>> 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 financial strength to work for a wide range of companies, from small businesses to major corporations. what can we do for you?

>> and now, "bbc world news." >> syrian lifts 50 years of emergency rule after months of anti-government protests. the opposition says it is not enough. u.n. shipments reach western libya. the u.s. say its is moving the wikileaks source to a new detention center. welcome to bbc news on pbs in america and also around the world. coming up, back on center stage fidel castro delights cuba with a surprise appearance as his younger brother is named communist leader. surveillance and sniffer dogs say a massive operation ahead of britain's royal wedding.

hello there. the syrian government is lifting state of emergency that's been in place for almost 50 years in a concession to the thousands who have been taking part in pro reform demonstration for weeks, but the government warned against further protests. james robbins reports. >> getting a clear picture of what is happening in syria is hard with independent journalism stiveled by the regime. these images appear authentic. nato demonstrateed -- hope to echo the success of people power in egypt by bringing down

a president. in syria the response of the security forces is often ruthless. the shooting is heavy and sustained. people in the crowd are convinced it means regular troops, not just secret police are being used against them. all this ahead of an official announcement that the president is delivering his promise made last week to lift syria's state of emergency and sweeping powers in force for 48 years. regulated demonstration will also apparently be allowed. from a one-party state it looks like a remarkable concession to the people. but is it real? the interior ministry is urging people not to hold protests or

sit-ins. the president took over after his father's death. his early reforms, in the past five weeks of protests are the most serious challenge the regime faced with 200 killed across the country. now the city where the president had his military training is the focus. 20 are reported there as the president promises a new start. will ordinary syrians believe or accept it? >> it is a step forward that it is the first time in 48 years that there is a decision taken. now we have to see if it will be replaced by a law which allows peaceful demonstrations and which decreases the control by security services over civilian affairs. >> the syrian regime still has support.

this is a demonstration by loyalists, but it is the government's response to demand from protesters from further change. that will be critical. >> libya reacted angry. their foreign minister said the decision would harm any peace initiative and prolong hostility. british government insists deployment is permitted. >> the suffering of the evacuees and the people left behind is driving the response of britain and france to the crisis. this nine-year-old was wounded by shrapnel. most of the men in this hospital ward are rebel fighters. even doctors. >> i know they can't see everything. i know that they know

everything. but they do nothing. nothing. nothing stops. nothing stops. >> anti-gadhafi fighters on the edge of rebel held territory are discovering that bombing has its limits. nato wants to find other ways to help the rebels. britain believes supplying weapons is not allowed by resolutions. these men will not be trained or armed. even so it means britain is getting more deeply involved in the war here on the rebel side, perhaps why the foreign secretary chose his words secretaryly. >> this is not british ground combat forces going in. we are very clear about the united nations resolutions. they forbid any foreign occupation of any parking lot

of libya and we will absolutely stick to that. so, this is fully in line with the u.n. resolutions protecting civilian life. >> here the government says it is serious about a cease-fire. if the bombing stops libyans would be able to make a deal on their own. tonight the foreign minister said it is time to give peace a chance, not send in foreign soldiers. >> what is your response? >> when we think any military forces, why britain or by any other country would not help. >> and he said if the fighting stopped libya would accept a six-month run-up to supervised elections in which everything would be on the table,

including colnel gadhafi's future. but britain and france say they won't talk to the libyan government about the future until colnel gadhafi goes. that makes a quick exit for them much more difficult. and their main pressure point, the bombing campaign, is not causing the regime here to implode. britain believes the bombing needs to continue because it is the only way to protect civilians from the regime and to hasten colnel gadhafi's departure. at night here mysterious armed convoys race around. sometimes there is unexplained gunfire. the gadhafi regime is resilient but it continues to insist that it is ready to talk. >> well, the united nation it is food program started moving food supplies into towns in

western libya but there is growing concerns that food is not reaching the city which is said to be critically short of supplies. they claimed the process of getting aid to civilians. >> definitely there has been progress. we have had eight trucks with food supplies with wheat flour and high energy bisqueuts that have now reached tripoli. we are working together with the libyan red cross to distribute that to people. and that is mainly going to women and children and to the elderly, the most vulnerable. and it is crucially important to help those people too. a few days ago we had a ship that went into that port town with food enough for 40,000 people for a month. and it is crucialally important we have more access to those

areas. the people are really hurting. >> we said there are growing concerns about the situation in which perhaps the key focus of a humanitarian aid at the moment. what are the biggest challenges you are facing in reaching that area? >> well, we already reached it once. 40,000 people will get food for a month. but of course we want to do more. we will try to use all corridors we have opened so far into libya in the next few days and weeks to get more food to the people. our plan is to feed 600,000 libyans. we have already been successful in the eastern part of libya, more than 180,000 people received food there. so, we are working with the people on the ground. we are neutral. we help the non-combatants and

the most vulnerable. >> in terms of getting those crucial supplies to people, i want to talk to you about the logistics of it. the people that are working for the u.n. food program are operating as we would presume in very dangerous circumstances. how do you weigh the arguments if you like between providing that and protecting your own people? >> well it is a challenge we have in place all over the world. we feed more than 90 million people in 70 countries in some of the most dangerous places on earth. for us, unfortunately it is routine business. we informed all sides that we are coming. you try to come to an understanding that all sides know that this is help that is coming. we are helping civilians, women and children. >> isn't that strategy working in libya?

>> it is working but we need much more access. to many areas we have no access. we do not know what the humanitarian situation is in many areas. we are getting reports that food prices have curveball doubled, sometimes 10 fold. we know that we cannot get into many areas. together with the humanitarian community we are asking that we get more access, so that we get to do more. that is crucialally important. we also work with the libyan red cross on the ground to help us distribute the food to the various towns that have been hurt. and including one on early wednesday where food will be distributed. you work together with various parties, let everybody know you are coming. you try to make a real appeal and agreement on the ground that everybody knows this is food to feed people. we are not here to combat.

we are neutral. >> reports from yemen say security forces have opened fire to dispurs anti-government protesters in the capital government center. earlier police clashed with protesters killing one person and injuring several others. the u.s. soldier accused of leaking secret government documents later published by the wikileaks website is to be moved. our washington correspondent says the u.s. authorities denied that his transfer is linked to criticism of his treatment. >> what the pga is saying is that it is imminent that his move to this military jail out in kansas, in the state of kansas in the midwest.

they say there he will have more rights of exercise and he will be attended by experts from mental health and medical professionals. they say it is not done in response to all of the criticism over his treatment at the marine corps base where he was held before. the impression that we are getting is that certainly he will have much easier conditions at this place in kansas. he was held in maximum security conditions at the marine corps base. this is a medium security facility. >> what kind of impact do you think it will have on his case in the long-term? >> in terms of his case we don't know. at the moment they do not know when his trial will be. he could be held there for many months to come. he has been almost a year at

the marine corps base in washington. but i think in some ways the pentagon is denying the criticism, i think what happened is that it is much more about the treatment of this one individual, bradley manning, than about the serious charges that he is facing. >> a plane carrying the first lady michelle obama got too close to a military cargo jet. it came within three miles of the jet. federal aviation administration said the planes were never in danger and landed safely. you are watching bbc news. one happy couple, 1,900 guests and 5,000 plors. security strategy for britain's royal wedding.

police in scotland are investigating a sending of parcel bombs. he has previously been threatened by protestant extremists. james cook reports. >> this is a story that the police asked media organizations, including the bbc not to report while they tried to catch the people involved. we are able to now report the details and say that parcel bombs were sent on three separate occasions to the manager of celtic football club, a former member of the scottish parliament who is a well known celtic fan in political circles at least and paul mcbride, the high profile advocate in scotland who is also well connected to celtic, represented the club in the past and has made outspoken

remarks about basis against the club. that is the background to this. what we know is that these devices were sent on three different dates, the 26th of march, 28th of march and the last on the 15th of april. two of the devices were intercepted by the royal mail. the service delivered to the office at the time an m.s.p. she is now not standing again at the parliamentary elections. on the last day of parliament she was pictured wearing a celtic top in the chamber of the parliament. we are understanding from sources that it appear what is has been happening here is that there is a pattern. there has been media coverage of each of these individuals followed with a parcel bomb being sent to them. the sources are telling us that they were intended to kill.

>> you are watching bbc news. syria's government lifted 50 years of emergency rule after months of anti-government protests. u.n. food shipments reached western libya. two schoolchildren were injured in houston when a gun brought in by a six-year-old went off accidentally. the boy was believed to be carrying the weapon in his backpack. >> they should have been going to class. instead these children are on their way to hospitals. they were hurt after a 6-year-old brought a loaded gun to school. >> he had a gun and it fell out of his pocket. he tried to get it and he shot a girl. >> he was among the three

students injured, none of them seriously, when the gun went off. >> we had a kindergartener who brought a loaded gun to school today. as they were in the cafeteria, the little boy's gun hit the floor and one shot was fired by accident. >> police have launched an investigation. but they say it is not clear how the boy got the gun or why he had it at school. parents were soon on the scene to pick up their children. they were told that extra security measures will be put in place at the school. >> you send your kids to school thinking that they will be safe, thinking something like this don't happen. it is terrible. >> the issue of gun ownership always stirs up passion in the u.s. the latest incident with a 6-year-old child carrying a loaded weapon will only add to the debate. >> police in brazil moved into

a poor neighborhood in an attempt to capture the drug lord that controls the area. and 200 people are searching for antonio lopez who is accused of running a money laundering scheme. they found 3 tons of marijuana and a pirate d.v.d. factory. the former cuban leader fidel castro made his first public appearance since handing over power. now the communist country is set for one of the biggest moves away from the revolutionary past. with the details from havana michael fox reports. >> fidel castro's surprise appearance came at the closing ceremony in havana and was greeted by a prolonged standing ovation. many delegates could be seen crying as he took his place

beside his younger brother. the first time the two castro brothers have been seen side by side since fidel was taken ill five years ago. his appearances seen as a sign of support for the economic changes which raul castro pushed through the congress. it could be the 84-year-old iconic revolutionary leader's final farewell to the political stage. raul castro has spoken of a need to bring through new younger leaders, but all of the top posts remain in old hands with the number two spot going to the 80-year-old vice president. though there are three new faces on the inner cabinet. >> the congress is now over and what cubans are waiting to hear is what are the economic reforms that the communist party approved?

so far none of the details have been released. >> some of the reforms were already underway such as allowing people to set up small businesses, including hiring labor. looks like private property is making a comeback with house sales now for the first time since the revolution. at least 1 million state workers are set to lose their jobs. and the ration book with all of the subsidized food is set to vanish too. it is not a return to capitalism. most of the economy will remain in state hands but cuba is taking their first steps towards marked reform. >> japan's exports fell in march for the first time in 16 months because of last month's massive earthquake and tsunami.

the magnitude 9.0 earthquake destroyed many factories in japan. they have forced toyota and sony to suspend production due to parts shortages. one of spain's most famous landmarks in barcelona had to be evacuated after a suspected arson attack. more than 1,000 were ordered to leave after a man started a fire there. it was designed by antonio galvey. security arrangements for the royal wedding were unveiled. an application by a muslim group to stage a demonstration where prince william will marry kate middleton. they say 5,000 officers will be on duty on the day. >> for the police it is about

spotting trouble before it happens. the benefits of the route from buckingham palace to the abbey is that it is extremely secure. almost every building is government owned. the police will watch every rooftop in close-up. as for the risk of a bomb planted in advance, the search has already started. they will continue until the last minute. the official terrorism risk is currently severe. so bomb dog max here will be busy. he has been training in a church, ready for westminster abbey. but scotland yard is preparing for something like this. a gunfired at the queen in 1981, luckily a starting pistol. royal bodyguards are the last line of defense. >> in the event somebody would

scale the barrier and get past the police is generally accepted now that both are trained. of course they will be armed. >> another possibility, protesters. in december this is how close they came to prince charles. police say that they will be robust. >> people want to be here to celebrate. they want to see the royal couple on the balcony. they don't want to see demonstrating or people interfering with the integrity of the event. >> some people expected of preparing disruption may be arrested in advanced and around 60 that are banned will be reminded to stay away. the once huge security advantage will be the crowd itself, packed with fans of the royals, a hostile environment for any potential attacker and likely to step in if something happens.

a thousand police officers will be kept in reserve for trouble elsewhere in london on the day. this day is a huge challenge, protecting a city and a royal couple as a billion people watch around the world. >> if you want to keep up-to-date with what is happen width royal wedding, follow the coverage and all of the details and background to it by visiting the bbc news website. you will find minute by minute timetable and a guide to who is invited and if you are lucky enough what to wear. click on the area marked royal wedding. more to come on the top story. plenty more on that to come. if you are on twitter follow the latest developments with me. stay with us.

>> 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 >> 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.