macarthur foundation. and union bank. 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." >> this is world today. the american senator edward kennedy testified. -- has died of cancer. a standard for liberal causes,

tributes have been pouring in from around the world. >> i do not think there is anybody who serves in the u.s. congress now who could be possibly missed as much as ted kennedy. >> finding common ground in the middle east. the prime minister of israel meets the u.s. envoy. she answered side of the story in a book about the italian prime minister's alleged affair. it is 7:00 p.m. in hong kong, midday in london, and 7:00 a.m. in massachusetts, where the veteran senator edward kennedy has died at the age of 77 after

fighting cancer. he had become a standard bearer for liberal causes. president obama said in a statement that he was heartbroken and that the country have lost a great leader. our correspondent looks at the fame of a man. >> i am proud to stand with him here today and offer my help, offer my voice, offer my energy to make barack obama the next president of the united states. >> he was an icon in his party, a torchbearer for america's most famous political dynasty. his endorsement of barack obama was a defining moment in a campaign. he was the youngest of four sons born to the millionaire industrialist joe kennedy.

all three of his brothers met a violent deaths. john as u.s. president, bobbie, a former attorney general, were assassinated. ted followed his brother's into politics. the youngest man ever elected to the senate at 30. >> my decision to run for the united states senate is based upon the conviction that i can best serve the people of massachusetts. >> six years later, the youngest ever senate majority whip. supporters of the kennedy clan once again looking to the white house. then came another tragedy. he drove his car off a bridge, killing a young woman passenger. he did not report the accident until the following day, only after consulting his lawyers. he was cleared of all charges,

but the suspicion of the cover- up tainted the rest of his career. >> there is no truth whatever to the widely circulated suspicions of immoral conduct that have been leveled at my behavior and hers regarding that evening. >> he did win reelection of senator as massachusetts. there was more family misfortune. his son lost a leg to bone cancer. his wife battled alcoholism and missed numerous rumors of his womanizing. they later divorced, but she was with him as he announced a presidential bid, running against jimmy carter. >> this country is not prepared to sound retreat. it is ready to advance. it is willing to make a stand, and so am i.. >> he lost and he never ran for that office again.

in the years that followed, senator edward kennedy strengthened his reputation as a liberal champion of the working class and a skilled legislator. he fought for better health care and higher minimum wages and against discrimination. >> he pushed through the new family and medical leave act, role lot against women discrimination in the workplace. >> he also reached across party lines on issues like education and immigration. health care reform became his one main goal. with the obama administration, he felt there was finally a chance to make progress. his discovery of brain cancer made it even more urgent. >> few debates touch our lives as profoundly and personally as health care. over the past 10 months, have seen our health-care system up

close. >> he was always happiest surrounded by family. the never followed his brothers to the highest level of government, but his legacy endures as a principal senator, who social reforms have touched almost every person in america. >> the chairman of democrats abroad u.k., bill bernard, what is your reaction? >> it is the last of that generation. people of my generation were drawn into politics largely because of john kennedy and his brother. he went on to overcome certain personal tragedies in his personal life to a career in the senate that was truly remarkable. he will be remembered as one of the great minds of the senate. 47 years. >> talk about him being a line of the senate, as others have.

his politics and policies are in tune with the establishment in washington today. he had those views even when it was not popular. >> that is true. he had a remarkable ability of reaching across the aisle. he could identify someone on the other end of the political spectrum and craft a bill. that has been missing in this health care debate. he had a way of bringing people together and crafting a compromise that both could except. >> you mentioned health care. it is something to his heart. president obama is struggling with it at the moment. >> he has been missed over the past month in not being there to pascraft a bill. his voice will be missed.

his vote will be missed. that vote will not be there. massachusetts has a lot that puts up a special election for 145 says. they may be without a senator. >> being a kennedy was both a blessing and a curse. it certainly was in his life. >> the whole family was committed to public service, but also recurring tragedies in their personal lives. it is true for him and it is true for other members of the family. >> for president obama, as others have said, ted kennedy backing obama during the primaries was crucial. >> it's certainly made a difference.

it came at a critical time in the contest. it came after a time when he was very careful not to take sides because he had friends on both sides. he knew the policy differences between the two were almost nonexistent. it was paid faith in who could push forward the agenda. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> in a few minutes, we will hear from former president jimmy carter. you can find more pictures and video of senator edward kennedy on our web site by visiting bbc.com/worldnes. >> now free and reported to be safe in the presidential palace. conflicting reports over whether the man escaped.

there are reports that three of the captors were revealed. the former president of the run says concessions -- the former president of iran says the concessions are in balance. he says the confessions were sheer lies' obtained under extraordinary conditions. red cross officials from south korea have crossed into the north. family reunions can now resume as early as october. afghan election authorities are due to release more results from the presidential polls. so far it looks like a straight contest. the electoral commission is investigating a series of accusations of fraud and vote rigging. there was a stark reminder of

the challenges whoever wins. >> the aftermath of the massive explosion last night. a reminder, if anyone needed, that the scale of the challenge facing whoever emerges as the winner in afghanistan's election. early official reports -- karzai and his main challenger almost neck and neck. very few votes have been counted so far in the cells of the country, where president karzai should do well. in -- the cells of the country. the main question, how many people went to the polls in the first place? more results are expected to be declared today. the electoral commission says it is examining more than 1000

allegations of fraud and wrongdoing. the credibility of the process has not yet been proven. it may take some time for final results to be mergeemerge. >> this is world today. -- this is world news today. the italian prime minister's greawife reveals why she wants a divorce. >> present sarkozy -- future bank payments will be tied closely to performance and there will be penalties for those who lose money. >> they have been summoned.

the leading bankers of france came to the meeting to justify themselves to their president. he had been scandalized by their failure to learn the lessons of the financial crisis. there were fears that the culture of big bonuses is creeping back, especially after 1 billion euro packages for bnp paribas. now, new rules. as traders lose money, they will incur penalties. president sarkozy was determined to set an example. >> no other country agreed to such specific anmeasures. >> the banker's fault. -- the bankers followed.

>> following the wish of the french president, french banks commit themselves in a clear and accountable way. this will lead to paris as a financial place of reference after the crisis. >> sarkozy wants to make the agreement globally enforceable. next month's g-20 meeting in pittsburgh is where he plans to present his plans. >> this is "world news" today from bbc. president obama said the death of u.s. senator edward kennedy is the end of an important

chapter in our history. more on that story now. a short time ago, former u.s. president jimmy carter give his reaction to the news of senator edward kennedy's death. >> like all americans, we are distressed at the death of a great man. i knew ted kennedy very well. in 1980, he ran against me for the democratic nomination when i was president. i was lucky enough to prevail. among all the members of our u.s. senate and the congress of the united states, he has been preeminent. he has been staunch, honest, open, and very able to express his views to the american people. my own hope is that his deep commitment to comprehensive health plan in our country will be honored by his contemporaries. we have expressed our

condolences and prayers to the family. i do not think there's anybody that serves in the u.s. commerce now that could possibly be missed by the american people as much as senator edward kennedy. >> the third longest serving senator ever. how did he change the american? ? >> although he came from an affluent family and popular family, it is a commitment is to the people most in need. he worked for those who were deprived in the american society. not only did he work for them, but he was very effective in his legislative work. he was dedicated when the senate was in session or out of session. everyone to ted kennedy was fighting for the poor and deprived. it wa>> it is a day to remembers

achievements, but ask the question if he would have been president is not for personal flaws? >> i do not think thathis is a time to concentrate on that. i never mentioned it in the campaign. i think it was a detrimental factor. had he not have that is embarrassing experience in his young life, he would have maybe been most successful on the national scene. he more than made up for that. i think he suffered from the consequences of it. he bore it like a man. he survived in the minds and hearts of the american people.

>> former president jimmy carter. the israeli prime minister continues his tour of europe today. he has been meeting the special envoy to the middle east, george mitchell in london. talks are aimed at finalizing conditions for the restart of the middle east peace process. president obama is seeking a middle east breakthrough by the end of next month. he has called on the freeze of all israeli settlements. our middle east correspondent. >> the spokesman has been giving a briefing. he said i think we will get a bridging formula. that is code for they will make some kind of agreement. it will enable them to restart talks between the palestinians and the israelis. we should not get too excited about what is calling on here.

that's what they're talking about. these are all talks about talks. if they are successful, they're hoping that israelis and palestinians will once again get around the table. it is all building up. it's all building up to the next moves in president obama's attempts to try to bring peace to the middle east. >> that was our middle east editor talking about the meeting in central london. the palestinian government media office. what do you make of this idea of phrygian formulbridging formul? >> i do not think this is an issue that can be compromised.

i do not see any of earlier compromise. especially the road map, the document that a serving in terms of reference for the current efforts. it is very clear that israel should completely starop settlement expansions. >> that is what i was going to say. i am obviously not a party to the negotiations. until now, the israelis have suggested that there may be free of some settlements, but they will allow for what they call natural growth in existing settlements. you say any type of compromise on those lines would be unacceptable. >> it is not me. it is the letter of the road map. it is also the position of the international community, whether in washington, london, or the middle east.

the world is asking israel to be serious, to commit to the peace process and the signed agreement. this is the only way to move forward with the negotiations. it is jeopardize in the american resurgence of efforts. >> to be fair to prime minister netanyahu, he believes that the palestinians are making settlements into the issue when it is not the root cause of the problem he thinks settlement is something of a side issue. . >> it is not us. it is the stipulations of the international legality. it is the position of almost every important government and the world.

the negotiations are supposed to be about ending the occupation, among other things. how can we negotiate ending the occupation at a time when israel is consolidating this by building new settlements? let's be serious. let's commit. let's commit to the road map. let's stop the expansion of settlements. >> thank you. one of the most powerful leaders in iraq has died in hospital where he was being treated for lung cancer. joining me from baghdad is our correspondent. what did this gentleman represent for iraq and how will he be best? >> he has been battling lung cancer for more than two years. in the last month or so, his

death has been widely speculated. his condition has deteriorated quite quickly. as the leader of one of the most important parties, he was one of the most important political figures. the question will really now be whether the party can maintain its influence. it just announced that it would lead a new political grouping that would exclude the prime minister, the key figure ins'figu iraq's leading coaliti. the religious party seeing them in some ways responsible for some of the problems iraq's has gone through. malaki will be hoping to exploit that. he kind of opened up a new

split in's iraq's political landscape. >> the prime minister of italy will face a biography about the life of the estranged wife of burlesquconi. the offer also says he is in danger of leaving a shameful legacy because of his behavior. >> the first lady trying to have the last word. the estranged wife of the prime minister of italy now going into print with her version of the scandals. in a new book, she tells her

biographer that her husband is becoming a ridiculous figure before the world because of his alleged dalliances with everyone from an aspiring actor to an escort grow. this is the actress dian in que. in the book, she says the explanation of the relationship was the latest lies. she said she is now leaving him. the devoted mother to three of his five children, they married in 1990. for some years, she has lived her own separate live. he has gone into print himself this week, giving an interview to one of the magazines that he owns. he denies claims that he is living less than a prime ministerial private life. he says that anyone is invited

into his house is serious, moral, and elegant. >> he has admitted he is no saint. the bishops have spoken of their mortification of his arrogant behavior. she says her husband is the leader now in danger of leaving a shameful legacy. containing a painful elements of truth, many italians will recognize. >> and you are watching "world news" today on bbc. find more on our web site, bbc.com/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.