for so long karadzic escaped justice. heavily disguised and living in the serb capital belgrade. but he was finally tracked down and captured and now he must try and defend his conduct in a war that shocked and shamed europe. feuding ethnic tensions again today karadzic claimed bosnian serb attacks have been a defensive response to muslim provocations. >> i will defend that nation of ours and their cause is a just and holy. and in that way i shall be able to defend myself too. and my nation. >> reporter: in serb anyia and elsewhere in bosnia this performance by karadzic was watched with contempt. and with intense frustration at the slow pace of international justice. >> karadzic is pushing for another four-month recess to continue preparing >> holman: karadzic is pushing for another four-month recess to continue preparing his case. he faces life in prison if convicted. at least 62 people were killed in a powerful storm that ripped across western europe this weekend. heavy rains and hurricane-force winds pummeled france the hardest, where 51 people died, but the storms also batter

a just and holy war -- radovan karadzic strikes a defiant tone as he begins his defense in the hague. welcome to bbc world news, broadcast on pbs in america and around the globe. coming up later, the children of afghanistan, searching for a better life. un accuses europe of failing to protect them. >> amid the angels of palestine, a new vision is becoming a reality. >> and visions of the first ever purpose-built palestinian city. >> with more than three-quarters of the people in chile affected by the earthquake that struck three days ago, the country's president has had to appeal for international help. at least 700 are known to be dead but many are still trapped in rubble in the south. aid is hard to deliver. news has been coming in that a small plane has crashed while on route to the epicenter, concepcion. let's go to the capital, santiago. >> from the air, the power of the earthquake and tamales unleashed can be seen. towns and villages -- towns and villages were broken down and washed away by the waves. in central chile, near the epicenter, few buildings still stand. even for a na