>> tonit on "worldfocus" -- despite weeks of protest contestin the iranian presidentialelection, the supreme lear formally endorses mahmoud ahmadijad for a second term. while th u.s. considers cutting off gasoline supplies t iran. in afghanian, a bomb es nava croed street in h off, killingt least ten people. it llows aeadly weekend for u.s. and nato forces that left nine soiers dead. in china the largest army in the world launches a new kind of litary operation, a charm offensive. how they hope to w t hearts d minds of more than just the

inese people. and you're never too old. in japan, a story of how huge grain population is spending thei golden years fromrugby ayers from tv joualists, even a 74-year-old porn star. >>from the world's leading reporte and analysts, here is what's happening from ound the world. this is "worldfocus. made possible, in part, by t following fuers -- good evening. m martin savidge. we begin tonht with iran, ich continues to deal with politic presses and dessent from bo within and outsidef the country. after iran's disted election the country's supreme leader endoed the declared victor. ayatollah ali khamenei gaveis blessg to mahmoud ahmadinad andta clears the way for ahdinejad to be sworn in on wednesday for second term.

but later, tre were repts of ne clashes in be hrn eene security forces and protesters who oppos ahmadinejad. as you mayhave heard a large ial began this weekend for those arrested in the violence inhe protests that followed e election. they include many promint politicians d religious figures. in tonight's "leadfocus we hear more about the tri from itnn this report that was fid onsaturdayed. >> reporter: in a tean court of what the iraan are calling revolutionars. said these men were partof a conspiry to bring abo a velv revolution. this trial cape a surprise. said0 defendants would appear. instd over 100 were broht t court. many shackled often and in prison uniform. senior officials and former ministeramongst them. on the front row,enior cleri muhammad alitari,whose blogs

are widely read. he was arrested shortly after the election and reptedly confessed. heeclared it grcu great election. and our oppositio leader mir ssein mousavi was delusional. mr. ataris a former vce presiden of the governmentf mohammed qatari. sitting alongside him, who oe served as depy foreign minister. so in court, abdullah rama zan da ze. a former gornment spokesma and aformer senior lawmaker,mofinmidadari. e reformist politician a journalist mohamm, is also on trial. is a form industry minister, the general prosecutor said cret documen showed had suggested setting up an antidicktearership with opposition parties. this trial is an attempt byhe authorities to diffuse the growing criticism i iran the abusive treaent of these

tainees. by bringing about charges of rioting, holding illegal rallies, clashing wh security forces and acting against national security,he authoritiesre trying to legitimize their ipprisonment. but a general prosetor went mh further with s conspiracy theo today, stating that the foreign media played assailant role in training the rioters and proving unrest. canadian ns reporterbahari. mr. bahar later appeared at a press conferce, where he said the mediaas a key element i thiselvet revolution. he's not been seen by his family or his lawyer since his detention six wks ago. it's not known how lg the trial will ast, but coming just days bore presidentahmoud ahmadinejad is to beworn in r a second term,t will undermine e opposition movemen movement now, we mentned that there wapressure from outside of iran as well espially on the issue of iran's nuclear program.

new evidence ofhat pressur comes today a report in "the new york times." it says, "the oba administrations talking with allies d congress about the possibility of imposing an extre economic sanction against an. if it failso respond to president oba's offeto negotiate on itsuclear progm. tting off a country imports of gasoline and other refined oil products. it goes on to say, "the option of acting against companies around the world tha supply iran with40%f its gasoline has been broached with european allies an israel. legislatn that would give m obama that thority already has 71 sponsors in the senate and similar legislatiois expected to say through the house oining us to discuss the possibily of new sanctions in iran and developments theres trita parsi, founter an president o the nonprofit national iranian cou nil washingtond.c. thanks for eaking with . >> thank youor havi me. what do you think will happen ifhe united states were to try to impose gasoline sanctionsn

iran? >> well, i think first ofall, is going to be veryifficult to impose effective gasoline sanctions on ira because you would haveo get the corporatn of all of the countri and the security council, inuding russia and china. if one tries to impose gasoline sanctions through it would have o be -- to be effective enable brocked a, withoutecurity counci authorization and then would that be nsidered an act of warnd would that be a ver very risky strategy fr the obama ainistration to undeake. >> and thethe's the qstion that if the sanctions were imposed, what wouldthe affect have or be on the opposition moment? >> well, that's the otherspect this. that the government obviously is better equped tody with the cost -- the imct of the sanctions of ordinary people andthese gasoline sanctions are extremely bad based. so its quite lily th it will be the ordiny people, including thepeople that have been protesting on the reets,

demanding thatheirotes be counted. that wl be primearily affected by this rather tn the government itself. >> so, in other words the people would becom angry at those wh imposehe sctions and phaps forget so much about the anger against their own government? >> well, even if the ang may be split in part, reality is, wh is going to be bearing the impact of the unt of thi he government seemso be far more capable ofble to ptect itself. whereas, ordinary people have no such capabilies. >> the otherews from iran this week a of course is t trial of t anti-ahmadinejad presters. and televised of what called nfessions. what affect are e trials aving on the irian people and on their government? >> well, those who are supportivef ahdinejad may find them to be very credible a useful, but i tnk that the larger mority of people are not being convinced by tse nfessions and the iranian governnt has had a histo in

the past of staging such nfessions and this seems to be fitting thatpattern. t in a w, it may actual do away withny of these staged confessionsn the future becausef the fact of e people thathey put on the stag individuals aouple of years o were vice presidents and ministers in the government itself. >> and still hanging out there is the overre that was made by th obama administration to iran to attempto engage in negoations with th country. how is that affecting iran's government? >> well, if anythg, what i think s affected the government in ir is the fact that the nonthreatening posture adopd by t obama administration has enabled he to -- in exisng divisions within the irani government to come up to you surface. during the bush yrs in whi the united stes took a much more threateng posture towards in, that enabled the governme to close ranks. because it was a sense of a common threat. had preside bush still been in por i wouldn't be sprised in the opposition would have

allowed its pride and anger and stoed protesting against the election, perction of an electiofraud. >> just out out of time, but do you expect that iran will have a answer for the u.s soon. i think it's going to be ve difficult becae we're talking out a government that currently is lacki legitimacy in the eyes of mny people. that is being contested. and may not he the capacity to make decisions of tis magnitude. trita parsi, tnk you very muchor speaking with us. >> thank you for having me in western afghanistan today, a deadly bombing aimed at district police chiefeft at least ten people dead and sme 30 inred. it happenein harrah, that's the in city in that region that's here in the border th iran. the remote controlled bb went off on a crowded street near a fruit mark and appareny tgeted the police chief ase

drove into town. th official was in citical condition. this month has also gotten off to a deadly start for american and nato forcesn ghanistan. with t total of nine killed over t weekend, they include six americans, o canadians and one french soldi. wi afghanistan's elections less than three weeks ay and the number of reign troops that country increasing steadily we trn again to karin von hiel. for some analysis. she jos us fom washington. nice to have yo bac >> thank you. >> we had a cord number of sualties last monthnd august is already a bad sfarpt why are so many more roops dying, and h there been exchan in the mission that causes this >> unengineer i think this was anticipad, not on is the summer of the fiting season in afghanistan,ut also of course we deployed-- or starting to deploy an addition 21,000 u.s. tros. the european, another nato alliesare bringg in extra troops for serity for the elections. and so on the military

leadership side, they anticipated reasualties becse there will be more fhting. now the hope was thathe eater fighti will provide greer security in the long terp. and so the offensive that has been under y over the past few weeks should hopeful lead to security in t longer term. >> and i want to ask you about ts bombing that took place in western afghistan. th is an area that we haven't tradionally seen been very violent. is that part of the signal coming from the talan. >> yeah, i think that the meagis that nowhere is safe. so traditionally, t west a th north have been saer than the south and e east where the violence is quite heavy. but really even in e north, more recent we've seen brart attacks. and so i think the taban message is that you know the afghan government can't prove security awhere in the country and the internional tops really cat prevent tis from happening. >>s we mentioned the vote is august 20th. and you're goingo be in afghanista >> right. >> to be in an election

observer. what will you be look for ring the ting? andhat is the best that we can pe for from that process? right, imean it'll be qute challenging for internional election oervers because of the security. no there are a number of afghan mitors that are already out in the regions andhey'll bedeployed in greater numbers on election day. generally, you look for fraud. you look for intimation. you look for security, y know, prenting people from voting. so the northings thatyou look forn the types of environments, t really the hope for is that theelection will ce off so that we can he a safe democratic transition iafghanistan. >> and what'st ake beyond just which person wins afghastan's presidency? >> well, this is the second presidenal election. it trans- transitions are incredibly importa in emerging demracies and democratic transitions season so if this eltion can go off as fairly and fruitly as possible, itill mark a ver impoant step in the tnsition

to democracy in afghanistan. >> and currently, the front-runner ? >> it's still carsaye. though his challengers a increasing their own support in the last few weeks. so it's anybody's guessight now. >> a before you go, i nt to ask you, wt's the status of the massive offensive that wa launche in the south in the helmand province? >> rht the americans and the brits have gone offensive bothdeclaring victory. but really what they need to do and they're very awa of it is to try to hd and build in those ars that have been cleared. and so develoment project, inastructure projects so that people feel safe,that they can return homeand start trying to hav some sort of nmalcy so that the taliban dot come back and take tse ars again like they have done in the past. >> karin vn hippel, we appreciate ry much your insights. thank you. >> thank you. >> in neighboringpakistan tay, members of the minority christn community staged protests after eight christians were lledover the weekend in an new, wave vience against th

my muslim tremists. 100 of muslims sormed a chriian neighborhood after reports that a koran had been desecrated. dozens of houses were burned in the rampag six people dd in the fir and two othe were shot to death. today, ristian schools were osed throughout pakian protest the violence, while hundre of people took to the stets doe mand justice. christians account for only about 1.5% of pakistan's 167 million people. among the acting to the violence, "worldfocus" contributing blogger feisal c atia, a writer and entrepreneur based in karachi. he says, "i am ashamed. we're always worried out our image these days and the image of our country. we tut the fact that islam is a religion of pce. we ream to the raptors when a hate incident against musli tas anyplace in the wor. are we going t stay silent when ou own countryre slaughted in the name of iam? let us unite and stand with the

chriian community in cued ra and other minorities who face persecutn for what is their right to prey tohomever they wi." from china tonigh we want to bring you something you wn't see eve day. a look side the people's liberationrmy, that's the biggest army in t world th well ov 2 miion soldiers. er the weekend, the army's official nspaper marked the 82nd anniversav thatorce, by saying that needed to maintain stability ashe gap widens between rich and poor and as china deals with hnic unrest. western-style offensive ayou are about see in this rert fr tony cheng of al jazra english. >> reporter: a rar chance to see the world'largest military rce at work. china's people's liberion army, the a, with thispecial

training demonstrationor foreign joualists and although it didn't look like t, this was part of a charm offensive. the chinesrily's trying to openp, making itself more transpart at home andabroad. but these recruits, i no doubt, is their dty to their country at comes fir. >> translator: the soldier's duty seto win a battl. if one day o mother lands attacked. once we receive order, i fight to the death. >> translar: we cannot let chin ab, divide. th happens we will take ords from the pay do whateeds to be do. >> reporter: still for the seniorommanders and their advisers the days of t cold ar freeze are lng gone. china mayave relied on manpow in the st, but toy's modern army needs towin hearts andinds from august the 1st, e ople's liberation army is going online. >> translator: thisis the erav

the internet. and a website can grab mor people's attention. by opening a websitabout the milita, people at home and abroadan get a better understanding ofhina andts natial defense force. >> rorter: and in the modern era, oldnd new have become friends. part of a program to forge better understanng between the soiers of the two remaining supeowers. but the u.s. i still adease with china and cngress has very stated its suspicion over dramatic rises i cnese military bgets. ina's also taking on the role of iernational policen. this is aslobal profile rises. chinese pcekeepers taking a major part ithe force in darfur. for some their deployment may b controversial but in cn it is seen as a duty that comes with the nation's increasing profile. the pl does, howeve have, a darker past 20 years ago in june 1989, the

people's leration army turned their guns on the they were supposed t prote. wh chinese troops used delayed force against sudents here on tiananmen square it changed many ople's minds about the military. and it became ear that the pla ultimately answered to th party and not the people. other diasters, howevr, have served the pla well, aft last ar's rthquake. in the remote mountain cut off by the quake,heheer manpower of china's army was used to full effect and the genuineaffection for an army th returned to its original brief to serve the people. tony cheng, al jazea, beijing.

we also hear i this country how peop are living longer and working longer as the population ages. though, so far as popular cult sure concerned, sports, ple are uually the news, older exception, rather than e rule. bu in japan, a we're gog to show glouonight's "worldfocus" spotlight story, they look at all of this qui fferently. from t sport of rugby with its quirky surroundy moves and plays,o many other roles that old people se to be playing quite well, thanyou. our sry's from ma willis reportin for the "lateline" program ofustralia's abc. >> reporter: it's said rugby is theame they play ineaven, but even with an average age of 68these football fanatics aren't keen onrilling a golf ball through the pearly gates just yet. prowling out on the wing today on this over 's championship match a game -- toldest man on the paddock at4. >> translar: i love rug.

i recognize i'still very hlthy and i canplay just a well my teammatescan. >> reporte his sidestep may are more like a slow shuffle but he still relhes charging into the pack and althoh he complains that his opponts are a little soft. >> translator: theyreat me a little too gently. i feel li they try no to bump me with their full ight. i prefer they treat me like an ordinary player. >> repter: is just one the manthousand of japanese efusing to let the full-time istle bl until they're god a ready. in terms o age, these 60ear-olds, 70-year-os, and 80ear-olds areere spring chiens, because now this japan, are there now 36,000 people age 100 o old and t united nations eimates that in the comi decadesthere will be more aillion sentarions living i japan. expert attribute japan's incredible numberf elderly it a traditionally low-fat di in

fish. and a ell-planned health care system. d the ranks of this growing population e continui to swell at an exponential rate. >> by 50,30%. 1/3 of the japanese populatio will b age 65 and older. >> reporter: and as people live longer, more and re are making surprising new ceer choices. >>doughnut. >> repter: as a new rorter for t tv in the southern isla of kirbu, he is being esented with the staon's ademark pink jact. at only 83, she ws t youngest journalist the newsroo translator: i've been ling t fomy life.years, and i've felt so i thout this would be a job which cod help people in my community. >> rorter: it's not exactly "lateline." in their reports a jonalist isncouraged to dressp and

flaunt the hidden talents. her case, singing. ♪ ing older people report on the tvas the idea of station director and ceraman. >> translator: i washinking of broadcting in the traditiona ama accusic alect as many people don't speak it anymoreso i though why not use elderly people as reporters? there was an immediate and positive rponse from our viewers. >> reporter: it might seem ke a gimck, but the staon reaches a large elder audience. many piticians clamo to get on and that includes the prime minister tear a o. when the prime minister nd for achat, he was grilled by t station's chief reporter, 10year-old sheeno maury. other older japanese is als ming his mark in fronof the

came. 74-year-old kuda is a little more active than st retirees. he's risen to become japan' leading elderly porn aor. >> translar: in japan, there's a sense ofppression in societ so i want to prove that elderly people can be aive and virous. that's why got involved in porn acting. >> rorter: despite a heart attack a few years o, the form travel agent has now arred in more than200 adt films. often with fele co-starsive decades hisjunior. eldey porn in japan is a billion-dollar industry. one whh director konos keen to cash in with his74-year-old superstud. >> tralator: mr. tokuda is very diffent from a dferent young n in his 20s or 30s. he has a lot of life expernce so that's why asked himto appear in my lms. >> reporter: another lg day of shooting is aout to begin, but it's timefor the script

meeng. although thereoesn't seem to much a script, not in paper form yway. >> tranator: i think it perfectlyine to have an unusual person lik me in this industry. i want to be a role model for men my a and to encourage them. >>eporter: back at the over-60s rugby championship, his am is copping -- leadi a crge for the opposition is their 82-year-old. ut for this bridely old winger wiing is not objective. it just playing the game he loves. >> tranator: i want to continue plang rugby until i at least90, andf posble, i want to ay until i'm a ndred. >> reporter: and if makes it to the gic 100 ark, he'll b joining tens of thousands of other janese already define farther time. mark willisy, "lateline." and thatrings us to o la story tonight abou what can be accomplished in this wor at a very young age. for is, we take you to

salsburg australia, home of wolf gang amadeus mutsa. almost 220 yea after his dth e composeau's importanc seems to grow. he leftore than 600 works. and now his scholrs say two more pieces were probab written by mozart remaining in obscurity. eir debut thi weekend at mozart's home played on moza's own keyboard. ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ >> musiccologis say that mozart probably composed those pieces when he was or 8 years old. and on that note genius, that' "worldfocus" for monday evening. for much more global news and to watcany other pgrams on the we go to rldfocus.org. i'm martin savidge in new rk. as always, tnks for joining . we'll look forou back here tomorrow. and anytime on thweb. untithen, have a good night. >>"worldfocus" is made possible, in part, by th following funder-- -- captionsy vitac -- www.vitac.com