26/04/2012 World News Today

This is BBC World News Today with me, Zeinab Baddawi. At the special

court in the Hague, Charles Taylor, the former President of Liberia, is

found guilty of aiding and abetting crimes by rebels in neighbouring

Sierra Leone. Having considered all the evidence and the arguments of

the parties the trial chamber unanimously finds you guilty.

are live from the Hague and we'll be asking is this finally justice

for the people of Sierra Leone. Activists in Syria say up to 70

people have been killed in an explosion in the city of Hama,

which they blame on government forces.

Convicted of contempt of court - but Pakistan's prime minister walks

free from court after receiving a token sentence.

Also coming up in the programme: Body-builder, film star and

politician. We'll be talking to the ex-governator, Arnie Schwarzenegger,

about his latest passion - the Hello, and welcome. The former

president of Liberia, Charles Taylor, has been found guilty of

aiding and abetting war crimes committed by rebels in neighbouring

Sierra Leone. This is the judgement of the Special Court in the Hague.

My colleague Lyse Doucet has been there all day, watching the final

chapter of this trial reach its conclusion.

As you can see, the sun is beginning to set Hom what has been

a cold, wet and windy day here in The Hague. But at the special court,

more palpable was the propound sense that history was being made.

But former Liberian President Charles Taylor became the first

lead to 2 p indicted, tried and convicted by an international

tribunal. And what a horrific charge list it is. He has been

found guilty of 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

It is an important moment in the course of international justice but

from start to finish the trial has been shrouded in controversy.

The special court for Sierra Leone is sitting in open session for

judgment in the case of Charles Taylor... It has been a landmark

day in international justice. Charles Taylor came to court known

that he may go to prison for the rest of his life. Taylor was

President of Liberia. He is charged with waging war in neighbouring

Sierra Leone. No one disputes that forces created terrible atrocities

there. Civilian populations were to rise, many had their limbs hacked

off by Misha Taser. But the question before the court was do it

Charles Taylor or to those crimes? There is insufficient evidence to

find beyond reasonable doubt... was cleared of directly or print

the atrocities but the judge asked him to stand to hear that he was

guilty of aiding and abetting or 11 crimes listed in the charge. The

judges said the rebel forces had supplied Taylor with diamonds from

cerulean's minds. In return he had given them arms and ammunition in

the full knowledge that they would commit crimes against civilians. In

2010, the supermodel Naomi Campbell, to whom Taylor had allegedly gifted

cut diamonds, was briefly called to give evidence. Taylor said that he

should be immune from prosecution. Prosecutors see the judgment as a

great step forward in their fight against the immunity that heads of

state have often enjoyed. It is a very important case for the people

of Sierra Leone, who demanded that this court be created so they might

have a measure of justice. It is a very important day for the victims

to have some measure of justice for the terrible suffering. Britain has

been intimately involved. British troops into veined in Sierra Leone

in May 2000 and helped end the war. The last Labour government agreed

that should Taylor be convicted Britain would taking into a British

jail and foot the bill for his imprisonment. Sentence will be

passed next month. Taylor might appeal. He has nothing to lose,

since otherwise his journey from presidential palace to British jail

is nearly over. This special court for Sierra Leone

was established 10 years ago. In 2003, the first prosecutor was the

man who signed and then a unsealed the indictment against Charles

Taylor. He was here today for the verdict. When we were investigating

and reviewing the indictment, I made sure that at least two of the

charges we could prove beyond reasonable doubt before I even

signed the indictment, so I knew the day was going to come.

would the first prosecutor for the special court for Sierra Leone.

Today, the chief defence for Charles Taylor said this was a

disappointment because the prosecution was not able to

establish that Charles Taylor was the mastermind and that he had

command and control. I think at this moment we need to step back.

This is about justice for the people of Sierra Leone, who have

suffered greatly. We are taught me at the murder, rape and mediation

of 1.2 human beings. Putt Group mutilation. We are talking bed him

being found Gruchy has charged -- guilty. What to say to the people

in Sierra Leone who said the money would be better spent in helping

them? I told them as to why I was there, to seek justice for them

before court of law. They understood that. They understood I

was not going to be giving them money, I was going to be doing

another type of justice, the true justice of finding, in an open and

fair trial, those who bought the greatest this possibility for war

crimes and crimes against humanity. You will know how political list

trialist, and many supporters of Taylor are very angry. The worry

this could have a negative consequence? It is important for

free people to express themselves unable to that. But I think at the

end of the date things will come down and people will realise that

the wall of law is more powerful than the rule of the gun. They have

a right be disappointed, for whatever reason, but at the end of

the day I think peace will move forwards. Former prosecutor of

David Crane. There were ready scenes in the capital of Liberia

today, people shouting, we want Taylor! His supporters there say

this is a very political trial. But in Freetown, the couple of Sierra

Leone, there was rejoicing. So many people were affected by the civil

war in the 1990s and this represents some kind of closure. My

colleague Mark Doyle, who covered the civil war in the 1990s, return

there and he has been speaking to Brima Sheriff of Amnesty

International and asked her about the implications of the trial for

the rest of Africa. As a legal expert, what does this kind of bird

it mean? This Berdych, no doubt, has been able to transfer that four

states, does not matter who you are, you can be brought to justice for

its events that you commit. Is it winners justice because Sierra

Leone won the war with the help of the British and America? I do not

want to sit on the pass perspective, I want to see it from the fact that

thousands and thousands of people suffered in this country. There are

still very visible signs of the war. There are still amputees on the

street. But it think it has moved beyond this. The process is very

clear and the defence and the prosecution had the opportunity to

present their strong arguments. They you have the due at least from

Freetown. From the special court at Sierra Leone, they hope they will

have reached a milestone, the first such court to reach its mandate.

Charles Taylor has been remanded in custody. We spoke to his leading

defence lawyer who was quite coy about whether they would appeal,

but an appeal is expected. So the story of Charles Taylor will

continue to resonate in West Africa and beyond for some time to come.

Now, a look at some of the day's other news.

Seven people are reported to have been killed in a series of

explosions in Nigeria. The fatalities happened in blasts at

two newspaper offices, in the capital, Abuja, and the northern

city of Kaduna. There's since been another explosion in Kaduna -

officials are blaming the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which

issued a warning last month to journalists not to misrepresent its

views. Reports are coming in of a suicide

car or attack in Iraq, some 60 kilometres from bite at. Report

from the police say 18 people were killed and more than 50 wounded.

The widows and children of Osama Bin Laden are leaving Pakistan.

They will travel to Saudi Arabia. They had been living with the Al-

Qaeda leader of one he was in Pakistan, before his death. At

Pakistani court had ordered they were in the country illegally. The

British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, has denied that the

businessman Neil Haywood was working for the intelligence

service MI6. Police in China launched a murder investigation

after Mr Haywood was found dead in a hotel - they've been checking his

links with the Chinese politician Bo Xilai, who's since been sacked

from his high-profile job as governor of Chong-ching.

. More survivors of Anders Breivik's alleged bomb attack in

Oslo - which killed eight of his 77 victims - have been giving evidence

at his murder trial. Outside the courtroom, around 40,000 people

joined a protest against Breivik, singing a children's song which

he'd earlier described as Marxist brainwashing.

Some of the handful of United Nations observers in Syria have

visited the scene of a major explosion in the city of Hama.

Activists accuse government forces of killing up to 70 people there.

But state television says the the explosion happened at a house being

used as a bomb factory by the opposition. Jim Muir has more from

Beirut, in neighbouring Lebanon. It was clearly an massive explosion

on the south side of Hama. Several buildings were brought down,

leaving the scene of huge devastation. There were desperate

attempts to retrieve the wounded and dead from the rubble. Activists

called it a massacre. They said the area had been hit by a government

missile spike or rocket attack, with at least 13 children among the

dozens of victims. State television also called it a massacre but said

the blast was caused by an accidental explosion in a building

being used as a bomb factory by what it called on to terrorist

groups. There are two United Nations observers permanently

stationed in Hama. Perhaps they can establish what really happened.

Violence was reported in many other areas as well, including at her

township just out Damascus to the north-east with a long history of

defiance. Activists say it is surrounded by government tanks and

under constant fire. Un monitors have been here so full-time, but

the FA hearing continues. In this process we have a role of the

escalating the situation. We do that and we did that yesterday in

Duma, by maintaining our presence on the ground, patrolling the area.

Unless the UN monitors are actually there, government forces seem to be

pursuing their campaign against rebel fighters as if there were no

ceasefire. The French are already losing patience. TRANSLATION:

Either this mediation works or it does not. If it does not we cannot

continue to allow ourselves to be ignored by this regime which has

added to none of the six points of the Kofi Annan plan. It is

something of a race against time. There are still barely a dozen UN

monitors on the ground. It may take more than a month to get the first

100 in. Meanwhile, the violence Pakistan's prime minister, Yousuf

Raza Gilani, has been convicted on contempt charges at his country's

Supreme Court, but he received only a nominal sentence, which means he

walked free from Court. Mr Gilani was found guilty for disregarding

an earlier court order to re-open a corruption case against President

Zardari. Orla Guerin reports from Islamabad. Arriving at the Supreme

Court on Judgement Day. A shower of petals greeted Yousaf Raza Gilani.

Flanked by fellow ministers, he headed for court number four, and a

case that many observers say is politically motivated. The charges

relate to one old corruption probe in Switzerland against President

Asif Ali Zardari. The minister defied an order to reopen the

investigation, insisting the President had immunity as head of

state. In court, this long-running legal battle came to a speedy

conclusion. The Prime Minister was convicted of concerned, but given a

token sentence, imprisoned for the duration of the hearing. Minutes

later, he walked out, a guilty man, but a free man. The Prime Minister

is now leaving the court. He has just been convicted of consent. He

can appeal, and the process could go on. This is quite a day in

Pakistani politics. A sitting prime minister convicted by the Supreme

Court. Mr Galley still has questions over his head. There

could be moves in Parliament to disqualify him. The government has

a majority there, and is already planning to challenge the

conviction. The Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the Alliance have

decided to appeal less -- this. Me and my team have been authorised to

prepare the appeal. So there are more legal moves ahead, but Yousaf

Raza Gilani had reason to look pleased to date. He escaped a jail

term, and he may well managed to hang onto his job until elections

are called, probably later this year. The media tycoon Rupert

Murdoch has apologised for not keeping a close enough eye on his

UK media organisations at the Leveson inquiry into press ethics.

On the second day of his evidence, Mr Murdoch said he's convinced

there was a cover-up of phone hacking at the News of the World

newspaper which was hidden from both him and senior executives.

Rupert Murdoch was whisked into court thought they two of his

evidence. His first appearance focused on his links with British

prime ministers. This time, it was on the more specific question of

phone hacking. The judge was curious how the media mogul had not

got wind of what was going on at the News of the World. Quite apart

from the commercial side of it, you would really want to know, as you

yourself puts it, what the hell was going on, because the news media

was your doormat printing was running through your veins, I think

somebody said. We are poor Murdoch took that opportunity to apologise.

I have to admit some papers are closer to my heart than others, but

I also have to say that I failed. That may be. A I am very sorry

about it. I recognise that. Although he was sorry for his lack

of oversight, he still reserved most of the Blair thought others.

He accused the police have not investigated properly, and he

pointed the finger at those below him who he said get the truth from

him. There is no question in my mind that maybe even the editor,

but certainly beyond that, someone took charge of a car that up.

was the first time Rupert Murdoch had used the phrase caught up in

connection with this scandal. -- cover up. He said that phone

hacking would be a blot on his reputation for the rest of his life,

but insisted he was kept in the dark by his editors. Ukraine has

begun the construction of a new shelter to seal the devasated

Chernobyl nuclear plant, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the

Hollywood star who broke into politics, served as California's

governor up until last year. His extraordinary life reads like a

film script, from migrant to millionaire, actor to politician

and now environmental campaigner, who's reviving his acting career.

We'll be speaking to him live in a moment. First, let's take a quick

look at his career. Bakery in body-building began in

the basement of his parents' home in Austria. -- a career in body-

building. His first win was Mr Junior Europe. He invested

Competition winnings in property and in a body-building equipment

company. It was a natural step from lifting weights to Movies, and he

became an international superstar. And, of course, there was the

Terminator. The next project, politics. Whereas for him to get

elected but in California, -- where else for him to get elected but in

California. The financial crisis hit California hard. The state is

the eighth largest economy in the world. A physical state of

emergency was declared, and the state project was slashed. -- a

fiscal state of emergency. He tried to make the environment hipper, and

to this day, he is passionate on green issues. Arnold Schwarzenegger

joins us now, live from Los Angeles. Have you made the environment

hipper, do you think? I have been part of several crusades in my life.

When I started the fitness crusade, winning the first championships in

body-building, Mr Universe, Mr Weld, I said that one day there would be

more gymnasiums around the world than supermarkets. That is what

happened. There is now more gymnasiums than ever before, more

training equipment have been sold than ever before. Everyone is now

working out. When I stumbled into this environmentally situation when

I was governor, I saw the power we have as the state -- we have as a

state. All great movement started on the ground. I became passionate

about it and so we can have a tremendous impact as a state, and

we did. We did historic things. Now, I want to inspire the rest of the

world. I want to inspire the world not to wait for the rest of the

world. Are people in California really convert? You see lots of

gas-guzzling cars and people switching on air conditioning. You

still have a long way to go. Just so you know, we have made a

commitment, we have 20 % renewables. We have created a million so low

roofs. Our governments buildings are energy efficient. We have

committed to reducing our greenhouse gases by 2020, by 25 %.

Great Britain was one of our great examples and inspirations. There is

a lot of great action going on in California. California has become

40 % more energy efficient than the rest of the United States. If the

rest of the United States did the same thing, we could close a 75 %

of our coal-fired power plants. There is a long way to go. This is

a process over the next few decades. It is important that the rest of

the world participate. I think your Prime Minister said it is very

important to produce in expensive energy -- in expensive energy,

rather than just green energy. course, a fossil fuels are a lot

cheaper than renewable energy is. There are financial incentives for

corporations and countries to invest in green energy is. Let me

ask you this. Let me briefly say, it is important to recognise when

we stopped using horses and began to use cars and trucks 100 years

ago, it was also more expensive. Yes, it is expensive, but that does

not mean we should not do it. The future is green energy and so on.

That does not mean we should turn our back on fossil fuels, because

we still make them. We must only switch over. Given how important

you say this errors, look at a Republican presidential campaign. -

- given how important you say this is. It is not featuring anywhere.

Mitt Romney has hardly mentioned a Green economy. I would not

concentrate so much on the presidential campaigns. I think

Congress has a very low approval rating. The reason why his because

there is no action in Washington. Democrats and Republicans are not

working together. They are stocked in the ideology -- stock. They have

to get together with the President and work out an energy future, work

on something that is a plant. Right now, the United States does not

really have an energy plan. They do not know what the future holds.

Thank you very much. Thank you. I'll be back! Cannot say better

We have had another day of very heavy downpours. That will continue

into tomorrow. We have low pressure across central areas of the UK at

the moment. Here, it is a cloudy start to Friday. Showers was soon

start to develop. More northern areas will brighten up. The

southern counties of England, showers will again develop wild lay

-- widely. They will be some gusty winds. A pretty grey afternoon

force many essential areas. For Northern Ireland and Scotland, a

chilly start. Northerly winds will develop. We will see heavy showers