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>> inside syria, we report exclusively from the only team in the country under full opposition control. >> these people are effectively in control of their town. they are able to walk here in the main square unmolested by security forces. it is a sign that his regime is feeling the strain of the uprising. >> at least six people are dead following coordinated bomb attacks in nigeria. >> which way will south carolina vote? we hear the views in the eateries and churches. welcome to "bbc news" broadcasting to listeners in america and around the globe. divers are due to return to the capsized cruise shup, the costa concordia, at first light. >> cash injection.

the british government is fighting disease in some of the most deprived parts of the world. >> hello and welcome. 10 months into the uprising against president al-assad in syria, we have a report from the only time under the full control of opposition forces. it has been the scene of intense fighting in recent days, but government forces have now pulled out, leaving the free syrian army in charge. at least seven protestors were you culled by forces on friday. our middle east editor jeremy bowen sent this report. >> there is a cease-fire. after 10 months of trauma for local people. the army has a few outposts, but they are not shooting now.

the regime was forced into a truce because their men could not zhrodge the rebels. it is a half hour drive from the center of damascus. since wednesday, most of it has been in the hands of the rebels. >> i saw pockets of damage from the fighting with a local activist, who said he would be in more danger if his face were shown. >> what about the future? what are you going to do next week and the week after that because al-assad is still in power in damascus? >> well still go with our protests every day until the regime falls down. and we will defend ourselves from the al-assad regime, from the troops. >> the main square is now dominated by what syrians call the independent area. they want to revive old national symbols like libyans did in their revolution. the fact that these a people are effectively in control of

their town, that they are able to want here in the main square unmolested by the security forces is a sign that the regime is feeling the strain of the uprising. this moment may not last that long because president al-assad's forces are still camped on the outside 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 some here wore that the president's men have only pulled back because of pressure from the eric snow league. the fighters arers say -- fighters say they will be ready. >> he has heavy weapons. how will you win this? >> god willing, we will win. and he says we are ready to die for the women, the children and to defend our honor.

>> the chant was god salute the free army. the truce, even if it is short, is the regime's first acknowledgement that the rebel fighters are cha balance of power in syria. the fireworks were to tell people it was time for the evening protests. this isn't the only near damascus seething with rebellion, but it is the only one where the president has seeded power. >> it is enough for me to have this two days of freedom. it doesn't matter if i die tomorrow. it is enough that i feel free for hours. >> the regime's forces are overstretched enough to take a step back here. but they are still powerful. this could be a pause, not a new beginning for this town.

jeremy bowen, "bbc news." >> a coordinated series of bomb attacks in nigeria has killed six people in the biggest city in the north. witnesses said a suicide bomber struck the regional police headquarters, with more blasts occurring at other police stations and facilities. >> yet again more carnage in nigeria. this city was the target. it has a population of some nine million people. the blasts could be felt several kilometers away. at least one of the explosions targeted a police station with police officers among the dead. this man witnessed what happened. >> there were three dead bodies right there in front of the immigration office. and now also we have like about -- we had several bomb blasts and several gunshots in front

of the police sayings. >> the attack fits a disturbing pattern of violence. once again the militant group says it was responsible. it highlights the delicate confluence of cultures and faiths in which nigeria finds itself. the north is mainly muslim, the south mainly christian. in the middle, a delicate fault line. over the past weeks, it has mainly targeted the north. this latest wave of attacks began on christmas day, when the group attacked a church in the capital. on friday a spokesman denied in a bbc interview that it was killing innocent people. [inaudible] >> they have hit muslims and

christians during its violent campaigns that began in 2002. it says it wants to impose an islamic state. the spiral of violence presents a challenge to the government. there are fears that other groups may be forming in the north of the country. >> there is another key moment in the battle between the republicans who hope to challenge president obama for the white house. when the state of south carolina gets its chance to vote. our north american editor reports. >> south carolina cleaves to its heritage even as the south changes all-around it. here in a land of churches, religion is a powerful force. evangelical criminals are in the majority and can decide lexis when they are united. but when criminals look at the candidates who want to take on president obama in this autumn's lexi, they are no more in agreement than other

republicans. the man they have the most problem with is the front-runner, mitt romney. pastor brad atkins worries that romney wasn't also anti-abortion. but the real sticking point is that he is a mormon. >> the sticking .already mormonism as a faith. when you look at the doctrinal beliefs, there is a separation that takes place in the view of who god is, also a separation that takes place of who jesus is, what heaven will be, what eternity will look like. >> what south carolina's conservative criminals do not know is who to follow instead. redemption is at the heart of their faith, but they may not be keen on the main challenger, who has been rocked by claims from an ex-wife that he wanted an open marriage. newt gingrich exploded in righteous fury when it was put to him. >> i think the destructive,

vicious, negative nature of much of the news media, makes it harder to run this country, harder to attract decent people to run for office. i am appalled you would again a debate with something like that. >> they make sure they visit the fast food joineds where the ordered are yelled blues style. the customers keep coming, but south carolina's economy is hurting. the tea party, which wants to cut government spending is strong here. they see romney as luke warm, but couldn't agree who is hot? >> we just didn't have that one candidate who had the complete package of conservatism, a good history. someone that has taken the tea party values, not only talked about them but actually applied them in the way they goncharred their state or how they spoke on the house -- on the floor of

the house or the senate. that person didn't arise. >> they may favor a more moderate candidate like romney. this state by state exercise may drag on for a while yet. but this vote here is important. it is the conservatives' best hope of halting mitt romney's momentum. if he mansion to win here, he will look almost unstoppable. "bbc news," south carolina. >> fire officials from the city of reno, nevada, says a man has admitted to accidentally starting a fire that destroyed 29 homes and forced as many as 10,000 people to evacuate. the elderly man told authorities that he improperly discarded ashes from his fireplace. he is extremely remorseful and is cooperating with investigators. >> there has been heavy fighting after they launched a

major offensive. around 1,000 soldiers have reportedly captured three bases. they say they have advanced outside the area for the first time. the government of south zanan -- sudan says it is deepening oil production. it needs a northern pipeline to export it. the two countries have been lock inside a dispute over pipeline fees. >> france has suspended all joint operations with the afghan army in response to the killing of four french troops by an afghan soldier they will be training. at least 60 more had been wounded. president sarkozy said he would consider an early withdrawal of french units. authorities are looking to drop the case. the statement was made as jean claude appeared in court for

violating house arrest. he is on trial for claims of corruption and human rights abuse. >> a northern ireland has been convicted of murdering two soldiers. brian was found guilty of shooting the men in an ambush as they went to collect pizza in 2009. his co-defendant was cleared. the hunt for the rest of the gang will continue. >> there is "bbc news." still ahead, tributes to the r&b singer, etta james. >> in another sign of worsening relations between brain britt and and argentina, protestors have burned flags outside.

there is a dispute about the future of the falkland islands. >> the union onflag is on fire. they call for britt and to be kicked out of the faulk lands and the chants demand argentina 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. however, comments by britain's prime minister said that it was colonial have annoyed many argentina annals. >> the statements by prime minister cameron are scandalous . there are 16 colonies in the world, and 11 of them belong to great britain. so it makes sense they will deny it. >> 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 islands more hostile to argentina. over the following three decades, relationles gradually improved. that was until two years ago when oil firms began exploring around the islands, and the mood soured again. 0 than a visit to britt and, the foreign minister said the island as fate should be decided by the ib has been tenants. feelings continue to run high. "bbc news." >> this is "bbc news." i am cris rogers. the head lines this hour. demonstrations have been held in syria, the only town in the

country under the full control of oppositions forces. at least six people have been killed following a coordinated series of bomb attacks in the north of nigeria. in italy the rescue operation aboard the costa concordia has restarted, although the cruise ship has again shifted on the sea ledge it is resting on. the southern was halted temporarily for a third time over fears the wreck could slip suddenly into deeper water. several people are still missing. >> the families of those still missing came to giglio today to see for themselves the wreck that still holds their loved wons. some were taking out by boat to lay a wreath near the carcass of the ship, a poignant moment after a week of waiting. it may be that some passengers did not make it out of the ship because they were given a false sense of security.

for theage filmed by a passenger the night of the accident shows how a crew member tried to calm passengers down. [speaking in native tongue] >> there was some activity on the ship today, albeit on deck. below the water line had been deemed to dangerous for divers to resume their search, prompts fears she could sink further. but yesterday divers were allowed into the vessel, and they came across this. the ship's bell, a simon of symbol of the once proud costa concordia. as she reflects on the events of a week ago, this local

resident told me how she, her friends and family helped to pull people out of the water. >> i still can't believe it, she tells me. i swear, seeing it like that, i ask myself if it is real. then i go down to the port, and i say yes, it's real. when i go home at night, i do remember the crying children, the desperate people, and the people looking for their relatives. >> today captain schettino speaking through his lawyers saying if he has made mistakes, he is ready to accept his responsibility. as the vation -- investigation continues, he said he informed the do as soon as he hit the rocks. the company denied exerting pressure on him to delay before declaring the ship should be abandoned. >> it is clear there are still many questions about what exactly happened on the concordia a week ago tonight.

"bbc news," giglio. >> the british government has announced it is to significantly increase funding to fight disease in deprived parts of the world. they are increasing to $380 million over five years as a global effort to help hundreds of millions of people. it comes as a run-up to an international conference hosted by bill games. here is our report. >> every year a billion people are affected by what are known as necessary neglected tropical diseases, and more than half a million die from them. these infections, which often hit the poorest parts of the world, don't attract as much attention asthma layer ya or h.i.v., but can cause just as much suffering. today the british government has promised to increase by five-fold funding to combat these diseases. it will rice from $78 million to $380 million over a

four-year period. compared to the overall budget of britain's national health service of $1.45 billion, this is small. but they say kl make a huge difference. >> with this funding, a group of implementing agencies are going to be able to deliver millions and millions of treatments using pharmaceuticals that have been donated by the pharmaceutical industry. we are going to be able to reach out to the rural poor in africa. the children and the adults who are infected with these pair sitic diseases, and we are going to improve their quality of life. >> one of the diseases the money will target is river blindness caused by bites from black flies, mainly in subis a haurn -- subsaharan africa.

these and other deceases will be discussed later this month. sophie hutchinson, "bbc news." >> a jailed dissident in cuba has died 50 days after beginning a hunger strike. they were protesting against a prison sentence for taking part in a demonstration. the cuban human rights said the 38-year-old had died in hospital after being critically ill for several days. there has so far been no reaction from the cuban government over the death. >> there has been no comment as all from the cuban authorities. the news of the death came through earlier today. we have been waiting for some kind of reaction, but we have seen nothing official. what there has been is a lot of comments on pro-government blogs, blogs which are usually described here as official blogs. they are saying that this person was a violent man, a

dangerous criminal. he had been convicted as such, and his death now after the long hunger strike is being used as a weapon against them. dissidents in cuba have a different opinion. they say he was arrested after a political protest in the serena province of santiago back in november. he began his hunger strike after he refused to wear prison clothing. he began his strike, stopped it a while, and started again when his demands were not met. he died after 56 days on a hunger strike in the prison there in santiago providence inls. >> in 2010 another dissident died after being on a hunger strike. the cuban government came under a lot of pressure then, and that did lead to the release of some prisoners. >> the difference in this case is there was very little

possible lisickiity about this strike death. no one here other than the dissident groups knew a lot about him. he only joined a particular group in santiago in september. the protest took place in november after he was arrested. other protestors who were arrested there were released. he was held because of a previous criminal complaint against him. that is what he was tried for. that was a domestic dispute which he was eventually convicted for and given four years in prison. he was hailed by the dissidents here in cuba has a political dissident. that is how he is being remember today. on the other side, pro-government bloggers are talking about him as a common criminal and saying his death is being used as a weapon against kubina. >> the head of fifa says russia is well on track to host the

world cup in 2018. he said the country was better prepared than brazil, which hosts the tournament in 2014. >> i tell you that we are far, far advanced. i would say we have more problems actually in brazil than we are looking forward to the world cup in 2018 here. when you speak about crisis, we have had crisis in 2008. we will have a crisis programs tomorrow or -- perhaps tomorrow or whatever. >> but at the same time i have to say, and i'm happy to say it, but i cross the fingers and i pray, futbol has not been affected by the crisis. why is futbol not affected by the crisis? because futbol gives emotion to the people when there are crisis.

>> the legendary jazz, blues and soul singer etta james has died at 73. during her long career, she won three grammy awards. ♪ at last my love ♪ >> her many hits included the ballad at last. she had been suffering from leukemia. >> as one of many who were inspired, this singer was in atlanta, georgia, where she gave her reaction to the news. >> we are all so saddened here in america. we have lost such a legend. she was an icon in the music industry. what a voice. she is going to be sorely missed in our industry. like i said earlier, she was a two soul sister. when would sing a song,

everybody felt it. she lived it. a lot of the soul that you hear in her music, she lived every bit of it. we are so sad that she is gone. she is gone too soon. >> how do you think etta james 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 is how she would like to be remembered, a woman that stood her own, a woman that wasn't ashamed, a woman that wasn't -- she didn't back down for nothing. she was a strong woman. she went through the chittlin circuit, and she came out on top. i think that is how she would like to be remembered, as a strong black woman. ♪ at last ♪

>> make sense of international news at become.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.