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>> and now, "bbc world news america." cl >> welcome to bnd "bbc world news america," president obama says that 30,000 troops will leave afghanistan by the end of summer. >> of course huge efforts remain. >> admitting that he's got his back to the wall, but will never give you will the fight with 19 civilians killed in the raid. >> and chinese artist now released by the authorities. and part of our power of asia season continues, why ancient traditions are clashing with modern life in thailand.

>> it's 8 p.m. here, and here and around the world, this is news day. >> hello, and welcome, president obama has announced the withdrawal of 10,000 u.s. troops from afghanistan this year. and another 23,000 by september, 20 2012. mr. obama's announcement of the strategies of what he made in 2009 as part of the surge. the reductions are larger and faster than military commanders have adviced. mr. obama saying that they are fulfilling their goal in afghanistan that lead to this announcement. >> we will be able to remove 10,000 troops from afghanistan by the end of this year. and bring home a total of 33,000

troops by the end of next summer. fully recovering the surge i announced at west point. with a steady pace as afghan security forces move into the lead. our mission will change from combat to support. by 2012 this mission will be complete and the afghan people will be responsible for their security. >> let's get more, and president obama has been in a difficult position, has he satisfied his critics? >> his speech has tried to do that and the problem is that there are critics on both sides, and a lot political commentators are looking at this of the announcement of the victory of joe biden that was

pro-withdrawal against general petraeus that said that the troops should stay longer. and from one point of view president obama is trying to please critics on both sides. and probably in some ways he succeeded and some he failed. in some ways in this situation he can probably do no right. there will always be people that will criticize this position. that will mostly military and the generals. however, i have to say that he has probably done what most americans want him to do. and the message of this speech, the speech was quite short. but it certainly covered a lot of ground. but one message that came across much more clearly than any other. is that this is a time to rebuild america. this is a time to build america and not afghanistan. the focus was very much on the

need to help the united states. and i think that's exactly what many americans wanted to hear. i think that's also partially a result of the pressure that president obama has been under. many people in the public and in congress have been saying why are we spending so much money in afghanistan when we have roads to build and jobs to create and the economy to save in the united states. >> thank you from washington on that announcement, that 33,000 u.s. troops will be withdrawn from afghanistan by next year. and qaddafi of the forces and in the libya forces of raids that civilians died. and telling that they were doing what they could do avoid the

nonmilitary target. hundreds were gathering of that bombing with this report. >> an hours drive west of tripoli came to the halt for the funeral. nato killed 15 people here. this man is one of colonel qaddafi's closest advisors, and he owned that of the family. >> you are killers. >> nato pulverized the family on monday, they said it was a command center and the family said it was their home. was it the killing that would kill those elsewhere. mourning is a pregnant wife and

a six-year-old daughter. >> this is my soul and my kids, this is not an army. these are kids. what do you want here? >> the deaths here raise the moral question of the heart of the nato mission in libya. it's mandate is to protest civilians and is it justifiably to kill them? >> the priest told them that nato is not to kill civilians but occupy the country. and bc won't be quiet. >> civilian deaths are giving lead of the bombing. nato said that they save thousands of lives and work hard to avoid civilian casualty and qaddafi mission does not.

but every time in their mission the problem grows. >> and you are watching bbc news, and release of bail in china, what more you can tell about this? >> well, he's quite possibly china's famous living artist. i am speaking of weiwei, and he was arrested and in an outcry. he was released after admitting to tax evasion and ill health. >> released by police in the middle of the night. ai weiwei arrived after three months in a protection center. on bail he can't talk about what happened there. he looked thinner and aged markedly. and he gave his thanks for those

who campaigned for his release. and said he was happy to be home. weiwei is china's most famous artist. last month he published the sun flower seeds, and with an outcry, he confessed tax evasion and to repay the money. he was one of the most vocal critics of the chinese party. his family believes this is where he was targeted. >> you are a statement, and you are follow or e-mail or twitter, all monitored. then they can find you and brain wash you or scare you or intimidate you or wrongly charge you. >> many are detained and others disappeared, china with the

biggest crackdown in years. >> ai weiwei was held 80 days in a secret location with no access to a lawyer. why is he released now? china says that his good attitude and to admit his crime. or could be for the visit to u.k. this weekend. >> our correspondent has more details on weiwei's release. >> weiwei returns monday night, and what are the conditions and how are you held and what do do you now? he said he couldn't speak. that appears to be a condition of the bail conditions. there may be other conditions, he might not be able to speak for a period of time to journalists or public.

and might have to report to the authorities at given times and call when they want. or hold his travel documents, he might not be able to travel abroad. and all of those things might be put in place to allow him to be released. we don't know at the moment, because weiwei hasn't yet spoken about them. >> and now the state of the global economy. all week we have been closely watching the fall-out from greece. but now the u.s. economy has a bitter news to call, and warning that problems could persist into next year. >> the economy recovery seems to be proceeding at a pace but slower than expected. for example the unemployment rate has risen by 0.3 percent an

points since march. and new claims of unemployment insurance have loomed higher. and there are factors that appear to be temporary. for particular the purchasing power of prices and the distancer in japan of the tsunami has affected the oil spector. >> and there is more on bashir in meeting following the mumbai attack, and go there live and speak to the people's forum. now tell us how big of a setback to the peace process were the

mumbai attacks. >> it was a clear setback, but we as a group believe in continuing talks. talks have to be interpreted, not interrupted by these attacks. and in india as well as pakistan, we have a lobby, don't talk to each other. they have their interests. but any neighboring country one has to keep the communication line on. it's an ongoing process. so in these talks, they are not hollow diplomatic gestures. in fact when we have talks and india and pakistan have come together on issues. >> it's not actually impacted the political relationship, but has it affected the average, the

feelings of average feelings in pakistan? >> it did, it did. seeing the scene for three days in mumbai it had an impact. and continuing even after that. but we feel that if you want to attempt peace of some sort with two countries, you have to keep things behind and start a new. in fact i would like to know when that happened, we were at a crucial stage of talks. and then everything happened and we had to start again. but one has to start again, and they have to prepare an agenda for this meeting. this meeting is very essential. they had one meeting in february, and now they will have another meeting to decide the agenda. i think a small example --

>> in mumbai. thank you very much for joining us. you are watching news day on the bbc live from singapore and london. still to come on the program, telling congress that the road is long and difficult. >> and joining the campaign to hide the hidden suffering of the world's widows. >> the british fashion designer, john galliano told the court that his drug addiction lead to his outbursts. the designer who was fired over the allegations, said he had no recollection of the statements and this contains some flash

photography. >> here john galliano sneaks into a courtroom. but no denying his outrage in a bar, and shows a drunk-looking galliano abusing people recalling the holocaust. >> no, i love hitler, people like you would be dead. >> he blames triple addiction to alcohol and antidepressants and sleeping pills. >> people in that state, don't understand the words they are saying but only the hallucinations they are experiencing. >> mr. galliano was at the pennacle of world fashion. but behind his bold statement was a man struggling with the pressure of his work. >> the dior house after his

arrest in february, after fashion week declares anti-semitic behavior. and his friends had worried about it for a time. mr. galliano did not recall the abuse and now in rehab for an addition that ruined his career. >> this is news day on the bbc. here in singapore. >> i am in london, the main headlines, president obama announced that 33,000 troops will be pulled out of afghanist afghanistan by 2012. >> artist weiwei was released after 10 weeks in detention.

addressing congress for a 1st time by a taped message. and with an appeal to bring about democracy in burma and these reports contain flash photography. >> released in house arrest in 2010 with thousands to greet her, and knowing that she could be detained at any time and continues the fight in burma. on wednesday this was aired in the congress, and appealed for the fight of democracy. no matter how long it takes. >> with the help and support of true friends, i am sure that we will be able to tread the path of democracy. not easily, and perhaps not

quickly as we would like. but sure and steadily. >> some 2000 political prisoners are behind bars in the country. and saying that the military rulers don't appear to have made any real changes. >> if this government is really intent on making good progress towards democracy, if it's sincere in its claim that is it wishes to bring democracy to burma. there is no need for any prisoners of conscious to appear this this count

th -- in this country. >> not the first time she spoke out, and met with representatives of the european union on tuesday, and planning to travel to northern burma in the near future. so far the ladies have been willing to let her have her say, but may not last longer. >> in thailand there was controversy after saying that foreign tourists should prevent the temptation to decorate their bodies with tattoos. and asking that religious tattoos be applied above the waist. and finding out whether ancient traditions and modern desires can happy coexist. >> ornate and graphic, testaments to the spiritual and supernatural. sacred tatoos are used to channel. the moat confusing with special

powers, charms and health and wealth. concerns as relevant today as they always have been. saying that the potential gain far outweighs the pain. >> the tattoo makes other people feel compassionate towards me. i believe that the tattoo can help me, some girls that didn't like me before, like me now. >> but there is a price to be paid, the recipients of the sacred tattoo must stick to a code. and that art is being lost. it's not just tattoos that are viewed with magical power. objects carried for luck and

protection have mystical properties too. >> these are not costly but some pieces could sell for as much as $30,000. it depend on what power they are to possess. but a lot of people in thailand buy them and believe in them from all walks of life. >> this magazine rolls off the presses, selling copies to collectors and dealers at home and abroad. the business is worth hundred of billions dollars per year. how does this belief stay with the thailand state. there is no contradiction, they tell me, in fact the magazine has gone high-tech in the market. >> collecting amlites is not

just a hobby, it's an investment. we have lots of readers in other countries in the united states and australia. but they got the magazine late but now they can see it straight away on the ipad. >> with this modern life with tradition help keep it alive or kill the mystic that lies behind it? >> the first day of the united nations international widows day. >> that's right, it's aimed at highlighting the plight of women across the world that lost their husbands. this was recognized in december, after the government sponsored a resolution. it's estimated that 150 million of the world 245 million are

widows. this report from headquarters in new york. >> the hidden suffering of the world's widows. that's the theme of a new art exhibition. women that are deprived of their rights being recognized. >> i was a widow and i didn't know all of that was happening in the world. >> uko ono says it's time to confront this injustice. >> in certain countries, in many countries, when you become a widow, the husband's family take away all the things you created. or that you made happen. to the point of sometimes they take your children from you. if you are a widow and lose the man who has been literally the

breadwinner, you find yourself without any bread. and what happens then? you fall into poverty, your children don't go to school. yourself may end up in prostitution or your children could end up in prostitution. you are vulnerable and exploited. >> more than 150 million widows around the world, live in poverty and experience discrimination. the question is how will the first ever united nations widow's day help those women. >> rog, lobbied for this day after seeing his mother suffer. he wanted laws to protect them from losing their property. >> what was your experience in india? >> to take them from the culture and tradition in india and didn't allow her to live as a woman as she lived before.

and she suffered for 47 years after the death of my father. >> widows who are too often ignored and forgotten, especially in war zones. now the u.n. is trying to make them aware when their husband's die. >> you are watching news day, from singapore. >> and from london, and a reminder of our main news. president obama has announced that 33,000 american troops will be withdrawn from afghanistan by the summer of next year. 10,000 will end this year, mr. obama said he is starting from a position of strength. and under more pressure at any time since the september, 2001 attacks. that's all from us in london and singapore.

you can get more on our website or followous twitter. good-bye for now. >> make sense of international news at bbc.com/news. >> funding was made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. and union bank. >> union bank has put its global

financial strength to work for a wide range of companies. what can we do for you? >> "bbc world news america" was presented by kcet los angeles.