it is now 12:30, friday afternoon in kabul where chaotic rush to evacuate thousands of afghans, americans and others is growing more desperate by the hour. at times the crush of afghans outside the kabul airport grew so big and unpredictable that soldiers fired weapons in to the air to push the crowds back. u.s. president biden is expected to address the deepening crisis in the coming hours. this is a sign of just how bad things got on thursday, a soldier lifting a child over the airport wall. the pentagon says it is in daily communication with the taliban about letting people with proper documentation through the gates, but for now, many who helped the u.s. and coalition forces are blocked from any hope of getting on a plane. thursday was also the country s traditional end independence dad some chose to defy the taliban by flying the international flag. the taliban reportedly reacted with whips and gunfire to disperse the crowds. in places under firm taliban control, only th
enough. crowds mobbing the tarmac, climbing onto jetways trying desperately to board outgoing flights. clinging on to the outsides of planes. that s an air force c-17. people are grabbing on to it as it taxis off. there are people holding on to the aircraft as it takes off. and as it flies away. at least two people were seen falling several hundred feet from one of the planes. sickening. haunting as well, this photo posted on the website, defense one, about 640 people, according to defense one, on an aircraft designed to carry 102 troops. afghans desperate to leave. right now, according to the pentagon, there are about 2500 u.s. troops securing the airport. late today, the president said their number will rise to as many as 6,000, but only to secure the evacuation. before that, in words laying blame squarely on our former ally, the president justified his decision to end all military involvement. so i m left again to ask of those who argue that we should stay, how many more
new future for the canal city? a very warm welcome. in the last hour new quarantine restrictions have come into force for passengers returning to england from portugal. the country has been removed from green to the amber list of destinations, meeting travellers must take two lab approved covid tests while they self isolated home for ten days. our correspondent is in portugal where tourist businesses are counting the cost of the uk government was make decision to place the country on the amber list, and she has met some of the british holidaymakers who stayed on regardless. the sunshine is guaranteed, but no one is sure when the tourists will be back. for british holidaymakers, portugal was considered a safe bet. then, last thursday, the british government suddenly decided otherwise. robin betty heard the news ten minutes after they checked into their hotel. , , ., hotel. i m self-employed and i run a business, hotel. i m self-employed and i run a business, so hotel. i
roger harrabin, bbc news. time for a look at the weather here s matt taylor. good afternoon. looking lovely in the sunshine in cornwall this afternoon, but temperatures already 21 degrees in the midlands and for all of us, the rest of the week is set to get potentially warmer and more humid. if you are after rain for the garden, some essential energy scenarios will be disappointed, or glad, depending on your point of view. nothing expected. and eastern areas, rain will come and go in the west, western scotland and northern ireland the hottest. the wettest. in northern ireland, after a bit of a cloudy day so far, there will be brighter breaks to the east through this afternoon. sunshine to the east of scotland lifting temperatures to 2122, widely blue skies across the east of wales and eastern england, temperatures 22 to 25. this evening will be fine, partly clear skies across wales, england and eastern scotland, western scotland to northern ireland, clouds thickening