Hello. Despite the international criticism There Has been of the us withdrawal from afghanistan, no one should question the professionalism or the resolve of the troops staging the evacuation. Amid all the obvious dangers and chaos that surrounds the kabul airfield, they have evacuated over 40,000 people so far, 16,000 in the last 2a hours. That is impressive. But the Uk Defence secretary said today the operation will last only as long, as The Americans stick with it. And ahead of Tomorrows G7 virtual summit, borisjohnson has signalled loudly that he would like President Biden to extend the August 31st deadline so they can bring more people out. The taliban said today if there was such a delay there would be consequences. This morning, unidentified gunmen opened fire on the security cordon. Us, german and afghan soldiers responded. 0ne Afghan Guard was killed. From kabul, here is secunder kermani. Its crowded, filthy and baking hot. But desperate afghans keep coming to kabul airport. So many children in such a terrible place. This woman worked alongside german forces. She has documents proving it. But no permission to travel. Ive been here with my kids for the past five days waiting for the soldiers to look at my papers, she says. They cant even take two steps in this crowd. Everywhere we go, People Beg us for help, Beg Us for information. Were being surrounded by dozens and dozens of people who are desperate to leave, showing us their documents. This chap worked with the afghan security forces. A foreign airfield. Someone else who worked with foreign forces, Someone Else has got other documents. Most of these people dont have permission to leave. Some of them do and still cant get through. Everyone is desperate to get out, everyone is totally confused as to what to do. Youve got an E Mail saying that you should go . Yes. You should come here. Are you able to get through . No, no. With the deadline for international forces rapidly approaching, many are panicking, fearing this is their last chance to get out. Taliban officials say foreign forces must leave by The End of the month. If they extend beyond the 315t, that is a clear violation, one thing. Secondly, about consequences, it is up to our leadership what. How to proceed and what kind of decision they take. That decision will be implemented. Elsewhere in kabul, theres an uneasy sense of calm. Shops and some Government Offices are open, but the streets are still quieter than usual, whilst banks remain closed. The taliban forces have been gathering here in panjshir, The One province yet to be captured, where fighters calling themselves the resistance are based. For now, though, the focus is on the crisis around the airport, some are managing to make it out. My family, my newborn baby. Last week, we filmed this former british Army Interpreter and his newborn baby. Today, they arrived in the uk. Many others wont be able to leave. Secunder kermani, Bbc News, kabul. Let me show you a quick map of afghanistan, which looks very different to how it looked a few weeks ago. The red is the area of taliban control, virtually the entire country, that small sliver of orange you may able to pick out to the north of kabul, is the Panjshir Valley. The smallest province in the country, a long, lemon shaped valley, about three hours drive north of kabul. And that is the only province not in taliban hands. If there is an armed uprising against taliban rule, it is likely that will be where it would start. The Vice President , amrullah saleh, who declared himself president the day after President Ashraf ghani had fled the capital, is in panjshir. He is allied to ahmad massoud, the son of the famous guerrilla commander, ahmad shah massoud, who was killed two days before the 9 11 attacks 20 years ago. Ahmad massoud spoke to the bbc a short time ago. I am in my sanctuary, i am in my stronghold, Panjshir Valley. The people of Panjshir Valley are very much united and they want to defend and they want to fight and they want to resist against any totalitarian regime, against any belief that wants to enforce their own Belief And Ideology upon the people. The people here are just a small portion of the people of afghanistan. And the geography of panjshir is the smallest province in the whole of afghanistan. But what we are standing for right now is for the whole country. Joining us is former Bbc Correspondent David loyn who interviewed the taliban in 2006. He also spent time with the Northern Alliance during their fight with the taliban before the american invasion. His new book is titled the long war. Welcome back to the programme. Tell us a little bit about the history of . ,. , of valley. It is a remarkable geographical of valley. It is a remarkable geographical feature of valley. It is a remarkable geographical feature that. Of valley. It is a remarkable geographical feature that makes it a national fortress. Geographical feature that makes it a nationalfortress. About geographical feature that makes it a national fortress. About the history of panjshir. It is three Hours North of kabul and as you describe it, lemon shaped valley with high walls with a high wall to the north, impenetrable from the North East and at the south the only entrances this narrow choking valley which is a very easily defendable. Number one, it is a naturalfortress and partly because of that and partly because of the capacity is eight guerrilla leader, it has this legendary place in afghan history, the only place that held out against the only place that held out against the russian invasion, seven times the russian invasion, seven times the russian invasion, seven times the russian tried to take it and the only place that held out against the taliban in the late 1990s and then, they managed to fight all the way up to the turgid border, so they controlled the area of the North East of afghanistan and i think that is whats massoud will be trying to do next. Think that is whats massoud will be trying to do next trying to do next. Would it be an excuse for trying to do next. Would it be an excuse for western trying to do next. Would it be an | excuse for western governments trying to do next. Would it be an excuse for western governments not to recognise the taliban . Do you see a scenario where every opposition forced trypsin to the Panjshir Valley . Forced trypsin to the Panshir Valle . ,. ,. , valley . There are certainly lots of Re Orts of valley . There are certainly lots of reports of Soldiers Valley . There are certainly lots of reports of soldiers are valley . There are certainly lots of reports of soldiers are disgusted L Valley . There are certainly lots of. Reports of soldiers are disgusted by the fact the army just surrendered trickling into The Valley. Estimates of the uprising, the truth is no one really knows how many People Massoud has at their control. But there are lots of young men he wanted to defend the country and banish the reputation of panjshir, so i think for them to defend The Valley and push out, because a couple of days ago they did take three adjoining districts, but you mentioned the question of recognition, you recognise states and not governments, but during the taliban period, we did not recognise the taliban. The international community did not recognise the taliban, only three nations did, pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the uae. We expect China And Russia have cut some kind of deals with the taliban and they mightjoin that group this time to recognise them, but it is an open question for the west. If this valley can hold out, they cannot say look, the official president of afghanistan remains in place, we do not recognise this emirate they can say. We could be back to where we were 20 years ago. It is remarkable, you mentioned my book which goes back over the course of this 20 years war, this long war, and it is remarkable to think these same individuals, same warriors, would still be fighting. That massoud and salleh, who is an intriguing figure, very close to the cia back in the 1990s and the head of the Spite Service in afghanistan recently, so he has a very good network of contacts. Spy service will stop he will be the key figure in leading this uprising if he does it does become an armed uprising. The chair of the Reconciliation Council is trying to negotiate with the taliban and bring all sides together. From what i read this morning and some of the newspapers, it does not seem like he is entirely comfortable in the position he is on, is he negotiating under duress . I think he is in a position that he cannot leave the country at the moment. He is a respected elder. He tried to bring the taliban Acting Negotiations 20 years ago and i gave quite a lot of detail in the book about how america turned down the taliban, if only in 2000 when they had accepted that surrender, but they did not. When they were strong and the taliban were defeated and i think the president has very good tribal links across the country, but he is in an impossible position and has this idea that he is handing over power, but only three years ago, there were allies to the taliban. So The Last Man Standing really of the former government last men, both have been a government in the last 20 years and our own and a possible position. It is possible there might be something like a medical evacuation for one of them. You could imagine that because at some point the taliban would say we cannot do a deal with them and they arejust in we cannot do a deal with them and they are just in the way. Fascinating, always good to get your thoughts. Thank you very much indeed for that. Tomorrow as the g7 summit, pushing for an extension to the 31st deadline. Lets bring to our North America Editorjon sopel. In cornwall, it was all smiles but i can imagine it will be different tomorrow. It can imagine it will be different tomorrow can imagine it will be different tomorrow. ,. , tomorrow. It will be virtual, in cornwall we tomorrow. It will be virtual, in cornwall we were tomorrow. It will be virtual, in cornwall we were talking tomorrow. It will be virtual, in | cornwall we were talking about how aligned the European Leaders were and a sigh of relief at a more conventional us president , but he has pulled the rug from under a lot of afghan people and a lot of the allies with the most scant consultation and i think critical to tomorrows discussions would be the issue of whether they are going to extend the evacuation from august at the 31st, the date the us has set, and ijust make the simple observation that There Have been briefing from the state department, national Security Adviser and the Pentagon Today on all of this and see molly has spoken, it seems the less they have said. The more they have spoken. Irate less they have said. The more they have spoken. Less they have said. The more they have spoken. We have Ust Heard From David that they have spoken. We have Ust Heard From David that There H they have spoken. We have Ust Heard From David that there about] they have spoken. We have jUst Heard From David that there about this from david that there about this Breakaway Opposition in the Panjshir Valley, we will hear from Breakaway Opposition in the Panjshir Valley, we will hearfrom Unicef Tonight about the humanitarian problems in the country, do you get any feeling that in washington that elements of the administration are prepared to support the taliban in any way . I prepared to support the taliban in an wa . ~ ,. , any way . I think they are scrambling. Any way . I think they are scrambling. I any way . I think they are scrambling. I think any way . I think they are scrambling. I think this l any way . I think they are l scrambling. I think this has unravelled before them that all their Planning Scenarios were nothing like what has been unleashed by the decision of The Americans to do what they have done. And i think that at the moment, almost their entire focus is on getting americans out. Joe biden has to consider the political fallout from all of this. He does not want dead americans on his watch as a result of his policies, so all the energy is around Coble Airport and getting people of the country and working with the taliban if necessary. Kabul put. The thing that has struck me the most over these past ten days is the extent to which the most mighty Armed Forces in the world are dependent on the goodwill of the taliban. Wejust heard dependent on the goodwill of the taliban. We jUst Heard From David the fractures within the taliban, this is where america is now and i think longer Term Planning about what the future of the country looks like, what sort of accommodation there could be, yes, we have heard noises about the taliban wanting to be recognised on a World Stage and they will want to have an economic outlook as well and that will depend on them acting in a conciliatory way, but i think at the Moment Everything is about getting americans out, getting afghan translators out, getting the french, british, germans, etc who have all been part of this force for the past 20 years. Been part of this force for the past 20 ears. � , been part of this force for the past 20 ears. V. ~ been part of this force for the past 20 ears. � ,. , ~. , been part of this force for the past 20 ears. � ,. ~. ,. ,. , 20 years. Lets take a view on how this is affecting 20 years. Lets take a view on how this is affecting politically 20 years. Lets take a view on how this is affecting politically at this is affecting politically at home. We have some of the figures from cbs and you graph, lets look at how people perceive the handling of the withdrawal and you see that, that figure on the right is going all the way back to march, april, when it was around 60 approved of the withdrawal. Now it is down to 47 and if you look at his Approval Rating generally for the job 47 and if you look at his Approval Rating generally for thejob he is doing, you will see actually it has collapsed from around 62 in march down to 50 . In some polls it has dipped below 50 of the first time. It is specifically the withdrawal, because if you look at the next figures, people perceive it has been done very badly, notjust internationally but in The United states as well. 44 and it has been a chaotic and handled very badly. 44 think. Does he recoverfrom a chaotic and handled very badly. 44 think. Does he recover from this or is this something we will look back on it throughout his tenancy . Let me give you a slightly different take on these figures because at some of the stuff i was reading over the weekend was yes, he has taken a hit, No Doubt about it, over the handling of afghanistan and the withdrawal, but americans are much more focused on the Surging Covid cases, the delta variant, the increase in hospitalisations, the possibility that there will be booster Jabs Possibility that there will be boosterjabs given out to people who have already been reluctant to get first vaccines and that this is actually denting him in a far greater way, so you have a joe biden, he would love to talk about infrastructure, Road Building and bridges and Internet Access and all the rest of it and he is being penned back by what is happening with covid and afghanistan. If this withdrawal comes to a fairly tidy and, having been a chaotic few weeks, i think biden would accept that, because i think he still believes that the majority of american people want troops out and he is hoping, gambling, that they will forgive the manner in which they have been withdrawn. But i think that these pictures that we have been witnessing over the past ten days, babies being handed over Barbed Wire fences, people are trying to cling to the side of a transporter but i know people have short memories and it has been a very good political insight to remember that, very good political insight to rememberthat, i very good political insight to remember that, i think these are lasting, enduring, damaging images that will stick tojoe lasting, enduring, damaging images that will stick to joe biden. Interesting. Is always good to get your thoughts, thank you very much. Lets look at some of the days other news. Poland says itll begin erecting a fence along its border with belarus as a response to a surge in migration that it says has been organised by the belarusian government. Its already begun rolling out coils of razor wire, and has covered more than a third of the 400 kilometre frontier. Polands Defence Minister also said hell soon double the number of soldiers helping to guard the border. The International Monetary Fund is distributing 650 Billion dollars� worth of financial assets to its member countries to help them deal with the coronavirus pandemic. It is the largest allocation of its kind that the imf has ever made. But it says afghanistan will not receive its share, because of a lack of clarity about who is the government. Taiwan has begun using its first domestically developed Covid I9 vaccine, amid criticism that its approval was rushed. The president led the way in receiving the medigenjab. It was authorised for Emergency Use last month, although clinical trials are yet to be completed. Only 3 of Taiwans Population are vaccinated. Stay with us on Bbc News, still to come lebanon turns to iran to head off an acute shortage of fuel, as the country continues to spiral from one crisis to another. The head of Public Health in cumbria is asking tourists to take a lateral Flow Test before visiting the county. It follows a sharp increase in the number of coronavirus cases in one district its doubled per 100,000 in a week. 0ur North of England CorrespondentFiona Trott has been telling us the authorities there are clearly very worried. So we have seen elsewhere, havent we, in cornwall, that Public Health officials there are saying that Boardmasters Music Event has contributed to an increase in cases there. Here, Public Health officials are saying it is a bit more of a complicated picture. Whilst ullswater is close by, a very popular spot, we have not seen such a spike in the south lakes, but it is something theyre watching very closely. That is why the director of Public Health here, colin cox, is saying please come to cumbria, our doors are open, but before you travel, check you do not have the virus, take a lateral Flow Test and when you come here, please continue to wear masks in public spaces. In the last two years Lebanons Currency has lost 90 of its value. Unemployment in the country has rocketed now they have run out of fuel. The queues at the Pump Stretch for miles. On sunday the prices soared by up to 70 as another subsidy was cut, piling on the pressure. And so the leader of hezbollah, sheik hassan nasrallah, has turned to iran. In a televised speech this weekend he said his group had ordered a tanker of oil already on its way, a second will set sail in the next few days, and it will be followed by others. But of course iranian oil is under us sanctions. Those who deal with iran have faced similar sanctions themselves. Nasrallah said his group is not trying to replace the state, or fuel importers, but is trying to ensure the lebanese people get some relief. Earlier i spoke on the phone to New York TimesBureau ChiefBen Hubbard he started off by explaining what effect the Fuel Shortages were having on the country. It really gives a general sense that the Society Is it really gives a general sense that the Society Is ust it really gives a general sense that the Society Is just collapsing around you. Just some daily life things, difficult to get fuel for cars, so every time fuel shows up at a Gas Station you have a long lines that form, sometimes end up Hogging Traffic in the neighbourhoods, fights at Petrol Stations, shootings at Petrol Stations between people are trying to jostle for scarce fuel that there is. That affects transport for all kinds of goods, taxes, people commuting to work. Lebanon also has a chronic Electricity Problems so people rely a lot on private generators. Of course all of which also need fuel, so this has led to massive power outages. People sometimes have as little as two hours of power a day, sometimes six hours, so that has problems in terms of we are in the mediterranean, quite hot, middle of summer so without Air Conditioning it can be quite hard to sleep, much less to think or do any kind of work. People who live on the upper floors of buildings a lot of times i have to take the stairs because elevators do not work, problems with refrigeration. Talked to hospitals who have seen huge spikes in a food poisoning, things like that. Hospitals themselves are having hard time keeping their own power on because they rely on generators, so really a lot of the basics that is keeping Society Running Ijust not present. It keeping society running i ust not resent. ,. ,. , present. It is imploding. It is a trio present. It is imploding. It is a tricky one present. It is imploding. It is a tricky one because present. It is imploding. It is a tricky one because we present. It is imploding. It is a tricky one because we want. Present. It is imploding. It is a tricky one because we want to | present. It is imploding. It is a tricky one because we want to feel and will take it from wherever they can get it, but here is hezbollah taking it. Can get it, but here is hezbollah takin it. ,. ,. ,. , taking it. There is a showdown where Hass Hezbollah taking it. There is a showdown where Hass Hezbollah are taking it. There is a showdown where Hass Hezbollah are working taking it. There is a showdown where Hass Hezbollah are working to taking it. There is a showdown where Hass Hezbollah are working to see i taking it. There is a showdown where Hass Hezbollah are working to see ifl Hass Hezbollah are working to see if there can be a way to bring in fuel. It is hard to see where this will work out, it may be neither plan works out, we do not know the iranian take. If iranian oil were to arrive, it would definitely shake up the system, because as you mentioned, hezbollah is a designated Terror Organisation by The United states and other western governments, so if the lebanese government is accepting that, it will change the international status of the government. But at the same time, the western partners that could come and help The United states, france has taken a lead role in this, they are very fed up with the political leadership in lebanon and do not really want to come in and do not really want to come in and give them a free ride because they are known to be very corrupt and have many opportunities to avert this crisis that theyjust have not taken. That is very much a lack of willingness to throw a lifeline at this moment. Willingness to throw a lifeline at this moment. , ,. , this moment. Could this be solved if The Americans this moment. Could this be solved if The Americans can this moment. Could this be solved if The Americans can find this moment. Could this be solved if The Americans can find feel The Americans can find feel elsewhere . The americans can find feel elsewhere . ,. ,. , ~ elsewhere . Does make refined fuel. It would mediate elsewhere . Does make refined fuel. It would mediate some elsewhere . Does make refined fuel. It would mediate some of elsewhere . Does make refined fuel. It would mediate some of the it would mediate some of the immediate problems. Alleviate. It would be a palliative effect. The problem is the bottom fell out of the economy, the currency lost a lot of its Value And Lebanon cannot afford the stuff used to afford, a lot of its fuel, and fit to find a sustainable future to that, it will be a long process. And really the entire economy needs to transform and it will be very painful. And it will be very painful. Thank ou ve and it will be very painful. Thank you very much and it will be very painful. Thank you very much. Thank and it will be very painful. Thank you very much. Thank you. And it will be very painful. Thank| you very much. Thank you. Tough times in lebanon, you very much. Thank you. Tough times in lebanon, great you very much. Thank you. Tough times in lebanon, great people i you very much. Thank you. Tough l times in lebanon, great people and you very much. Thank you. Tough times in lebanon, great people and a lovely country too. World Trade Centre one has been hit by lightning, as tropical Storm Henri battered new york. Look at that. A bolt can be seen striking the top of the building in lower manhattan, connecting with the spire, 550 metres above ground level. More than 120,000 homes in Rhode Island were left without power because of the storm. Asi as i was telling you earlier, the rainfall in tennessee, extraordinary. They have had a third of the states annual rainfall in just 2a hours. It has been a monster of a storm, now heading over to Long Island to blow itself out. Stay with us, much more to come on afghanistan. We will be right back. Well, the weathers looking very settled over the next few days. Its been a fine day today, and really, not an awful lot of change on the way. Tomorrow, so, this week were calling it sunny spells, cloudy at times, because thats the kind of weather High Pressure builds. And the High Pressure is over us right now, and its not going to budge probably for around seven days or so at least. This is the Satellite Picture from earlier on. You can see various areas of cloud floating in this area of High Pressure, but big breaks in the cloud too, so some of us have had clear blue skies, others have been stuck underneath the cloud. For example, one bank of cloud here drifting on the wind off the North Sea into eastern and central areas of england. So, for example, here first thing on tuesday, it will be fairly cloudy, whereas many other parts of the country will be waking up to sunshine. Lets have a look at the morning and early afternoon then. So, this is around midday, Central Scotland in the very centre of the High Pressure, so the best of the weather here. Heres a bit of cloud, which should break up through the morning, now, notice spits and spots of rain around coastal areas, maybe where that cloud is thickest, so your local forecasts will concentrate on that. But this is the broad picture on tuesday. Around 21 in london, maybe 23 expected in glasgow. And here is the High Pressure on wednesday, just a suggestion of a Cool Front there in the far north of the country, which will be slipping southwards over the coming days. Now, heres the Weather Map for wednesday, so High Pressure centred here around western scotland. A little bit of a Cool Breeze there around the North Sea coast. Not too noticeable on wednesday, but by that time we get to thursday, i think we will see Freshening Winds on the North Sea coast anywhere from Aberdeenshire Down Into east anglia. Heres that breeze, you can see the wind coming from the north. A Cool Front here, that indicates thick cloud, and you can see that arc of cloud as this Cool Front, and i say cool, i mean, its really a cold front, but its hardly bringing particularly cold weather. Temperatures will be around about, say 16 17 celsius. The best of the weather will be towards the west at the country around 21 22 celsius in The Sunshine. So, heres the summary and the outlook for the week ahead, and you can see not a lot changes even into the weekend. Not too hot, not too cold, for most of us, just right. Bye bye. This is Bbc News our top stories. The pentagon says the us hasnt ruled out keeping its forces in kabul past the current deadline of August 31st but reiterates its focus is currently on getting its Evacuation Programme done by The End of the month. Climate change campaigners in London Call on the British Government to stop using fossil fuels. Pfizers two Dose Covid 19 vaccine receives full approval from the us Food And Drug administration. Its the firstjab to be licensed in the nation. And would be walkers on wales Snowden Mountain are being urged to think again amid a spike in visitor numbers. The pentagon has called up 18 Civilian Aircraft to carry people from temporary locations, after they have landed on flights from afghanistan. These flights will bring people from Staging Locations like qatar, kuwait, germany to The United states and the first of those flights landed today at washingtons dulles international airport. But most planes flying into afghanistan to evacuate personnel have been arriving empty, at a time when humanitarian aid is badly needed. More than 500 tonnes of who supplies, scheduled to be transported to afghanistan this week and next week, remain in their Logistics Hub in dubai. Even before the events of the past month, afghanistan was the worlds third largest humanitarian operation. Sam mort is unicefs head of communication, Advocacy Civic Engagement and joined me earlierfrom kabul. We would certainly be advocating for those planes to be coming in with humanitarian supplies because the chaos at the airport means that all the humanitarian supplies are interrupted. Which is going to cause Notjust Unicef but many other humanitarian organisations a headache very shortly. But it is critical for the people of afghanistan and that we got over half the country in desperate need of humanitarian need. When you say half the country, this is a country, 38 Million people, are you saying 19 Million people need Food Assistance . They need all kinds of humanitarian assistance. Yes. And half that number is children. Which worries unicef a great deal now. And those needs are rising by the day. Weve had Conflict And Insecurity in recent months. Afghanistan is also in the grip of a drought. And so unicef is busy Trucking Water into communities that are hardest hit. In recent weeks There Has been a huge population movement, people being forced out of their homes because of Conflict And Insecurity. Weve got a Height Number of people in camps for internally displaced people. Yeah, there are huge needs in this country right now. And yet the mood seems to be certainly in the west among the G 7 leaders that they are going to wait and see. And youve got the american saying to the imf, suspend the egg, suspend the money coming in, they frozen reserves. What would you say to the G 7 leaders who are meeting tomorrow virtually . I would say that the people who are least responsible for this crisis, the children and mothers and women of afghanistan are paying the highest price. And any sanctions are going to hit them hardest. These are people who have been uprooted, who are staying out the open or staying in camps who left the Safety And Security of their homes. These are people who are searching for water, whose harvests have failed, who have seen atrocities that nobody should ever see. And are now living in a country where they dont know what is going to happen next. There is a high degree of fear. What these people need is the support of the international community. Talk to me about your staff because of course once The Americans leave the country, the risk goes up exponentially. Have you had conversations with your staff about whether they stay or not . I think we all listened to the taliban Press Conference last week, we heard the rhetoric that under islam and under sharia that girls could go to school, they could work. We are waiting to see the reality. There is a high degree of anxiety amongst women across afghanistan and our female staff are a part of that. Across kabul with the exception of the airport, across kabul it is still quite quiet, people are hunkered down. And they are waiting for a clear message from the central authorities now that the rhetoric of last week is going to be turned into reality. I think we are all in wait and see mode. But you will have heard the reports that the taliban fighters going door to door, the threats being made against some women. What sort of interactions have you personally had with the taliban, how if you found it . Unicef has been working with the taliban for some time. In fact, last december we signed a Work Plan to expand access to education to girls as well as boys in areas under their control. And so unicef is very much looking forward to building on that relationship that we had. At the local level, in all the regions in which we have presence we have been in daily contact with the taliban helping them to better understand how unicef works. And how we would very much like to work going forward and we are very much looking forward to a clear message about girls and womens rights from the central authority. Unicef of course is a rights based organisation and we will continue to advocate for full rights for girls and women everywhere. Thank you very much. Worth remembering all those people leaving the airport at the moment there are plenty of western humanitarian staff who are understandably anxious who have opted to stay in afghanistan. Which is particularly brave despite all The Uncertainty. The Protest Group Extinction rebellion is back with a fifth mass protest, demanding the Uk Government turn away from fossil fuels. They have erected a giant Pink Table near Leicester Square and chained themselves to it. But its a tricky balance, how do you get peope to come people to the Table And Effect radical change without radical protest. Well lets talk to a man who has achieved it. He is dale Vince Owner of Electricity Company EcoTricity And Chairman of League 2Football Club Forest green rovers, who have turned their entire Operation Carbon neutral. S0 no meat pies, recyclable football strips, solar powered Robot Grass mowers, the first organic football pitch, it is a football revolution. Welcome to the programme. Im intrigued because we talk a lot about whether its feasible to change our lives and to adapt to the Climate Challenge that we all face. You appear to have done it at Forest Green Rovers but lets face it, a very difficult audience. How had the Football Fans reacted to what youve done . ,. ,. Football fans reacted to what youve done . , W W. , done . They reacted well, actually. We started done . They reacted well, actually. We started ten done . They reacted well, actually. We started ten years done . They reacted well, actually. We started ten years ago done . They reacted well, actually. We started ten years ago so done . They reacted well, actually. We started ten years ago so if done . They reacted well, actually. We started ten years ago so if you | we started ten years ago so if you asked me this question ten years ago it wouldve been a different answer. There was a little bit of doubt, i would say a little bit of opposition to what we are doing. The issue that was most controversial was food. Taking Meat And Dairy and all Animal Products off the menu and going plant based or vegan. Within a whole bunch of things and everything we do we explain to the fans, two, told him i would doing it and took them with us. Ten years later and ive been telling that fans love it, completely behind what we do for that week of Fan Groups in 20 different parts of the world because of the stance that we take on the take on the environment. Its entirely feasible. I think fairly to state a difficult audience did not want to get in amongst and talk to them. Do want to get in amongst and talk to them. ,. , want to get in amongst and talk to them. , ~ want to get in amongst and talk to them. ~ � want to get in amongst and talk to them. , ~ , �. ,. ,. , them. Do you think youve managed to chance them. Do you think youve managed to change attitudes them. Do you think youve managed to change attitudes and them. Do you think youve managed to change attitudes and pushed them. Do you think youve managed to change attitudes and pushed and change attitudes and pushed and rolled out a change in attitude and the community . 0bviously rolled out a change in attitude and the community . Obviously the Football Club sets at the heart of that community but do you think people see what is possible when they come to the game on a saturday and maybe take some of that home . Yes, No Doubt about it. Amongst our own fans, lots of people have gone vegetarian and vegan and taking theirfamilies vegetarian and vegan and taking their families with them. Starting to buy Electric Cars and solar panels. And to be engaged in climate issues was that i think that general amongst the population as well these days more people are more aware or more concerned in our local town. I think weve got the highest per Capita Presence of vegan and vegetarian cafes anywhere probably anywhere in the world actually. I think its because people come and listen to us, expecting this kind of food. They visit the local town, they expected there as well. And that changes happened around us. I would say definitely we are influencing people and internationally as well. We worked with the Un On A Programme Called Sport For Climate Action which is all about and gauging the entire world of Sport And Sport fans and getting them to make changes in their own lives to fight the Climate Crisis. ~. , their own lives to fight the Climate Crisis. ~. ,. , their own lives to fight the Climate Crisis. ~. , their own lives to fight the Climate Crisis. ,. ,. , crisis. What about costco is not a lot of people crisis. What about costco is not a lot of people say crisis. What about costco is not a lot of people say oh crisis. What about costco is not a lot of people say oh yeah, crisis. What about costco is not a lot of people say oh yeah, its. Lot of people say oh yeah, its all well and good but the poorest people are picking up the bill for this turn towards a greener way of living. Has become more expensive for people to come to Forest Green . No. It hasnt. I think green is becoming cheaper. I think the poorest people in our world as well as in our country will pick up the tab for the Clement Crisis predominantly. Lode tab for the Clement Crisis predominantly. Tab for the Clement Crisis redominantl. ~. ,. , predominantly. We are looking at ictures predominantly. We are looking at ictures of predominantly. We are looking at pictures of the predominantly. We are looking at pictures of The Club predominantly. We are looking at pictures of The Club and predominantly. We are looking at pictures of The Club and looking l predominantly. We are looking at| pictures of The Club and looking at players eating of the vacant two vegan them is a carbon neutral now . Everything is carbon neutral . Irate everything is carbon neutral . We tackled everything is carbon neutral . Tackled three big issues, Energy Transport and food. 80 of everybody� s personal Carbon Footprint is in there and the same is true for any organisation of any size in any type. Its how you power so, how you travel in what you eat. We do all of that at The Club. We are powered by The Sun and the wind. With Electric CarCharging Points was that we use Electric Cars and we have an entirely plant based menu. We do other things we have an organic pitch, we capture the rainwater from underneath it organic pitch, we capture the rainwaterfrom underneath it and use it again. We have wildflower borders as well. We knocked out single use plastic, we are zero 20 waste to Landfill Certified by The Un probably about three years ago. Brilliant. Is this the way . We started this conversation talking about extinction rebellion. You were formally a protester. You are someone who would probably go on these protest. Do you think their way is the right way . I these protest. Do you think their way is the right way . Way is the right way . I think we have to take way is the right way . I think we have to take a way is the right way . I think we have to take a Number Way is the right way . I think we have to take a number of way is the right way . I think we i have to take a number of different approaches. We fly the Extension Rebellion Flag at our club. We believe in what they do for the most part we dont always agree and where we dont we just say so. I think we have to take a number of different approaches for top its clear that we have an imperative to act to fight Climate Crisis was up as become more economic to do so the not to do so. An increasingly people want to see action. But still our leaders, our government are notjust not doing enough they are still pulling in the wrong direction. We may have a new Coal Mine up in New Britain now thanks to this government. For example where explained the North Sea for more oil and gas. None of that makes any sense especially when we got a 2050 target to get you carbon zero which is too far away anyway. Anything the government says is very different, then everything the government does. Thats a problem. Thats a problem. Sometimes it reuuires thats a problem. Sometimes it requires protest. Thats a problem. Sometimes it requires protest. Thank thats a problem. Sometimes it requires protest. Thank you thats a problem. Sometimes it| requires protest. Thank you very much for coming on our programme. Stay with us still to come up. A report from well where workers on snowden are being urged to respect The Mountain after concerns of an impact in sudden spike in visitors. The paralympics get under Way Tomorrow in tokyo. And the swim or at least womens and John Stubbs have been named as great britains bearers in the Opening Story two ceremony. The team are hoping to build on the hundred and 47 metals they won the last time. Raising the bar for paralympic sport. From powerlifting to fencing, from athletics to archery, the british team in tokyo has success in its sights. But for the games themselves, in the midst of a pandemic, simply getting to the start has been a struggle. The traditional torch relay, for example, has had to be scaled back. The athletes, though, can hardly wait, including ellie simmonds. Just 13 when she made her name in beijing, now, 13 years later a Flag Bearer at tomorrows Opening Ceremony. To be honest, theres literally no words to describe it. For me, this is my fourth paralympics and ive never actually been to an Opening Ceremony im just so excited, really its going to be really cool. But many here dont share that excitement. Once again, there will be no fans in the venues. Since the olympics, covid cases injapan have hit a new high. With the State Of Emergency across tokyo these games will begin of subdued atmosphere. At the athletes here will be hoping they can change that. And for the british team as ever There High hopes. Paralympicsgb has flourished hundred 20 Million eight it real. Had they been set a range of 100 to 140 because of The Uncertainty that covid is cause. And one athlete has a chance at history, swimmer turned sacrum could become britains most decorated paralympic and after winning metals at the last seven games. Despite the shadow of the pandemic is now their chance to shine. Andy swiss, Bbc News, tokyo. Pfizers covid 19 Vaccine Today received full approval from the us Food And Drug administration the firstjab to be licensed in the country. Until this point, the vaccine had been rolled out under Emergency Use authorisation and it could make a difference to School Boards and companies around The United states who are looking to impose Vaccine Mandates. The White House will hope the Fda Disicion encourages more to come forward. Because right now the Infection Rate in headed in entirely the wrong direction. In florida dozens of doctors held a Press Conference this morning, describing the exhaustion and burn out theyre facing as the hospitalisations continue to surge. Theres been a sharp Uptick Sincejuly and as you can see, more than 15,000 people have been admitted in the 7 days to august 20th. Dr Rupesh Dharia from Palm Beach internal medicine is one of those doctors and joins us now. He is one of those doctors who were involved this money. Tell us why you felt it necessary to speak out today . Felt it necessary to speak out toda . , ~ felt it necessary to speak out toda . ~ , felt it necessary to speak out toda . ,. � , felt it necessary to speak out toda . ,�. � , felt it necessary to speak out toda . Mg,� , today . Thank you. Weve been, as We Ointed today . Thank you. Weve been, as we pointed out today . Thank you. Weve been, as we pointed out this today . Thank you. Weve been, as we pointed out this morning, today . Thank you. Weve been, as we pointed out this morning, all today . Thank you. Weve been, as we pointed out this morning, all been pointed out this morning, all been overworked in trying to keep up with our patient care, looking after our community. Which really is the thing that matters to us. And we decided as doctors we wanted to address the community and the public Health Standpoint and let them know that we are here for you, we are still here for you and working as hard as we can putting as much effort in as we can. But we really need this to be a partnership and really want to let the members of the committee know that as hard as we are working we need them to get vaccinated and wear masks and tried to protect themselves. We dont want to be The Ones making these Phone Calls any more to letty love will know that someone is passed away or is on a ventilator now because they didnt take the proper precautions. We all feel the same way and that is what prompted us to get together this morning and have a Press Conference. You say a little bit overworked. I would say thats a very diplomatic way of saying you are a burn out point. This is not the last few months, this is been going on for over a year now and you are still facing similar numbers. How full is the icu where you are at the moment . Its pretty much capacity. All the hospitals are full. Some of the hospitals are full. Some of the hospitals have 80 cases admitted. In the things we are hearing they are at a very similar range from all hospitals. My colleagues that are working tirelessly the pulmonologist, infectious diseases, they are all telling us the same thing that the majority of the patients that are in serious trouble and are in intensive care about the patients that are not vaccinated. Most of them unvaccinated. You only speak out like this when you dont think youve got political cover. I got to ask you, given the comments weve had in recent weeks from Governor Rhonda santos, do you feel youre getting help from the State Government . You youre getting help from the State Government . Youre getting help from the State Government . You know, its a very difficult topic. Government . You know, its a very difficult topic. At government . You know, its a very difficult topic. At this government . You know, its a very difficult topic. At this Point Government . You know, its a very difficult topic. At this point ive difficult topic. At this point ive chosen to talk about what i specialise in which his medicine. And i decided to let the politicians do their work and hopefully try to work together on the issues. A, do their work and hopefully try to work together on the issues. A quick final one, work together on the issues. A quick final one. The work together on the issues. A quick final one, the official final one, the official authorisation of pfizer today, does that mean that Student Boards down there in florida can push through there in florida can push through the student mandates, the Vaccine Mandates that they want . Its a mandates that they want . Its a wonderful thing mandates that they want . Its a wonderful thing that mandates that they want . Its a wonderful thing that It Mandates that they want . It� s. Wonderful thing that it literally got approved 30 minutes after our Press Conference was up not that its a coincidence but we have had a lot of patients and younger patients that have been on the fence about getting vaccinated because of the Emergency Authorisation and because of the fears of a Vaccination Or Medication that hasnt been tried and tested. The fact that pfizer about the fda approved the Vaccine Today i think is going to make a big difference. Its going to affect a large portion of the population that were thinking about the vaccination and now it will actually go ahead and now it will actually go ahead and get vaccinated. Dr and now it will actually go ahead and get vaccinated. And get vaccinated. Dr Rupesh Dharia, thank and get vaccinated. Dr Rupesh Dharia, thank you and get vaccinated. Dr Rupesh Dharia, thank you for and get vaccinated. Dr Rupesh Dharia, thank you for the and get vaccinated. Dr rupeshj dharia, thank you for the work and get vaccinated. Dr Rupesh Dharia, thank you for the work that you are doing out there and thank you are doing out there and thank you for coming on the programme today. 0fficials you for coming on the programme today. Officials in tennessee say that two children and more are known to have died in Flash Flooding Record centimetres fell in 24 hours was at that road to bridges and roads being washed away. Those living here describe a wall of water coming in hard and fast. Flash floods overwhelming parts of tennessee. The Rain And Wind tore through communities with a ferocity you have predicted. It was a terrifying experience, you have as residents tried to save their homes and their families. Im trying to get them out of the door, but the water is so high and its pushing against the door that im having a hard time pushing to open the door to get them out. Im holding two babies. The aftermath is a landscape strewn with floodwaters, wrecked vehicles and severely damaged homes. In many counties, there is bewilderment at how quickly the storm took hold, and this remains both a recovery and a Search And Rescue operation with many still missing, including children. Tremendous loss of life, a number of missing people on the ground, homes washed off their foundations, cars strewn around the community. It is a devastating picture of loss and heartache. The worst Hit Area was humphreys county, west of nashville. Here, the floodwaters rose so quickly many people just couldnt escape their homes. The plight of those living here recognised in last Nights President ial address. I want to begin by expressing my deepest condolences for the sudden and tragic loss of life due to this flash flood. I know we have reached out to the community, and we stand ready to offer them support. Ive asked the administrator to speak to Governor Lee of tennessee right away, and we will offer any assistance they need for this terrible moment. Tens of thousands of people are still without power. Roads and bridges remain impassible in some areas, hampering rescue efforts. There were Hurricane Warnings in the North East of The United states over the weekend, but it was here, further south in tennessee, where the extreme weather really hit and took lives. Daniela relph, Bbc News. Walkers on snowdon have been urged to respect The Mountain amid concerns that increasing numbers of visitors are damaging footpaths and leaving litter. And far from getting away from it all, some walkers are finding themselves stuck in long queues to try to reach the summit. 0ur Wales correspondent Tomos Morgan reports from the snowdonia national park. Earlier this month in poor visibility and treacherous conditions, rafts of people chose to climb snowdon, the uks third highest and busiest mountain. Rescue services say theyre in holiday madness, dealing with three incidents within three hours on saturday alone. Today, however, with the Rugged Landscape Glistening in far brighter weather, yr wyddfa, as its known in welsh, is no less of a draw at a time when going abroad is still too much of a trek for most. It feels busier than last time, because we came right at the peak of covid last time when we were allowed to travel. It feels so much better this year. Its busy, but i thought it was going to be packed packed and its just nice. I picked up cans and bottles. Dog fouling is still happening. Its such a shame, because its a beautiful area if everyone just did their bit. Weve got water over there. This is where plastic will end up if it is not picked up. The Mountain Railway only goes to halfway this year and the cafe at 3500 feet is closed. Covid and uncertainty earlier in the summer over social distancing measures forcing the hands of those in charge. Nevertheless, this morning, just like on so many others during the holidays, we were told there was an hour long queue for a selfie on the summit. As a consequence of covid, more of us are staycationing, enjoying the great british outdoors this year. And the Snowdonia Society estimate that There Has been an increase of a third in people travelling up The Mountain. But with that increase also comes certain problems. The Snowdonia Society has had to put over two thirds of our capacity, staff, volunteers, money, just into managing visitor pressures, and the other organisations involved are in the same boat. The Mountain Rescue teams of course are very stretched. At the base in llanberis as the last train heads up, the Car Parks are still full and the Ice Cream is still being served. Economically, the tourists are needed. Environmentally, could more be done . Tomos morgan, Bbc News, snowdonia. Selfies on the summit but not much solitude it would seem. Thats it for me will react the same time tomorrow. If you watching on bbc World News WorldNews America soon. We will see a same tomorrow. Bye bye. Hello. It is time to find out what the weather is up to over the next week or so and we are entering a spell of some very settled weather. We have high Pressure Building over the uk right now and that means predominantly dry and bright, if not sunny weather across many parts of the uk. Here is the High Pressure on monday and very little change for tuesday. It really is not going to budge over the next few days. You can see the winds blowing around it very slowly with a clockwise fashion. This is the Satellite Picture from monday and the reason why im showing this to you is it will look very similar on tuesday and probably wednesday as well. Some areas will have cloud, other areas will have sunny skies. It is all about the Wind Direction and you can see here on tuesday the wind is blowing just gently off the North Sea, bringing thicker cloud, maybe even some spits and spots of rain. Sometimes that cloud is just about thick enough to produce little dribs and drabs here and there, but on the whole, it is more settled the further west you are across the uk. So, fine on the south coast, fine across central parts of scotland and actually, scotland is in the very, very centre of the high, so here temperatures could be highest at 23, 24 degrees. For most of us, it is around 20 or so. Now, this is Tuesday Night into wednesday. The High Pressure is not budging. You can see a gentle wind out of the north here, out of the south here. That means were right in the centre of it. So i think Wednesday Morning could be overcast for some of us, a bit of Mist And Mirk around as well, but on the whole, quiet Wednesday Morning. Here is the Weather Map for wednesday. Notice there is a cool Weather Front here and that will be a factor over the next few days or the second half of the week and that will introduce slightly cooler air to some eastern areas of the uk. Here is the High Pressure. The cold front, or lets call it Cool Front, it is not that cold, is dropping out of the north. It has not quite reached us on wednesday, so the North SeaCoast Stilljust about 20 or so in hull. Again, the best of the weather out towards the west and the North West in the centre of the high, so 24 or 25 in glasgow. But then that Cool Front marches in and all it is going to do, rather than bringing outbreaks of rain, it is mostly going to be thick cloud, at least at times, and fresher air out of the northern climb, so that means the North Sea coast, all the way down to the south east, will be a little bit fresher. We are talking around 16 degrees, whereas if you live further towards the west, we could be hitting the low 20s, so 22 in glasgow. That was thursday, this is friday, spot the difference. I mean, there is hardly any difference at all. You can see monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday very little difference. Why is this happening . Why has the weather suddenly stalled or not much is happening . It is something that is called an Omega Block in the atmosphere. It is in the shape of the Letter Omega and we have High Pressure across the uk, low pressure either side, the Jet Stream has taken a similar pattern as well. When that happens, when this pattern happens in the atmosphere, things tend to stall and not move much, so that means that whatever weather the High Pressure brings to us, it is here to stay. Now, this is the outlook into Bank Holiday monday. Now, these symbols inevitably will change, the tempeartures will be updated somewhat, but it is an indication that the weather is not looking too bad at all for Bank Holiday monday and well into next week, at the moment, it is looking like it is going to remain on the settled side. That is it from me. Bye bye. Not weeks but hours thats the warning from the Defence Secretary on the time left for evacuation flights out of afghanistan. Huge crowds maintain their desperate vigil at the airport, hoping against Hope Theyll get out in time. Most of these people dont have permission to leave. Some of them do and still cant get through. Everyone is desperate to get out. The uk is to urge the us to maintain troops beyond The End of the month deadline, but the taliban say they wont allow it. If they extend behind 31st of august, that is a clear violation. Well be live in kabul and in washington as the race to evacuate people gathers pace. Also tonight a Government Clampdown on cowboy behaviour