>> this is dw news, live from berlin. the woman who wanted to be the next president of belarus i is a woman on thehe run. >> got for b bed anyone should face the choice that i faced. -- god forbid anyone should face the choice that i faced. >> she is calling for r an end o protests over an election she has described as rigged. also coming up tonight, grief

and rage in beirut. thousands of victims remember the deadly port explosion from a week ago. and as a coronavirus caseses hit 20 million and c counting, russa says it has a vacaccine that has taken months, not years to develop. how safe and effective is it really? plus, even james bond is no match for the coronavirus. with a halt in film production, we meet a hollywood stuntman who has abandoned the movie sets for a college -- cattle ranch. i am brent goff. to our viewers on pbs and around the world, we start in belarus where the opposition's top

presidential candidate -- in a video message, svetlana said that she was safe with her children in neighboring when you. she urged supporters -- neighboring lithuania. she urged supporters not to give alexander belichick a -- dovish inca -- >> >> her team was unable to reach her. now, svetlana has reappeared with a somber message online. i thought this campaign really totoughened m me and empowered e bubut i can wiwithstand anythin.

perhaps i'm still the weak woman i was in the beginning. the opposition candidate has fled lithuania. she was not forced out of her country, the belarusian government alslso insisted t tht she left on n her own accord. >> and made a very difficult decision for myselelf. i made it absolutely independently. many will undererstand m me, may will denounce me and many will hate me. but gotot forbid anyone should face the choice that i faced. her departure came after she refused to come -- concede defeat on sunday's about. -- sunday's vote.

before fleeing, she submitted the formal demand for a recount. thousands of belarusians have rejected the results, taking to the streets for a second that of protests. demonstrators were met by security forces who deployed stun grenades, injuring dozens. brent: another video is circulating on social media appear to show the opposition meter -- leader reading a prepared statement. it seems that it was recorded in belarus just hours b before she left for lithuania.

[speaking belarusian] mike: the video is bizarre. what d do you make of i it westk -- o of it? >> it is bizarre for people.. if you're caught by kgb, they can force yoyou to do whatever they want. we still have kgb. we still have informants on every corpororation, political party who are working as agents.

what you have seen that is the standard sovieiet style kgb tactic. they put you in front of v very totough decision. perhaps svetlana was shown a video of her husband w who has been tortured. or there -- they were told that something bad will happen to her family. perhaps she chose to step down and go to lithuania temporarily. brent: do we have any word on the condition of her husband? >> herer husband was kept in solitary confinement.. that is the harshesest punishmet in t the prison. as you know, lawyers are not always able to o talk to prisoners.

we are not always ablele to get news about their conditition. therere are more than 250 prisoners and 30 o of them are political prisoners. brent: in the video that we just sasaw, svetlana tikhanovskaya calls o on people not to go against t the police. are ththey likely to listen to r russian mark i d don't -- listen to her? > no, this video looks like a hostage video like in movies. perhaps there is a gun in front of you and you do what they say two. but this moment, this exact moment, police are using extreme violence.

it is like the bandits on the street. i am washing these videos right now. the government does not want to step down. brent: we appreciate your time and d your insight tonight. thank you. here are some of the other stories that are making headlines around the world. hong kong media tycoon jimmy lai has been released on bail. he was arrested during a crackdown on critics of beijing. at least 13 people are dead after a bus crashed and overturned outside of mexico city. three children are among the victims.

police say that t the driver lot control of the vehicle when he took a corner too fast in wet weather. lebanon has marked a week since that massive explosion that tore through its capital. on tuesday, hundreds gathered on the city streets in memory of the blessed victims and in protest at the governor's failure to prevent the disaster. within 170 people died and 6000 others were injured when a warehouse full of ammonium nitrate blew up at the city passport. -- city's port. >> one week on, beirut pauses to reflect on the moment that tore the city apart. they gathered amongst the ruins to more love ones -- loved ones and strangers. the names of those killed were

read aloud. it was a day of mixed emotions. >> i am very furious. i am enraged, i am angry, i am sad. i am here to pay myy respects. i know i am not alone in feeling this way. hopefully there are b better das ahead. >> a lot o oanger, sadness, , wowords. i feel for all my frienends who have beeeen through it, who lost people they love. it is a disaster. >> at nightfall, the fury reef -- reemerged with force. lebanon entire government resigned on monday, many protesters say it is not enough.

they want the resignation of the president who they say is in part responsible for last tuesday's devastating explosion. brent: it took six months for the road to reach 10 million coronavirus cases and just six weeks for that number to double. confirmed covid-19 infections around the world have surged past tournament -- surged past the million. -- surged past 20 m million. many believe that the testing -- the number is much higher because of limited testing. russia seems to be the first to register a coronavirus vaccine. > president pututin withh a potentially world changing announcement. approval of the first

coronavirus vaccine. >> i know that it is effective, it provides a stable immunity and has gone through all the necessary tests. the new vaccine was developed here at moscow galileo institute. further studies will be carried out along production of the new vaccine. some say this is irresponsible. >> what they have created here is something completely new. these vaccines are not available yet. we don't know how it will behave or what will happen when someone is infected with the virus. we don't know how long the immunity lasts. despite many warnings, 13 million doses of the vaccine will be produced in russia this year. another 170 million will be produced by foreign firms in the future. >> for more, we want to bring in

our doctor. it is good to see you. what you make of this vaccine from russia? would y you take the vavaccine? >> i think having approval for a vaccine e that is not based on a testified trtrial is prettriris. i don't think anybody will be able to take it. mainly because of thehe unproven safety. weweon't t have access to the data. it is reallyly difficult to o me out what has been conducted on phase i i and phase .. thatat data is insufficient. even if it is proven say for phase i and phase ii.. if it has some level of antibody, that does not prove that it will be proven in phase

three. brent: it is also hard to believe that the health care workers in russia, frontline health care workers are going to be vaccinated. there are people who work in medicine, they should know what you know about vaccine trials. this is vevery risky for them. absolutely. this is risky in many respects. it would be risky for any individual who gets it but having the frontline health worker taking it when they needed the most is even more risky. it is not really about safety or immunity, it is all about how the vaccine wowould react over e course of infection. this question cannot be answered until a very g good trial is completed. based on that announcement, they hahave that phase two trial

conducted. even if phasese three becomomes available and proven to be safe, the number is really the to be trustworthy. brent: trustworthy is an important word here. the russian president said the injection had been given to his daughter and that it had worked. what do you say when you hear that? >> i looked at the press release. putin's daughter got the shot. the next day became normal. i have no problem with that but the queststion about their -- te immune response that would be induced, that is something i am looking into. i am m more interesteded about s

actual vaccine. that is the real testament, that is what we are looking on. that is what be -- what would be approved. brent: we appreciate your time and your insights, as always, thank you. let's have a look at other developments in the coronavirus pandemic. india prime minister says his country can defeat the virus if it curves surging infections in its 10 most popular states. he urged regional leaders to curb testing and contact tracing. germany's foreign office is warning against unnecessary trips to this region because of a rising number of cases. it already issued travels. new zealand has registered its

first infection in more than 100 days with four people from one household testing positive. auckland has been placed under a new lockdown following that outbreak. the worldwide film industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. social distancing means sinless can function and movies can't be made. especially those including fight scenes or love scenes. many hollywood movie studios have shut down altogether, leleaving more than 100,000 peoe without work. >> this is the closest that he has bent action in a while. gibson has been a stuntman in hollywood for 35 years but coronavirus means there is barely any filming anymore. so great is the risk of onset infection, bringing expensive productions to a halt. >> i haven't been on a movie set in five or six months.

it has been terrible, nobody is working. they are very lucky to have a nice side income going on. >> gibson has started giving rodeo lessons and rents out stables but his future as a stuntman is uncertain. hygiene rules are being developed, including a two weekk quarantine before filming begins. gibson is skeptical. >> fights are my red and butter. mostly fights. i specialize in saying a few lines, being a bad guy, getting shot, being a cop, whatever. but it will all change. >> james bond himself has been thwarted by the virus. no time to die is the name of his new adventure. the premier has been postponed indefininitely.

>> all i have for you is a word. >> the release of tenant by christopher nolan is also delayed. they are trying to recover ththeto hundrered million dolols production cost. -- their 200 million dollar production cost. 120 thousand people have lost their jobs in the american film and tv industries. shown positive -- sean is the head of the studios. within 700,000 square meters are currently unused. normally, , production companies rent the space but they are in a big dilemma. >> normally it is a big gamble for them. if they jump in, they could be

at risk financially by shutting productions down if someone on the crew gets everyone else sick. to me, we are in a very big unknown. it couldld be very scary. >> animated films can be prproduced remotely. instead of going too the cinema, the new w spongebob will soon be arriving by a streaming service. brent: germany has told the united states to mind its own business over its pipeline from russia. the german and russian foreign minister declared the decision to be theirs alone. as u.s. secretary of state mike pompeo began european tour in which the pipeline is likely to be a source of friction. one line is already running under the baltic sea and now a new one is nearing completion. the u.s. contends that the

pipeline will make germany to dependent on russian gas. norm stream -- u.s. senators threatened to impose sanctions on a german port where a central building materials for the project are being stored. >> this ferry could be stalled by u.s. sanctions. it has business ties with the port authority. it is of pivotal importance in the constrtruction of t the pipeline. 2 special russian ships have been docked here. once they are equipped, they are supposed to lay the final one hefty kilometers -- 150 kilometers of pipeline. even local authorities would be affected by the sanctions. this signals that the american arare going to take drastic measures against the project.

>> the new sanctions show that the american side is looking at this very closely and is willing to impose an obstacle. i believe the sanctions have the potential to at least postpone the project for a very long time. neighboring poland also wants to hinder nordstrom to -- no rdstream 2. warsrsaw feels that russia will further expand its power with nord stream 2. the u.s. and poland together are pressuring germany to pause the project. >> poland and the baltic

countries are fundamamentally opposed to the norge stream -- nord stream 2 project.. wewe hope that germany will l rn to european energy soliditity. nordrd stream 2 damages that solidarity. the new sanctions could have severe economic consequences. if international this shores they refuse -- insurers refuse to ensure the ships. brent: joe budden has selected kamala harris to be his vice presidential running mate. she is the first black woman to run on major presidential ticket. biden and harris would be officially confirmed to challenge president trump and

his vice president, mike pence for the white house. kemal harris will be the vice presidential running mate for joe biden. rere are some o of the other stories that are making news this hour. flooding in the capital has damaged the city. conservationists say a rainy season along with years of neglglect is to blame. there has been widespread damage and leaviving more than half a million homes and businesses without power. it tore through eastern nebraska, iowa and parts of wisconsin, illinois. also injuring several people. while some professional sports around the world are managing to whether the coronavirus pandemic, many others have not been lucky. mexico's unique style of masked

wrestling known as lucha libre depends on ticket sales to state a fault -- afloat. it has put thousands of wrestlers out of work. >> lucha libre is a celebration of culture in mexico. no one could envision the effects coronavirus would have on the sport, with all the arenas still closed in mexico. the sport romans -- remains at a standstill. there is no telling if an electric atmosphere like this will ever return. the book of these wrestlers don't have a pension plan. no wrestling means no ways. food has been provided for out of work wrestlers but some say that is not enough. >> the people need help now.

we don't need a simple food box, we made -- need more. we need alone. >> sport organizers have insisted wrestlers will continue to be paid b but according t to some, paymements never reach th. in the meantime, some wrestlers have organized their own fights on the internet. >> i don't agree with those underground fights, here or anywhere. i doubt they are complying with safety measures. >> according to the boxing and wrestling commission, at least 30 mexican wrestlers have lost their lives to covid-19. >> another breaking news for you. joe biden has jusust announced s

running mate, he has selected california senator, kemal harris to be his vice presidential running mate. , harris will be the first black woman to ever run on a major presidential ticket. the decision comes a week ahead of the democratic national convention where biden and harris will be officially confirmed to challenge president donald trump and his vice president, mike pence. you are watching dw news from beberlin after a short break. i will be back to take you through the day. stick around.

twenty four en france twenty four .com. remembrance and anger at the port of a route has crowds have gathered to mark seven days since the huge explosion protests continue against endemicic corruption while the recovery operation goes on to find those people still missing. hello sirr whyy is this a threat to have. to connect style has led to cries of ford alexander lukashenko's landslide six sixty excessive presidential victory. the w. h. o. says it's concerned ababout the safety off the e new coverered nineteen fag that the russians claim to have invented. it's not passe