♪ >> this is dw news, live from berlin. tonight in germany, new worries about russia using energy as a weapon. the nord stream pipeline, the largest connecting russia and germany -- meenan's -- is undergoing maintenance. and a new offensive, to push out the russians.

and a race to the top fueled by dirty tricks. driving its aggressive global expansion with extreme and underhanded tactics. even taking the french president for a ride. ♪ i'm brent goff. to our viewers watching on pbs, in the united states, and to all of you around the world, welcome. we begin with new worries in germany about energy being used as a weapon. the biggest pipeline, supplying russian gas to germany, the nord stream 1 pipeline closed today for 10 days of annual maintenance work. the government in germany and across europe, fearing that moscow may keep the taps off longer to punish the west

for its support of ukraine. households are being warned to prepare for natural gas shortage. reporter: gas has stopped flowing through the nord stream 1 pipeline. authorities wonder when they will be turning the taps back on. >> in the worst case scenario, if there really is no gas coming in from russia, it is crucial. how much gas can we save ourselves? there are several scenarios where we would end up in a gas emergency. we must do everything possible now to avoid the. -- avoid that reporter: and a visit to the czech republic, the economy minister gave a voice to its government uncertainty about russia's intentions. >> gas deliveries may resume in full. have even been statements and pressure that effectively announces. but deliveries may also remain at zero because of minor technical issues discovered that

cannot be repaired. we can assume this is a pretext to keep the pipeline shut. reporter: the maintenance work is scheduled to last for 10 days. with no gas flowing through its most important pipeline, germany is waiting nervously to see what happens after that. brent: earlier, i spoke to our political correspondent and asked him how important the nord stream 1 pipeline is for germany. reporter: it is the most important pipeline for germany. this does not mean that all german gas comes through this pipeline. but it's well over half of the gas that's been received in germany in the past few months. it's been coming through this pipeline. there is gas also coming from the netherlands, from norway, from pipelines that connect germany through southern europe to italy. there is gas coming through a pipeline that goes to ukraine.

but this is crucial. 50% of the gas is not flowing at the moment. for people on the streets in germany, in society, this is something that is wearing them a lot. because obviously -- war reading them a lot. because obviously the gas is used as a raw material. here in berlin we were talking to people on the street earlier today asking them what they felt about this. let's hear what they had to say. >> have already thought about it. i will soon cut the microwave. which uses electricity and not gas. i would say that i was born at the beginning of the war. we have already dealt with completely different things. i won't let myself go crazy over this. >> well, no worries are clear that the winter will be cold in

the apartments and it could hit the economy hard. >> i think i would be quite worried if that were to happen. i would have to say i am a trainee. i don't have that much money either. i would have no idea what i would have to do. i wouldn't know what to expect. and if that meant that i would have to pay a lot more, to get gas from somewhere else, that would be very difficult for me. >> fears? no. zero fear. it will be expensive. so what? we will learn a little more or spend a little less. i believe that >> there will be a real bottleneck in the winter -- >> i believe that there will be a real bottleneck in the winter. probably worse tha what we are expecting. which is why we are already increasing the running cost of allowances. reporter: -- brent: do we know what sort of impact would an ongoing shutdown of this pipeline -- what impact would we see? >> as we have just heard, people

are worried about the costs they will be facing, especially in winter when they use gas for heating and cooking. and the german government is trying to find ways to lessen that impact on people that are in need that cannot afford the increasing prices. so there will be huge expenses coming from the german government, to try to soften the blow for consumers in germany. there's obviously an impact on industry in germany. and so the most -- and the most crucial part of the moment is that germany has been trying to build up its reserves. it's now got about 60% of its reserves filled with gas. now that this gas is no longer flowing from russia, there's a possibility that these reserves will have to be used now, rather than in the winter. that will increase the pressure on the german government to find alternative sources for gas. for instance, lng, which comes in huge tankers. but germany doesn't have a

single terminal to receive such gas at the moment. it needs to get that from other countries in europe. there is a lot of pressure on the german government, to try to find alternative supplies and to lessen the impact on the society, on consumers and industry. brent: the latest here in berlin. hans, thank you. earlier, i spoke to our russia analyst. he says the kremlin is monitoring how the german government is reacting to the prospect of a cutback in gas supplies. >> actually, i think that putin's russia, as we usedto joke in russia , the land of signals, he is testing the political establishment. the german public opinion. to see what will be the reaction to this shutdown. i don't think it is permanent. i think it is an attempt to

worry germany. and other european countries dependent on rusan gas. not more trouble might lie ahead. i.e. unless you stop supporting ukraine, and start to listen to the kremlin narrative. i suppose that there is a downside, a flipside for that -- so that. in the end for the kremlin. because in the end russia gets a t of moneyrom supplying europe with gas. and then case -- in case putin blocks the supplies, he may create chaos, but at the same time he will finally prove that russia is an unreliable supplier. i think over the long-term, increase the rush to find alternativeuppliers. by the way i am speaking here from lithuania, which several years ago rented a mobile offshore ,a facility from norway

that helps -- offshore, a facility from norway tt helps them compensate. there are rea solutions. i suppose in the long term if putin continues this blackmail, he will probably lose. buof course in the short ter he may get some wins, some people panicking. and that is exactly his, in my vi, his goal, and the whole operation. brent: we have seen that before. constantine, we appreciate your analysis tonight. thank you. ukraine says russian shelling monday has killed at least six people and wounded dozens more, as russia continues its grinding offensive in eastern ukraine, kyiv says moscow is stepping up attacks against civilian targets, including homes, schools and shopping centers. reporter: bits of this building

were still collapsing when rescue workers pulled this woman out of the rubble. her apartment was raining dust, after russia attacked the city again, with artillery rockets and tanks. many elderly citizens of ukraine have had to watch their homes crumble. all burned. >> putun, you are a [expletive] what have you done? there are old people and you have done bad things to them. you will burn. reporter: schools have also been hit hard. officials say more than 180 have been lost to the war. this one was a boarding school for children who are visually impaired. >> two of my children study here. one is 14 years old. the other is nine years old.

>> further east and the city -- in the city, russian rockets landed on three apartment buildings, killing several people. russia continues to aim that it is only attacking targets of military value. but try telling that to those people still working through a mountain of rubble, brick by brick. in the hope of finding more survivors. brent: dw's nick connolly is on the ukrainian capital reporting for us. i asked him about reports russia's military seems to be targeting civilians. reporter: that's definitely the line from the government. they are saying this is an attempt by rushing to try to break ukraine's resolve. the pressure the civilian population and so chaos so that then they put pressure on the government to come to some deal with russia given that they are making way of progress. much less progress than it had thought given its huge superiority in terms of weapons and financial resources. the kind of intention behind all

this is a question for later. for potential war crimes investigators, where russia is doing this. there's been talk that russia is running out of the position weapons that would allow them to go for military targets. then there's the explanation that it is part of a strategy that we have seen going on for weeks. i was at a shopping center about 10 days ago. countless dead there. just claims time and time again that they were hitting military targets even though these are civilians were suffering. if you have the chance to get out, you have to, because there's no place in this country and especially anywhere near the front line that is anywhere near safe. brent: the ukrainian government is urging civilians in the southern region, occupied right now by russian troops, to

evacuate, saying that it is preparing a counteroffensive, so a new attack. what do we know about that? reporter: well, all the attention has been on the east -- the russians have been threatening basically everything they have at a very small section of the frontlines. in the south, the russians have a lot less on the way of manpower. the people are a lot less well-trained and less well-equipped than the russian army regulars in the east. it seems like ukraine sees a chance here to really push forward. especially given the western weapons are now finally arriving, albeit in smaller quantities than they had hoped. the rocket systems have been effective in recent days at allowing ukraine to hit russian logistics hubs and arms depots. that was a capacity they didn't have. it seems like russia's antiaircraft systems are unable to deal with these missiles , destroying russia's

superiority. what the rhinos are doing now is just methodilly going about destroying their capacity and really basically hoping that the russians will end up stuck in the front lines without any artillery and without any shells to use and will have to flee and that ukrne really push home this advantage, while russia scrambles to find some kind of solution. brent: let me ask you about what vladimir putin is expanding right now -- a fast-track procedure for obtaining russian citizenship to all ukrainians. what does this tell us about the direction in which this war is developing? at least through the eyes of vladimir putin? reporter: on the one hand, it is a very late step. soft power. trying to encourage ukrainians to think of russia as a friend. vladimir putin talks about russians and ukrainians being

one people. but most of it is quite negative, telling ukrainians that they arencapable of doing anything on their own and they are not capable of running their own country and they basically need to go back to moscow's tutelage. this is something that five years ago even a year ago would've had more in the way of an effect in terms of winning the hearts and minds of ukraine. for the most part ukrainians living in russia have actually not been in a good position in recent years. they have been punished for ukraine's government's moves towards europe. this is a bit of a change there. in terms of the kind of policy on the ground, this is preparing the way for russia to actually try to annex all the regions they currently hold. rather than just pushing and keepg these puppet regimes in place, they are preparing to bring these regions on theront control, to the sell the west and ukraine, if you try to get these back, we will use our nuclear weapons to protect them because these are now russia. brent: the latest tonight from

kyiv, nick connolly, thank you. you may have it on your phone -- the world's biggest right hailing company, uber, facing scrutiny over the tactics that it used on its way to the top. a leaked drove of confidential files shows how the u.s. tucked -- he was giant duped police and exploited violence against drivers and lobbied government officials during its aggressive global expansion. the guardian reports that the so-called uber files contain more than 124,000 documents which also name several prominent business leaders and politicians. reporter: she is not getting a five star rating after she left the job -- she was explicitly banned from taking a position at uber, but she did so anyway. she used her old contacts to lobby on behalf of uber. pushing to ease labor and taxi laws all over the e.u. >> it is wrong. she breaks the rules for

eu commissioner and is going to lobby for business while she just held a public position within the european commission. that isbad. it is informal. she asked for permission and didn't get it though she continues to lobby anyway. >> the leaks also show that french president emmanuel macron held several undeclared meetings with uber executives while he was economy minister from 20 to 2016 -- 2014 to 2016. the opposition once an investigation. >> a commission of inquiry from the national assembly will be able to question people in order to confirm what is true and what is not in these uber documents. reporter: uber sparked protests -- reporter: the legalization of uber sparked protests. the ceo shows he saw violence against uber drivers in france as a way to gain public support for his tech company.

he texted "violence guarantees success," according to the documents. uber also used a so-called kill switch in offices in several countries. which cut access to uber servers and blocked authorities from grabbing evidence during police raids. in a statement, uber acknowledged mistakes but laid most of the blame on previous leadership. brent: here's a look at the other stories making headlines around the world -- lithuania expended curbs on trade through its territory to reach russia's baltic x glove by leningrad. goods include concrete, wood, and alcohol. the band has been called an illegal blockade. they have threatened retaliation if transit is not resumed soon. agencies are recommending a second coronavirus booster vaccination for people over 60,

and for the medically vulnerable to counter a fresh wave of covid-19. a second booster for people over 80 was recommended back in april. sri lanka's parliament will elect a new president next week to replace the current leader in the prime minister, who promised to resign after unrest sparked by the economic crisis. protesters say they will carry on occupying the leaders' homes until the two men are gone. britain's conservative party announced the procedure for choosing their new leader and replacement for british prime minister boris johnson. candidates will be whittled down to two in ballots starting this wednesday. party members will choose the winner with the new prime minister to be announced september 5. boris johnson's departure is creating more uncertainty over northern ireland's political future. with johnson to to step down, -- due to step down, it's not clear

of his successor will continue his policies towards northern ireland. one of those policies includes tearing up parts of a brexit trade deal that boris johnson himself negotiated with the european union. the move could inflame tensions between the u.k. and the eand also deepen sectarian divisions in northern ireland itself. we have this report tonight from belfast. reporter: they have practiced to perception. they are ready for the annual parade. ♪ but behind the festive atmosphere, there's a sense of insecurity in this tightknit community. she grew up here. hers is a protestant family surrounded mainly by catholics. so-called nationalists. >> there is very much division

in the community. we are surrounded here by nationalist areas. you wouldn't go to those places. because of the past and the troubles, people around here are very angry. we are just heading back to that dark place. and obviously we don't want to go back. reporter: lucy's families house was one bombed by the ira. now she fears at once again identity politics is rising. and that hers is under threat. she wants to remain part of the u.k. >> we got out of brexit, it is against whatever unionist wants. we don't want that. reporter: just a few kilometers away, just outside of the open border with ireland is a cash -- is a catholic religion. teenagers at the youth club here

have a completely different identity. they have family ties to the republic of ireland and cross the border all the time. >> i am irish. . i don't count myself as british. we are so connected to ireland. and we live in northern ireland. >> i feel like even though northern ireland is part of the united kingdom, i just feel because it is just our own islands, he just feel irish. -- you just feel irish. reporter: they have been making gravestones for generations. a business that's grown with sales down the road and the republic of ireland. he's also a local counselor. he says threats have created uncertainty and even fear. >> we used to have borders and all roads coming in. known as the ring of steel. that's all been lifted from the agreement -- from the good friday agreement.

that is where we are in danger of going with the british government. the changes to the protocol will really devastate this area. reporter: everyone here, protestant and catholic, need lacombe to continue. -- need the calm to continue. as they prepare to march, the uncertainty adds a sour note. brent: staying with religion and politics -- to nigeria now, where the front runner in next year's presidential election is broken with power-sharing between muslims and christians. he is the candidate to succeed the incumbent president for the ruling of progressive's congress party. he's chosen a muslim senator and former governor as his running mate. nigeria follows an unwritten rule of power-sharing between the largely muslim north and the christian south, in an effort to

foster unity. >> well, it is a first. and has to be said. just like you mentioned. niria has this rule of power-sharing between muslims and christians. now we have a muslim president and he has a christian vice president. we have seen that in the past before. we have a christian president with a muslim vice president. like a couple of years ago. this time we have the ruling party being led by the candidate who was a muslim himself, from the south, and the former governor of the northeastern state was also a muslim. so it is a muslim ticket right now in nigeria and people are asking why because it is not what they are used to. it is a first for many nigerians. brent: what about the opposition candidate? i understand the opposition

candidate is a muslim but he's nominated a deputy from the christian south. so he's keeping parity. will that increases -- increase his chances? reporter: absolutely. he's a former vice president. he's picked a southern governor who is a christian. many other parties have kept that convention. but this has given people unease when it comes to the christian community in nigeria, it is divisive and split when it comes to christianity and as long in a very big country which is very scary with a big population. >> would have been some of the reactions -- brent: what have been some of the reactions to the abandonment of power-sharing? >> yeah, we are clearly

surprised. many have been surprised he' gone to pick another muslim from the north. because we have had statesmen, many saying they will have to look elsewhere. that they have nothing to offer if we are given a muslim-muslim candidate. there's a lot of christian sentiment. they are also going for -- saying they are going for competency. many groups are wondering as to why they have gone for this. a surprise for many. it is a first. brent: it is a first indeed. thank you. here's a reminder of the top stories -- russia has shut off natural gas deliveries to germany via the nord stream 1 pipeline for 10 days of scheduled maintenance.

berlin is worried moscow could extend that shut down amid tensions over the war in ukraine. and ukraine is urging cilians in the occupied south to evacuate as its forces prepare a counterattack coming as a shelling ukraine's east has killed at least three people in ukraine's second largest city. you're watching dw news, live from berlin. after a short break, i will be back to take you through "the day." stick around. we will be right back. ♪ [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org]

"@ 24 and france

24.com. france ♪ host: there is political chaos in sri lanka, where the president and prime minister have agreed to resign. protesters stormed the men's homes over the weekend and currently there is no agreement on who will waste them. -- who will replace them. the nord stream one pipeline has shut down for maintenance for 10 days. russia to germany anderlin rom concerned the shutdown could last longer. it is planning to fire up some of its coal run power plants.