Mercedes Arias remembers her father, Joseph Amatuccio, during a commemoration ceremony on the 20th anniversary of the attacks.Dave Sanders for The New York Times
“The nation paused to remember the Sept. 11 attacks.
On a brilliant, cloudless late-summer morning eerily reminiscent of the one two decades before, a memorial ceremony for those who died on Sept. 11, 2001, was underway at ground zero in Manhattan. The ceremony consisted mostly of the reading of the names, recited by relatives of the dead. Bruce Springsteen, strumming an acoustic guitar, performed ‘I’ll See You in My Dreams.’ See updates from throughout the day here.
President Biden was in attendance with the first lady, Jill Biden, as were Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Barack and Michelle Obama. Donald Trump did not attend. He visited a police station near Trump Tower, where he delivered campaign-style remarks. Biden and former President George W. Bush spoke at the United Flight 93 memorial near Shanksville, Pa.
Late Saturday, the Biden administration released a 16-page document about connections the F.B.I. examined between the hijackers and the Saudi government. The document contained no major revelations about whether the kingdom played a role in the attacks.
Abroad, the war on terror grinds on, largely in the shadows and out of the headlines. In Kabul, several hundred women held a pro-Taliban demonstration, many wearing full-length burqas, a sharp rebuke of the U.S. and its allies.” Read more at New York Times
“The FBI released its first document related to an investigation of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks Saturday night, less than 10 days after President Biden signed an executive order directing the Justice Department and related agencies to make some files public.
The FBI released a heavily redacted 16-page report from April 2016 related to its investigation regarding the role that the Saudi Arabian government had in supporting the hijackers who carried out the terror attack. It did not, however, include conclusive evidence regarding whether or not the kingdom had a function in the 2001 attacks.
FBI agents, in the newly released memo, discussed their examination of phone records that seemed to link some of the subjects of the probe to an associate of Osama bin Laden or other individuals who ultimately became detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
The report also detailed instances in which some witnesses offered information that was inconsistent with claims made by some subjects of the investigation, who rejected having any knowledge of the plot.
The report shines a light into the bureau's probe of Omar al-Bayoumi, who was thought to be a Saudi student in California. He had been suspected of providing logistical support to two of the hijackers, Nawaf Al-Hazmi and Khalid Al-Midhar.
The document's details information from interviews conducted in November, 2015 with a person who, according to the FBI, had contact with Bayoumi. The name of the individual was redacted from the report.” Read more at The Hill
“President Biden's order directing the Justice Department to review, declassify and release some documents related to the FBI’s investigation into the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks could shed new light on Saudi Arabia’s involvement and offer some closure for the families of victims 20 years later.
Biden last week signed an executive order directing the Justice Department and other agencies to review and release certain documents related to the FBI’s investigation of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The first batch of materials is expected to be released in the coming days.
The process marks something of a culmination for thousands of families who lost loved ones 20 years ago who have spent the last few years fighting for transparency. And it could mark a turning point in the public understanding of Saudi Arabia’s role in 9/11.” Read more at The Hill
“President Biden defended the U.S.'s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan on the anniversary of 9/11.
The president marked the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks by traveling to all three sites where the hijacked planes crashed.
During an informal gaggle at an event in Shanksville, Pa., Biden was asked on Saturday if he felt this 9/11 was a ‘new phase’ since there are no longer U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
The president agreed, adding the U.S. should not have stayed in Afghanistan after the killing of Osama Bin Laden.
‘Could Al Qaeda come back? Yeah. But guess what, it’s already back other places. What’s the strategy? Every place where al Qaeda is, we’re going to invade and have troops stay in? C’mon,’ the president told pool reporters.
The U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan was marred by a quick takeover of the Afghan government by the Taliban. Following the insurgent group's consolidation of power, thousands of American citizens, Afghan allies and foreign nationals rushed to Kabul international airport to flee in the impending regime.
The Taliban's takeover prompted the U.S. to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people from the area with an increased troop presence. Amid the commotion, a suicide bomber believed to be affiliated with ISIS detonated an explosive near the airport that killed 13 U.S service members.
The U.S. later withdrew all of its military by Biden's Aug. 31 deadline.
The president acknowledged many Americans wanted to get out of Afghanistan but didn’t like the way the withdrawal was executed.
‘It’s hard to explain to anybody, how else could you get out,’ Biden said.
‘For example, if we were in Tajikistan and pulled up a C-130 and said we’re going to let, you know, anybody who was involved with being sympathetic to us to get on the plane, you’d have people hanging in the wheel well. C’mon,’ he added.
The president’s remarks defending the Afghanistan withdrawal come as his predecessor, former President Trump, knocked the withdrawal on Saturday in his 9/11 video address.” Read more at The Hill
“Former President George W. Bush warned of the threat posed by domestic extremist groups on the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, arguing that there are similarities between ‘violent extremists abroad’ and those ‘at home.’
In remarks at a memorial ceremony near Shanksville, Pa., the site of one of four plane crashes on 9/11, Bush said that even two decades later, ‘many Americans struggle to understand why an enemy would hate us with such zeal.’
‘The security measures incorporated into our lives are both sources of comfort and reminders of our vulnerability,’ he said.
The former president, who was in office at the time of the 2001 attacks, went on to say that Americans ‘have seen growing evidence that the dangers to our country can come not only across borders but from violence that gathers within.’
Bush’s mention of domestic extremism comes as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in recent weeks has warned of heightened security threats within the U.S. in the aftermath of the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Last month, a DHS bulletin warned that the 20th anniversary of the 2001 terror attacks could serve as a catalyst for targeted violence and that domestic extremists and anti-government activists could also be spurred to action by the coronavirus pandemic.
Bush acknowledged on Saturday that while ‘there is little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home,’ there are commonalities in their ‘disdain for pluralism, in their disregard for human life, in their determination to defile national symbols,’ apparently alluding to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
‘They are children of the same foul spirit, and it is our continuing duty to confront them,’ he added.” Read more at The Hill
“Former President Trump used his address marking the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to lambast President Biden’s handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan following the chaotic U.S. exit after two decades of conflict in the country.
‘The leader of our country was made to look like a fool, and that can never be allowed to happen. It was caused by bad planning, incredible weakness and leaders who truly didn’t understand what was happening,’ Trump argued in a video shared by his Save America PAC.
‘This is the 20th year of this war and should have been a year of victory and honor and strength. Instead, Joe Biden and his inept administration surrendered in defeat,’ Trump said.
Trump, who long advocated for the U.S. to withdraw from Afghanistan, has vocally criticized his successor's handling of the exit as the men battle over who is to blame. Biden has argued that his hands were tied by the Trump administration and that the Afghan government fell to the Taliban much more quickly than many anticipated, while Trump has gone as far as to call on Biden to resign.” Read more at The Hill
The Department of Veterans Affairs issued a vaccine mandate for its 115,000 frontline health care workers seven weeks ago.Doug Mills/The New York Times
“Agencies that required Covid-19 vaccines before President Biden’s push have seen early success.
Since the Pentagon announced last month that active-duty military personnel would be required to be vaccinated, the percentage of military personnel who have had at least one shot has risen to 83 percent from 76 percent. No service members have taken legal action against the mandate.
The country’s vaccination rate ranks last among the Group of 7 nations for the percentage of its population that has received at least one dose.
The F.D.A. again warned parents not to seek out shots for children under 12 yet. Some parents are desperately looking to get their young kids into clinical trials. Some vaccine holdouts are citing their personal faith for religious exemptions.” Read more at New York Times
“Congressional Republicans are blasting President Biden’s latest steps to require more people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as ‘un-American’ and vowing to fight back against them.
Republicans will try to push back on vaccine mandates from multiple angles through legislation they’ve introduced to ban such requirements and legal actions as they try to make the issue a referendum of Biden’s job performance ahead of the midterm elections next year.
But polling indicates that a majority of the public is on Biden’s side, with most people backing vaccine requirements for workplaces, airplanes, indoor dining at restaurants and attending events with large crowds.
While Republicans’ opposition to vaccine requirements may reflect the views of their party’s base, it risks appearing to prioritize the rights of vaccine holdouts who at this point represent a minority of the American population.
At this point, a supermajority of U.S. adults have taken steps to get inoculated against COVID-19. About 75 percent of adults have received at least one dose and 64 percent are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Republicans are nevertheless leaning into the argument that people shouldn’t be coerced into getting vaccinated.” Read more at The Hill
Gov. Gavin Newsom of California at a rally in San Leandro, Calif., this week.Jim Wilson/The New York Times
“Ahead of California’s recall vote on Tuesday, the state’s governor has one message: It’s me or the abyss.
Rather than run against his opponents or on his record, Gov. Gavin Newsom is running against Donald Trump. Polls suggest it’s working: Newsom has a double-digit lead in recent polls. More than a third of active registered voters had cast their ballots by Saturday, a harbinger of the future of mail-in voting.
Working in Newsom’s favor is his coronavirus pandemic response. California — which was quick to mandate masks in schools and require health workers to be vaccinated — has seen less drastic increases of cases than many Republican-led states during the Delta surge.” Read more at New York Times
“U.S. Capitol Police recommended disciplinary action in six officers following its internal investigation into the behavior of some members of the force who responded to the Jan. 6 attacks.
In a statement released Saturday, Capitol Police said it opened 38 internal investigations related to the misconduct probe. Of those investigations, six cases sustained violations and were recommended for disciplinary action.
The Justice Department did not find sufficient evidence that any of the officers committed a crime, according to the release.
‘The six sustained cases should not diminish the heroic efforts of the United States Capitol Police officers,’ Capitol Police said. ‘On January 6, the bravery and courage exhibited by the vast majority of our employees was inspiring.’
Capitol Police had over 1,200 personnel on duty during the attack, when hundreds of supporters of former President Trump marched on the Capitol building, breached security and damaged property in an effort to halt the 2020 presidential election certification.
Members of the Capitol Police recalled getting chased and beaten by rioters following the events that day.
Days after the attack, the agency said it was opening an investigation into some officers and officials after source material appeared to show members of the force violating the department’s regulations and policies.
USCP said Saturday that it was only able to identify officers in 26 of the 38 cases it opened. No wrongdoing was found in 20 of the cases, but violations were sustained in six.
Three of the cases sustained were for ‘conduct unbecoming,’ the agency said. One case involved a failure to comply with directives, one involved improper remarks and the last involved ‘improper dissemination of information.’
In another case, an official is accused of unsatisfactory performance and conduct unbecoming, but USCP said in the release that the case is still pending.
About a month after the events of Jan. 6, Capitol Police suspended six officers over their actions in responding to the riots. It was unclear if the six ‘cases’ mentioned Saturday by Capitol Police were related to the suspensions.
Over 570 people have been charged in connection with the attack that led to five deaths. One Capitol Police officer, Brian Sicknick, died following the attack.
Four police officers— one Capitol Police officer and three D.C. Metropolitan Police Officers— died by suicide following the attack.” Read more at The Hill
“As Democrats push a $3.5 trillion social policy and climate bill, a top lawmaker is mum on how to pay for it.
Representative Richard E. Neal of Massachusetts is the top tax writer in the House and on the brink of leading his party in advancing a $3.5 trillion spending package that is at the core of President Biden’s economic agenda.
But he routinely brushes off questions about his support for the kind of tax increases that Biden and other party leaders have proposed — leaving some liberal Democrats worried that one of their own leaders could thwart the scope of their economic ambitions.
Businesses are divided on precisely how to respond to the emerging social policy bill. But they are united in their defense of Trump-era tax cuts.” Read more at New York Times
Emma Raducanu is the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title in the sport’s Open era. (John G. Mabanglo/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)
“NEW YORK — At every round of the U.S. Open, teenagers Emma Raducanu of Britain and Canada’s Leylah Fernandez rose to each challenge in their unlikely march to Saturday’s final.
But it was Raducanu, 18, who completed the improbable story line at Arthur Ashe Stadium by winning a battle of brave shot-making and defensive grit to claim the U.S. Open — her first Grand Slam championship — in her tournament debut, 6-4, 6-3.
Raducanu became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title in the sport’s Open era. And she did it without conceding a set over 10 matches — three in the qualifying phase to simply earn a spot in the 128-player field, and seven during the tournament.
For the achievement, the recent high school graduate collected a $2.5 million check that will boost her year-to-date earnings of $268,191 roughly 10-fold. Fernandez, 19, collected $1.25 million as the runner-up.
As they embraced at the net after a final ace by Raducanu clinched the victory, they represented a striking portrait of what the future of women’s tennis may look like — confident, creative, brave, and determined.” Read more at Washington Post
“Evander Holyfield lost by a first-round TKO Saturday night in his return to the boxing ring at the age of 58.
Vitor Belfort, a 44-year-old retired UFC champion, staggered Holyfield early. Holyfield was so wobbled, he flew to the ropes when he missed with a wild left hand.
Though he managed to stay on his feet, things got progressively worse for the former heavyweight champion.
Belfort dropped Holyfield with a left-handed uppercut, and even though Holyfield reached his feet before the 10-count, the referee called off the fight with 10 seconds left in the round.
Holyfield said he thought the referee stopped the fight too quickly.
‘I thought it was a bad call,’ Holyfield said, who also remarked, ‘The thing is the guy (Belfort) pushed me. The guy’s strong. But I wasn’t hurt.’
Holyfield was fighting for the first time since 2011, and when asked how he felt about the entire experience, he replied, ‘It’s kind of sad. It is what it is.’” Read more at USA Today