again, a lot of cloud heading our way, not a huge amount of sunshine. always going to be better across more sheltered western areas of the uk, and under the cloud temperatures will be 18 or 19 celsius. this is bbc news. i'm lukwesa burak with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. the last planes carrying uk troops home from afghanistan have been landing at raf brize norton. their arrival marks the end of britain's 20—year military campaign in the country. with the us withdrawal due to conclude on tuesday, time is running out for afghans still desperate to leave. flights are almost over. what are you going to do now?— flights are almost over. what are you going to do now? what about has a? we are at — you going to do now? what about has a? we are at work— you going to do now? what about has a? we are at work with _ you going to do now? what about has a? we are at work with them. - you going to do now? what about has a? we are at work with them. we - a? we are at work with them. we support— a? we are at work with them. we support them. —— what about us? more explosions, as the us carries out another

air strike, this time in kabul. officials say an "imminent isis—k threat" has been stopped. hurricane ida makes landfall on the louisiana coast with wind speeds of up to 150 miles per hour, forcing thousands of people to leave their homes. hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. the last planes carrying uk troops home from afghanistan have started to land at raf brize norton in oxfordshire, in southeast england. their departure from kabul marked the end of 20 years of a british military presence in the country, during which a57 service personnel were killed. prime minister borisjohnson has warned the taliban that any future diplomatic relationship would depend on whether it allowed afghans who want to leave to do so and whether women's

rights will be respected. here's our political correspondent iain watson. one of the last british flights from kabul landing in the uk this morning. the prime minister said we would not have wished to leave in this way. 20 years of military involvement in afghanistan concluded with a frantic evacuation. the first uk ground forces arrived in afghanistan in 2001, in the wake of 9/11. few would have predicted that the campaign would become so protracted. a57 british service personnel lost their lives. borisjohnson said their sacrifice hadn't been in vain, but in a government—issued video, he also pledged not to abandon those left behind. if the new regime in kabul wants diplomatic recognition, or to unlock the billions that are currently frozen, they will have to ensure safe passage for those who wish to leave the country, to respect the rights of women and girls,

to prevent afghanistan from again becoming an incubator for global terror. in a literally heroic effort, 15,000 people, the majority of them afghan citizens, have been airlifted from kabul. but hundreds more who are eligible for relocation to the uk are still in the country, and the taliban haven't yet guaranteed safe passage. some of borisjohnson�*s own mps have expressed anger and shame. this former british army officer told me refugee camps and processing centres need to be set up urgently. i'm not aware of any of these camps, of any of these processes, of any of the grander strategy that is actually required. and again it goes back to the bigger decision to withdraw, that all these things were not thought through. it's been catastrophic what has happened in afghanistan. all the more reason why the united nations need to lean into this. and i really do see britain as a permanent member of the un security council, to lead forward and lean into this with some sense of urgency. labour said the process of evacuation should

have started sooner, and cooperation now from neighbouring countries isn't guaranteed. there are many, many people that i've been in contact with only over the last few days who are currently in hiding, who have no safe route out of afghanistan, as well as hundreds of people who have been trying to make their way to the border and get across, particularly the border with pakistan. when i spoke to officials from the pakistani government in the last couple of days, there was an element of pessimism about how much pakistan is going to be able to do. the british ambassador to afghanistan is stepping down from kabul, but operations will continue from qatar. while british troops and diplomats have now arrived home safely, many of those who helped uk forces are still in harm's way. president biden has honoured the 13 us troops who were among those killed in thursday's suicide attack, at kabul airport.

mr biden was at dover air force base, in delaware, where traditionally all us military personnel killed in afghanistan arrive back on american soil. he also met the families of some of those who died. although the last uk flight has now departed kabul, the united states is continuing its evacuation operation until tuesday. earlier, american forces carried out an air strike in the capital. a spokesman said, the target was a car bomb that had posed an imminent threat to kabul international airport. 0ur chief international correspondent lyse doucet reports. a house on fire in a fast—burning crisis, said to be a rocket attack streets away from kabul airport. it may have been the target. the us says it unleashed a drone strike, too — hitting a vehicle of suicide bombers heading to the airport. and next to the airfield, gunfire. this a likely salvo from taliban guards struggling to control the crowds.

today, military flights are still taking off but britain's airlift has ended. not long now before america packs up, too. in a fleeting twilight, afghans hold fast to documents, to hope. my life is in danger injalalabad. but the flights are almost over. what are you going to do now? what about us? we are work with them. we support them. i'm a cia agent. i have documents. this man tells us he worked for us intelligence. some people, like this man, received an e—mail saying going to the gate. other people say they don't have access to e—mails. they hear the news that the military flights are all but over. but even in these last few hours, they still keep trying.

0n the basis of what they have heard. the new face of security in this city. many taliban fighters wearing the same uniform and driving the same vehicles as the afghan government forces they ousted. a new order takes shape. and on a plane out, a new life starts. this 26—year—old gave birth to a girl as she flew to britain. a baby named eve, who may now have a better future. hurricane ida has made landfall in the us state of louisiana. the category four storm slammed into the coast with winds of 150 miles per hour. 0ur correspondent nada tawfik sent this report. it's past time to prepare as the skies darken with hurricane ida's approach. all new orleans can do now is wait. the fear of what's to come has paralysed this otherwise carefree city. earlier, masses rushed to the airport to evacuate

before it shut down, as ida grew rapidly in strength. many others took to the road. we have two kids in the car — they're both 12 months. we really wanted to evacuate for them. like, best case scenario is, like, power outages and some minor flooding. worst case, i don't even want to think of that. for those who stayed, like ella and charles with their newborn son, storm preparation has become a way of life. every year, it's on the back of your mind that a big storm could and probably will come. each year, the number of storms increases, their intensity increases. the governor of the state has warned this could be an historic hurricane. we're absolutely doing everything that we can now to get people to take those last—minute steps, but really we asked people to make sure that when they went to bed last night they were prepared to ride out the storm and that they would go to bed where they intended to ride out the storm.

the region's new storm defences, which failed during hurricane katrina in 2005 on this exact date, will be tested like never before. let's get the latest on the ground in louisiana. with me now isjerry dicolo, he is the city editor for the times—picayune, an american newspaper published in new orleans. thank you forjoining us. i wonder if you could just update us on the latest conditions on the ground. the storm latest conditions on the ground. tue storm made latest conditions on the ground. tte storm made landfall latest conditions on the ground. ttj: storm made landfall a couple of hours ago on the coast of louisiana, it came on land as a category four, so winds of 150 mph. we are about 50, 70 miles away from landfall in

downtown new orleans, right everyone is just basing. downtown new orleans, right everyone isiust basing-— isjust basing. sorry, obviously you are staying — isjust basing. sorry, obviously you are staying in _ isjust basing. sorry, obviously you are staying in new— isjust basing. sorry, obviously you are staying in new orleans, - isjust basing. sorry, obviously you are staying in new orleans, you i isjust basing. sorry, obviously you i are staying in new orleans, you have not decided to leave? tia. are staying in new orleans, you have not decided to leave?— not decided to leave? no, our newsroom _ not decided to leave? no, our newsroom is _ not decided to leave? no, our newsroom is in _ not decided to leave? no, our newsroom is in our _ not decided to leave? no, our| newsroom is in our emergency newsroom is in our emergency newsroom in a downtown hotel so we are in a safe place, but many thousands of people have already evacuated the city. every past couple of days. many others are now hunkered down in their homes, tens of thousands have lost power so we are just waiting it out. do of thousands have lost power so we are just waiting it out.— are just waiting it out. do you feel that people _ are just waiting it out. do you feel that people took _ are just waiting it out. do you feel that people took the _ are just waiting it out. do you feel that people took the mandatory . that people took the mandatory evacuation order it seriously? yes. evacuation order it seriously? yes, the did, evacuation order it seriously? yes, they did, particularly _ evacuation order it seriously? yes, they did, particularly in _ evacuation order it seriously? t'j:3 they did, particularly in coastal parishes. are always people who stay, despite warnings that local officials give to them, but people know when a category four storm is bearing down on them, that is catastrophic damage and potentially 16 feet of storm surge above sea level which is on survivable, as

many of our parish officials have said recently. so people outside of the levy system have evacuated and i can said, tens of thousands within the levee systems have evacuated as well. t the levee systems have evacuated as well. , , .,, ., the levee systems have evacuated as well. , , ., the levee systems have evacuated as well. , , . . , well. i presume those at flood gates closed quite — well. i presume those at flood gates closed quite early _ well. i presume those at flood gates closed quite early on? _ well. i presume those at flood gates closed quite early on? yes, - well. i presume those at flood gates| closed quite early on? yes, everyone within the time _ closed quite early on? yes, everyone within the time i _ closed quite early on? yes, everyone within the time i the _ closed quite early on? yes, everyone within the time i the levee _ closed quite early on? yes, everyone within the time i the levee system i within the time i the levee system was completely closed as of early yesterday so right now we have the post hurricane katrina protection system which is completely in place, $15 billion system which was put in place after the flood walls collapsed during hurricane katrina and now we are behind them. this will be i suppose _ and now we are behind them. this will be i suppose that the first major test for that morning that was invested into the protection system. what areas our people are most concerned about?— what areas our people are most concerned about? there are some areas on the _ concerned about? there are some areas on the southern _ concerned about? there are some areas on the southern parts - concerned about? there are some areas on the southern parts of - concerned about? there are some areas on the southern parts of the levee protection system where the

levees are not quite as high, they are about 16 feet on that side and we are expecting a strong surge of about that level. levees art designed to be over topped so water flows over the top of them, they are not supposed to break through, they have cement padding, armouring, they have cement padding, armouring, they have other types of materials that aim to allow the water to flow in it but not to take down the levee. so we are very hopeful, we expect them to hold, but there are many people who are outside the levee system and those are the areas that right now we are most concerned about because water is flooding in, they are very, very, very big levels of rain and wind that are coming into those areas and those levels of wind and rain will be sustained for several hours so it is really about spreading it out. t hours so it is really about spreading it out. hours so it is really about sreadin: it out. ., i. spreading it out. i wonder if you could tell us _ spreading it out. i wonder if you could tell us in _

spreading it out. i wonder if you could tell us in terms _ spreading it out. i wonder if you could tell us in terms of - spreading it out. i wonder if you could tell us in terms of people | spreading it out. i wonder if you - could tell us in terms of people who are hunkered down and have decided to stay within it louisiana, within new orleans itself, has a lot been done to preserve things like water supplies? how long will it take fair supplies? how long will it take fair supplies to come? we supplies? how long will it take fair supplies to come?— supplies? how long will it take fair supplies to come? we get hunkered down in new — supplies to come? we get hunkered down in new orleans _ supplies to come? we get hunkered down in new orleans for _ supplies to come? we get hunkered down in new orleans for a _ supplies to come? we get hunkered down in new orleans for a storm, i down in new orleans for a storm, whether it is a category one storm or more severe storm like this. people are told to have a three days of the food and water available for them and that is typically the time that public officials believe it would take to get to them after a storm. right now, given that the wind speeds we are expecting within the city, were expecting about hurricane because winds which are 75 to 100 mph in the city itself, that is going to be widespread power outages and we already have about 250,000 people without power it now. that is going to persist for several days, potentially weeks when you're talking about the city and surrounding area. we will have to be

ready to handle that. after the storm, once the winds and rains have subsided, often times there will be another set of large groups of people, particularly if there is going to be outages for a large period of time, that will start trying to leave and there is a system in the city to take people out of the city after the storm. we are 'ust out of the city after the storm. we are just getting the news here, i am arejust getting the news here, i am sure your team behind you and yourself are probably aware of this, so the louisiana governor has said that no overtopping of the levee system is expected in greater new orleans, within the greater new 0rleans, within the greater new orleans 0rleans, within the greater new 0rlea ns area. 0rleans, within the greater new orleans area. after katrina, that 0rleans area. after katrina, that must be a relief for the citizens. that is good news, yes. it means right now estimates for the storm surge that we had heard earlier today, it is not going to be quite as high, so that is good news. it means that areas where the levees are a little lower probably will not get as much water coming into them, so if that is the case, and it sound

like it is breaking right now, that is a hopeful sign. which will have a long way to go through this storm and there will be a lot of wind and rain and asjudges —— and outages and people are hunkering down for several hours.— and people are hunkering down for several hours. thank you very much for our several hours. thank you very much for your time _ several hours. thank you very much for your time and _ several hours. thank you very much for your time and stay _ several hours. thank you very much for your time and stay safe. - several hours. thank you very much for your time and stay safe. thanks | for your time and stay safe. thanks for your time and stay safe. thanks for havin: for your time and stay safe. thanks for having me- _ for your time and stay safe. thanks for having me. you're _ for your time and stay safe. thanks for having me. you're watching - for your time and stay safe. thanks | for having me. you're watching bbc news. more now on our top story — the us is continuing its final flights out of afghanistan as the deadline for leaving the country grows ever closer. more than 110,000 people have been evacuated from kabul airport ahead of a 31st august deadline agreed between the us and taliban. peter spiegel is us managing editor of the financial times. he reported on afghanistan as defence correspondent from 1999 to 2006.

watching events unfold, what sort of thoughts have been going through your mind? do you have experience of afghanistan?— afghanistan? yes, obviously it has been tragic — afghanistan? yes, obviously it has been tragic and _ afghanistan? yes, obviously it has been tragic and frankly _ been tragic and frankly disappointing to watch having spent quite a bit of time in that country. the last a8, 72 hours have been particularly painful, obviously the attack on us forces, the suicide bomber that went off on thursday killing armed forces operative. what has been interesting to watch in the last a8, 72 hours is the ability of the us to pinpoint specific isis members in kabul with these aerial attacks. what it tells me is there actually is, perhaps from experience on the ground over the last 12, 18 months, they have a pretty good intelligence on what is going on within ices isis k. the other seat

know the individuals involved and could target them with a drone strike. what biden has said they want to do in the future is this over the horizon ability to strike at terra. they seem to have intelligence either human intelligence. where are they getting this intelligence from? clearly it is in real time. this intelligence from? clearly it is in realtime._ this intelligence from? clearly it is in realtime. what you make at how the airport _ is in realtime. what you make at how the airport will _ is in realtime. what you make at how the airport will be _ is in realtime. what you make at how the airport will be controlled | how the airport will be controlled post tuesday? and a president add one once posed the question as to whether turkey would be taking that because they kept the embassy in kabul. == because they kept the embassy in kabul. , kabul. -- president erdgoan. the interesting _ kabul. -- president erdgoan. the interesting thing _ kabul. -- president erdgoan. the

interesting thing to _ kabul. -- president erdgoan. the interesting thing to watch - kabul. -- president erdgoan. the interesting thing to watch is - kabul. -- president erdgoan. the interesting thing to watch is the l interesting thing to watch is the taliban has been trying to betray itself as an organisation that can govern afghanistan in a way that it did not in a 2001. —— trying to portray itself. they did not care about the outside world, afghan economy, what was needed to do to govern a country. what we are seeing now, for lack of a better word, portraying themselves as better stakeholders governing afghanistan and as a result they know they cannot run at the airport, there are air—traffic controllers and engineers they need so have reached out to the turks to stay and run the airport. so it has been interesting to watch. i am a bit of a sceptic, because although we have had these public voices from again the political wing, what we know is the power really resides in the war firing and the network which is

calling the shots in kabul and was the allies leave, and very suspicious of whether this newly reformed friendly face of the taliban will continue. it has been interesting to watch, because clearly the taliban wants to engage with the international community, has told the us, white with the us on the evacuation for guaranteeing the safety of those getting to the airport. —— worked with the us. i am airport. —— worked with the us. i am a sceptic, this is a movement again that it does not have a track record with cooperating with the international community but it is interesting that they have been reaching out to the turks and us interns are trying to maintain it some order in kabul after the old afghan government.— some order in kabul after the old afghan government. when you are in afr hanistan afghan government. when you are in afghanistan and _ afghan government. when you are in afghanistan and seeing _ afghan government. when you are in afghanistan and seeing what - afghan government. when you are in afghanistan and seeing what has - afghan government. when you are in| afghanistan and seeing what has been happening now, what are the greatest humanitarian concerns we should be watching? humanitarian concerns we should be watchin: ? ~ ., �*, , humanitarian concerns we should be watchinu? ~ ., �*, , ., �*, watching? women's rights, women's rirhts, watching? women's rights, women's rights. women's _ watching? women's rights, women's rights, women's rights. _ watching? women's rights, women's rights, women's rights. the - rights, women's rights. the difference from when i first arrived

in afghanistan, 2003, 200a, shortly after the fall of the taliban, and the last trip i went to it which was ten years later, was the role of women in society. girls were going to school, women were in government positions, ngos, business and economic positions, they were fully fledged members of the afghan society. and it has been really touched upon by the international community, they will watch very closely at the way the taliban it treats women and girls in its cooling and society more broadly to determine whether they will engage with the taliban and this is frankly a change from the last time we dealt with the taliban in 20 years ago in which are to be perfectly blunt, the role of women was a priority but is not number one. now it has been made the number one. if we talk about the security situation and not engaging with al-qaeda and isis, it has been moved up the priority list. they have been a lot of obviously

academic works on the role of women in society and how it developing countries that allow women to participate fully in society are able to develop more quickly and to develop human rights and governance, so that to me is something we should be watching but also my sense is that the us government state department and the international community more broadly really going to be watching women's rights and girls rights are very closely in the coming months.— coming months. there was an announcement, _ coming months. there was an announcement, taliban - coming months. there was an announcement, taliban and l coming months. there was an - announcement, taliban and saying women will be able to continue their education at to university but separately. ijust education at to university but separately. i just wanted education at to university but separately. ijust wanted to come to this final question. we had from a pakistan mp saying violence will be inevitable once allied forces leave afghanistan. from your time in the ground in the country, could you just explain what is the thinking for attacking the rest? t just explain what is the thinking for attacking the rest?— for attacking the rest? i think if the pakistanis _ for attacking the rest? i think if the pakistanis are _ for attacking the rest? i think if the pakistanis are talking - for attacking the rest? i think ifj the pakistanis are talking about violence, my sense is they are

talking about a country that the 200 years has been fighting with itself. this is what is fascinating on the ground in afghanistan this is the crossroads of the world. you have theirs in the north who are slavic people and you have east asian people and you have east asian people and you do get a real cross—section of society is in afghanistan which is why there has been such a strategic stronghold for so long and going back centuries why the gains that... this is why it has been a focus of foreign power for so long. the argument for keeping us troops in afghanistan, because it is such a key area stop again, the chinese to the east, iranians at the west, former soviet republicans to

the north, this is a strategic position for a lot of countries. i think in terms of the violence pakistanis are worried about, they're worried about power vacuum in afghanistan for some it is not in their interest to have afghanistan fall back into civil war right on the border, because pakistan is not the border, because pakistan is not the most stable country in the world, so that is what they are worried about. the taliban has claimed it's no longer wants to harbour the international terrorism that will attack us and allied interests internationally, that is what they've said, we will have to watch them. and if we their language, they are trying to build a country that is economically viable and they do not want a repeat of 2001, they were forced to live in excel for 20 years. i do not think the threat of further global operations inside afghanistan is that great in the near term, what we will have to what is it stability for the country.— will have to what is it stability for the count . , ., , for the country. sorry to interrupt, president biden _ for the country. sorry to interrupt, president biden is _ for the country. sorry to interrupt, president biden is speaking, - for the country. sorry to interrupt, president biden is speaking, but i president biden is speaking, but thank you very much. let us straight to the united states and washington,

dc president biden is speaking on the latest concerning hurricane ida. takeit the latest concerning hurricane ida. take it seriously. it is notjust the coasts, new orleans, it is north as well. the rainfall is expected to be exceedingly high. the people of the gulf coast, i want you to know that we are praying for the best and in planning preparing for the worst. as soon as the storm passes we will put the country's full mite beyond killie behind the rescue recovery and i mean that, i've been around for a lot of harriet cains and they do not think we have ever had as much preparation. —— for a lot of hurricanes. thanks to the administrators, leadership and the hard work of the fema team, many gathered behind me. we have

pre—positioned resources that we know will be needed and equipment and response teams in the region. this includes 2.5 million meals, 3 million litres of water. we have a generator is in place and are in close touch with the power providers to get and restore power as as soon as possible, because a lot of it, a lot of it will go out and we should be prepared that it can take a long time, no matter how much we pre—position, which we have, it will take a long time for a lot to get back up, it could take a matter of weeks for some places. we have 13 urban search and rescue teams, for those who are not familiar with that these teams that make up about 70 people, an expert in each of these teams, and they can do real serious recovery work. more than 100 ambulances and emergency medical teams have been activated and we are working with the red cross and local partners to open dozens and dozens

of shelters with cots and blankets and meals to support those we need to evacuate. that will happen mostly in the northern part of the state and may be in parts of mississippi. i have already signed an emergency declaration for both louisiana as well as mississippi. and i want to make sure that we are ready to search all the response capacity capability that we have and a lot is going to be coming. i have been in touch with the governors of alabama, mississippi and louisiana and at my team at the right has been in touch with others in the region and they know there will be the full resources of its support of the federal government. so want to emphasise again, this will be a devastating, a devastating hurricane. a life—threatening storm. so please, all you folks in

mississippi and louisiana, and god knows it may be even further east, take precautions. take it seriously. really, very seriously. and the whole mint effort is ready to get to work. i cannot think of any time when the federal state and local forces have worked together any more closely in advance of an obvious significant natural disaster. folks, we're going to be here, we will be here help the gulf region get back on its feet as quick as possible as long as it takes, as long as it takes. so thank you and may god protect those in the path of the storm and god willing, we will get through this sooner than later. but do not kid yourself, this is going to take a lot of resources a little bit of luck. my grandfather would say the grace of god and the goodwill of the neighbours, look out for your neighbours if you are in the region. so thank you very much

and thank you. commissioner, i really think all this, i'm not supposed to take any questions but go ahead. fin supposed to take any questions but no ahead. j . , ., supposed to take any questions but go ahead-— i - supposed to take any questions but go ahead._ i will. go ahead. on afghanistan... i will not answer— go ahead. on afghanistan... i will not answer on _ go ahead. on afghanistan... i will not answer on afghanistan. - go ahead. on afghanistan... i will not answer on afghanistan. that i go ahead. on afghanistan... i will. not answer on afghanistan. that was president biden, _ not answer on afghanistan. that was president biden, you _ not answer on afghanistan. that was president biden, you probably - not answer on afghanistan. that was | president biden, you probably caught that last quote on student —— that last question, he refused to answer on afghanistan. that is the federal emergency management agency where he was, talking about what is put in place in response to hurricane ida which has recently made landfall into the louisiana coast with around 150 mph winds. basically what has been confirmed by the director, then reiterated by president biden, was that they are expecting catastrophic impacts from hurricane ida. president biden saying that hurricane ida's devastation is likely to be immense beyond the

coast, because a hurricane ida of course moving inland as it tracks across. president biden also confirming that the us government is planning for the worst from the hurricane and promising also to put the full might behind any recovery efforts. he spoke of some of the resources, particularly financially, that have been put in place for natural disasters just like this. he did say though that it could take weeks if for some places to get power back after hurricane ida has passed on, but again, it is life—threatening, he said, and some emergency declarations have already been signed as a response. just one little bit of a fire breaking news here. we have had confirmation that nicola sturgeon is reportedly self isolating at the moment. we will get more details on that. she has been

identified as having close contact with the someone who has proven to be positive for covid, saying accordingly and in line with the rules i will be self isolating pending a pcr test result. many thanks to all the contact tracing is working so hard within the nhs test untraceable stop —— nhs test and trace application. shortages across the surgeries were severe and the nhs had not reduced usage in the coming days, even the most clinically important blood tests. the department of health also said it's working to restore normal supply and there continues to be stopped in place.

the number of new covid cases reported in scotland has hit another