afghans who have visas and many who don't, who are worried about their future. agreement is necessary between the taliban government. what about the land borders? _ taliban government. what about the land borders? there - taliban government. what about the land borders? there have i the land borders? there have already been concerns from neighbouring countries about the plight of refugees. which countries do you think will be willing to accept and help out, and which ones are saying they don't want this situation on their doorsteps? fist don't want this situation on their doorsteps?— don't want this situation on their doorstes? �* ., their doorsteps? at the moment, their doorsteps? at the moment, the have their doorsteps? at the moment, they have 1-6 _ their doorsteps? at the moment, they have 1.6 million _ their doorsteps? at the moment, they have 1.6 million afghan - they have 1.6 million afghan refugees already in the country. i think since 2001, they have set up the fence

along the borders. it's been very difficult for those. at the moment, the entry into pakistan is difficult. the border in china is much smaller. we have to wait and see. ., , ,., smaller. we have to wait and see. ., , ., ~ i. smaller. we have to wait and see. ., ., ~ ., see. professor, thank you for “oininu see. professor, thank you for joining us _ see. professor, thank you for joining us on _ see. professor, thank you for joining us on tuesday. - she was part of one of the most successful british female bands of all time, with 20 consecutive top ten singles. now, tributes have been paid to the girls aloud singer sarah harding, who has died at the age of 39. she was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. our entertainment correspondent, lizo mzimba, looks back at her life. his report contains some flashing images. after three months of competition, the moment her dream came true. ..sarah.

cheering. but sarah harding could scarcely have imagined the success that would follow. every one of their first 16 singles, a top ten hit. thanks to a collection of irresistibly catchy songs, they were soon selling thousands of singles... # sound of the underground...# ..and performing to sold—out audiences. # if i had a promise from you...# sarah brought powerful vocals and a willingness to be portrayed... # makes me wanna break the rules!# ..as the band's most outrageous personality, the headline—grabbing party girl. she also acted. there were small parts in coronation street... actually, i don't suppose by any chance you know a tracy barlow? ..and the second of the st trinian's movies... # i predict a riot, i predict a riot!#| has it been fun? it's been great fun. we have a real giggle,

actually, in between takes. we really are naughty schoolgirls. we have to be kept getting told, "girls, shut up!" nadine coyle led the tributes, saying... and pop starsjudge pete waterman paid his tribute this afternoon. she was a girl next door who had got it all. she was identifiable by the audience that are going to buy her records. that was the beauty of sarah. when the singer discovered an enlarged lymph node just before covid began, the pandemic was a factor in her delaying seeking treatment. breast cancer is, in fact, a very curable illness if it's diagnosed early, but the unfortunate thing in sarah's case is that she was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer, where it had already spread to her body. and you can only survive it for as long as the treatments are helping and stalling

the breast cancer from spreading any further. sarah and the other four members of girls aloud went their separate ways in 2013, but not before they'd entertained fans for the best part of a decade. sarah harding was a crucial part of the group. a woman who achieved so much in a life cut short at such a young age. sarah harding who has died at the age of 39. the 2020 tokyo paralympics have ended with a dazzling closing ceremony after 12 days of extraordinary sporting achievement by disabled athletes from 162 countries. but, as with the tokyo olympic games which preceded it, the paralympics have been overshadowed by the covid—19 pandemic. our correspondent in tokyo, rupert wingfield—hayes, gave us his assessment. well, i think in terms of the sporting achievement, these games will be

seen as a success. we have seen tremendous sporting achievements over the last 12 days, sports experts say, on a level that we haven't actually seen before at the paralympics. and so, i think it will be claimed by the government here, by the ioc, by the olympic movement in the paralympic movement that these games have been a tremendous success. on the other hand, they have come at a time when the pandemic injapan has really continued to spread very fast. and so, i think how it will be seen by people injapan looking back in a month or in a year or in a few years' time is still hard to say. but i think the questions that were there at the beginning, before the games started, still remain today as the games close, and those are why did they decide to go ahead with this in the middle of a pandemic? why did the japanese government not move faster

to get its population vaccinated before the olympics and the paralympics began? and a lot of japanese people consequently still feel very ambivalent about the whole thing. it was put very well, i think, in the financial times in an article yesterday, asking about prime minister suga — why did he decide to risk the health of the nation for a $25 billion event, the memory of which will be forgotten fairly quickly? and finally, we usually think of lions as steely hunters, but they have a more playful side. take a look. these pictures from oregon zoo show male lion zawadi enjoying playing with wood chips in his enclosure, along with lionesses neka and kya. they're all part of the zoo's breeding programme. neka and kya have each given

birth to three cubs, so it looks like there'll be plenty more play to come. that's it from us at newsday. thanks so much for watching. i'm karishma vaswani. hello there. sunday was a warm, sunny day for most, hot for some along the south coast. we saw temperatures peaking at 27 celsius in west sussex — that's 80 fahrenheit. we haven't seen temperatures like that in england since the end ofjuly. now, there was some cloud around, and you can see in the highland, the cloud thick enough for some rain, some of it heavy at times. and in fact, that weather front still continues to bring some outbreaks of rain as it moves its way steadily south into the north of england. it is weakening off as it bumps into this area of high pressure, so a band of cloud and a few spots of rain towards dawn. a mild start for all, maybe some mist and fog lingering across south wales and southwest england. but once that list, there'll be plenty of sunshine for england and wales once again, and the temperatures are set to climb.

even a weak weather front will start to ease away and some sunshine comes through eastern england and northeast scotland. a light breeze coming from a southerly direction. that means it's driving up that warm, dry air, so temperatures peaking potentially once again at 27 degrees. now, as we move out of monday into tuesday, will high pressure influencing the story, and as the winds move around in a clockwise direction, well, that means that the wind direction is coming from a southeasterly, driving in this warm, dry air from the near continent. in actual fact, with a little bit more of the breeze around potentially on tuesday, that's going to break up that cloud. the sunshine is going to be fairly widespread right across the country, bar the exception perhaps for the western isles. temperatures will be a little bit warmer in scotland, peaking at 25 celsius. we might see 28 or 29 somewhere across central or southern england. now, as we move out of tuesday into wednesday, again, still plenty of warm, sunny weather, but there

is the potential for a few sharp, thundery showers towards the end of the day to develop down into the southwest, tied into another area of low pressure. so, here, not quite as warm, but again, we're still likely to see those temperatures peaking into the high 20s. that means that thursday will start to see a change as areas of low pressure move and off the atlantic, the wind direction changing once again and we'll see some outbreaks of rain. now, not widespread, but it does mean that there will be a change as we move towards the end of the week. so, turning from warmer weather into something cooler with rain on thursday.

welcome to heart talk and today i am on the shores of italy's lake como at an annual opportunity for politicians on both sides of the atlantic to gather and talk geopolitics. and this year there is one

dominant issue, the