>> this is dw news. jailed for subversion. china sentences of prominent human rights lawyer to prison. rights activist condemned the decision to keep her behind bars. pope francis warns of a bloodbath in venezuela is the self-declared interim president juan guaido calls for more street protests. ethiopia already has a woman president and a gender balanced cabinet but are those changes

trickling down to all levels of society? we meet women who say their gender is grounds for discrimination. .welcome to the program . judges in china have sentenced a prominent human rights lawyer to four years in prison, convicted of subverting state power. he served as the defense lawyer for members of the falung gong spiritual movement. dw news has been speaking with mr. wong's wife. reporter: happier times before this family was torn apart, before the chinese human rights lawyer was detained. his wife did not know whether he was alive. some friends came to visit li

and her son knowing she was facing another tough blow. the court had just sent it him to 4.5 years in prison. >> i was looking forward to the case being over. now it's come to an end, i feel very sad. it's an unfair and unjust ruling. it's not t the one i wanted. reporter: li told dw that she only discover the court's ruling from the internet. authorities had denied any visits by the family throughout the trial. her son has not seen his father since the arrest. in 2015, wang disappeared after what was widely seen as a government crackdown on human rights lawyers. wang has now been found guilty of subversion of state power.

li says she does notot accept te court's ruling. >> wang quanzhang is not to blame for anything. they treated him harshly because he stood firm and did not make any compromises. rereporter: li is keeping her hd shaved as a protest against her husband's treatment. she s says she will continue to fight for s -- for wang's rights till the day comes when the family is reunited. >> for more, i am joined by i china analyst from the think tank the america -- institute in berlin. is beijing trying to send some sort of signal with his prison sentence? >> right. i think there are two different messages being sent, and the first one is, if you work on certain issues, and you defend certain kinds of people, they will come after you. but more importantly, one issue

that has been a case with a lot of the lawyers that beijing has gone after his they were able to actually galvanize social forces across different social strata. another message that is being sent here, if you are the kind of person who will inspire cross social movements, we will also not tolerate that because that's one thing the party does not like if the society organizes outside the official framework. >> you mentioned some of the issues that wang quanzhang was working on -- civil rights and religious tolerance. how were those issues playing out right now in china? >> there are major issues with religions at the moment. china has recently announced plans for another plan to -- sinize islam. it came out with a similar plan for christian it.

one of the big issues is the status of muslims, especially in the northwestern region. where the chinese government has set up internment camps, called reeducation camps,for people e t consnsiders too radical. so, this really is a massive issue in china right now. >> is there any sign of resistance amongst ordinary people, so to speak? we see what happens with prominent activists. >> i mean, there's never been, china has never been an entirely harmonious society. there has been a lot of potential for conflict which is why lawyers are desperately needed. and i do think, anecdotally speaking, there is quite a bit of unrest right now, especially as china's economy is doing badly at the moment. that really exacerbates tensions. >>. this is a 4.5 year prison sentence what are the chances, could he possibly be released early? will he be in jail for the next

4.5 years? >> i would assume the time served, he has already been in jail for three years or so. so that the time served when we weighed against that sentence but we will have to wait and see if that is the case. >> our china analyst. thank you very much. pope francis has spoken out about venezuela's political crisis saying he is terrified of a bloodbath. the pope called for a just and peaceful solution and said he would not take sides. he was speaking to reporters as he returned to rome for a catholic youth gathering in panama. >> i support all venezuelan people who are suffering. if i were to say, do this to those countries or other countries, i put myself in a role that i don't know. it would do damage. to get them to agree is not enough. it requires a just and peaceful solution. i'm terrified of a bloodbath. >> meanwhile, juan guaido has

called for protests against nicolas maduro. the opposition also wants new elections. several european countries have warned they will switch their support to juan guaido if not vote is called. juan guaido has been trying to persuade army generals by offering them amnesty. reporter: in a show of solidarity, venezuela's president nicholas maduro joined soldiers for morning drills. he also took part in militarary maneuvers and tendedd to display government strength. >> i i am calling on all members of our armed forces to show maximum unity and discipline. be ready to repel thee imperialist's coup attempt. reporter: regular citizens delivered military personnel and offer of amnesty from opposition leader and self-declared president juan guaido. at numerous barricade, the letter was burned or torn up.

meanwhile, juan guaido attended a church service to remember t e dozens of people who have lost their lives in recent days. he says he's ready to negotiate but only if certain conditions are met. >> an end to this illegitimate government, and transitional government and the promise of free elections, that is what the people of venezuela are demanding. reporter: later, guaido call for fresh protesests at home and abroad to take place later this week. [speaking spanish] >> with this, we want to support the european union's initiativi. and their -- their ultimatum. reporter: that is one the president maduro has rejected. >> early response to our correspondent in caracas. we asked him to explain why nicolas maduro enjoyed. such strong support in venezuela's militarya and why pastt attttends a d diat with the opposition have failed to produce results. >> maduro has strtrong support

because highgh-ranking officers have a huge economic andnd political interest in venenezue. theyey also share the rereonsibilityty of human rights viololations and t torture thate being investigatedor e example in the hagague and other inteternational courts. the opposition has said they are open to negotiatations, but they do not want to set to any more false talks with maduro. the people in venezezuela have seen there h have been t three failed dialogugues between a position in the government are the reasason i fail is because maduroros fails to deliver. ththe main one being new electis with the c council that has been accucused of being fraudululentt only in venezuela but also inteternationally.y. in the past, talks have r resuld -- and people are tired of that. they want to go toto electionsns with a new e electoral couounci. and that is sometething juan guaido has that has to happen

this year. >> now, to some of the other stories making news around the world. american and taliban officials are reportedly agreed on a framework for afghanistan peace deal. the u.s. envoy says the taliban have committed to preventing the country from being used as a base for terror groups. america is considering withdrawing all of its troops. during the record federal government shutdown. are returning to work and t they will receive backpay.. on friday, president trump and congress agrgreed to reopen n te government after 35 days. but the agreement is temporary and does not include funding for the president's border wall. an internatational inquiry into the killing of saudi journalist jajamal khashoggi i hasegegun. u.n. expxpert has arrived in turkey along with a team of legal and forensic experts. they are expected to spend a

week invesestigating the murder which took place almost four-month ago in the saudi consulate in its symbol. -- in istanbul. people in cuba are assessing the damage caused by a rare tornado that struck havana. threree people were killed and scores more injured. homes and the a close were destroyed and power supplies disrupted as well. the german government has assured drivers that it has no plans to introduce an overall maximum speed limit on motorways. a poll has shown a just over half of germans favored such a limit after a government proposal suggesting that was leaked. now, in ethiopia, after decades of authoritarian rule, the government is introducing a program of democratic reforms. those reforms could have implications for women in ethiopia, which is near the bottom of the u.n.'s ranking on gender equality in sub-saharan africa. our reporter reports on the changing role of women in ethiopian society.

reporter: this campus could be anywhere in the world but this is ethiopia. and something here is strikingly different. >> i'm lucky to be here at the university, because most girls in ethiopia do not have access to a university like this. reporter: that is because most girls do not even make it to secondary school. hard to believe given the fact that ethiopia made headlines when -- was named the country's first female president. there are more women in politics. in the countryside where most ethiopians live, women are still confined to traditional roles. the opportunities for women are limited. it's all about batteries and families, influenced by culture and tradition. here in the village it is still men who dominate the life of women. i see girls coming home from

elementary school and ask them about their goals. >> a doctor. >> a teacher. >> engineer. reporter: though almost all children go to primary schools these days, only 30% of girls make it beyond eighth grade. the notion that girls do not belong in school persists in the rural villages and if a family can afford to send a child to school, boys usually take precedence. >> believe that although women get edge education they will not succeed, fathers belive. reporter: most girls drop out of girls when they are 15. she wants to become a doctor but her parents to not have the money to support her, she says. >> no. i think the status quo should change. and men should come into the kitchen more often. reporter: her reality? working in this household for 300 -- about $10 a month that

she sensed her family. she hopes to find someone who will sponsor her education. her employer feels lucky. she can afford to hire her as a maid. her husband encouraged her to work as a nurse instead of staying at home and raising their child. >> me, personally, i have a good life. but growing up, i have seen many women facing obstacles. i have witnessed women raped in school, have seen women get kicked out by their husband because they wanted to go to school. and i have s seen men lying abot haviving kids and taking home, marrying them. reporter: back in the capital, back to a different world. women here are successfully asserting themselves in society and raising their voices. one of them is a young reporter and host of a show called "

women in focus." >> good afternoooon. today's women in focus will take a look at the journey of one of such movements in our own ethiopia. reporter: today's focus is on movements that fight for gender equality. she tells us the problem in ethiopia is not just with men. >> most times when you talk about issues o of women, we're talking about the issues they suffer from men. but women also, we put ourselves down. we do not accept reporter's house down but we do not realize we are putting ourselves down sometimes. we go along with the status quo. so, the things we do to change the status quo, the mninds we have art -- the minds we have towards ourselves is crucial. reporter: ethiopia has seen rapid change under the prime minister but there is a long way to go before progress is made on improving the lives of ordinary women. >> denmark started building a

fence today along its border with germany. copenhagen hopes the 70 kilometer construction will halt the spread of african swine fever, which is transmitted by wild boars. it has attracted a lot of controversy for environmental and political reasons. our reporter, there he is, joins me in studio doing some muckraking on the story, i assume. why is denmark so concerned? >> first and foremost, denmark exports around 4 billion euros of pork products. and half of those are two non-european union countries. that export would be immediately halted if this swine fever spread into denmark. what happens to the pig if they get it? it leads to their death. so, it's obviously a very serious illness that denmark is keen not to have in their

country. germany does not have it but they want to prevent it from spreading there. but they have also introduced a number of round the clock checks for wild boar and also fines have been hiked for improperly cleaned or disinfected animal transport vehicles. >> what are environmental groups saying about this fence? will it really be effective in terms of stopping the disease? >> it is incredibly controversial. wwf has warned the barry will disturb wolves and otters. -- the barrier. wild boars are more than cable of crossing a very because there are holes in this fence between germany and denmark. in fact, i learned some pretty incredible, which is that wild boars are very good swimmers as we are seeing in these images. from that border region, it surprisesed many p people. we listen to the people who recorded it because they seem pretty shocked. and timeless have appealed to

the european union and to stop it from being built. in a report, the european food safety authority concluded there is no evidence that large fences have been effective for the contntainmentt of this disease. german l lawmakers just across e border in the state, in fact, th e minister their environment in a culture, he said he doubts that it makes sense or there is a necessity for the fence. there has been a lot of criticism against the danish government. >> let's get political now. there have been questions about possible other motives behind this fence. does this mean that denmark is closing the border? >> critics of actually said that the danish government is trying to appeal to a more right-wing voter within denmark an snapping up voters of the danish people's party. what it was announced that this was going to be built, the danish people's party, this

border fence, they said that we should add a couple of meters so the fence not just keeps wild boar away but you legal immigrants and asylum seekers. that was from the spokesman on european affairs for the party. there is also, funnily enogugh,a border fence not so extensive but one being built between france and belgium. >> all this for pigs? >> for pigs, to keep this illness out of their country, too. or contained. >> interesting stuff. thank you very much. now it's tough being immigrant getting into, used to a new country, learning which and finding a job, but here in berlin, life has been made easier by the fourth annual jobs there for immigrants -- jobs fair for immigrants. thousands attendd along with representatives of hundreds of companies seeking to recruit. christina went along to see how it worked out. >> he's originally from syria.

but he has been living in germany for a year now. he's still going to school but looking towards the future. trying to make contact with future employers. he's come to a job fair for refugees, and there are plenty of contacts here. around 200 companies and institutions are looking for candidates an offering information on career opportunitiesd. he knows already knows what he wants to become a pharmacist. >> in my home country, there are people who cannot afford medication. i want to help them by becoming a pharmacist. reporter: there are representatives from the health industry at the job fair like this contracting firm from a hospital. germany is definitely looking for caregivers. that is why young migrants have a good chance of gaining residency are in demand here. >> i think it is a win-win

situation, meaning we have a chance to find new and motivated apprentices. at the same time, these people have an opportunity to gain a foothold in the german job market. reporter: job opportunities for refugees in germany change over time and depend on how long they remain in the country. one of the biggest hurdles for recent arrivals is not being able to speak the language. >> the language is difficult. so is finding work. >> looking for work is difficult. you have to know german well. reporter: he is working hard on his german someday he was to study but perhaps before that, do an apprenticeship. going to the job fair is important to him. >> here, you can get all kinds of information before you have a job. and the people here are really nice. reporter: it is an experience

that both helps and motivates visitors on the long road to finding a job. ♪ >> football now and dortmund are in the driver seat after the bundesliga's 19th round of matches. oliver muti is here. there is still some way to go into the season, right? is this basically a two or three horse race? >> it is looking that way and it is the usual suspects at the top. dortmund with a six-point lead at the top of the table. they are not going to give them an easy ride. they have now gone to seven wins in a row with a win over stuttgart. they absolutely hammered them 4-1. they are so used to winning the have got that mentality. you have got to think they are going to keep pushing on this. leon -- has come at the right

time to give them a boost at the start of the -- after the winter break. he has been pushing. scoring goals. that is what bayern needs. >> could be fun. but bayern, they are not used to being a second-place. how do you rate their chances of them climbing to number one. >> they have won the league the last six years in a row. but every season they have been ahead of the game and top of the table already. a lot is going to depend on how they psychologically deal with this different kind of challenge. you know, i think a lot will depend on the psychology and also keeping players fit. on the champions league. that's going to be a different kind of challenge for them physically as well. so, the big problem that they have is that dortmund, they are dropping points. don't like dropping points. it may come down to the match in april. could be what decides the title race. >> not just bayern.

it was another game on sunday to talk about. >> we had leaked seek against you fo-- leipseig against duesseldorf. it was leipzig who took the g ame. >> duesseldorf open the match by honoring a former keeper who would have turned 100, but the players attention was facing on the visiting leipzig in the. hunt for champions league place a poorly clear corner in the second minute, saw him break through the duesseldorf defense. a vital 1-0 lead in the scrap for europe. leipzig kept up the onslaught with the center back strutting forward and notching his first ever bundesliga goal seven minutes later. posen was slotting the lob pass to put leipzig up 3-0, in a

little over a quarter of an hour. he ripped open a quite second-half forcing a solid save. rounding out the scoring for leipzig at 4-0 in the 68th minute. they soak up a critical win, moving them one step closer to a top four finish. >> leipzig in. fourth place can they make it to the champions league? >> in spite of that brilliant performance that we just saw, they are not my favorites to make it to the -- to get tim bishop qualification. . they have not been consistent enough a lack of down to the coaching situation. it was very strained this here. they have him in only for the one season as coach. even if you play well, the next coach might throw you on the scrapheap. it is a weird challenge for the place. they have scored fewer goals in all of the other teams in the top six. fry for has a very good

attacking lineup, they have a great chance of leapfrogging leipzig -- frankfurt has a very good attacking lineup. it will be a struggle for leipzig to keep hold of that spot. >> an exciting year in the bogus -- in the who dislike. -- bundesliga. if you like your sporting events with more bite, the puppy bowl is the greatest show on earth. take a look at these cute pupttiespies. the game see steam rough and t eam fluff. the event aims to find homes for the dogs all of whom are up for adoption from shelters. organizers they have a 100% adoption record in the previous 14 events. and a reminder of the top stories that we are following for you right now. china has sent us a prominent

human rights lawyer wang quanzhang to prison for subverting state power. rights groups have condemned the move. and pope francis has said that he fears a bloodbath in famous will it -- in venezuela. meanwhile, the self declared interim resident guaido has called for more protests against president nicholas maduro. you are watching dw news live from berlin. don't forget all the latest news and information is on a website, that dw.com. or follow us on twitter @dwnews. "the day" is next. ♪

twenty four france twenty four dot com. yeah but it is welcome to live from paris will news and analysis from france i can i mark. thesese are the main world news headlines. the death throes of the islamic state group women jihadists choose to die rather than surrender our latest exclusive report. on the ground in syria coming up. there's been a report a breakthrough in the talks between the us and the taliban. controll half of afghanistan acting us defense secretary shanahan says they are encouraging but there's no timetable for withdrawal. yet.. michael michael takes his egyptian counterpart to task of the human rights but the visit to carly's the french president fielding criticis. and claims that francis silenc