this is dw news live from berlin. florida braces for the full force of hurricane irma. millions have been told to evacuate, clogging the state's highways with just hours before the storm arrives and the governor says people are running out of time. this as a massive earthquake has struck off the the coast of mexico. the quake toppled buildings and was felt as far away as mexico city. plus, a dream come true. after waiting her entire career this german referee is set to make history in the buneds leaguea.

>> good to have you with us. well, it is one of the most powerful atlantic storms in a century and it's got florida in its sites. hurricane irma has killed at least 20 people in its path, barreling through the caribbean. many small islands have been devastated. these images are from the island of st. marten where entire neighborhoods have been flattened. there's also widespread destruction in the virgin islands. the storm has been downgraded from a rare category five, the most intense hurricane classification to a category four but it still has winds as strong as 250 kilometers per hour. and now irma is skirting cuba, spinning toward florida, where a race against the clock is on. florida's governor has said all of the state's more than 20 million inhabitants should be prepared to evacuate.

>> the streets have never been so empty on a friday in miami. most are trying to get as far away as possible by air. the airports have been busy. german tourists are among those wanting to fly out. are these visitors leaving early? yes, we're breaking off our vacation. we wanted to stay till monday but we got a flight this morning. the rebooking was originally supposed to cost 8,000 euros. we would have had to stay in an emergency shelter. so we packed 10 liters of water and some food in our suitcases. after many phone calls they were able to rebook at no extra charge. local residents are trying to get away by road but finding an open gas station is hard. the state governor has asked gas station operators to stick it out so as many people as possible can leave miami.

we're trying to be disciplined and organized to help things move quickly, to help the flow. but some are staying put. >> staying in with the shutters on and just hoping for the best. >> perhaps irma will be kind to miami, he adds. perhaps this city will be spared the worst. >> with the floridians bracing for irma's fury, thousands as we saw there are on the move. miami based reporter kate stein is following the very latest and joins us. authorities have said that all of florida's 20 million people should be ready to evacuate but we just found that report, some people say they are staying put. are most people listening? kate: i would say people who are able to listen are generally evacuating. in a lot of cases the people who are staying it is a question of resources. there are people in miami where i'm based who simply don't have access to personal vehicles they can use to get out of the

state. they can't afford a plane ticket to get away so they're buying what supplies they can. my co-worker yesterday interviewed a gentleman who could only afford a few cans of tuna and bread because it was the start of the month and he just paid his rent so he is hunkering down as best he can. >> with such a mass exit have you ever seen anything like this? kate: i have not. i've only lived in florida about a year. this is unprecedented for someone who has been here much longer. governor scott was talking earlier about how this storm is significantly stronger and more of a threat than hurricane andrew which devastated florida 25 years ago. the reason irma is such a big threat is because of the size. it could soar up the entire florida peninsula instead of with hurricane andrew where it was a strong storm but much smaller sote damage was much more limited. >> you mentioned those who can't get away because they don't have resources.

what provisions are made for them from the state for example? kate: most of the provisions made for people of lower income are on a local level. there are public emergency transportation and shelters. the homeless population in miami at least is being asked to voluntarily move into a shelter and if they're not complying authorities here have used a law basically that they are using to take them into protective custody so it is a question of if you have the resources people are evacuating. if not, they are being removed from the street if there is someone who is homeless. >> florida is also home to two nuclear power plants in the path of the storm. that must have authorities worried. >> right. authorities are definitely worried about power outages. the main provider here has said it is very likely we'll see

outages. they have to take the nuclear power plants off line for about 24 hours before the hurricane force winds start and then throughout the storm and they're going to take the natural gas power plants offline any time winds are above a hundred miles per hour. it could be for a good eight to 12 hours while the full force of the storm is hitting us that the power systems would be offline. depending on damage we could be out of power for much longer than that. >> reporter kate stein with the very latest from miami. thank you, kate. kate: thank you. >> to mexico where a powerful earthquake struck off the southern coast overnight sparking tsunami warnings. mexico's president is calling it the biggest quake in a century. the 8.2 magnitude tremor occurred off the pacific coast. the shaking could be felt as far north as mexico city. a thousand kilometers away from the epicenter. there have been dozens of aftershocks and more are expected. authorities say at least 50 people have been killed.

>> the shaking was so violent, witnesses say they feared the buildings were going to crash around them. even in mexico city, hundreds of kilometers north of the epicenter, the quake made buildings tremble and sway. the tremors sent residents fleeing into the streets just before midnight. many of them still wearing pajamas. even for a city used to earthquakes, this one made a lasting impression. >> horrible. in the beginning it was weak but then it got stronger. it was crazy. while we were going downstairs the earth tremendous bin laden more and we were thrown around. >> the magnitude 8.2 quake hit off the country's south pacific coast. according to the mexican president it was the strongest to hit the country in a

century. while the capital seems to have been spared major damage the effects in the southern states of chiapas and juihaca are expected to be more severe. unfortunately, we have already received reports of loss of human life and material damage we can't yet quantify. we will do that in the coming hours and days to learn what damage the earthquake has caused. >> authorities issued a tsunami warning for mexico and several neighboring countries but they worry more about the aftershocks that rattled the country potentially causing greater damage. >> to learn more about the massive earthquake in mexico, let's talk to our journalist in mexico city. the aftershocks there continuing. how are people dealing with this?

>> here in mexico city regular life is pretty much taking its normal turn. the city wasn't much affected and everything continues to work. but in the southern states, the ones more affected by the quake, the local government has declared an emergency situation and the federal government is sending in almost 2,000 soldiers who are currently helping out with clearing the rubble and assessing the damage and trying to find survivors. >> they're assessing the damage. what are they saying at this point about casualties and the extent of that damage? reporter: so far the official count is 32 people have died. the majority of the victims were near the epicenter. we have seen images coming in of towns in the southern part of the country where houses and small businesses have collapsed. there were cracks in the roads. at least almost --.

>> it is being said this is the strongest earthquake mexico has seen in 100 years. was the country prepared? reporter: the country was prepared for a disaster of this magnitude especially in mexico city, which for years now has had a seismic alert in place so the alert went off. for my -- from my apartment i could hear it yesterday night which gave us about two minutes to get out of the apartment and get to safety. the major cities are pretty well prepared. it is a different matter in the smaller communities and the southern part are of the country. emergency service moved very quickly to act and relief was under way almost immediately after the earthquake. >> what kind of relief is needed in the smaller, poorer areas right now? reporter: mostly the military clearing up blocked roads and trying to find out whether there are still people there. the authorities have said the victim count can still go up

though new victims have not been reported in recent hours. the most important thing is to make sure people don't go back to their damaged homes and the roads into those communities are clear so other relief workers can come in. >> the very latest from mexico city. thank you very much for that update. to colombia now where pope francis is set to hold a prayer meeting to spread a message of peace. he is trying to reconcile the two sides of colombia's recently concluded civil war. the pontiff earlier held a mass in the city in front of thousands, many of whom are victims of the conflict. >> for the pope and the people who flocked to hear him, this was a mass with a profound meaning. the pontiff came to the city to spread the message of forgiveness. the area was the epicenter of a

five decade long war between the colombian government and leftist rebels. the pope said every effort at peace without a sincere commitment to reconciliation is destined to fail. >> to reconcile is to open a door to each and every one of the people who have lived the dramatic reality of the conflict. when the victims overcome the understandable temptation of revenge, they become the most credible protaganists of peace building processes. >> rape, displacement, and bombings like this one carried out by the girlas. many survivors are scarred by their experience of conflict. the leader of farc, now a political party, has asked the pope for forgiveness. in a letter published on social media he begged forgiveness for

the pain that farc had caused but said the struggle had been motivated by concerns for the nation's poorest. but the past leaves colombians deeply divided. yes, we must forgive, because if i don't, i can't erase the pain in my heart. i won't ever be happy. how can i say i will forgive them when i am still suffering from what happened? when we still see bloodshed in our territory because these people are operating at the margin of the law. during the mass the pope beatified two priests killed in the war, two of the 220,000 victims who didn't survive to see peace return to colombia. >> bangladesh is struggling to cope with the number of refugees arriving.

estimates indicate 270,000 muslims have entered bangladesh in the past two weeks. they are fleeing a deadly violence in western myanmar. and the crisis has sparked a heated conversation on social media. nobel peace prize winner archbishop desmond tutu has posted an open ler to myanmar's defacto leader, aung san suu kyi, where he voiced a concern of violence. he joins the youngest ever nobel peace prize winner who said on monday the world is waiting for aung san suu kyi to act. there is also now an online petition signed by more than 392,000 people, calling for her to be stripped of her peace prize over the persecution of myanmar's rohinja muslim minority. the nobel institute insists it is not possible to strip a laureate of his or her prize once it has been awarded. now, today is the united nations international hit rassy day.

the u.n. says that even as computers and smart phones replace paper, reading skills remain crucial to deal with new technologies. one country still working to raise literacy levels is india. d.w. went to a village just outside dealt oidi where one girl is working to change her family's fortune. >> she has been in class the entire day but is still eager for more. hardly anything can stop this 13-year-old from pursuing her love of learning. >> i think studies are very important for everyone. >> the first time she went to school was seven years ago in a village just outside india's capital new delhi. she got there thanks to literacy, india, an organization who helps underprivileged children who would otherwise not be in school. the organization focuses

particularly on young girls. their educations are often neglected in rural communities out of safety concerns or because parents need them to help run the household. although india passed the right to education act in 2009, challenges still remain. >> he has brought some changes into the school but in terms of the changing of the minds of the communities, it's not effective. to change the mindset of the community will have to go underground, it will have to reach them and convince them. i think it will take time. >> sadia represents what can happen when these kinds of challenges are overcome. she lives walking distance from the school. she shares a room with her parents and sister. the family doesn't have a lot of money and neither parent received much of an education. for her mother, school was

never an option growing up. but today, she feels her lack of education limits what she can do. and wants a different life for her daughters. i feel very sad that i'm not educated. if only i had just a little bit of schooling. now i want to use the phone i need to wait for my children or husband to help. and there are lots of things like that i have to think about. her father dyes clothes for a living but business is slow right now. he doesn't have the qualifications to change professions easily so he sees sadia's education as a potential opportunity for the entire family. if she studies and makes something of herself, then it will be to our benefit. our life will change and so will hers. they will definitely be changed and it will be good.

the signs are promising. sadia is use whag she learned to help her father with things he used to struggle with like taking orders or writing bills. her recent admission to a more established school is also a major step. one she hopes will help her achieve her dream of becoming a doctor or a journalist. >> now to a bit of sports. in a first, she is set to become the first woman to referee a top division match when berlin hosts the game on sunday. it is a moment the 38-year-old has been waiting for her whole career. >> she is used to calling the shots after being one of the stand out officials in germany's second division for 10 years and she has now been rewarded with her own promotion. it's a dream come true but she knows it won't be easy. >> i have no illusions. the speed and intensity makes

this another step up for me. >> the 38-year-old is a police officer by trade. she always wanted to follow in her father's foot steps and become a referee. she's taken charge of women's world cup and olympic finals and has earned the respect of male colleagues, coaches, and players, thanks to her no nonsense approach. >> steinhaus's superiors have given her their full backing. >> i think it's something very special. she is now in the bundesleague and it has huge significance around the world. >> she is no stranger to the top tier and has already had to deal with some difficult

characters when working as the fourth official. >> a stroll along the seine river is part of any visitor's time in paris. the pleasure is often marred by the heavy traffic. now one section of road has been freed from automobiles to the utter delight of visitors and locals alike. >> it's early in the morning and parisians are out making the most of the seine river. there is a lot more offered here than just free yoga classes. >> it is amazing here. you immediately get the feeling you're on holiday. >> for about a year now the streets along the water front have been closed to traffic. since then, people have been flocking to the area. it's not expensive here.

the once car congested streets have become a hit with both tourists and locals looking to destress. >> it's so beautiful here. i would just love to sit down and enjoy it all. be part of it and enjoy the atmosphere. >> visitors can take a ride on the boat or bus. it's a bit like a commuter ferry and a day ticket costs just 17 euros. for those who want to be more active, there are dance courses right on the water front. it is something quite special. you can sense the parisian spirit. i work too much. dancing helps with the stress. >> in the evening the banks of the seine get quite crowded and those who want to save a bit of money bring their own drinks to the party.

>> most of the time it's so full there isn't anywhere to sit but in august a lot of people are aware it is a little easier to find a spot. >> paris and the river seine. it's a love story that continues to endure. >> all right. unfortunately from dancing along the seine to more bad news for cash-strapped venezuela. >> absolutely. we're now seeing the country is coming under fire from its creditors at a time when it is still very much cash strapped as you say. the russian finance minister telling reporters that venezuela was having trouble paying its multi billion dollar debt to moscow. it is the latest sign of instability plaguing the nation. that has prompted the president to take a drastic measure. >> it was a defiant president who appeared before parliament. venezuela may be struggling to service its debt but he assured creditors that its bills will be paid and he unveiled a new

gambit to turn the economy around. i am announcing venezuela will implement a new mechanism of international payments and create a basket of currencies to free us from the dollar. a divorce from the dollar? the move was prompted by fresh u.s. sanctions, signed by donald trump, banning american citizens from dealing in new venezuelan debt. u.s. officials are trying to step up pressure on maduro to end a violence crackdown on public dissent which has left more than 120 dead and thousands have been taken into custody. venezuela is in the fourth year of recession amid triple digit inflation. food and medicine shortages have triggered civil unrest. but the mountain of debt remains. this year alone caracas has to pay international creditors about $4 billion in debt and interest. it now faces the prospect of total default.

>> many airlines have suspended service to areas that could be affected by hurricane irma. as the storm approaches the u.s. mainland, german carriers are canceling flights to a number of destinations in cuba, the bahamas, and florida. they've also taken steps to offer stranded passengers shelter in the region. customers can rebook flights to the region at no additional cost and the cancellations are expected to be in place through sunday. now, it's one of the biggest cyber thefts in world history. american credit reporting agency ek wii fax says hackers were able to steal credit card and social security data from 143 million people, around 40% of the u.s. population. now, equifax claims it has been able to close get the sensitive information but the attack has now left millions of americans at risk of identity theft in the future.

you've likely heard of car sharing. it is one of the cornerstones of shared mobility and is all the rage in cities worldwide. you can use a car any time you want without actually having to own one. of course the fewer cars we have the better for the environment. berlin is taking it up a notch for an even smaller carbon footprint. not one but two companies and now offering scooter sharing. >> is there anything you can't unlock with a smartphone these days? there's even an app for the scooter. you sim m i type in a code -- you simply type in a code, put in a helmet, and off you go on a scooter. you ride wherever you need to go and then you can just leave it anywhere within the operating area. you pay per minute. sounds easy enough and others are also competing for a share of the market like coup scooters, the same idea in mint green. increasing traffic congestion

and the pollution that comes with it have contributed to the success of both scooter sharing services. many people are looking for alternatives to conventional ways of moving about. i think the diesel scandal has brought a lot more focus on electric mobility and, of course, also on scooters. when you look at the city you notice how limited space is. and you see what kind of demand there is for electric scooters. so, yeah. i think that the diesel scandal has really helped. and while dieselgate was made in germany the more eco friendly alternative is too. berlin and paris are global capitals for mobility sharing when it comes to scooters. it is a big trend in berlin. there are about 1800 scooters available. the future, the city will look similar but the server will notice some changes. shared mobility will be an important cornerstone of those

changes. outside europe scooter sharing has taken off in taipei and beirut. meanwhile, in berlin, both scooter companies are rapidly expanding their fleet. >> back to you. >> thank you. we'll have more news on the day right here on dw in just a few minutes. don't go away. xn♪x

reporter: hi everyone and welcome to our highlights edition of euromaxx with the best picks of the week. here's a look at what's coming up. up in the air, at the top of the eiffel tower in paris. under the sea, underwater sculptures off the coast of lanzarote. on terra firma, tourists and the locals alike love to visit estonia's biggest national park. we start off the show in one of the most beautiful cities in the world -- paris. it's main attraction, the eiffel tower, has been the defining symbol of the french capital ever since it was erected in