welcome to bbc news — i'm tim willcox. our top stories... as america prepares to mark 20 years since nine—eleven — 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. the attacks led to the invasion of afghanistan — now back under taliban control — and many fear for the future. 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.

we can now speak to angus gillespie, a professor of american studies at rutgers university—new brunswick and author of "twin towers: the life of new york city's world trade center," he also teaches a course honouring the nearly 3,000 americans killed in the attack. 3,000 americans if 3,000 americans i make, could wejust are for if i make, could wejust are for those viewers perhaps who were not born who don't relive those moments like you and idea. i covered the attacks as well as other journalists, idea. i covered the attacks as well as otherjournalists, but just for them, perhaps, why the twin towers, why was the twin towers targeted?— twin towers, why was the twin towers targeted? that's a good cuestion. towers targeted? that's a good question- it's — towers targeted? that's a good question. it's something - towers targeted? that's a good question. it's something i've i question. it's something i've given a lot of thought to. i think in a way, the terrorists and i were on the same wavelength because we both saw this because of its height, because of its proximity to wall street, we cite as a symbol of american economic might and possibly even a symbol of america in and of

itself. the fact that you build the building so very, very tall, 110 stories, it's almost like a challenge, see what you can do, come and get us, it was a symbol of pride, of the american spirit, of american economic might.— economic might. there were other huge _ economic might. there were other huge buildings, - economic might. there were other huge buildings, of- other huge buildings, of course, that they could've chosen, but you think it was the fact that there were two that dominated the skyline at that dominated the skyline at that particular time.— that dominated the skyline at that particular time. yes, they were the tallest _ that particular time. yes, they were the tallest buildings - that particular time. yes, they were the tallest buildings in i were the tallest buildings in new york city, but they were also located in lower manhattan, the locale for the american banking system, the american banking system, the american stock exchange, everything was concentrated in lower manhattan mayor. for those of us _ lower manhattan mayor. for those of us who _ lower manhattan mayor. for those of us who i _ lower manhattan mayor. for those of us who i say who covered at some of those images will never leave us, and ijust

wonder what you thought about the images that define generations, and the crashing down of edifices and buildings. how important was that in the psychology do you think also of what they were trying to deal? well, that's a good question. i think what was going on was 0sama bin laden who is heading up 0sama bin laden who is heading up al-qaeda, he realised it was not possible to defeat america by military means in an open war. but it was possible to insult america, and it was very deliberate in terms of symbolic targets if, as i said, the twin towers for the symbol of american economic might, well, obviously, the pentagon was a symbol of american military might, and by the same token, if flight 93 had ever hit its target, we strongly believe that that would offend the us

capital, a symbol of american political might, so these are symbolic targets, and it was a symbolic targets, and it was a symbolic victory.— symbolic victory. you teach a course now — symbolic victory. you teach a course now about _ symbolic victory. you teach a course now about this. - symbolic victory. you teach a course now about this. what | symbolic victory. you teach a i course now about this. what do you focus on and concentrate on, and how much of your own personal memories do you bring into it because male ——? i did into it because male --? i did try chipping — into it because male --? i did try chipping my _ into it because male --? i did try chipping my personal - try chipping my personal memories into it, notjust out of ego, but to make an emotional connection with my students. for example... for example,... i students. for example... for example-"— example,... i can't stand it, find er at... — example,... i can't stand it, find er at... i'm _ example,... i can't stand it, find er at... i'm sorry, - example,... i can't stand it, | find er at... i'm sorry, we've not find er at... i'm sorry, we've got some _ find er at... i'm sorry, we've got some sound _ find er at... i'm sorry, we've got some sound crossing - find er at... i'm sorry, we've| got some sound crossing your line. just carry on if you can, angus. line. just carry on if you can, anuus. ~ ., , line. just carry on if you can, anuus. ~ . , ., , angus. with me was in the early 90s, angus. with me was in the early 905, i angus. with me was in the early 90s. i was _ angus. with me was in the early 90s, i was able _ angus. with me was in the early 90s, i was able to ask— 90s, i was able to ask basically, i went to see the twin towers and the world trade center, i had no special background, no special

knowledge, and i was so impressed with these very tall structure is that when i came back home to new brunswick new jersey, i went to the library and said these towers are so interesting, i want to recap on them, let me find a book. well, to my shock, there was no such book, and i was really puzzled and i asked my friends who wear architectural historians i said, how come there is no book about the twin towers are the world trade center? said the tallest buildings in north america and there is no buck. he says, well, you have got to understand committees twin towers, they are boring, they are plain, wejust are not interested in that. so the fact that... �* . , interested in that. so the fact that. . ._ angus, | that... i'm literally... angus, i'm that... i'm literally... angus, i'm really _ that... i'm literally... angus, i'm really sorry, _ that... i'm literally... angus, i'm really sorry, we - that... i'm literally... angus, i'm really sorry, we have - that... i'm literally... angus, l i'm really sorry, we have sound problems, in fact, some of the sound we are getting is not particularly pleasant either, so apologies to the race

because there are some people swearing as well, but angus, thank you very much indeed for joining us here in bbc news. 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. the bbc�*s laura trevelyan has been speaking to the former us secretary of state condoleezza rice who was serving as america's national security adviser when the 9/11 attacks happened. she started by asking her ms rice of her memory that day. my my memory of that day was the degree to which we where going through our normal lives. i had arrived at the office, i was going to make a speech later in the day, and my assistant said

that a plane had hit the world trade center, and if you remember the president was actually in florida as an education event and it was a little bit of our pre—9/11 thinking that neither i nor my deputy was with him because it was a domestic trap. never again would we be in that situation because we suddenly realised on that day that there was no such thing as the border or boundary between america and the rest of the world, and so thatis the rest of the world, and so that is my firmest memory, that, and also being spirited off to the bunker after learning that a second plane hit the road world trade center and the pentagon, and from that moment on, gesturing to make certain that nothing would happen like that again. you have written _ happen like that again. you have written that _ happen like that again. you have written that we - happen like that again. you have written that we are more secure now than we where on that morning. do you still think that's true now that taliban are back in charge of

afghanistan and could potentially harbour al-qaeda again? potentially harbour al-qaeda a . ain? . potentially harbour al-qaeda aiain? ., . ., again? there are certain structural— again? there are certain structural changes - again? there are certain structural changes that i again? there are certain l structural changes that we again? there are certain - structural changes that we have made to the way that we think about and share intelligence. the united states had not been attacked on its territory that way since the war of 1812, so we thought of internal security and external security. as a matter of fact, we didn't even have an organisation that was responsible for internal security. everybody else ministry of interior did what our fbi debt plus, our interior department does indian reservations and national parks, and so we had to create a homeland security department. we now have a counterterrorism centre that actually merges internal and external intelligence, and so we have made some structural changes, but i am worried about the loss of the eyes and ears on the ground in afghanistan, which gave us a way of dealing with

making sure that the highly sophisticated, highly disciplined organisation that did 9/11 would not to re—emerge again. that worries me, but i am glad that we have done so much to protect ourselves at home. ., ., , home. you said to yourself immediately _ home. you said to yourself immediately after - home. you said to yourself immediately after the - home. you said to yourself immediately after the 9/11 | immediately after the 9/11 attacks on you are looking at a map of afghanistan, that it's where great powers go to die beauty. where you write about that given the chaotic us exit? well, certainly, that chaotic exodus has made it a problem i think for american credibility. i because if we didn't hit the bill at the patients to be in afghanistan, a place for much that attack was launched, i think people will question our staying power and our willpower

in other places. but i do believe that we used that 20 years well to improve our capabilities at home to degrade, notjust in afghanistan but in other places as well like east africa. that was time well spent. yes, i am saddened that we didn't have the patience to leave a few thousand troops in afghanistan who could have helped to prevent the collapse of the government of afghanistan and who could have continued to keep an eye on and ears on the fact that can emanate from there. condoleezza rice, national security adviser at the time of the 9/11 attacks. you are watching bbc news. when i demonstrate today, —— one of their news story today,

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. now this weekend the mens and womens finals are taking place at the us open in new york. and there couldn't be a greater contrast between the two. in the men's final the number two seed daniil medvedev will take on either novak djokovic or olympic champion alexander zverev they are currently involved in a thrilling semi final. while in the womens final it's the battle of two teenagers — leyla fernadez and britain's emma raducanu. both are making their first appearance in a grand slam final. laura scott has been looking at the rise of the new star of british

tennis emma raducanu's a—levels might have been in maths and economics, but the 18—year—old seems unable to stop rewriting history. british sport's new star was living her teenage dream last night, drawing praise from the greats of the game. emma, again, really impressive. the poise that she's shown, that maturity, i think i was about 26 when i got to that level, so she is way ahead of me. yeah, again, hat off. this is where it all began, raducanu's first signs of sporting talent coming at sports day. teachers at her primary school in bromley say the precocious youngster always used to win the sprints and she was back there this summer to hand out the medals to the next generation who are desperate to follow in her footsteps. who's going to try extra hard in pe now that you have seen emma? yeah? it's little wonder tennis club has suddenly become so popular. itjust makes me feel inspired

because at the age of 18, what do you think she will be older and everyone wants to follow her tracks. and also she's been winning a lot of money. i don't play tennis but i think she's inspired me to try it out. she didn't give up - and she's nearly there. it's inevitable, isn't it? seeing such a successful person, having the opportunity to chat to them or even being presented with their medal by her has been absolutely brilliant. and where she is today isn't just inspiring for them, it's for us as well. win or lose in the final raducanu can be sure of one thing, her life will never be the same again. marketing experts are already describing her as a commercial phenomenon, predicting she'll become the uk's highest paid sportswomen this year thanks to lucrative endorsements and deals on the horizon. her career earnings will break the million pound mark too. the sky's the limit, really. raducanu's already earned $1.2 million for reaching the final,

and she's in exactly the right sport. tennis is very, very well paid for the female athlete. with each of her nine victories in new york the celebratory smile has become bigger and more disbelieving. this teenage qualifier from bromley is nowjust one more precious win away from the most unexpected grand slam glory. laura scott, bbc news, bromley. tennis strategy analyst craig 0'shannessy spoke still no result for the men's and women's final. we will have more, of course, on all the events and debiting on the website as well. from me and the team, bye—bye. hello... sorry... 0k, plenty more on the website, as well, bbc got to come forward news. i think we have a slight technical all problem at the moment. so, i'm

going to say goodbye now and hope to see you in a few minutes' time with some headlines. 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 3,000 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 newswatch will be here in around ten minutes time,

but first on bbc news: it's click.