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>> and now, "bbc world news." >> you are watching bbc news, live from tokyo. i am matt frei. they are working from the air to prevent a meltdown. getting out. the death toll from the cinema continues to climb. and growing concern -- the death toll from the tsunami continues to climb. >> i am in london. the other headlines. advancing on benghazi. they say they are closing in on the biggest stronghold. and the police and army move on the capital.

>> welcome to tokyo, where it is now midday on thursday. the unfolding crisis at the fukushima plant continues, with more efforts to cool down the reactors. what they are doing is using chinook helicopters to drop sea water. they have been addressing the media, just about one hour ago. here is what was said. >> the two leaders talked to

each other on the phone, from 10:22 a.m. to 10:52 a.m. president barack obama expressed symphony -- sympathy, and he also offered support, including support related to nuclear power plants and also mid-term and long-term rehabilitation initiatives. prime minister kan expressed gratitude to president obama for his support. the self-defense forces and police, all of those who are concerned are doing their best, and the prime minister can explain this to president obama.

the people in charge of disaster relief and operations are doing their best, and also, the two leaders agreed to cooperate on the nuclear power plant issues. >> mr. edano has really been the face of this crisis, addressing the media every day, and here is what he had to say about the latest thames -- the latest attempts to drop the sea water to cool them. >> to drop water from the air, and the police are also going to start the water spraying by the water cannon trucks, so we are trying to combine these two approaches to maximize the effect of water spraying. >> and just a small detail here,

this is what senior japanese politicians do during a crisis, and i asked yesterday when was the last time that they were these clothes -- that they wore these clothes, and it was in the 1990's. there is an exclusion zone that has been set up around that plant. they have been told it to get out of an area within 20 kilometers. within 30 kilometers, you can still stay, but you have to stay indoors. the americans have now extended for their own the exclusion zone and 80 kilometers. what is it like inside the zone? the bbc has gotten footage from a japanese group inside the

zone. our correspondent has this report. >> a japanese team makes its way cautiously into the exclusion zone. just 12 miles from the stricken nuclear plant. people here have been warned to stay indoors. visitors make a local hospital nervous. the door is locked. they checked them thoroughly for radiation before they would lead them in. inside, a staff that has chosen to stay with their patients. >> we are not supposed to stay here. this is our job. i really resent the new korea plans. >> supplies are running out, and no one will help them -- i really resent the nuclear power plant.

>> we were not told when the first reactor exploded. we only heard about it on tv. the government did not tell us anything. we are isolated. they are leading us to die. >> those stacie years say they have no -- those stockier -- stuck here say they have no way out. tokyo. >> what about the aftereffects of the tsunami on the population in the northeast of this country? the official death toll stands at 4500 dead and still counting. this is a terrible, terrible crisis, a tragedy for this country, and it is unfolding before our very eyes every day as the search and rescue efforts continue.

my colleague is in the biggest city in the earthquake zone, the city offical -- the city of sendai, where it has been snowing for the last 24 hours. >> every hour they add more. loss life after a lost life. a bowling alley now functions as a makeshift mortuary. the terrible reckoning of this disaster tallied in lists a living stand with dread. one man was searching for his wife. >> people who went missing and were found dead, their bodies are here. i have come to see if she was one of them. >> what he knows is that as the tsunami approached, she tried to escape with a couple's -- the

couple's two children. they could see the tsunami coming in. across here, someone tried to reach another cousin's house. when she got here, she got as far as the steps. the children were taken inside. they were safe, but she was swept away down the road and carried away by the water. the house the children found refuge in is one of the few things left standing here. he is convinced his wife survived this, somewhere. her name was not on the list of the dead, and now, he is looking for lists of the living, those who made it to the shelters. but she is not here either.

>> i have been coming here every day since the earthquake. until now, i have no information about my wife. >> and there is scant idea, too, of the true toll, how many thousands were swept away like she was. today, snow started falling, making the job of finding them even harder. >> -- his children are now safe in a car repair shop. it is their temporary home with their father. >> eric hinske smily every day. they say, "let's go find mummy" -- the kids are smiling every day. >> and the children cannot wait for mummy to come home.

bbc news, northeastern japan. >> it is astonishing, the resilience and restraint that the people have been exhibiting. >> you mentioned yukio edano and his latest news conference, and he said their credentials have not been affected. how can that be when some manufacturers have all said that their manufacturing will be affected? >> that is a good question. i do not know the ins and outs. what everyone is saying is that the supply lines will have been affected by this, and a lot of the microchips that are going to your ipad or my iphone, they come through here. this will have a knock-on

effect. but it also depends on who was in the earthquake zone. i am not sure how many microchip plants have been affected. the last time i checked, the nikkei was down. this country is twice as indebted as the united states, and beyond the reconstruction efforts, putting money back into the economy, at the end of today, japan has been struggling ever since it's a bubble burst in 1990 and will continue to do so -- ever since its bubble burst. >> this is bbc news. still ahead, but anti--- still ahead, anti-gaddafi protesters.

a no-fly zone. the man widely recognized as having won the ivory coast election is trying to avoid a civil war. they have been asking mr. gbagbo to accept something. >> the disputed presidential election. for the first time, armed supporters of the challenger, they are fuelling fears of civil war. he has been recognized as the winner, but still, the incumbents, -- incumbent refuses.

>> this is a last chance for a positive outcome. >> but whether he is listening or not is mute. for many there, the worry is not who will lead their country but how to escape it. recently, thousands have fled to neighboring liberia. this is a boy who is 12, and he would normally be studying here in the ivory coast's second city. the violence has forced its closure, some think he regrets. >> i do not want to stay at home and not go to school. i want to go back, because school allows us to make progress. >> but for that to happen, there must also be political progress, and that will only, -- only com e if mr. ouattara's offer is

accepted. >> this is bbc news. the headlines. japan is trying to cool the nuclear reactors to event a meltdown. and the death toll from the tsunami continues to climb. our correspondent tom burridge -- as we heard in a recent news conference given by the japanese government spokesman, yukio edano, president obama and prime minister hun sen telephone conversation. -- had a telephone conversation. >> about the situation at fukushima, we had the energy

secretary, steven chu, who said this disaster is worse than what happened in 1979 with the three mile island disaster. also, there is the chair of the nuclear regulatory commission, who warned that u.s. military personnel and u.s. citizens in japan should actually go back to a radius of 80 kilometers around fukushima. japan has said 20 kilometers, so it seems that the u.s. has an assessment that is fairly serious. >> any idea if they are following the french lead, recommending that they leave japan altogether? >> we have not had any word on that from the united states government. i think that would be much further for the u.s. in the sense that the u.s. has so many

people in the country, currently 50,000 u.s. troops currently in japan get there is concern. the u.s. government says it is monitoring -- currently in japan. there is concern. the u.s. government says it is monitoring the situation. there is no thought that anyone residing in the u.s. is at risk. >> but with 34 u.s. experts landing on wednesday, joining seven others, all with an american equipment, the u.s. is having to answer questions about whether it even trusts japan completely. >> a slight difference from what we are hearing out of japan and from the united states. i think it is worth pointing out that at the moment, the united states is probably relying on a lot of information from the media and other reports, where, obviously, the officials have

not arrived in japan yet. once the officials and experts from the united states government arrive, what role they played in containing the situation -- they play in containing the situation at fukushima. >> luke happle is helping coordinate efforts in japan. luke, can you explain the situation where you are? >> yes, obviously, a terrible situation where i am. luckily, in sendai, less damage. it looks the same as it did after the quake hit. all neighborhoods and whole towns have been destroyed, wiped out, and there has been extreme

damage, as well. the mood on the ground -- the shock. the food shortages. we are making good progress, and we are working through it. >> what are you currently doing? which is clearly not your everyday job. are you able to move around clearly, or are authorities restricting people's movements? >> where i am, in sendai, there are no restrictions. i am free to move around. there may be restrictions in the war damaged areas. restrictions capote -- there may be restrictions in the more damaged areas. restrictions on the roads. >> is there still a sufficient supply? or are you have together korea

are you having to get that from outside sources? -- or are you having to get that from outside sources? >> i think there is an ample supply, at least for the time being. there is no issue with water. there are more pressing shortages at the various evacuation centers that have been established dollar around. they are working hard -- that have been established all around. >> luke happle, thank you for joining us on bbc news. in libya, fiers about an attack by the country's leader, moammar gaddafi, may be imminent -- fears about an attack. rocket fire.

the uprising is said to be over within 48 hours. there is the opposition stronghold of benghazi, and in one area, both sides are claiming to have the upper hand. we do not have that report at the moment, but let us go live to a local benghazi, who we will not name for their own safety. the deadline was given by muammar gaddafi for the rebels to leave benghazi. what is the situation there now? >> nothing is happening. it is going on normally. he is waging a psychological war to scare people.

and they are waiting for him. let him come. >> so you are fully expecting a big battle, are you, against colonel gaddafi's forces? >> it will be a bloody battle, because he does not care for civilians. his naval ships. by god's will, we will stand against his oppression. it is not in his control. they tried yesterday, and he was kicked out. completely defeated. they have arrested many of his soldiers, so worse will come

when he comes here. i am sure he will not go by one city. 160 kilometers from here with thousands in the population. they have lots of support of fighters from all over the east, and he will not pass by that city. which is expected, which is expected. yesterday, some were killed, and civilians were killed. >> thank you very, very much, indeed, for your time. that is what is coming from a resident in benghazi. a curfew after troops backed by tanks on wednesday.

caroline hawley reports from the capital of bahrain, manama. >> a state of emergency was declared, in the military moved in. -- and the military moved in. controlling all roads leading to per square. -- pearl sqaure. -- square. tents were set on fire. most of the men and women camped out here were from the shiite section. some are no longer willing to tolerate this challenge to its

role. -- rule. one area has become a ghost town, with only the military on the streets. and this is the roundabout now. the u.s. has condemned the use of excessive force, and hillary clinton has said bahrain is on the wrong track. >> our soldiers want to bring stability to the country. we want to go back to see bahrain as we know it. >> but that may be hard with the blood that has been spilled. one person was shot. there was gunfire in various parts of bahrain today. troops were at the hospital where we filmed yesterday. at one point, no one, not even ambulance workers, where allowed

in or out to be one of the doctors told us what it was like -- were allowed in or out. one of the doctors told it was like. >> our future is very unclear here. >> and the future of the whole country is now unclear. tonight, a protest leader told me, "we do not want to be dragged into violence, but we are angrier than ever to get we will not be -- and greather than never. we will not being -- we are anagrier -- angrier than ever. we will not be cowed." >> in japan, they're dropping water into two of the reactors,

7,000 liters of water. this is bbc news. >> 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 expertise to work for a wide range of companies. what can we do for you? >> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet los angeles.