islive from religion, this the journal. i am sarah harmon. it is great to have you with us. tollssault and the death in gaza continues to rise. the white house says berlin should have expected cia agents in germany to spy on the country. and, the german soccer team arrives in rio ahead of the world cup final.

>> israel pounded gaza with airstrikes and tanks for a fifth day. more than 920 have been wounded. militants content -- defiant militants continued to fire rockets into israel. diplomatic efforts have had little effect. he sighed insist the other must halt fire first. israel says preparations are underway for a possible ground attack. >> gaza on saturday morning. the israeli army is unrelenting. there attacks continue -- air attacks continue. a mosque was fit and two were killed in a home for disabled people. two girls were killed and several children injured. >> these are benjamin netanyahu's targets, these are

children's toys. >> more than half of the 120 people killed so far are civilians, but the israeli government says hamas is playing with the lives of ordinary gazans. bears primary responsibility for civilian casualties in gaza because it is amas that has deliberately embedded itself, setting up terrorist infrastructure and regime in mosques, schools, in the middle of urban areas. >> israel is determined -- the attacks on gaza will continue until hamas stops firing rockets. hamas is also refusing to talk negotiations and is reckoning further attacks. the new target, ben-gurion international airport near tel aviv. the iran don't shut down a

rocket headed for the airport friday. the ironan don't -- dome shot down a rocket headed for the airport friday. at the border to gaza, the military is continuing to prepare for a ground attack. a decision over whether to invade has yet to be made. >> just a few kilometers north of the gaza strip is an israeli city. air raids are part of everyday life and that has long been the case. iron domefense system is meant to intercept short-range rockets, but these days many families are taking no chances, spending their days and airraid -- in a rate -- raid shelters. >> they pass the time playing

cards. the parents would like nothing more than to take their kids outside, but it is too dangerous. here, they are safe. israel,y houses in there's has their own shelter to protect them from rockets. gaza is only a few kilometers away from the city. fighting broke out, the family never goes out for longer than they have to. they want to be able to get to safety in a matter of seconds. >> it is very unpleasant to be outside and had to lie down on the floor, so we just stay home. the girls are on summer vacation. they are not doing anything. they're just here all day, going crazy. not easy. >> they are always on high alert. their daughter is only 11 years old, but she knows exactly what

to do when the air raid sirens go off. >> every time, like when i want mommyto the bathroom, stands next to me, and daddy looks to see if there is something coming and if there is something coming, we do this. >> even though it is the weekend, it looks like a ghost town. at lunchtime, a few residents venture out into the streets and into the cafés for a meal, but they are always ready to run for cover at the sound of the sirens. >> ukrainian president petro poroshenko has vowed vengeance on separatists in the east of the country. as fighting continues there, he threatened to kill tens or hundreds of russian -- rebels for each soldier killed.

more than 20 soldiers have been killed in fighting with separatists since friday. the u.s. has suggested that germany overreacted this week when it announced it would expel the cia station chief in berlin. ministern foreign frank-walter steinmeier defended the decision. he called the revelations a breach of trust, but the u.s. is insisting a certain amount of spying is necessary, even amongst allies. international spy museum in washington houses artifacts of a time many thought were over -- a time when cold war rivals regularly expelled u.s. spies. washington clearly did not expect its ally germany to take the same action in 2014. >> it is our view that allies

with sophisticated intelligence agencies are aware of the activities and relationships that are included, and when differences arise, we are committed to resolving those differences through the established private channels. we do not believe that trying to resolve them through the media is appropriate. >> but berlin's message has reached the media -- the expulsion of a top cia official made headlines in the u.s.. for the first time, american media and politicians are taking note of berlin's anger and its demands for washington to address spine allegations. -- spying allegations. >> i am concerned we are sending the wrong message to a key ally, which is germany. >> there is also a sense that all countries spy and the u.s. needs spy. >> to say we cannot do this to an ally -- there are issues we have with the germans were we are unsure about their policy

and sometimes that will necessitate getting information through other means. >> at the white house press conference, attempt at humor revealed the tenseness. a reporter asked if president obama should root for germany in the world cup final. the answer, no more than a nervous laugh. [laughter] >> here in germany soccer is no laughing matter, especially considering that the national team could become world champions sunday. they will face-off against argentina in rio. germany is headed into the game as the favorite after their crushing 7-1 win over host brazil in the semi final, but argentina is confident they will keep the title on south american soil in what is sure to be a classic final. >> the german team arrived in rio de janeiro late at night, but they did not go unnoticed. the countdown has started. everyone is waiting for sunday evening.

>> of course is a tense time. we are looking forward to it. we are obviously optimistic. we want to bring the world cup back to germany. that is our job on sunday. we are completely focused on that. >> the coaches doing all he can focused andplayers confident with their eyes firmly fixed on the biggest prize in football. our skill,put all of everything into it -- everything we have, whether it is physical or mental concentration. we will put everything into getting a victory. we have worked for this for a few years now. we cap to developing our game. we have gotten consistently better. now is our big chance and we are ready to take it. >> the tension builds. he and the team want to write history on sunday. >> join us in the studio for more world cup analysis, art

from the sports desk. the pressure is on for the german team. how are they holding up? >> they react very well to pressure and there was a lot of eda pressure on the german team up to the semi final. it has been pretty quiet. basically, as we see them hadning just before they flown to rio de janeiro, they are very confident. it could not have been said better than by one of their defenders who said complacency is their biggest danger, so they are not overconfident because of their big win against the brazilians in the semi final. they have put the game aside and are concentrating on the final against the argentinians. they have scored 17 goals, more than double what argentina have scored at this world cup. >> the team has every reason to be confident. what about fans, how are they

feeling about their chances? >> they are confident, and service have shown most people think germany will win the world cup. it will be a party atmosphere. miles filled her even movie theaters are showing the game live on big screens. ,f this, having -- pubs everything. if you walk down your regular street, it will be a ghost town because everyone will be in front of a big screen or small screen watching the game. >> it is very easy to forget there is a match tonight for third place. take us through that. >> brazil will try to make up for their disaster against the germans. they will be up against the dutch. they do have their central defender back. he did not play against the germans because of yellow cards. media is brazilian saying is time for a foreign-based coach to take over brazil. i have never heard that before. it'll be a tight game,

interesting, but anyone is thinking about the final. >> it will not be as interesting as tomorrow. a lot of excitement ahead of the match not only in brazil, but also in a tiny dot on the map in southern journey -- germany, in bavaria, to be precise, but little or not it produced one of the most important soccer players. thomas miller grew up there and he likes to return home whenever possible to visit his parents and his grandmother. how are they preparing for the final? let's take a look. ♪ >> the bavarian town is usually a sleepy place, but that has all changed since the start of the football world cup. here at the town hall, reporters turn up daily. the mayor says all of them want to know more about the most famous inhabitant. hadfter thomas müller

scored about three goals, media interest increased. he is an interesting person because he is natural and authentic. here in the village, we have taken it all in stride. of course, we are pleased, but we are pretty relaxed about the whole thing. >> residents are extremely proud of their thomas müller. the local bakery has a special attraction, a pair of thomas boots.s old football as a child, he often came here to buy sweets. roxie was a lively boy, funny, just like he is now. he had a good sense of humor. >> but it was thomas müller's talent that really stood out. he learned to play football on municheld and joined a junior team at the age of just 10. it is not his sporting prowess

that makes him popular. -- small-town boy has not let his success go to his head. though he has earned a fortune, people say his feet remain on the ground. >> he speaks and behaves like us. he does not act like men although where beckham. around here, he is just -- he does not act like renaldo or beckham. around here, he is just one of the lads. final will beup doubly exciting because of the personal connection. vix i say thomas müller -- >> i is going toüller shoot two goals for germany on sunday, and i'm seldom wrong. >> if they become the world cup champions, the quiet village is likely to get a little louder for a while. >> that is all for the journal. we will be back at the top of the hour for more, but if you cannot wait that long, visit our

dw.de., bw -- for sarah herman and the whole team in berlin, thank you -- i am sarah herman, and for the whole team in berlin, thank you for joining . >> 20,000 hindus on the way to the most important festival of the year. they have come to germany from all over the world for the 12-day event. they are not gathering in southern india or sri lanka, but in the valley city of palm. this is the most important man. he is not available for interview. we look for someone who can tell us what he is doing here. we find his daughter.

goddess, work with the and carry out the rituals. every time they stop, he holds a ritual. this is the goddess. the faithful believe her benevolent glance fulfills every wish brought to her. the temple built in her honor is the second largest in europe. it is not only open to believers. visitors like us are welcome, too. we enter the temple at the heart of hindu life in germany. the temple is where the world of the gods meets the human world, we are told, and they make the connection. he founded this temple in the after fleeing the

civil war in the sri lankan homeland. hindus say that is not chance, but destiny. the temple is financed through donations. we meet a lot of volunteer workers. for example, the temple's carpenter and non-hindus. he gives guided tours to visitors and he takes us out onto the roof. there is more going on down on the ground, but we do not want to miss this -- the tower of a hindu temple is seen as a representation of the heavens. temple inon of this an industrial estate is a little unusual. the tower was originally white. it is currently being renovated and getting a coat of paint for the first time.

the artwork is being carried out by specialists flown in by -- from india. there had been plans to finish the job in time for the festival. the final preparations for the parade are going on at ground level. the fruit is not for eating. they are offerings for the goddess, and they have been imported especially from asia. the dancers are gathering in the temple garden. a large andparing heavy ornament that they will carry throughout the march. then, they pierced skin with spikes and looks -- hooks.

this is the first time for sandra kumar. we want to know why he is doing this to himself. he says he applied for political asylum here in germany three years ago, and he promised his goddess that if it was accepted, he would dance of the festival. -- at the festival. it must be painful, but pretty courageous, too. just watching makes us feel queasy. the piercing itself is left to those who are qualified to do it. says his father taught him how to place the hooks. in the beginning, he always made the mistake of putting them too cheek, but then he says it wasn't possible to open the mouth.

they have to go further forward, but carefully. look, no blood, he says. believeslater, -- later, but not that badly. there is a rope attached to the hook, and someone is holding onto it. he keeps the hook moving, not to cause more pain, but to make it hurt less. >> thousands of people have turned out for the parade. the goddess is waiting in a huge garage for a decorated float and she is there, too -- and he is there, too. he is always near the goddess. last.they set off at some pull, the others follow. they are on foot, and some are

carrying a burden to honor her, but why did -- why do so many torture themselves? we asked his daughter. she has seen this so many times and watches the faithful from the balcony. well, either they wished for something, or they thought they really wanted to, or just add to do it, or an elder told them it would be good for them to do it -- things like that, she says. they draw the goddess along a two and a half kilometer route to the district of hamm. it is here on the road that there are certain rules to obey and the police are there to make sure that is the case. fine, but things have to be done by the books. ray hindus and their festival have become part of life -- the

hindus and their festival have become part of life and many locals have been fascinated. >> it is beautiful, says this man, who will never end up going to india on holiday, but it is like the holiday has been brought to us. largestake up the third religious group in the world, but in germany there are less than 100,000 of them. she says she is asked why she wears a painted. between her eyebrows and she tells them why. in the meantime, people are accustomed to her, but in the beginning they asked a lot of questions. the dancers have been out for two hours now, and it is 30 degrees celsius in the shade. kumar is still dancing, too, most of the time, but those

books under the skin, do they really -- hooks under the skin, do they really not bother him? heard, heinning, they says, especially when they were in, but that is no longer the case, he says. it does not hurt at all. i'm fine. my goddess is here. we are told again and again that there are no painkillers or drugs involved. the men enter a trance with the help of music and dance alone. we still find it pretty extreme, and we are not alone. this water carrier says he grew up in germany and he has only seen it here, but most of the people here know it from childhood. we asked if people think or collapse. he says yes, and then someone thinks right -- faints right in

front of us. it takes a few helping hands to get him back on his feet. he still seems dazed. we are shocked, and wonder how many seek medical help. there are no patience at the first aid station. so, we ask why that is. , of the german red cross, says the people who do remove the hooks are so good at it, he has nothing to do with it. when they are out, the wounds heal quickly, and he says they seem to use herbs. it is up to them. back at the temple, the priest blesses sandra kumar and the dances. it is time. enough suffering for the goddess. the parade is over. the hooks, outcome and just like the piercer said, there is no

blood. family is waiting for him. his sister says she is proud that he was brave enough to do it and where the pain, and he also danced well. back to everyday problems, it seems no one asked the goddess to keep the road three. tailbackstelmex -- were miles -- for miles. ♪ we stay with the core group of worshipers. on to the holy river. it is rather far from the ganges. holy. declared the goddess gets a ritual

washing under the motorway bridge. we almost forget where we are because of the music. many of the faithful take a ritual bath as well. men take a dip in the canal. the priest splashes water on the women to cleanse them of sin. the baiting is the most moving part of the festival, even if it marks the end. she tells us she is sad because they had a lot of relatives visiting, and they all will return home this evening, which feels a bit strange. head, aot on the four final blessing and for his daughter as well. she will not tell us what she

wished for. then, it is time to go back to the temple and wait until next year. it is impossible for us to know just how many wishes the ghattas has the -- fulfilled. cxcxcxcxgñxñw

[soft exotic flute music] ♪ captioning and audio description provided by the u.s. department of education. >> bokara: so today, we're going to do a show about transformation with two real experts in the field. it's michael murphy and jon kabat-zinn. jon kabat-zinn is a doctor, an author, and a meditation teacher. and michael murphy is