this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. i'm ben boulos. flash floods kill at least 70 people in western europe, thousands across germany, the netherlands and belgium have been forced to leave their homes. be more heavy rain is on the way. the united nations has warned fighting and hunger has made afghanistan one of the worst crises in the world. in afghanistan one of the worst crises in the world.— crises in the world. in recent weeks, crises in the world. in recent weeks. this _ crises in the world. in recent weeks, this has _ crises in the world. in recent weeks, this has become - crises in the world. in recent weeks, this has become a i weeks, this has become a frontline. the spaces that people can run two for safety are shrinking every day here. south africa's deadly unrest enters a second week. 25,000

troops are deployed to tackle the violence. and as japan struggles to host tokyo 2020 we have a special report on the small towns trying to keep the olympics excitement burning. hello and welcome. at least 70 people are believed to have died and thousands of others have been displaced by extensive flooding in parts of western germany, belgium and the netherlands. the german chancellor angela merkel called it a catastrophe and linked the events to climate change. 0ur europe correspondentjenny hill reports from one of the worst hit areas in western germany. there was, many here told us, no warning. homes destroyed, lives lost, in a matter of minutes.

the water ripped up the roads, tossed cars aside like toys. we met margaretta just as she arrived back in the village of schuld. she and herfamily fled last night. "at the very last minute," she says, "a fireman got us out. the family are safe, though her son was injured. he's in hospital. margaretta points out what once was her neighbours' house, but says she doesn't know what happened to them. as to her own property, half the house has gone, her daughter tells us. it's been a devastating 2a hours for west germany, but for belgium and the netherlands, too. rooftop rescues, people dragged to safety — the water, a deadly torrent, destroying houses and engulfing neighbourhoods. smashing homes, like matchboxes. almost 60 people have died

in west germany alone, others are still missing. armin laschet, who may succeed angela merkel as germany's next chancellor, said there was no doubt this was the result of climate change. translation: we will be | confronted with such events again and again, and this means that we need more speed in climate protection measures — european, nationwide, worldwide. in schuld, they're still in shock. michal and his friend had just finished refurbishing their pub. they were supposed to open on saturday. translation: it's i unreal, unbelievable. i still can't take on what i'm seeing here. unbelievable. better news for their neighbour's dog, whom they managed to pull to safety, just in time last night. it's hard to imagine that just yesterday this was a quiet village street.

what's worrying people now is that there's more rain forecast this evening. what will happen, they are asking, when the water levels rise again? for now, homeless and fearful, they mourn their dead and wait, anxiously. jenny hill, bbc news, schuld. the share ferocity of the downpours has many in germany, including the government, blaming climate change. so what are the facts? it’s blaming climate change. so what are the facts?— are the facts? it's all linked to the same _ are the facts? it's all linked to the same system. - are the facts? it's all linked to the same system. let i are the facts? it's all linked | to the same system. let me are the facts? it's all linked - to the same system. let me show you the radar picture for yesterday, you can see how the rain developed and stopped in the same pace across western parts of germany, there was three months worth of the rain and just 2a hours, hardly surprising with had these devastating floods. it is linked to the jetstream, that was the pattern, very undulating jetstream, you are

left with a slow—moving cut—off area of low pressure across germany which developed the rain and keep going. that area low pressure also to do some temperature contrasts that we have seen across europe, drawing on some really warm and muqqy drawing on some really warm and muggy airfrom the mediterranean. now to the climate question. simple physics says that warmer air is going to hold more moisture, hence more rain and we are likely to find more extreme rainfall events. interestingly, the climate scientists are also studying the impact of climate change on the jet stream. does it make it more undulating? is it make it more undulating? is it slow the weather down and allow these extreme events to develop? which links us back notjust develop? which links us back not just to the develop? which links us back notjust to the rain that we have seen in western europe but to the heatwave we had in the north—west, in north—western parts of the united states and canada. figs parts of the united states and canada. �* , ., parts of the united states and canada. �* , . , ., j, canada. as we heard, germany's chancellor _ canada. as we heard, germany's chancellor angela _ canada. as we heard, germany's chancellor angela merkel - canada. as we heard, germany's chancellor angela merkel has - chancellor angela merkel has called the flood a disaster.

since coming to power in 2005, she has met and worked with four different us presidents. 0ne four different us presidents. one issue that has come up time and again as climate change. for more on this, i'm joined from washington byjeffrey rathke, president of the american institute for contemporary german studies atjohns hopkins university. it is worth pointing out that germany has been a very staunch ally of the united states under angela merkel�*s leadership there have been times when there have been times when there have been tensions and faculties and perhaps not quite a meeting of minds on issues like mama change?— a meeting of minds on issues like mama change? that is true and i think _ like mama change? that is true and i think president _ like mama change? that is true and i think president biden, - like mama change? that is true and i think president biden, in l and i think president biden, in the press availability today made the remark that friend sometimes disagree and i think thatis sometimes disagree and i think that is the way that the united states and germany are trying to characterise their relationship now. it is a productive forward—looking partnership without agreement on every single area but i

think climate is emerging as one where the biden administration views are much more closely aligned with those of the german government, that has been the case certainly under the trump administration. we often talk and hear about the special relationship between the us and the united kingdom but given germany's key role as one of the leading nations in the european union, how important is that relationship? is there an equivalent special relationship between the us and germany? it's a bit different from the relationship with the uk but i would argue that germany is the most important country in europe when it comes to the agenda that the biden administration has begun to lay out in its first six months in office, and i think you see as well with the issuance of a formal statement which they are calling the washington declaration, that germany and the united states go to great

lengths to emphasise the shared values and the shared principles on which they will try to approach some of the most thorny problems that they face worldwide, whether that is trade and the role of china or issues that relate to democratisation and populism. and they do have some common challenges that they share, notably russian influence and aggression, and the way they handle china. how important has that been in the way that angela merkel has worked with different us president on those challenges?— challenges? well, there was a famously frosty _ challenges? well, there was a famously frosty relationship i famously frosty relationship between president trump and chancellor acra one, but even despite that friction, there was an effort, certainly by the chancellor, to promote constructive cooperation wherever possible. if we look at issues that relate to

russia, there have been some persistent disagreements, a lot of them centre around the north stream pipeline which also came up stream pipeline which also came up today and an issue that still hasn't been fully resolved, but if we look at china, i think what we see as the german view of china as a competitor and as a challenger, coming closer to that in washington, it is really bipartisan and washington, i would ad. bipartisan and washington, i would all-— would ad. 0k, really interesting - would ad. 0k, really interesting to - would ad. 0k, really interesting to get i would ad. 0k, really. interesting to get your analysis. thank you so much for joining us from johns hopkins university. 25,000 troops are being deployed by south africa after days of looting and violence which have led to the deaths of at least 117 people. the clashes were sparked initially by the jailing of the former president, jacob zuma, who had refused to appear at a corruption inquiry. but in recent days it has turned into a protest about unemployment and poverty. nomsa maseko reports.

residents of johannesburg protecting their livelihoods. guarding against rioters and looters since the beginning of this week. in durban, checkpoints have been set up across the city. hold it, hold it! people looking to protect themselves and their businesses from looting. people are hungry at the moment. people haven't had an opportunity to stock up, so they're really desperate. they're desperate for milk, forfood, for supplies for their kids. they don't have formula, they don't have nappies, they're just really battling. now that looting has died down, these fears over food and fuel shortages mean long queues outside shops and petrol stations. the police minister was in durban today. he admitted that the government should have put a stop to this much sooner. is it not time for the south african government and the police to admit that you have failed this country?

indeed, as i am considering, that could have been better. police were definitely overstretched. by the way, south african police service are not trained for war and times of complete eruption, they are not trained for that, hence the president will supplement and say, "you go and assist them." 25,000 troops have now been promised, but there was very little evidence of this on the streets here apart from the presence of a lone military helicopter circling above warehouses that were targeted three days ago. things are a lot calmer today. people are out on the streets cleaning up but tensions are still high. i was chased away by armed residents at a checkpoint on that side of town. all i was trying to do was to take a picture to show you that that area had been running out of fuel, but they had a problem with that, saying that my presence there would alert looters to areas that have not been hit yet.

singing and chanting this could well be a turning point for south africa, with many people asking themselves if the anc, in power since the dawn of south africa's democracy in 1994, still holds the key to this country's future prospects. nomsa maseko, bbc news, durban. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: after the remains of more than 1000 indigenous children were found at former residential schools across canada we report on the calls for answers and accountability. after months of talks and missed deadlines, a deal has been struck to keep greece within the euro zone. the immediate prospect of greece going bust in the worst crisis to hit the euro zone has been averted. emergency services across central europe are stepping up their efforts to contain the worst floods this century. nearly 100 people have been killed.

broadway is traditionally called the great white way by americans, but tonight, it's completely blacked out. it's a timely reminder to all americans of the problems that the energy crisis has brought to them. leaders meet in paris for a summit on pollution, inflation and third world debt. this morning, theyjoined the revolution celebrations for a show of military might on the champs—elysees. wildlife officials in australia have been coping with a penguin problem. fairy penguins have been staggering ashore and collapsing after gorging themselves on their favourite food, pilchards. some had eaten so much, they could barely stand. this is bbc news, the latest headlines: flash floods kill at least 70 people in western europe. thousands across germany, the netherlands and belgium have been forced to leave their

homes. south africa's deadly unrest enters the second week. 25,000 troops are deployed to tackle the violence and looting sparked by the jailing of the former presidentjacob zuma. the un has told the bbc that the situation unfolding in afghanistan is a humanitarian catastrophe. there's been sharp, spike in violence across the country between the taliban and afghan government forces, that's followed the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country. the bbc travelled to the strategically important kunduz province, in northern afghanistan. all of it, except the provincial capital, also called kunduz, has fallen to the taliban. the un says 35,000 freshly displaced people have arrived in kunduz city injust over a month. yogita limaye reports from there — with the production team of sanjay ganguly and mafouz zubaide. decades of suffering that's now become even more brutal. in kunduz city, besieged by the taliban, tens of thousands of

afghans who have fled a surge in violence. running from bullets and bombs. caught between insurgents and government forces. scared, hungry and homeless .. in 45—degree heat. people rushed to us .. to tell us their stories. it's nearly impossible to count how many they have lost. this woman said six of herfamily were killed a few weeks ago, including her husband and four sons.

war is devastating people across the country, as the taliban gain more territory every day and foreign forces leave. this woman's husband and three children were killed when a mortar hit their home. he is malnourished, she said. her other son barely speaks. he has shrapnel injuries and struggles to walk. they are among hundreds here who have had to run for their lives more than once. this woman fled from her rural district to this area of kunduz city. that, too, got bombed. all of her three sons were killed.

we went to the area where she fled from. we saw signs of battle and evidence that a part of the city is no longer under the control of the soldiers. this is the position of the afghan government forces and then, just across the bridge, on the other side there, is territory controlled by the taliban. we are in the city of kunduz, but in recent weeks, this has become a front line. the spaces that people can run to for safety are shrinking every day here. the critical care unit of the kunduz hospital was full of the war wounded. many simply aren't able to get here. abdul was caught up in an explosion when he went to get fodder

for his family's goats. 1a years old, he's lost a hand and has serious injuries to his abdomen and leg. this patient�*s condition is really, really poor. six—year—old maryam has a bullet lodged in her spine. hit as she and her family ran into their home to hide when a gun battle broke out. so, the bullet is still lodged inside the spine? yeah. she will survive, the doctor told me, but she won't be able to walk. even the hospital was hit by mortars a few days ago, he told me. more than half of afghanistan's people need immediate aid tojust survive. many here feel abandoned by the government and departing foreign troops.

outside the camp, anotherfamily arrived. there was no space for them. even the fragile safety of a basic tent is hard to find. it has been nearly two months since — it has been nearly two months since an— it has been nearly two months since an indigenous community in canada — since an indigenous community in canada announced it had found — in canada announced it had found the buried remains of the children— found the buried remains of the children on the grounds of a former_ children on the grounds of a former residential school. now a re ort former residential school. now a report investigating - former residential school. won" a report investigating the school says that former pupils, some as young as six years old recall being woken in the night. graves in a nearby orchard. i am joined night. graves in a nearby orchard. iamjoined now night. graves in a nearby orchard. i am joined now by historian susan malin, an

expert on the residential school system in canada which since 1907 has led to indigenous children being removed from their families and put in institutions to aid assimilation. some of the details of these remains that have been discovered now, it is really disturbing and really chilling. why is this coming to light now, so many years after this all went on? i light now, so many years after this all went on?— this all went on? i think canadians _ this all went on? i think canadians have - this all went on? i think canadians have not i this all went on? i think| canadians have not been listening to residential school survivors who have been telling us for years that, in fact, the death toll of residential schools was much higher than public perceptions. the truth and reconciliation commission, royal commission that recently issued its final report in 2015, it did exposejust

issued its final report in 2015, it did expose just the death toll that these schools had wrought and asked for, it was not part of its mandate to really investigate undocumented death but it asked for that and we are really seeing individual first nations and other indigenous groups take matters into their own hands and with this ground penetrating radar are uncovering graves and looking at the places where survivors told them, these were where students were buried. the residential school system was a dangerous place to live, for many children. not only was it a system that provided very substandard education and children were exposed to tremendous abuse, physical, sexual abuse, tremendous abuse, physical, sexualabuse, but tremendous abuse, physical, sexual abuse, but remember when the trc, the truth and reconciliation commission was issuing its final report in 2015 and an info graphic was

run based on data and it said that your odds of dying in the second world war if you were serving in the military, if you were a canadian in the military was one in 26. and if you were a child attending an indigenous residential school your odds of dying was one in 25. so canadians have known about this but really, have not... i think the physical evidence of varied children in unmarked graves has really struck a chord and finally some people are waking up finally some people are waking up to. is finally some people are waking u- to. , finally some people are waking u. to. , , , finally some people are waking uto., ., up to. is it possible to assess. _ up to. is it possible to assess, now - up to. is it possible to assess, now how i up to. is it possible to | assess, now how much up to. is it possible to i assess, now how much of an impact those residential schools had in terms of eroding and trying to mask the culture that these indigenous children and families had at the time?

indigenous peoples have been telling us for some time that the impact has been enormous. not only on those survivors and, up to a couple of decades ago, the numbers were circulated, 80,000 living survivors but the intergenerational trauma that was wrought on their individual families which amplified the impact of loss of language, loss of culture not to mention the individual trauma of living through abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse and not getting a good education on top of all that. certainly the indian residential school system which dates back to, well, part of mission rising indigenous people in the americas but as a

system really emerged in the 18605 system really emerged in the 1860s and 1870s in canada. just brin . in . 1860s and 1870s in canada. just brinuain it 1860s and 1870s in canada. just bringing it forward to today, i wonder, what you thinkjustice and accountability for what went on looks like now and is it possible to achieve? i caught a few snippets of today's announcement from the first nation, the group who uncovered those first groups at kamloops, the former kamloops indian residential school. they gave us an idea of what is needed. give indigenous communities the resources, access to experts to be able to facilitate uncovering not only these graves that also identifying who these people laugh. because a particularly

chilling aspect of residential schools was that when children died, may be of to boca luces is was running rampant and at least one quarter of students, as early as 1907, doctor peter brice was the chief medical officerfor indian affairs brice was the chief medical officer for indian affairs and identified this as a huge problem. but when those children die away from school, there bodies were not returned to their home communities. and i think reclaiming the lost ones is of utmost priority for indigenous communities today. so governments, the federal government and provincial governments need to stand in solidarity with what these people are asking for. we will have to leave _ people are asking for. we will have to leave it _ people are asking for. we will have to leave it there - people are asking for. we will have to leave it there but i have to leave it there but thank you very much for speaking to us. that is just about it for the moment. headlines injust a about it for the moment. headlines in just a few minutes and in the meantime you can reach me on the team here on

social media. this is bbc world news. thank you for watching. hello there. 0ur sunshine that we see believe it or not is linked to the extreme weather we've seen across other parts of europe. it's linked by the jet stream. this is the pattern that we've seen. a very undulating jet stream. it means slow moving weather. we've had low pressure bringing the rain across europe. that low pressure will move eastwards. eventually taking the rain away from germany. high pressure will bid in across the uk, bringing dry weather. with the sunshine we had on thursday, temperatures in northern ireland reached 26 degrees, making it the warmest day of the year so far. it's going to be a warm start across belfast, temperatures at 16 degrees. we start with cloud across east anglia, but it will break up

more readily. it's going to feel warmer. sunshine across england and wales. some patchy cloud developing. there will be spells of sunshine for northern ireland, but across western scotland, more of a breeze and more cloud. sunnier skies and warmer weather for eastern parts of scotland and across england and wales, 26—27 degrees. it'll be a warmer day for the eastern side of england. high pressure in charge in the weekend. around the top of the area of high pressure, winds are coming in from the atlantic. stronger winds of scotland again on saturday, and that will drag in more cloud and a little more drizzle. the cloud in northern ireland will tend to break up and will get sunshine coming in across other parts of scotland. lots of sunshine and light winds across england and wales. temperatures continuing to climb up to around 27 or 28 degrees. temperatures in scotland and northern ireland probably not changing too much at this stage. as we head into that second

half of the weekend, we'll see more cloud coming down across scotland and northern ireland, perhaps into northern england. a change of air mass which will drop the temperatures. lots of sunshine for the southern half of the uk. temperatures here could reach 29 or 30 degrees. you can see those lower temperatures as you head further north. as we head into the beginning next week, maybe one or two showers. but on the whole, a lot of dry weather once again. but that cooler air in the north will be pushing its way further south.

this is bbc news. the headlines: record rainfall in parts of europe has caused deadly flash floods, naming at least 70 lives, most of them in germany. thousands of people across the west of the country and in the netherlands and belgium have had to leave their homes. more heavy rain is on the way. the un has issued a stark warning about the return of the taliban in afghanistan is nato troops prepare for their final withdrawal. describes the unfolding situation is a man—made humanitarian catastrophe and one of the worst crises in the world. south africa's deadly unrest has now entered a second week will stop when 5000 troops have been deployed to tackle the violence and looting that was sparked by the jailing of the former president, jacob zuma. at least 117 people have died in what has been the worst violence in years in some parts.