voice-over: this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines and all the main news stories for you at the top of the hour, straight after this programme. welcome to hardtalk. i'm stephen sackur. lebanon has long been a dysfunctional state. judge briefly led many people it suits many powerful players, both inside and outside the country to keep it that way. having just about staved off total economic collapse at the start of this decade, 11 on is currently the arena for an increasingly dangerous showdown between israel and the iranian backed militia hezbollah. my guess is slipknot becoming mr immense alum. does his government have the means and

will to avert a national calamity? welcome to hardtalk. thank you. alwa s a welcome to hardtalk. thank you. always a pleasure. _ welcome to hardtalk. thank you. always a pleasure. it _ welcome to hardtalk. thank you. always a pleasure. it is _ welcome to hardtalk. thank you. always a pleasure. it is great - always a pleasure. it is great to have you _ always a pleasure. it is great to have you back _ always a pleasure. it is great to have you back on - always a pleasure. it is great to have you back on the - always a pleasure. it is great l to have you back on the show. always a pleasure. it is great i to have you back on the show. i want to begin with words you said one week after october seven, after the hamas attack on southern israel and at the very beginning of israel's massive military response you that point we do not want to be here in lebanon on

a bargaining chip in a bigger geopolitical game. isn't that precisely what your country has become? ., ~ ., ., , become? you know me for my honesty and — become? you know me for my honesty and transparency - become? you know me for my honesty and transparency and | become? you know me for my i honesty and transparency and we reach the point in lebanon on where everything is very clear and there is nothing to hide. saying the truth and sharing the truth, admitting what is at fault is the best strategy to follow. yes, i was very clear on what i said at that point of time, particularly because level nine as a small state in this region has been paying very high price for conflicts around 11 on and the region for at least the past 75 years. we have unfortunately been always a country where all the

struggles have been moved to be full amongst nations. we turned into a week part played among the big nations as a bargaining card. we do not deserve to be in this position. not as people, not as a nation, not as a solvency. lebanon is a country that struggled and pay a very high price. it is time for level nine and the national community to consider this state, this nation that embraced over 18 religions and has proven to be one of the best and most diverse countries in many sectors with major successes outside 11 on competent people. it is eric's time of peace, deserves a time of stability and we do not deserve to be a bargaining code and do not want to be a bargaining card but until today it seems we are a bargaining

card. ~ ., , ., , card. whatever you deserve, the reality we _ card. whatever you deserve, the reality we see — card. whatever you deserve, the reality we see day _ card. whatever you deserve, the reality we see day by _ card. whatever you deserve, the reality we see day by day - card. whatever you deserve, the reality we see day by day and - reality we see day by day and week by week is an intensification of the violence across that borderline between your country and israel. the death toll among celebrities civilians, hezbollah fighters and leave aside the death toll of the israeli side, the lebanese civilian death toll is now at least 68 and around 100,000 of your civilians live in the south of your country have been displaced, forced to move. i'm ready to acknowledge the situation is only going to get worse as things stand today? get worse as things stand toda ? �* , ., get worse as things stand toda ? ~ , ., ., ., today? as a government, we have been doing _ today? as a government, we have been doing our— today? as a government, we have been doing our utmost _ today? as a government, we have been doing our utmost of - today? as a government, we have been doing our utmost of the - been doing our utmost of the diplomatic site with international players to avoid escalation, avoid getting the

spillover of the wall in gaza to really turn into a major war in babylon. based on what you have shed today, information we know, i can tell you we're officially in a state of work. if anyone is talking about escalation, they are hallucinating because escalation has happened. over 100,000 displaced people, we're talking official numbers about 68, i think we're over the number with official and unofficial numbers of deaths of civilians and others and soldiers, etc. we are officially in a state of war. is that we officially a state of war, this is not your war. this is hezbollah war with israel. the lebanese national defence forces i barely even a presence in the south of your

country. shows as the absolute weakness the lebanese state. let me tell you, as i started the beginning, yes, there is major desperation, major weakness, even now when you hear about international community behind the scenes, we discussions, has been a lot of talk, discussions are not directly with the lebanese government stop as a member of his government i am not happy to know this is the case. not happy to be a part of a government considered not the major, not the first entity to discuss the situation with. we know this situation is not new to lebanon on, we know many of the things including the

maritime discussions have had a similar path one way or another. this is not really the best scenario. this is a government... best scenario. this is a covernment... ., , ., government... certainly not the best scenario _ government... certainly not the best scenario for _ government... certainly not the best scenario for you _ government... certainly not the best scenario for you because . best scenario for you because you are minister of economy and trade at this intensification of the war is deeply damaging to the interests, economic interests of the lebanese state interests of the lebanese state in terms of agriculture, tourism, displaced people and all the costs that come with that. you know that much better than i do. you now ready at the levies government to say it is time for hezbollah to rethink? to at least withdraw their forces from the southern border area to your position north of the botanic river maybe even still better, to actually design forces so israel delicacies military threat along its northern border? we

certainly from an economic perspective. i certainly from an economic perspeetive-_ certainly from an economic perspective. i can tell you the country at _ perspective. i can tell you the country at country _ perspective. i can tell you the country at country 's - perspective. i can tell you the country at country 's national| country at country �*s national economy at some point in 2023 before the war started, we began witnessing some development, began witnessing some improvement despite the fact we still have a long way to go for true perform and put talking about the recovery in the economy. there is no doubt as you just stated that this war has weighed very heavily on the economy, losses in the major sectors including agriculture, including tourism, two major sectors still pumping some oxygen into the economy for the past few years and now are assessed and losses and billions of dollars. it was announced the losses in the agriculture sector are between two billion and $3 billion. we

did an assessment, brief assessment of the impact of the tourism sector. we are told between three billion and $5 billion expected losses and already calculate losses earlier this year. address my question- — earlier this year. address my question- is _ earlier this year. address my question. is it _ earlier this year. address my question. is it time - earlier this year. address my question. is it time for - earlier this year. address my | question. is it time for people like you to say to hezbollah. it? in the interests of people of level nine, i did this at least move all your thousands of resistance fighters and their rockets to a position north of the waitangi river, away from direct clarity israel's border.- away from direct clarity israel's border. italy is a government _ israel's border. italy is a government and - israel's border. italy is a government and from i israel's border. italy is a government and from a | israel's border. italy is a - government and from a very diplomatic point of view, we have been asking all, if you want to call them stakeholders in this wall, to really leave level nine alone. many

different places as you just stated. different places as you 'ust stated. ~ , ._ different places as you 'ust stated. ~ , ., stated. minister, ifi may do not use words _ stated. minister, ifi may do not use words like _ stated. minister, if i may do - not use words like stakeholders because that is kind of, it is avoiding the real issue here. i need you to address hezbollah, i was interested in the other day that one of hezbollah 's christian allies, the lid of the free petrarch movement actually said hezbollah is behaving in a delusional way right now. he said that they are crossing the limits of defending level nine, crossing that line, getting involved in a conflict in which we cannot make our own decisions year 11 on. it was maybe braver than you and he was a former ally of hezbollah. why can't you say to me that hezbollah has to change strategy? i me that hezbollah has to change strate: ? ,., ., .,

strategy? i hezbollah and others, strategy? i hezbollah and others. they _ strategy? i hezbollah and others, they should - strategy? i hezbollah and others, they should all i others, they should all consider we cannot carry this war. we cannot go further with escalation. everybody involved, all forces being involved should consider level nine cannot carry this heavy price. it is not a matter of being brave or not. what make hezbollah is a militia, existence, whatever you want to call it insight level nine. you seak call it insight level nine. you speak as _ call it insight level nine. you speak as a — call it insight level nine. you speak as a senior— call it insight level nine. you speak as a senior minister in the government of lebanon. you have a capacity at least in theory the influence hezbollah in a way you cannot possibly israel and iran.— in a way you cannot possibly israel and iran. you say, was one of the — israel and iran. you say, was one of the first _ israel and iran. you say, was one of the first ministers - one of the first ministers early on. when i was asked i

was very clear that we should worry is involved, we know there were other militias in lebanon on that started trying to use lebanon on as a land to get involved in the war. we were very clear, was very clear from the beginning that we cannot carry this way, we cannot, economically, politically, socially, we can i get engaged. we cannot carry that burden of this war because evan —— level nine is an adjunct total collapse. evan -- level nine is an adjunct total collapse. you state lebanon _ adjunct total collapse. you state lebanon on - adjunct total collapse. you state lebanon on the - adjunct total collapse. you state lebanon on the edge of total collapse was we'll see into the cage and notjust in the south of lavenham but in israeli drone strike in beirut the height of your capital city in recent weeks we have seen is really error rates far from the southin really error rates far from the south in the east of your country. how likely do you

believe it is we will end up with all—out war? between israel and hezbollah. what would that do to lavenham? to be quite honest, the first few months we were thinking the intervention of modulations including efforts us and france and some ripping countries were putting would really put an end to this or at least shield lavenham. today i can tell you based on escalation happened so far and politics we keep hearing about regarding the issues i'm going in israel, there is interest to keep this war going. the israeli prime minister has an interesting keep this war going because of his issues internally. that really is a big concern because they keep pushing the car and we keep seeing more escalation as well on level nine in the

past few weeks. i would say things changed from a few months ago to today. i think we are a serious risk of having this get out of control from all parties engaged and all nations trying to help lavenham have taken a little bit of a paxyin have taken a little bit of a paxy in the past few weeks. the diplomatic movement we have seen a few months ago is not as obvious today. it has been at least a month since we left lavenham to attend the world bank meetings. since then, we have serious engagement to avoid a more regional war. that avoid a more regionalwar. that is at least _ avoid a more regionalwar. that is at least assessment - avoid a more regional war. that is at least assessment and in the middle all that concern you clearly have about the direction in which the war is going, you still have to try to turn around the lebanese economy. i wonder,

turn around the lebanese economy. iwonder, you are appointed at a time of the country was incomplete economic meltdown. basically a de facto default in the banking sector. today the currency is frankly still dominated by the us dollar. the local level is haphazard black—market rate nothing like the official rate, you said you would fix that would have not fixed back yet. to what extent you still feel your country is teaching on the brink of economic meltdown? i can tell you this on the work done, despite the fact the challenges were beyond the control of a new government that really started its work when everything was already, all damage was done. on the front of the lebanese leader, i can tell you since we took a decision and since we worked on some economic reforms, at least on the average done by the

minister of economy, they considered are still rising the country was a bad decision, only since that day we managed to stabilise the dollar. it has been almost eight months now since i took the decision to allow the dollar to be used in the market and be used as the main currency for trade, etc, the dollar it has been around 89,000. this has been a major step and a report by harvard university assured what we did was the best thing given the situation we are in. on top of that, we try to minimise the damage done with a loss of value for salaries in the public sector but it is all band—aids. untilwe public sector but it is all band—aids. until we have all of the reforms. band-aids. untilwe have all of the reforms.—

the reforms. band-aids until ou aet the reforms. band-aids until you get real _ the reforms. band-aids until you get real perform. - the reforms. band-aids until you get real perform. the . the reforms. band-aids until. you get real perform. the royal bank your condo called for swift and decisive action particularly on reform. the way to restore long—term financial stability. in the budget managed to get through the national assembly. raised some taxes, tariffs by analysts looking at your economy still don't believe the sums add up. how will you convince the lebanese people to pay more tax and actually get your government itself to be serious about rooting out corruption? that thing is, as we mentioned earlier, the problem is there is a most political parties in lebanon on a kind of stalemate situation right now. none of the political parties seem to want to get a resolution and lavenham. they awaken ——

waiting for the big deal to come through for would include 360 comprehensive political, economic, social regional deal. anybody talk to now on the street or in the government tell you we are waiting for the big deal. the regional deal. to be able to first select the president, get me government. everything in lebanon now is a caretaker situation. our government is a caretaker government. we lack the presence of the constitution, every other director or general director in the government is replacing another one. we are in a state of caretaker government by all means. and the political parties pollute —— particularly the parliament is paralysed. they are waiting to see what is the big package that will come from the

international community. the deal between iran and us, different, everybody in bold. what is the deal that will bring the president... you said at the beginning _ bring the president. .. you said at the beginning of— bring the president... you said at the beginning of this, - bring the president... you said at the beginning of this, " - bring the president... you said at the beginning of this, " i - at the beginning of this, " i tell it like it is, i am an honest politician. a quick but your country cannot even elect a president, for a year and a half you have been without a president for that you tell me, somebody a bit detached from the confessional communal politics dog lavenham was a long, how will you fix this. the only way out and i had this discussion when we were in washington when they were asking us when you guys going to do all the prior action to get the final dealfor the to do all the prior action to get the final deal for the imf, i was very clear our discussions at the member of

the delegation of the minister of economy, i told the boat back and imf you know this government after two years got to a point due to political tensions amongst all political parties everybody is waiting for the big deal to get the best share out of this deal. everybody is refusing to make a serious decision to fix the economy and that is shameful. i was not happy and proud to be sitting in front of the imf telling them realistically on the new government will get an imf deal going.— the new government will get an imf deal going. hang on, used a owerful imf deal going. hang on, used a powerful work. _ imf deal going. hang on, used a powerful work, but _ imf deal going. hang on, used a powerful work, but now- imf deal going. hang on, used a powerful work, but now you - powerful work, but now you feeling ashamed i'm not talking particular of the council of ministers.— particular of the council of ministers. told them entire lebanon — ministers. told them entire lebanon government. - ministers. told them entire lebanon government. the | ministers. told them entire - lebanon government. the final

decision is not with cabinet, it is with parliament. i understand.— it is with parliament. i understand. , ., ., understand. general thought that you. _ understand. general thought that you. i — understand. general thought that you, i sat _ understand. general thought that you, i sat at _ understand. general thought that you, i sat at the - understand. general thought that you, i sat at the very . that you, i sat at the very beginning there were too many people inside 11 on that profit from the chaos in your country. would it not help if at some point you actually as a country began to accept accountability is important and i am thinking of yourformer long is important and i am thinking of your former long serving governor of central bank who faces a host of serious accusations. particularly in europe. embezzlement to the tune of $300 million. as i understand it, he is not right now subject to charge inside lavenham. he denies the allegations. isn't it about time people like him are

brought before a court of law and their guilt and innocence is properly tested and held to account? i is properly tested and held to account? ., ., ., ,, , ., account? i want to thank you for bringing _ account? i want to thank you for bringing this _ account? i want to thank you for bringing this on - account? i want to thank you for bringing this on because l for bringing this on because you have it on record in our last interview and you was surprised when i answered a similar question and i told you he should have been out of his office, out of his job, he should have been out of his office, out of hisjob, back when we did interview two years ago. when we did interview two years auo. �* when we did interview two years a a 0. �* ., ., " when we did interview two years auo. ~ ., when we did interview two years auo.~ ., ., ,, ago. and look what happened, nothina . ago. and look what happened, nothing- in _ ago. and look what happened, nothing- in my _ ago. and look what happened, nothing. in my opinion, - ago. and look what happened, nothing. in my opinion, i - nothing. in my opinion, i blamed _ nothing. in my opinion, i blamed the _ nothing. in my opinion, i blamed the government | nothing. in my opinion, i i blamed the government to nothing. in my opinion, i - blamed the government to keep a person indicted or had at least suspicion of illegal activity at the time, an office handling, the government handling, the government handling the people 's money, it was shameful at the time not to take decision. now it is even more shameful over five major countries including the us, canada, united kingdom,

france, switzerland, i'm not going to go further with the list, and charged and indicted and asked for committee hold this person accountable and our own government did not do anything. own government did not do anything-— own government did not do an hina. ., ~ anything. you keep coming back to this word. — anything. you keep coming back to this word, shameful. - anything. you keep coming back to this word, shameful. went i to this word, shameful. went lebanese people inside and outside the country he did talk is the biggest problem at all that the people of your country lose all hope and belief that your country can and will do better? , ., , ., your country can and will do better? , ., ., better? the people of lebanon on inside and _ better? the people of lebanon on inside and outside, - better? the people of lebanon on inside and outside, they - on inside and outside, they know what is the way and path forward to a true country, the government, true nation. whenever i am saying will not impact them because they know saying the truth at facing thoseissuesis saying the truth at facing those issues is the only way out. there are people that always has hope, always back to lebanon on but they know unless

we hold people responsible, unless we acknowledge and say we know what our problem is, we will never get a better level nine, we will never build a real country. we need to acknowledge our problem, need to say with the government messed up and stop people —— putting people injail and putting people in jail and hoarding putting people injail and hoarding people accountable. i thank you forjoining me on hardtalk. thank you for 'oining me on hardtalk.— thank you for 'oining me on hardtalk. ., ~ ., ~ hello. there are signs that

the weather might warm up a bit next week, but not just yet. we stay in the rather chilly air for friday, a mix of sunny spells and showers and, actually, across the south of the uk, a frontal system that will bring more in the way of cloud and some splashes of rain. low pressure generally in charge of the scene through the day ahead. so, after a cold start, most places will see some spells of sunshine and a scattering of showers. some wintriness in the showers over high ground in scotland. but that frontal system will bring cloud and rain across the channel islands and across southern counties of england. temperature—wise, well, about where we have been over the last few days, north to south looking at values between 8—13 degrees. now, as we head through friday night, we'll see this band of rain in the south pushing its way further northwards. a lot of cloud with that, too. that will hold the temperatures up to some extent, but northern england, northern ireland and scotland holding on to some clear spells and it will get chilly again. we'll have a frost to start saturday morning, not as cold

further south thanks to that extra cloud, those outbreaks of rain, which will be moving northwards as the day wears on. as the rain clears, it may brighten up a little bit towards the south coast but that could allow some sharp showers to break out. for northern ireland and scotland, it's a mixture of sunny spells and showers once again through the day. and those temperatures, well, maybe just creeping up a little bit in some areas, highs between 9—11; degrees. into the second half of the weekend, we see this area of low pressure drifting northwards. that's going to bring outbreaks of rain for some, especially across the eastern side of the uk. but it may well be that some of this rain comes a little bit further westwards, affecting quite large parts of england and wales, maybe clipping into eastern scotland. the further west you are, though, it's that mix of sunny spells and showers. some of the showers will be on the heavy side. temperatures between 9—12, maybe 13 degrees in the south—west. but as we head into next week, it does look like things will slowly but surely warm up. we start to bring a feed of winds from the near continent. these orange colours on our air mass chart. temperatures are set to climb, perhaps up to 19 or 20 degrees celsius through the middle part of the week.

but that doesn't mean sunshine all the way, still unsettled with some rain at times.

live from london, this is bbc news. disgraced movie mogul harvey weinstein has one of his convictions for rape overturned. there is no doubt that harvey weinstein is a serial sexual predator, it is not change the fact he committed these crimes. china warns us secretary of state antony blinken their nations must choose between cooperation or confrontation that could spiral into conflict. the us begins building a floating aid pier off the gazan coast — as the un warns of disease outbreaks in the region. hello and welcome to bbc news. i'm lukwesa burak. the former hollywood producer harvey weinstein has had one of his convictions for rape overturned. new york's highest court

has ruled he didn't get a fair trial.