>> hello and welcome to the "journal" coming to you live from dw here in berlin. >> thanks for joining us. our headlines at this hour -- >> in pakistan, a high-profile kidnappings and threats of more violence just ahead of national elections. >> a factory fire killed eight people in bangladesh. >> as much a marks the defeat of nazi germany, president putin tales his nation as a guarantor of world security.

>> more than 110 people have already been killed in the run- up to elections this weekend in pakistan. today, the violence took a new turn. >> the son of the former prime minister was kidnapped at gunpoint at an election rally. he himself is running as a candidate for his father's party. >> he has called on supporters to remain calm, saying the kidnapping must not sabotage the election. it is already the bloodiest in television history -- in the nation's history, and the taliban is threatening more violence. >> it was a brazen attack. the candidate of the pakistan people's party and son of a former prime minister was scheduled to speak here in his hometown. in a hail of bullets, armed men killed five people including a bodyguard. his brother was close by and had

to watch incidents unfold. >> if we do not get my brother by this evening, i will not let the election happen in my area. i cannot distribute pulling bags since my brother is not here. >> so far, the run-up to the election has been marred by violence affecting all sides. islamist parties and their supporters have also been targeted. ordinary pakistanis are becoming increasingly concerned that the authorities cannot stop the violence. the man widely expected to win the election is from the conservative muslim league. sharif has already served two terms as prime minister. many pakistanis had hoped the former cricket player and national hero could be the candidate to change. he is in hospital after suffering a bad fall at an election rally but is expected to recover. his party is tipped to be the second-largest force in parliament. >> meanwhile, a pakistani court

has declared u.s. drone attacks on the country a war crime and called on the government to bring them to a halt by shooting down the remote-controlled aircraft in the -- if necessary. >> the cia uses unmanned aircraft to kill suspected taliban and militants. the court ruled that the practice was illegal and asked the foreign ministry to propose a u.n. resolution on the matter. the west has already rejected the pakistani call to end the strike. the death toll from the collapse of a garment factory in bangladesh two weeks ago has now passed 900. hot on its heels, yet another disaster. then a fire in an 11-story garment factory claimed the lives of eight people, including a leading politician and a top official in bangladesh's powerful clothing manufacturers trade group. >> staff turning up for work found themselves in front of closed doors. the fire broke out after production had finished for the

night, so most staff had left by then. the blaze started on one of the lower floors. it is not yet known what caused it. >> i think the fire originated from an electrical short circuit. a large number of staff were on the third floor. about 2000 finished garments were being stored there. >> help came too late for the factory owner and several of his employees and friends. firefighters found their bodies in the stairwell. it appears the suffocated while trying to flee. just a day earlier, the government closed 18 other factories for failing to meet safety standards. last month's building collapse that killed hundreds of textile workers has highlighted the problem of safety in bangladesh's biggest industry. the eu has threatened punitive measures if factory bosses fail to implement measures to improve worker safety. >> in the u.s., the man accused of imprisoning three women in his home for a decade has been

formally charged. 52-year-old ariel castro did not enter a plea when he entered court in the city of cleveland. he's charged with at your accounts of kidnapping and three counts of rape. the court said a bond of $8 million. he is reportedly being placed on suicide watch and will be kept in isolation. >> ok, quiz question now -- what do winston churchill and pope john paul ii have in common? well, they are previous winners of the charlemagne prize. >> the prize is awarded each year to a leader who has made a contribution to european unity. this year's winner is the president of lithuania. >> sheet is a former eu commissioner who has led her country through a tough austerity program, and today, at the prize giving, she had a lot to say about europe's current crisis. >> the charlemagne medal was bestowed in recognition of her efforts to advance european integration. as the eu's finance

commissioner, hard drive to increase competitiveness helped bolster economic confidence in europe. >> let us not be afraid to make difficult decisions. challenges may be we'd greater than less, but how we deal with them is how we measure crisis. so thank you, and i would like to ask your permission to dedicate this award to people of lithuania. >> she's been credited with rescuing the lithuanian economy through her stick -- strict austerity measures. the european parliament president pays tribute to her courage, which he says she proved time and time again as finance minister. >> in the commission, people say with admiration that the commissioner is the proud owner of a black belt in karate. she is a hard negotiator, but she is always willing to make fair compromises. she is truly a woman of her word.

damage driven by her political vision -- >> driven by her political vision, she gave up her job in brussels. she wanted to steer her country out a political crisis by implementing tough reforms. she cited gondi, margaret thatcher, and angela merkel as her role models. she said the german chancellor deserves respect for her handling of the eurozone crisis. -- she cited gandhi, margaret thatcher, and angela merkel as her role models. >> even if it is not popular, or you lose power, you at least invest in the sustainable future of your country. >> the charlemagne prize was also a chance to send a message to all europeans that they all must do their share to create a better europe. >> getting back to the crisis in

europe, portugals unemployment rate has climbed further to hit a new record high. it came in a 17.7% for the first quarter of 2013. that represents a rise of nearly 1% on a year ago, and the government in lisbon expects the number to go up even more next year, when 30,000 public sector jobs are eliminated. the job cuts are part of a harsh austerity program agreed with the european union in exchange for billions of emergency loans that have been dispersed to lisbon since 2011. >> well, now on to the country seem most likely as -- seen as most likely to become the most likely next balak case. slovenia has been struggling to overcome a banking system teetering on the edge. >> moody's downgraded bonds to junk status. now, they have announced a plan they hope will help it stabilize finances without having to turn to brussels. >> slovenia is teetering on the edge. it's mostly state-owned banking

sector has been crippled by billions of euros worth of bad loans, but the government does not have the money to rescue them. the government needs at least 4 billion euros and has come up with a new plan. >> we need to consolidate our finances. there are three ways we can do this. we can increase revenues. we can cut back on expenditures. or we can pursue a combination of the two. what we have decided to do is take the third option. >> 15 state-owned enterprises will be sold, including the country's second-largest bank in the capital's airport. value-added tax will rise from 20% to 22%, and a new property tax will be introduced in january. the government is also in talks with trade unions to make significant cuts to the public sector.

the plant is now to be sent to brussels in the hope that it will be enough to reassure slovenia's european partners. >> on today's market action, while banks and shops were closed across the country in germany for the ascension day holiday, the frankfurt stock exchange was open and shares posted modest gains to lock in another record closing high. our correspondents and as the summary of the 30 trading session. >> for a moment in afternoon trading, the german stock index marked another all-time high, inspired by positive data from the american labor market. but all in all, trading was seamless. this thursday, the dax managed to end trading only a couple of points on the upside. nevertheless, traders said this must not be a bad sign. aber research -- a breather in the mix of a stock-market rally even gives hope that the rally continues. >> we stay in frankfurt for a

closer look at thursday's numbers. the dax, here was the closing figure, up by just a tad. the euro stoxx 50 actually giving up a bit of ground. the dow trading slightly to the downside but still above 15,000. the euro weaker against the greenback at a value of $1.3020. >> now to a trade battle that could be brewing between the eu and china. brussels is pushing for massive tariffs on chinese solar panels being blamed for putting european businesses out of business. >> the european commission has proposed a 47% import tax on chinese-made solar panels. beijing says it wants further dialog on the issue. >> solar panels from china have long created problems for european manufacturers. they can be anything up to 45% cheaper than those made in europe. as a result, and now controls

about 80% of the european market. chinese state media say imposing tariffs is a mistake. beijing is calling for dialogue instead. >> when handling trade friction between china and the eu, we hope both sides can uphold the constructive and cooperative spirit and properly resolved differences and disputes through constructive dialogue and negotiations. we also hope the eu is cautious in its use of trade protectionism measures. >> the tariffs are due to come into effect in june and initially set to last only until december. by then, the european commission hopes to have completed a probe into allegations that china is dumping cheap goods in europe, financed by state subsidies. >> the race is on for one of the most prestigious jobs in the sporting world. the presidency of the international olympic committee. the first candidate has declared himself. >> he is already an ioc vice

president, and he has been tipped as the front-runner to replace the outgoing president. today, he has been making his case. then he has made sport his life. he has excelled on and off the field of sporting competition. the former olympic fencing champion has succeeded in the cut and thrust world of sports administration. he is head of germany's national olympic committee. now he wants the top job. the 59-year-old lawyer has been an ioc member for 20 years and is currently one of the organization's vice presidents. he has built up a network of contacts in sport and also in politics and business. those connections could count in his favor. >> after careful consideration and after many consultations with colleagues in the international sports, i have

decided to be a candidate for the ioc presidency in september this year. after having taken this decision, i have, of course, first of all, consulted our president. >> he is currently seen as the front runner for the job, but there are likely to be around half a dozen candidates in all. the new president will be elected at a meeting in a argentina in september. >> another very exporting job is no longer available -- it is official, the manager of the english soccer club manchester united will be david moyes. >> like his predecessor, he comes from glass co. the 50 year-old has been at the helm of premier league club ever and since 2002. although he has been named manager of the year three times,

he has yet to lead a team to any major title. but, have to say, pretty good move. >> the help to change that. >> we will be back in just minutes time. we will look ahead to sunday's elections in bulgaria. >> stay with us.

>> welcome back. the poorest country in the european union goes to the polls this weekend. bulgarians will be voting under the shadow of endemic corruption, rising unemployment, and rapidly spiraling inflation. >> all of those issues led to mass demonstrations in february. tens of thousands took to the street and fought for the prime minister to resign. >> some protesters went as far as setting themselves on fire. seven of them died. our reporter went to bulgaria to find out what drove one man to such a desperate act. >> this is the place where nick lost his friend.

the steps of the town hall in the bulgarian coastal city. at the end of february, he stood outside the building, covered himself in petrol, and set himself on fire. >> i do not want to believe that he is not here. i am still believing that some day, he will come back. >> residents have piled up stones on the town hall steps. it is a bulgarian customs from the 19th century. if the stones reach a certain height, the local mayor has to quit. the huge protests that caused the government to resign earlier this year began over high energy prices, but there was also anger over shady links between officials and businesses and the control of the mafia. he is a vocal critic of a business group called t.i.m.

it is the most powerful company in bulgaria. "out with t.i.m." says this placard. the country has a broad range of interests. nick says they have close links with politicians as well. he says they began making money through shady privatization deals in the 1990's after the fall of communism. for nick and his friends, that was a time of great hope. they had new freedoms, democracy, and the chance of self-determination. nick says his friend felt the same way, but then everything started to get a lot harder. >> when we see a big ball behind us, are around us -- around us, and when we see that it is not possible to go through this wall, maybe this wall is one of

the reasons for the struggle. >> that wall included a network of former communist officials and businessmen in the lucrative tourist industry dominated by one company. anyone with a bar on the city's shoreline has to rent a plot from t.i.m. the authorities ceded the land to the company. nick's friend has given up on his business here. >> you cannot earn any money. they will take the last penny from your pockets. >> the company is now building a huge hotel process. without a huge bidding process. neither the council nor the company are willing to give an interview about it. politicians are keen to play down the connection between the council in the business group.

>> somebody maybe paid for this to protest against t.i.m. i'm not aware of them, but this is one of the biggest business organizations. >> nick is spending the evening with some other friends. they play music together and mourn the loss of their friend. >> we want some changes that actually never took place. nothing is changing. everything is the same. >> even if there is a change of government, they do not hold out much hope. >> in a moment, russians celebrate victory day, the anniversary of germany's surrender in the second world war. >> and we visit a colombian city, once a notorious bastion of drug smugglers, now held up as a model of social rebirth.

first, here are some other stories making news around the world. >> the leader of the lebanese militia says syria will supply it with new types of weapons it has never had before. he is certain is weapons will be a game changer. he called on syria position he took response to recent israeli strikes on targets near damascus. >> the british prime minister says he believes it is very likely the syrian government has used chemical weapons, and he said there is no evidence that rebels had used them. cameron will fly to russia on friday to pressure syria's strongest ally to help end the conflict. >> israel's prime minister has met with the chinese president in beijing. netanyahu's visit highlights china's push to promote peace in the middle east. he called on china and the palestinians to resume dialogue. the two leaders also signed several agreements on areas such

as agriculture, education, and trade. >> it has been a day of remembrance in russia, which the government used to remind the country of its place in history and its current role in geopolitics. >> the country has been celebrating victory day, marking the defeat of nazi germany. russia's president used the day to tell his countrymen that the -- and the world that russia it is -- has a crucial claim in maintaining peace on the planet. >> more than 11,000 russian soldiers stand to attention in red square. the military parade to celebrate the world war ii allied victory over nazi germany was painstakingly choreographed. victory day marks germany's surrender on the evening before may 960 years ago. the ceremony on is the estimated 27 million soviet citizens who lost their lives

during the second world war. the russian president's speech was full of patriotic sentiment. >> we will always remember that russia, the soviet union, foiled the people-hating eric and plans of the nazis. we did not allow the fascists to take over the world. our soldiers defended freedom and independence, protecting the motherland. m at 11,000 soldiers took part in the ceremony. the victory day celebrations date back to the era of soviet dictator joseph stalin, but vladimir putin has expanded the ceremony and given it more fanfare. it now features tanks, long- range missiles, and helicopters in a show of military might. putin has vowed to continue building up russia's armed forces, saying he intends to

pump hundreds of billions of euros into the military in the coming years. >> finally, germany's president is beginning a nine-day tour of latin america with a visit to colombia. >> he is expected to address the need for reconciliation in a country trying to overcome the legacy of decades of conflict. >> one city once synonymous with the drug trade has gone through a transformation in recent decades. our reporter went to find out more. >> he used to fight for a right- wing paramilitary group until he was badly wounded. now, the 26-year-old is going to school, learning the things he missed out on when he was younger such as mathematics and writing. in this classroom, former enemies in the brutal conflict between guerillas, paramilitary groups, and the army now sit

side by side. there are more people like him who have swapped their weapons for school books. >> what we did was social cleansing. that means that we free parts of the city from criminals, like those who stole. we cleaned those places up. yes, we killed a lot of people. we took things too far. >> the school is for the victims and the fighters of columbia's civil war. it is one of many social projects here. little by little, the city is becoming a safer place to live. things are also improving economically. one reason for that is the massive infrastructure investment in projects such as the famous cable cars. they link the city center with

the poorer areas in the surrounding hills. the residents of the outer suburbs have been neglected for years. reaping the benefits of government spending. there are new services such as schools and libraries. the development here has become an inspiration for many other cities in latin america. >> in some areas, there is still a high rate of violence, but every year, we gain a lot of territory. in 2012, the murder rate fell by 25% compared to the year before. there are not many cities in the world that can say that. >> but the fight against organized crime continues. in some areas, drug dealing is still a part of everyday life. for the city's youth, it can be a dangerous place to grow up.

>> drug dealer so and so will come and recruit young people, including former paramilitary fighters -- anyone who wants to get involved. he will say, "i will give you a monthly wage if you come and work for me." >> back in the city center, sculptures by the city's most famous artist are on display. it is another sign the city is trying to change its image from one of violence and crime to one of culture and progress. >> a happy ending. and that is all we have time for for this edition of the "journal," but stay tuned for more news at the top of the hour. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--