>> anti-government protesters in egypt take their demands to the gates of parliament. an angry reaction from the italian prime minister as prosecutors call for him to be tried for allegedly paying for sex with a 17-year-old girl. at people are killed by three car bombs. welcome to bbc world news. coming up later, the war crimes trial. he boycott's proceedings for a second day. 50 years ago today, the beatle'' first performed in liverpool.

demonstrations in egypt demanding to president mubarak will have intensified. protesters have taken over the streets that control the entrance to parliament. aegis vice-president has responded by hinting at a declaration of martial law. he told the pbs program political advice from the white house is not at all helpful. >> almost by be at work, the symbols of state power are slipping away. this is the egyptian parliament. earlier today, anti-government protesters took over the whole area with no resistance from the security forces. there is a caricature of

president mubarak hanging on the gauge. the egyptian parliament has become the latest focus of the protest. the protest -- the protesters say was elected fraudulently. they have come here and great numbers preventing parliament from operating and preventing an increasing number -- level of power. one of the demonstrators filmed as the protesters moved up the street. others stood outside celebrating the demise of the hated institution. >> it is full of ignorance, full of people with money, businessmen. not the voice of the people. >> the king of the castle. >> more demonstrations in alexandria today. the charge the dubliners office

and his car. -- if they torched the governor's office and his car. some suez canal workers worked out, but the canal is still open. another -- other factory workers and government employees are wanting better conditions. by contrast, the quietest place in egypt is probably the pyramids. what luxury hotel with a 640 rooms has only to occupy. the collapse in tourism is hurting many egyptians. in tahrir square, they are still wondering what the president -- with the vice-president meant by a possible coup. it is hard to see what the government can do to stop this movement gathering pace.

>> human rights activist in egypt telling the bbc, security forces have been detaining more and more people over the past fortnight. this despite repeated international calls for restraint. in cairo, we have been investigating. >> there's still missing. names of the disappeared, abducted by mistake. >> still missing. >> on the list are four doctors treating the injured. there are bloggers picked up and not seen in six days. there is no information as to where those arrested have been held or who conducts the interrogation. to many, this is the place of

the revolution. another blogger was beaten so badly by the police, he was almost unrecognizable. there are reassurances from the government that things are changing, but the evidence pointed different way. on thursday, after meeting with the opposition, they were arrested on the street, beaten, and tied so tight that their wrists bled. blindfolded, they were left in the back of the truck all night. >> how long were you blindfolded? >> 27 hours. >> within the barricades, there is safety in numbers. out here on the street, outside the main demonstration, the agitators, leaders, ordinary people are being picked off. intimidation is rife. human rights activists are now compiling a growing list of people who have gone missing.

>> the security is targeting people who are activists. >> they were kidnapped. >> and arts teacher and a father of two, he was killed and tahrir square. his body was dumped in a morgue and left in a freezer for six days. it is an indictment of halt little the protesters mean to the egyptians authorities. >> i wanted to see him and remember him last time. when they lifted the freezer lead, his face was blue. i could hardly tell it was him. >> she is a hero to his brother and thousands of others. many believe that if this

protest was to fail, the consequences for those who started it would be just as dire. >> our world affairs correspondent has been speaking with the american and egyptian and nobel laureate. he told her he fears for his country's future. >> i do because i worry. if you look at it economically, what are the major resources of egypt? the suez canal. you are talking about tourism and investment. all three are now in danger. all three are in danger. there is also the human aspect. i do not want to see -- in a state of despair and being a very unhappy.

they really need to be looking to a new future, hopeful for a great egypt. >> you can keep up-to-date with the situation in egypt on our website. you'll find much more background analysis there. the italian prime minister condemned the subversive allegations that he paid for sex with a 17-year-old girl and used his influence to cover it up. prosecutors demanded an immediate trial for berlusconi. >> berlusconi has come one step closer to be put on trial. the prime minister accused a press conference to inflict this attack on the prosecutors seeking to get into.

>> it is just an embarrassment and it is disgusting and shameful. i do not know who was going to pay. we know that the magistrate did not take on any responsibility. we will change a. >> this is the woman at the center of the scandal. berlusconi have -- denies having sex with her. the prosecutors said they have enough evidence to convict to the prime minister on both counts. berlusconi is a veteran of italy's court system and has faced a dozen of trials on fraud and corruption charges. but never has hit hard to answer before the court of allegations of underage sex or abuse of power. that takes an and the country into new territory. we will know in the next week or

so whether the judge tends to indict him and put him on trial. if convicted, the prime minister faces up to 16 years in jail. that is why the legal and political stakes are now so high. >> on average, two children are killed every day in afghanistan last year. an independent report has found nearly two-thirds of children were killed by insurgents and blames american and nato forces for almost a fifth of the fatalities. parts of northern afghanistan, and once peaceful, are now among the most dangerous. russia's president has vowed to deploy in sufficient weaponry to ensure the security of a disputed island chain. the islands have been claimed by both countries since the end of world war ii.

internet users and syria can now access social networking site. there have been no official statement, but reports suggest the government block on facebook and youtube has been lifted. three car bomb blast in the rocky city have killed at least six people and wounded more than 75. we have the reports from iraq. [siren] >> two bombs had already gone off. police and emergency vehicles were racing to assessed, and then --

amazingly, the cameramen staggered to his feet to keep filming. three bombs in total, six dead, and more than 30 wounded. this is what they experience summer in iraq every day. often, it is worse. the immense oil fields make it a vital region for iraq. it is also fiercely disputed. u.s. troops still hoped to keep the balance, but they will be gone by the end of this year. nowhere else will the challenge for iraq's forces be greater. today, they were the target. security in these conditions is very hard to build.

>> the homeland security secretary in the u.s. has declared that in some ways, the threat of a terrorist attack is at its most heightened state since 9/11. to that paul pulte -- did not napolitano -- janet napolitano >> an american man has pleaded guilty to plotting attacks in the u.s.. he is charged with conspiring to support terrorist and to murder, kidnapping and injured people. greg authorities are saying they suspect somali pirates have captured a u.s. bound tanker carrying million dollars worth of crude oil in the indian ocean. the hijacking is one of the biggest in the area so far. stay with us. still to come, meet some of the

city's tax pacts heading home. -- sudan's expates. the united states and has said they will meet received a sixth of the emergency aid. it will at -- it will increase the appeal target because of this month's floods. 43 lost their lives in january. there is still 141,003 lankans and displacement camps. he sent this report from a small town. >> driving along country roads, you see scenes like this all the time. people living in the water. it has not rained for the last couple of days, so the water levels have gone down. they have this small mechanical business. they had a lot of hardware here

that has been destroyed or damaged severely by the floods. in a reasonable amount, he would make about $300 worth of profit. compared with a $300, up the damage from this round of floods has amounted to $6,000. in january sled, there was even more damage. $10,000. he is not insured and the police have been talking to him. he feels that may be some kind of hope of getting some kind of compensation from the authorities. you wonder how people like this and the tens of thousands of others affected by these floods are going to possibly get their lives back together again. financially, a move forward. >> you'll find much more on that

story anytime on bbc.com. >> let's bring you up-to-date. anti-government protesters in aged have taken their demands to the gates of parliament. the italian prime minister has reacted angrily. prosecutors have called for him to be tried. this was to be the day for summing up the defense lawyers. the hearing before the former liberian president has been injured until friday. a defendant and his lawyer failed to turn up. he is accused of fuelling the civil war in the 1990's. he denied 11 counts of war crimes. >> good morning.

i note the absence of the accused. however, i will address -- i will invite the defender to address us. >> when the court reconvened, there was no sign of charles taylor. the presiding judge received a document stating that mr. taylor had waived his right to be in court. confirming that there was no medical issues involved. >> thank you, madame justice. >> today had been set aside for the defense to present their summing up in this trial. yesterday, and he walked out and began a boycott because of a disagreement over the late submission of this final written trial brief. >> i solemnly declare -- >> this trial has already lasted more than three years. the prosecution is trying to prove that charles taylor was a central figure in a campaign of

terror in the 1990's. it is alleged that he profited from the country's diamond wealth. the civil war was renowned for its brutality. that had enough of limbs was one of the horrors inflicted on the civilian population. last year, prosecutors summered -- they've been trying to establish a link between charles taylor and the number of uncut diamonds that she was given it soon after meeting mr. taylor at a dinner in south africa. >> i had a knock at my door. i and i enjoy it. two men were there and gave me a pouch. >> charles taylor is accused of having received the diamonds in exchange for weapons, which had been shipped. the court has heard from more than 100 witnesses during this trial.

including amputees who had given harrowing accounts of their treatment by the rebels. proceedings have not been adjourned until friday morning. the final closing arguments are supposed to be heard. charles taylor's defense team has already made it clear that they will not be in court unless the current dispute is settled. this trial, which should be nearing its end, is mired in yet more confusion. >> the world's newest nation should be officially added to the map in early july. preparations are already under way. they're looking to play their parts. >> when he was 6, he lived in refugee camps in ethiopia. originally from southern sudan, a decade later, he became a lost boy, a group of seven children taken to live in the u.s.

his people have now voted for independence to create the world's newest nation. >> what does it mean for you to have a new country? >> it means that my father did not die for nothing. >> the graduate from college in michigan. he now works as a youth counselor in washington d.c. as a map -- there is a map of this new nation on his wall. that is where he plans to go. he wants to help the young country. >> one of the things that americans do very well is to help grow people. it is my responsibility to go back home and tell. -- help. he manages construction projects in virginia. he, too, plans to go back and build a nation. >> the sense of commitment for

rebuilding your country and respecting young people coming up with new ideas, those are all things that make america great. >> on the sixth floor of this building behind me is the south sudanese mission. it wants as many of them as possible to take their knowledge and expertise back home. >> congratulations. >> there is the optimism and celebration that you would expect but they face a daunting task. it is one of the most underdeveloped places in the world. its politics are unknown. the sudanese americans going back, there is a fear that they could be seen as foreigners. >> there will be competition for the resources. that is when the government has to step in in order to provide.

otherwise, you'll have the issues of food security and people competing with jobs. there will be some tension. >> the skills will help southern sudan. now they're willing to give up their jobs here for a country they dragged as being a part of for years. -- dreamt of being a part of for years. >> the government of brazil has announced a $30 billion cut in public spending in its budget for 2011. the finance minister says he is ending all stimulus measures introduced in the last two years. he said the cuts would help reduce inflation, but would not stop economic growth. the head of the large -- the head of nokia has painted a bleak picture of its fortunes. he likened it to a burning

platform surrounded by the blazing fire of competition grabbing its market share. it was 60 years ago today that a small vineyard in liverpool paid host to a group of virtual unknowns. it was the beatles' first performance at the cabin club. ♪ a tribute band starts the celebration. 50 years ago today, the beatles played the cabin club for the first time. kathy and valerie were there. >> people were screaming. i remember how fantastic they were. >> the beatles went on to play

292 concert here. the last shah was in 1963. just a decade after that, where houses around -- of of the club were demolished. -- warehouses' above the club were demolished. you do have to wonder why they let the old cabin live. the old maniac now is more fervent than then. they split up in 1970. it was a campaign to keep the original cabinet open. >> it was the end of the story. it was the death of john lennon. people can deliver pulte -- to liverpool to find out about the city. >> i wish i was 16 again.

>> it shows how the city's attitude to its musical heritage has changed. >> the catholic church has given its blessing to a new iphone application. it is described as the perfect aid for every penitent. tens of thousands of egyptian demonstrators gathered en central cairo. they are surrounding government buildings. there is been a series of strikes in various parts of the country. the united states has the egyptian government to meet the demands of the protesters.

the advice was not at all helpful. >> hello and welcome. >> see the news unfold, get the top stories from around the globe and click-to-play video reports. go to bbc.com/news to experience the in-depth, expert reporting of "bbc world news" online. >> funding was made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation. and union bank. >> union bank has put its financial strength to work for a wide range of companies, from small businesses to major corporations. what can we do for you?

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