♪ >> this is dw news live from berlin. the climate fires in california and the climate change denier donald trump. the u.s. p president verizon california to busy areas devastated by unprecedented wildfires. locals are pointing to climate change. but trump blames the fires on poor forest management. also coming up tonight, the president of belarus gets a $1.5 billion lifeline from moscow. as protests demanding his

resignation at home head into a sixth week. and european union leaders calling for a level playing field in trade with china. during talks with presidency shooting, eu leaders pushed for access to chinese markets. plus, is there life on venus? scientists have found what could be the firirst clue. ♪ i'm brent goff. to our viewers on pbs in the united states and around the world, welcome. u.s. president donald trump is in california where he plans to see firsthand the devastation caused by massive wildfires along the u.s. west coast. the president has been meeting with firefighters and emergency officials s in the north of the state, who have been strugglilig to control record blblazes that

have devastated 20,000 square kilometers. trump blamed the fires on poor forest management and a failure to clear underbrush. democratic rival joe biden has pointed to climate change. as the reason for the fires. our correspondent, he is at the airport in the state capital of sacramento. where the president landed earlier. good afternoon. this is a surprise visit by donald trump. why did he decide to come now? >> well, he is here to talk about the wildfires and some people around here might say finally. his critics have blamed him, avoiding the subject and as you said it was a surprise visit, which a lot of his supporters have come out here and staged impromptu rally. he was talking in this hanger behind me to finally address climate -- to address the

wildfires that have been burning in california. california now is a blue state. that means it is going democrat. most likely. they have not voted for republican in a long time. so he did not plan this as one of the lakes of his campaign trail but because of the headlines it seems he has finally decided to come here and address the situation to show he has it under control. brent: president trump, he does not like to mention the word climate change. he has blamed fires on bad forest management. what are critics saying about the president's handling of these unprecedented wildfires? >> critics say he has not addressed the real cause of these massive fires. this is unprecedented in the history of california, at least in recorded history. and climate scientists say this is directly related to climate change, which trump has outright denied he was asked about the link today and deflected that and said that gavin newsom, the

governor of california should address that question but later when gavin newsom was addressing the question, he said actually the earth is going to get cooler. you just watch. i think scientists are not right. so, again -- she has doubled down on his thighs on what he set about climate change and forest fires. brent: interesting prediction. in the california state capital of sacramento. thank you. greek officials have accused migrants of starting the fires that destroyed europe's largest refugee camp last week on the island of less post. the flames left more than 12,000 people with nowhere to live. those people are now being urged to move into newly a wreck in temporary shelters but many refugees fear that the new camp will be no better than the last. >> at the back of a long line of hungry people, waiting has become part of life on the island of lesbos.

workers hand out bags of food. since the moria camp burned down, migrants have been camping on the streets. they return to eat. it is a simple but desperately needed meal, and soon it will be time to start queueuing for thee next. images from the air show new shelter. tentss f for thousands left homeless.. hundreds have been resettled in sites like this. but others fear moving to the new camps would perpetuate their misery. >> if we go to a new camp, moria again will start. we experience one year moria, it is enough. >> this island is something like -- >> protesters demand to be allowed to leave lesbos. 400 unaccompanied children have left.

the remaining children appeal to germany to get them off the island. in berlin, germany's foreign minister said it plans to help more homeless families. >> there are a lot of voices in germany that have expressed a willingness to help those in distress in moria. in addition to taking in on accompanied minors. >> greek authorities hope to move all migrants off the streets and into new camps by the end of the week. but these protesters say as long as they are on lesbos they will never be free. brent: we could call it check book crush for a next-door neighbor. vladimir putin was granted a $1.5 billion loan to belarus in face-to-face talks with the embattled leader. the two men discussed a wide range of issues during their talks in so she, including joint

military exercises. the belarusian leader is facing unprecedented antigovernment demonstrations back home and is looking to moscow for support. >> it was smiles all around as russian president vladimir putin offered his belarusian counterpart a seat. the face-to-face talks in sochi are the first since he claimed to be election in august, extending his controversial 26 year grip on power in belarus. he has had a lasting relationship with moscow. since he first took office in may 1994. he signed an agreement with then-president doris yeltsin to integrate belarus into a political and econonomic union russia but he did not fully implemented. now he c could be foforced to fy commit to the terms of t the agreement placing his country under the aegis of russia. during the talks, vladimir putin

vowed to stand closer with lukashenko. russia remains true to all of our agreements, including the agreement stemming from the union state treaty and the collective security treaty organization. we see belarus as our closest allies, and officely as i have told you -- and obviously as i told you in phone conversations, we will fulfill every obligation. lukashenko issued what a p a to be a warning to antigovernment protesters back in belarus. the main thing is not to cross the line. there is a redline and you are familiar with this even more than myself. you had to draw these lines in chechnya when you were our young president. i remember that. and god forbid this happens in belarus. but there are certain red lines nobody has the right to cross. >> the unprecedented protests

sweeping belarus are now in their sixth week. an estimated 150,000 people turned out in minks. they want to oust lukashenko from power. the united nations said it is receiving what are described as alarming reports of the repression of peaceful demonstrations. the un human rights has agreed to a proposal to call an emergency meeting to discuss the antigovernment uprising in belarus. brent: for more now let's go to our russia analyst. good evening, constantine. what exactly did president lukashenko hope to get from vladimir putin, and did he get exactly what he wanted? >> yes, he did. he wanted support from vladimir putin. he wanted vladimir putin to treat him as the president of a

neighboring cocountry, of an aly and he wanted money. and all of that he got. and the credit of $1.5 billion thatat was extended by moscow wl go interestingly enough to cover at least not all of it but part of it, to cover previous credits that moscow has given. belarus is a serial in debtor in terms of its relations with russia. but at such a time, i think photo op with vladimir putin was no less important for lukashenko who o faces increasing proroblet home, and this idea that vladimir putin treats them as the real head of state is also very important to him. of course, money notwithstanding. brent: the optics are important. for the opposition in belarus there is a concern that may be the fear that russia could send in its military into belarus. did these two leaders, did they discuss the possibility? >> actually, we don't know,

because apart from this announcement of a new credidit extended, , nothing much came ot of it, but judging by the previous pronouncements by mr. prudent -- vladimir putin, he said a couple of weeks ago that at the request of lukashenko he asked preserved officers of police -- asked reserve officers to standby just in case lukashenko needs help. i think such things were discussed and are discussed. lukashenko seems too be pretty much already in debt to vladimir putin. to give one example. when belarusian state television workers went on strike, members, staff members of rt, russia's proper gamma network have e gone to minsk to consult. so help is being rendered and i think that vladimir putin will

continue to stick by lukashenko. brent: our russia analyst. we appreciate your insights. thank you. let's have a look at some of the other stories making headlines around the world. doctors in berlin treating russian opposition leader -- say his condition has improved in that he is able to get out of bed. the german government says that -- in sweden and france have confirmed german findings that he was poisoned with the soviet era nerve agent. people along the u.s. gulf coast are bracing for the arrival of hurricane sally. forecacasters say you could make landfall in louisiana and mrs. b as a cap -- in mississippi as a category two storm, expected to bring heavy rains and flooding two areas including new orleans. sally is the second hurricane to threaten the region and less than a month. the parent company of the popular video sharing app tiktok says it has chosen oracle as its new u.s. technology partner.

though it will not sell the app or part with its source code. president trump h has threatened to ban tiktok and lest its chinese parents company sells its u.s. business. german chancellor angela merkel says that european union trade with china must be conducted on a level playing field. other leaders met with china's president see jean ping to talk about wide raging issues such as trade climate change and the coronavirus. the original plan was for a major face-to-face summit to seal an investment agreement. but progress on that investment has stall, and then came the coronavirus pandemic. as well as china's hard-line in hong kong. >> parmesan cheese -- from china? chinese companies are known for copying products from elsewhere in the world.

that was one item on the agenda at the video summit between eu leaders and the chinese president. china pledged to ensure that regional specialties like wine and beer from munich are respected. a small success. >> in some areas, we are on the right track. and in others, more work needs to be done. we made it c clear where we sta. >> the eu is demanding greater access to the chinese markets reflect the axis that chinese firms have in europe and was beijing to commit to more environmentally from the policies and to swear off coal-fired power plant. china's activities in hong kong were a point of intense dispute. the eu says beijing m must respt human rights but angela merkel could not claim success on the front. >> the human rights dialogue will continue. president xi offer that.

there is common ground for a further joint approach but that does not mean there is agreement on these questions. brent: earlier we spoke to our europe correspondent in brussels and we asked him why people are saying that relations between the european union and china are the worst they have been in decades. >> there are a number of reasons, really. let's start with the political ones and the most complicated once, because predominantly the policy of the european union so far has been guided by the principle of change through trade. but, looking at the political side, of course, you have the security law in hong kong, human rights violations and it was interesting today to hear the council president bring up a whole list of demands, what china has to do, including international independent observers -- in a part of china where the have been alleged human rights violations against the local muslim population.

now, that will be interesting how that will play out. so that is the political side. then you have the corona crisis, where europe somehow has realized, germany for instance, that there is a dependency on supply chains, when it comes to medical supplies. so that did not go down well with a number of member states. finally you have the market access issue at the root of the problem. the german chancellor and the commission representing the presidency of the european union have made very clear that they do want to see concessions on the chinese part when it comes to making business together. brent: reporting from brussels. you are watching dw news from berlin. still to come, is there life on venus? scientists have found out what coululd be the first clulue. wewe will go live e to houst t o find out what venus hahas that y be mars does not. back here on earth, children and italy have begun returning to

school. more than six months after the pandemic forced the schools to close. some regions postponed the reopening today as some schools are unable to meet the new hygiene requirements. for those going back, it is a time of excitement with some apprehension. >> social distancing has already been abandoned in the school. as children flock back after half a year without class. >> it will be somehow different. but it will be an unforgettable experience. >> this school year will be more difficult because of the coronavirus. my previous school had fewer pupils. but let's see. it will work out somehow. >> many schools don't have enough desks to ensure the kids are kept apart. teachers have voiced concern that infection rates could soar in classrooms which do not look less crowded than they did before the pandemic. the prime minister acknowledges

the problem. >> it will be difficult. especially in the beginning. our schools have been underfunded for years, and the pandemic has made this even more obvious. you have to do your part. by following the rules so that your health and ththat of your loved ones is protected. >> the pupils are forbidden from sharing school materials which is kept in a box. after preparations, the measures are put to the test. but not in all parts of the country. rising infection rates have delayed school reopening in some regions. brent: let's have a look now at some of the other stories making headlines around the world. paul roos is a beginner for trade as a hero in a movie about rwanda is genocide has been arrested and charged with terrorism.

he was in court for the first time on monday. his family says the charges against him are politically motivated and claim he was kidnapped in dubai. the european union has added its voice to the international outcry over the execution of an iranian wrestler. they reported his execution on saturday. he was convicted of stabbing a security during antigovernment protests in 2018. his family say that he confessed under torture and later retracted his statement. september is usually a time for cooler temperatures, but western europe is experiencing a late summer heat wave. renn reached 34 degrees celsius today with temperatures across the country expected to set new records for mid-september. >> summer blazes on as the season shows no signs of

changing in france. much of the country is experiencing a heat wave. with some reason -- regions due to reach highs of 35 degrees. taking full advantage of the long hot summer. amid concerns of global heating. >> we are lucky. it is a beautiful day. in september, it is not usual to go to the beach. you cannot complain but when you think about it, we tell ourselves that is not normal. >> in paris where the temperature lingers around 30 degrees, the heat is worrying. experts say these exceptional temperatures and extreme heat events will likely continue in the years to come. >> this year, we had a hot summer. at that does not mean the summers to come will necessarily be hot or. on the other hand, the underlying trend tells us we are going to have longer and hotter summers. >> tourists and parisians alike

enjoy the unseasonal heat in the capital. though climatologists war of the consequences on the planet as the climate continues to warm. brent: one place that is always very hot -- minas. now researchers have encountered potential signs of life on the planet -- venus, detecting false fine gas in the cloud surrounding one of our nearest neighbors. it could have originated for number of sources but researchers are not ruling out the presence of life on venus. >> is there life in the clouds around venus? it is s too early to tell. but an intnternational research team h h discoverered a clue. the rare g gas phosphine. on earth that is produced by microbes who live in low oxygen environments. telescopes in hawaii spotted the gas by its chemical signature.

phosphphine molecules in venus's clouds absbsorb short wave radio waves that exist in the lower atmosphere but can the gas really come from microororganis? >> the researchers explicitly say that they are not in a position to state they have discovered life in venus's atmosphere. phosphine could result from natural processes like lightning, volcanic activity, or for other reasons. >> if there really are microorganisms inn phoenix'-- in venus's cloududs, they would be hardy in deeper clouds are full of acid which is harmful to life. whether there is truly life and those clouds must be confirmed by further observation. a russian space probe is expected to rereach venenus in e coming decade. brent: possible life on venus?

i am joined now by justin -- with the lunar planetary institute in houston, texas. good to have you on the show. you are a specialist in mars and venus. tell me, how likely is the existence of microbes on or around venus? what do you think?? >> this is a really cool and very tantalizing new result. but i always go back to - -- a phrase made polar r by carl sagagan, that extraordinary clas require extraordinary evidence. even the authors say thatt life is o one of the possibilitieiest it is not ththe only one. we neeeeanother mimission. a mission to gegeinto the c clod anand measure thisis. and see if it is phosphine and how much is there. brent: talk to me about phosphine. why is phosphine gas, why is it crucial? >> because it breaks down, and

it should not be in large abundance in the atmosphere. and so, one of, the main process that produces it in large quantity is microbial activity. so, that is why it is used d in hihigh levels as s a bio signat. as the paper states and as the video clip we heard, there are other processes that can produce it at low w levels. this is one of the things we need to see -- how much is in those clouds. brent: you know, we have always heard that venus, because it is closer to the sun, that it would be too hostile, too hot for life as we know it. do these findings, do they put that theory into question? >> that theory is for thehe cru, the surface of venus, 470 degrees. 92 bars, of mary causustic environment. that is ououtside the realm of life as we know it. going again dr. carl sagan have

been proposing life in the clouds for decades. and this is sort of the first tantalizingg evidence that may e they are there. brent: and you have said we need another mission. so, what would that mission look like? if you had it on your wiwish li. >> we would need ann atmospheric -- to go down into t the atmospherere and measure the chemistry. >> dada? >> yes? brent: it's ok. >> sorry. we would n need atmosphere -- yes? brent: let's go ahead. you may finish. >> we would need an atmospheric probee to go down ininto the cls and measure t the chemiststry ad look f for not j just phosphinet also things like organics and her buyer r signatures too seeee hohow much is there and whatat s ere in ororder to definitively prove there is life or not. brent: ok, all right.

we appreciate your insights tonight and with the cameo appearance of your little kid. ththank you. it is live television. it's ok. thank you. all right, sports news up at french football. saint schumann -- hosted marseille. he says he was the target of racial slurs from gonzalez and late in the match punched gonzalez in the back of the head. the clash boiled over into a full-scale brawl. five players were kicked out. marseille won the match ,1-0. before we go, let's take a look at some mountain biking in germany. not in the mountains but in an abandoned quarry. after months away from the sport because of coronavirus, fat tire writers from across europe got together to practice tricks in a

radically transformed setting. competitors managed a couple of firsts. the very first backspin. look at that. you need fat tires and fat nerves. you are watching dw news. i will be back to take you through "the day" stick around. i will be right back.

twenty four .com. be able to swap into life in parisis will usen analysis from france twenty four i'm marco in these are the main world news headlines donald trump lands in california on the presidential campaign trail this as wildfires rage across two million hectares of the uss wewest coaoast. trump a c climae change denier has blamed the state governors of forest management the disaster. five former prime ministers in the u. k. a full spoken out to criticize boris johnson for breaking intnternational goaoal over thehe brexitt deal. lawmaks are set t to bow to. you bill to create a uk internal market. change the