>> hello, and welcome to the "journal" on dw. we're coming to you live on dw in berlin but i am meggin leigh. >> i am sarah kelly. here is what is coming up. an international conference on syria -- hillary clinton lashes out of russia and china over there for support for damascus. >> german economist trade blows over the latest euro crisis measures. >> and verena becker is sentenced to four years in prison for her role in a 1970's murder. >> the international community

is increasing the pressure on syrian president bashar al-assad to end the violence in his country or face more tough sanctions. >> had a friend of serri meeting in paris, hillary clinton was pushing for all nations to do more to encourage political change in syria. french president francois hollande echoed her calls and said the u.n. security council needs to take tougher action if assad does not apply. >> russia and china are still holding back. the u.s. accuses both countries of torching progress in this area and helping us not stay in power. >> senior politicians for more than 100 countries came from around the globe to the meeting in paris. french president francois hollande said half the world was represented, all with one goal in common. % in syria. but the meeting was overshadowed by who was not there. both russia and china did not attend. >> u.s. secretary of state

hillary clinton called for more pressure on moscow and beijing. >> i do not think russia and china believe they are paying any price at all, nothing at all. for standing up on behalf of the assad regime. the only way that will change is if every nation represented here directly and urgent -- urgently makes it clear that russia and china will pay a price. >> clinton says that without moscow and beijing's support, a concerted international move against the syrian regime is impossible. the syrian opposition is in disarray and there is little sign of either the opposition or the government putting down their arms in favor of dialogue. western powers warned that as long as the conflict is unresolved, it remains dangerous not only for the people of syria but for the entire region. >> our middle east analyst and

an author joins me now in the studio to talk more about the situation in syria. thank you for being with us. we have heard that another general has defected from a sock's army, and we have seen it that momentum from the outside is growing for political change in syria. what will that take? >> it is difficult to change the situation on the ground for two reasons. the western countries, mainly the u.s., has not yet understood that in order to get russia into the same boat, it is not enough to put pressure on moscow. it needs to be a deal. russia had his own interest in syria, mainly because the station at the syrian coast. they should say we accept your wishto consider to -- continue your influence in syria, but there's no willingness on the western side to go back into that direction. the other big problem is the internal set up of the syrian

opposition. it is not clear who is holding power in syria, so violence will continue for quite some time. >> the u.s. is really pushing for a regime change. other western countries are reiterating the calls that assad has to go. but is that necessary? is there an alternative? >> the opposition groups are not willing to cooperate to work together with bashar al-assad. he is responsible for the deaths of so many syrians. nevertheless, it is not really foreseeable whether or not bashar assad is really willing to seize power. i do not think he is willing to do so. this defection of the most high ranking officers so far is really an important event. and this personal friend of his, of us awed, will tell the friends of syria quite a few secrets about syria pose a military strike and the internal set up of the regime. this is a valuable in terms of

information for western countries. >> if assad were to be toppled, would we see a power vacuum in syria like we saw in iraq? >> we would see ongoing violence and bloodshed between various religious and ethnic groups. unfortunately, we're still at the beginning of a bloodbath in syria, and that will continue for many years to come, i am afraid. >> thank you very much for your analysis. >> let's switch gears and turned to business, because a prominent group of german economists are up in arms about the measures agreed to by eating -- eu leaders last week. >> that was supposed to bring the eurozone's fiscal ties closer together and allowing banks to get bailout directly from the eu's rescue fund in order to prevent them from failing. >> in a newspaper, a group of economists citigroup deal is unfair to taxpayers because it exposes them to struggling banks. >> the open letter slammed the

deal agreed at last week's european union summit. the provisions enable troubled banks to get direct aid from the eurozone's rescue fund. that has provoked deep concern among 170 top economists. one of the signatories was economist here. >> the taxpayers, retirees, and savers in the sow for solid countries of europe must not be made liable for backing these debt, particularly since gigantic losses are for civil from financing in seven countries inflationary economic bubbles. banks must be allowed to fail. >> that is not an opinion shared by all economists. the response published on friday accused the letter of being short on facts. others say it misrepresents decisions taken in brussels. >> the focus of the paper is the decision of the european council

at the end of june, and there's no fact for these assessments, because they only decided to create a european banking authority to end of the ecb. then a discretionary process is possible to ask for capitalization by the esm. that has nothing to do with what they argued in this letter. >> the german government rejects the criticism, too. the finance minister also stressed that the key element of last week's deal was not bailing banks out but subjecting them to better supervision. >> meanwhile, the head of the imf is issuing a sharp warning that europe is not doing enough to get its debt crisis under control. >> speaking in doug kolk, christine lagarde says the local economy is slowing as a result, and of the organization would lower the economic growth -- >> what is needed to get this edition under control? she's pushing for europe to integrate even more by completing its monetary,

banking, and fiscal union. >> are we safe for today -- safer today than at the time of the lehman brothers crisis? i would say not quite yet. >> christine lagarde said banks should be financing the economy and helping to stabilize it. she criticized banks that failed to reform following the lehman brothers collapse in to douse any. the imf had praised efforts to deal with the euro crisis but said the work is far from over. >> from the imf perspective, we believe that more needs to be done in order to really complete the architectural job of the eurozone. and monetary union, a banking union, followed by a fiscal union. >> christine lagarde warned that the imf believes the world economy will continue to weekend, it would cut its growth forecast in its upcoming global outlook. >> in the market here in europe

ended the week on a sour note. investors are concerned about a slowdown in the united states after it posted weaker than expected jobs growth in june. our correspondent dorothy holtz has more from frankfurt. >> traders in frankfurt in not argue that had to deal with very disappointing economic data. the u.s. job market does not make any progress, the jobless rate from inside while not enough new jobs were created. the head of the international monetary fund even painted a very gloomy picture of the economy worldwide. leading to a bad mood on the frankfurt for the dax fell sharply and the euro was heavily under pressure. the only bright spot came from the german economy. the industry -- this cannot consult anybody. >> let's get a closer look at the closing numbers. we stay in frankfurt, where it was not a pretty day for the dax, down by about 2%. the euro stoxx 50 down.

the dow jones industrial average is down by about 1.25%. the euro losing ground against the dollar, trading for $1.2269. >> italy has approved 4.5 billion euros in spending cuts. the government is looking to cut one in 10 public sector jobs. >> it is the latest in a round of austerity measures that have led to a series of strikes. on friday, a public transport workers' strike in rome brought bus and subway service to a standstill, bringing major disruptions for commuters. long queues at taxi stands around the italian capital. >> greek prime minister antonis samaras says he will do all he can to keep his country in the euro. >> here is the first public address since being elected last month, and he said he would speed up privatization and reform the greek public sector. but he also said he would try to negotiate the austerity measures imposed by the eu and

imf to give the country more time to fight the recession. >> meantime, cyprus' left-wing president says the country will not accept conditions it deems unfair in exchange for a european bailout. this comes as cyprus takes over the eu presidency for the first time since joining the blog eight years ago. >> keep in mind that cyprus is the latest victim of the european debt crisis, and just last week it became the fifth country to ask for a bailout from eurozone partners. >> cyprus is a small island, but its geopolitical importance is much bigger. for almost 40 years, it has been occupied by turkey in the north, making the island a sticking point between the eu and ankara. cyprus has taken over the rotating presidency the eu. jose manuel barroso is all praise. >> they are extremely well- prepared. president christofias and his government, they came to

brussels at the beginning of the year. >> but the real issue is how cyberassault played the role of president while being the latest country to issue bailout funding. president christofias has agreed to accept the troika's recommendations but not unconditionally. >> we will be discussing this. we have our own view. that is what i told jose manuel barroso this morning. other countries might have a different perspective. for example, on adjusting for inflation in terms of prices or wages. >> cypress has been badly hit by the crisis in greece. in addition to help from brussels, it also hopes to get a loan from russia. the two countries have shared business interests and president christofias, who speaks russian fluently, has defended the request. >> russia is a capitalistic economy. no one should worry that we're bringing communism to cyprus just because we're working with

russia. >> the handover ceremony for the eu presidency was held in an ancient amphitheater, a relic of the country's past. cyprus is not taking the reins at a critical moment for the eu's future. >> here in germany, a former member of the gang has been sentenced to four years in prison for her role in the murder of for a vote -- federal prosecutor siegfried buback 35 years ago. >> verena becker was part of the red army faction terrorist germany in 1970's and 1980's. prosecutors said she was not directly involved in the killing but claimed she was a key player in the planning. >> breaking a long silence on the charges, she said she was not at the crime scene and denied that she helped plan the attack. >> after a trial lasting 21 months, the court delivered a verdict. verena becker was found guilty of helping plan the murder of siegfried buback.

in 1977, the federal prosecutor and two attendants were gunned down in a drive-by shooting by members of the raf, who worked driving on a motorbike. siegfried buback's son said the judgment will not help him find out who was actually on that motorcycle 35 years ago. >> the truth is what is important to us. the truth about what happened. the judgment is not nearly as important. >> verena becker, now 59, told the court she was not there at the time of the killing. modern dna analysis and crime scene evidence also yielded little new information. verena becker has been sentenced for her role in the crime, but the search for the full truth by legal means have reached its limit. >> we will be back after a short break with more on historic elections in libya. >> then we will have a roundup of everything from the sports world, from wimbledon to the tour de france and an upset for

the german equestrian team. ♪ >> everyone knows things are bad. every time we checked the news, we have been hit by a quake or storm or financial disaster. we know things are crazy. 1 million -- 1 billion people suffer hundred. now that is that. that is crazy. i want you to get up right now, stick your head out the window, and yelli'm mad as hell, and i

am not going to let 1 billion people go hungry. you tell them. >> welcome back. saturday marks a historic day for libyans. they will go to the polls in parliamentary elections for the first time since the old of -- overthrow of muammar gaddafi. >> the vote cast a nine-month transition following a bloody civil war that ended last october. >> for most libyans, the election is a dream come true and something they never imagined. almost 3 million of them have registered to vote in preparations are underway at polling stations. voters will be choosing representatives for 200 seats and the national assembly. among the front runners are party linked to the islamist muslim brotherhood. >> this election is not just happening in libya itself. exiles here in berlin are also getting the chance to participate in the country's first real test of democracy.

>> this school in berlin has been transformed into a polling place for libyan exiles wanting to take part in parliamentary elections at home. fidel has been in germany for six months undergoing treatment for injuries suffered in the civil war. you will be voting for the first time in his life and loves the election will be free and fair. -- hopes the election will be free and fair. >> as a very happy, just like all libyans. we actually get to vote for the first time. under gaddafi, no one understood what elections were. >> the election commission made special preparations for libyans abroad to purchase it in this historic vote. but turnout in berlin will not be very high. most libyan nationals in germany do not live in the capital. >> they should have taken into account that the majority of libyan nationals in germany live outside of berlin. the polling places should be located elsewhere.

>> officials hope more voters will show up on saturday. many have jobs and cannot get time off during the week. for those few who have traveled to berlin, the act of voting carries enormous symbolic power. another step in libya's transformation into a democratic nation. >> as we just heard, this is the first chance for people in libya to see how a democratic process works. >> we take a look of what this means for one radio journalists in the town of garyan. >> once a week, abu presents the morning show on local radio in garyan, about 100 kilometers south of tripoli. >> besides giving his listeners advice on issues like family, health, and traffic, he also informs them about the upcoming elections, not an easy task in a country emerging from 40 years of the oppressive rule.

>> we are going through a difficult phase. we're going to be voting for the first time, and people do not know very much about the process. most people have registered to vote, but not many of them know how an election really works. >> the local candidates dropped in to see the program director at radio garyan. each of them is given air time to make their case. free elections mean open competition for votes. it is a tough battle in garyan. 59 candidates are vying for three seats in the national assembly. >> we want to give all the candidates the same chance. no differences. they all get the same time slot. we're neutral towards the candidates. we do not tell them what to say or anything like that.

>> after his show, abu heads to the local electoral commission. final preparations are underway, and security is one of the main problems. libya is still bristling with guns. but in an interview with radio garyan, the head of the electoral commission was upbeat. he says the security forces will protect all of the polling stations. the election workers have been trained, and there's an up ballot papers and ink. there are about 60,000 names on the electoral roll in garyan. abu says that means more than 95% of eligible voters have registered to cast their ballots. and he says he is happy that the election has attracted so much interest. as a journalist, he says it is his job to give the people a

voice, and that is a new experience for him, too. >> this is the first time we have felt free. we can practice it democracy without state control or censorship. i can go to speak to anybody on the street and give them a chance to express their opinion, and i can even broadcast their opinion on the radio. >> that is particularly important before the vote, so abu and his colleagues are putting in extra hours. back at the radio station, they're getting ready for the next show. everyone here says they now enjoy their jobs much more, even though the have to work much harder. they know that their efforts are helping to promote democracy and free speech in the new libya. >> russia's parliament have given preliminary approval to a law designed to clamp down on foreign non-governmental

organizations involved in political activities. >> the bill well, among other things, require that ngo's little pamphlets and websites with the words a foreign agent. >> critics say it is the latest example on a renewed crackdown on civil liberties and dissent since president vladimir putin returned to the presidency in may. >> a small group of protesters gathered in front of the duma to show their disdain for the legislation. they fear the new law will tighten the screws on harmless civil-rights activists by granting them foreign agents. >> putin, medvedev, the finance ministry, the whole kremlin party united russia, they are the real agents. they are selling out our country, and its wealth. >> without doubt, it is and absurd law, ridiculous.

it is like being back in a stall in -- stalin's era. >> a majority of duma the beedis approved the legislation on first reading. human rights fear for their future. under the new law, all ngo's receiving international funding have to register as a foreign agent. their accounts and financial sources must be checked regularly by state auditors or the face drastic fines. the kremlin argues the label is necessary. >> there are groups in russia that are politically active and are supported by foreigners. they present the results of their work as the opinion of the russian civil society, and that is ot right. >> the legislation comes after president putin lashed out at opposition activists during his election campaign, accusing them of being financed by the u.s. grain imam, some intense summer storms causing chaos in germany -- in a moment.

>> first, some of the other stories making news. germany will begin keeping a record of names and addresses of violent right-wing extremists. the upper house of parliament, the bundestag, has approved legislation to set up a national data base. the legislation was prompted by last year's discovery that a neo-nazi gang was responsible for a series of racially motivated killings. >> in mexico, a recount of last sunday as a presidential ballot as confirmed pena nieto as the winner. election commission says he scored over 30% of the vote. his opponent lopez got more than 31%. he accused the pri party of buying votes. >> or many oppose the parliament traian basescu on charges of abuse of power. but it will only take effect if approved in a referendum to the question the next 30 days. it is the latest in a deepening

power struggle between a conservative president and the central-left prime minister. >> if you live here, you have definitely noticed another string of wild summer storms has said germany, causing chaos. flights had to be redirected. miraculously, no one has been seriously hurt. >> of violence electrical storms last weekend claimed several lives and caused hundreds of injuries. this time, there is just a big mess to clean up. >> firefighters in this state are working around the clock. basements have flooded. in one in a nursing home, water gushed from electrical circuits. >> we have lived here 60 years and never had anything like this. >> teams are removing fallen trees and branches from rooftops and roads. at one university building, part of the ceiling collapsed. sections of the motorway also flooded. some areas had up to 60 liters of rain per square meter. that is what they usually get

for the whole month of july. >> there is going to be some more bad weather. humid, warm, air masses are colliding with colder air masses. this mixture creates powerful storms. >> and with more storms on the way, these cleanups probably will not be the last. >> all right, some news on tennis. and the murray has become the first written in 74 years to make the men's singles final at wimbledon. -- andy murray. >> he will face the six-time wimbledon champion in the final period that champion needed four sets. he will be looking to knock his 17th grand slam final. >> finally, news of a bitter setback and a costly one. >> the german equestrian hope this sit with plain dealer fever. he will miss out on the london

olympics. and that, after 10 million euros were done for the world's most famous horse. he even has his own facebook page. a lot of fans were hoping he would help lead germany to olympic gold. >> we were just talking about how the germans always lead in the equestrian part of the olympics. now it will be interesting to see what happens. >> not this time probably. we are up-to-date. thank you for joining us. stay tuned. ♪ captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- ♪