you're watching bbc news. i'm rich preston. our top stories: a year on from the taliban retaking control of afghanistan, a special report on the women and girls who've been denied education, employment, and their childhoods. if i finish this school, i start university, but i can't go to university because i'm not graduated from the school. sir salman rushdie�*s family say he's on the road to recovery but has life—changing injuries, as more details emerge about the man charged over his attack. more than a0 worshippers die at a church in egypt, after a fire rips through the building during mass. and, queen of the mountains — the norwegian climber who's on the verge of setting a very special record.

welcome to the programme. it's now monday in afghanistan and across europe, and a year since the taliban swept back into the afghan capital, kabul, marking their takeover of the country and sparking scenes like these at the airport — thousands trying to leave in fear of what could lie ahead. one year on, life for women and girls in particular is very different, with harsh rules, including restrictions on education and employment. our chief international correspondent lyse doucet, who was in kabul during the taliban takeover, has returned and sent this special report. it's a man's world. afghanistan is

a conservative country, but the rules are now set by the ultraconservative taliban. spaces which had opened up for women have now been slammed shut. we met three generations of women whose lives speak loudly about their world. many are afraid. they don't want to be identified. this woman used to be a senior official in the finance ministry. last year the taliban told her, stay at home. a man would take herjob. i worked for more than 17 years in the finance ministry. it was difficult with juggling family and work, but i went to university and got my masters degree. we spent so much time to get here. now we are back to zero. everything is finished. more than 60 female civil servants have banded together.

they shared some of the exchanges on their messaging group: women haven't completely disappeared from the streets or ministries, like health, education, security. there are spaces only for women. this market has just reopened in the western city of herat. this was the first day. women, a bit nervous. shops, still empty. this is it? yes. this is your shop? today it's closed. oh, look at your sewing machines. 18—year—old suhaila is excited. she's reopening this dress shop

with her big sister. but she should be in her last year of school. suhaila was the top student in her class. but the taliban shut most high schools. really, i am very sad. if i finished this school, i start university but i can't go to university because i'm not graduated from school. was it hard for you? no school, no shop. how hard was it? i think it's not for me, and for all of the girls of afghanistan, it's a sad memory... i did miss school. sorry. it's ok. sorry. it's hard here, too, far away in the central highlands. this is one of afghanistan's poorest provinces. since the taliban took over, even poorer.

and there's still no aid to their government. for the destitute and desperate, agonising choices. this woman gave her daughter in marriage for about £1000. she's only 6 years old. so is her husband to be. translation: she's too young. but i give her away because we have no food. so my other children don't die of hunger. it's still very hard but now she can eat with her in—laws. i had no other option but to give her away. child marriage is prohibited but pervasive in afghanistan, but not this young. we've hidden the identity of mother, daughter and son. translation: her in—laws told me they will take care of her like their own child because she's so young. they told me, don't worry.

child weeps what mother wouldn't worry? what child wouldn't weep? a new generation takes shape in a new afghanistan. the taliban say the rights of boys and girls within islam will be respected. but one year on, there is growing fear that girls who were learning to lead, will be left far behind. lyse doucet, bbc news, kabul. the son of sir salman rushdie says his father suffered life—changing injuries in a knife attack on friday, but that his feisty and defiant sense of humour remains intact. the author has been taken off a ventilator, after being stabbed at an event in new york state. the govenor of new york says they will always stand up for freedom of thought.

our correspondent nomia iqbal has the latest. inside the hospital, salman rushdie remains in a critical condition. but a glimmer of hope for his family, as he is taken off a ventilator and is breathing unaided. in a statement, his son, zafar rushdie, said: zafar also praised the audience members at the literary event on friday where his father was stabbed. he said they bravely leapt to his defence to help him. salman rushdie�*s agent told us he is on the long road to recovery. the writer suffered very serious injuries. he faces losing an eye and his liver is badly damaged. 24—year—old american suspect hadi matar has already appeared

in court and pleaded not guilty to the charges of attempted murder and attempted assault. prosecutors allege he travelled by bus from newjersey to the event here in chautauqua, in western new york. they say he bought a ticket, like everybody else, allowing him to attend the talk mr rushdie was due to give. for decades, salman rushdie went into hiding after his book, the satanic verses, led to iran issuing a fatwa in 1989. many muslims considered his writing blasphemous. it is reported that police think hadi matar may have had sympathies for the iranian regime, but an official motive has not been established. earlier, new york's state governor spoke outside the institution where the stabbing happened. new york state will always stand up to protect freedom of expression, freedom of speech, and we condemn the cowardly

attack on salman rushdie. and we condemn any individual or any group that dares violate the sanctity of a place like chautauqua. questions are being asked about why there were not tougher checks at the literary event, given the huge amount of threats salman rushdie had faced for decades. the government in egypt says at least a0 people have died — many of them children — in a fire at a church where thousands of people had gathered for sunday worship. dozens of others were injured. it's reported an electrical fire broke out at the coptic church in giza, on the outskirts of the capital cairo. our correspondent sally nabil sent this report from the scene. a sunday church service that ended in tragedy. behind these windows, egyptian christian worshippers died. the abu sifin church was in a packed busy neighbourhood in giza.

the fire killed dozens including many children. people rushed into the building trying to save as many lives as possible. this woman lost her sister—in—law. translation: she had five children, _ three daughters, who are three, five and seven years old, and two boys. my heart is on fire for all these victims. the people i've spoken to here are clearly very angry. they want to know exactly how and why their loved ones died. there will be questions too for the church itself and for the emergency services. initial reports suggest the fire was caused by an electrical fault. people here told us there was a power cut and the church was on a generator. when the electricity was turned on again there was an overload. translation: fire was coming out. of the air—conditioning and then spread to the rest of the church.

it was on the third and fourth floors. many worshippers fainted and could hardly breathe. a major investigation is now under way. inspectors from the public prosecutors�*s office already checked the scene. there was nothing to suggest there are any criminal motives behind this incident, so far. but the christian community here say they've had enough. many of their churches have been targeted by militant attacks in recent years. sally nabil, bbc news, cairo. let's get some of the day's other news: syrian state media say israel has carried out an air attack on targets tartus, an air attack on targets in tartus, on syria's west coast. reports say three soldiers were killed. the syrian observatory for human rights says several missiles hit the vicinity of a village where iranian militias allied with the assad regime, are located. the saudi state—owned oil giant aramco has announced record profits of more than $48 billion for the second quarter of this year.

the world's biggest oil producer's net income has almost doubled year—on—year. oil prices are up in the wake of russia's attack on ukraine and increasing demand after the pandemic. at least one person has died after an explosion rocked a shopping centre and caused a fireworks warehouse to catch fire in armenia's capital, yerevan. videos on social media show large clouds of black smoke in the sky and people running away as a building collapsed. north korean state media is reporting that the country's leader, kim jong—un, has been sent a letter from russia's president, vladimir putin, with mr putin saying the two countries would expand their bilateral relations. according to media in pyongyang, president putin says closer ties would be in north korea and russia's interests, and would help strengthen the security and stability of the korean peninsula and the northeast asian region.

the pledge was made in a letter to mr kim to celebrate north korea's liberation day which has begun today, monday. we can now speak to scott snyder who's a senior fellow for korea studies at the council on foreign relations. he joins us from washington dc. details are scant on this but what could a deepening of relations between these two countries mean and why is it coming now? i countries mean and why is it coming now?— coming now? i think it represents _ coming now? i think it represents a - coming now? i think it represents a possible | represents a possible convergence of interests between russia and north korea. last week, the russian ambassador to north korea suggested north korean overseas labour could be useful in doing reconstruction work in the breakaway provinces in ukraine and north korea had earlier made a point of recognising this. so what it looks like is the possibility that they could be some kind of some kind of support by north korea in the form of labour in these areas,

probably in return for substantial cash contributions to the flailing north korean economy. to the flailing north korean economy-— to the flailing north korean econom . ~ ., ., , ., economy. what would this mean in particular— economy. what would this mean in particular for _ economy. what would this mean in particular for russia, - in particular for russia, having these north korean labourers going to work on their behalf was making terms of what it would mean for russia, it would mean the north koreans meeting a russian political need.— political need. especially if vladimir putin _ political need. especially if vladimir putin is _ political need. especially if vladimir putin is having i vladimir putin is having trouble meeting manpower in this particular area and it has been common for the north koreans to export labour in a difficult areas. itjust koreans to export labour in a difficult areas. it just so happens that that product is is prohibited by un security council revolutions from 2017, that russia had been following, but over the course of the past couple of years, there is a domain of the sanctions that

has been created by now, sanctions against russia as well as north korea and so this opens up an avenue of political opportunity for russia and north korea to engage in a political exchange that meets political exchange that meets political needs in a limited way. political needs in a limited wa. ~ . , , , way. mutual needs being met but what does it _ way. mutual needs being met but what does it mean _ way. mutual needs being met but what does it mean for— way. mutual needs being met but what does it mean for the - way. mutual needs being met but what does it mean for the rest. what does it mean for the rest of the world?— of the world? well, the more serious issue _ of the world? well, the more serious issue is _ of the world? well, the more serious issue is related - of the world? well, the more serious issue is related to - of the world? well, the more| serious issue is related to the rest of the world is actually related to russian and north korean nuclear programmes and nuclear threats in connection with current conflicts. in terms of this specific issue, i think it is a marriage of convenience that will be opposed, especially by the united states, but which there is little outside parties can do anything to stop.-

do anything to stop. scott sn der, do anything to stop. scott snyder, thank _ do anything to stop. scott snyder, thank you - do anything to stop. scott snyder, thank you very i do anything to stop. scott - snyder, thank you very much. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: farewell to freya, the walrus who became a tourist sensation in norway has been put down. washington, the world's most political city, is today assessing the political health of the world's most powerful man. indeed i did have a relationship with ms lewinsky that was not appropriate. in fact, it was wrong. in south africa, 97 people have been killed today, in one of the worst days of violence between rival black groups. over the last 10 days, 500 have died. crowd chant: czechoslovakia must be free! man: czechoslovakia must be free! crowd chant: czechoslovakia must be free! russia is observing a national day of mourning for the 118 submariners who died on board the kursk. we are all with them now, within our hearts.

the pope has celebrated mass before a congregation of more than 2.5 million people in his hometown of krakow. "stay with us, stay with us," chanted this ocean of humanity. "well, well," joked the pope, "so, you want me to desert rome?" this is bbc news, the main story this hour: a year on from the taliban retaking control of afghanistan, its women and girls are still being denied education and employment. for the first time in decades florida's fish and wildlife conservation commission is to allow daytime hunting for alligators. they say it's to make the area safer. alligator hunting season starts on monday and runs until november the first.

every year 10,000 hunters apply for 7,000 licenses in a lottery style selection process. it's estimated there are 1.3 million alligators in the state, but not everyone's happy with the change. pete corradino is a wildlife biologist and owner of everglades day safari, he's in lehigh acres in southern florida. thank you for being with us, good evening to you there in florida. this takes effect tomorrow, monday for you guys. what does this hunting specifically entail? well, the huntina specifically entail? well, the hunting is — specifically entail? well, the hunting is something - specifically entail? well, the hunting is something that i specifically entail? well, the l hunting is something that has been going on for quite a long time but what has changed now as they are going to allow 24—hour hunting and what my opposition to is the change is that are going to happen is right where we take our tourists. so everglades day safari takes tourists out on a air boat ride and that is specifically on a place called lake trafford where there are thousands of alligators and by opening up the hunting season two daylight hours, it is going

to put hunters and tourists in conflict with each other and potentially putting people in harms way, so that is the situation we are looking at starting tomorrow. but the wildlife commission - starting tomorrow. but the wildlife commission says i starting tomorrow. but the l wildlife commission says 1.3 million alligators is simply too many, something has to be done. if too many, something has to be done. ., , too many, something has to be done. . , ., ~ ., done. if that is their take on it, that is — done. if that is their take on it, that is not _ done. if that is their take on it, that is not really - done. if that is their take on it, that is not really what. done. if that is their take on it, that is not really what is | it, that is not really what is going on. we got 1.3 million alligators, maybe even more. historically we had probably 4 million alligators but over the course of the 20th century alligators were hunted nearly to extinction. they were put on the endangered species list and their population numbers have come back very well, but what their basis is for safety issues, i'm not exactly sure. there have been 30 fatalities in the last 75 years caused by wild alligators. there's been an average of seven, actually, probably about 12—15 alligator attacks and this ranges from

alligators biting people when they are swimming to people picking up alligators and getting bitten. so that is each year and that is not a lot, so i'm not exactly sure why they think doing this is going to make anything safer. in fact by putting people out there with guns hunting while you've got tourists on our boats is probably the most unsafe thing you can do. but probably the most unsafe thing you can tie-— you can do. but officials also an ue you can do. but officials also argue that — you can do. but officials also argue that playing _ you can do. but officials also argue that playing for- you can do. but officials also argue that playing for these | argue that playing for these licenses means people paying for these licenses is bringing money into the state.- money into the state. yeah, that is really _ money into the state. yeah, that is really what _ money into the state. yeah, that is really what it - money into the state. yeah, that is really what it is - that is really what it is about. it is not to manage the population, it is simply for recreational purposes and to make money for the state. ok. make money for the state. 0k, we will leave _ make money for the state. 0k, we will leave it _ make money for the state. 0k, we will leave it there. - make money for the state. 0k, we will leave it there. pete corradino in florida, thank you very much. now, let's talk about one of my favourite subject... mountains! i want to tell you now about the the world's fourteen highest mountains, also known

as the �*super peaks�*, all of them in asia. each one has a summit of more than 8,000 metres, more than 26,000 feet. climbing all 1a is a badge of honour in the mountaineering community, and doing so in record time is the biggest honour of them all. now a norwegian climber is on the verge of doing just that, as the bbc�*s tim allman reports. kristin harila carries a heavy burden. she has just finished scaling the 11th highest mountain in the world, but she can barely pause for a moment. these things don't climb themselves. we had like, a couple of rock falls, that was very dangerous. the rest have been logistical problems and waiting times. but climbing a mountain has not been so, not so much problems. kristin only took up mountain climbing seven years ago, but she is clearly a quick study. she is now on course to complete one of the sport's most impressive achievements.

as everyone knows, mount everest is the world's tallest peak at 8849 metres. there are 13 other mountains that come in at a height above 8000 metres, and kristin has climbed 11 of them. now she only has three more to complete the set and she wants to do it as quickly as possible. at the moment, nepal's nirmal purja holds the record, doing so in six months and six days. if kristin beats his time she hopes it will send quite a message. i think that's just, like, people believe men are more strong. but in reality, the women are just as strong as the men are in the mountain and there is no difference between us. kristin has until november to set a new record. after a quick trip home to norway, she will head to nepal and tibet for the final phase. the last super peaks in her super sights. great stuff, and the best of luck to her.

a walrus nicknamed freya that had become a popular attraction in the oslo fjord in norway has been put down. authorities had warned earlier this week that they were considering the measure after issuing warnings about crowds getting too close to the mammal. norwegian officials say she was euthanised in a humane way. but there's been public outcry over the decision. let's get more on this from our news reporter azadeh moshiri. why do authorities say that they needed to do this? this why do authorities say that they needed to do this? as you sa , they needed to do this? as you say. freya _ they needed to do this? as you say. freya had _ they needed to do this? as you say, freya had become - they needed to do this? as you say, freya had become a - they needed to do this? as you i say, freya had become a popular attraction in oslo, she was named after the goddess of love and beauty and she had been on somewhat of a euro trip this past year. there were sightings in the united kingdom and sweden and evelyn. she eventually ended up in norway where she became quite a sensation, she was climbing aboard boats, she was sunbathing, she was sometimes thinking those boats because she weighed £1300. the problem came up when crowds wouldn't stop crowding around her and no

matter how many times authorities warned these crowds to stay away, children were gathering around the walrus as well, theyjust kept coming back and of course walrus attacks aren't that common but walruses can typically sleep about 20 hours a day and this one kept having her sleep interrupted and so eventually authorities came to this decision and the director—general for fisheries put out a statement director—generalforfisheries put out a statement explaining it to the public. it read: was this the only option open to authorities? well that is the question that a lot of people are asking right now, especially as the public and

experts, wildlife experts, there has been a fierce backlash. what a lot of experts are pointing out is that the walrus is an endangered species and that perhaps more focus should have been put on figuring out how to move the walrus away or perhaps focusing on how to change human behaviour, how to put more steps in place for crowd control. what the director—general of the fisheries has been saying as they did try to figure out how to move the walrus but they couldn't figure out how to do that in a way that would be safe for freire and that in the end they had to prioritise human safety versus animal welfare, and in the end they took this decision and they say this was a way to put her down in what they called a humane way. 0k, ok, we will leave it there. thank you very much. and you can get a lot more on

the bbc news website as well as a special report on the one—year of the taliban takeover of afghanistan. you can reach me on twitter — i'm @richpreston. hello. after a week where, somewhere in the uk, we've recorded a daytime high of 30 celsius or above every single day, we're finally seeing the heat come to an end. moving into the new week. could see 30 celsius somewhere in eastern england today, but it will be cooler than it has been through the weekend. thunderstorms becoming more of a talking point for us, as we look into the days ahead. we could see some just about anywhere across england and wales today — but by no means everywhere, so some areas will remain stubbornly dry, while others get some quite intense downpours. eastern scotland perhaps getting some thundery showers. further north, it's the more persistent rain for central and eastern scotland and for northern ireland. it's cooler here, but still,

as you saw, 30 possible somewhere in eastern england. overnight monday into tuesday, showers pushing up from the south — could be heavy and thundery, particularly for southern counties of england, persistent rain sits across eastern scotland. it's certainly fresher for scotland and northern ireland, but still very warm and humid across much of england and wales as we start off on tuesday. through the day on tuesday, though, low pressure really does come to take hold across the uk. it's a messy weather picture. what does that mean? well, it means it's quite hard for us to pin down the exact details of where the rain will sit through the day. but basically, it's a chance of showers just about anywhere across england and wales, and they're likely to be thundery. for scotland and northern ireland, more cloud around and some outbreaks of rain and quite a cool northerly breeze — quite a difference to recent days, and we've lost that 30 celsius in eastern england. by wednesday, well, low pressure still close by, but it's focused very much to the south of the uk — high pressure, in fact, tries to sneak back

in across scotland and northern ireland. wednesday looks dry for scotland and northern ireland, if cloudy at times, and it looks like any early showers will clear from northern england and wales. but a real focus perhaps on southern england for some more intense downpours on wednesday — so that could be the day when we see the return of some well—needed rainfall here. just 23 celsius — down ten degrees on the figures through the weekend. and then, for the end of the week, we very much pick up an atlantic influence — westerly winds, some weather fronts passing through, but actually, not bringing, i think, that much in the way of rainfall. we will see more in the way of sunshine again towards the end of the week, but not a return to the highs of recent days.

this is bbc news. the headlines: it's one year since the taliban swept into kabul and retook control of afghanistan, prompting scenes of chaos, as people tried to flee. one year on, life for women and girls in particular is very different, with harsh rules, including restrictions on education and employment. the agent of the author, sir salman rushdie, who is in a us hospital following a stabbing attack, has said he is on the road to recovery but it will be long. the author's son said that his feisty and defiant sense of humour remained intact. dozens of people have died at a church in the egyptian city of giza after a fire broke out, causing a stampede. the authorities say at least 41 people were killed, many of them children.

they blamed the blaze on an electrical fault