>> and now, "bbc world news america." >> reporting from washington. the deadliest day in syria. at least 70 are killed across the country and on anti-government demonstrators. headed towards stalemate, with a top official giving his view. and we see some victims paying the heaviest price. and one year after the shore was hit by the gulf war, one man to look at his crisis. >> i don't know, i don't know about the future. >> welcome to our viewers on pbs and america and around the globe. for weeks now in the aftermath of prayers and there are clashes and today syria sees their bloodiest day yet. a human rights group says that at least 70 people have been killed across the nation. our correspondents are not allowed into the country but we have this report. >> unverified footage from a suburb today, just one of many leaving dead and injured in the streets. the protests have involved large numbers of people in towns and cities across the country. on thursday the government lifted the emergency law, and now the people have given their reply. they have more demands. ranging from the release of politic political priseners into multiparty politics. >> we have more each week of protesters increasing and that's making us happy. we have a long way to get our freedom. >> these young men are trying to dodge the bullets trying to hide behind trash cans. and syria such a key player in the middle east and these c consequences could affect many. >> today the white house announced the most recent crack down saying that we deplore violence and call to look at reforms. and this looks like the deadliest day of the syria uprising yet, how do you assess president al-assad's position now? >> he's in a difficult position and he raised the state of emergency yesterday and that has not changed and now they are asking for more. and at least the prisoners and his overthrow. he's trying to appease the protesters, it hasn't worked. and today he's tried using force and find out if that worked. >> what do you think conditions he would make to stay in power. he would not agree to his overthrow but some demands he would realistically make? >> he did talk about it and the multipolitics and the press. and you see that a little is too late, the man who rules so long and don't quite understand the mood of their people. there is every chance, and he makes more concessions, it would come after the event. and still went after the protesters and they will continue to come out. >> syria has a pivotal position in the region, because of its borders, and what does this instability mean for the region, do you think? >> it has serious implications, and people are watching it closely. the weaken syria government and if they are unable to play a role, that's bad news fhess-and they look to see what it means for israel. it does have regional affects. >> thank you for that assessment. in libya the military most senior officer says that the fighting is heading towards a stalemate. just a day after the u.s. military said it would use predator drones to carry out the attacks on the forces. and seeing some of the heaviest clashes, and rebel fighters declaring a victory. we have this report. >> free to walk their own streets now colonel qaddafi's reb cellsl r rebels are here and had a key target and omar took me to see it. this office block where insurance was sold before snipers moved in. >> this area is downtown. >> so the snipers were killing people from here. >> yeah, they get people so easy, because highest building and you can see all this area, downtown and uptown too. >> how good does it feel to stand here? >> so heavy, my brother got shot from this building. >> his brother, ali, is one of many killed by the snipers and now that danger is gone. >> now the local people are back on the streets, and they are checking the heavy damage that's done, and there is plenty of evidence here and the rebels were kept out of this area for 25 days. they lost a lot of men retaking this ground, and now back in control here, and they say they intend to push on. >> for the young, a glimpse of new realities, but many children from this area have already seen far too much. >> like the orphans that lived on the front line, 100 children, the youngest just five months old were trapped in a basement for days. they have been moved to a safer location, but staff say they have brought their trauma with them. and here too they are afraid. we met rami who wants to be a doctor, 10 years old and trying to console the younger ones. >> when we hear bombing they feel frightened. i tell them it's military training, they fall asleep. but when they hear more bombs, then i tell them the truth. >> today brought hope for some. under a return to their neighborhood. here it was time to douce the flames. but the fighting is not over, it's just moved a few blocks. >> with the fights of the country continuing to rage, as we mentioned two proinent americans made their views on the situation. senator john mccain arrived with the forces and with his call to increase the military support. and at the same time the top officer, mike mullan, says that the situation on the ground is moving to a stalemate. i spoke to a reporter in tripoli. >> america's most senior soldier is moving to say stalemate and how do you see this changing with the drones? >> i don't that the u.s. drones will give victories to the rebels or have key break throughs. but at time when people have criticized the nato campaign to be stuck, they get an option and public support. don't forget that the americans decided to take a little of a back seat in this particular project. and by deploying drones they are showing that they are still in full support of it. >> and jeremy, senator john mccain has asked for council and to be a legitimate voice for the people, other than the rebel boost, what impact will that have? >> i think that giving them a boost is what they are after. john mccain will not persuade the americans as recognizing the rebels as the sole government of libya. and he's an influential man and well-known man. and the rebels are happy to get all the diplomatic acceptance they can have. even if it's someone saying things that sound like goodwill in their direction than tangible actions. >> now for the unperpetual unstable region, in pakistan killing 14 soldiers. and a u.s. drone stuck a border with 25 people killed there. including some civilians. we are taking across that border tonight into afghanistan. it's a valley that is a key route into the city, and a coveted part of the u.s. troops to protect that providence. but are the americans buying the hearts and minds of those there. >> for the men in charlie company, something comes easy in this valley. they may be wounded ducks but this bridge is part of the taliban, it takes local help to get rid of it. people are returning here, their homes affected so bad. soldiers could hardly move because of taliban and they were given instructions to destroy. >> this was the home and two soldiers lost their limbs trying to enter this compound. the americans brought in a craft to level the entire place. >> in the village every corner was booby trapped and half were wounded by taliban bombs. >> would you say that there were legs and arms worth what we accomplished here? yeah, if we walk out here tomorrow and the taliban don't come back because the people like it better without them around, it's definitely worth it. >> that security has helped but it's the promise of american cash that brought this family back. he tells me, they have to give us the money because they damaged our house with the bombs so we can move back n america is pouring cash with 4 million tons spent here in the last months to repair roads and more. and the americans say they are winning. >> i don't think you can buy people's loyalty. when new roads go in, they know that the taliban can't provide them infrastructure or roads, but the government can do it. >> for now american troops have the upper hand. but even the friends here are uneasy about the taliban's return. >> do you want me to tell you the truth? the truth is the americans are paying us money. if the americans stop paying us today, i am confidently telling you that no one will help them tomorrow. >> a deal has been struck here, with american manpower and money have brought the people back. but no ones if that deal will hold and this summer will be less blooding thy than the last. >> news about toyota and won't be working after the earthquake. and aftershocks of the earthquakes have hampered progress. many sony players can't play online, with it down, and they get error messages and sony thanks those for their patience and that the downtime could be a do i or two. >> to mark good friday, a message to christians around the world. >> the pope on prime time television. what has never been seen before, taking part in a discussion program, complete with audience and presenter and members of the public around the world putting the question. pope benedict looked frail but relaxed as the first from jalena and in the earthquake and wondered why children have to suffer. >> we don't have the answers, but we know that jesus suffered like you. >> pope benedict sitting in the vatican took a question from a mother whose son was in a vegitated state and wanted to know if his soul had left him. >> his soul is still present in his body, like a guitar and his strings are broken, but he feels your love. >> later in the prerecorded program, these students in baghdad asked about the persecution of christians. pope benedict this time spoke of the need for reconciliation and understanding. again without notes, i believe he was shown the question before the program. the studio audience watched as seven questions were asked, no chance for follow-up but for some questions were avoided altogether, such as the priest abuse scandal. >> that's why some this is politicalized. but saying that it's more to for the pope to be open and accountable, something that has never been done on television before. >> you are watching "bbc world news america," still to come on tonight's program. feeling the fall-out in the gulf. a year after the worse oil spill started and one sounding off to get his community the help it needs. now it was a cross country sales pitch that took president obama from coast to coast this week trying to layout his plan. and it was the events that included one white house staffer. in the past year the administration has produced its weekly diary for all to view, by the president's first-ever vi o videographer. >> he's described as president obama's shadow. >> it's my job to document the president and i follow the president around and focus on not necessarily his speeches but what happens just before the speech or just after the speech. or in a meeting in the oval office. >> just don't trip, that would be really embarrassing. >> these candid moments are filmed by a fly on the wall, the world's most powerful man. the white house's first videographer. >> when you are filming the president, it's how many loading docks and freight elevators. i don't think that the people's image of the president on the loading dock of rotting beer, but that's how it can be. >> and he films the president's activities called, welcome to the west wing. it's a half-hour of showing what barack obama is up to each week. and more than thousands watch it through the white house website. >> those come to the white house briefing room, and the videographer has propaganda. >> i think it can be construed as borderline propagandia, because he works for the president. and from that perspective, and it's concerning that working feet away from the oval house. >> and says he's not trying to compete with the mainstream media and just to add to transparency and openness. >> he's a funny guy, we have a level of trust that's crucial for this job. and it makes what i do possible, it makes the whole thing possible. >> all footage is kept in the president's archives, the white house hopes that it will form a lasting record of barack obama, and those will be likely watching. >> among the many challenges president obama has faced since taking office is the oil spill in gulf of mexico. and this week marks a year of the worse oil spill in history. and the federal government has been on the front lines of fighting the spill, and tonight we return where one man gives off a candid first-person account. >> when will we start to rebuilding? is when is our life going to get on track? there is still such uncertainty that we don't know when that day will be. and we will say, we went through this blow and we can move on. this is a poor, hard-working fishing community. this is not a summer resort, people live here because they make a living on the water. and this is how it's been going on for many generations. and people here have been independent their whole life. and now it seems that everyone will be dependent on b.p. several months back when i took my b.p. claim to the process, i felt like a bum or like someone standing in line to get welfare or government help or food stamps. now i know the humility they go through. and i understand that. i just want to be treated fairly. and i don't think they should have to hire lawyers and they have to get into no legal battle. bottom line they need to produce loss of income, and b.p. cut them a check, simple as that. but every day you need another piece of paperwork or your claim is under review. but they have not been treated fairly and that upsets me. >> i blame it on the federal government, the shape we are in today. i really do, i didn't want to say that but it's time to speak up. >> you can look at the meeting we had today, a low number. there should have been a thousand people at this place. when you are in the middle of the hurricane and the winds are blowing 120 miles per hour and you are holding on to this roof top. eventually your hands will give away and i have so many people falling off the light ring and turning loose. i am very concerned about that and they are giving up. and that's exactly what b.p. wants them do. it's no better now than it was a year before, as a matter of fact it's worse, now people are in financial problems. and it's caused a lot of martial problems. a year ago people were working and that is cut out. and the president says one thing but there is a difference of speaking good and doing good. i would rather have someone who is a doer and keep his mouth shut. i would like to beat the hell out of someone, and you have said everything you can say and now i want to put out this message. but sometimes i have to be extremely honest. i don't want to scare people to death, i don't know, until b.p. steps up to the plate and do what they need to do, i don't see a future. i don't know, i don't know about the future. >> stand right there, the mayor of alabama speaking about the challenges his fishing town faces a year after the devastating gulf oil spill. that does it for today's broadcast, you can find more on our website, from all of us at "bbc world news america" thank you for watching and have a good weekend. 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 america" was presented by kcet los angeles.