Connect with us

Published

on

Families remembered their loved ones 20 years after the 9/11 terror attacks in the US, with grieving relatives vowing to “never forget” those who lost their lives.

Six moments of silence were observed in New York City to mark the moments when four commercial planes crashed and when the the two World Trade Center towers crumbled, killing nearly 3,000 people.

The planes had been hijacked by terrorists on the morning of 11 September 2001.

Two were flown into the World Trade Center towers in New York City just before 9am local time, a third crashed into the west side of the Pentagon at 9.37am, while the fourth flight crashed in rural Shanksville, Pennsylvania, at 9.57am after passengers tried to overpower the hijackers and take control of the plane.

New York firefighters on the 20th anniversary of 9/11
People pay tribute to those killed on 9/11

US President Joe Biden and former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton were among hundreds of people who gathered at the site where the two trade centre towers fell two decades ago.

Each of them wore blue ribbons and held their hand over their heart as a procession marched a flag through the memorial. Some of those gathered at the memorial carried photos of loved ones killed in the attacks.

More on September 11 Terror Attacks

The names of all 2,977 victims were read out and Mr Biden, who was as senator at the time of the attacks, wiped a tear from his eye at one point, but he did not speak at the event.

Those who did speak shared heart-breaking tributes to those they lost.

Joe Biden, and Barack and Michelle Obama at the ceremony. Pic: AP
Image:
Barack and Michelle Obama with Joe and Jill Biden at the ceremony. Pic: AP
A family member of 9/11 victims adds a flower at FDNY Ten House
September 11

One described the “unbearable sorrow and disbelief”, another remembered a “beloved sister… she had a habit of saying ‘get over it’ and, Cathy, I can tell you we have never gotten over it”.

One man paid tribute to his brother “who we continue to love and miss every day – the world is a lesser place without him”.

Another said: “I couldn’t believe that you’re gone – I just want to say I love you and I miss you”, while one speaker remembered their father, saying: “Dad, we miss you every day”.

Bruce Springsteen sang his song I’ll See You In My Dreams, accompanying himself with the guitar and harmonica, his words echoing the hopes expressed by families still grieving.

“I’ll see you in my dreams.

“We’ll meet and live and love again.

“I’ll see you in my dreams.

“Yeah, up around the river bend.

“For death is not the end.

“And I’ll see you in my dreams.”

A National Park Service ranger at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville. Pic: AP
Image:
A National Park Service ranger at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville. Pic: AP

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Kamala Harris honours Flight 93 passengers

Vice president Kamala Harris and George W Bush – who was president at the time of the attacks – were among those who gathered at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania.

Ms Harris praised the courage and resilience of Americans who united in the days following the attacks, saying: “In a time of outright terror, we turned toward each other.

“If we do the hard work of working together as Americans, if we remain united in purpose, we will be prepared for whatever comes next.”

Mr Bush said: “So much of our politics have become a naked appeal to anger, fear and resentment.

“On America’s day of trial and grief, I saw millions of people instinctively grab for a neighbour’s hand, and rally for the cause of one another. That is the America I know.”

Flowers at the Pentagon 9/11 memorial. Pic: AP
Image:
Flowers at the Pentagon 9/11 memorial. Pic: AP
An American flag is unfurled at the Pentagon in Washington. Pic: AP
Image:
Early in the morning, an American flag was unfurled at the Pentagon in Washington. Pic: AP

Mr Biden also visited Shanksville later on Saturday, before heading to the Pentagon.

In a video released on Friday night, Mr Biden had said: “Children have grown up without parents, and parents have suffered without children.”

But he also said shared what he called the “central lesson” from the attacks: “That at our most vulnerable… unity is our greatest strength.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Bush gives speech on 9/11 anniversary

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Mike Low, whose daughter who was killed in the attack on the World Trade Center, reflects 20 years after the tragedy

Earlier, former president Mr Obama reflected on the lessons that had been learned in the “20 years since that awful morning”.

In a statement, he said: “That list of lessons is long and growing. But one thing that became clear on 9/11 – and has been clear ever since – is that America has always been home to heroes who run towards danger in order to do what is right.

“For Michelle and me, the enduring image of that day is not simply falling towers or smouldering wreckage. It’s the firefighters running up the stairs as others were running down.

“The passengers deciding to storm a cockpit, knowing it could be their final act.

“The volunteers showing up at recruiters’ offices across the country in the days that followed, willing to put their lives on the line.

“Over the last 20 years, we’ve seen the same courage and selflessness on display again and again.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Victims of the 9/11 attacks have been remembered at Ground Zero at a memorial in New York

A firefighter looks on before the ceremonies get underway

He said the US had seen the same courage today, with doctors and nurses battle through the COVID crisis and military personnel risk their lives in Afghanistan.

Mr Obama added: “9/11 reminded us how so many Americans give of themselves in extraordinary ways – not just in moments of great crisis, but every single day. Let’s never forget that, and let’s never take them for granted.”

Former president Donald Trump was not at the anniversary ceremonies but released a video in which he spoke of the sadness of 9/11 and attacked Mr Biden over the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Mr Trump is expected to provide commentary for a boxing match headlined by 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield later on Saturday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was among the world leaders to offer support to the US as people remembered the 9/11 attacks.

He said the terrorists had “failed to drive our nations apart, or cause us to abandon our values, or to live in permanent fear”.

French President Emmanuel Macron added: “We will never forget. We will always fight for freedom”, while South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in sent his “deepest condolences”, describing the losses of 9/11 as a “deep wound”.

Continue Reading

US

Voter in UK ‘terrified’ by US election legal battle, as up to 4,000 ballots challenged in Pennsylvania

Published

on

By

Voter in UK 'terrified' by US election legal battle, as up to 4,000 ballots challenged in Pennsylvania

Up to 4,000 people voting overseas in the US election are having their ballots challenged in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

They include Selma Aldi, 47, from Camden in north London who received a letter on Sunday explaining that her ballot in the US presidential election is at risk of being rejected.

“It was a shock,” she said. “It was terrifying to be targeted, to potentially lose a right that I hold as very important. It’s even a feeling that someone is questioning my identity.”

Latest on US election

The trainee GP, who grew up in Hershey, Pennsylvania left America in 2000 but has voted via absentee ballot in every US presidential election since.

A letter from election officials in Dauphin County outlines the legal challenge. It reads: “The applicant is not registered to vote and therefore is not eligible to vote in Pennsylvania.

“Under Pennsylvania law, it is a felony to permit any person to vote who is not registered.”

More on Pennsylvania

A hearing on the legal challenge is scheduled for Friday, in which Ms Aldi can respond.

Around 2.8 million US citizens living abroad are entitled to vote in the election, no matter where they are on polling day.

But each state has different procedures and rules on how election paperwork can be sent and received.

Selma Aldi on her graduation from the University of Pennsylvania seated next to a figure of Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the US.   She has received a letter challenging her absentee voter ballot. Pic: handout
Image:
Selma Aldi on her graduation from the University of Pennsylvania, seated next to a figure of Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the US.

But Ari Savitzky, senior staff Attorney at the ACLU said “any attempt to challenge [voters] eligibility is a clear violation of their rights”.

He told Sky News: “Between 3,000 and 4,000 challenges have been filed in Pennsylvania to the absentee ballots of US citizens living abroad.

“For decades, federal law has guaranteed the right of US citizens living abroad to vote in federal elections at their last US residence.

“In addition to being legally baseless, these challenges are an abuse to voters and to election administrators.”

Read more from Sky News:
US election: Colleges, swing states and how it all works
Should we fear Trumponomics?
What happens if there’s a tie in the US election?

Deborah Hinchey from another voting rights group, All Voting is Local, said: “Election deniers across Pennsylvania have submitted thousands of mass challenges to overseas voters.

“They want to block as many ballots as possible and silence our voices… but these baseless challenges have failed before and the proper checks and balances are in place to make sure they’ll fail again,” she added.

Tonight, Sky News will have access to the most comprehensive exit poll and vote-counting results from every state, county and demographic across America through its US-partner network NBC.

You can find out more about Sky News’ coverage here.

Continue Reading

US

Elon Musk can keep giving away $1m to voters, judge rules – as lawyer admits winners aren’t chosen randomly

Published

on

By

Elon Musk can keep giving away m to voters, judge rules - as lawyer admits winners aren't chosen randomly

Elon Musk can keep giving away $1m to voters in battleground states, a judge has ruled – as a lawyer admitted the winners aren’t chosen randomly.

Musk – a supporter of Republican candidate Donald Trump – launched the giveaways last month via America PAC, his political action committee (PAC).

He has already handed out $16m in the scheme, which is open to registered voters in seven key battleground states – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – who sign a petition pledging to support free speech and gun rights.

On Monday, Pennsylvania Judge Angelo Foglietta ruled the giveaways could carry on, rejecting a district attorney’s request that he shut it down because it allegedly violated state election law.

US election latest: Harris team reveals when it expects results

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Elon Musk hands out $1m cheques

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, said it was “a political marketing masquerading as a lottery”, adding “That’s what it is. A grift.”

Judge Foglietta did not explain his ruling on the matter but Chris Gober, a lawyer for America PAC, had argued the winners are not chosen by chance and are instead hand-picked based on who would be the best spokespeople for the group – despite Musk’s assertion that they would be chosen randomly.

More on Donald Trump

Mr Gober said the final two winners before Tuesday’s presidential election will be in Arizona on Monday and Michigan on Tuesday.

He said the recipients “are not chosen by chance”, adding: “We know exactly who will be announced as the recipient today and tomorrow.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Musk: Mark Stone’s deep dive

America PAC director Chris Young said recipients are vetted ahead of time to “feel out their personality, (and) make sure they were someone whose values aligned” with the group.

In closing arguments, Musk’s legal team said it was “core political speech” as anyone taking part had to sign a petition endorsing the US Constitution.

Given there will be no more Pennsylvania winners before the programme ends, Musk’s lawyers said any legal bid to stop it under Pennsylvania law was irrelevant.

Launching the plan in the state on 19 October, Musk said they would be “awarding a million dollars randomly to people who have signed the petition every day from now until the election.”

Read more:
The celebrities backing Trump or Harris
What happens if there’s a tie in the US election?
Harris and Trump’s final rallies before vote

The following day, he said in a social media post shown in court that anyone signing the petition had “a daily chance of winning one million dollars!”

Musk did not attend the hearing.

Continue Reading

US

What a Trump presidency would mean for global wars and European security

Published

on

By

What a Trump presidency would mean for global wars and European security

Donald Trump says he would end Russia’s war in Ukraine should he return to the White House – but any rushed deal will likely leave Kyiv much weaker and European security in even greater peril.

Another major flashpoint a Trump presidency would immediately seek to influence is the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel.

Mr Trump came close to direct war with Tehran during his first term in office and prior restraint could well give way to direct confrontation this time around.

US election latest: Harris and Trump make final pitches

Then there is the overwhelming longer-term challenge posed by China, with North Korea another growing headache especially after Mr Trump tried but failed to woo the leader of the hermit state during his first stint as commander-in-chief.

President Donald Trump meets North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019, in Hanoi. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)
Image:
Mr Trump meets North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in 2019. Pic: AP

With the US election on a knife edge, hostile and friendly capitals around the world have been gaming what a second Trump White House might mean for their respective national interests and for the most pressing global security threats.

Mr Trump’s track record of unpredictability is a challenge for traditional foes – but also for Washington’s closest allies, in particular fellow members of the NATO alliance.

The Republican nominee has made no secret of his frustration at how the US has for decades bankrolled the security blanket that protects Europe.

During his first term as president, Mr Trump threatened to withdraw the US from the alliance – a move that would almost certainly sound its death knell. His rhetoric did help to spur allies to dig deeper into their pockets and spend more on their militaries, though.

But the damage of years of underinvestment is deep and the pace of recovery is too slow for European NATO allies and Canada to credibly stand on their own as a potent military force any time soon.

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy meet at Trump Tower in New York City, U.S., September 27, 2024. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton REFILE - QUALITY REPEAT
Image:
Meeting Volodymyr Zelenskyy in New York in September – but what would a Trump presidency mean for Ukraine’s war with Russia? Pic: Reuters

In terms of immediacy when it comes to global crises, the impact of a Trump victory on 5 November would be felt most acutely by Ukraine and also by Iran.

The presidential candidate has repeatedly claimed that he would quickly end the Ukraine war, though without explaining how or what peace would look like.

In an indication of where his priorities lie, however, he has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of being the “greatest salesman on earth” for securing tens of billions of dollars in weapons and other assistance that Washington has given to Kyiv.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump are seen during the G20 summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina November 30, 2018. REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci
Image:
Pic: Reuters

Yet – coupled with Ukraine’s willingness to fight – that military aid is the biggest reason why Ukraine has managed to withstand almost 1,000 days of Vladimir Putin’s war.

Stop the flow of American weapons, and Ukrainian troops – despite their own ingenuity and the support of other allies – will simply lack the firepower to keep resisting the onslaught.

Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris meets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus in Washington, U.S., September 26, 2024. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY.
Image:
Kamala Harris believes US support for Mr Zelenskyy and Ukraine is vital. Pic: Reuters

By contrast, US vice president Kamala Harris, who is vying for the top job, has made clear that she views continued support to Ukraine as being as vital to US and Western interests as it is to Kyiv’s – a far more familiar stance that echoes the view of her NATO partners.

While US support for Ukraine would undoubtedly change under a Trump administration, that is not the same as facilitating a complete surrender.

The former president – who portrays himself as the ultimate dealmaker and has adopted a new election slogan – “Trump will fix it” – will not want to be held responsible for the total absorption of Ukraine into Mr Putin’s orbit.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

How does the US election work?

Putin and Iran

His relationship with the Russian president is a particularly interesting dynamic.

When president, he infamously said he trusted Mr Putin’s denials over his own intelligence agencies when it came to claims about Russian interference in the 2016 US election.

But with the right advice, might a future President Trump be able to use his connection with Mr Putin to the West’s advantage?

At the very least, it adds a new level of unpredictability – which is perhaps the most important element when it comes to assessing the potential impact on the world of a second Trump term.

Donald Trump said 'as long as I'm President of the United States, Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon'
Image:
Donald Trump said in 2020 ‘as long as I’m president of the United States, Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon’. Pic: Reuters

On Iran, in stark contrast to his approach to Russia’s war in Ukraine, a future President Trump may well back much greater US military support for Israel’s conflict against Tehran and its proxies – perhaps even direct involvement by US forces in strikes on Iran.

Mr Trump has an even tougher stance towards Tehran and its nuclear ambitions than Joe Biden’s administration.

His decision to rip up a major nuclear deal with Iran was one of his most significant foreign policy acts during his four years as president.

It is also personal, with Iran accused of hacking the Trump campaign in recent months – an attack that would surely only heighten tensions with Iran during any second Trump term.

On election night, Sky News will have access to the most comprehensive exit poll and vote-counting results from every state, county and demographic across America through its US-partner network NBC.

You can find out more about Sky News’ coverage here.

Continue Reading

Trending