and what we saw in the way that they treated gordon brown's request to at least be discreet about this, right, brown did not say -- hasn't said anything about the substance of the decision, even to this day. all he said is he was repulsed by the reception that megrahi received in libya. and what we saw was that you know, libya hasn't changed its spots, right? it'd be nuclear deal because it feared the consequences of not doing it. but here they clearly saw no downside in getting this guy back and then rubbing the british at jason at two and a big embarrassment for gordon brown. still ahead, the nine to end our deficit. does it matter? our panel weighs in after the break. >> at the end of the day the best way to bring our deficit down in the long run is not for the budget that continues the same policies that led us to a narrow prosperity and massive debt, it's wicked widget that leads to broad economic growth by moving from an era of oral and spend one where we save and invest. >> paul: remember that? well reality struck this week when the obama white house and congressional budget off

extraordinary silence on the part of the prime minister, gordon brown. this decision has significant implications for foreign policy and trade. what joint efforts are now being undertaken by gordon brown to limit the damage? >> mr. macaskill repeated that he had fallen due process. he suggested that -- he said that suggestions that al-megrahi could have spent his final days in hospital work the crest. bbc news. >> at least 20 people have been killed in bombast -- bomb blasts on the buses. this happened in the south east of iraq. our correspondent from baghdad has the details. >> there were two separate attacks carried out on many buses carrying travelers on any road. but attacks were believed to have been carried out with several sticky bombs, magnetic devices attached to the underside of these buses and then detonated. at least 20 people were killed. 10 others were wounded. many of them were women and children. there have been many attacks on civilians in the past in this area. this is mainly a shiite area, but at the moment we do not know the exact det

the clyde was unimpressed with what gordon brown had to say. -- nick cleeg was unimpressed

disturbing is the extraordinary and incomprehensible silence of the prime minister, gordon brown.vernment's flawed decision has significant implications for foreign policy and trade, so what joint efforts are now being undertaken by alex sal mond and gordon brown to limit the damage? >> mr. mccaskill reiterated he had followed due process and believed there was also international support for his decision. he said suggestions that megrahi could have spent his final days in a hospice were ludicrous. it will now be for m.s.p.'s to decide if they're convinced by his arguments. jane frances kelly, bbc news. >> looks as if firefighters in greece are beginning to contain the wildfires that have threatened the suburbs of athens for three days. thousands have had to flee their homes. large parts of the countryside around the greek capital have been destroyed. derek hughes spent the day in one of the areas worst affected. >> people are using whatever comes to hand to fight these fires. at the monastery east of the capital, nuns use hoses to beat back the flames. they've helped save most of

>> tonight on "worldfocus" -- >>> british prime minister gordon brown weighs in on the freed lockerbie bomber while some there are asking, was it compassion or business that freed a killer? >>> more violence in afghanistan, as early election results showed two presidential candidates neck and neck. our global environment, we have reports on rising sea levels in south asia and endangered foreetses in africa. >>> and sports fans turn out to welcome home a hero in south africa amid a growing controversy over sex. >> from the world's leading reporters and analysts, here's what's happening from around the world. this is "worldfocus." made possible in part by the following funders -- major support has also been provided by the peter g. peterson foundation dedicated to promoting fiscal responsibility and addressing key economic challenges facing america's future. >> good evening. i'm martin savidge. >>> five days after scotland released the man convicted of mbing a panamjetliner over lockerbie, scotland killing 270 people, the controversy and the outrage over his release and his welcome home

and what we saw in the way that they treated gordon brown's request to at least be discreet about this, right, brown did not say -- hasn't said anything about the substance of the decision, even to this day. all he said is he was repulsed by the reception that megrahi received in libya. and what we saw was that you know, libya hasn't changed its spots, right? it'd be nuclear deal because it feared the consequences of not doing it. but here they clearly saw no downside in getting this guy back and then rubbing the british at jason at two and a big embarrassment for gordon big embarrassment for gordon brown. that's a-- tiny netbook. yeah, it's-- good-looking, lightweight. generally awesome. and you could just-- go online, video-chat with my cousin. this is un-- under $200. are you some kind of-- mind reader, visionary ? no, i have them. huh. the new lightweight hp mini netbook with windows and america's largest and most-reliable 3g network built in. only 199.99 with mobile broadband plans from 39.99 i am-- speechless, envious. wanna be me right now. getting one. ♪ bicycle, what are we wa

it is gordon brown and jack straw had wanted to stop the release of al-megrahi, they could have doneso -- if they had wanted to, they could have done so, and it could have been that they did not because of its multibillion-dollar oil deal. shepard: if they did that without saying anything to the united states, i am sorry, they will have to do something about that. gecko: right. uh, well maybe how geico's the third-largest car insurance company in america? nice tidbit there. boss: exactly. and i've been thinking, looking a bit more businesslike might help too. gecko: oh my. uhhh, no it's, what's, what's the word... vogeico. 15 minutes could save you 15 percent or more on car insurance. >> hi, i am janice dean pm we are watching a southern california, and the weather is not helping firefighters contain that wildfire just north of los angeles. we are looking for very dry conditions for the foreseeable future. the temperature is 91 degrees, and there are very brief deconditions, city firefighters need our thoughts and prayers with them as they continue to battle this fire. shepard: janic

and equally disturbing is the extraordinary and silence of the prime minister, gordon brown.his has implications for foreign policy and trade. and what joint efforts are taken by alexander and gordon brown that will affect our reputation and economy? >> i think that the suggestion that he could go to hospice is ludicrous and to suggest that we could spend mr. megrahi to a hospice in scotland, would be like a circus. there was a suggestion that he could go to the house, and we took advice by the deputy of scotland, and 40 officers to cope with him in the house, and to the hospice it would be a problem for those entitled to die in the last moments with dignity. and i follow the advice of the officers. on compassion can i quote archbishop cortney. the showing of mercy in situation is not a sign of weakness. in this case it seems to be a sign of strength, and i believe it will be a decision that's a source of pride for many scotts and one that's accepted in the community. i expect that many in american do not believe in this decision, and they can be assured that we followed due

he was sacked because gordon brown pushed for him to be sacked twice when he worked for tony blair.ddenly he's back because he's a very skillful political operator. in fact, gordon brown is facing a very difficult stretch here in london as prime minister, wouldn't be in office were it not for peter mandelson who somehow persuaded the labor party to keep him in office. mandelson, whenever there's something bad going on in british politics, he's not far away. >> thank you, sir. didn't you do the profile on michael collins years ago? i think you did. >> i did. >> do you think i look like boris johnson? i think i do. >> a little bit. he's got the haircut, chris. >> thank you very much. con coughlin of "the guardian." >>> this thursday is the premiere of our big documentary on the kennedy brothers, all four of them, and it features something you have never seen before, audio tapes, actual audio tapes of president john f. kennedy the year before he was killed dictating his memoirs. wait until you hear this. and here now is a look at how kennedy won that '60 presidential election. ♪ everyo

now we go over to the bbc political correspondent, who will say gordon brown as telling a pack of lies. that is one of the problems we have. >> what about the point about national politics? you might be able to do a good job locally and put emphasis on it constituency work, but the national reputation is going to be the problem, is it? >> all of them have to sign up to the coupon. they have to make the statement, this is what they will do going forward. we have to draw line here. for morse people, while we have behaved in accordance to the rules, it is unacceptable. they have to draw the line and sign up for the coupon. those that will not sign up for have to go. >> how long will it take to restore some faith. >> it could take years. your threatening the fabric of society. there is territory where you can get back if you start an environment where people have had a chance to re-elect their mp and show that they have faith in them. then i think you have an opportunity to go forward. even in the context of salaries, if we work to run a poster that talked about the salary of katie price o

as we hear from chris shipp of itn. >> since gordon brown was last in afghanistan in april, 54 british soldiers have been killed trying to secure this country. the prime minister returned to the camp this weekend at a time when the election result is still unclear. giving the strongest hint yet he's about to send more british troops here at a critical time for the afghan campaign. it's been a bloody and very costly summer for the taliban, after which the universal support for this mission back home has begun to falter. the prime minister wants more afghan troops trained more quickly. and that means another surge in british troops is looking unavoidable. the target for 135,000 afghan soldiers has been brought forward to november next year. only when those soldiers can provide the security this country needs can britain's chief of the defense staff even think about an exit strategy. that remains many years off. >> i think we can get another 50,000 afghan army personnel trained over the next year. stepping that up means that the afghans take more responsibility for their own affairs. they

gordon brown called for a global arms embargo, but that will happen because he will never get china and russia to sign up in the u.s. the security council. the problem with sanctions is it has impoverished burma, kept it as a very poor country. quite honestly, i begin to think, if you looked at the health care there, which is almost nonexistent, and education, would the picture be different had we gone in there with economic engagement, take our ads -- and it might rub off. i think sanctions are hurting the people of burma. >> just very briefly. you are a biographer of aung san suu kyi. would you think she might be making of this, what approach the thing she would favor? >> it is strange that i should be her biographer, and i greatly admire her human qualities of courage and determination. when she was at liberty at the end of the 1990's, she was very pro-sanctions indeed. if she could rethink that -- it is not that sanctions were not worth trying but the regime has not responded, simply hardened. that is what we got to change. >> thank you very much. thank you. round up of some other s

netanyahu and others, including gordon brown, believe they're trying to get nuclear weapons. >> just go back on the settlements issue, do you see by the time nekton and no need george mitchell, d think there is any leeway or room for maneuver? >> let us look at the objectives. president obama has a very ambitious plan. he wants to try to do a middle east peace deal, something that has eluded everyone else in the last 60 years that tried. and before that, quite frankly. very ambitious. as a first step he wants the israelis to stop settlement activity. in other words, building homes for jews in occupied palestinian land. that is already proving to be a very difficult thing. negotiations, suggestions they may compromise fairly soon, and maybe that meeting tomorrow in london with mr. mitchell will be the key one. when asked of that, saying there is some kind of a deal that allows one to go on with face- to-face talks with the palestinians, probably at the americans a room, as well, and other words, resumption of peace negotiations. but i think you have been hearing already from paul wood

one of the damaging effects of gordon brown catastrophic stewardship of britain's finances and additionally reducing britain from second to 12th place in the international league of competitiveness, according to the world economic forum is the diminishing of our economic power and by extension the effectiveness of our international role. such additional short-term decline is exasperating because it is so unnecessary. on top of that, the huge expansion of economy such as china and india means that in our working lifetimes, the size of the european economy relative to address the world looks set to shrink dramatically. projections have shown europe's share of the world economy declining from 18% to 10% by the middle of the century, and even the united states is not immune from the effect of economic problems. this diminished economic weight will have a major impact on the ability of western nations to achieve their foreign policy goals. we are used to the idea of calling for economic sanctions against nations whose human rights records we find an acceptable. south africa under apartheid being

so gordon brown's tweet draud a careful line. >> the nhs often makings the difference between pain and comfort, despair and hope, life and death. thanks for always being there. >> reporter: sarah brown also posted, "we lot of nhs more than we can say." and there was this from health secretary andy burnam. >> over the moon about the strong support for the nhs, an institution i will defend to my dying day. >> reporter: but for many people the attacks on our health service coming out of america are beyond a joke. >> $22,750, in england government health officials decided that's how much six months of life is worth. under their socialized system, if a medical treatment costs more, you're out of luck. >> where we do disagree, let's disagree over things that are real. not these wild misrepresentat n misrepresentations that bear mow resemblance to anything that's actually been proposed. >> reporter: sarah palin, the republican former nominee for vice president, wrote on facebook, there's an nhs-style health insurance plan would see death panels deciding who gets treatment. something she calle

"the times" of london reporting this morning prime minister gordon brown's government released abdel basset mohamed al-megrahi, the only person convicted of the lockerbie bombing of the pan am flight 103, a deal they say for oil, not for compassion. because he had prostate cancer as they are claim and that is according to new government correspondence and letters dealing with the government ministries there and the latest developments and more outrage for the families of the 270 people, who were killed aboard pan am flight 103, flying to new york and with us now, former u.s. ambassador to the u.n. and a fox news contributor, ambassador john bolten with his take, good morning, always good to see you. >> good morning, glad to be here. >> do you think there was a deal. >> well, the evidence at the time of the -- london has is -- "the times" of london has are two letters, from jack straw the then justice secretary in the u.k. government, basically saying that what he called in his letter overwhelming british interest should dictate that abdel basset mohamed al-megrahi the terrorist would

gordon brown, follow our lead.madam -- here comes the microphone. >> i completely agree with what to say about people should take more personal responsibility for the consequences of their actions. what would you propose to do as a government to encourage people to do that? >> there is no restoration of personal responsibility bill you confessed to parliament. what you have to do is in every capital of life and every decision you can make, ask yourself a simple question -- does this to encourage responsibility or does it discourage responsibility? when it comes to a -- helping families is the tax benefit helping families and helping them stay together or discourage them? welcome to repression responsibility, are we giving power to professionals to do the right thing or covering them in red tape? it is in every single thing we do. it goes across whether we're talking about how we relate to families or relate to crime or relate to the professions. part of it is actually using what they call the bully pulpit, as they

we know by law that prime minister gordon brown and the labour party have to call an election by june. >> all the signs that it will be earlier than that. that is the normal time when elections are held. it could cut in june but i expect the first week in may. why don't think that that will be a move for an earlier election now. some mp's unhappy with gordon brown have tried to force him out but i think the time for that has now passed. >> most polls show that david cameron and the conservative party with a 15% edge over labour. with that kind of a lead, what is the conservative party strategy? >> the conservative party strategy is to keep on going. and not to rock the vote. and the big question has been what can labour do to get out a whole that they iran? there doesn't seem to be anything that is going to work. the biggest questions are all revolving around the united states -- being hit hard by the recession, and that has made for a lot of tough choices in the coming parliament, and the inevitable public spending cuts and whether it will fall. >> in a speech that we are about the s

we know by law that prime minister gordon brown and the labor party have to call an election by next june. can you tell us when we might expect the election? >> signs are will be early in may next year. that is the normal time when elections are held. it can go into june, but i would expect the first week in may. i don't think there'll be any move for an early election now. the one thing that could force that is labor mp's who are happy -- unhappy with gordon brown have tried to force him out. the time for that has now passed. >> most of the recent polls show mr. cameron with a 15% lead over labour. with less than a year to go, what is the conservative party strategy? >> the strategy is just to keep on going, really. and not to rock the boat. the big question has been and what can labored do to get out of the whole they are in. at the moment, there does not seem to be anything that is going to work. the questions all revolve around the economy at the moment. like the united states, we have been hit very hard hit by recession. that has led to a lot of top choices for the coming parlia

their leader was clearly unimpressed with what gordon brown had had to say. >> hearing the prime minister, i think his answers on the ghurka issue are deeply evasive. how is it honest or decent to say that soldiers who have served 20 years can come and live in this country, when he knows full well that the majority of them only serve 15? how is it honest reason to say that they have to prove their illness was caused from the military service, when he knows full well that the free list veterans cannot do that? can he see there is a simple, moral principle at stake? if someone is prepared to die for this country, surely they deserve to live in this country. >> a short time later, the debate got under way and hostility from his own bench as soon became apparent. next i rejoice that they enrich the borough educationally and public life. they also earned money and pay taxes. the thing that upsets me is the degree of inevitability about it. as sure as night turns in today, they will win ultimately. why don't you embrace it now? >> why are they trying are theygurkhas coming here? they failed to

gordon brown wrote that letter to colonel gadhafi.him a hero's welcome, he gave him a hero's welcome. the english need to really learn from this. a complete fiasco. >> pat buchanan, it is a complete fiasco. the big losers here are not only british, gordon brown in particular, also, moammar gadhafi trying to get back into the international community now since 2004. >> they have a situation in englewood, new jersey, they have a home out there, people out there don't want him there in. he will put a tent up on the ground supposedly when he comes to the u.n., if i were him, i wouldn't put that tent out there. let me ask about scotland here. the scottish, is the scottish national party -- are there conservatives in scotland normally very weak? who is damaged politically inside scotland? >> i think the scottish government has come under tremendous -- they had to hold an emergency session right now and the justice minister has come under tremendous strain. but the scotts, i gotten an e-mail from a friend in scotland yesterday, the scotts ten

jon: we return to breaking news out of london, where golden -- gordon brown talked about the bomber's release and a welcome home he received. browne said he was repulsed by the ceremonies for convicted terrorist megrahi, the welcome he made when he was returned to libya. >> the bottom line is, though there has been widespread anger and repulse and about the celebration that greeted the terrorist's return, it was the united kingdom, specifically scotland, that released him back to libya. gordon brown has been under pressure to break his silence about the matter because so many people on both sides of the pond have been appalled by the fact that the only convict from the pan am 103 bombing, having only served eight years of a life sentence, has been allowed to return home to die with his family. he has terminal cancer. gordon brown today said he was angry and repulsed that megrahi had been greeted at home, but he said his first thoughts and feelings are with the families and victims of pan am 103, and he wants to fight terror. >> when i met colonel khadafy over the summer, i made it cle

gordon brown could have stopped the release if he wished to do so. shepard: thank you, jonathan.e are getting in early results from last week's presidential election in afghanistan. for now, it is a tie. the president' and his opponent have about 40% of the vote. there was more violence in afghanistan. three car bombs went off at the same time in the southern city of cannes kanadahar. a message from rhode island, please come back later. they are set to close down at the state government. we will tell you about the plan. why did the federal government send stimulus checks to hundreds of prison inmates? we will tell you how hundreds of thousands of your taxpayer dollars ended up in the hands of convicts. that is coming up. -%@ shepard: the new deficit numbers add up to serious controversy. the deficit is just a difference between the money the government takes in and the money it spends. the white house and the congressional budget office are forecasting a deficit of 1.58 trillion dollars. some republicans are accusing obama administration of creative accounting. on economist who o

and street insist the prime minister played no part in the decision, but our polls suggest, gordon brown'sreputation has been damaged. the real political hit is in scotland. 76% wreck and the standing of the scottish government has been damaged. -- reckoned the standing of the scottish government has been damaged. right now, the scottish flag is hanging just a little limply. >> the latest headlines for you on "bbc world news." the couple convicted of obstructing jaycee dugard -- of abducting jaycee dugard pleaded not guilty. north and south korea have reached an agreement to restart a program of reunion of families separated since the korean war. the annual

tory leaders in great britain are demanding that gordon brown's labor government release more information about the high-level talks between brittish and libian leaders that took place earlier this summer. >> i was both angry an repulseed. >> brittish prime minister gordon brown spoke after the convicted pan am bomber was sent home to die from terminal prostrate cancer. gordon denies that he ok'ed the release in order to secure oil deals with lib ya, but did acknowledge wanted to forge better relations with tripoli. >> we want to work with countries even like libya who have renounced nuclear weapons and want to join the international community. >> the son of quk muammar qaddafi and his likely heir told a scottish newspaper said it was obvious when there was a transfer accord with the brittish government two years ago, it was seeking the release of al-h hevment grahi and asked us to keep the reception low low-key. >> i had contact with scottish authorities, secretary of state clinton did as well. >> fox news has confirmed that u.s. attorney general eric holder warned the scottish authoriti

come on, gordon brown.follow our lead. >> i completely agree with what you said about people ought to take more personal responsibility for the consequences of their actions. but what we actually propose to do with the government to encourage peopl to do that? >> a very good question. i think there is no one -- there isn't a restoration of personal responsibility and bill you can pass the parliament. i think what you've got to dit in every avenue of life, in every decision you can take, ascus of a very sime question. does this encourage responsibility o does it discourage responsibility. so we should be saying when it comes to helping families, is the tax and benefit system healthy and responsible decision-making for people want to stay together and directing, or discourage it. when it comes to a special responsibility thing power to professionals to do the right thing or are we covering them in red tape and try to second-guess the. every single thing that we do. and it goes across whether we are talking ab

but today, the conservative leader wrote to gordon brown, criticizing his failure to say what he thought of megrahi's return to libya, writing it is curious that, while others have commented, britain's own prime minister has not. i believe that the public are entitled to know what you think of the decision to release megrahi. one man, who's unlikely to be heading to libya, the duke of york. his plan to visit tripoli on a trade mission next months are now being reconsidered. libya might have its man back. the uk might have hoped this would improve relations in trade but it's turned into a diplomatic mess. lucy manning, itv news, westminster. >> not surprisingly many are angry about scotland's decision to free the lockerbie bomber, especially true for the victims' families of course. one victim's brother says neither the u.s. or britain did enough to stop a megrahi's release. >> it's a wound, right and got torn open bit fact my brother's murderer was sent back and today salt poured into the wound making it worse. i have to say what bothers me the most it is almost as if the obama administr

after that, gordon brown meets with the liaison committee. . . >> i lost my balance and fell against a shelf and as i did, from a higher shelf, there was a hardbound copies but it hit me in the head and landed on the floor and cover opened up and the page said the murder of george wythe. knew who was but i did not know he had been murdered. one of the chapter titles was a quote where he told doctors who arrived to see him when he fell ill that he had been murdered. he had been poisoned and he was feeling very badly and he propped himself up by his fellows and stared at his doctor and said, "i am murdered ." >> are you saying if you have not lost your balance, we would not have this book? >> yes. there is a street in alexand ria virginia with his name. i will get you to tell us about him. he is a fascinating character. >> the reason that people do not know a lot about him is because unlike most people, the only book he wrote was a legal book on his decisions when he was a judge. he never kept a diary. there was very little impression about him. he served in the continental congress du

to the libyan leader in a letter that was released today, gordon brown said that a high profile return would cause further unnecessary pain to the families of the victims of lockerbie and this was a letter that he sent on thursday and he had addressed it, dear moammar, that the libyan leader. the director of the f.b.i. wrote a scathing letter in which he -- it was to the scottish justice secretary and he said that your action in releasing al-megrahi is as inexplicable as it is detrimental to the cause of justice. it makes a mockery of the rule of law. it gives comfort to terrorists around the world and he goes on. some say this in this moment, years of diplomatic work has beenen done when you see gadaffi embracing him. many believe he's innocent and may think this is how he should be receiving al-megrahi. but it's implied the reis all part of the bigger deal to receive lucrative deals. he said quote, the fact of the matter and this is something dated for the first time, is that in all the trade, oil and gas deals which have been supervised, you were there on the table. whenever

british prime minister gordon brown has been drawn into the argument, defending his national health service from americans who claim that egressions treatment -- that it crashes treatment. -- rations treatment. the crux it is a similar -- >> it is a similar statement in town halls across america, no to socialized health care. >> the health care now are just sucks. that you have to wait six weeks for a dental appointment, have you ever seen british tea to? how can you think is good? >> how is this health care going to help hawes wen jiabao from canada and great britain are telling us -- when people from canada and great britain are telling us not to do anything? >> the reality is, it has not worked. it has made people more ill. we spend a lot of money can't -- and it gets very bad. >> there has also -- have also been tv ads forecasting british health care rationing. but there are more americans that have a more positive view. >> we do not have the chance for medical and thus repay for it. -- unless we pay for it. >> of course, a state-run health service is not even being considered by the wh

including gordon brown, who gave kennedy an honorary knighthood earlier this year. the irishamiceramerican helped achieve a peace agreement in northern ireland. we will have continuing coverage of this story on air and online at wjla.com. >>> today will be the hottest day all week. by friday, near 80, possibly upper 70's. for the weekend, clouds with shan i need the baker file stat!! reply!! still making changes. circle back later!! what's with the yelling? oh, our internet slows down during peak hours so sending e-mails and large files just takes forever. so, we just yell. ben!!! thanks for the flowers!!! i thought you hated me!!! lol!!! semi-colon! right parenthesis! winky emoticon! (announcer) switch to verizon and get a dedicated high speed internet connection from our office to your small business so you won't be slowed down even if your neighbors are online. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v today and for only $79.99 a month for 12 months with a 3 year contract you'll also get our award winning internet security suit

think gordon brown fingerprints may be over this. it's an outrage and national disgrace.e're now seeing that the scottish justice minister is trying to backtrack and trying to justify what he did by simply saying, not all of the families were against this humanitarian release. not all families are against euthanasia but the standard is what is consistent with the rhyme of law and what is going to be a deterrent to terrorists. i think robert mueller sent a blistering letter to this justice minister. >> julie: what i don't under, did libya want to turn against the united states. did they want to turn against the world. and if england is involved, first of all, will there be any repercussions from libya and there should be there be? will there be any justice at the end of the day? >> i'm a little skeptical, but i tell you this. i think khadafy was never going to be our friend. there are ways to deal with tyrants and occasionally you have to hold your nose in the interest of greater good. for example having them stop their nuclear program which was a positive step. but you ca

brian: al-megrahi thanked gordon brown.bor leader as chairman of the federal reserve bank of new york. he had been serving as acting chairman of the fed board since may when stephen friedman, a former goldman sachs executive stepped down. he will now lead the new york fed's nine director. it is the first time a union boss has been named to this post. gretchen: another day, another struggle. the launch was canceled because of a fuel valve. the next launch is scheduled for friday. let's go outside for the weather. what is happening as the summer comes to a close? >> we only have a week left. everybody goes back to school and back to the grind. we will see a little bit of a preview for that in the temperatures. up and down the eastern seaboard, it is still hot. notice that cold pocket of air over cleveland? that is a preview of what is to come for the east coast. we are looking at some scattered showers and thunderstorms. in chicago, you will see scattered showers and thunderstorms once again as you head into the afternoon and

gordon brown was more optimistic. the israe partyo the back way into downing street because of a demonstration at the mn gate. this was a meeting of two countrs who call themselves ose allies. in white ha, is really demonstrators reflect noisily the dow's many palestians have. -- reflected more easily be doubts many palestians have. mr. netanyu said he was prared to se ando demilitarized zone along israe the americans are pressing the israelis to stop building homes for jews on an occupieland. this is a palestian family camping ouide jusalem after being icted to make wa f jews. americans believe that thiss no fndation for peace. britain agreewith that, but in downing street,r. brown says the current round o diplomacy could produng hopeful signs. >> we haad go talks today. they are more optimistic than before. >> that is because mr. netanyahu may be cle to agreeing on a conditional freeze on israeli buildg in at some parts of the disputed ars. >> jerusaleis sovereign area. we accept the limations on our sovereignty. je

. >> british prime minister gordon brown said at his -- praised his tireless work on health care reform. irish leaders recalled kennedy's instrumental influence on the peace process in northern ireland. >>> politicians on both sides of the aisle here, senator kennedy was a grim political force and friend. and to journalists, he was a central figure in many stories. gordon peterson is live in massachusetts this evening. everyone is talking about his focus on health care, but you say there is a bigger issue that helped define him? >> i am having a little trouble hearing you. senator john kerry just came out to visit with the kennedy family, talk to the press. what i am remembering now is senator kennedy's efforts on behalf of john kerry and iowa in 2004. he was having the time of his life. he is getting the crowds fired up. he said he was going to give them on a chance, and they loved it and he did not want to quit. he had this remarkable ability to fire rocked the crowd and he liked every minute. he was surely the grandfather. sorry to interrupt you there, leon. >> we have all been talki

. -- gordon brown's reputation has been damaged. 76% reckon that the standing of the scottish government has been damaged. the controversy may decline. right now, the scottish flag is hanging just a little bit limply. >> the latest headlines for you. police in california have confessed that two years ago they missed a chance to rescue jaycee lee dugard. she had been held captive for 18 years. unemployment levels are at the highest in 60 years just before the election in japan. north and south korea have reached an agreement to restart a program for long-lost relatives. the program was halted two years ago as relations worsened between the two countries. >> the news that the union can begin again is being welcomed here in the south. the issue of the divided families separated for more than half a century by one of the world's last cold war frontier is remains a highly evo to 1. from the yea-- more than half a century by one of the world's last cold war frontiers remains an emotive one. the talks were suspended for two years. reunited families are allowed to spend a few days to share meals

gordon brown says even facing illness and death he never stopped fightinger the causes which were hisife's work. i am proud to have counted him as a friend. kevin rudd had this to say. >>> while his passing didn't come as a surprise, the kennedy family political allies and critics are all in morning. the late senator emerged from the shadows of big brothers john and robert to become one of the preimminent politicians in the country. we have more from the kennedy compound in hyannis port, massachusetts. >> reporter: the liberal lion of the senate loses his battle with brain cancer. senator edward ted kennedy passed away last night at his family compound in hyannis port. president obama vacationing nearby got the news at 9:00 a.m. >> we were denied when his brothers were taken from us. a blessing to say thank you and good-bye. >> reporter: the senator endorse for obama during a tough primary. serving nearly a half century in the senate he championed civil rights, minimum wage and health care reform. >> don't you find it remarkable, one of the most partisan liberal men in the last centur

and today facing a firestorm of criticism in britain, prime minister gordon brown responded publicly the first time to the news but still did not say whether he supported the decision to free al megrahi. >> when he met mr. gadhafi over the summer, i made it absolutely clear to him that we had no role in making the decision about megrahi's future. because it was a quasi judicial matter, because it was a matter legislated for by the scottish parliament and not by us. it was a matter over which we could not interfere and had no control over the final outcome. >> now, the issue with that statement, "the times" of london report that's weeks before al megrahi's release, a british government minister sent a letter to the scotts suggesting they let the convicted terrorist go. according to "the times," peter mendelson, british's minister said he discussed it twice this year in meetings with gadhafi's son, including one talk a week before the announcement, though he denied negotiating any release in exchange for oil deals. yesterday, an emergency session of parliament, the scottish justice sec

in that, gordon brown asked the libyans to act with "sensitivity." he said the british government expected a low-key return. clearly the message was confused or ignored. state media reported the letter concerned only bilateral relations. now it seems that message is heard loud and clear. so far, there has been no reaction from colonel gaddafi, in a televised interview, no triumph at all. behind me, you see the lights for a celebration in 11 days' time which will mark the anniversary of the coup that brought colonel gaddafi to power. it is not wished that condemnation overshadow the event. >> outrage. >> i united states, the pictures carry on the east coast morning shows stokes the anchor. >> what about the libyans, sir? >> i think it was highly objectionable. >> i think the images that we saw in libya yesterday were outrageous and disgusting. we continue to express our condolences to the families that lost a loved one as a result of this terrorist murder. >> but how much of the british and american government is prepared to push this back in the not

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. >> jerusal

. >> we re told that the possible transfer was discussed with gordon brown. for both parties, it is a lingering cpter of the old relationship, one that t british governme would lik to arly) but -- one that the british govement would dearly like to close. >>> thswiss banks have agreed to hand over details tomerican tax authorities of over 4000 accot holders and consider reques about clients of oer bank suspected of t fra. this is lely to blow a hole in switzerland's retation for keeping secrets close. >> it was the swiss gornment said clash of jurisdictions. the united stes wted the names of 52,000 citizens believ to have committed tax evasio by hiding their money in it ubsank accounts. this was said at would viate their client confidentiality. aftereeksof intense negotiations, a de has instruct. not 52,000 names, just 4500 o the st blatant tax evaders. and a costly court se has been avoided. >> we were ae to avoid the legal spute between switzerland and the.s. t general contions were stabilized and we we able to solve the existing threat to ubs. >> the swisgo

within an hour of the plane leaving last, a letter was delivered from gordon brown. in it, the prime minister asked libyans to act with "sensitivity." he said it must be seen as a low-key return. clearly the message was confused or ignored. libyan save the letter only concerned economic exchange and bilateral relations. so far, there has been no sense of triumph from government ministers. in 11 days time, heads of state from around the world will descend on the country to mark the 40th anniversary of the revolution that brought colonel gaddafi to power. as for abdelbaset ali al- megrahi himself, for four consecutive days we have been promised to see the family. whenever we set out to them, we are closely chaperoned. we did manage to speak to his daughter today. she told us her father was an arresting, still not believing he was home, free, and a national hero. bbc news, tripoli. >> at last, a big smile from the head of the u.s. central bank, ben bernanke. an upbeat message suggesting the u.s. is on its way out of recession. speaking at the federal reserve's annual co