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>> 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." >> joined the battle lines at home. the u.s. starts the process of lifting the ban on openly gay people in the military. a promise to visit the dalai lama kicks off a war of words between china and washington. michael jackson's doctor is expected to be charged with the singers involuntary manslaughter. very warm welcome to "bbc world

news," broadcast to our viewers on pbs in america, also around the globe. my name is mike embley. coming up later for you -- austere times in athens. the greek prime minister goes on national tv to order severe pay cuts to tackle the deficit. and how fish farms are thring in the face of flagging stocks in gaza. hello to you. is a politically charged issue and won many thousands of people have been told to simply keep quiet about. up until now, all gay members of the u.s. military has been told to hold their sexuality on penalty of dismissal. it is an effective ban on anyone openly gay, which president obama has promised to suspend. today a long-awaited review finally got the go ahead.

we have this report. >> as nellie washington morning which david hall hopes will reject a smelly washington morning, which david hall hopes will mark a turning point in military life. he was an air force sgt. >> i did not come out until i was in the air force. it was probably a year and a half in and i realized i was gay. >> than a colleague told their commanding officer that david was in a gay relationship. >> i was called in to learn i was being disenrolled due to come a sexual conduct. >> today, he is going to congress for senators are delivering a change in the law to allow gay men and women to serve openly in the military. the current law is known as the don't ask, don't tell. gays can serve, but not openly. the top military officer called

for change. >> matter how you look at this issue, i am troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy that forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens. >> the military will take a year to decide how to change the law, but there will be resistance. >> in my opinion, the presence of persons to demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts will very likely create an unacceptable risk for those high standards of morale, discipline, and affected communication -- effective communication. i am opposed to this change. >> it was president clinton that brought in to ask, don't tell 17 years ago. under the law, 10,000 gay men and women have been fired after their sexuality became open.

dozens of vital arabic linguists among the. president obama promise to repeal don't ask, don't tell, and gay activists have been urging him to keep the promise. congress will have to agree on this, and there are plenty of people who will sense yet another opportunity to frustrate president obama's ambition. >> another line coming out of the white house saying president obama still intends to meet the dalai lama. this has already in. in china. officials in beijing warned that the tibetan spiritual leader's visit could damage trust and cooperation. china is also unhappy about a deal to sell american arms to taiwan. we have this. >> hot on the heels of sensitive taiwan arms sales, another pitfall. dalai lama and to that. with china and the united

states testing each other's strength. it is thought that president obama may soon have an meeting with the exiled tibetan leader. if china makes no secret that that would not go unanswered. >> the american leader is still seeking relationships with the head of this pseudo-government. this behavior is totally against the universally recognized practice and it will seriously undermine the political foundation thesino-u.s. relations. >> the second morning in as many days. the spiraling of relationship prompted by a plan to sell $6.4 billion of arms to the renegade island of taiwan. in another news conference, china reiterated that he will bring in sanctions at the sales go-ahead. >> this is severely jeopardizes sino-u.s. relations.

the american side must take full responsibility. >> this relationship is far from simple. economic links with a renegade taiwan are becoming as never before. both sides know that if china really does want integration, it will be through trade and not invasion. america and china are also inclined, not least because beijing and owns most of america's debt. there's also north korea, iran, climate change, and a myriad of otr issues drawn in this in rihanna asian superpower. but the richer and re confident chinese americans to maintain its wealth. the question -- how far does it want its old wounds of taiwan and tibet to impact its long- term future? bbc news. >> iran's state news agency as saying nine people will be executed stand for their part in anti-government protest during

last june's elections. in one of the opposition leader mousavi has made his harshest criticism yet of the government. he said the islamic revolution has failed because the roots of dictatorships the excess. american officials say nigerian man accused of the failed christmas day bomb plot is cooperating with authorities. he is providing useful, actionable, and current intelligence that is being actively followed up. it is alleged he tried to blow up a northwest flight with a bomb hidden in his underwear. a long-running dispute over the state of one of asia's -- the estate of one of asia's richest women has been settled. hong kong has rejted a claim over the bridges overnina wang. -- nina wang.

she left a fortune valued at over $4 billion. the academy award nominations been announced. "avatar" and "the hurt locker" had each been nominated for nine oscars each, including best seller. 10 years after the concorde crash, the trial begins in france. all those accused are accused of manslaughter. the airline is counterclaiming that concorde was fundamentally unfit to fly. we have this. >> it has been nearly 10 years since the air france struggle concorde into the air, its engines on fire. within two minutes, 113 people would be dead after the crash just 13 meters from charles de gaulle airport. now, finally, a french court is

ready to tackle 80,000 pages of evidence as it tries to decide who was to blame for the tragedy. the presiding judge said this would be a complex and technical case, and she would always be thinking of the 113 victims. there are plenty of theories about the cause. officials blamed the strip of titanium fromhe cover of the engine. the strip fell on the runway as another plane took off. the metal strip shredded it one of the concorde's tie years. it ruptured fuel tank, the kerosene ignited, and even before it got off the ground, the concorde was lost. now one of the mechanics and his supervisor are facing charges of involuntary manslaughter. the french director of the program, a former chief engineer, and a representative from the civil french aviation authorities are also charged. the defense promises are robust

case, denying any responsibility. >> no one will believe a small piece of metal of only a few centimetersenerated does plane crash. it is an official line we will fight. it is hard to imagine the safety regulations to allow a small piece of metal to caused this crash. >> the relatives of those who died see this as another challenge. this man wants a fast conclusion to help his family moved on. the those who died on that day in july 2000 are remembered here, at a garden built just by charles de gaulle airport. they were mostly german, headed for new york where they were due to join a luxury cruise to south america. the holiday of a lifetime. 10 years later, grief was fresh at a memorial service. now relatives could be months away from an answer for why their loved ones died. abc news, paris. >> just want to bring you this

-- it is being reported that michael jackson's doctor is on the verge of handing himself in to authorities. he was the last person to see michael jackson alive. according to the associated press, prosecutors plan to charge him with manslaughter. this just in from los angeles. >> it has been confirmed, as you said, a spokesman for dr. conrad murray has confirmed they expect him to surrender to authorities and the next 48 hours. this follows reports from the associated press news agency, and also the show-biz websites tmz, that is the website that first broke the news that michael jackson died. this is likely to result, if he is charged, in a court hearg, a public hearing. the judge will decide whether

there is enough evidence to pursue a case against the doctor. >> just to add but we have to that -- your member of course michael jackson died last june. the coronary -- the coroner had a verdict of homicide. he received a powerful dose of an anesthetic. if dr. murray is convicted, he faces a lengthy prison sentence. the greek prime minister is gone on to national tv to warn his country that there will be it harsh measures to keep the economy from going "over the cliff." is worried that thereek troubles could spill over into other bureaus around countries. >> of bar in athens. waiting for the toughest austerity program in the country. then he began speaking. at 10% cut in wages and the public sector and a hike in fuel prices.

"we are going through a crisis digests the prime minister told the country. "the likely have never seen in recent times." the reaction here was very mixed. this man said he could get lost. she said that she would have preferred the measures not be so tough. what is the scale of the problem? greek authorities have to build -- have to borrow 50 billion euros just to finance its deficit. tomorrow, there will be a plan, but on one condition -- massive, intense outside inspection of greek accounts which have proven to be misleading in the past. step inside this shoe factories since the militant mood. they are not working because they're not being paid.

we asked who was willing to accept cuts to save the greek economy. not a hand went up. >> you nnot take a penny away from a worker. cheap -- you should make the employers take the cuts. >> i traveled to visit a young doctor who is organizing a large public-sector strike against the wage cuts. what do you say to the people? >> there is a fear about what is happening here. everybody is anxious about what will be the next day. >> this greek crisis, which is buffeting been euro, is far from over. the market will have to be ins the greeks are serious about cutting their deficits, and the arguments made gets built on the streets. bbc news, at this. >> a witness, if you cannot "bbc

world news." still to come, gay and in the military. russia is severe. israel is liberal. we may global comparisons. >> here is what is catching your attention on the bbc news website. taking a daily dose of fish oil could stave off mental illness according to researchers. it cuts psychotic illness as by a quarter. simon cowell's fund-raising symbol for the victims of the earthquake in haiti has been played on the radio for the first time. a teenager from new zealand news saved herself from the jaws of a shark used a body board to defend yourself. the sharks struck and rick into

her wet suit, but she escaped serious injury. more details at our website -- bbc.com. do check it out. >> the latest headlines for you this hour on "bbc world news." america's most senior uniformed officer saying he supports the plans which would lead to the lifting of the ban on openly-gay people serving in the military. a meeting between the dalai lama and president obama will go ahead according to the white house. this is despite china's protests. take you back to washington now with the top brass have been testifying on capitol hill about whether don't ask, don't tell should be repealed. so allowing openly gay men and women to serve in the u.s. military. our special correspondent has been chasing the story some more for us. >> this was rather a showdown. at one phase, john mccain told

the defense secretary he was deeply disturbed by his bias against openly gay men and women serving in the military. we have a global perspective from israel and russia. >> here in russia, it was only in the early 1990's that homosexuality was decriminalized. there is still a lot of prejudice. ironically, the russian military does allow gain and to enter the ranks. in needs as many people as possible. there is construction going on every year. it would be impossible for anyone who is gay to be open at about this in the russian military because it is a particularly brutal institution. it is estimated that hundreds of new conscripts are killed every year as a result of abuse and hazing.

anybody who is gay and during the russian army would have to keep it very quiet. -- injuring the russian army would have to keep it very quiet. -- entering the russian army would have to keep it very quiet. that -- >> back in the 1980's, any a person serving in the israeli military would be sent to the psychiatrist. this is still controversial in a society where religion plays such an important part. for instance, the chief rabbi criticized the army for having a prominent interview with the gay officer. he was in turn criticized by gay officers. at despite his problems, gays in the military are expected in israel. there are strong regulations against discrimination.

many in the united states see what has happened as israel as a model for the way the u.s. litary could transform its attitudes toward gays and lesbians. >> with me now, sam rogers, communications director at the international which has been studying opinion within the military. and that is a key pole that is being done servicemen and women in afghanistan and iraq. whether you finding? >> what was interesting was that support was divided. less than a third is supporting the policy of allowing gays in the military and support -- slightly more than a third opposing it. when we broke up the sample betweenhose who had experience with a homosexual in the unit and as he did not, the majority who did not have experienced thought it would have a negative impact. then we looked at those who had experience with a homosexual in

yet. the majority said it had no input -- no impact. >> you asked members of the military whether they felt comfortable with says. what did they say? >> the vast majority, three in four, said they felt perfectly comfortable around them as sexual. >> and yet there is on minority you feel uncomfortable. so what you think about president obama saying he wants to repeal this don't ask, don't tell policy? >> i think a lot of people were surprised he would take on such a controversial issue on the heels of all of the work he is trying to do on health care, jobs, and the two wars. it was a very surprising mmiff. we will see how much tractions gets over the next couple of months. >> i think we misspelled her name on screen. you think we would know that

one. we will make it up to work. a member of the cabinet has accused tony blair deception. clare short gave evidence in the iraq inquiry. she said that post-war planning was done on a wing and a pair. >> to go along carefully and not have a destabilizing and angry iraq, into which came al-qaeda that was not there before, that would have been safer for the world and tony blair's account of the need to act because of 9/11, i d not think that's that's up to scrutiny whatsoever. we have made iraq more dangerous. >> clare short there. china has launched a 10-day emergency crackdown on tainted milk products across four provinces. hundreds of thousands of children were left on while and several died after a toxic

chemical was leaked into milk products. we have this. >> as concern grows over another possible tainted milk threat. it is less than two years since the melamine scandal, in which a dangerous chemical found its way into the food chain. it is normally used in making plastics. now officials have launched a 10-day emergency crackdown. for shoppers and in beijing today, concerned about the milk but a drink, there was one key question. is it safe? >> i am so angry about it. why did the government not pay attention? i just check the expiration date. how could i know if it is safe or not? >> the 2008 scandal began when one group admitted its milk

powder was contaminated with the toxic chemical. one year later, 21 people were sentenced for their involvement, with the death penalty meted out on two. at the time, china, sweeping safety reforms. that is not reassuring consumers to that. >> i read reports saying some of the tainted mlk went back on the market. i am getting worried about the safety of milk and i do not really there to drink it. >> this time around, authorities are promising a thorough crackdown, but at least one official admitted no one knows how many tainted products may still be on the market. bbc news. >> fishing is a way of life for people on the gaza strip and has been for centuries. but israel began an economic blockade to stop weapons

smuggling, and has become more difficult to get fish in gaza. we have this. >> this is the main port in gaza city. it is all hands on deck. fishing has been big in gaza for generations, but these days, the catch is increasingly small. other 2000 used to work in the fishing industry here. now there are just a few hundred fishermen. tenures ago, israel said in order to stop weapons being smuggled into gaza, it would only allow fishing up to 5 kilometers up the coast. the narrow strip of water is now basically finished out. this could be the answer -- fish farms. it does not seem quite right, just steps from the mediterranean. bu