Nation Marks 7 Years Since 9/11 Attacks

NEW YORK (AP) - Relatives of victims killed at the World Trade
Center have observed a moment of silence to mark the seventh
anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks.
Family members and students representing the
more than 90 countries that lost people to the 9/11 terror attacks
are reading all 2,751 of the victims' names aloud in New York today.
The silence marked the exact time - 8:46 - when the first
hijacked plane struck the trade center, and then when the second
plane hit minutes later. Then, at 9:03am, 9:50am, 9:59am and 10:29am,
there were four more moments of silence, to commemorate when
the second plane hit the south tower, and the moments when each
tower fell.
Other ceremonies are being held throughout the day, including
one at the Pentagon, where a new memorial will be dedicated.
Services will also be held in Shanksville, Pa., where one of the
hijacked planes crashed.
Later Thursday, Barack Obama and John McCain are due at ground
zero to pay silent respects.
Tonight two bright blue beams of light will shine at night on the
New York City skyline, in memory of the fallen towers.