As chaos, with ambulances rushing to the scene through roads packed with people trying to flee. Our correspondent hugo bachega has the latest from beirut. Explosions scenes of war in beirut. Hezbollah�*s conflict with israel returning to its stronghold of dahieh, with a series of massive explosions and an escalation with unpredictable consequences. Explosion. An attack so powerful that it was seen and heard across the city. Lebanon now on the brink of another war. Chaos on the streets — and here is what they are running from. Dahieh, in southern beirut, now looking like gaza. But amid so much destruction, jubilation. Two children rescued from the rubble alive. Hezbollah�*s backers, iran, say this strike marks a dangerous game—changing escalation in the conflict. For israel, it's a strike targeting the heart of hezbollah�*s operations. Moments ago, the israel defense forces carried out a precise strike on the central headquarter of the hezbollah terror organisation that serves as the epicentre of hezbollah�*s terror. Hezbollah�*s central headquarter was intentionally built under residential buildings in the heart of the dahieh in beirut as part of hezbollah�*s strategy of using lebanese people as human shields. This was apparently the target, one of israel's main enemies. Hezbollah�*s long—time and powerful leader, hassan nasrallah, seen here for the last time a week ago. Israel says it is still checking whether he was hit and remains alive. Hezbollah in iran say reports he is dead are not true. This is one of the roads leading to dahieh. We tried to get out of the car, but we were stopped by a group of men. There is chaos, there is tension. We've seen crowds gathered by the road with rucksacks and bags, apparently trying to leave dahieh. Minutes before the attack, the israeli prime minister finished a speech at the united nations. Benjamin netanyahu said his country wanted peace, but had no choice but to fight its enemies. Hours later, there was some response from hezbollah, in the way of dozens of rockets on northern israel. One hit this building in the town of safed. For almost a year, there has been concern that something like this could spark a wider regional conflict. Tonight, there are two unanswered questions — whether hassan nasrallah is still alive, and if the middle east will be engulfed by war. Hugo bachega, bbc news, beirut. The israeli prime minister minister benjamin netanyahu vowed to defeat hezbollah in a speech to the un general assembly in new york on friday. The israeli government released this photo, where it says prime minister netanyahu was approving the strike in beirut from new york. The israeli prime minister made no mention of a ceasefire during his speech, standing firm on the idea that israel's offensive against hezbollah in lebanon would continue until its war aims were met. He also accused the united nations of antisemitism — and said israel was defending itself against a common enemy in iran. Meanwhile, us secretary of defense lloyd austin told reporters the united states had no prior knowledge of the attack, and urged both sides not to escalate the conflict. I spoke by phone earlier with my counterparts in israel, minister gallant. The united states was not involved in israel's operation. We had no advance warning. My call with minister gallant took place while the operation was actually already under way. But i will say, you have heard me say a number of times that an all—out war should be avoided. Diplomacy continues to be the best way forward and it is the fastest way to let displaced israeli and lebanese citizens returned to their homes on both sides of the border. A short while ago i spoke to the former us ambassador to lebanon, david hale, who also served previously as special envoy for middle east peace. I asked him about hezbollah�*s current position in beirut. I want to ask you more about the conduct today in lebanon, and as a former ambassador, knowing the country, it is widely reported hezbollah has covert bunkers there in the suburb of beirut in the south of the city. So when there are calls to get out, do they necessarily know they are in approximately —— proximity of weaponry? i doubt people living in dahieh, everyone knows roughly where hezbollah�*s locations are. This is an area dominated by hezbollah, the lebanese army itself is unable to move in those areas, it is hezbollah that secures the neighbourhoods. That in no way means we should not mourn and feel terrible about the loss of innocent civilian lives, but it is hezbollah that has put its own people in harm's way by the way they have constructed their facilities. Joining me live isjon alterman, middle east programme director at the centre for strategic and international studies. I would like to begin by getting your assessment of the significance of what we have seen today in lebanon, specifically those strikes in beirut. Do you see this as an inflection point? it beirut. Do you see this as an inflection point?— inflection point? it could be an inflection _ inflection point? it could be an inflection point, inflection point? it could be an inflection point, it inflection point? it could be i an inflection point, it depends on two things. I think the hezbollah, the question is, do you respond, can you respond. Israel, i think, you respond, can you respond. Israel, ithink, has by targeting more than 2000 targets in lebanon over the past week, may be getting to a point where it is what —— running out of targets, once they have achieved their goals, to take a ceasefire and hezbollah will take a ceasefire from this place of weakness. Has a problem, they don't do anything they look weak. Israel might be willing to lock that end, hezbollah might not. Whether israel has any endgame in mind and where we go from there i don't know. — there i don't know. When it comes to — there i don't know. When it comes to hassan _ there i don't know. When it comes to hassan nasrallah| there i don't know. When it comes to hassan nasrallah and whether he had been killed in all of this, and we should say at this stage we just don't know — went out to be the case, how much of a blow with a deal to hezbollah? —— were that. It is partly a blow to hezbollah but also to israel. Frankly hassan nasrallah, as the leader of hezbollah, was also quite limited in what hezbollah did to help hamas in gaza. They were firing rockets into a relatively small part of israel, they didn't go all out, hassan nasrallah for all of his buster —— bluster, has actually been relatively conservative. It is possible that hassan nasrallah will be more radical and hostile to israel. But for the lebanese and for israel, hassan nasrallah has been a charismatic leader and his replacement is likely to neither have the credibility, the knowledge or the charisma that he has mustered for decades. That he has mustered for decades_ that he has mustered for decades. . ,. . . Decades. You are arguing that so much of — decades. You are arguing that so much of this _ decades. You are arguing that so much of this is _ decades. You are arguing that so much of this is about so much of this is about objects, about brinkmanship. I wonder watching this, what we have heard from iran is that whoever is behind this, the perpetrator essentially will feel a response. Do you expect iran as the sponsor of hezbollah to become involved? what happened in new york the other date was part of a broader effort by iranians to lower the temperature, saying there is these internal things we are trying to do, everyone is trying to drag us into a fight, leave us alone and we will leave you alone. Whether iran feel like it risks that, when it's most important proxy is getting smashed by israel, can it afford to stand by? i think iran has some very hard choices if they want to fight, what does that entail, if they don't, what does that entail? i don't, what does that entail? i don't think iran has a good set of options right now. You have the actors _ of options right now. You have the actors on _ of options right now. You have the actors on one _ of options right now. You have the actors on one side of options right now. You have the actors on one side there, i j the actors on one side there, i want to ask you about the international community more broadly. Can they find any way to address this and quite frankly, if we look at what happened today, there were these strikes at the same time there in new york, you have a global community gathered, the un general assembly was taking place, as this was happening. Is there anything they can do to de—escalate? is there anything they can do to deescalate?_ is there anything they can do to deescalate? the interesting thin. To deescalate? the interesting thin is to deescalate? the interesting thing is there — to deescalate? the interesting thing is there is _ to deescalate? the interesting thing is there is proposal to deescalate? the interesting thing is there is proposal for thing is there is proposalfor a 21 day ceasefire which the biden administration thought the israelis were receptive to, and then the israelis had absolutely no interest in that. There is increasing frustration in the white house in particular that they had a strategy how to deal with israel, defend israel, if there was peace in the region. It seems right now the whole strategy is going up in smoke. I am not sure what is going to happen before the election but i'm starting to think that after the election we might see some changes in the us— israel relationship. Of course that probably depends on how the elections go. But it does feel to me like at this point, we are possibly reaching a place where the us— israeli relationship changes. Where the us israeli relationship changes. Very briefl , relationship changes. Very briefly, would _ relationship changes. Very briefly, would you relationship changes. Very briefly, would you characterise that strategy as a failure? it is difficult to see any winds that have come out of it. From the us aside, in terms of deescalation on the side of netanyahu. Deescalation on the side of netanyahm— deescalation on the side of netanyahu. Deescalation on the side of netan ahu. . , _,. Netanyahu. You could argue the israelis delayed _ netanyahu. You could argue the israelis delayed going _ netanyahu. You could argue the israelis delayed going into israelis delayed going into rafah, they did not cause the massive civilian casualties people expected. It is hard to play a hypothetical game but it is very clear the biden administration had a feeling that if you embrace israel you will have influence, so embrace israel early and use the influence. But it seems over the last year american influence has been diminishing over time. Influence has been diminishing over time— over time. John alterman, alwa s over time. John alterman, always good _ over time. John alterman, always good to _ over time. John alterman, always good to have over time. John alterman, always good to have yourl always good to have your analysis, we appreciate it. Former president donald trump met with ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky in new york on friday. Trump greeted mr zelensky at trump tower and said it was time russia's war in ukraine was settled. The republican presidential nominee has repeatedly criticised mr zelensky on the us campaign trail. Mr zelensky said he thought they had a common view that the war has to be stopped and putin can't win. Before the meeting, which lasted less than an hour, the former us president had hailed his alliance with the ukrainian leader but added i also have a very good relationship, as you know, with president putin. Us vice—president kamala harris has proposed to toughen existing restrictions at the us southern border during a campaign trip to arizona. It was ms harris�* first visit to the us—mexico border in three years. In her remarks, she vowed to sign a bipartisan border security bill into law — a piece of legislation she says would have improved the situation at the border — and blamed her political rival donald trump for its failure in congress. It was the strongest border security bill we have seen in decades. It was endorsed by the border patrol union. And it should be in effect today. Producing results. In real—time, right now for our country. But donald trump tanked it. He pick up the phone and called some friends in congress and said stop the bill. Because you see, he prefers to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem. And the american people deserve a president who cares more about border security than playing political games, and their personal political future. The trip drew an attack from trump, who said at a michigan rally she was only there because she's getting killed on the border. Immigration and border security are hot—button issues in this year's presidential election. Recent polling from our news partner cbs news shows 58% of voters say their choice for president will be majorly influenced by immigration—related policies. Border crossings have fallen in recent months, after record highs earlier in the biden administration. Executive action issued by the president injune caused crossings to fall by a fifth in just one month. Let's talk more about the visit now with the bbc�*s samantha granville. Great to have you with us. What were some of the priorities that harris covered in that speech? i that harris covered in that seech?. , that harris covered in that speech?— that harris covered in that seech?. . , ,, speech? i am here on the us mexico border _ speech? i am here on the us mexico border where speech? i am here on the us mexico border where kamala. Mexico border where kamala harris made herfirst trip mexico border where kamala harris made her first trip to the border as the nominee for the border as the nominee for the democratic party for president. And she showed up here a few hours ago and met with border agents, she took a tour along the borderjust down the road from here and she talked to them about their needs for more funding and how she can help stop so many migrants from stock —— crossing over the border. She emphasised in a speech later today where she was able to talk to voters in this crucial swing state about the people coming over, their safety, their personal safety coming into this portable —— border town and criminal organisations who are smuggling fentanyl and other drugs across the border. So border security has been a big vulnerability for kamala harris when it comes to the campaign trail, and donald trump has attacked her on it over and over again, attacked her on it over and overagain, he has attacked her on it over and over again, he has called her week and will suggest voters actually —— polls suggest voters trust donald trump more than kamala harris on this topic. Today was a very crucial day for her as she has taken a lot of criticism for her time as vice president when coming to border security. But she has defended herself, saying it has only been part of the puzzle she has had to deal with, but today voters heard from her, what she would do if the puzzle becomes her entirely. And becomes her entirely. And donald trump _ becomes her entirely. And donald trump consistently has called her the border czar, something that is not a fully correct statement when it comes to her role as the vice president, but in her role as attorney general she had a record on that. When you are speaking to voters there in douglas, how were they reacting to what she had to say? douglas, how were they reacting to what she had to say? when we look at kamala's _ to what she had to say? when we look at kamala's reckoned to what she had to say? when we look at kamala's reckoned on to what she had to say? when we look at kamala's reckoned on a i look at kamala's reckoned on a federal level when it comes to immigration, she doesn't have one to. 2. That is why today's speech relied on her time as a prosecutor in local politics. She can say when i was a district attorney in century city and i still prosecuted undocumented migrants who committed crimes. When i was attorney general i went down to the border and prosecuted those trying to smuggle drugs into california. So there were some tangible things she could point to and during her time as vice president she was in charge of looking at root causes of migration. She wasn't in charge of water policy or enforcing border policy for that matter, so it is early days of her political career that she can say, this is what i stand for and what i have done. She has never been a candidate that has said oh i am pro— immigration or law enforcement, so she needs to tell voters, i have a history, i can do this and look what i have done. Driving through douglas today to see signs both for trump and the harris, and talking to voters, the people i spoke to say they felt safer under president trump, they said they were less crossings and a lot of them, particularly in one neighbourhood down the road, one community took it upon themselves to build mcqualter and their homes because they felt like they were not safe under president biden. —— brick walls around their homes. Thanks samantha. At least 43 people have been killed across florida, georgia and north carolina as storm helene brought flash flooding and fierce winds to much of the south—east. The storm barrelled into florida's big bend as a category four storm on thursday night — before weakening as it travelled north. Cleanup operations are under way in florida. This was the scene in perry, around 50 miles south—east of talahasee,as residents returned home. There has also been severe flooding in parts of georgia — with some areas in atlanta completely underwater. 0n the final day of hearings into the titan submersible disaster, witnesses have given evidence about the five—day search near the site of the titanic. A senior us coast guard officer defended the operation, saying they could not be sure that the sub had imploded until they found its wreckage on the seabed. Here's rebecca morelle. An underwater robot recovering the wreckage of 0ceangate's titan submersible, in pieces, lying at the bottom of the atlantic. Vital evidence for the investigation into exactly what went wrong. What have we learned about the titan submersible? we now know there were a lot of technical issues. During dives in 2021 and 2022, 118 different problems were reported. They ranged from the thrusters failing to the front dome of the sub falling off. But the investigation has been concentrating on the hull where the passengers were. In 2022, a loud bang was heard during the dive. It was picked up by the multiple sensors fitted to the sub. Data from them suggests that something had happened that changed the fabric of the hull, and this affected how the sub could respond to pressure. The hull was made from carbon fibre. It was five inches, 13cm thick, and each inch was made up of multiple layers. But a problem with this material is that these layers can come apart. Wreckage of the hull recovered from the sea floor has also been analysed. On this large piece, you can see where the layers of carbon fibre are separating. It's not been confirmed if a failure in the hull caused the sub to implode, but it's a key focus of the investigation. The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you god. Thank you. You may be seated. 0n the final day of the public hearing, the us coast guard defended their lengthy search at the time, even though they'd been told about a sonar signal that suggested titan had been lost. The navy couldn't tell us that it was a 100% definitive answer that it was an implosion. I know it's been widely reported in the media that we had some information that somehow, we were holding on to and we continued the search when we knew what the answer was, and i would tell you — no—one knew what the answer was. In the coming months, a report will answer how a sub destined for failure was allowed to dive, and find a way to stop a tragedy like this from happening again. Rebecca morelle, bbc news. Dame maggie smith, a british legend of the stage and screen, has died at the age of 89. In a statement, her sons said she died peacefully in hospital on friday morning. The star of the harry potter films, downton abbey, and much more won two 0scars during a career that spanned seven decades. King charles on friday described her as a national treasure, whose warmth and wit shone through both on and off the stage. Our culture editor katie razzall looks back on her life. That was bloody brilliant. Thank you for that assessment, mrweasley. Her professor mcgonagall in the harry potter films introduced dame maggie smith to a whole new generation. Little girls, i am in the business of putting old heads on young shoulders. . . But it was another teacher role that won her her first 0scar — the prime of missjean brodie was an acting masterclass. No, no, don't be alarmed. And over seven legendary decades, she admitted her nerves at being her best often got to her. I think ijust get extremely grumpy and very tetchy, and just furious with myself, really. I have a definite hump on my left shoulder. She may have seemed haughty and in charge of everything, but i think inside there was an anxiety to get it right. But she always did. She was so bloody good! you can forgive somebody for being the best of the best, can't you? she made her name on the stage. I love you with so much of my heart. There is nothing left to protest. One of the finest theatre actors of her generation. In her great performances, you think you've got the measure of her, but you never have, because she's always ahead of you, she's always taking you somewhere thrilling, strange, interesting and unexpected. Put the van in your drive? that never occurred to me. I mean, truly, i never worked with anybody like her. Quick, come here, what's that, there? damejudi dench, her contemporary and equal, was a lifelong friend. We're going to work forever if we're asked. But you're always asked first, if i may say so. No. . . Don't! i'm turning on you now. It's all coming out now. That droll wit and waspish humour became her trademark, a scene stealer as the dowager countess in downton abbey. And of course, i will have the weekend. We will discuss this later. I we mustn't bore the ladies. What is a weekend? have you ever watched downton? laughter. Have you not? i've got the box set. Witty to the end. I presume you have a reason for returning, potter. What is it you need? time, professor, as much as you can get me. Amongst the many tributes, daniel radcliffe called her a legend with a fierce intellect and a gloriously sharp tongue. Michelle dockery said there was no one quite like maggie. And the king tonight said the curtain has gone down on a national treasure. Dame maggie smith — who has died at age 89. We will have more world news for you at the top of the hour. Tojoin us for you at the top of the hour. To join us that if you can. Bye for now. Hello. On friday, we had some furtherflooding problems, causing disruption on some of our road and railway networks, particularly focused around parts of the midlands. This was how one of our flood—hit communities in warwickshire looked like, and we still have a number of flood warnings currently in force — again, tightly clustered around the midlands. And of course, it's here where we've seen extreme rainfall so far this month. The wettest place in woburn, bedfordshire, we've had overfour times the september average rainfall, well over three times the average rainfall in 0xfordshire, and that's what's caused the flooding issues. Now, we have something of a quieter window of weather into saturday. Chilly north—westerly winds with us, yes, and a few showers draped around our coastal fringes. Many inland areas, dry, clear and cold. Yes, heading into the first part of saturday morning, in the countryside, temperatures well down into single figures, cold enough for a nip of frost into parts of scotland and northern england. So saturday, a very cold start to the day for september, but plenty of sunshine for most. The exception is scotland, where weak weather fronts will move in, bringing some thicker cloud and a few patches of light rain. And although there could be an odd shower for northern ireland, the northwest of both england and wales should be mostly dry here. And certainly fine for southern parts of wales, southern england, the midlands and eastern england. Lots of sunshine, but it will be another chilly day for this time of the year. Sunday, second half of the weekend is dominated by this next area of low pressure. It's going to be another cold morning, plenty of morning sunshine, but then it turns cloudier from the southwest. The winds start to pick up and it becomes very windy for wales and southwest england — gusts here reaching around 50 or 60 miles an hour. Through the afternoon, eventually, we'll start to see some rain getting into northern ireland, wales and western areas of england, leaving the north and east of the uk dry, with some hazy spells of sunshine. Through sunday night and into monday, that's when we'll see some of that rain falling on our flood—hit communities. One thing i would say is the rain isn't going to be as extreme as it has been, but clearly any extra rain is probably not going to be too helpful. A wet and windy day, then, for most of us on monday, and it will continue to be cool for the time of year — temperatures from around 12 in edinburgh to about 16 in london. Heading, then, into the first part of october — yeah, where has this year gone? — it looks like it should be dry but on the chilly side. Bye for now. Voiceover: this is bbc news. We'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. Sirjohn major is perhaps the most unlikely of our modern british prime ministers. He grew up in poverty and left school with three 0—levels, yet that didn't stop him rising through the tory ranks at phenomenal speed, serving as foreign secretary, then chancellor for margaret thatcher before replacing the iron lady as prime minister. File: the new prime minister, john major, moves into 10 downing street. He picks a cabinet whose apparent emphasis is on party unity. But battles over europe, sleaze and party divisions threatened his leadership. . . In short, it is time to put up or shut up. . . And by the time he was unseated in 1997, it was to tony blair and a labour landslide. In a very rare interview, the man once held to epitomise our meritocratic ideals is passionate about what his party, his country and his generation need to do to fix britain's problems to restore its pride and thrive in the 21st century. Sirjohn major, very good to see you. Thank you very much indeed for agreeing to speak to me. I can't help but note that you don't often do tv interviews these days, so i must start by asking why you've agreed to do this one. Chuckles it's a rather unusual question but i'll give you a strictly truthful answer. There were two reasons, really. 0ne, because it was a lengthy interview, and i do think a large number of the short interviews i see merely produce