this is bbc news, i'm james reynolds. our top stories: as india hits 4 million coronavirus cases, experts warn the pandemic there could spiral out of control. lebanon marks a month since the explosion that destroyed large parts of beirut, killing nearly 200 people. the former australian prime minister tony abbott is appointed as a trade adviser to the uk, despite critics describing him as a misoygynist and a climate change denier. and barcelona superstar lionel messi changes his mind over leaving barcelona — he says he doesn't want to drag the spanish club into court.

india has now registered four million cases of coronavirus. the country is currently recording almost 82,000 new cases per day — that's a five—day rolling average — compared with nearly a4,000 in brazil and just under 40,000 in the united states. but while india's struggle with the pandemic continues, it could also be part of the solution, as our correspondent yogita limaye reports from mumbai. another day on the covid frontline, with no end in sight. the doctor who sent us this video has been treating critical patients for months now. he's had to tell dozens of families their loved ones have died. exhaustion is beginning to wear india's doctors down. a few weeks ago, it had seemed as though the capital was coping with the pandemic. but once again now, resources are falling short. now we are seeing

a second surge which is notjust in delhi but from smaller towns around delhi. those we are not able to provide the life—support systems will die. if we have to, if we reach a point like that, that is what worries me, that is what distresses all of us as doctors. this 42—year—old succumbed to covid earlier this week. he died in pune, a relatively smaller city which is now the worst affected in india. his family says there's a shortage of facilities. "if an ambulance had been available to take him to a critical care hospital, my brother would have been alive," his sister says. india's doing more than a million tests a day, but that's not been enough to curb the spread. another lockdown is not an option for an economy already in turmoil. the government has been highlighting that the number of deaths in india, compared to the size of its population, is lower than other countries badly hit.

so far, there are only speculative theories about why that might be the case, and the thing is, even at a low death rate, if the virus continues to spread, that still means hundreds of thousands of indian lives are at risk. and so all eyes are on a vaccine — and india could be a big part of the global solution. this is a factory of the world's biggest vaccine maker. including 0xford—astrazeneca's covishield, it's already producing tens of millions of doses of five covid vaccines each month. 70% of the world's vaccine capacity is from india... i asked the company's chief executive when a vaccine might be ready. it takes three to five years normally to make a vaccine, and we're all rushing it. well, i think in about two and a half to three months, there will be vaccines licensed. will they be the best vaccines? i don't know.

even if the vaccine is a success, inoculating more than a billion people will need a lot of time and money. let's get some of the day's other coronavirus news. borisjohnson has insisted that the uk is for the most part "proceeding as one" on coronavirus travel restrictions, despite the home nations imposing different rules on people returning from portugal and parts of greece. wales and scotland have asked arrivals to isolate for 14 days — england and northern ireland have not. new zealand says a man infected with covid—i9 has died — the first such death in the country since may. the country's health officials said the patient, who was in his 50s, was being treated for the infection in an intensive care unit. he's the 23rd person to have died with the coronavirus in new zealand since the beginning of the pandemic. meanwhile france says it has reported nearly 9,000 new confirmed coronavirus cases on friday, setting an all—time high of daily additional infections since the start

of the pandemic. french authorities say the number of covid—i9 patients hospitalised for the disease has also gone up for the sixth day running, at over 4,500. the world health organization says it doesn't expect widespread vaccination against coronavirus until the middle of next year. a spokeswoman urged countries not to "sit there waiting for a vaccine". in a briefing to journalists, margaret harris said rigorous checks would be needed on any vaccine‘s effectiveness and safety. rescuers in beirut have been digging through the rubble of last month's massive explosion, after a scanner suggested someone could still be alive in the wreckage. one month ago today, a fire in a warehouse led to a devastating blast which killed nearly 200 people and left tens of thousands more without homes. 0ur correspondent 0rla guerin has sent this report from beirut.

probing for signs of life deep in the rubble. a specialist team from chile probing deep inside the rubble. 0n on thursday morning they picked up on thursday morning they picked up what seemed to be breath sounds, and for two days they have been searching. painstaking work, much of it done by hand, clawing away at a ruin that could collapse any second. the dust and debris being sucked out to clear a pathway to the second floor, the focus of the search. the work is continuing here hour after hour, they are trying to lift away the rubble with extreme care, and they are still trying to work their way down through about five layers of concrete. some local people have been here right through the night, unwilling to leave, hoping that today of all days, a survivor might be found. the

lebanese filmmaker — make this lebanese filmmaker — make this lebanese filmmaker — make this lebanese filmmaker was one of them, she could not tear of away. we want to believe in the miracle. ijust away. we want to believe in the miracle. i just wanted away. we want to believe in the miracle. ijust wanted to come, it was an instinctive reaction to just it was an instinctive reaction tojust come it was an instinctive reaction to just come and see and hope... because this, i think, we are all holding onto small ray of light. after everything that has happened to us. this was the signal to call for com plete was the signal to call for complete silence. so rescuers could scan again for signs of life. but late this afternoon, they could no longer detect any breathing. hopes of a miracle we re breathing. hopes of a miracle were fading as lebanon approached 18.0 6pm local time, the moment of the blast one month ago. church bells told me they report to honour the dead

—— tolled. some sit in silence remembering lost colleagues. 0thers stood with ropes in their hands, a nurse for the entire political leadership here. —— noose. the former australian prime minister tony abbott has been appointed as an unpaid trade adviser to the uk government. it comes after days of pressure to rethink the plan, over allegations of mr abbott's potential misogyny and homophobia. 0ur political correspondent ben wright has more. tony abbott recently flew into the uk to meet ministers and face flak about his possible appointment as a trade adviser here. but, today, borisjohnson trumpeted mr abbott's credentials. this is a guy who was elected by the people of the great liberal democratic nation of australia. and you've been to australia — it's an amazing country, it's a freedom—loving country, it's a liberal country. um...there you go, i think that speaks for itself. yes, i've had some discussions

with members of the british government... the confirmation of mr abbott's appointment as an unpaid trade adviser comes after he was given a rough ride by a committee of mps earlier this week. in 2012, you said that men are, "by physiology or temperament, "more adapted than women to exercise authority "or to issue command." look, i'm not sure that i ever did say that. tony abbott is from the right of australia's raucous politics. ditch the witch! a climate change sceptic, who spoke at this rally, mr abbott incurred the wrath of his political opponents for his reported views of women. he wants to know what misogyny looks like in modern australia. he doesn't need a motion in the house of representatives, he needs a mirror. and here it is not only labour mps who have spoken out on mr abbott. he is a misogynist, he has

a poor record on lgbtq rights, and ijust don't and i just don't think this is a man who should be anywhere near oui’ a man who should be anywhere near our board of trade. but he will be on the advisory group. the brexit—focused government have decided that his experience cutting trade deals for australia trumps complaints about the man's character. it's the news that barcelona fans had been praying for — 10 days after saying he wanted to leave the club, lionel messi says he's now staying. arguably the world's greatest ever footballer, he told the website goal.com no—one could pay the 700 million euro release clause in his contract, and he didn't want to take the club he loves to court.

he did not look particularly happy. with me is our reporter paul hawkins. i suppose we have all had that moment where we have wanted to storm out of a job and then thought the paperwork is more complicated and had to skulk back, is that what is going on? that is it in a nutshell really, i have had enough, i have done everything i can at thisjob, boss, have done everything i can at this job, boss, can have done everything i can at thisjob, boss, cani have done everything i can at thisjob, boss, can i leave?

the boss says yes, no problem, but actually someone will have to cough up 700 million euros for you to go. so you know... he is back! so you can understand why he would be unhappy and based on that interview which he adamantly saidi interview which he adamantly said i don't trust the president there, i don't trust him, he said i could leave and 110w him, he said i could leave and now he is saying actually have to say, now he is stuck at the clu b to say, now he is stuck at the club another year that he doesn't really want to be out, and where there is a president that he doesn't trust. the first league match i think is on the 12th of september, is that going to be excruciatingly awkward? yes. (laughs). yes and no, there is a little bit of time to go, what does the new manager who has been brought m, manager who has been brought in, how does he motivate lionel messi, how does he convince lea nna messi, how does he convince leanna massey that this is a tea m leanna massey that this is a team that can turn around quickly, back and when things this season, they are not many seasons left in his career, he is 33, in the twilight of his

career, you are the manager saying lionel, turned on for us, we saying lionel, turned on for us, we can saying lionel, turned on for us, we can win things, i can turn around in a matter of weeks, is he going to be able to do that? and then what you do about the president in the background? do about the president in the background ? will the do about the president in the background? will the president be forced out early before the elections in march, he won't be again, but before then... is he going to step down? yet he is such an amazing football player that even at 20% messi would be an awful lot better than almost every other player on the planet. right now, yeah. he is waning slightly, he has lost some pace but he is still without a doubt, the best player in the world in terms of goals and assists and dribbles, he finished last season the top scorer in the spanish league in la liga, and that was still not one of his best seasons. he is incredible, the best player to ever play football in the world arguably. some might say rinaldo, some might talk about tallai... rinaldo, some might talk about

tallai. .. maradona! -- rinaldo, some might talk about tallai... maradona! -- pele. right now you would have to say it is lionel messi, and he still has a years to go. —— a year. this is bbc news, the headlines: india has now registered four million coronavirus cases, with record levels of infections being broken almost every day. experts are warning the pandemic in the country, could spin out of control.. could spin out of control. controversial former australian prime minister tony abbott is appointed as a trade adviser to the uk — despite critics describing him as a homophobe, misogynist and climate change denier. during this current pandemic artists have been thinking creatively of how best to make sense of these extraordinary times. jazz legend wynton marsalis has used the lockdown restrictions to join up dozens of musicians from their sitting rooms mr marsalis is a multi—grammy

winning musician and his blood on the fields was the first jazz composition to win the pulitzer prize for music. he is the only musician to win a grammy award injazz and classical during the same year. we can now take a look at a reimagined version of a song from wynton's new album encouraging everyone to wear masks. all the recordings were made by musicians on mobile phones while in quarantine. upbeat jazz plays isaid i said everybody where that mask. i said everybody where that mask. honey, you've got to wear that mask. i said, everybody where that mask. boy, you've got to wear that mask. i said, everybody where that mask. that was fantastic.

wynton marsalis is live from new york city. i saw you moving your head. that song is part of a piece called the call the ever cool lowdown, and it was written in 2018 and everybody wearing the mask is actually something that goes with one of the prizes. you wrote a song about masks before you knew what was going to happen. in the piece, the mask is a mask of surveillance so we mask is a mask of surveillance so we repurposed it to fit this town —— time. and it turned out well. the orchestra was fantastic and it was members of our staff, everybody is home, a great way for us to stay together. we were almost dancing in the studio. how do you make music? in a lockdown ora you make music? in a lockdown or a pandemic year? well, we

communicate with each other and we record pieces, we start a session, the bass, drums and piano and recorder track and the rest of us play. we have a meeting, all the lead parts on the record everything. is there any benefit to the circumstances of this year for someone circumstances of this year for someone who is a composer. you must have had. for me, i'm trying to help out in organisations must any money, any revenue and we still have a lot of experiences so we are all killing ourselves to stay alive. you've written in the past about jazz. jazz, you said, is all about listening. do people listen this year in general, society? no. not

listening. listening takes a lot of patience, a desire to understand. it requires the willingness to develop a greater acuity. there is something to learn from listening to another person and the desire of being part of us. what can jazz teach us about the world? well, there is improvisation. develop in a love yourself an understanding of yourself. swing, which is about nurturing the common space, and understanding about how to make adjustments. in the fine balance. in the third is the blues. it gives us an optimism that is not naive. it lets us face a tragic

circumstance with a belief that we will overcome. are you an optimist? jazz, you know. if we weren't optimistic, we wouldn't play the music. we would be much more commercial. where is the inspiration come from when you sit down? i write music everywhere but it comes from people, experiences. iam everywhere but it comes from people, experiences. i am from new people, experiences. i am from n ew 0 rlea ns people, experiences. i am from new orleans and people and musicians all over the world, they are deeply human. my music is not really topical. it seems like this particular piece, the ever cool lowdown that i wrote, was topical but i wrote it before the pandemic. it is a pandemic year of course, also an election year and an election, racial injustice and u nrest election, racial injustice and unrest will play a large role. what you make of that?” unrest will play a large role. what you make of that? i think at this point, any steps to deal with racial injustice will

be effect. the movement, if we can call it, doesn't have central leadership. somethings will be unfocused. everything will be unfocused. everything will help bring about the change they need in order to heal. more economic opportunity. if you are thinking of all the acts of corruptions. thinking of all the acts of corru ptions. many sectors. elevating our fellow citizens. it has been a year in which americans have challenged elements of the past including the pulling down of various historic statues. what is your view on statues? i'm not a statue person. if you want to

commemorate statues, let them be things that are honourable. you are populous and your people, to act in the spirit of the people that you are remembering. 700,000 people died in the civil war. the south was able to snatch back a victory from something they lost on the battlefield. the type of discrimination we are experiencing. this ongoing battle between the states and the federal government. they are unresolved issues from that war. it's been fascinating speaking to you, thank you so much. one of the world's most renowned and respected conductors has warned that the future of music is at stake, after the

coronavirus pandemic. sir simon rattle was speaking ahead of a special concert tomorrow, to celebrate the centenary of the city of birmingham symphony 0rchestra, which he used to lead, and is now facing an uncertain future. 0ur arts editor will gompertz, has been to meet him. the symphony hall birmingham, normally home to the city of birmingham symphony orchestra, but it is currently closed. leaving the orchestra to take up residence in a warehouse in the south—west of the city. they're here to perform their celebratory centenary concert. they'll be playing in front of tv cameras rather than an audience, but at least the band is back together. i realised just through this huge amount of creativity crisis, just how important playing music is.

notjust because of that incredible excellence, or being on tour, or being on world—class platforms, or being rated best amongst the world, but actuallyjust because it makes people feel better and i think that's a really powerful thing to be able to do. so simon rattle is back to conduct the orchestra he led for 18 years and is clearly happy to be with them again, but he is also deeply concerned with the impact covid has had on the performing arts. it's not ridiculous to say that the future of music is at stake and still at stake, that we can really make this transition into whatever the new world is, whenever it is. he's also worried about the cuts imposed by the city council over the last decade. what the city has done to the orchestra is a scandal. and we've all tried to support as best as we can, in this country, and they cannot be allowed to go under. the boss of cbso said

the city council has stood by city arts organisations very well this year, but the longer the orchestra is unable to perform in front of audiences, the greater the likelihood of a troubled future, in stark contrast to its glorious past. and if you took it out, if the cbso no longer existed, what impact would that have on the city? 0h, a huge. i mean, you need a core like an orchestra to be here, so people can be, it's a flagship, i mean we are... if people go to any part of the world and you say "birmingham", they'll say, "ah, the orchestra!" they know who we are. cbso is a world—class orchestra with a history for attracting the best talent and for taking on new challenges, all of which will be very important if it is to celebrate its 20th anniversary in september 2120. from music to spot. full— time

british champion sir mo farah has broken the one hour run record. he did it in brussels. he covered the rarely one event on 21,330 metres, eclipsing the previous record set by his rival, haile gebrselassie from ethiopia 30 years ago. weather forecasters are predicting a scorching weekend in parts of california with the temperature reaching 49 degrees. keepers in los angeles are keeping chimpanzees cool with frozen treats made with apples, oranges and carrots. 0ther zoo animals have air—conditioned enclosures, streams and pools in which to cool off. lucky them. a reminder of our top story. 4 million cases of coronavirus have been recorded, record levels reached almost every day. among the most affected countries, new infections growing fastest in

india by some margin. we will keep an eye on this through the night. hello there. it's going to feel rather cool this weekend, certainly for the time of year, and that's because of where our further south, it's been milder and quite muggy for a while. it's a cooler start to friday and clear skies, typically 9— 11 degrees. then towards the south—west, the cloud never really clears away. it will bring a bit of light rain and drizzle. further north, brighter skies, sunshine and

showers, though showers 20 more widespread in scotland and northern ireland, pushing into the far north of england. disappointing temperatures, 17, 18 degrees, could make 20 in the south—east with any rain that arrives in the evening. high—pressure close by the weekend but it's towards the south—west of the uk leaving us with of north—westerly wind, driving in cooler air with of north—westerly wind, driving in coolerairand temperatures on saturday could be even lower during the day. a chilly start of the day. a cool weekend ahead, this mixture of sunshine and showers continuing. most of the showers will be on the north and west of the uk. quite a few showers across northern scotland. storms of the irish centre north—western parts of and wales. largely dry on the south and east. those temperatures will be even lower, making 1a degrees of rest in the central belt of scotland. more showers continuing overnight and into sunday. a dry day for scotland.

most of the showers across england and wales, some of those could be heavy as well. temperatures pegged back in those showers. still only making 16 degrees in scotland and northern ireland. showers move away during the evening as we head into the early part of next week. weather fronts on the scene, high oppression into southern areas. into the first few days of next week, u nsettled, few days of next week, unsettled, stronger winds, further south, largely dry and warmer, temperatures into the mid—20s.

this is bbc news, the headlines: india has now registered four million cases of coronavirus, with figures reaching record levels almost every day. among the world's most affected countries, the number of new infections is growing fastest in india by some margin. india is currently recording almost 82,000 new cases per day people in lebanon have observed a minute's silence a month after a massive explosion in beirut killed almost 200 people and left 300,000 homeless. rescuers are continuing to search in the rubble for possible survivors after some signs of life were heard on thursday. there's been condemnation of the appointment of the former australian prime minister tony abbott as an adviser to the new uk board of trade. he has previously been accused of homophobia and misogyny. downing street said that he negotiated a number of trade agreements while pm.