>> hello. you are watching the "journal" live from berlin. netherlands faced off against each other in the group of death at euro 2012. >> the other game in that group, portugal grab a late winter score a 3-2 victory over denmark. tries to rally opposition around her plan to solve the other euro crisis. >> we begin with euro 2012, under way right now, germany versus the netherlands.

it is the second match in the group staged for both teams, but there is already lots at stake. we have extensive coverage and will be going live to our correspondent in just a few minutes. >> first, the other group b game between portugal and denmark, and at his living up to its name, the group of death. portugal took a two-goal lead and looks to be cruising to victory. >> but denver -- denmark fought back. >> portugal's coach wanted more energy from his players, and that is what he got. in the 24th minute, the team was ahead 1-0. portugal kept up the pressure and in the 36th minute, they were up by two. this is what the coach wanted to see. but then portugals defense got sloppy, and it was 2-1 at the

half. in the second half, a golden opportunity to seal the game, but he shoots wide. moments later, the second goal for denmark to even things with 10 minutes left. now, the pressure on for portugal, and in the eighth seven minutes, the winning goal. the final score -- 3-24 portugal. >> back to the game of the hour. let's go to our correspondent at the fan mile in berlin watching germany against the netherlands like i guess about 1 million people behind you. 20 minutes into the game, how are things looking? >> it has been fairly cagey and well balanced, so far, despite the fact that both have had

shots saved by the opposition keepers. germany, though, are not quite playing with that vigor and high tempo in the final third, so that is still a cause for concern. as the game wears on, i will expect germany to adopt a more counterattacking role. holland really have to go after the points tonight, and that might sue germany if they are not what adapted to the style, they can sit back a little bit and play more on the brake like they did at the world cup. the teams are still feeling themselves out for a moment, and they still have a lot to play for in this match. >> it is still early in the tournament, but there's a lot at stake already, right? >> absolutely. although the crowd behind me love seeing the goals lie in the in the match between denmark and portugal, that late wonderful portugal really has narrowed this group down, and we could

have a situation now where if germany lose tonight, which is something of a bad habit they have gotten into, all four teams in the group could be off three points, which would take this down to the wire. that is not a situation anyone is really looking forward to, apart from the fans, of course. things like bold difference can be very important when it gets to that sort of state. after a couple players were so criticized for their lackluster performances in the first couple of games, they will be looking to perform much better tonight because things are so decisive. >> it makes for a great game to watch. you have talked to people there who are behind you. what is the mood like there? >> fairly optimistic. it is very positive, a jubilant mood, and it is nice that although it looks like a sea of black, red, and gold out there, there are a few dutch fans with

a few dutch flags being waved around. it is a reminder that tonight, we are seeing a really great sport rivalry being played out. everyone here is enjoying it and looking forward to a great game. >> quickly, what is your tips for the final assault? who is going to win? >> i feel germany can do it. i think they will beat holland 2-1 tonight. >> you heard it here. thank you very much. and if you are on twitter, do not forget, you can follow our live tweets of the germany match. german chancellor angela merkel has other things on her mind right now she tries to resolve the eurozone debt crisis. >> the chancellor is pushing for a fiscal compaq for countries in the single currency, but the terms of the treaty also need to be passed by the german parliament, and for that to happen, she will need the backing of the opposition.

>> opposition parties know that puts them in a strong position, and they are making demands of their own. we have this report on the deal making that went down in berlin today. >> leaders of germany's main parties gathered at the chancellery with much left to resolve and the european fiscal compaq. the opposition social democrats and greens were concerned that the government would stall on its promises to push for a financial transaction tax. two hours of discussions brought some relief on that score with opposition leaders saying angela merkel had agreed to renew calls for a financial transaction tax next week in brussels. >> the government members made it clear that they will stand by the agreement. it is definite that the financial market tax will be ushered in. the initial steps are to be taken this month on june 22. >> despite the details that still need ironing out, main

parties agree in principle but the austerity measures will have to be complemented by investment programs to stimulate economic growth in europe, but the opposition and government are still wrangling over the conditions. them a stable growth requires structural reforms. that means it is not enough to just throw money around. we have to create structures that will assure competitiveness in a sustainable way. >> party leaders are due to meet again next week to try to resolve their remaining differences over the fiscal compact. >> there are growing indications that the german parliament will approve the european fiscal pact before the summer recess in july. much of the world is looking to berlin for leadership on this issue. german parliamentarians know too much hesitation could send the wrong signal. >> we will look at this week's rise in bond yields in italy and spain.

it reveals how serious the situation is, especially for the debt-ridden countries in southern europe. they're struggling to get their finances under control, >> and they are caught in a vicious cycle. delts about their ability of a feather that means they have to pay even higher interest rates to take on new debt. >> the higher the yield, the more the government has to pay in interest on the money it is borrowing. >> in the past week, spain's cost of borrowing has climbed to its highest level since the euro was introduced. >> italy is getting bad press, even at home. some observers think the eurozone's third largest economy could be the next country to apply for a bailout. italian prime minister mario monti denies that, but he is calling on europe to do more to boost growth. >> if measures are instigated to promote growth, the financial markets will see that italy is

financially sustainable. it will pay less interest. taxes will go down, and businesses will have an easier time and will not be penalized for investing. >> but despite italy's reform efforts, investors are growing increasingly nervous. the country managed to borrow 6.5 billion euros on wednesday, but it had to pay sharply increased interest rates. the european commission repeated calls for greater economic integration. residents said governments needed to take more action and called for integrated banking supervision. >> we advocate further integration. it is now evident that this is indispensable for the sustainability of our common currency. >> he said some states did not understand the degree of urgency. >> all of germany's did scream in ecstasy, so let's bring you up on the news -- it is now 1-0

against the netherlands. we will keep you updated as we continue the show. german shares managed to finish with slight gains. our correspondent sent us this summary from the frankfurt stock exchange. >> more and more investors fear that the debt crisis may also reach germany sooner or later because somebody has to pay in the end, as investors were saying. today, germany issued new bonds, and indeed from a record low, yields went up slightly, which shows that some investors see rising yields there. the debt crisis in general dragged down the market also this wednesday. the worries about spain and italy have been the biggest issue on the frankfurt floor, but investors are worrying also about the greek elections and the outcomes. nobody knows what happens next

monday. >> we stay in frankfurt for a closer look at wednesday's numbers. the dax finished the mid-week session just down by a tad. euro stocks 50 pretty much finishing flat. across the atlantic, they doubt this hour down by nearly 16%. and the euro gaining a little ground against the dollar, trading at a value of $1.2585. >> now to the civil war in syria. ever since theegan more than a year ago, the world has debated -- should we stop the sale of weapons to the country? am i a diplomatic tussle that feels very much like the cold war, washington is now accusing moscow of providing helicopters to the syrian military, helicopters ideal for fighting a civil war. >> russia has denied that and says the weapons it is providing are legal under international law. we have more. >> these images reportedly show

homs on wednesday afternoon. rockets continually pound this rubble-held district, and opposition leaders say president assad's troops are increasingly using rocket launchers. >> we are concerned about the latest information we have that there are attack helicopters on the way from russia to syria, which will escalate the conflict quite dramatically. >> of russia refutes this, and there is no independent confirmation that helicopters had been transferred to syria. >> on the other hand, russia has contracts with syria that span a whole range of weaponry, and the russian government has made it clear that even though

there is a civil war, russia will not stop its arms deliveries to syria because those are not prohibited under international law. >> civilians -- for civilians under attack in syria, that is a frightening message pirie these images for four to show government troops in damascus. it is a similar situation in many other cities, and the civilian death toll grows daily. >> more than 60 people have been killed in a wave of coordinated car bomb attacks across iraq. 20 separate devices went off with at least two of them hitting offices of political parties went to the country's kurdish minority in the north, but most of the blast struck s-- blasts struck shia targets. >> ok, well, so far we have been pretty much focused on the euro, whether it has been the

currency or soccer tournament, but after the break, we turn our attention to one of the world's most war-torn countries. >> we will take an "in depth" look at afghanistan. how much has karzai achieved in this 10 years? the taliban is still a force to be reckoned with, and afghanistan now produces 90% of the world's heroin. we will have a look at what hope there is for one of the world's most war-torn countries. >> all that and much more soccer news in just a minute's time. >> before we let you go, let's update you on this score in the match. germany against the netherlands. 1-04 germany at the 30th minute now. stay with us. -- 1-0 for germany at the 30th minute. stay with us.

>> unimpeded access to education and knowledge in the same opportunities for everyone. a central goal of the global community, but what is the reality on 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/education for all. >> welcome back. in afghanistan, international troops are planning to withdraw from the country by 2014. nato, however, says it will not abandon afghanistan. >> the water international community has pledged its continued support in the way of hundreds of billions of dollars of aid, and yet, insurgent attacks occur on a daily basis, demonstrating that taliban militants remain a viable threat. >> it has been 10 years since time because i became president of afghanistan, and many are asking if he can maintain peace after coalition forces are gone -- it has been 10 years since hamid karzai. >> hamid karzai is instantly recognizable. he intentionally with the garb

of different afghan ethnic groups as a show of solidarity, but afghanistan is still a divided land, in spite of nato's presence there. when karzai took the presidency in 2002, he was seen as a figure of hope, and he spoke of peace, democracy, and growth. >> we will have a country that should have institutions, institutions that are trusted by people, and at the same time, we must go to fight terrorism until the absolute end and finished. >> the west supported karzai, an aristocratic tribal leader from southern afghanistan. he studied government in india and had lived in the u.s. at a united nations conference in 2001 after the fall of the taliban, karzai became the head of the new transitional government. in the eyes of the taliban, that made him a western stooge and a trader -- tracer -- traitor.

schools were reopened and women gain new rights, but afghanistan's poverty continued, with western development money frequently diverted from its intended recipients. the country's opium production grew rapidly. in 2009, before the country voted in presidential elections, karzai criticized the nato mission. observers said the mission itself was deeply flawed and that karzai had engaged in a vote manipulation. his relationship with the u.s. reached a new low. his term ends in 2014, and it seems unlikely he will have achieved many of his goals by then. >> before karzai with the taliban were in power, they were notorious for their treatment of women. afghan women had to be fully failed at all times in public, and they were denied any formal education. >> as we heard in our last

report, the taliban in afghanistan are a resilient and deadly force. their strongholds in the south of the country, but their influence is also growing in the eastern and northern parts where they have managed to reverse karzai's education policies and close down girls' schools. >> household chores instead of school. she's 10 years old and in the third grade, but she cannot go to school. that might please many kids of her age elsewhere in the world, but she is not happy. she is frustrated that her school has been closed for months. >> i dream of going back to school. i really hope i can start learning again. >> she has six siblings, including two sisters, who are also unable to attend classes. her father explains why.

>> the influence and power of the taliban keeps growing. all over the country they attacked girls schools, the teachers and the children. our security forces cannot do anything to stop them. i am very sorry that my daughters cannot go to school. >> we are in eastern afghanistan right on the border to pakistan. around the beginning of this year, the taliban went around to almost all the girls schools in the region, including the one that she and her sisters attend. since those visits, the schools have been close. her teacher is also frustrated. >> the taliban believe that islam forbids girls from going to school. however, the call ron says education is duty for men and

four women -- the koran says education is duty for men and women. >> the water was even poison at one school. the taliban have denied involvement, but no one here believes that. 160 school girls had to be hospitalized. several are fighting for their lives. >> i went into the classroom, and suddenly, i had to vomit. then i lost consciousness. i cannot remember what happened then. >> the taliban's campaign against girls schools seems aimed at demonstrating their power and underlining that any form of resistance is useless. her father worries, but at the same time, he is determined. >> the security situation keeps getting worse. that has to change.

the government is responsible for our safety. it has to make sure girls can go to school in peace. that is something we must all 54. >> but for the time being, it seems unlikely that girls' schools will reopen soon. -- that is something we must all fight for. >> >> stay home and hope things change for the future, but it looks like afghanistan's girls and women may have to wait a long time. >> returning to a bit of controversial news from europe 2012. last actions saw a spirited: take on russia, but the game was over shattered -- overshadowed by violent clashes between fans. more than 6000 police were deployed with tensions between the two countries' fans running high in the lead up to the match. poland's interior ministry promised quick trials and

deportation for the russian hooligans and stiff punishments for polls involved in the violence. the match itself ended in a drop. good news for poland, which keeps its books alive with that result. poland responded well and scored an equalizer in the second half. in the other match last night, the czech republic beat greece two goals to one, so the final match is on saturday -- final matches on saturday will decide who goes against russia. looking ahead to thursday, ireland will have to be a highly favored spanish squad or be eliminated from the tournament. >> our correspondent caught up with irish fans in poland and players to check the mood ahead of the big match. >> with fans like this behind them, maybe the irish, including the striker, will be able to rise to the occasion and get at least a point against mighty

spain. fans at least are definitely up for it. >> these guys are all heroes. in ireland we do not qualify every time for these ornaments, so these guys are all heroes just to get us here. every generation needs something to believe in, something to cheer for. >> ireland's coach is trying to get as much out of his players as possible. ireland already lost their opening match against croatia and are in a do-or-die situation against the world cup and defending european champions. they know they will have to pull off an almost superhuman effort against the spanish. >> be set to get yourself ready physically and rest up and try not to use too many brain cells. i look forward to it. >> the last time ireland was in the european championship was back in 1988, but if spain lose, they are in the same vote as the irish. >> there is a lot riding on this game. it is just as important for them

as it is for us. we know we have tried to take something from the game. >> win or lose, fans like patrick are there to show their undivided support for the team they love. >> let's go quickly back to our man at the fans unknown in berlin. since we last talked with you, a lot has happened. >> yes, it has. i was going to tell you that germany had taken a lead and sat back on it, but mario gomez -- the much-maligned mario gomez, by the way -- has scored the second of the night and set this game up for what looks like a fantastic german victory. fans behind me are celebrating. they can smell that the three points are coming closer. it looks like it will all work up to plan. holland, meanwhile, have not been able to get into the game at all. they are looking very dysfunctional. >> what will he do now? tell his critics to eat some humble pie after what we have seen tonight? >> i think absolutely. this is a player who, before the

game against portugal, had never scored in a tournament for germany at all. he has now got three in two games. he cannot ask more of a player than that. he is a confident player and needed to be on the start tonight to give himself a chance to build on the first goal against portugal, and he is -- he has done that in a fabulous style tonight. >> if it stays like this, one of the big favorites, holland, could be going home early. >> yes. they will have a tiny chance, depending on how the results panel, but they are the world cup semifinalist. one of the three favorites for this tournament along with germany and spain, and it has just not gone to plan for the metal. the leading scorer in the premier league has not been able to find the back of the net. there's all this talk about egos in the dressing room causing problems yet again for a dutch team. there really will be a bit of an inquest back home if this falls

apart tonight. >> quickly, you said earlier, two-one for germany. are you sticking by that? >> yes, unless it goes to maybe three-one or four-one. bluenose? mood for it tonight. >> exactly. -- who knows? them to be clear, the score their 2-04 germany. everything on course for a german victory, and we will have much more coverage of all the soccer action on our website as well as coming up in our news bulletin. stay with us. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--