The party itself and marine Le Pen, of course they deny all this. Its going to be a long trial, a couple of months as they go through all the evidence. At the end of it, though, whats crucial and why this trial matters is that it is marine Le Pen� s political future which is very much at stake. Why . Because one of the potential penalties she could suffer if shes found guilty is an ineligibility for office. She could be banned from standing for public office for a period of, say, five years. And that would mean she couldnt stand in the next president ial election in 2027. Marine Le Pen is Riding High right now in french politics. Her party did very well in the last elections. It can make or break this Sitting Government of michel barnier. Her next step is this bid for the presidency again in 2027. But if this guilty verdict, if its a guilty verdict and it ends in an ineligibility for office, that obviously means that that plan is up in smoke, and she will need urgently a plan b. We have some breaking news. The latest development in terms of the Build Up on the lebanese borderfrom israeli the Build Up on the lebanese border from israeli forces. Israel has said it plans to launch a limited Ground Offensive in lebanon according to a us official, they said the operation could start as soon as today. One other line to add to that, which almost confirms it, reuters is reporting Israels Defence MinisterYoav Gallant says the next phase of the war will begin soon. Every pointer suggests the Ground Invasion is imminent. Interesting in the News Conference with Joe Interesting in the News ConferenceWithjoe Biden A short while ago, he opposes the israeli Ground Operation and he called again for a lebanon ceasefire. We will be live on the programme in about ten minutes in beirut, jerusalem, and washington, for the very latest on that moving story. We move now to northern ireland. The Cruise Ship known for spending four months docked in belfast is set to depart later today. The odyssey, owned by a us firm, needed repairs and its passengers were left stranded in the city. It looks like its time to get on board. David austin joins us now. Hes from georgia in the us. Youd think you are getting away today . You think. We away today . You think. We are very away today . You think. We are very excited away today . You think. Are very excited and looking forward to starting our cruise. What has it been like over the months, stuck in one city, when you should have been in the Bahamas Today . You should have been in the Bahamas Today . That is correct, on the original Bahamas Today . That is correct, on the original itinerary, Bahamas Today . That is correct, on the original itinerary, we on the original itinerary, we should have been going through Iceland And Norway and greenland, down the East Coast of canada and the us. But since our delay, that got pretty much scrapped. 50 our delay, that got pretty much scra ed. , our delay, that got pretty much scra ed. , scrapped. So what have been the best bits and scrapped. So what have been the best bits and what scrapped. So what have been the best bits and what have scrapped. So what have been the best bits and what have been best bits and what have been the worst bits since the delay . The worst bits are the constant delays. We get our hopes up and then with the inspections and then with the inspections and the additional standards they have placed on this ship, the delays were quite disheartening. I started off with a bit more hair when i got here the great part is belfast. I have had a great time here. The people have been very hospitable and we have met the lord mayor, and i have been to the many museums here, the botanical gardens, and of course the titanic museum. Ive really enjoyed myself. The Cruise Liner has assisted us. Ive been to Liverpool And Scotland and all points here in ireland. We went to Disneyland Paris even at one point. I ireland. We went to Disneyland Paris even at one point. Paris even at one point. I only have about paris even at one point. I only have about 40 paris even at one point. I only have about 40 seconds paris even at one point. I only have about 40 seconds left. L have about 40 seconds left. What have they said to you about leaving today . B5 what have they said to you about leaving today . As We Seak about leaving today . As we speak my about leaving today . As we speak My Shipmates about leaving today . As we speak My Shipmates are. About leaving today . As we speak My Shipmates are Boarding Shuttles heading into the cruise port, awaiting arrival of the ship in order to board. So it all looks good. Hopefully later on tonight we will be in the dark. We would rather have said goodbye in the daylight but at some Point Tonight we will be vacated, sometime before 11. I will be vacated, sometime before 11 before 11. I hope it goes to ian. I before 11. I hope it goes to plan i hope before 11. I hope it goes to plan. I hope im before 11. I hope it goes to plan. I hope im not plan. I hope im not interviewing you again tomorrow at this time thanks for joining us. You are watching Bbc News. Its the second day Conservative Partys annual conference in birmingham. This Years Event is also a chance for the partys four leadership candidates to audition for the top job, with each of them due to give a speech on wednesday. But some of them have been speaking today. Lets speak to our political correspondent hannah miller, whos been following developments in birmingham. They are all wondering around with their groups of fans and their banners, trying to convince people they are the person who should be the next Conservative Party leader. There will be a whole succession of events over the next few days but one of the biggest we have seen so far in the last couple of hours was Tom Tugendhat and Kemi Badenoch taking to the main stage and being interviewed in front of the audience. Both of them being interviewed for one hour each. Quite a substantial amount of time and some Member Questions in their and personal questions in their and personal theres a cafe in my questions and also questions on Constituei And 1at closed down, theres a cafe in My Constituei and also osed down, theres a cafe in My Constituei and also questions i, theres a cafe in My Constituei and also questions on questions and also questions on policy. For Kemi Badenoch, one policy. For Kemi Badenoch, one of the issues that came up of the issues that came up unsurprisingly was the remarks unsurprisingly was the remarks she made yesterday in relation she made yesterday in relation to Maternity Pay. Many people to Maternity Pay. Many people thought or interpreted that she thought or interpreted that she had said that Maternity Pay is had said that Maternity Pay is excessive, but she has excessive, but she has clarified the remarks and said clarified the remarks and said they had been misinterpreted. Constituency that closed down, they had been misinterpreted. This is what she had to say this is what she had to say about it today. About it today. I was answering i was answering a different question. A different question. I was interrupted as i was i was interrupted as i was answering a different question, answering a different question, and i dont actually think and i dont actually think Kate Mccann was trying Kate Mccann was trying to catch me out. To catch me out. I was trying to explain that i was trying to explain that when we start talking when we start talking about micro policy, we forget about micro policy, we forget the first principles. The first principles. Businesses, and ill businesses, and ill use an example, theres a cafe in my use an example, Event Warning people they need to take the scale of the defeat very seriously, but whether people would agree with her Policy Prescriptions as a result is another question. I spoke earlier to andrea stevenson, used to be the mp for kendall andrew stevenson. You lost your seat only by about 1,000 votes, and i think reform got 8,000 or so. What message do you take from that . I think we need to understand why people voted reform. Many people voted reform i thinkjust because they were frustrated. They didnt think the Conservative Party was delivering any more. They didnt think the Conservative Party was united. They thought the Conservative Party was more focused on our own issues and our own squabbles rather than the issues that affected ordinary working people. So for me, its about reconnecting with the public, understanding their concerns and delivering on those concerns. Its not about Aping Reform or trying to merge with reform. Its just about reconnecting with the public. And i know youre backing james cleverly, but in many ways he was quite a face of the former government. The whole slogan of the conference is kind of review and rebuild. Why would you be backing someone who is so associated with the previous government that has just been told where to go . Because i think it is so important to have a leader who has real experience. James was party chairman, led us into the 2019 General Election when we got a historic victory. As Foreign Secretary he was a leading light for ensuring that we were standing shoulder to shoulder with ukraine, and as Home Secretary he was able to cut migration. So i genuinely believe he is the most experienced candidate in this race. I think all the candidates are great. I thinkjames for me is the one who is most likely to be able to unite the party and take us forward and ensure that we do Defeat Labour at the next General Election. You mention his record as Home Secretary. A big part of that was the Rwanda Scheme. Not a single person was deported apart from the few that went voluntarily. Surely thats a massive failure on his record . No, i think the Rwanda Scheme, you still have to have a deterrent. You have to have a clear way of saying, if you come here illegally to this country, we are going to deport you, either back to where youve come from or to a safe third country. And the Rwanda Scheme is logical. Its why lots of other countries around the world including European Countries have looked at very similar schemes. Im very disappointed that one of the first Things Labour did, having talked the talk on being tough on migration, and then one of the first things they did was scrap the Rwanda Scheme. Simon case, the top civil servant, he is to go, tell me more about that. He was appointed to be the head of the Civil Service, the cabinet secretary, under borisjohnson, secretary, under boris johnson, and secretary, under borisjohnson, and he served under liz truss, Rishi Sunak and now Keir Starmer, and there were reports that there were tensions in Downing Street but in his letter to civil servants today, he makes very clear that this is to do with his house and he says it is a shame he has to feel he has to spell this out that this is to do with his health. He says it is nothing to do with anything else. He has undergone treatment for a neurological condition over the last 18 months, and while spirit remains willing, the Bodyis Spirit remains willing, the body is not, he says. He talks about the need for the Civil Service to adapt to a changing world and changing public expectations but there will now be a process to appoint a new head of the Civil Service under Keir Starmer as prime minister. Thanks forjoining us. Let me return to the live pictures from beirut because we have been hearing in the last little while, with one american official telling cbs, our partner, that israel has told the us to plans to launch a limited Ground Offensive in lebanon, to potentially be imminent, we understand. A good start in the next little while. The next phase of the war will begin soon, we have heard. We will be live in a beirut, Jerusalem And Washington for more on the breaking story here on Bbc News. Live from london. This is Bbc NewsReports Tonight that israel has told the us that it plans to launch a limited Ground Incursion into lebanon imminently. We will be speaking to Anna Foster in beirut, Jon Donnison Injerusalem and Tom Bateman as President Biden says hes opposed to any Ground Incursion. Meanwhile israels parameter warns the people in around the Theme Regime is bringing them closer to the abyss. A Bbc Investigation finds mcdonalds failed to stop the exploitation of nine men whod been trafficked to the uk and forced to work in a branch of the burger chain. And the bbc releases its report into Bullying Allegations on strictly come dancing. Well bring you the details. Hello, im matthew amroliwala. Lets start in the Middle East with the region on a knife edge. Reports from the Usa Israel has notified the us that israel has informed them they land to launch a limited Ground Incursion into lebanon. Cbs, bbc� s partners in the us, said the incursion could start as soon as today. In the past hour, President Biden has said he is opposed to any possible Ground Invasion