Newsline 14 July: Former Liberian President Charles Taylor dismisses war crimes charges as he takes the stand in The Hague; the European Parliament welcomes its controversial new members for its first session and animal rights campaigners take a stand against bull-fighting in Spain.

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War crimes defence for former Liberian leader
The former Liberian President Charles Taylor dismisses war crimes charges as "lies" as he takes the stand at the Special Court for Sierra Leone in the Hague.

Pirates at opening of EU Parliament
A Swedish political party promoting free internet downloading and several far right groups are among the new faces at the opening session of the European Parliament.

The new EU parliament's first day on the job
It's the opening of a new term of the European Parliament in Strasbourg and around half of the Parliament's 736 members are new, after being elected by in European elections in June. There's a colourful band of pupils on this first "school day", as Brussels Vanessa Mock reports.