land bellaver says opposition turns out for a show of force against president alexander lukashenko thousands of demonstrators are already on the streets of minsk for a mass protest 2 weeks after an election they say was stolen. has vowed to put an end to the unrest and beefed up security we'll bring you the latest developments. and california wildfires are still posing a major threat to communities in the north of the state scorching temperatures the lightning strikes in high winds are fanning the flames that have forced tens of thousands to flee their homes. and lonely in lisbon no fans in the stands for the biggest game of the year in european football the champions league final by in munich in fact are hours away from their natural.

i'm michael oku welcome tens of thousands of protesters and baylor's have taken to the streets of minsk and other cities for a 2nd sunday in a row they're demanding president alexander lukashenko is resignation accusing him of rigging elections 2 weeks ago. who has who's for 26 years has accused nato of trying to split up elements he's ordered the army to mobilize saying the country was at imminent risk of attack. d w correspondent nick connelly is at the demonstration in minutes. nic what is going on where you are right now. well michael if you can see

behind me people are just streaming past this looks to have been the biggest demonstration in modern belorussian history we don't have exact figures yet but people already they say could be hundreds of thousands to 300000 they definitely seem to be convinced that it's more than last weeks which was already the biggest in recent belorussian history and the mood is very buoyant you have people bring their pets their small children all kinds of like halted signs it doesn't feel like a traditional demonstration and the police has being very thin on the ground and when we have seen they've been booed we spoke to the people on the streets here earlier today let's have a listen to what they have to say you believe that this is a dictatorship because there is no respect for society for people to call for freedom. in places like i'm studying in germany to be a priest in my seat nothing but i need to be here and support my country and my mind i feel like i'm told president it's great to you crazy to say we

told you no. no no no no no how many how many while this will be the lead up to the fight and all but i think i hope. michel we will leave in the 3 consummate software let's see i was in her on her election night because i was on. her. it was like her play tonight nothing was. the numbers and worse sure i. didn't see much here so. i think we might be an. overthrow the government shape-ups all look like. well nick i think that's what resolved sounds like earlier authorities did warn they would deploy troops have you seen any of those troops or for that matter forceful interaction of any kind.

well there have has been a big police footprint here and sentiments of police lorries waiting presumably to take people away but there haven't been many reports of arrests so far doesn't seem to have come that far but this is the calm before the storm president said yesterday that the russians had the weekend to make up their minds and that he would be clamping down as of monday so as of tomorrow he said it was time for the government to show that it was in charge so on the one hand pretty relaxed scenes here people seem very confident that they were just too big a numbers for the government to arrest everyone but equally a feeling of expectation that things could get a lot more sad less hopeful and a lot more difficult in the days to come. nic connelly for us as always thanks much news. in neighboring a lithuania people rallied in support of the protestors and active solidarity aimed

at promoting democracy in criticizing look at. rule the protests aim to form a human chain stretching from the lithuanian capital millions to the border with bellers this action comes 3 decades after what was called the baltic way when residents of the baltic states lithuania estonia and latvia joined hands and linked capital cities in mass protest aimed at ending soviet rule correspondent constantine agard ease at the lithuania border for us readings constantine what is happening where you are. well as you see the human china which according to some estimates numbers about 50000 people stretches nearly 40 kilometers to the sense of vilnius it is a very very significant event for lithuania which is right across the border from

belarus and where developments in minsk and other below russians that is amounted to very very closely it is a very. popular event if i may say so because people come here with the families of seeing people with small children and it is very very emotional and you feel that people do feel for the cell of that with you with belarus you say to motional i mean the human chain of course is as a nod to another historic event we discussed a form in 1989 you were there that time too i wonder what what runs through your mind today i would say sincerity and belief in human spirit these things don't happen frequently in history but they do and at that time we've seen small flags and stickers is distributed with the 3 the flags of the 3 baltic states

a lot to be at least on the story and lithuania in 1989 sorry today they have distributing these things here they prepared. these small been done as with the least 20 and then below russian flags in solidarity with people of bella who so i would say sincerity chime in come in comparison because with 30 on the as ago i seem you've had a moment to be able to talk to some of the protesters there what specifically do they want how do they want this evening and then this month to end. they want violence to end and they want to be free that is what most people say these are not just the simple people ordinary people but i think there's another important element belarus and lithuania and poland were in one state the ground to share of poland and lithuania for $400.00 more than $400.00 yes this feeling of

common history common belonging to europe is very strong in lithuania and i would say it wouldn't be i think the syria mostly thing else would like there was eventually to join the european union to become part of the european family of nations this is a very popular sentiment here in the. constantine anchored for us thank you so much let's take a look now at some of the other stories making news around the world at this hour the wife of prominent kremlin critic alexei has visited him at berlin's charity hospital where he is in serious condition following a suspected poisoning. did not speak with the media vuln a was flown to germany from siberia after falling violently ill on thursday. in northern turkey at least 5 people are dead and 12 missing after heavy flooding in the region rains triggered the flooding which also caused significant damage to

buildings and roads there turkey's humanitarian relief foundation said it had sent a team to help with search and rescue operations. and india has surpassed the 3000000 mark in the number of corona virus cases this as the country long the world's biggest daily rise in new infections in 3 weeks but the word you say the virus is increasingly spreading to india's south. in the u.s. state of california forecasters warn weather conditions are likely to worsen the wildfires raging across the state tens of thousands of residents have had to evacuate their homes ahead of the advancing flames california authorities have requested help even from as far away as australia. it's only from the air that the true scope of california's wildfires becomes apparent. more than a 1000000 acres of forest including many of the state's engines redwoods turned to

ash in a matter of days. and that ash and smoke is only making matters worse poor visibility has grounded many tanker planes clipping the wings of one of the chief weapons in the fight against the fires. more than 13000 firefighters are on the front lines here working 72 hour shifts to beat back the blaze. but despite the massive show of force more than 700 homes have already been lost. as the fires threaten new communities many are saving what they can. and that's become a sad tradition as california's wildfires season grows more intense. every year and. record record. dry weather and lightning storms are in the forecast for the coming days and with hundreds of fires

still raging california's fire service is warning that the worst is yet to come. switching gears to sport now in what could be the most watched event on the planet tonight from lisbon the european champions league final germany's behind munich play french side. and byron story revolves around a new coach. who turned things around for the club by pushing an attacking style of play under flick byron have won $28.00 of their last $29.00 matches but they were up against p.s.g. famous line of gold scores including name or and. let's turn to the home of bahrain music sports. is in munich right in the middle of things in fact in mayan plots in the city center limits good to see you i want to ask you about the match up of the moment but 1st quickly what are you seeing and hearing. well there's

a confident optimism me among by and fans here in the stadium the mood so far has been quite mellow but i can tell you one thing and i have a really big feeling that all of that will change and i've spoken to so many by and munich friends and they all said if they win the champions league final if they bring home a historic 2nd trip out that the good not to celebrate would be very very difficult to resist and we've seen that already in liverpool after they won the premier league title and we saw it most recently in syria after they won the europa league and in football emotions are the same. you know any football fan has asked you know is this old hat for by and fans they've enjoyed not a few celebrations in this spot where you're standing right now. this is the implants also known as mary says it's a very popular place by a knicks fans and this square along with this iconic building is one of the biggest

tourist attractions for the city but it's also like i said there was special for buying marina cans because every time by an acre when a title that no one level though penny that's where all the players are invited over by the c.d.'s and then they all come out including the coaching staff and then they present their trophies to assess to this area right here and here you have usually thousands and thousands of buy and munich fans but because of hold it 19 it's very very unlikely that they will be a public celebration this year ok so no coronation this time you've been watching byron a by. all season and certainly. as well can p.s.g. stop the streaking byron club. i mean i mean i might as well add to that by an 8th unbeaten in their last 29 games in all competitions but of course if there is one team that can beat them it is p s g it's really difficult to tell how

this game will play out because there is no me a favorite you have 2 very strong teams going at it offensive p.p.s. with the likes of neymar and bought and paid can match up with the likes of nevan dosti and sewage cannot breathe and then of course you also have the battle of the german coaches you have thomas took up against. both of them a tactic of masterminds and really interesting to see who plays out too but i think at the end of the day this is it comes down it's $5050.00 ok i'm going to put you on the spot we only have 10 seconds one word who's the winner tonight. i said 5050 i'm going to stick with 50 gave munich a labor talk you know sports being very noncommittal indeed that's your news update at this moment coming up but after a short break our show the reporter series for all of us here at news in berlin i'm

michael okuda the news continues in 45 minutes. they've been robbed of their silly that's what a people experiences. is taken from them. countless cultural riches were stolen from africa and carted off to europe by colonialists. each.