>> hello, and welcome to the "journal" on dw-tv. yes we meggin leigh with the news. >> as a monika jones with the business news. >> our top stories, opposition to president assad's regime corzine syria, and the peace monitoring mission is on its way. number currey in mourn the death of kim jong il, as concerns mount about whether his son and successor can guarantee stability. the death toll from floods in the philippines plans close to 1000.

the president declares a national disaster. ♪ >> the violent crackdown on opposition protesters in syria does not appear to be letting up. the london-based syrian observatory for human rights said government forces have killed dozens of army deserters in a northern district. this comes as a team of observers from the arab league prepares to arrive in syria on thursday to assess whether damascus is committing human rights abuses. >> anti-government protests continue, despite the violent crackdown. these images of loaded to the internet show thousands of people demonstrating against the regime of bashar al-assad. his security forces are rarely seen in these images. it is mainly the wounded or the dead.

now foreign observers are set to start monitoring the situation. the head of the arab league has confirmed an advance group will arrive in syria on thursday. >> they will have the right to freely move, freely meet with people if they have to go to prison, hospitals. >> these images are believed to have been shot in homs, one of the major flash points for anti- government protests. it is still not clear whether the presence of international observers will calm the situation on the ground. >> the u.s. has sharply criticized the brutal attack by egyptian security forces on a female demonstrator. the secretary of state, hillary clinton, said "the systematic degradation of egyptian women dishonors the revolution." in cairo on tuesday, hundreds of women turned out on tahrir

square to protest the army's mistreatment of female demonstrators. the protest was organized after images appeared on the internet of egyptian troops beating and partially undressing a veiled female protester last week. of the ruling military leaders have admitted to the attack, and they strongly regretted it. the body of north korean leader kim jong il has gone on public display adapter his death was announced on state tv. the country has entered a time of official mourning. the international community is expressing concern about the possibility of a power struggle that could destabilize north korea and affect the region. >> kim jong un, the heir apparent, paying respects to his late father, the former dictator kim jong il is lying in stake in p'yongyang. a funeral will be held next week. kim jong un has already been labeled the great successor by

state media, but he is an untested leader. some commentators believe this could trigger in ta power struggle with army generals. the u.s. secretary of state and her japanese counterpart urged north korea to pursue the path of peace. >> we share a common interest in a peaceful and stable transition north korea, as well as ensuring regional peace and stability. we have been in close touch with our partners. >> uncertainty about the future is being compounded by concern over north korea's nuclear program. the country has twice testing nuclear devices. meanwhile, more mass public displays of sorrow for kim jong il. people gathering 9000 to grieve. but in north korea, it is difficult to say whether these displays of emotion are genuine or orchestrated. >> let's turn it over to monica now. it seems that germany is doing quite well despite gloom for the west of western europe.

>> for the time being, that is correct. german business confidence rose for the second month in a row. the economic institute released data showing that europe's biggest economy continues to hold up, despite the eurozone debt crisis. after falling in the summer and autumn, business sentiment has been watching as it defied expectations and rose to 107.2 points in december, and is expected to continue increasing in the coming months. the mood in the german economy is improving. the construction sector is booming at a time of year which usually sees a lull. all-in-all, business leaders are looking to the future with more optimism than in recent months. as the debt crisis to cold in the eurozone, the index declined four months in a row. not until november did the mood turnaround. it this optimism among company executives is going along with

predictions of numerous economists. several institutes are expecting a recession next year. with doubts still hanging over the euro and various garments ordering deeper austerity cuts, and german exports are likely to contract. but for now, domestic demand is unfettered by such concerns. germans seem willing to spend their money. unemployment has gone down. wages are rising. many people are looking on the bright side. >> with business confidence, optimism has also returned to the trading floor. let's wrap up the day's action in frankfurt. >> i finally a different picture on the trading board on the frankfurt floor. the dax was surging. the mood was very good. the main driver was very positive business confidence and the most important message for traders the companies are more optimistic for the future. and a very successful bond auction of spain. but it was not a good day of

shareholders of this company. at&t disappointed traders and put pressure on the share price. >> that was dorothy holes in frankfurt. the spanish bond sale was a huge success, as markets seem to trust and the new government's ability to carry out the necessary austerity measures. spain managed to sell 5.4 billion euros of government bonds, an average yield of less than 2%. last month, they had to pay three b's and more. yields fell at that -- as the ec be prepared to start offering banks a limited three-year loans later this week. germany's business confidence in the spanish bond sale gave shares a boost on tuesday. let's have a closer look it's a market numbers now. the blue-chip dax closed the day up by more than 3%. the euro stoxx 50 also up by 2.7%, positive territory.

the dow jones industrials still going strong, up by 2.79%. the euro is tracing for $1.307. 6 the european commissioner has approved a plan to wind down troubled german lender west lb. the plan has taken two years to put in place. the state-bank -- the state back the bank will stop offering new services on june 30 next year. its core activities involving the servicing of german savings banks will be continued by a smaller institution. all remaining assets and liabilities will be sold or wound down by an agency funded by the german government. west lb close to collapse during the 2008 financial crisis. u.s. mobile phone provider at&t is dropping its $39 billion bid to buy smaller wireless provider t-mobile usa. the deal was broken off under pressure from anti-trust

regulators. that raised concerns that the takeover would increase prices, reduce innovation, and give customers your choices. t-mobile usa is a subsidiary of deutsche telekom. >> at&t was willing to pay as much as $39 billion to acquire t-mobile usa. the deal would have made it the biggest cell phone operator in america. that position is currently held by verizon wireless, which controls 31% of the market there. at&t holds a 27% share. sprint nextel has the third largest customer base. t-mobile is number four in the u.s. with 9% of the market. the u.s. justice department was the first to raise objections to the buyout, quickly followed by anti-trust regulators. they said the merger would leave too little competition in the cell phone sector, and that, they fear, could only lead to higher prices. with the deal's collapse, at&t

is obliged to pay to reach a telecom $3 billion in compensation peart double the speed of the american company also signed up to provide a wide range of roaming services, and now it also has to hand t- mobile usa a large bundle of wireless frequencies. >> thank you for that. the death toll from flash floods in the southern philippines has grown to nearly 1000. in tighter regions on one island are under water and sludge. president akino has now declared a state of national disaster, which local authorities gain quick access to recovery fund. aid workers are appealing for bottled waters, blankets, tents, and clothing for the thousands gathered -- credit in shelters. >> these men are currently building tombs in the port city. hundreds of people were killed by the flash floods that struck at the weekend.

many bodies cannot be identified, but the must be buried fats, because they have began to decompose. the local mayor said there would be no mass graves and defended the makeshift tombs. >> this is what we're currently doing for the unidentified bodies. it is not really a burial per se, but we're just depositing the bodies in place for the do not threaten public health. we can stand identified bodies to a permanent resting place if the family agrees. >> authorities are using dna samples and fingerprints to help identify the bodies, and thus, help relatives in the grieving process. the country's president visited an evacuation center in a town also hit by the storms. he has faced criticism about being slow to act in the wake of the devastating floods. >> french media say 30,000 women

in the country may be advised to have their breast implants removed. the warning comes amid fears that the implants could cause serious health problems. eight cases of cancer have been reported by women who received implants made by a company called p.i.p. the firm was found to have used a set standard type of silicone that increase the risk of tiering. the implants were also sold in overseas markets. thousands of people turned out in the belgian city of liege for a ceremony to remember those killed and wounded in the last -- the gun attack last week. operators are still looking for clues as to why the attacker, who was a convicted criminal out on parole, unleashed that rampage that killed four people and wounded over 100 others. >> there were no speeches, just a trumpet solo and silence.

a somber and dignified memorial service for the victims 0. residents, police, and rescue workers responded to the attack, and members of the royal family were on hand to offer comfort to those who lost friends and family members. exactly one week ago, terror filled liege as a 33-room man armed with guns and grenades started shooting a passersby before killing himself. police still did not know exactly what motivated the attacker. he had tasted -- a history of drugs and weapons offenses. the attack has prompted many belgians to question the country's gun laws and sentencing policies. >> it will not help. these people do not buy weapons in a shop. the change the law, it will of the people who have nothing to do with crime, like hunters, sportsmen, or collectors. use an assembly line man like this to go free.

he was sentenced. why was he not -- why was he allowed out prematurely? he is a monster. >> slowly, the process the deeds of the man who terrorized liege. >> back here in germany, president christian wulff is facing fresh allegations that he benefited privately from public office. a new report has emerged that a wealthy supporter paid for advertising for a book of interviews with christian wulff that held in his reelection as a state premier in 2008. opposition party leaders are demanding answers from the man who was supposed to serve as a sort of moral compass for the nation. >> how long can the president cesar by headlines like these? that is the question in germany's biggest tabloid this morning. together with new revelations about christian wulff's ties to wealthy friends. the paper says businessman carsten maschmeyer, seen here, funded an aunt -- an ad campaign

for a book by christian wulff. because, 40,000 euros. carsten maschmeyer said christian wulff did not know about the idea, but the opposition is asking questions. >> that is at least some clarity that we're getting bit by bit. the question is, is that everything? >> the new revelations come just as the president is fending off allegations over half million euro home loan that he got from other friends. his lawyers are opting for transparency. they have been inviting reporters to inspect files relating to the deal. angela merkel is also feeling the pressure. the she stirred christian wulff into office last year. >> the president is doing an excellent job. he will present a clear of the questions that have been raised. >> christian wulff himself has been continuing with his -- with his engagements and insists he will not be standing down. it seems the public is behind him. a new poll says 70% believe he

should stay on as president. >> for more, we talk to our chief political correspondent built -- melinda crane and asked how much damage has been done to christian wulff's presidency. >> this unquestionably has done damage. the allegations add up to a picture of a politician who made themselves susceptible to the influence of the rich and powerful. that would be problematic for any politician, but it is pretty clearly grievous for the presidency. in germany, as he said, it is a moral compass. germans look to their president to provide moral inspiration, sometimes of a correction, for instance, the speeches that he holds. he will be giving a speech at christmas, president wulff feared many members of the press are questioning whether he still has the credibility and integrity that germans want from their president. >> melinda crane speaking to us earlier. an image shot at a garbage dump in ghana has been chosen as the unicef photo of the year.

e-waste in ghana is the title of the photograph. the honor was accepted from the german first lady here in berlin. stay tuned for "in depth" coming up next. do not go away. ♪ ♪ >> i would like a banana

parfait. >> walnut. >> vanilla. >> the next time you eat out, help the 850 million people in the world who go hungry. ♪ >> welcome back. we continue our broadcast with the spirit of giving and what this means for the german economy. despite tough economic times and gloomy growth forecasts across the eurozone, and germans are out in strong numbers this holiday season, digging deep into their pockets and purchasing plenty of gifts for their loved ones. according to the numbers of two closely watched economic surveys here in the country, a german business and consumer confidence is up and ended on a high note this year. of course this is good news, but in terms of actual shopping, that also means crowds of the

department stores. those are likely to be bigger. one way to avoid that, however, is by checking out deals online. >> christmas is coming, and net cautious still does not have a present for her mother. -- and this woman does not have to present. she is looking online for the perfect gift. she visits a site that a friend recommended. >> all right comic gifts for every occasion. ah, christmas gifts. that is a good start. what do we have here? chocolate's, a personalized book. >> she thinks that could be just the thing for her mother, a personalized book. literature taylor to the gift recipient, and it is not too expensive. but the big question remains. will it arrive in time for christmas? that is not an issue for these

christmas shoppers at a central berlin department store. for some people, braving the crowds as part of the festive fun. a german retail association member says sales figures have not been affected by the global financial crisis. >> retailers in germany have just enjoy their strongest nine months ever. that means consumer confidence is high. >> in berlin and elsewhere, german shoppers seem unfazed by doubts of the future of the euro. some foreign newspapers are even talking about a new mood and an end to germany annexed. >> the labor market is in good shape at the moment, and that means people are more willing to spend their money. or to splurge on some special. yes, we can see that german consumers are not worried right now. >> but are germans really that laid-back? some say the real reason they're suddenly willing to part with their cash is because they are

worried about the currency and want to have something to say it -- to show for it if the euro plummets. >> we're seeing a preference among consumers for putting their money into real assets, if you like. but that is not an option for most germans. of course consumers are aware of what is happening to europe and to the euro. in the decision the politicians make at this time will certainly affect consumer confidence. >> natasha has confidence in internet shopping, and she made the right decision. the book for her mother arrived punctually and in time for christmas. >> package for you. >> it is here. thank you. >> merry christmas. >> you, too. >> germans are counting their blessings this christmas and hoping that the future will continue to be as bright as the present. economists from the gfk research

institute said that the german economy does seem to be successfully countering the downturn in western europe. german companies are operating above average capacity. the labor market is very robust. the jobless rate continues to fall. but with exports beginning to slip, a german economic growth for 2012 has been cut from 3% to 0.6%. we talked to a maker of chocolate santas who is already seeing a drop in orders for next year. >> these chocolate santas look at confident of finding themselves in somebody's stocking this season. it has been a good year for this traditional chocolate maker. in the festive season looks set to round things out nicely. the factory store is doing a trade. but the ceo is not just basking in his suite success, as customers are getting into the christmas spirit, he already has

the easter bunny on his mind. >> we have been nine easter mode for a while now. we start producing for easter the first week in november appear the same as the christmas tree. retailers on the goods by mid august and early as the timber. right after new year, they start thinking about their easter decorations. >> easter, even though christmas is just around the corner. they have to plan ahead to deliver the right chocolate figures at the right time of year. news that the coming easter season could be tough has already reached the shop floor. >> easter orders are a bit down compared to last year. i guess that has to do with the euro crisis. it is made a difference. we were producing a lot more last year. >> easter 2012, the factory is expecting lower sales. but it is trying to counter that trend of new products and new flavors. the boss believes customers on

quality rather than quantity. >> sunflower seeds. >> sunflower seeds are no problem for people with allergies. >> but however exotic the new range maybe, it will still be based on the main ingredients, chocolate and sugar. the price of cocoa on the world's markets has gone down. but now, sugar is at a 30-year high. >> sugar is making our lives difficult at the moment. there is a shortage, and the prices have risen 50% to 57% compared to last year. >> the company could pass on the price hike to its customers, but competition is stiff, they know that could impact negatively on sales. easter 2012 could be a tough time for chocolate confectioners, but until then, there is still lots of christmas sales to look forward to.

>> and buying all of this christmas gifts is also essential to economic health, and the gfk says private consumption is may play a vital role of ensuring that germany does not fall into recession. domestic consumption will becoming increasingly important as the future remains uncertain that when it becomes demand for german exports. we went out to look at the state of consumption and giving in germany this holiday season. this is what we found out. ♪ >> we grownups are now giving each other anything, because it can get out of hand. but the kids can get presents. >> something to wear sounds good for my grandchild or something electrical. >> we're looking for gifts for my kids, grandkids.

granma and granddad, so everybody's happy at christmas. ♪ >> we're spending a bit less this year. i think about 50 euros per child, that is enough. >> there will be no crisis on our christmas dinner table. >> 20 years, 30 years tops. but finding very nice, i might spend more. ♪ >> you cannot have christmas without presence. the whole festive atmosphere is something special. >> the tradition is really about giving. it is not so much what you give. it is that you do give. >> it is just a moment in the christmas day. my favorite part about christmas is food. ♪

>> and a good luck to you with that last bit of christmas shopping. with that, we wrap up the" at this hour. thank you for joining us. stay tuned. ♪ ♪ ♪