hello, i'm sally bundock. very warm welcome to the programme. we begin in the middle east, where israel says it has expanded its military operations in lebanon by targeting dozens of hezbollah targets overnight. these pictures show the aftermath of an idf air strike which rocked the kola district in central beirut. it's the first such attack outside of the lebanese capital's southern suburbs. a small palestinian militant group says three of its leaders were killed in the blast. israel has also carried out strikes in yemen, targeting power plants and the port city of hodeidah, which was in response to missile attacks by the iranian—backed houthis. the houthi—run health ministry says at least four people were killed and 29 wounded.

in lebanon, israel attacked more than 120 targets on sunday. at least 50 people are reported to have been killed in a series of attacks in the east of the country, including in the bekaa valley. with the latest, here's chi chi izundu. panic in the centre of beirut. this shows the apparent aftermath of an air strike on a building close to a major transportation hub in the lebanese capital.- transportation hub in the lebanese capital. israel has been targeting _ lebanese capital. israel has been targeting hezbollah i lebanese capital. israel has i been targeting hezbollah sites on the outskirts of beirut but this is thought to be the first time an attack has been carried out within the city limits in the past year. the lebanese prime minister says the continuing air strikes may have forced as many as i continuing air strikes may have forced as many asi million people from their homes. this weekend has seen a major escalation with more than 50 killed in lebanon. hezbollah

rockets fired into northern israel and more than 2000 kilometres away in yemen, one of the country's biggest power stations controlled by iranian back houthis targeted by israel. the israeli military said the strikes are in response to recent missile attacks from the group. translation: we attacks from the group. translation: we have no interest in _ translation: we have no interest in expanding - translation: we have no interest in expanding the i translation: we have no i interest in expanding the war. you have no interest in looking for additionalfronts. you have no interest in looking foradditionalfronts. but you have no interest in looking for additionalfronts. but if somebody attacks israel, as the 50s have done, and with missiles and strength throughout the war, anyone who carries out such an attack we will settle the account with them, and we know how to do it. israel is not holding back, releasing videos of its air force taking off and showcasing its vast arsenal of missiles. the houthis, backed by iran and fiercely opposed to israel, condemned the strikes as brutal aggression. with israel's strikes continuing in lebanon and military operations in gaza

still under way, the calls for the escalation of the situation from the international community grow louder. flan from the international community grow louder. can an all-out war _ community grow louder. can an all-out war in _ community grow louder. can an all-out war in the _ community grow louder. can an all-out war in the middle - community grow louder. can an all-out war in the middle east l all—out war in the middle east be avoided? it all-out war in the middle east be avoided?— be avoided? it has to be. we really have — be avoided? it has to be. we really have to _ be avoided? it has to be. we really have to avoid - be avoided? it has to be. we really have to avoid it. - be avoided? it has to be. we really have to avoid it. we i be avoided? it has to be. we | really have to avoid it. we are not there _ really have to avoid it. we are not there yet but we're working like hell— not there yet but we're working like hell with the french and many— like hell with the french and many others. like hell with the french and many ethere— like hell with the french and many others. this escalation and the growing _ many others. this escalation and the growing tension i many others. this escalation and the growing tension in i many others. this escalation i and the growing tension in the region does not appear to be ending any time soon. chi chi izundu, bbc news. the lebanese prime minister najib mikati has warned that more thani million people could be forced to leave their homes amid ongoing israeli air strikes. many have already fled the south of the country and headed north to cities like beirut. anna foster has been to martyr�*s square in beirut —— anna foster has been to martyrs' square in beirut to speak to some of the displaced. even days after people started fleeing the southern suburbs of beirut after that attack that killed hassan nasrallah, leader of hezbollah, any are still on

the streets because they don't feel safe going back there because those attacks and air strikes are still continuing but you can see it is not an ideal place for people and families to be, a lot of them fled very quickly and grabbed what they could so a lot of people don't have fresh clothes with them. we are meeting people who have not put any toys for their children, it is very hot here during the day as well so they are sort of struggling to find a bit of shade and shelter and every now and then, people will arrive and then, people will arrive and hand out food but as you can see it is an enormously difficult situation for lots of people and theyjust do not feel yet safe enough to go back to their homes. rita and his wife require fled here with their two children on friday night, just after the huge explosion that killed sons roller. translation: == roller. translation: -- nasrallah. _ roller. translation: » nasrallah. translation: my children have not smiled since that time. they are in shock. we feel fear and terror and we

have no idea where to go or what to do. my children don't have any milk and we don't have any money. people are giving us food to eat. i don't know what to do, my house is only ten metres away. we have no idea where we —— how we managed to escape. we were afraid something would happen to us, we were fearfulfor the we were fearful for the country. and i don't want anything bad to happen to this country. i want it to be better. it has been 20 years since i left syria with my family. we live in constant anxiety and fear. we don't feel safe. i have no idea what to do or where to go. 0ur official papers and passports were all left at home. we were unable to get them because we were so terrified. with me is said shehata from bbc arabic. good morning. what more can you tell us about what happened

overnight? it tell us about what happened overnight?— overnight? it was the first time for — overnight? it was the first time for is _ overnight? it was the first time for is really - overnight? it was the first time for is really air- overnight? it was the first | time for is really air strikes targeting somewhere in the heart of beirut, call the district. heart of beirut, call the district-— heart of beirut, call the district. ~ . , . district. like the city centre? -- kohler- — district. like the city centre? -- kohler. it's _ district. like the city centre? -- kohler. it's between i district. like the city centre? -- kohler. it's between the i —— kohler. it's between the capital and the airport. after that, the popularfront for the liberation of palestine which is a palestinian organisation based in lebanon announced three of its leaders were killed because of that and in addition there are strikes on the south and the east in bekaa valley because mr netanyahu announced yesterday they would carry on the air strikes until they demolish hezbollah and he quoted a verse from the torah, saying they would pursue the enemy as they would overtake it so it's very strong to use it

in order to get support. the support in israel because of what he did recently to decapitate the abilities of hezbollah, assassinate the leader of hezbollah after 18 years, since 2006, he settled a school with them so there is insisting from the israelis to demolish hezbollah but even though some rockets were fired from hezbollah into israel and some airports about what people going into the shelters so even if they talk about the war and hezbollah helping to get people back to the north with their demolition, you don't know exactly how kemba walker can help to do that unless there is a political solution to settle the problems and go back to these critical solutions. in terms of israel's moved to target the houthis in yemen, what have you heard? what does the arabic world say up that step?

the arabic world say up that ste - ? . ., the arabic world say up that ste? , ., ., ~' the arabic world say up that ste? ,. , , ., step? israeltaken liberty to attack anywhere _ step? israeltaken liberty to attack anywhere they - step? israeltaken liberty to attack anywhere they can i step? israel taken liberty to l attack anywhere they can and step? israel taken liberty to i attack anywhere they can and mr netanyahu and the general assembly said he can reach anywhere and if anyone does hurt israelis, they will retaliate strongly and the houthis announced about five people killed and more than 44 injured because it was a heavy strike, the strongest since october last year, and they hit alhur data, and another port, because they launched several rockets and missiles and one of them launched at the airport ——al hudaydah. as i said, they were targeting an automatic mr netanyahu when he came back from the un so it is going to show it's the only way to achieve their purpose is a war according to mr netanyahu. said, thank you so much. let's speak to middle east analyst and former senior policy advisor on the state

department's israeli—palestine negotiating team, laura blumenfeld. laura, good to talk to you again. 0verthe laura, good to talk to you again. over the weekend, we have seen a major escalation in the conflict. what's your the conflict. what's your reaction?— reaction?— the conflict. what's your reaction? , . , ., reaction? israel is colouring outside the _ reaction? israel is colouring the conflict. what's your reaction? , . , ., reaction? israel is colouring outside the _ reaction? israel is colouring outside the lines. _ reaction? israel is colouring outside the lines. they've i reaction? israel is colouring i outside the lines. they've gone over the green line into the outside the lines. _ reaction? israel is colouring outside the lines. they've i reaction? israel is colouring i outside the lines. they've gone over the green line into the west bank, they went right west bank, they went right through the red line to rafah through the red line to rafah down in gaza and now have down in gaza and now have crossed the blue line into crossed the blue line into lebanon and they are trying to lebanon and they are trying to reshape the middle east. this reshape the middle east. this strike on nasrallah was called strike on nasrallah was called operation new order. states was operation new order. states was hoping to reorder the middle hoping to reorder the middle east through diplomacy. israel east through diplomacy. israel is going a military route. they is going a military route. they consider themselves winning now consider themselves winning now but it's not a defensive win, but it's not a defensive win, president biden had told israel president biden had told israel to take the win back in april to take the win back in april when iran launched 300 when iran launched 300 projectiles. it's not the kind of when they are looking for, projectiles. it's not the kind of when they are looking for, not on defence, they want to not on defence, they want to win on defence.— win on defence.— win on defence. and we mentioned _ win on defence. and we mentioned _

win on defence. and we mentioned it _ win on defence. and we mentioned it is - win on defence. and we mentioned it is moved l win on defence. and we. mentioned it is moved as win on defence. and we i win on defence. and we mentioned it _ win on defence. and we mentioned it is - win on defence. and we mentioned it is moved l win on defence. and we. mentioned it is moved as win on defence. and we i mentioned it is moved as well to yemen. what happens mentioned it is moved as well to yemen. what happens next? president biden of course is still trying to exert pressure on prime minister netanyahu but so far, as you have just said, there seems to be determination on the part of israel to go ahead with the conflict on every side. ahead with the conflict on every side-— ahead with the conflict on eve side. ~ . every side. well, the timing is fascinating. _ every side. well, the timing is fascinating. we're _ every side. well, the timing is fascinating. we're rounding i every side. well, the timing is| fascinating. we're rounding the bend 0ctober fascinating. we're rounding the bend october and we are all familiar with the phrase 0ctober surprise so i think it will be every kinetic month in the middle east and i think israel sees this as a window thatis israel sees this as a window that is closing to kind of settled their scores, as your correspondent said in the studio. there are open accounts across the middle east, the pf lp, we have not heard that in many, many years, so they are kind of settling the scores while they have the opportunity. united states is busy with their presidential race and they don't have the bandwidth now to crack on israel. what's also certainly

switch of the president is coming next, harass or trump, they are very unlikely to kind of give israel

cannot win at the negotiating table, what hasn't been owned on the battlefield.— on the battlefield. laura blumenfeld, _ on the battlefield. laura blumenfeld, thank i on the battlefield. laura blumenfeld, thank you | on the battlefield. laura i blumenfeld, thank you for on the battlefield. laura - blumenfeld, thank you for your time once again.— time once again. great to be here. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

to austria now where, for the first time since world war two, a far—right party has come top in the country's general election. projected results give the freedom partyjust over 29% of the vote — more than two points ahead of the ruling austrian people's party on 26.5% with the social democrats in third. but this isn't enough for the freedom party to secure an outright majority with all the main parties ruling out any coalition which includes the fpo leader, herbert kickl. austria's president has called for negotiations in order to find a compromise.

all chant: nazis raus! fears of the conservatives forming a coalition with the freedom party led to a small group of protesters demonstrating outside the parliament building in vienna, carrying anti—nazi banners. here's our correspondent bethany bell in vienna with the latest. the freedom party and its supporters are celebrating. the freedom party leader herbert kickl has tapped into voter concerns about the economy, about rising prices and, crucially, about migration. he says he wants to build �*fortress austria' to keep the migrants out. "a people's chancellor," a volkskanzler — which is a term that worries some austrians because it was used to describe adolf hitler.

whatever happens, forming a coalition government is likely to be very complicated because the other parties have all said they don't want to form an alliance with — that is led by mr kickl. it's likely that all talks to form a government will take weeks, if not months. just to say in business today in around 15 minutes we will look at the economic situation in austria and other parts of europe that is causing a political shift to the right. all of that to come later. at least 91 people are dead and 2.5 million people are without power after hurricane helene swept through the south—east united states. us presidentjoe biden and vice president kamala harris both plan to visit communities affected by the category 4 hurricane — as long as it doesn't disrupt the emergency response. the storm brought torrential rain and flooding in florida, georgia, virginia, south carolina and north carolina, where the city of asheville was particularly badly hit. more than 300,000 people across north carolina were left without power.

many residents faced difficulties reaching emergency services as cellphone services failed. more than 400 roads across the state are closed due to storm damage. the american red cross has opened about 140 shelters across the five states affected. the final blast furnace at britain's biggest steel works in port talbot will cease production today, bringing an end to over a century of coal—fired steel making in the town. more than 2,500 tata employees are being made redundant across the area. a new electric furnace is expected to be in place in three years, which will recycle scrap steel. and the uk is set to become the first major economy to quit coal when its last power station closes later on monday. ratcliffe—on—soar in nottingham

has been generating power for the last 56 years. the coal—fired power station generates enough energy to make more than a billion cups of tea a day. the closure brings an end to britain's142—year reliance on the fossil fuel to produce electricity. again, more on but in business in ten minutes. —— again, more on that in business in ten minutes. a bbc investigation has discovered that multiple signs of slavery were missed after nine men were trafficked from the czech republic and forced to work at a uk mcdonald's restaurant bya criminal gang. 0ther victims were enslaved and put to work at a factory supplying bread products to majorfood retailers. baroness theresa may, who introduced anti—slavery legislation, says the case raises "shocking questions" about how big companies address modern slavery. jon ironmonger has the story. police! stay where you are!

rescuing slavery victims from a london house and a criminal operation lasting seven years. got to in here.— got to in here. just one in here. translation: - got to in here. just one in | here. translation: soon got to in here. just one in i here. translation: soon it got to in here. just one in - here. translation: soon it was terrible to wake _ here. translation: soon it was terrible to wake up _ here. translation: soon it was terrible to wake up every - terrible to wake up every morning and i did not want to wake up, i would rather be dead. ., . ., ., dead. forced to live in an attic in — dead. forced to live in an attic in an _ dead. forced to live in an attic in an unheated i dead. forced to live in an i attic in an unheated leaking outbuilding, victims were found legitimate jobs by a outbuilding, victims were found legitimatejobs by a criminal gang, led by brothers ernest and stinear k—drama not refer to them as livestock and stole hundreds of thousands of pounds from their wages to fund luxury lifestyles new cars, gold jewellery and foreign holidays. nine victims were sent to work at this temperature mcdonald's, where they clocked up to 100 hours a week. �* ,, �* hours a week. translation: the manauers hours a week. translation: the managers did _ hours a week. translation: the managers did not _ hours a week. translation: the managers did not question - hours a week. translation: the managers did not question the i managers did not question the long hours i did. they wouldn't even ask me are you happy to stay longer. we

even ask me are you happy to stay longer-— even ask me are you happy to sta loner. ~ . ,_, stay longer. we have discovered the mcdonald's _ stay longer. we have discovered the mcdonald's and _ stay longer. we have discovered the mcdonald's and the - the mcdonald's and the franchisees running the branch missed multiple opportunities to detect the crime. job applications were completed by gang members, victims wages paid into bank accounts controlled by the gang and victims working extreme hours. we use the term red flag to say this is an indicator that forced labour, modern slavery might be happening and in my view, there were many red flags in this case which were missed. in a statement, mcdonald's told us they commissioned an independent review and with a franchisee who unknowingly employed the victims of slavery have: i think it definitely should act as_ i think it definitely should act as a _ i think it definitely should act as a wake—up - i think it definitely should act as a wake—up call- i think it definitely should act as a wake—up call forl i think it definitely should i act as a wake—up call for all companies, _ act as a wake—up call for all companies, professional. companies, professional curiosity— companies, professional curiosity goes _ companies, professional curiosity goes an - companies, professional curiosity goes an awful i companies, professional. curiosity goes an awful long way— curiosity goes an awful long way when _ curiosity goes an awful long way when considering - curiosity goes an awful long i way when considering looking out for—

way when considering looking out for modern _ way when considering looking out for modern slavery. - way when considering looking out for modern slavery. the i out for modern slavery. the victims were _ out for modern slavery. the victims were also _ out for modern slavery. victims were also forced by out for modern slavery.- victims were also forced by the criminal gang to work in a london factory making and supplying home brand pita bread for six of the uk's biggest food retailers. none spotted the signs of slavery at the time the victims worked there. sainsbury says it stopped using the supplier in 2016 for unrelated reasons. m&s, tesco and waitrose also they pulled out due to concerns about working practices. co—op says it carried out inspections but found no signs of slavery while asda said it was disappointed to learn of the historic case and would carry out a thorough review. it's almost ten years since then home secretary baroness theresa may introduced the modern slavery act. i may introduced the modern slavery act-— slavery act. i think the case has raised _ slavery act. i think the case has raised some _ slavery act. i think the case has raised some shocking i has raised some shocking questions about the approach being taken by some big companies. they need to look at

their supply chains, they need to look at their processes. do we need to enhance the modern slavery act? i think we do. you are slavery act? ! think we do. you are under— slavery act? i think we do. you are under arrest _ slavery act? i think we do. you are under arrest for _ slavery act? i think we do. you are under arrest for conspiracy to commit— are under arrest for conspiracy to commit the offence of holding another in slavery. ending _ holding another in slavery. ending years of misery for victims, in 2019, the gang masters were arrested in the uk and the czech republic. translation:- and the czech republic. translation: ., , , translation: that was the best feelin: i translation: that was the best feeling i have _ translation: that was the best feeling i have ever _ translation: that was the best feeling i have ever had. - translation: that was the best feeling i have ever had. i - translation: that was the best feeling i have ever had. i was i feeling i have ever had. i was so happy it was over.- feeling i have ever had. i was so happy it was over. while the criminal gang _ so happy it was over. while the criminal gang have _ so happy it was over. while the criminal gang have been i so happy it was over. while the criminal gang have been put. so happy it was over. while the criminal gang have been put on trial and put behind bars, their victims are still waiting for an apology from the companies who failed them. jon ironmonger, bbc news, cambridge. and viewers in the uk can see more on this story in the new documentary slavery on the high street, available on the iplayer now and on bbc one in london and the east of england tonight at 8:30pm. the american singer, songwriter and actor kris kristofferson has died aged 88.

he played a major role in defining american country music in the 1970s. 0ur arts correspondent david sillito looks back at his life. # lay your head. # upon on my pillow... it was kris kristofferson's mix of songwriting talent and charm that turned this texan oil rig helicopter pilot into one of the biggest stars of the 70s. # i was born upon the tide. # and with the sea, i did abide. alongside willie nelson, johnny cash and waylonjennings, he took some of rock's freedom to create a new sound — outlaw country. you're finished!

and there was more than a touch of that mood in his movie roles in films like the convoy. # because we have the brightest love. and a star is born, in which he appeared with barbra streisand. he played a singer with a taste for the excesses of the music world, and there were more than a few parallels with his own life at the time. if you feel that way about it... booing go to hell. there's so many ways that i got away with murder — just rolling cars, you know? having accidents on motorcycles. just playing full—tilt. but that hard—living texan image was far from the whole story. he'd been a rhodes scholar

at oxford university and an army captain who was, at one point, was offered a teaching post at west point. his family did not approve of him abandoning the military for music. # freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose. it's perhaps not a surprise that his best—known song, me and bobby mcgee... # but i'd trade all of my tomorrows # for one single yesterday. ..sung here by his girlfriend at the timejanisjoplin, was a celebration of freedom and escape. # help me make it through the night. and here with his wife at the time rita coolidge, a little reminder of the intense rough—hewn charisma of kris kristofferson. # help me make it through the night... kris kristofferson, who's

died at the age of 88. business today is next. i have already touched on a few of the stories we will be highlighting. austria, the outcome of their election. what does it mean for their economy? also looking at the shift in the uk to clean energy. all that and more. i will see you in a moment. hello there. well, it's now the end of the month, and it's been a very wet one across the southern half of the uk. some spots here have seen more than three or four times their average september rainfall. and there's more wet weather to come too, notably for the start of the week and then through the middle of the week, things will settle down, it will turn drier, there will be some sunshine, so things looking up and temperatures will return to the seasonal average too. but in the meantime, this is the rainfall accumulation chart for the next couple of days. so more wet weather, especially in the south.

and there could be some more flooding over the midlands with more heavy downpours here on the ground already saturated. and it's all because this deep area of low pressure is rolling in from the southwest through the rest of the night, bringing heavy, persistent outbreaks of rain, especially over the higher ground. strong, gusty winds, especially on the southern flank there. a few showers further north, but generally here, it is drier, and it's a milder start across the board than we saw over the weekend. and that low continues to push further northwards and eastwards as we head through monday. bumps into the area of high pressure out towards the east. so it is going to stall, and that is not good news where we've seen the recent flooding, because there'll be more heavy rain falling on the saturated ground. some of the heaviest of the downpours of rain on monday could be across the liverpool bay area stretching across the midlands. north midlands in particular down from southeast yorkshire through into northern areas of east anglia. towards the south, it will dry out and the winds will gradually ease down. and towards the north,

we'll see a few showers scattered across parts of scotland, northern ireland, but generally a lot drier here. but it will turn drier, particularly out towards the west, as we head through monday night into tuesday as that low rolls off into the north sea. so some clear spells starting to appear and a slightly chillier start for western areas than we'll be seeing on monday morning. but underneath the cloud and the rain of course still very mild. and then on tuesday, well, our low pushes into the north sea. high pressure starts to build into the north and the west. we'll be seeing that a bit later on through the week. but we're starting off tuesday with still outbreaks of rain across parts of east anglia, southeast england, a brisk northeasterly wind blowing for north sea facing coasts, but towards the north and the west, then there'll be some brightness and spells of sunshine, perhaps a few showers, but generally dry and temperatures will start to pick up. it's looking largely dry on wednesday, thursday and friday. bye— bye.

disruption at us ports: freight rates rise as companies brace for the first east coast port strike in almost 50 years. austria is the latest european country to pivot to the far right: we assess the economics that is fuelling a swing in politics. also on the program, thinking outside the box: why dyslexics are best placed to unlock the potential of ai.

and coming back down to earth: hundreds of astronauts from all over the world gather in the netherlands to discuss how the space industry can make the planet more sustainable. oh, oh, if you havejustjoined us, you are in the nick of time for the top money stories. live from london, this is business today. i'm sally bundock. we begin on the east coast of the us where a port strike is expected to go ahead from tuesday. so, tomorrow. the action announced on sunday by the international longshoremen's association union could cause delays, snarl supply chains and fuel inflation. around three dozen ports would be closed if the strike goes ahead. between them, these ports handle roughly half of the goods imported to the us via container, including food, pharmaceuticals, consumer electronics and apparel. this could cost the world's biggest economy

as much as $5 billion each day according tojpmorgan analysts.