and wanting to double your life over a limb next up is our call that 19 special stay tuned for that and i'm very well can always get all the latest news and information around the clock on our website w dot com for me and the entire news thanks for joining us. combating the corona pandemic. where does research stand. what are scientists learning. background information and news. hour corona day. 19 special next on d.w. . beethoven is for me. it's for. beethoven is for.

beethoven is for. beethoven is for every. beethoven 2020. 50th anniversary here long you know. the coronavirus pandemic has spawned its own epidemic of dissent from ation social media is awash with it emanating from the political fringes and even from those at the center of power to turn this all the coverage of it democrat of a job because. you know why the judge a judge everybody out of voting people are buying it dumb bastards and not allowed . to pick up. business off the many governments and to medical organizations are

waging a secondary war again. to mis information and a deliberate decision from ation. that some countries are using claims of descent from ation as an excuse for suppressing legitimate reporting and to suppress the spread of accurate information domestically and abroad. using the pandemic to ramp up censorship and secrecy legislation that's having a chilling effect on journalists and the spread of information and accurate timely information is essential to saving lives. welcome to our special here in the daily news i want to johnsonville and good to have you with us it is the job of journalists to uncover facts and share them with the public but what are those facts support of the official line a democracy should be able to handle that but now during the pandemic some governments think otherwise and that's often puts journalists and public health at risk. behind the mask of coronavirus censorship spreads journalists around the

world have come under attack for reporting on the pandemic it started in china where citizen journalists dared to deviate from the official narrative. images of overstretched hospitals in which the virus is right in front of me china's criminal prosecutors are behind me i'm not afraid of death do you think i'm afraid if you come in this party of china or holocaust i don't know. chang she should wear disappeared in february and was only seen again by friends in september fung been another reporter remains missing he had released secret videos of corona virus victims. she. reporters without borders has documented coronavirus coverage restrictions in nearly half of all u.n. member states those who are jailed are at risk of infection. al jazeera journalist mohammad more near died in july from coronavirus after being arrested in egypt as

did reporters. jailed for documenting corruption in saudi arabia the deliberate targeting of the press has worried the united nations human rights commission or across the world cup in 1000 it's also been instrumental lies to limit people's rights to speak to express opinion and to participate in making decisions that affect their lives in the russian federation china kosovo many other countries by not reports of threats and intimidation against journalist brokers and civic activist but at the local level with the apparent aim of this courage and criticism of the author of this response is to call it 19. at a time when information can save lives press repression can fuel the pandemic. i'm joined now by ali funk a senior research analyst for technology and democracy at the freedom house good to have you with us your freedom on the edge report states that the pandemic is

fuelling digital repression worldwide how does that work. hi thank you so much for having me so freedom has found that 2020 was the 10th consecutive year of decline in internet freedom and this is that a time when i've been demick has really accelerated our reliance on digital technologies so what we found is that governments around the world have imposed broader share chance to express and access to information political leaders are using the pandemic to scapegoat ethnic and religious groups sensor and favorable news and arrest critics so you know in at least $45.00 of the countries that we study we found that activists journalists and members of the public were arrested or charged with criminal offense as for their speech relating to cover 19 and then we found the governments in at least $28.00 countries censored websites or social media posts to the press and favor hurl helston that mistakes and corruption allegations and then we also found that there's been increased surveillance around

the world they've been using the pandemic as a cover to expand data collection i mean we also on the other side seen a lot of protests small more protests against corona virus pandemic. i mean how do you differentiate between authorities using coal with 9000 to curb freedom of speech and those genuinely trying to flatten the code of. it's a great question i mean during times of crisis certain restrictions to freedoms can be justified these restrictions just need to be grounded and laws they have to be the least intrusive as possible and include independent oversight but restrictions to press freedom and free expression really only undermine government's ability contain the virus as we've mentioned you know information can be the difference between life and death restrictions to free speech limit people's ability to access accurate information and keep themselves safe and then in order for people to be

willing to take these drastic measures such as closing their shop staying at home not going to school it's really important that they trust their elected leaders and government officials can only gain this trust by being transparent and keeping our 3 and open information environment right and of course what you mentioned very important accurate information on the internet social media suddenly is sadly a perfect breeding ground for fake news and a conspiracy theories especially now during the pandemic we've seen that how can journalists help expose those lies without putting themselves at risk. our research has shown that there's been a concerted strategy by state officials and their supporters to promote these conspiracy theories pseudo science and that really aligns with their nationalistic or instead of phobic goals so what journalists can do it's more important ever that we expose the to these distant from asian campaigns including where they're coming from to do to stay safe really they can use encrypted communications platforms such

as signal to stay safe from you know government censorship virtual private networks are going to be really important to be able to continue their reporting and it's really through this reporting now more than ever journalists and their work are more important it's a life and death issue. you mentioned in one of your previous answers and many studies suddenly agree with you namely that 19 is pushing digital technologies the internet what needs to be done to use this development to promote freedom of speech and democracy. so your great we're really sleepwalking into the world in which our most sensitive personal and biometric data our face our fingerprints are going to be at the mercy of private companies and state agencies so that's why freedom house is actually calling for a freeze on the use of biometric surveillance such spatial recognize facial recognition until we know how these new technologies really us chaps human rights

and democracy any new surveillance programs around go in 1000 also need strict safeguards we need to prove 1st that there you have fact even limiting disease spread and then if public expert public health experts agree that they are we need to ensure that data is deleted after the pandemic there's independent oversight and also that any program is transparent and that's really the only way and it's going to take collective global action to ensure that the pandemic doesn't create a long term deterioration and internet freedom of the human rights of privacy and great expression and the funk there from freedom house joining us in new york thank you so much. thanks for having me. and sometimes even the experts don't agree and that's making it harder for us laymen to grasp complex issues luckily we have our very own scientific correspondent to turn to time to ask derek.

what are the risks of the focused protection approach on it out in the great barrington declaration. since the very earliest days of this pandemic there have been those who believe that our responses to covert 19 so the lock downs and all the other measures that they have actually caused more damage than the disease itself and they believe that we need to look for other options even without access to a vaccine since really wide scale and so. action would be at least theoretically a pathway to what we want which is herd immunity the concepts laid out in the highly controversial declaration that you mention was proposed several weeks ago by 3 scientists from the u.s. and britain and it's been signed by others it says that we need to only focus on

protecting groups that it classifies as vulnerable especially the elderly and that urges a return to normal life immediately for everyone else that means they sickly not trying to limit infections among those that it says are at minimal risk of death so what would be the dangers of going down that path there are some pretty major ones in the big flaw in the declarations reasoning a lot of experts say is the fundamental assumption that that people who appear to gain at least some immunity after surviving that disease will keep that immunity for extended periods we've already seen some cases of people who have gotten coated 19 a 2nd time though those so far they've thankfully been few and far between them still the coming months could see many many more another big question how exactly

would you go about protecting vulnerable populations effectively in societies where the virus is basically raging unchecked is that even possible and an aspects that the declaration doesn't address at all is the potential long term damage that had 19 could do to many younger people even those who survive then of course at least some people who aren't classified as vulnerable will turn out to be very vulnerable took over 1000 out or all and they'll die from it. eventually even millions of people worldwide and people who wouldn't have died if social distancing measures remained in force until effective vaccines are available. well derek williams their answer in one of your questions and he'll be back again tomorrow so keep posting your questions on our you tube channel and if you'd like

to keep up with the latest developments on the coronavirus to subscribe to our newsletter just log on to d.w. dot com slash corona dash is letter. and i was 19 special for today for me and the team in berlin thanks for giving us company to stay safe and healthy. eco africa. in digitalization in the pandemic. and online payment system has gone from wonders motorcycle taxis back on the road after a months long drive back. now the customers pay for the ride without cash. for go. next to. find

a new says trying to. be the next president. of the german economy is your reaction closely. there's i'm not saying. what exactly. made in germany. in 60 minutes on d w. why did this person. there are. there is a mosque that can be done. make

up your body. double. what do animal conservation groups did jump payment systems on a gun and are just having problems well believe it or not they can help to protect them very much more on that coming up on the show i'm now it's i mean lagos governments in the movie dumb they see much of our life right now but we still need to care for the environment right sandra that is right and

a one will come from me sandra 2 nobody here in kampala uganda satellite data shows that doing the looked on the air quality has improved in many african cities but white life is still suffering animals especially have been the biggest losers in this crisis poaching of increase in many of the wildlife resolves what talk about this should be and here's a quick look at some of the stories we'll be looking on today. we visit london where the government has introduced a steps to staunch they've been going to the bank notes. we also see how a military training drones can actually promote conservation. and we meet at the deny an artist who is using you on one support for greater protection policy. it is a well established fucked that rhino horn is essentially made up of the same substance as a human fingernail but it continues to sell for us to normal prices especially in

asia where it is considered to have him in paula's south africa has a nearly 80 percent of the was whining and husband todd reporting with only about 20000 and he was left in the wild the country has now resulted in drastic measures in order to preempt porches bucks have started to be gone all their rhinos. cologne's bag national park in south africa. iran has been spotted but sadly help has come too late after ripping off its own coach has left it as prey for lions. helicopter pilot and he could jacobs is out on patrol surveying the area he's a founding member of the anti poaching group a rhino 911 an organization that provides emergency helicopter rescue to rhinos

injured all front mostly due to coaching but it also carries out preventive measures. in a last ditch attempt to save them rhino 911 has been assigned to help d. horn rhinos in the province the animals are sedated before the precious hornet is sold off. your reform was probably about. 500 kilograms. tragic that really if you do this but unfortunately the only option that we have. been trying to do something and you know are trying to trimming trees like these animals one of. the team needs to up quickly before the rhino wakes up again horny is a drastic procedure that removes about 90 percent of the hand that conservationists tell us that in some areas even d. horn rhino is. to extract the remaining stumps reserves that combine the practice of horning with regular food petrol and extensive monitoring could have

a chance of saving the large poppy force it looks brutal but when carried out by professionals it is safe and pain free we make sure that we don't get into the growth. part of the horn where there's definitely feeding and we also wouldn't be good from an infection point of view or ego to the bone so i think in this case they don't feel that they're overstimulated this little vibration going to the body this is not a fool anesthetic you know it's not a lot like being in a theater so the so they would respond to that but i don't think it's partly the process takes about half an hour the horn is labeled wait for a graph and we later be stored in a secret government vault far away from the park improved security measures and interventions such as the horning have helped south africa to cut the number of poached animals by half over the past 5 years. rhino 911 walks closely with the rhine orphanage in nonprofit center that cares for all fund and

injured rhino cobbs. a fundie america and her colleagues are preparing milk for 3 recent arrivals. only barely escaped the same fate as their mothers who were butchered for their home your land hopes to release the rhino spec into the wild once they have matured but she's concerned about the rise in portugal as a result of the economic fallout caused by corporate 19 rhinos are still being killed it defrosted piece then they can reproduce. the sons of covert 900 out of picking up in south africa we've definitely seen an increase in costs arriving we've had 4 cops in 53 days so we definitely think that there is an effect you know there is the tourism industries are all closed it's very quiet art and the reserves the anti-poaching teams try their best to patrol and protect the reserves but we think

that that quiet nature of the reserves definitely. has an effect on the parchin back impudence but rhino 911 has spotted 2 animals on the move from time to ect opinions on mixed some believe it makes male rhinos will never know others say the horns and essential for survival and grow back within about 5 years these kinds of ation is see no alternative. well we're losing animal that along right we're using i don't have drawn as for a year in south africa and that number is unacceptable so we need to try and do more we need to dry you know and save the species that's a prehistoric animal. and we need to save them for generations to come that. they were going to wipe out. most rhinos seem unperturbed when they wake up and simply grazing with 3 years rhino 911 has been working with authorities to dion rhinos in public parks and reserves the precise numbers of those de horned.

are kept secret for their protection. it is sad about such drastic measures sometimes we need it to protect us now when it is often see that every little bit helps and that's certainly the case when it comes to the environment one young student in germany has formed a way of timing plastic waste into sustainable tired and the best thing is the end product looks just like expensive marble take a look basics doing a big. tiles look like marble but they're actually made of 100 percent last. year creates them from used to materials. the designer germany 1st cleans and sorts the waste. heat in. the hot class to

grow. wisht toxic fumes so acutely wears a mask for protection as she needs increases the match she merely what happens in nature the distance above and beyond and i came up with the idea for the tiles because a lot of plastic waste ends up in the oceans mostly by rivers in china and africa it's broken down into smaller and smaller pieces and it ends up on beaches and through pressure and heat it becomes part of the stand there and i study the conditions under which rock is formed how its structure is created and then i used a similar process with a plastic waste. of. beingness to take winston turn it into something useful that's also beautiful and durable. acuteness no thinking about sounding a social enterprise to produce her tiles on a larger scale. if she succeeds our mountain of plastic waste might get just

a little bit smaller. and how about you if you're also doing your bit tell us about it visit our website or set does a tweet. hash tag doing your bit so. we share your story. they look great and be impressed we're going to stick with the crew yet to be protecting the environment but change continents and come straight bucket this time to west africa on specifically to get my own capital accra that's right sondra with their creation artists can have great influence they have the parts suppliers and fascinates us and also to make us think could be a man jaco is a good man painter whose works draw attention destruction of our oceans africa

update him a visit to find out. in his studio. doubts about 2 things he laughs deeply fish on the ocean he's nickname which furry. mr fish much office week he picks to see creatures the struggle with pollutants dumped into the ocean knuckle had no specific theme when he 1st started painting by 20 years ago but having grown up in a fishing community his consent for marine life grew with environmental issues becoming more and more pressing i've been painting from request picture of the shut eye and since i'm clean for so many years back and now still end up seeing the pollution aspect of it it is going to affect the world and even kind of

fishes we have in the ocean so few years to come if we are able to do about do anything about getting this with ended up in. the bin thousands illustrates the puti of the contrast in meat with the damage done by human activity . while this is a joke that now lives of he hopes it can also save the greeter peppers of helping preserve the ocean for future generations. if we leave this time to see that dialogue. to have died and gone. it is in our power in our hands to make sure that the shocks still remain in the ocean. nachle visits the beach in his community everybody beacon up we just washed ashore. he recycles these with items by using them for his paintings telling the real stories

of how polluted to see ease but who has a wish to go to wendy lives and the deceit to live on thing and fight for it to be kept clean and for how to relate to me in day to see the life and out of believe in the run of the good old bit of the whole of my life. the importance of preserving to the ocean. i twink is a constant reminder of that. we had to send a go announcement some more individuals dedicated to helping the planet this time on shore then zio the day works in the service of the captain of the planting trees wherever they can these include 1st and foremost mowing the trees as well as for so-called flamboyant trees there involve the residents in the projects that's important because it's only when people realize the benefit of trees that they will

protect and take care of their. oh. planting trees is now a days samas favorite activity. she and a group of volunteers want to make this sandy parking lot on the i think earth of the car more has special. i'm planting a salmon and. it's a shame tree that can grow up to 20. a large square full of shady trees a place to hold celebrations and festivals somewhere to meet the neighbors that's the vision of a local n.g.o.s has managed to win over the local residents. living on an.

important people need greenery. and as i see it those who respect the environment respect themselves. so we must do what we can to combat desertification by planting trees all over the city. but it's not enough to just planted trees you need to nurture them as well day after day. it's imperative to involve the local population that's what guarantees the survival of the trees. the n.g.o.'s actually took its name from a tree in a bed a is the word for in the wall of language it's a versatile tree its leaves and food can be eaten or used for medicinal purposes. scientists have proven that trees bring rain by contributing to. they trigger precipitation in the clouds more trees. and the more we cut down the less rain that

. they say deserts advance but they don't it's humans that make it possible so things must change we must plant. big cities are growing as a breath taking speed in senegal. in the past 60 years the country has lost around hof of its forests to urbanization. tens of thousands of hectares of woodlands continue to be destroyed every year. yet in fact there's a lot of pressure on urban centers the population is rising there's more construction and fewer green spaces and trees we're neglecting nature and that's why desertification is growing worse in our.