welcome to bbc news, i'm mark lobel. our top stories: at least 45 people are dead, after record rainfall causes flash flooding across the north—east of america. a british—born member of the islamic state group pleads guilty to charges of conspiring to murder american hostages in syria. in afghanistan, a new normal, with the taliban setting up a government, as those who still want to get out await their future. and japan is the first nation to host the paralympic games twice, but what's it like to be a disabled person living there?

hello to you. severe weather and flash flooding in the northeastern united states has now killed at least 45 people, with states of emergency in place in new york and newjersey. it's prompted president biden to call for the united states to be better prepared for the climate crisis and to take action after the unprecedented rainfall brought by storm ida. our correspondent nada tawfik reports. cascading waterfalls rushed through the platforms down to the tracks of the new york city subway. the sudden deluge from ida's move up north shut down the network and didn't stop there. a state of emergency was called as the city became paralysed by record—breaking rain and flash flooding. turning wide boulevards quickly into waterways.

motorists and a few out working despite the obstacles, waded through the water to get home. officials warned residents to remain indoors but in parts of new york, houses were no longer a place of safety. today, some were urgently saved from the rising waters on their doorsteps. we're homeless right now. but, you know, we're all gonna come together and we are going to figure out a solution and we'll go from there. it was the same story in philadelphia, where there was no telling where the delaware river ended and suburbs began. rescuers went door—to—door by boat, helping people escape who took shelter in the upper floors of their homes and on their rooves. others weren't so lucky and today officials are still discovering the true death toll. after a year of extreme climate events that have shocked the nation, a warning from the president. the past few days of hurricane ida, and the wildfires in the west and the

unprecedented flash floods in new york and newjersey, it is yet another reminder that these extreme storms and the climate crisis are here. we need to do this better prepared. we need to act. this storm, for many, is a wake—up call that nowhere is safe from extreme weather. powerful tornadoes, the likes seen normally in the midwest, obliterated multiple homes in newjersey. with the devastating impact of these events coming into view, it does feel like this is one of the greatest challenges of this generation. nada tawfik, bbc news, newjersey. we can now speak to the environmental professor andra garner who specialises in investigating the flood risks to new york. if they might just start, if they mightjust start, new jersey, where you are, there are a lot of people who have stories to tell, i understand it was lucky that you didn't go

shopping yesterday?- shopping yesterday? yeah, actually my _ shopping yesterday? yeah, actually my husband - shopping yesterday? yeah, actually my husband and i i actually my husband and i happened to live quite near where the event in newjersey was, it isjust where the event in newjersey was, it is just about a five or seven minute drive down the road from us and around that rout that we would take for things like grocery shopping and things like that quite an goodness for that. how rare is it to have extreme weather events in newjersey? i think the more that we see that we are warming the planet, we have these extremes occurring everywhere but that type of weather in particular that we saw here, you know, a storm, a tornado of that speed and that magnitude is very rare for this region, certainly.— magnitude is very rare for this region, certainly. there's been a lot of focus _ region, certainly. there's been a lot of focus on _ region, certainly. there's been a lot of focus on the _ region, certainly. there's been a lot of focus on the flooding l a lot of focus on the flooding in new york, how rare is that and what do you think is behind it? , ., ., and what do you think is behind it? ,., ., ., it? right, so, when we have a warmer temperature - it? right, so, when we have a warmer temperature for- it? right, so, when we have a warmer temperature for our i warmer temperature for our planet and we are hitting the planet, we are creating

conditions where the atmosphere can actually hold more water thanit can actually hold more water than it used to, so we are really kind of stacking the deck to start making these types of events not only more frequent but more intense when they do occur, and so that really, i think is playing a role here in this type of intense rainfall that we have just seen in the region last night and into today. you think president biden _ night and into today. you think president biden is _ night and into today. you think president biden is right - night and into today. you think president biden is right to - president biden is right to blame climate change? yeah, i think that _ blame climate change? yeah, i think that is — blame climate change? yeah, i think that is absolutely - blame climate change? yeah, i think that is absolutely the - think that is absolutely the case and it is certainly essential that we start to work to lower emissions so that we can avoid a worst—case scenario making these types of extremes significantly worse in the future. �* ., significantly worse in the future. . , ., ., future. and what can be done on the ground _ future. and what can be done on the ground to — future. and what can be done on the ground to help _ future. and what can be done on the ground to help new - future. and what can be done on the ground to help new york- future. and what can be done on| the ground to help new york and the ground to help new york and the eastern seaboard start preparing to help mitigate the risks if they are coming faster than before?— than before? right, we certainly _ than before? right, we certainly need - than before? right, we certainly need to - than before? right, we certainly need to be - than before? right, we - certainly need to be thinking about how we adapt our

infrastructure and think about making it more resilient to this kind of flooding, you know, preparing our systems like the subway and things like that to be able to deal with these kinds of changes because we are seeing that these types of climate impact are already here now so we certainly need to have that debate with decision—makers from across the board to start deciding how we can adapt our cities for this type of event. can adapt our cities for this type of event-— can adapt our cities for this type of event. andra garner, thanks so — type of event. andra garner, thanks so much _ type of event. andra garner, thanks so much for- type of event. andra garner, thanks so much forjoining i type of event. andra gamer, | thanks so much forjoining us. an alleged member of the notorious isis group that were dubbed "the beatles" by their captives, because of their british accents, hasjust plead guilty in a hearing in a us court. alexanda kotey, originally from the uk, had been charged with conspiring to torture and behead hostages in syria. acting us attorney, raj parekh, spoke at a news conference after alexanda kotey pleaded guilty. contrary to the propaganda

perpetuated by isis, we have given alexanda kotey the opportunity to face justice. kotey has been afforded due process and, in the face of overwhelming evidence, he made the independent decision to plead guilty to his crimes. the justice, fairness and humanity that this defendant received in the united states stand in stark contrast to the cruelty, inhumanity and indiscriminate violence touted by the terrorist organisation that he espoused. our washington correspondent nomia iqbal has more on the background to this case. we've got to go all the way back to 2014 and this was when this specific cell of the isis terror group, nicknamed the beatles because there was four of them,

the prisoners that they held hostage had nicknamed them that because of their english accents. if you go back to 2014 we saw those horrific videos that were being disseminated by isis which showed four hostages, we remember james foley, a journalist and steven sotloff in orange jumpsuits being abused by the group. alexanda kotey accepted the charges in court, thejudge said that he is now going to be cooperating with prosecutors which i guess is that he could start giving important details about what happened, what he knows and even where the victims are buried. so there is a another man as well in this case, el shafee elsheikh, and he is also up for trial but there is no word yet on whether he has reached a plea deal and it is worth mentioning as well that kotey as part of this arrangement, has said he will not be testifying, he is not obligated

to testify against elsheikh if he goes to trial which is due nextjanuary. and what are the punishments they could face and why is the death penalty off the table? they were extradited from the uk to the us and of course the uk does not agree with the death penalty and it was part of that guarantee that if there uk does deport them to america that the death penalty will not be an option. basically, both of them face a maximum sentence of life in jail. british foreign secretary, dominic raab, has suggested the uk needs to engage with the taliban in afghanistan. on a visit to qatar he said britain needed to "adjust to the new reality" following the withdrawal of western forces. he also signalled that kabul airport might be able to reopen and allow some remaining british citizens and eligible afghans to leave the country. our chief international corrrespondent lyse doucet is in kabul and has been speaking to one contractor — who worked at the british embassy there. christmas parties, diplomatic dinners, daily meals. head chef hameed

was part of british embassy life in kabul for 13 years. this was the last meeting of kitchen staff with the british ambassador sir laurie bristow. he spent days at kabul airport overseeing the massive airlift. hameed and about 60 others were left behind because they weren't employed by the foreign office but through a private contractor. translation: we worked so hard, i even during the covid lockdown, l and we were left behind. ifeel i have been betrayed. if they don't take us out of here, it is a big betrayal. now this family of five young children is hiding at home. today in the gulf state of qatar the bbc asked the foreign secretary about the contractors. he admitted that many need help. we

contractors. he admitted that many need help.— contractors. he admitted that many need help. we will not be recognising _ many need help. we will not be recognising the _ many need help. we will not be recognising the taliban - many need help. we will not be recognising the taliban anytime in the foreseeable future but i think there an important scope for engagement and dialogue and test the intentions and indeed the assurances that have already been made by the taliban. safe passage out of afghanistan and i'm afraid to my friends from the bbc i didn't mention it but to those afghan workers or contractors who are eligible and want to come to the uk or indeed other countries. there is a battle at home. brave women take to the streets in the western city of herat. "don't be scared, we are all together," is their rallying cry — worried the taliban will stop them from working or studying as they did before. this woman has moved from one safe house to the next ever since the taliban swept into kabul. she had been working on issues like gender and human rights. the taliban told her, "don't come to the office for now."

many fear they will never be allowed to go back. as a human, it's my right to get education. it's my right to have a good job. unfortunately, this situation that came in in afghanistan, all of my dreams destroyed. kabul looks much the same, but it's not. a nation at war now seems to be a nation in waiting. so many afghans wondering, worrying, "what kind of new government will emerge with all of its rules and regulations?" many others still asking ever so anxiously how they can escape. for now, so many lives are on pause. lyse doucet, bbc news, kabul. and you can keep up to date with the situation in afghanistan plus all the latest developments and reporting from lyse and our team in kabul on our website, including this piece on resistance fighters

battling against the taliban in the panjshir valleyjust north of kabul. just go to bbc.com/news. poland has declared a 30—day state of emergency along the border with belarus because of an influx of migrants. poland and its baltic neighbours lithuania and latvia say it has been engineered by belarus. the rise in unauthorised crossings started injune after the eu imposed sanctions on the authoritarian leader of belarus alexander lukashenko. polish troops gathered on the border as nearby regions entered a state of emergency. measures mean people can't gather in groups and must carry identification in public. it's an unprecedented move in response to a surge in migrants

coming across the border which poland says is being engineered ljy poland says is being engineered by belarus. translation: what's ha - -tenin by belarus. translation: what's happening at _ by belarus. translation: what's happening at the _ by belarus. translation: what's happening at the border _ by belarus. translation: what's happening at the border on - by belarus. translation: what's happening at the border on the . happening at the border on the part of the belarusian authorities is difficult and dangerous. poland is responsible for its borders but also for the eastern borders of the eu. we have to take such decisions to ensure the full security of poland and the eu. it comes after videos like this surfaced, allegedly showing belarusian officers in full riot gear trying to push a group of migrants across the border with lithuania. thousands of migrants, iraqis and afghans have crossed from belarus into neighbouring countries in recent months and the eu has accused the belarusian president alexander bela rusian president alexander lukashenko belarusian president alexander lukashenko of using migrants as a weapon and response to sanctions imposed on his government over his crackdown on opposition. it is a claim the president denies. poland

says it is also preparing for potential provocations during military exercises being run by the russian army along the border next week. translation: yes, we are under attack and the security of our state and our citizens is under threat. our actions are adequate to the scale of the threat. i5 scale of the threat. is preparing _ scale of the threat. is preparing fresh sanctions against belarus because of the ongoing situation at the border. stay with us on bbc news. still to come, we'll tell you about the young french boy trying to save the environment, one piece of scrap at a time. she received the nobel peace prize for her work with the poor and the dying in india 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 round 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: at least 45 people are dead after record rainfall causes flash flooding across the north—east of

america. a british—born member of the islamic state group pleads guilty to charges of conspiring to murder american hostages in syria. japan is the first country in olympic history to host the paralympic games twice, but what is it like to be a disabled person living injapan today? it is one of the few countries that requires companies by law to hire a certain percentage of employees with disabilities. but, as our tokyo correspondent rupert wingfield—hayes discovers, prejudice against people with disabilities is still widespread. natsuko izena calls herself the tiny 100 centimetre mum. she was born with brittle bone disease and that means she cannot stand and has repeatedly broken numerous bones. but natsuko has given birth to two children, something almost unheard of for someone with her disability in japan.

and something she says many people here still do not accept or approve of. many people are surprised and do not believe that i have children. if people say their honest feelings, they think it is not good. many people think it is not good to have children for disabled people. natsuko's experience shows how farjapan has to go, but also how far it has come. because last time the paralympics was held here in tokyo back in1961t, japan was still forcibly sterilising disabled people to prevent them from having children of their own. that so—called eugenics protection law was only finally repealed in 1996.

and to this day, the japanese government has not fully recognised the role it played in violating the rights of more than 20,000 disabled people. yumi suzuki is one of those victims. she was born with cerebral palsy. and when she was 12 years old, her womb was removed without her knowledge or consent. "when i found out i can never be a mother, it broke my heart," she tells me. suzuki—san and other victims are now suing the japanese government, demanding it compensate them for what was done. "i don't want money," she says. "i want people to know what happened to us. "to make sure it never happens again. "i want disabled people to be treated equally. "we are not things, we are human beings." close to the paralympic village, japanese schoolkids are learning what it's like to have to use a wheelchair to get around. this is a start.

but natsuko thinks the real barrier to acceptance for people like her is that mostjapanese people have never actually met a disabled person. i use a wheelchair and people just walk the other way. many people see me and look at me strangely. and if i watch them, they ignore me because they don't have the chance to live with people with disabilities. natsuko says all she really wants us to be given the same rights and be treated the same way as any other mum. for that, she says japan still has some way to go. in canada, the first televised election debate between party leaders has taken place, ahead of the vote on the 20th

in the democratic republic of congo, the environment minister says nearly a500 people have fallen sick after a toxin leak from a diamond mind in neighbouring angola. she said 12 people had died and that the drc would ask for reparations for the damage caused. there has been no response now from the mining company. china plasma broadcast regulators have banned public voting on reality tv and actors with political views they deem incorrect. b—movie is part of the chinese government's newest media crackdown. the authorities also pledged to promote more masculine images of men. regulators say only programmes that foster patriotic atmospheres and celebrate traditional chinese culture will be broadcast in the country. in canada, the first televised election debate between party leaders has taken place, ahead of the vote on the 20th of september. in mid—august the prime minister, justin trudeau, called the election two years early, hoping his handling of the coronavirus pandemic

would secure a majority win for his ruling liberal party. i asked political reporter for the globe and mail, mareeka walsh, if the prime minister has explained why he called this election so early. he has explained his position on why he is having the election so early. the question is whether voters are buying it as a legitimate reason. justin trudeau is saying that now is the moment for the election because of how much has changed from the pandemic and because of the decisions that the government will have to make on the pandemic, the return of the economy as well as the climate crisis in the years ahead. but the opposition parties, the conservatives, say he has called an election in the middle of the fourth wave of the pandemic, in the middle of massive wildfires on the west coast of canada, and at the beginning of this

crisis in afghanistan, so there is a push pull on which issues should have people focus on government versus focused on election campaign and so far he has not been able to prosecute his case for the public which we see in the polls tightening significantly since the election was called. the view from abroad is that this one—time rockstar of politics has perhaps bitten off more than he could chew. what has gone so wrong for him? i think it might have been some exuberance, or not exuberance but exuberance among the liberals among the polls that we were seeing in the months and weeks heading into the election call, but that is also attributed to people being in a better mood, to the vaccinations happening, and in the last year canada has seen that most incoming governments or all incumbent provincial governments were re—elected during the pandemic, people wanted to keep the same hand on the wheel during the crisis but this summer we saw a change where nova scotia became the first government that is a province on the east coast to have a change in leadership

during the pandemic and that has really been a wake—up call for the liberals. that maybe voters won't be so complacent to just keep the same people in power because we are in a crisis. and often liberals like to paint conservatives paris is undeniably one of the world's great capital cities, renowned for its charm, its history and its beauty. but nowhere is perfect. paris has problems with waste and pollution. now, one 11—year—old boy is trying to do something about it. the bbc�*s tim allman explains. meet raphael and his unusual aladdin's cave. no magic lamp, but plenty of rusty telephones and discarded bits of metal. the young boy, along with his friends, has taken to fishing in the seine. but he's looking for scrap and junk rather than aquatic life forms. translation: | feel like i'm |

doing something for the planet in my own little way. some 10 and 11—year—olds stay at home and play football, well, i know i'm cleaning up. not the entire planet, but i'm cleaning up. raphael began his crusade to clean up the riverways of paris less than two years ago. in that time he estimates he's fished out around 300 bikes, 100 shopping trolleys, and 200 electric scooters. translation: my goal is to raise awareness i so that people do something. they don't have to do what i do, but at least do something. it could just be picking up cigarette buts. last october he was awarded the medal of paris, in honour of those who have performed a remarkable deed for the city. not just the city, the world too. raphael is saving the environment, one rusty bike at a time. tim allman, bbc news.

one inspiring 11—year—old. thanks for watching. one inspiring 11—year—old. thanks forwatching. much one inspiring 11—year—old. thanks for watching. much more for you anytime on bbc website and twitter. hello there. we're finally going to see some changes to the weather this week and into next week things look quite different. but in the short term we are ending the week on a similar note with this area of high pressure continuing to bring in a lot of cloud. on a similar note with this area of high pressure will continue to bring in a lot of cloud across the uk with limited clear spells. there will be a few glimmers of brightness around, particularly western scotland in the morning but generally a cloudy start. in to the afternoon favoured spots to see some sunshine developing more widley wil again be across scotland, northern england and parts of northern ireland and also southern england towards south wales and this is where we will see the highest temperatures in the low 20s.

otherwise where we hold onto the cloud, it will be around the mid to high teens for most. as we head through friday night it looks like it's going to be another cloudy one. across central and northern areas with clear spells across the south. but temperature wise, no more than ten to 1a celsius. we are starting to importing our winds from a more southeasterly direction to start the weekend as our area of high pressure finally begins to retreat eastwards. it looks like it will bring some slightly drier air in from the near continent. we should see will see some holes in the cloud from the word go across central and southern areas. some sunny spells here with further north varying amounts of cloud and a little bit of sunshine but generally a lot of cloud. could see a few showers across southern and western areas into the afternoon but many places will be dry. temperatures around 21 or 22 for the high around the high teens though further north and east with the cloud. for sunday we see this feature runs to the northwest of the country. that's going to bring thicker cloud, more of a breeze, out breaks of rain, northen irleand, northwest england and northwest wales later in the day. some of this ring

could be quite heavy. further south, it is a drier picture for sunday afternoon, lighter winds coming in from france. and we should see increasing amounts of sunshine into the afternoon. temperatures responding to 2a degrees in the south. obviously because of more cloud the wind and the rain in the north and not quite as warm. and next week, we'll will start to import some warmer air the continent and some southern areas across the south on monday and tuesday, given some sunshine we could see those temperatures creeping around the mid 20 celsius and a little bit warmer and further north too.

this is bbc news — the headlines: severe weather and flash flooding in the northeastern united states has now killed at least a5 people. in new york, most of the dead drowned while trapped in their basement apartments. most of the two dozen people killed in newjersey were in vehicles overwhelmed by floodwaters. a british—born islamic state group member has pleaded guilty in the us to charges of conspiring to murder american hostages in syria. alexanda kotey�*s group — known as the beatles for their british accents — allegedly kidnapped, tortured and killed their victims, including journalists and aid workers. one of the most successful pop groups of all time, abba, are reforming. the swedish superstars have revealed their first they've also announced that their avatars will be performing with a live 10—piece band in concerts at a purpose—built arena in london from may.

now on bbc news, our world: