>> this is "bbc world news." funding for this presentation is 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 expertise to work for a wide range of companies. what can we do for you?

>> and now, "bbc world news." >> libyan anti-government forces retake the oil town of brega, defeating units loyal to gaddafi. in tripoli, gaddafi again begins -- again blames the balance on a plot from -- on an international plot. welcome to bbc news, broadcast around the globe. questions about why pakistan's assassinated minister had no police protection despite threats made against him. we will have news on libya in a

moment, but we begin with breaking news from new zealand. this comes from the head of civil defense, john hamilton, who has said that authorities have given up hope of finding any more survivors after last tuesday's earthquake. that was nine days ago now. the effort to look for survivors should turn to when the recovery of the remaining victims. we will have more as it comes in. anti-government rebels have begun celebrating after forces loyal to gaddafi were forced to retreat after the battle in the eastern oil point of -- oil port of brega. the government forces with vastly superior weaponry did at one. have the upper hand. this is the first time they moved into the region since it fell to into government

protesters two weeks ago. john simpson sent this report. >> it was an extraordinary weather -- extraordinary day, when impending defeat became an expected victory in the battle for brega. gaddafi's soldiers escaped back to their own territory. it is a big turnaround for them. i think a lot of people this morning thought that colonel gaddafi pivotman were going to roll up the coastal towns one after the other. after brega, they planned to head on. news of the attack 40 miles away reached us in the early morning. defenders started preparing for the possibility that gaddafi's forces would roll straight on and try to capture the space.

-- this base. they were excited and nervous. defenders here have a few ancient russian takes -- tanks which the rolled out, older and less effective than the tanks which khaddafi forces are apparently using. many of these men are not just untrained volunteers. until a few days ago, they had been soldiers. the mood was defiant. "we have decided there is only one with for us to go," he shouted, "and that is the representative with forward." flying close by, and air force jet, probably russian built. this is the fourth attempt in 12

days to blow up the ammunition store. this is the entrance through which gaddafi troops are supposed to advance. people are very acceptable, as you can imagine. as it turned out, the gaddafi forces or not at the gates. they were still slugging it out at brega, where they had captured the airfield. at that moment, the plane came around for another path -- another pass over the ammunition store. the tension was immense. everyone expected this would be gaddafi's next target. but rebel reinforcements made for brega in large numbers. it was over in a few hours. the difference did not lie in equipment. the rebels were less well armed.

it lay in morrell. -- morale. this prisoner is not just scared. he is demoralized. as more rebels had for brega, this may not be final victory, but it is an important achievement. >> colonel gaddafi has blamed al qaeda for the turmoil in libya at a noisy rally in tripoli. he said there was a conspiracy to control the country and its oil. >> his supporters were ready -- for gaddafi arrived. in his fight back is exciting them. they did not need much revving up. they heard his motorcade was close. colonel gaddafi was driving himself in a golf buggy.

his strategy is clearer, pushing back with armed force into rubble-held areas and killing libyans and foreign critics that without him the country would face chaos and domination by al qaeda. there is tremendous passion here, people cheering and saying how much they love colonel gaddafi, right at the center of things. he is being in the adulation of his supporters. he is expressing bewilderment at the international acts, saying libya is a friend of countries like britain, cooperating in things like fighting terrorism. during his three hour speech, the colonel said libya's troubles were foreign conspiracy. >> the plot is to control libyan

oil, libyan territory. this is impossible. we will fight until the last man in defense of libya from south to north, from east to west. >> they cheered all their defiance. but there were hints of reconciliation. colonel gaddafi's speech will be dismissed out of hand by the most committed rebels. but as he drove off, he left behind an offer of an amnesty, a dialogue, and an invitation to a u.s. fact-finding mission, even a chance for a free press. for his hard-core supporters, it was a family day out, and it did not matter what he said. the libyans to do not like things the way they are, who do not want civil war, might listen and wonder whether the risks of taking on the regime are worth it.

the colonel's leadership style is eccentric, but he is hitting back hard and slowing the rebellion against his rule. that was something they could not do in egypt or tunisia. jeremy bowen, bbc news, tripoli. >> an international effort has begun to repatriate tens of thousands of foreigners, most of them egyptian, who have been massing on libya's border with tunisia. britain and france have sent several of their plans. the largest british warship is heading for libyan coastal waters. they have rescued 85,000 in the past week. we have this report from the border. >> the struggle for liberation in the arab world has led to this. men fighting for a seat on a bus, desperate to escape from libya, pleading to simply be

allowed to go home. 85,000 people have struggled through this border post and -- in less than a week. the exodus from a country in turmoil seems without and. -- end. most are migrant workers. they had gone to libya for the chance to earn a few hundred pounds a month, in search of a better life for their children. but they are being caught in a whirlwind blown through this region, and most are left with just the few possessions on their backs. britain and france are helping to fly people out. but there is little doubt that aid agencies are right when they call this a humanitarian crisis. just a few meters away, in no- man's land, a reminder of the

struggles of power in libya. there is no doubting who they support. colonel gaddafi may insist he is not the leader of his country. his supporters think otherwise. they call him the hero of the revolution. they deny protesters have been attacked. apparently, there have been no demonstrations. it is all a lie. tell that to zachary and his family. they have just come from zawiyah, fleeing the fighting there, swearing to never go back. tonight, the situation at the border is at a tipping point. those who can have managed to grab a few blankets and are huddling together to keep warm. these men spent vast amounts of money to get the job in libya in the first place. even though they have lost everything, some would tell you it has been worth it.

the answer is clear. sammy would not only give his job for freedom, but his life. they may be cold and exhausted, but the belief that tomorrow could be better burns brighter than ever. >> let us go to the other side of libya. a free-lance journalist is waiting to go into the country. he is currently in an egyptian border town. thousands of migrants have passed through. i asked about the situation. >> anwar is nothing like the chaos on the western side. 70,000 people have passed through this border since the crisis started, but 55,000 of them were egyptians. once they get through the border here, they go straight to egypt.

there were about 5000 to 7000 people left at the border, and most are migrant workers who do not have paperwork, money, or consular assistance to enter egypt. they are mostly from the subcontinent, bangladesh, pakistan, and also sudan, nigeria, and donna. -- ghana. who is here, -- w.h.o. is here, the world health organization. the problem underestimated the number of people still coming to the board -- order. one of the officials from the international organization for migration admitted that russians -- that brushes were given out to people a few days ago, but there were not enough.

they are expecting people to come to the eastern border because they thought everyone had gotten out, or the completely underestimated it. at the same time, you get the feeling that international organizations are concentrating on the western side, the tunisian and libyan border, rather than this particular border. all the aid convoys are going straight into libya, bypassing migrants who are stranded, hungry, cold, and exhausted. >> do not forget there is plenty more libya coverage online at the bbc news website. you will find the latest background from our correspondents in the region. do have a look. two u.s. airmen have been killed and another two injured by a gunman who opened fire on a bus at frankfurt airport. german police have the gunman in custody. >> as night fell in frankfurt,

shielded from view, the bodies of two u.s. where men are removed from the bus, killed after a man opened fire outside frankfurt airport terminal two on wednesday afternoon. >> i would like to express my condolences to the american soldiers and their families. it is a terrible tragedy. >> the servicemen had just flown in from britain when their bus came under attack. there were bound for a u.s. military base near frankfurt. the gunman first opened fire on the vehicle, and then outside it. german police later arrested a 21-year-old man from kosovo. u.s. president barack obama has condemned the shootings as an outrageous act. >> this is a stark reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices that our men and women in uniform are making all around the world to keep us safe. >> security has been stepped up at airports in germany.

information suggests a terror attack was planned. last october, u.s. authorities warned service personnel in europe to be vigilant. possible police say the man arrested in frankfurt is not on the security watch list. >> when we received this information, we checked our database. we can confirm and this person has not come up as the suspected terrorist on any list the police have. >> on wednesday night, the bus at the center of the attack was towed away from frankfurt airport. the scars from the shooting were clear to see. the german government is selling to do its utmost to investigate what happened. bbc news, frankfurt. >> this is bbc news. there have been jubilant scenes in the libyan port of brega, which anti-government forces retook after fighting troops

loyal to gaddafi. khaddafi again blamed al qaeda and a foreign conspiracy for the unrest. he says the plot to control the -- he says it is a plot to control the country and its oil resources. let us stay with libya. earlier, i spoke to a journalist in a town near the tunisian border, zawiyah. >> hundreds of people are coming through every day. they are trying to get to the tunisian border. >> are they foreigners, or libyans? >> mostly, they are foreigners. it is indians, egyptians, bangladeshis. >> tell me about -- is the government in control in your town?

>> that are not in control of the city. it is with the people. there is no organization, nothing. just the people. i revolted against the gaddafi regime because everybody was tired from the injustice and his ways. they have been killing people, committing crimes. these people do everything they want, like it is their town, stealing our money, stealing our rights, stealing our right of speech. it is disastrous. >> to you expect gaddafi's forces to come back and bite you again to try to take control? >> of course. currently, they are busy with

zawug iyah. strategically, it is important. >> how can you fight the government army? >> we are throughout the city. and we have weapons now. but we do not have enough power to stand against khadafy -- and gaddafi. we said no to him. we said we are against his government, against his regime, against his oppression and fear. but we're afraid that we do not have enough power here to stand against him. if he took control of zawiyah, it will be just a matter of time before he enters other areas.

it would be disastrous. >> can you tell me about the geography of where you are? are you surrounded by pro- government towns and khaddafi forces? >> unfortunately, yes. i am surrounded with military planes and pro-khaddafi forces. towns are still in fear. i do not mean they are in love with gaddafi, especially the youth. they hate him. but they are under the fear of gaddafi. >> are you part -- part of the majority of libyans who say they do not want international military assistance and intervention? >> of course.

at this point, we do not want any foreign soldiers are sold -- on our soil. it is a symbol. >> the only christian in pakistan's cabinet has been shot dead in islamabad. he was the minorities minister and predicted the assassination four months ago. he recorded a tape which was to be sent to the bbc if he was killed. he has been calling for changes in pakistan's blasphemy laws. >> a hail of bullets in broad daylight claimed the life of a minister on his way to a cabinet meeting. he was a marked man who asked for a bulletproof car, but did not get one. when the taliban came, there was no one to stop them. >> when he supported the change

to the blasphemy law, this had to happen. >> there was no one to protect him? >> no. >> there are still some signs of the attack here, bullet holes in the cement. the man who struck the minister's car -- it was coming down the road. he was visiting family. he knew his life was at risk. but in recent wit -- recent weeks, he was more concerned about security. he complained he had not been given extra protection in spite of the obvious threat. last december, he recorded this message and asked it be sent to the bbc in the event of his death. >> i am ready to die for the cause of libyan reject for the cause of religious equality among my people. >> just two months ago, he was morning another prominent liberal, the governor of punjab.

he was killed for challenging pakistan's blasphemy laws, often used to prosecute minorities. the minister shared his cause and knew he might share his fate, but he told me he would not about the extremists. >> forces of darkness, forces of violence, forces of extremism cannot threaten me cannot -- threaten me, cannot harass me, cannot divert my attention. >> you will not be silenced? >> i will not. >> but he will speak no more and the hardliners are getting louder as the government looks the other way. this was the hero worship for the assassin. the government fears the extremists have been emboldened and will not stop here. >> it is starting to seem like a systematic plan to silence dissent in pakistan, to silence liberal voices.

it is effective. it takes a few people who are willing to instill fear in society. it takes the silence of people who should have been speaking out. >> and who will speak out now, when they might be next? the fear is the hard-liners are winning by killing off debate. bbc news, islamabad. >> the commander of nato forces in afghanistan, david petraeus, has made a rare personal apology for the killing of nine civilians on tuesday. local officials say the victim's were boys gathering firewood. one survived by hiding under branches. the data suggests the mistake was made due to insurgents who attacked a u.s. base. mudslides destroyed thousands of homes near la paz. this could block the nearby

river, flooding the surrounding area. the army is a factor leading local residents and housing them in schools or sports fields. the u.s. supreme court has ruled in favor of a church who holds anti-gay protests at the funerals of american soldiers killed in iraq and afghanistan. the court said the right to free speech took precedence over the privacy of military families. the church believes the military deaths are a punishment for tolerance of homosexuality. the u.s. military has brought 22 new charges against the american soldier accused of passing classified documents to the wikileaks service. aiding the enemy is a capital offense, but prosecutors will not recommend the death penalty. more on the charges against bradley manning. >> these charges are brought under the u.s. military code of justice, 22 in all.

they paint a picture of a 23- year-old army private, an intelligence officer stationed in iraq, introducing unauthorized software into government computers to access, download, and transmit into the public domain classified documents, documents military prosecutors say would aid the enemy. that is where we get to that specific charge. aiding the enemy is something which potentially could be the capital charge. it could carry the death penalty. prosecutors are saying they will not seek the death penalty in this particular case, if and when the case goes to a court martial. they will seek life imprisonment for bradley manning. >> the main news again. jubilant scenes in the libyan port of brega, where anti- government forces have retaken the city.

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range of companies. what can we do for you? >> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet los angeles.