all of this as israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu heads to meet those leaders as he makes his delayed trip to new york to attend the un general assembly. bbc news hears new harrowing testimony from a woman who says she was raped by the former harrods owner mohamed al fayed when she was 16. and england's chief medical officer will be questioned later on the impact the pandemic had on the nhs at his second covid inquiry appearance. hello. israel has called up more reservists and has told the army to be ready for a possible ground offensive. the speculation has been that it may launch an invasion of southern lebanon to destroy the infrastructure used by hezbollah and push its fighters away. for hezbollah, this is the worst moment in the group's history. they have been weakened but remain defiant.

so, what do we know about hezbollah�*s capabilities? bbc verify�*s nawal al—maghafi has more. wednesday's attack by hezbollah is believed to be the first—time ever that a ballistic missile from the armed group has been launched towards tel aviv. let me take you through the details of the attack and why it symbolises such a significant escalation. this video, filmed from eastern tel aviv, was posted around 6.1i0am on social media and it shows the moments after the single surface—to—air missile was intercepted by israel using its air—defence system. this white plume of smoke is where the missile had been intercepted. there were no casualties or injuries reported as a result of the attack. in a statement, hezbollah confirmed that it launched the missile. it said it was targeting the headquarters of israel's intelligence agency, mossad, which it believes is in this location, north of tel aviv. hezbollah also said that mossad was responsible for assassinating leaders and blowing up pagers and wireless devices — something that, although israel has been widely blamed for,

it hasn't commented on. israel's defence force also released this footage, which shows it striking the launcher where the missile was fired from from an area in southern lebanon. bbc verify matched the building and surroundings, seen in the footage, to google satellite imagery of the settlement. the missile travelled around 130km before it was intercepted. it was reportedly an iranian qadri medium—range ballistic missile that is powerful enough to destroy a large building. the full extent of hezbollah�*s arsenal isn't clear, but according to the centre for strategic and international studies — a washington dc—based think tank — it's believed that hezbollah has an arsenal of about 120,000-200,000 rockets and missiles with various ranges. but it's important to add that israel has one of the world's most sophisticated air defence systems. hezbollah�*s attacks would have to bypass it to cause any damage.

more developments from the middle east. qatar, a key broker when it comes to trying to secure a ceasefire in gaza, and the spokesperson for qatar foreign ministry saying he is not aware of a direct link between a 21 day lebanon ceasefire proposal and the gaza ceasefire proposal and the gaza ceasefire proposal and the gaza ceasefire proposal which of course is still on the table and has yet to be agreed to. the spokesperson also says there is not yet a formal mediation track working towards a ceasefire in lebanon. that is interesting of course. let us not forget efforts to broker a ceasefire in gaza continue on. interesting there qatar are saying there is not a formal mediation track for a ceasefire in lebanon, coming off the

leaders in new york at the un general assembly called for an immediate 21 day ceasefire. let us return to the situation on the ground. let's speak to isabella eda baker, a british citizen who is evacuating lebanon to go to turkey. welcome to the programme. i hope you are ok, isabella. tell us what has been happening in terms of your efforts to try to leave the country. i terms of your efforts to try to leave the country.— leave the country. i left my area in west _ leave the country. i left my area in west beirut - leave the country. i left my area in west beirut about i leave the country. i left my l area in west beirut about two days ago to come here to tripoli, i bought a ticket to get a boat across to turkey, which i found out about an hour ago should leave at 430 today. lebanon time. do you think you are getting enough information from the consulate, the foreign office, british officials— office, british officials about how ou office, british officials about how you can _ office, british officials about how you can leave _ office, british officials about how you can leave the - office, british officials about i how you can leave the country, you and your friends and other people you know? do you think

you are fully informed? i people you know? do you think you are fully informed?- you are fully informed? i would sa since you are fully informed? i would say since october _ you are fully informed? i would say since october the - you are fully informed? i would say since october the eight - say since october the eight last year when a fitting first kicked off, the uk government has been quite clear with its updates saying it advises people to leave —— when everything first kicked off. it increased the recommendations at certain points in toys that they want us to do it through commercial means. i personally think that focus on british residents leaving is not a big priority for the uk government. we have been told many times. we have been told many times. we are not waiting to be evacuated, if it is an option. it is more important to worry about the people left behind in lebanon, the people who do not have the choice to leave. they are the ones that have to deal with what is going on. it is not us who come here with the freedom and privilege to leave whenever we want.— freedom and privilege to leave whenever we want. indeed. we soke an whenever we want. indeed. we spoke an age — whenever we want. indeed. we spoke an age group _ whenever we want. indeed. we spoke an age group 20 - whenever we want. indeed. we i spoke an age group 20 minutes ago talking about the kind of help they are trying to give that thousands of people who are displaced now in lebanon —— aid group. what have you seen

on the ground from your perspective as you are trying to leave? have you had conversations with others? yes, and i think _ conversations with others? yes, and i think one _ conversations with others? yes, and i think one thing _ conversations with others? yes, and i think one thing we - conversations with others? yes, and i think one thing we can - and i think one thing we can commend lebanon four, a country without a functioning government, is the way everyone has had to come together, a real sense of camaraderie, i would say. people coming together to help each other out, people giving up their houses, a huge network organised very quickly shared across social media to organise giving people rooms, displaced people, free rooms in the capital, beirut, as well as here, coming north. very upsetting to see the scenes of people on myjourney up to tripoli, people in the back of various food produce trucks, and vans, whole families. i think almost 500,000 people if not more have been displaced. yes, it is very much the civilian impact that is happening here and it is the civilian starter dealing with

it. , ., ., ~ civilian starter dealing with it. ok, isabella, thank you for for sharing — it. ok, isabella, thank you for for sharing your _ it. ok, isabella, thank you for for sharing your story - it. ok, isabella, thank you for for sharing your story and - it. ok, isabella, thank you for| for sharing your story and that story of thousands of lebanese citizens as well —— the civilians who are dealing with it. you can go to the bbc news website and app for images and plenty of analysis from the correspondence notjust on the ground in the middle east but the latest post from the corresponding john bateman who asked the question, how likely is a ceasefire? —— correspondence. we will come back to the story throughout the day of course on bbc news. another story we have been watching in the last few days... the bbc has heard harrowing testimony for the first time from a woman who says she was raped by the former harrods owner mohamed al

fayed when she was 16. kate, which isn't her real name, is one of the five women who revealed to the bbc documentary team about a serious sexual attack. she also described the intrusive medical examinations she was made to have. her words are being voiced by an actor. a warning some details in this report is distressing. 0ur correspondent helena wilkinson has been working with the documentary team. before being attacked, kate, like many women we've spoken to, was sent for intimate examinations. kate says hers was carried out by dr ann coxon. when i first started working for mohamed al fayed, he soon asked...started asking me inappropriate questions. like, did i have a boyfriend? had i been sexually active? i was only 16 years old and i was a virgin, and he soon discovered that. so, it was organised for me to see dr ann coxon of harley street for a medical examination. this was offered to me

as a perk for working in the chairman's office. kate's new testimony adds to accounts already broadcast in the bbc documentary, which has started to uncover the role of other people around al fayed who helped facilitate his abuse. and ijust remember the doctor, you know, saying how wonderful he was, and didn't he look after his employees so well? i think the doctor who did my medical should be held accountable for providing information to mohamed, which he used to take advantage of us. two of the doctors — dr wendy snell, who has since died, and dr ann coxon — have been repeatedly named by the women who've spoken to the bbc. dr coxon asked me to do an internal examination. she wanted to test for hiv and stds, but i said that i wasn't sexually active yet, so therefore it was unnecessary.

my concerns were brushed off and i was told that an internal examination was necessary. according to the women we've spoken to, in many cases, their confidential medical results were sent directly to al fayed. 0nce al fayed received their results, he abused them. and one night he summoned me to his apartment. well, i was scared, but i knew that i didn't have an option to say no. and he started to pressurise me into having sex with him, but i kept saying no. and then his mood changed and the threats started, and he had become angry. the doors were locked and i couldn't get out. that's when he raped me. the role of the doctors has raised further questions about who else facilitated al fayed's abuse. women have told the bbc that some senior pas would send them up to his office, where they would then be abused.

in previously unseen footage, one of the women, natasha, who's going to report dr coxon to the doctor's regulator, and catherine, says others around al fayed have questions to answer. we were so taken advantage of, so taken advantage of, by this army of people. it was like... as you said, it was like a production line. looking back, that's exactly what it was. the client agency, to the doctor... the doctor. ..to the lead pa and even the security guards. what about the drivers? the drivers, the security guards, nobody let on. the bbc has contacted dr coxon for a comment. so far, we have not had a response. the growing number of women who accuse al fayed of horrific attacks now want those who enabled his abuse to be held accountable. it's affected so many areas of my life, but having

to live with the deep shame of what happened to me from when i was young, being paranoid about walking by myself at night, not trusting men in any form, it's changed the course of my life and career in its entirety. the bbc approached harrods for comment but as yet has not had a response. harrods' new owners have previously apologised unreservedly and said the actions of al fayed were that of an individual intent on abusing his power. if you've been affected by anything raised, support is available at bbc.co.uk/action line. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

us media reports say

the new york city mayor, eric adams, has been indicted on criminal charges. the indictment remains sealed, but the mayor has been under federal investigation for campaign fundraising violations and possible influence peddling. it follows months of investigations, during which federal agents have seized phones and searched the homes of several high—ranking officials and advisers. in a statement on wednesday night, mr adams said he was innocent and would fight any charges. 0ur north america correspondent david willis has more. it hardly comes as a surprise. last november the fbi seized mr adams's electronic devices and wait at the home of his chief fundraiser and since then a

variety of subpoenas and searches have been carried out or requested at the homes and offices of people close to eric adams. it is in connection with various investigations into allegations of political corruption at new york's city hall. numerous city officials have resigned as a result and indeedin have resigned as a result and indeed in the last two weeks alone we have seen the resignation of new york's police chief, afterjust a year on thejob, and the police chief, afterjust a year on the job, and the city's schools chancellor, the person who oversees the largest public schools system in this country. the precise nature of the charges against eric adams have not been revealed, although according to unconfirmed reports here, and i stress those reports are unconfirmed, they are thought to relate to allegations of illegal campaign

contributions from turkey and other foreign governments to mr adams's political campaign. it is possible he will appear in court in manhattan in the morning when the full details of those charges will be unveiled. eric adams is up for election next year. he said that he will not be resigning and in a defiant statement issued this evening he said the allegations against him were as he put it based on lies and he added he planned to fight them with every ounce of his strength and spirit. david willetts there. _ around the world, moviegoers are balking at the rising price of refreshments at cinemas — in some instances sneaking in with their own snacks and drinks to avoid high charges. i have done that too. some cinema chains are being investigated for unfair pricing. from new york, tom brook.

buying refreshments at the movies, a soft drink, popcorn, a long and much cherished practice. nowadays it can set you back financially. i had just paid a visit to my local cinema in new york, i spent $18 for a ticket to see a feature film, i went to the refreshment counter and i spent a further $11 for this popcorn and another $8 for this soft drink. that comes to $37. that is a lot of moneyjust for one person. imagine what it is like if you are going with a group of friends or a family. 0ut if you are going with a group of friends or a family. out on the streets of new york, the general view is the price of movie refreshments is much too high. movie refreshments is much too hiuh. ~ , , high. whether it is tickets, concessions, _ high. whether it is tickets, concessions, way - high. whether it is tickets, concessions, way too - high. whether it is tickets, j concessions, way too high, high. whether it is tickets, i concessions, way too high, at larger chains. ifeel concessions, way too high, at larger chains. i feel like the price has jacked up quite a bit. price has 'acked up quite a bit. , , .,

bit. the refreshments and tickets as _ bit. the refreshments and tickets as well, _ bit. the refreshments and tickets as well, if - bit. the refreshments and tickets as well, if they - bit. the refreshments and i tickets as well, if they were more — tickets as well, if they were more affordable, it could attract _ more affordable, it could attract more people. it is tou~h attract more people. it is tough for _ attract more people. it is tough for those - attract more people. it is tough for those who - attract more people. it isj tough for those who work attract more people. it 3 tough for those who work on the front lines. anthony is a server at a cinema and because of high refreshment prices, him and his colleagues are the target of?— and his colleagues are the taruet of? , ., ., , target of? frustration. if they think there — target of? frustration. if they think there is _ target of? frustration. if they think there is something - target of? frustration. if they l think there is something wrong with the — think there is something wrong with the bill, overcharged for something, they get very aggressive because even if the bill aggressive because even if the hill is — aggressive because even if the bill is correct, are already spending they so much money. hot buttered popcorn, wouldn't it hit— hot buttered popcorn, wouldn't it hit the — hot buttered popcorn, wouldn't it hit the spot? _ hot buttered popcorn, wouldn't it hit the spot?— it hit the spot? popcorn in cinemas — it hit the spot? popcorn in cinemas used _ it hit the spot? popcorn in cinemas used to _ it hit the spot? popcorn in cinemas used to be - it hit the spot? popcorn in cinemas used to be much| it hit the spot? popcorn in - cinemas used to be much more affordable but now it is pricing becoming a global lament. in india, complaints of skyrocketing costs, in israel, cinemas are being investigated for allegedly operating a price—fixing cartel in relation to refreshments and ticket prices. some economists see cinema chains operating a monopoly with high refreshment prices. monopoly with high refreshment rices. ~ , ., ., ., prices. when you go to the cinema. — prices. when you go to the cinema. you _ prices. when you go to the cinema, you do _ prices. when you go to the cinema, you do not - prices. when you go to the cinema, you do not have . prices. when you go to the cinema, you do not have a| prices. when you go to the i cinema, you do not have a lot of options. you are discouraged

from bringing your own food, so it is in economic terms a monopoly. if you want your chocolate, popcorn, soda, you have to end up having to pay whatever price they charge. since they have youever the metaphorical barrel, no reason why prices should come down —— if they have you over. fine if they have you over. one factor driving _ if they have you over. one factor driving up _ if they have you over. one factor driving up the - if they have you over. one factor driving up the cost i if they have you over. one | factor driving up the cost of refreshments is box office takings are down below pre—virus—macro levels. cinemas leaning more heavily on refreshments as operating costs rise. it refreshments as operating costs rise. , ~ , , rise. it is keeping the lights on. rise. it is keeping the lights on- everything _ rise. it is keeping the lights on. everything is _ rise. it is keeping the lights on. everything is getting i rise. it is keeping the lights i on. everything is getting more expensive, rent, licensing movies, sojust to keep expensive, rent, licensing movies, so just to keep the lights on, they are raising the price of everything.— lights on, they are raising the price of everything. some small cinemas like _ price of everything. some small cinemas like new _ price of everything. some small cinemas like new york's - price of everything. some small cinemas like new york's long i cinemas like new york's long established art house cinema village trying to cater to moviegoers frustrated by high

refreshment prices. they take pride in offering notjust original curated programming but good quality popcorn costing far less than that found in cinema chains. irate costing far less than that found in cinema chains. we have cultivated several _ found in cinema chains. we have cultivated several regular - cultivated several regular customers who do not even see the movies, theyjust come in and _ the movies, theyjust come in and buy— the movies, theyjust come in and buy popcorn. i'm quite proud _ and buy popcorn. i'm quite proud of— and buy popcorn. i'm quite proud of that.— and buy popcorn. i'm quite proud of that. but with the big cinema chains _ proud of that. but with the big cinema chains and _ proud of that. but with the big cinema chains and inflated - cinema chains and inflated costs of refreshments is really a reflection of underlying pressures in the movie business. pembroke, bbc news, new york. you're watching bbc news. england's chief medical officer will be questioned on the impact the pandemic had on the nhs at the covid inquiry today.

professor chris whitty gave evidence at the inquiry back in november and will likely be quizzed today about the "stay home, protect the nhs" messaging deployed at the start of the pandemic. inquiry chairwoman baroness heather hallett is examining the impact of the crisis on nhs workers, patients and the delivery of healthcare. here, network rail has launched an investigation after free wifi given to 20 train stations across the uk was hacked in a cyber—security incident. passengers who attempted to log into the service at busy hubs such as london euston and manchester piccadilly were met with a web page that was headlined "we love you, europe." simon jones has more. the wi—fi hacked, a free service for passengers compromised. people wanting to use it during last night's rush hour were redirected to this web page. entitled we love you europe, it gave details of several terror attacks that have been carried out in recent years, both in britain and abroad. normally, when you try to get on the wi—fi system

at a railway station, it will take you to an introductory page where you tick to say you accept the terms and conditions. but i've just tried to get on the wi—fi here at london euston station, and there's simply not an option to do so. the system has been switched off. investigators are now trying to find out who was behind the attack and how they accessed the system. some of the uk's busiest railway stations have been affected, including manchester piccadilly, liverpool lime street and birmingham new street. hundreds of thousands of passengers pass through them each day. in a statement, network rail said... the british transport police is involved in that investigation too. it's understood no customer data has been compromised

because people using the service aren't asked to enter any personal information, but the attack will be a concern to passengers and the rail industry alike. simon jones, bbc news. campaigner and former subpostmaster sir alan bates said he will put his knighthood to good use after receiving it in a ceremony at windsor castle. he was honoured for his services to justice, following his decades—long campaign to expose the post office horizon it scandal and help hundreds of subpostmasters who were wrongly convicted. 0ur reporter chi chi izundu has more. from village hall to windsor castle... ..sir alan bates says he still can't quite take in how his 15—year fight has led him to this. she did know a lot about what i was involved with and why this had come about, and all the rest of it, and sympathised with the bureaucracy that i was having to go through

or deal with on a daily basis on all of this. but, you know, it was very, very nice to meet her. it's been a really busy september for sir alan. earlier this month, he tied the knot to his partner of 34 years on sir richard branson's private island. and now he says this honour of a knighthood belongs to every subpostmaster he's been campaigning alongside. we're all here to share our experiences. sir alan bates was portrayed in the itv drama alan bates vs the post office, which brought wider public attention to the hundreds of subpostmasters wrongly prosecuted and convicted for false accounting and stealing money from the post office when it was down to faulty horizon software. the public inquiry into the scandal is in its last stage, with sir alan and many of the campaigners attending. but despite the publicity,

a public inquiry and sir alan's recognition from the royal family, he says the fight is ongoing. even with this new government, who he says he hasn't even met yet or been invited to any meetings about the compensation promised to them. i say, make a firm commitment to ensure that this is finished by the end of march next year. sir alan bates says he will use his knighthood as another tool in his armoury forjustice. and in terms of celebrations, lady bates had plans. well, we're going to go back to the hotel, we're going to fling off our glad rags, have a nice cup of tea, and then in the evening we're going to celebrate with other campaigners and drink lots of champagne. 0h, fantastic. champagne! i hope you're paying because... i'll settle for a beer! chi chi izundu, bbc news. congratulations, sir alan.

now it's time for a look at the weather. hello again. we have had some wet weather pushing northwards through the course of this morning, and this afternoon it is going to start to retreat southwards once again. low pressure is driving our weather. we have got various weather fronts producing rain or showers, and this north—easterly wind across the north of scotland also dragging in some showers and that chilly wind. so, here we have the rain across northern england, also northern ireland, moving out of southern scotland through the day, and then eventually out of northern england, as it sinks south. ahead of it, for the south of england and wales, it is a mixture of sunshine, with some heavy showers, which could have some hail and thunder and lightning in them. brighter skies in the north, but this of course is where we have the cool wind. into this evening and overnight, the rain continues to push south, crossing areas where the ground is already saturated. there will be some clear skies behind, a peppering of showers and a keen wind coming down the north sea coastline and the english channel. these are our overnight lows,

between 5 and about 11 degrees, so a chilly night for some of us. so then into tomorrow, we have the remnants of the weather front to clear the south—east. that opens the doors to this northerly flow across the whole country, so it is going to feel colder tomorrow. and eventually we will lose the rain from east anglia in the south—east. it will take its time though. behind that, all of us are looking at a day of sunny spells, variable amounts of cloud and a few showers. but again, we have that cool northerly wind and lower temperatures, so it will feel cold, and again, we have this strong wind coming down the north sea coastline. but as we head into the weekend, high pressure starts to build in, so things will settle down. yes, we have a weather front across the far north of scotland. that will produce some rain at times, but after a frosty, cold start, for many, we will see some sunshine through the day, but more cloud building up, and it might be thick enough here and there for an isolated shower.

temperature—wise on saturday, very similar to friday — we are looking at 9 to 14 degrees, but it won't be as windy. and then as we head on into sunday, while we lose the rain across northern scotland, again a lot of dry weather, but a new area of low pressure is going to come in from the south—west into south—west england and wales. that is pushing northwards and east, and with it will be strong winds.

live from london. this is bbc news. israel's military says it hit more than 70 hezbollah targets overnight—as it aims to "dismantle and degrade its ca pabilities". the fighting continues as allies, including the us, france and saudi arabia call for a 21—day ceasefire in lebanon.

israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu is travelling to new york where he will address the united nations general assembly. bbc news hears new harrowing testimony from a woman who says she was raped by the former harrods owner mohamed al fayed when she was 16. and injapan, the world's longest—serving death row prisoner has been acquitted more than a half a century after his conviction. hello, i'm rajini vaidyanathan. the israel military says it hit about 75 hezbollah targets overnight as it continues what it describes as its "operation to to dismantle and degrade hezbollah's capabilities and infrastructure in lebanon". the latest developments come

just hours after world leaders at the united nations called for a 21—day ceasefire.