this is bbc news — i'm tim willcox. our top stories... as america prepares to mark 20 years since 9/11 — the president calls for the country to come together. at our most vulnerable, and the push and pull of all that makes us human, in the battle for the soul of america, unity is our greatest strength. lawyers for the woman who's accused prince andrew of sexual abuse claim they've successfully served him with legal papers. and — the battle of the teens — the build—up to the women's final of the us open.

hello and welcome to our special coverage here on bbc news, as we mark 20 years on from the terror attacks on new york and washington, attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people — and that have forever been known by the date on which they happened — 9/11. commemorations will be taking place in manhattan and across the united states, to remember all those killed and injured. 0ur north america editor jon sopel has been hearing the stories of three people impacted by the horror of september the 11th, and a warning — his report includes footage of the attack on the twin towers. the one thing that time hasn't dulled is just how profoundly shocking the sights and sounds were that tuesday morning two decades ago. this terrorist attack

changed the world. nearly 3000 people died and thousands more had their lives upended. this is the story of three of those people who found themselves at the vortex of the storm. my dad was an amazing human being. max was a ten—year—old schoolboy when he was called to the principal�*s office. his father, joseph, worked at the world trade center. i went down the hallway, and my mum was standing there with tears in her eyes. she told me what had happened, and we had a moment in the hallway. i think i was just very confused at first. you're an innocent ten—year—old thinking, "the world is great." and then, you find out someone killed your father. hundreds of miles south in florida, andy was also at an elementary school. the chief of staff to president bush knew he had to interrupt him.

that's when i walked up to the president and i leaned down and i whispered to him, "a second plane hit the second tower. america is under attack. " ann was in her car when she heard the news, and she knew as people were trying to escape the twin towers, her firefighter husband, bruce, would be heading in. my kids went to bed. emily and megan were 17 and 14 at the time. - i stayed dressed, i laid down with them but i didn't go - to sleep because i figured - someone was coming to the house and i would be in my pyjamas. it's weird, the things you worry about. - at about midnight, somebody came to the house to say that bruce was unaccounted for. this memorial, with great restraint, doesjustice to the terrible events of that day. but nothing can capture the sense of chaos, anger, disbelief of what was unfolding. then, there was steely resolve, and americans were united

and most of the rest of the world stood with america. the taliban in power in afghanistan, who'd harboured the al-qaeda terrorists, would be driven from power and the us would try to replace the warlords with democracy. but 20 years on, america has abandoned afghanistan. i think we're still the greatest democracy in the history of the world, but we are not shining the way we used to shine, and, yes, we are tarnished. i do think it has been a defeat for the pride of america and the respect that we have had around the world. 20 years ago, america was never more united. two decades on and the terrorist threat largely quelled, and america has never been more divided. the way we came together was... it was awe—inspiring. and in 20 years, - the pendulum has swung,

in my opinion, the other way. every day, i miss my dad. whether it's 9/11, whether it's january 13th, whether it's july the 7th. i miss my dad and that will never change. and so to 2021, and the most powerful country in the world seems to be suffering a crisis of confidence. in the manner of its departure from afghanistan, the kabul debacle, a crisis of competence. just off the tip of manhattan, lady liberty symbolises america opening its arms to the world. but 20 years on, the us feels much more introspective place. jon sopel, bbc news, new york. president biden has called for national unity as the united states prepares to remember those who lost their lives 20 years ago.

in the next few minutes he's expected to leave washington and head to new york to take part in commemorations. 0ur north america correspondent nomia iqbal is in new york and has the latest. president biden is in actually giving a lengthy speech or any speech at all on the event itself, the commemorations of 9/11, so instead he uses prerecorded address that you need from the white house to express his condolences for the family is of the literally 3000 —— nearly 3000 people who died in attacks and use that speech to invoke memories of heroism that we saw in the days and months after 9/11, the acts of heroism, but also those dark moments as well. here is a clip from his speech. we moments as well. here is a clip from his speech.— from his speech. we also saw something — from his speech. we also saw something all— from his speech. we also saw something all too _ from his speech. we also saw something all too rare, - from his speech. we also saw something all too rare, and i from his speech. we also saw something all too rare, and a| something all too rare, and a true — something all too rare, and a true sense _ something all too rare, and a true sense of national unity, unity— true sense of national unity, unity and _ true sense of national unity, unity and resilience, the capacity— unity and resilience, the capacity to recover and repair in the — capacity to recover and repair in the face of trauma, unity and — in the face of trauma, unity and service, the 9/11

generation stepping up to serve and protect in the face of terror, _ and protect in the face of terror, to get those terrorists who _ terror, to get those terrorists who are — terror, to get those terrorists who are responsible, to show everyone _ who are responsible, to show everyone seeking to do harm to america — everyone seeking to do harm to america that we will hunt you down — america that we will hunt you down and _ america that we will hunt you down and we will make you pay. that _ down and we will make you pay. that we — down and we will make you pay. that we will never stop coming today, — that we will never stop coming today, tomorrow, ever, from protecting _ today, tomorrow, ever, from protecting america. we also witnessed the darker forces of human— witnessed the darker forces of human nature, fear and anger, resentment and violence against muslim — resentment and violence against muslim americans can and faithfut— muslim americans can and faithful followers of a peaceful religion. he no mention _ peaceful religion. he no mention of _ peaceful religion. he “if? mention of afghanistan in his speech. he ended the 20 year war in afghanistan in a chaotic way, but as you mentioned there, he talked a lot about unity and we had there and john's report. america is so united after 9/11 i think president bush's approval rating at the time was about 90%. not stay different. just walking around new york today, speaking to americans here, many are quite critical of president biden and he wants to try and remind americans of

that unity that a sigh after 9/11 to try to bring the country moving forward. the 9/11 attacks led to the invasion of afghanistan. two decades later the taliban are back in power and presenting a new face to the world. they've promised to forgive those who fought against them — and to respect women's rights to work and education. but many afghans are still fearful of what the new order will bring, as secunder kermani reports from kabul. back in the classroom. this was amongst the first schools in kabul to reopen for girls after the fall of the taliban in 2001. they, along with female teachers, had been banned by the group. two decades on, the school has expanded. pupils have gone on to become doctors, engineers... aisha misbah has worked here for the past a0 years.

this time round, the taliban are allowing girls to get an education, but all secondary school classes are currently paused, awaiting new rules from the group. pupils here face other challenges, too. pleas to the previous government for new buildings went unanswered. educating generations of young afghan girls and boys has been one of the main achievements of the past 20 years. but you also have to ask

why a government that received billions of dollars of international aid couldn't even build enough classrooms for pupils in a school in the very centre of kabul? many would blame corruption. this is a generation determined to make its voice heard. covering recent protests, what had been one of the freest medias in the region... . . now it's under threat. these two journalists were badly beaten by the taliban after reporting on a demonstration.

american influence here is fading. this is bush bazaar, named after the us president. the military gear on sale used to come from international troop bases. now it's largely chinese—made imitation, to the disappointment of taliban fighters, now the main customers. 20 years of war have left a legacy that is increasingly unclear. secunder kermani, bbc news, kabul. let's get some of the day's other news. ajudge in zimbabwe has given the go—ahead for the exhumation and reburial of robert mugabe's remains. the former president died two years ago and was buried in a courtyard at his estate. his family say he remained bitter after being ousted in 2017 and did not want to be buried at the national war heroes' shrine in harare. they're likely to appeal the high court ruling.

the construction of the controversial gas pipeline linking russia and germany has been completed. the russian energy company gazprom says nord stream two will double exports to germany, and the kremlin has called for deliveries to start soon. critics have warned the pipeline will threaten security by giving russia greater control over europe's energy supplies. russia has summoned the us ambassador and complained that america is interfering in its parliamentary elections. the foreign ministry in moscow says it has �*irrefutable evidence' of american tech giants violating russian laws in the run—up to next weekend's vote. last week, russia warned apple and google that they were breaking the law by failing to remove from their stores a smart voting app championed by the jailed opposition leader, alexei navalny. the head of the world health organization in europe says coronavirus may be around for years, adding that the appearance of new variants

made it increasingly difficult to reach herd immunity. hans kluge told reporters that with new, more transmissable variants, the aim of vaccination should be to prevent more serious disease and deaths. the delta variant has become the dominant strain in much of europe and is considered to be twice as contagious as the original virus. lawyers acting for virginia giuffre — the woman who claims she was sexually assaulted by prince andrew — say he has been served with legal papers — ahead of preliminary proceedings scheduled to take place in new york on monday. 0ur royal correspondent sarah campbell has more. these are the official legal papers relating to the civil case that was brought by virginia giuffre, and she alleges that she was sexually assaulted by prince andrew when she was 17 years old. he denies all the claims made against him and he said that he has no recollection of meeting her. but this civil case was launched last month at a court in new york,

and as part of that initial process, papers must be served on the defendant, so prince andrew. now, a document published today by the court indicates that miss giuffre's lawyers believe this has now been done. it describes how their representative left the papers with a police officer at prince andrew's home, royal lodge in windsor, and that was on the 27th of august. now, what isn't clear this evening is whether the prince's legal team agree that those papers were served correctly. we have contacted them, but they're not commenting this evening. it will be now for a judge to decide whether the case will proceed and how it will proceed. and there is a telephone conference scheduled for monday afternoon in new york between her lawyers and the judge, so that will give us some clarity of how this case is going to proceed. and in the meantime, prince andrew, we know, is in balmoral in scotland. sarah campbell reporting. stay with us on bbc news, still to combat plastic fantastic. the

children's orchestra in brazil playing with some unusual instruments. freedom at southwest attacked this morning and freedom will be defended. the united states well hunt down and punish those responsible. well hunt down and punish those resounsible-_ responsible. bishop tutu not become spiritual— responsible. bishop tutu not become spiritual leader - responsible. bishop tutu not become spiritual leader of i become spiritual leader of 100,000 anglicans here, of the blacks and the sweater township as well as the whites and their rich suburbs. irate as well as the whites and their rich suburbs.— rich suburbs. we say to you toda , rich suburbs. we say to you today. and _ rich suburbs. we say to you today. and a _ rich suburbs. we say to you today, and a loud _ rich suburbs. we say to you today, and a loud and - rich suburbs. we say to you today, and a loud and clear| today, and a loud and clear voice. _ today, and a loud and clear voice, enough of blood and tears. _ voice, enough of blood and tears, enough.— voice, enough of blood and tears, enough. the difficult decision we _ tears, enough. the difficult decision we have _ tears, enough. the difficult decision we have received i decision we have received together— decision we have received together is— decision we have received together is one _ decision we have received together is one that - decision we have received i together is one that required great — together is one that required great and _ together is one that required great and exceptional- together is one that required . great and exceptional courage. it's great and exceptional courage.

it's an— great and exceptional courage. it's an exit _ great and exceptional courage. it's an exit of— great and exceptional courage. it's an exit of up _ great and exceptional courage. it's an exit of up to _ great and exceptional courage. it's an exit of up to 60,000 i it's an exit of up to 60,000 people all paused by the uneven pace of political change in eastern europe. i pace of political change in eastern europe.— pace of political change in eastern europe. this is bbc news, our main headline president biden has appealed for national unity — ahead of the commemorations, 20 years on from the 9/11 attacks on the united states. let's stay with that story. steve evans was the let's stay with that story. steve evans was the bbc�*s business correspondent in new york in 2001and business correspondent in new york in 2001— business correspondent in new york in 2001 . ., , , ., york in 2001 and he happened to be at the world _ york in 2001 and he happened to be at the world trade _ york in 2001 and he happened to be at the world trade center. . be at the world trade center. that was on the morning of september the 11th. that was on the morning of septemberthe11th. here that was on the morning of september the 11th. here he is being interviewed on that day as the attacks had happened. irate as the attacks had happened. we had as the attacks had happened. - had that big explosion for much, much lower. i don't know what on earth because that can that thing that strikes me as the terribleness of the

incident, whatever the cause, but to whatever the cause, the terribleness, the hugeness of what's happened, so huge in fact that most of the people around simply cannot understand what happened. we can now speak to steve evans who was the bbc�*s north america correspondent in 2001— he happened to be at the world trade center on the morning of sept 11. he now works as a journalist in australia. and to speak to you, 20 years ago, i rememberthat and to speak to you, 20 years ago, i remember that vividly and hearing and watching you there. what do you remember, why were you there, to start off with? i why were you there, to start off with?— why were you there, to start off with? ., , ., ., ., off with? i was going to meet a bunch of economists _ off with? i was going to meet a bunch of economists in - off with? i was going to meet a bunch of economists in the - bunch of economists in the south tower at half past nine, so i was on the ground floor of the south tower killing time when the first plane went in at 8:1i6am when the first plane went in at 8:46am. there was bafflement, really, more wonder and questioning than there was fear initially anyway because people couldn't believe what they were seeing, and then the second plane went in and people knew it was an attack. but this is

the difference between doing something with your brain and not quite believing it because it was such an outrageous event, such an unbelievable events that people simply didn't believe it. i didn't believe it, and even now, it feels like the truman show and away. he saw all these things, but it is so surreal that it was almost like watching a film set. �* , ., , . was almost like watching a film set. , . set. and your instinct as a journalist _ set. and your instinct as a journalist to _ set. and your instinct as a journalist to report - journalist to report straightaway or your instinct as a human being to save your life? ~ , as a human being to save your life? g , . ., life? my instinct as a journalist, _ life? my instinct as a journalist, that - life? my instinct as a - journalist, that journalistic journalist, thatjournalistic genein journalist, thatjournalistic gene in me dominated, i'm afraid. i was raised but initially less finding a phone, and identifying the phone, i found a phone with a newsagent at the bottom of the south tower, they let me use it to broadcast, and then the second plane went in. i wonder whether

i should feel ashamed about thatjournalistic instinct. there is this craving, i said to file, to get on the air, but it's also important to tell people what was going on, because it was such an outrageous event. 0ne because it was such an outrageous event. one of the things i remember is that after act, the mood in new york was, i didn't detect any bloodlust, i didn't detect any bloodlust, i detected a very quiet solid defiance and a sadness. the city felt like it was in morning, but with a kind of resolution, the flight for example, the stars and stripes suddenly appeared everywhere on rickety old cards that neckties and black neighbourhoods can the middle eastern restaurants, out of every apartment, so that business with the flag is sort

of owned by right—wingers, it suddenly became everybody�*s property. it was a pretty magnificent atmosphere of quiet resolute defiance against evil. that's at the city felt like afterwards. i that's at the city felt like afterwards.— that's at the city felt like afterwards. .. ., ,., afterwards. i came in about three days _ afterwards. i came in about three days afterwards - afterwards. i came in about three days afterwards and l afterwards. i came in about - three days afterwards and drove in from canada and noticed exactly the same thing. just wanted to thank, steve, as you are being evacuated presumably from the towers just before they came down, did you speak to people? where people trying to people? where people trying to phone friends and relatives who they knew were up inside does towers?— does towers? there were two eo - le i does towers? there were two people i remember _ does towers? there were two people i remember speaking | does towers? there were two i people i remember speaking to, the first is a chinese—american lady, when both towers collapsed, decided to get the same time to get away and go up town to my office was and i got in the back of a taxi and it was a chinese—american lady there and we were both

listening to a hispanic station, radio station coming out of the speakers on the back seat, complete strangers, shoulder to shoulder, trying to make sense of that, and when she suddenly said to me that she suddenly said to me that she was going into labour and she was going into labour and she needed to get to to give birth and she gave me a bit of paper with a phone number on it to phone her husband, and i'm ashamed to say that in the turmoil, i lost that bit of paper, i neverfound her husband. the other person i remember very, very vividly was a few weeks, really, afterwards, and she was a widow by then, she knew she was a widow by then because she had said get bad, sheet kissed her husband get by on the steps of that suburban house in connecticut and he had gone into work in the north tower, and what happened happened, and he phoned from above the impact in the north tower and she kept saying ten things like, the

roof, try the roof, maybe he can get out there, maybe that's a helicopter, try that, and he would go away and come back to the phone and say there's no way out, there's no way out. and after, i don't know, maybe an hour or whatever, she saw on tv in her lounge the tower go down and his line go dead, and what i remember about it was talking to her afterwards. she was smoothing this table which her husband had made in the lounge, a dining table, and she isjust going like lounge, a dining table, and she is just going like this all the time, as though she was smoothing his back, and i will neverforget smoothing his back, and i will never forget that.— smoothing his back, and i will never forget that. steve evans, for our never forget that. steve evans, for your memories, _ thank you very much indeed, 20 years on from the 9/11 attacks. this weekend the mens and womens finals are taking place at the us open tennis tournament in new york. and they couldn't be

more different. in the men's final the number two seed daniil medvedev will take on either novak djokovic or olympic champion alexander zverev depending on the outcome of their semi final which is currently under way. while in the womens final it's the battle of two relatively unknown teenagers — britain's18—year—old emma raducanu and canada's 19—year—old leyla fernandez — both making theirfirst appearance in a grand slam final. for more on this, i'm joined now by christopher clarey — an author and the new york times tennis correspondent, who is currently watching that djokovich match. well, let's comment to that briefly. how is it looking? very finally plays to match, he came out strong and jack a bench reacted, he lost a lot of fresh sets in this tournament, so he has lost four now and come back each time, but he seems to be playing within himself and taking out some confidence from that 0lympic confidence from that olympic gold medal, so i think it could be a tight match. fii<

gold medal, so i think it could be a tight match.— be a tight match. 0k camilla, for many _ be a tight match. 0k camilla, for many people _ be a tight match. 0k camilla, for many people watching - be a tight match. 0k camilla, for many people watching at l be a tight match. 0k camilla, i for many people watching at the moment, this feels like the old world, what they are looking forward to is the new world with these two teams, what do you make of these two young girls who have come through, i mean emma, against all the ads, really. mean emma, against all the ads, reall . �* , , , mean emma, against all the ads, reall. fl, ,~ ., really. it's pretty amazing when you _ really. it's pretty amazing when you think _ really. it's pretty amazing when you think about - really. it's pretty amazing when you think about it i really. it's pretty amazing - when you think about it because novak is going for the grand slam, hasn't been done in 52 years in the men's game, and it's been kind of odour is shadowed by these teenagers on the limits ijust going through that drives an extra day fashion. they are doing is unprecedented. i've seen one come through, but never two like this, and anna is on the in his second grand slam tournament of epic to connect any kind can and she is already in the finaland any kind can and she is already in the final and has not lost a set. she isjust extraordinary, her level of control of the ball and control of the situation, a very poised young player. situation, a very poised young -la er. �* ., , situation, a very poised young .la er, �* situation, a very poised young laer. ,, player. and has youth helps them? in — player. and has youth helps them? in a _ player. and has youth helps them? in a way, _ player. and has youth helps them? in a way, they - player. and has youth helps them? in a way, they havel player. and has youth helps i them? in a way, they have got so little to lose, and so much to gain. so little to lose, and so much to aim , , ., ., so little to lose, and so much to iain, , , ., ., ., to gain. tennis is a game of scar tissue. _ to gain. tennis is a game of scar tissue, is _ to gain. tennis is a game of scar tissue, is in _ to gain. tennis is a game of scar tissue, is in to? - to gain. tennis is a game of| scar tissue, is in to? mental scar tissue, is in to? mental scar tissue. and i don't think

either one of them has very much, especially not anna, layla has been on second or two or three years now, but anna is brand—new to this because she is playing the plane says that she is playing in much smaller tournaments in a lot of ways. in terms of strength and weaknesses, has fernando scott slightly more, she has had a bit more experience? fernandes is a lefty and _ bit more experience? fernandes is a lefty and sort _ bit more experience? fernandes is a lefty and sort of— bit more experience? fernandes is a lefty and sort of a _ bit more experience? fernandes is a lefty and sort of a lot - bit more experience? fernandes is a lefty and sort of a lot of - is a lefty and sort of a lot of sly sand with a lot of standing and i think it's a nice first serve, but also somebody likes to be a bit more aggressive and take some big risks, whereas i think emma is someone very within herself and a very good flat stryker of the ball and just moves very welcome alex very easy for her right now. and one word, who is going to win? �* ., ., ., . win? i'm not going to say that, i have win? i'm not going to say that, i have been — win? i'm not going to say that, i have been around _ win? i'm not going to say that, i have been around forever, i l i have been around forever, i cannot answer that question, it is to tap. cannot answer that question, it is to ta -. ., , cannot answer that question, it isto ta. . , ., ., is to tap. that is not one word, is to tap. that is not one word. but _ is to tap. that is not one word, but thank - is to tap. that is not one word, but thank you - is to tap. that is not one | word, but thank you very much, christopher. we will be talking again soon, i'm sure. thank you very much indeed. that is that for this edition. plenty more on our website. see you soon.

hello there. we had some intense showers to end friday across eastern scotland, eastern england, some rumbles of thunder. and a lot of rain also from those showers in northern ireland. this is just how it looked in those showers, for example, at lowestoft in suffolk on friday afternoon. now, we should see fewer showers at least through saturday. in fact, for much of the weekend. but there is a question mark over sunday. and that's because we should see a little bit more sunshine, things turn a little fresher, as this area of low pressure responsible for these showers starts to move away to the northeast. we are left with wet weather across northern scotland because of this trailing weather front. but behind that weather front, we shift the wind direction into the north and the northwest, so it freshens up, because at the moment, we still have that humidity. that will start to ebb away during saturday. but we also have that wet weather in the north. it's already been pretty wet in shetland, and by morning,

widespread rain across the north, scotland some quite heavy rain as well. elsewhere, the showers tending to easy away, but a muggy night again, 1a or 15. lots of grey, misty, murky weather in northern and western areas, drizzle over the hills, some potential hill fog as well. but that cloud should break up, and so for england and wales, fewershowers, brighter weather, a bit more sunshine than we had during the day on friday. still a scattering of showers for northern ireland, best chance of sunshine in the south and the south of scotland. but for the north of scotland, itjust continues to be a pretty wet affair. a real soaking rain, so we'll need to keep an eye on that for localised flooding. a little bit fresher in the north, but still quite warm in the sunshine in southern and eastern areas. and that's because we have got a ridge of high pressure here. by the time our weather system starts to drift southwards, it does peter out and eventually becomes drier for northern scotland under a ridge of high pressure, but this is the question mark, what comes in from the west. but for sunday, you can see perhaps a little bit of cloud, a breeze and some rain

for the great north runners here. we've got a lot of dry runner elsewhere and it becomes drier for scotland and northern ireland than recent days, but it's how far north and east this rain comes. it's giving us a headache at the moment. looks like the southwest and wales will bear the brunt during the course of sunday. further east, a little bit drier. but fresher, temperatures down on those of saturday. and then how far east it will push into monday? so, as i say, that's the big question mark at the moment. elsewhere, high pressure's bringing a lot of dry and settled weather. yes, it's fresher. but as ever, if you have plans for the next couple of days, stay tuned to the forecast.

this is bbc news —

the headlines. president biden has appealed for national unity — ahead of the commemorations, 20 years on from the 9/11 attacks on the united states. he paid tribute to the nearly 3000 people killed when al-qaeda terrorists crashed airliners into the world trade center in new york, and the pentagon in washington. lawyers for the american woman suing the duke of york over sexual assault allegations say they've successfully served him with legal papers — a condition for the lawsuit to proceed. ajudge must now decide if the papers were indeed served. prince andrew has always strongly denied the allegations. excitement is growing ahead of the women's singles final of the us open. for the first time in more than 20 years — both competitors are teenagers. leylah fernandez from canada will face the british player — emma raducanu. the winner gets a cheque for two—and—a—half million dollars. now on bbc news it's the media show with ros atkins.