♪ >> hello and welcome to the "journal" on dw. i am brian thomas. >> i am steve chaid. tens of thousands of russians in defy a government crackdown to take part in protests against president vladimir putin. >> more fighting in syria as the u.n. side said damascus for torturing and killing children that linked to the opposition. >> and the czech republic keep their hopes alive after a win against degrees at euro 2012. -- against greece had euro 2012. ♪ >> welcome.

we begin in moscow were tens of thousands of people have been demonstrating against president vladimir putin. the rally defied the government's tough new laws on unauthorized protests with those participating subject to very harsh fines. >> it was the first major demonstration since putin's inauguration last month. the russian government said a total of 12,000 officers from the police and interior ministry were deployed in the capital. >> chants of russia without putin echoed through downtown moscow. but these people came out not just to oppose the president, but also to show that they're not afraid to take to the streets. the demonstrators seemed to be spurred on by putin's hard line. >> the truth is our weapon, and the kremlin is afraid of it. >> no, we will not be intimidated. look, there are more people today than last time. >> tens of thousands joined

tuesday's marge. absent were several opposition leaders who had been summoned by the police for questioning after their apartments were rated on monday. >> they are afraid of us, and we're not afraid. because we are right and we will win. >> at the kremlin, president putin hosted a reception marking russian independence day. he was at pains to appear relaxed in the face of the protests. >> we cannot accept anything that weakens our nation or divide society. we will not tolerate decisions or actions that lead to social or economic upheaval. >> but putin's critics say this tough stand could provoke a crisis. they say they will not give up their demands for a free and democratic russia. >> putin's opponents said it will not back down. to many of them are too angry

with the russian leader and the current state of the country. but putin also seems determined to tighten this, and that could lead to radicalization of the protest movement. >> now to syria were fears are growing of a new massacre in a town close to the border with turkey. if the u.n. observers said the have reports of a large number of civilians trapped inside the town, including women and children. >> at the same time, the u.n. has placed the government of president assad on its annual list of shame, accusing it of arresting, torturing and killing children. the u.n.'s said -- special representative for children and on conflicts said, rarely have i seen such brutality against children as in syria where girls and boys are detained, tortured, executed and used as human shields. >> efforts to end the fighting have come to nothing. is fitting, this attrition seems to be getting worse.

>> this amateur video shows the bodies of people, including children, reportedly killed in the takia province along the syrian coast. it is not clear how the victims died, but residents said government troops have been shelling the area for several days. u.s. officials say they are worried that the growing number of child casualties, and the new united nations report cites numerous cases of troops using children as human shields or torturing them during detention. >> i want to say that the mission is very concerned with the escalation in violence in homs. we managed to -- u.n. observers are reporting that there was heavy fighting in rastan. >> activists said the regime has used helicopter gunships to target the opposition in homs. across the country, the government continued to shell several rebel-held cities on tuesday.

in homs, activists say a humanitarian center mission has become dire. this amateur footage is said to show a clinic in the city, and the u.n. is also accusing the rebels of outrages, includes eight -- including using children for military purposes. >> back in europe, called it the bailout busload the sinking but failed to save the shipyard at the receiving approval for 100 billion euros in aid, madrid had hoped the new cash would convince the markets that it was liquid enough to borrow at lower interest rates, but those hopes of sound after spanish borrowing costs soared to a euro-era record high. >> that high yields on to investors punished bonds shot to 6.7% today. damages concerns -- two major concerns are not. doubts over spain's olive, even with the eurozone rescue, and the greek elections on sunday which might catapult athens out of the euro and back to the drachma. >> never since the introduction

of the euro has spain had to pay so much for credit, despite the promise of tens of billions of euros in eurozone a for the country's banks. investors are losing patience. >> they're spending a lot of money to buy time, and the time must be used as overcome the crisis has been the head of the politicians. now it is time for the politicians to get ahead of the crisis. >> spanish citizens are also losing patience. they are angry about people being evicted from their homes, but the banks say they have no choice. on tuesday, the ratings agency fitch downgraded 18 spanish savings banks. the eu monetary commissioner says spain's banks can be restructured, but he called for patience. >> with this thorough restructuring of the banking sector of spain, together with the ongoing determine the implementation of structural reforms and discount

consolidation, spain and gradually regain confidence and create the conditions for its return to sustainable growth. >> if that does not work, the country could suffer the same fate as greece. today, the drachma is only a collector's item in athens, but opponents to austerity win on sunday, the drachma could soon return. adding to eurozone woes, banks need a bailout, too. >> with the fault lines in the eurozone to beaning from greece to spain, german lawmakers are debating germany's participation in the eurozone fiscal compact. this needs to be ratified in the bundestag to ensure funds can flow from germany to troubled eu states. >> angela merkel does not expect a deal this week as the haggling with the opposition continues, but it is believed that bipartisan support will be reached before a major summit at

the end of the month. >> during the european championships, there were more pleasant things for angela merkel to do that wrangle over the fiscal compact. markell insisted on a commitment from her european partners on stricter budget controls -- angela merkel insisted on a commitment. but now, she has to make sure the german parliament ratifies the plan. so she needs the support of the opposition and federal states. she is working hard to sell the idea. >> i want a europe where it is always the case that liabilities and control mechanisms are in one place. we cannot share the liabilities and leave controls that a national level. >> the fiscal compact is meant as a first step. the plan is to reduce deficits and produce a balanced budgets in the long term. failure to comply with the rules triggers an automatic procedure

for imposing penalties. states also agreed to enter a debt free by national law. money from the european stability mechanism is only available to those who signed the treaty. but the opposition has a list of demands. they want an economic growth program and a program against youth unemployment. and they want a tax on financial transactions. >> if they need us to deliver a two-thirds majority, then we will use this two-thirds majority to push through those elements which are missing from the government's strategy. >> the government says agreement on ratification is necessary soon. >> the whole world is looking to us, and it is important that we make our contribution and install more confidence. >> angela merkel is facing growing opposition, not only at home but in europe as well. france just elected a leftist president. she faces hard work to secure

german ratification at the fiscal compact before the summer break. >> despite the abundance of issues to worry about the european equity markets had gains on tuesday. let's see how things wrapped up. in frankfurt, the dax managed to post gains, closing at 6161. the euro stoxx 50 gaining, finishing at 2143. in new york, the dow doing even better, up by 1%, 12,535. the euro trading at $1.2497. well, freedom is not free. that was the big message of the new german president jaoim gauck as he carried out his first formal visit to the country's armed forces on tuesday. >> meeting with a group of bundeswehr officers, the former dissident in communist east germany underscored the importance of an informed citizenry in shaping the nation's military policy.

>> with national conscription ending, the president said that was more important than ever before. >> this is the first time jaochim gauck has visited the bundeswehr since taking office, and it gave him an opportunity to set out his beliefs. freedom is a central theme of his, and he sees the armed forces as guarantor of that freedom. >> they protect and defend that which is most important to us, even beyond the borders of our country. freedom and security, human dignity, and the right of every individual to integrity. and they act on behalf of a liberal democracy. >> these soldiers are undergoing training at the officers academy to prepare for missions abroad. they will be putting their lives on at the line. but when is military force necessary?

can force be used to end violence? >> that discussion cannot be limited to leadership in parliament. the role of our forces has to be debated in the very midst of society. >> jaochim gauck says there's no freedom without responsibility. the president believes that these soldiers are aware of that. but, he adds, that awareness is not prevalent throughout society. >> we will change the pace. it was a case that made headlines around the world and raise awareness about the potential dangers of the australian outback and the dingo. >> in 1980, a 9-week-old baby disappeared from a campsite in the australian outback. her parents claim the child was carried off by doing go -- dingos. but suspicion fell on the parents themselves. now, more than 30 years later, a coroner has declared that dingos

were without question responsible for the death of a baby azaria. >> certainty after more than three decades. the couple of arriving for the ruling by the coroner. the fourth investigation into their baby's death. >> azaria died on august 17, 1980. the cause of her death was as the result of being attacked and taken by a dingo. >> it was a different story in the early 1980's. dingos not considered dangerous or strong enough to attack a baby. >> i said, a dingo has got the baby. >> she was convicted of murder and served three years of a life sentence. then the babies jacket was found near a dingo den and she was released. but it took two more inquests to clear her. >> this battle to get to the

legal truth about what caused azaria's death has taken too long. however, i am here to tell you that you can get justice, even when you think that all is lost. >> the memories will always remain, but a mother is in essence has finally been established. >> after the break, we will be looking at what happens when sports meets politics in light of this evening's euro 2012 clash between poland and russia. >> and we will be having an in- depth look at the problem of child labor, including a special report from india where millions of children are forced to work, often in terrible conditions like in these garbage dumps. >> we will be talking to the head of the charity save the children here in germany to find out what can be done, so do not

go away. stay with dw-tv. ♪ ♪ >> unimpeded access to education and knowledge, and the same opportunities for everyone. a central goal of the global community. but what is the reality on the

the ground? education for all. dw's multimedia special relates personal stories and highlights extraordinary projects the world over. find out more on the internet. dw.de/educationforall. >> thank you for being with us. today, june 12, has been designated world today against child labor. child labor is a modern form of slavery and exploits society's most vulnerable, especially in developing countries. >> these children are often expected to work to support their families instead of attending school and receiving a proper education. this leaves them permanently trapped in a cycle of poverty. >> with its agent caste system, child labor is particularly a problem in india. it has the highest number of child laborers in the world, and the country's envied economic growth is being fueled, in part at least, by child labor.

>> this is one of the millions of child laborers in india. he used to work at this juncture in delhi. children were brought here against their will and forced to sort through discarded electronics. among the children we found here are these three. they come from one of india's poorest states. this man, an activist, rescued them from the junk market. if he had not, they might have stayed here for years. we asked one child who brought him here. >> i do not know the man's name. he said i have to work. i told him i did not want to, but he said i had to anyway. >> we asked another child who brought him here. he said he did not know. the three boys were sold by their families to pay off debts. traffickers brought them to

delhi and handed them over to the people who run the junkyard. the children work long hours. their working conditions are dangerous. pay is a meager. >> the children are kept like prisoners. they live worse than animals. they eat, sleep, and work here from 9:00 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. at night. it is dirty, and garbage is everywhere. it is a disgrace. >> for over three decades, this activist has been fighting against child labor in india. he has personally led hundreds of raids and rescue operations, and his work is known around the world. the children who were rescued today are first taken to a local police station where they will be registered. it is crowded right now. these three children are among more than a dozen children who were brought here today. the police say this is a scrap dealer who had children working at his side.

he denies it. we asked him about it. he says he knows nothing about child workers. he says he does not even own a business. he is just a driver. later, the children are brought to a special child care facility. they will stay here until they can return to their parents. >> india has the largest number of child laborers in the world. the government's says that there are around 10 million, but the non-government and statistics say that there must be around 50 million or 60 million. >> the child labor is widespread in india despite the country's rapidly growing economy. about one-third of the population lives in poverty. many families are forced to sell their children into slavery because they have no other source of income. this 7-year-old is safe for now, but it is far from sure that he

has a skit the vicious circle of poverty and lack of education that plagues this country. >> for more on this, we spoke earlier with the head of saved the children here in germany. we started out by asking her what can be done to prevent children from being sold into labor by their own families. >> well, what we have seen in the report is one of the worst instances of child labor. things must be done. first, governments must enforce legislation also the indian government must do something about it. then, of course, we must tackle the many root causes of child labor. first, the poverty. the lack of adequate social systems. and education, of course. it said that in the report. basic education -- free basic education is the key to end this vicious circle of poverty. >> most people in germany would

say they are opposed, of course, to child labor. but at the same time, the same people to be about to buy cheap clothes and cheap shoes, for example. presumably, many of these products are made with child labor and that is why they are cheap. is this a fair assessment? >> yes, unfortunately that is the truth. children have been banned from the textile industry in bangladesh. nevertheless, i was in india and bangladesh last month and salt children working there. -- and i saw children working there. they work for 10 to 12 hours, like the boys in the report, for less than $1 a day. of course, it is still there. we need to tackle this with many different actions. not just banning child labor. a lot of actions have to be taken. >> what is save the children doing specifically to address this issue? >> there are very good projects.

it is giving these boys to these girls, access to basic education. we implement rich schools next to the slums, next to were the work. within the schools, three hours a day, so that they can still do some working. and they have access to basic health services in the schools. the have a chance in life. they have a chance to get an education and get their smiles back. that is so important. >> thank you for joining us from save the children in germany. >> thank you. >> still to come from all the action from the euro soccer championships. >> first, a quick look at some of the other stories making news around the world. hundreds of islamists in tunisia have fought running street battles with police. demonstrators attacked public buildings and threw molotov cocktails at police in the

capital tunis. this is as radical islamists protest an art exhibition they say insults' muslims. >> united nations says the 16 million people in north korea are suffering from chronic food shortages. two-thirds of the entire population. a report issued by six u.s. agencies also says one in three children is stunted by malnutrition. >> more than 3000 people have been evacuated from their homes in taiwan after heavy rains caused flash flooding in parts of the country. at least four people were killed in landslides. parts of the capital have also been inundated with water. >> a beautiful game now. the czech republic to delight their hopes of reaching the quarterfinals as they beat greece today. >> victory took them on to three points with a game to come against co-host poland. it was also revenge for their

defeat by the greeks in the euro 2004 semifinals. the greeks won the 2004 title. but they are stuck on just a single point so far. >> for the czech republic players and fans, it was a time to celebrate after the disappointment of the previous match. the foundations for their victory were later -- were found. after just three minutes, a pass. greece were reeling. three minutes later, the czech republic was two-nil up. players in print it -- position to bundle the ball home. the czech republic did not let up. tomas foiled by the keeper. greece but they had a lifeline, but the goal was not allowed for offside. eight minutes of the break and

blunder, the stiker got an easy tap-in. but it was all the greeks can manage. the 2-1 victory has rekindled the czech republic's hopes of making it to the quarterfinals. >> russia and poland, not good news for the hosts. russia taking the lead in the run-up to the match in warsaw which was marred by street fights between polish and russian fans. the score right now is 0-1 for russia. >> about 20,000 russian fans were expected in the polish capital at a time when relations between the two countries remain strained. two years in from a plane crash in russia that killed poland's president and 95 others. >> an estimated 5000 russia fans gathered on the bridge over the river to head towards the stadium, but police said the move in as groups of rival fans

began to provoking to other. despite the heavy presence of security forces, fresh skirmishes broke out near the stadium. >> on wednesday, the big game, germany will continue its campaign in the euro 2012 classic match up against the netherlands. >> they have fought many contests on the field, notably in the 1974 world cup final in which west germany prevail. >> but as far as fan support goes, there's nothing quite like the dutch. here is a closer look. >> orange, more orange, everything orange. anyone entering here knows who the fans will be cheering for, especially when playing archrival germany. it seems the color almost as medicinal powers in these parts. >> i see it when i wake up in the morning and it makes me happy. it does my heart good.

>> the dutch team has probably won the color since 1907 in reference to the country's royal family, the house of orange nassau. other parts of town are maybe not as extravagant, but predictions are all the same. >> we will win. we have to stay upbeat, stay positive. >> i fear the worst for the netherlands. 3-0 or 3-1 unfortunately. >> no matter which way the match goes, this person is staying orange into the tournament is over. that is way the residents wanted it. >> thanks for watching. ♪ captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--

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