>> welcome to the "journal." >> former liberian president sentenced to 50 years in prison. >> the head of the european commission calls for the eu rescue fund to bail out troubled banks. and britain's highest court says julian assange can indeed be extradited to sweden. it is being called a major date for international justice. a united nations war crimes court has jailed charles taylor, the former president of liberia. >> he has been given 50 years

for helping rebels from neighboring sierra leone commit a gruesome list of active during an 11-year civil war that ended in 2002. >> it was considered one of the most brutal conflicts in post- world war ii history. the presiding judge says the world is entering an era of accountability. >> charles taylor remained in passive as the sentence was announced. the presiding judge said he saw no attenuating circumstances, and taylor showed no signs of remorse. taylor was found guilty last month of 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, and constricting child soldiers. the judge said taylor's crimes were of the utmost gravity in their scale and brutality. >> witness tf1 064 was forced to carry a bag containing human

heads. on the way, the rebels ordered her to laugh as she carried the bags and dripping with blood. she testified that when they arrived, the bag was empty, and she saw the heads of her children. >> prosecutors had sought and 80-year term, but they welcomed the sentence, saying it reflected the condemnation of the international community. >> it does not heal the wounds of those who are victims of sexual violence and does not remove the permanent emotional, psychological, and physical scars of those enslaved or recruited as child soldiers, but a sentence for these crimes does bring some measure o >> the verdict and sentence are being seen as milestones in the emerging system of international justice. taylor is the first head of state to be convicted by an international court since the nazi trials after world war ii. >> taylor's due to serve his

sentence at a high-security prison in britain for his part in a war that claimed an escape -- estimated 50,000 lives. >> some survivors have been welcoming the sentence. here is some reaction. >> many of those who had testified at the trial gathered at the special court for sierra leone in the capital to watch the sentencing. it was broadcast live from the special court hearing held near the hague in the netherlands. she says that now that taylor has been sentenced, people who want to do bad things will think twice. >> if i see justice served, i will be the happiest person on earth. >> the good will should be warned that their positions are to be used for the interests of the people. >> human rights activists see

the sentencing as an important precedent and a warning to other cruel tyrants. >> other news now. several united nations security council members have expressed growing concern about the increasing violence in syria. this after a special envoy, kofi annan's deputy, reportedly told the council that the 14-month uprising had all the characteristics of a revolutionary movement and that it is unlikely to stop. a french representative to the council said the peace plan was not been implemented and that the syrian government was not committed to the plan. he said harris believe that increased collective pressure from the entire international community was the only way to give the plan a chance -- he said paris believed that increased collective pressure appeared a rebel three syrian army says the government of bashar al assad has 40 hours to fulfil the commitments of the peace plan or face commitments. >> nearly 12,000 people have been killed in fighting since

march last year, but since the massacre that left more than 100 dead last weekend, the conflict seems to have ended -- entered a new phase. >> these people witnessed the massacre and escaped with their lives. they blame government troops and the militia that supports the regime. >> they pointed guns at us entrapped us in a room like sheep before spraying us with bullets. they killed my father and brother. >> several countries hold the regime responsible for the massacre and have expelled syrian diplomats in response. on wednesday, turkey joined them and said sanctions might be extended if the violence continues. >> standing by tyrants is equal to being a tyrant. we cannot remain silent in the face of such acts. >> new video posted online is said to show yet another attack

by region troops on the city of homs, a city of opposition to the regime -- another attack by regime troops. 13 bodies have been discovered in the east of the country, but their hands tied behind their backs and signs that some had been shot in the head at close range. it is not yet known by home. the pictures are too disturbing to show on television. >> to business news now. a european commission has urged the eurozone to use the block's western fund to prop up banks and not just countries. >> in a major policy paper, the commission says members must break the vicious circle of heavily indebted states of banks' lending to each other -- and lead banks leading to each other. this is regaining financial market confidence is essential to overcoming the crisis and

that these recommendations could help spain as well. it is the latest front in the debt battle. >> in another possible lifeline for spain, the eu monetary affairs commissioner says madrid will get another year to reduce its budget deficit to 3% of gdp. >> but brussels wants -- to put forward a budget plan with additional spending cuts over the next two years. much of the current focus on spain comes from the crisis in the country's banking sector, which is straddled with billions of euros of debt. >> shares in one of the lender'' plunge today by over 8.5%. >> need a further 19 billion euros, and even that might not be enough. the country's bank rescue fund does not have the kind of money, so madrid has decided to issue government bonds to raise capital. >> the spanish banking crisis did not begin year.

the government is simply accelerating the process to clean up the spanish financial system. >> but spain is already paying sky-high interest rates to borrow money on international markets, and the abrupt resignation of spain's central bank chief has rocked investor confidence even further. spain's best chance of a solution lies in a proposal made by the european commission. it has suggested allowing banks to borrow directly from the european stability mechanism, but that measure faces strong opposition and would likely require a change in the european treaty. >> let's get the latest from our brussels correspondent. what are the chances of something like this actually getting through? >> it is not likely get through quickly. there is strong opposition from countries like germany, not just because it would mean having to rewrite the treaty, which would not send a signal to the markets. there is also the fear that you

would lose some kind of level of control because under the current system, governments that take out money have to promise and commit themselves to very strict conditions. otherwise they do not get money, so this is a problem in that country's -- that countries like germany seek, but it will be discussed because pressure on the markets is growing on ab eurozone member state like spain. >> would you say measures like this one is basically a no- confidence vote in spain? >> no, the problem in spain is that banks have lost capital because of the real-estate bubble that burst. that is a very specific problem, and it needs to be addressed, but in other areas, the eu has shown itself very satisfied with the reforms that spain is and lamenting. it says spain needs to excel rate its efforts and that it needs to pick up speed a little, but overall, by giving spain more time to reduce its deficit, the eu is saying that they

believe they can do it, but only if they stick to the reform path they are on and speed up the process. >> thank you very much for the update. it was not just banking shares that were heading south today. the only color flashing on stock broker screens today was read as far as major indices go. the dax and euro stocks 50 lost 50%. over to the united states, where the dow is also down, not as far, but down by 1.3%. the euro also trading in negative territory for $1.2375. in a minute, we will look at how the italians are coping with their second deadly earthquake in just a few weeks. >> that is right, but first, a look at other stories making news around the world. in britain, prime minister david cameron's former communications chief has been detained on suspicion of committing perjury. he told the court in 2010 he had

no knowledge of illegal activities by reporters while he was tabloid editor. he has now been arrested in connection with the old hacking allegations. >> in the u.s., mitt romney has pledged the republican presidential nomination with a big win in the texas primary. a former massachusetts governor secured the votes of the necessary 1144 delegates. he is said to be officially anointed at the republican national convention in august. >> the burmese opposition leader has been given a rafters reception from thousands of burmese migrant workers in thailand. the nobel laureate is on her first foreign visit in 25 years. on friday, she is due to speak at the world economic forum in bangkok. to italy now where rescue workers had ended their search for survivors after a second killer earthquake in northeastern italy. >> thousands of survivors are

fearful of further tremors and are staying close to camps where they have sought shelter. local communities have issued further calls for rescues for children. >> they were hoping for a miracle, but it was not to be. in the morning, rescuers found the body of the last man and accounted for since this factory building collapse. crews had searched for him through the night. the bodies of three of his colleagues have already been recovered the day before. now survivors are trying to look forward and rebuild their lives. >> we will roll up our sleeves to restart as soon as possible, to return to a state of normality, but unfortunately, fate has been against us so many times now. >> it is hard to be optimistic against all the destruction. tuesday's quake was the second in as many weeks and finished off many structures damaged in the first one.

thousands of people have lost their homes. they are now living in tent cities like this one, 7 kilometers from the epicenter of the quake. aftershocks continue to rattle the region, making it hard to find rest. many people are in shock. >> i had a nervous breakdown. after so many aftershocks, i did not expect that everything would start all over again. we are very shaken. >> but there are also encouraging moments. she had spent 12 hours under a kitchen table until sniffer dogs guided the rescue crews to her. she is now in the hospital recovering from her ordeal. >> the german president is on his first state visit to israel and has asked the prime minister netanyahu for a gesture on the issue of west bank settlements. >> middle east peace talks have been stalled since 2010 after

israel refused to halt settlement construction. back at their meeting in jerusalem, the german president and israeli prime minister reaffirmed, as expected, the close friendship between their two countries. but gaulk repeated his criticism of israel's settlement in territories. he says it hinders middle eastern peace process. earlier wednesday, he visited the institute of science near tel aviv, where a number of germans are working on research projects. gauk -- gaulk said he is pleased to see people involved in activities that are forward- looking and that relations are not defined only by the holocaust. >> we need another realm linking israel and germany alongside the dark realm of the past and memory that has separated us.

>> on wednesday evening, gaulk received a warm welcome when he met with a group of holocaust survivors. >> we will be right back. >> this is an app. to make sure she does not start smoking, she uses a rather unique tip.

nice try, anna, but for advice that really works, this is -- visit help.eu.com. >> hello and welcome back. julian assange has lost his lengthy legal battle to appeal his extradition to sweden. courts have rejected the appeal, which means he is increasingly likely to face questioning in sweden on allegations of sexual misconduct. >> a former computer hacker, assange shot to international prominence with the publications of hundreds of thousands of secret u.s. files, including a graphic video showing the gun down iraqi civilians. >> the judges on britain's supreme court admitted this was a difficult case, but by five votes to two, they upheld the extradition of julian assange. the case is not yet closed.

his team says there may have been irregularities. >> we are reconsidering our position and whether or not it will be necessary. the wikileaks for questioning in sweden over allegations of sex crimes. he denies any wrongdoing, but there are other reasons behind this legal battle. he fears sweden may hand him over to the united states where he could face trial over wikileaks' release of thousands of classified documents fear the publication of sensitive military and diplomatic information was a major embarrassment to washington to hear the case has severely tarnished assange's image, but he still has public backing. supporters gathered outside the court, insisting the case was politically motivated.

>> there are so many of us all over the world who support him. >> the protests looks set to continue, as does assange's legal battle. his team still has the option of appealing to the european court of human rights. >> colombian rebels have released a french reporter they kidnapped a month ago. delegation, including a very cross represented, waited all day for the release on wednesday. the journalist with friends 24 was adopted in late april while filming a counter drug operation. them up hope that it has sharply criticized media coverage of a leaks scandal in the vatican. and the media -- charging that the media had spread into allegations about the theft of confidential documents.

>> the butler of the pope was arrested on friday during an investigation into leaks, and some suggested that the butler is a pawn in a larger game of intrigue in the struggle for power. >> berlin has banned a local chapter of the biker gang hell's angels. >> hundreds of police searched in gang premises and flats and seized a number of weapons. it is the latest in a series of raids on the hell's angels nationwide. the group is expect -- suspected drug trafficking, prostitution, and launching attacks on a rival gang. it may well decide if the nation continues on its austerity program. >> it would also cause problems for other governments that have committed themselves to cutting spending. spain, italy, portugal, for example, have elected looking to ireland for signs of how to move

forward. >> a for your recent opinion polls suggest and as 60% of voters would back the treaty, but 1/3 are still undecided. and the posters are up again around dublin as ireland faces another referendum on the new policy. this time, they are voting on the fiscal complex, but it is a difficult issue even for experts, let alone ordinary people. this fishmonger has been running her store for 40 years. she says she now earns about half as much as she did before the crisis. she is still deciding how she should vote. >> i am confused. [inaudible] you have half saying both yes and the other half saying both know. >> that cannot be said of gerry adams. he is the leader of the party

they used to be the political wing of the ira terrorist organization. now it is the largest opposition party in the irish parliament. he has been campaigning vigorously for a no vote. then you cannot cut your way out of recession. you can only get out of recession by investing, and by government-led initiatives to get people back to work. we have 500,000 people unemployed. >> but the people on the streets are worried of both the yes campaigners and the know can. >> i never vote yes. >> why? >> because the party says to vote no. >> the powers to be tell me to vote yes, and i wonder why they are telling me that. i'm not sure, and part of me does not trust them. >> island introduced strict austerity measures in 2008, and there are early signs of success. the national deficit is now down

to 8% of gdp. the economy is growing again, and investors are returning to ireland. many in europe of the country of as an example of how the austerity measures can work, but that does not help people like this family. this construction engineer lost his well paying job in 2010 like hundreds of thousands of others. they have been unable to pay the mortgage on their house for nearly year. like many in ireland, they are thinking hard about leaving the country for good. >> i was a file for bankruptcy. i like it to still be an option. my husband wanted out. >> we will not come back. we will not see our parents and our extended family. england has better options for us. there are jobs in construction. i could get a job probably very easily. you would definitely get a job. we would have a good standard of living. we have good incomes.

why would we come back to ireland? >> they are caught between wanting to stay with their family and the prospect of a better life abroad. like the nation itself, they do not know which option would be best for their and their children's future. >> to sports now. with just nine days left before the euro 2012 soccer championships kicked off, we continue our live at the teams with a perennial favorite, france. family thing is they are in a group d, a tough one including close ukraine, spain, and england. france had a disastrous world cup two years ago, but since the appointment of their new coach, they appear to have turned a corner. >> the french want to reach the quarterfinals, but a look at the line of shows they could go further.

david field has but technique and physicality. >> we have a young squad and the squad who wants to prove that they can compete with the best team in europe. >> the man getting the most attention is real madrid stiker, who despite the hype wants to keep a clear head. >> expectations are high for me and for the rest of the team. i have to play well, as does the whole team. i'm not putting pressure on myself. i will just try my best to be good. >> france kicks off the tournament against england. the team knows it will not be an easy draw. >> england will be without rooney, but even so, they have a

great lineup. we will have to be in top form from the outset. >> the form has been on ample display in both qualifying matches and in the families. there should go far, we think to the semis -- they are sure to go far. >> germany's annual film festival is enjoying extra touch of glamour this year. hollywood star cate blanchett is in town. >> systole audiences with a new revival of a decades-old german play. "big and small" was first performed here in the 1970's. >> it has received critical acclaim were ever performed. cate blanchett plays a loose woman at odds with the outside world. the play is performing in

germany. the oscar-winning actress plays a woman who finds himself rejected by her husband and most other people she encounters. she says the situation is one audiences can identify with. >> for me, what has been very rewarding as that the play has struck a chord with people. perhaps women mostly because it does describe a woman in her invisible years, when she is not old, not young. "what is my purpose? what is my place?" i think that is something that is timeless for people. >> the production is a creation of the theater company run by planchette and her husband year against getting cast based their version on a new english translation. >> i think perhaps because we do not have a visceral an immediate connection to the history that

surrounds this work -- we understand it intellectually -- i think we have been quite liberated from perhaps the baggage that might come with the reinvention of this work, so we found it really liberating. >> in the quirky role, blanchett is compelling and has won accolades for her performance. in australia, it is already garnered a theater award for best lead. >> it looks fantastic. >> it is. it is amazing. i saw it in. -- vienna and enjoyed it tremendously. -- i saw it in vienna and enjoying it tremendously. >> thanks for joining us. we will be back at the top of the hour. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--