this is bbc news, i'm martine croxall — the headlines at 8pm. devastating floods across pakistan — the government says a third of the country is now under water. over 1,000 people have died, and 33 million have been affected. translation: now all our| belongings are buried under 12 to 13 feet of water. when i left with my children, i saw my house collapsed. nasa postpones the launch of the artemis space rocket on its mission to the moon, due to last minute technical issues. liz truss pulls out of a planned bbc interview tomorrow. it comes as the foreign secretary's team hit back at criticism of her economic plans from the institute for fiscal studies. revelling in its return — the notting hill carnival comes back to london's streets for the first

time in three years. and, coming up at 8.30pm — we meet the members of one of ukraine's top rock bands, who've become army medics in kharkiv, helping the military to fight invading russian forces. good evening and welcome to bbc news. the devastation caused in pakistan by extensive flooding has been called a crisis of unimaginable proportions by its climate change minister. she says that a third of the country is now underwater. the disaster has killed over 1,100 people and affected 33 million. international help has begun to arrive but water is still surging down the indus river and will flood low—lying sindh even more

over the next few days. the province has received eight times its average rainfall for august. the bbc has been filming across the country, including our correspondent pumza filhani who has sent this report from sukkur, a city in sindh. a moment of quiet in the middle of chaos. inside a crowded hall, families that have been displaced by the floods in northern pakistan have found temporary refuge. for many, it was a narrow escape. translation: our houses have i collapsed because of the floods. we had a home and it was enough for us. now all our belongings are buried under 12 to 13 feet of water. when i left with my children, i saw my house collapse. the rivers are swelling, and all many can do is stand and watch. the raging floods and mudslides have forced people to flee to higher ground.

0n the other side of the country, in sindh, there's been some reprieve from the rains, but swathes of land are still under water and unlivable. many families have settled near major roads, or wherever there is still dry land. families have been displaced across pakistan, but the people that have been worst affected are the poor, people who had very little to begin with. the community that we found here used to live on the banks of the indus river, which has been over flooding four weeks. they came here because this was higher ground, many of them travelled for hours and kilometres to try and get here. just behind me is the little means that they have been able to put together. there aren't any tents here, there is no clean drinking water, there isn't even any food, and they don't know, they tell me, why they have been neglected. this farmer has been sleeping in an open field for a week. today, he has finally gathered

enough branches and sticks to build shelter for his family. translation: even when the water recedes, all we will have _ are these branches. 0ur homes are gone. we have nothing. i was able to grow my own vegetables back home, and everything is gone now. i can't even feed my children. we need help. the floods have not only taken lives, they've ta ken livelihoods, too. iqbal ali has travelled across two provinces, searching for suitable land for his herd. he is hoping that if he can keep them alive, then he has a chance to rebuild his life. local aid agencies say they are doing all they can to help, but they admit they are overwhelmed and do not have enough resources. government officials who have dealt with floods many times before have

said this time is different. this year's rains were unprecedented and have brought untold tragedy to the people of pakistan. pumza filhani, bbc news, sindh. we can speak now to asif sherazi, who's country director for islamic relief pakistan. he joins us live from peshawar. thank you very much forjoining us. you have been involved in humanitarian aid efforts for around the world for 25 years, how does this compare with what you have seen before? ., ~ , ., , this compare with what you have seen before? ., ~ ,, , . ~ , this compare with what you have seen before? ., ~ , . ~ , before? thank you very much. as you humanitarian — before? thank you very much. as you humanitarian experience. _ before? thank you very much. as you humanitarian experience. this - humanitarian experience. this disaster is really huge. its number is big, a million houses have been

collapsed, damaged, two point million people directed —— directly affected. first thing is the scale is big and the flood phenomena is also mixed, flash floods in the beginning and then river floods also mixed, flash floods in the beginning and then riverfloods in various different places, and then it is a prolonged monsoon with the country did not see in the last 30 years. so, ifi country did not see in the last 30 years. so, if i compare it with the 2010 floods, it is almost double. one third of pakistanis affected by these floods, 118 districts, the number is huge, houses have gone, livelihoods have gone, at the moment people are displaced and living in makeshift arrangements. and they are waiting that they should get water but what they will get when they go back, their homes have been

collapsed, the livelihoods have gone, so the scale is a really big. i never saw such a catastrophe in my whole 25 year career. haifa i never saw such a catastrophe in my whole 25 year career.— i never saw such a catastrophe in my whole 25 year career. how unusual is it for the government _ whole 25 year career. how unusual is it for the government of _ whole 25 year career. how unusual is it for the government of pakistan - it for the government of pakistan for the —— to ask the international community for help? you for the -- to ask the international community for help?— for the -- to ask the international community for help? you know, if that disaster _ community for help? you know, if that disaster is _ community for help? you know, if that disaster is like _ community for help? you know, if that disaster is like if _ community for help? you know, if that disaster is like if it _ community for help? you know, if that disaster is like if it is - that disaster is like if it is within the capacity of the government or the national bodies to respond, then they don't go for the appeal like we have seen in a few emergencies and disasters in the last ten years where the government did not launch any appeal because the government was able to respond to those disasters, but after 2010, the government is going again to lodge the appeal tomorrow. the reason is that this disaster, this destruction is beyond the capacity of the government that they can rebuild or provide the humanitarian assistance to this large population

and especially when the public interest, —— the public infrastructure, the bridges, the schools, the health units, everything is destroyed or damaged. it is really very hard for the government, as well as for the humanitarian aid engine sea's to cope with the situation. i humanitarian aid engine sea's to cope with the situation.- cope with the situation. i was readin: cope with the situation. i was reading that _ cope with the situation. i was reading that the _ cope with the situation. i was reading that the media - cope with the situation. i was reading that the media in - cope with the situation. i was reading that the media in pakistan had ignored this story for quite a long time, why was that? it seems remarkable to us when we're hearing it here. ~ ., , remarkable to us when we're hearing it here. ~ . , ., ., ., it here. well, that is also one of the things _ it here. well, that is also one of the things that _ it here. well, that is also one of the things that the _ it here. well, that is also one of the things that the situation - the things that the situation started worsening back at the end of july or in the beginning of august, but we did not see much even in the national media and not on the international media, of course. maybe the flood was in the areas which are far—flung, not in the

mainstream areas, so, or maybe it was not of interest for the media, many reasons, but when they have seen, recently, the footage of hotels collapsing, as well as a high level of floods and a high level of destruction in sindh, then everyone is basically now focusing on the flood. and the same goes with the international media also. just flood. and the same goes with the international media also.— international media also. just tell us, if ou international media also. just tell us, if you would, _ international media also. just tell us, if you would, what _ international media also. just tell us, if you would, what your - international media also. just tell| us, if you would, what your teams are doing, how many people they are trying to help in what way. in are doing, how many people they are trying to help in what way.— trying to help in what way. in the beauinnin trying to help in what way. in the beginning of— trying to help in what way. in the beginning of august, _ trying to help in what way. in the beginning of august, we - trying to help in what way. in the | beginning of august, we prepared trying to help in what way. ii�*u tie: beginning of august, we prepared a response plan to cover 200,000 people in our response and recovery efforts. we started our response from balochistan, then we also

extended to sindh province and other places. so, we are planning to reach 200,000. we have reached 20,000 people already with clean drinking water, with food assistance, with shelter, as well as with non—food items, including hygiene and dignity kits for people and we are just getting up our response, but the main challenge is our initial response was for 15 million but so far we have only received 18 to 20% in response of that plan. but now the number is huge, even we are thinking to double the numbers because we have the capacity on the ground that we can reach to those people, the only issue is that funding. i hope that from tomorrow, when the government of pakistan will

launch the appeal, the situation of funding may improve. let’s launch the appeal, the situation of funding may improve.— launch the appeal, the situation of funding may improve. let's hope so. he certainly — funding may improve. let's hope so. he certainly got _ funding may improve. let's hope so. he certainly got a — funding may improve. let's hope so. he certainly got a lot _ funding may improve. let's hope so. he certainly got a lot of _ funding may improve. let's hope so. he certainly got a lot of work - funding may improve. let's hope so. he certainly got a lot of work to - funding may improve. let's hope so. he certainly got a lot of work to do l he certainly got a lot of work to do and people are relying on you, of course. asif sherazi from islamic relief, pakistan, thank you very much. and we'll find out how this story , and many others , are covered in tomorrow's front pages at 10:30 and 11:30 this evening in the papers. our guestsjoining me tonight are sam lister, who's the political editor at the daily express, and the author and journalist, yasmin alibhai—brown. hundreds of supporters of the powerful iraqi cleric, muqtada al—sadr, have stormed the presidential palace in baghdad after he announced he was withdrawing from politics. medical workers say eight people have been killed and 85 others injured in the violence. a nationwide curfew has been declared. bbc world service's middle east analyst, sebastian usher has the latest on the violence and muqtada al—sadr�*s future. he's played a political game since the election last october, in which his alliance won the most

seats, and they will have seen themselves, once again, as being the power that could decide who would be the next prime minister, and that hasn't happened. usually it takes a long time in iraq after an election, but the different factions, despite all their differences, reach some kind of compromise, some kind of agreement, and that hasn't happened. what triggered, not just today, the sadrist took over parliament briefly, and they've been staging a sit in for the past few weeks, was when the other shia faction finally came together themselves, and they presented their own candidate for prime minister, and that was the moment muqtada al—sadr and his supporters felt that, perhaps, things resulting away from them. as you say, it is open to interpretation what this declaration that he made himself today, saying he is withdrawing from politics. looking at his past history, you would think that that doesn't mean that he is forever gone, because he has said these things before.

at almost every election, he has said that he is not going to take part, his people won't take part, and then they do. he has never wanted to be the person to take the reins of power himself, but he has wanted to be the person who is the main power broker, which is quite a difficult political thing to manoeuvre. i think it has been hard at this time. speculation, you could say that he sort of triggered what we have just seen, this escalation, but with his hands off it by saying he is no longer involved with political life, so in a sense, perhaps, unleashing the chaos that he and his supporters will say will come if he is not a central figure, and if what they are demanding isn't accepted. the ukrainian military says it has broken through the first line of russian defences near the city of kherson, beginning its much—anticipated counter—offensive in the south. it also claims fighters from the self—proclaimed donetsk people's republic have

retreated and the russian paratroopers who supported them have fled. un inspectors heading for the zaporizhzhia nuclear power station have arrived in ukraine — and will start work in the coming days. the plant is occupied by russian troops — and both kyiv and moscow have accused each other of shelling the complex, risking a nuclear disaster. the kremlin said it was ready to guarantee the inspectors' safety but brushed aside us calls to demilitarise the site. nasa has cancelled today's launch of the most powerful rocket it's ever developed for its artemis mission which had been due to take off for an uncrewed test flight to the moon. the us space agency had a two—hour window for lift—off — but one of its engines could not be cooled down to the required temperature in time. our science editor rebecca morelle has been following developments at the kennedy space center in florida. it was all looking so good, even the weather.

nasa's new rocket was ready to make history and head to the moon, but then the problems began. the hydrogen team reporting that they started seeing a leak trending up. first of all, a fuel leak, with liquid hydrogen escaping. that one was fixed. then a possible crack was spotted, holding things up even more, although this turned out to be frost in a crevice. but it was an issue with an engine that spell the end. launch director charlie blackwell—thompson has called a scrub for today. nasa's administrator, bill nelson, was on hand to explain. this is a very complicated machine, a very complicated system, and all those things have to work. and you don't want to light the candle until it's ready to go. they came so close, the countdown stopping at t —40 minutes. there were too many technical problems to contend with. you have to remember, though, that this is a new rocket,

and it hadn't really been put through its paces, so it's no surprise the engineers were being extra cautious. the plan is for the rocket to push a capsule, called orion, into deep space, to go into orbit around the moon before it returns to earth with a splash down. if the maiden flight is a success, the next time, astronauts will come along for the ride. but they are not surprised by the delays. this is the first time we've taken the count anywhere close to zero. we've done tests to put propellant in the tanks, but we haven't tried to take it all the way to flight yet, so there are many, many opportunities for new things to crop up. this is a test flight. we are doing the test. we won't go till we are ready, but i really hope we are ready. the mood right now is downcast at the launch pad, but this is a setback. it's not game over. and nasa is still confident we'll

see this rocket fly. dr wendy whitman cobb is a space policy expert at the us air force school of advanced air and space studies, shejoins me now. you how disappointed were you today to not see it take off? i am you how disappointed were you today to not see it take off?— to not see it take off? i am always disappointed _ to not see it take off? i am always disappointed when _ to not see it take off? i am always disappointed when a _ to not see it take off? i am always disappointed when a rocket - to not see it take off? i am always| disappointed when a rocket doesn't take off but i am not surprised either. i grew up in florida watching my fair share of space shuttle missions and rarely did one go shuttle missions and rarely did one 9° up shuttle missions and rarely did one go up when it was originally supposed to. as a lot of the astronauts and the administrators had said, this isn't a surprise, it was a test, said brand—new rocket and you are going to expect delays when this thing happens, especially because you want to make sure it is safe enough to put a crew on there.

how new is this rocket? obviously, we were used to seeing the apollo rocket taking off, what is to what —— to what extent is this an expression of anything we have seen before? ., . , , expression of anything we have seen before? ., ., , , ., before? you are right, this is a reuse of a _ before? you are right, this is a reuse of a lot _ before? you are right, this is a reuse of a lot of _ before? you are right, this is a reuse of a lot of space - before? you are right, this is a reuse of a lot of space shuttle | reuse of a lot of space shuttle technology. in fact, it is look —— it looks vaguely reminiscent of a space shuttle. it has the sib, the solid rocket boosters on the side of it, they are also an extension of the shuttle technology. in fact, the four engines, one of them which is the cause of the scrap, are reused space shuttle engines. even others technologies old and we know a typical fault, technologies old and we know a typicalfault, it has been upgraded for this mission, it is in a new configuration and so in that sense it is very much a new sort of system. it is very much a new sort of s stem. , it is very much a new sort of system-— it is very much a new sort of s stem. , system. there is inherent risk in launchin: system. there is inherent risk in launching something _ system. there is inherent risk in launching something like - system. there is inherent risk in launching something like this i system. there is inherent risk in | launching something like this but you don't want to take unnecessary risks, even if there is no one on board? ~ , ,., ,

risks, even if there is no one on board? ~ , risks, even if there is no one on board? , , ., ., board? absolutely. space is hard and auoin u- to board? absolutely. space is hard and going up to space _ board? absolutely. space is hard and going no to space is _ board? absolutely. space is hard and going up to space is inherently - going up to space is inherently risky, particularly at launch when you think about the amount of power that rockets like this have. so, we really want to make absolutely sure that the system is the safe it can be before we put crew on board and send them far away to the moon or even two mars in the future, where they may not be able to get back easily, so we want to have good companies in the system and what —— thatis companies in the system and what —— that is what today is partly demonstrating. in that is what today is partly demonstrating.— that is what today is partly demonstrating. that is what today is partly demonstratina. , ., ., demonstrating. in terms of how cuickl demonstrating. in terms of how quickly we _ demonstrating. in terms of how quickly we are _ demonstrating. in terms of how quickly we are likely _ demonstrating. in terms of how quickly we are likely to - demonstrating. in terms of how quickly we are likely to seek - demonstrating. in terms of how- quickly we are likely to seek humans on board a flight to the moon, is it literally the next one after this? it is the next one after this one but that one will be about a year—and—a—half or two years away. they are going to continue working on upgrading the technology, understanding it better, and planning out the flight missions. i know nasser is looking forward to identifying its first crew sometimes later this year but we are making

christ but we still have a way to go. christ but we still have a way to o, ., ~' christ but we still have a way to to. ., " , ., christ but we still have a way to co. . ~ i. ., ., ~ christ but we still have a way to go. thank you for talking to us. -- we are making _ go. thank you for talking to us. -- we are making progress _ go. thank you for talking to us. -- we are making progress but - go. thank you for talking to us. -- we are making progress but we . go. thank you for talking to us. --| we are making progress but we still have a way to go. the us open is underway with plenty of british interest in both the men's and women's draws — including three—time grand slam winner andy murray who is through to the second round with a victory over the 24th seed francisco cerundolo. recent matches have seen andy murray struggle with clap that here, he appeared to put any concerns decide to —— aside. he took command of the

first set, winning four games in a row. marie's opponent did show some resilient, even sportingly conceding a point tomorrow when a double bounce went unnoticed. marie showed little mercy winning this first set 7-5. he little mercy winning this first set 7—5. he took control with his fluid intake being monitored to help limit the cramping. after winning the second set 6—3, he was relenting in the third with even lendl keeping a close eye on his form. lendl was his coach back in 2012 anyone the tournament and 2022 glory might seem a long shot for the start but his straight sets winds on day one was certainly impressive. but britain's kyle edmund has been knocked out on in the last few minutes. he lost to the fifth seed casper ruud of norway in straight sets. today marks 10 years

since the opening ceremony of the london paralympics. baroness tanni grey—thompson was involved in the bid and delivery of those games, and while she enjoyed the success of 2012 she thinks things can still improve in paris in 2024 and four years later in los angeles... you cannot expect a couple of weeks to the olympics and a couple of weeks of the paralympics to change the world without a lot of other stuff. celebrate the games for what they were, but actually, we can't make glib statements about how to change the world. as much as london was amazing, i don't want it to be the best paralympic games ever because you want it to be that movement. i am so proud of the people who worked on london and made it so incredibly special, but we want the movement to move on and get better. in rugby league — st helens have finished top of the super league — despite losing at home to wakefield. an inexperienced team were beaten 311—18 but they still picked up the league leaders shield. second placed wigan were also resting players in defeat to hull

kr, while huddersfield crept past warrington. and salford secured a play—off spot with a crushing 50—10 victory at castleford. reginaldo rosario has more. a win for either would be a big step towards a playoff spot. it was the wayside that came racing out of the blocks. to try to do minutes, the second from seal given salford a 14—0 lead. there was more delight for the away fans bulldozing over the line. the tigers shell—shocked but they managed to have the deficit before the break. the second of castle forge tries. with temperatures rising, it was salford who kept their cool in the second half scott wright putting the finishing touches on a dazzling move. and it was one—way traffic

for the red devils. four more tries to put the icing on the cake. i half century point sent salford into the playoffs with castle ford now relying on results elsewhere to determine their fate. catalans dragons secured a top four finish in with a 32—18 win over leeds rhinos. meaning that leeds and castleford will battle it out for the final play—off position on saturday. that's all the sport for now. we'll have more for you on the bbc news channel later on. the conservative leadership candidate liz truss has pulled out of a bbc one interview with nick robinson tomorrow evening. it comes after ms truss' economic proposalswere described as �*simplistic�* and �*worrying' by the institute for fiscal studies think tank. our political correspondent damian grammaticas has more. remember, liz truss's plan is essentially cutting taxes so reversing the recent rise in national insurance, potentially not going ahead with the increase in corporation tax.

it is also being talked about that she could cut vat rates, cut income tax rates. pauljohnson, the director of the ifs, well, he says it is simplistic to assume that cutting taxes leads to higher growth, and in the current situation it could just fuel inflation and make things worse. and he says what is worrying for him is that that would be tens of billions of pounds that would be flowing into government coffers that would not now be coming if that happened, and he said that could risk crashing the public finances. rishi sunak�*s team said tax cuts would really benefit the best off and not those who most need the help. but his plans, too, it is worth saying, have also been criticised by pauljohnson, who says they are not adequate to the task that is facing us. so, very many questions facing the candidates, still, and in that context, liz truss is meant to be doing an interview with the bbc�*s nick robinson, one—on—one, face—to—face interview about her leadership ambitions tomorrow. the bbc has just announced that has been cancelled. liz truss's say she can no longer find the time.

some bin collection workers, and school and nursery staff in scotland — are to continue with planned strike action next week after they rejected the latest pay offer. the dispute has seen rubbish pile up in towns and cities across the country. unite and the gmb have rejected the latest deal; unison — scotland's largest local government union — said it would put it to members. wildfires, heatwaves and droughts have hit much of europe this summer, with scientists saying it's on track to become the continent's driest season in 500 years. spain has been particularly affected, with the impact of climate change driving up food prices. our southern europe correspondent mark lowen reports from andalucia. harvest not reaped but wrecked. the flowers that worship the sun need the blessing of rain as well and it is nowhere.

sunflowers that many planted to make up for those lost in ukraine wiped out by spain's worst drought on record. farmers are unsure if they can go on. translation: if it doesn't rain by the end of the year, - it makes no sense to plant more. that would be like throwing money at the land for no harvest and there is no rain forecast for now. spain's rich farmland is being impoverished. supplying half of all olive oil, the world's biggest producer has trees almost bare. parched soil giving little fruit, the yield is down by at least a third. the country's green gold, as it is called, is now even more prized. in this factory that exports to the uk production is dropping by half, pushing up prices amidst a global food crisis.

as the flow becomes a trickle they worry here that this vital sector is in danger. translation: shoppers| are already paying a third higher than last year, but the drought will increase that even more. with the downturn we may have to lay off some workers. another year like this would be a complete catastrophe. now spain is turning to its shores to help, expanding plants that desalinise sea water to ease the shortage. this one, which purifies enough for a small city, will increase its supply by a third in the next four years. the main problem here is clearly the drought, but there is another issue as well. half of the water coming out of this plant goes towards irrigating the fruit and vegetables growing in these kinds of greenhouses, spain producing the most in the eu, but perhaps with our climate heating this country can just no longer afford to be the garden of europe.

it is a picture repeated nationally and some scientists say water with parts of spain the driest in 1200 years, this dystopian vision of a once bountiful land is a glimpse into ourfuture. mark lohan, bbc news, andalusia. revellers returned to the streets of west london for day two of notting hill carnival. as many as two million people attended europe's largest carnival this bank holiday weekend, with festivities expected to continue this evening. it's the first time the event is taking place following the pandemic — and people are delighting in its return. celestina olulode has been with them. a street festival rooted in caribbean culture. the warm up was yesterday, and now for the main event. after two years celebrating carnival online, the parades are back.

not being on the road has been frustrating and a little boring. the plus for me is that i was involved in the virtual carnival. i was one of the presenters, and i think the idea for us to present now was born in 2020, when they did such a fabulous job. why should we not present to the world throughout carnival? aside from all the music and floats, this is one of the highlights — caribbean food that so many people come for. you've got your favourites, like rice and peas, jerk chicken, and of course, patties. a global street festival in a residential area, some locals soaked up the party vibes while others chose to stay away. organisers say they recognise there is a delicate balance to be met. there was a visible police presence in the area, but for a street festival steeped in caribbean culture and history, for these locals, it's good to be back.

now it's time for a look at the weather with matt taylor.