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tv   Journal  PBS  July 13, 2012 6:30pm-7:00pm PDT

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more than 200 dead activists accuse the -- more than 200 dead. regime of another massacre. >> italy bounces back from a ratings downgrade with a successful bond sale. >> and a new exhibition in hamburg showing portraits of master artist picasso. it is looking like the biggest loss of life in a single
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incident since the unrest in syria began. opposition activists say government forces attacked a small farming village, killing more than 200 people. >> survivors say pro-regime militias entered the village and gunned down and stabbed residents on the streets, but the regime of bashar al assad says it is not to blame and claims opposition groups carried out the massacre. >> the united nations general secretary has accused the syrian government of violating united nations resolutions, and he again accused -- urges the security council to take action. we must warn you there are disturbing images in our report. >> this man was one of the lucky ones. according to syria's opposition, he escaped the massacre. activists say about 200 people did not. they claimed government forces bombarded the village before pro-regime militias moved in.
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other reports claim a rebel attacked a government envoy. whatever unfolded, this appears to be the bloodiest event yet in the syrian conflict. at -- as ever in this crisis, independent verification of what really happened is very difficult. united nations observers cannot travel to the village, but they have confirmed heavy fighting. >> this involved mechanized units, indirect fire as well as helicopters. we stand ready to go in and seek verification of facts if and when there is a credible cease- fire. >> the killings, as the mandate for the un mission nears an end. the united nations security council remains divided on how to proceed. russia is blocking attempts on how to seek renewal of the mandate with the threat of sanctions.
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many hope for concerted u.n. action after the massacre, but the diplomatic wrangling continues, and so did the killings. >> and middle east analyst and author joins us now in the studio to talk more about this. russians have warned that the conflict is becoming more sectarian. are we going to see an all-out civil war in syria? >> that is unfortunately indeed the past we see evolving. what started out as civil unrest against regime in justice and as a quest for change has now really become a full-fledged civil war -- what started out as civil unrest against regime injustice. this makes it so complicated to really solve the issue. there is the government that still assumes it can crush this rebellion, and there is an opposition that is getting
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stronger and stronger, militia- type of opposition, that also believes it can crush the regime militarily, but in both cases, it will not work. >> the west has been a constantly trying to ratchet up pressure, but china and russia are opposed to that. is there anything that can be done to get china to agree to increase the pressure? >> both china and russia worry that too many regimes in the region fall and become pro- western. syria and iran are the last two countries that are still very close to the russian and chinese hemisphere. neither russia nor peking are interested in seeing a regime change in syria. the syrian president knows this very well, and for this reason, the conflict will continue for months to come. there is no sign the regime will get top of, and there is no indication whatsoever that the russians or the chinese might opt for regime change, knowing very well that in that case, the
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west would take over the future syrian government. >> having said that, what additional sanctions would be effective in at least beginning the regime? >> i think sanctions will not work. when you look at the geography, you can see that syria still has very good contacts to other countries through lebanese ports, through iraq, and through iran. the only thing sanctions achieved is weakening the syrian middle-class, those who are potential opponents of the regime. there is a certain contradiction in this. let's be frank -- the regime is so strong and will continue to exert pressure for many more months to, unless the russians change their attitude, and i do not see that this is going to happen. >> as always, we thank you very much for joining us to talk about this volatile situation. >> the lower house of russia's parliament has approved a controversial bill which will brand some non-governmental
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organizations as foreign agents. >> the law, rushed through by vladimir putin's party, specifically targets ngo's that receive funds from abroad. supporters say it will prevent interference. critics say it is an attack on civil society and democracy. >> 374 votes in favor, three against, and one abstention. the majority was overwhelming, and the upper house is expected to follow suit. president putin's united russian party says the law is limited in scope but is necessary. >> most ngo's are not affected by this law at all. it only applies to those that get funding from abroad and is used it for political ends -- and misusse it. >> a leader of the moscow- helsinki group has been fighting
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against oppression. like many ngo's the group has been getting funding from abroad until now. >> we now have no option but to stop taking the support. so that we do not get branded as foreign agents. i am not a foreign agent for any state. we protect our citizens from our state and our officials. then the parliament has now passed four controversial pieces of legislation since may, also targeting press freedoms and the right to demonstrate. critics say it is part of an effort to quash opposition. with increased just weeks away from running out of cash, reports say international lenders have found it is way behind with cutting costs and boosting revenues -- >> with greece just weeks away from
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running out of cash. and it has reportedly and lamented less than 1/3 of the 300 agreed measures. auditors' findings will determine whether it receives another 31 billion euros in bailout funds. it has been 24 hours of up and downs for italy. last night, moody's dish out its latest downgrade, cutting italy to just two grades clear of junk status, but today, rolm bounced back with a domestic bond sale. >> domestic banks stepped in to buy most of the 5 billion euros of bonds on offer, but with italy's debt totaling almost two years -- two trillion euros, the third highest in the world, that is just a drop in the ocean. >> there was relief on italian markets after news of the bond sale came through. interest rates fell sharply despite the downgrade by moody's, but the problems remain. the economy is mired in a
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worsening recession, and unemployment is on the rise. the eu commission nonetheless criticized moody's decision, saying there was no basis for it. >> we consider italy's policy action to ensure sound public finances and address longstanding structural weaknesses has been both determined and wide ranging. >> earlier this week, prime minister mario monti did not rule out tapping into the eurozone's new rescue fund. italy's position remains precarious. the country still has to raise another 180 billion euros before the end of 2012. >> that successful bond auction gave a boost to shares at the end of the week. let's look at the closing numbers kicking off in frankfurt with the dax managed to pack on more than two full percent. across the atlantic, on wall street, the dow at this hour trading up by a clear 1.5%.
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even the euro is gaining strength, trading at a value of $1.2244. america's biggest bank, jpmorgan chase, has now admitted that losses from a derivatives trading scandal were at least $5.8 billion. that is more than doubled the amount originally admitted to. >> despite those losses, the company racked up profits of around $5 billion in the second quarter. that is 9% down on the same time last year. meanwhile, the bank has considered that traders may have tried to cover up losses from those trades earlier this year, but it says it has not cleaned up its act. >> in germany, the government now says it will assure that doctors carrying out circumcisions will not face criminal proceedings. the statement aims to reassure religious communities after a regional court ruled that circumcision on young boys amounts to bodily harm.
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>> the ruling caused an uproar in germany's jewish and muslim communities. prominent rabbis went on the offensive, saying the ruling threatens the very future of the jews in this country. >> it is a small cut that is causing a lot of debate. circumcision and religious grounds is now in limbo in germany. doctors and hospitals across the country are no longer performing circumcisions on infants and small children in response to the regional court ruling. the decision has prompted widespread outrage. the government has reacted to the criticism. it wants to provide legal certainty to allow the practice to continue. >> we want jewish and muslim religious life to continue in germany. so we have to make it possible to perform circumcisions in this country. this is why we need a quick solution. but cannot put this on the back burner. the right to engage in religious
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activities is something we value very highly. >> the government is already working on a legal clarification, and opposition parties also support an amendment to allow religious circumcision to continue. it is not clear when the new laws will be passed or go into force. >> our political correspondent has been following this story and joins us now from our parliamentary studios. when is this issue going to be resolved? >> the feeling is that it has to be dealt with with some urgency. the problem is that political life in germany is currently at a standstill because politicians have headed off for the summer recess. however, they will be called back next thursday for a special session that was actually designed for them to discuss spain's debt crisis and germany's role in it. there is a lot of talk at that special session will be used to pass all party legislation that still has to be addressed with all party legislation to protect circumcision in germany.
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this agency is explained by the fact that this has been very damaging for germany. obviously, it has been running the risk of becoming the only country in the world -- germany, of all countries -- that would make this central jewish ritual punishable. it is not just about the jewish community. it is about the muslim community as well. there are millions of muslims living in germany, and some have been taking the children to turkey to have circumcision carried out there. >> this is obviously a very sensitive subject. how do ordinary germans view all of this? >> important question. we had one survey that said 56% of germans subscribe to the logic of this ruling that created the episode in the first place, the logic being the circumcision amounts to bodily harm, only 35% thinking it was misguided. the government very vigorously moving in one direction, and many german people thinking in another direction. >> as always, we thank you very much for bringing us up to date.
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>> the former bosnian serb military commander complained of illness during yesterday's hearing and was rushed to the hospital for testing. >> this morning, judges adjourned the case for a second date. his lawyer says there were initial fears that he had suffered a stroke. he's accused of genocide over the siege of sarajevo. that coming up after the break, we will be looking at the darker side of the world wide web, the sites that try to your -- lawyer young people to the extreme right wing groups. >> and the artist as the subject. pablo picasso did not just make pictures. he enjoyed being part of them. a new collection in hamburg shows a collection of photographs that show a rarely seen side of one of the 20th century's greatest artists. >> great pictures. all that and a peek inside the
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lid the village in london. do not go away. -- inside the olympic village in london. do not go away.
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>> they set out to conquer western europe's highest peak, but they only got as high as the cursed mountain. that is when an avalanche struck, killing nine of the climbers. >> a guide who survived said the avalanche hurled them to hundred 50 meters down the slope, but he says it was virtually silent and struck without warning in the pre-don darkness. >> one day after the disaster, local authorities say they do not believe the climbers triggered the deadly have alleged. a senior official said the area is known as unstable, but no specific risks had been identified at the time. >> it was impossible to detect it before hand because the snow
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was polished by the wind. the ice broke off due to the weight of the snow, and that caused the avalanche. nothing indicated to the climbers that it would break. >> all of the climbers are believed to have been acting responsible. one danish team survive because they started their assent later than planned. their french died had -- their french guide had overslept. they were just on the edge, and that saved their lives. >> i was climbing up, and suddenly, big pieces of ice fell down right next to us. i thought i of those had s, we would have really been hurt. then a split second after that, it came down and blew us away. them and the tragedy has led to discussion about the amount of tourism in the area. montblanc, the highest peak in
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western europe, attracts about 1000 climbers every summer. at peak times, 500 try to reach the summit everyday. >> now to lurking dangers in the web. the internet abounds with web sites geared at young people, many of them useful, fun, and informative, but what if they contain it -- hidden messages aimed at informing - or dangerous viewpoints? >> pages from far right groups are doing just that. we take a closer look. >> at first glance, they seem like perfectly harmless websites aimed at young people. there topics range from health to graffiti. sounds inoffensive, but it is all just a facade. these are right wing extremists internet pages designed to lure young people. the use issues such as environmental protection to the visitors and arouse curiosity. it has got youth advocates very worried.
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>> from individual articles or details, it becomes apparent that this is actually linked to far-right ideology, to these racially charged ideas of defending your own race. and here at the headquarters, internet monitors are performing a targeted search for these kinds of pages. sites like facebook, youtube, and twitter are hotbeds for such activity. >> when you come across this sort of content, it is entirely possible it is just an access point to the far right seen. >> that is exactly the intention -- a paper published by germany's far right npd party tells readers how to use social networks to attract young people. it says the profile should describe someone who is open, someone with a sense of humor, a job, hobbies. that is the way to attract others to your profile. experts say young people need to be educated.
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but they also need to take the initiative. >> of ec a posting from someone on one of these sites, object. make an argument against it. do not just a click away. take the offensive and say, "this is wrong. i do not agree. what it says here is racist." >> this means internet users need to be vigilant in the face of hidden dangers. >> in a moment, we will have the latest on the u.s. presidential campaign. we will take a look at a bunch of young volunteers who are trying to make sure their man is in the white house next year. >> first, a look at some of the other stories making headlines. >> at least five people have been killed and 11 injured in a bomb attack in pakistan. the ball -- the device went off in the southwest of the country. the target appears to have been
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a rally by the national party which has been attacked many times before because of its opposition to islamist militants. then a torrential rains have hit southwestern japan, killing at least 19 people. rivers burst their banks, and numerous mudslides were reported. worst affected were the prefectures. nearly 7000 people have been ordered to leave their homes. more rain is forecast in the coming days. >> protesters going against the -- protests are growing against the construction of a new gold mine in peru. after a peaceful start, it turned violent as activists and police clashed. well, women have been competing in the modern olympics for over 100 years, but for the very first time, every team at this summer's games will have women as well as men in competition. >> after qatar and brunei, the
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saudis were the final team to drop their resistance. they announced yesterday that two women will represent the staunchly conservative kingdom. she has been selected for the saudi team of the london olympic games. she trains, lives, studies in los angeles. she 17, completing her final sessions before her unexpected trip. >> a big inspiration for me is being one of the first women for saudi arabia to be going. it is a huge honor, and i hope it can make some good strides for women over there to get involved in the sport. and it is not just saudi arabia that changed its mind. qatar has, too. that everything happened so fast. it is like a dream. -- >> everything happened so fast.
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it is like a dream. when i was younger, i always said i wanted to, and look at me now. i am very happy. >> sarah atlar agrees. just being able to take part in the games is her greatest triumph to date. >> former england soccer captain john kerry has been cleared of racially of using a player during a match last year. >> he was accused of racially of using a player from an opposing team. in his ruling, a judge found it was not possible to prove whether terry was making a slur or repeating something that had been said to him. he was stripped of the english captain seat over the allegations. the second to last day of the famous pamplona bull run in spain, taking the total number of injured this week to 22. >> thrill seekers dodge the bulls as they run through the streets of the city. the event tracks hundreds of
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people appeared 42 bulls died in this year's run, an animal rights groups have renewed their calls for the event to be banned. >> anyone familiar with the artist pablo picasso knows he was not just one of the world's most famous and prolific painter of his time. he also had a pretty big ego. >> it is how to use just one added to describe picasso and his genius. dozens of photos of the artists are now on display in an exhibition that would have made him proud. >> they are icons of professional photography. the cost of carrying the beach umbrella for the surreal portrait with hands made of red -- bread or the artist posing as gondi at a bullfight. he was not only a great artist. he was also enthusiastic model. >> he would invite photographers
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over. his studio always had photographr's coming and going. there are masses of pictures of him. >> 250 picasso portrait are on display at the hamburg museum of art until the end of october. the exhibition is aptly titled -- "me adn me and me." the photographs depict an insatiable artist who loved pictures of every kind -- those made by him and those taken of him. the great master can be seen again and again in a wildly different poses, and whenever someone took his picture, he was the one in charge. >> you can see that the photographers were just documenting what has happened, and the director of the voters should is picasso himself. >> the major photographers of
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the day flock to him. how much these shots show the real man and how much is an act is open to debate. >> he never shows himself looking vulnerable. it is always a confident artist standing there in front of a camera. >> the master of modern art lives on in these paintings, but these photographs may just provide a glimpse into the world of a creative genius. >> definitely worth seeing. read -- recapping our top story at this hour, opposition activists in syria say around 200 people have been killed. >> if confirmed, it would be the worst single incident since the unrest began. activists say government forces rained shells on a small farming village in central syria and the pro-regime militias into the
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village, gunning down and seven residents in the streets. none of these accounts from survivors can be independently confirmed. footage posted online claim social protest in support of the victims in the early hours of this morning. the government blames the killings on opposition groups seeking to discredit the regime. >> do not forget, you can get much more news and background information on our website. that is add dw.de -- at dw.de. >> for now, you are up-to-date. stay with us and stay tuned. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- 0
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