>> welcome to." gemini hold ceremonies to mark international holocaust memorial day.

>> german lawmakers have been commemorating international holocaust day. the day has been marked since 1996. >> it was a frail figure took center stage in friday's commemoration. age 91, he is one of germany's most influential literary critics. as a young man, he was deported to the warsaw ghetto. he managed to flee, but his parents were murdered in a concentration camp, and his brother was executed in another. >> the nazis spoke of the resettlement of the jews.

that was a euphemism. it was an expulsion. it was the expulsion of jews from warsaw. it had one purpose only and one objective -- to kill them. >> such words are a reminder to today's politicians of the lessons of the past. those lessons are as important as ever as the president of the parliament stressed. >> in the last few days, we receive a final report of an inquiry launched in 2008 and to anti-semitism in germany. it found latent anti-semitism in 20% of the population. for germany, that is precisely 20% to much.

>> he has always maintained that the power of storytelling was key to his own survival with commemorations across germany. the country hopes the story of the holocaust will continue to be told for generations to come. >> the commemoration comes as a german parliamentary committee takes up its work in investigating what police failed to uncover a radical neo-nazi group thought to be behind the series of racially motivated murders. the killings took place over seven years. >> lawmakers went out of their way to show unity across party lines as the parliamentary committee began its work. germany's political establishment has been rocked by the revelations surrounding the neo-nazi carrousel. the inquiry will look for possible failings of the country's security apparatus, a complicated web of regional and federal agencies.

>> what mistakes were made in the case of the terrorist group are an indication that germany's current security architecture could be structured better. >> we are the victims in the german population of fast and thorough inquiry. we hope we can lay the groundwork for the necessary consequences. >> the inquiry will focus on these three neo-nazis. it is thought they carried out at least 10 murders across germany from 2000 through 2007. only last year did police learned of the cell's activities. since then, and number of suspected accomplices have been arrested, but investigations have a long way to go. the parliamentary committee is due to submit its conclusions by the summer of next year. >> it has been an intense day of diplomatic wrangling at united nations security council over the violence in syria. western powers are joining

forces with our of the government's to pass a resolution calling for a political transition in syria. russia, a longtime allies of damascus, has rejected any text that would call on president al assad to step down. the bush comes as fighting continues between government and rebel forces. >> a key stronghold of the opposition, this unverified internet footage appears to show syrian army units attacking the city on friday. anti-regime activists say the assault came from the for your directions. there are also reports of violence continuing in homs. residents said 15 members of a single-family have been killed. a new united nations draft resolution is facing opposition from russia, but secretary general remains optimistic. >> when it comes to the

situation, they have made the resolution trying to resolve the issue through a political process. >> more unverified footage posted on the internet shows the protesters in syria had not given up hope. they are keeping up their calls for the president to step down, a man supported in the united nations by the arab league and western powers. >> we will have a special report from inside syria coming up later on this half hour. france has just announced that it will withdraw combat troops from afghanistan by the end of 2013. yesterday, germany said its pullout would be completed within the same timeframe. president sarkozy unveiled the french plan in paris after talks with his afghan counterpart, hamid karzai. there had been speculation that france might accelerate its pullout after the killing of

four french soldiers last week. france has troops in afghanistan, the fourth largest contingent in the nato-led international security force. to iraq now where more than 30 people have been killed in a suicide bombing in the capital, baghdad. the attacker targeted a funeral procession in a mainly shi'ite district. many of those killed were a policeman guarding the warriors. more than 60 other people were wounded. the number of attacks in iraq has risen since u.s. forces left last month. so far, more than 320 people have been killed this year. let's go to monica now. as world leaders gather in davos while fitch has launched a downgrade rampage on europe. >> it always happens on a friday evening. two weeks after standard and poor's downgraded nine eurozone members, ratings agency fitch cut its ratings of five nations, and lowered its outlook on ireland. fitch cited the poor finances in

spain, italy, belgium, slovenia, and cyprus, which makes them all more vulnerable to sharp turns in market sentiment. the announcement of the downgrade comes ahead of an eu summit monday where political leaders are said to discuss ways out of the sovereign debt crisis. the three big ratings agencies have come under fire for their role in the eurozone debt crisis. their verdict on the country's creditworthiness can make or bake -- make or break a nation. europe is looking for ways to curb the agency's power. >> fitch, movies, and standard and poor's in u.s. appear to have a big influence over global finance. any company they downgrade usually sees a drop in share prices. >> they are there to make profits. they have economic interests. they have political philosophies. so it is necessary that we provide a countermeasure.

more competition here in europe. that will be a large, competitive, and independent europe-based ratings agency. >> alternatives to rating agencies are under discussion at the world economic forum in davos. they are contemplating a european rating agency that could be more transparent in comparison to the u.s. >> it would be independent in terms of ownership because shares would be controlled by a foundation, and it would not be dependent on the company's it is reading as customers. >> business leaders are discussing the viability of a european rating agency and whether it could compete with the american big three. plans for the new agency are well under way, and it could be launched this year. amadis of the latest downgrades of 5 eurozone nations has also reached european leaders and bankers as they attend the world economic forum. economic policy-makers have been discussing the prospects of resolving the debt problem, and

this seems to be some progress, at least with regard to greece. >> u.s. treasury secretary timothy gardner is upbeat about the state of the u.s. economy. speaking at the world economic forum, he said the u.s. is expected to do well, despite the global economic downturn. >> i think the conventional view of the u.s. now is that we are growing between 2% and 3%. i think that is a realistic outcome for the united states economy as long as we see a little more progress in europe and as long as we do not see a lot of risk come from iran and the oil front. >> growth rates like that are something the troubled eurozone can only dream of at the moment. as head of the european central bank, mario draghi is one of the people trying to change the situation in europe. he said there is no rapid end to the crisis in sight, but the

eurozone is making astounding progress. >> if we look at the progress about the fiscal compact, this treaty, three months ago, this was not even a question to ask. countries would never release any sovereignty on their fiscal policy. >> his only comment on the situation in greece on friday was a terse "no comment." >> it has been a strong week on european exchanges, but things turned sour this friday. we get a report on the day at the frankfurt stock exchange. >> somehow, this day was typical for the week. greece was on the top of the agenda. there is still uncertainty of the outcome of the talks on the debt breakdown with athens, but there is also increased confidence that there will be an agreement in the end. the dax was down for the day. that was due to disappointing growth figures from the u.s. economy, before the week, the

dax managed a gain of about 1.5%, because people not only had increased confidence over the situation in the eurozone, they also saw surprisingly strong economic data, especially from germany. the business climate here up, as was consumer confidence. >> here is a look at how the day ended in europe. the blue-chip dax closed the day down 4%. eurozone down by almost 50%. wall street still up and running, and the dow jones down by almost 0.5% at the moment. currency markets, the euro trading for $1.3210. the european commission has launched an anti-trust investigation into three carriers from the sky team alliance. it is looking for the deal into al italia, air france, and delta. the commission says the

partnership could harm passengers on certain eu/u.s. routes where the parties would otherwise provide competing services. >> the former guatemalan dictator is facing possible trial on charges of genocide and possible crimes against humanity. the court found he had to answer for the deaths of hundreds of indigenous guatemalans. has been placed on house arrest until a preliminary hearing in march. >> guatemala's ex-military dictator appeared unmoved as the judge read her verdict. she ruled there is enough evidence to try him for genocide and crimes against humanity. despite his pleas to the contrary, the 85-year-old will have to answer for the atrocities under his rule. >> madam judge, i am aware of the prosecutor's case, and i understand his point of view. the court should also understand my perspective so we arrive at a

just result. the victims required justice, not vengeance. >> those victims were exiled -- an indigenous mayan people in guatemala. more than 1700 were killed during guatemala's civil war to prevent their villages linking up with left-wing guerillas. he will the country at the time after coming to power in a military coup. 12 years after the civil war ended, the dictator is going on trial. the news has been welcomed by those who traveled to the court proceedings. >> thousands of brothers, children, men and women were massacred during the civil war. now, we are asking for justice. we are all here to demand justice. >> for years, he avoided prosecution because he had immunity as a member of congress, but he could no longer rebate justice when his term in office ended earlier this month.

>> we have heard a lot from the world economic forum in davos, switzerland, this week with problems like the eurozone debt crisis taking center stage, of course, but it is not all doom, gloom, and boom. last night, deutsche welle was on hand to celebrate the launch of its new programming. there's a host of new content coming your way. one of the big highlights -- and all new spanish channel for latin america. among those looking forward to that new programming, international best-selling author and philosopher from the region. >> deutsche welle and mexico issued a joint invitation. prominent guests included the co-founder of the world economic forum. this brazilian writer was also there for a first glimpse of deutsche welle's new programming, including a new spanish-language channel for latin america. that goes on there on february

6. for the director general, it is the fulfillment of a longstanding wish. >> latin america is the continent with the closest cultural and historical ties to europe and to germany. that is why i have tried repeatedly to strengthen our presence there. to build bridges between latin america. the people there and the people here in germany. and now, the efforts are bearing fruit. an outcome to the liking of the mexican president. the leap a calderon is confident the new spanish programming will be a success in his home country and across latin america. >> it is wonderful to have a partner like deutsche welle broadcasting in spanish 24 hours a day. that will open new opportunities for latin america. the channel will be a bridge to europe and especially to

germany. >> in just a few days, tv viewers in mexico and across latin america will have their first chance to see dw's all new spanish-language channel. >> and the wait is nearly over. >> how many more days? 8, 6, 7? >> there we go. next week, you can have a sneak preview. stay with us. i will be right back. >> this is anna.

to make sure she does not start smoking, she uses a rather unique tip. nice try, but for advice that really works, ,help-eu.com where you can also leave your own tips. help for a life without tobacco. >> welcome back. it has been a day of intense diplomacy as the west, led by the u.s. and britain, pushes for international intervention in syria. after 10 months of violence, the government remains firmly in power, but the fighting has brought the country to the verge of civil war. how is that affecting the people in syria? today, we can bring you a report from one of the opposition strongholds. it includes images from the working-class district, which

has seen some very heavy fighting. the footage was shot by opposition activists in december and then smuggled out of the country. it offers a glimpse of life in a city that has paid a very heavy price for opposing the government. >> parts of the city resemble a war zone. here, there is barely a house left unscathed. local residents say syrian government troops have repeatedly targeted the area. militiamen and government soldiers have taken up their positions in the streets. local governments say they shoot indiscriminately at houses. >> five of my comrades were killed, says this man. "when we tried to collect the bodies, snipers started shooting at us.

then one of my relatives was killed. he was driving a car carrying two of the wounded. the car was hit by tank fire as it rounded the bend. the car turned into an inferno while the people were still in it." this woman says she heard shooting and later found out her son had been hit. she says they tried to save him. she went to the hospital to find out about him. the next day, they told her his body was in a mortuary. residents say the soldiers also enter local homes and regularly take people away. many never return. there are many reports of brutal treatment and torture. "when i came home," says this man, "i could no longer feel anything. my feet were bleeding. eight people beat us with sticks and were constantly hurling abuse at us."

some soldiers that the houses at the same time. this woman tells how soldiers broke down the door and stole mattresses and blankets. she says they broke down the door. you can see their footprints here. meanwhile, rubbish is building up on the streets in rebel districts where there has been no refuse collection for months. power distribution boxes have been knocked out in many areas in what appears to be deliberate sabotage. this resident says there is no electricity, diesel, or gas. they did not even have the most basic things. lost everything just because they demanded rights and freedom. but the people supporting them, he says, they want for nothing.

the people here have already paid a high price for their protests, but they are not giving up their hopes of a future in freedom and dignity. and kristin is an independent journalist who has lived and reported from syria for many years. we asked her to give us an impression of the crisis. >> the pictures that we see nowadays from syria resemble what happened 30 years ago. there was a big massacre of almost 20,000 people killed at the time. i think nobody really expected al assad would be able to do the same and to use this kind of violence like his father did, but we see that whenever it is a real struggle for power, the military apparatus, the security apparatus still works as it used to, and it is ready to do whatever it takes. and at the arab league has a plan for al assad to step down and delicate power. he has said no to that. do you think there is any chance that plan could at some point be

implemented? >> the hope lies with russia to change its position. russia until now says they are against military intervention, against economic sanctions, but opened for any constructive proposal, so this would be a constructive proposal. it would be russia that needs to put pressure on the regime and that has to convince bashar al assad to give over some power, to step down. unfortunately, until now, he seems to be determined and convinced that he can survive this crisis and stay in power, so i am not positive about any solution from the security council. >> how strong is his grip on his own government? is there any chance of divisions there? >> not at the top of the regime. the security apparatus is still very loyal. obviously, people who are responsible for the crackdown have tied their own destiny. what we do see is deserters.

soldiers who leave the army who say they do not want to shoot at their people and want to protect them. they have even gained control over some areas, sometimes for days, sometimes for hours. i think politically and socially, the regime is losing ground. we hear from government officials that inside, they have already turned their back, but they cannot do this openly because they are afraid of repercussions towards them and towards their families. >> thank you so very much. one of syria's long term political goals continues to be regaining the strategic region that has been occupied by israel since 1967. syrians are following the events over the demarcation line, trying to assess what the crisis means for them. >> the village is near the northern tip of the israeli- occupied territory, separated from syria by a huge barrier, the demarcation line.

most of the villagers consider themselves to the syrian, but many have never visited the country. she is one of them has been following the events in syria closely. she and a small group of activists have been supporting peaceful protests via the internet. >> it started when they sent us material and we help them publish it on the internet. we discuss things, and they can interact with us. the contact started on an individual level. >> the 25-year-old activist is one of the few openly supports the protests in syria. everyone is worried about the situation across the border, and some are having to think about where their loyalties lie. the civil rights campaigner says the people are as divided as those in syria itself. >> about half the families who live here have relatives in damascus or elsewhere in syria. everyone here is worried about

what is going on. >> many are cautious about what they say in public. anti-regime criticism could easily reach the wrong ears. some here remain strong -- staunch supporters of the assad regime. >> what is happening in syria is nothing but a conspiracy led by the usa and powers of western colonialism. repressive at allstate -- arab states are also involved. >> it is such opinions that have made this woman and her online friends very cautious. she used to write a blog that was critical of the regime, but she deleted it. but she says she will continue supporting the protests. >> i have not met the people in syria, but i am in contact with them via twitter and facebook. i do not even know their real names, but at the same time, we are like a family, and i am worry about them and what will happen to them.

>> everyone is worried about the future of syria, but they have very different opinions on what that future should look like. >> that is all for now on our "in depth" said. thank you for joining us, and stay with us if you can.