welcome to bbc news. i'm david eades. our top stories: more than 700,000 people are without power, including the whole of new orleans, as hurricane ida hits louisiana. the governor urges people to stay indoors. we can expect devastating impact to continue for most of the next 2a hours or so as the hurricane passes through the state. the us military says it's carried out an air strike to thwart a further militant attack on the airport in the afghan capital, kabul. as the american withdrawal draws ever closer, many afghans are still desperate to leave. flights are almost over. what are you going to do now? so what about us?

we are work with them. we support them. and one of the most influential reggae producers and performers, lee �*scratch�* perry, dies injamaica aged 85. thank you forjoining us. one of the most powerful hurricanes to hit america's gulf coast in 200 years, is now approaching new orleans — hurricane ida's centre isjust 30 miles to the west. within the hour, the city has lost all power, after what is being called catastrophic transmission damage. this is a picture live over new

0rleans. it is nightfall. all this hitting the city exactly 16 years to the date sense hurricane katrina devastated new orleans. nada tawfik sent this report from new orleans as the storm made landfall. conditions are deteriorating rapidly now that hurricane ida made landfall. this isjust rapidly now that hurricane ida made landfall. this is just a tiny preview of what is expected and this is on a date 16 yesterday that hurricane katrina demonstrated new islands. this could be the strongest storms to hit the united states. the man has already want residence that emergency services will not be able to reach them and to stay inside. to complicate all of this is a surge in covid.

dangerous winds in new orleans, streets all around the city and its famous french quarter sit empty. from this point on, residents are on their own for the duration of the storm. earlier, masses rushed to the airport to evacuate before it shut down. many others took to the road. we have two kids in the car, they are both 12 months, we really wanted to evacuate for them. best case scenario is, like, power outages and some minor flooding. worse case, i don't even want to think about. 8ft of water inside. for kenneth, this brings back painful memories. he evacuated doing hurricane katrina. he says this time he has had no time to leave. you think no matter how strong the infrastructure is, there still might be that little chance the levee could breach.

from space, images capture the magnitude of ida, which came ashore with winds of 150mph and is causing a life—threatening storm surge. in washington, president biden received a briefing on ida at the federal emergency management agency. he said his administration will put the full might of the country behind the recovery. everyone should listen to the instructions from local and state officials, just how dangerous this is. and take it seriously, it's notjust the coast, notjust new orleans, it is north as well, the rainfall is expected to be exceedingly high. the region's new storm defences, which failed during hurricane katrina in 2005 on this exact date, will be tested like never before. but even with protections in place, ida is expected to have a catastrophic impact. steve ca pa rotta is a meteorologist at wafb channel 9 in baton rouge, louisiana,

and joins me from there now. you are tucked in inland, about an hourfrom new orleans. can you expect it to reach you as well? �* ., ., ~' you expect it to reach you as well? �* . ., 4' ., well? all along we were kind of concern about _ well? all along we were kind of concern about what _ well? all along we were kind of concern about what is - well? all along we were kind ofl concern about what is happening in your islands all had to baton rouge. it has gotten worse. —— new orleans. we are about 70 miles away from new orleans. we were expecting the 0rleans. we were expecting the stock to track right instead it took a bit of a job to the right and it has brought hurricane force winds for hours over new orleans.— hurricane force winds for hours over new orleans. that will put the ci 's over new orleans. that will put the city's relatively _ over new orleans. that will put the city's relatively new - over new orleans. that will put the city's relatively new flood . the city's relatively new flood

systems to the test. also, does it mean because i understand if the speed of the wind has fallen slightly, but it may yet get more rainfall as a result? brain is definitely a concern in new orleans. i do not know how many of your viewers are aware but it is largely at sea level and rainwater has to be pumped out on a normal summer day. any rain has to be pumped out. those pumps are dependent on power. they had backed up power systems. the main power grid is down and they are having catastrophic failures. the sewage and water body in charge of the pumping system has been providing some updates and they are really scrambling. they have some backup systems but obviously it is not ideal. unfortunately, i think we will wake up tomorrow morning to some terrible scenes. new

orleans is hometown and i am hearing from a lot of people down that it is rough. figs hearing from a lot of people down that it is rough.- down that it is rough. as a meteorologist, _ down that it is rough. as a meteorologist, this - down that it is rough. as a meteorologist, this is - down that it is rough. as a| meteorologist, this is your bread and butter in a sense, and you know what is expected of people at times like this. how well prepared and organised do you feel the buildup to this been competitive perhaps some previous events? it is been competitive perhaps some previous events?— previous events? it is kind of a tricky question. _ previous events? it is kind of a tricky question. i _ previous events? it is kind of a tricky question. i think- previous events? it is kind of a tricky question. i think the | a tricky question. i think the preparation has been pretty good. this one has been a little bit dicey because everything kind of developed within a matter of a few days. sometimes we have these tropical symptoms that way out and we will be talking about them for a week, even two weeks, tracking them but this one formed a little closer to home, in the western caribbean, and it kind of exploded upon

approach to louisiana. this is kind of worst—case. this is what meteorologists always fear, when a storm hit its most intense point during the overnight hours to there go, we have just lost power here at the station. we have a generator and it will kick in. we are still being impacted. back to my point, it is a worse case in the stop hit its most intense or really exploded during the overnight so people wake up in the new orleans area and the south—east of louisiana seeing a category for hurricane approaching and at that point for many it was too late to evacuate and at that point you have to anchor down and make the most of what you can. thank ou ve the most of what you can. thank you very much — the most of what you can. thank you very much much _ the most of what you can. thank you very much much appreciatel you very much much appreciate your time. you very much much appreciate your time-— us military officials say they're confident that an air strike on a vehicle in the afghan capital kabul hit the intended target —

a suicide bomber who was about to attack the airport. it was the second american drone strike on an is target since thursday, when around 170 died in a suicide attack. the us will continue evacuation operations until tuesday, as our 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. gunfire. and next to the airfield, gunfire. this, a likely salvo from taliban guards struggling to control the crowds. machine gun fires. 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? so, what about us? we are work with them. we support them. i'm cia agent. you? 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 on the basis of what they've heard. the new face of security in this city. many taliban fighters wearing

the same uniforms 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 hava, or eve, who may now have a better future. lyse doucet, bbc news, kabul. a better future but a a betterfuture but a hugely challenging one for so many people, even if they are being evacuated from the country. earlier i spoke to abbas nazari, whose family fled afghanistan when he was seven. in 2001, he was one of the more than 400 asylum seekers picked up from a sinking boat by the norwegian ship, mv tampa. he told me more of his experience. 20 years ago when my family and i were forced to flee our village in ghazni province and found ourselves

on a fishing boat in the indian ocean, to then be resettled right here in new zealand, it feels like we won the lottery, and seeing those images at kabul airport right now, seeing those families, those very lucky few who do get a chance at resettlement overseas. i know exactly that feeling because i have been there. yeah, but the reality then for many others is going to be something perhaps slightly more akin to your experience, and possibly with not the same outcome. i mean, new zealand has proved a very happy home? yes, we are the lucky, lucky minority. the very few, the 0.1% who were given a chance at a new life. 20 years ago when we were rescued off the indian ocean which is detailed in my book, after the tampa, 20 years ago when we were rescued and then offered a home here in zeeland, it has been a fantastic journey. i have to say, it wasn't easy learning the language, getting accustomed to the culture, learning to play

rugby, learning to accustom yourself to the way of life here in new zealand but now 20 years on and looking at that journey we have been on i wouldn't trade it for anything else. let me ask you then, given that the evacuation from kabul airport at least is an opportunity about to disappear, we got to be realistic about it, what would you expect or what would you want from western governments in particular who have been so involved in afghanistan over the last two decades? there are so many things that we could say about how incredibly botched this evacuation procedure was, to see that so many allies, people who fought on the front lines in any capacity with international allies, including australian and new zealand defence forces who have been left behind, it is tragic, it is heartbreaking and to see those images... they gave their life and their service and they should be commended for it. in terms of what the international community can do, here in new zealand and australia and of course in the uk as well, that august 31 deadline is approaching

and what they would love to hear and what they would love to see is just a verbal commitment to say, we couldn't get you out and we are sorry for that, but we will not leave you behind. abbas nazari there. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: we look at the life of reggae legend, lee �*scratch�* perry, who's died aged 85. she received the nobel peace prize for her work with the poor and the dying in india's slums. the head of the catholic church had said mother teresa was a wonderful example of how to help people in need. we have to identify the bodies, then arrange the coffins and take them back home. parents are waiting, and wives are waiting. hostages appeared — some carried, some running —

trying to escape the nightmare behind them. britain lost a princess today. described by all to whom she reached out as "irreplaceable", an early—morning car crash in a paris underpass ended a life with more than its share of pain and courage, warmth and compassion. this is bbc news, the latest headlines: more than 700,000 people are without power — including the whole of new orleans as hurricane ida made landfall in louisiana.

police in greece have used tear gas to disperse thousands of people protesting against mandatory covid—i9 vaccinations in central athens. the government has taken the step as the delta variant takes hold and coronavirus cases rise. sylvia lennan—spence reports. the clashes came at the end of a long day of rallies at syntagma square in athens. riot police fired tear gas and stun grenades at protesters throwing flares and missiles. hundreds of people try to outrun police who used water cannon to disperse demonstrators — angry at the government's plan to make vaccinations mandatory for the care sector from the beginning of next month. translation: all these people gathered here i are united as one. we do not want to be forced or people fired if they are not vaccinated. nothing more. 0ur country's freedom must remain high. they need to stop calling us anti—vaccine or deniers. there isn't anyone like that here. even if there is,

they are a minority. earlier in the day, more than 7000 rallied outside the greek parliament, many waving placards declaring, "we are not against vaccines, but against fascism". more than half of greece's 10.7 million inhabitants have been fully vaccinated against coronavirus, but the spread of the delta variant continues to cause concern. at the moment, 99% of seriously ill patients, those who are intubated in hospital, have not been vaccinated. cases remain high in agrees, reported more than 13,500 deaths since the beginning.

week two of the week two of the tokyo week two of the tokyo 0lympics week two of the tokyo olympics and the situation is getting worse. there are now more than 10,000 seriously ill people waiting for hospital beds. 0ur correspondent, rupert wingfield hayes has been travelling with a medical team in tokyo as they fight to keep patients alive. in the back of the car, this doctor is trying to find a hospital bed for one of his covid patients. in this league packed part of southern tokyo there are now dozens of covid patients who need to be in hospital but cannot get a bed. this doctor and his team are a literal lifeline. in this block, 61—year—old man is very sick and on oxygen. block, 61-year-old man is very sick and on oxygen.— sick and on oxygen. last night i called him — sick and on oxygen. last night i called him to _ sick and on oxygen. last night i called him to check- sick and on oxygen. last night i called him to check if- sick and on oxygen. last night i called him to check if he - sick and on oxygen. last night i called him to check if he was| i called him to check if he was alive and he could talk with me at the time but this morning i couldn't talk with him by phone so i'm very anxious for his health condition. figs

so i'm very anxious for his health condition.— so i'm very anxious for his health condition. as soon he enters it _ health condition. as soon he enters it is _ health condition. as soon he enters it is apparent - health condition. as soon he enters it is apparent the - health condition. as soon he| enters it is apparent the man is alive. it turns out he hasn't been able to pay his phone bill so it has been cut off. he has also removed his oxygen mask and as he checks, he finds his blood oxygen level is very low. he finds his blood oxygen level is very lova— is very low. the blood oxygen level is not _ is very low. the blood oxygen level is not good _ is very low. the blood oxygen level is not good so _ is very low. the blood oxygen level is not good so i - is very low. the blood oxygen level is not good so i put - is very low. the blood oxygen level is not good so i put the | level is not good so i put the oxygen mask to him. i said please keep it, to protect your life. ~ ., , please keep it, to protect your life. ~ . , ., ., ., ,, life. what is going to happen now about — life. what is going to happen now about his _ life. what is going to happen now about his bill? - life. what is going to happen now about his bill? this - life. what is going to happen now about his bill? this is i life. what is going to happen now about his bill? this is a | now about his bill? this is a telephone _ now about his bill? this is a telephone bill, _ now about his bill? this is a telephone bill, he _ now about his bill? this is a telephone bill, he is- now about his bill? this is a telephone bill, he is living | telephone bill, he is living alone so he couldn't pay his telephone bill because of his very bad condition so i received it and now i'm going to the convenience store to pay it, pay for it. it to the convenience store to pay it, pay for it— it, pay for it. it is the arrival _ it, pay for it. it is the arrival of _ it, pay for it. it is the arrival of the - it, pay for it. it is the arrival of the delta i it, pay for it. it is the - arrival of the delta variant in japan that has led to this explosion of covid cases the top if you look back to

mid—july there were around 1500 new cases a day. i mid august that had jumped to 6000 and now we're seeing the same with seriously ill stop at the end ofjuly the doctor and his team were treating just one seriously ill person. last week that had jumped to 50. back at base of staff, there are constant phones ringing. what if there is an outbreak at the paralympics?— if there is an outbreak at the paral mics? ., ., ., ., paralympics? there are no room to treat the _ paralympics? there are no room to treat the paralympic - paralympics? there are no room| to treat the paralympic members because manyjapanese to treat the paralympic members because many japanese people cannot get into the hospitals. it is time to move again. a new address and a new set of ppe. like the first man, this patient has not been vaccinated. this is the pattern now. the man is in bad condition. his lips are turning blue and he is having difficulty breathing. the

doctor thinks he may have pneumonia stop he really needs to be in hospital. it is pneumonia stop he really needs to be in hospital.— to be in hospital. it is really difficult for _ to be in hospital. it is really difficult for us _ to be in hospital. it is really difficult for us to _ to be in hospital. it is really difficult for us to make - to be in hospital. it is really difficult for us to make a i difficult for us to make a definite diagnosis. 50 difficult for us to make a definite diagnosis. so he needs to no to definite diagnosis. so he needs to go to hospital— definite diagnosis. so he needs to go to hospital now. - definite diagnosis. so he needs to go to hospital now. yes, - to go to hospital now. yes, es. to go to hospital now. yes, yes- what _ to go to hospital now. yes, yes. what did _ to go to hospital now. yes, yes. what did he _ to go to hospital now. yes, yes. what did he say? - to go to hospital now. yes, | yes. what did he say? there to go to hospital now. yes, - yes. what did he say? there are no beds now- — yes. what did he say? there are no beds now. doctor— yes. what did he say? there are no beds now. doctor tashiro - yes. what did he say? there are| no beds now. doctor tashiro and his knee don't _ no beds now. doctor tashiro and his knee don't make _ no beds now. doctor tashiro and his knee don't make his - no beds now. doctor tashiro and his knee don't make his team i his knee don't make his team are keeping patients alive but each extra day they are forced to wait for a hospital bed, the more likely it is they will die. lee �*scratch' perry, one of the most influential figures injamaican music, has died at the age of 85. a pioneer of reggae and dub, perry produced artists from the wailers

to the beastie boys and released more than 70 albums. the jamaican prime minister was among those to pay tribute. iamjoined by i am joined by someone else who mightjust do that. lloyd parks is a jamaican reggae vocalist and bass player who's worked lee "scratch" perry — as well as bunny wailer and bob marley. he joins us now from kingston, jamaica. it is clear what an eccentric and colourful character he was was not how will you remember him? i was not how will you remember him? , him? i will remember lee "scratch" _ him? i will remember lee "scratch" perry _ him? i will remember lee "scratch" perry is - him? i will remember lee "scratch" perry is one i him? i will remember lee "scratch" perry is one of. him? i will remember lee i "scratch" perry is one of the most significant and one of the best reggae producers in jamaica. 0ut best reggae producers in jamaica. out of best reggae producers in jamaica. 0ut ofjamaica. jamaica. out of jamaica. because jamaica. 0ut ofjamaica. because i have worked with lee perry and one thing i can tell you, when he calls you for a session, he gets things out of you that you never knew are inside of you. he is spontaneous. he is like a miracle man. so he will be sadly missed for each and every

one of us, he is one of the greatest producers, produced with bob marley, myself and it goes on and on. he is eccentric.— goes on and on. he is eccentric. ~ . ., ., eccentric. what did he do for bob eccentric. what did he do for iooh marley? _ eccentric. what did he do for bob marley? bob _ eccentric. what did he do for bob marley? bob marley i eccentric. what did he do for bob marley? bob marley is l eccentric. what did he do for bob marley? bob marley is a freestyler — bob marley? bob marley is a freestyler as _ bob marley? bob marley is a freestyler as far _ bob marley? bob marley is a freestyler as far as _ bob marley? bob marley is a freestyler as far as i - bob marley? bob marley is a freestyler as far as i can i bob marley? bob marley is a | freestyler as far as i can see. 0ne freestyler as far as i can see. one of the styles comes from lee perry and one comes from bob marley himself and one comes from the wailers. so you know, lee perry, he is great, great, great, great, great. he had a band called the upsetters. from what i hear that, he had an interesting time of life, didn't he? he has a band called _ time of life, didn't he? he has a band called the _ time of life, didn't he? he has a band called the upsetters. l time of life, didn't he? he has a band called the upsetters. i| a band called the upsetters. i think the —— the label was

called that. the band was incredible, lee perry spontaneous. lee perry great, phenomenal and believe me. he isjust different. you know? they can't be that many producers that can work with such a wide array of different types of artists as well. did everyone want to say i want to work with lee perry? he produced _ work with lee perry? he: produced with bob marley and he goes on and on. maxi romeo, a lot of singer. too much to mention right now. he has

clearly left _ mention right now. he has clearly left his _ mention right now. he has clearly left his mark- mention right now. he has clearly left his mark on i mention right now. he has| clearly left his mark on the music well. thank you for joining us. music well. thank you for joining us-_ the american actor, ed asner, who starred in the mary tyler moore show, has died. he was 91. he became well known for playing lou grant — a grouchyjournalist who was given his own spin—off tv drama in the 1970s and �*80s. but he was introduced to younger audiences through his voice work as carl fredericksen — the elderly widower from pixar�*s animated 2009 film, up. he also played santa claus several times — most notably in will ferrell's 2003 comedy, elf. reminding you of the main story, the situation in louisiana. in particular focusing on a new audience where all power has been cut across the city now. they are waiting to see the full extent

of what hurricane ida is going to bring. some of the storm has been brought down to a category three from four? meteorologists think that does not necessarily reduce damage. hello there. sunday was a day of contrast — cool in the cloud, warm in the sunshine — and in actual fact, across southwest england, we saw temperatures into the mid—20s. a beautiful sunday afternoon for many. the next few days look likely to stay quite quiet across the whole of the country. quite a lot of dry weather around as well, but it will be mostly cloudy, and i suspect the temperatures easing away just a touch, around average if we're very lucky. high pressure still dominates the story. it's a blocking high that's preventing weather fronts from moving in off the atlantic. but a little bit more of a breeze always down towards the south, and that's going to continue to push this cloud in off the north sea, which could be thick enough

on monday morning for a spot or two of drizzle. favoured western areas, perhaps as we go through the afternoon, seeing some sunny spells, but i suspect not as much as recent days. so, the temperatures not as high. cool in the cloud and drizzle, 15—17 celsius, maximum values of 21, possibly 22. now, that cloud will continue to push back in off the north sea through the night. that's going to act like a blanket. it's not going to be a cold night, with overnight lows perhaps staying into mid—teens for some. it will be a quiet start to tuesday, but once again, a rather grey and gloomy one. the high pressure keeping things very quiet, but again, that breeze just coming in off the north sea, and a few more isobars, so the breeze picking up, and the cloud will continue to sit across the country for much of the day.

favoured spots for any brighter, sunnier spells perhaps into northern ireland and western fringes of scotland once again, but those temperatures are going to be a little bit more subdued. again, we're looking at maybe around 15—19 celsius at the very best. wednesday is the beginning of september. the high pressure is still with us, little in the way of significant change to the weather story. so, i suppose the good news is you will be able to plan ahead. there's going to be a lot of dry weather to look out for. and maybe on wednesday, more sunshine coming through scotland, northern england and northern ireland. top temperatures in the sunnier moments maybe of 21—22 celsius. it looks likely that that dry theme is set to continue as well thursday into friday. no significant rain in the forecast of the next few days to come. enjoy.

this is bbc news, the headlines: one of the most powerful hurricanes ever to hit the us state of louisiana is moving inland, flooding coastal areas and cutting power to all of new orleans. meteorologists say ida has weakened slightly, but they warn its slow progress northwards has increased its destructive potential. american military officials say they're confident that an air strike on a vehicle in the afghan capital kabul hit the intended target — a suicide bomber who was about to attack the airport. it was the second american drone strike on an is target since thursday. police in greece have used tear gas to disperse thousands of people protesting against mandatory covid—19 vaccinations in central athens. the government has suspended holiday leave for all healthcare workers from next month, when the new measure comes into effect.

now on bbc news, dateline london.