live from washington. this is bbc news. the death toll has risen to 37 in the aftermath of israel's airstrikes on lebanon's capital beirut. ukraine strikes two large ammunition depots inside russia — the second such attack in less than a week. us vice president kamala harris accepts cnn's invitation for a second presidential debate against donald trump — one he says he won'tjoin. hello. we start in the middle east, where there are reports of rocket sirens sounding in several areas of northern israel — including near the city of haifa — in the past hour. it comes after the israeli military carried out what it called �*extensive�* strikes on his brother targets in southern lebanon. dozens of israeli aircraft joined the raids on saturday — destroying thousands of his brother rocket launch barrels, according to israeli officials.

also tonight, the us state department is urging american citizens to leave the country, with fears growing of an all—out war. meanwhile, the death toll from israel's strike on a densely—populated area of southern beirut on friday has risen to 37. hezbollah says 16 of its members were killed in the attack — including senior miiitary commander ibrahim aqil. he was wanted by the us government for years — and was designated a �*global terrorist�* for his involvement in the 1983 bombing of the us embassy in beirut. friday's bombing also killed civilians, including three children, with more feared trapped in the rubble. our middle east correspondent orla guerin reports from the scene in beirut. israel is believed to have been behind the attack. it has not denied responsibility but has not ta ken credit, either. a beirut suburb turned into a battlefield.

they are standing on the ruins of a seven—storey building in the hezbollah stronghold of dahieh. israel says this was a precision strike. it doesn't look very precise. the search for bodies is continuing here now. rescue workers are still picking through the rubble. the strike took place in the middle of this densely populated residential area. the result for hezbollah has been the loss of a top military leader and other senior commanders. it is another blow to an organisation that is looking exposed and weakened. but the dead here also included women and children, and every member of the daqduqi family. still counted among the missing, four—year—old naya ghazi.

local people gathered today waiting for news, fearing what it might be. some said the attack would change nothing. people absorb the shock and they start their life again. it's hard, but this is the way we choose and we will not stop. we have to defend our country. we have to defend our border. we have to defend our people from any aggression — from israelis orfrom others. hezbollah has been burying some of those killed by israel yesterday. they were carried aloft on anger and defiance. the iranian—backed group is fighting on, firing volleys of rockets

across the border today. and israel has been hitting hard, with dozens of fighter planes bombing southern lebanon, targeting hezbollah rocket launchers, israel says. if the international community was concerned before, it will be far more worried tonight. orla guerin, bbc news, beirut. and in gaza — palestinian and in gaza — palestinian health officials say at least health officials say at least 22 people were killed 22 people were killed in an israeli strike in an israeli strike on a school. on a school. officials said most of the officials said most of the victims were women and children who were sheltering there. victims were women and children who were sheltering there. israel's military says israel's military says it was targeting a hamas it was targeting a hamas command room.there are reports command room.there are reports that an unborn child now a senior fellow that an unborn child was among those killed. was among those killed. bbc verify has looked at bbc verify has looked at several videos of the aftermath several videos of the aftermath — clips appear to show a foetus — clips appear to show a foetus being carried by a civil being carried by a civil defence worker. defence worker. david schenker is the former us david schenker is the former us assistant secretary of state assistant secretary of state

for near eastern affairs, for near eastern affairs, now a senior fellow at the washington institute for near east policy.he joined me a little earlier to discuss. first of all, what is your reaction to what we have been seeing there in the past few hours along the border between israel, lebanon, how concerned are you about the ramping up there? ., i” there? good evening to you. i am concerned _ there? good evening to you. i am concerned about - there? good evening to you. i am concerned about potentiali am concerned about potential escalation in this war. what we are seeing at the border with these early strikes, said to be preemptive, hezbollah�*s retaliation or planned retaliation or planned retaliation heading toward that region is something to be expected after the enormous blows of the past days that have been dealt to hezbollah by israel, it started with pagers, going for the walkie—talkies and, of course, there senior military leader killed in beirut the other day. those

attacks, beirut the other day. those attacks. you _ beirut the other day. those attacks, you mentioned - beirut the other day. those - attacks, you mentioned they're killing several of these senior hezbollah�*s figures. where do you think the group's leadership stands right now? i imagine it's in enormous disarray, not only have 20 of the top leaders been killed in those attacks a few days earlier, you have 4000, you know, senior officers and, of course, noncommissioned officers killed, and now the group really has no way of effectively communicating, no cell phones for the past five months or so. now no pagers. they are in a bit of a conundrum right now. given that, how — conundrum right now. given that, how would _ conundrum right now. given that, how would you - conundrum right now. given that, how would you rate i conundrum right now. given that, how would you rate its ability to launch any kind of countermeasures against israel? well, we saw that they are preparing to do so, but effectively, and and control

the troops on the ground is somewhat limited. israel has done quite a job of picking apart the control of the leadership, this is a big blow as was said in his last speech, the biggest blow perhaps ever dealt to hezbollah. we the biggest blow perhaps ever dealt to hezbollah.— dealt to hezbollah. we heard from the government - dealt to hezbollah. we heard from the government this - dealt to hezbollah. we heard i from the government this week for a new goalfor from the government this week for a new goal for its conflict, for its work, pledging to return the 60,000 people that have been displaced by hezbollah in the area of northern israel. what do you think it will

get these people back home. israel is basically not willing to endure any longer hezbollah�*s war of attrition against israel. hezbollah is very comfortable with this pushing the action, escalating intentionally trying to pressure hezbollah to enter into a us—led negotiation made by the by the administration dealing with the envoy, there is a deal on the table, israel has accepted it and hezbollah said they won't negotiate until there is a cease—fire in gaza. it now looks a long way off. you think israel could be preparing for something bigger, broader, how would you view the appetite within israel? its citizens but also its government for potentially a ground incursion into lebanon? israel suggest an increasing number of israelis are prepared

for what many view as inevitable. and the military is prepared for it, some people think, considerthat they prepared for it, some people think, consider that they been preparing the battlefield now, particularly in recent weeks for some sort of ground incursion. i don't think they want two friends, but they are starting to wind down now. their operations in gaza. the problem is they have been fighting for a year, they have a small army, 180,000 standing army, they been fighting for a year it will be the same people fighting in lebanon. they don't want it right now but if hezbollah is not going to take that deal, i think there is a growing willingness to accept the riskier. at least 12 people have been injured in a russian bomb attack on an apartment building in ukraine's second—largest city, kharkiv. the assault on saturday came hours after ukrainian drone attacks on two russian ammunition depots — one in the southwestern

region of kras—nodar, the other in toropets —— a town in russia's northwestern tver region. ukrainian officials say more than 100 drones were used in the operation, which also focused on targets in russian—occupied crimea. russia says it shot down 18 ukrainian drones overnight. 0ur europe correspondent jess parker reports. a fireball erupting into the night sky as ukraine staged a major drone attack. this, says kyiv, was a russian ammunition depot that included supplies it believes are from north korea — one of two munition stores ukraine claims to have hit last night. translation: these were . warehouses of russian tactical missiles and guided aerial bombs. all that russia uses for terror against our cities, our positions.

ukraine has been ramping up these kinds of attacks, demonstrating a growing drone strike capability. but what kyiv really wants is permission to use western—made long—range missiles on targets deep inside russia. permission president zelensky has confirmed he still doesn't have. he still doesn't have. he's heading to the us he's heading to the us this coming week seeking this coming week seeking further support. further support. and this military analyst says and this military analyst says the recent drone attacks the recent drone attacks are all part of kyiv�*s are all part of kyiv�*s wider political message. the point is that ukraine wider political message. could show to our western partners in the biden partners in the biden administration that even administration that even without western permission, without western permission, western missiles, we could western missiles, we could achieve our targets, achieve our targets, our goals in russian territory. but of course, with western our goals in russian territory. but of course, with western missiles, it could be bbc news, in kyiv. missiles, it could be better, more massive, better, more massive, more concentrated, more concentrated, more effective. in russia, authorities released in russia, authorities released footage of what it says are evacuees following last footage of what it says night's drone strike, while in ukraine, moscow's while in ukraine, moscow's bombs continue to cause bombs continue to cause devastation. devastation. its troops try to push its troops try to push further into ukraine. further into ukraine.

0ne constant is the growing 0ne constant is the growing toll of victims. toll of victims. jessica parker, jessica parker, bbc news, in kyiv. leaders from the us, australia, india, and japan are �*seriously

great to have you here. that great to have you here. that meeting just wrapping up. what meeting just wrapping up. what do you make of what we are do you make of what we are hearing are coming from that hearing are coming from that summit statement, that concern about the situation in the summit statement, that concern about the situation in the south china sea? it’s south china sea? it’s about the situation in the south china sea? it's very about the situation in the south china sea? it's very close alignment _ close alignment _ south china sea? it's very close alignment with - south china sea? it's very south china sea? it's very close alignment with - south china sea? it's very close alignment with their concerns about the behaviour of close alignment with their concerns about the behaviour of china. interestingly, the china. interestingly, the statement doesn't mention china statement doesn't mention china per se, statement doesn't mention china per se, statement doesn't mention china perse, but statement doesn't mention china per se, but that does focus on perse, but statement doesn't mention china per se, but that does focus on the challenges and the the challenges and the problems. the biggest one, and problems. the biggest one, and it's important that india is it's important that india is fully on board with that fully on board with that statement is the assertive statement is the assertive behaviour and the rule flouting behaviour and the rule flouting behaviour and the rule flouting behaviour that china is behaviour and the rule flouting behaviour that china is manifesting against small manifesting the countries and neighbours in the countries and neighbours in the south china sea. i5 south china sea. i5 countries and neighbours in the south china sea.— south china sea. is there anything. _ countries and neighbours in the south china sea.— south china sea. is there anything. _ south china sea. is there anything. of _ south china sea. is there anything, of course, - south china sea. is there l south china sea. is there anything. of _ south china sea. is there anything, of course, - south china sea. is there l anything, of course, some south china sea. is there - anything, of course, some south china sea. is there - anything, of course, some kind of strong language in this anything, of course, some kind of strong language in this document coming outcome of document coming outcome of these four countries think they these four countries think they might be able to do to counter might be able to do to counter china's presence? china's presence?—

might be able to do to counter china's presence? well, one of the important _ china's presence? well, one of the important initiatives - china's presence? well, one of the important initiatives from | the important initiatives from the important initiatives from the quad is something called the quad is something called the indo—pacific maritime domain awareness initiative, and that is a very long name for what really is the four countries putting their national satellite technology and also their private satellite information that the proposal the small coastal nations they contract a massive fishing fleets as well as the paramilitary coastguard �*s to protect and defend not only their exclusive economic but their exclusive economic but the resources in them, stock and minerals and so on. this satellite surveillance

information is otherwise unavailable to the countries, moreover what the four leaders today have agreed is to significantly bolster coastguard exercises and coastguard exercises and coastguard training for the countries in southeast asia and beyond. so they are looking at both the pacific ocean and the indian ocean. so these things

real work they were getting real work done. important work. and they generated real outcomes. we mentioned the maritime security initiatives, but in technology, importantly in public health, in other areas, they produced programmes that directly benefit communities specific islands. it's notjust the four countries collaborating on their own behalf. they really generating global goods for countries in the region. hat generating global goods for countries in the region. not a nostalgia _ countries in the region. not a nostalgia tour, _ countries in the region. not a nostalgia tour, but _ countries in the region. not a nostalgia tour, but at - countries in the region. not a nostalgia tour, but at the - countries in the region. not a i nostalgia tour, but at the same time, may be a bit of legacy building here, solidifying what joe biden has been working on over the past four years. we've seen the president with lots of time and resources put towards building up those alliances and strengthening ties and relationships with a lot of countries, south korea, japan, for example in the region.

absolutely. so, it is not nostalgia, but it definitely went to cement the collaboration of the quad in a very significant way. they have collaboration of the quad in a very significant way. they have a number of working groups that a number of working groups that have become quite mature and have become quite mature and generating a lot of outcomes. generating a lot of outcomes. these bring government these bring government officials from the four officials from the four countries together but also countries together but also involve the private sector. in involve the private sector. in the us, the us congress agreed the us, the us congress agreed surprisingly and a quad caucus surprisingly and a quad caucus of republican and democrat, of republican and democrat, democratic members who are democratic members who are going to continue to involve going to continue to involve themselves and support the themselves and support the quad. there is some institute quad. there is some institute news —— institutionalisation news —— institutionalisation that going to go beyond biden�*s that going to go beyond biden�*s tenure. even though biden is tenure. even though biden is

leaving, i think there is a leaving, i think there is a constant, certainly a constant, certainly for the united states, which is the need to cooperate with allies and partners. need to cooperate with allies and partwa— need to cooperate with allies and partners. dana russell of the asia society _ and partners. dana russell of the asia society policy - the asia society policy institute, thank you as always. donald trump has turned down a second debate with vice president kamala harris.0n friday, ms harris accepted an invitation from cnn to go head to head in late

which ultimately decide the presidency — to favour donald trump's prospects. and on friday, the battleground state of georgia ordered all ballots cast in november's election to be hand—counted. the state's top election official warned the move could introduce error, and even fraud. for more on these efforts, i spoke tojonathan diaz — the director of voting advocacy at campaign legal centre. jonathan, great to have you here. first of all, why did georgia's election officials make this move? what reasoning did they give to require a hand count of all the ballots on election night, election day presumably right after the boat is over? ., ,., , ., , is over? the reasons that they ave for is over? the reasons that they gave for enacting _ is over? the reasons that they gave for enacting this - is over? the reasons that they gave for enacting this rule - gave for enacting this rule change at this late stage in the election preparation process, those reasons are actually pretty unclear. those

rules were opposed not only by voters and voting advocates, but also by secretary of state and county and local election officials from all across the state, because it'sjust simply too late to be making these kinds of changes and even if it weren't, hand counting ballots weren't, hand counting ballots is less accurate, is slower and is less accurate, is slower and costs a lot more than the costs a lot more than the machine tabulation that is the machine tabulation that is the standard across the country. it standard across the country. it would be easy for people to would be easy for people to assume, look, if you're going assume, look, if you're going through these ballots, counting through these ballots, counting them to hand, that would be them to hand, that would be more accurate than other more accurate than other methods. i more accurate than other methodo— methods. i more accurate than other methods-— more accurate than other methods. ~ . , ., ., methods. i think that is a fair more accurate than other methods. ~ . , ., ., methods. i think that is a fair assumption _ methods. i think that is a fair assumption for _ methods. i think that is a fair assumption for somebody - methods. i think that is a fair assumption for somebody to | assumption _ methods. i think that is a fair assumption for _ methods. i think that is a fair assumption for somebody - methods. i think that is a fair assumption for somebody to | assumption for somebody to make if you've ever done it, but assumption for somebody to make if you've ever done it, but there has been scientific there has been scientific studies and plenty of examples studies and plenty of examples that show that human error is that show that human error is actually more likely when you actually more likely when you are doing a kind of repetitive are doing a kind of repetitive task like counting. human task like counting. human beings are actually less beings are actually less accurate than a machine accurate than a machine tabulate her. and it takes tabulate her. and it takes significantly longer. after significantly longer. after this spring because my primary this spring because my primary election in texas, one county election in texas, one county tried to hand count all of tried to hand count all of

their ballots. they had about their ballots. they had about 8000 ballots to count. they started at 7:30am and they didn't finish until 4:30am the next morning. georgia has more than 7 million active registered voters, so if it took one county in texas almost 24 hours to count 8000 ballots, i think it is going to take georgia a lot longer. how long do ou georgia a lot longer. how long do you think — georgia a lot longer. how long do you think that _ georgia a lot longer. how long do you think that might - georgia a lot longer. how long do you think that might take? | do you think that might take? it could take days. to be frank. and to be clear, this rule is introducing a new counting process at the precinct level before the ballots even get to the tabulation centre when the boats are actually tallied up. so they are adding an entire additional step to the postelection process that is going to take hours if not days and is really likely to cause confusion, delays and, you know, to get back to the why of these rules, it seems clear to me at least that the goal here is to weapon eyes these

postelection processes, to cause confusion and delays, so that donald trump and others can take advantage of that uncertainty to potentially challenge the election results. what republicans would say and likely what georgia officials would say as well as this is being put in place to ensure fair and free election that of course donald trump had raised a lot of concerns about the 2020 election. many of them, if not all of them, turned out to be unfounded, butjust remind us again, what do studies show right now about the likelihood of any kind of fraud or irregularities taking place on election day?— irregularities taking place on election day? between voting and election _ election day? between voting and election fraud, _ election day? between voting and election fraud, it's - and election fraud, it's extraordinarily rare in the united states. the push to hand count ballots which has popped up count ballots which has popped up in many states, notjust georgia over the last couple of years, particularly since the 2020 election is really based in conspiracy theories about the voting machines. like we saw with the theories that were spread after the 2020 election

about dominion. so they are not really based in real concerns about the electoral process, the 2020 election in georgia in particular was among the most scrutinised presidential elections we ever had. multiple state—wide recounts, a full audit and no machine issues, no wrongdoing, no evidence of any kind with the electoral system was uncovered after the 2020 election because it never happen. so what these changes are really aimed at is dissuading the concerns of people whose fears are not based on actual facts about the way that elections are run. jonathan, before i let you go, i wanted to ask about what's taking place also in the state of nebraska, donald trump pushing there for the state to change the way it awards its electoral college votes on election night. right now, those are split up. he wanted to go to winner take all. what do you make of that move and how likely do you think it is to actually succeed? so nebraska _ to actually succeed? so nebraska is, _ to actually succeed? sr nebraska is, along with maine,

one of the only two states that awards its electoral votes by congressional district instead of all at once to whoever wins the popular vote state—wide. states have pretty broad authority under the constitution to decide how they award their electoral votes. so they normally wouldn't be anything wrong with nebraska trying the method used by the vast majority of states. what's going on now, this close to election day is really nothing more than partisan games, we think about election day, it's happening in november, but the election doesn't start on november five,

election doesn't start on novem me five, election doesn't start on novem me as 5, election doesn't start on novem me as nothing more than strikes me as nothing more than partisan gamesmanship.- partisan gamesmanship. kenyon president -- _ kenyan president, william ruto, is in port—au—prince to discuss the progress of his country's un—backed mission to stabilize haiti amid rampant gang violence. a spokesman for president ruto said he will meet with the transnational presidential council. mr ruto's visit follows haiti's formation of a provisional electoral council to organise its first general elections since 2016. about 400 kenyan police have been in haiti since latejune to help local police take on gangs that control around 80% of port—au—prince. developing news, just coming in from the reuters news agency, hezbollah saying it targeted remarked david airbase with dozens of missiles, that's in response to what it says were repeated israeli attacks on lebanon. you can see live pictures here of that border region around northern israel

in southern lebanon. we will bring you more the top of the hour. hello. well, it's already been a lively start to the weekend, with a number of thunderstorms reported on saturday across england and wales. this was one cluster of storms that went across the skyline of ashbourne, in derbyshire — the same storms earlier in the day dumped what seems to be marble—sized hail in wolverhampton. and that cluster of storms will clear away northwards from merseyside, cheshire, and north wales — but then, our focus shifts towards the south and across northern france, where we've got more thundery downpours waiting, and they will swing in. now, worst—case scenario on sunday, some communities could see a month's worth of rainfall — so there's an increasing threat of seeing some localised flooding building in as we progress through sunday. next few hours, then, sees those storms arrive from the south. in scotland, we've still got a lot of low cloud and drizzle across eastern areas, a bit misty, too. temperatures for the most part around 13—16 celsius for england and wales, a bit cooler than that in scotland. sunday's forecast, then — those thundery downpours with us for much of the day,

and there'll be some places that see storm after storm, particularly i think across parts of the midlands and parts of wales, as well. further northeastwards, into eastern scotland, another cloudy and dull day with some mist patches around the coastline, still some spots of drizzle. should be brighter and drier in northern ireland, with some sunny spells and sunshine for west scotland, too. monday — well, we've still got some rain to come across england and wales, heavy and thundery still. another area of rain works into northern scotland through monday — and that's actually a cold front, so that'll be starting to drop the temperatures across northern scotland. highs of 12 in stornoway, 13 for aberdeen, and just ten in lerwick. in towards the middle part of the week, we see areas of low pressure move across the country, bringing some heavy rain particularly focussed on england and wales. 0nce that's cleared through, we then get these northwesterly winds diving in across the country — and that will really drop the temperatures as the week goes by. tuesday, we pick up on our cold front in scotland, bringing some rain here — that will move into northern

ireland and northern england as we go through the day. further southwards, across the rest of england and wales, it finally stops raining. should be a drier day with more in the way of sunshine, and still some reasonable temperatures in the south. it's turning colder in the north, though — just ten in aberdeen and 14 for belfast. and, as we go deeper into the new week, stays unsettled, there'll be rain at times, and temperatures for all of us will be well below average.

this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. hello, and welcome to talking business. let's take a look at what's on the show. and the emmy goes to...shogun. as the hollywood awards season kicks off, could an artificial intelligence programme ever win for best film or tv show? a year ago, the global film and tv industry was at a standstill as actors, artists and writers went out on strike, at odds about how this transformative technology could impact theirjobs and their rights. one year later, and with the strike for film and tv largely settled, is al about to transform the industry anyway? we'll speak to the big names who can answer some of those questions. we find out what industry bible variety's research shows about the way the tech has been adopted. i'll ask the co—director and producer of the lion king