>> you are watching the "journal" coming to you live from dw in berlin. >> thanks for joining us. our headlines -- >> a redline cross. the u.s. says it believes syria may have used chemical weapons. we go live to washington to ask what happens next. >> the europeans fighting in syria's civil war. confirmation that german jihad tests are involved. >> the bank when -- bangladesh building collapse disaster.

the search for survivors continues. is this a game changer for how the world deals with the crisis in syria? on thursday, the united states said that it now believes forces loyal to the syrian president have probably used chemical weapons in syria. >> the finding is a very fresh one. the u.s. defense secretary said the intelligence community reached the conclusion within the past 24 hours. >> that's right. the chemical in question is a lethal nerve agent. hagel did not say where or when it was used, but he made it clear that the blame lies with assad. >> our coverage begins with this report. >> are arriving in abu dhabi, the u.s. defense secretary said washington believes the assad regime has used chemical weapons but admitted there was some uncertainty. >> the white house delivered a

letter to several members of congress on the topic of chemical weapons use in syria. the letter states that the u.s. intelligence community assesses with some degree of varying confidence that the syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale in syria, specifically the chemical agent sarin. the united states has an obligation to fully investigate, including evidence of chemical weapons used in syria. over the past week, i have travelled, as you all know, to five countries in the middle east, all of whom have expressed concern about the deteriorating situation in syria. >> on tuesday, israeli intelligence accused syria of using nerve gas several times,

including on march 19, as seen here on syrian state tv. the regime claims that attack on the rebels. they say they were not responsible. >> let's go to our correspondent in washington, d.c. hagel says this is serious business and he says we need to get all of the facts. obviously the question -- how reliable is this intelligence right now? >> i think they have supporting evidence from different sources, so i think it is reliable. hagel made it clear that they do not have all the facts yet. the u.s. government is going to continue to investigate. they do not want to repeat the mistakes of the bush administration, who said that there were weapons of mass destruction in iraq, but there were not large stockpiles, so they also do not want terrorists to have access to weapons of mass destruction or chemical weapons. >> this is going to give fuel to

members of congress who have criticized obama for not doing enough to help the rebels in syria. i am thinking of senator john mccain, for example. what does this announcement mean then for u.s. policy in syria? >> president obama is very reluctant to put boots on the ground. he would prefer to increase diplomatic pressure on the assad regime and of its allies -- for example, russia, and iran. if president obama decides to send troops to syria, he would look for international support through an international coalition of troops. you just mentioned senator mccain. he has already stated the u.s. should set up is on providing a safety area for civilians, of course, and for independent opposition forces in syria. >> our correspondent in

washington, d.c. thank you very much. staying in the u.s., new york city officials say that times square was the next target for the two brothers believed to have carried out the boston marathon bombings. >> the police commissioner said tamerlan tsarnaev and his brother had a pressure cooker bomb and five pipe bombs they still wanted to set off. the surviving brother who is still hospitalized told interrogators they decided on going to new york spontaneously. >> there is a new european angle going back to the conflict in syria. for the first time, the government in germany has confirmed that german jihadists are taking part in the syrian civil war. >> berlin says radicals being monitored by the intelligence service are now fighting with the rebels against the assad regime. >> and they are not alone. the eu says it believes hundreds

of radical islamists from across europe are in syria right now, and they are worried that they could pose a serious threat to security here if they return. >> syria's civil war rages on for a third year, and a growing number of islamists from europe are joining the number of rebels fighting to topple the assad regime. german federal police say it is the same development they observed in the afghanistan war. >> we are not surprised we are seeing young germans in syria. also fighters from france and britain. we think there are some 40 to 60 fighters who come from europe. >> experts think the number of radicalized european fighters in syria may even run into the hundreds. they are smuggled into the war zone by professional recruiters. islamists active in syria are financed by backers in countries including saudi arabia.

>> they are not booking their tickets at travel agencies. that is clear. there are middlemen who are of arranging the strips. >> what alarms terrorism experts most are calls for the volunteers to return to their home countries including germany after serving in syria and carry on the fight for jihad in europe. >> these individuals are not just a danger abroad. they are also a danger to germany. this is why we have got to watch them closely. >> for the time being, the islamist it is -- fighters are concentrating on syria. the conflict has claimed 7000 lives and prompted millions to flee, leaving behind the devastated country. >> let's bring in terry martin in our parliamentary studio on this. what do we know about these german fighters in syria? >> details are sketchy. all we know for sure is that a number of individuals from europe have gone to syria to

join the rebel fighters there, and a number of those are from germany. we do not know how many germans are part of that. the german interior minister has declined to give an estimate on the number, but in an interview, he did confirm that what he called jihadists from germany are fighting in syria, and he said that some of them had been monitored by german intelligence services before they left the country. >> the eu says it is worried about these people if they make it back to europe. what kind of aj risk do you think they pose? >> the eu anti-terrorism coordinators' has expressed concern. says while some fighters may not have been radical before they left, he says they could become radicalized in syria, and the concern is that they may return to europe and carry out a kind of holy war on european soil.

>> pretty chilling thought. thank you very much. should a far right party be banned in germany? lawmakers are struggling to find an answer everyone can agree on. >> this is a very political issue. the opposition party is pushing for a ban on the far-right party saying that it violates the country's constitution. the government led by chancellor angela merkel says a ban is the wrong way to fight far right extremism. >> berlin is under pressure to do something. next month seized the start of a trial of a suspected neo-nazi accused of helping to carry out a spate of racially motivated murders. >> on thursday, lawmakers voted against a ban. >> the far right npd wants a very different germany. no major party disputes that they are beyond the pale of democratic discourse, but lawmakers will not open procedures to ban the npd.

there is no majority for it, despite repeated warnings. >> this is not about banning a few stupid ideas. it is about banning an organization and dismantling a party that is built to attack people in germany. >> parliament also agrees that the nsu terrorist cell went on its killing spree inspired by npd propaganda, but the government says official bands will not eliminate a neo-nazi ideology and germany. they even suggest it is a pointless exercise. >> should a state ban a party that the country's voters already reject by an overwhelming majority? and prove that in every election? 99% reject this ideology. >> the greens also doubt that out on the party would work. they abstained from the vote.

then i can this material really prove that the npd is a serious threat to the existence of democracy and the rule of law in germany? then and many legislators also fear that a failed ban would also give momentum to the french. >> to some economic news now. the dismal job market in spain is looking worse than ever. unemployment reached a record 27%. >> this means for the first time in recent history, more than 6 million people are out of work in spain. the figures released thursday also show more spaniards are sinking into poverty. >> many of them are just running out of options when it comes to making ends meet. >> the students have gone back to school to learn english. this 30-hour all lost her job as a teacher last year and hopes english can help per start a new

career. >> my unemployment benefits and in june. that is the problem. what will i do? go back home to my parents? that is what i'm afraid of. >> on thursday, protesters gathered in front of parliament for another round of demonstrations. they say the government's austerity programs are only making things worse and demanding a change in course. >> the reforms did not work. they cut too many jobs. 6 million people without work -- that is 6 million reasons for the government to change its policy. >> every day, more people line up outside of spain's unemployment offices. over one in four people looking for work cannot find a job. >> if i cannot work as a teacher, i can happily work cleaning stairs. at least i will feel useful. >> but with unemployment on the rise, lola is going to have a hard time finding any type of

work. >> in germany, the government says the economic outlook here is getting brighter. it has raised its growth forecast for this year. germany's economy has weathered the euro debt crisis better than most countries, but it took a dive at the end of last year. >> some recent data added to worries that it could slip into recession. economists say 2014 will see a drop in unemployment and a boost in consumer demand in germany. much of that thanks to lower taxes. the government says growth in 2014 should reach 1.6%. what did those economic figures mean for the action on germany's equity markets? we go to frankfurt to find out. >> the german dax has performed very well this week. it is up for the fourth day, but this really is only the answer on the strong losses in recent weeks, traders said. because the week was packed with

- german economic data and also with disappointing corporate numbers. germany's third largest chemical company was very much profiting from this good mood after three failed attempts to go public. this time they have been successful. with this money, they want to invest in growth. >> now, the markets by the numbers. the dax index in frankfurt was up by nearly a point. 2704 clothes for euro stoxx 50, also slightly up. the dow jones is slightly up, and the euro against the dollar is $1.30 precisely. and many europeans have probably heard of the 500-year-old bill. few ever actually get to carry one in their wallet, and soon, they may disappear altogether. financial authorities say it is the main bill of choice for criminals and tax evaders who want to transfer large sums of money without leaving a paper trail.

>> that is why the european central bank is considering removing the largest denominated notes from the market. >> in an attempt to fight money- laundering and the flow of illegal cash. >> coming up, champions league soccer. we will have the latest.

>> welcome back, everyone. rescuers at a collapsed building in bangladesh have found 40 people alive a day after the eight-story complex housing mostly a garment factories came down outside the capital. some 250 people have died. hundreds more are still missing. >> police say factory owners in the building had ignored an order to evacuate their workers after structural cracks had been detected on tuesday. a warning to our viewers -- this report contains some troubling footage. >> thousands have gathered to watch the rescue efforts.

relatives, over the lists of those who died, looking for the names of their loved ones. others brought pictures of factory workers, hoping against hope for a reunion with the family member. rescuers have mostly been pulling bodies from the side of what until wednesday was an eight-story building housing clothing factories. hundreds are still missing. many are trapped. >> save us, brother. i beg you. save us. i just want to live. it is so painful year. i have two small children. >> but officials are running out of time. one victim called out in desperation. "it would have been better to die than enduring such pain," he

said. others escaped only because of lucky circumstances. >> my younger sister died. we both worked in this factory. yesterday, i did not go to the factory, so i am i live. >> workers are still finding some survivors in the rubble. public anger is mounting after what is now bangladesh' worst ever industrial disaster. authorities had told the factory owners to close the building just a day before it crumbled, and order that went unheeded. then a terrible story there. moving out to russia, it is a staple of russian political life -- vladimir putin pose a direct line t the call-in program gives russians a chance to send questions to the man in charge of the kremlin. >> thursday's edition was the 11 show, and there was a huge response. producers received over 1.2 million questions, and putin stayed on the air for close to

five hours to answer as many as he could. emma putin has been cracking down on dissent, and he has been defending his record and strongly denied accusations of stalinist tendencies. >> it was a hand-picked audience that the russian president fielded questions from, ranging from russia's rampant corruption to fears of a new financial crash. after last year's mass protests, critical questions were allowed as well. this journalist asked about what he saw as stalinist style repression in politics. >> no one has tried anymore because of their political views or activities. there are only trials when people break the law. >> while putin was making his remarks, a moscow court fined the monitoring group 8000 euros for failing to comply with a new india lot. according to the administration,

members of any groups that receive foreign donations must register as foreign agents. >> for weeks now, ngo's have been raided and even members of social organizations have been classified as foreign agents. the entire sector is being discredited, and many will have to close their doors. >> putin also took a question about the ngo law. he said he did not understand the criticism and called on foreign governments to stop trying to influence domestic russian politics. >> the call-in was designed to show that vladimir putin still had everything under control in his first term as russia's president. his performance again demonstrated his ability to shrug off any kind of criticism while keeping up the pressure on his opponents. >> in a moment, we will take a

look at a growing usage of crystal meth here in germany. >> but first, here are some other stories making news. the united nations has agreed to set a peacekeeping force in mali to take over french and african troops. 12,000 soldiers should be stationed. france has started to withdraw forces from the country after deploying over 4000 troops to combat islamist rebels earlier this year. >> china and france have signed aviation and nuclear energy deals after the french president and his chinese counterpart held talks focused on economic issues. the deals included the purchase of 60 airbus passenger planes. hollande is the first western leader to be received in beijing by china's new president. >> in italy, the prime minister designate has begun negotiations to form a new government.

letta hopes to form a government before markets opened on monday and see confidence votes from both houses of parliament early next week. the eurozone's third largest economy has been in political deadlock for the past two months. >> crystal meth is on the march in germany according to police who say seizures of that drug were up by almost 90% last year. >> overall drug debts are down, but meth usage is growing quickly, especially in the states bordering the czech republic. >> this is where it all begins -- in meth lab like these in the czech republic. crystal meth, ice or crank as it is also known, is produced from a mixture of medical drugs and household chemicals. analysis on crystal meth have turned up traces of drain cleaner, battery acid, rat poison, and even powdered glass. smuggling the drug into germany from the czech republic is a lucrative business.

buyers are usually young people in german regions along the border. >> it is cheap. you can get a hold of it quickly. it just suddenly appeared from one day to the next in circles that i slipped into here in bavaria, but the addiction is powerful. you get really hooked on crystal meth. people underestimate it. >> for first-time takers, it can see like the ideal recreational drug. people say they are able to party for hours or even days without getting tired, hungry, or feeling pain. instead, they get what appears to be a never-ending high. >> but that high debts and in depression and psychosis, nervous disorders, and facial disk figuration -- that hi does end. officials have documented deterioration of crystal meth junkies at various levels of deterioration. they offer sup -- often suffer

skin problems and to floss. german police have been coming across the drug more, too. customs officers presented the results of a massive cross border investigation. the biggest discovery to date came a little later when customs officers found 7 kilos of crystal coming in from nigeria. doctors and therapists are gaining more experience with the consequences of crystal meth addiction. at this addiction clinic, crystal junkies account for more than half of the patients. experts are warning that what used to be played down as a party drug has become even more dangerous than heroin. >> the german telecommunications giant deutsche telekom is coming under rock -- under fire after announcing it will limit future broadband internet services. the move would dramatically slow download rates for users. critics are angry that they only

attend to apply those restrictions to other internet providers. its own broadband services are going to stay the same. critics say it endangers the principle of internet neutrality. even the government has expressed concern that the plan. deutsche telekom is defending the move, saying the growing data volume means there is a need for investment in new connections. >> the people of the netherlands are gearing up for a major royal event next week when the queen advocates in favor of her son -- advocates -- the queen abdicates. after 30 years on the throne, she met her last official appearance on wednesday when she opened an exhibition. >> as he is going to be a big party next week. soccer now and fans of germany's top two teams could soon be looking forward to a trip for the final of this year's championship league. >> one day after bayern munich

's 4-0 thrashing of barcelona, there are thoughts the same could happen with madrid. >> just a day after a memorable performance against a real, dortmund fears losing him. according to his agent, he will leave the club this summer. that would be a huge blow, coming just days after another confirm trends will to rivals bayern. the polish strike scored his first goal after eight minutes and added three more after half time to seal the victory. most fans and experts are convinced that dortmund's pat to the final is certain, but the coach knows the job is not done yet. >> we are not taking anything for granted, and that is important. we fought our way into the

semifinal, but we want to go all the way. and we do not have time for any distractions right now. >> the heroics of left their mark in spain as well, where the press says german football has forged ahead of their own game. like his opposite number, the real madrid coach knows there is another match coming. >> anything is possible in soccer. but you cannot make it happen unless you are willing to die for it. >> dortmund has made it happen so far, but they could soon be a very different team. >> all right, you are up-to-date on the "journal." >> thanks for watching. stay tuned. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--