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>> and now, "bbc world news." >> i am in singapore. >> and i am in london. here are the headlines. eight people have been killed and one critically injured in a shooting at a hair salon in california. changing his plea, the so-called underwear bomber sutley admits trying to blow up a plane over detroit -- suddenly admits trying to blow up a plane over detroit. >> the battle in sirte goes on. just a few small areas remain in gaddafi's hands. and people are trying to save their homes from a major redevelopment project in china. it is 9:00 a.m. here in singapore. >> it is 2:00 a.m. in london. broadcasting to pbs viewers in america and around the world, this is "neuza de." -- "newsday."

hello and thank you for joining us. the police in the united states say people have been killed and one other critically wounded in a shooting at a hair salon in the southeast of los angeles. a man was arrested at a roadblock at about 800 meters from the scene. police say a number of weapons have now been seized. he opened fire at a small shopping center at seal beach, a seaside town in orange county in southern california. we can get the very latest from our correspondent, peter, in los angeles. >> do we know anything more about the person who has -- is believed to have carried out the shooting? gretzky was arrested shortly after the shooting -- >> he was arrested shortly after the shooting, just a few hundred meters away. we do not know the name of the man.

it was a white male. but we are hearing reports from eyewitnesses that this may have been a man who was in dispute with his ex-wife, who was at the salon, and they may have been involved in some sort of custody battle. police have a knowledge that their inquiries are focusing on a likely relationship between the alleged gun man and someone who was in the salon. the inquiry seems to be focusing their. for this community, and it is a very small community, quiet community, and generally an elderly population. this is not a tourist area. they are devastated by what happened. it has been described by one of the police of people as one of their greatest tragedies. >> peter, we are used to hearing of gun crime in california over the past decade, but seal beach is a new name to many of us. >> it is, and of course, is one of those relatively quiet

communities along the beautiful coast of california. it is off the beaten track a little bit. it is not somewhere that tourists go to. it is not that close to los angeles or the theme parks. there is a very large elderly community there. it is otherwise left alone. it is a beautiful, sleepy sort of place. that is why the people who live there like it, because it is so quiet and tranquil. >> do we have an idea of how the -- how things pan out, the narrative of this incident? >> it happened shortly after lunch time. about 20 past 1:00 p.m., police received reports of gunshots and they rushed to the scene of this hair salon. it is not one of those large inside malls, just a row of shops, really. they found nine people had been shot, six of those initially declared dead.

three were taken to hospital. two people lost their battle for life, leaving just one person in hospital who is critically injured. it was shortly after that, that a witness talked about seeing someone and the police made an arrest. >> thank you, peter. there is an impromptu press conference in california taking place. let's listen. >> i do not know. and that says something about our community. it has been a long time since we have hide something -- we do not very often have homicides, especially something of this magnitude. i will be back a little later. thank you very much. all i can say is that the suspect has been arrested. thank you very much. >> what time are you coming

back? well, a relatively brief interlude there. as more information comes into us, we will bring it to you. a nigerian man has admitted to trying to blow up an american airlines on christmas day two years ago with a bomb in his underwear. abdulmutallab changed his plea to guilty on the second day of his trial in detroit, say he had created of terrorism -- created terrorism around the world. >> slowly, has a delay, a young nigerian man declares war on christians and jews. how do massawa -- abdo will to abdulmutallab lmutalla

described his bomb as a blessing to save the lives of innocent muslims. he told the judge that he intended to wreck the u.s. aircraft as revenge for destruction of muslim property. about an hour before landing he plunged a syringe into the explosives, causing smoke and flames, but the bomb and a resulting fire were smothered by other passengers, some of whom were seen in court. >> he did not care about what happened. >> i am thankful that i'm alive. my family is thankful that we are live. we are lucky that nothing worse happen to us. >> this case really shook america, and since the christmas day, security at the airport has become even tighter. more and more passengers are being subjected to full of -- full body scans, which can

detect explosives hidden beneath clothing. >> but hidden intelligence failings is another matter. abdulmutallab's father had warned that he had trained and in al qaeda camp. he told the court that his inspiration was a militant cleric killed by a drone strike last month. different american agencies have failed to connect the dots. their only confidence is that the bomber failed, too. >> in libya, it looks like the end game is being played out in sirte. >> in just a few street stand in between libyan government forces and control of the country. the battle for the city has been raging for over a month with the biggest advances coming earlier

this week. our middle east correspondent reports from sirte. >> a war that has lasted nine months across libya has come down to a few streets and suburbs. in colonel gaddafi's home town. the fighting on of st. ives sirte is ferocious -- the streets of sirte is ferocious and intense. the town is being pummeled into submission. it is being flat and block by block. after a battle that has lasted more than a week, this day began with soldiers of the new government loading their ammunition belts for what they hope will be the last day of fighting. the transitional government has declared more than once to this city that is about to fall.

now they are convinced it will soon be over. as the front line pushes back under intense fire, we scour through the streets pepper only hours before held captive by colonel gaddafi's retreating army. >> we have now moved down as close as we can to the center of sirte. this town is being obliterated. the front lines is just a few hundred yards from me, being smashed by rocket fire and artillery fire. this is the only way the forces of the new government are going to remove the gaddafi loyalists from the center of sirte itself. >> this was a wounded gaddafi's soldier being treated by his enemies. some wanted to kill him. most thought i otherwise. there and allegations of abuse on both sides. as the city falls apart,

hundreds of civilians take this chance to flee. some are gaddafi fighters who trying to hide in the convoy, but soon they are spotted. most are frightened women and children, traumatized by days of intense shelling. in perhaps one or two days' time, this city will be under the total control of the transitional government. but what will be left of it? >> and of libya's national transitional council in van ghazi says it cannot confirm reports that muammar gaddafi had been captured in sirte. bbc correspondent in tripoli said there was gunfire as the rumor spread. there have been reports in the past of the arrest of two gaddafi.

and in the trial of conrad murray, michael jackson's dr., the legal team is now dropping its claim that the singer swallowed a fatal dose of propofol when his doctor was out of the room. our correspondent tells us how significant this related event is. >> they say one of the key cornerstones of the defense was that michael jackson had administered the drug himself when conrad murray was out of the room. this involved drinking from a bottle of propofol, which was a very pat -- is a very powerful anesthetic and usually used in a hospital setting. the prosecution suggested that drinking it would have no effect. only when it is put straight

into the blood would it have that anesthetic effect. the result is that they would not be pursuing that line. however, they could still be pursuing that michael jackson injected himself with this or -- pursuing the line that michael jackson injecting himself with this or took it orally. >> how is it looking offer dr. conrad murray? there were more revelations on wednesday, weren't there? >> yes, the revelations were on the basis of two expert witnesses, both doctors. it's one is a cardiologist, dr. alan steinberg. both doctors have reviewed the report that conrad murray had given to detectives about what happened. what they told the jury was that there was gross negligence. he had a unethically acted. there were a number of counts, six counts in the, where he had

been negligent. he had not provided the monitoring equipment that is a star when propofol is given to a patient. there was no one else with him. he left and went out of room, something the guidelines say you should never do when this drug is administered. but he also said that once michael jackson stopped breathing, what conrad murray did in those minutes when he discovered michael? in that way was -- michael jackson that way it was a response before his death. he did not call emergency services immediately. he did not act properly and on that basis he was responsible. this is a very damning criticism of conrad murray professionally, and quite strong accusation -- accusations from experts brought in to assess what he had done this is a powerful message that the jury received today.

>> you are watching news day on the bbc live. still to come on the program, around 200 burmese political prisoners walk free, the first up on their long journey to democracy. >> and wait until you see the tiny himalayan country of bhutan and the dragon king. the u.s. secretary of state, hillary clinton, has described an allegis iranian plot to kill the saudi ambassador in a dangerous experiment -- exxo escalation of terror. >> this is the organization at the heart of the u.s. allegations. iran posing revolutionary guard corps. -- iran said revolutionary guard corps. it is the most powerful revolution -- the most powerful government institution inside iran. america says that this man has

admitted being hired by the force to carry out the first ever attack inside the u.s. credit is an outrageous act -- >> is an outrageous act and parties will have to be held accountable. when you see the case presented, you will find there is compelling evidence for the assertion been made from multiple sources. >> and here is the target of the plot, saudi arabia's ambassador to the united states, adel al- jubeir. saudi arabia explains that action needs to be taken against iran. >> the burden of proof and the amount of evidence on the case is overwhelming. >> but iran dismisses the charges as ridiculous and fabricated. few inside the country want to listen to saudi arabia's words or america's accusations. >> in my opinion, america is

libeling us. they're looking for more excuses to impose more sanctions on us. >> now we wait to hear more from the suspect, the man who says he was hired by the quds force. u.s.-iran relations may hinge on the story he has to tell. bbc news. corexit i am in singapore. >> and i am in london. eight people have been shot dead and one critically injured in a salon in california. >> the so-called under where farmer suddenly at minster trying to blow up a plane over the american city of detroit on christmas day. -- suddenly admits to trying to blow up a plane over the american city of detroit on christmas day.

and the welcoming of the release of about two other political prisoners, although several others remain behind bars. activists say much more needs to be done after five decades of military rule. we are joined by the regional director of this center for humanitarian dialogue. he joins us on the line from bangkok. how significant is this release of these prisoners by the military-backed civilian government? what are they trying to show the world? >> at two things, first, it is significant to show the world that there is, indeed, a move to a calculated, disciplined and opening. but perhaps more internally, this is part of a calibrated and delicate diplomacy between aung san suu kyi and the government to basically bring her more on board with what the government is trying to do, which will therefore be the key to unlocking further aid and, more

important, the lifting of sanctions and the a rival of financial institutions to help with development. that is the key thing. >> you talk about the lifting of sanctions, but britain and the european union gathered cautiously at the release. will it be enough to release sanctions? >> probably not. i think there needs to be further developments along this delicate road toward more openness. but i think the government is more less committed in nine more to taking those steps. -- indian mart to taking those steps. that is not to say there is not myanmar to taken those steps. this probably will strengthen the hands of conservatives within the country and even

within government circles, but there is nothing really to be gained from taking this path. >> we will leave it there. in other news, preparations under way in bhutan for the royal wedding later. the main sarah palin -- ceremony will take place in the 17th century fortress in the capital. our correspondent joins me now on the line from close to where the event is happening. if you are quite close to where the wedding is taking place. can you describe the atmosphere? >> you can see over here there are so many people. there are crowds and delegates have started showing up.

[unintelligible] the weather is pleasant. >> we know the wedding is taking place against a very dramatic backdrop. we see the pictures now of a very colorful, traditional outfits. can you talk to the wedding for us? -- talks through the wedding for us? >> can you repeat their question? >> can you tell us what will be happening at this late -- this wedding later on? what are some of the cultural traditions? >> there are two celebrations. there are two kinds of ceremonies. there is the traditional, which is great, and then the small celebration on the grounds. >> can you tell us how important this wedding is to the pope's -- to the people of bhutan? the king is very popular, isn't

he? >> yes, he is very popular. the royal wedding in july to the people. -- the royal wedding means a lot to the people. and finally, bhutan will be getting a clean. >> and do you think anything will significantly change after the wedding in bhutan? >> can you repeat the question? >> the you think there will be significant change in bhutan after this wedding, with the new king and queen? >> yes, there will be. finally, we now know who the queen is and the people are very excited about this moment. they have been waiting for this moment to come. >> we will be -- we will leave

it there. there is a village in northern china where the inhabitants do not officially exist. >> an intriguing story. in china's rush to develop, thousands of farmers are being moved off their land every year to make way for roads, buildings, reservoirs. one village has chosen to make a stand against the authority. it has cost them their identity. now the report from blue dragon village in northern china >> you cannot find his place on any map. as far as the authorities are concerned, it does not exist. but the men of blue dragon village are taking in their autumn harvest. they were forced off their ancestral lands to make way for a reservoir. >> more than 200 homes lie submerged beneath this stretch of water. villagers here have received

little or no compensation from the authorities and have been left to fend for themselves. it is a story you hear time and time again across china -- farmers swept off their land in the rush to develop. >> but instead of simply leaving, this man and his neighbors chose to build a new village. but they were punished for this act of defiance. like everyone else here, he has no official papers needed for social services. >> we are very anxious. without proper id, to do anything would be very difficult. >> there is no running water in the village. in contrast, the reservoir built on their lands provide fresh drinking water to the nearby city. millions of people are flooding into chinese cities in search of

jobs and better lives. but development is struggling to keep pace. and the cost of urbanization is being felt in the countryside. this is the village's latest arrival, but she has no birth certificates. like her brothers, officially, she does not even exist. without papers, her mother worries she has a bleak future. >> how will she go to school and later find a job? there's nothing we can do. we hope it will be resolved sometime in the future. >> at night, the villagers use solar power after their electricity was cut by the authorities. he says as a farmer he cannot survive in the city.

instead, his family must themsed other night with strangers in their own land. -- as strangers in their own land. >> you have been watching newsday from the bbc. i am in singapore. >> and i am in london. a reminder of the main news, police in the usa people have been killed and one other critically wounded -- in the u.s. say eight people have been killed and one other critically wounded at a hair salon in los angeles. police say a number of weapons were seen. it was a small shopping center at seal beach, a seaside town in orange county in southern california. the town of around 24,000 people, with only one murder in the past four years. we will be back in a few minutes with all the latest business details in the asia business

report. >> funding was made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. union bank. and shell. >> this is kim - about to feel one of his favorite sensations. at shell, we're developing more efficient fuels in countries like malaysia that can help us get the most from our energy resources. let's use energy more efficiently. let's go. ♪

>> 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.