>> welcome to "the journal." good to have you with us. ukraine says the eastern city of slovyansk is under siege and pro-russian fighters are being forced out of their stronghold. berlin summons the u.s. ambassador after a german intelligence official is arrested on suspicion's of 5 -- spying. , butny will meet brazil neymart country's star is out for the rest of the tournament.

we begin in ukraine where president rachel poroshenko has ordered the country -- petro poroshenko has ordered the country's flag raised over slovyansk. a top defense official says slovyansk was under siege and added protecting the lives of civilians was essential. it was under separatist control for three months. our correspondent joins us now from kiev. marcus, what is the latest you are hearing? >> it is difficult to understand what really happened in the city of slovyansk last night and early this morning. for all we know eyewitnesses reported there has been bombing all night long, but in the city been notself there have

clashes between ukrainian forces and rebel forces. the rebels abandoned their check points and the buildings and moved on. >> what would this mean for president petro poroshenko. it would seem the offensive against the rebels is working. >> well, if the ukrainian military should really take over the city of slovyansk, that would be a major victory for president petro poroshenko and his government in kiev. he had come under immense kiev.re here in many citizens and military forces said it was a mistake to offer a cease-fire because that played into the rebels' hands. >> slovyansk has been a separatist stronghold since april. does that mean they are losing strength?

>> yes, that definitely is the case. the city of slovyansk not only was a stronghold, but it was something like a capital or a military headquarters. it was a city where they had seized several buildings, where they held hostages, and where the chief commander of the rebel forces was located. this is a moral victory for president petro poroshenko and an immense setback for the rebel forces. we need to know they still have buildings under their control, so the war is far from over. of questionslot remain unanswered. thank you for joining us from kiev. moving onto some other news, to afghanistan, where taliban insurgents have turned a parking lot into a giant infernal where they torched tankers near the capital of kabul.

shot ats said gunmen drivers trying to return to their vehicles. there were no reports of injuries. the incident comes ahead of preliminary results from the country's presidential runoff, due to be announced on monday. protests are still rocking the middle east following the funeral of a palestinian boy believed to have been killed in an act of revenge. haveli media say clashes extended beyond jerusalem. in bethlehem, palestinians threw rocks at israeli soldiers who responded with tear gas and rebel -- rubber bullets. west africa now, where the united nations says the deadly ebola outbreak that has been ravaging the reason -- region has -- is likely to continue.

more than 460 have died from the virus. health ministers from across the region have developed a joint strategy to contain the virus but it is spreading quickly and medical workers on the ground are facing a host of challenges. >> this lucky man survived the deadly virus. few believed it was possible. has killed 23 people in recent days. stories like his keep doctors going. him. are very happy for we will take him back to his village after he has been quarantined. use survivors as ambassadors to help educate people in rural villages. many locals did not trust foreign doctors or western medicine and that has a much harder to contain the spread of the ebola virus.

>> they basically try to avoid health structures because they might think they have ebola but they are scared and they do not want to be rejected by their own community. >> it is hoped the expenses of survivors will change attitudes. doctors instruct not to nurse infected at home. she does not need any convincing. her son is living proof there is still hope. >> the german government is demanding answers from washington after foreign intelligence authorities arrested one of their own for spying for the u.s.. it is believed to 31-year-old was passing on classified information to an american agency. relations were already strained after revelations that washington had been spying on german citizens and chancellor angela merkel as well. our government has summoned the u.s. ambassador in berlin to provide an explanation.

>> a new source of friction between the countries -- several major newspapers reported the man was suspected of passing on information about the parliamentary committee investigating the nsa spying allegations, a canadian whose -- committee's whose meetings are supposed to be confidential. it is also believe the man worked for the bnd. politicians are furious. the crux of suspicions of spying are true it would be unheard of -- >> if the suspicions of spine are true, it it would be an unheard-of attack on our freedom. there could be no justification for that. >> the government was reportedly informed the allegation on thursday. this prompted an immediate meeting of the parliamentary control committee, which oversees the secret service is. services. >> we have known since thursday about the serious allegations

against a german citizen. the federal prosecutor has taken on the case and the man is in custody. police havecriminal been tasked with further investigations. proven,d the charge be it would be a further blow to u.s.-german relations. >> the revelation about american spying has given new calls to archives thate house towns of documents communist regimes kept on citizens tracking their phone calls, and intimate conversations. many say the archive is a way for germany never to forget how the government can control its people through surveillance. >> in january, 19 90,000 forced their way into the headquarters. the skill of spine had been events.

-- the scale of the spying had been events. people look at the files. >> we have to process information because people who experienced dictatorship is still around. it is important to explain how it worked. the next generation needs to know that. it is important to keep the files available. funding is guaranteed until 2019. the commission is looking at what happens after that. processing the files are prerequisites for continuing the important task of working through the communist dictatorship, a view shared by a majority of parliamentarians. xo, it looks like the files are said to remain -- >> so, it looks at the files are set to remain available. worlding onto friday's

cup action, in the first match of the quarterfinals, jamaica conference, and germany got on on board -- germany took france, and germany got on the board early and it would be the only goal of the match. >> the germans aren't good spirit. good spirit. time for some much deserved rest after a hard-earned victory. the victory has raised hopes back home at this time germany will go all the way. >> on to the finals, the world cup is ours. >> it was perfect, such a great win. i am absolutely speechless. headedtowering defender germany into the lead in the 13th minute, his second goal of the tournament. >> another dream come true. it is pretty overwhelming. everything is just falling into

place. i hope we will keep going like this. >> they were close to equalizing for france, but then he showed why he might be the best goalkeeper. they went all out in the dating second, but then they pulled out another magic save. a narrow victory for germany who reaches the world cup semi finals for the fourth time in a row and the fans are dreaming of their first world cup win in 24 years. >> sports correspondent jefferson chase joins us in studio. what was the key to germany's win over france? >> the key was that the coach decided to go big in the match. upfront.alled close a

that gave them an advantage on set pieces and the lone goal was scored on a set piece. the other main reason is that the goalkeeper had a fantastic match. france could not break them down. they had a couple of good looks at the goal but there was always a big german in the way. >> they will face off against brazil, who beat columbia 2-1. >> this is the first time the host brazil has really play like brazil. here we see them converting a corner kick. that is thiago silva, who will be missing the next match because he picked up a yellow card. they doubled the margin with great stuff -- look at that sneak into the corner there. columbia got one back on a penalty late, but it was too little, too late. now we have a dream; a, brazil against germany.

>> but the big news from the match was some bad news for brazil. >> brazil is in mourning because their superstar, the linchpin of their team, neymar, got hurt. broke a vertebra in his back. where you thought the referee might have swallowed his whistle. the colombian jumped into his back late in the game. very unnecessary. neymar is now out for the rest of the tournament. he gives an advantage for germany and bad news for the hosts. >> jefferson chase, thank you for joining us here in studio. as we heard, brazil has lost its most powerful weapon, but the fans are still up the about the chances of bagging the title of world's's best soccer team.

>> the fans were ecstatic at the 2-1 win over south american rivals columbia. neymar was not just the center of attention on the pitch, a look-alike livened up the public viewing area. but as the celebration spilled onto the streets of rio, word spread that the star player was out for the rest of the world cup. >> it hurts, because he is the world's best player. he has to play. >> for real? i was just joking with the locals here. of course, for us germans it is any shotvantage, but was limited to the germany can. brazilians try to put the shock behind them and remain up beat.

neymar.eam is not just here are convinced brazil will still take the world cup crown, even without their best later. >> that is all. thank you for watching. clubeetings, welcome to med. >> almost no one is denied club, but it is one of america's most exclusive. only here can members legally and openly get high. i found the heavens for marijuana enthusiasts in the same country where other people have to stay behind bars for decades when caught like this. [laughter]

>> recreational cannabis has been legal since the beginning of the year, but consumption is not allowed in public. somehow, they manage to get a license to run a cannabis café. so far, it is a rare exception, but one that cheryl dean's completely sent -- dean's completely sensible. >> cannabis is non-toxic. smokers of it are friendly. if thereno reason why are bars there could not be places where people could get herb.er and smoke an we needed a place. >> early evening, the play starts heating up. the guests are adequately medicated, as they call it, and

even the card games are matched to the occasion. only exists because cheryl has a certain way of doing things that tries to distance the club completely from the criminal past of the cannabis seed. >> we followed the rules. we bent over backwards to do everything right, and not just to follow the rules, but you follow what people would like to see, and what they would not like to see, and we talked to the community, the seniors, the church, and the church changed that for us. so, we just involve everyone in the process. >> one helps when trying to make the case for weed are its medical affects. in 22 u.s. states cannabis is available on prescription. pain -- trucker hat, --

legpain after a complicated injury. marijuana helps them. something else will tip the scale -- profit, taxes and all. >> yes. i do not see why not. alcohol is a bit -- business. grain is a business. it is america. i feel it is all a win for everyone. >> dreams of the future, not quite. the cannabis business is already trying to industrialized marijuana in colorado and on a whole other level than just here at this mom-and-pop style club. through the east rockies. this was the scene of the colorado gold rush, and now they are digging for gold again, but it is green and its center is beyond the mountains, cannabis boom town denver. in one of the suburbs, a real supermarket for marijuana.

the medicine man. forthole place looks like knox because it is not only full of green gold, but lots of cash. most banks refuse to give cannabis an account because of the bad image, and for the same reason, customers do not want me feeling them. even on an early thursday afternoon, the place is packed. >> it really does not make you cough. >> the salesperson talking about the 70 marijuana strains that can be bought here is a completely new experience. >> this is blue grain, which is cerebral, nice for video gaming, going out with your buddies. this is activity bud.

>> behind the counter are the growing facilities and i get a small tour through the hallowed halls. everything on sale at medicine man is grown here. in this room, the employees simulate fall with certain temperatures and light cycles. >> and they are actually training the plant to grow out in the crop using a trellis and some wires, and their whale -- that way we can end up with several flowers. that is the goal, thc, it has a lot of medicinal and recreational value. is responsible for the effects when consuming cannabis. on these bonds, it is visible as white orders -- borders. thatess is going so well they are investing the

equivalent of 1.9 million euros to double investment. >> when we were a dispensary, we were seeing 100 patients a day. that is successful already, and now been both medical and recreational we see 300 patients and customers every day. >> that is why the whole place is bustling with activity, especially in this room where excess leaves are trimmed before drying. he might be a little eccentric, but he is by far the fastest. >> he is extremely fast. >> there is a unique vibe to the place, due to the fact that everyone here has a different professional background. there is no such thing as a degree in cannabis trade. >> i hired on as their computer guy, and i just kind of like this, and i do the computer work, too, that if you had asked

me last january if i had pictured this as a career option, i would have had no idea and probably called you crazy, but it is amazing how it works out. >> yeah. >> well, maybe, and in some u.s. states he would still be crazy to touch marijuana, let alone get caught with it. the missouri department of corrections has given me an appointment to interview a prisoner who more than anyone else is a symbol for the incredible advances in u.s. cannabis legislation. jeff has been in prison for about 20 years now because of marijuana. he got life without parole. just to make it clear, in the u.s., life means until you die. he has brought some of the records that document his struggle with the sentence. >> i got this about 6, 7 months ago. it is supposed to be going

around on the internet. >> he talks about the internet, but he has never used it. >> my son tries to tell me how it works, this and that, but it is all french to me. >> the sentence seems french. he was caught with marijuana three times that prosecution said he was trying to deal, but even if he was, the punishment seems harsh. >> if i were in a different state, i would be on a long time ago -- just about any other state. missouri has laws that follow in certain ways. convicted ofet murder get out on parole. >> there is no possibility of parole and his only chance is clemency from the democratic governor. such a move would be very rare, but the former construction worker has not given up hope just yet, partly because of what

is going on in other states regarding the legalization of cannabis. >> i have a loving family. that helps a lot. they have a lot of hope. that, i have the lord. he is the biggest, and that is it. >> but if earthly salvation really is on the way, will it arrive in time? he is 61 years old. >> i never claim that i was an angel, but i do not believe i deserve this. >> even after 20 years behind bars he can still imagine a life beyond this prison. >> one of the first things on my list is to visit my mother and father's grades -- graves and finally get closure. so -- >> and that is it. my time is up. i am shaken because from today's

perspective it is hard for me to understand why jeff has to stay in prison for the rest of his life. even if he had been caught with a full on of marijuana, it just seems wrong. there is one man who might be able to help me understand. stope i wrap up my trip i one hour away from the prison facility. or still worksse in the same building as back then. he was the prosecutor in the case and got more than ebert and four. he offered -- bargained for. he offered a plea deal, 20 years with parole. he declined because it seemed so much, and then the judge in charge struck with the full force of the law. >> he was a persistent drug offender, meaning he had two prior felony convictions and the third offense could not simply

be possession of a small amount. he had to be found guilty of possession with intent to deliver. >> not surprisingly, middlehouser is critical of the legalization and other states, but he has trouble being at peace with the case. >> i wrote a letter. i expect the background of the offense, jeff's background, and i recommended clemency. i told the governor that i thought the nearly 20 years he has served is enough for what he did. >> things move at a slower pace in missouri than colorado, but even here cannabis legislation seems in for a change when serple like jeff middlehou stand up for people like jeff. >> i see a giant billboard sponsored by a pro-marijuana

organization with jeff overlooking the freeway. prison or prosperity -- depending on the state, those are the options for people who trade or deal with marijuana. gg7 @%@%@%@a7guc

[soft exotic flute music] ♪ captioning and audio description provided by the u.s. department of education. >> bokara: i'm bokara legendre. join me and my guests--scholars and scientists, spiritual teachers and philosophers-- as we explore the boundaries of religion and metaphysics, of science and spirituality. join me and some really fascinating people as we try to figure out what life's all about and how it can have meaning for each one of us.