this is bbc news. i'm ben bland. our top stories: devastating floods kill more than 300 people in the indian state of kerala. prime minister modi makes an emergency visit. funeral preparations for victims of the genoa bridge collapse. the search goes on for five people still missing. in just a few hours, pakistan's former cricket captain, imran khan, will be sworn in as the country's new prime minister. and we talk to a woman held as sex slave by the islamic state group who came face to face with her former captor in germany. hello and welcome to bbc news. the indian government says nearly 900 people have died since the start of the monsoon in june. the worst affected state is kerala, where more than 300 deaths

have been recorded. it's the region's most damaging monsoon season in a century. with more rain forecast over the coming days, emergency workers are scrambling to reach thousands of people who remain cut off by landslides. india's national disaster rescue force has sent several teams from other regions to help. kerala's main airport remains closed and supplies are said to be running low in hospitals and petrol stations across the state. these teams are engaged in medical first response and their tackling the situations arising out of landslides, building collapse, and assisting the state administration, distributing relief materials over there. the bbc‘s yogita limaye reports from there. forced out of their homes by the floods, people are walking miles to safety. escaping surging water that has swallowed everything in its path. for many, this is the only way out.

this pregnant woman was among several airlifted in kerala. she delivered just a short while later. dozens of helicopters are pulling out as many as they can. but tens of thousands are still stuck. the monsoon always brings heavy rainfall to kerala, but this year is different. translation: after 36 years, it is the first time that such flooding is happening here. it is a disaster for the whole population. shelters have been set up wherever possible. locals are volunteering, cooking food and distributing supplies to people who have been left homeless. this is a public school which has been converted into a shelter. there are about 200 people here. the men are asleep in this room behind me. and the women are across on the other side. butjust behind this school is a river that is already quite close to breaching its banks. so, if it continues raining here, no—one quite knows for how long even this place will remain safe. cochin airport, the busiest in kerala, is unrecognisable. its runway resembles a river.

the government has been forced to open dam gates. and people are bracing themselves for worse. there is more rainfall expected. randeep kumar rana is from the indian disaster response force. earlier he told us about the scale of the emergency operation and urged people to stay in their homes. around 55 teams, as well as many columns from the army, state disaster response force, navy, they are trying to reach out to the maximum number of people day in and day out. 0n boats, they have rounded up people to go to the areas. we are trying to evacuate as many people who need to get

evacuated and whose houses are flooded, and those people who are staying in safe houses, whose houses are double story houses, we are telling them to stay put in their houses, and not try to come out to a safe places. we understand the need for provisioning, water, vegetables, medicines, and our teams are equipped with medical officers and paramedics, and trying to take the necessary provisionings to the people in their houses. as of now, things would definitely start improving from tonight onwards. the rains will subside. tomorrow onwards, there will be some rains across the state, but the intensity of the rains

will be much lesser. it will be lesser than half of it was today or a few days in the past. and things in the state would definitely start improving from tomorrow onwards. therefore our request to the people is to please continue to stay put in your safe houses where there is no floodwater and as far as necessary provisioning is concerned, we understand the need for water and vegetables and medicines. 0ur teams are trying their best to provide these necessities. devendra tak, head of communications at save the children india told us more. we know that children have specific needs in these circumstances. we understand that these children need to have food

and to have adequate protection, particularly because the families might get separated during these times. and children are unlike adults in that they depend on others to support them, with food, clothes, and protection. and we also need to ensure that education is restored very quickly. as you know in a crisis like these, sometimes schools are temporary relief centres so that puts education to a standstill. so save the childen, we try to launch a child friendly space, a temporary space where it will have secure personnel who can look after children and ensure their evacuation and learning continues in a safe environment. so education and protection of children is something that we want to look at carefully. something you see in india and around the world in such crises, we can give expert advice. when we reach the ground tomorrow, one of my colleagues will be dealing exclusively with the state

authorities to find out how we can support them in their assessment and in providing support to the work they do. but the onus is on the government to reach out, and we can provide models which we have carried out in the past and hope to replicate them, keeping in mind our priority is for children, and children have a specific needs, as we know. we have friends, luckily, through social media, who have been showing us videos of where they live. they have been living in kerala all their lives and have never seen anything like this, their homes completely surrounded by water. kerala has a rich monsoon year, but this one has broken all records. it is the biggest flood in 100 years in kerala. so it will be a daunting task for everybody involved to make sure that speedy relief is provided

to those people who need it, and especially those who are in most remote locations and are hardest to get. to reach them first is our priority. let's get some of the day's other news. the judge in the trial of president trump's former campaign manager paul manafort says he has received threats over the case, and is being guarded by us marshals. the jury in alexandria, virginia is currrently in its second day of deliberations. judge ts ellis said he would not release the names of the jurors to the media, because he was worried about their "peace and safety". spain's king felipe and prime minister pedro sanchez have attended a ceremony in barcelona to remember the victims of a terror attack on the city which happened exactly a year ago. 16 people were killed when a van ploughed into pedestrians on the popular boulevard, las ramblas. the value of the turkish lira has fallen again following warnings from washington of further sanctions against turkey's detention of an american pastor, andrew brunson. at one point the lira lost as much as 9% against the dollar. funerals have been held for some of those who died

when a major road bridge collapsed in genoa in northern italy. the government had offered state funerals, but fewer than half of the families accepted the offer. anger towards the authorities has been growing — because of claims the structure had not been properly maintained for years. from genoa, james reynolds reports. amid the heavy machinery and the tons of rubble, the search for survivors sometimes comes down to a single voice. "anybody there?" shouts a rescuer. there is no reply. but they will keep going for a while longer. it's difficult to say we will finish tomorrow, but i can tell you that probably in a couple of days we should finish. but it is really depending on how we can remove all the debris. parts of the operation are extremely delicate. here, firefighters reversed a truck abandoned right next to the edge

of the collapse. professor antonio brencich is on the official investigation commission. before he was appointed, he told me that the original engineer's bridge design was flawed. he made some decisions that produced a bridge, a new bridge, different from the others. the attempt to find a new way, a new structure orform, failed. it failed? it failed, si. this is the result of that collapse. this afternoon, the families of the dead gathered around their coffins. in the morning, the victims will be given a state funeral. some families have chosen not to take part in the official ceremonies. instead, they are holding private burials elsewhere in italy.

and, once all the ceremonies are over, the bitter arguments about the collapse of this bridge may re—intensify. james reynolds, bbc news, genoa. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: the scars of war and the road to recovery — how art is helping veterans deal with memories of conflict. washington, the world's most political city, is today assessing the political health of the world's most powerful man. indeed, i did have a relationship with miss lewinsky that was not appropriate. in fact, it was wrong. in south africa, 97 people have been killed today, in one of the worst days of violence between rival black groups. over the last ten days, 500 have died. chanting: czechoslovakia must be free! russia is observing a national day of mourning for the 118 submariners

who died on board the kursk. we're all with them now, within our hearts. the pope has celebrated mass before a congregation of more than 2.5 million people, in his hometown of krakow. "stay with us, stay with us," chanted this ocean of humanity. "well, well," joked the pope, "so you want me to desert rome?" this is bbc news, the latest headlines: the southern indian state of kerala is facing the worst floods in 100 years, according to its chief minister. more than 300 people have been killed, most of them in the past few days. a state funeral for some of the people killed in the genoa bridge collapse will take place later on saturday. rescuers are still searching for five people thought to be missing. it is a journey that has taken 22

years, but on friday the former captain of the pakistan cricket team, imran khan, was elected by parliament as the country's prime minister. his pti party gained the most seats in last month's elections, and he will be formally sworn into office in a ceremony on saturday. secunder kermani has been looking at some of the challenges he will face in office. imran... cheers for pakistan's next prime minister, but alongside them, angry chants from his rivals. they continued as he gave a fiery speech promising action against corrupt politicians. translation: those who stole the future of our children while in power, those who stole money and took it abroad, i will hold them all accountable. imran khan has promised to create a new pakistan, improving education and healthcare for ordinary people.

the country faces real challenges, amongst them the highest rate of newborn infant mortality in the world. a lack of facilities and trained staff are amongst the main causes. this government hospital in islamabad is better resourced the most, but they struggle to keep up with demand, with patients travelling from more remote regions. many a time, we are short of beds in the neonatal intensive care. we are short of beds in the paediatric intensive care. at the level of intensive care facilities, we need a lot of additional resources. does that mean sometimes you have to turn people away? yes, obviously. healthcare spending in pakistan has been far below international guidelines. if imran khan's new government wants to give these children a better chance in life, it will take both investment and reform. but the country's poor economic situation means he will only have limited funds available. manufacturing has been one of pakistan's main sources of income.

this company produces 600 million pairs of socks every year for some of the world's best—known brands. but, at the moment, imports are vastly outstripping exports and the country needs a loan of around $12 billion, making plans to increase spending difficult. for mr khan to sort of expand his budget for social protection or social safety nets, at least — it'll be difficult to do it in the first two years, at least. there has to be some belt—tightening, some fiscal discipline that has to go there. 0utside parliament, even the policemen ate the celebratory sweets. imran khan's supporters have high expectations of what he can deliver. with only a slim majority in parliament, he will have to do his best to live up to them. secunder kermani, bbc news, islamabad. a teenager who was sold into slavery by the islamic state group

in northern iraq has described her horror after escaping to germany, only to come face to face with her former captor. ashwaq ali, who's 19, is part of the yazidi religious group, which was persecuted by is. she now says she can't live in germany, and has returned to iraq. 0ur chief international correspondent, lyse doucet, has the story. this is home now for ashwaq ali — a yazidi camp, a far cry from the german city which once gave her refuge, where she says she came face—to—face with the islamic state fighter who enslaved her. translation: i went to the supermarket for lunch, and on the way back to school, a car pulled up next to me. he was sitting in the front seat. he talked to me in german and asked, "are you ashwaq?" i was so scared, i was shaking. i said, "no, who are you?"

"i know you're ashwaq, and i am abu humam," he replied. and then he started to talk to me in arabic, and told me not to lie to him. "i know you," he said, "and where you live, and who you live with". he knew everything about my life in germany. were you scared? translation: of course i was scared, and it's impossible for anyone to understand, who hasn't lived through it. i'm telling the truth, and i'm not the only one. i've heard about lots of other yazidi girls who've been confronted by their former is captors, even in stuttgart. ashwaq's photos from more carefree days in germany. police there told us she did come to them with a detailed description of the man. they still haven't been able to confirm his identity with certainty. what convinces you

it was your captor? translation: i recognised his voice very well. even if 1,000 years had gone by, i would have recognised that voice, and that face. i would have recognised him anywhere. he was with us 2a hours a day, beating us and watching us. that's why i know it was him. ashwaq's entire family is still haunted by islamic state. her father tells us of dozens of relatives still missing, all captured by is — so many, their pictures couldn't fit on this board. translation: our hearts will stay heavy. we don't want to return home to sinjar until we know what has happened to them. we can't face living in iraq anymore. we're broken. we have been sold and raped. lyse doucet, bbc news, in northern iraq. for many, losing weight

involves cutting carbs, but new research from the us suggests that's the wrong approach. the study has gone further, concluding that people who eliminate foods like pasta, potatoes and bread from their diets could reduce life expectancy by four years. here's chi chi izundu. this is the kind of carbohydrate—heavy food that for years has had a bad reputation when it comes to our diets. low—carb, high—carb, just meat, pla nt—based, sugar—free — there are so many different pieces of advice on what is best to eat. but a new study of more than 15,000 people over 25 years suggests that cutting carbs altogether could increase the risk of an early death. when people think of carbohydrates, they might think of foods like this, and this report is saying that those who substitute their carbohydrates for more meat isn't the best option. in fact, what they would rather you did was substitute it for more nutritious carbohydrates, so effectively eating more fruit and vegetables.

researchers of the report say people who consume very small amounts of carbohydrates will have a life expectancy of around 79 years. those who only focus really on foods like breads, potatoes and cereals will have a life expectancy of around 82 years. but those who eat between 50%—55% of carbohydrates in their diet, that's the healthiest, could expect to live to about 83. carbs are good for us. it's really about making the most of getting a balanced diet, with everything in moderation, lots of colour. that's the key. the findings of this study did rely on people's self—reporting, remembering the amount of carbohydrates they were eating, and that is something those who are conscious of what they are putting inside their bodies also keep an eye on. i watch my carbs a little, yeah. but i don't restrict myself a lot, because i like pasta too much, i like bread.

ijust like to keep an eye to see what i'm putting into my body, and just keep an eye, really. i don't watch them. i think it should be about balance. so as long as you've got a little bit of everything, if your body is craving something, it's for a reason. so you've just got to listen to what your body is telling you, and that's the healthiest way to be. the report also supports the advice of public health england, which suggests starchy carbohydrates should form the main components of a healthy diet. the overall message is there is a sweet spot of consumption levels for all nutrients. eating too much or too little will be damaging. chi chi izundu, bbc news. dozens of injured british veterans who are using art to help them cope with their experiences of the war are having their work displayed at a special exhibition in london. the charity help for heroes is mounting the event to showcase how personal battles against post—traumatic stress, depression and the anxiety of combat are being won. colleen harris has the story. i couldn't walk very well. i was in a wheelchair at the time. i was emotionally numb back then, in 2014.

but i went into the art room, and we sat down and we was asked to have a go at drawing. i'm sure, if you spoke to my wife, she'd tell you that it's calmed me down quite a bit. the scars of war, immortalised in the art of soldiers. this is a road to recovery of an artistic kind. my name's tom stimpson. i served 26 years in the royal air force, and i'm now an artist. and that release, of being able to put down on paper something that may be traumatic to talk about — i mean, it still causes emotion now, but it's being able to recognise it. i think, back then, i couldn't even recognise it. i was so numb from coming back. 0nce discharged from the military and back to their families, isolation can kick in, so channelling trauma through talent is helping some veterans to adjust. i'm kevin preston.

i served with the 1st battalion coldstream guards. i found it very difficult when i left. i couldn't handle civilian life at the time, and i hit the drink really hard. i'm in constant pain, ‘cause i've had four spinal operations on my back, and i've had one on my neck, and i also suffered a stroke. but when i'm painting, sometimes it takes my mind off it, and i tend to forget about it. it is notjust visual art, it is poetry as well. 0ne brief moment in history is where this began... for corporal mark beckham, it is healing through words, but the memories linger. you're precious to me, like a bright, shining pearl. i'll neverforget you, my little kosovo girl. colleen harris, bbc news. the funeral of legendary soul singer aretha franklin will be held on august 31st in detroit, the city where she grew up. while the funeral will be a private ceremony, fans will be able to pay their respects at an open—casket viewing for two days beforehand.

meanwhile, dozens of fans have been to the motown museum in detroit to leave personal messages in remembrance of aretha franklin. the mood there was upbeat — people first queuing, then dancing, as they filled books with notes of gratitude to the singer. now to space. astronomers says they have identified some of the oldest galaxies in the universe, and they are right on our cosmic doorstep. scientists analysed various galaxies and found one particular group of stars and planets, close to the milky way, appeared different from the others. researchers from the universities of durham in the uk and harvard in america used computer simulations, like this one, to study the stars. they believe the galaxy was one of the first to be formed after the big bang around 13 billion years ago. now, could this australian nurse you are about to cb the world's strongest woman? —— about to see be

the world's. she has become the second woman ever to lift two massive boulders weighing a whopping 332 kilograms in scotland. they are said to be named after a legendary scottish strongman who carried on his bare hands in 1860. only a few dozen men and one other women have managed to lift them since locals revive the tradition and 1950s. that is one way to spend a weekend. see you soon. hello there. this weekend, again, we look to the atlantic to see where our weather is coming from. we're going to add into the mix, just for good measure, the remnants of an old tropical storm. it will feel quite humid out there this weekend. for many it will be dry on saturday, more rain for some on sunday. there was a fair bit of dull, damp, cool and wet weather across some parts of the country on friday. a lot of that has moved through. this area of low pressure, though, contains remnants of tropical storm ernesto, to arrive in the second half of the weekend. still got some rain on that weather front there, though. that is strung out across central

and southern scotland, the north of northern ireland, perhaps the north—west of england too. south of that, though, we're going to find it probably dry, sunshine at times, the best of which is likely to be in the south—east. temperatures likely to hit the mid—20s or so. north of our band of cloud, patchy, light rain and drizzle. northern scotland, after a windy start, should be dry with some sunshine. here comes ernesto, though. don't have to worry about the strength of the winds. it's more the rain. it'll be quite heavy for a while as it moves over the irish sea, into southern scotland, northern ireland and wales. 0vernight, once again those temperatures no lower than 17 degrees, but across some areas, some heavy rains on sunday — central and southern scotland, northern england and wales. as the rain makes its way eastwards into the midlands, it becomes lighter, temperatures into the mid—20s. improvements in the weather in northern ireland. slightly cooler, fresher, but still cool weather in the far north of scotland, with some sunshine. so we see the remnants of tropical storm ernesto bringing a spell of rain during the second half of the weekend. it moves away into southern parts of scandinavia by monday, and things calm down just a little. a very flat ridge of high pressure, still a lot of cloud coming in from the atlantic,

and developing through the day. the odd shower perhaps up towards the west. patchy light rain and drizzle in the north and west of the uk, but 21 degrees likely in belfast, and 25 or 26 in london and the south—east. that's our monday. as we look further ahead, we still have higher pressure across the south. it's not a dominant high, by any means, and a string of fronts arriving in the north—west, but very late on in the day on tuesday. ahead of that, increasing cloud perhaps, but some sunshine for a while, and the odd shower in scotland and for northern ireland and england. a dry day, a bit more sunshine around as well, and those temperatures more widely into the mid—20s across east anglia and the south—east. the number is not changing too much for scotland and northern ireland. the weather fronts that arrive in the north—west push southwards. there won't be much

rain on them at all. but a north—westerly breeze by thursday could drop the temperatures just a little. this is bbc news. the headlines: ina the indian prime minister, narendra modi, has arrived union right it they will they are —— the indian prime minister, narendra modi, has arrived in the southern state of kerala to see the devastation caused by the worst floods there in a century. weeks of rain have triggered landslides and floods killing more than 300 people. a state funeral for some of the victims of the genoa bridge collapse will take place in the city later on saturday. 38 people are known to have been killed with the search for another five continuing. the government has begun action against the motorway management

company. the former cricket international, imran khan, will be sworn in as prime minister of pakistan in a few hours' time. he won last month's election on a pledge to fight corruption and to lift millions out of poverty.