>> this is "bbc world news america." >> funding for this presentation is made possible by -- york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu, and union bank. >> at union bank, our to understand the industry you operate in, working to nurture new ventures and help provide capital for key strategic decisions. solutions in a wide range of industries. what can we do for you? >> and now "bbc world news

america." >> hello, and welcome to newsday. >> the airline bomb plot line for the anniversary of osama bin laden's death. coalition talks break down, but what does it mean for the country's bailout? >> celebration for the new french president and a historic warning from germany on austerity. down for the olympics, it is 9:00 in the morning in singapore. >> 2:00 in london. welcome to newsday.

officials of the united states say they and their allies have disrupted a plot to bomb an airliner. it was to be carried out around the anniversary of the killing of osama bin laden. it was used in a failed attack over detroit in 2009. good >> this is a remnant of the underwear from design to blow up an airplane over detroit on christmas day, 2009. it failed to detonate fully. officials say a more sophisticated bomb was to be used in the latest hot, and this is what would have happened if gone off sabihad properly. it is not confirm if the latest

on contains the same explosives. it is being examined by the fbi. the defense secretary giveaway few details about the case. >> i do not comment on specific classified operations other than to say the united states engages in a number of operations to go after all kinda -- al qaeda and their militant allies. this country needs to remain vigilant against those who would seek to attack this country, and we will do everything necessary to keep this country saves. >> it is not clear if the bomb would have been detected by security. it does not contain metals. the question is whether the new body scanners and would have discovered it. the plot was the work of an

outside the affiliate's -- all kinda -- al qaeda a failure. good no plane tickets were bought by the time the plot was foiled by americans and other agencies. >> our washington correspondent says the devices currently in u.s. custody. the fbi are examining its at their headquarters, probably in virginia, and they are looking to see if it contains the same hallmark as the bomb, the failed 2009 plot to blow up the plane in detroit, and the 2010 plot to target two cargo planes bound for the u.s.. this puts the focus on yemen, which has been a thorn in the

side for some time. that is where the u.s. is going to be focusing its counterintelligence, its counter-terrorism efforts more squarely. good >> do we know any details about how the american military managed to foil this salmo? >> you heard leon panetta say who he will not been stressing specific information. you can speculate saudi arabia. they were instrumental in the 2010 plot. it could also be u.k. counter intelligence officials. some u.s. networks have been reporting information from european officials. >> in other news, the leader of the most popular party in the

greek elections on sunday. he says he cannot form a coalition making another election more likely. matthew price reports. good >> there was no sense of victory in this weary nation today. the national stock market plunge as the news sank in that greece had voted against the bailout keeping this country afloat. now the winners are those who say no more, those who want to tear up the bailout agreement with the european union. more sinister, the protest vote for the neo-nazi party, 7% shows and as unemployment and poverty soared. >> get the immigrants out of my country, out of my home.

>> many argued this was in oing.els durin the austerity push people too far. people have lived with the government that has imposed austerity on them. now with almost revolutionary have said they will no longer accept cuts. there is a challenge directly to brussels. will the leadership of the european union decided enough is enough and to change tack? today the of the conservative leader to former government. even his former partner said no to a new coalition, and this evening he said he had failed. now the near impossible task

falls to second place, the coalition of the left. business leaders say politicians need to act quickly. >> otherwise we will be facing a exiting and now the euro. good > >> greece must implement more reforms by june to get further emergency funding, but candida it? >> the german leader angela merkel has sent the new french president will not be able to negotiate the treaty limiting how much euro zone countries can francis -- 9 euro zone countries. >> friends walke -- francois

hollande so time off for a brief stop in the waves. he said there is no time for our honeymoon. >> i told you we were ready. now we have to prove it. >> the french people were taking in the fact they will have a socialist president who has promised to finish with austerity. good >> i would say wait and see, but i think he raised a lot of hope. >> displeasure and -- this program is not really what i expect of france. >> the tens of thousands who waited out of this deal until the early hours of this morning to see their new president heard him say he would leave europe -- lead europe in a new direction to make growth of priorities. by russell markets. it also threw down a challenge to the germans, who insist

cutting the budget is the best way to tackle the debt crisis. the key relationship in europe is between friends and germany. already hollande and angela merkel have stressed their efforts to work together, but as to deal with the euro zone crisis, they have different priorities. the german chancellor insisted she would not shift on enforcing budgetary discipline in the euro zone. >> we believe the fiscal pact is not up for negotiation. it has been negotiated, and i consider the fiscal fact the right thing. >> it is going to be difficult because germany is set on keeping a rigorous economic policy, and the french socialists want to change it radically. >> there is a mood of

uncertainty in europe over how this crucial debate over austerity and growth will be resolved. >> design yesterday we were talking about the reaction to the french and greek elections. what was it like today? >> we have seen a turnaround on monday and tuesday, and we are seeing are brasilia and asian stock markets after u.s. stocks ended flat monday night, and greece you can see the nikkei 225 is up nine 2.5, and the a/s sex is up by 16 and 1/2 points. -- asx is up by 16 and 1/2 points. investors are wary about what is

going on in europe, and economists say what is keeping market steady is that central banks have announced offer to withstand fallout. there are more savings, and central banks still have more room. moving on to other news, and flash floods in northern afghanistan have killed at least 23 people. at least 80 other people were missing. they were attending a party. most of the victims were women and children. more than 45 homes were also destroyed by the flooding. the u.s. secretary of state has ordered india to buy less oil from iran. hillary clinton wants them to

decrease in imports to put pressure over the nuclear program. the polls have closed in syria, where elections have been held. the election took place under a new constitution that allows groups to stand against the ruling party. we report from the capital of damascus. >> today's elections are meant to be proof syria is changing. the party says it is ready to share power. this is one of the new faces, but most of the new are connected to the old. they would not be allowed to run if they were not, but he said the door is open to everyone, without exception.

>> i represent the views, and no one can win without popular support. only one that things that. syrians think their vote matters. >> people are expressing their views. we are optimistic the elections are going great. >> this change was short lived for some. >> she told me i wanted to run because i believe i could serve my country, but then it became clear no real change would happen. good in some parts of damascus, and they never thought it would. it was eerily quiet. people did not want to talk. security forces were not far away with your your -- far away. this man told me, i am an old man. if you want to know what is

happening, talk to the young. >> six months ago when we came to this neighborhood people were indifferent. how it has shaves. good -- how it has changed. they took us to a back street, pointing to the levels and graffiti. many of these people are too young to vote. voting will not change what has happened here. good we are told this house was destroyed by government forces three days ago, killing members of the free syrian army and for people who lived here. >> they killed people in syria everyday. why? >> today the government wanted

to prove it could make room for new voices, but its real opposition is still out on the streets. >> still to come on the program, the bric-a-brac is bound for the olympics. the stories look at making headlines around the world. the picture does not say it all. the headlines certainly do. greek and french voters are down a challenge for and germany's chancellor angela merkel. she has won allied, britain cost david cameron. the prime minister has vowed, no going back on cuts.

this may have allegations for more than just austerity. now they are focusing more on renewable energy and a wave from going abroad. spectacular pictures, and news of a bailout for the day. -- bank. the headlines for you this hour, u.s. officials say agencies have foiled a plot al qaeda in yemen using an underwear bomb. >> the biggest party admits it is unable to form a coalition government which gives the radical left a chance to step beein.

more than a quarter of japanese in their 20 cops have thought about taking their own life according to a survey -- in their 20 costs have thought about taking their own lives according to a survey. it has one of the highest suicide rates, rising worriesment, and mondey are some of the key factors behind the suicides. we are joined by the director of .okyo's english lifeline thank you for joining us. how alarming is the statistics said you have 30,000 suicides a year, and from the last survey, people who would want to commit suicide has risen by more than 4%. >> it is very concerning. this problem is not a new one. it goes back to the late 90 costs.

the number that kill themselves every year has talked 30,000, so it is a real problem, and it is one japan seems to have struggled to have an impact on reducing. >> how serious is the japanese government taking this? >> they have taken some actions. we have yet to see large results. when it comes to an issue like this we cannot just put our finger of the government and say they have to solve the problem. i think it is something everybody in society has to be involved in, and when you look at what are the underlying conditions that lead to somebody thinking about killing themselves, we have things like financial worries common and japan, you have got to look at mental health. depression is a factor that plays a big part.

give when people think about killing themselves, you have to think about what resources there are in the community, and there is a lack of counseling. good >> jason, you also have these kinds of problems across the asia pacific region. did you have rising joblessness, monetary problems, but the suicide rates are not rising in other countries, but how different is japan? that that is a good question. i think many factors will play into this. one is what has happened over the last several decades. you have people who have gone into cities to work, and that has broken down and now the nuclear family, so you have isolation. in japan you have certain factors like insurance. people can still claim insurance if they kill themselves, and that is the real problem, because it does not help if they

see this as the only avenue out of debt, and i think japan is a society that can be restrictive, and people's choices may be less. they feel social pressure, so even for young people now, when they looked at their prospects looking ahead, it can be quite difficult for them. good >> the director of tokyo english lifeline joining me from tokyo. >> let's return to europe and the impact of the greek and french elections and what they mean for the economy. joining me is the director of the program and conflict resolution. good welcome to bbc news. thank you for joining us. i want to talk about the key issue of greek and french elections, austerity versus

growth. how do think this is going to be played out in europe? can you hear me? we are just having a few problems establishing our line. we will try and get him as soon as we can. it contains everything from old hockey sticks to pieces of a jimi hendrix guitar, an unlikely collection of objects used to make a boat. it has become part of the olympics 2012. >> every piece of wood on this a treasured memory. hundreds of people were invited to donate of death.

the only criteria is there have to be a story behind them. -- hundreds of people were invited to donate to it. >> there is something extraordinary, and it is sociable. hundreds of people came together to build it, and it is about people. the peg is to remind me of my mother. she put a round her documents. >> this is a wooden spoon handle, and my mother in-laws' third customer -- who mother-in- law stirred custard. >> look how can find it is down here. take a look. with great fanfare, don this was

gently lowered into the harbor. it has received funding from the arts council of half a million pounds, and it will now sail along the south coast in time for the olympics. >> the united states has found that google breached copyright's in the case goes by or call in its java programming language. oracle is asking for $1 billion in compensation. >> a humanitarian award in recognition of charitable work supporting service men and service 11. -- service women. accepting the award from the u.s., colin powell who paid tribute to those whose lives

have been changed. >> i would like to except the award on behalf of my brother william, of our foundation, all those on both sides of the atlantic who worked so tirelessly to support wounded veterans, but particularly for the guys, because this is their award. it would be wrong of me to speak of these heroes but not presumptions to pay tribute to them. so many of our servicemen and service women have made the opening -- the ultimate sacrifice. so many lives have been changed forever by the was they have suffered. they pay a terrible price and keep us safe and free. the least we owe them is to make sure they and their brave families have everything they need for the darkest days, and in time to regain hope and confidence to flourish again. >> prince harry speaking from

washington, and the brazilian pianist is reaching new heights with his music. he has had himself and his piano hoisted into the air. it was part of a musical stunts during an annual festival in the city of sao paulo. he gave two recycle suspended above the ground. not surprisingly, the title is the flying piano. >> you have been watching news day. >> a reminder of the main news. counterterrorism officials in the united states say they foiled the plot in yemen who blow up an airplane using an underwear on. this was meant to coincide with the first anniversary of the killing of osama bin laden last week.

more on that. stay with us. >> 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. >> at union bank, our relationship managers use their expertise in global finance to guide you through the business strategies and opportunities of international commerce. we put our extended, global network to work for a wide range of companies, from small businesses to major corporations.

what can we do for you? >> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet los angeles.