." >> 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 help you 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." >> hello and welcome. >> the headlines this hour.

former liberian president charles taylor is found guilty of war crimes, the first head of state convicted since world war ii. syria is not fine with a peace plan, hours after a blast kills 60. >> the bin laden family is in route to saudi arabia. authorities say the businessman found dead in china was not working for u.k. intelligence. >> greetings to our fears in america and around the world. -- the worst -- viewers in america and around the world. after a trial lasting almost

five years, the former president of liberia, charles taylor, has been convicted of aiding and abetting in crimes against humanity. judges at the court in the hague found that he armed and supported rebel forces and exported -- exploited thousands of people during the civil war in sierra leone in the 1990's. our special correspondent reports from the hague. >> you will be sitting in an open section -- session for judgment. >> it has been a landmark day and international justice. charles taylor came to court knowing that he might well go to prison for the rest of his life. he was the president of liberia. prosecutors have charged him with waging war in neighboring sierra leone. no one disputes that rebel forces committed terrible atrocities there including abduction, rape, slavery and the

recruitment of child soldiers. civilian populations were terrorized. many had their limbs hacked off by machete or ax. the question before the court was, did charles taylor order those crimes? >> there is sufficient evidence to find beyond a reasonable doubt -- >> he was cleared of directly ordering the atrocities, but the judges decided he was guilty of aiding and abetting all the other crimes. >> we unanimously find you guilty of aiding and abetting. >> the judges said rebel forces were supplied with diamonds. charles taylor has argued that as a sitting head of state, he should be immune from prosecution. the court rejected that argument.

the people of sierra leone see this in a great -- as a great step forward. >> it is a very important case for the people of sierra leone, who demanded that this court be created so they could have some measure of justice. it is a very important day for the victims, who now have some measure of justice for their terrible suffering. >> one of those victims was in court. rebels chomped his arm off with an ax. he says today's judgment will deter future atrocities and help secure a lasting peace. >> gaining power is by violence, no. this will never happen again sincerely on. >> britain has been intimately involved here. british troops intervene sincerely and in 2000 and helped end the war. should charles taylor be convicted, the british will put

him in jail and foot the bill for his imprisonment. sentence will be passed next month. charles taylor might appeal. he has nothing much to lose. otherwise, his journey from presidential palace to prison cell is nearly over. alan little, bbc news, the hague. >> ban ki-moon has said he is greatly alarmed at the continued killing in syria. he has urged the government to withdraw heavy weapons from populated areas. he spoke after a big explosion which 70 people were killed. the facility was being used as a bomb making a tackle -- factory. >> we condemn what remains of the government's refusal to abide by its commitments, its continued intense use of heavy weaponry which continues to

result in large numbers of civilian deaths every day. this is precisely what we have been concerned about. it is further indication that the government is ready to make commitments and then break them just as swiftly. it certainly casts further doubt where there was already a great deal on the core elements of the kofi annan plan. >> we spoke to richard murphy, a former ambassador to syria and saudi arabia. thank you for speaking to us. just the fact that we are still seeing the violence in syria, is it simply because the plan is not working? >> not at all. if is a miserable situation for the people, but the plan is there. thus far, the international community is united behind the

plan. now the arab league has said they are going to go back to the un security council for immediate action to protect civilians. but the plan is there, and is operating as a parameter on the world, world powers. even the russians, who are saying that most of the violations have come from the opposition side. even they are saying that violations have been committed by both. so, the plan is there is a point of reference, and now the international community is going to have to come up with some action which is not yet decided. >> what kind of action do you think, because we are hearing about calls for some military intervention? is that something the international community will agree to? >> it is very hard to imagine that the security council will

be able to unanimously approved the use of force. their voices in the united states calling for american leadership to give a green light to the turks, to some of the gulf powers, to introduce heavy weapons and possibly to try to build a humanitarian safe zone along the borders. but just what form that will take is still not clear. i see no evidence that washington wants itself to take initiative to put troops on the ground. nor is that being asked by the opposition. >> in your opinion, for as long as bashar al-assad stays in power, is there any resolution to this? >> i think the next stage, when

it starts, will have to be some sort of negotiations between the regime, probably with him still in power unless there are internal forces unseating him within the regime, and there are no evidence as of that servicing yet. the talks will have to start and the regime has the advantage in military force, but public opinion in syria appears to be very much growing negative against continuation of this particular leadership. >> the former ambassador to syria and saudi arabia. thank you very much for being with us today. osama bin ladin's family are on their way back to saudi arabia. >> that is right. pakistan has supported his family almost a year after the deaths of the al-qaeda leader. they have completed a custodial

term for living in the country legally. >> for the bin laden, nearly a year in pakastani custody was about to come to an end. a sudden flurry of security activity and the arrival of a bus to take them to the airport had curtains of the house switching. nothing has been seen of them publicly and even now they are behind the cover of a sheet. this is the moment they have been waiting for four months. >> and so the final journey of pakistan for the bin laden family, the three wives and 11 children of osama bin ladin. they take with them secrets of the world's most wanted man, a secret, some of which, may never come to life. this passport photo is of bin laden's youngest wife, now in her early-thirties.

leaks of her interrogations brought the most insight into the al qaeda leaders time here. he was killed in an operation by u.s. navy seals. since that rate, the family has been held. the pakastani authorities will be glad to see the back of the bin laden stock, to close another chapter of what was an extremely embarrassing episode. they may also have some anxieties about what could be said by the family now about their time in this country. bbc news, is, bob. >> the british businessman found dead in a hotel room in china was not working for british intelligence according to the foreign secretary, william hague. the politician was accused of tapping the phones of communist

party leaders. our correspondent has the latest from beijing. >> before his fall, bo xilai. his sacking has mired the chinese communist party in scandal. unity has been shattered. it now seems he was tapping fellow leaders phone calls. even president hu jintao. the alleged murder of british business and knew he would is what triggered his demise. his -- neil he would -- heywood is what triggered his demise. his wife is being accused of the crime. he is being accused of driving a ferrari and having a taste for

expensive living. he denies he is ever driven a ferrari. the death has shined a light on the vast riches enjoyed by communist party officials and their families. the link between power and wealth in china today and the growing in inequality, none of which the communist party once aired. working with firms like aston martin and the taxi company provides access to all of the money neill had before his death. >> the way he handled his business with us was immaculate and very professional. he went about his business in a thoroughly professional but very english way. >> he claims -- of the claims he may have been a spy have been officially dismissed. the foreign secretary to the unusual step of confirming that

he had never been employed by the british government in any capacity. that may and some of the speculation about his death in this mountain top hotel last november. but with every passing day, chinese communist leaders are entangled deeper in claims of corruption, spine, and in fighting. bbc news, beijing. >> we're live from singapore and london. still to come, and dozens of rare turtles were being smuggled into hong kong. we will look at why people shell out for endangered species. >> and we will take a look at a 10-year-old scavenger. at thet's take a look stories making headlines around the world. the financial times is leading with the conviction of former liberian president, charles taylor. he was found guilty of aiding

war crimes linked to the brutal conflict in sierra leone. evidence into media ethics is making headlines in britain. "anger at syria" as it continues to flout the u.n. security council's peace plan. the international herald tribune business section reports that chrysler has been driving a profits and sales, silencing critics. it took in more in the first quarter of this year than all of 2011. could it this coach be looking for a new home? he is expected to leave the club. >> this is newsday on the bbc. >> our headlines this hour.

rebels in sierra leone welcome the war crimes conviction of former president charles taylor. >> hours after 16 people died in a blast in syria, the un secretary general has said he is greatly alarmed at the ongoing killings. for the first time in several years, foreign ministers from europe and southeast asia are to meet and discuss burma darting their discussions. -- dodging their discussions. the meeting will look at ways to encourage burma to move toward democracy. it will also look at ways to improve relations. 37 countries with a combined population of more than a

billion trade goods and services worth more than 200 billion euros. there have been discussions about free trade agreements though no breakthroughs are expected. a number of other agreements are expected to be announced, including one this afternoon. welch,ned by bridget associate prof. of political science in singapore. let's take a look at the burning issue. do you think that by lifting sanctions, this will mean closer relations? >> absolutely. but it is only for one year right now. i think the relationship has always been strong. it is 35 years on. and now the eu is actually the biggest investor. almost 20% of investment comes from eu partners. it is not just investment. it is aid as well as trade. >> do you think the association

of southeast nations will also seek the advice of the european union regarding the ongoing political and naval dispute in the south china sea? >> i think that is probably on the table because for nine is one of the claimants in the area. it is -- pre night is one of the claimants in the area. >> how do you think they should handle this issue? a lot of people are saying they are not working as one cohesive unit to support the member nations involved in the dispute? >> i think as international organizations go it is one of the strongest globally. but there are two factors. one is leadership. it is now taking on more global role. the second issue is how to deal with the change in china. there is a new regional dynamic. there is too much diversity in

play. that is what we are seeing. >> how should they find their way? he said the leadership role in the region -- you said there is a new leadership role in the region? >> the eu is an example of an organization that deals with diversity within it. the association of southeast nations is very diverse as well. >> they cannot resolve their economic differences as one unified group because uri have the economic, free-trade area being -- you already have the economic, a free-trade area being planned until 2015. >> i think the economic dynamics are much more problematic, but i think the political example of burma showcases that asen, when

it focuses energy, can make strides. i think these particular steps should it can be a positive force for transforming the region and a positive way. >> bridget welch, associate prof. of political science at singapore management university. thank you for joining us. meanwhile, the 36 turtles are due to arrive back in the philippines after being confiscated by a smuggler in hong kong. it is one of the world's rarest species. it is the first time animal seized abroad have been returned to the country. they will be released back into the wild. to tell us more about the problem of the endangered species smuggling in the philippines, i am joined by the director of the protected areas and wildlife bureau for the philippine government. thank you for joining us. first of all, this is the first time a protected species from

illegal trade is being returned. do you expect this to be a watershed event? >> [unintelligible] >> how bad is the illegal wildlife trade in the philippines? >> it is still bad, although there is a growing awareness now among our countrymen. they started to become more vigilant. we see social networking now being used to report to us.

there is greater awareness. we're finding out that there are more individuals engaging in these illegal activities. >> we will have to leave it there. thank you for joining us via web cam from the philippines. >> pakistan has one of the largest populations of street children in the world. around one-and-a-half million young people live and work on the streets. more than a third of them are in karachi, where local charities say children are targeted by criminal gangs and forced into becoming thieves and sex workers. the city authorities are part of the problem. >> this is a 10-year-old scavenger. he has been sifting through rubbish all day and chosen the best of his pickings.

>> i collect plastic bottles, he says, and other things i can sell on to be recycled. it turned him around a dollar a day. >> it is hard work, but i get money at the end of the day. i do not take drugs like the end of street children. i like eating biscuits. i would like to play cricket with the other children but people say we are dirty. they chase us away. it makes me feel bad. >> he is only been on the streets a few weeks. he says he ran away from home after being repeatedly beaten by his father. these children and up in places where they can get free food while living on the street part

time. help is out there, but it is limited. conducted by a local charity, this organization teaches girls basic skills. many are trying to escape from a life of prostitution. she runs a center for street children. he says policy is a major part of the problem. >> they provide protection to the criminal. they get financial benefits and cuts from criminal gangs. >> the police deny these allegations. they insist they do not have enough resources to provide adequate protection for the children. as the day ends, he turns to the

men who say they will take care of him. his future looks grim. he could end up like these boys, getting high by sniffing glue. their young lives twisted by abuse and neglect. most will die before their 18. -- before their 18th birthday. >> the european space agency has signed a contract to send a spacecraft closer to the sun than ever before. they have been given the task of building the solar order to withstand temperatures of around 500 degrees celsius in order to get closer to the sun than the planet mercury. it will approach within 42 million kilometers of the scientists can analyze the flow of energy from the sun. now, let's bring in some rather remarkable pictures from northern spain. this is footage of planes landing in sweeping winds.

the wind force some pilots to abort the landing process. the wind was over 130 kph. some flights had to be diverted to other airports because it was deemed far too dangerous. that is a test of skill for any pilot. have a look at that. >> you have been watching you stay from the bbc. -- newsday from the bbc. >> a reminder of our main story. charles taylor has been convicted of aiding and abetting war crimes. thank you for watching.

>> make sense of international news at bbc.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 understand the industry you operate in, working to nurture new ventures and help provide capital for key strategic decisions. we offer expertise and tailored solutions in a wide range of industries. what can we do for you? >> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet los angeles. presented by kcet los angeles.