>> this is "bbc world news america." on the run -- muammar gaddafi's minister has defective while rebels are running away from a government offensive on the ground. >> we have to join the rebel forces falling back. they manage to go a short distance up the road before we came under fire. >> hanging on -- the president of assyria offers a defiant response against his rule and his of -- his security forces set out to enforce it. and a billion fans as india and pakistan face-off in cricket's world cup. the stakes go well beyond the playing field.

>> welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. just a few weeks ago, the rebels in libya appeared to have the upper hand and now they are on the run. such is the fickle nature of this war. speaking of a fickle, and appears muammar gaddafi's foreign minister has given up on his boss. he made his way to the u.k. today. rebel forces had been heading west from their stronghold in benghazi. but now they have lost the town of brega. we begin the coverage from further down the coast. >> revolution 101 -- beginners' of lessons in using a rocket- propelled grenade. but there is more guesswork here that expertise. the rubble -- the rebels want more weapons and the

international community is suggesting they might get them. what is missing here is training and leadership. >> if we get the new weapons and someone training as, maybe we can do something to push him back. but with this old weapon, we can do anything. >> who is actually in charge? >> no commander here. altogether, we are talking together and we make the plans together. but maybe he is with us -- i don't know how it looks like. i don't know anything. >> you just heard some names? >> it just names. >> some generals have defected to the rebels, but they're not leading from the front. instead of command-and-control, we saw confusion and infighting.

something they did not want us to film. >> the rebels are moving out now. they have been reloading their weapons and have reorganized on the side of the road. there has been a lot of singing and chanting and praying, but you don't get the sense there's been much planning. there's no sign of anyone here giving the orders or anyone being in charge. >> they pushed forward, but straight into a trap. muammar gaddafi's forces were waiting to attack them. the tactics are on their side. with incoming fire, it was time to move. >> incoming. keep going. keep driving. drive, drive, drive. pushed through. keep driving.

>> we have now had to join the rebel forces falling back. we managed to go short distance up the road before they and we became -- before they and we came under incoming fire. we have around landing very close to the car on either side and the fire is continuing now. >> it was all long retreat, the rebels losing more and more ground. a pattern that keeps getting repeated. left to themselves, the pro- democracy fighters are easily being outmaneuvered. >> harry staff there. as we mentioned, there was word the libyan foreign minister, moussa koussa, has flown to london under a party lost to sever his ties with the regime. >> the libyan government or what is left of that, they said this

was an official visit by the foreign minister but it turns out to be rather different. can you tell us about the events that unfolded during the day? >> we were told that there are reports the libyan foreign minister was traveling and it was on official business. but it soon became clear first- rate news agency report and then for make confirmation of sources i was speaking to in the british government that the libyan foreign minister had come here of his own free will and to leave behind him the regime. he made his way to a military airport here in britain. it has not been confirmed how he got here, but i think we can guess he was brought by the british government and has been spending several hours being debriefed, coal -- code for making sure he is indeed coming to defect and not some sort of propaganda coup for muammar gaddafi. the british foreign office as

they're confident that is the case. but they do not know what his other intentions are. has he come to escape or does he see himself playing a wider role in the opposition? >> what do people think where you are? how much of the blow is this to muammar gaddafi? >> they think it is a blow, but they want to think it is a blow. they're looking for sources of propaganda victory. they're looking for ways to encourage others to leave his side. they are looking for a solution that produces the overthrow of the libyan dictator rather than having to pursue what could be a difficult military campaign. they point to the fact that not only is he the foreign minister but was the head of overseas intelligence, the equivalent of mi in the uk. he was well known to british officials and was crucial to arranging the meeting in the desert between tony blair and muammar gaddafi which seemed

part of a process of bringing him and libya in from the code. -- in from the cold. he is -- what about this issue -- >> what about this issue of farming of the rebels? they seem to have opened the door to it but have not walked through yet. what is the position in london? >> i think it's exactly as you described. the british prime minister, up until recently, was saying the libyan arms embargo passed in the first of two security council resolutions applied to the whole of libya. in other words, it was not possible to argue their side. today, he has taken a slightly different position, saying the second resolution does allow all necessary means, all necessary measures, notwithstanding the earlier arms embargo, if it can

be shown to be necessary to protect civilians. what he has made clear today is that he's prepared to think about it. there are certain circumstances in which it would be legal, but no decision has been taken. i have talked to ministers on the national security council here in the u.k. and they say no discussion has yet taken place. >> thank you very much. >> reports tonight that president obama has issued a secret order authorizing covert [inaudible] to the rebel forces. he is said to have cited two or three weeks ago. in syria, president bashar al- assad raised expectations of pending reform. he said people would be happy with his first speech since the protests turned bloody. the speech has come and gone and there is no promised to lift emergency rule and blamed the

unrest on those targeting the country. our middle east editor has this report. >> president's assad delighted that his allies in parliament. he talked about change as he has done before, but he disappointed reformers who hoped for a big gesture, like the end of the emergency law that has powered the police state since 1963. instead, a foreign plot was one reason for the protest. something else loyal syrians should oppose. >> we are not seeking battles and fights. syria is peaceful and level, but we have never stopped from defending ourselves and our causes. those who want to take us on our welcome to do so. [applause] >> we reached a dissented inside

syria who spent more than eight years in jail. >> he did not say anything new. all he says is from the past. >> he says he would like to be a reformer. do you believe him? >> i do not believe the regime at all. not now, not before. always, i said this is a bad regime. they rule the country by making people feel fear, putting them in jail. >> it got around 60 people have died in anti-government protests in the last fortnight. >> i do not think there is any middle eastern regime that is immune to the democratic virus mutated in the region. there is a great awakening taking place in the arab world.

syria is an extension of what is happening in the arab world. >> strategically, syria is at the middle east -- the center of the middle east. syria is a linchpin of the so- called resistance alliance, close allies with iran and hezbollah. but in recent years, the president has been courted by western countries and seen as a key to peace or war in the middle east. many syrians like president assad, but he seems to be calculating that strength, concessions, will get him through. -- strength, not concessions, will get him through. >> the un security council has unanimously ordered sanctions against laurent gbagbo over his refusal to hand power over to the national recognized winner

of the elections last november. since then, violence and the country have increased with forces making heavy gains in recent weeks. >> this was once called the paris of west africa, but abidjan is increasingly chaotic as the presidential claimant's battle for control. it's now i know go area for the security forces. they have resorted to shelling the densely packed suburb from a distance, causing tens of civilian deaths. the tension is rising because outside the main city, laurent gbagbo is losing several hundred kilometers of territory today. abidjan is the final destination. already, hundreds of thousands of people have fled the city. west african migrants have been targeted by pro-laurent gbagbo

gangs. thousands gathered outside an embassy in mali to get help. at his weekly audience at the vatican, pope appealed for dialogue between the two sides and said he would send a top vatican official to the country. after four fruitless months of talks, nothing but military action will persuade laurent gbagbo to leave. >> there have been more anti- government demonstrations in several cities around yemen. hundreds of thousands turned out to demand the departure of the president of yemen. he accused his government of complicity in an explosion at a munitions factory that left 150 people dead. former u.s. president jimmy carter has visited age-old

american contractor in cuba. he was imprisoned for illegally providing internet access to cuban citizens. mr. carter says the authorities have made clear they did not intend to release him. now to japan, where the woes of the fukushima nuclear plant continue unabated. today, the country's nuclear safety agency said it has discovered the highest levels of radiation to date in seawater near the vicinity. -- to the facility. they acknowledged for of the six reactors at the plant will need to be scrapped. the company's process checked into a hospital with high blood pressure and dizziness. -- the company's loss check into a hospital. >> from the strip -- from the stricken plant to the sea, radiation is leaking. they don't know how or where it's coming from, but the levels are extraordinary. the government insists that contamination will be deleted as it spreads.

this man is not sure. he farms seaweed 120 miles south of the plant. he's trying to salvage his nets, wrecked by the tsunami. the problems for -- the problems further north really worry him. >> we will be in trouble if the radiation comes here. we don't just work at sea, we form rice and vegetables also. we are about to plant our rice. we don't want radiation on it. >> his home port is not -- has not detected radiation yet, but there are concerns it could reach year. it could be absorbed by the seaweed or fish. amounts to small to damage human health, but large enough to worry those whose business the fishermen depend on. the biggest problem for a port like this might not end up being the radiation, but the fear of

that radiation, especially if it makes people anxious about buying anything that has come out of the sea. >> she says she's eating only the fish she caught before the radiation started leaking. >> i don't know what i will do when the fish runs out. i'm also worried about the water and the vegetables. i'm worried about everything. i just wish things would get back to normal. >> like the others here, she carries on, uneasy about the prospects for the weeks ahead, uncertain still about what risks they're facing. >> you are watching "bbc world news america." coming up, finding success here in the united states. when a korean immigrant offers his account of achieving the

american dream. ever since the end of the british empire on the indian subcontinent, india and pakistan have been at each other's throat in a prominent military standoff. but there is one incarnation of this rivalry that's even more serious, if a lot less deadly. it's called cricket and today life came to a virtual standstill for many hours we both countries as they locked horns in the world cup semifinals. from the scene, in india, we have this report. >> this is no ordinary cricket match. the leaders of india and pakistan were at hand, not just to greet the teams, but to make a statement. using the occasion to rebuild their damaged relationship. there were many who welcomed the move. >> when the prime ministers of both countries meet, when both sides sit and talk, the misunderstandings will be cleared and the message will go

out to the world that being neighbors, we should live in harmony and it's beneficial for both our nations. >> nobody expect any breakthroughs, but earlier in the week, there is a meeting that broke new ground. both sides agreed to cooperate in investigations into the 2008 mumbai tax. a major sticking point. -- 2008 mumbai attacks. people were glued to their screens, watching the tense match unfolded, which ended in victory for india, sparking wild celebrations. the celebrations have begun all across india. for many people here, winning against pakistan is more important than winning the world cup. this is the reason there governments hope to use this to move forward, but [inaudible] it is also seen as a bit of a gamble.

>> earlier, i was joined from london by a sports journalist and asked what he made of the massive numbers watching this match. >> they are quite unprecedented. the subcontinent's's mate -- the subcontinent's population has don't -- has grown, and the subcontinent has discovered television. this match was probably watched by more than a billion people. having just come back from india, it would be washed and street corners, a huge television sets would have been set up and there would be enormous enthusiasm. they can watch it live and watch their heroes live. what -- >> what struck me is there seems to be a lot of good will among the supporters there. >> don't forget that this is a subcontinent that was once united and then divided 60 years ago. they are like members of a family that don't know each other well and don't quite know what happened in the past.

there is a lot of bitter rivalry, but when they come together, they suddenly discover they speak the same language, often eat the same food, often it seemed -- often sing the same songs and there are a lot of cultural connections there which come together. but the people don't often get together. >> what we did not see in that report is the prime ministers of both countries were sitting side by side, obviously cheering for the opposite team. do you think this kind of event defuses tension between the two countries or does it feel them? >> there have been occasions when cricket matches have been attempted to bring the country together. we must not overlay the occasion and say it can happen. the two prime ministers sat together and seemed to be exchanging glances. whether they were talking about cricket and whether a stroke was quarterback, this may be a move. in india, there is a lot of

feeling pakistan has not done anything about the atrocities inflicted on mumbai in 2008. pakistan feels very strongly about kashmir. there's a lot that divides them. if a cricket match like this can be played peacefully and one winter can come out without any violence, and remember, at this game, you have indian and pakistan the flags flying next to each other. if that can happen, maybe tensions can come down a bit, but it will take some time. >> winning the cricket world cup is a dream for india, but we are continuing our series on the american dream. we have a series on promise that has led millions to flock to the u.s. and hopes of a better life and whether that promise still holes. each arrival has a story to tell and tonight, we look at the experience from one korean

immigrant to get a firsthand account of what the american dream means to him. >> i came to this country with my parents from south korea when i was 7 years old. i remember vividly the new york mets had just won the world series and ronald reagan was the very popular president at time. my parents pretty much liquidated all of their assets. there was a small network of koreans in new york city. through their friends, they were able to spot an opportunity and get a small grocery store there were able to purchase. i think they genuinely believe in the american dream.

anyone with the willpower and the right capital can succeed. my dad was a professional engineer by trade. he wanted me to not stake in korea but see the world and be a leader. he foresaw that if i stayed there, it didn't matter how wealthy the family got, the opportunities were limited. there's not even a moment where my dad wanted me to continue. i remember my first day of seventh grade, he gave me a speech about the american dream. he found me playing game boy and was so disappointed. i responded that i had no homework and it was the first day of school. he said that's not point. he said this is the first day of school and this is the first data could open up so many

opportunities for your future. that advice propelled me to play sports like football and join their wrestling team and do non- traditional things koreans were into and break into an area where other korean-americans were not involved in. even with politics, you can see we are reaching almost a tipping point where just like any other place, korean- americans awakened to the possibilities of political empowerment and in new york city, we see more and more korean-americans running for office, trying to break the glass ceiling. by learning from different cultures, taking away the best qualities of being a korean and you can create this model that is what i think to be american.

>> describing his experience assimilating into the u.s. tomorrow, a piece about the american dream in american literature. you can find more of this series on our website. learn more about white korean immigrants have struck success here and why that the past may be out of reach today. don't forget to send us your definition of the american dream in 140 characters or less. while you are on line, you can get in touch with me and most of the bbc team on twitter. you can see what we are working on at our facebook page. all for this program. from all of us here, thank you very much for watching. see you tomorrow.

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