>> 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 america." >> president obama hails the team that killed osama bin laden. al-qaeda finally acknowledges the death of its leader. >> days of defiance. thousands demonstrate despite heavy security. 2,100 people are killed. >> britain celebrates as they reject proposals for change. welcome to "bbc news" broadcasting in america and around the world. >> coming up later for you, just how did pablo picasso end up in the base of virginia?

>> hello. president obama has met the military team that killed osama bin laden and praised their mission as one of the greatest military operations in our nation's history. meanwhile al-qaeda has apparently given its first response to monday ice killing of bin laden. a statement acknowledged he was indeed dead. it went on to threaten the united states with retaliation. steve reports from washington. >> the white house has tried to limit the fanfare surrounding the killing of osama bin laden. that's before an audience of pumped up soldiers, this was a testosterone rone moment. >> thanks to the skill and courage of countless individuals and intelligence over many years. the terrorist leader that attacked us on 9/11 will never

threaten america again. >> the president speaking after a private meeting but the entire assault team of navy seals and helicopter pilots carried out the raid. >> it's a chance for me to say to people around the world, job well done. job well done. but there is much more to be done if nerk is to defeat al-qaeda and its taliban ale lies in afghanistan where these u.s. troops were on cautious patrol this week for even as the president prepares to order home the first american soldier, they have threatened a new impetus to its fight. the c.i.a. is unlocking a treasure-trove of intelligence seized by from the pakistani compound. they came away with commuter hard drives and memory sticks. first analysises suggestions al-qaeda was considering an

attack on the rail network. but there's no evidence of a detailed plan involving named targets. this early intelligence suggests that osama bin laden remained at the decision making and was more than the figurehead. al-qaeda has acknowledged the killing of its leader and vowed revenge. steve kingston, "bbc news," washington. >> the wallle street journal reporting that the united states launched a drone attack on al laki. the missile missed its target. they cite yemeni and u.s. officials, however the pentagon has not commented. they represent the gravest threats to the u.s. thousands of syrians are taking part in a day of defiance

against their president. at least 21 people were killed in the city of homs and hama when security forces opened fire on protestors. the president has warned that the united states will take additional steps if they continue to oppress. >> just outside dara, women and children join the latest marches. they were prepared to take the risk of being shot. it's a sign of fear evaporating. that's bad news for the assad regime. once again, demonstrations followed the noon press. "bbc" is relying on amateur pictures coming out of syria. like other news organizations we have not been allowed to send teams in the country. demonstrators were shocked in

central syria. the official news agency reported that 10 soldiers and policemen were killed by what they called terrorists. but they are facing a human rights change. >> it looks like a systematic attack on a civil yation population. a political decision to shoot and kill unarmed demonstrators and they could very well be a crime against humanity. >> on syrian tv president assan still looked like the leader 11 years but he's choosing repression. >> mallak, i asked him if there was anything different from

friday's protest? >> this week it was under curfew. so people didn't dare go out of their homes. but it seems to be shifting to homs and hama. this is where most of the deaths today happened. also in the coastal towns of banias and latakia. >> how much of the violent oppression is done by the syrian president? >> there's a concept that his brother holds more power than he does. and of course, i mean, he is not a military man. he is a politician. he's a leader of the country. he's the president of the country, civilian president. but control of the security forces is more miss brother and

also members of his close family like the maloof family which is very flunetial. >> there's a word in ar back that is used. mak sbs -- mak bud. was that started by him or his family? >> he inheritted the system that his father put into place. en and he was unable to reform it. a lot of people are angry at him because they feel he betrayed them. he promised reform, a lot of things. people feel very angry and bitter. it's clear that they are calling for his down fall. at least for him to step down. >> there are also some internet

chatter that the authority, the security forces are trying to encourage a sectarian divide which hasn't existed in syria in the past. have you heard similar things? >> well, it's true. i think the regime wants to start a civil war in order to save itself. in order to appear to be the savior of the sectarian nation. protestors aren't having it. they say it's a nonsectarian revolution. particularly, smiley town came out in force. obviously they don't believe it's a sectarian revolution. >> do you some some potential reform would satisfy the protestors. or do you think it's win or bust? >> i think it's become win or

bust. today another figure, the former m.p., he was arrested. he was beaten up and arrested. these are figures that we can perhaps try to convince the protestors that maybe there is a process of reform. that's an indication that the protestors are willing to talk with the people. >> british o voters have overwhelming rejected a proposal to change the way members of parliament elected. almost 70% of those who cast their ballots voted no. they will stick with the current system. it's a maybe setback for the lib dem. nick robinson reports. >> if you thought it was all over, it is now. by well over 2-1, britain voted not to change its voting

system, leaving the coalition to try and patch up its divisions. this is a bitter blow for all those people like me who believe in the need for reform. but the answer is clear and the wider job of the government and the democrats will continue. >> it was always going be a difficult motion for a coalition when you have two parties in a coalition campaigning on different sides of a referendum. but the british public are the boss and they have given a clear and resounding answer that settles the question. 24 hours of election results produced an outcome few were not seen. it was a grim night for the liberal democrats. in luten heads were down. nine counselors were fired. up and down the country, local

little bit dem lost powers the price paid for their national leaders gaining i. it was their lowle cal parties worse results ever. >> the liberal democrats are losing all of their representation. they agreed what the problem was -- the electorate had punished them for being too like the toris. >> if the perception that liberal democrats are like toris we will lose. >> we don't need to be so collegiate as we have been over the last year in the next for years, we're entitle to show our differences in public. >> coalition differences were unsure. one partner gaining surprise with the toris picking up counselor as the little bit dems took -- as the l birvings

dems took a battering. >> they come together they said to take painful decision but only one side was feeling the pain. >> we're clearly getting the brunt of the blame. i think for many families in that part of the country especially there are also some very strong memories of what life was like under satchrism and somehow we fear that that's what we were returning to. >> it's aimed at those few who say he should pay with his job. >> i'm in favor of the coalition. but he's running it very badly and in my view he should resign immediately. the best way he can help is not skipping down downing street and certainly not crowing. >> i absolutely want to make this coalition government that's good for britain work for the first full five years of this term and it's then that i believe they will be properly judged. i will pay tribute for the work

that liberal democrats have done and will go on doing and we're absolutely committed to make sure it works for the people of britain. >> alex sam is not a man to avoid a bit of growing. his scottish nationalists made stunning games. he stays for another five years but now has a majority committed to independence. >> well, i don't know. i'm certainly not going to be tempted into giving one. but howard wilson was once asked if he knew what was going on. and i think he replied, i know what's going on, i'm going on. at least for the time being, you better get used to it. >> labor will have to goat the idea that scotland is no longer their strong hold. the party's scottish leader is quitting. but in wales, the prime minister will stay. in england they have eight more counselors and controls 26 more

councils. the surprise nick clay sheffield. ed milly band knows he needs to win in many more places. >> i know we've got further to go to win back them. but the most important thing about these elections is the people, about what they're doing and they said to nick clay, you don't have permission to be supporting conserve tiff policies. the people have spoken. the ballot boxes can be packed away. coming next, the consequences. nick robinson "bbc news" westminster. >> still to come, why the picasso collection has landed in an unlikely place. hiring again, that was the news on the u.s. jobs front last month as the numbers topped

predictions but the unemployment rate inched upwards. here's michelle flurry. it's been a good week for the president here arriving in indianapolis. and this friday brought more good news. american employees like alex are creating jobs even with the higher price of petro. >> we just went through one of the worst recession in history, the worse since the great depression. but this economic momentum that's taken place here at al's is taking place all over the country. another bright spot is this factory in brooklyn where they too have been taking in new staff. >> we make a picking business. i've been fortunate enough to add some staff. >> nearly six million americans were out of work for six months or more in april.

for this man, the job search is over. >> for months i was looking for a job, online, unemployment center. >> manufactures in this industrial part of brooklyn like the rest of the country are taking on more stuff. but they're not the only sector of the economy that are adding jobs. food giant mcdo naleds is serving up more than burgers and fries. last month it went on a supersize hiring spree taking in 62,000 staff in one day. jasmine was one of a million applicant. with the raise of the unemployment rate, the recovery in america's labor market still has a long way to go. michelle flurry, "bbc news," new york. >> this is "bbc news."

the headlines, president obama hails the team that killed osama bin laden. al-qaeda finally acknowledges the death of its leader. a day of defiance in syria, thousands demonstrate despite heavy security. at least 21 people are killed. delays in the emergency services response of the july 7 bombings in london did not cause the death of any of the 52 people killed. that's according to the coroner. the judd tiss formerly ruled that the -- justice formerly ruled that the victims had been unlawfully killed. this summer is the sixth anniversary of the london bombings. they had five months of evidence. they told the story of the 7th of july. 52 were murdered.

today the coroner said they were killed in a dreadful terrorist act. they responded to a long attack by islamist fanatics. they will take in the 60-page report culminating in a clutch of recommendation. >> whatever is written down here, recommended and have been said can help people in the future. one would hope they're effective but they do not bring my son back. >> a major part of the inquest focused on the emergency services response. the core nor high -- coroner highlighted delays. it should be about more resources. >> the coroner lady said on a balance of probabilities, each of the deceased would have died

no matter what time the emergency services had reached and rescued them. john taylor was one that didn't die instantly. >> could they have been saved? she might not have been saved. but she could have had the chance. >> the other big area was the role of a security service m.i.-5. and whether the attacks could have been prevented. the four young men were about to become the first suicide bombers. two of them came more than a year to commit mass murder. prior to the 7th of july, they were cropped by this mi-5. this just one area where the security service comes in for the coroner. mi-5 failing to report on the security committee.

she says it's essential that she receive accurate information. and report to the prime minister, parliament and the public. >> and i my government colleagues will consider carefully the core nors report and recommendation. and the families are appealing to the home secretary to act on those recommendations. >> it's not senl if you'll consider them and then nothing to happen. these recommendations have not been made lightly. it was the worst terrorist attack on british soil. the emergency services both said they've made improvements and learned lessons from the 7th of july. >> singapore is going to the poles in the most hotly contested general election in recent memory. the people's action party has been ruling since 1965. it is expected to win.

adopting a coordinated strategy, one would think they would challenge fete. >> picasso's masterpieces they are currently traveling the world until the revamp is complete. right now the collection is in richmond, virginia. he's giving big city museums a run for their money. >> well, when john buchanan at the museum called me for this picasso show. we immediately leaped out and said got to do it. originally it was supposed to be in new york city. but the new york institution waivered and that's when john called me.

he said alex i've got an opportunity. i'm going to leave this out for you and i need an answer in 24 hours. i didn't need to spend any time thinking about. great masterpieces for picasso. the easy answer is yes. i told john, don't call anybody else. the first thing we had to do then was go to russia because the director, curator of this exhibition was opening up the exhibition in february. we went to the airport. landed in moscow in the middle of the worst snowstorm they had since 1966. we only had 39 hours on the ground to see her, see the

exhibition and convince her that it should come to virginia. she knew about our museum. we had the ability to showcase great collections from around the world, the space, the magnificence of a new museum but also an audience here in richmond and virginia. and for that matter all of them down the east coast that was eager for something as important as the museum picasso. but the personal connection with her, i'm convinced is what sold the virginia museum. sometimes just showing up makes a difference. >> in this exhibition which of course is just five% of picasso's collection, and you get to see it in this wonderful, wonderful sinuous way following his career in a chronological fashion. the visitor gets to understand

picasso in a way that traditionally the museum of picasso hadn't been able to do. the first work of art in this exhibition comes at the very beginning of the 20th century. the last one comes in the beginning of the 1970's. we have 18 decades, the sweeping spectrum of picasso's career. his great trays, give me a museum and i will fill it. there's a compassion that really you fill by going from work of art to work of art. that if there is a thread, it's about the heart of the man, which i have to say that you don't really see in major collections of his works in other museums and some of the stars, the masterpieces that are known about picasso. this is a very personal collection. it's the collection that he kept to represent the greatest

works of art of what he considered to be the greatest artist of all time, pablo picasso. taking away from the show, the one thing that people will have is for themselves a greater passion for life. that's what art can do for you, allow you not just to look but to see. and sometimes we don't really see it all. the museum fine arts is one of 10 comprehensive museums in america. so we can play with the big guys. our motto is simplele -- we're bringing the world to virginia. >> paul mccartney is to marry has girlfriend of four years. he's become engaged to nancy shavelle. it will be his third wife. he didn't give any further details.

but they're all thrilled for him. >> this is "bbc news." there's plenty more on our website. thanks for your company. >> 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 ange