you were in brussels correspondent from 2002 through 2005. the early years as the euro project developed. i would -- i would love your sense of the internal german dynamics on this but appreciate the anti-german sentiment we are saying in the south. how does the german foreign policy and economic policy react to that? we look forward to your comments. thank you. >> thank you and thanks for your patience. i know this thing -- it is 10 days old. angela merkel said -- they ask, what is your name and would international become a german. she said i am just coming for vacation. icthey know they have a problem. i also would like to talk about that. and i guess i would like to comment on that as well. i think i would address two or three basic misperceptions i have observed here in d.c. german crisis management. i think no one in germany commensurately not the delran has any plan for this crisis trade what they're doing now is they're trying to define what they did as a plan. it is a little bit unfair because no one has anticipated this. there was no

. >> how worried is brussels about the situation in spain it? but but the question to our foreign affairs correspondent, jeff meade. >> very worried and they have been for long time. this is one of the biggest economies. there's no question that europe could afford the scale of a bailout required. officially, today, all is calm on the surface. the commission is saying, yes, there has been a downgrade of spain but that has not triggered a market fall. the official line from brussels is that the commission is supporting the spanish economic reform austerity program. they will meet their target in 2013 reducing their deficit to no more than 3% of national wealth, which is the highest allowed commitment under a you stability lot. -- e.u. stability law. that will not happen, largely because of the scale of the spanish economy in the spanish prime minister telling the president of the commission that we will need to recapitalize banks and we will not meet our deficit targets on time. that is the official commission. spain is on course and we are suppo

decisions, but the way, have not been taken by brussels. >> to the middle east now. in the coming days pending the arrival of next week's it monitors for the truce brokered by kofi annan. >> it is said that dialogue is the only way out of the crisis. the violence in the country continues. >> plumes of smoke rising to the sky in central syria. this video hints at the region's continued instability. 23 people reported killed and in the midst of heavy shelling. just a day earlier, u.n. observers visited the city. they were hoping to check the status of the cease-fire. just after this after they left, the shelling began again. the u.n. observers are now back in damascus. the plans are to bring in reinforcements that will bring the total number of monitors to 300. germany will offer technical and logistical support. talks of already begun in new york. the u.n. hopes a more pronounced presence on the ground will bring an end to the pronounced human rights violations in syria. >> u.s. president barack obama has pledged for an end to the violence in sudan and south sudan. >>

. >> syria was also topping the agenda at nato in brussels. they called on russia, one of syria's few remaining allies, to use its influence to end the bloodshed. >> the russian foreign minister cyndi lauper of -- sergei lavrov said the alliance was down to bring this agreements. be appealed to russia to bring more pressure to its -- they appealed to russia to bring more pressure to its ally, syria. >> we have to end the violence, to make sure the annan plan has every chance to succeed. the assad regime must know it cannot rely on russia. >> the un-brokered cease-fire has been in force for a week, but there is fresh shelling in homs on thursday. >> if the cease-fire does not work, i think it will be understandable who was responsible for that. the assad regime. it looks to russia to pressure the regime to comply. >> but russia says the other countries should give the peace plan a chance to work and not condemn it to failure. >> the syrian government should ensure the human-rights and security of its citizens. >> discussions will continue at th

♪ >> hello and a very warm welcome to "european journal" coming to you from dw's studio in brussels. life easier for working parents. why the you canadian -- when the ukraine is seeking refuge abroad. -- finish kindergarten making life easier for working parents. balancing your professional and family life can be quite a challenge, especially with a number of 9-5 jobs on the decrease. more europeans have to work shifts in hospitals, 24-hour supermarkets, or in the media, but who looks after the little ones when you have to work a night shift? your partner? mother? family friends? finland now has a solution -- an around-the-clock kindergarten. >> shall be working the evening shift today and stuffs her daughter enter her snowsuit and heads for the day care center, and all-day care center, open around-the-clock. >> my husband and i both work shifts. it is to be a regular center. it was complicated to work out who could take her, who could pick her up, and where she could spend the evening. with a 24-hour day care center, it is much easier. >> it is a big help for her husband as well. he