Welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. A man alleged to be the sole surviving gunman from the islamist gang which murdered 130 people in paris six years ago has told a court he is a fighter for the islamic state group. Salah abdeslam is one of 20 defendants in what is the biggest Terror Trial in modern french history. The prosecution says they were all involved in the shootings and bombings of november 2015, which targeted locations including bars, restaurants and the bataclan concert hall. From paris, our Correspondent Lucy Williamson reports. Sirens the sirens sounded again in Paris Today for the men accused of terrorising this city six years ago. Sounds that once accompanied that fear and panic, now accompanying the defendants on their way to justice. It was a night when security felt uncertain, when no one in paris knew where to run. As islamist gunmen targeted bars, restaurants, the football stadium, the bataclan concert hall. Explosion. Salah abdeslam, the only suspected attacker to survive that night, is facing the most serious charges. 19 others are accused of involvement, including mohamed abrini, also wanted by belgian prosecutors in connection with the attacks in brussels. Today, a message from abdeslam. As the trial opened, the judge asked for his profession. Fighter with the islamic state, he replied. This case includes almost 2000 civil plaintiffs, many of whom have opted not to testify. Translation the suffering is unspeakable. It is inexpressible, but they expect tough justice. The acts these defendants are accused of are particularly monstrous. The trial is being held in a specially built chamber inside the old Courts Ofjustice to fit its Scale And Security demands. This trial is the antidote to the Chaos And Panic of that night six years ago, the moment when the French State Reasserts control and turns national trauma into national history. Josephs Wife Armelle died in the bataclan that night. They had gone out to celebrate the launch of the Riverboat Company he now runs alone. How does he feel about looking Salah Abdeslam in the eyes . Translation to me, he is nonexistent, he is just a face. I have seen the attackers myself that night at the bataclan. When they were shooting at us, they shot at us twice. The first time, we were able to escape. The second time, no. Joseph told me he was afraid of coming here today. Fear is something he knows about. Justice is the antidote he needs. Lucy williamson, bbc news, paris. The attacks and the rise of islamist extremism in france has left the Country Soul searching over its much valued secularism. Lets discuss this now, an important report we just heard, this attack followed the Charlie Charli Hebdo attack. I attack followed the Charlie Charli Hebdo attack. Attack followed the Charlie Charli Hebdo attack. I am a olitical charli hebdo attack. I am a political Scientist Charli Hebdo attack. I am a political Scientist Making. Political Scientist Making comparison and the best way of making sense of secularism and france and the Terrorist Attacks is to make a comparison with Make Country the united states and we are now approaching the 28 Year Anniversary of september 11, and very similar questions asked here and there and i think after a few years, the united states really focused on citizenship and not discriminating, and in the last 20 years there has been major steps forward in the united states for the integration of muslim minority into mainstream. But in france, there has been too much emphasis on singling out muslim minority, and passing laws to restrict islams public visibility, and the Secularists Coalition including the france both the Left Wing and right wing, President Macron declared they need an enlightened islam, so i think from an american Point Of View it is really problematic that the president claims to design a religion. Even from a french Point Of View, i think it is against the very pillar of the Religion State Separation so in this regard i am not of course Romanticising American Policies that the us invasion of Iraq And Afghanistan have been similarly criticised here in the us but when it comes to domestic politics and integration of minorities, i think united states and its notion of secularism is more inclusive whereas in france we see more exclusion and we see more singling out of muslims. In fact, in france, muslim minority can be best partners of government in combating terrorism therefore the french government doesnt really to marginalise, instead they have to encourage muslims to be more integrated and becoming mainstream and france. I was therefore mainstream and france. I was therefore both mainstream and france. I was therefore both Attacks Mainstream and france. I was therefore both attacks and mainstream and france. I was| therefore both attacks and are remember vividly also the fact that many of the islamist militants were recruited through their experience in jail as well, and add to that that france and indeed belgium has one of the largest muslim populations in europe, has there been any change at all and that in terms of the radicalisation of young muslims perhaps who feel there is nothing for them within france . That is an important question and also we should not exaggerate the role of religion, because of course there is a religious dimension of Terrorist Attacks and france, in the us and elsewhere, but religion is only a part of a bigger picture. We should not forget the importance of economic and social problems, particularly the socio economic marginalisation of minorities throughout the world and especially Western Europe and french case, we see the problems of unemployment, alienation and marginalisation, that may encourage the radicalisation. And one last point they want to emphasise about that is the role of Race And Ethnicity. Here in the united states, ever since the black Lives Matter movement, we are now focusing on the Recognition And Celebration of multiple identities, where as the french nationalism really tries to create a homogenised identity without hyphenated identities and the role of race seems to be ignored, despite the fact that most muslims in france are either immigrants from africa or they are descendants, therefore they are nonwhite people and the Race And Ethnicity and discrimination should be also taken as part of the problem and taken as part of the solution. And taken as part of the solution. �. , ~ ,. , solution. All right, thank you very much solution. All right, thank you very much indeed. Afghanistans former president , Ashraf Ghani, has apologised to the afghan people and issued a statement explaining why he fled his country when the taliban took over last month. In a twitter post, mr ghani said he left afghanistan to avoid further bloodshed in the streets. Meanwhile, there are growing concerns about whether international aid will keep flowing into the country. The taliban has said that the international community should abide by its commitment to provide financial assistance to afghanistan. But many nations are hesitant to provide Help Or Recognition to the taliban government after they announced their new leadership on tuesday. Heres us Secretary State Antony blinken speaking during a visit to germany. Despite professing that a new government would be inclusive, the announced list of names consists exclusively of individuals who are members of the taliban or close associates and no women. Were also concerned by the affiliations and Track Records of some of those individuals. We understand the taliban has presented this as a caretaker cabinet. We willjudge it and them by its actions. Our chief international Correspondent Lyse Doucet is in Kabulfor Us and has more. I have to say that on the Streets Today the protests are continuing in fact they are intensifying and the taliban reaction to the protest has been also intensifying. With greater violence, been also intensifying. With greaterviolence, more foreign greater violence, more foreign journalists greaterviolence, more foreign journalists were arrested today, Afghan Journalists were arrested today, there was a womens protest in the west of kabul, they expressed their criticism of the Government Announcement last night, the Caretaker Government, but meanwhile the taliban are getting on with the business of government. The new ministers, Caretaker Ministers have been told to go to their offices to meet the people that will be working with them and we have seen humanitarian chiefs coming to the country this week, uns humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths and also the president of the international committee of the red Cross Heater more. Peter maurer. We met him here in kabul when he went to visit one of the icrc� s most important and i have to say most hopeful projects, and that is a prosthetics centre, a Rehabilitation Centre here in kabul. We never have to forget that afghanistan is probably the country in the world with the most people disabled, Worldwide. 4 5 of the population lives with disability. This this is a huge number. So here is really the origin, the beginning, and at the same time the most hopeful part of what a humanitarian organisation can do. You speak about hope but you are arriving in afghanistan, where it is starting again, taliban leadership, and many are worried if not fearful. Many afghans tell us that they willjudge the taliban are not by their statements but by their actions. What will be the first actions you will ask of them . Well, in many respects it is the continuation of what we have been able to do in the past. We have seen and you see that it in our programmes, women, girls, men are working alongside, that we have developed social activities in the physical Rehabilitation Centre which are inclusive, where men and women are able to develop. And we have, i think, in the past, found the balance between respecting local traditions, localvalues, and at the same time respect also and give perspectives to rights and to equality, which the international community and rightly so is asking for. It would be even more harmful to let it would be even more harmful to let drop the bridges of conversations that we have been able to conversations that we have been able to establish and which i am nevertheless hope that we can continue to establish. The president can continue to establish. The president of can continue to establish. The president of the can continue to establish. Tie president of the international committee of the red cross, emphasising as so many humanitarian leaders are saying that they got to find a way to work with new taliban leadership, for both sides to understand each other because tens of millions of afghans desperately need some kind of humanitarian assistance. These are the challenges as a new Caretaker Government takes office here in afghanistan. Stay with us on bbc news, still to come a Primordial Rock crashes to earth, turning one Familys Driveway into a scientific landmark. Freedom itself was attacked this morning, and freedom will be defended. The united states will hunt down and punish those responsible. Bishop tutu now becomes spiritual leader of 100,000 anglicans here, of the blacks in soweto township, as well as the whites in their rich suburbs. We say to you today in a loud and a clear voice, enough of blood and tears. Enough. Applause. Translation the difficult | decision we reached together was one that required great and exceptional courage. Its an exodus of up to 60,000 people caused by the uneven pace of political change in eastern europe. Iam free this is bbc world news, the latest headlines frances biggest ever Terrorism Trial is underway. The only surviving assailant from the deadly 2015 Paris Terror attacks claims he is a soldier of the islamic state group. And Ashraf Ghani apologises to the afghan people. The former president says he fled the country to avoid more bloodshed. The united states top covid adviser, dr antony fauci, the memorial to robert E Lee in the city of richmond in virginia the former capital of the confederacy became a focal point during last years black Lives Matter protests. Earlier i spoke to William B gould the first ever black Law Professor at stanford university, who has pieced together the diaries of his Great Grandfather a literate, educated slave who fled to freedom in 1862. I began by asking him to describe the significance of the statue removal. I think it was important because we and the confederacy and the statues, confederate statues that exist throughout the united states, particularly in the south, represent something which is antithetical to the idea of equality, of protection of all people and the united states and highlights the hypocrisy that has continued to prevail on at the Race Issue in the united states. But not all black americans and black rights advocates would agree, i am thinking of marcus bradford, for example, the artist who believed that this is part of american history, and actually what you do need is to have blacks and notices on these to say what has happened. No, we need more. Ithink happened. No, we need more. I think what we have to do is replace it with something that shows the struggles of black people and who fought as William Biegel did, douglas, two small, as they did against the oppressive system. These statues were to promote the oppressive system, justify it and explain it, and we need something to replace that. We dont want to eliminate or obscure the fact that we played this role, any than someone could obscure the fact that hitler ruled germany, but we have to put a focus on the people who fought against the people who fought against the evil system which existed here, and the consequences of that system here in the united states today. I that system here in the united states today. States today. I suppose, a lot of these statues, states today. I suppose, a lot of these statues, because of these statues, because others have been taken down, i think one remains to general Ap Hill who was buried operate beneath it, and they need to sort out where they will put his body, but these statues were often put up several decades after the Civil War. Are you saying this is a reminder of some generational slavery that so many people still feel to this day, as you do, both through your Great Grandfather . I do, both through your greatgrandfather . I think these Statues Greatgrandfather . I think these statues were greatgrandfather . I think these statues were put greatgrandfather . I think these statues were put up| greatgrandfather . I think these statues were put up about 40 these statues were put up about A0 years after, 30 years after The End of the Civil War to justify the so called lost cause, to try and explain it, to paper over the fact that it was designed to preserve slavery, to talk of the language of states rates, and to say that the confederacy have not really pursued an evil cause. Dad began to be more popular and the south in the 18905, it popular and the south in the 1890s, it continued in this century and had a Revival Army had the Rights Movement in the early 1950s. The united states top covid adviser, dr antony fauci, has said a third dose of the Pfizer Coronavirus Vaccine should no longer be seen as a booster, but rather as part of the original dosing plan. It comes after tedros ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization, called on wednesday for rich countries to avoid giving out extra covid jabs until The End of the year, pointing to the millions Worldwide who have yet to receive a single dose. So why is this proving so controversial . With me is our reporter mark lobel. Why is that the case . The reason the head of the World Health Organization is again appealing for rich countries to put off this third dose is because, as you say, he was the first dose is to be rolled out elsewhere. He made his first appeal, actually, last month on the head of the World Health Organizations Health Emergency Programme length and handing out extra vaccines as handing out extra vaccines as handing out lifejackets to as extras while leaving others to drown without a single lifejacket, and this appeal matters now because many european countries, including the uk, are deciding whether to go ahead with these third doses. We do not want to see widespread use of business for healthy widespread use of business for healthy people who are fully vaccinated. We dont want any more vaccinated. We dont want any more promises. We just want the vaccines vaccines. The vaccines. The World Health Organizations argument is that two doses remain effective enough against the severe effects of coronavirus and rather prioritise who have no protection whatsoever. The Delta Variant has shocked a lot of countries however, starting them with these Must Booster campaigns. Looking at the ones already doing that, israel is administering It Anyone over 12, hungary, the first in europe, has a Poster Campaign already. It is eminent in america. Canada, france, and generally have their campaigns under way. When you look at the vaccinations around the world, there is a massive disparity. It is enormous. 5. 5 Billion vaccines have been administered, which is tremendous but they have all gone to 80 of middle or high income countries, and so that is hard economics at play. Of course, those people put the money down to get vaccines, whether they worked or not they are reaping the rewards. The problem for the World Health Organization is this they have a target for all countries vaccinated, 10 of populations vaccinated, 10 of populations vaccinated by The End of this month, A0 by The End of the year. The World Health Organization says not one single low Income Country has reached either of those targets. And it is very much a two part pandemic. 50,000 people have been dying over every week over the past year. The situation is actually getting worse, 70,000 people dying on average over the week each month. We know there are Supply Issues with covax, the scheme that sends the vaccines to the neediest around the world, they had cut their expectation this year, taking off a quarter of what they were expecting to happen. They have also been huge issues with getting countries to send those out, like in india when the institute had to stop exporting because of the virus spreading through india. With all of these different hurdles, the message is, dont go for a third jab at the moment. Thank you very much. They had of the Brazilian Supreme Court has accused bolsonaro of defining rulings of the court. It comes one day after Bolsonaro Talk to people at the independence parade, saying he wouldnt abate the decisions of the judges of the court. Translation ,. , translation the supreme court will not tolerate translation the supreme court will not tolerate Threats Translation the supreme court will not tolerate threats to will not tolerate threats to the authority of its decisions. If there is contempt towards a judicial decisions from those who hold power, this standing represents an attack on democracy, constitutes criminal responsibility to be analysed by the national congress. A painstaking operation has been taking place to remove part of a driveway struck by a meteorite. It came down in an English Town in february. The section of the driveway dented by the Space Rock has now been removed in a lengthy process, so that it can be displayed at the natural History Museum in london. Claire marshall has the story. And the depths of the winter lockdown, something bright came to earth, a blazing Fire Ball from back in a deeper time, landing on a driveway in the cotswolds. It was a Space Rock a. 6 Billion years old. This is material from Rock A. 6 Billion years old. This is materialfrom the Rock A. 6 Billion years old. This is material from the very beginnings of our solar system. The last trace of that extraordinary interstellar journey has been lying here on it that driveway and winchcombe. Today, the painstaking operation to preserve the landing site. They have cut all the tarmac out around whether meteorite landed. You can see how thick it is. Now comes the delicate operation to try and get it out in one piece. It operation to try and get it out in one piece in one piece. It has gone to ian in one piece. It has gone to plan so. In one piece. It has gone to plan so, please, in one piece. It has gone to plan so, please, if in one piece. It has gone to plan so, please, if it in one piece. It has gone to plan so, please, if it was i in one piece. It has gone to plan so, please, if it was inj plan so, please, if it was in three pieces, less please. Please . We can go home now. Smiling please . We can go home now. Smiling it please . We can go home now. Smiling. It looks remarkable, but the clues in this extra terrestrial shadow will help us understand how the planets and life itself were created, a Big Day for the homeowners. They will study this for hundreds of years, literally, and learn a lot from it. Will you keep your eyes to the skies now . Will you keep your eyes to the skies now . � ,. ,. , skies now . Always, always, and will always skies now . Always, always, and will always have skies now . Always, always, and will always have an skies now . Always, always, and will always have an interest skies now . Always, always, and will always have an interest in l will always have an interest in it, because we have been inspired it, because we have been inspired by the scientist that we have inspired by the scientist that we have met, so we always want to keep we have met, so we always want to keep going. Yes. To keep going. Yes, waiting for that next viable. This is the most important and valuable meteorite ever to land in britain. Now, scientists can look into the birth of our solar system. Big day and a new drive for those homeowners as well. Plenty more of that story on our website of course. Hello there. Our short spell of hot weather is coming to an end now. This picture was taken earlier in the night in sussex. This picture was taken during the day on wednesday in the Scottish Borders where temperatures reached 29 celsius, making it the hottest September Day in scotland since 1906. We had temperatures widely 29 celsius in england, into parts of wales as well. The top temperature was recorded at heathrow airport, at 30 celsius. Its very warm overnight as well. These are the temperatures by the Morning Weve got this band of heavy and thundery rain thats continuing to move its way northwards, clearing away quickly from east anglia, moving across northern england. Those downpours ease off for a while as they head into scotland. But, as you can see elsewhere for western areas, those showers break out again more widely, threatening some localised flooding with some thundery downpours. Not as many showers for some Eastern Parts of england, temperatures here making 2a 25 celsius which is warm for the time of year, but its not as hot, of course, as it has been just recently. Those heavy showers, always going to be fewer towards the southeast as we head into the evening, but a few continuing to crack away elsewhere into the evening. As we head into friday as well, theres more showers to come. And the reason the weather is changing and temperatures are dropping is because low pressure is drifting up from the southwest, and its bringing all these downpours as well. So a limited amount of sunshine again on friday, perhaps not quite as many showers or quite as widespread, but still the threat of some thundery ones, bringing some localised flooding. And weve got temperatures typically on Friday Afternoon at around 20 21 celsius not too bad really for this time of year, but quite a change, of course. Heading into the weekend, theres still the potential for some more rain to be affecting northern most parts of scotland. Elsewhere, fewer showers, lighter showers, more places will be dry. Not promising much in the way of sunshine, mind you, and weve got temperatures around 20 21 celsius. So as we head into the weekend, the low pressure thats been bringing the downpours will be moving away. Slightly higher pressure will leave us almost in no mans land, but it does look like it will be turning drier. But before then, weve got temperatures dropping as those downpours arrive. Then, by the time we get into the weekend, itll be much drier, probably a lot of cloud, and dont expect the heat to return. This is bbc news, the headlines the sole surviving suspected gunman from the 2015 Terrorist Attacks in paris has appeared in court at the start of a landmark trial. Salah abdeslam and 19 others are accused of involvement in the coordinated Jihadist Attacks that killed 130 people. The former Afghan President , Ashraf Ghani, has broken his silence to explain why he fled the country when the taliban took over kabul more than three weeks ago. In a statement on social media, he said he left to avoid widespread violence in the capital. Anti racism activists have celebrated the removal of a controversial statue of a Confederate General in the us. The memorial to robert E Lee in the city of richmond in virginia became a focal point during last years black Lives Matter protests. Now on bbc news, hardtalk