will come to the "journal." the anti-gaddafi coalition meeting in rome pledges millions for the rebels. mahmoud abbas takes the palestinian initiative for an independent state to berlin and talks to chancellor merkel. and president obama plays a -- lays a wreath at ground zero in new york city. western and arab countries

opposed to muammar khaddafi have pledged hundreds of millions of dollars to help help the libyan rebels. ministers have made the pledge at work today. among them, the u.s., france, britain, qatar, and jordan. the aid is a boost to the disorganized rebels who failed to capitalize on the nato bombing campaign against khaddafi. >> they're trying to support a transfer of power from the gaddafi regime to the rebels. >> the first is the implementation of a temporary financial mechanism in order to deliver money to the national council. the second out, is the determination -- the second out, is to maintain pressure on gaddafi.

>> they stressed the money made available was not to be used for weapons. that this will be used for salaries, medication, medicine, and food. and then also, the plan which has already been announced, to start rebuilding or reconstruction of the schools, hospitals, from the damage that has happened. >> u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton said washington would try to unblock some of the billions of libyan assets frozen and accounts it so that money can also go to the rebels. >> we asks the our correspondent in rome to phyllis and on where the international funding was coming from. >> the leader of the executive of the rebels said earlier in the day that he was asking for

$3 billion u.s. so far, they have $250 million, $180 million of which has come from kuwait. it is not clear where all of this money is coming from, but he said the figure of $3 billion was an estimated amount that the rebels would need for the next six months to keep going. he insisted that basically the rebel movement is a peaceful protest. it is not an armed struggle. he tried to put an attractive spin on the thesis that they are trying to make plans, he said, it used the phrase, a road map for what would happen in libya once the gaddafi regime falls perr. >> what do they want from the

rebels? >> the coalition wants to see the possibility and the ability to organize the country. at the moment, they seem disorganized, although they gave a very logical road map as to what would happen when the regime falls. he said setting up an interim government and using some of the facilities from the old regime. germans chancellor angela merkel has played down differences with france on recognition of an independent palestinian state, saying that they share the goals of a quick lunch for the mideast peace process. the comments came after nicolas sarkozy said paris would consider such a move. after talks with mahmoud abbas, merkel said berlin was skeptical of any unilateral steps towards an independent state.

the top and hamas are now working towards the international -- photog and hamas are now working towards the international recognition in september. >> mahmoud abbas flew dict that is s boan made her onea o state.> posed.

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usen countries would not be abo t bog german economy because investors ha aes cheap loans foinvestmentn consumers are concerned about rising prices. >> negotiatio portugals bailout deal have wrapped up in lisbon. they have announced a total of aid. in return, portugal has to cut spending, reformts labor market, and opentr to more international >> in exchange for financial assistance, portugals creditors are demanding that list and cut deficit down to less than 3% of

gdp by 2013. >>th deficit is program to come down by more than 6% in just three years. those three years, the economy will face significant headwinds in the form of contraction indp >> the government has indicated it understands the need for austerity measures. >> this is a robust and ambitious plan and is the appropriate response for the h fedms the country is facin that not my portuguese are disappointed and fear that drastic budget cuts will affect them personally. >> i want to have a child, and i cannot because i do not have any moy to pay for the ca, health care. >> we are in to receive

international help. it should have happened a long time ago. >> portuguese voters areeto choose a new parliament on june 5. to whoever wins the election will have to fulfil --hoer wins the election will have to fulfil the obligations. >> it was a bumpy ride i frankfurt thursday, but the dax closed almost unchanged, 7376. euro stoxx 50 lt almost 1% on the day, 2926. the dow industrials dropped 1.1%, and the euro lost ground after the ecb announced an interest-rate hike is off the tae, tradingat $1.4529. fast-growing emerging economies are trying to become less dependent thweeng u.s. dollar. one way is to increase gold reserves.

mexico, which traditionally holds all of its rerv i t greenback, has also been getting into gold in a big way, purchasing almost went under metric tons over two months, ineangtsesve by about 16 times. the mexican peso is at its strongest level in the u.s. dollar sce00 mexico earns most of its currency revenue from oil revenues. the gapeten popular opinion between nuclear power and corporate policy is getting wider. one mpany has warned they may have to cut their profit forecast because of a drastic shift in the nuclear energy policy. two power plants have been closed after receipt to review because of the reactor accident in japan. >>he td shareholders that accelerated exit from nuclear power makes no sense nor is it feasible. even if nuclear er ivied as a transitional technology or

bridge to new technologies, a phase-out would require time. >> to make it perfectly clear, the point cannot be and the point is not to shorten or narrow the bridge of nle energy. the essence is not whether a short or long, wide or narrow, but it is capable of bridging something. >> they argue that nuclear energy is necessary until germany's national grid is expand to transport electricity from renewable energy sources. the expansion would require not just time but money. eon claims the government mandated three-month closure of two nuclear plants has arctic cost the company 215 million euros and may have to cut its 2011 profit forecast of the plants remained offline for good. >> a lot of companies facing angry shareholders.

officials in japan say that workers had entered the reactor building at the fukushima nuclear power plant that for the first time since the explosion from the earthquake and tsunami. radiation levels inside the complex are still extremely high. tepco said that it sent in workers with protective clothing to set up a ventilation system in a reactor number one. >> remote-controlled robots captured these pictures from inside reactor block one. the team of technicians is preparing to begin work there. they are the first people to enter the building since the earthquake and tsunami struck nearly two months ago. the radioactivity is still dangerous, but it is dropping. that is why tepco decided to send a team. >> the engineers will spend 15 minutes in the building. they will be exposed to three

milseverts of radiation there. >> there are working in groups of four. their job is to install a new ventilation system and they expect that will take three, four days. the system will filter radioactive material from the air. they hope this will reduce radioactivity in the building, allowing work on a new cooling system to begin. the old cooling system was knocked out by the march earthquake and tsunami. >> our ultimate goal is to cool down the reactor, which means that the temperature of the fuel rods should blow below -- should fall below 100 degrees celsius. amoco to restore cooling to the six reactors and six months. in nine months, they're hoping to have the situation at the plant under control. palestinian president mahmoud abbas and chancellor angela merkel have wrapped up

their talks in berlin. we will be looking at what they had to say coming out, as well as the new palestinian efforts to gain independence. stay with us for that.

thank you for staying with us. after talks in berlin, chancellor merkel and palestinian president mahmoud abbas stressed the need for swiftly resuming negotiations over the middle east peace process. at the same time, the chancellor warned against any unilateral recognition of an independent palestinian state, which france says it may take if negotiations fail. for their part, the palestinians have ended four years of division between hamas and fatah and say their unity government could declared independence in september. >> for abbas, the reconciliation

with hamas is just a first that predicts a could lead to the united nations recognizing an independent palestinian state. but a palestine with hamas and the government would be unacceptable to israel. hamas does not recognize israel's right to exist. >> for us, this is a red line that cannot be crossed. we want an interim-palestinian dialogue, but whoever questioned israel's right to exist with the violence is no partner, and our view. >> for their part, the palestinians are angry that israel continues to build the jewish settlements in occupied palestinian territories despite document -- despite international criticism. israel's concerned about attacks by palestinian militants. german opposition politician

thinks that berlin should keep an open mind dealing with a united palestinian leaderships. >> if a unity government consisting of hamas and fatah is ready to renounce violence and negotiate a cease-fire, there is a chance to negotiate about how to state coalition to be achieved. if hamas would accept that, it would indirectly except israel. >> but german chancellor angela merkel made it clear in her last meeting with israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu in april that berlin would only take knowledge a palestinian state if it intern recognized israel. -- if it, in turn, recognized israel. >> they are in favor of a two- stage solution, and that is why any one-sided recognition does not contribute to this goal, which i consider to be indispensable. >> but the recent uprisings and

the arab world have changed the region and could give fresh battista the mideast peace process. it remains to be seen in which direction. bridget it could give fresh impetus to the mideast " peace process. >> it has put pressure on the palestinians to settle their differences. some analysts say both hamas and fatah understand that time is working against them and they risk losing the support of the palestinian people. those in gaza and the west bank are of the mist that -- those in gaza and the west bank are optimistic they will gain independence. >> the west bank city of ramallah is one big construction site. international aid has sparked a building boom and a new government district is to be built by september. but the workers here have only one thing on their minds, the reconciliation deal between hamas and fatah.

after four years of intense political rivalry, many are still skeptical. >> reconciliation as a beautiful word, but it does not necessarily mean everyone will be honest with each other. >> reconciliation is the basis for everything. people need to understand each other so we could build a state. >> but the palestinian authority remains cautiously optimistic. the agreement paves the way for national elections next year, but first the sides need to iron out several thorny issues. >> this split has been going on for four years, and reconciliation is going to be an extra process. our problems will not be solved totally by signing the reconciliation, but the signing of it is the beginning of a new era, hopefully.

>> in the gaza strip, the deal is the main topic of conversation. stagnation dominates gaza, according to these people. the students recently organized a large demonstration to urged unity. the march was violently broken up by security forces. he says it is now up to the people to take action and affect change. >> i think the people have to seize the initiative themselves and bury their differences. as palestinians, which should reach out to each other and visit each other. that is why we have been going on the streets, to show how important unity is for us. >> the leaders of hamas said they are aware of the dissatisfaction among young people and take it seriously, as seen here in a meeting with hamas representatives.

>> at least now we can sit and talk to each other and put some positions on the table and everything will be taken by reconciliation. >> but the path to reconciliation will not be easy. the words by leaders now have to be backed by real action before that cf establishing a palestinian state. >> we are happy to be joined by the palestinian general delegate to germany. welcome. the chancellor says a unilateral declaration of independence is not the best way forward. are you disappointed? >> no, not at all, because we are not intending to have a lateral declaration of a palestinian state. we're going to the u.n. to have the recognition of the palestinian state based on the borders of 1967. in over 100 countries in the

world, it will recognize the palestinian state. this is not unilateral, this is international. >> you are prepared to make your declaration of independence in september, as planned? >> we are not going to declare independence. we're going to ask for the recognition of a palestinian state. let me clarify something else, we say there is enough time until september to reach agreement with israel through negotiations. if we fail to reach an agreement through negotiations, what other alternative do we have? the alternative is to go to the un. this is what we're planning to do. >> not can germany played a role in helping you arrive -- >> can germany played a role in helping you arrive in the reconciliation? >> absolutely, germany is a big ally of israel, secured about --

concerned about the security of israel. that is why we think of limiting the to-state solution is in the interest of the whole region. that is why we eat think germany to play a constructive role in this process. -- that is why we think that germany to play a constructive role in this process. germany is a very important member of the european union. germany is a very important member of the international community. germany has very close ties to israel. and germany has declared its support for the two-state solution. germany has been very active supporting the palestinians in the process of state building, and that is why we think germany is well-positioned to play that role. >> germany has a lot of concerns about hamas. >> the reconciliation with hamas is about building a government were no members of hamas are going to be represented in this government.

this government will not have a political mandate. president abbas will lead the political process based on negotiations and peace with israel. >> thank you so very much for joining us. >> thank you. >> thank you for being with us.