hello this is bbc news with me, victoria derbyshire. the headlines: senior taliban figures — including the group's co—founder, mullah baradar — arrive in kabulfor talks about establishing a new government. thousands continue to crowd the perimeter at kabul airport, desparate to escape the taliban. greece has erected a aokm fence

on its border with turkey amid warnings of many afghan civillians fleeing their country. a week after the earthquake in haiti victims in the some of hardest hit areas are still waiting for help. there have been clashes between police and anti—lockdown demonstrators in sydney and melbourne. now on bbc news, another chance to enjoy rajan datar�*s epic railjourney across the southern united states in the travel show. this is the mighty mississippi, the economic backbone of early america, running north to south for more than 2000 miles, carrying the people and cargo that helped to turn this country

from a fledgling upstart, into a powerhouse. for much of the 19th century, steamboats, like this, ruled the river. but in 1879, construction began on a transcontinental train line that would link the new—found prosperity with the isolated far west, connecting the gulf of mexico with the pacific ocean. on this journey, i'll be following the railroad that pushed the american dream along the mexican border, all the way to california. every trip is unique. it's a moving city. and i'll be meeting some of the people who helped define this unique, diverse and fascinating part of the country. new orleans, my first port of call.

right now, in the middle of one of its annual street parties — the french quarter festival. the area gets its name from when the french founded founded the city in 1718, as a strategic port on the mississippi and gulf of mexico. the spanish also ran the city before it was bought by the us in 1803. and you can see all these influences in new 0rleans�* world famous architecture, food and music. that is new orleans, exactly how i imagined it. a brass band going down the street and a whole crowd following them, getting into the vibe. fantastic! now the city might be best known for jazz, but you can also find a type

of music here that i've never encountered before. chubby is a grammy award winner and a third generation of the legendary zydeco playing family. the music, zydeco, tell me about it. zydeco music, a lot of people get it mixed up with cajun music. but if you hear zydeco music, you can hear more of blues, r&b, soul and rock and roll mixed in one. this, chubby says, is the expression of louisiana's black real community. black creole community. that's a bit of african, a bit of french and some caribbean all mixed up. and apart from the accordion, chubby says the essential instrument in a zydeco sound is the one that evolved from his grandmother's washboard. this is my grandmother's

washing machine. washing machine? this is her washing machine back in the day. and with these rivulets, the buttons on your shirt would make that little... sound like this, and my grandmother would wash clothes at the time, and of course they were saying, hey, that thing sounds good. it might fit with the accordion. bring it over here. she said, you guys must be out of your mind. this is how i do my laundry. you should try, man. yes, yes, yes, yes. it's our percussion and zydeco. oh, you're doing that bit there. you had the rhythm going like this in the end. that's it, that's it! but when you hit the board, you lose it. yeah, why? i don't know. the streets are packed and there is a jubilant atmosphere here. but it's been hard won. it's taken more than a decade for tourist numbers to recover from the devastation

of hurricane katrina in 2005. music has helped the city get its mojo back and festivals like this are busier than ever. i feel lucky to have a ringside view. when they point the camera to you, i want you to shake your booty like your mamma i gave it to you. cheering. we are going to send this back to london and show them how we do it in new orleans. let's get on. and then after my frankly disastrous ten minute lesson, this happens...

bbc travel here. london, england, ya'll. and the party goes on long into the night but i have got an early start and a very long trip ahead of me. so, that was new orleans in all its flamboyant glory. it is late in the morning, and today, i'm heading west. seat number 21. thank you very much. and the service i'm taking is the sunset limited train line, the route dates back to 1894. and stretches some 2000 miles, coast—to—coast,

from your lens to los angeles, passing through five different us states. an odyssey, really. so this is a route steeped in history, but i'm hoping it's also going to tell me something about contemporary america too. lovely, thank you so much. right up the stairs. thank you. back in the day, several railroad franchises joined up to create this pan—american rail network. and all along the route, significant landmarks, historical and natural, revealed themselves to passengers. so this is a view of the mississippi river on the huey p long bridge, we are right in the middle of two lanes of traffic, which is a weird feeling. god, it gets rocky, doesn't it?

sometimes. one of the tricks of moving throughout the train is to keep your feet shoulder width apart. and just keep one hand free so you can touch things as you're going through, whether it is the backs of the seats. in the cars we have the grab irons which you can use. have you ever fallen on the customers? yes! good morning, ladies and gentlemen. our next station stop will be new iberia. approximately 30 minutes. train supervisor bruce is a veteran of the sunset limited line. the railroad was what created by the united states, it opened up transportation from east to west. and so that was the big thing, train transportation of both goods and people. the train might have been instrumental in the creation of modern day america, but today rail use is way below that of air and road travel which are often cheaper and quicker. so why would anyone take the train?

there are areas where you basically don't have planes flying into and you don't have greyhound buses go into it, so these so these isolated areas in texas, especially and new mexico, this is the lifeblood to get, to get transportation through. every trip is unique. it's a moving city, obviously you have people giving births, you have people... that's happened 7 yeah. sometimes we are an hour away from civilisation and babies don't wait. we have just crossed lines, guys! we're in texas.

0n we roll as we cross into texas and arejoined by a group of train buffs on a day trip. so are you mostly here because of them, because of these two? yes. he saw thomas the train one time when he was about two years old and since then he's been all about trains. join the club. i i actually have a couple of in—scalel amtrak cars and since i've got them i thought they looked so good, that i was waiting fora long. time to ride an amtrak and i was thinking, - it was like at time to get the trip. and some people don't get into those smaller areas, the smaller towns, so by going through the vicarious, you have an opportunity to expand the mind. because once the mind expands, it can never return to its original dimension. my next stop is the city of san antonio, but not before the sunset limited lives up to its name.

san antonio is a modern prosperous city, but now it is america's seventh—largest. it is very cosmopolitan and in many ways, not stereotypically texan. but it has got one historical attraction which gets to the very heart of what it means to be american and more especially, texan. this is the alamo, a legendary site in american history where in 1836, a small group of troops fighting for texan independence were laid siege by a much larger mexican army. the texan forces held out for 13 days before they were overwhelmed and killed. doctor winders.

how are you? but historian bruce says it would be simplistic to see it as baddie mexicans versus goodie americans. this is a story about people. this is a story about two nations. this is a story about the idea of what should government be like? it's really the convergence of mexican history and us history. the battle became a symbol of historic resistance and the struggle for independence which the texans won later that year. ready? load. today the alamo is one of the state's top to attractions

and re—enactments make help —— helps make sense of the past. i have been talked into having the full alamo experience here. ryan, tell me, there is a point to this. figs experience here. ryan, tell me, there is a point to this. as people cominu there is a point to this. as people coming here. _ there is a point to this. as people coming here, they _ there is a point to this. as people coming here, they will _ there is a point to this. as people coming here, they will see - there is a point to this. as people coming here, they will see how . there is a point to this. as people | coming here, they will see how we cooked _ coming here, they will see how we cooked coffee and me over the fire. perched _ cooked coffee and me over the fire. parched corn and beef is what they had to— parched corn and beef is what they had to eat — parched corn and beef is what they had to eat during the battle and what _ had to eat during the battle and what we — had to eat during the battle and what we try to do is just let people in on _ what we try to do is just let people in on that— what we try to do is just let people in on that side of history, give them — in on that side of history, give them a — in on that side of history, give them a taste that sends an emotional experience _ them a taste that sends an emotional exerience. ~ ., ., i. ~ .,, experience. what do you think was the mood of— experience. what do you think was the mood of the _ experience. what do you think was the mood of the people _ experience. what do you think was the mood of the people in - experience. what do you think was the mood of the people in this - the mood of the people in this situation waiting for the next lot to come? , . , situation waiting for the next lot to come? , .,, ., situation waiting for the next lot to come? , ., , ., ., situation waiting for the next lot to come? , ., ., . ., . to come? this was the home, a chance for a new life- — to come? this was the home, a chance for a new life. in _ to come? this was the home, a chance for a new life. in that _ to come? this was the home, a chance for a new life. in that they _ to come? this was the home, a chance for a new life. in that they were - for a new life. in that they were willing — for a new life. in that they were willing to — for a new life. in that they were willing to fight for something greater— willing to fight for something greater than themselves which is kind of. — greater than themselves which is

kind of. in— greater than themselves which is kind of, in my view, kind of the amazing — kind of, in my view, kind of the amazing feeling you get in any battlefield site. this amazing feeling you get in any battlefield site.— battlefield site. this fight... his - anic battlefield site. this fight... hispanic influence _ battlefield site. this fight... hispanic influence is - battlefield site. this fight... hispanic influence is also i battlefield site. this fight... hispanic influence is also a l battlefield site. this fight... - hispanic influence is also a huge part of the city's current identity. we are only two and half hours drive from the border and contemporary mexicana is celebrated here. imailman mexicana is celebrated here. when ou win, mexicana is celebrated here. when you win. what _ mexicana is celebrated here. when you win, what do _ mexicana is celebrated here. when you win, what do we _ mexicana is celebrated here. when you win, what do we say? - mexicana is celebrated here. when you win, what do we say? what - mexicana is celebrated here. “mien you win, what do we say? what don't we say? you win, what do we say? what don't we sa ? �* ., if you win, what do we say? what don't we say?- if you _ you win, what do we say? what don't we say?- if you say _ you win, what do we say? what don't we say?- if you say bingo, - you win, what do we say? what don't we say?- if you say bingo, i - we say? bingo! if you say bingo, i will not hear _ we say? bingo! if you say bingo, i will not hear it. _ we say? bingo! if you say bingo, i will not hear it. we _ we say? bingo! if you say bingo, i will not hear it. we do _ we say? bingo! if you say bingo, i will not hear it. we do not - we say? bingo! if you say bingo, i will not hear it. we do not use - we say? bingo! if you say bingo, i l will not hear it. we do not use that word. ,., _._ , will not hear it. we do not use that word. , . ., will not hear it. we do not use that word. , ~ ., ., word. does anybody else... we 'oin a team, ut word. does anybody else... we 'oin a team. put the — word. does anybody else... we 'oin a team, put the t-shirt * word. does anybody else... we 'oin a team, put the t-shirt on i word. does anybody else... we 'oin a team, put the t-shirt on and h word. does anybody else... we join a team, put the t-shirt on and realise. team, put the t—shirt on and realise this is about family. community. and

winning. el diablo. the this is about family. community. and winning. el diablo.— winning. el diablo. the devil. next card. the winning. el diablo. the devil. next card- the dr- _ winning. el diablo. the devil. next card. the dr. excellent. _ winning. el diablo. the devil. next card. the dr. excellent. what - winning. el diablo. the devil. next| card. the dr. excellent. what have we not? i card. the dr. excellent. what have we got? i have _ card. the dr. excellent. what have we got? i have not _ card. the dr. excellent. what have we got? i have not got _ card. the dr. excellent. what have we got? i have not got the - card. the dr. excellent. what have we got? i have not got the melon. | we got? i have not got the melon. someone has one already. congratulations.— someone has one already. congratulations. it is congratulations. new game. it is imortant congratulations. new game. it is important to _ congratulations. new game. it is important to us _ congratulations. new game. it is important to us because - congratulations. new game. it is important to us because my - congratulations. new game. it is - important to us because my grandma did not know english, i did not know spanish growing up. i was not taught spanish growing up. i was not taught spanish all that much, i was taught tex—mex. playing with my grandma, it gave us quality time. we had a connection during the game. hello, eve one. connection during the game. hello,

everyone- i — connection during the game. hello, everyone- i am _ connection during the game. hello, everyone. i am from _ connection during the game. hello, everyone. i am from london, - connection during the game. hello, everyone. i am from london, i - connection during the game. hello, everyone. i am from london, i aml everyone. i am from london, i am going to bring you luck. i'm going to bring you all like. how is my team doing? very good! the barrel. how are we doing out there, anyone close to winning? we have... are you sure? , , , , sure? this is his first time playing- — sure? this is his first time playing- let's _ sure? this is his first time playing. let's let - sure? this is his first time playing. let's let him - sure? this is his first time playing. let's let him win. j sure? this is his first time - playing. let's let him win. what is it like being _ playing. let's let him win. what is it like being mexican-american, l playing. let's let him win. what is . it like being mexican-american, what it like being mexican—american, what is that like? i it like being mexican-american, what is that like? ., , ~ is that like? i love being tex-mex. i am all is that like? i love being tex-mex. i am all about— is that like? i love being tex-mex. i am all about texas. _ is that like? i love being tex-mex. i am all about texas. i _ is that like? i love being tex-mex. i am all about texas. i have - is that like? i love being tex-mex. i am all about texas. i have a - is that like? i love being tex-mex. i am all about texas. i have a shirtj i am all about texas. i have a shirt that says... ijust look illegal. just because we are darker, it is hard in texas. 0ur just because we are darker, it is hard in texas. our ancestors are from there but we were born here in the united states so don't try to send us back to somewhere we are not from. ,

send us back to somewhere we are not from. ._ ., send us back to somewhere we are not from. , ., ., send us back to somewhere we are not from. ._ ., ., ., from. the next day and a few more sto -s from. the next day and a few more stops down — from. the next day and a few more stops down the _ from. the next day and a few more stops down the rail— from. the next day and a few more stops down the rail line, _ from. the next day and a few more stops down the rail line, deep - from. the next day and a few more stops down the rail line, deep into| stops down the rail line, deep into southern texas and you find yourself even closer to the mexican border, the last frontier some call it. alpine station is the jumping the last frontier some call it. alpine station is thejumping off point to one of america's most remote national parks. we drive through a vest as feels straight out of a western. they call it big ben, after a twist in the legendary river here that today separates the usa from mexico. the rio grande. this is the rio grande. welcome to the border- — this is the rio grande. welcome to the border. yeah. _

this is the rio grande. welcome to the border. yeah. this _ this is the rio grande. welcome to the border. yeah. this year - this is the rio grande. welcome to the border. yeah. this year marks | the border. yeah. this year marks the border. yeah. this year marks the centenary _ the border. yeah. this year marks the centenary of— the border. yeah. this year marks the centenary of the _ the border. yeah. this year marks the centenary of the foundation i the border. yeah. this year marks the centenary of the foundation ofj the centenary of the foundation of the centenary of the foundation of the national park service and the usa. and what a spectacular asset they are. just to get our geography started, eireann, where is mexico, where is the usa? we eireann, where is mexico, where is the usa? ~ ., ~ . ., eireann, where is mexico, where is the usa? . ., ~ ., the usa? we have mexico over here. and texas over _ the usa? we have mexico over here. and texas over a _ the usa? we have mexico over here. and texas over a year. _ the usa? we have mexico over here. and texas over a year. the _ the usa? we have mexico over here. and texas over a year. the actual - and texas over a year. the actual border is the deepest current in the water. , ., , , water. this would be the spot where some politicians _ water. this would be the spot where some politicians and _ water. this would be the spot where some politicians and the _ water. this would be the spot where some politicians and the us - water. this would be the spot where some politicians and the us want. water. this would be the spot where some politicians and the us want to | some politicians and the us want to build a border wall. not sure how they would manage that here. and it's notjust the spectacular border with mexico that makes the park unique. with mexico that makes the park uniuue. . ., . , ,

with mexico that makes the park uniuue. . y , , , , unique. the cho allen desert sits north into _ unique. the cho allen desert sits north into new _ unique. the cho allen desert sits north into new mexico _ unique. the cho allen desert sits north into new mexico but - unique. the cho allen desert sits north into new mexico but this . unique. the cho allen desert sits i north into new mexico but this park definitely contains the biggest chunk of the cho allen desert. then there is the mountains, you go up into the high mountains and you get different species of animals, black bears, mountain lion so a big diversity. and flora and fauna. 710, this is the ranger on foot patrol in the area. bud 710, this is the ranger on foot patrol in the area.— 710, this is the ranger on foot patrol in the area. and there is more to this — patrol in the area. and there is more to this wild _ patrol in the area. and there is more to this wild corner - patrol in the area. and there is more to this wild corner of - patrol in the area. and there is more to this wild corner of the | more to this wild corner of the earth than its incredible diversity of living species. big bend has more dinosaurfossils than of living species. big bend has more dinosaur fossils than any other national park, over 90 different species have been discovered here dating back 80 million years. this is called a copper _ dating back 80 million years. try 3

is called a copper light which is fossilised dinosaur faecal material. dinosaur to. this is dinosaur to, that would be great. bud dinosaur to. this is dinosaur to, that would be great.— that would be great. and that is fossilised- _ that would be great. and that is fossilised. that _ that would be great. and that is fossilised. that stays... - that would be great. and that is fossilised. that stays... hard i that would be great. and that is fossilised. that stays... hard as that would be great. and that is i fossilised. that stays... hard as a rock. for millions of years. wow!. that is the first time i have held dinosaur to. a new exhibit dedicated to the dinosaurs is opening at the park in september. it will include these giant bronze casts of fossils. this one is a crocodilian. this is... we call it the big bend super crock. you can see from its size, it is a well named species. j crock. you can see from its size, it is a well named species.— crock. you can see from its size, it is a well named species. i have seen crocodiles today _ is a well named species. i have seen crocodiles today and _ is a well named species. i have seen crocodiles today and they _ is a well named species. i have seen crocodiles today and they are - is a well named species. i have seen crocodiles today and they are pretty | crocodiles today and they are pretty scary but this is massive, it's scary but this is massive, its huge. it scary but this is massive, it's hue. ., , scary but this is massive, it's hule, ., , ., scary but this is massive, it's hue. ., ~ ., huge. it was a 6-foot long skull, somewhere _ huge. it was a 6-foot long skull, somewhere around _ huge. it was a 6-foot long skull, somewhere around a _ huge. it was a 6-foot long skull, somewhere around a 40 - huge. it was a 6-foot long skull, somewhere around a 40 foot i huge. it was a 6-foot long skull, l somewhere around a 40 foot long length for the entire animal. sometimes we find scarring in other fossil bones from this's teeth. he

literally ate dinosaurs. he fossil bones from this's teeth. he literally ate dinosaurs.— literally ate dinosaurs. he ate dinosaurs! — literally ate dinosaurs. he ate dinosaurs! the _ literally ate dinosaurs. he ate dinosaurs! the landscape i literally ate dinosaurs. he ate | dinosaurs! the landscape here literally ate dinosaurs. he ate i dinosaurs! the landscape here may have remained unchanged for millennia, but the fact it contains 118 miles of border zone is more relevant today than ever. we 118 miles of border zone is more relevant today than ever. 100 years a . o, the relevant today than ever. 100 years ago. the people _ relevant today than ever. 100 years ago. the people in _ relevant today than ever. 100 years ago, the people in this _ relevant today than ever. 100 years ago, the people in this region, i relevant today than ever. 100 years ago, the people in this region, the| ago, the people in this region, the border wasn't a significant part of daily life, there ever was. so we had families that would live on the united states side with cousins in mexico. there would be flood plane farming, there would be multinational communities here because of the boundary was not considered to be a significant part of daily life. now we've made it a significant part of our politics. jeanette and i head off to get a high vantage point of the rio grande river and a mexican town or across the border. we

river and a mexican town or across the border-— river and a mexican town or across the border. ~ . . ., , the border. we have the community over here which _ the border. we have the community over here which has _ the border. we have the community over here which hasjust _ the border. we have the community over here which hasjust a _ the border. we have the community over here which hasjust a couple i the border. we have the community over here which hasjust a couple of| over here which has just a couple of hundred people. i beyond that if we get into the hills over there that is protected land of mexico. people can leaall is protected land of mexico. people can legally move — is protected land of mexico. people can legally move between - is protected land of mexico. people can legally move between the i is protected land of mexico. people can legally move between the two i can legally move between the two countries at an official crossing point in the river. there are also schemes where both sides work together to protect the environment. sometimes they help us out with protecting our resources from wildfire and sometimes we partnered together to remove invasive species together to remove invasive species to help make the entire rio grande a better place. 50. to help make the entire rio grande a better place-— better place. so, the first half of m trek better place. so, the first half of my trek across _ better place. so, the first half of my trek across the _ better place. so, the first half of my trek across the southern i better place. so, the first half of. my trek across the southern stretch of the usa ends literally a stone's throw from mexico. it's wonderfully tranquil here so it seems kind of odd that this place has found itself at the front line of politics. i'm going to relish my last moments of

serenity because next week i'll be continuing myjourney west serenity because next week i'll be continuing my journey west where things start getting strange. you and i have just _ things start getting strange. wm. and i have just started something that we can't stop. there is no its button down here.— that we can't stop. there is no its button down here. there's only one problem.--- — button down here. there's only one problem,... what _ button down here. there's only one problem,... what is _ button down here. there's only one problem,... what is that. _ button down here. there's only one problem, . .. what is that. we i button down here. there's only one problem,... what is that. we are l button down here. there's only one| problem,... what is that. we are on this thing but there is no one to turn off. it is like we are on here forever. ~ ., , ., _, forever. well in theory that could ha en. hello, hello everyone. i hope you're doing all right.

now many of us will see some pretty unsettled conditions today across much of the uk and the reason why this is happening is because we have some weather fronts, you will see them injust a second. this is the headline for the weekend. i think, on balance tomorrow will be a better day and that we will see more in the way of sunshine and drier conditions. we'll still have those showers around. whereas today, less settled, thanks to the presence of low pressure and, here they are, weather fronts. now these are draped across the uk, they've brought some heavy rain already today and very slowly they are moving towards the east. now on the close—up view we can see them. it's a swirl, really, across the uk. so the heavy rain across south—western parts of england and wales is moving across towards the east and to the north, introducing that north into parts of the midlands, up towards the north of england and then curling around the west coast of scotland and into northern ireland. ahead of the weather front, something brighter. and behind the weather front, also something brighter. but here we are likely to see some very heavy thundery downpours. breezy across south—western parts. today's top temperatures i think reaching about 20 or 21 celsius, at best. now there is a change on the way

as the weather front moves towards the east. so we still hang onto this drier weather behind it, we are still in the company of those heavy showers however and the weather front loses a lot of its energy as it moves towards the east and leaves us eventually. now it was quite muggy last night with some mist and fog patches. a return of some of that tonight, i think, that many of us seeing something clearer, but still mild, 14 or 15 celsius will be our lows. now first thing tomorrow morning i think should be better because we are saying goodbye to the weather fronts and hello to this, an area of high pressure. now high pressure tends to lead to a more settled story, whereas low pressure brings something unsettled. so the high—pressure moving in, bringing more settled conditions. some showers will remain across the uk tomorrow but when compared to today, it will be drier. we can still see a bit of cloud cover overhead. top temperatures tomorrow up a notch, 22 or 23 celsius. now the high pressure will stick

around over the next couple of days. i think you will hear us talking about it quite a lot well into this coming week. and it is keeping weather fronts at bay. as i said, bringing something more settled really and it is right across the uk. what i can't promise is wall—to—wall blue sky and sunshine for the coming days certainly drier, certainly brighter and it will be a touch warmer as well. that is the latest forecast, stay safe.

hello. this is bbc news. i'm victoria derbyshire. here are the latest headlines in the uk and around the world. senior taliban figures including the group's co—founder, mullah baradar, arrive in kabulfor talks about establishing a new government. thousands continue to crowd the perimeter at kabul airport, desparate to escape the taliban. greece has erected a 40km fence on its border with turkey amid wanings of many afghan civilians fleeing their country. a week after the earthquake in haiti, victims in the some of hardest—hit areas are still waiting for help. there have been clashes between police and anti—lockdown demonstrators in sydney and melbourne.