>> welcome to the the "journal" coming to you live from berlin. mali to receive billions in aid after the french-led drive against islamist fighters brings a return. >> the closely watched trial of an alleged neo-nazi charged with being complicity in a string of murders. >> and deployment of the military in the troubled no. -- will it sparked a broader conflict? mali is set to receive billions

in aid to help it recover from the month-long struggle against al qaeda militants. >> france has been leading the drive to help its former colony at an international donors conference in brussels. >> clean water is a valuable resource in mali. with the country fighting is, in the north, it needs much more help. the conflict has displaced nearly 500,000 people. to facilitate reconstruction and the peace process, international donors have pledged some 3.2 billion euros. much more than the 2 billion the country had been seeking. >> this conference was a complete success. it went far beyond anything we could have hoped for. >> germany has pledged 100 billion euros.

it is also contributing to an eu package with 500,000 euros. france sent troops to aid the military, but france says winning the peace is also important. >> we have dual aims -- to give mali back its territorial integrity, and we also want to secure mali's development to democracy. >> international donors found a common goal -- to provide more than just the basics to people in mali. they also want to make sure the country is stable enough to hold elections for late july. >> now what is mali expected to do in return for the financial aid? our correspondent in brussels has more. >> interestingly, in his opening speech, the development aid commissioner said what he was expecting from mali was simply

to engage. he said he wanted those in charge at the moment to be committed to help with the effort. in other words, they do not want to pour money into a black hole. if they commit to infrastructure services or investments, which the commission says will create 20,000 jobs, they want those on the ground in charge to make sure that the money goes to the right place, above and beyond obviously the checks that the commission and other aid donors would do in any case. that is all they have got to do, keep the faith and make sure they are justified on major infrastructure works which benefit everybody. >> later in the program, we will be taking a closer look at the hardship that many people in mali are facing. >> to iraq now, where a series of car bombs have hit the capital baghdad. medical services said at least six people have been killed. >> the blast took place in mainly shi'ite neighborhoods of

the city. violence remains the major currents in process for iraq with over 200,000 people losing their lives in it -- with over 200 people losing their lives in the first four months of this year. the united nations has condemned the escalation of violence in syria. the latest united nations resolution demands access to syria and it backs the role of the opposition coalition. 107 nations voted in favor of the measure. meanwhile, violence continues to rock the war-torn country. syrian tv reports two rebel car bombings in damascus. the bombings killed one and wounded two others. >> in germany, the trial of a group of suspected neo-nazis entered its third day. lawyers for the main defendant called for proceedings to be disbanded because of what they said was media bias. she faces murder charges in a series of racially motivated murders that took place over a decade. >> she has remained silent, leaving many struggling to make

sense of her motives. >> the families of the victims of the neo-nazi terror cell had another frustrating day in court. procedural issues continue to dominate the proceedings. at one point, there was talk of hearing some of the charges in a separate court. the neo-nazi gang is believed to be responsible for a bombing in emily turkish neighborhood of cologne in 2004. because the number of plaintiffs is large, a bigger court room may be necessary, but after lengthy consultations, it was agreed to try the bombing allegations along with the murder charges. >> we see a danger in separating the cologne bombing from the main charges. the main case would first have to be decided. if she is put in jail for life, it is possible the bombing case would then be called off. >> she remained silent throughout the proceedings. again. but one of the coke-defendants

charged with securing i.d. documents is apparently preparing to talk to the court. >> we assume our client will make a statement about the , we will have to see when the time comes. >> the mood in the court room remains tense. the biggest neo-nazi thailand germany is still struggling to get under way. >> our correspondent has been following this trial for us. he has sent us the summary of the last three days. >> after three days of this trial, you can say this trial is what everybody expected. it is very spectacular. it is full of emotions, and we have seen the main defendant, who is very self confident, very relaxed -- she checks the lot with her lawyers, and she is joking a lot with her lawyers. we havewas falling asleep.

we were listening to the indictment, which was very emotional because it showed how monstrous the crimes were, and we were listening to a lot of very aggressive battle of words between the lawyers and the judge. we are expecting now the testimony of one of the defendants, who will tell us more about the role the defendant played in this cell and who will tell us probably more about her responsibility for the crimes. >> we have some business news coming up. >> but first, a look at other stories making the headlines. tens of thousands of palestinians have taken to the streets in the west bank and gaza for catastrophe day, which commemorates the massive displacement of palestinians during the 1948 war that followed the founding of israel. >> u.s. president barack obama

has criticized the country's tax authorities for targeting groups like the tea party movement calling the action is inexcusable. the internal revenue service has admitted to taking inappropriate conduct when screening organizations for the political views. the justice department has launched a criminal probe into the matter. >> mexico is seeing a big volcanic eruptions. one book that has been in knitting and ash cloud 3 kilometers high affecting nearby towns. authorities say nobody has been told to evacuate just yet, but access to the area is restricted, and emergency shelters are beingng prepared. >> the misery is continuing -- that is how one economist responded to the latest figures out on the eurozone. statistics out today show that the common currency area has entered its longest recession. >> the economies of almost all core countries, including france, have shrunk.

only germany has returned to just slight growth, but even that was less than expected. >> winter -- winter held germany in its grip longer than usual this year, and the economy suffered. ice, snow, and unseasonably frigid temperatures held up construction work all over the country earlier this year. as a result, the doorman building industry put a big dent into economic figures in the first quarter. many companies also held back with investments amid the lingering your crisis, and exports retreated. there was a lot of downward pressure on the economy. gdp manage only 0.1% growth after contracting 0.7% at the end of 2012. elsewhere, the figures were worse. with its second quarterly fall in a row, france is now officially in recession. the country's politicians are eager to get the country back on track. >> we have to do something to become more competitive.

across europe, we need to generate growth and create new jobs. that is what we are looking to do. >> europe is in desperate need of both. eurozone economy contracted again in the first quarter of this year, for the sixth time in a row. crisis-hit italy, which shrank 5.5%, is struggling with its longest recession in decades. >> problems in the german steel sector as well. one troubled steelmaker has announced it is cutting more jobs as its difficulties keep pounding. germany's no. 1 steel producer plans to eliminate a full 3000 administrative positions, half of them in germany. the company posted an 822 million-year-old loss. that is mainly down to difficulties in the u.s. and in brazil. so far, there's no word on a possible buyer.

>> so how did the markets react to all of that news? our correspondent sent us this update from the frankfurt stock >> due t losses and the severe problems, management seems to have no other chance than massive cost-cutting. normally, cost-cutting is appreciated at the stock markets and leads to rising share prices. not today. investors fear that the company may have to issue more shares to get fresh money from investors, and a measure like this is seen as a not very good idea. the dax closed up on a new record high. >> the european commission has carried out a surprise inspection of the offices of some of the world's biggest oil companies. those oil giants are suspected

of price fixing and basically driving up the price of oil. the commission says that the actions are illegal and could be having an effect on the price of crude and that consumers are ultimately paying the price. >> these drilling platforms are run by international oil giants. those companies are under investigation. all three have confirmed that their offices were searched by european investigators. the commission suspects the companies colluded in passing of skew the figures to a reporting agency, which sets the price benchmarks for oil. the european commission in brussels says the companies may have broken anti-trust rules. >> even small distortions may have a huge impact on the price

of crude oil. we find oil products and by a few purchases and sales potentially harming final consumers. >> shell and bp are among the companies that dominate the oil market, and their reach extends straight to the pump. if the commission finds the companies did engage in price- fixing, they could face steep penalties. >> time for soccer news. the bundesliga club says it has parted company with its longtime coach. >> he says he was leaving effective immediately with 14 seasons. >> on saturday, he was still congratulating his players and receiving praise. talks were held tuesday evening. on wednesday, they train without him.

then the official announcement. >> in these talks, we came to the realization -- and that means all of us -- that it is in the best interest. >> it was the third season in a row that he missed international competition. he could not live up to his own legacy. in 2004, he led the club to a championship and won three german championship club titles. he was a fixture in european tournament play, but the glory days were over, and the club face relegation. >> if anyone can do a better job, he should do so. that is not the problem. >> -- that is half the problem. >> to was the beginning of the end. as a player and coach, he was in the family for four decades. for the club, it is a completely new beginning. >> we are taking a short break. when we come back, we will be

going live to nigeria for the latest on that country's state of emergency. >> stay with us.

>> thanks much for staying with us. >> welcome back. we return to our top story -- the efforts to raise money for mali at a conference in brussels today. >> french troops helped overcome an islamist insurgency there, but the country's problems are far from solved. >> the next problem is focusing on hardships facing many people after more than a year of bloodshed, and the political challenges as well. >> mali's capital is a safe haven for refugees from the north. >> me and my father -- he studied to mae something and

then to sell to the people and then to buy food to eat. after the problems finished, we will be going there. >> they may be waiting a long time. for now, the north is relatively calm, but it is not a permanent solution. the government is planning to start a reconciliation process. observers say it is an important step. >> the government has established a reconciliation commission, made up -- made up of a broad cross-section of the country's ethnic and political groups, but we should not kid ourselves -- i to take a lot of time and effort to get a dialogue going and achieve lasting reconciliation. >> it will also take further military help. from july, united nations troops will replace the french. the european union has been back in the country's ramshackle

army. 13 states have sent instructors. germans are teaching moly and soldiers how to clear mines. mali's army also desperately needs equipment. that is a scenario where international donors can help. >> it foresees our suffering, the lack of equipment. it is clearly identified. if the armed forces could have the benefit of some heavy donations, it could be a good point for the future. is hoped a presidential election in july and parliamentary elections at the end of the year will help create political stability. mali is moving forward, but many local observers say the country will need outside help for a long time to come. >> the international community first needs to help us get out of this jam.

then there are bigger problems. education, health care -- this is a breeding ground for extremists, and we want to avoid that. >> islam could be part of the solution. in mali, it is relatively tolerant. it is rare to see veiled women on the streets, for instance, so there is little support for islamist extremism. there are real hopes that mali has the right elements in place to achieve peace and it has the will to get there. >> in nigeria, they have declared a state of emergency in three northeastern states to try to stem an islamist insurgency there. >> the president of the country says that nigeria is facing an insurgency that poses a threat to national unity. he has ordered extra troops following attacks by militants.

for more on the political background to the story, let's go live to abuja. first off, welcome. does this bear the hallmarks of a potential civil war, and is this mainly religious or ethnic? >> it is an insurgency that has been going on for 10 years already. whether or not it is a civil war, it is extremely violent and highly militarized region. if it is an ethnic or religion, it is a conflict that uses religion, but not a religious conflict. because many people are so disappointed by the politics, with the nigerian state has not delivered to them despite all the promises, some view religion as their ideology, their

rallying point. >> this insurgency, this challenge to the state -- what does it mean for stability in nigeria? >> well, it challenges the legitimacy of the state. i think the president is quite aware of that, that he is losing authority. this the first time he has acknowledged parts are under the control of the islamists. we have not heard these kinds of words from the president before. i believe that is the main reason why he declared the state of emergency, to show that he is still in charge, that he is the one leading the troops, the commander-in-chief, and that he wants to restore its authority. it is more of a signal of authority as well.

he has not taken the governors out of the political equation. they are still in force and safe. he could have done that with the state of emergency, but he has not done that. >> we have to leave it there. thanks so much. >> thank you. >> we are heading out to one of the coldest places on earth, the arctic. this region holds massive deposits of undiscovered oil and gas reserves as well as precious metals. >> was making it suddenly accessible is the melting of masses of ice, alarming for environmentalists, but very attractive for the big energy- hungry nations of the world. >> that is where the arctic council comes into play. a high-level former officials -- form of official. >> at the meeting of arctic states, there was heated discussion about allowing non- arctic observer states to the council, but the council put the

relevance is increasing. the u.s. secretary of state expressed the importance of the region. >> arctic is a precious treasure for all of the world. >> that treasure could come in the form of minerals. the region is believed to contain vast reserves of energy or gold and diamonds, including up to 30% of the world's unexploited gas deposits. and climate change means the ice is melting. some scientists say that within a few decades, the region will be free of ice in summer. that would make the minerals under the sea more accessible. the race for arctic resources has already begun. in 2007, russia planted its flag on the sea floor below the north pole. one state to be granted observer status at the council is energy- hungry china. the move furthers beijing's ambitions to share in the

potential mineral boom. >> no arctic mining! >> but environmentalists oppose the exploitation of the region for its minerals. they say the ecosystem will be threatened and with it, the habitat of wales -- whales and polar bears. >> the race to replace the international olympic committee chairman is heating up. >> a candidate from taiwan is positioning himself also. he has been an ioc member for nearly 25 years. >> time now to roll out the red carpet because the 66 annual cannes film festival is just getting under way. >> stars were forced to bring their umbrellas this time, but a little rain did not dampenour o.

ots shown and prizes to be handed out, and, of course, we have an inside look at it all. >> a big day for the big screen. this year, festival goers can look forward to plenty of drama. hollywood heavyweights are out in force for the festival. this year, the jury president is none other than steven spielberg. >> i feel very excited to be here and very proud. >> die-hard fans have been camped out in front of the festival for days in hopes of seeing their favorite actors. >> to see the stars, you have to come as early as possible, and we came here on sunday instead of going to church, says this woman. as the festival gets under way, all eyes are on one film -- "the great gatsby" starring leonardo

dicaprio is opening this year's festival. the film is set in the roaring '20s during the jazz age. >> i would like to know who he is, what he does. >> its director's lavish take on the classic novel by a scott fitzgerald. "the great gatsby" is not in the running for the big prize, but 20 other films are competing. >> this year's lineup features a champions league list of directors -- steven soderbergh, sophia coppola, the cohen brothers, and of course, as women, who opens this year with a 3-d blockbuster period piece -- of course, baz luhrmann. it appears after three weak years, the festival is determined to set down a marker to prove that it still the greatest film festival in the world.

>> the oil painting "cathedral squirm along" was purchased by a private american collector for nearly 29 million euros. -- "cathedral square milan." we will be having more on the trial of the surviving members of a suspected neo-nazi group at the top of the hour. stay with us for that. >> be sure to keep it here. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--

welcome to "newsline." . it's thursday, may 16th. i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. members in tokyo have approved a political resolution that calls for a resolution in syria. despite some holdouts they have condemned the regime of assad said in he's carrying out attacks on indiscriminately on civilians. >> it is adopted. >> qatar's representative drafted the resolution. 107 countries approved it.