Power also on the program in afghanistan really symbolic taliban prisoners as a precondition for peace talks but the move faces opposition. Im phil gayle welcome to the program crowds reported in the 10s of thousands of taking to the streets of belarus as capital minsk in another display of anger of the Violent Police crackdown against peaceful opposition protesters well sources have now released some of the 7000 people detained by police over the past week a many of them report being beaten and tortured in custody demonstrators have been joined by factory workers once considered loyal to president lukashenko. That. Their defiance is growing. Crowds of protesters are on the streets of minsk for its 6th straight day. There are chants and banners right side the bellows in parliament echoing across the city. And the protests arent limited to the capital and other towns and cities of protesters have come out carrying White Flowers one of the symbols of this push for change. In factories like this plant that makes trucks workers walked off the job united with demonstrators in their calls for president Alexander Lukashenko to step down. Their workers are protesting for the election result to be an old and we want new elections and the resignation of the incumbent illegitimate president people reject this president. We dont need him. He was doing were looking forward to changes we really are the day before yesterday when the internet was switched back on i cried when i saw the brutality is happening in this country i cried because better all stood up its real fascism. The president lukashenko is grappling with the biggest challenge to his 26 year rule he warned striking workers that their actions would benefit foreign business interests and ignored their calls for his resignation. Shippers if our position is clear during the difficult times of the pandemic we didnt pressure anyone to work were not forcing anyone. If people want to work theres work going to work if a person doesnt want to work we wont drag him kicking and screaming. Speaking from a 3 way near where shes been in exile since choose day opposition leaders. Called for peaceful rallies across the country. With large crowds on the streets on friday night youve cleared the movement is growing in strength. Journalist a 100 because of it joins us on the line from minsk welcome to day w how has the day been that. Its been very peaceful so far i have been on the street today and i saw a lot of people Peaceful Protesters who were outside the building of the government. On this Independence Square in and they gathered basically spontaneously nobody expected that but at some point the workers of the state factory. And. They would march on the main streets of means so many thousands of other people joined and thats how they came to this building of the government of the parliament and they stayed there for for quite some time and there were reports that riot Police Coming so people we just saw on the ground and the singing they were chanting showing that these are Peaceful Protesters and we know that the some point this kind of heavy equipment turned away and didnt push the main square so it was basically peaceful but protesters also there are those in other neighborhoods and in other cities and towns across the country i want to talk about because i was seeing reports of police in the town of lida have joined the protests so how ensured is the president of the support of the security forces. Oh well though there are reports that some of the lets say Police Officers or soldiers of internal troops resigns that they stop they they. That they dont want to take part in this brutal repression brutal suppression of the of the protesters and i imagine will the moose can see divided obviously there are people who dont want to take part in this but at the same time there are numerous reports about the tortures of this brutal response from from the police towards Peaceful Protesters and ordinary citizens who just walked on the street so well its not like its a crowd. Like this the l a times. But its officers its not 100 percent but there are definitely. Some with the changing party. Thank you for that because over in minsk thank you lets get more on this from a good friend of mine whos about the recent board political scientist at the university of bremen here in germany she specializes in Eastern Europe and joins us from berlin welcome to t. W. Mass protests followed by strikes at state owned fun trysts is president look at shankar facing a my down and. Well if you mean that meant that my guy would meet his. Kind of possible removal yes i would say yes but we should also not you know compare going to recent story that is progress toward my down because we see that people are 100 over making 19 and. 100 chris lang next overnighted resends and ever be useful i mean even up to believe these highest level of violence that were used in the world served in observed in the last 3 not its people austen trying to curb the show with its powers with its white collar theyve given want peace they dont want to have you know any can contain this state and they dont actually theyre not expecting anything but there is a kind of a president so there is also no edge of politics here and there that is the way we used to have in their clinic and so the russians do not wind the European Union or russia they just once have a better life to have better economic condition and to have and not a president and thats actually what also old is a workers of the state and implies dissent in minden so they are demanding a Police Special toys a plus years all out of town down demanding at least of all clay to go cruising s. And they also want new Fair Elections and its story in very new tendency one of the speakers and. The last protests possibly groups. Are going to get the end of the ninetys im going to write so he said and the desire became appearing that this is unprecedented forgive me for interrupting time is short and there in the wider political context where youve said that were very you is talking about sanctions that the u. S. Is talking about sanctions where does russia safe in all this. Well thats one of the big question now because. President bush in a way that congratulated look i shant go even before the official results were announced which if you show resolve actually in reality come to get is that its about 80 percent. That there you know there are no signs of any kind of possible confrontation right now were now against you know these private military mercenaries these group of mercenaries that lowered essentially of back to russia and its allies them informed the Russian State Television has already begun to. Tell about of the strikes and invalid wrists and was not good case and couple of days before of course they will also see given situation is changing quite a cost but i think its its very important good question doesnt get its feeling get it. Back then langley had a ukraine crisis is that it is kind of as in many states Decision Making and so i think maybe some kind of possible dial up within society in a split which cannot really be initiated with where that was just the patient of the European Union and also from russia thank you for that. Got screwed over from the university of bread. It is a free 400. 00 taliban. Business has been a key taliban demand before and peace talks with the government in kabul its a controversial move since the free prisoners including surgeons convicted of attacks on afghans on for. Their last few minutes behind bars just one more signature from the prison management and theyre free these are the 1st prisoners allowed to leave this prison near kabul they are serious criminals terrorists and murderers and it seems theyve memorized what theyre supposed to say on camera. I am a member of the taliban and was imprisoned because of murder i wish for a long term ceasefire and peace. The president ordered my release. Part of the taliban and was sentenced because of murder and kidnapping i want peace i think god and i wish a peaceful life for all muslims. Some of those released were convicted of being involved in the truck bomb attack on the German Embassy in kabul in 2017 that day over 150 people were killed and more than 400 were wounded. Lost her father during the attack she does not understand why the government is releasing the terrorists responsible for killing her father instead of ensuring they are punished for their crimes. Well at the dinner party my message to my fathers murderers is we do not forgive you and to the government i say we will never forget that you were letting these terrorists go the government could have given them the death sentence why arent they doing that. You have to settle down and many are skeptical that these taliban fighters will now turn their backs on violence and campaign for peace in war torn afghanistan. Lets take a look at some of the other stories making news around the world democratic president ial hopeful joe biden and Vice President ial contender. Have signed the documents necessary to certify a nominations biden selected harris as his running mate this week shes the 1st Vice President ial nominee in u. S. History. Francis reported more than 2500 new infections for the 3rd day in a row paris in the port city of ma say have been declared high risk as the country reacts to this spike in new cases british holidaymakers about to hurry home to avoid new quarantine restrictions on travelers from france which come into effect on saturday. And germany has declared most of spain a high risk coronavirus zone including the island of new york which is popular with German Tourists in the Canary Islands are exempt from this warning travelers to high risk areas face compulsory coronavirus testing when they return to germany or a large fine. Small town in germany southwest is playing host to an exhibition of american pop artist james risen many of his works could be described as upbeat and bearing a message of inclusiveness which might strike just the right notes with many visitors joining the stressful times. James risen is artworks burst with joy the visual artist was born in 1950 in Brooklyn New York after studying business he got a fine arts degree then opened his own gallery in soho now 1200 of his works are on exhibit in bowling in germany the collection shows people of all nationalities colors and religions living in peace and joy together its really wanted to make art for everyone not just the elite he wanted his art to be clear understandable and not overly intellectual rizzi painted anything toris real cars trains houses even airplanes the city of how brawn commissioned him to design the street car which is now part of the bottling an exhibit on a one to one scale whether people categorized his work as commercial or pop art didnt matter to him resist path to becoming an artist was accidental while studying business he made prints which he sold for one dollar each he then plying his wares to local galleries and became popular one of his darker works is the new yorks twin towers painted 2 years after the disaster 2 columns of colorful flowers set against a black sky even here james rizzi chooses to show his audience something positive. This is de w. s that lie phone book and ill have more world news for you at the top of the hour Kate Ferguson yet the end of the business so update just a moment and if thats not enough theres always stuff on our website w dot com im going to. Come betting the corona pandemic. Where does research stand. What are scientists learning. Background information and news. Hour corona up to. 19 special next on d w. How does a virus spread. Why do we panic and when will all this. Just 3 of the top