the bbc tracked down the man who hid the family when they fled from uk to pakistan. we'll bring you that exclusive interview. fifa announce saudi arabia will play host to the men's world cup in 2034 — despite strong criticism from human rights groups. fighters in syria have set fire to the tomb of the ousted president bashar al assad's father. i'm lyse doucet in damascus. there continue to be reports and summary execution at the caretaker prime minister sent a reassuring message urging syrians abroad to come home. hello, i'm kasia madera. the father and stepmother of sara sharif, a 10—year—old girl who was found dead in her home here in the uk, have been convicted of her

murder, after a trial which heard harrowing details of her treatment before her killing. sara sharif was found dead in august 2023 at her home in woking, in surrey, after what prosecutors say was a campaign of "serious and repeated violence". craig emmerson, detective chief inspector at surrey police gave this statement outside the court. today after a ten week trial, a jury has found urfan sharif and beinash batool — the father and stepmother of ten—year—old sara sharif — guilty of her murder. faisal malik, sara's uncle, faisal malik, sara's uncle, was found guilty of causing was found guilty of causing or allowing her death. or allowing her death. sara was a bright and lively sara was a bright and lively little girl who loved singing little girl who loved singing and dancing and on behalf and dancing and on behalf of surrey police, i would has shone through from the vast of surrey police, i would like to extend my deepest like to extend my deepest condolences to her mother, condolences to her mother, olga, hersiblings olga, hersiblings and all those who knew and all those who knew and cared for her. and cared for her. sara's spirit and bravery sara's spirit and bravery and resilience in the face of and resilience in the face of the suffering that she endured the suffering that she endured

has shone through from the vast inquiries that have been undertaken in this case. judith reed from the crown prosecution service delivered this statement outside the court. it has been a painstaking operation by surrey police and the crown prosecution service to build this case and be able to prove to the jury that urfan sharif and beinash batool were both responsible for sara's murder. to prove to the jury that urfan sharif and beinash batool

to prove to the jury that urfan sha woking einash batool to prove to the jury that urfan sha woking and sh batool to prove to the jury that urfan sha woking and is batool to prove to the jury that urfan sha woking and is sorry. . woking in woking and is sorry. sarah died on the 8th of august last year. her body was found two days later after police took a phone call from her father who was in pakistan by the time, where he had fled to with his wife, sara's st stepmother and uncle. faisal malik was found not guilty of murder by guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child. all three defendants had denied the charges levelled against them. urfan sharif and the stepmother both found guilty of murder today. sara sara had been filed with over 70 external injuries and more than 25 fractures, including spinal fractures which had healed and then had been rebroken. there were so many different injuries on her body that she must have been put according to a

pathologist, suffering daily pay her father denied murder but he had during his evidence admitted that he hadn't intended to kill her but he had beaten her too much. he said, "i take responsibility for what happened to my daughter, i didn't do what i should have done to protect her.". in the course of the evidence that we heard as well he had denied that he had written her or burned her or scolded her, which was some of the injuries he had sustained but he had admitted that he hit her with a cricket bat, with a metal pole and also a mobile phone at times. so herring was this evidence that at the end of the trial when the judge was taking thejury for their care trial when the judge was taking the jury for their care and attention in the deliberations he said "this case above any others has been stressful and

traumatic.". 0f others has been stressful and traumatic.". of course we heard from the police their views of the evidence presented to the court. dcs mark chapman from surrey police with the investigating for said after the case that "the murder of the case that "the murder of the child is shocking but the injuries of abuse and neglect that sara suffered during her short life made this case particularly disturbing. today's a day where justice has been served for sara and our thoughts remain with mcafee�*s mother and sisters". we also heard that neighbors had said they heard screams and shouting from the house in woking. we also heard from teachers who expressed concern that sara was turning up with bruises on her face, sometimes that she covered with her hijab. social services were brought in but no further action was taken. today the children's commissioner has set out a statement saying,

"what haunts me the most about sara's death is herfather used i legally publish my child, believing this to be a defense to murder. it's unthinkable that any parent could hide that and we need to change the system." the sentencing is due next tuesday. system." the sentencing is due next tuesday-— system." the sentencing is due next tuesday. thank you. at the old bailey _ next tuesday. thank you. at the old bailey with _ next tuesday. thank you. at the old bailey with a _ next tuesday. thank you. at the old bailey with a very _ old bailey with a very difficult trial was taking place. for weeks, the three adults 7 urfan sharif, sara's father, beinash batool, her stepmother, faisal malik, her uncle and 5 of sara's siblings 7 were the subject of a police hunt in pakistan that spread across the country. when the adults left pakistan, there were still questions about how they had remained hidden for so long. 0ur pakistan correspondent caroline davies and her team spent months tracking down the man who says he hid them. punjab�*s rural heartland. more than 6,000km away from woking, the route, the roads the sharif family

took. but where and how did they stay undiscovered? we're off to meet a man who's related to urfan sharif by marriage. and through the conversations we've been having, we think he might know more about how the three adults stayed hidden for so long in pakistan. months of searching, tip—offs and leads led us to this door in a one track village. during the hunt, police suspected rasikh munir of helping hide sara's father, urfan sharif, stepmother beinash batool and uncle faisal malik, as well as sara's five siblings. assalamu alaikum. speaking exclusively to the bbc before the trial began, he told us how he did it. urfan sharif room. this is urfan's room? this urfan's room. this is where he stayed? translation: yes, they stayed here. i they used to sleep here.

they used to use this table for food. they used to sit here with beinash to contact the lawyer and to discuss how they should talk to police in the uk. rasikh is known to the police. as we talk, i notice a gun tucked into his waistband. he tells us it's for his safety. sara's family left the uk for pakistan on the 9th of august, 2023. by the time that the pakistan police began looking for them on the 16th, rasikh says they were already in hiding with him. you said that police raided here. if the police raided, how did they never find you or the children? translation: from this roof, you could see the police - from all four sides. then i used to take them here. we used to go inside the fields. you hid? you hid in here? yes. with children. they were scared. they couldn't understand what was going on. you still hid them

from the police, knowing that the police wanted to talk to them about sara's death? i helped urfan and the young kids. if i hadn't helped them, they would have been completely helpless. rasikh told us that despite the police hunt, he still took the family out for haircuts, pizza and ice cream and moved them between here and sara's grandfather's house two hours away. it was at the grandfather's house in september 2023 that police raided and found the five children. we filmed the aftermath. now, incredibly, rasikh says the three adults were there too, but hid in a neighbour's garden. if true, it means that as we filmed, the adults were metres away from us. how were they not found? translation: the family knew they were coming i because there is a big lcd to which cameras are attached. they were watching everything.

he says with no time to grab the kids, the adults simply ran. rasik says the police pressure meant the adults decided to fly back to the uk. sara's siblings were left behind. the trial may be over, but the damage reverberates. five children who lost their sister are still in limbo in pakistan, and a little girl who lost her life. caroline davies, bbc news, sialkot. we have much more on that story on our website. we have much more on that story on our website. saudi arabia has been confirmed as host of the 2034 men's world cup. the kingdom was the only bidder for the tournament, but there's been criticism about a lack of clarity over the process, and the choice has been fiercely criticised by human rights groups and environmental campaigners. fifa's president gianni infantino made the announcement — have a listen to what he said. and last, but not least,

it is a great pleasure that i can confirm that the host of the fifa world cup 2034 will be... ..saudi arabia! applause. mabrook to our friends in riyadh. mabrook to everyone. let's speak to our bbc sport presenter 0lly foster. controversy over it being saudi arabia hookups controversy of the whole process. h0 arabia hookups controversy of the whole process. no surprise that saudi _ the whole process. no surprise that saudi arabia _ the whole process. no surprise that saudi arabia were - the whole process. no surprise | that saudi arabia were awarded the world cup in 2024, we had the world cup in 2024, we had the spectacle of the president facing a wall, a virtual congress of over 200 national federations. it wasn't so much

of vote, it was cold and acclimation. they were deciding on to world cup some of the 2030, which will be staged by morocco, portugal and spain with a handful of matches in south america as well in the 2034 soul bid in saudi arabia. there wasjust applause 2034 soul bid in saudi arabia. there was just applause so yes, these two workups are absolutely fine for the norway were dissenting boys for the base of the whole process by which it's been engineered that saudia arabia will take the world cup in ten years' time, thatis world cup in ten years' time, that is deeply flawed. it hasn't been transparent at all. and a host of human rights organizations have come forward saying that fee for his own human rights regulations are an absolute sham. —— see file. no way two fifa world cup should be given in 2024. saudi arabia say they hope it will be a catalyst for change as you many other groups will to put the spotlight will be on saudi arabia. ., ~' , ., , spotlight will be on saudi

arabia. ., ~ , . lots of reaction on our website. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

in syria's capital damascus, the interim prime minister, mohamad al bashir, has called on syrians abroad to return home. he said he wants to provide stability and calm. it comes as fighters have set fire to the tomb of syria's former president, hafez al—assad — father of the overthrown bashar. of the overthrown bashar. this is in the town of qardaha this is in the town of qardaha in the northwest of syria, home in the northwest of syria, home of the assad family mausoleum. of the assad family mausoleum. rebel forces say they've taken rebel forces say they've taken control of the oil—rich eastern into the hands ofjihadists. control of the oil—rich eastern city of dair uh zor. city of dair uh zor. a senior commander of a senior commander of the islamist group hts says the islamist group hts says it captured the city it captured the city after us—backed kurdish after us—backed kurdish fighters withdrew. fighters withdrew. meanwhile israel says it has meanwhile israel says it has carried out hundreds of air carried out hundreds of air strikes and hit strategic strikes and hit strategic

weapons stockpiles in syria weapons stockpiles in syria to stop them falling to stop them falling into the hands ofjihadists. the un's called for an end to the attacks that have taken place since rebel factions overthrew the government of bashar al assad on saturday. 0ur chief international correspondent lyse doucet who is in damascus. you join us as the third day of this new rule, after the end of the basharfamily this new rule, after the end of the bashar family have century rule has ended. we see the

the bashar family have century rule has ended. we see th| said new cabinet appointed and said to be in place until march of next year. he says they are working with the members of the old regime to ensure that the files are headed over and that there is an orderly transition for the that's a positive signal to syrians. more worrying is the cabinet is completely dominated by islamists from the main islamists from the main islamist groups. and syrians are daring to hope that this is just temporary and that it won't become permanent because it simply will not meet the needs of the country which is defined by the diversity of so many christian and muslim sects. the majority of syrians are still celebrating quietly, sometimes still in the streets for the sometimes at the end of this oppressive rule that pretty much known all their life of the we found this in the old city when we went into the old city when we went into the grand mosque of damascus, one of the oldest and biggest

mosque in the world for the people are telling us were breathing freely for the first time in their lives. it's an amazing moment- _ in their lives. it's an amazing moment. first _ in their lives. it's an amazing moment. first we _ in their lives. it's an amazing moment. first we couldn't i moment. first we couldn't believe _ moment. first we couldn't believe it. like maybe it is a dream _ believe it. like maybe it is a dream. but actually, it's been a nightmare for us for all these _ a nightmare for us for all these years. but now it came true and _ these years. but now it came true and it_ these years. but now it came true and it is a new day for us — true and it is a new day for us it's_ true and it is a new day for us it's a _ true and it is a new day for us. it's a new morning for us. when — us. it's a new morning for us. when the _ us. it's a new morning for us. when the war started i was 11 years— when the war started i was 11 years old~ _ when the war started i was 11 years old. i grew up with the war, _ years old. i grew up with the war. in— years old. i grew up with the war. in the _ years old. i grew up with the war, in the war. i couldn't believe _ war, in the war. i couldn't believe that maybe someday there — believe that maybe someday there is _ believe that maybe someday there is going to be a new day, a beautitul— there is going to be a new day, a beautiful day for the thanks .ot a beautiful day for the thanks got it— a beautiful day for the thanks got it happened. it�*s a beautiful day for the thanks got it happened.— got it happened. it's only the third day so _ got it happened. it's only the third day so it _ got it happened. it's only the third day so it is _ got it happened. it's only the third day so it is early - got it happened. it's only the third day so it is early days. i third day so it is early days. what are you hoping for the new leadership?— leadership? actually, i am ho - in: leadership? actually, i am honing just _ leadership? actually, i am honing just so. _ leadership? actually, i am hoping just so, it's - leadership? actually, i am hoping just so, it's a - leadership? actually, i am hoping just so, it's a free i hoping just so, it's a free cereal _ hoping just so, it's a free cereal. it's going to be...

like — cereal. it's going to be... like someone previous, i don't want _ like someone previous, idon't want to— like someone previous, i don't want to he _ like someone previous, i don't want to be like him. i don't want — want to be like him. i don't want to— want to be like him. i don't want to be like him. i don't want to be saying like we used to say, — want to be saying like we used to say, only syria, we want cereal _ to say, only syria, we want cereal. we don't want anyone like want _ cereal. we don't want anyone like want leadership, we want someone _ us us and with us not for himself. that's— us and with us not for himself. that's what i'm hoping. i'm hoping for the best. no one is going to do like he did, like first couple of days. it going to do like he did, like first couple of days.- going to do like he did, like first couple of days. it was so sad. i first couple of days. it was so sad- i was — first couple of days. it was so sad. i was so _ first couple of days. it was so sad. i was so depressed - first couple of days. it was so i sad. i was so depressed because of prisoners. sad. i was so depressed because of prisoners-_ of prisoners. this is where they call — of prisoners. this is where they call it _ of prisoners. this is where they call it the _ of prisoners. this is where they call it the slaughter l they call it the slaughter house where thousands were tortured to death. i house where thousands were tortured to death.— tortured to death. i was so depressed- _ tortured to death. i was so depressed. i— tortured to death. i was so depressed. i used - tortured to death. i was so depressed. i used or - tortured to death. i was so depressed. i used or read | tortured to death. i was so - depressed. i used or read those things— depressed. i used or read those things in— depressed. i used or read those things in novels. they are novels— things in novels. they are novels about prisons, about how people _ novels about prisons, about how people used to be treated for that but— people used to be treated for that but i couldn't believe it.

like. — that but i couldn't believe it. like, maybe it has happened. now— like, maybe it has happened. now it — like, maybe it has happened. now it is _ like, maybe it has happened. now it is true. it's even worse than _ now it is true. it's even worse than the — now it is true. it's even worse than the novels. it's so bad. but — than the novels. it's so bad. but thank— than the novels. it's so bad. but thank god all are free, rnost — but thank god all are free, most of— but thank god all are free, most of them. i'm sorry for people _ most of them. i'm sorry for people who lost their dads, my friends — people who lost their dads, my friends lost their dad and her uncle, — friends lost their dad and her uncle, all— friends lost their dad and her uncle, all of them. thank god for that— uncle, all of them. thank god for that we're hoping that my kids. — for that we're hoping that my kids. my— for that we're hoping that my kids, my niece, my nephew maybe they are _ kids, my niece, my nephew maybe they are going to live better life more me. i couldn't be here — life more me. i couldn't be here sense 13 years. i was kid, isaac. _ here sense 13 years. i was kid, isaac, and _ here sense 13 years. i was kid, isaac, and play here and play they— isaac, and play here and play they are _ isaac, and play here and play they are. but now i couldn't. it's they are. but now i couldn't. it's the — they are. but now i couldn't. it's the first day i came here. that is the mood of euphoria and hopefulness that we hear from most of the syrians we meet here. of course there is another syria gripped by fear

as we continue to get reports every day of summary executions and see videos of notorious members of presidents by showers regime being dragged from their homes. it is said the new dominated government, has a number one list of those days they are responsible for the war crimes. they've compiled all the evidence. these figures are well—known. are going after members these figures are well—known. a