♪ ♪ narrator: funding for this presentation of this program is provided by... woman: architect. bee keeper. mentor. a raymond james financial advisor tailors advice to help you live your life. life well planned. narrator: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. by judy and peter blum kovler foundation; pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs.

and by contributions to this pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. announcer: and now, "bbc world news". ♪ anchor: i am iwashington. this is bbc world news america. anguish and frustration for western troops trying to keep order and frighten afghans trying to flee the taliban. >> how long have you been waiting? >> 5:00. still i'm waing here. the last three days, -- >> you entered a hotel even though the embassy told you to come here? >> yeah. anchor: president biden bows to get all americans out of afghanistan as well as afghans that helped the u.s.. pres. biden: the logistics of

evacuation, as we coinue to work on, we are making sure civilians have safe passage to the airport. anor: a town in morning in haiti. part of the island were last week's earthquake has left trauma. >> here he go again, my, my, how can i resist you? anchor: keeping busy during an unwanted intermission, the cast of mama mia found themselves working odd jobs during lockdown. they are now ready to bit -- get back on stage. ♪ anchor: hello. welcome to world news america on pbs and around the globe. we're drawing to the end of a seismic week for the people of afghanistan and those who have served their during america's 20 year military involvement.

evacuation flights are continuing from the international airport at kabul with nato officials saying 18,000 people have been airlifted out since the taliban took over. many more people are desperately trying to escape. our afghanistan correspondt and cameraman with us here have this report from kabul. correspondent: panic and chaos close to kabul airport. british soldiers guarding a secure compound for those being evacuated. british passport holders in the crowded desperately trying to get through. like this uber driver from west london. >> how long have you been here waiting? >> 5:00. still i'm waiting here in the last three days, i'm trying to do -- >> you entered the hotel?

even though the embassy told you to come here? >> yeah. correspondent: even more distressing scenes at the main entrance to the compound. british soldiers trying to keep the trap -- crowd back. this is a scene of coto test total and honor chaos. many people here do not have permission to board and evacuation plight but they are so desperate they turn up here anyway. that is makingt difficult for those who have been told to come here by the british embassy to get through. amongst those trapped by the crowd, his former british army interpreter, his wife giving birth two weeks ago and he is deeply worried about the baby. >> maybe she is not good. she is not good, my wife. >> you can't stay here. >> i can't stay here.

look at this. after now, i am here since the morning. the taliban last me on the back. correspondent: most people here are in a state of total confusion. they do not know how they can. they just want to leave the country before the evacuation flights and. >> what makes youhink you will be able to travel? this woman says she was a player of the national basketball team. >> i'm so scared. my life is in danger. correspondent: as the day goes on, some of those who are meant to be here eventually get through including the family with a young baby. many others are still struggling . even more who want to leave but can't will be left behind. anchor: that is the scene on the

ground here in washington. president biden has been putting a brave face on a very difficult situation. the administration's withdrawal has been met by fierce criticism on both sides of the aisle. at the white house, he deflected those concerns and focused on evacuation efforts for americans and their afghan allies. pres. biden: we will do everything that we can to provide safe evacuation for afghan allies, partners, and afghans who might be targeted because of their association to the united states. let me be clear. any american who wants to come home, we will get you home. anchor: for more, we can bring in the bbc's barbara. thank you for joining us. why did mr. biden hold this press conference? who he is he trying to reach? barbara: because the evacuation is chaotic and the images on the ground are so deference -- desperate, he wanted to make the

case for the administration to explain what was going on it, to defend it, to say there is something being achieved at a difficult circumstance. of course, he has been criticized on both sides of the aisle in washington but his audience was voters, the american public, the people he was speaking to, and the military. he praised them a lot in the speech and many military are angry and demoralized about how all of this is coming to an and especially feeling they are abandoning their allies. anchor: is he on me solid footing after this press conference? barbara: with americans, may be. he made a strong pledge to make sure all americans come out. he would do whatever it would take and he made sure the taliban knew that. with afghan allies, perhaps, because he made a stronger commitment not to abandon them once the americans are out there. he was more equocal earlier. with credits probably not because he didn't admit to mistakes and planning and they wanted to do things like

extending the perimeter around the airport. he did not do that. they wted him to extend -- clearly extend his self-imposed deadline at the end of the month for his operation. he did not do that but he has not ruled that out. anchor: thank you so much. president den has also insisted that his country's credibility had not been damaged by the events of the past week. the former secretary-general of nato has accused the u.s. of weakening the alliance by walking away from afghanistan without consulting its allies. he told bbc it was a shameful and for nato's afghan mission. he is the former u.n. ambassador to afghanistan and joins me now. thank you for joining us. what about that statement by mr. biden saying u.s. allies are not questioning the u.s.'s credibility? do you agree? ambassador: i think all nato countries are experiencing

exactly the same chaos. i see this in other countries. this chaos is almost inevitable because we have so many thousands and thousands trying to reach the airport and cannot get in. they see this huge aircraft passing over their heads and of course, trying to reach the planes as quickly as they can. i think chaos -- anchor: you don't think it could've been handled in a better way? ambassador: that is pole. i'm not on the ground but i think it is very hard and complicated and dangerous situation during the evacuation process. anchor: let me turn to a piece you call -- i was reading at the beginning of august when you wrote it, saying we cannot stand by and watch afghanistan collapse, calling on the u.n. to act. is it now too late for the u.n. to get involved? ambassador: we have to be

involved. we have to remain on the ground in my view. depending on what kind of governments --governance you see emerging from the discussions taking place. the u.n. cannot play the useful and important role in the stabilization, etc. i hope we will remain on the ground but if you look back, i would like to have a much more vigorous role when it comes to initiating a peace process after much too long and the u.n. has not been as forward leaning as i would've hoped it would be. anchor: ambassador, udc what is unfolding. you talked about the chaos and you have watched the taliban closely. interesting to look back on your comments from 10 years ago. what can the international community do in real, practical terms to moderate their behavior

now, particularly toward women and girls? ambassador: that is exactly what the worry is. [indiscernible] those two aspects are in danger and you could see a series in both respects. we have the support. if you'd like the women and girls there, we have encouraged and financed and mentored and inspired women to become activists and fight for the rights. now we have to do what they -- we can to support them and have to take care of those in danger when it comes to freedom of expression. about 100 media outlets so far have been closed. some are discussing brother to relocate out of the country. --whether to relocate out of the country. were taking a lot of people in the united states and canadians

are doing the same. we europeans have to understand there is a shared responsibility and we have to assess it. take care of those in danger. anchor: i understand, ambassador. at some of that will be about getting people out of the country as well as helping those that remain within a. ambassador, thank you so much. ambassador: thank you. anchor: it has been nearly a week since a powerful earthquake hit southwest haiti and are still some areas that have yet to receive any help 2000 people have died. james claydon reports from the small town were entire parish is in morning. -- mourning. james: you have to take the coastal load to get to the town. it snaked through a river.

this is what is left of the town's church. a mass christening was about to begin for the earthquake struck. the church had been filling up with people. her daughter was one of the dozens of children to be christened that day. >> the church already had a lot of people inside so i was looking for a good place to sit. i put my bag down and just as i was about to sit down, the earthquake struck. everyone started running. but each side of the church was full of people. i was holding my baby. i tried to get out of the front. i was so nearly out and that is when it collapsed on me. anchor: she suffered injuries to her head, back, and legs but survived. her daughter esther died in her arms. >> we were inseparable when we

went to the church. i came back alone. i will never forget her. james: this is a town still in mourning. 22 died and the collapse, including many children. it shows us belongings laid out in the cemetery across the street including a christening bell as yet uncollected. sometimes, i asked myself, does not exist, he says. it is too much. it is too much. nearly a week after the earthquake and the true scale of the devastation is still revealing itself. that is why it is feared the death toll here could rise further. some help has started to arrive, desperately needed food and clothes. this earthquake has turned communities upside down. trauma that may never heal.

anchor: james has now made his way to the capital of port-au-prince and is able to join us now. thank you so much. those scenes are devastating that you brought us all week. i am just wondering whether today, is there any improvement for the people you've encountered that you are seeing? james: i haven't seen any change particularly. eight is trickling in but getting to the village, i am waiting to see anybody. there was one church handing out aid but other than that nothing. the main artery, it should be a hive of activity. there was nothing today there. there was one u.n. helicopter and there was one middle sized aner. that was it. we spoke to a pilot. it is a bottleneck in port-au-prince. at the airport today, there wasn't much activity there either. there is a big desperation and frustration here that not more food hasn't come, metals --

medical supplies haven't come, and it is due to rain. lots of people don't have basic shelter. it is a pretty desperate situation and a lot of people are wondering whether any help will come at all. has there been? anchor: a response from the international community setting and the coming 12 or 24 hours, x will arive? james: absolutely. one of the issues is the government here has announced the president was assassinated last month and people do not trust ngos here after the 2010 earthquake where they covered themselves with glory. a little bit of confusing on the ground. people know who should be doing what and what the result of that is. people on the ground actually need to help but are getting it. anchor: james, thank you so much . those pictures, i have to say, what people are living through this week in something.

with the recent history, so difficult as well. you're watching bbc worl news america. still to come on tonight's program. last month's protest in cuba opened a window into dissent on the island nation. it will take a look at what has happened to notice. ♪ -- take a look at what has happened to those. ♪ anchor: new zealand's government is extending a nationwide lockdown until midnight on tuesday. 14 new cases have been recorded in the past 24 hours. our correspondent has more.y the correspondent: new zealand will remain under the strictest lockdown roles. level four lockdown until tuesday. it was meant to end today but this cluster started and is going beyond that. 11 cases have been reported. contact tracers -- contact tracers are saying they need to

get a handle on exposure signs and see where the delta variant is spreading. so investigate 12 mystery cases. we have heard from the prime minister, the country is in a od position for the stage of

th hello i asked the police why he was being held anywhere. he wouldn't ll me.

she began to publicly call cuba in dictator ship, was arrested and is facing charges. many families say there were tried with no lawyer. today, order has been restored in cuba via an ominous and constant security presence. >> after the pressure building provides corrupted here, something fundamental appears to have shifted in human society. a combination of fear and respect for the authorities perhaps weekend -.

- weakened. that is driven by in large part exhaustion with the government's inability to meet their needs. />> the site of disenfranchised young people demanding an end to communism with this government's worst nightmare. the crackdown on the -- and waited people further unless things improve soon. the authorities know there will be more calls for change ahead.

will grant, bbc news havana. anchor: bought right to the west end, theater productions for gearing back up but it has been a long year a a half performers. many of them ought to find a way to feel their time and pay their bills. david has been smoking to a group of people who find themselves facing a career change. the cast of the west end musical, mia.

-a little musical local bird david dennis to his daily care. care agency was looking for staff. i thought i wanted to contribute and do something. i cannot just sit around. number three has been out on the right.

--- i am only doing this for something to do as well. >> i year in which life was completely transformed. david: it also means farewell to mr. dennis. stephen's unexpected pandemic career. we were the only people that our clients sought for weeks and weeks andcareer.

>> care, music, friendship. it bbc news wonderful stories by david. if, mia is not enough to our lives heading into the weekend, i have another for you. a giant rubber duck with joy written across it has popped up in belfast harbor in way denies or does it say they had nothing to do with the. whoever put it there in a bright, yellow floating down the harbor, we want to say thank you to them. remember you can find more about the daisies on our road site. you can find us on social media.

we would love to hear from you. thanks for watching. narrator: funding for this presentation of this program is provided by... narrator: financial services firm, raymond james. narrator: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. by judy and peter blovlefoundation; pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. and by contributions to this pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. ♪ ♪ narrator: you're watching pbs. ♪ da-da-da-duh-da-da-da♪ ♪ da-da-da-da-da-da ♪♪

flights out stop and start again as president biden pledges that every american and every afghan ally will be evacuated. then, the mask battle. despite soaring levels of new covid cases in florida, school officials confront a backlash to their face cover mandates. >> they made a decision to protect our kids, to protect our teachers, to protect our community as a whole. >>