captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> welcome to "the journal." pressure on hosni mubarak mounts, with protesters calling on people across the nation to join the uprising. >> the new york and frankfurt stock exchanges are holding merger discussions. >> italian prosecutors want an immediate trial for the prime minister on charges of paying for sex with a minor and abuse of office. in egypt, the popular uprising against the regime of president

mubarak has spread to include workers staging wildcat strikes, protesters blocking railway lines and roads, notably the eewalinkingorthnd sth egypt. in the south, security forces fired live ammunition into a crowd of demonstrators. medical authorities say at least three people were killed and 100 injured. that violence occurred in the town of el kharga, an oasis south of cairo. there were clashes with police in other locations in the south reported over the last five days. in the capital, protesters continue to defy official warnings that their campaign could plunge egypt into chaos. thousands of pele marched on paiament today, calling for the assembly's dissolution. last night saw the biggest rallies to date. >> the atmosphere on tahrir square is peaceful during prayers.

otherwise, it is a hotbed for demonstrators' discontent. the vice president has warned of a military coup should an orderly transition fail. they say they want real dialogue. >> some people can understand now. this is a monologue. we reject the monologue. we are talking about a dialogue. >> vice-president omar suleiman's warning has been disregarded by the protesters. they are going to continue demonstrations. at the palace, mubarak met with a russian envoy. the kremlin said it will not interfere with egyptian internal affairs, but is concerned with the unrest. back on the streets, protests stepped up a gear, with demonstratorblocking the entranceto parliament and increasing pressure on mubarak. >> earlier, we spoke with our correspondent in cairo, karim el

gawhary, and asked what he knew about the violence in el khaa. >> el kharga is an oasis several kilometers away from cairo. this remote has -- this protest has spread to the most remote area in egypt. it is the same thing as cairo, but with delayed effect. there was a police station famous for torturing people. people went out to demonstrate in the last what happened is that the police gathered in order to terrorize the population of the village, the same thing they did in cairo. the population stormed the police station and the security headquarters there. while this was happening, they were shooting from the security headquarters. right now, they talk about at least 140 injured. that is with shooting wounds. probably at least five people are dead. >> how is the protest in cairo

developing? what about calls for the uprising to spread to other parts of egypt? >> the uprising is spreading. it is interesting. the event in tahrir square -- today, at least in seven different locations, workers began a strike. it is a mixture of asking for higher salaries, but also asking for the end of the era of mubarak. >> thank you so much. the syrian government has lifted its restrictions on accessing the social networking websites facebook and youtube. now that are freely available. other controversial web sites with information authorities deem subversive remain blocked. last week, the suit -- the syrian president underscored his country's stability, which he said will be bolstered by a planned political reforms.

syrian media has tight government guidelines. those expressing unwanted opinions often get prison sentences. calls for anti-government realize -- rallies have failed to draw large crowds. a major merger is giving a lift to shares today. >> shares in new york stock exchange soared more than 13% wednesday after the exchange operator announced it was in with the frankfurt stock exchange. trading at both companies is suspended briefly. it would create the world's largest exchange operator. >> the new york exchange said that talks are at an advanced stage, but that no final agreement has been reached. experts believe an announcement will come soon. shares in both companies are up sharply on wednesday, before being suspended. the new york stock exchange is the world's largest, but its

market value is far less than its german counterpart. that is valued at 111 billion year rose. e ny head would become the boss of the new company. german shareholders would hold a 59% share of the new entity. >> early on wednesday, the toronto and london exchanges announced they would merge, billed as a merger of equals. both are going to keep their existing brand names, but lse investors will hold 55% of the new group. both exchanges are heavily weighted with mining stocks. the union will create the world's biggest exchange for mining and energy stocks. the merger is happening on the stock market in london and toronto, as well as the possible merger between new york and frankfurt -- we have a report from our correspondent in

frankfurt. >> it has been a spectacular day on the frankfurt floor, although investors could not react to every news they heard. first of all, london and toronto announced a merger of their stock markets. this will make the biggest platform for mining and for energy stocks worldwide. after the bell in frankfurt, the new york stock exchange announced they are negotiating with the german stock market. they both plan a merger of equals as well. the germans may be in the lead because the german stock market is a little bigger than the new york stock exchange. the new york stock exchange already owns stock market ueronix. the european stock market will not be the same after that. >> staying in frankfurt, let us

look at market numbers. the dax index closed slightly lower. the euro stocks 50 -- stoxx 50 finished lower. the dow is currently going down. the number is 12,205. the euro is trading at $1.3717. >> in milan, italian prosecutors have requested that prime minister silvio berlusconi be put on trial immediately for paying for sex with underage dancer, and for abuse of office. omar suleiman -- silvio berlusconi denies such charges, but said he did use his influence to help the girl. he said he did so because he believed she was the niece of egyptian president hosni mubarak. >> silvio berlusconi is under pressure. prosecutors are seeking a fast

track trial because of what they call the obviousness of the evidence. they say berlusconi invited dozens of women to parties at his mansion. they accused him of paying underage dancer karima el mahroug for sex. when she was arrested on charges of theft, berlusconi intervened to get her released from custody. berlusconi projects the charges and has tried to set up the scandal. on wednesday, he brushed aside questionson legal difficults, which he blames on the campaign by the media. visibly irritated, he pointed to the daily sacrifices he makes for his country. >> i still have not been able to go to the dentist because i have an exposed nerve that does not get better. this is a large sacrifice and risk am taking. this is something i would not do it by was a private citizen. >> a judge in milan has five

days to decide whether or not to indict berlusconi. the affairas divided italians. many are fed up with the prime minister's alleged sexual escapades. >> there is a lot of talk, but we are tired of listening to politicians talk about these issues. we cannot stand them anymore. he loves doing what he does. he should do it more cleverly, as many others do. >> berlusconi supporters hope he will ride out this storm, as he has others. the prime minister has faced several criminal trials that have ended in acquittal or been dismissed. >> in iraq, at least sen pele have been killed and dozens wounded in a series of car bombs. the almost simultaneous attacks took place in khartoum. they targeted a police station and a regional security building. three police were among those killed. the oil-rich city remains the center of a territorial dispute

between the central government in baghdad and the kurdish semi- autonomous region. a tanker carrying hundreds of millions of euros of crude oil was captured by somali pirates in the arabian sea, one of the biggest hijackings in the region. the greek tanker was on its way to the united states. it was seized off the coast of oman. it held 25 crewmembers and a fifth of daily u.s. crude imports. the capture comes a day after an italian tanker was seized by pirates. the u.n. secretary-general has urged the leaders of thailand and cambodia to exercise restraint and find a lasting solution to their border conflict. ban offered u.n. help to negotiate with the thai military. near the cambodian border, the thai army says the tanks are part of a change in troops manning the border. some villagers expressed concern that their arrival could signal

more fighting. clashes in the disputed border area have killed at least seven people. rumors are swirling about some top-level changes in store for the ecb. >> speculation is building as to who will take over as president of the european ntrabank after jean-claude tree shea -- trichet steps down later this year. azel -- axel weber has long been considered the front runner, but he says he is not available and is considering moving to deutsche bank. berlin's annual fresh produce expo is under way. it comes at an interesting time politically, with good security a major pic eptnd tunisia. both countries have representatives at the international trade show. both are still going through

rough times. that has been affecting exports, despite the high demand for exotic fruit in germany. >> produce wholesalers throughout north africa are doing a booming business, with most of their wares exported to europe, where demand continues to climb. tunisian fruits and vegetables are sought after in france, italy, and germany. continuing unrest is beginning to affect the private sector. it is a growing concern. >> the dockworkers are demanding higher pay. most work on a day-by-day basis, but want to see immediate improvement in long-term contracts. >> in some north african cities such as alexandria, turnover of merchandise has come to a standstill. this egyptian produce company had to close down for two weeks as the result. >> a lot of people are not working.

they are joining the demonstrations. we are facing difficulties. but we think it is temporary and everything will go back and be ok. >> citrus fruits, dates, olive oil, and vegetables. north african nations have been capitalizing on a lucrative market. agriculture is 10% of tunisia's domestic product. >> they have been feeling the effects of unrest. the sooner it gets back to normal, the sooner we can get back to the business of selling food and vegetables. >> here in berlin, talks between the german government and opposition affect welfare payments. 4.7 million people are unable to reach a compromise over payments for the long-term unemployed. negotiations are a test of

strength for angela merkle's coalition, which is slumping in opinion polls the breakdown of discussions comes after a 10-hour marathon session. >> the labor minister admits her energy has been sapped by seven weeks of negotiations with the opposition, and many short nights. after the last marathon session, it was clear talks had finally collapsed. it is uncertain when the long- term unemployed will see an increase. even an intervention by the chancellor failed to bring a breakthrough. each side blames the other. >> the government expectethe netiatns tfail. there was just one hour of effort from the chancellor. that insured the negotiations collapsed. >> it is totally irresponsible. >> the social democrats and greens were not interested in reaching a consensus. it is a maneuver that can be explained by upcoming regional

elections. the sd is trying to establish the new face of the party. it makes sense for them to keep negotiations going and give her the longest possible air time. >> a keyticking point is the minimum payment of 359 euros a month. the opposition says the government proposal of a 5-0 increase is not enough. the at sides disagree on when temporary workers should get the same pay as full-time staff doing the same work. >> to the world championships in bavaria. the men's super g race. this was innerhoffer's first medal at an international championship. it is 1-04 germany playing italy in soccer. we will have the results coming

up next. back in a minute with the latest from egypt. can that country produce a leader to ar

>> protests in egypt have spread from major urban areas to remote regions, with police in the southern oasis of el kharga firing into a owd of ptesters, kiing three d wounding more than 100. workers are staging strikes in what is increasingly becoming a broad-based uprising against the 30-year-old regime of hosni mubarak. central cairo remains the focus of the movement. we have been gauging the mood of protesters there, who remain determined to see the strong man surrender power to a transitional government. >> the demonstrations on tahrir square have been going on for more than two weeks, day and night.

some protestors stay here all the time. others come and go. what has developed is a community of people helping one another to achieve a shared goal. >> since the very beginning, everyone loved one another. we do not think about ourselves. it is about egypt. we do not belong to a political party. when mubarak leaves, the good things in society will come out. when someone else takes over, this will be a lesson to them and they will not steal again. >> their hopes have been dashed many times already. now they do all they can to keep spirits high. the square has developed its own makeshift infrastructure, providing people here with their basic needs. mohamed said initially came to protest high unemployment in egypt. now he has found a way of making

money selling bread rolls two other demonstrators. he sells up to 200 every day. >> i can earn some money this way. at least i have something to do, instead of just sitting around at home. >> said ali is another protester. an electrician by trade, he is trying to make up for lost income by selling hot drinks. he tells us he sells 60 to 70 cups a day. but it is not just about making money. he wants to help the people on the square get through the day, so they can keep up their protest. the demonstrators have also set up first aid facilities outside a fast-food restaurant on the square. doctors come here to help those who fall sick or get hurt, even though the equipment they have

to work with is basic. >> at first, there were no medical supplies at all. we were using tissues and sticky tape. people started bringing things. first aid kits, and things like that. >> helping one another is crucial for these protesters. it is the only way they can keep the demonstration going, and keep alive their hopes of ousting hosni mubarak. >> as is often the case in the early phases of popular uprisings, leaders capable of articulating the will of people and able to propose concrete steps have yet to emerge.l+ at theoment, there is it a stable of political hands capable of managing a transitional government. not all of them are committed to real democracy. )>> for more than two weeks,

protesters have been flooding the streets of cairo, demanding president mubarak step down immediately. the political battle over who will lead the new egypt is already under way. this man wants to stop the escalation of violence in the country. omar suleiman, a close confidant of president mubarak, took the post of vice president a few days ago and is holding talks with the once-persecuted opposition. until recently, he led the intelligence service and cooperate closely with israel and the u.s. both countries are believed to support omar suleiman as an interim president, but that could prove a disadvantage. mohamed elbaradei is a nobel laureate and former head of the international atomic energy agcy. he has little support among the public. critics contend he spent too much time abroad.

>> he has the advantage and disadvantage of coming from outside the country. he is considered not corrupt or part of the ruling political circle. >> the muslim brotherhood is egypt's leading opposition group. it hesitated to join the protests. for years, the muslim brothers were considered islamic extremists. but now they are divided and appear to be more moderate. >> we are not striving for a religious resolution. we want a secular democratic state based on the will of the people, not religion alone. >> the muslim brotherhood is deeply entrenched in egyptian society, partly due to many social projects. a new beginning without the group is unlikely. one man enjoying growing support is [unintelligible] many remember when the general secretary of the arab league was

the foreign minister. he was already considered mubarak's rival. many young egyptians would support him. >> i believe he is an alternative. he is a popular politician with many years of experience. his activities in the arab league means he has been out of domestic political events in egypt. that is an advantage. >> demonstrators are divided about who should succeed mubarak. they agree the president should step down immediately. >> in germany, e opsition has been sharply critical of the government's failure to call for mubarak's resignation. most western capitals are following a cautious strategy, which egypts freedom activists called hypocritical from countries espousing democracy. we asked in the least analyst what is behind the tepid support. >> mubarak has done a lot of favors to many people for a long

time. this is quite difficult to forget. in the center of the tension i rael a its stality. i think the west has to redefine its notion of stability in the region. in the western media, not long ago, egypt was portrayed as a democracy. i think this is over now. it is also in the long term interest of israel to have in the region a new notion of so- called western values. that means democracy, human rights, and eir credibility his serves more the interest than the stability of the kind we had in the past, with a fourth alternative. there was islamists on one side and the mubarak regime on the other. >> we saw some of the key players in egypt. who can be a credible replacement for mubarak?

>> it is difficult to say. none of the figures that are now in negotiations with the regime has managed to become a popular favorite in the las wee of demonstrations. i ink there a certain credential for those in conflict with mubarak at a time when mubarak was strong. this is not an islamic resolution -- revolution. i do not think the muslim brothers figure would represent the whole revolution. we have seen a new figure like a new google marketing manager can become a huge figure all of a sudden because of his role in this demonstration. when we look at the revolutions in eastern europe, w had new pelewept to the surface, a lot of clergymen and physicists. they are not necessarily the worst politicians. why not include popular figures in the negotiations? they seem to have a real

fellowship in tahrir square. >> thank you so much. and thank you for joining us. u forget it. yourself, so don't fall.

u forget it. now he tells us. how far am i off the floor? about twelve inches. twelve whole inches?