World commemorates 25th anniversary of September 11 attacks

Ceremonies were held throughout the United States and internationally on 11 September to mark 25 years since al-Qaeda operatives carried out attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. The attackers flew hijacked airliners into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and crashed a fourth plane in Pennsylvania. Survivors, first responders and relatives of victims participated in memorial events, including a vigil organized by September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows.

The anniversary renewed focus on the long-term health consequences for those exposed to toxic dust at Ground Zero. Newly disclosed municipal records revealed that New York City health officials continued to detect asbestos up to half a mile from the World Trade Center site ten months after the attacks, according to Democracy Now. This discovery reinforced longstanding concerns raised by advocacy groups representing responders and residents.

The commemorations were not without controversy. President Trump made claims at a memorial event regarding his personal actions on the day of the attacks that were contradicted by contemporaneous footage. Video showed him watching television that morning rather than at the scene, as he had suggested. The White House did not immediately address the discrepancy. The anniversary also prompted broader reflection in American and international media on the wars and policies that followed the attacks, including the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq and the expansion of domestic security powers.