find out more. let me tell. you. this is the w. news live from berlin as extern prepares to elect a new president but observers say the outcome isn't in doubt with a handpicked successor of the country's long standing off or a tarion ruler set for victory also coming up. in football a teenage star is born in from germany to make a winning start at the women's world cup. and standing up for the little guy we meet in traditional german company putting on a brave face even as it risks being borne by foreign competition.

i'm rebecca ritter's welcome to the program kazakstan is voting today to elect a new president it's the 1st time since independence that a long time author terry and later notes of time is not on the ballot the world world's last soviet era later ruled the central asian nation with an iron fist for nearly 3 decades but in march he unexpectedly stepped down handing over the reins to his protege. talk i have is expected to win the election. they doubly correspondent emily show and has been speaking to opposition activists in the country she said as this report. poetry and music begins to political repression sloc a cause like poetry collective is rehearsing a new piece it's

a statement against political apathy though the young performers insist this is just art. you're. the. boss have to less of a is here to support the group the community activist was recently released from prison she was behind bars for 15 days for holding up a banner calling for free elections to be any attempts to express your opinion over oppressed and stifled in kazakhstan through arrests and fines and many activists are being sent to serve in the army now this is all we have. we can only express ourselves through our actions but we know we have to do something that there is a demand for change among people a people's movement for change. because . the presidential campaign is in full swing in kazakhstan there are 7 candidates on the ballot one more salt on those that are by

a step down as president and march he made close ally. interim president. is running on a platform of stability and continuity. with president here in kazakhstan for nearly 30 years and these are the 1st presidential elections without him the government is promising a free and fair ballot but of service say only by a hand picked successor really has a chance and that's our bias himself is still everywhere even in the street names despite stepping down as president he still has the title of leader of the nation the capital was recently renamed nor sold tom in his honor still there's a sense of excitement about the elections in the country it's just me i think right now is the moment to show that people can change something that's so we. can yes the course we want to be optimistic and believe that things will get better now.

that democracy is an illusion yes some people are always in charge and we're just sure we're told he. is hoping to attract the protest vote he's the 1st critical town to the to be registered in a cause like election for more than a decade from seriously when i think i have good chances because people are dissatisfied with the status quo and they see in other countries including in former soviet countries how new governments are electors and that there's nothing scary about it but many opposition activists say all the candidates are cooperating with a corrupt system controlled by the ruling party some are even calling for a boycott on election day. plans to monitor the ballot with observers from the youth information service of kazakhstan so far not a single. election in the country has been recognized as free and fair by the international community. and so i hope some day that the pressure from

the people will force the government to acknowledge that we need to have real elections with independent candidates sic you. know. that is the best case scenario at the national. summit. although i had to guess about doesn't believe these elections can be free and fair she is convinced her country is at a crossroads she hopes more young activists and artists will dare to speak out and unite to shape kazakhstan's future. d.-w. has learned that a novel opposition activist to mash of was detained at a rally in kazakstan i spoke to him a few minutes before his arrest and asked him what chance opposition candidates have in this election. while i think it's quite clear that there are one she accepted their offer their system there she called oppose them in a way we expect. we're going to be there for their rallies to

try to speak to to gather the people on the squares urge you to vote for art really support. hard core to our critic and political right for a very very. critical track in there are huge personalities but of course want to start to cooperate with her to use our history you know what you can throw it back you can't really. appreciate the control that he did so far to iraq here. opposition activists. speaking to us shortly before he was detained by kazakh police they don't need these monitoring his situation now that some of the up a stories making news around the world. tens of thousands of people have gathered in hong kong for a major rally against a proposed extradition law the law would allow suspects to be sent to mainland china to face trial critics say

a fair trial is not guaranteed. thousands of people have crossed into colombia after venezuelan president nicolas maduro reopened a pedestrian border bridge it was shot 4 months ago following a dispute with bogota over humanitarian aid many venezuelans across to look for food and medicine medicine jus to severe economic and political crisis at harvest. in sudan pro-democracy protests leaders a calling for a national campaign of civil disobedience i want to force the country's military rulers to hand over power to a civilian government in outspent follows a violent crackdown that left more than 100 people dead several opposition figures involved in mediation if it's have been arrested. a russian court has put a prominent journalist under house arrest. known for investigating corruption among moscow city officials was detained on thursday for alleged drug offenses earlier on saturday going on was temporarily hospitalized after he claimed he was beaten in

police custody a close friend told the news that goodman i was medical examination showed bruising on his body and his face. they w. correspondent barry shaver was at the court hearing and she sent us this report. russian investigative journalist has been put under house arrest for 2 months that was completely unpredictable because investigators accused him for selling large amount of drugs these can put him in prison up to 20 years people who gather to support him in moscow today took it as a victory journalists human rights activists and friends came to the court in the early morning and state here till midnight in the court of on going out has not admitted his guilt and pointed out that it might be connected with his last still unpublished investigation about funeral business in russia and high ranking officials here mentioned that he has been receiving threats iran will stay under

house arrest till the 7th of august. is to football now on day 2 of the women's world cup so one of the tournament favorites take the field joining me to discuss all of it is max merrill from day to be useful to mike thanks for coming in so do many buy their 1st game against china did the match live up to expectations well i wouldn't say so quite because germany as you mentioned all favorites in this tournament they struggled a little bit early on and didn't really put in a dominant display that we saw for instance from france who are another one of the favorites you could argue germany is still sort of feeling it out because their coach is only been there 6 months once you have a startling book and 15 of the squads players have playing the very 1st world cup tournament so it might take them a little time to find their groove but let's take a look at the highlights from the much. germany almost got off to a dream start with this opportunity in the 3rd minute on a day brits firing just inches one china had a chance 10 minutes later one showing sharon should have pulled the trigger sooner

i do it in conduit deflecting the shot in the nick of time. china came agonizingly close again is young lead curled an exquisite effort into childes post i thought he would let off for germany. germany's big break arrived in the 2nd half of dawson college a corner was cleared but only as far as julia when the midfielder smashing home to put herself in the lead for good. one nil the final score and coach mike tina fostex limburg could be happy that her team came away with a scrappy victory. time much tighter than expected victory there but what a moment to julie what tell me about her performance yet while she was the highlight and otherwise disappointing performance from germany especially germany's defense does look pretty shaky and as we saw allowed china

a few looks on go for her though a world cup debut at the age of 19 straight off to a flying start scoring their big high hopes attached to her head of this tournament so for her perhaps also very good to get the pressure off early on and all reports in rem actually caught up with her off the match let's hear what she had to say. and very happy it's still very cool to score gold at their world cup and. i've got this many credit congratulations and it's a beautiful feeling. wow good on that site so young so doing so well for exciting to say the nigeria also took on norway is there any signs there that nigerians can lay serious claim thank challenges well large area was seen as sort of an outside shot and it didn't look too great yesterday because norway who was one of the clear favorites and have won the world cup. previously in 1905 again have a good squad early on they got a goal. and right and scoring early on and 3 goals in the 1st half and that pretty

much put the game to bed i do think nigeria in the 2nd half found themselves a little bit more and we could see them challenge other teams in the tournament but against norway they want to fret and this is a norway side who are missing their best player other hager back the bottom door one of the 1st female. who hasn't been playing for the national side since 27 seeing protesting injustice and inequality in the sport but no way already to offer good start without well we'll follow them closely maxwell thanks so much for coming in but as to the french open now the men's final will be played today with rafa looking for a record 12th time in paris that follows a stray as ashley barty winning the 1st grand slam singles title of her career on saturday. it was a final nobody would have predicted neither ash fancy nor markets. had played in a grand slam singles final before. the more experienced barty took control from the

stands she won the 1st 4 games of the match and this forehand winner gave her the 1st set 61. of the couldn't fight back in the 2nd. with the scored 5 games the 3 party converted the 1st match point with a thunderous smash to confirm her victory in straight sets i think a special moment for the queensland who becomes the 1st australian to win the french open since 1973. here's one business that shows bigger isn't always better garden gnomes have a long history in germany but one of the country's last traditional making factories may soon be forced to close its doors. but right now to grieve is the 4th generation in his family to make known for a living his great grandfather founded the company in 874 now very male just looking ahead to retirement and that's created something of a problem when. i'm searching for

a successor who works like we have done but at the moment i can't find anyone who has the courage to go on making gnome's here in germany he got. quite this from his workshop this inquiry from a village in what was east germany shortly before the fall of the bear that mall in 1909 the firm had 60 employees now you just 3 people work here anyone taking over will need attention to detail. from the sheer they shouldn't because it's a bit between the shirt and the tries is needs to be very precise and. bright colors and quirky expressions there are many other reasons known as continue to be popular . construct with the name radiates a certain kind of friendliness so gnomes tend to be made with smiling faces and i believe we humans need that there are enough stupid faces around us.

right now it also gives tours of his workshop and there's even a small museum on site entirely dedicated to numerous enthusiastic there smiley faces won't disappear forever. now watching data news from berlin coming up next day that when you reported looking at the kids kicking off their careers in football thanks for watching. what does neckerchief tell us about. let's ask her let's experience a modern museum center with her persian cultural heritage foundation. researchers are looking for answers in more than 5000000.