berlin. remembering the fallen. the u.s. marks 20 years since the 9/11 terror attacks. two decades after the attacks that killed nearly 3000 people, we look at how americans are reflecting on the tragedy that changed the world. also coming up, at long last, lebanon once a government -- once a government amid an economic breakdown. to lead them out of a spiraling crisis. and anger still simmering with

more than a month to go before germany's elections. a flood victim says the german government is failing to address the climate crisis. ♪ welcome to the show. the u.s. is preparing to mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. the terrorist strikes used hijacked passenger planes to kill nearly 3000 people. event are taking place across the country. people at this new jersey school have installed 2977 flags on the front lawn. one flag for each person killed, when the jets hit the world trade center in new york and the pentagon in washington. a fourth plane crashed into a field in pennsylvania. we are at ground zero in new york city. what is the city like,

as americans are preparing to mark this 20th anniversary? reporter: we have been here since the early morning hours. more and more people have come from all around the country, to commemorate this very moment. i just talked to michael, who lost his mother in the south tower. he put out a sign here at the memorial with pictures of his wife, whom he just married, telling the story, telling his mother how much he still misses her. that is the mood here, people are very silent. people are crying. they are holding hands. this brings back all the horror from 20 years ago. anthony: how will new yorkers be marking this day? reporter: well, there's a huge ceremony tomorrow here, in new york at ground zero. it will start exactly at 8:49 in

the morning. that is when the first plane hit the tower. it will begin with a moment of silence. then the family members of the nearly 3000 victims will read the names, throughout 2.5 hours or so, there will be moments of silence, to remember the other planes hitting into the other towers, when the towers went down come also when the plane crashed into the pentagon and the other plane that was brought down and because of any of. this is a moment where all the names -- was brought down in pennsylvania. this is a moment where all the names will be read, with moments of silence in the whole city of new york. anthony: americans were mom or the events that started -- americans remember the events that started the war on terror. it is the end of the war now. is the exit from afghanistan part of this 911 merit of -- 9/11 narrative?

reporter: people who are into politics, this plays a huge role. the huge they will be overshadowed by the withdrawal from afghanistan. if you talk to the people here at the very ground zero, their hearts really go out to the victims, because we have to keep in mind -- this was really a day when not only 3000 people got killed, but really, this hit the u.s. in the heart. it shook this country and many western alliances as well. this is the dominating feeling, at least here at ground zero in new york. anthony: thank you very much. joining us for more now from new york city is a survivor from the 9/11 terror attacks. she's written extensively about the events of september 11,

2001. welcome to the program. how do you manage to rationalize what happened to you that day? >> well, the word rationalization is one that i could never apply to the history of what happened certainly to myself in 2001 or in 1993, i was also there during the first bombing. i think to just play on the word, it is the most irrational act, when people take it out on civilians. unfortunately, that is what happened that day. it was the worst attack on u.s. soil. and it affected tens of thousands of people that were not only rooted as i was but blatantly ordered -- blatantly murdered. anthony: surrounded by madness

at the moment, when were you able to realize, to put the pieces together and understand you were indeed in the middle of a terror attack? >> well, as i entered the building, the first jet was crashed into the upper floors. the fuel exploded and went down the elevator shafts. i had no idea what was going on. i was in a fight for my life to breathe, to get out the doors. the back draft released and blew out the windows. i was in many ways pushed out with hurricane force winds, back on the street, where i had been moments bore. after i finally got across the six lanes of highway to look back up, it was not that long hereafter that the second plane hit the south ter.

at that moment, i knew that it was not a commercial plane or a small plane that made a mistake, that it wasn't intended attack. anthony: you suffered the most devastating injuries, with burns on almost 80% of your body. your chances of survival were almost zero. do you ever ask yourself about the nature of how you survived, do you ask yourself why you survived? >> i don't actually ask myself why. i understood in those moments that the easier choice would've been to die, but i did not believe that death would release me from the pain. so i made a choice. i decided to live. that i actually did survive was because of tenacity, resilience,

luck, and less luck than many had that day, were not there. i knew as i watched bodies come pummeling to the ground, that some of those were my colleagues, my friends from cantor fitzgerald. i had a chance to fight. i had a 10 month old son. i didn't want to abandon him. i wasn't going to let them get one more on the kill list. so, it was a simple equation. anthony: when you talk about those atrocious things, you talk about 9/11 today, is there one dominant emotion from all of that? >> t most dominant emotion for me is the heroism that people who were not clothed in

uniform showed each other that day, the grace of colleagues and friends, of strangers, helping each other. i had someone help mthat day in 1993, i helped a woman down a blackened stairwell. i think the most resonant piece of it is the grace we show one another in the times that seemed the darkest and most hopeless. and the notion that we all have such unmeasured strength. and it is moments that galvanize a people, society, the world in a pandemic, the situation going on in afghanistan, in many other areas of the world. when we come together and lay down our arms at the sides of looking into someone's eyes, you see nothing but the earnest desire to help and pray and hope

for someone else that they, too, may get better. and i think that is really what i feel most deeply about. we honor the dead and we hope for better times. but man's primitive nature shows us that's probably not the way it will go. anthony: as you speak to a better day coming, 911 is a day that shocked the world. do you think americans who witnessed that they will ever truly recover -- that day will ever truly recover? >> my father was a former marine. he said, things are going to happen you are not the first one it is happening too. when they do, there's only one way to go -- you've gotta move forward. i think it is indelibly imprinted on the minds of every american, it is part of our history. it is part of world history. but i think at this point, 20 years later, we have the ability

to look at it with a greater perspective. when we need it, in light of events that have been transpiring over the last year and a half. anthony: it's great topeak to you. i hope you have a good september 11th, and we wish you all the best, lauren manning. thank you so much. we are happy to report that 10 dw correspondence working in afghanistan have now been able to leave the country. following the takeover from the taliban. the group includes dw's sole female correspondent in afghanistan. she sent us this video, documenting the journey. the situation for generalists on the ground has become increasingly dangerous, with reports of intimidation and violence at the hands of the taliban.

we spoke to mariana earlier about how it feels to have made it safely out of afghanistan. reporter: as you know, there was no hope for the future anymore in afghanistan. at that time, i decided to be on this situation and wanted to speak, to write, portraying most of the narratives. even if it was written secretly. we decided to write about the material. to portray the displacement of our people and our generation there. it was for our history. so, i didn't experience those dark days -- 15 years back, it was the busiest of my life and the busiest of other women's and afghanistan -- other women in afghanistan. we worked with prestigious international media. like me, many women worked.

those days were just our golden days of our lifetime. and it is finished, three weeks ago, when the taliban took over afghanistan. anthony: let's take a look now at some of the other stories we are following for you today. german vaccine maker by on texas children under the age of 12 could be vaccinated against covid-19 as early as mid october. the company's founder still germany -- told germany they will help authorities globally to permit the vaccines for 11-year-old. guinea's memory chip has be suspended in the body after the military to power in a coup. special forces arrested the country's first of a critically elected president last weekend. it is the third west african country rather to experience a military takeover in the past 12 months. israeli police have shot and killed a palestinian man who tried to stab officers in jerusalem's old city.

the incident comes amid heightened tensions after a breakup from a jail this week. palestinian armed groups have called for a day of rage on friday, in support of the prisoners. to lebanon now, where the country has succeeded in forming a government. the president brokered a deal after months of squabbling among political factions. the nation's richest man has been named print minister. he takes the reins, would lebanon in the middle of an economic meltdown. -- with lebanon in the middle of an economic meltdown. reporter: he visits the president to formalize the political limbo -- formalize the end of the political limbo. he hopes the cabinet can bring stability to a country engulfed an economic crisis. -- in economic crisis. >> we can all feel it, the situation is very difficult, and we all know this. it's not impossible to deal with, if we cooperate as lebanese. we have to work hand-in-hand.

our team will work as one. so we stop this collapse and stop the despair. we will work with hope and determination. reporter: the billionaire businessman was chosen to form a government back in july, after others failed. he is familiar with the position, having served as prime minister two times before. it is that familiarity that fuels skepticism in the lebanese people. >> i do not think this government will come up with solutions, because it came up with the same things of those that were there before. >> today, a government has been formed, but the lebanese people will not believe in them, since we have a long experience with them. the are the ones who turn to this country into ruins. reporter: it's been a heavy

burden being without a government for the people of lebanon, leading to shortages of food, medicine, and petrol. >> the situation is really difficult. i've been waiting here for an hour and a half. maybe they still have petrol by the time it is my turn, may be not. the situation is unbearable. reporter: the previous government resigned after sustained public criticism following the irut board plosion, leading to the 13 month quest to form a new government. parliamentary polls are due next year, with many pinning their hopes on the ballot bringing in fresh blood. but others are doubtful of any results that would change the status quo. anthony: we are just over two weeks away from federal elections here in germany. climate change is expected to be a big issue for many voters. the issue has taken on a greater significance for victims of germany's recent floods. the floods left over 100 people dead in western germany in july.

one survivor we met says germany needs to do more to tackle the climate crisis. reporter: suddenly, the street he used to walk down every day just stops. when the floods hit in july, a large nearby where he filled up with water and bst its banks. destroying roads, taking cars and buildings with it. >> down below, there are houses that once stood here. over there were five more houses next to at brown o. that is the front door of one of the houses that is no longer here reporter: in the constituency , everything is different in this federal election. logistically, for a start, many people are forced to leave their homes -- were forced to leave their homes. that is problematic, because election papers are sent to people's homes the old-fashioned way in germany, by post.

his neighbor is having her papers sent to friends, and hos she can receive them that way. >> it is also a bureaucratic issue -- reporter: something else is different, there are no campaign billboards. political parties agree the suffering victims endured shouldn't be exploited for political gains. he like many others has other concerns right now, but the questions he is asking himself are highly political. >> climate change is no longer just happening somewhere else. it is right here with us. it had to come to that because germany carries a lot of her sponsor for clate change. coal mining for example. at some point, i had to happen here. reporter: many who wish the

government had been better prepared and had done more to fight climate change would at least give people better protection. he thinks every individual has a part to play. >> if we do not all change something, nothing changes. i do not want to let politicians off, because theyave more optionto initiate change. but maybe now, so close to the election, it is a wake-up call to say, we have to do things differently in the future. reporter: but for now, everyday life goes on. his landlord wants the flatback. their option is a flat out minibus. >> it wl be a tiny home with everything inside.

i hopefully won't lose it again so easily and i will have everything with me. anthony: let's take a look now at some of the other stories we are following for you this hour. a u.s. judge ordered apple to loosen control of its app store. they launched the lawsuit after the game fortnite was removed from the app store for dodging revenue-sharing with the iphone maker. russian energy giant says construction of the pipeline beneath the baltic sea has been completed. the pipeline connecting russi with gmany will allow moscow to double russia's gas export and capacity to europe. critics say nord stream 2 will make europe too dependent on russian energy supplies. russia and its allies have begun massive military exercises. up to 200,000 soldiers are process up eating -- are participating in the drills, held in western russia and belarus.

retention is growing in the region, with the ukrainian president, again warning and all that were with moscow is a possibility. -- war with moscow is a possibly. denmark lifted pandemic restrictions, the first member nation to do so. the credit high vaccination rate for the move but worn measures could come back if necessary. reaction, with both caution and optimism, as spaces are brought back to life. reporter: in denmark, families are looking to the famous amusement park in copenhagen, as if coronavirus had never existed. this father is glad the government has put an end to the roller coaster of restrictions. >> i believe they can handle it, with the intention of doing it as best as possible. on the whole, i think they've done well. reporter: with schools opening again, mothers here feel nothing but relief, despite some remaining risks. >> they don't get as ill as

adults and don't get as many symptoms afterwards. i think it is ok. i would rather send them to school then have them home -- than have them home. reporter: but not everyone is so relaxed. >> i think it is too early to be happy about it. i think when winter comes, it will -- there will be problems. reporter: with vaccine uptake in denmark, the head of the copenhagen task force says the time is right. >> now that there are so few nonvaccinated left, those that are not vaccinated now or perhaps the skeptics. there are very few. reporter: eager for this nightclub to reopen, these young people have embraced vaccination. >> it's not coming back. reporter: looking at pictures

like that, denmark's leading virologists have some residual doubts. but he accepts reopening is also a political necessity. >> it does create some problems, arguing that coronavirus is still a part of society with such a high percentage of the population vaccinated. so i think on one side, it was better to step down a little bit, then should it increase, then we can always update again. anthony: meanwhile, some are a bit ambivalent between happiness and apprehension. reporter: i will have to get used to it -- >> i will have to get used to it. the first 10 for like two years come almost, going out. reporter: d authorities are not letting their guard down completely. they will taste wastewater to monitor for future outbreaks of the virus. and their best defense --

the state is fully digital and seamlessly collecting citizens' data. >> we have a register of everybody who tests positive with the disease. we have a register of who was vaccinated and we know where everybody lives and we can contact people directly. reporter: so for now, danes can enjoy the last of the summer and dive into their newfound freedom. anthony: to sport now, bundesliga football returns this weekend with champions traveling to facebook title rivals. it will pit the coaches against her former employer, after all three moved to munich over the european summer. the new coach is out to prove his team is a force to be reckoned with, despite those high-profile archers. -- departures. reporter: captain, coach, and star defender. all three jumped ship to move

for this season. the defending champions, strengthening their own team while weakening one of their biggest rivals. leipzig fans have targeted him for criticism, upset at the new coach for taking players and staff with him. not that he is all that bothered with the reception he might receive at his old club. >> some of the resentment and words used have been questionable. the fans can whistle for all i care, that's how it is. i don't hear very well with my right here anyway, so it doesn't mother me. reporter: he says he is just focus on taking three points against his former employers. two wins after their first three matches of the season. the coaches after a bit more pressure. after two losses, leipzig is already off the pace in the title race. but the american is confident his team can turn it around. >> we don't talk about pressure

or where we are in the season. we believe in our process and the team. with a young team, i think it is important that we play fearlessly and we bring a lot of confidence onto the pitch. reporter: whatever happens, he will be center stage. once a hero, he now returns a villain. which adds to the already enticing spectacle between two title contenders. anthony: before we go, family and friends of john paul bill mondo have made a final farewell to the legendary french actor and his funeral -- in his funeral in paris. stars joined the private ceremony at the church, after the late actor was given a national tribute, led by resident emmanuel macron -- president emmanuel macron thursday. he died in paris at the age of 88.

a reminder of our top story this hour -- the u.s. is preparing to mark 20 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. some commemorations have already been held a day before the anniversary. the attacks killed nearly 3000 people. coming up next, i will be back to take you through "the day." you can find more news on our website, dw.com. from me and the team here in berlin, things for your company -- thanks for your company. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org]

>> it is 10 p.m. in the french capital. preparations are underway in the u.s. on the eve of the 20th anniversary of 9/11. the attacks change the nation and the world. we will go live to ground zero in just a minute. after 13 months, lebanon gets a new government, new cabinet unveiled. they face the daunting task of saving the country from an economic meltdown. france's former health minister