>> "bbc world news" is presented by kcet, los angeles. funding for this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. the 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? >> and now "bbc world news." >> 10% of the vote counted in afghanistan once presidential election. karzai and his main challenger neck and neck. maybe we need of a bigger word -- debt mountain. the u.s. deficit is projected to

be $9 trillion. does mr. bernanke deserves a second term? at least test results suggest the new sporting start caster semenya has not escaped controversy yet. >> she won it. >> very warm welcome to "bbc world news," broadcast on pbs here in the u.s. and around the globe. my name is mike embley. coming up later for you -- senior opposition figures in iran appear in court. when your crops are dying, what do you do? we report on the drought that has brought a crisis to kenya. hello to you. the first results in the afghan elections are in, and there are

serious allegations from one of the leading candidates. dr. abdullah abdullah has accused president karzai of stealing goods. more evidence of a parent corruption -- apparent corruption. add to this at the bloodiest weekend cents at the war began eight years ago. >> for eight years, they fought in -- fought and died in afghanistan. they fought for stability and democracy. this election was to be a shining moments, millions turned out to cast their votes. now there are concerns the election may be seriously flawed. >> comment karzai -- haunted karzai -- hamid karzai. >> karzai has at 40%, his

nearest challenger 38%. with many votes yet to be tallied, this is likely to change. >> they had to steal the process, to steal the votes. why the incumbent -- that outcome, we will not allow. >> we were given a secret recordings by the abdullah abdullah campaign. the man on the left appears to be taking the box for president karzai. if this is authentic, then it will be a serious breach of election law. it is not the only allegation of fraud. this is what remains of hundreds of votes for another candidate. they should have been placed in the ballot box. instead, they were found wrapped up by the roadside. they have been handed over to investigators.

this man calls this the slaughter of democracy in afghanistan. >> if i do not object, then i will be compromising my nation. i do not want to deceive them. >> for now, it is impossible to say how widespread the vote rigging has been. there are reports the west was too quick to declare this process a success and a victory for the afghan people. there is real concern that democratic principles are being put at risk. this has been the worst year for american and british troops since 2001. they have fought hard to make areas safe for voting. many died or were wounded. reports to the bbc from locals in parts of homeland province where british forces have been active in suggest at all --

helmland province where british forces have been active suggest a low turnout. in another province, the scene of the fiercest fighting, just 150 people are reported to have voted. the afghan election commission refused to comment. tonight, the taliban attacked again -- on a massive car bomb in kandahar leaving many injured. this is what scared many away from the polls. what ever the occult -- outcome of the election, this is what british and american forces will still have to deal with. bbc news, kabul. >> at the white house has confirmed they expect the u.s. budget deficit to reach $9 trillion over the next decade. because the cost to the public will be huge -- some estimates

$775 billion of taxpayer cash will go to interest payments alone. no surprise the president sought to deflect attention with an announcement he wants ben bernanke to stay on as boss of america's central bank. >> the budget deficit is like the national overdraft, the shortfall between what the government earned and what it spends. the total deficit for the next decade is expected to add up to $9 trillion. a figure of that side is almost impossible to grasp, but it is -- a figure of that size is almost impossible to grasp, it is a burden everyone will have to bear. >> we will be paying for. people for many generations. the government keeps spending. i do not know where the money comes from. >> we are going to pay this money back. it will be through investment. >> the government has borrowed extra money to build up the

financial system to support the economy through the recession. it is the enormous interest on all the borrowing which has swollen the deficit. the job queues will keep on lengthening. at that will mean greater government spending on welfare. and what of president obama's controversial plan to reform health care. he says it will make the system more efficient. opponents claim it will add another $1 trillion to the debt burden. >> when or if the economy recovers, tax revenues will rise and the deficit will become more manageable. but the only way to get a real grip on this monster is either to pump up taxes or cut spending. president obama has a hard choices to make. the president knows which way the economic wind is blowing. it took a moment away from its summer break to announce the employment of ben bernanke to a second term at the federal

reserve. >> we have a financial system on the verge of collapse that been approached with, and wisdom and put the brakes on our economic freefall. >> but even with the praise is ringing in his ears, bernanke knows his job is only half done. >> our objective remains to restore a stable economic environment in which opportunity can again flirt and americans can receive -- in which opportunity can and can flourish and americans can receive the reward of their hard work. >> the budget deficit will make the road to recovery harder and longer. bbc news, new york. >> two commanders of the taliban in pakistan had admitted baitullah mehsud is dead. this is the first time his death has been acknowledged by the militants. he was first reported killed by

an american missile strike earlier this month. firefighters in greece believe they have conquered the wildfire that ravaged the outskirts of athens. this destroyed 21,000 hectares of farmland. there is criticism of the government response. chris brown is sentenced for speeding up the pop star rihanna, his former girlfriend. he was sentenced to five years of probation and four years of community labour. the bbc has learned that tests carried out on the gold medalist caster semenya who won the world championship in berlin had significantly elevated levels of testosterone. africans turned out in thousands to welcome her home, but the controversy about her gender remains and she has been told to take further tests. our correspondent watched the

homecoming in johannesburg. >> there was an air of festivityn johannesburg's and main airport. thousands of well-wishers from miles around. add all hoping to catch a glimpse of the woman they call their golden girl. and then security guards ushered caster semenya through. you could just about picker out from the crowd. this is a week ago, and caster semenya was virtually unknown. now she is a national hero thrown into the international spotlight. within minutes, the shy 18-year- old was at center stage at a massive victory party. close relatives says -- close relatives say she is more comfortable running. these pictures of her power in

four to win the gold in the women's 800 meters show that she is something of a sexual curiosity. her performance has prompted the world athletic body to demand gender tests to see if she has a medical condition that gives her an advantage. many south africans find this insulting and racist. there is little surprise that the president seized the moment to personally congratulate caster semenya on her when. -- on her win. >> she has also reminded the world of the importance of the rights to human dignity and privacy. [applause] >> when it was her turn to speak, the athlete sidestep the issue of gender test, revealing how her coach had motivated her. >> he said, you know, girl, you

can do it, yack? [laughter] he just told me, you can hang on and let them lead. the last 200, kill them. [applause] >> as the celebrations continue, questions remain unanswered. how much should be south african athletic body preempt the controversy? bbc news, johannesburg. >> still to come for you on "bbc world news." israel's and prime minister it is its major european capitals. first, the launch of south korea's first space rocket has been watched on tv a -- tv by millions. the plan was to launch a satellite into orbit. in the end, it was unsuccessful.

we have this report. >> south korea's first rocket -- a bid to join the exclusive club of nations to golf -- took off over the south lawn site. this is all launch that has been delayed a number of times, and national pride was at stake. there was still an anxious wait and then use the rocket had failed to place its payload into regular orbit. south korea will have to try again in its bid to become only the 10th country with a proven independent launch capability. while there is disappointment, north korea may excuse itself a wry smile . it was closely watching this launch, believing there were

double standards at play having been roundly criticized for their own attempts to put a satellite into orbit in april, also believed to have failed. the launch in april was widely regarded as a cover for a long- range missile test and led to tough new united nations sanctions. add the south rejects any comparison, however, insisting its rocket is part of a civilian space program. there are some independent voices of concern, and even commercial rockets having the potential for military use. south korea announces they will try again next year. bbc news, seoul. >> the latest headlines for you on "bbc world news." president karzai and abdullah

abdullah in the afghan election. and the u.s. government is projecting $9 trillion as the national deficit over the next 10 years. there seems to be no let up in the campaign by iranian authorities against academics accused of provoking unrest following the june's disputed election. the opposition of foreign governments and the united nations says that these art show trials. >> they are becoming a familiar themes. in an iranian court house, the opposition figures, academics, and journalists are in to prison uniforms. they are accused of stirring up the post-election demonstrations. also conspiring with foreign powers. iranian news agencies report that one of them has recanted.

they include foreign ministers, government spokesman, academics, and an economist -- a prominent and vocal critic of the iranian government. the government has said that around 4000 people were arrested during the unrest that followed the disputed presidential election in june. summer protestors picked up on the streets. others were key supporters -- some were protesters picked up on the streets. others were key supporters found in their homes. while they face specific charges in court, it also looks like there is a wider indictment of those years when conformists tried to liberalize the islamic republic. those are years now viewed with scorn by the government.

it is, clear how the current series of trials will and -- it is still not clear how the current series of trials will end. the pressure and may increase for the opposition leaders. there is mousavi, possibly be a former president. so far, a conservative supporters of ahmenijad have shied from taking such a radical step which may spark a new round of unrest. bbc news. >> with president obama seem to unveil a new middle east peace plan, all eyes are on israel's prime minister as he begins a series of meetings in europe. today, benjamin netanyahu needs another foreign minister. gordon brown was more optimistic.

the israeli party to the back way into downing street because of a demonstration at the main gate. this was a meeting of two countries who call themselves close allies. in white hall, is really demonstrators reflected noisily the dow's many palestinians have. -- reflected more easily be doubts many palestinians have. mr. netanyahu said he was prepared to see and do demilitarized zone along israel. the americans are pressing the israelis to stop building homes for jews on an occupied land. this is a palestinian family camping outside jerusalem after being evicted to make way for jews. americans believe that this is no foundation for peace. britain agrees with that, but in

downing street, mr. brown says the current round of diplomacy could be producing hopeful signs. >> we have had good talks today. they are more optimistic than before. >> that is because mr. netanyahu may be close to agreeing on a conditional freeze on israeli building in at some parts of the disputed areas. >> jerusalem is a sovereign area. we accept the limitations on our sovereignty. jerusalem is not a settlement. >> that they also talked about iran and the disputed election in june. but britain and israel believe the regime has plans for nuclear weapons that must be stopped -- at first by sanctions, and if that does not work, israel threatens military action. all of this is a reminder of how hard it is to make peace in a

part of the world with different crises and challenges. in washington, president obama is trying to come up with a coherent plan to deal with all. he may unveil it in new york next month. bbc news, in downing street. >> you may feel you have heard a lot about pollution in china, but the sheer scale of the problem is only just becoming clearer. with so many people being poisoned by their environment, there have been two separate instances with lead poisoning affecting children. 800 art sick in -- 800 are sick in one province. in the shadow of a smelting plant, many children have been accepted. now officials are looking at the contaminated village in response to a local anchor.

our bbc correspondent has also been trying to get there. they were turned back by police. but they were very angry. 800 other children have become sick. they have lead poisoning -- 800 of their children have become sick. they have lead poisoning. 106 children are in hospital. we see -- we say 800 children are sick because authorities are only testing people under the age of 14. the problem may be far greater than the authorities are letting on. when the problems we have been having getting to the story is that the authorities have in effect shut that village down. we were stopped by the police when we tried to get in there last night. even though our papers were in order, even though we had permission from the officials in per seen -- beijing.

after years of complaining about the smelting plant, after years of children getting sick, people have been ignored. after years of being promised the plant would be relocated, this promises have been unfulfilled. only now have the officials are arrived at arrived in great numbers. there are police on every street corner. they are not there to help the villagers. they are there to shut them up. >> doing our level best to get close to that story. an urgent appeal for kenya. one in 10 now needs of food aid. $200 million will only last six months. kenya is suffering a prolonged drought. climate change is blamed, but also government mismanagement. will ross reports that many schools stayed open so children would get one meal, at least, a day. >> another stunning sunrise, but these cloudless skies only bring

disappointment. months without rain have taken a toll. cattle are reduced to skin and bone. herds are headed up the mountain slope in search of illicit pastor. across the country, more than 100,000 have died. on the plains below, crops have failed. there are withered leaves to harvest, hoping to keep the family's only cow alive. is now a daily struggle to feed her four p date is now a daily struggle to feed her four children. -- it is now a daily struggle to feed her four children.

this has been the family farm for generations. this year, they have watched the crops shrivel up in front of their eyes. the food store is just in the sacks. all of your crops have failed? no food from the farm? >> there is nothing. this is nothing. >> it is the middle of the school holidays at the moment, but because of the severe food shortage, many schools have stayed open so students can get one square meal. >> you are looking at [unintelligible] >> the offer of extra lessons may seem like a turnoff for many children, but with the drought, the free lunch is a lifesaver. >> you will just live with under. >> and that has happened to you sometimes? >> yes. you do not get a lunch. >> behind the classrooms, week

to end split peas are -- -- wheat and split peas are boiled up. and yet is in desperate need of food aid. the only have enough reserves to last another two months. for many students, this will be the only meal of the day. some take the food home to share with their families. here in nairobi, many spend more than half their income on food, and price increases are hitting people hard. the climate change making an impact, they need long term solutions. >> it is a very hard crop to grow. it means specific rainfall at certain times during the year. on various programs, wfp is really encouraging people to grow drought-resistant crops. >> they look on the wilder as

their mothers like dying as a result of the drought. bbc news, kenya. >> of final letter thought for you -- you could call it the fastest cattle in the world. -- fastest kettle in the world. there it does. in california, the along the standing land speed record was broken -- the longest standing land speed record was broken for a steam-driven car. the previous record, only just over 20 kilometers an hour slower, was set by an american 103 years ago. thank you for being with us on "bbc world news." . >> funding was made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. the 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? >> i'm julia stiles. >> i'm kevin bacon. >> i'm kim cattrall. >> hi, i'm ken burns. >> i'm lili taylor. >> i'm henry louis gates, jr., and public broadcasting is my source for news about the world. >> for intelligent conversation. >> for election coverage you can count on. >> for conversations beyond the sound bites. >> a commitment to journalism. >> for deciding who to vote for. >> i'm kerry washington, and public broadcasting is my source for intelligent connections to my community. >> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet, los angeles. presented by kcet, los angeles.