To arguments in lebanon with 75 targets hit overnight. These are the latest pictures we are getting in from lebanon. The latest strikes happened close to the Border with syria, and supposedly hit rockets and buildings. Overthe supposedly hit rockets and buildings. Over the last few days, the lebanese Health Industry says it is 13 people were killed in those later strikes, with more than 550 people killed since the strike started. Benjamin netanyahu has. There has been speech saying there will be no ceasefire. Our Middle East correspondent, Hugo Bachega updated us on the latest developments from beirut. Despite all these growing calls for a ceasefire along the lebanon israel Border, we havent seen indications from Israel And Hezbollah that they are interested in de escalation. The israeli military says its airstrikes targeting hezbollah positions continue this morning. The lebanese authorities are saying that at least four people have been confirmed dead as a result of the attacks happening today in the country. And we saw yesterday that the israeli military has been told to be prepared for the possibility of a ground offensive. In lebanon, theres been this speculation that the israeli military may invade the southern part of the country to try to create a so called Buffer Zone along the Border to push hezbollah fighters away from the Border. And im sure that in israel, military officials are saying that this offensive against hezbollah must continue to weaken hezbollah and change the situation along the Border. And here in lebanon, hezbollah has remained defiant. The group says these attacks on israel are going to continue, that this is, you know, in solidarity with the palestinian population of gaza and that the attacks are going to continue unless there is a ceasefire in gaza. So its very difficult to see how theyre going to agree with the deal without a ceasefire in gaza. Theyve been weakened, but they remain defiant. Yeah. And youve written a piece about that on the Bbc News Website, just to point our readers to more of Hugos Analysis on that. Weve heard from the lebanese government at the United Nations there saying that a ceasefire is urgent, but from what youre saying, thats not likely to make an impact on hezbollah� s thinking or rationale. Yeah. Its still very difficult to see how they are going to agree with a ceasefire after, you know, stating that these attacks are going to continue unless there is a deal in gaza that has been the position for hezbollah for almost a year now. And obviously, as we heard yesterday from the lebanese prime minister, it is a very difficult situation for lebanon. You know, many of hezbollah� s critics say that this is a group that acts as a state within the state. People here who are against hezbollah say that the group has been dragging lebanon into a conflict that is not in the countrys interest. Lets get more now on those calls for a temporary ceasefire in lebanon. Allies including the us, uk and eu have proposed an immediate 21 Day Pause in fighting to what they said would provide space for diplomacy towards the conclusion of a diplomatic settlement and a ceasefire in gaza. Tom bateman has this report from new york. The deadliest day for lebanon in a generation inflicted by israels warplanes this week, while Hezbollah Rocket Fire has set israeli streets ablaze. And in new york, the attempts to douse the flames. This was an Emergency Session of the un security council, after a scramble behind the scenes, led by france and the us, to draw up a Proposalfor A Temporary Truce between Israel And Hezbollah. Diplomacy is most effective when the international community unites with a shared goal and speaks with one voice. We are working with other countries on a proposal that we hope will lead to calm and enable discussions to a diplomatic solution. Countries heard how the proposal would involve a 21 Day Ceasefire, during Which Mediated Talks would take place. The uk described the region as on the precipice. The rockets must stop now. The Air Strikes must stop now. Talks must start now, with an immediate ceasefire on both sides now. It is time to pull back from the brink. Lebanons envoy warned of the risk of an all out regional war. Translation regrettably,| we are still witnessing israeli violations of our sovereignty around the clock by air, sea and land. These repeated violations undermine all the stability efforts and threaten the whole region with an explosion at any moment. The calls for restraint include those from the us, which is israels biggest military backer. Outside the chamber, i pressed the israeli ambassador on the calls for calm. President biden says he wants de escalation. Are you not listening to the americans . All of this can stop immediately. Once hezbollah will stop Firing Missiles and rockets into our civilian communities, there will be no cycle of violence in the region. As the Emergency Meeting ends, the diplomacy will go on. But the problem is, given the intensity of destruction on the ground and the fact that the Gaza Ceasefire Deal is still stalled, what is being called for here is going to be extremely hard to achieve. The immediate aim is to stop months of Border-fire'>Cross Border Fire, but with fears of an israeli Ground Assault into lebanon, diplomacy is not yet delivering. Instead, people are fleeing while the promise of homecomings remains an illusion. With me is our Security Correspondent frank gardner. We heard tom saying there that diplomacy is not delivering. It seems like a similar refrain when we discuss the situation in gaza. Now we hear those leaders saying they want an immediate 21 Day Ceasefire between hostilities with lebanon and his brother. What the possibilities . The possibilities . They are re the possibilities . They are pretty slim the possibilities . They are pretty slim. They the possibilities . They are pretty slim. They think the possibilities . They are. Pretty slim. They think they have got them on the back foot. The military want to press the advantage. The military and the government want to remove the threat of the missiles coming across a Border. It is hard to see a solution to that without an Incursion Invasion and temporary occupation of south lebanon. Israel has done it before. They have been down this route. They were there for 18 years from 1982 until 2000. They were relieved to get out because they took a lot of casualties. They went back in 2006 and took a lot of casualties. That war ended in 2006 with a very messy side, both sides claiming they achieve ideal that i did. There was a un. Stating that hezbollah had to stay well north of the Border. They did not. Hezbollah has lost a lot of its fighters in the last few days. They are weakened. They say there are will only stop when there is a ceasefire in gaza. 11 months of negotiations have not produced that ceasefire. It is hard to see that achieved in 21 days even if everyone agreed to stop the 21 days. If everyone agreed to stop the 21 Da S. �. , if everyone agreed to stop the 21das. I, 21 days. Im fairly pessimistic riaht 21 days. Im fairly pessimistic right nova 21 days. Im fairly pessimistic right now. And 21 days. Im fairly pessimistic right now. And we 21 days. Im fairly pessimistic right now. And we have 21 days. Im fairly pessimistic| right now. And we have heard from the israeli Foreign Minister saying there will be no ceasefire. We have heard from the prime Minister Netanyahu saying that they are fighting with Full Force and we are hearing about a possible ground incursion. You have covered these things are for. What would that look like . It is easy to go into lebanon, harderfor them to get is easy to go into lebanon, harder for them to get out with anything approaching victory. South lebanon, the Border is a wiggly line, its called the blue line. Ive been up there and flown over it in a un helicopter. It is hilly, wooded terrain that has been fought over a lot in the last 11 months. Since october the 8th, there has been a lot of Border-fire'>Cross Border Fire from both sides. This display is roughly 16,000 israelis and roughly 10,000 lebanese. An incursion would be by air and 10,000 lebanese. An incursion would be by airand in 10,000 lebanese. An incursion would be by air and in victory. But hezbollah know that terrain like the back of their hands, they have underground tunnels and caverns, we are not talking about soft sand like gaza, this is hard work. They have caverns, some containing missiles. They will be out to p0p up missiles. They will be out to pop up and ambushed the israelis. The Israel Defense Force know this and they have been training for this, they say they have a plan ready. It is not going to be easy without a ceasefire, unless hezbollah gives up, it is very hard to see how israel can avoid staying there to keep them out. And then it is a locked nation. And then it is a locked nation. And they end up occupying Gaza And South lebanon, and the west bank, by the way. find And South lebanon, and the west bank, by the way. Bank, by the way. And with that on the horizon, bank, by the way. And with that on the horizon, we bank, by the way. And with that on the horizon, we see bank, by the way. And with that | on the horizon, we see Benjamin Netanyahu on his way to meet The World leaders to speak at The World leaders to speak at the un assembly. From a diplomatic standpoint, how will that play out . He diplomatic standpoint, how will that play out . That play out . He is a very aood that play out . He is a very good talker, that play out . He is a very good talker, netanyahu. L that play out . He is a very good talker, netanyahu. Most people in the region thinks he is a disaster. Plenty of people in israel think the same thing. That he is an obstacle to peace. But he is a very good talker. The guy has got superb rhetoric and will make a strong, convincing case. There is no getting away from the fact that israel was attacked in the most horrific way on october the 7th, it was barbaric, murderous, crueland barbaric, murderous, cruel and sadistic barbaric, murderous, crueland sadistic what was done, particularly to the people at the festival. So he will make a very impassioned case. That israel is fighting for its own survival. The actions he has taken and the actions that he refuses to undertake our helping to contribute to an ongoing state of conflict in the Middle East. For example, what i mean by that is in april, israel attacked, bombed the consulate, the iranian consulate in damascus, that was a diplomatic premises. It detonated The Man coordinating the supply of weapons to hezbollah. As far as israel is concerned, that was a point scored, but the retaliation from iran was the massive score of missiles, that almost all got shut down. It was against international law, what they did. The assassination which they never owned Up To, but everyone had assumed was mossad. And also in tehran, in july. But again, plenty of israelis would say great, he was hamass political leader in what is the same as the political leader and beyond leader . And an armed leader. He got a lot of hostages out. And remember, for many israelis, their priority was getting the hostages home and that can only happen with the Ceasefire Deal in gaza. Whats holding them up . It is due people. The hamas leader, who is a man who is steeped in war and violence, a very clever and cunning plot and an extremely violent man. I dont think he is in any mood to give up. He will have surrounded himself in a tunnel somewhere with the hostages so he cannot be taken alive. He is an obstacle to peace. Also Benjamin Netanyahus refusal to withdraw Neta Nyahus Refusal to withdraw troops Netanyahus Refusal to withdraw troops from the corridor between the south of gaza and egypt. He says if they do that they cannot be sure that hamas wont smuggle in more weapons. So after 11 months, you still havent dealt with hamas . This is an open ending problem. This is an open ending problem. This is why was desperate for a ceasefire in gaza. Achieve that and you lower the temperature of the entire region and you had a ceasefire and the lebanese Border. Had a ceasefire and the lebanese Border. , ~ lebanese Border. 0k, thank you forjoining lebanese Border. 0k, thank you forjoining me lebanese Border. 0k, thank you forjoining me in lebanese Border. 0k, thank you forjoining me in the lebanese Border. 0k, thank you Forjoining Me In The StudioForjoining Me In The Studio and sharing the analysis with me. And frank is writing a piece for the bbc live page on the bbc website. Dont forget to go to the Bbc News Website or the application, notjust read what frank has got to say, but all our other correspondence and the developments from the ground in israel, lebanon and gaza. Around The World and across the uk. This is Bbc News. We have got some Breaking News to bring you and that is around the bbc investigation, bbc has been hearing harrowing testimony from a number of women who say they were sexually assaulted and raped by the former owner of harrods, mohamed Al Fayed who is no longer alive. We now have a statement from the current Managing Director of harrods, michael ward. We can show you his image there. This is quite a long statement, but i am going to go through it in detail. It is important to share it all. The statement said, as Managing Director of harrods, i wanted to convey my personal horror at the revelations that occurred over the last week when we had seen the last week when we had seen the survivors bravely speak about the terrible excuse they suffered abuse they suffered at the hands of the former owner of harrods. We are deeply sorry. The statement goes on to say is someone who worked the harrods since 2006 and therefore worked for Al Fayed until the change of ownership in 2010, ifeel until the change of ownership in 2010, i feel it is important to make clear that i was not aware of his chronology and abuse. Well it is true that rumours of his behaviour circulated in the public domain, no charges or allegations ever put to me by the police. Nor the cps, internal channels or others. Had they been, he goes on to say, i would of course have acted immediately. Al fayed who owned harrods until 2010 operated in his own five them. It is now clear he presided over a toxic culture of secrecy, intimidation, fear of repercussion and sexual misconduct. The picture now emerging suggests he did this where every operated. It goes on to continue. The statement if you are just on to continue. The statement if you arejustjoining is on to continue. The statement if you are justjoining is from michael ward, the current Managing Director of harrods. It goes on to say, this was a shameful period in The Business, the Business History and the harrods of today is unrecognisable to the harrods under his ownership. Detailed new information has come to light over the last 18 months, The Business has established a Settlement Process designed in consultation with independent external experts in personal injury litigation. We encourage former colleagues to contact us using this process so that we can provide the Support And Recourse that they need. Alongside this, there is an independent Review Led by a non executive committee of the board to further consider the issues arising from the allegation. I am issues arising from the allegation. Iam not issues arising from the allegation. I am not part of the committee conducting this review, he goes on to say and will know way influence its recommendations. However i have provided all information i can to ensure my own conduct can be reviewed alongside that of my colleagues. I have also set back from a Charity Trustee positions while this review is taking place. Lengthy statement, but important to share it all has just reached us here in the Bbc Newsroom from the current director of harrods, michael ward. Well bring you more on that when we can. One of the crucial things in that is there will be, as he said, an independent review looking into the issues arising from the allegations led by nonexecutive committee, he said in that statement, while it is true rumours of Al Fayeds behaviour, no charges or allegations ever put to me by the police, cps or internal channels or others and had they been, i would of course have acted immediately. Well bring you more on that. An important story and a Bbc Documentary that you can watch if you want more details from some of those survivors who came forward to speak about the abuse that they suffered at the hands of mohamed Al Fayed. Lets go back to developments in the Middle East. Britain is moving troops to cyprus as part of military plans to conduct an evacuation of british nationals from lebanon if necessary. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for diplomacy and an immediate ceasefire to bring Israel And Hezbollah back from the brink. Our Correspondent Bethany Bell is at Raf Akrotiri in cyprus where preparations are under way for a possible evacuation. Well, we know that britain is sending an additional 700 Military Personnel to help in case there is the need for an evacuation of british nationals from lebanon. This Raf Base is one of the major hubs in the region. We also know that the Royal Navy has two ships in the eastern mediterranean, one of which has landing capacities. And at the moment, though, were hearing from the prime minister, keir starmer, hes urging british nationals to leave lebanon now while there are still commercial flights available. He says, dont wait, the time to leave is now. But Bbc News has also been hearing from british nationals in lebanon itself, whove been talking about the difficulties of getting on flights. Some commercial. Many commercial flights have been cancelled, others are full and its a difficult prospect, getting out. Bethany bell in cyprus there. Injapan, The Worlds longest serving Death Row Prisoner has been acquitted more than a half a century after his conviction in a quadruple murder. A former boxer, Iwao Hakamada had been found guilty of killing his boss, the Mans Wife and their children , back in the 1960s. But the new evidence proved him to be innocent. The case has been one ofjapan� s most high profile legal sagas, Our Tokyo correspondent shaimaa khalil reports. An acquittal, for a man that has spent more time awaiting execution than anybody else in The World. Iwao hakamada was found guilty in 1968 of murdering his boss, the Mans Wife, and two of his teenage children. For decades, he has maintained his innocence. Now, the crucial piece of evidence upon which his eventual retrial hinged, and Todays Acquittal was about the nature of the bloodstains, the colour of the bloodstains that were found on pieces of clothing allegedly worn by The Killer back then. The defence questioned these blood stains, questioned how they aged and how they changed colour, saying given that they were still red and not blackish after a year of being immersed in soybean paste, meant that this was fabricated, this was what they were trying to prove. This has been consistently challenged by the prosecution, even after Mr Hakamada was released and granted retrial in 2014. A key date here there was relentless back and forth between the prosecution and the defence. Challenges and appeals continued for years, which meant that it took until 2023 for the retrial to be given the go ahead. Until today, for him to be announced innocent. Now it was widely believed that he was going to be acquitted, but years of being behind bars, mostly in solitary confinement, had really taken a toll on his mental health. He was under the care and the supervision of his sister after he was released in 2014. He has been so ill and so unwell that he was exempt by the court from attending those hearings. His Sister Today in court appeared visibly emotional and thejudge had actually apologised to her, saying sorry that it had taken so long. Today ends one of japans longest and most famous and closely watched legal sagas. But it raises a question about why this Miscarriage Ofjustice has lasted for so long. Before we leave you there is half an hour, lets bring you Up To date with the Breaking News. We have had a statement from the current Managing Director of harrods, michael ward. He accuses his former boss of presiding over a toxic culture of secrecy, intimidation, fear of repercussion and sexual misconduct. He goes on sale in a statement that he feels it important to make it clear that he was not aware of the criminality and abuse. Well it was rumours circulating in the public, no charges were put forward to him from the police, cps or internal channels, and had they been, he would have acted on them. He goes on to say its a shameful period in The Businesss history. We will of course stay across that story throughout the day here in Bbc News. Do stay with us. Hello again, we have had torrential rain this morning pushing northwards and as we go through the rest of the day, it is starting to retreat southwards and it is heavy across the North And South of england and northern ireland. Some showers could be heavy and thundery with hail. To the north we have brighter skies, but some showers in areas exposed to the chilly northern winter. Temperatures 11 to 18 degrees. The met office hadnt amber, be prepared warning for Heavy Rain the central and southern midlands. We could have as much as 30 or a0 millimetres of Rain Falling in just three hours. You can see how that pushes southwards and in six hours we could have doubled that. That could lead again to issues with flooding. After that, clear skies, showers, windy on the North Sea coastline. Temperatures between five and about ten or 11 degrees. That takes us into tomorrow. Remnants of The Rain pulling away slowly from the south east, that opens the doors to a northerly wind and it will feel colder tomorrow. You can see how we have the cloud and The Rain, clear East AngliaIn Southern England and behind that, a return to sunshine and a few showers. It will be a windy day. A brisk wind taking numbers of temperatures. We are looking at nine to 15 at best. At the weekend, we have the ridge of high Pressure Building across us, settling things down for a time, but a Weather Front across the north of scotland. On saturday that will be producing some showery outbreaks of rain, a cold start with wide outspread frost, through the day more cloud develops, turning hazy in places, winds lighter, temperatures similar to what we are looking at on friday. Nine to about 15 degrees. And then as we move on into sunday, the High Pressure pushes away The Rain from the far north of scotland, a drier interlude but then we have Heavy Rain and strong winds coming from the South West and they will be pushing northwards and eastwards through the rest of the day and into monday. Beijing boost Markets Rally as chinas top leaders vow to spend big and cut rates to keep its Growth Targets on track. Trading blows. Kamala harris makes her economic pitch to voters, as she tries to close the gap on donald trump. And openai changes direction. The Chatgpt Creator is reportedly abandoning its not for profit status. Welcome to business today. Im tadhg enright. We start in china, where President Xi and other top leaders have admitted the economy is facing new problems and vowed to tackle the long running property crisis, pledging to deploy necessary spending and further Interest Rate cuts to make sure china meets its Growth Target of 5 this year. This, alongside further reforms to the Banking And Business sectors, comes hot on the heels of stimulus measures that came out on tuesday. And it appears markets like what theyre hearing. Lets have a quick look. The news has given a boost to European Markets opening up,