this is g w news live from berlin tonight the coronavirus the sick and the starving a warning that the pandemic could cause famine of biblical proportions. millions of civilians living in conflicts jordan officials including women and children face being pushed to the brink of starvation with the specter of famine very dangerous possibility. if anything to hand the un's world food program to do well last

also coming up tonight with humans and walk down the world once again belongs to birds and beasts it's a new scene for filmmakers to capture is it anything new for the environment which we abuse plus the global race for a coronavirus back seat a german company wins approval to strike the country's 1st clinical tests on human . i'm off to our viewers on p.b.s. in the united states and all around the world welcome a virus that could make us sick and leave us hungry tonight the u.n. world food program is sounding the alarm over food shortages caused by the coronavirus pandemic saying we could soon see famines of biblical proportions the piece says there are already 800000000 people without enough to eat and the pandemic. could force

a $130000000.00 more to the brink of starvation by the end of this year. thomas in south sudan trying to ward off the latest invasion no chris south threatening to destroy what crops they have left in a country where hunger response to davy knife after years of civil war and the majority of south sudanese are already in a state of food crisis now things look set to get even worse last year we had to feed 5000000 people due to fighting and flooding already in 2020 we've had locust invasions and now there is the cove of 19 plan damage which we predict could almost double the people in the queue hunger by the end of 2020 across the world. and those numbers are shocking we're also told the break of a hunger endemic an additional rule of $130000000.00 people. could be cush to the

breaking story based on by the end of 2020 that's a total of $265000000.00 people. government long downs are taking that told in brazil it's estimated that up to 40000000 informal one pice have been dragged into extreme poverty handouts here in rio de janeiro are keeping people fed . others are doing whatever they can to survive. that might be defeated me honestly it's very difficult even with selling food in order to survive my daughter annoying me we're out of work and we're doing this selling food and then i can see. organizations like the un's world food program op pleading for more funds but with so many countries now battling for economic survival plus a lack of global leadership the fear is such

a humanitarian catastrophe could be closer than ever. to. go from a viral pandemic to a hunger. i'm joined tonight by the world food program's bettina luscher she is the organization's chief spokeswoman here in germany it's good to see you why will millions more people go hungry because of the coronavirus connect the dots force. see look what's happening all around the world look what's happening in western countries and then multiply that by also what and you see what it can eric turmoil is happening around the world. you know so many people are losing their jobs and our concern is that our data have found that the number of acutely hungry people could go up to more than a quarter 1000000000 people why is that because the virus is going around the globe

legace and now me of suffering men women and children that we have especially concerned about those that are in refugee camps really very very close to each other how do you do social distancing in a refugee camp so we're working on that but the single that also really worries us as we this year is the world food program have to feed $100000000.00 people without us they would die and we urgently need funds to do this job to feed those 100000000 people who are already suffering from conflicts and wars and climate change and everything now on top of that is the coronavirus and this will make everything much much worse how is the funding situation for the world food program your funding source is it is it stable. well we have to beg for every dollar and every euro and we're doing that as we speak and that's why my voice was in the u.n. security council you know we not only we need to act today and the world for

program doesn't only just do the food assistance we also need money for order just a response we take care of the horse humanitarian community we will aid some $120.00 countries we are chartering ships we're chartering planes were flying in aid workers we're flying in nurses doctors masks ventilators we're building a field hospital it's all of that needs to be paid for to and that has to happen now it cannot happen in a month it has to happen today tomorrow this week and for that we need $350000000.00 and so far we have received just a quarter of that we know that many humanitarian issues there being to go to the beyond is with us as the world deals with this pandemic what is your message to world governments tonight this time we are all in this this is not a crisis somewhere over there out or somewhere over there very very far away this

is affecting all of us and we are all staying home we are only trying to help each other but if you live in africa how in the middle east in a war zone you have you don't have the luxuries that we have and if we do not help that i know there will be how do you go and then me and that is such a horrible never before seen situation it is our very natural self interest to help our neighbors they are suffering much more than we do if we don't help them the pandemic will get out of control and the virus will come right back at us so we have to stand together the world needs to stand together thank you just never before right bettina luscher she spokesperson here in berlin with the world food program but in a thank you. thank you it was the day of the 50th anniversary of earth day a milestone deserving global attention except that this year nearly half of the

world's population is under lockdown restrictions with humans stuck inside while life is returning and staking a claim to suddenly silent and deserted streets our next report takes us to the colombian capital bogota where filmmakers are introducing the locals the humans to the neighbors that they never realized they've always had the empty city is a testing ground for some of bogota its inhabitants many people seem to forget that the colombian capital is surrounded by mountains grasslands and wetlands using their cell phones several people have captured images of wild animals they never knew lived close by wildlife is closing in on the city a phenomenon explained by jorge molina an ecologist university. the presence of wild animals didn't used to be very noticeable in the city going on and they were close to the city in the eastern mountains. but as human activity

slows down while the animals are sensing the chance to extend their range a bit. documentary filmmakers countless rincon find out 100 counterman launched their massive project on and off olena and have collected the wildlife footage the message this habitat is for everyone you know in this case has a crucial function the main idea is to think of a future where people get used to observing and filming wildlife is now closer to their home in their backyards and on the balconies so they can learn about it. just a few days after it was launched an e-mail fallen to garner the support of 8 institutions and the active participation of influential locals who feel that the project helps people stop and think. and have it the same territory as a species we arrived much later than many of the wild animals that live pharaohs we're not the center of the universe you know so much that centered on us most of

the people captured the images from their windows but some use drones to film the changes in the city without leaving their homes. is rebuilt it's important for us to be aware that we're not the only ones living in this area that there are many living beings there are always there even if we can't see them they respect us so we should respect them. keep. all the footage captured for has the same objective to use the lockdown as a tool for learning about our shared habitat. and for more on the environmental effects of the coronavirus i'm joined tonight by a policy he's the director of the un environment programs europe office bruto is going to have you on the show we just heard in that report there a very positive example of the corona virus and its impact on the environment but

i'm wondering was sugar coating the reality there is it really true. well 1st of all i want to wish you a happy birthday and these are beautiful images indeed that these are images that are printing to human tragedy and we know the city did the. images as as we face the crisis we we see notably in the environment a lot of waste being thrown the medical waste chemicals used to fight the virus and actually we are holding as well to improve the system inability of the response to the current crisis but including on this day the management of waste that we are creating to fight this terrible terrible virus. or do you think that on this 50th anniversary that obviously everyone on the planet is thinking about the pandemic and the coronavirus are we neglecting the equally urgent fight against

the climate crisis on our planet. well what is clear is that we've got no time to waste and that the current crisis will be there soon after the code crisis we really have to tackle this challenge of our century which is that climate change and very limited degree they should buy that was the loss and to do that we pleading that after the crisis we build back better and we tried to float you bonds that badly but you didn't do the systems that created this crisis that we are facing today still by building that better what we mean is that we can invest and transformative economy most of the greener economy to create new jobs and then also meeting the paris agreement. challenges and the climate

change process is can be turned back if we invest in solutions no changing the economy model and by transforming our economy and this. involves also a number of education tool that i would like on the day as well to signal that we have lunch at school which is a way to give younger generations of today confined in their home and that maybe looking for good to learn about the nature. of school is giving them this together we've seen this go you know that ted we've launched this to reach is really absolutely. wonderful to to create this a woman about nature and about that that we are linked to nature all the time well well let's hope that in another 50 years when it's the 100th anniversary birthday that we're all a bill to celebrate

a planet that is healthier than it is today policy director at the u.n. environment program in brussels for we appreciate your insights tonight thank you. things well here's a look now it's other stories that are making headlines around the world the british government says $759.00 more people have died from covert 19 in u.k. hospitals the official total death toll stands at more than 18000 but the country's financial times newspaper it says that the government has undercounted deaths it puts the figure at more than double at 40000 flash flooding in the yemeni city of 8 and has left at least 14 people dead dozens injured many streets have been blocked and buildings destroyed by mud and debris the country's already struggling with the effects of years of conflict and cholera outbreaks anti-government protests in lebanon have flared up again despite the ongoing coronavirus walked down the

demonstrators some traveling in cars to maintain social distancing are angry about the worsening social and economic conditions before the pandemic protests had been taking place on a daily basis. well as world wide coated 1000 cases surged past a 2 and a half 1000000 in the global race to develop a vaccine is of course gaining fresh urgency today the german drug for bio in tech won the approval to begin the country's 1st human clinical trials of a possible vaccine there are currently dozens of potential candidates in development here in europe in china and in the u.s. but health officials say it will still be months before a treatment is available. governments across the world have different strategies to battle a pandemic. but they all agree on one thing. elected to global public health crisis caused by covert 19 will not be completely over until

science finds a vaccine in the long run the best way to defeat corona virus is through a vaccine. the regulations will remain until we have a vaccine and medicine that mainly until we find a fax. machine but. finding a vaccine is crucial to ending the crisis around the world scientists are making progress the pharmaceutical firm in the german city of mines has become the 1st company in germany to receive a permit to conduct human trials. let's meet these look at this is only the 5th clinical trial in the world in the quest to find a vaccine against this installs it is a milestone. in britain scientists are also racing ahead researchers at oxford university planned to start human trials on thursday the scientists here had a head start they'd already been working on other coronaviruses long before this latest outbreak began when this new virus emerged that was already working on here

in oxford the mothers crying a virus in a back seat was being trialled humans and so what happened was the genetic code for the new corona virus was discovered in january of this year and it was possible to go back to that genetic code make these new vaccines very rapidly global investment is high in the race to find a vaccine the u.k. government has invested 20000000 pounds in this study alone at the same time they want to invest in production capacity so the once a vaccine is available it can be distributed quickly researches in switzerland say they are confident they will soon have a vaccine they hope to start means higher population by october a very ambitious plan most researches believe a viable vaccine won't be available until next year at the earliest. or more now i'm joined by mohamed win here he's a viral exist at lancaster university in the u.k.

dr when there is going to have you on the program but this is good news we've got a human trials beginning in the u.k. and in germany it seems that the whole process for developing a vaccine has been exhilarated are we looking at the prospect of having a vaccine on the market now sooner rather than later. oh yes this is really good news and mainly this is actually the information that white by china i mean. exploit that information and develop a vaccine so the development of the vaccine part is the 1st far. more than a dozen research groups the next major point taking any devaluation which is a human trial which are. phase one phase 2 and frankly so different countries have taken different approaches to these trials for safety immunity and if it is see for example the one that is being taught here again the u.k.

that has merged the phase one phase 2. can be quite short so if anything will follow in the 1st instance in terms of safety in terms of looking into the site of fact they are all that we will have a vaccine at the end of this year which will be deployed next year ok you say it could be deployed next year talk to me about that we're talking about getting maybe billions of vaccine samples to people on the planet that takes mass production are we prepared for the quips to make that happen quickly. yes it's really a political point 'd because once vaccine would become of a level that would be proven by the voters how overnight asian or other regulate the authorities the next big challenge would be that can we scale down one of the level that it meet older dimanche so when we designed the vaccine we keep this one in mind especially in this kind of on 'd top for example the vaccine that is being

manufactured and. tested in humans while here in the u.k. they already have a great deal of efforts from from to manufacture the sanofi and yes k. so those have already started manufacturing to those that are being wired so that if the vaccine would also hold their illegal trial then the dole doubles as one piece of eastern north to actually. the most well are able. but certainly this would be the next challenge at once the vaccine what they call. you know who let's hope that the fast track and for this vaccine works so that everything turns out in a positive way dr mohammad when you're joining us tonight from lancaster university in the u.k. doctor and we appreciate your insights thank you. well the german car industry is warming its engines for a return to production both wagon and b.m.w.

have both announced plans to restart production lines in the coming weeks after shutting down due to the pandemic meanwhile has already started workers on its factory floor in stuttgart are keeping a safe distance but business still is not back to normal in the face mask it's now a part of their work uniform in that time a factory in stuttgart those who come to work have to follow the new regulations and that means social distancing for weeks long this is simply line was shuttered but on tuesday workers returned to build engines again it would be about this spirit is there the team is motivated and maybe it's a sign to society that things are moving ahead. but not quite like before the plant is now down to only 2 shifts per day and not even half of the $19000.00 employees who work here have returned it could we could get production going full swing in just a few weeks but the demand has to be there too often we were forced to make this decision without that demand we're not going to ramp up production. of.

industry experts point out that even before the virus car producers around the world faced a more challenging environment with folding sales. at the moment we just don't have corona to deal with before that there was a big loss of demand and the transformation of the car industry towards electro mobility cuss a lot of money now with the coronavirus the industry is experiencing heavy turbulence folks fog and is now calling on the german government to fund a purchase premium for a new vehicles dima and b.m.w. say they're also behind the plan their argument is that a premium could boost demand enough to bring back full production but analyst opinions vary as to how effective such a scheme would be. our sports news a glimmer of hope for soccer fans the german football league is set to meet on thursday to out. a proposal to restart the bundesliga season with games played without spectators and with large public events banned here in germany until at

least the end of august the league may need special permission from the german government but there is one sticking point here the coronavirus testing that could be key to any proposal for saw. the german football league wants to get back to business you have to wonder sleekest season fails to restart they stand to lose over 300000000 euros in t.v. money and an estimated 750000000 overall. contact in football is inevitable still the league has drawn up a plan with hygiene guidelines to play the remaining games of the season behind closed doors it would include limiting the number of people on the stadium grounds to 300 split into 3 zones on the pitch in the stands and outside the stadium the german health minister has expressed openness to restarting the league on may 9th under certain conditions and if it can be achieved with

a reduced or as far as possible x. clue to the risk of infection then it can certainly happen it just needs to be evaluated one of the conditions would be the regular coronavirus testing of everyone involved with the ball in this league around 20000 tests over the rest of the season germany's public health institute has a problem with that. but i don't see why certain parts of the population where their athletes or any other group in which society has a certain interest should be routinely screen and. the issue of germany's capacity for testing is central to whether the ball in this league can actually restart on may 9th. well who will pay the international olympic committee has been forced to backtrack over who will bear the cost of the postponed tokyo will the big games japan complain that a section on the i.o.c.

website wrongly quoted its prime minister is saying that his country japan would pay the extra costs or else some japanese scientists are doubting that the olympics will take place at all next year due to you guessed it the buyers. with the olympic fireworks on hold until next year games organize his face a monumental challenge not to mention a massive bail but the question of who picks up that tab is causing tension between japan and the international olympic committee a section on the i.o.c. website previously said japan will continue to cover the costs as it would have done under the terms of the existing agreement for 2020 though in line with contractual obligations the sentiment and good japan's government and that section has since been deleted. there's no such agreement related to additional costs stemming from the postponement. estimates suggest

despite imminent will cost in the range of $2.00 to $6000000000.00 tough to swallow for japanese taxpayers especially at a time of economic struggle the i.o.c. aware of the cost burden has already hinted that next year's games may need to be scaled back. these just want to know i was just green line this is this is this. is. course. it is. but that's if they take place a tool the olympics attract hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world one japanese for all ages thinks that remains a recipe for disaster in this me that i'm very pessimistic. about holding olympic games. next summer. you hold olympic games in a cloth a different. structure such as you know a. very neat dissipations or such and such organizers say they

don't have a plan b. maybe because prime a is proving difficult enough to navigate. this is the. break i'll be back to take you through the day tonight high hopes and a reality check the virus vaccine that we want and the face mask that will have to way back.

pioneers of the world at their feet but success can be a rollercoaster ride. on the go. what kind of person do you have to be to bet every call before the docs take over your own way. even if that path is fraught with risk pioneering spirit the phenomenon and its economic impact made in germany. 60 minutes w.

. hey listen up. that's what video game music sounded like 30 years ago. today's tracks take the experience to another level punk a sense to him talk composer or a monster. featured in many games his music is bound to.

his fans he opens doors to. sounds good. though genre that's so much more than just background music. video game music on d w. the race to develop a vaccine against the corona virus today germany gave the green light for the 1st clinical trials involving humans and experiment in the lab but no experiments on the streets beginning next week everywhere in germany people will be required to wear face masks on public transport and in stores tonight in the battle against the virus a reason for hope for the future and a reality check for the here and now i bring gulf in berlin.