nearly a decade when an ethnic conflict erupted in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He was
handed over
to The Hague six years ago, and his trial began in 2009. Today, the
verdict
of the judges was unanimous. They found Lubanga guilty of conscripting and enlisting children under the age of 15, and using them in battle as soldiers and bodyguards. The guilty verdict has been widely welcomed. Prosecutors hope it'll send a message to many other
perpetrators
of war crimes.
The giant American investment bank Goldman Sachs has defended itself and its service to its clients after
stinging
public criticism from one of its own executives. Greg Smith, a director, wrote in the New York Times that he's quitting Goldman Sachs because he's sick of hearing colleagues talk about
ripping off
clients. Mark Gregory has more.
Explaining his decision to leave after 25-year service, Mr Smith described the present culture of Goldman Sachs as "toxic and destructive".
He blamed top management for a decline in moral fibre, saying the interests of clients are "
sidelined
" in the way the bank operates and makes money. The comments from an insider about one of the most prestigious names in finance come as bankers face criticism for their allegedly excessive pay and their part responsibility for the global financial crisis.
Saudi Arabia has closed its embassy in Syria and withdrawn all its staff because of the violence there. The Saudis along with the Gulf states had already withdrawn their ambassador and expelled Syria's envoy.