24/02/2016 World Business Report

It was on a flight from Pokhara to Jomsom when it lost

Those are the latest headlines from BBC World News.

Here's Sally and World Business Report.

As yet another Asian economy posts disappointing growth figures, we

take the temperature on the region's economic prospects.

And getting to the core of an issue: As Apple continues

its fight with the FBI over iPhone encryption, protesters show their

Welcome to World Business Report. I'm Sally Bundock.

Also in the programme: We'll have the latest on the massive

But first, it's a trade-reliant city-state in Asia that's seen

So, when Singapore releases its latest

growth numbers economists take notice and today's news isn't good.

Its economy grew by 2% in 2015, the slowest rate of growth

The services sector is strong, but this is overshadowed by a deep

contraction in the key manufacturing sector and will add to fears for the

Singapore's growth was weighed down by poor global demand, low oil

Tell us more about the growth prospects for the region. It is

shaping up to be another year of slow growth. Just look at the

weather behind me. It is dark, raining and the outlook is far from

promising. You mentioned Singapore, together with several other trade

reliant countries, which have been hit hard by this growth in China and

a general downturn in global demand. Analysts say the deteriorating

outlook might prompt central banks in the region to ease monetary

policy sooner rather than later and adopt additional stimulus. The

population is 6 million. Growth was mainly supported by the service

sector, wholesale and retail, financial insurance. Hong Kong is

also feeling the pinch. The financial secretary spoke earlier

and said the economy might grow at its lowest pay since 2012 due to a

slump in tourism and exports worsening. With fewer Chinese

tourists shopping in Hong Kong, retailers have seen sales fall,

while other prices have also dropped, leaving the economy

increasingly reliant on its financial sector, while the city

faces major challenges on managing its ageing population. If you put

all these factors together problems are indeed mounting for many of the

region's trade reliant economies. Thank you so much.

The US-based chocolate maker Mars is trying to reassure

its customers now, following the news of the recall of millions of

chocolate bars from at least 55 countries.

Bits of plastic were found in one of the products.

The affected items were made in the Netherlands and include

General Director Mars Netherlands explained the cause of the recall.

TRANSLATION: We received a consumer complaint from Germany and we took

this very seriously. We launched the investigation and found his -- it is

possible plastic ended up in the product. For us quality and the

consumer are paramount and we decided to take this drastic

measure. It is polyethylene plastic. That's plastic which is used in the

food industry. In principle it is biodegradable and can be digestive,

but it is the sharpness of the product that worries us.

It's been one week since the FBI won a court order

forcing Apple to help investigators unlock the iPhone belonging to

In that time, Apple's refusal to comply has sparked an unprecedented

debate about balance between personal privacy and the needs of

Our North American technology correspondent Dave Lee reports

from San Francisco, where Apple supporters have taken to

Support for Apple in a city like San Francisco is almost guaranteed.

People believe passionately that what the FBI is doing is simply

wrong. It is not just attacking our civil

liberties, it is actively putting us in danger. This affects everybody.

We all need to voice our opinion. It is time for the FBI to look at this

intelligently and figure out the best way to do this. Demonstrations

like this have been taking place all across the US today, including in

Washington, DC outside the headquarters of the FBI. Apple also

enjoy support from Twitter and Google and earlier this week that

found -- the founder of Facebook had this to say. I don't think

encryption is going to be an effective way to increase security

or is the right thing to do. However, outside the technology

bubble of San Francisco support is slightly higher to find. Possible

presidential candidate Donald Trump has called for a boycott of Apple's

products. Boycott Apple and they give that security. Boycott Apple.

The new study from the pew research centres suggest the morrow -- the

majority of Americans back the FBI. Apple has until Friday to submit its

formal response to the court. They prefer that a special commission is

set up to discuss the various heated points of view.

As the UK prepares for a June referendum on whether to leave

the European Union, so voters and investors are looking at what other

options could be on the table if the decision is to exit the union.

Norway is outside the EU but retains a unique trade agreement

Allan Little reports on how the relationship works and if it's

The water is the border between Sweden and Norway, the edge of the

European Union. What you can drive straight across it without even

noticing. Norway may not be in the EU but it is part of the Schengen

area which means anyone from the EU can come and live and work here. 16%

of Norway's population are migrants and they are entitled to the same

welfare benefits as Norwegians. Norwegians rejected EU membership in

referendums in 1972 and 1994. We heard a lot of scaremongering about

losing jobs. They said we would lose 100,000 jobs by standing outside the

EU, but every single day it has shown it is false. Norwegians have

sought to protect their fisheries from EU competition after oil and --

as after oil and gas this is the country's biggest industry. But

staying out of the EU means this salmon processing company has to pay

at tariff to sell its products in EU countries. You have tariffs on

smoked salmon... The owner thinks that a price worth paying. I've been

very constant in my belief that I think we should stay outside. It is

like saying you know what you have but you don't know what you've got.

Despite its global reputation, Norway is facing growing competition

from Poland. Similar fish products can be made there more cheaply and

sold without import tariffs. Here in Norway's parliament, political elite

have tended to EU membership. Most of the laws and directives and

regulations issued by Brussels get ratified by this Parliament anyway.

Norway has the fall in line with the EU even though it isn't allowing

room when that law is made. Politicians here call that

integration without representation. We are closely integrated into the

market. We have lost part of the serenity of deciding on the rules

and regulation. Would it be advantages to Norway to have a seat

at the table. I believe that. Norway may have stayed out that the EU has

exerted its revocation will pull here and drawn the country into the

orbit of European integration all the same.

Brazilian authorities have charged the president of mining company

Samarco and six others with homicide for the mining disaster that killed

Samarco is owned by Brazil's Vale and mining giant BHP Billiton and on

Tuesday police presented the first official report into the incident.

The report concluded that the accident was caused

by excess water in the dam, lack of proper monitoring, faulty equipment

JP Morgan will set aside an additional $500 million to cover

potential losses from its exposure to the oil and gas sector.

The increase is more than 60% of the funds

The announcement contrasts with the banks assertion

in January that oil companies were "surprisingly resilient".

All of the markets are lower. Have a look online for the latest on that.

See you soon. Rescue teams have spent the night

searching for three people who are still missing after part of the

decommissioned power