>> "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." >> has afghanistan prepares to elect a president, the bbc uncovers evidence of fraud and corruption. >> these are the voting cards be were offered. this is a sample of what the seller was offering it to us. >> the taliban is trying hard to derail the -- a suicide bomber killed 10, including two u.s. workers. the chief spokesman is arrested. welcome to "bbc world news," broadcast on pbs in america and around the globe. coming up later for you -- farewell sunshine. south korea mourns the death of the president who championed a reconciliation with the north. and he never cooks at home, but

he is big on breakfast tv. a celebrity chef. hello to you. thousands of voting cards offered for thousands of dollars in bribes to buy votes. the bbc has uncovered evidence of fraud and corruption. this in the run-up to the election in afghanistan. the afghan election commission has denied that voting cards are being sold and said in any case that can only be used for the rightful owners. questions are being asked how credible the poll can be. we have this report. >> the city is full of rumors about this election -- fraud, corruption, and backroom deals with notorious war lords. we were given a tipoff the voting cards were being sold in

cobble -- kabul. an afghan posed as a buyer. >> these are the cards we have been given. this is just a sample of what the seller had on offer. these will be used by real people on thursday to choose the next president of afghanistan. we were told they were being sold for $10 to $15 for each card. the seller had 1000 on offer and there were plenty more. >> on election day, the cards would be swapped for a vote. we have now returned them, and no money has changed hands. these pictures were passed to us by an election monitoring group. they show multiple voting cards being given out to the same person. and how children were able to get them? the group says officials who did this will be in charge again on election day. >> this is the distribution we

know about. i am sure there are distribution areas we do not know about. we have enough cards to contact authorities. not to prevent this. >> [inaudible] we cannot prove this. by the end, no one can prove that this was done. >> it is a timeless picture of rural afghanistan. most people live in places like this. this is where the election will be decided. the tribal leaders here are highly respected and can influence large blocs of votes. they told us how they have been approached by teams from the two leading candidates. >> if one candidate gives

$10,000, the other gives $20,000, and a third offers more. it has become a lucrative, competitive business. i do not know where to get the money from. if >> officials concede the election will be a flaw, but they say it will not change the outcome. the troops to fight it -- for the troops who fight and die for this election, it brings the question about sacrifice for reward. >> taliban fighters are determined to disrupt the elections. at least 10 people were killed in a suicide bombing in kabul. mortars were fired at the presidential palace. we have this report from british headquarters. >> the chaos after yet another suicide bombing in kabul, aimed at destabilizing thursday's vote. the convoy was traveling along a road that goes east of the city

when it was approached by a suicide bomber in a car. one soldier was killed along with several afghans. two were working for the united nations. british forces were in the area, but they are not believed to be among the dead. most injured are afghan civilians. the insurgents are sending out a clear message, it aims at keeping voters away from the polls and increasing growing tension. here at home, a british pilot copters are heading to towns and villages across the province to allow as many afghans as possible to have their say in the future. this is being delivered to one of the 107 polling stations opened up. one-third are in the provincial capital. preparations are well underway. the question -- will the voters come? british soldiers have been offering training to afghans on

how to avoid makeshift bombs, responsible for so much death and injury among soldiers and civilians alike. it is not clear how great the threat is on polling day, but police have seized materials made -- used to make bombs. explosives captured from suspected insurgents. police say this may have been planned for use to disrupt the voting. the man in charge of the province was himself a target earlier this week when his compound was the target of an attempted bombing. >> i am very grateful for british and american forces in their efforts to bring peace. we know they cannot stay forever. we need to train and equip the afghan army to assure us of security. i hope the election will be peaceful here. >> politics is not for the faint hearted. this convoy was rocketed as he

traveled to a tribal meeting to encourage people to vote. it had to be held on in the desert, outside the town of narzad, that still claimed by taliban fighters. bbc news. >> it is reported the main taliban spokesman has been arrested and he has confirmed the death of the pakistani taliban leader, baitullah mehsud, in an air strike earlier this month. we have more. >> another prize catch for pakistan's security forces. troops taking the spokesman away for questioning -- the second high-profile captive in 24 hours. he was the public face of the taliban, the official spokesman who often claimed responsibility for atrocities. but he was more than just a

front man. he was also a close aide of the taliban chief, baitullah mehsud. now, crucially, he is reported to have confirmed that baitullah mehsud is dead, killed in a u.s. drone strike. that is what officials here and in washington have been claiming for almost two weeks, but they have not been able to prove it. these latest developments will be welcome news for washington's envoy, richard holbrooke, who is in the region. he has been highlighting gains against the taliban, but he admits it is too soon to know if they have been destroyed or dispersed. the authorities believe the militants art seriously weakened. they are in disarray. the are hoping internal power struggles will do more damage. -- they are hoping internal power struggles will do more damage. the taliban could regroup, as they have done before.

bbc news, islamabad. >> police in nigeria wants to interview 19 a former banking executives about a $2.6 billion bailout. last week, the central bank looked into the losses of union bank, oceanic bank, and other banks. the shares have been suspended on the nigerian stock exchange. and where can prayers' be said? the faithful believe this wall offers a direct line to the almighty. they were inspired by young iranians to coordinate protests during the disputed election. michael jackson will be re- buried on what would have been his 51st birthday according to a spokesman for the family. the singer will be buried at a private ceremony on august 29. russia has arrested eight people

suspected of hijacking the merchant ship arctic sea which would missing for almost two weeks. the defense minister is quoted as saying that those arrested include nationals from russia, estonia, and latvia. we have this report from moscow. >> according to the defense ministry, the arctic sea was seized on the 24th of july in swedish waters. a speedboat went alongside the ship, asking for help. once on board, the hijackers threatened the crew with guns. the ship and sailed to africa with navigational equipment turned off. the journey began in finland, with the ship carrying a cargo of timber reportedly worth more than 1 million pounds. the hijackers boarded the vessel, and it was not heard from again until four days later when they contacted the coast guard in the english channel. the last sighting was july 30,

off the coast of france. the ship was due to dock in algeria on august 4, but nothing was heard until a russian navy vessel discovered the ship 300 nautical miles from the cape verde islands. the defense minister says not a shot was fired in the operation and the crew is alive and well. here, in the russian capital, there was relief that the 15 sailors were in good health. there are many questions still left on answered. who were the alleged hijackers and what did they want? and what were the reasons behind the two-week disappearance? the more details that emerged deepen the mystery. bbc news, in moscow. >> officials now fear up to 76 people died in the explosion of russia u.s. biggest hydroelectric power station. 64 have been missing since the blast destroyed the main turbine

hall. the owners of the plans say it is unlikely there will be any survivors. >> captured on a mobile phone, the terrible moment that force or ripped through a turbine hall. and man runs through the steam. then the sound of an explosion. the water burst through the concrete. tuesday morning, the damage wrought was clear to see. the walls and ceiling of the turbine hall scratched down. -- crashed down. many victims may have been killed by falling concrete, and others in the flooding that followed. many remain in hospital. others managed to walk away. >> you know, there was a crowd of people trying to get out. it was so horrible. you could not see anything, anybody.

i do not remember with whom i got out. >> officials have been quick to downplay fears the explosion has done damage to the walls of this, russia's largest hydroelectric dam. the defense minister says that the walls are firm. our robot has been deployed to assess damage. the explosion shut down the plant and brought blackouts to the entire region. repairs could take years. oil escaped into the nearby river, 26 kilometers in size. it is the human toll that will last the longest. bbc news. >> stay with this if you can on a "bbc world news." coming up, former taliban territory. first, the trial is over in a lithuanian of an irish citizen

accused of trying to buy weapons for a militant republican organization, the ira. he was arrested allegedly trying to buy weapons from an intelligence officer posing as an international arms dealer. our correspondent reports now on the beginning of the trial. >> michael campbell, talking with his lawyers inside court today. his appearance here coming after a long wait. he was arrested in january of last year. now after 20 months are in detention, the trial of michael campbell is finally underway. what everyone is saying here is this will be a very long and complex trial which could last many months, if not several years. that is because lithuanians has never dealt with a case like this before.

michael campbell faces serious charges, and not just a allegedly buying illegal weapons. >> he has been charged with attempting to support a terrorist organization. if found guilty, he will face up to 20 years in prison. >> is alleged the arms mr. campbell was trying -- it is alleged the arms mr. campbell was trying to buy is for this group -- the real ira, an organization still dedicated to use violence to force the british government out of northern ireland. they have carried out many attacks. mr. campbell knows his lawyers will argue there is not enough evidence to convict him, and there will be questions about the way the intelligence agency secured his arrest. bbc news. >> hello and welcome. >> see the news unfold.

go to bbc.com/news to experience the expert reporting of bbc news online. it is easy. click here to see the one- minute world news summary. you can read the latest headlines, get the top stories from around the globe, and click to play video reports. discover more about subjects that really interest you and find out what the world is talking about now. go to bbc.com/news and what the news unfold. -- and watch the news unfold. >> good to have you with us on at "bbc world news." one headline for you -- evidence suggesting fraud and corruption in afghanistan's's presidential election. at as afghanistan -- as afghanistan prepares to vote,

there is our rise in violence. after 80 years, much of the world's attention is focused on unstable areas for taliban attacks are on the rise. that is frustrating afghans in more peaceful provinces, including the central highlands. our correspondent went for a visit. >> the biggest complaint. only a few kilometers across the entire province. only a few kilometers are paved across the entire province. but that is starting to change. here, in the middle of nowhere, an event. the only female governor. >> the road always starts with good intentions, but another road was inaugurated three times and still is not built. now the u.s. military, with more

money and troops, is weighing in. >> afghans are saying that to you? all the money is going to the taliban? >> i have heard that. what i tell others, i talked about patients. it took 50 years to build a power grid in the united states. it is important for them to know that. >> making up for lost time. from the ribbon cut, onto a second road opening with the u.s. military. closer to the border, the more dangerous it gets. this is next to troubled neighbors and violence is spilling over. in recent months, attacks have increased. troops have started driving armored vehicles.

a taliban leader who calls himself the shadow governor was arrested shortly after our visit. ♪ to keep the peace, they need more than just roads. they need help from their own government in kabul. but the president is here, at least in spirit. >> a very good. very good. this is an advantage. >> yes, this is not the right thing. [unintelligible] >> here you go. >> these are the moments that these military commanders and the governor cherish. they believe they are making a difference in afghanistan. the real point is to convince

all the other people that this is going to make a difference in their lives. bbc news. >> and all this week we will have live coverage on the afghan elections and scenes around afghanistan here on "bbc world news." de a former south korean president has died, at age 85. once he was a dangerous radical, and then he won the nobel peace prize. we have more from south korea. ed >> this was the defining -- this was the defining moment of his remarkable political journey. the inter-korean summit in 2005, the first time the leaders of the north and south had met since the korean war. 20 years earlier, facing charges of treason, he was sentenced to death by this court. he played a leading role in the

struggle of military leaders and survived several assassination attempts. his election as a south korean president in 1997 marked the first democratic transfer of power in the country's history. in office, he transcended national politics and 1 d nobel peace prize -- and won the nobel peace prize. he became the architect of what became known as the "sunshine policy." this evening's newspapers reporting his death say all in all, the former president leaves a giant footprint. in recent years, his reputation became tarnished by allegations that his historic summit meeting in pyongyang took place only because of secret payments made

to the north korean regime of up to $500,000. with the north korean military threat, the sunshine policy is no more. his political vision has been challenged by a conservative administration that questions the wisdom of unconditional engagement with the old enemy. he remained steadfast to the end. a few weeks ago, the former president gave me a robust defense of his legacy. >> some people say that all we have done is help the north and caught nothing in return. but that is a lie. as you know, north korea in the past was always thinking of ways to destroy s. from the moment of meeting with the north korean leader and our agreement for prosperity, things began to change.

kim dae-jung spent 10 years under house arrest before rising to the highest office in the land. in the end, perhaps it is the democracy he fought so hard for that will be his most enduring legacy. bbc news. >> just try for a moment to forget the violence, political tension, and hardship. every day in iraq, people turn on the tv and focus instead on what they may have a four dinner. "the breakfast show" features of the nation's greatest cooking authority. our correspondent spent the day with the chef in baghdad. >> this is television, the way many people start their day here. with some, tuning in at just for one reason. to learn in the culinary secrets

of the country's best-known shaft. today -- best-known chef. today, we start by making a table decoration. >> this is definitely different from what you normally see in television in iraq, which is usually bonds, explosions, war, politics. this brings a light touch to what is a difficult life for most people here. >> it was not easy for the chef to accept the job. in the past, celebrities have been killed here. but this is what gets him. >> what i do lift set the mood. i meet people a little happier.

-- in eight people a little happier. >> in iraq, mostly women are in charge of cooking here. while he is speaking of his own kitchen on tv, while the home, he admits to being another man. >> in iran, men do not go into the kitchen. at home, i do not make a cup of tea. >> so you do not help your why in the kitchen? >> no. >> why? >> i do not. >> for many, this show is not about cooking. it is a nice way to start today, which could be filled with more violence and death. bbc news, baghdad. >> just briefly, a reminder of our top story. the bbc has uncovered what seems to be evidence of fraud and corruption in afghan elections.

although the independent election commission has denied voting cards are being sold, they say they can only be used by their rightful owners. 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. 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.