>> hello and welcome to the "journal" coming to you from dw live in berlin. cheaper money and more of it -- european central bank cuts rates to a new low. more cuts could be ahead. we will have some reaction. >> in greece, police clashed with a party handing out food to greeks. >> bayern munich return home to a rapturous welcome after

dismantling barcelona. with the eurozone debt crisis pushing more and more people onto the unemployment lines, the european central bank has now cut its benchmark interest rate to a new all-time low. >> the ecb also signaled it is willing to cut even further if need be to drag the economy out of recession. we will have reaction from frankfurt in a moment. >> all that fresh cash going into circulation will be including some old denominations with a new look. >> as of today, the eurozone has better money. the new 5-year-old bill has into circulation after a big promotional campaign touting the bank notes security features, and so that more of the improve money gets to where it is needed, which is the people of southern europe, the european central bank has cut its main

interest rate. that is to supply and grow crisis-hit economies with more and cheaper liquidity. >> weak economic sentiment has extended into spring of this year. the cut in interest rates should contribute to support prospects for a recovery later in the year. >> but analysts do not expect much of an effect. they point out the ecb has been slashing interest rates for years, and there is not much further they can go. since the start of the financial crisis, eurozone interest rates have fallen steadily to a new all-time low. mario druggie also extended another program introduced during the crisis. the ecb pledge to keep as much credit flowing to banks as they want through july 2014 at least. m to tell us more about the decision, we are joined now from our business desk. first of all, would you call this an act of desperation?

them to cut the interest rate by 25 basis points might not really be enough to make the banks lend more money to companies in europe, and the second is the cheapening of the euro is far from being guaranteed. the central banks of japan in the u.s. are having far more aggressive monetary policies, but on the other hand, given the economic situation in europe, they had not much choice but to cheapen the money even further. the main goal was price stability, but right behind comes the support of economic policies in europe, something which is taken very seriously by ecb chief mario draghi, as he showed in the press conference, when he revealed the real surprise of the day, that the ecb is prepared for - deposit rates, which means that if banks, instead of giving money to companies in europe are parking the money, then they will have to pay money for it.

>> what does this mean for europeans and european businesses? >> the ecb chief at the moment has such a large influence that even the threat -- only the threat of negative deposit rates might move money from one bank to another, but no bank wants companies with bad credit ratings in the portfolio, and the more reliable companies might get a little bit careless as money gets too cheap for them. at the same time, the expropriation of sailors is going to continue as interest rates were already so low that they work by inflation, a problem which will worry some now. there are looking for alternative investment opportunities as well, which in most cases, means a real estate. for those who already real- estate, the value is likely to increase, but for those still looking, the prices will rise. they are already warning of a

housing bubbling in germany, for example. >> thanks so much for those insights. >> let's get their reaction now from frankfurt. our markets reporter sent us this report. >> lower interest rates, no surprise for traders, but they have been, nevertheless, very satisfied because interest rates at such a record low level of almost forcing investors to look for higher returns with riskier assets, but the reason for this extremely loose monetary policy is very disturbing -- the economy in the eurozone is still very weak. there is no recovery in sight before the second half of the year. huge german companies would also be very happy about a recovery. bmw could at least beat rivals in the first quarter. only siemens remains skeptical for the future. >> and a quick look at where that has left us this thursday on european markets -- the pacs

making even more progress in its campaign to crack that 8000 mark again -- the dax making even more progress. the dow getting a boost from encouraging jobs data. the euro losing ground against the u.s. dollar as a direct result of that ecb announcement. >> more rough news today for the eurozone. it is looking more and more like slovenia will be the next day lactase in the eurozone. its government is trying to sell bonds on the market right now, just days after they were downgraded to junk status. >> that downgrade based the prospect that the country will need help from neighbors. they have been watching closely for months as the tiny nation has been dragged down by six lead banks. >> the core of the problem for the small alpine country is its banks. slovenia's lending institutions are mainly state-owned, and many are staggering under bad loans. they have become a major burden. this year's deficit is forecast

at 5% of gdp. the prime minister wants to keep her country from sharing the fate of greece and cyprus. them as lavinia is no bad apple, but we are in a difficult position at the moment -- >> slovenia is no bad apple, but we are in a difficult position at the moment. there are two key projects we want to enact this year and in the coming years. the recovery of our economy and consolidation of our finances. van at a key reason for the slovenian economy's sluggish performance is they have been starved of credit. the country's indebted banks have practically stopped lending, but the government believes markets have not given up on slovenia. his decision to resume its big bond sale is an indication of that confidence. >> there is more momentum in the global campaign to boost tax revenues by going after people with secret assets and tax havens.

the british finance minister now says european countries will be working more closely with british overseas territories to identify tax cheats. the territories will now automatically provide account information to british authorities. those territories include bermuda and the cayman islands. >> in germany, tax evasion has also become a hot political issue with the general election just a few months away. it has even reached into the highest levels of the nation's most popular soccer club. >> the president of bayern munich has become the country's best known tax evader. he is not shying away from the press about an ordeal that he says has him "going through hell." >> in a newspaper interview this week, he admitted to gambling with stocks like it was an addiction. the profits were paid into a swiss bank account, but he did

not mention how much in taxes he avoided paying. now, the german president has weighed into the debate, calling evasion irresponsible. m at isn't it important that we fulfill our obligations toward each other? paying taxes is part of the responsibility that we carry for one another, it is an issue that warrant's serious debate. >> switzerland has assured germany that it is willing to reopen negotiations about a tax treaty. the german foreign minister is optimistic. >> it is clear that switzerland has an interest in tackling tax evasion. it does not want to have a reputation across the world for helping tax evaders, and we in germany have an interest in making sure we do not just get the odd person by chance but rather that everyone pays up. >> a deal last year was blocked by opposition.

it would have only dealt with interest, not on money itself, and tax cheats would have been able to stay if they came forward and paid a fine. >> coming up later in this half- hour, a handout for the greeks ahead of the orthodox easter holiday. emigrant's not allowed. >> first, a look at other stories making news around the world. authorities in sudan say more than 60 people have been killed in a gold mine collapse. the incident took place on monday. rival groups have been vying for control of the gold-rich area around the mines. clashes erupted earlier this year. >> north korea has sentenced an american citizen to 15 years of hard labor for what p'yongyang is calling hostile acts against the state. a 44-year-old was arrested last november traveling with a tour group. washington has called on p'yongyang to release him

immediately. >> fires continue to rage across parts of southern california. hundreds of hectares of forest have already been destroyed. some residents have been ordered to evacuate their homes. authorities say that high winds have been driving the flames. unusually high temperatures and a lack of rain have further worsen the situation. >> united nations diplomats are saying that loch arbour he me wants to resign as the un arab league envoy to syria -- lackdar brahimi wants to resign. if he does, he will be the second diplomat to throw in the towel. to athens now where police have used tear gas to prevent the nationalist golden dawn party from distributing free food to greek citizens only in defiance of a municipal band. >> once a marginal group, the golden dawn has seen a meteoric rise and is now the third most car dealer party as the economy

contracts. >> its members have repeatedly been accused of involvement in violent attacks against immigrants. here is more. >> it did not take long for the so-called charity event to devolve into a fight with riot police. the mayor of athens had banned the right-wing extremist party from giving out food in the central square, calling it a soup kitchen of hate. but the party moved its operation over to its headquarters and continued to hand out free food. the big crowds that showed up for evidence of just how desperate many greeks are. >> i could not afford to have easter this year, so i came to get some food. i do not know if people can be satisfied with this, but we used to be able to celebrate the easter holiday. now we don't. >> golden dawn checked everyone's id cards before

giving them food. they said the event was for greeks only. no immigrants allowed. the party has in the past been linked to xenophobic attacks. the party is praise from nazi leaders, and its party logo suggests otherwise. many greeks have been looking for someone to blame for their economic woes. one golden dawn first made it to parliament last year, and became clear xenophobia was gaining a foothold in greek politics. >> a report from the united nations admits that the world body should have done more to counter the effects of somalia policy devastating famine between 2010 and 2012. >> latest figures show that about 260,000 people died. over half of the victims were under the age of five. the numbers are more than double previous estimates. >> the report said one reason for the famine was a ban on western agencies by the militant militia, which has suffered a series of militants -- which has

suffered a series of setbacks since the famine. >> the somali army is being trained, and the president says the situation is improving. al shabab has been pushed out of somalia's main cities. >> soon, there will not be a front where they are fighting. soon there will not be an area they control. >> but the united nations says somalia still has 1.4 million internally displaced people. for those living in camps, the situation is desperate. >> we are suffering because of lack of food, lack of medicine, and lack of clean water, so we are sending our appeal to the aid agencies in order for them to reach us in time. a year has passed since we received the last food distribution. >> the united nations says about 1/4 of somalia's

population still needs aid to keep them alive. >> after the break, two german soccer teams take apart their rivals in the champions league. now, they will be facing each other. >> that story for you and a lot more. state to end. >> stay with us.

>> we will get to that soccer is in a moment, but first, one of the largest gatherings of its kind in germany -- over 100,000 people taking part in a special meeting of the protestant church in hamburg. >> they will be praying over the next days along with discussions about cheeses and the new testament, but there is another agenda item -- how to turn around the steady loss of members and evangelize in the secular world -- along with discussions about jesus and the new testament. >> this youth group plays a spontaneous live show, showing that above all, this event is about creating a sense of

community. on day two, participants are also getting down to serious topics, taking part in numerous discussions and workshops. everyone has different reasons for being here. >> the emphasis on community and everything built around it. the good feeling that you get. >> the theme of social justice is important to me but also finding a sense of any peace. the theme "as much as you need" is not just about social justice but also has an emotional aspect. >> one of the day's biggest draws was a podium discussion with the german president. the main talking point was integrating people with disabilities. he called on individuals to take more initiative in helping to build a better society. >> that is the element that is so incredibly important for our society, that we do not just give up, but that we call on the

hidden strengths inside us. >> plenty of other big topics of being covered in the hundreds of events that run until sunday. >> for more on this, we spoke earlier to the president of the conference of protestant churches. we asked him with members leading christian churches in their droves, how these establishments help to maintain their influence. >> it is a very strong example that people are looking for religiosity, for belief, for fulfillment in religion. there may be people leaving the church, but they are not leaving their need for religion, for god and belief. we give a forum to look for new ways of fulfilling this need, of

giving spirituality to people. there are over 100,000 people in hamburg, and they are all looking for this fulfillment. i do not see that religion is weathering away. religion has been important today. >> we have as soccer and is now. it will be a teutonic clash of the titans. bayern munich and dortmund will face off in the championship later this month, making it for the first time a german affair. >> bayern players arrive to crowds of reporters and fans on their return. the attention is well deserved. >> we certainly have the hunger, the desire, and the motivation to crown this season.

that should be obvious. >> the team got an enthusiastic reception at the post-match banquet in barcelona. they have made the final in recent years but had never been this dominant. >> i believe this team could rewrite bayern's history books this season, and i'm confident we will do it. >> many believe bayern did not just when the game, but ended barcelona's reign as best in europe. many of them want to see the move ahead -- many want to see the move ahead. >> it is time we won the cup. we do not care who we play against. we just want to win. >> the squad stay focused. they are hoping to leave the real celebrations until after the final on may 25. >> we asked our london correspondent how the prospect

of an all-german final was going down with people in the u.k. >> i think important as always is the press. the british press. "the sun" saying "the germans are coming" in the headlines. it is a little bit militaristic, but i think it is a little bit of british humor, to help them cope with the fact that the british teams have not done so well. generally, it has been fairly positive response. i have spoken to people who love football, and they are full of admiration how germany is playing. they say they are fresh and exciting. they also admire how german football generally is manage. and they say it is much less commercial than here in england, much less expensive to go to games, and there is a bigger emphasis on nurturing hunger and talent in the region. many people, many football fans

wish that english football was becoming a little bit more like german football. so i think all together, fairly positive reaction to the fact that yes, it is a german-german final. >> the son of the former libyan dictator is facing charges of harming state security. >> gaddafi told journalists in the courtroom that he was in good health. the case has been adjourned until september. he is also facing war crime charges in a separate case. once the trial takes place in the netherlands, where he stands -- where he says he stands a better chance for justice. picture the scene -- three guys in a rock band playing on a hill outside the big city. the classic music video. >> it may not sound like anything unusual until you hear the name of that city is kabul, afghanistan. the story of a band playing

music in a place that might not be quite ready for it. >> rock music? how can that be? it was not long ago that music was forbidden. the band is called kabul dreams, and their dream was not a big one. they wanted to play music, singing, and record an album. they wanted to be a normal band. >> we just want to play music that we like and play professionally. we do not want to accept the excuse that we are from a foreign country. >> it took awhile -- years in fact -- but they finally released their first album. >> definitely was not very easy. there were difficulties. especially, recording in kabul is a little difficult because we have to do everything ourselves.

>> we meet kabul dreams somewhere in the afghan capital. we cannot say exactly where. it is safer if allocation remains secret. it is early in the morning, but the power is less likely to go out at this hour. sudiq plays the bass. he is pashtun. >> this is a reality and also a story. a lot of people do not know because international media -- as you are aware, they only put the negative things about afghanistan because that is news, but the reality is different. we have life here as anywhere else in the world.

>> and the drummer is tajiki. it is almost like they were cast at a peace conference. three afghans from three different ethnic groups. that is rock music in kabul. they are recording a video on the hills of the city. ♪ >> this is the best place to show kabul because you can see the whole place. >> it is our city. we are from this city. >> the band members say they do

not want to hide, but even if no one can see it, security guards are watching closely. once the band was particularly courageous. they drove into the city, unpacked their instruments, and played. this video is there evidence. >> after we finished playing, we took all our instruments. we went to a rehearsing room and were talking about how we did that. first, we were thinking it was impossible, but it is not. >> there is still fear of extremists. today, they are back playing behind a thick wall and barbwire in the french culture institute, but they say afghanistan is changing. >> on this type of music, there

was music played in this venue, and we approach to them asking if we were sure. now this place is so busy. we had to book it two months before. >> in musical terms, perhaps, not all is lost in afghanistan. >> two big sums up to -- thumbs up to kabul dreams. >> definitely. it sounds like the job you dream of doing, but it is tough. >> thank you for watching. that is all we have time for right now. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--