hello, everyone, and welcome to the "journal" on dw-tv. >> welcome to the show. >> the headlines, the international court of justice says kosovo's declaration of independence from serbia it is legal. to which a band -- to which the -- deutsche bahn feels the heat over air-conditioning issues on its train. the international court of justice in the hague has ruled

kosovo's declaration of independence from serbia in 2008 does not violate international law. serbia's president says his country uld never cognized kosovo's independence and vowed to continue the diplomatic fight. the court's decision is not binding but it is likely to have implications for other separatist movements around the world. >> the ruling had been anxiously awaited on both sides. for those in kosovo, the news was greeted by jubilation. the ruling further confirms their dream of statehood. >> today it was confirmed kosovo can move on to establish a funconaltate them up for the serbian people, the disappointment was better. -- >> for the serbian people, the disappointment was bitter. they feel it was wrong for close vote to declare independence.

>> it is not just perry how can they say that? kosovo was the heart of serbia. we made a mistake in bringing the case. >> serbia brought the case to court and belgrade had hoped for a different outcome. even though the ruling is non- binding, it has major political implications. it could pave the way for closer vote to be recognized by even more countries. >> the court considers that it contains no application of this. accordingly, concludes the declaration of independence on the 17th of february, 2008, does not violate international law. >> kovo's government is hoping to turn the page. >> i expect serbia to talk with us on many issues of mutual interest.

>> the serbian government has said it will never recognize the independence of its former province. the german foreign minister westerwelle has welcomed the ruling, calling for cooperation between serbia and kosovo, making the remarks on the fringes of the african union summit. this is the first time a german foreign minister has addressed the event. westerwelle also called for a permanent seat for africa on the u.n. security council. he said it would respect -- it would reflect the continent's growing insignificance. venezuelan president hugo tavis has broken off diplomatic talks with colombia. chavez accused them and the u.s. of wanting to instigate a war with his country amid accusations from bogota that its neighbor was hovering leftist guerrillas.

chavez announced he would sever ties after columbia presented what they said was photographic evidence of -- after colombia presented what they said was photographic evidence of farc rebels meeting with leaders in venezuela. heavy rains and flooding in parts of the province. roads are still flooded from the previous typhoon. the government has warned pele to stay ioors. china currently in the grips of its worst flooding in at a decade. storms have killed more than 700 people since the beginning of the year, with hundreds more still missing. germany's defense minister guttenberg sayse will not be scrapping the country's compulsory military service. the proposal had been hotly discussed as part of moves to reduce the size of germany's armed forces and cut costs. law reform plans could still see

the drafput on hold,- while reform plans could still see the draft put on hold, he said it will remain in the constitution. >> the german defense minister on a visit to a military base in rhineland. young soldiers were put through their paces in training exercises. for the army personnel, there is relief military service as a concept will not be completely abandoned by the german government. >> the german army is not dictated by finances. it would be absurd to think an alternative service model would save a lot of money. >> the minister has to save 8 billion euros by 2014. he plans in september to put a temporary stop on military service to reduce army numbers across the board while enlisting re volunteers. the opposition says the plan could jeopardize german security. but military service is written into the german constitution.

that means that germany could reintroduce the program if the land was under threat. let's check with brent r the top business stories. >> the smart phone market, for years, nokia has been the alpha male, but competition from apple in the blackberry is telling their age. nokia remains the biggest cellphone maker, but profits dropped 40% compared with the same time last year. these days, the company looks like a dinosaur and there is chatter about the need for change at the top. >> the ceo of nokia dismissed speculation about his position, saying that the rumors were hurting the company. he attributes the company's disappointing results with a lack of a smart phone. >> it was a difficult quarter for us. there were encouraging signs. we held market share, but we

have not been able to get into the marketplace with a high-end work force. >> profits plunged 40% in the second quarter. year on year net sales were stagnant, and the company is under pressure in the high-end segment, under pressure to compete with the apple iphone or the research in motion blackberry. >> i think we have the ingredients to respond to this challenge and i think nokia can look at its future in a very positive manner going forward. there will be a lot of opportunity in the marketplace in the coming years. >> nokia has the largest share of the mobile phone market and hopes to take the smart phone lead when its much anticipated phone is launched later this year. it is hoped the technology will prove popular with premium consumers and turn the dwindling profit margins around.

>> nokia shares rose 4% today, and the drop in earnings was anticipated by the market. we have more on the action from the frankfurt stock exchange. >> the share market rallied this thursday. the swedish truck maker reported results that were far above expectations. the coany maned tget t of the crisis faster than people thought. this gave a boost to car shares, especially those car makers that make trucks liked daimler and vw and man, whose shares soared, leading to a small rally on the backs, up 2.5%. -- a small rally on the dax, up 2.5%. leading indicators fell, jobless aimsose. is shows the u.s. economy is

still facing some problems. a quick look at how the markets finished the thursday session. in frankfurt, gains across the board. the dax was up 2.5% on the day. the euro stoxx 50, similar story. on wall street, investors were encouraged by reports from caterpillar, ups, to name a few. and on theurrey markets, the euro going for $1.2888. corporate results, shares of credit suisse fell 2% thursday on a poor second quarter earnings report. the banks all their profit fall 22% from the first three months of the year. investment banking took a hit as revenue dropped -- revenue dropped sharply amid weaker

demands. the bank says the u.k. bonus tax also created onetime drag on e bottomine. tomorrow is the day of reckoning for european banks, when the results of stress tests for 91 financial institutions will be released. the sentiment is so good at head of the release that bank stocks held a rally. >> these tourists are taking in the view from the heart of frankfurt's banking district. there may not be much to see on the outsidebut inside, and until regulators have been putting the banks through their paces -- financial regulators have been putting the banks through their paces. 91 banks have undergone stress tests. they will show if banks have the capacity to survive future downturns in the world's economy. each bank has to raise its minimum capital ratio to 6%.

previously, it was up 4%. the uncertainty over the banking sector's resilience has become a problem for the economy, paralyzing financial mkets/% the stress tests address the problem by providing greater transparency in the banking sector and, so, restore confidence. but many observers are not convinced that the disclosed data will bring clarity and restore confidence. >> no company can allow the majority of banks to fail to stress tests. our banks are like bridges and streets. if they collapsed, traffic comes to a tent -- traffic comes to a standstill and that means the economy would come to a standstill as well. >> the results of the stress tests will be published on friday. whether or not they provide conclusive data it remains to be seen. we have stress at a

different level at deutsche bahn. the transportation committee was discussing the air-conditioning issues affecting the national rail carrier. earlier this month, passengers on dozens of trains needed medical treatment after air conditioning shutdown during record heat wave. the transport minister wants to know why, and why hasn't the problem been fixed. >> another train, another air conditioning unit out of commission. there is nothing the train iver can do. air-conditioning just will not worked. staff hands out brinks. the temperature on board is 35 degrees celsius. the train has only just left alone for munich. -- the train has just left alone, for munich. and the passengers are tired and on edge from the heat. >> i cannot take it anymore.

>> the air-conditioning worked at first, but not anymore. >> the air-conditioning systems are prone to outages at high temperatures. they have come under fire for poor management. the ceo has faced calls by the transport minister for improvements. some blame the company's cost- cutting measures. >> politicians played a part in the yield driven course what they couldn't -- while preparing their initial public offering. in that respect, politicians are responsible. >> while politicians push for solutions, many passengers are left to wait and sweat it out. deutsche bahn will have to act quickly to prevent a public- relations crisis. former archbishop desmond tutu plans to recruit. it plans to retire from public lifen october 7, on his 70th

birthday. he says it is time to slow down and spend more time with family. he was awarded the peace prize in 1984 and became the archbishop of cape town in 1986, retiring from the post 10 years later. as a high-profile figure in the anglican church, he was one of the most outspoken opponents of apartheid in south africa. greenpeace researchers have returned from a trip to the arctic circle to investigate increasing at a city in seawater. they sait -- increasing acidity in the seawater. they say it is a result of rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and it is already impacting marine life. >> the samples are the result of six weeks of research in the arctic ocean. the offer a picture of the damage caused by co2 to 2 underwater at the systems. this person was on board with the expedition. initial results show an alarming

trend. >> rising acity is attacking the food chain, especially algy. the tiny marine life such as krill rely on the algae, and then the bigger fish and whales. >> using specialized test tubes, scientists gathered large samples of seawater. >> the world's oceans have been absorbing gases from the atmosphere for decades, centuries. the gas dissolves in the water, creating carbonic ad. the more gas in the atmosphere, the more that is pushed into the water. >> acid attacks the skeleton of the smallest marine lives. they say parts of the arctic ocean will be so acidic that entire species will die out.

the french writer remains -- the spanish wrrider remains the man to beat and it tore de france. >> they have been fierce rivals to route the port, but to have mutual respect for each otherr n thursday. over the final part of the stage, they put on a show for fans gathered in the mountains. he broke away from the main pack and the other rider stayed with him. it is the last major climb of the tour and has an average gradient of 7.5%. the spanish gave him the honor of and the stage, although they officially ended with the same time -- of finishing the stage, although the officially finished at the same time.

i will be back with in depth after a short break. don't go away.

since hiv was first identified in the 1980's, researchers have been searching for ways to treat the virus that could lead to aids. there has been signifint mecal progress sin the start of the epidemic, and today people infected with hiv can lead normal, healthy lives. scientists still have not found a cure and not everyone has access to the cocktail of drugs needed to keep the disease in check. that is especially the case in developing countries and parts of eastern europe. there and in parts of africa and southeast asia, the rate of infection continues to rise. >> in south africa, an estimated 1000 people die every day from aids-relatediseases. many pple withiv have no access to medication, one of the

main topics of the congress in vienna. >> right now, in terms of people who need therapy, probably less than one-third are getting access to therapy. they need that to benefit from this tremendous advance, which is changing a chevy. it is no longer a death sentence. >> but hiv is still spreading. africa has the highest rate of infection and the world, 2.4 million people. almost 4 milln people have the virus and southeast asia. in latin america, the figure is 2 million. the numbers are still relatively low in eastern europe, but the number of new infections has doubled in the last few years. scientists now know a great deal about the hiv virus. they have mapped its entire genetic sequence and know how to respond with their peace. even after decades of research, there has been no breakthrough

in eradicating it. >> it is difficu becse even when we use the treatment, the virus is able to hide itself. at last's a very long time. what we have not figured out -- it lasts a very long time. we have not figured out is where the virus is hiding. >> effective therapy could cost 1500 euros per month and involves taking several different tablet every day. >> how could we have drugs that are the simplest to take, the least side effects, the most affordable, yet can be used in patients with any circumstance, whether pregnant or requiring other medication. >> it research team in the u.s. recently discovered antibodies that stop 90% of all known varieties of hiv virus in laboratory conditions. it is an important breakthrough.

nonetheless, at an effective vaccine remains a distant dream. ukraine has one of the highest rates of hiv infection in europe. thunit nations is as 1. of the adult population has contracted the virus. most of the cases are concentrated in eastern ukraine. in the last few years, the government has stepped up efforts to combat the problem, but it is estimated more than half of the hiv-positive ukrainians do not have access to the treatment or medication that they need. >> the staff at this aids clinic are constantly overworked. he and his colleagues are responsible for looking after 65 patients around the clock. that ofn haveo turn away ne people, although this is the only aids clinic in the region. >> in many ways, it is worse than those that you would find in the local general hospital.

but over thth years, we have gathered at knowledge and experience, so we at least know what the patients need. >> the doctors rely on the help of social workers. he shows patients how to take their aid medications. he is himself hiv-positive. he became infected while working as a nurse. >> most people think it only affects drug addicts, prostitutes, and gay people. nowadays, we are detecting more infections in pregnant women. >> in the 1990's, after the collapse of communism and the economy, drug use became widespread. hiv spread rapidly. nowadays, more people are becoming infected through sexual contact.

estimates put the number of hiv- positive people at over 1000. that is as many as one in 50. >> you have to test them. each year, between 3000 and 4000 people test positive. >> every saturday, hiv-positive people meet to share their experiences. they have formed a club to fight against discrimination. most of them have lost jobs and friends when they're hiv- positive status became known. they help each other. >> it is like a family to me because i have lost my real family. when my relatives found out i was hiv-positive, they did not want to live with me anymore. i had to move out. >> t doctor alsoopes attitudes will change so that he will be allocated more funding

to help hiv-positive people lead normal lives. unprotected sex and the use of dirty needles are the most common ways to transmit hiv. vienna, where the aids conference is taking place, saw a huge drop in the spread of hiv after the city started handing out free sterile syringes to heroin addicts. in an effort to clean up the city center, officials recently moved the syringe exchange project, making it more difficult for drug addicts to get clean needles. >> these addicts in vienna have to sit outside. the police recently moved in to where they used to gather. inside the subway station. the authorities are trying to move the junkies out of the city center. nadia has been clean for a year. she came here for years to swap per used needles and syringes

for new ones to protect yourself from infection like hepatitis or hiv. >> i guess they are just not swapping their needles anymore, or they swap them among each other. in the old days, you bought your stuff and exchanged needles and and you inject yourself right away. >> the smallness and forms addicts about the place that dirty needles can be exchanged, like this committee center cafe in the eighth district. -- at the committee center cafe in the district. pickens what they're used needles for sterile ones. -- they can swap their start use needles for sterile ones. critics say moving the service away from the city center puts their success in jeopardy. >> i think the program will still be used. if it is not, we will act immediately. it is our main task.

>> but others who work with drug addicts are less optimistic. fewer needles are being exchanged since the authorities say it used to be 8000 per day. now it 6000. >> this will boost hiv infections. the dramatic fall in the number of exchanged n ndles wilt ultimately kill people. >> the fact is many attic still exchange needles in vain. >> don't be surprised if results is needles lying around in parks and other places in vienna, or addicts sharing needles or using the same needle several times. is disgusting this is happening -- is discussed in this is happening. >> the subway station may be cleaner, but if the number of hiv infection climbs as a result, it is a high price to pay. that wraps up "the journal."

thank you for joining us. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >ere is the forecast for germany. temperatures will drop by about 10 degrees celsius across the country, with rain in many areas. the cooler conditions will continue over the weekend. there will be scattered showers on saturday. turning to the rest of europe, central and northern areas will be significantly cooler, but the south and east will remain dry and hot. now here's the forecast for selected cities around the world.

which foot was it? best make that "best wishes." we don't want them gettin? no, i suppose not. have always done it. why should she watch the flowers? nobody really remembers,