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tv   BBC News  BBC News  September 22, 2021 2:00am-2:31am BST

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welcome to bbc news — i'm david eades our top stories. a 5.8—magnitude earthquake strikes southern australia. it's felt in melbourne, canberra and sydney. president biden promises a new era of �*relentless diplomacy�* instead of �*relentless war�* — as he delivers his first presidential address to the un general assembly. we will stand up for our allies and ourfriends and oppose attempts by stronger countries that dominate weaker ones, but we�*re not seeking — i�*ll say it again — we are not seeking a new cold war. pakistan�*s prime minister, imran khan, gives the bbc his hopes for the future of neighbouring afghanistan after the us pullout and the taliban�*s victory.
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we hope say that finally after 40 we hope say that finally after a0 years that people of afghanistan will have pete and ability. afghanistan will have pete and abili . ., afghanistan will have pete and abili . . , ., ability. -- will have peace and stability- _ and in the canary islands, another village on la palma is evacuated as the volcano continues this on its destructive path. welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. the australian state of victoria has been struck by a magnitude 5.8 earthquake. the epicentre was in the regional town of mansfield,
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about 180 kilometres north east of melbourne. there are reports emerging of significant damage in some parts of the state. you can see on the map just where mansfield lies — it�*s a small town of a few thousand people. but this quake was felt across the state of victoria as well as in canberra and as far as sydney in new south wales. the government agency geoscience australia measured its depth at 10 kilometres. earthquakes of this magnitude are pretty unusual in australia — according to the authorities there are around 100 a year which go above magnitude 3. neigbouring indonesia for instance sees more than11,000. i�*m joined now from sydney by our correspondent shaimaa khalil. just talk us through the extent of the quake, and what damage it may have done.— it may have done. limited damage — it may have done. limited damage that _ it may have done. limited damage that we _ it may have done. limited damage that we have - it may have done. limited i damage that we have seen,
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it may have done. limited - damage that we have seen, but it has_ damage that we have seen, but it has been felt quite stron-ly, damage that we have seen, but it has been felt quite stron-ly, david, damage that we have seen, but it has been felt quite stron-ly, david, in damage that we have seen, but it has been felt quite stron-ly, david, in melbourne. strongly, david, in melbourne. the epicentre was the regional victorian— the epicentre was the regional victorian town of mansfield. geoscience australia, the government agency, said we had three _ government agency, said we had three tremors in last hour, a 58 — three tremors in last hour, a 5.8 magnitude to start with, then— 5.8 magnitude to start with, then a — 5.8 magnitude to start with, then a four magnitude, then 3.1 magnitude. in the last few minutes, mansfield being the centre — minutes, mansfield being the centre of it, but really reports _ centre of it, but really reports on social media and on local— reports on social media and on local media, the abc for example, people calling and saying — example, people calling and saying they felt it quite strongly. someone described it as riding — strongly. someone described it as riding a wave. many people felt there _ as riding a wave. many people felt there was structural damage to their buildings. many buildings in the downtown area of melbourne evacuated, with people — of melbourne evacuated, with people gathering on the street. quite _ people gathering on the street. quite nervous, because no one has seen — quite nervous, because no one has seen anything like it recently. the government
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agencies are saying this is the strongest earthquake to be felt since _ strongest earthquake to be felt since 1997. strongest earthquake to be felt since1997. it has been felt in new— since1997. it has been felt in new south wales, some areas around — new south wales, some areas around sydney, in canberra, and reports — around sydney, in canberra, and reports in — around sydney, in canberra, and reports in adelaide as well, in south — reports in adelaide as well, in south australia. so it's got people _ south australia. so it's got people quite shaken, but also because — people quite shaken, but also because it's quite rare, and they— because it's quite rare, and they are _ because it's quite rare, and they are still trying to gather they are still trying to gather the extent of the damage, especially in melbourne and the areas _ especially in melbourne and the areas around it. | especially in melbourne and the areas around it.— areas around it. i heard of one erson areas around it. i heard of one person in _ areas around it. i heard of one person in melbourne - areas around it. i heard of one person in melbourne saying i areas around it. i heard of one l person in melbourne saying they had neverfelt person in melbourne saying they had never felt anything person in melbourne saying they had neverfelt anything quite like this before. it is structurally quite strong. did you feel it in sydney? trio. structurally quite strong. did you feel it in sydney? no, and i would be _ you feel it in sydney? no, and i would be lit _ you feel it in sydney? no, and i would be lit because - you feel it in sydney? no, and i would be lit because i'm - you feel it in sydney? no, and i would be lit because i'm on | i would be lit because i'm on the eighth floor in this building, so it hasn't really that— building, so it hasn't really that area. —— i would feel it. there —
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that area. —— i would feel it. there is— that area. —— i would feel it. there is an _ that area. —— i would feel it. there is an area near here where _ there is an area near here where they felt a slight tremor. just north of sydney, in newcastle for example, north—east of here, they felt it as — north—east of here, they felt it as welt _ north—east of here, they felt it as well. so definitely a number— it as well. so definitely a number ofareas in it as well. so definitely a number of areas in new south wales— number of areas in new south wales where it has been felt. we have _ wales where it has been felt. we have heard from the emergency agencies in the state. _ emergency agencies in the state, who say there are no reports _ state, who say there are no reports of _ state, who say there are no reports of structural damage to buildings here, but we are getting _ buildings here, but we are getting reports that there is damage, even limited so far, in melbourne, including in chapel street, — melbourne, including in chapel street, a — melbourne, including in chapel street, a very central street in melbourne. shops and restaurants all round. we have seen _ restaurants all round. we have seen areas _ restaurants all round. we have seen areas on that street where there _ seen areas on that street where there has— seen areas on that street where there has been visible damage, even _ there has been visible damage, even though it is limited so far — even though it is limited so far. . , even though it is limited so far. ., , . far. thanks very much. the im act far. thanks very much. the impact can _ far. thanks very much. the impact can be _ far. thanks very much. the | impact can be considerable. far. thanks very much. the - impact can be considerable. we spoke to a heart surgeon in victoria, about an hourfrom melbourne. he was performing open heart surgery as the quake
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hit. i was doing a routine coronary bypass operation when it hit. sort of in the crux of the operation. we just felt the whole table, the operating table move. we thought maybe the anaesthetist or one of the nursing staff was actually manoeuvring the table, but even the staff that were not at the operating table, the other nursing staff and the scientists managing the heart—lung machine, they all felt the room moving as well. it was a really bizarre feeling, because it was quite sustained. it probably felt like a minute at least, maybe two minutes. looking around the room, all of the iv poles were moving. some of the clamps were all shaking. clearly it wasn�*t the anaesthetist fiddling with
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the operating table. i�*ve felt a small earthquake before, but not whilst operating. and obviously in cardiac surgery we are doing a lot of microsurgery with fine movements, so when you have any movement at the table which is not anticipated, it�*s really exacerbated. so an earthquake, which i think i understand was fairly sizeable in magnitude, it was definitely extrapolated and we could feel the effects of that. fortunately we were at a stage of the operation where we could sort of come to a halt and just wait for that to pass, and subsequently carried on and finished the surgery. you rarely get a better stage for addressing the planet than the un general assembly —
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and president biden has taken the opportunity to lay out his vision of america�*s position in the world. just weeks after the withdrawal from afghanistan, mr biden talked of relentless diplomacy rather than relentless war. he also stated his case for emerging stronger from the covid crisis, and made commitments to greater american funding for developing countries struggling with the effects of climate change. barbara plett usher has more. his excellency, joseph r bidenjunior, president of the united states... this was president biden�*s chance to show that america is back at the table. we stand, in my view, at an inflection point in history. he called for unity to face growing global threats at a time when many allies are sceptical about america�*s leadership, especially after his largely unilateral decision to withdraw from afghanistan. we�*ve ended 20 years of conflict in afghanistan, and as we close this period of relentless war, we�*re opening a new era of relentless diplomacy. a constant theme was us tensions with china, framed as a defensive democracy versus autocracy, although he never called
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beijing out by name. we are not seeking a new cold war or a world divided in the rigid blocks. the united states is ready to work with any nation that steps up and pursues peaceful resolution to shared challenges, even if we have intense disagreement in other areas, because we�*ll all suffer the consequences of ourfailure. mr biden�*s debut was seen as a test of american credibility after the confrontational years of donald trump, and by that standard, he offered reassurance. as we look ahead, we will lead. we will lead on all the greatest challenges of our time, from covid to climate, peace and security, human dignity and human rights, but we will not go it alone. this is an opportunity for a reset, but us action on covid and climate change will be crucial for convincing the world that america really is back.
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barbara plett usher, bbc news, new york. we can now speak to democratic strategist amanda renteria. shejoins us from oakland california. it difficult to listen tojoe biden at this stage without having afghanistan bouncing around in the background there. how convincing did you find that? i how convincing did you find that? 4' how convincing did you find that? ~ , that? i think he set the right tone, that? i think he set the right tone. but — that? i think he set the right tone, but listen, _ that? i think he set the right tone, but listen, he- that? i think he set the right tone, but listen, he has- that? i think he set the right| tone, but listen, he has been waiting to have a new platform, to talk about a broader vision that he has. the administration has been working to explain afghanistan. it is much easier when you look at this in a broader context. i have to say, this is a very familiar speech about unity that he has had from the very beginning in america. you could almost hear the same kinds of words, inflection point, turning shared grief into common humanity... a lot of those same
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themes is what biden is best at. he came back to it again, and i think he did have a moment to be able to set a new tone for america. moment to be able to set a new tone foramerica. certainly didn�*t beat around the bush of the clear message, which is about making sure we are not in relentless wars, take a moment to say, we want to work with others, we want to lead again. the next tests will be ensuring the validation of those words in more of what america is doing and how do we make sure we are building those relationships on climate change? you will see a lot more of that out of this administration. this was a real moment to reset domestically and globally. i moment to reset domestically and globally-— and globally. i am sure everyone _ and globally. i am sure everyone will— and globally. i am sure everyone will welcome| and globally. i am sure . everyone will welcome the suggestion or more funding for climate change issues, which is critically important. but it takes time, amanda, doesn�*t it, to go from pulling out of afghanistan against the wishes of many of the united states�*
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allies, setting up a deal with australia and the uk, damaging france in the process quite clearly, and yet at the same time saying, we will stand up for our allies and our friends? there is a reason why you noticed a very measured tone. this was not a bombastic tone, it was a very measured tone, understanding there are a lot of relationships that need to be built. it�*s also important to note that also today there is a fight going on in congress, about how both parties will unify on money for infrastructure, and to fight climate change, covid etc. so he is really having a conversation or unity both domestically and internationally, and these next steps will be really important for this administration to continue to validate the word he just stated at the un label. you have to put your money
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where your mouth is. joe biden have to get that money before he can shout it out.— he can shout it out. exactly riaht, he can shout it out. exactly right. he — he can shout it out. exactly right, he has— he can shout it out. exactly right, he has to _ he can shout it out. exactly right, he has to bring - he can shout it out. exactly - right, he has to bring congress along. that allows him to also lead globally, in terms of being at the table, leaning on these big issues that he said he wanted to tackle today. money can talk. amanda, thank you. stay with us on bbc news, still to come. the canary holiday island, being smashed by lava, from a nearby volcano. benjohnson, the fastest man on earth, is flying home to canada in disgrace. all athletes should be clean going into the games. i�*m just happy that justice is served. it is a simple fact that this morning, these people
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were in their homes. tonight, those homes have been burnt down by serbian soldiers and police. all the taliban positions along here have been. strengthened, presumably. in case the americans invade. it�*s no use having a secret service which cannot preserve its own secrets against the world, and so the british government has no option but to continue this action, even after any adverse judgment in australia. concorde had crossed the atlantic faster than any plane ever before, breaking the record by six minutes. this is bbc news, the latest headlines. a 5.8—magnitude earthquake strikes southern australia.
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emergency services receive calls about the tremors from melbourne, canberra and sydney. president biden promises a new era of �*relentless diplomacy�* instead of �*relentless war�* as he delivers his first presidential address to the un general assembly. pakistan�*s prime minister imran khan has said preventing women from accessing education in neighbouring afghanistan would be un—islamic. he called for the leadership to be inclusive and to respect human rights. in an interview with our world affairs editor, john simpson, mr khan laid out the conditions that would need to be met for pakistan to formally recognise the new taliban government. in peshawar, on pakistan�*s north—west frontier, afghanistan feels very close. the streets are thronged with afghan refugees. in the 1990s, the taliban had their origins in the afghan refugee camps here,
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and pakistan has always been accused of setting up the taliban and helping them take power in afghanistan — something pakistan denies. but when the taliban were thrown out in 2001, pakistan�*s influence in afghanistan fizzled out for 20 years. in our interview, imran khan clearly didn�*t want to seem to be too close to the taliban, but he was careful not to be too critical of them either, over the question of the rights of afghan women, for instance. the women are very strong. i feel, give them time. they will assert their rights. how much time? years? a year, two years, three years. three years? but at the moment, john, it�*s just too early to say anything, because it has barely been a month. after 20 years of civil war,
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they have come back into power. the taliban — the word just means islamic students — originally owed their existence as a movement to religious schools in pakistan like this one, the zuberia in peshawar, where they were recruited and radicalised. the main teacher, sheikh rahimullah, even helped the taliban to distribute the weapons they captured from american soldiers. "the previous taliban government didn�*t understand the system," he says. "this time, they do understand politics "and international relations. "they�*re not as harsh now as they were before." the new taliban leaders in afghanistan are certainly trying to give the outside world the impression that they�*ve changed. imran khan hopes they have. it�*s very encouraging. they have said they will have an inclusive government. they have said that women can
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work, can have education. they will give amnesty to everyone. the soil won�*t be used for terrorism by anyone. you know, these are encouraging statements. so, you are approving the way the taliban are operating? no, i�*m approving of what they have said. no—one can tell where afghanistan goes from here, but what we hope and pray, that finally, after a0 years, the people of afghanistan will have peace and stability. but the taliban didn�*t bring peace and stability before and there�*s no evidence they can do it this time. in that case, it wouldn�*tjust be afghanistan that suffered, it would be pakistan as well. john simpson, bbc news, islamabad. the british prime minister borisjohnson held
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bilateral talks withjoe biden at the white house. david willis had been looking at that meeting. ireland is an important domestic issue that means a lot to biden and the irish community in the us. but on this issue of climate change, joe biden throwing out more money, does that offer momentum to borisjohnson? he must have been quite pleased. well, it is comparatively quite a small amount of money, david. pledged to double the amount the us contributes to fighting global climate change by the year 202a to just over $11 billion per year. but it�*s been
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hailed by some as certainly a step in the right direction. borisjohnson, the british boris johnson, the british prime borisjohnson, the british prime minister, who met with joe biden separately today, hailed it and said it was definitely a movie on the right direction. all this, of course, part ofjoe biden�*s pledged to make the control of climate change one of his priorities in the first term in office in the white house. something he has been championing, and something he is determined to, if you like, put his money where his mouth is. fit. like, put his money where his mouth is— mouth is. a good time forjoe biden to turn _ mouth is. a good time forjoe biden to turn up _ mouth is. a good time forjoe biden to turn up the - mouth is. a good time forjoe biden to turn up the heat - mouth is. a good time forjoe biden to turn up the heat a i mouth is. a good time forjoe| biden to turn up the heat a bit on climate change with the cop26 in glasgow in a few weeks. but let�*s focus also on the situation with regards to the situation with regards to the uk�*s ongoing spat with the european union over northern ireland. something which clearly, it seems, is close to joe biden�*s political heart,
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certainly. joe biden's political heart, certainly-— certainly. absolutely. joe biden of— certainly. absolutely. joe biden of irish _ certainly. absolutely. joe biden of irish heritage i biden of irish heritage himself. concerned that the dispute over the new checks on commercial goods moving between the uk mainland and northern ireland could put the good friday agreement at risk. joe biden, with borisjohnson biden, with boris johnson alongside biden, with borisjohnson alongside him, reaffirming his support for the good friday agreement, something on which the two leaders agreed. but it�*s clearly a subject close to the heart of not onlyjoe biden, but many in his party, the democrats, who see this very seriously at something in which they were much invested 20 years ago. which they were much invested 20 years ago-— which they were much invested 20 years ago. abcjournalist, madeleine morris, is in melboune where there has been some damage.
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thank you forjoining us. we have heard about the impact of this earthquake but we haven�*t seen a lot of truth. you have some behind you there. that's ri . ht, some behind you there. that's right. this _ some behind you there. that's right. this is — some behind you there. that's right, this is chapel— some behind you there. that's right, this is chapel street - some behind you there. that's right, this is chapel street in l right, this is chapel street in windsor, anyone who has visited will have heard of it as a very famous dining destination. behind my shoulder, i can�*t zoom in on my phone but hopefully you can see behind me the damage to the building. there is a burger bar there, and all of the bricks on top of it have fallen down. fortunately no one was injured when this happened, no one in the building above, no one in the building above, no one in the building above, no one in the building below. everyone is ok. this is the most visible damage we have heard so far on this massive quake in australia, 5.8 the first one. we actually had a second one about half an hour later, and that was four on the richter scale as well. these are apparently the biggest
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earthquakes we have felt in victoria since european settlement. it wasn�*tjust out here in melbourne, it was felt as far away as canberra, adelaide and down in tasmania as well. ,, . ., , ., as well. since european settlement, _ as well. since european settlement, that - as well. since european settlement, that is - as well. since european l settlement, that is going as well. since european - settlement, that is going back some. did you feel it? i some. did you feel it? i didn't, actually. some. did you feel it? i didn't, actually. everyone else didn�*t, actually. everyone else in my office belted. we had just come off air. some of my colleagues were filming, and you can see the camera shaking. —— everyone else in my office felt bit. 20 people around here said the earth shook, windows shaking as well. i spoke to some eye witnesses who saw the damage just after it happened, they describe big plumes of dust and a huge noise. we know that electricity has gone out in some parts of melbourne. but
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unfortunately no reports of injuries at this stage.- unfortunately no reports of injuries at this stage. in'uries at this stage. that is a injuries at this stage. that is a blessing- _ injuries at this stage. that is a blessing. thank _ injuries at this stage. that is a blessing. thank you - injuries at this stage. that is a blessing. thank you very l a blessing. thank you very much. more people have been forced to flee their homes after the eruption of a volcano on the spanish island of la palma. there are fears that lava flows could trigger toxic gases and explosions when they reach the sea. the volcano began erupting on sunday, shooting lava hundreds of metres into the air. danjohnson has the latest from la palma. 0n la palma�*s volcanic hillsides, it�*s time to move. more families and more communities are packing up and getting out. "i don�*t even know where to take my things," this woman says. we were allowed to drive the road to a village evacuated on sunday, now being cleared by its residents in a last dash to grab whatever they can before the lava consumes their homes. the flames and the larva are
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really close. being here for just a couple of minutes, you get a sense of the risk, because there is ash falling on my clothes, i can taste it in the air, and the whole time there is the thunderous rumble of the volcano in the background. that is why people are loading up and going. but leaving is painful and there is a sense of panic at times. this man desperately helping his dad, who has lived here for over a0 years and can�*t believe it�*s ending like this. translation: it's ending like this. translation: ., ., , translation: i am angry with the authorities. _ translation: i am angry with the authorities. we _ translation: i am angry with the authorities. we could - translation: i am angry with the authorities. we could have | the authorities. we could have done this without so much stress, without running. i don�*t know where i am going to live, and now what? this don't know where i am going to live, and now what?— live, and now what? this is what. more _ live, and now what? this is what. more homes - live, and now what? this is. what. more homes destroyed, more communities that will have to be abandoned. and here is the molten lava on the move, a slow motion menace, inching relentlessly downhill. this is a live geology lesson in nature�*s unstoppable forces, and it�*s notjust property.
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everything here has been shaken. and still no sign of that coming to a close. you are watching bbc news. hello there. another warm day in the offing for many with spells of sunshine once the early mist and patchy, dense fog clears away. however, further north we do have a different complexion to the weather for the day ahead. some cloudy skies with some rain, heavy to start and the risk of an autumnal gales just on cue for the autumn equinox. that�*s all being brought by this advancing area of clouds, it�*s a low pressure system. we do have a weaker weather front ahead of it. so, in contrast, it will be quite a mild start in the north whilst it could be a little bit chilly down to seven or eight in the south. it is here we will see the best of the sunshine once that mist and fog clears away, particularly for the far south. a little bit more cloud for england and wales and the odd spot of drizzle
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first thing, but that clears away. this is the main rain player through the day, the northwest highlands and the islands initially. it will tend to turn a little bit lighter as it pushes southward, some brightness ahead of it and some brighter weather with showers following behind. but a breezy day even in the south as well, and the winds do escalate towards the evening. so, temperature wise, a cooler day, we are into cooler air behind that weather front, but as recent days, 22 to possibly 23 in the spots in the south and east. through the evening overnight look at those showers packing in, the winds really strengthen, there is a risk of gales across the far north and west and a cooler feel. while further south, our weather front starts to introduce a bit more cloud, so it will be milder here as we start thursday morning. a little bit of mistiness and the odd patch of fog. we still got that high—pressure close by, but you can see that deep area of low pressure whisking away toward scandinavia. behind it is just introducing that cooler air for a time. but it is just a brief incursion of chilly airfor the far north. i think you will notice
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a temperature dip a little bit in southern areas as well, with some cloud coming and going but still plenty of dry and bright weather. 0ur weather front, however, just bringing the increased risk of drizzly, cloudy weather into northern and western areas. so, temperaturesjust a degree or so down on those that we are going to see through the day ahead. but then, the wind turns back to the southwest. in fact, by the weekend it�*s turning towards the south actually. so, dragging that warmer air back to all parts. and some fairly settled weather, but always the risk if of some showery rain out towards the west. as ever, there�*s more on our website. bye— bye.
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this is bbc news, the headlines an earthquake has struck the australian state of victoria, causing significant damage to buildings. the epicentre was in the regional town of mansfield, about 180 kilometres north east of melbourne. hundred of people have been evacuated. emergency services say there has been significant damage in some parts of the state. president biden has used his first address at the united nations general assembly — to promise a new era of "relentless diplomacy" instead of "relentless war". mr biden said that battling climate change and coronavirus will not be defeated by a force of arms, or a new cold war. pakistan�*s prime minister, imran khan, has been talking to the bbc about the taliban takeover in afghanistan. he said, neighbouring countries would make a collective decision — about whether or not to recognise the new government // he also insisted, in time, women will assert their rights under the taliban. now on bbc news, it�*s the travel show with mike corey.

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