ah and welcome to our viewers around the world, michael ok. we begin in france, where voters were casting their ballots in a tightly contested presidential election run off opinion polls suggest pro europe manuel. my call is on course for another 5 year term in the eliza palace. but his far right opponent marine le pen has mounted a strong challenge. victory for her could shake the foundations of european unity. ah, it's election day and francis bracing for the lip pen, my call show down the stakes. a huge lip pen. what become modern frances 1st far right leader and 1st fema president. oh, my call would be the 1st french president to win re election in 2 decades. much will depend on how many people will show up to vote in a country that's deeply divided. was received, thought several abeline monsieur macklin. i'm not a fan of my call, but i think it's the only democratic option on the vehicle. we have seen how they have restricted our freedoms these last years, especially during the pandemic. i'm not sure people are aware of this, but i think unfortunately, we will continue on this path if my call as we elected to the gentleman that exceeded to it's the supporters of left wing candidate jaundra, milan shaw, who came 3rd and round one who feel particularly frustrated, they no longer have a left wing option. now their vote or a low turn out has the potential to tip the scales. michael has tried to appeal to these voters by toning down parts of his manifesto, like the plan to push up the retirement age from the current $62.00 to $65.00, we'll decide we can fix a low, a targeting. i'm open to discussion with what i q 2. meanwhile, the pen has also tried to gather more support by continuing to depict herself as the candidate closest to the people. are shocked. i want to tell every fringe person that my project is tailor made for them who i want them to be happy and prosperous safe. and i will defend their identity at the see that they, for the lovely don't you all opinion polls in recent days point towards a wind for the 44 year old pro european centrist mac home. a la pen victory, however, is still possible. and what sent shock waves across europe. liza lewis is in paris for us. i asked her what mood she sensing from voters to day stay the course or bring on change. well let me live, been talking to he have been telling me that it's important for them to actually block marilla pan from getting to power as some are convinced that in my my call will adapt his course, his program it more to left wing voters because he's seen that when i saw at the far left candidate escort a quite well in the 1st round of fading. and they think that he had a mom, a call has understood that he needs to change his program, introduce more social measures, more ecological measures actually to satisfy those voters. other people have told me that they are not really happy about waiting for in my, my car that, that, that, but that they feel that there is no other option for their mind. you the people i've been talking to have all said that they would wait for my call or at least they, the others have not revealed to me that they would wait for marina pen. but this is really very much my cor heartland here in paris because my call has caught quite well in big cities and marilla pen would rather school well in the country side, that's at least what happened in the 1st renovating 2 weeks ago. and we've heard it certainly for weeks now, my call is expected to win, but i imagine not a few people are on the edge of their seats. wondering if there'll be a surprise to night, especially if the unusually large number of undecided voters sit this selection out, in which case i suppose anything could happen while absolutely you are right now, especially as they were upholds showing a few weeks ago that there could be a neck and rate neck race between the 2 candidates. that wasn't the case 5 years ago in 2017 would everybody, all the pulses and alice, he and france were saying there is no chance that marina pan could win. now the polls have twain changed again over the past 2 weeks and in my, my call has increased his lead. but as you're saying, there are 2 variables that could change the outcome. very low part of voting participation. or as those that haven't decided who have who they would vote for yet actually these 10 percent of 8 us. this is the 2nd time that mac hall and le pen are facing each other in the runoff. reminders what's different this time? well, what's different is that marina pan has been, she managed to increase at the share of the vouchers that would be for her, you know, over the past few months. she's been campaigning through towns through marcus telling everybody that you know, she was the candidate closest to the people, the candidate that would increase her spending power. she was also helped by another candidate court exam more who seemed even further to the right. he was campaigning very much with outright racist slogans. and so that had ad marine dependent p a softer and a thirdly a my, my call really stayed away from, from the campaign trail for a long time until the 1st round of voting. that is because then he understood that he needed to do more actually to when eva vegas hearts about the bottom line of this is really that marina pan has now maybe the polls are not saying not predicting that she will win the selection, but her shaft debate could be a lot higher than 5 years ago when she was already facing him. i'm a call on the run of fate. and that means that him and michael really needs to do something to bring this country back together to satisfy those waiters who only vote for him to day to prevent marina penn from getting to power. no doubt will be seeing a lot more of you in the coming hours. i. d. w, corresponded lisa louis. thank you to the warn europe. now, when you cringe president of a lot of missile lensky is due to meet with top us officials in the coming hours. so lensky says he'll be asking secretary of state antony blinking, and defense secretary, lord austin, for more weapons to fight the russian onslaught in the south in east. earlier the president recorded an orthodox eastern message from keeps st. sophia cathedral at makeshift houses of worship ukrainians. nationwide prayed for front line troops, and 4 civilians besieged in cities such as mariel. earlier i asked dw correspondent, rebec ritter's in keith. what zalinski could expect? again, from his meeting with the leaders of the pentagon and us state department. well, this is the highest level meeting from the us since the war began. i don't have a list of talking points. this is obviously a very confidential mating. one thing he can definitely expect is a guarantee from the americans of continued support in this conflict. and certainly one the one thing he wants can really be summed up in one word, michael and that is weapons from the very beginning of this conflict. president lance, he has been calling for support in the way of weapons saying that if they had the right weapon rate, i would already have pushed back the russians and they would already be winning this war. he's going to be at pains to underscore and to, to really drive home to the americans that this is a turning point in the conflict. this regrouping. this focus on the east and south that the russians have now confirmed. that is the, is their plan. he said, what happened, he believed that what happened now in this part of the conflict will determine not just the future of ukraine on the ukrainian people, but potentially the future of europe. and that is a message he will be driving home to the americans today. rebecca, of course, securing those weapons, is one thing, but the one imagines physically distributing them to the areas where they're most needed will be extraordinarily challenging. absolutely, as you can imagine, i'm big weapons and also trying to do it under the cover of darkness. this war a, you know, is one of course, where nobody wants the, the distribution, the logistics to become public. you know, you, crime does not want russia to know just how and where these weapons are going. and so we getting mine a bits of information about water trickling into the country. but in terms of the distribution lines or logistics routes, we just don't have the answers to those questions. you know, they're being transported by rail and road did see some tanks. the other day on a train rail, you know, got going through the country, but they going through civilian areas. michael, so obviously a target and nobody wants the russians to know where they going. and rebecca, stay with us more questions for you in a moment. but 1st, we'd like to give of yours a look at your report on ukraine as the nation. marx, orthodox, easter day. you visited one village, northeast of key that was under russian control until a few weeks ago. that community came together to build a make shift chapel after russian soldiers destroyed their church. oh, on recall and reflection the jesus who sacrificed all to die on the cross. it's the saddest day in the christian calendar for the worship is here in this village outside. keith there, good friday service in this night shift chattel has taken on an even deeper meaning this year. oh, russian soldiers marching on keith. then there 19th century church to the ground. claudia pro with you. all the missile hit the altar of the church on the eastern side of the building for the damage spread inside icn. the windows exploded out sidney. it was a direct hit me was lander go. when the church was burning, i thought my soul was burning. she the icon of the prophet elijah, the only thing to survive when i was with alissa it survived under the ruined is really, you know, under the ashes completely polish. hm. well, it's a phenomenon. yeah. and i don't know how to explain it that way. is me a miracle in the middle of war? unless not all those the water gravel are people in the village said father, we cannot be without you prima. we need the service. i think the item that i told them you, let's build a tent so we can celebrate easter from most noble apostles written on boston. we started to build this chapel, you know, shall we, can you imagine what the, which a song of the thought to severe ukraine is a deeply religious country in villages like this one, the church plays a central role in the community. these people tell me that while russians may have destroyed their church, they will never destroy their spirits. but the churches themselves found, we grew up here, eco, when the church was burning right before our eyes, we were very scared. the scariest thing of all was that we couldn't do any things and then because we were under fire at da da da, in some way all my childhood was spent here. i grew up 3 houses down the road. so how should i feel like it's like something is gone from your life, usually living? they, val, they'll rebuild their beloved church in all its former glory. once they're certain, the russians won't return one law. if they do, the priest has a message straight from the bible, you or source causes. jesus said, love one another as i have loved you was the book. but he also said something else, injury, he who fights by the sword full shall die by the sword. why did all that you id as the service ends? they pray for christ. we born on easter sunday, the church rebuilt, and doubtless for a homeland free once again. i am rebecca to day as ukraine endures. now the 3rd month of the russian invasion, our people spending this rather extraordinary orthodox easter. i'd certainly is an easter like no other michael we've been here. i'm standing on the fall court. in fact of saint michael's church, it's one of the biggest cathedral here in cave. had there been a lot of people here today, streaming in an hour, we've been speaking to some of them, asking them whether they're afraid this year because of the height and security, the heightened threats of a potential attack. many people saying that by are concerned, understandably, of course, but that they're happy to be able to come out and celebrate their faith as they do every year. we have notice of course, the service is different this year. normally there is a midnight mass the night before that would have been last night, but that was cancelled because of marshal laura and the curfew in the city are all over the country. so they've changed it so that their services all throughout the day to be able to disperse the crowds. they were warned to stay at home and try and celebrate their. but as you can imagine, many people wanting to come out and, and celebrate their faith, which they're doing. and so far it has been safe. d, w corresponding to rebec ritter's in chief. some sports now and a bind munich, extend their reign as boone as will your champions. they have sealed a record tent. the german title with victory over dorman, robert de 11 dorski was among the goal scores against his former club as by and ran out 31 winners. it's a 1st buddhist, so your title for their coach julian novels, men at age, 34. to watching d. w news, he is a reminder of our top story at this hour. opinion polls suggest french president emmanuel. nicole is on course for a 2nd 5 year term, but he is far right. opponent marine le pen has mounted a strong challenge in sundays election. ronald reporter, he's up next, looking at afghan refugees trying to make his mark on the burly in fashion. seen a michael oak, who from me in the entire news team here. thanks for watching these places in europe or smashing the wreckers step into a bold adventure. it's the treasure map for modern globetrotters. discover some of you ropes, record breaking sites on google maps, youtube and now also in book form. imagine how many portion of floods are thrown