"bbc world news world" is presented by kcet, los angeles. funding for this presentation is made possible by -- >> this is "world news today." i'm not george alagiah. at the headlines, liberia posset charles taylor takes a bus stand, the first ever comptroller of facing a trial for war crimes. the accusations, using murder, torture, rape, and slavery, but taylor dismisses the accusations. then i resent that

characterization of may. it is false. it is malicious. >> a bounce back to bonuses and profits, less than a year after goldman sachs was bailed out by the u.s. taxpayer, it is set to announce profits of $2 billion. so when the british government, the iraqi interpreters to clean not enough was done to protect the while working for the british army. also in the program, is the grass always greener on the other side? illegal migrants thinking twice. at the checkout girl who is cashing in on her life behind the till. >> it is 7:00 a.m. in washington, midday in london at 1:00 p.m. in the hague, where charles taylor, former president

of liberia, facing charges of war crimes. a landmark case -- the first african head of state to face war crimes charges, including the use of murder, rape, and sexual slavery. he is accused of employing all of that and more while supporting rebels in neighboring sierra leone in one of the most vicious wars the continent has seen. we will discuss the significance, but first, this report. >> taking the witness stand for the first time in his trial in the hague, a confidant charles taylor set out to dismiss the whole basis of the prosecution's case. the accusation that he was a murderer or a rapist. >> very unfortunate. and the prosecution, because of disinformation, misinformation, lies, rumors, would associate me with such titles. or descriptions.

i am none of those. have never been and will never va, whether they think so or not. >> beginning testimony that is expected to last several weeks, the former liberian president was asked directly by his defense lawyer whether he had helped the sierra leone rebels group, revolutionary united front, invade their country. >> i, charles taylor, never, ever, at any time, and knowingly assist in the invasion of celio. -- sierra leone. >> the case is in seeking to control and benefit from diamond -- did directed would amount to a campaign of terror against civilians. today he denied this and he said the extent -- the accusation that he received diamonds for

arms is a lie. what put it into and out of power, and it today the bad things happened in his verbal movement but said his track record was dealing firmly with them. >> what is very clear is that when we found out that atrocities had been convicted, we acted. >> it is a landmark trial, of precedents set bring in an african leader before an international tribunal, and it will be closely watched. bbc news. >> i'm joined by the editor of "after cut in form international." thank you for being with us. i call this a landmark case. you think african leaders elsewhere on the continent are looking at this trial and wondering whether it means something for them? >> i think for african people, they will see it at landmark, very historical, as a precedent

where their leader will now be tried if they kill them or steal their money or riches. for many african leaders, i can tell you a few days ago, when obama talked about this very thing, that african leaders are doing horrible and even things, the president of you got this said, look, he is not supposed to come and teach us what we should do in africa, i could teach american history. so, i don't think many african leaders will see this as anything but perhaps dangerous to them in that context. >> you've got bashir in sioux don who is also wanted for war crimes, but it just sits in pseudonymous seems fine. >> that is why i said that for the people, those who suffered in celio and the people of liberia themselves, many of them had their limbs cut off, they will be very, very happy to see this happening. they will see also bashir

perhaps next, a very significant thing. there is this air of people of all the law. and country laws, national laws, they are the ones that are the law. so i think this is very important you know that he is a very eloquent man, as you can see, very articulate. this is the tragedy of present- day africa. the new type of generation of leaders. you don doug, eritrea -- uganda -- highly eloquent, but they are really some how dirty inside them. and when they speak like this, many of us are taken for a ride. but if you take sierra leone and liberia, it is not just a period of his presidency, when he was elected from 1997 onward, but it goes back to the time when he was watching very closely with

the sierra leone rebels. >> sorry to interrupt you, but thank you very much for being with us. let us catch up on some other stores now. iranian authorities say they hanged 13 members of a sunni rebel group accused of terrorism, murder, and kidnapping foreigners. it was inside -- the government has blamed that group for a series of attacks in the southeast of the country. the former president of peru, alberto fujimori is on trial again for corruption beard accused of using $15 million of state money to pay his former top aide and intelligence chief. he is already serving a 25-year sentence after being found guilty of human rights abuses. the launch of the american space shuttle endeavour is being postponed again for bad weather. previous postponing was by few weeks, lightning strikes and bad weather. more heavy showers and lightning

are expected near the launch site over the next couple of days. with the 20 iraqis who worked for british forces in southern iraq are to sue the british government. most were interpreters to say they were not protected from attack by militias there who saw them as collaborators. some of and say they were forced to leave their homes and are living in refugees in syria and jordan. >> they gave british forces and iraqi voice, earning good money, but running great risks. is seen by the bullish as collaborators, some were murdered. jimal, too scared to use his real name, work for the british for eight months until a death threat forced into hiding in bosnia. this family lived in constant fear. >> whenever i was going out, expecting the worst, just like a

very bad situation. >> later this week, jamal and 24 others will begin legal action against the government. >> the british military should have better protected the identities of the interpreters are providing them with better protective equipment from the outset that hid their identity. and in certain cases, they should have taken steps to house on the bases. >> many wore the same uniforms, went on the same patrols, to the same risks. as british forces pull out, some have been allowed to settle here. others say they have simply been abandoned. >> i am pleased to announce today -- >> in 2007 a scheme was set up to help some resettle in the u.k. and others get financial assistance. today, just over 200 correct and former employees have come here, including dependents, more than 600 people. but almost 700 local staff have been rejected, mainly because they didn't serve for 12 months.

adrian is a former army officer who was in iraq in 2003. he had to hire local staff, but said he was given little advice. but we were given no guidance at all. as with threat developed, was sought guidance from the coalition provisional authority in baghdad, but we got nothing. >> in a statement, the foreign secretary has praised the dedication and commitment of local staff. the scheme for assistance is designed to reflect our in during that to them. i am pleased it has proved popular and effective. but some excluded and left behind believe a debt is still to be paid, one that now can only be settled in court. and this crawford, bbc news. >> i am joined in the studio by someone featured in the report and works as a lawyer for the interpreters. thank you for being with us. what do you hope to achieve the?

>> two things really. firstly, financial compensation for the families of those interpreters who died, for those who have been injured and are no longer working and facing persecution and are no longer working. but also hopefully to set standards of the british army doesn't do this again, if ever into is -- enters into conflicts abroad, that a properly plants from the outset how it protect its work force on the grounds. >> we saw obviously there were some interpreters, some iraqi employees who are looked after by the british government, the british taxpayer. where is the line being drawn between those who had the those manhattan? >> the british government set up a scheme to allow certain interpreters in the u.k., but the criteria were very rigid. it required a 12 months' service after a certain date. and a lot of the people are either active in the british

army before the cutoff date or didn't work for 12 months but still faced persecution or indeed were killed. >> isn't a question of judgment, where do you draw the line? are you saying that any iraqi who had anything to do with the british forces in any capacity has some rights for assistance from the british government? is that what you are saying? >> we are saying everyone who worked without a duty of care by the end of the circumstances of the risks they faced will determine the extent of the duty of care. in these cases, we are saying the army breached the duty of care by not adequately protecting them. >> we have to leave it there. thank you the rollout. bounceback, turn around, whatever we describe it, goldman sachs soon-to-be released profits marks a stunning recovery. remember, this is the investment bank received billions of u.s. taxpayer cash last year. now it is set to announce a $2

billion profit with large bonuses for staff. how has the company managed this remarkable feat amid the current financial turmoil? our guests to resist and the city of london. indeed, how did they do this? >> george, i think he did put it down to two things. trading, all forms of currency is, and the market as a pervert for them. and also, look at the wider context of what they do, there has not been much competition beard they have been leading the pack because essentially although they have to borrow some money through the top funds availability -- tarp funds, they paid it back, and they are free. this is a big, global organization. a very powerful, too. >> you describe it as trading, but in a little reading i have done, they were taking big risks -- they were gambling. the buccaneering spirit, if you

like. isn't that what we are trying to get away from? >> i think you have to be careful here. what actually defines risk? walking, crossing the road might define risk to some. the war risk has been somewhat abused year. -- the word risk. yes, we don't want to see some of but risks that some of the banks have gone into, bank of scotland being a perfect example, and the big ones and the u.s., too. but are you saying they haven't taken those kinds of risks -- >> are you saying you haven't taken -- they haven't taken those kinds of risks? >> exactly. they have kept themselves above board and they have always been fairly risk averse to some of the estimates of the beds have bought into. they kept themselves on the right side. >> another quick question, if i may. u.s. and mr. jim rogers saying this rather proves perhaps the

bailouts were not necessary. what is your view? >> yes, i think in the case of goldman sachs, it probably wasn't. in all of these situations there is a tendency to go over the top, overreacts, the stock market does the same thing. but for the majority, the bailouts were necessary. we would be at a far worse a jewish and today had been not occurred. i think we should be thankful for them because the banking industry has a lot to benefit from them. >> we have to leave it there. thank you very much for being with us. this is "world news today." coming up, as western military casualties escalate in afghanistan, which are live at the village in southern england where the bodies of eight british soldiers to be flown home. from a flood to a trickle, is spain's economy making it less attractive for illegal migrants? this growing concern about the latest deaths from swine flu in britain.

tests are taken to find a web of those who died had been suffering from any other conditions. a doctor and a six-year-old girl bring the number in the uk who died after becoming affected to 17. >> herd that has made the headlines this morning. six-year-old chloe buckley is one of the latest victims to die after contracting swine flu. she died on thursday, 48 hours after developing a sore throat. today there are reports that she wasn't given the antiviral drug tamiflu after her doctor. diagnosed her eldest tonsillitis. health officials are still waiting for the post mortem on the little girl to determine whether she was healthy before contracted the virus or whether she had other underlying health problems. for school in north london is now closed until sept.. experts are also waiting for postmortem results on dr.

michael day, at a gp. he became another victim one saturday. the 64-year-old had been treating patients with swine flu. last friday, a man from essex became the first of a person to have died from swine flu. all of the other deaths involved patients with other illnesses. but experts have stressed that the h1n1 virus has not mutated, nor is it getting more of ireland -- virulent, and for most of ellis will be mild. those with health problems, asthma, and in disorders, and pregnant women, are at greater risk. the government ordered a enough vaccine to cover the entire population beard the first doses will arrive next month and half of all doses are expected by end of the year. bbc news. >> this is "world news today"

from bbc world news. i'm george alagiah. maine had lines. for my beard president charles taylor is testifying at his war crimes trials. the dismisses charges against them as lies and rumors. the american investment bank goldman sachs is expected to announce strong profit six months after suffering huge losses as a result of the global economic crisis. over the past decade, tens of thousands of african migrants have illegally crossed into europe in search of a new life. the route across water is often. less, but the opportunities are deemed to out with the wrists. one is the of the canary islands, but the numbers who crossed last year are under a third of 2006. our correspondent has been to the island to find out why. >> on control of the spanish

coast guard. behind us, the tourist resorts of tenerife, and had come of the atlantic ocean, the gateway to europe for illegal migrants. but today the horizon is clear. the fragile boats from africa are becoming a rare sight. over the past the two years, the number of illegal migrants make it to these shores has fallen by almost three-quarters, and that trend has continued in 2009. in fact, during april and may of this year, not a single boat reached spanish shores. >> the spanish say it is down to the deterrent effect of improved surveillance. we were given a rare access to a new police control room where incoming boats are monitored in real time by radar and buy cameras with a range of 5 nautical miles.

there has been an important fall. last week in tenerife where at 100 boats arriving in so far this year we had five, and all five were detected and intercepted using this technology. but better surveillance is not the only deterrence. so, too, is the recession. in madrid, nearly 700 kilometers from tenerife, we found a group of migrants who were allowed to stay with the government failed to repatriate them. but without papers, in a nation of soaring unemployment, some wonder whether the journey was worth it. >> even those people -- other countries of difficult. i don't recommend coming to spain at this moment. >> back in tenerife, this red cross warehouse is packed with food, drink, and clothing kits for the next boatload of arrivals. though local coordinator is cautious about drawing

conclusions. >> does not matter how bad the economic crisis is here, it is worse in africa. so, until there is more development in africa, which is really going to stand this completely, people will be willing to risk their lives to make it. >> with the sea conditions calm, spanish safari's brace for a busy summer. advances have been made here, but this is a complex fight which is far from won. steve kingston, bbc news, spanish canary islands. >> let us catch up with the sports. >> thank you very much. the capital of iraq had its first international football match since 2003. the host of palestine. they did the visitors 4-0. but more than just a game from an occasion. the state was full to bursting. the unofficial capacity of

45,000. every space was taken for an officially approved match even though fifa still has not lifted the general ban of the games in iraq. muhammed score the first -- alla abdul -- more and more spectators began to surround the pitch but only after this late penalty and then the final whistle committed to the surface. a great celebration for iraq, football returns of capital. they have been ordered to do so by the l.a. gannett -- a galaxy management but they settled of the princes. landon donovan recently questioned that composite commitment. becton describe his teammate as unprofessional -- beckam described as teammate as congressional and now they say it is resolved. but how did it go? >> what was the conversation

like? >> nothing, i am not going to talk about what was said. that was between me, landon, and the manager. but it is finished. over. we move on, a big game on thursday. >> i do regret some things i said. i regret the way it was said. you have issues personally come issues professionally, and things happen. my mistake as i did not approach it head on and fess up to and as a man, but now i have. >> do you think that issues have been solved? >> yes, they are sorted. >> day before the big night in st. louis, prince fielder won the home run derby. it began the contest, obviously -- the biggest of the mall was a limited in the second round. the final was between the walking brewers and nelson cruz of the texas rangers. this would traveled 100 of it

did 3 meters and left the stadium. probably still going. that's it. >> thanks very much. more flooding is one of the consequences of climate change. today a dutch company is unveiling a new style of permanent flood barrier in the united kingdom. it will rise automatically when water levels go up. the device is already being installed in the rest of europe and america. claire marshall reports. we should have that report -- >> the warnings couldn't be clearer. one out of six homes of england are at risk of flooding and according to the environment agency, it would only get worse. the question is, what to do about it, particularly in one of the most flood prone towns of the country. we are coming to the second anniversary of the great floods of there is still no permit differences there. they stole rely on temporary

flood barriers. each time there put up the cost about 35,000 pounds. last year alone, they had them up six runs. the proposed solution is to build a wall. but local landlords believe it will ruin their businesses. >> how high would the wallaby if it went up? >> it would become as it stands, 5 foot high. it would raise the road by a foot and another 4 foot on top, which i didn't like because the window is there. >> the windows would look out not to the riverside on to a brick wall. >> yes, basically it. >> but there could now be another way. today the u.k. launches a new permanent flood barrier that sits almost invisible belowground and rises automatically with the water. >> that would sit in the ground 50 years plus with minimal maintenance. over the lifetime, that would save tens, hundreds of millions of pounds. >> it is already trusted and other countries. as we get is put in place in

the national archives in washington where it will help protect the declaration of independence. >> let me give you a summary of our top story. former liberian president charles taylor dismissed war crimes charges against him as lies in his first appearance in the witness box at his trial in the hague. he denies 11 charges relating to the civil war in neighboring sierra leone, including murder, rape, and terrorism. he is the first african leader to stand trial for war -- war crimes. more detail on a website, bbc.com/news. >> "bbc world news" was prevented by kcet, los angeles. funding for this presentation was made possible by --