>> 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. and union bank. >> at union bank, our relationship managers work hard to know your business, offering specialized solutions and capital to help you meet your growth objectives. we offer expertise and tailored solutions for small businesses and major corporations. what can we do for you?

>> and now "bbc world news." >> looked into "new staples." -- welcome to "newsday." china's economic growth is slowing down as exports weakened. there is turbulence in europe and the united states. the captain of an italian cruise liner is blamed for drafting of course, with deadly consequences. six people have died. 29 are still missing. >> and emergency services are warning that the fuel on board could leak. in other news, syrian troops accused of targeting children. we have a special report. >> it is 12:00 in singapore.

>> welcome to "newsday." >> it is one of the world's fastest-growing economies, but china's economic growth is slowing down. the world's second-largest economy has fallen to 8%, its lowest rate in 2.5 years. i am joined from beijing. despite the slower pace of growth in 2011 compared to 2010, the economic data was still better than economists had expected. >> i think it was generally a bit better than economists expected. but the economy is being

buffeted by the world economy, particularly turmoil in europe and difficult times in america. china is the world's largest exporter. people are not spending money around the world. there are also problems closer to home. one is over the property market. there have been measures to curb inflation. obviously, has impacted growth figures as well the senior officials warned they expect a slowdown to continue, particularly with the gloomy outlook in europe, which is china's biggest trading partner. >> lot of the expectations right now in china? of the forecasting a soft landing, between 8% to 8.5%

growth, or could it go to 4% or 5%? >> that is the big question. what will we see in 2012? many economists believe china will see a soft landing, with 7% or 8% growth. however, some believe china could see a harder landing of 7%. that is something they do not want to see happen. in many ways, their hands are tied. following the global financial crisis in 2008, we sought a massive stimulus package which drove growth here in china. but because inflation is high, and that is a government priority, they are less likely to build up the economy, give it a big boost. there are concerns over that

period what authorities are talking about is more sustainable growth. going into the future, some economists believe china should prepare a pie sustainable growth over growth for growth's sake. >> thank you for that update. italian coast guard officials have said a number of people still missing from the disaster off the coast of tuscany stands at 29, almost double previous estimates. owners accused the captain of making unauthorized deviation. there are growing concerns about possible environmental damage. matthew pike since this report. >> as the wind whipped up the waves, the vast bulk of the costa concordia began to shift. it slipped a little more under

the sea. the abandoned rescue efforts for several hours, too dangerous to continue. after the sea calmed, the rescuers were back on board, sliding up the gently-sloping side of the ship. that are still hoping to find the survivors, but know they will more likely be bringing out the dead. the divers have the most dangerous task. the water temperature is not a problem. visibility is. in places inside the ship, it is minimal, and a movement is hampered by debris. the lead the ever told me as he swam through the ship tables and chairs were floating around him. >> you can see personal stuff, like wallets. maybe some clothing. it is not so common. it seems like a movie. >> on board, hundreds of

passengers were ready to leave soon after the ship struck land. >> please remain, this time. >> why did the crew wait so long to get them to safety? the first person to arrive to help in the rescue was the deputy mayor of this island. >> did you get the impression that the officials were in control? >> absolutely not, he told me. they were unprofessional. we found police divers gather in photographic evidence today at the site where the cruise ship first hit rock. the ship hit the rocks just down there. the captain continued in the same direction, doing a big u- turn when he knew he was in trouble. it came to rest there, where it has not capsized. these are the details from a respected industry newspaper of the route taken by the ship. this was its journey on a

previous voyage, when she safely navigated the island. look now at friday's rout, much closer to the reef. it had happened before. this is footage of the same ship sailing by the island last august, a tribute for a festival ballet, agreed with the ship company. the mayor told us this was a one-off. the captain of the ship, still under arrest, insists he did nothing wrong. that is not what his employers believe. >> i believe it has been human error. the captain did not follow the authorized route, which is used by ships very frequently. there is probably more than 100 times in one year. >> today, they towed the lifeboats that saved some money away from the local harbor.

as dusk set in, a tug and pull the oil boom into position, as fears grow that the shipments start leaking fuel into these pristine waters. bbc news, on the island of giglio. >> 35 british people were on board, including passengers and crew members. some have returned home on monday, describing the panic as the ship began to list, and the evacuation that followed. >> at heathrow this morning, the relief of the rescued. rose metcalf, a dancer on the ship, feared she may never see her mother again. >> when i saw the wall was horizontal, that was the end. i am here now.

>> we are very lucky to be home. >> derek and viv should have been in barcelona tonight. they are happy to be back in tewksbury. they were having dinner when they felt the impact. >> a barrel on to the table. there were chairs, and noise, liquid over the floor, very panicky attendance. >> the couple, who are grandparents, say the evacuation of the ship was chaotic. they say there was little discipline and no sense of order as passengers and crew fought to get a place in the lifeboats. >> there was selfishness. there was not a lot of thinking about disabled people and children. >> everyone was trying to get to the nearest lifeboat for

themselves. >> but at heathrow, james thomas is united with his mother. fearing the worst, he phoned her to say goodbye. >> i could not be happier to be home. >> but the british survivors say their thoughts tonight are with those who will not see their families again. bbc news. >> in syria, more than 400 children have been killed since the start of the uprising last march, according to human-rights activists. the u.n. condemns what it calls substantiated reports of children tortured and ordered. correspondent traveled to jordan and lebanon to meet some of the children who fled across the syrian border. >> they have been fleeing here

for many months, bringing allegations of crime against humanity. the border lines are a refuge for brutalize children. the 7-year-old twins were fleeing with their parents when they say soldiers fired at them. >> [speaking a foreign language] >> mohamad was struck in the knee.

the violence is relentless. in a hospital, balloons to cheer a boy who has lost his leg. we cannot identify this 8-year- old for fear it against reprisals. his father told me a tank shell was fired at their home. the family was trapped there for 15 days, unable to get to hospital until they made the dangerous journey to lebanon. across the border, the syrian government blamed the armed rebels for the attack. it denies targeting children and says syria was a victim of a foreign plot. in every war, children become casualties, often caught in the crossfire of adult conflict. but what happened in syria is very different. from evidence gathered from the people we've spoken to over the past month, it is clear children

are being deliberately targeted. it is happening in regime prisons, where the u.n. reports regular violations of children civil rights. we heard testimony of the someone affected. seen here a week before his detention, this 15-year-old was arrested at a demonstration near the town of deraa last april. he told his mother he would not go. >> he was doing his hair and asked me, "does it look nice?" i told him, "you are so beautiful," and then he left. after that, for a month and a half, live without him felt like drinking poison. what can i remember?

we speak of him a lot. and we cried a lot. >> we have spoken with another prisoner who saw him being beaten. >> man from my village knocked at the door and said, "there is a child's body in the hospital. come and see it. you may recognize it." when we received his body, it was totally disfigured. >> the x-rays show brutal treatment, teeth blasted out, bullet holes in his thighs, a broken arm and leg, his jaw bones smashed. >> it is impossible that there are such hardened people who could actually do this to their fellow man. even animals cannot do this to human beings. >> with their country spiraling deeper into violence, the risk for the child victims is no way home and no chance of justice.

bbc news, and jordan. >> you are watching "newsday." still to come, the prime minister of pakistan comes under pressure after the supreme court warns him he faces charges of contempt. >> we speak to indian students determined to study into -- study in the u.k., despite fears for their safety. libyan authorities say that are fighting gaddafi loyalists holding out against the new government. >> in libya is unfinished revolution, this is the front line. those who call themselves rebels are back in position, improvised weapons trained once more on the enemy. we have not seen this since october, when colonel gaddafi

was captured and killed. the spiders are saying that in this part of libya, the fighting is not quite over. heavily armed militias are still holding out. >> what is the solution for the problem? >> they give the weapons to us, or we take them from them. >> what if they do not give them to you? war again? it is like before the fall of tripoli, asthmatic struggle to count the casualties. leaders gathered to try to negotiate a solution. local commanders admit they are powerless to control some of their own revolutionary fighters.

you're having trouble controlling them? >> it is quite difficult to control. they decide what they want to do, and they just do it. >> earlier this month, an interim leader warned of the danger of a civil war. their arrival is the go back decades, too old grievances. the revolution added new guns. >> this is "new state." -- newsday." china's economy grew by 9.2% last year, a slower pace than 2010. >> the captain of a stricken italian cruise liner is blamed for bearing off course. six people have died.

29 are still missing. >> let us return to economic matters. china is australia's largest export market. it helped australia whether much of the global downturn. as with many of its neighbors, china is affecting other sectors of the economy. >> take a deep breath. this is house buying the australian way. two bidders just over million- dollar listings. that are both after this. with ozzie's now better off than the swiss, the market is up. this auction is now ending. edwin has secured his dream home.

>> i guess china and india decided not to buy more. >> it is the mineral bonanza to china that has made the economy different. with it has become the chinese reach the other way, into australia. for the first time, chinese visitor numbers -- >> everything else is very friendly. >> 10 years ago, 100 dozen chinese were living in australia and visiting australia -- the chinese were visiting australia. >> we are relying more on visitors from asia, and particularly from china.

>> the austrian government remains cautious about china's influence, but currently is seen as a benign force for good. >> it will never be equal, given different sizes, economies, and so on. australia is forging a deeper military connections with the united states. china is seen as the cornerstone of future economic prosperity. >> duncan kennedy reporting. the parliament of pakistan has voted in favor of a resolution supporting democracy. the prime minister has been ordered to appear in the supreme court on charges he failed to reopen a corruption case against politicians including the president. a report from islamabad. >> today, the political crisis shifted to the supreme court.

the embattled civilian government has few friends here. anticipation outside as judges consider government failure to reopen a long-running corruption case against president zardari. soon, it was clear the judges have had enough. they open contempt proceedings against the prime minister having waited for more than two years, said there were left with no option, ordering the prime minister should appear in court personally on january 19. the rush from the court room as the news broke. if convicted, the prime minister will be disqualified from office. the foreign minister david her response. "this is not a small thing, "though he said. we will consult our experts and take the necessary steps.

the prime minister has been fighting his corner in recent days. reports he offered to resign have been denied. a former law minister told us he should step down. >> there are allegations by the highest court of this country. face it. he should resign his office, face it, and after he is acquitted, then he can go back into the system. >> the prime minister may try to drag out proceedings as long as possible, hoping to buy time. >> as government legal woes worsen, the result is greater instability and paralysis. that is a worry for the west. but political leaders are struggling to get from one day to the next. they are fighting on two front, with the judiciary and the army.

the president held talks with military chiefs today. he and the government seem determined to stay put. bbc news, islamabad. >> a murder in the u.k. is having repercussions in india. >> students are worried about safety after a young man shot in the head while walking last month. a correspondent spoke to young people in his hometown, and found that despite their fears, many still plan to study in britain. >> he is looking forward to going to work in london later this month. after his friend and neighbor was killed, his parents did not want him to go. >> my parents were very worried. they said do not go. after arnolds murder, you cannot

go. but and managed to persuade them i could go to school in manchester. eventually, they yielded. >> this city, it is well known in india as a center of academic excellence. despite the quality of the universities here, hundreds go overseas for further education. many of them intend to study abroad, particularly in places like britain and the u.s.. they are upset about what happened to anush, but see it as a tragic exception. >> if you see india, such kind of murders are everywhere. i do not find any meaning. >> the cure is definitely there. in england, you do not expect these things to happen. the u.k. is a very secure country.

such things are very fearful to everyone in india. >> neighbors gathered to pay their respects. his parents took out a hefty load -- loan to help him achieve his dreams. that is true of many of these parents. they hope their children come back safely. >> celebrations under way in beijing to mark the chinese year of the dragon. the annual ice lantern festivals see more than 300,000. he carves palaces, pagodas, people, and animals. there is a dragon for 2012, which symbolizes power and wealth.

thanks for watching. we will see you again soon. >> 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 work hard to know your business, offering specialized solutions and capital to help you meet your growth objectives. we offer expertise and tailored solutions for small businesses and major corporations. what can we do for you?

>> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet los angeles.