>> hello, and welcome to the "journal" on dw. i am brian thomas. >> i am monika jones. here is what is coming up. fighting rages on in syria with border towns in the crossfire as refugees flee to neighboring countries. >> a suspended death sentence for gu kailai. a chinese court hands down its verdict in a sensational murder case. >> and women at the wheel i did talk afghanistan. we meet kabul's only female driving instructor. >> fighting is raging in parts of syria as government forces

shelled a serb yerba of the capital damascus with tanks. >> the new international peace envoy for syria, lakhdar brahimi, has been holding talks in paris with president hollande. this as the last u.n. military observers left the syrian capital. >> their four-month mission failed to end the violence there. >> in syria, the key city of aleppo and deraa province again saw heavy fighting, as this internet footage is set to show. the conflict is also spilling over into neighboring jordan, which was also hit by syrian army fire. the violence is ratcheting up the pressure on the view -- new u.n.-syria on void lakhdar brahimi, but at a meeting with president francois hollande, he managed to keep a positive outlook. >> france currently holds the esidency of the security council. it is an important country in

terms of everything that is happening out in syria. and that makes it a very useful starting point for my mission. >> meanwhile, u.n. observers have left syria. the security council did not extend its four-month mission that failed to halt the bloodshed. nearly 200,000 people have fled syria. many of those refugees are now in turkey. ankara says the u.n. may need to create a safety zone in northern syria because its capacity to accept refugees is nearly exhausted. >> as you just heard, turkey is struggling with the influx of refugees. the foreign minister says ankara cannot handle more than 100,000 within its own borders. >> international aid is arriving for those refugees, including some from germany. groups are calling for more help, including better temporary housing units and food and medical supplies.

>> and germany's disaster relief agency, the thw, is setting up toilets and water facilities here at a refugee camp on the border between jordan and syria. tens of thousands of syrians have fled to these camps in jordan, turkey, lebanon, and iraq. german relief experts are concerned that if the flood of refugees continues, these countries simply will not be able to cope. >> on top of that, a fear that these -- unless rich countries increase the amount of aid for the refugees, we will see in humanitarian disasters sooner or later. >> germany has contributed aid worth about 30 million euros so far. relief experts say more money is desperately needed. >> to china now, the verdict might be in but questions remain. a chinese court has given gu kailai a suspended death sentence for murdering a very important british businessman last year.

was she is the wife of the ambitious and charismatic politician bo xilai who fell out of favor with the communist party leadership once the murder allegations surfaced. >> gu kailai had confessed to poisoning neil heywood over business differences. >> gu kailai remained calm as the verdict was announced. her death sentence was suspended for two years. if she does not commit another crime in that time, resentence will most likely be commuted to life in prison. >> i think the verdict is just. it fully reflect the court's special respect for the law, reality, and life. >> for many observers, the judgment comes as no surprise. >> it is very rare that people in that situation will get executed, particularly of that status, of being the wife of such a high-ranking official. >> the trial is just political in-fighting and has nothing to

do with ordinary people. the 18th party congress is coming soon. it must have something to do with that. >> security was tight at the trial earlier this month. foreign journalists were not allowed access to the proceedings. at trial, gu kailai confessed to poisoning british businessman neil heywood, who was a former friend of the family. gu is said to have claimed that neil heywood threatened her son after a business deal with the right. before the scandal broke, gu's husband, the disgraced politicians, bo xilai, had been tipped for promotion within the ruling communist party. instead, he was stripped of his posts amid allegations of unspecified violations and is reportedly under house arrest. it is unclear what role, if any, he had in the killing. >> so what does this sentence

mean for the future of bo xilai? we put that question to our correspondent in beijing. >> that is the big question now. we have seen how gu kailai has been given this suspended death sentence. a lot of people feel that she could actually serve a relatively short sentence. she could get some kind of medical parole. the attention now turns to bo xilai. he is likely to face some kind of internal party discipline measures which will not be based on corruption charges but more likely on something to do with other areas of internal discipline. this would allow other factions within the party to remove mr. bo out of the inner workings of the party without having to call the judgment of the party into question. and in the next step will be to put this whole sorry event behind the communist party. >> ok, time to get back to the

eurozone debt crisis. a day before the greek prime minister visits the berlin, athens is hitting back at growing speculation of a possible greek exit from the eurozone. >> the country's foreign minister, dimitrios avramapoulos, was talking with guido westerwelle. he says his country's committed to implementing reforms required by the country's international lenders. >> it is the start of a big week of diplomacy over the crisis in greece. >> these two foreign ministers say they both want to see greece stay in the tourism, but germany is taking a hard line, insisting athens must meet its budget goals. german foreign minister guido westerwelle indicated there's not much room to maneuver. >> of course, our position is clear, we have discussed it. we're of the opinion that we can not soften the existing

agreement and the agreed upon reforms in any substantial way. >> westerwelle said further financial aid would have to wait for the troika report by the imf, the eu, and the ecb to be issued in mid-september. >> the greek foreign minister promised athens would introduce a new austerity measures added to the coming weeks in order to save 11.7 million euros and satisfy international creditors. but he does not want to see the greek growth suffered too badly. the two foreign ministers are not just awaiting the troika report. germany's constitutional court is due to rule in mid-september on challenges to the new esm bailout fund. until then, the big decisions facing the eurozone are on hold. >> with that german court ruling just weeks away now, athens has embarked on a crucial round of economic diplomacy. our political correspondent told us what we can expect.

>> what we can expect is a slew of headline-grabbing meetings that begin in athens on wednesday when antonis samaras, the greek prime minister, meets with jean-claude juncker, the head of the euro group. that will be followed this week, as we have already seen, by meetings in berlin. on wednesday, angela merkel meets francois hollande, the french leader. then sam ross and merkel the day after that. on saturday, saros -- antonis samaras in paris. so the leaders are meeting this week. not sure it is the make or break week some have suggested. it all hinges on the cerrito report which is still a couple weeks away. if greece is going to be ousted from the eurozone, as many people guess it might ultimately be, nobody wants to be seen as the prime mover, not least germany. there are people are behind the scenes hoping that the troika will give greece a poor record in terms of its efforts to

introduce austerity. then they could possibly show greece the door, saying it is those anonymous follows from the troika to represent the european union, imf, and european central bank, they are to blame and not us but i should add that it is eurozone policy to keep greece in the club at the moment. that is planned a. a lot of people are talking about plan b. >> of course, the markets will be watching the situation in greece very closely this week. here is stefan wolff as monday trading wrapped up in frankfurt. >> investors also a here in frankfurt are quite confident that most of the german companies have already written down at their assets and also their activities in greece, so there'll be no danger coming from there. and the euro debt crisis in greece is not the biggest issue here on the frankfurt floor. nevertheless, the euro debt crisis remains an issue because

there is lots of uncertainty going on here, although investors are quite sure that angela merkel will not fulfil any wishes of the greek government to get more time or even for another debt cut. the dax ended up this first trading day of this week unchanged. >> let's take a closer look at some of those market figures now. the dax closed at 7033. the euro stoxx 50 down by 8.5%. the dow jones industrials currently at 13,264. the euro trading for $1.3345. argentina has filed a complaint against the eu at the world trade organization, objecting to a spanish law that limits imports of by a diesel fuel. spain has 60 days to show that its rules are not unfair, after

which argentina can ask for a wto panel to settle the matter. the claim comes at a time of strained relations between madrid and when desires after argentina nationalized the ypf will company, a subsidiary of spanish oil repsol earlier this year. >> here in germany, new economic data out today shows that employees are working longer and then later than they have since the 1990's. >> many are putting in more weekend hours. our work by the federal statistics office found that about one in four employees are working on saturdays, and nearly 10% are spending nights on the cockpit on average, germans were slightly more than their european neighbors, putting in just under 41 hours a week on average. well, they may be working, but the germans are also finding the time to follow their favorite sport. that is soccer. >> you can certainly say that. although their team struggled to

compete against of the big spending clubs from spain and england, for example, the bundesliga is the best than- supported lead in the world. as a business model, the bundesliga is admired on its rules for debt. >> this season, the bundesliga turns 50. here is a look at how it is doing. >> this is what germany's bundesliga looked like 50 years ago. and today. it tracks have long since disappeared. standing room has largely been replaced by a vip lounges and restaurants. >> you cannot compare the events at all. in terms of spectators, dortmund majesties to attract about 30,000 spectators in the 1960's. nowadays, we have more than 80,000 people come into every game. >> the bundesliga is a world leader in terms of spectators. an average 45,000 fans attend

each match and numbers are rising. the clubs in the league itself have become mid-sized corporations. last year, the first division's 18 teams and made almost two billion euros between them. much of that is invested in stadiums and practice facilities. the play used training has become more individualized and specialized since the 1960's. >> this professional edition is promoted by the german football league. i think it is very important to specialize in order to meet the demands of professional competition. >> them bundesliga is a brand that is becoming more popular every year, and germany's football mania points to many more good years to come. >> coming up after the break, much has changed for the better for women in afghanistan since the fall of the taliban, but you still find very few female motorist. >> we found one that is the only

female driving instructor in kabul. that and more after a short break. >> stay with us.

>> thanks so much for staying with us. >> with radical islamists pushing for political power in parts of the middle east, those in afghanistan have been increasing the pressure, including on the government of hamid karzai. >> while the position of afghan women has improved since the fall of the taliban, there have been recent setbacks under his administration as well women are legally allowed to drive but encouraged not to do so. >> in this special report, we look at one woman who is trying to change that by teaching others how to navigate the roads of the capital kabul. >> it is a big day for 21-year- old fareshta. she's taking her first driving lesson. she will be under the watchful eye of the only female driving instructor in the entire afghan capital.

they run through the basics. ignition, hand brake, a clutch. all the while, men look on with disbelief. although women are now allowed to drive by in afghanistan, seeing a woman behind the wheel is still a novelty in kabul. 21-year-old fareshka keeps her eyes focused on the road. the instructor coaches are nervous people with a helping hand. she also tells her to take it easy on the gas pedal. >> women have only been allowed to drive in afghanistan since the end of taliban rule in 2001. but customs change slower than the law. i taught both of my daughters to drive, but after they got married, their husbands told them they were not allowed to drive. >> later, fareshta joins a tiny classroom in the basement of an office building.

the class is packed with women for a lesson in driving theory. they learn about the rules of the road and how to read the different traffic signs. here, away from prying eyes, the atmosphere is relaxed. shakile is passionate about her job as a driving instructor. she got her qualifications back in 2005 and began working at her husband's driving school. since then, she has thought more than 300 women. >> it is a terrible tradition in afghanistan than most men do not give their wives any say or let them out of the house. here at the driving school, i motivate the limit to become good drivers so that they have more confidence and can be more independent. >> fareshta is called up to the board to explain the road signs. narrow road, caution steep

incline, snowfall. one by one, she goes through the red triangles identifying them correctly. and the other students offer their encouragement. [applause] fareshta is the youngest of six children and had a tough time convincing her father to let her take driving lessons. >> i was determined to drive so i could have more freedom. i want to be allowed to do the same things as men. we women are not worth any less than men. we have the same rights. >> but equal rights recently took a step backwards in afghanistan. the women here are outraged that the country's top clerics, backed by president hamid karzai, have issued guidelines making women insubordinate to men and discouraging any mixing in work or education.

>> we are regressing back to the days of the taliban when women cannot go to school or work or leave the house without a male . men harass us when we have our driving lessons out on the roads. that should not happen. >> shakile's classes do not just teach driving skills. here the women find solidarity, coming together to learn what has traditionally been a man's skill. next door there is also a workshop where her students can get hands-on with basic auto mechanics. technical knowledge is an important part of the course. in afghanistan, there is no breakdown service or automobile club. in an emergency, every driver has to manage with his or her own repair skills. >> i think it is important that women can check the tire pressure and in water levels or change in the air filter or a fuse. then they can help themselves if

their car breaks down. >> after the theory class, back out onto the streets of kabul. the full course costs the equivalent of 65 euros. with the average yearly income in afghanistan only around 800 euros, a driver's license is still a luxury that few can afford. as the two of them go over proper use of the wheel, the lesson is interrupted by a police officer. he appears confused to see a woman behind the wheel and asks that everything is all right. for all shakile's efforts, afghan roads remain a man's domain, but the instructor and her students are trying to change that. >> coming up, a look at greek businesses moving to neighboring bulgaria to escape the crisis back home. >> first, some of the other

stories making news around the world. in turkey, reports say at least seven people were killed and dozens more wounded when a remote-controlled car bomb detonated near a police station. it occurred in the southeastern city which is also home to an aid station for syrian refugees. there is no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack -- for the attack. >> the former russian chess jacobean has been facing questions by police after an officer alleged that he had bit him. the chess player was detained at a protest outside a moscow court has ever did in the pussy riot case was announced. the chess players as the officer beat him. >> two russian cosmonauts took a space walk for more than six hours outside the international space station on monday. they were preparing the station to receive a new module. they also installed shield to

protect the craft from space -- space debris. later this month, astronauts will replace the unit. >> as we have been reporting, this week is said to be a very crucial one for greece, with key talks on the future of the country's economy and its membership in the eurozone. >> meanwhile, many ordinary businesses are trying to stay afloat. some are looking across the border to bulgaria for a more stable economic environment. >> we have a look at one greek- owned company, bgn, which made the move before the crisis began. >> bgn makes electronic wiring and connectors in bulgaria. the export to germany. the cabinet of production here four years ago to take advantage of bulgaria's low wages and taxes. the owner is greek but grew up in in germany. he prefers the relative calm of bulgaria and a stable economy

and says that is hard to find in greece. >> look at the strikes on the border. air-traffic controllers have also just been on strike. there's a lot of unrest. and in the does not suit the image of a company that wants to -- that wants to deliver on time and maintain good relations with its customers. >> bgn is located in a former textile factory. greece lies just over the nearby mountains, with both being eu members of the border between the two countries is wide open. it is only one-and-a-half hours by car from here. bgn employs a mixed staff of bulgarians and greeks. english is the common language. >> actually, there are no jobs available for people like us, people like engineers and things

like that. we're trying to do our best. at the moment, one of the solutions that we have found this to moved to neighboring countries. >> 30,000 people live in this area, and the number of greek countries relocating here is rising as the crisis deepens. greek restaurants and bars have sprung up everywhere. and sales of mobile phones are also rising. one in 10 prepaid cards sold here now are bought by greeks. >> the greeks and bulgarians get on well together here. the greek companies are providing a lot of jobs. both sides are benefiting. >> bgn is not the only greek company glad to have left the economic chaos at home. and few expect to be returning there any time soon. >> some other news now. the british film director tony scott has committed suicide.

he was 68. >> he was sometimes overshadowed by his big brother ridley scott, but tony scott had a stellar career of his own, directing more than two dozen big budget movies and tv shows. police say he jumped to his death from a bridge over los angeles harbor. tony scott was best known for directing the 1986 box office hit "top gun" starring tom cruise. he directed "enemy of the state," in 1998 spy thriller starring gene hackman. in another death in the entertainment world, american pop singer scott mackenzie has died at the age of 73. he had been ill for some time with the disease that affects the nervous system. >> he only had one hit song, but it is certainly one that no one can ever forget. san francisco was released in 1967 and became an instant classic. >> ♪ if you are going to san

francisco be sure to wear some flowers in your hair if you're going to san francisco -- ♪ >> well, that is all for now. thanks so much for joining us. >> you can see more and hear more on our website. that is dw.de. >> goodbye. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--