♪ >> live from berlin, this is the "journal" on dw. responsible for crimes against humanity in syria -- amnesty international point the finger at the assad regime. >> italy's prime minister mario monti tries to drum up support for borrowing. that germany's -- >> germany's men's eight growers take the gold medal -- rowers take the gold medal in the olympics. well, the city of aleppo could

soon become synonymous with one of the darkest moments in syria's history. at a human rights activists contend the public shootings of assad loyalists by rebels saying the evidence points to a war crime. >> a new report by amnesty international accuses the assad regime of human rights violations in aleppo as well. >> we begin with the latest on the battle for the city. >> aleppo was again under attack from the air. this internet footage was said to show widespread destruction as assad's troops used tanks and artillery. the rebels are also using heavy weapons, and the danger to civilians is high. >> there are some civilians who are trapped in the crossfire. there are others seeking refuge and shelter, and schools,

hospitals, public buildings, safer neighborhoods. there's a shortage of food, fuel, water, and gas. on all fronts, we are extremely concerned about the situation and calling on all parties to exercise utmost restraint and reminding them of their obligations under the international humanitarian law. >> amnesty international aused government troops of opening fire on peaceful protests, killing and injuring demonstrators and bystanders, including children. but there are reports of violations on both sides. this and verify internet video purports to show rebels executing captured government soldiers. some of the footage is too graphic to air. meanwhile, civilians are fleeing by the tens of thousands. >> as we just heard, the violence in syria has fueled a growing refugee crisis in neighboring countries.

turkey says 44,000 syrian refugees are being sheltered in 10 cities. >> jordan is also taking people in. reportedly to dozen refugees are arriving daily. basic necessities including drink -- clean drinking water are now in short supply. >> with fighting still raging in their homeland, hundreds of syrian refugees have sought shelter from the violence in jordan's desert. to cope with the influx, the united nations refugee agency has set up a camp near the border town. more than 140,000 syrians have entered jordan since the fighting began. but life in the camp is hard. >> we do not need anything, but we want better living conditions. it is very hot, and we do not have enough water. we do not have any fans or electricity, and there's not enough drinking water or water to wash our clothes.

>> germany recently pledged 1.5 million euros to help supply the camp with fresh drinking water. during a visit to the site, german human rights commissioner praised locals for the help they are providing. >> they have taken these people into their homes and families, and there are many volunteers helping out in the camps. >> the we still may be proud of what we achieved during the week, it is a very desolate location. it is a last option. i would not want my family to be here if there was another choice, but in many aspects, there is no other choice. >> with no end to the violence in sight, the united nations is already making preparations for the next wave of refugees. >> israel has told the visiting u.s. secretary of defense, leon panetta, that time is running out on stopping iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. after a meeting with the israeli defense minister, panetta said that all options are on the

table, including military force, but he added that sanctions should be given more time to work. he also met prime minister benjamin netanyahu, who said iran is using diplomacy to play for time. >> onto business news now. italian prime minister mario monti has been beating the drum for more measures to help shore up the eurozone. >> monti once stronger nations to help ease the borrowing costs for europe's southern neighbors, who face the risk of contagion from the debt crisis. he made a hard pitch in finland. >> it is a country that has been one of the most skeptical. they want to run the eurozone by the ball but. >> when it comes to the euro, the italian prime minister does not see eye to eye with his spanish counterpart. even so, mario monti did his best to persuade the fiscal conservative of the merits of giving dsm a banking license, which would mean it could borrow

money directly from the ecb. >> i think this will in due course work. i think that progress is in integration of fiscal policies, banking policies, financial policies. we will have to proceed. >> but finland is against moving the fiscal goal posts. >> the finnish people are decrying which believes as it has been written for us. >> current rules forbid both the bailout fund and the ecb from buying of bonds, but monti is still hopeful that the ecb will change tack after its meeting on thursday.

>> let's pull in our european affairs correspondent. mario monti on tour about how to solve the euro crisis. and yes, and it became obvious at the last summit in brussels where finland already positioned itself as a hard-liner country. germany is very much in the spotlight, but germany is the bigger economy as well, and people are looking to germany more than they are and looking to finland. what mario monti is likely to achieve is that it will increase awareness for the country's with increased difficulty for the country but would not change politicians' minds in the north, especially when it comes to a strict no regarding the banking license for the eosin.

>> it is also amazing to see this public lobbying going on now among eurozone leaders. how did you see this playing out? >> that will just depend on how sustainable the situation is when it comes to borrowing costs. italy and spain is costs are soaring. other countries are experiencing even negative rates, and this phenomenon just highlights that the eurozone really needs to do more to achieve full economic and fiscal integration. the markets will always take advantage of any existing disparities within the european union, so, of course, failing states are looking to the ec before intervention because the ecb could deliver temporary relief, but that would not solve the euro's problems. it needs political decisions, and the ecb just cannot deliver them. >> as always, thank you very much. >> standard and poor's has reaffirmed spain's bbb + credit

rating but maintain a negative outlook for spain, saying the country faces several risks in its strive to get its economy back on track. s&p says a major recovery will hinge on effective policies within the eurozone to tackle spain's higher borrowing costs. in the u.s., the federal reserve has warned that growth is slowing but held back from launching a fresh round of economic stimulus for the world's biggest economy, and that was, of course, in the latest policy meeting. the fed painted a picture of an economy mired in the doldrums with only moderate growth in the months to come, and unemployment remains stubbornly high, but the fed has few tools left in its monetary policy box and could only pledged to keep interest rates at their current historic lows. let's go check now on how the markets here in europe close ahead of that decision. start in frankfurt were

germany's blue-chip dax was down on the day by about 0.25%. europe stoxx 50 -- euro stoxx 50 slightly higher. the dow jones in new york in negative territory but just slightly. the euro trading at $1.3231. the world's leading luxury-car maker, bmw, says it expects record earnings this year, despite a 20% slump in second quarter profits. >> the munich-based company said net profits dropped to just under 1.3 billion euros, compared to almost 1.8 billion at the same time last year, but bmw said that revenue rose to over 19 billion euros. the company saying strong demand in asia and the u.s. are compensating for losses in europe due to bad debt crisis. business is also going well for the german consumer goods group henkel.

the company reported strong second quarter results despite falling sales -- you guessed it -- in southern europe. >> the company says the greatest growth of this came from the emerging markets. the result was also boosted by price rises. the company increased its outlook for earnings per share in 2012. >> all right, in a moment, we will be taking a look at germany's efforts to replace nuclear energy with renewals. >> but first, a look at some other stories making the news. >> a typhoon in the philippines has killed at least 14 people and forced more than 150,000 residents from their homes. the typhoon unleashed torrential rains and severe flooding. officials say it could take days for the waters to recede. forecasters expect the storm to strike northeastern taiwan on thursday.

deadliest month in almost twoit- years. a government tally shows more than 300 people were killed and nearly 700 others wounded in attacks around the country. violence has decreased since reaching its peak in 2006 and 2007, but attacks are an almost daily occurrence in much of the country. >> police in bulgaria released a computer-generated image of the man they say carried out a suicide bombing on a bus two weeks ago. the attack killed five israeli tourists and the bus driver. authorities are trying to establish the bomber's identity. israel has blamed the attack on iran. as germany struggles to increase renewals in its energy mix, wind power is becoming more important. >> turns out 9% of electricity produced in germany already comes from wind turbines, and that figure is set to rise.

these wind turbines stand over 100 meters tall. in the first half of 2012, more than 400 were built in germany. wind power has become a mainstay of the country's move to sustainable energy. it now accounts for about half of germany's power from renewable sources. >> we already have 25% of the electricity market in the area of renewable energy, a figure that no one would have believed as capable of. however, the uncertainty that has been growing over the past weeks and months has led to criticism about whether these ambitious goals can be realized. >> the german shipped in energy policy involves high performance -- the german shift in energy policy involves high performance of offshore wind parks, but it is unclear how they will reach land. it means huge investments, and there is concern that many are not paying their share.

for example, energy intensive industrial companies enjoy tax breaks, which the government has now extended in a controversial move. >> future tax relief will only be possible for german businesses if there are corresponding efforts in return in the form of an environmental or energy management system. >> the idea is that companies would pledge to use a modest 1.3% less electricity by raising efficiency, but critics said that dilutes the principle of the energy turn around and places the financial burden on too few shoulders. >> he was a literary legend in his own time. u.s. writer gore vidal has that i los angeles at the age of 86. >> in a career spanning six decades, he wrote 25 novels and dozens of screenplays and essays and gained a reputation as a commentator and outspoken government critic. he campaigned against both the vietnam and iraq wars. he died of complications from

pneumonia at his home in hollywood on tuesday. >> stay tuned. we will be right back after a short break.

>> welcome back, everybody. the war has been over for more than a decade, but the country still continues to feel the aftereffects. >> tuesday, the serbian defense ministry said two soldiers were killed by cluster bombs. the bombs are thought to be left over from the kosovo war back in 1990. >> it is a challenge not going away. there have been reports that similar cluster bombs are also being used in the current conflict in syria. >> the -- we visited one country that specializes in reducing the risk. >> these artillery munitions were designed to inflict maximum

damage on enemy personnel and equipment. now they are destined for the scrap heap. the disposal job is being carried out by a german firm whose parent company is itself a weapons manufacturer. specialists know cluster munitions can be highly unpredictable. >> there's always the potential for something highly and expected to happen. they are designed to be mechanically dismantled. they are made to be used in battle. >> that will not be the case for this missile with the scattering cluster warhead. in the field, it can strike from up to 35 kilometers away. now it is being stripped down to diffuse its deadly payload. disposal technicians remove the electronic detonator in order to open the warhead casing. inside, there are more than 600 explosive charges, each of which is extremely bolick tile and have to be taken apart

individually. -- extremely volatile i'l. this explosives expert moves it to a conveyor belt. >> you have to be careful and treat them with respect. you cannot play around or be distracted because it is very dangerous. >> behind the reinforced concrete walls, they have their top sliced off like boiled eggs. it is the most critical moment in the process. the casings return, still feel -- filled with highly explosive exigent, which is later incinerated in a furnace. district inventory is conducted before and after every shift. the munitions are classed as weapons of war, and each has to be accounted for. the plant 100 kilometers from

berlin is contracted by the german military to expose a cluster munitions until 2015. the machinery works around-the- clock and other government and private clients are knocking at the door. >> there is interest in europe and in east asia. we already have contracts from east asia. >> for the staff, dismantling germany's cluster bomb stockpile is more than just business. >> it is making a contribution towards reading our planet of these despised weapons. that way, they can no longer cause misery. >> once the disposal experts' work is completed, this is all that is left, and the only buyers interested in these cases are usually scrap metal dealers. >> with all the negative news

lately about europe's skyrocketing jobless rate, you might be surprised to hear that some german companies are having a tough time attracting skilled workers. >> that is true. europe's economic powerhouse is cracking open its door for those skilled professionals such as engineers and entrepreneurs. it is call the blue card and went into affect. >> it relaxes requirements for non-u skilled workers that are in high demand, but it is not so clear whether germany is also on their wish list. >> it is one of india's largest private schools. this is where the country's best and brightest come to learn. this 26-year-old currently working on her doctorate in microbiology is one of them. she is precisely the type of highly skilled individual that germany is trying to attract. germany needs more power, but the country hold little attraction for this young scientist.

>> the world cultures different over there. it will be different in any country. india has its own world culture. if you saw in getting the same opportunity in india and any other country, new york, germany, then i'll go anywhere else. i would love to stay in my own country, my own family. >> india's large youthful population still means there are thousands who might consider relocating to europe, but for most, germany and the career opportunities it offers are virtually unknown. indians know more about united states, britain, singapore, or new zealand, so the blue card scheme faces an uphill battle when faced with better known competitors. >> germany needs to promote. a lot of other countries are promoting in india, holding culture exchange programs or having music and dance festivals. also, why not the film

festivals? this is what needs to be done more importantly to make it more german-friendly. >> many factors are working against attracting indians to germany. language barriers, cultural differences, and plenty of opportunities in a booming economy right at home. but some joblookers in india believe germany's blue car program has a fighting chance. >> there have been lots of regulations which are not permitted -- which have now permitted a lot of non-eu nationals to work in europe. it will prompt people to start traveling again. few people have when they were brought is will they lose their job, for example. germany stands a huge advantage because of its very low unemployment rates and because of the strength of its economy. and that a change in immigration rules will probably not bring a flood of talent to germany -- >> a change in immigration rules

will probably not bring a flood of talent to germany, but a more pro-active approach may be a star. >> some foreign workers considering moving to germany might be deterred by discrimination. a new report says that ethnic minorities living in germany often feel disadvantaged. >> over 40% of those interviewed reported negative experiences in daily life, school, and work. the study backs up the findings of the government's latest report on immigration. >> german companies that use large amounts of electricity will continue to be exempt from their countries' , environmental tax. the government has allowed the exception to continue until the year 2022. it was introduced 13 years ago. >> even then, major industrial groups were exempt from the tax. it was also designed to encourage energy efficiency and use of renewals, but was thought

to threaten competitiveness and jobs. a major scandal has rocked the olympic games in london. eight women's that many employers have been disqualified after the sport's world governing body found that they had intentionally thrown matches. >> among those who will not be competing are the top doubles team from china. they and other players in south korea and indonesia were judged to have lost matches on purpose to improve their chances of facing easier opponents. >> but there were some positive headlines coming out of the games on wednesday. here is a roundup. >> in rowing, germany took gold in the prestigious men's eight ahead of canada and great britain. in the slalom kayak single,

germany took bronze behind italy. and a triumphal great britain -- bradley wigans one in cycling. tears of joy after earnings over in the women's 70 kilo judo. only france was better. there was more gold for china. >> alright, this just in -- germany has taken a surprising silver in the men's individual all-around gymnastics final. three-time world champion from japan took the gold. all right, the chinese swimming superstar may have a little more closure tonight about the allegations that she duped --

doped her way to gold. >> she was the girl even beat the boys, clocking in the time i was faster even than the u.s. olympic gold medal winner. >> now, the swimming world governing body says that there is no factual basis for the speculation that she took drugs. back at home, fans have been standing by her throughout the controversy. >> china woke up to an olympic dream -- a 16-year-old girl outswims her male counterpart and shaves five seconds off her personal best. many chinese were taken aback by the accusations against their swimming prodigy. >> we were angry that a small number of people in the west would say this. >> and the australian coach who traders said she is an exceptional talent. >> the girl -- one of the swimmer's comes along every 15

or 10, 20 years. >> olympic officials in london insist clearance by the world doping agency should end speculation. >> shares past as clean, so that is the end of the story. >> it may be for now, the samples from all medal winners will be stored for eight years, cheating at these games is risky. organizers are wary of facts that only come to light once the games are long over. >> that wraps it up for this edition of the "journal." >> thanks for watching.