>> union bank has put its global expertise to work for a wide range of companies. what can we do for you? >> and now, "bbc world news." >> the united states announces sanctions on colonel gaddafi as libya's leader says he will armed supporters to defend the country. protesters gathered on the outskirts of tripoli and are fired on by government forces. >> i intend to live and die

here. we will live and die for libya. we will live and die. >> welcome to "bbc world news," broadcast to our viewers on pbs in america, also around the globe. coming up later for you -- more footage of the terrifying massive earthquake that hit christ church in new zealand. 200 remain unaccounted for. and back where they met, britain's royal couple returned to university where their relationship began. the anti-government demonstrations in libya are getting closer to the capital. protesters took the streets of tripoli but were fired on by a government militia. one eyewitness described the

scene as a massacre with the sky raining bullets. earlier, colonel gaddafi's son went on tv to say he and his father would never leave libya alive. we have this from the border. >> this is the man at the center of the storm blowing through libya, colonel gaddafi, live on state tv this afternoon. as defiant as ever. >> he called on the grounds to sing, dance, and be ready and to fight those who were against them. but the battle for libya is gathering pace. this is the west, where clashes happened fears. these pictures from yesterday appeared to show protesters in the town. they are ready to attack.

many have been killed and wounded here. a young couple from the town and arrive at the border today. tarik and whabi -- wahiba said the troops have gone. gaddafi is finished. last night, gaddafi's son spoke out, defiant, blaming the uprising on the terrorists. >> we have plan a, plan b, planned steak. plan b is to live and die here. -- plan aid is to live and die in libya. plan c is to live and die in

libya. >> this is where the balance of power seems to reside now. the rebels controlled the east. other areas are still being fought over. the libyan leader's believed to be in this compound in the capital where fighting erupted again today. >> i was just playing. the shooting started. as people came out, they were shooting people. the situation is horrible here. the sky is raining with bullets. >> and this is the balance of forces. gaddafi's royal brigades, commanded by his sons, number up to 8000. the elite special forces are thought to be 5000 strong. but thee the world's --

world's longest ruling leader faces unprecedented pressure. gaddafi has proved he will use all his resources to cling to power. >> i have this message for people in their regime, this morning, which is the world is watching you, and the world will hold you to account. >> tens of thousands of people are fleeing from the country. they leave behind a nation in the throes of revolt. the government has made it clear it will fight to the bitter end, but tonight the forces arrayed against colonel gaddafi has started to look overwhelming. bbc news. >> general ban ki-moon has been talking about the crisis in libya. he called on the security council to take what he called an " decisive action." the secretary-general will impose possible sanctions

against the did not the government. -- against the gaddafi government. he stressed the need for speedy action. >> it is time to consider concrete action. the hours and the days ahead wilkes -- will decide for the region. the actions of the security council are eagerly awaited throughout the region. let us be mindful of the urgency of the moment. the loss of time means more loss of life. >> the man once described as one of colonel gaddafi's closest lieutenants to quit the government in disgust at the recent violence says he believes the libyan leader is now finished. speaking to the bbc, the former interior minister said gaddafi will either fight to the death or killed himself.

he was talking to our world affairs editor, johnson said. -- john since then. >> he was sent to crack down on the demonstrations. instead he changed sides, appealing to colonel gaddafi not to use force. immediately afterwards, there seems to have been an attempt to kill him. now he is an -- in hiding here. we have been driven to a secret location where he agreed to speak to us. when i met him, he told me he thought the gaddafi's regime would only last a few more days. you know colonel gaddafi well. what will he do? will he resist to the end? once --ar gaddafi's wants to be alive. he will commit suicide. >> he agreed that colonel gaddafi was probably insane.

he can take very dangerous at decisions in a state of anchor, he said. "he can be normal." had colonel gaddafi given the orders for the bombing? at the time, he was just an army man, but he had no hesitation. >> there is no doubt. nothing happens without adopt the's decree. it is a national, governmental decision. >> the general who has known him for 47 years says he had hoped he -- he would escape to a place in venezuela. the fighting is still going on here. interestingly, he still called him "my dear brother." >> the report from our world affairs editor there. the u.s. is moving forward with

unilateral sanctions against the libyan government and severing ties with the country. president obama is working with allies to coordinate an international response to the situation in libya. >> targeted sanctions that affect the senior political leadership have been shown to have an effect. we have also been pursuing actions that will ensure the perpetrators of violations of human rights are held accountable, and there is certainly a history of those kinds of perpetrators being held accountable in the international community. and again, we will take the substantial actions and will leave other potential actions on the table and evaluate as we go. >> some of the bloodiest

fighting has taken place in the city of ben gazi. opposition forces are in the process of building a new infrastructure. our correspondent john lyon is there. >> they are still burning with anger, even though colonel gaddafi has fled. huge crowds count -- came out for friday prayers. this is no islamic revolution, but an emotional celebration of what they believe is their work liberation. and now they call for god's help in freeing tripoli as well. along the perimeter of the military base, evidence of a desperate struggle that cost the lives of 300 opposition supporters. they even lost construction vehicles at the wall. some of them loaded with petrol, to try to blast their way through.

five days ago, this military base was the site of a bitter battle between protesters and colonel gaddafi's forces. now protestors are wandering around in a daze, amazed at what they have achieved. they are also working to rebuild their country. barricaded against future attack, this courthouse is home to lawyers, judges, and other eminent people running this city. they're debating the shape of a future libya. >> libyans are young. they are a blank page. they still have no political affiliations. at the weekend shape this nation to be democratic, -- i think we can shape this nation to be democratic, to look to the future. >> this kitchen is in one of the courts. and the ruins of a neighboring building, i found a press operation where they are making placards to address the world. >> we are speaking our minds.

basically, we are writing jokes about gaddafi. that is what we are doing. and never felt better in my life. >> the the outside, they have prepared a battered old television truck to deliver pictures over the internet. >> this has been done by different chapters of the libyan society. workers, employees. because this man has killed and imprisoned almost every family in libya. >> there is a nervous optimism, a desperate desire not to let this unique opportunities away. john lyon, bbc news, libya. >> and you can get all the latest news and analysis on libya via our website, including what the future could hold for the country if the government of colonel gaddafi does collapse. bbc.com/news.

the u.s. second -- the u.n. secretary-general and keith moon warned of fighting in ivory coast. forces loyal to the former president's have clashed with the internationally recognized winner of the election in november. china has removed 13 offenses from the list of 68 crimes punishable by death. they are all non-violent crimes including tax fraud, the smuggling of cultural relics, to robbing hamas and stealing apostles. campaigners against the death penalty does not say this will necessarily correlate with fewer people being executed. still to come -- a sentimental journey. prince william and his bride to be continued to the scottish university where they first met.

back to the middle east. hundreds of demonstrators converged on the main square and the iraqi capital of baghdad today as part of protest against unemployment, corruption, and port services. protesters also took to the streets and other iraqi towns and cities. our correspondent reports from the iraqi capital. >> this is being billed as iraq's day of rage. the people here have as much reason to be angry as the neighbors and other parts of the arab world. they were promised normality but the fall of saddam hussein. but they do not have it. they have also been waiting for electricity. for most people, the only get a few hours every dead. they've been winning for food

prices to come down to the affordable levels, but that has not happened either. it is hard to believe for a country that has the second- largest oil reserves -- you can understand the frustration there are people across the country in the field just the same. the government is also corrupt just a few years after taking over from the americans. the government has stopped people from coming here to the center of baghdad to show their feelings. the bridge behind me is one of the main routes into baghdad, like every other route into the city sealed up today. no one is getting in. very few people are joining the protest. the government insists this is for security reasons, but it raises questions over its commitment to democratic

freedoms. >> you are watching "bbc world news." i am peter dobbie. these are the headlines. the libyan leader tells his supporters in tripoli to fight to defend the country. in the eastern city, protesters celebrate their success. turning our attention to new zealand, the number of people killed by the devastating earthquake on tuesday has risen to 213. more than 200 still missing in christchurch. thousands of survivors are still without power and it could take weeks or supplies to be reconnected. our correspondent went to the epicenter of the quake. >> it is a landscape that looks blissfully tranquil. 3 miles under this mountain range was the epicenter of tuesday's quake.

it sends a mass of older hurtling down this escarpment and eventually coming to a halt down the hill. here though, one of the miracles of the earthquake. nobody living your was killed. -- living here was killed. parts of the nearby community are in ruins. businesses will have to be demolished. one man showed me his wrecked cafe. the quake hit at tuesday lunched on. it was full of customers. >> this was just -- bang. just a violent shake. there was a lot of screaming going on end all lot of "get the hell out of here." i did not stick around. i do not think i even turned around. i just went straight to the

school, got the kids. i got my wife and my two children. >> the epicenter of the earthquake was right below my feet. but for all the structural damage, of course, what is remarkable is that nobody actually lost their lives in littleton itself. two local residents were killed. they were walking in the mountains. the quake opened up new caves in the spot where one of the men died. it was discovered by his daughter. he had been felled by falling rocks. alex just finished rebuilding his home from the quake that hit christ church in september. he was serving in this one hit. >> there was disturbing feeling. i thought a shark was biting my board. i turned around.

the water just started coming up -- there was a change in air pressure. up and down motion all the clips were falling down. it was just like an avalanche. everywhere i looked, just rockfalls. >> littleton's in war memorial was also badly damaged. the battle against the odds memorialized is still intact. >> the people of ireland and counting votes in the elections there after a campaign dominated by the collapsed economy. unemployment is 13%. here is marked since then. >> the people of ireland are putting their faith in the ballot box. they are deciding which politician a trust to get the country working again. 3 million people are entitled to vote, but this election will not solve the irish economic crisis overnight.

>> people are undergoing a lot of pain. they are going to go through further pain. further pain will be inflicted, no matter who gets in. it is just a very difficult time. >> whoever wins the election will inherit a huge debt. ireland has are the equivalent of more than 50 billion pounds as part of an international bailout. the irish president made her choice. a record 566 different candidates are running from a cross-section of parties. >> there is no distance between the. they agree on the major issues that need to be addressed. there are differences in policy and in terms of how they would go about doing it. >> on the west coast of ireland, islanders have finished voting. it is one of the most important

elections in irish history. all the parties agree on one thing, a country with a weak economy desperately needs a strong government. >> mark simpson reporting there. here and uk, the royal wedding is less than two months away. when prince william net eight middleton, they were students, and today they returned to launch the sixth anniversary appeal. we have this. >> they came to the little town which played such a big part in their lives. st. andrews on the coast where william and cates met as students, -- kate met as students. they returned to launch the 600th anniversary appeal. inevitably, it stirred memories. >> ladies gem -- ladies and gentlemen, this is a very special moment for catherine and me.

it feels like coming home. >> william relished the privacy of the small community. kate was less constrained. she memorably to part of the students fashion show. they graduated together in 2005. today, they return to some of their old haunts as prospective husband and wife and charged st. andrews, the undergraduates to the university chancellor. >> their irving make a very good advertisement for the monarchy. >> once again come it was the wall about which showed how well kate is adjusting to new role. she and william took opposite sides of the street. she seemed genuinely to be enjoying it, chatting easily but person after person. summit so in fact that william was already in the car waiting when it was time to depart. >> this is a safe place for a

beginner to learn the ropes on the strength of the past two days, this particular beginner appears to have taken to it very naturally and confidently. >> kate middleton then, as to the royal shortly to graduate. bbc news. >> it features as sam gordon, speakers, a giant outdoor projector screen, and an orchestra made of talented young americans. from miami, we have this. >> the sound of the new world symphony in its new home on miami beach. this is not just another stuffy concert hall. even before its doors open to the public, the new creation was hailed as a masterpiece.

but the architect himself says it is more about function and form. >> it is a friendly place to be in to listen to music. if you have not gotten involved with classical music, this is the place to get it. there are five acoustics sales in this performance space. >> this is one of the most advanced music venues in the world, complete with a giant projector screen and a sound escape garden. -- soundscape garden. >> in means the work of musicians like this will reach a wider audience. >> it is just the everyday, and a good sense. it is not this mysterious thing that people cannot appreciate. we are turning it into something that people can talk about and

they really understand. >> all the young musicians here have been part and of an intense three-year program. at the end, it will do want to be future stars of classical music. and in the meantime, the talents -- their talents will work with the building. >> it has got to be exciting. when you hear something being played well, something that is enticing to listen to -- it would make me want to come. >> this is packed with all the latest technology. new thoth -- new toys for musicians. some might call it a fanfare for the common man here. and for the man who made all of this happen, it is about handing

over a certain amount of control to the students. >> these are people we younger than i am, and weigh more diverse backgrounds -- way more diverse backgrounds. the audience can watch and say, hey, look. they are like me. look, they are into this. >> the new world center hopes to attract and advanced classical music in all of its forms. and the new venue, anything seems possible. >> hello and welcome. >> see the news unfold, get the top stories from around the globe and click-to-play video reports. go to bbc.com/news to experience the in-depth, expert reporting of "bbc world news" online. >> funding was made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. the john d. and catherine t.

macarthur foundation. and union bank. >> union bank has put its global financial strength to work for a wide range of companies. what can we do for you? >> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet los angeles.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> lehrer: good evening. i'm jim lehrer. fighting intensified in libya today.

militias loyal to moammar qadaffi opened fire on rebels in tripoli and he called on his supporters to prepare to defend libya. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. on the "newshour" tonight, we get reports from libya's capital where thousands demanded qaddafi's ouster and from benghazi where the revolt began. >> lehrer: and hari sreenivasan talks to activists in libya and here in the u.s. who are in