this is due to the news coming to live from berlin that forest fires raging across the northern hemisphere amid the record calm summer in the united states firefighters are struggling to contain and for no that's been goldwing forests destroying homes and threatening long lives also coming out. planting the seeds of success farmers in ethiopia are being given a helping hand to boost their production it's hope this help could answer the country's cycle of famine and drown. and here in berlin thousands turned out

for one of europe's biggest day pride gatherings that christopher street day will bring. their harm and welcome to the show it's good to have you with. extremes summer temperatures in many parts of the northern hemisphere have left firefighters battling massive blazes in the united states at least five people have died in the inferno is raging through northern california police say over a dozen people in the city of writing are still unaccounted for and the fires are not yet contained. it's a vision of hell fires swirling at high speed this is reading california at night wildfires raging through the forests and into the suburbs at incredible speed.

and this is what they left behind hundreds of homes tend to char and rubble devastation for homeowners. to firefighters have already been killed whilst tackling the flames in california it's an uphill battle. only five percent of the blaze is under control so far current conditions high temperatures and wind are going nowhere every single person that i've talked to so far has made the mention that i don't know why it's doing what it's doing it's burning differently it's burning more aggressive. than it has in years past and i know we say that every year but it's unprecedented california is used to fires. but over in europe sweden isn't this summer huge places broke out even as far as the arctic north authorities warn conditions could get a lot worse in them winds could cause the fires to spread and lightning is likely

to start new fires for so we are still on high alert and ready to fight any new blazes. for them to renew your bet on those of. sweden's neighbors have been coming to the support sending people and planes planes sweden has never needed in the past but swedish officials say some of those international volunteers may have to be pulled out so great other risks elsewhere in europe like california and europe is facing an unprecedented fire season and firefighters are at their limits. here's a look now at some other stories making news around the world pope francis a case involving an eleven year old boy francis has ordered to remain in seclusion and in prayer until a church trial is held. peru's president martin visit caught has announced a referendum on planned political and judicial reforms and it stamping out corruption

reforms include cutting private election funding and introducing a second chamber in congress to announcement comes after phone conversations emerged that appeared to show judges trading favors with businessmen and lawmakers . tens of thousands of russians have protested against plans to hike the country's for terror my age to sixty five rallies organized by trade unions and the communist party mobilized people in over a dozen cities and the russians have voiced their anger over the fact the new retirement age of sixty five is also the life expectancy for russian men. people in zimbabwe prepare to head to the polls they'll be casting their vote for a leader not named robert mugabe for the first time in a generation it's the first election since the former president was ousted from power last year the current president emerson mungana is running in

a tight race against opposition leader nelson chamisa both sides are pushing for every vote before the polls. asin barclay's presidential race enters the final days of both sides are turning out in force rallying and dancing in support of their candidates the zanu p.f. the fancy footwork is all for this man and is and. was once mccarthy's right hand man with the ominous nickname of the crocodile he took over when mccarthy was forced to resign but has enthusiastic backers from his supporters who called him that's not that easy i've come voluntarily to support my president. but i want to assure him that i've got your vote come monday i'll call my ex an eighty nine down my president. may. ease off there is simple revive the economy tackle unemployment and attract foreign investment and

that seems enough to get the greens dancing on the pitch. but in the red corner the movement for democratic change is rallying its support and not just with their dance moves there is a show of strength for the forty year old preacher nelson shimmies. we definitely are now hearing that we're going to have gays who are buying fish plaza ya we can go food. people jumped in i'm not going to fall because of mine or. everything kerry called. on the campaign trail chemise have made a few rash promises like bringing the world cup and the olympics to the country and building a high speed train system to controversially chemise is already saying that he has won the election and any other result would prove the poll is rigged whatever his

claims analysts say monday's vote will be a close run race with the possibility of a runoff later in september. to ethiopia now a country call and at least cycle of famine and drought the united nations estimates that eight million people are going hungry and that's despite there being no shortage of fertile farmland development workers from germany believe they can help end the cycle by tapping into local know how and expertise. leymah who grows wheat on his two hectares of land in northern ethiopia as a smallholder he uses the time honored method develops an unplowed and like many other farmers he closes the farai with the same plough just serving the sea then he had an idea this is the old the old. and this is the new. walking one zero zero eleven who

invented a new device which is less damaging to the earth and the seeds since he started using it he has increased his crop by a third the german society for international cooperation supports innovations like this development work a magnet it takes up the ideas of small holders like a lamer and helps to forge new ways of farming moves from. we need to stem the rural exodus but we also need to invest in the industrial parks where food and draw materials are produced and which have to be produced to quality and quantity if you can only do that if you support the rural population. ethiopia is a prime example of the german government's marshall plan for africa if africa's second largest country can succeed in modernizing its agriculture that it's possible elsewhere says magnus schmidt ever since the new ethiopian government took office germany has been able to sell modern plows pesticides and seeds directly to farmers in so-called farmer service centers. would result if there are good seeds

here if it's possible to increase production if there is good downstream processing and more jobs in the future then ethiopia will be a region that won't have refugees making their way to europe really go through being a hot you know i here and roland thousands gather for the city's annual christopher street day parade this year was the fortieth time the events been held in the city it's one of europe's biggest prime celebrations but it has to be called off a little earlier this year organizers canceled some advance to to storm warnings here in atlanta tap. but geyser has been at almost every christopher street day parade he's one of the pioneers of the movement. to do it and i'm always excited as i was the first time the excitement doesn't stop me. he helped organize the first event held in one nine hundred seventy nine when nearly five hundred people in west

berlin demonstrated for equal rights at the same time public opinion was hostile towards them. but then i found that we got some of the positive reactions and that was very relieving for me that he gave me courage. christopher street day is not just a street party it's also political the fight for equal rights and acceptance in germany is far from over campaigners what the constitution amended to protect against discrimination based on sexual identity there are also calls for better education anti gay insults are still widespread in gym schools. and had ever been one of these were not there yet not that there's still a lot of injustice we have to deal with and i think this is a wonderful way of doing that now about us and it's good that in developing a show who you are it's going to be public and so people shouldn't why i hate this is about freedom and not having to hide anymore you can be yourself a. crime statistics however show that being yourself can be dangerous in berlin alone there were three hundred twenty four confirmed homophobic attacks last year

the unreported number will be significantly higher for byrne geyser and tens of thousands of others the fight for justice continues. while the tour de france is coming to a close and it appears we have a new winner here to tell us more about that is the cambridge from ed good to have you in the studio we're still at a stage left to go but it looks like we already know who's going to take it tell us what's going on so it was the second to last stage of course and a final opportunity today for the chasing pack to try and usurp the right thomas at the top of that leaderboard as any good. it's all family tell you it's customary at the top of france very strangely that the race leader is never challenged on the final day so all we have to do today was maintain his lead of a second place tom and do milan and as we're about to see the welshman held is no. the moment go right thomas has dreamed of the tour de france title is as good as

his thomas produced another excellent display in the penultimate stage he finished the time trial in third place and crucially retained a lead of almost two minutes in the general classification. to do on the biggest stage of all. over three weeks. since the. time trial world champion tom to milan won the stage an outcome that keeps the dutchman in second place overall. he finished narrowly ahead of chris froome the four time tour de france champion has had a difficult few weeks but will at least end up on the podium in paris but barring a disaster it's his team sky colleague thomas who will take his crown as the holder of road cycling's most prestigious title. so thomas looking is that for a victory there he's competed before but we've never really heard his name in

contention to win what do you do right this year or he's always been more of a supporting cyclist that's been his role the team's guys he's played an important role as chris froome has claimed tour de france titles over the past few years his highest ever finish in the past was fifteenth so for many it's a bit of a shock that he's done so well this year but there were signs there for instance in last year's tour he was in second place before he fell off his bike broke his collarbone so although we didn't have the luck last year there was clearly pedigree there and some cycling fans could have expected a good performance from again miss year and he also didn't take part in the chiro which is the biggest hellions which happens just before the tour de france all the other cyclists did chris froome for example and it takes a lot out of you. is possibly a lot more fresh than the other competitors well and it went right for him and had a great is a great run dresses important guys set for its six the win in seven years but they've had a controversial tour haven't they have chris froome. the defending champion he's been spotted he's been booed he's actually had physical altercations with fans on

the mountainside a lot of people aren't happy with him taking paul he was involved in a big doping allegation and obviously in the cycling is the last poll in which you want to be basically you know accused of doping so he's very bad on his record he was cleared of the allegations but people still aren't happy to see him taking part now away from the cyclists the team manager dave brailsford he had to apologize as well for basically saying the spitting that was happening was all part of french culture so he wasn't very happy of course i mean so it's a french people so a great victory against the sky but they have a few setbacks along the way that a drama at the tour de france it wouldn't be the same without it that is thank you very much for being with us today and that syria did have a news you're up to date don't forget you can always find the latest on our web site that's been done com i'm sara harmon in berlin although back at the top of the hour with more until then thanks for watching i hope to see you soon.

making news items. she hadn't seen before in one single team sounds a little cold and.