iain watson, bbc news, westminster.early 30 years has made landfall on the country's sparsely populated eastern coast, whipping up 10—metre waves, triggering floods and claiming at least one life. super typhoon kongrey is gusting at more than 200 and 50 kilometres an hour and torrential rains are expected as it sweeps across the country. thousands of people living in its path have already been evacuated and schools, businesses and financial markets are closed. hundreds of flights have been cancelled. the defence ministry has put more than 30,000 troops on standby. 0ur asia correspondent, rupert wingfield—hayes is in taipei where he says people are bracing for the worst. we are now really getting the full force of the storm, coming through the capital city. people are hunkered done, the island has been closed down. schools and offices are all closed, the whole of today, rail services spending all domestic flights have been cancelled, the brunt of the storm has been borne by the people on the east coast where it came asho

iain watson, bbc news, westminster. £22 billion black hole was left to her by the conservatives and effectively forced some of those "difficult choices" on tax in the budget. meanwhile, the conservatives claim that the office for budget responsibility, the official spending watchdog, has failed to back up the figure. so, what's the reality? here's ben chu, from bbc verify. the 0br's review into this very question was published yesterday alongside the budget and it is true, as the conservatives say, that it does not endorse in black and white that £22 billion figure, which has been cited by rachel reeves and many other government ministers. however, what it does say is that the 0br asked the treasury back in august to tell it what it didn't tell it in the preparations for that march budget about spending pressures. unexpected spending pressures. unexpected spending pressures. and the 0br says that the treasury told it that those spending pressures that it had not talked about of £9.5 billion a year in 2024 to 2025, the c

but first this report by iain watson. this budget has already booked its place in history. by a female chancellor of the exchequer, but it's likely to be memorable for other reasons too. labour promised change at the last election. the contents of rachel reeves�* red box has now defined what that looks like, and has provided a clear sense of the government�*s direction. i call the chancellor of the exchequer. she began her speech by trying to counter claims that the government was being too gloomy. my belief in britain burns brighter than ever and the prize on offer is immense. as my right honourable friend the prime minister said on monday, change must be felt. more pounds in people�*s pockets and nhs that is there when you need it. an economy that is growing, creating wealth and opportunity for all. because that is the only way to improve living standards here. and the only way to drive economic growth is to invest, invest, invest. that promise to invest means changing the rules on debt and borrowing, which critics say is risky. but the chancellor argues that this will pa

iain watson, bbc news, westminster. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. city of kharkiv. president zelensky said that moscow dropped a guided aereal bomb on a civillian block of flats — with dozens more injured. rescuers identified the bodies of two boys in the rubble, one of them was believed to be staying with his grandparents. russia denies targeting civillians. ukrainian defence force says it downed two missiles and i7 drones overnight. let's talk more about drones here. used extensively by both the ukrainian and russian militaries, they have changed how the war is being fought. there is increasing evidence that russia is using drones to target civilians. the ukrainian government says that in the past three months there has been a surge in drone attacks on civilians in the southern kherson region, where at least 30 people have been killed and more than a00 injured. a warning — this report from kherson by yogita limaye contains disturbing images. another artillery strike on a city that's been ravaged by schelling. and now, kherson faces more terror. vi

iain watson, bbc news.ing between zero and five to reassure customers. but secret filming has also revealed numerous other places blatantly lying about their hygiene scores, as guy lynn reports. we're undercover to expose the high—street takeaways, butchers and supermarkets who blatantly lie about their food—hygiene ratings. yeah, five star. not true. five star. five star? and nor is this. both places have terrible food—hygiene ratings. the law says that every place that serves food must be regularly checked by food safety officers — like these ones — before rating a place and issuing a green sticker for the public to see. five means food safety is very good — the lower numbers, serious concerns. one or two is somewhere that's got quite, um, serious food—hygiene risks, potential for food poisoning such as e.coli, campylobacter, salmonella — all those sort of things which are going to make you quite sick or even die. yet, time and again, the bbc found places lying in east london. like this butcher — where we

iain watson reports.is how close sue gray was to the prime minister, meeting president biden alongside keir starmer just last month. the sue gray report into government lockdown parties has just been published. she is probably best known as the senior civil servant who drew up the partygate report, which hastened borisjohnson�*s departure from number ten. the conservatives were outraged when she traded her whitehall job for an influential role with labour. since last september, she was keir starmer�*s chief of staff in opposition and then at number ten. herjob was to prepare labour for government, but now in government, labour look somewhat unprepared. they faced political heat for taking winter fuel payments away from most pensioners, alongside stories about keir starmer and other ministers taking donations for clothing and free tickets for big events. last month, the bbc revealed that sue gray was paid more than the prime minister. the fact that her salary was leaked was a clear indication of trouble be

in boston -- iain watson, thank you very much i some way off. first time in seven weeks, had a conversation they say was direct and very productive. it was wide—ranging and reflecting how israel is fighting on multiple fronts in this region. when it comes to gaza, first of all, we are told the americans again talked about the need for diplomacy to bring home the remaining israeli hostages from gaza. also some talk about the humanitarian situation which has really deteriorated in recent days, particularly in the north of the strip where israel has issued these new evacuation orders. and the need for diplomacy ultimately to get lebanese back to their side of the border, with israel and israeli citizens back to their homes in the north of the country as the fighting rages on. but most attention being given and that that much detail, the talk of the two men had about israel's forward is when it comes to responding to the massive missile attack by iran just last week. the us has been supporting israel's right to retaliate but it looks like it has bee

iain watson, bbc news. evening. the scottish fire and rescue service is investigating the cause. inquests into the deaths of 62 patients who were treated by the disgraced breast surgeon ian paterson will open today. paterson is currently serving a 20—year prison sentence after carrying out unnecessary and unapproved operations. the hearings will examine whether the procedures contributed to patients' deaths and look for any widerfailings. the number of breakdowns caused by potholes last month was the highest september figure for seven years. the aa says it attended more than 50,000 call—outs related to hols in the road. to holes in the road. the department for transport has been contacted for comment. the bbc radio 2 presenter johnnie walker has announced he's retiring at the end of the month. it marks the end of a 58—year career in broadcasting. johnnie said the decision was prompted by poor health. the struggles i've had with doing the show and trying to sort of keep a professional standard suitable for r

iain watson, bbc news, westminster.ion black hole was left to her by the previous conservative government and forced some of those difficult choices on tax in the budget. meanwhile the conservatives claim that the office for budget responsibility, the official spending watchdog has failed to back up that figure. so what is the reality, joining me is ben chu from bbc verify. so talk us through this £22 billion figure.— billion figure. so, the obr review into _ billion figure. so, the obr review into this _ billion figure. so, the obr review into this very - billion figure. so, the obr i review into this very question was published yesterday alongside the budget and it is true as the conservatives say it doesn't endorse in black—and—white that £22 billion figure which has been

iain watson, bbc news, westminster. let's get more political reaction. here to the green.— here to the green. your reaction to what ou here to the green. your reaction to what you heard _ today? a budget of broken promises. they said they wouldn't raise taxes, they said they wouldn't raise national insurance. taxes going up by £40 billion today, this is a historic budget in many ways, the highest tax—raising budget in history. it is going to hurt employers, it will hurt people who work for small businesses. inflation and debt is going to grow up up, inflation is going to be slower than predicted in march, so not a great day. predicted in march, so not a great da . .,. predicted in march, so not a great da . :, : , predicted in march, so not a great da . , ., , predicted in march, so not a great da. , predicted in march, so not a great day. rachel reeves was saying she was making — day. rachel reeves was saying she was making responsible _ day. rachel reeves was saying she was making responsible choices. . day. rachel reeves was saying she i was making re

reaction to some of the key changes that have been announced, first our political correspondent iain watson the latest. kier starmer and rachel reeves have been on something of a political journey, they promised limited tax rises before the general election, but announced substantial tax increases just a few months later. the bulk of this, £25 billion, coming from businesses in the form of higher national insurance contributions. employees national insurance remains unchanged, this morning the chancellor admitted working people would pay a price. i said that it will have consequences. it will mean that businesses will have to absorb some of this through profits. it is likely to mean wage increases might be slightly less than they otherwise would have been. but overall, the office for budget responsibility forecast that household income will increase in this parliament. i was able to announce £22.6 billion of additional money for day—to—day spending in the health service... the money for day-to-day spending in the health service. . ._ health service... the prime minister and chancellor _ hea