>> "bbc world news" is presented by kcet, los angeles. funding for this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. the newman's own foundation. the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation. and union bank. >> union bank has put its financial strength to work for a wide range of companies, from small businesses to major corporations. what can we do for you? >> and now "bbc world news." >> china executes a british man for drug smuggling, putting a new strain on relations between beijing and london. two ships hijacked by pirates within hours of each other. a man charged with a try to blow up an airplane on christmas day has been studying in yemen. security agents are investigating his contacts. welcome to bbc world news. also coming up in the program, a poor reception format and america's first game marriage -- gay marriage. >> the chinese government has defended its decision to execute a british man accused of drug smuggling. akmal shaikh is said to be mentally ill and his family made repeated calls to the chinese for clemency. british prime minister gordon brown has content -- condemned the decision, saying he is appalled the disappointed. >> akmal shaikh was alone when he was executed in western china. the british official, nor anyone in his family was present. we will probably never know for certain what happened in those final moments. his family, yesterday appealed to the courts and the government here for clemency, has returned to beijing. they insist he wasn't responsible for the decisions he made, the crime he committed. their supporters say independent witnesses alerted by the publicity about the case of the last few days have come forward with more evidence that he was mentally ill. they describe how homeless in poland, he became obsessed with the idea he could make a record that could usher in world peace. drug traffickers and exploited this trouble individual, promising to go with them to china to record a song. they asked him to carry a suitcase for them. he didn't know it contained the drugs. campaigners and held a vigil in london overnight said mr. shaikh's bipolar disorder would have impaired his judgment. >> because of the health conditions -- then above the chinese see it differently. they say there are not shown an of evidence to prove he was mentally ill. >> bridges -- british citizen akmal shaikh committed a drug offense in china and was executed. this is an independent criminal case. china's judicial system has always adhered strictly to chinese laws and regulations. >> they say drug trafficking is a grave offense and china has the right to punish severely those found guilty of the crime. bbc news, beijing. >> britain's foreign office eyed and lois is his reaction to the execution of mr. shaikh, described it as being deeply depressing for people with a modicum of compassion or commitment to justice. but the fact is mr. shaikh had mental health problems. the courts in china made a deliberate decision not to initiate in medical assessments truck -- prior to executing him and we find it absolutely reprehensible. >> the statement issued by the chinese acts of a says they didn't see any record of mental illness. >> we gave them lots of evidence of vy bizarre behavi by mr. shaikh over a long period. when we made to them what that is evidence said that any call in any civilized part of the world would be institute a full medical assessment to establish mr. shaikh's mental health state. the fact the chinese courts refuse to do this cannot be acceptable in the beginning of the 21st century in a country that prides itself on having a fair justice system. >> this goes to the very heart of a very difficult problem to solve, in that the west has flourishing commercial relationships with china but clearly has issues with its human-rights record. >> you're right. at the end of the day, there are two elements to the relationship. three -- wt is our bilateral relationship with china which is very important. secondly, the relationship with china in terms of facing up to th big challenges of the world, the economic crisis, climate change, the threat from iran's nuclear program. thirdly is a frank and honest dialogue about areas where we disagree. one of the biggest areas we disagree on is where china's stance on human rights generally. there are many areas where there are serious differences. but russian prime minister vladimir putin said american plans for a missile defense system are hindering talks with a new nuclear arms reduction treaty. president obama said earlier this year the united states was shelving a land-based missile shield in europe but would instead look at developing a sea based system. the iranian nobel peace prize winner says her sister has been arrested by the iranian officers. the arrest, hours after several senior opposition leaders were detained. more than 4000 ethnic hmong a ride in laos after being forced to be repatriated. they say they face persecution because they backed u.s. forces during the vietnam war. thailand says it was given assurances by laos that they will not be reached -- mistreated. israel's prime investor is in -- with talks with president mubarak. -- israel's prime minister. somali pirates have reportedly hijacked two ships, a u.k.- flagged tanker and a carrier from panama. the second ship had 19 crewmembers and was attacked three hours after the british flag vessel. the somali parrot -- pirates have hijacked 35 ships this year and have taken hundreds of hostages. well, what are the latest reports out concerning these hijacks? >> all we understand both of the ships are heading toward the somali coast. i think the fact that both attacks happened within hours of each other and hundreds and hundreds of kilometers apart shows kind of problems people have policing these waters. the attack on the u.k.-flagged ship, that happened in the gulf of aden, which as been relatively quiet in recent months with fewer attacks on commercial ships. the second attack later on monday was near the seychelles. more than 1,200 kilometers from the somali coast. in that particular instance it was a ship we understand is greek old, moving fertilizer from the united states to india. we are talking about so many countries involved in this vital shipping lane, that it is being interrupted by these pirates who are getting large ransoms. >> the highjacks are successful in ransom is paid? >> in the last couple of days we have the release of two vessels -- chinese ship and a singaporean ship and both cases we understand at around $4 million was paid for the release of the ship. so, $8 million for those two ships. now have taken two more and frankly, going on what happened last few months, we can assume pretty much of the both ships will also receive millions of dollars worth of ransom. what is happening is we are having the international warships, trying to patrol the waters off the coast of somalia and the gulf of aden up. they are trying to police is too large and therefore it is easy pickings for these pirates who can travel of vast distances away from the coast because the rewards arso high. >> and of course it reflects turmoil on shore in somalia. >> that's it. people say it does not matter how many warships you place off the coast of somalia and in the other waters. what needs to happen is for mainland somalia to be sorted out. it has not had an effective government for two decades now and basically there is no policing going on in land. you want to hit piracy, experts say you have to deal with it on land. it does not matter how many ships you put out on see. the problem is in somalia. >> thank you very much. yemeni authorities confirmed the man charged with trying to blow up an airliner over the united states last week was in yemen until early this month. they say umar farouk abdulmutallab, who is nigerian, -- president obama pledged his administration will not rest until all those behind the alleged plot of brought to justice. from detroit, and the gallagher. >> this is all that remains from but devised that authorities say who marvel will double the top so on board. singed their underpants is thought to ha explosives so into the crash -- crotch. it is now thought abdulmutallab did visit yemen where he said he was trained and supplied the explosives. hear, president obama reassure the american people and promise to hunt down those behind the alleged plot. but those who would slaughter innocent men, women, and children should know the united states will do more than simply strengthen our defenses. we will continue to use every element of our national power to disrupt, dismantle, and the defeat of violent extremists who threaten us. >> the president has ordered a major review of their security. there is still tough questions to answer about what went wrong. >> a full investigation has been launched into this attempted act of terrorism and we will not rest until we find all who are some -- involved an held accountable. >> right now the 23-year-old nigerian remains in this federal prison. it seems he was on more than one watch list and managed to board a plane allegedly carrying explosives. this is now an international investigation bound to have wide-ranging consequences. it seems from now on air travel for all of us will change drastically. bbc news, detroit. >> i am now joined on the line from the yemeni capital, the arabic television correspondent. welcome to the program. what is the significance of the state in yemen? >> actually right now i am in the gulf of aden -- this was the first announcement -- uss cole was attacked in 2000. yen and geographically and socially is very fertile ground for al qaeda to flourish, if you will. the central government has always struggled to assert, over the country. socially, a lot of tribes that have more power than the local area. they can provide protection to anyone they wanted. this is what al qaeda has been doing. bay have been protected by local tribes. >> thank you very much indeed. that will be the topic of a much wider discussion as days go by. julia is here with the latest business news. russia and ukraine has struck a deal on energy. >> it is something we have covered in the past. we had this fight between the two, russia claimed ukraine had not settled its bills and it ricocheted because we found it went beyond the disrupting supplies. negotiators from the two sides say we cut this deal the terms of the terrace we pay to the russians. with this deal, it does not just benefit ukraine but other countries who have been affected like this -- the czech republic, slovakia, etc. -- they themselves will not be affected. but they have to get this done by the first of january. they manage to go slightly ahead of the desktop -- deadline is impressive. >> the financial markets -- the year and is approaching. the european and u.s. financial markets, a crucial time. volume is very thin but buoyant. >> boy and, indeed. what has been happening is we have been looking at the ftse 100 and people have been going back in time, september of 2008. but more specifically, the week before lehman brothers collapsed. what actually happened, you had gains in the ftse that matched that that periodwhich is quite interesting. so we are actually doing quite well. but in terms of the overall picture, with what is going on, the markets haven't been doing too badly this year we all forecast doom and gloom and the entire meltdown of the banking sector. it didn't happen. yes, you have the central bank injected cash to make it liquid. but sentiment has improved. also if you look at the macro economic numbers, they are looking pretty good. yes, there are signs of recovery. it seems fragile. some countries moving ahead soft and others but it is reflected gigot been like a good sentiment. >> julie, good news. you are watching bbc world news. still to come -- m.s. the problem. -- msp problem. the mounting rubbish problem. if you had a miserable year you probably would love a chance to get rid of the bad memories you associate with 2009. people in the big apple have been given a chance to do exactly that. it is called good riddance day and allows people to bid farewell to the things they would like to forget. >> 2009 -- >> 2009 has been a year to remember, but not always in a good way. the third year in a row the times square alliance installed and industrialized shredder at the city landmarks so people can get rid of stuff that reminds them of things they would rather forget. this person locked organize the event says it gives people closure. >> new year's eve -- a time of celebration, sure, but also reflection where you reflect back on the past year, not only the good things but the bad things. good riddance day is about the bad. therapeutically getting rid of the bad things that happened in 2009. >> some people use the paper that jot down the things that make 2009 memorable for the wrong reasons and then toss them into the shredder. others came armed with hundreds of bills and letters from ex- boyfriend and leather -- lovers. >> he is finally leaving. giving back the stuff i let him borrow and moving away and i will never hear from him again, so this is the end of it. >> the message is, good riddance, 2009. bringing in 2010 for better days. >> tens of thousands of people from all over the world flocked to the york every year to watch the traditional ball drop midnight, new year's eve. preparations are already under way for this year's extravaganza and those who finally said good riddance to the bad things that happened in 2009 will surely be open that 2010 is the year that things finally fall into place for them. bbc news. >> this is bbc world news. china has executed a british man for drug-smuggling despite appeals from the u.k. government for clemency. let's now get more on that story. the case of akmal shaikh has caused something of a diplomatic spat between the two countries, britain and china. our correspondent is that the briton -- british foreign office in london. we understand the chinese diplomat has been called now, summoned for an audience. the question is, is it purely a formality or a continuation of the diplomatic route? >> there is that alyssum sort of diplomatic argument. the second time she was called in in 24 hours. the embassador being called it is an admonishment. we have just seen a cargo through the gates and the foreign office in london which we believe contain the and maceda. yes, there is a soaring, and argument. relations were not fantastic anyway after the british finance secretary pointed out the chinese has vetoed some of the measures propose that the copenhagen climate talks. but there was some genuine hope, optimism, among british ministers that there might be clemency. there had been a great many diplomatic contacts. gordon brown debris as prime minister contacted by writing the chinese presence -- president, asking for clemency. it was not enough. what we are lefts the consequences of consequences ofrow. not only is britain and great, but china is, too. but the foreign ministry -- she said she is basically unhappy about what britain has said about the nature of the trial and they don't have anything to apologize for. i don't think you see you -- you will see it will go much further than the displeasure expressed. >> it is kind of hard to swallow, is in the? >> yes, absolutely. we have seen a very straightforward conflict. london trying to use its diplomatic might affect a difference in a foreign country. quite frankly, the diplomatic mike d not prove to be strong enough. this is not entirely about cyano-britain relations. one of the things that concern chinese authorities is there is a strong feeling against drugs, drug dealing, and the import of drugs. many ordinary chinese people frankly would not be nearly as upset about this execution than people in britain are. they have to consider their domestic audience as well. britain has made a very public diplomatic effort to seek clemency. it hasn't worked. there is some consequence, but it may not last long time or proven in the fullness of time to have great significance. >> thank you very much, indeed. roman catholics in argentina expressed concern over the first gay wedding and latin america. the man exchanged marriage vows with his partner in a registry office in tierra del fuego. the governor issued a special the great despe gay weddings being illegal in argentina. >> a very public show of affection -- a civil ceremony in southern argentina. >> latin america's first same- sex couples to marry. in a macho mainly catholic continent, legal history. the stars of one of the most significant and controversial moments for gay rights in the region. as a gay couple, jose say they dreamt of a better country that respects their rights as gateman. gay marriage in argentina is illegal. earlier this month -- chanting freedom at a news conference after a judge prevented them from airing there. the government of the southernmost province of terror del fuego issued a decree allowing them to tie the no -- not. seen here at a march early this year, the couple were already a symbol for gay rights in argentina. the legality is already being questioned by a group of catholic lawyers and an argentine bishops as it was an attack against the survival of the human species. >> jose and alex, both hiv- positive, plan to marry on world aids day and hope they are the first of many same-sex marriages across latin america. >> in lebanon, the government must urgently solve a rubbish dump problem in this out. over 30 years waste has been piling up, oft sliding into the sea. environmentalists warn a double poses serious risks to marine life in the mediterranean and humans. our correspondent reports. >> it rises from the sea -- a mountain of rubbish which has been growing for almost 30 years. muhammed, a local fisherman, took on his boat. he said the garbage is poisoning the seas. the government, he says, it is doing nothing to solve the problem. this dump was originally created to dispose of buildings destroyed in israeli air strike during the 1982 invasion. ever since, iturns into a main disposal site for this city of sidon. it is hard to describe the stench. the smell is unbelievable. what makes it so strong and makes it so dangerous is that it is not just household rubbish that they don't -- dump here. industrial, chemical, even medical waste. mohamad has been a scavenger since he was attended every day he sorts the -- mohammed has been a scavenger cents to 10 years old. heat source the garbage out. even though it is his only source of living he would like it to disappear becaus of at he has seen. >> what i hate most is the garbage coming from the hospital. hospital rubbish is very dangerous. it contains needles, blood, flesh, kidneys. and environmentalists say toxins leaking into the sea pose a major threat to humans, marine life, and the whole ecosystem of the mediterranean. it is possible to solve the problem. there are even funds available to move the dump. >> the only thing missing is the political decision, and unless the stakeholders start thinking about the benefit of the public and the marine life and conservation, this issue will not be solved. >> for years, various government agencies have blamed each other for the problem. each refusing to take charge. environmentalists say politicians must begin to act. until they do, this mountain of rubbish and the threat it pos will only grow. bbc news, sidon. >> a time for update on cricket with amelia. >> thank you very much. on the sec and ending to reply to england's declared total in their second test in durban, trailing by 230 to the house made a reasonable start, 27 runs for one of what visitors hoping for quick wickets to maintain an unanswered. prince clocked 16 runs. stay with cricket, pakistan need