>> live in berlin, this is the journal. our headlines. $85 billion, president obama says all dramatic spending cuts are dumb and arbitrary. they kick off their campaign for this year's federal parliamentary elections. and soccer, trying to hold onto their european dreams. >> in the u.s., the bill comes in at $85 billion. that's the cost of budget costs which are now coming into effect.

president obama calls the automatic cuts known as the sequester unnecessary and dumb. but congressional republicans and democrats remain unwilling to end the standoff. >> intepts to find a last minute compromise failed and president obama didn't hide his frustration. >> in a time when our businesses have finally begun to get some traction, hiring new workers, bringing jobs back to america, we shouldn't be making a series of dumb, arbitrary cuts to things that businesses depend on and workers depend on, like education and research and infrastructure, and defense. it's unnecessary, and at a time when too many americans are still looking for work, it's inexcusable. >> the president and congressional republicans have very different views on tackling the country's debt. obama put the blame scarely on the republicans, which wrangled house speaker john boehner. >> let's make it clear that the

president got his tax on january 1. this discussion about revenue in my view is over. it's about to take in on the spending problem here in washington. >> the cuts of $85 billion automatically take effect at midnight local time. president obama predicted many americans would feel the pain. some social programs will be cut, some teachers will lose their jobs. and half of the cuts fall in the military. the navy may have to limit their operations. arms contracts may have to be canceled. economists warn that growth will slow even further. hundreds of thousands of jobs could be at risk. the cuts are to be imposed over the next seven months. though they could be stopped at any time if the two sides agree on a deficit reduction package. >> u.s. secretary of state john arey has arrived in egypt with

meetings for both groups. their talks were overshadowed by comments made earlier this week, . he says the comments are objectionable and only complicate peace efforts in the region. hugo chavez is fighting for h life in caracas. this is the first time the government has admitted to the gravity of chavez's health struggle. and this comes just hours after the opposition accused them of repeatedly lying about the state of the newly re-elected president. the socialist leader has not been seen in public since december after been flown to cuba for a series of operations. however, chavez has returned to caracas.

>> the vice president opened a prayer room in the hospital where hugo chavez is being treated. he says the ven swale yan leader is fighting for his life. >> as you know the doctors put something in to help him breathe. he communicates with us in writing, and in other ways he's come up with. you know that president chavez is very creative, and his hands will not be tied when it comes to communicating orders, guidelines and concerns. >> the service is well supported by chavez's supporters. 58% believe he will be cured and will return to full presidential duties. only his doctors know how likely that is. he hasn't been seen in public since december. if he dies, or is unable to continue as president, venezuela will face new elections.

>> there are negotiations with morocco with a free trade agreement as they expand trade with north african countries. a deal would benefit both citizens, as well as companies after he met with the prime minister. trades between the e.u. and morocco mounted to 24 billion euros in 2011. the e.u. also began the process of establishing free travel between both sides. in syria, opposition activists say fierce fighting in the north of the country has left dozens of rebels and government fighters dead. the battles broke out at dawn, according to the syrian observe toir for human rights. activists said government helicopters had shot at rebels in some areas. hundreds of thousands of syrians have sought refuge in the city since the civil war began. and in six months time, germans

will go to the polls to elect a new government. the opposition green party is hoping to persuade them to choose a fundamental change. they've just launched their election platform, and it includes more renewable energy, higher taxes for higher earners and more equality in the house system. >> the greens have dubbed their election headquarters in berlin base camp. that's where party leaders gathered to present their draft campaign manifesto. it calls for fundamental economic change. >> we support the market economy, but it should become a social market economy, as well as an environmental one. >> their primary goal is to quickly and fairly implement the country's switch to sustainable injuries. the greens' other fundamental goals is to fight for social justice. >> the majority in this country want a just society.

that's why we also have to pay off our common debts that affect future generations together and those capable of shoulders a bigger load should do so. >> the manifesto also includes about 50 specific projects that the greens want to imhement, including higher taxes on the wealthy and a minimum wage. party leaders hope for a coalition with a social democrat, but they're not ruling out other options. >> coalitions are temporary alliances to help implement common goals. we can, and we want to form a coalition only with those who want to help us make green change possible. >> a party conference will vote in april. then they will be polled on which of the specific projects the party should focus on in the campaign. >> germany's foreign ministry has asked china for an explanation after german journalists were attacked in the

northern part of the country. they were filming a report on urbanization in northern china when their car was forced off the road. two people then attacked the car with baseball bats. police detained the tv crew for 16 hours. the chinese foreign ministry has said an investigation is underway. german consumers are trying to digest another incident involving possible tainting of food. this time is problem is ten thousand tons of con tan named feed delivered to german farmers. the agricultural minister found chemicals causing fungus in the feed. officials say they don't believe consumers are in any danger, but three quarters of the shipment from serbia was impounded before it reached for instance. now onto sports news, and in soccer tri night action. a four-game winless streak was

broke with a win over frank furt. they are fourth in the standings and still have a shot at qualifying for the champions league next season. but they showed there's still plenty of work to do. >> it was a bad night all around for frankfurt. the club couldn't find its rhythm. the defender was brilliant, than what should have been a sure score. the visitors were in top form with effective offensive combinations and a very stingy defense. onlyn the 22nd minute, the goal of the match was scored, his fourth of the season. they squandered some suburb opportunities. this effort was headed over the bar. so they failed to score for the fourth match in a row, keeping a hold on his championship league qualifying slot. >> and second division berlin is

back into the promotion hunt with a 3-0 thrashing. they needed seven minutes to get on the score board. team captain led good on a penalty kick just before halftime, and after the break, put the final nail in the coffin. now onto tennis, and world number one novak djokovic is in the finals after beating juan martin del potro. meanwhile, roger federer is out, he lost a thriller to berdych. >> the world number one just can't stop winning. the semi final against juan martin del potro was djokovic's 17th consecutive victory. it was business as usual as djokovic took the first set 6-3. but, in the second, del potro fought back. he even won a break-up.

with the gauntlet thrown down, djokovic answered in stunning fashion. he won five games in a row, taking the set 7-6, and securing his place in the final. >> stay mentally tough, the last couple of serves really, really well which helped me to prevail. >> while djokovic marches on, roger federer will be going home early. the swiss had three match points against tomas berdych and was on the brink of a place in the final. but, in a remarkable comeback, berdych turned the tables on federer, taking the second set, and then winning the third 6-4. he will now meet djokovic in the decider. >> peter north gave norway its seventh straight relay gold at championships. >> they didn't look surprised as

he claimed victory in the final leg of the men's relay. his team has dominated the event in recent years. it was a thrilling fight for the medals, with no less than six teams vying for a place on the podium, but norddhook pulled down the final stretch. the swedish team came in 1.2 seconds behind them to take silver. russia was third. the german team put in a determined effort that kept them in contention until the final eg, but then disaster. one man fell, and after that the german's limped across the line, 45 seconds behind norway, who secured their seventh gold at these world championships. >> well, the second round of the open tournament inside africa ended today with local favorite in the lead. play had to be cut short on

friday due to foul weather over he course. the open would be the first professional tournament victory. now, the harlem shake is the new dance craze, it has become the latest means of rebel yon. it has not just hit the mainstream media world, but also gone to some groups of protesters who adopted it as a controversial way to convey their message. however, the provocative dance routine is infuror rating ultraconservative muslims. >> thanks to the internet, trends get around the world in a flash. in egypt, one of those trends has gone viral. it's called the harlem shake. the dance doesn't have a point, it's just silly. but outside the headquarters of the muslim brother hood in cairo, silly equals political

provocation. >> we want to show that this regime is not any different from the one that we got rid of. maybe the old mubarak regime was better. >> it boils down to one basic question -- what did the egyptian revolution accomplish? the economy is wrecked, unemployment is high, and many young people have little hope. the government appears to have few answers. four activists who dance the harlem shake in underwear are said to have been arrested for public indecency. it's not just something fun, it's a political tool. >> the mass demonstrations failed to change the government's thinking. so we had to come back something new. and that's satorizing every day egyptian life. >> even the president doesn't escape being satorized. because a mass protest doesn't make a difference, then maybe

laughter will help. >> you're watching the journal n d.w.

>> the drummers have a long and proud tradition. once they entertained local rulers. now the century's old rhythms are helping these street children develop their self onfidence. such children are often abandoned because of poverty or war. he was 3 when he ended up on the street. e lived in a home sponsored by

a german aid organization. he says he was left alone by his parents and forced to fend for imself on the streets. for years, we relied on strangers for food and a place to sleep, but now thanks to the charity he's top of his class and thrilled to be able to go to chool. i like it here, he says. there are rules, and that's better than on the street. for many of the children, playing by the rules is a new experience. one social worker says that's because they've been forgotten by society and left to their own devices.

he explains how local and european aid organizations attempt to resocialize the children and give them the moral skill set that will help them function both in society and in a family. something that was missing for them. by giving the children a stable and secure environment, groups try to stop them from slipping into the cycle of violence, drug abuse and fear that many were xposed to on the street. he told me about his experience. it wasn't safe where i was sleeping, he says. i had nightmares about bandits with weapons and machetes. i was scared. but the gangs of children who roam the streets are just one example of the country's struggles with the scars of its civil war. in the capitol, the market recently burned down after an

arson attack. the e.u. commissioner has promised to help rebuild the complex, but he's also demanding transparency from the government. >> for european values i think it's crucial because i have a mandate to development country's human rights. i know it is a challenge, but what is important is the engagement of the country's to persecute concrete cases and to be on track of forming human rights. >> the government depends on foreign aid for about half of its budget. most of the money comes from the e.u. europe also funds projects to from integrate refugees the civil war. almost 06% of children under 5 are undernourished. e.u. commissioner wants to see how money can be put to use

here. he's also here to discuss how the e.u. can work with the local government to break the cycle of poverty. >> 90% of the population of the country's involved in agricultural sector, and there's not enough lands. so families are growing too fast, and that means there is a need to really diversify the economy. >> donations from the e.u. are helping finance projects to help guarantee access to quality food through better planting technique. another project aims to provide fathers with livestock to help the living standard. one man received a cow through the person. he says his family has has benefited from additional income he gets by selling milk. he says one advantage of raising cattle is that he doesn't have to sell banana plants anymore to buy shoes for his children. many in the lowlands depend on outside assistance to make ends

meet. some can only get by with the help of their neighbors. this woman lost five children and her husband in the civil war, and the unrest that followed. and she's no longer certain how old she is. life expectancy here is only around 50 years old. to survive, she was forced to sell off her property bit by bit until only her house remained. she says she has two sons who survived, and she looks after her grandchildren for them. but work is hard to come by, and she often can't afford food. it is a bitterly poor country, most residents can't afford basics like education, health care and chances to escape poverty are few and far between. he says she's all but gwynn up

hope for her family. she says she can't afford to repair her house. she has to go to the neighbor's when it rains. with mall your issuement, unsanitary living conditions, disease spreads quickly. malaria has also taken root and for many, simple preventative measures like mosquito nets are too expensive. one local doctor says he is sometimes overwhelmed by the challenge they face. often he's forced to turn away patients who could be cured because there's no money for medicine. sometimes they can help, he says. but when they can't do anything they just pray, even though they know what the diagnosis is. if it's malaria, for example, and they don't have any money for treatment, then they can only pray. it's very sad.

the e.u. is financing a series of health initiatives such as this hospital. one commissioner is meeting with officials to discuss possible conflict of interest like the use of generic copies of european medication. he asks if they're using generic medication. the minister tells them that the hospitals are dependent on cheap drugs to make sure even the poorest citizens have access to treatment. he also wants to know what steps the government is taking against infant mortality. ne out of 66 don't reach their sixth birthday. he introduces them to a patient in for a check-up. he hopes better preventative care will help bring down mortality rate. it is also a priority in the new health center. is the lage, not far,

his ay of -- after recovery he completed his h.p.d. there. but he refused a well paying job at a university and returned here. now he directs development projects for the church. he tells me about the first gift he wanted to give the region. his plan was to build a school. his inspiration was a quote from a french author who said that when you build a school, you close a prison. during the civil war, this building was once the scene of ethnic violence. today it's the place to educate the young generation, but some are critical of the aid programs. they worry local initiative could be discouraged.

but the reverend says his village can serve as a positive example. it's my job, he says, to remind people of what we can do for ourselves. to quote president obama, yes we can. we can accomplish a lot, but there are still many who waste time. we need three things. brains, heart and hands. and that philosophy is already baring fruit. tea has become a major expert in the last several years. besides cotton and coffee, it's e of the few products in demand. the owner of a local tea factory wants to show how e.u. funds are improving quality. he tells the commissioner that prices have almost doubled, and at farmers earned around 100

francs per more keelo. that's a boon for workers because they have more cash on and. because the quality of the tea has improved dramatically, it's fetching a higher price on the international market. almost twice as much as before. but there are still problems, according to the e.u. representatives. nergy prices are still high. >> for us, it's actually very good investment, but for the country, the huge, well, relatively huge income of foreign currency, the next challenge is there are some projects with some energies that could be used and the cost of the production. >> the e.u. hope to invest 50 million euros in renewable energy projects. at present, only 54% of the

population have access to the electricity. it would help prevent more children from falling into poverty. this person once lived on the street, but today he's a social worker in the capitol. he says he feels called to help children on the street and give them a safe space where their needs are met. he hopes to show them the respect he feels they deserve as children. the first step is to gain the trust of the children. this 9-year-old is making good progress. the future isn't on the street, he says, it's in school. if you go to school, you can ven become president some day. but the dream of a better future is only just beginning.