>> 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 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." >> inside syria, we report exclusively from the only town under full opposition control. >> these people are effectively in control of their town. they are able to walk in there square unmolested by security forces. >> at least six people are killed following coordinated bomb attacks in the north of nigeria. protests in argentina as tensions continue to mount over the future of the falkland islands. welcome to bbc news broadcasting to our viewers on pbs and america and around the globe. coming up later, a rescue operation aboard the capsize cruise ship, the costa concordia, has restarted.

the unforgettable force of etta james. the singer dies at the age of 73. hello and welcome. 10 months into the uprising against president assad in syria, we have been as close the report from the only town under full control of opposition forces. this has been the scene of intense fighting in recent days. government forces have pulled out leaving the free syrian army in charge. activists say seven protesters were killed by security forces on friday are middle east editor sent this report. >> there is a cease-fire.

the army has a few outposts but they are not shooting. the regime was forced into a truce because their men could not be accorded. this is half an hour drive from the center of damascus. a local activist said he would be in more danger if his face was shown. what about the future? what will you do next week and a week after that? >> we will still go with our protests. >> we will defend ourselves from the assad regime. >> the main square is dominated by what syrians call the independence. protesters would like to revive old national symbols, just like

the libyans did. the fact that they are effectively in control of their town. they're able to work in the main square unmolested by the security forces is a sign that the regime is feeling the strain of the uprising. this moment might not last all that long because president assad's forces are still camped on the outskirts of this town. these are the local heroes, fighters from the free syrian army. defectors from the regular forces and men who have taken up arms. they are celebrating a victory but there would that the president's men have only pulled back because of pressure from the arab league. the pressures -- the fighters say they will be ready. >> how can you win this? >> got willing, we will win. -- god willing, we will win.

>> he says they're ready to die for the women, children, and defend their order. in the jet was, god salute the free army. -- the chant was, god salute the free army. this is proof that the free army is changing the balance of power in syria. the fireworks were to tell people that it is time to leave in protest. this is not the only town dealing with rebellion. this is the only one with the president has ceded power to the protesters. >> it is enough for me. it does not matter. arehe regime's forces

overstretch enough to take a step back here. this could be a new beginning for this town. >> a coordinated series of bomb attacks in nigeria killed at least six people in the biggest city in the north. witnesses said a suicide bomber struck the regional headquarters and more blasts were carried out at police stations and government facilities. >> once again, more carnage in nigeria. this time, the city of kano was the target. the blast could be felt 7 kilometers away. at least one of the explosion started a police station with police officers among the dead. this man witnessed what happened. >> there were three dead police right there, in front of the immigration office. we had several bomb blasts.

we also had several gunshots in front of the police station. >> the attack fits a disturbing pattern of violence. once again, the militant group boko haram said they were responsible. this highlights the delicate confluence of cultures in which nigeria finds itself. the north is mainly muslim, the south is in the christian. in the middle, there is a delicate fall line. over the last few weeks, boko haram is mainly targeted the north, including this place. these latest waves of attacks began on christmas day when they attacked a church in the capital. on friday, a spokesman for boko haram denied they were killing innocent people. boko haram has hit muslims and christians during a violent

campaign. since then, hundreds have died. they want to impose an islamic state. the spiral of violence presents an enormous challenge to the nigerian government. there are fears that other militant groups can be spawning in the north of the country. >> there has been heavy fighting in the somalia capital of mogadishu after pro-government forces launched an offensive. round 1000 -- of around 1000 soldiers have captured rebel bases. they have advance outside of mogadishu for the first time. the government is shutting down oil production as part of an argue with sudan over revenues. most of the region's oil lies in south sudan but they need to use a northern pipeline to export it. the two pipelines have been locked in a dispute over

pipeline fees. authorities in haiti will decide whether to indict is former leader or drop the case against them. he is under judicial investigation for crimes including corruption and human rights offenses during his rule. in another sign of worsening relations between britain and argentina, demonstrators have gone outside of the -- demonstrators have burned flags outside of the british embassy. this year is the 30th anniversary of the conflict between the two countries. >> the union flag is on fire, they are calling for written to be kicked out of the falklands and the chances for argentina to break off diplomatic relations

with london. it looks like the bad old days but the demonstration was small and confined to members of a far left group. recent comments by david cameron in which he said argentina's attitude toward the people of the falkland islands was colonial has annoyed many argentines. >> the statements are scandalous because if there is a colonial country in the world, it is great britain. there are 16 colonies in the world. it makes sense that they would deny us our property. >> the falklands have been under british rule for almost 180 years but argentina claims the islands really belong to them. argentina invaded in 1982 but its forces were defeated by the british military and expelled. the episode made the inhabitants of the island even more hostile to argentina. over the following three

decades, relations gradually improved. that was until two years ago when oil firms began exploring around the island and the mood spoiled. the island state will be decided by their 3000 inhabitants. that has not impressed the demonstrators and feelings continue to run high. >> fire officials from the city of reno say that a man has confessed to accidentally starting the fires that destroyed 29 homes and forced 10,000 people to evacuate. he said he improperly discarded ashes from his fireplace. he is is extremely remorseful and corporate in with investigators. this is "bbc world news," still ahead -- the republican race for the white house continues. we will continue in the next

race, south carolina. the british embassy in baghdad has received a body that has been identified as a man who was kidnapped in iraq five years ago along with four other men. security guard was taken by gunmen along with three other guards. the only person to be released alive with their protection target. the bodies of the other security guards had been recovered. our security correspondent explained the significance of the body being handed over. >> this draws a line on the longest-running hostage crisis. this is the last of five british hostages who were kidnapped in 2007. his family has had to wait longer than the other hostage families, more than two years in their case.

he was kidnapped in broad daylight. he appeared in a hostage video. his captors wanted a straight exchange. they wanted the americans to release the militants that they had. the british government refused. one by one, the bodyguards were killed. his captors said that he died trying to escape. the family's last have some closure. >> the british government has announced it is to increase funding to fight disease and some of the most deprived parts of the world. spending will rise from $78 million to 380 millions to help people. one of the disease is the money is targeting is a blindness which is caused by bites by affected flies in sub-saharan africa. salmon rushdie has withdrawn from the biggest literary

festival in india over death threats about his participation. the headlines this hour, demonstrations have been held in syria in the only place under full control of opposition forces. at least six people have been killed following a series of coordinated bomb attacks in the north of nigeria. in italy, the rescue operation aboard the coast and korea has restarted although the cruise ship has shifted on this heath ledger is resting on. -- the rescue operation aboard the costa concordia has restarted although the cruise ship has shifted on the sea ledge it is resting on. >> the families come to see for themselves the wreck that is

holding their loved ones. some took a boat to lay a wreath near the park is of the ship. it might be that some passengers might not have made it out of the ship. footage filmed by a passenger the night of the accident shows the crew member trying to calm passengers down. >> there was some activity on the should today, albeit on deck. below the waterline had been deemed too dangerous for the press corps is to resume their search. and hand -- their was some

activity aboard the ship today. below the waterline had been deemed too dangerous for searchers to resume their search. the local resident at told me how she, friends, family helped to pull people out of the water. but i still cannot believe it, she tells me. seen it like that, i asked myself if it is real. then i go down to the port and say, yes, it is real. when i go home at night, i remember the crying children, the desperate people. the people looking for their relatives. capt. schettino speaking through his lawyer said that if he made mistakes, he is ready to accept responsibility. as the investigation continues, he claims that he informed management as soon as he hit the rocks.

the company denies exerting pressure on him to delay before declaring that the ship should be abandoned. it is clear that there are many questions about what happened on the costa concordia a week ago tonight. >> hundreds of people in the u.s. have been gathering outside of courthouses to rally against a landmark decision that removes spending limits by corporations and labour unions on political campaigns. this has been widely criticized for the assertion that corporations are entitled to the same free-speech rights as individuals. the greek government officials and representatives of their private-sector creditors have spoken optimistically about the resolution to the debt crisis. kazakhstan's parliament has

accepted new members and voted to reinstalled the prime minister. the move demonstrates the loyal backing for the veteran leader after last year's election was criticized by the west as falling short of democracy. it will be his sixth year as prime minister. another key moment in the battle between republicans who hope to challenge president obama for the white house in the state of south carolina. our north american editor reports. >> south carolina clings to its karadzic even as the south changes all around it. -- to its heritage even as the south changes all around it. in evangelical christians are a majority. when christians look at the candidates who want to take on president obama, they are no more in a grim than other

republicans. the mandate have the most -- they are no more in agreement and other republicans. the real sticking point for mitt romney is that he is a mormon. >> the issue will be that he is a mormon. if you look at their beliefs between mormons and christians, there is a separation that takes place in the view of who god is. also the separation that takes place of who jesuses, what have and will be, what eternity will look like. >> what the conservative christians do not know is to to follow instead. redemption is at the heart of their faith but they may not be keen on the challenger who said that he wanted an open marriage. and gingrich exploded in righteous fury when that was put to him. >> i think the destructive nature of much of the in media

makes it harder to govern this country and i am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate with a topic like that. >> morality is not all that matters. the candidates make sure that they visit the beacon fast-food joint. the customers keep coming but south carolina's economy is hurting. they see romney as lukewarm. >> we did not have the candidate that has the complete package of conservatism, a good history. a lot of them have a lot of baggage. a lot of them have talked about the tea party values, but have they apply to them when they covered the state? -- governed the state?

>> the well heeled elite may prefer a more moderate candidate like romney. this is important. this is a conservative's best hope of stopping mitt romney's momentum. if he wins here, he will look almost unstoppable. >> the legendary jazz, soul, and a blues singer etta james has died. in the course of her career, she won three grammy awards. >> ♪ at last >> you remember that, don't you? she had been suffering from leukemia. joining me now on the line is a

singer who was inspired by etta. thank you for joining us. i know that you knew her well. how are you taking the news? >> it was so sad today. we are all so sad. we have lost such a legend. she was an icon. what a voice. she is going to be sorely missed. like i said earlier, she was a true soldier. when she sang a song, everybody felt it. she lived with a lot of the soul that you hear in her music. we are so sad that she is gone too soon. >> understand that you work with her producer. you actually met them many times. what is your fondest memory of

her? >> she was a down-to-earth person. when you met her, and you felt like you had known her for years. she did not have a false assad about her. she was just a lady that acted as though she was just your best friend. -- she did not have a false facade about her. i loved the way she curved the notes are around the lyric. i will miss her. we have one thing in common, we have the same producer. we are so sad. i spoke to him earlier. he knew that she was sick and we had talked about that. i had prayed for her. that the lord would really touched her body and let her stay with us a little while

longer but he had other plans. >> we used too often compare you to etta james. in some ways, she lives on through you. she has been a massive influence to you? >> no, yes. the very first song i did in a nightclub, i did "tell mama." she came back and son -- and sung that song. i asked clarence, do you know "tell mama?" he started laughing because he wrote the song. >> she has influenced you, obviously. what about the music industry?

she made a big impact, didn't she? >> oh, yes. the movie "cadillac records" everyone got a chance to see what our life was like. she had a very very hard life. she has some really bad habits that she wished and everyone else wished she could have dropped those. when all is said and done, i think the hard times that we have adds to the soul and our voices. we had been through a lot and it shows when we sing a song. >> some of those songs marked those times personally, particularly the country. how do you think she would like to be remembered right now? >> i think she would like to be remembered as a soul singer. a person that paved the way for so many other singers to come behind her. i think that that is how she

would like to be remembered, as a woman that stood on her own. a woman that was not ashamed. she did not take anything. she was a strong woman. she went through the chitlin circuit and came out on top. that is how she would want to be remembered, as a strong black woman. >> thank you very much for your time on "bbc news." the glenn miller valid "at last" is a song that made her a star. -- the glenn miller ballad "at last." in heavenwe are for you are mine

at last ♪ >> make sense of international news at bbc.com/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 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.