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living room and rocket in the garage would not have a home. >> full-scale war is not in anyone's interest. a diplomatic solution is still possible. >> here in lebanon, the question is what did the next few days in the next few weeks brink. people don't know, and they are scared. christian: diplomacy is the only path, says joe biden, to lasting security in the middle east. but the conflict is escalating. hezbollah is firing more rockets across the border, israel replying in-kind with strikes tonight inside beirut. we will get reaction from new york and lebanon. also tonight, keir starmer's first speech to a labour party conference as prime minister. the speech offered some detail of what he wants to achieve while in office. we will have reaction from liverpool.

and would you take a flight 50 minutes longer across the atlantic if you were told the plane on which you were traveling was burning less fuel? you are very welcome to the program. the secretary-general of the united nations antonio guterres says the world cannot afford for lebanon to become what he called another gaza. mr. gutierrez was speaking as clashes between hezbollah and israel intensified. in a speech to the u.n. general assembly, u.s. president joe biden said full-scale war was in no on's interest, but diplomacy has its limits. the two sides are inching towards a full-scale war it international airlines suspended more flights to lebanon amid an israeli bombardment that authorities say has killed 560 people since monday. hezbollah continues to launch rockets and the other direction. the purple.s on the map -- the purple dtos on the map to you where they landed. israel's strikes on lebanon

marked in red. orla guerin sent this report. orla: war on the horizon in beirut today. this was another israeli strike in a residential area. once again, a hezbollah strongho was hit, and once again, panic, death, and destruction. but here, a miraculous rescue in southern lebanon today. civil defense workers pry this elderly man out from under the rubble of his own home. there is a rush now to turn the schools into reception centers, because so many have been forced to flee. the young caught adrift by war. the old left with little but

there trauma-- their trauma. "never been through anything like it," says ali, a farmer. "it really felt like a full-scale war. our village was destroyed. many bodies are under the rubble." on the roads from southern lebanon, many families are still fleeing. some on foot. entire communities driven om their homes by israel's intense bombardment and the knowledge that things could get worse. we saw smoke is still rising from a recent strike, and went for a closer look. but hezbollah is watching as wsoon found out. we have just seen one of the locations where there was an israeli strike. it looked like a commercial

building. as soon as we arrived, hezbollah arrived and prevented us from filming anymore. they are still trying to control this area even as they are coming under heavy attack. deserted streets and boarded-up shops show that war is back. hezbollah may be the target, but lebanon is caught in the crossfire. christian: as mentioned at the top the program, joe biden has been making his final appearance before the u.n. general assembly, talking about the world at an inflection point. pres. biden: full-scale war is not in anyone's interest, even as the situation has escalated, a diplomatic solution is still possible. in fact, it remains the only path to lasting security to allow residents a both countries to return to their homes on the border safely. that is what we are working tirelessly to achieve. christian: also speaking,

secretary-general of the u.n. antonio guterres, who told the gathering that lebanon is on the brink. sec.-gen. guterres: it is a nonstop nightmare that threatens to take the entire region with it. look no further than lebanon. we should all be alarmed by the escalation. lebanon is at the brink. the people of lebanon, the people of israel, and the people of the world cannot afford lebanon to become another gaza. christian: joining us tonight from beirut, our correspondent anna foster, and from the u.n. headquarters in new york, our colleague sumi somaskanda. let's start in beirut, anna. you spent a lot of time can lifted their in beirut. how different does it feel tonight? anan: what was interesting, christian computer and i have talked on the program so many times about lebanon being on the brink in so many different ways, multiple crises they have had over the years, be it fuel,

electricity, the economy, and banks. and now they have the potential of a new war with israel. the way this has escalated in the last seven days or so is extraordinary when you think about that slow gradual, granting pace of this conflict, which started after the october 7 attacks in southern israel, and then they started exchanging fire over the border. it happened ever since, but what we saw we could go, the escalation come the exploded pagers and walkie-talkies. and looking out, we've had two days of intense exchanges of fire, tens of thousands of people, as you saw in orla's report, flooding up the highway, moving away from the south. you have strikes right in the heart of beirut. i've been hearing the sounds of drones overhead in beirut tonight. even when you thought that this country had -- was on the edge, but we look at what is happening now, it is teetering even closer.

the problem is knowing how this is going to end. we heard joe biden talking about a diplomatic solution, about the escalation still beingossible. -- deescalation still being possible. but it is difficult to see which side will step back and allow that to happen. christian: sumi, we saw from the pictures of the general assembly, the lebanese government looking on, palestinians looking on. the iranians are also there. the iranian president is giving an interview to cnn in which he says muslim nations may need to join forces against the israelis. that does underline how close we are to a regional conflagration. sumi: it really does. if you're listening to the words you are hearing from diplomats and delegates across the united nations, we keep hearing these words, "de-escalation." we know americans have talked about finding an offramp, but as anna mentioned, the tone we are hearing is precisely that that is going to be difficult to reach because this more, this conflict is so hot.

the americans have said in the lead up to the general debate today that they want to present concrete plans to be able to de-escalate the situation. we haven't heard the details, the contours of those plans yet. but we did speak to u.s. officials who told us that they want to talk to their allies and be able to come together and put some pressure but on israel and on hezbollah through other parties, of course, because the u.s. is not negotiating directly with hezbollah to be able to de-escalate the situation. that being said, at the same time you play that clip a little bit earlier, christian, from the u.n. secretary general talking about the situation civilians are facing in lebanon. the israeli ambassador to the united nations, who we are going to speech in the coming hours, he criticized some of that speech from the secretary-general, calling it the charade of hypocrisy, that the secretary-general received rousing applause when he talked about the plight of palestinians, but not when talking about israeli civilians who have had to flee their homes

or israelis still being held hostage in gaza. it gives you a sense, christian, of the gulf we are seeing between the actions on the ground where anna is an some of the talk of dipmacy at the u.n. christian: and just on that diplomacy, sumi, joe biden saying he's working round-the-clock to try to find this diplomatic solution. if iran is one key to that solution, is the any sense that within the setting of the general assembly the two sides are talking to one another? sumi: ostensibly asked, and it's interesting you -- extensively -- ostensibly yes, and it's interesting you mentioned the new president speaking to reporters. if you listen to what he had to say to reporters yesterday with some of his delegation, they seem to be giving some signals that they are not interested in escalation, but they want to see stabilit as you said, we also heard them say that they would not back down from supporting hezbollah. certainly a lot of the diplomacy that is going to happen, as you

referenced, is going to happen on the sidelines on the summit, not in the speeches we see delivered, not from president biden's address to the general subway as well, but rather -- general assembly as well, but rather, the negotiating teams on hand. we spoke to the director general of the iaea, raisman meeting with the iranian delegation, and he said there are some things that are open for negotiation. christian: anna, there is reporting confirmed right israel and -- by israel and hezbollah that they have killed one of the senior commanders in the organization. is it possible after all these strikes yesterday, 1300 targeted attacks yesterday, to assess what damage they have managed to inflict on the group and how much ability the group still has to respond? anna: that's a good question. it's difficult to know for sure, christian. one thing that we donow is that hezbollah will be furious

at the images that israel has managed to create beamed around the world are people having to leave the hezbollah stronghold areas because hezbollah couldn't keep them safe. that is a very important optic in all of this. if you also look at what israel is doing, the areas they are targeting in lebanon, areas around the south where the weaponry and ammunition is held, but you look at the sites that are happening in beirut, the southern suburbs is right next to the airport, less than 10k from where i'm standing now. i went there today when the sirens were still going off in the wake of that stripe. what they are doing there is going for the real figureheads, the man behind hezbollah, again to try to show strength and send a message. that is tied in with the messaging that sumi reflected as well the messaging from israel. we heard from israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu appealing to people in the hezbollah stronghold areas to

turn their back on hezbollah, saying they haven't cap you safe, you need to move away, you need to give up any weapons you might be hiding. there is still one main character in the form of hassan nasrallah. every time he makes a speech, he appears on the screen. he hasn't appeared in public for years and years and years. and while israel continued to target the hezbollah senior commanders who are in southern beirut, nobody knows where hassan nasrallah is. he would be a figure that israel would no doubt love to remove from the top of that organization. some people believe he is not even in lebanon anymore. it is very hard to say. but it is very interesting and important when you try to make sense of the story to look at what israel doing, the messaging going with that, but also the impact that is having on people's lives, not just on the northern border in israel, but here in lebanon as well. christian: just a quick word on the ex-pats, they been warning

r several weeks from the british government to get out. but if you can see the airport from where you are, anna, there are not as many flightcoming in. a lot of the airlines are canceling flights to the region. does that give a sense that lebanon is being cut off? what does that mean for the ex-pat population? anna: well, it's interesting because the messaging from the u.k. government, from the u.s. government as well, they have appealed to their citizens repeatedly to leave. not sure how many have chosen to do that. but you are right to say the airport was deserted earlier today. most of the airlines that fly and take year, european airlines, they have all canceled their flights. there is only middle east airlines, the lebanese national carrier, which is still going. that does present a bit of a headache for western governments, because the issue with lebanon, if you look at e map and you look at the younger feet, there is only one way out. -- if you look at the geography, there is only one way out. there is only really the airport, and of course that is a very vulnerable position.

it would take one attack on the airport and then it would be very difficult to get people out. we saw some of the u.k. newspapers reporting that the u.k. military base in cyprus were starting to perhaps contingency -- put contingency plans together to evacuate ex-pats if they chose not to leave. but those messages have been coming for a while, and i think some people have left, but certainly plenty remain. christian: anna, sumi, thank. sumi is coming back at the top of the hour to bring us the interviews she has done today, notably within nato secretary-general, jens stoltenberg, who is outgoing, and also we will hear from the u.s. ambassador to the u.n. that is coming up at 9:00, so do stay with us for that. around the world and across the u.k., you are watching bbc news. ♪

christian: welcome back. sir keir starm has set out his vision for government.

the prime minister said his party's slogan for change will mean nothing less than national renewal. the prime minister was trying to reset the tone after several weeks of damaging headlines. there wasn't much in the way of new policy. he announced that armed forces veterans and victims of domestic abuse will get better access to social housing, and he confirmed that gb energy will be based in aberdeen. but he also warned there would be difficult decisions i had. it will take time, he said, to clear out the tory rot. litical editor chris mason was watching in liverpool. >> conference, please welcome keir starmer, prime minister and leader of the labour party for . chris: little wonder the audience in here are whooping. they waited 15 years to hear that at their conference. prime min. starmer: take pride that labor won in every single

region in england. take pride that labor won in wales. take pride that labor won in scotland. chris: governing is difficult for everybody, and that is before slip-ups an unforced errors. leaders like to celebrate what they have managed. prime min. starmer: doctors back in theater, new solar projects, new offshore wind projects, the offshore been lifted, great british energy launched. chris: next, the prime minister tried to describe how life feels for many people. prime min. starmer: look at our country. do you see a britain where people feel that the certainty that they deserve, that the future will be better for their children? because when i was growing up, that is what we believe. but that is not a country we inherited in july. that confidence, that certainty,

it's brittle and fragile. chris: his job, then, to end that, and in a particular section of passion from sir keir starmer, the riots this summer pulled the party from legitimate worries about migration. prime min. starmer: people concerned about immigration were not doing that, because they understand that this country, this democratic country, is built on the rule of law, the ballot box, the common understanding that we debate how differences, we do not settle them with violence agreed, and race -- violent thuggery, and racism is vile. chris: on choices in government like canceling the winter fuel payment for millions of pensioners -- prime min. starmer: i understand that many of the decisions we must take will be unpopular. if they were popular, they'd be easy.

chris: to the volatile international picture, the middle east and irrelevance there in the last few days -- prime min. starmer:so i call again for restraint and de-escalation at the border between lebanon and israel. chris: and -- prime min. starmer: i call again for an immediate cease-fire in gaza, the return of the hostages, and a recommitment to the two-state solution. chris: note the trip up, "sausages," clock quickly this next part is new, making it easy for military veterans to rend a home. prime min. starmer: we will house all veterans in housing need. homes will be there for heroes. chris: campaigners say there is not near enough social housing as it is. then a protester. prime min. starmer: this guys

oppositely from the 2019 conference w. chris: and to the prime minister's conclusion. prime min. starmer: a britain built with respect, with pride, because we have shown that britain belongs to you. this speech, this conference, h as oozed pride and victory, but also groans under the weight of responsibility in governing, in an era of cynicism about politics and squeezed living standards. didn't need to be more positive given the gloom of the last few months? >> we've been very clear since we came in about the skill of the challenge that we face. people watching want to know when you can do stuff, when they can feel things improving. you must feel that pressure. >> absolutely. people voted for change, and we are determined to delivery. >> optimistic, how to build a better britain. chris: it is what you make of it that really matters. chris mason, bbc news, in

liverpool. christian: in one second we're going to find out what british people make of it, but i want to show you some live pictures coming to us from the u.n. security council. you can see president zelenskyy is addressing the council in the un. let's have a little listen to what he is saying. pres. zelenskyy: in the rights, advanced nations, and in the resolutions of the general assembly that have already been supported by the majority of the nations. and we do not have different versions of the u.n. charter for different parts of the world. we do not have regional charters. there is no separate u.n. charter for greeks or for the g7. there is no separate russian- iranian u.n. charter -- christian: president zelenskyy referring to perhaps the

inability of the security council to come to ukraine's aid. we will keep listening across that and bring you some of the most important bits of what he is saying after the sport half past 8:00. let's get back to the labour party conference and sir keir starmer's speech in liverpool today. as chris suggested in his report, the headlines these past few weeks have someone taken the gloss of what should be a celebration, and the warning signs are there for labor in the latest yougov tracker. labor's net favorability has plummeted from +1 at the time of the election to -27 today. sir keir starmer's approval rating roughly tracking that, from -3 to -30. 53% of the voters say he is doing a bad job. 22% of labor voters would say the same. yougov's political analyst is th us from the conference in liverpool.

the headline is pret stark, one in four britons said they thought labor would do well but have been disappointed. what is the key reason for that? >> yes, good evening. we speak to voters all the time about their perceptions of the labor government. as you have correctly pointed out already, there is the mood music of disappointment among the british electorate right now. let's not forget that only 34% of the people who turned out for this election actual voted for labour. they're not starting from a huge bar of support in that regard. but when we ask votersn their own words to tell us what it is they are disappointed, what stories they are hearing, what is coming back to us is stories about the winter fuel allowance, stories about donations to various senior people within labour, and perhaps -- this could be very vital for the government unless they get a grip on it -- a sense that things aren't changing and putting bardi into -- putting

that party into power and them campaigning on change and seeing things being the same could be difficult for them. christian: but asir keir pointed out today, is the inherent in-state had to deal with and it is not an easy inheritance. our most people you speak to willing to give labor the benefit of the doubt? >> that was the case when they came into power. we had lots of people telling us the jury still out, let's see what they do. the ratings in the mood is in the wrong direction, but we are 3.5, four years out from an election, the labor government has a long time to reset this. i think the british government are looking to labor and want to see solutions, and i think they will be rewarding to them if they feel materially themselves that their life is improved, and that is things such as the cost of living, public services, and getting a sense that the country is moving in the right direction. i think from listing to what voters tell us in the post that if labour are able to achieve that, they will get behind labour again if they're lucky to deliver them another general

election victory in the future. christian: thank you very much indeed. that poll is in the "times" newspaper today and is worth a read, and it doesn't signal some warning signs for the labour party, which sir keir starmer may or may not have addressed in his speech today. we will take a short break but talk plenty more about the labour party conference over the course of the program. sports coming up. do stay with us. we will be right back. ♪ announcer: funding for presentation of this program is provided by... financial services firm, raymond james. announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. and by judy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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