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- Remembering the search and rescue dogs of 9/11 on the 25th anniversary
- France opposes EU commission plan to use English-only trade agreements
- US leaders mark 25th anniversary of 9/11 attacks with tributes and speeches
- 13-year-old boy faces weapons charges after firearm seizure at Ajax hotel
- America marks 25 years since the September 11 attacks with reflection
- Israel demolishes Hezbollah tunnels beneath Ali al-Taher ridge in Lebanon
- Research suggests mathematical code in Great Pyramid may reveal new insights
- European Commission downplays focus on accessing Russian Central Bank assets
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Remembering the search and rescue dogs of 9/11 on the 25th anniversary
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Get you up to speed: The hero dogs of 9/11: Remembering them 25 years later | News World
On the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a remembrance highlighted the contributions of rescue dogs, such as Apollo and Trakr, who helped save lives in New York City. Apollo, the first rescue dog at the scene, and Trakr, who located the last human survivor, exemplified the vital role canines played in recovery efforts following the disaster.
Apollo was the first dog on the scene and worked alongside his handler, Peter Davis, despite facing extreme hazards during recovery efforts. The legacy of these canine heroes has been commemorated, with Bretagne receiving a bronze statue in Texas, recognising her contributions to search and rescue operations over her career.
On the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, commemorations highlight the crucial role of search and rescue dogs, with Apollo, the first dog on the scene, receiving a posthumous Dickin Medal for the efforts of canine rescuers. Plans are underway to further honour these dogs’ contributions, including the unveiling of a life-size bronze statue of Bretagne, the last surviving search dog from Ground Zero, which reflects the ongoing public recognition of their legacy.
What remains unclear — The fate of several dogs after their recovery efforts following the 9/11 attacks is not well documented.
Remembering the search and rescue dogs of 9/11 on the 25th anniversary
WTX looks back at the dogs that helped find and save people during the 9/11 attacks. (Picture: Hero Paws)
No one could ever forget the heroic efforts of the workers who saved lives during the 9/11 attacks in New York.
But many of us often don’t think about the hundreds of dogs who were part of the rescue mission of the September 11th attack, which claimed the lives of almost 3,000 people, including dozens of children.
These hero dogs worked for hours and found survivors, saved those from burning buildings, and helped reunite family members with each other and their belongings.
Today, on the 25th anniversary of the attacks, WTX remembers their legacy and how man’s best friend helped to save the lives of thousands of people.
Apollo
Apollo was the very first dog to arrive at the site of the attack and aid in recovery efforts. (Picture: Hero Paws)
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Apollo, a German shepherd, was the first rescue dog to arrive at the site of the attack.
He rushed to the scene with his handler, Peter Davis, and nearly lost his life to flames and falling debris, but managed to survive after falling into a pool of water and continued working.
Apollo received the Dickin Medal, the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross, on behalf of the search and rescue dogs who took part in the rescue operations at the World Trade Center site and the Pentagon.
He sadly passed away in November 2006.
Trakr
Trakr was named one of history’s most heroic animals. (Photo: AFP)
Trakr, another German shepherd, worked at the scene despite entering retirement in May 2001 before the horrifying attacks.
He, along with handler James Symington, drove 15 hours to help recovery efforts and found the last survivor of the 9/11 attacks who had been trapped under the rubble for 27 hours.
Genelle Guzman-McMillan, an assistant with the Port Authority of New York, was on the 13th floor of the South Tower when it fell, and she was found on the morning of September 12.
During recovery efforts, Trakr collapsed from smoke inhalation, exhaustion and burns. He was treated for his injuries before returning home in Canada.
Named one of history’s most heroic animals by Time magazine, Trakr suffered from a degenerative neurological disorder experts believe was caused by his work at Ground Zero.
He died in 2009, but his DNA was entered into a cloning contest in June 2005, and five Trakr clones were born shortly after.
Thunder
Washington search through the rubble for victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center September 21, 2001 New York City, NY. (Photo by Andrea Booher/FEMA/Getty Images)” decoding=”async” loading=”lazy”/>
Handler Kent Olson and his dog, Thunder, were deployed from Lakewood, Washington, to search through the rubble for victims. (Photo: Andrea Booher/FEMA/Getty Images)
Thunder, who was usually deployed in the Washington area to look for victims and survivors of avalanches and possible drownings, was sent to search the rubble of the 9/11 attacks for victims with handler Kent Olson.
Details on how Thunder helped in recovery efforts are scarce, as are details about his life and handler Olson.
9/11: 25 years later
It has been 25 years since the horrific 9/11 attacks that brought down the Twin Towers in New York City, claiming the lives of thousands.
Follow WTX’s coverage of the 25th anniversary of 9/11 as we look back on the tragic attack, those who died, survived, and those who helped:
Bretagne
Golden retriever Bretagne worked for 10 days to help in recovery efforts with handler Denise Corliss.
Bretagne was the last surviving search dog who worked at Ground Zero after the attack.
The golden retriever was at the scene for 10 days, along with her handler Denise Corliss, helping to find victims and carry out rescue operations.
Following 9/11 recovery efforts, she was also deployed in response to Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, Hurricane Ivan, and many other disasters.
At 15, Corliss took Bretagne to the 9/11 memorial and enjoyed a taxi ride through Times Square. She was put to sleep at a veterinary clinic in Houston, Texas, in June 2016 at the age of 16.
In 2017, the retriever was honoured with a life-size bronze statue in the residential area of Cypress in Texas.
Coby and Guinness
Following their help in recovery efforts, Coby and Guinness returned to their home in Southern California. (Picture: Happy Tails Animal Rescue)
Two Labrador retrievers named Coby and Guinness were both deployed to help in recovery efforts at the World Trade Center. Both searched relentlessly through the rubble of the collapsed buildings, often for 12 hours during the night.
Both dogs found the remains of dozens of people and covered an area that went beyond the scope of anything they had both been trained for.
Coby, the black lab, was aged only six when he was sent to help. He died in 2011 after losing his hearing.
Details about Guinness, the yellow lab, are scarce, but both dogs returned home in Southern California before passing.
Sage
Sage was a border collie who searched through the rubble of the Pentagon in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001. (Picture: American Kennel Club)
Border collie Sage, who became a search and rescue dog at the age of 18 months, scoured the rubble of the Pentagon where she found the body of one of the hijackers of Flight 77.
She was later deployed to Iraq in 2007 to search for U.S. soldiers captured or killed by insurgents.
Sage also helped with rescue efforts during Hurricane Katrina and Rita, was named a 2011 Hero Dog by the American Humane Association, but suffered from two forms of respiratory cancer.
It is unknown when Sage passed.
Jake
Jake was a stray dog with multiple health problems before he was nursed back to health and sent to help at the site of the attack. (Picture: AP)
Black Labrador Jake was a stray dog with a broken leg and injured hip who was rescued at 10 months old.
He was nursed back to health by his handler, Mary Flood, and was flown from Utah to New York to help in search and rescue efforts at the site of 9/11.
Working for a total of 17 days, Jake searched for survivors and human remains at the site before he was treated to a steak dinner at a fancy New York restaurant.
He also went on to help with recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina, where he successfully found and helped rescue survivors. Later in life, Jake worked as a therapy dog for children and the elderly.
After being taken for one last walk near his home by Mary Flood, he was put to sleep in 2007.
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France opposes EU commission plan to use English-only trade agreements
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France opposes EU commission plan to use English-only trade agreements
Trade Deal Development
On 27 January, the EU–India trade deal was concluded, marking a significant milestone in the European Commission‘s plans for faster ratification processes.
On 27 January, the EU–India trade deal was concluded, marking a significant milestone in the European Commission‘s plans for faster ratification processes.
Economic impact
Failure to ratify the EU–Mercosur trade agreement has resulted in a loss of nearly €300 billion to GDP and over €200 billion in export opportunities since 2021.
Failure to ratify the EU–Mercosur trade agreement has resulted in a loss of nearly €300 billion to GDP and over €200 billion in export opportunities since 2021.
Institutional Response
“As a matter of principle, we defend the use of all the languages of the Union, and in particular French,” stated a French official regarding the English-only proposal.
“As a matter of principle, we defend the use of all the languages of the Union, and in particular French,” stated a French official regarding the English-only proposal.
French blockade looms over Commission’s plan to fast-track trade deals in English
Published on •Updated
France will push back against a European Commission plan to fast-track ratification of trade agreements by circulating only English-language versions during talks with EU governments and lawmakers, skipping translation into the bloc’s 24 official languages, according to several sources.
The slow ratification of the contentious EU–Mercosur trade deal has frustrated the Commission, which wants to accelerate negotiations and bring deals into force more quickly as it seeks new markets amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Translating the agreements into every official EU language can take months due to the legal scrubbing required before the ratification process begins.
the EU executive has confirmed to EU News that trade chief Maroš Šefčovič told EU trade ministers in February that the trade deal with India concluded on 27 January could serve as a test case for using English as the main language during ratification.
“We lost almost €300 billion by not having the Mercosur agreement in place since 2021, if it comes to the GDP, and more than €200 billion in export opportunities,” Šefčovič told journalists after meeting ministers on 20 February, adding that once negotiations end it can take up to 2.5 years before businesses can operate in partner countries.
“In today’s world, we cannot simply lose the time,” he said.
Šefčovič said the Commission would ensure the agreements are translated into all 24 official EU languages once published in the Official Journal, i.e. after ratification. He added the proposal was backed by at least seven member states at the meeting, though not all countries had time to speak.
French sources who spoke to EU News were insistent that Paris would vigorously oppose the move to English-only agreements if necessary.
“As a matter of principle, we defend the use of all the languages of the Union, and in particular French, which is one of the EU’s working languages,” one official told EU News.
‘Transparency, precision and understanding’
Language policy in the bloc’s institutions remains politically sensitive for countries such as France, whose language has declined sharply over the past decades as English massively dominates daily work in the European Union institutions – despite French, German and English being the three official working languages.
“Switching entirely to English raises a legal and democratic issue, and the Commission is well aware of it,” another French official told EU News.
On its website, the European Commission says linguistic diversity is essential and that the EU promotes multilingualism in its institutional work.
The bloc once even had a commissioner dedicated to multilingualism, though the portfolio was gradually merged with others and eventually disappeared.
“I have the impression that in some cases the Commission seizes the opportunity to push the idea that English has a superior status, and that the other official languages are translation languages that can come later,” Michele Gazzola, expert in language policy, said.
He added that relying only on English during ratification could pose problems for Members of the European Parliament, and even more so if national parliaments are involved.
“It’s a matter of transparency, precision and understanding.”
US leaders mark 25th anniversary of 9/11 attacks with tributes and speeches
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Get you up to speed: How US leaders remembered the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks
On 11 September 2026, US leaders participated in commemorations for the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks across various locations in the United States, including a memorial service at the National September 11 Memorial in New York and a ceremony at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. President Donald Trump spoke at the Pentagon while New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and former mayor Rudy Giuliani attended the memorial service in New York, which did not allow political speeches.
The commemoration events saw participation from various officials, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, amidst controversy surrounding Mamdani’s presence. In a separate development, Mamdani released undisclosed documents on the air quality following the attacks, suggesting potential miscommunication by city officials to first responders.
In response to the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned audiences of ongoing threats, urging “eternal vigilance” against enemies who seek to harm the nation, particularly linking his remarks to the war against Iran. Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, despite facing backlash over his participation, released a video urging the public to honour the memory of those lost by fostering a spirit of inclusive community service.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain how the differing approaches of US leaders to commemorating the attacks will impact public perception and political dynamics moving forward.
US leaders mark 25th anniversary of 9/11 attacks with tributes and speeches
News|Donald TrumpHow US leaders remembered the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks
Trump drew parallels to the US’s present-day war against Iran, while figures like Abdul El-Sayed called for inclusivity.
Published On 11 Sep 202611 Sep 2026
Published On 11 Sep 202611 Sep 2026A quarter-century after the attacks on September 11, 2001, officials across the United States have taken part in tributes and memorials to honour the 2,977 victims and those who risked their lives as part of the rescue efforts.
The incident is considered the deadliest “terrorist” attack in US history.
Four planes were hijacked. Two crashed into the World Trade Center, causing its Twin Towers to collapse. A third struck the Pentagon outside Washington, DC. And the fourth plummeted into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew rose against their attackers.
Through social media messages, public speeches and appearances at ceremonies, US leaders on Friday took different approaches to remembering the lives of the thousands who perished on the fateful day.
Here’s what they said:
US President Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump speaks at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, on Friday [Saul Loeb/AFP]
US President Donald Trump chose to stay in Washington, DC, to observe the 25th anniversary.
During the attacks, 184 people died near the capital when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon, the headquarters of the US military.
Trump opted not to attend a Friday ceremony at the World Trade Center site in New York, where all his living presidential predecessors were in attendance.
His vice president, JD Vance, travelled to New York instead. The ceremony at the World Trade Center has a policy of not allowing political speeches.
In his remarks at the Pentagon, Trump described what happened as “true evil”. He also paid tribute to those who died in the attacks.
“We will honour their lives, we will cherish their beautiful memories, and we will protect this country and its freedoms for every future generation,” Trump said.
The president also praised US troops as he appeared to link the 9/11 attacks with his administration’s war against Iran.
“We will never, ever forget. That’s why we fight today. We don’t have a choice. There can only be victory,” Trump said.
“We salute the service members working right now to ensure the world’s number one sponsor of terror – the Islamic Republic of Iran – will never, ever have a nuclear weapon,” he later added.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, on Friday [Saul Loeb/AFP]
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also spoke at the Pentagon, delivering his remarks shortly before Trump’s.
He warned the audience to practice “eternal vigilance” against what he called continued threats.
“There are still enemies who hate us. Every day, enemies plot to curb our power and kill our citizens, including from Islamic terrorists abroad and at home,” he said.
He proceeded to seemingly use the 9/11 attacks as justification for the US-Israeli war against Iran, which started on February 28.
“Over the past six months, we have laid waste to the world’s most prolific state sponsor of terrorism,” Hegseth said, referring to Iran. “Our warriors have fought an Islamic theocracy that has wished us death for nearly half a century, that cheered on 9/11.”
He went on to claim that the US military has destroyed Iran’s defences and that the US controls the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for international trade.
Iran has stopped commercial traffic through the strait since the start of the war.
“We’re still sending terrorists where they belong, to hell, and tankers to the bottom of the ocean where they belong,” Hegseth said. “And we’re ensuring that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. The economic pressure tightens every day. We control the strait. We will finish this fight.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani attend the 25th anniversary commemoration of the attacks on September 11, 2001, on Friday [Barry Williams/AFP]
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani attended the New York memorial service, alongside the city’s former mayor, Rudy Giuliani, who led the city through the attacks.
Before the event started, Giuliani shook hands with the mayor, despite previously calling on Mamdani not to attend the event.
Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor, had recently come under fire from some conservative politicians and victims’ family members who said his presence at the memorial would offend them.
A Change.org petition garnered more than 100,000 signatures from those who wished to express concern about Mamdani’s participation.
Like all politicians attending the service at the National September 11 Memorial, Mamdani was not permitted to speak.
Instead, the mayor released a video on social media remembering those who were killed and challenging the public to honour their memory by doing good works.
“Twenty-five years later, we have a sacred obligation to those who were stolen from us. To care for one another as they cared for strangers. To live lives worthy of the sacrifices they made. And to build a city worthy of their courage. A city where we run toward one another,” Mamdani said.
“That is how we’ll remember.”
On Tuesday, Mamdani also released a trove of previously undisclosed documents suggesting city officials tried to downplay – or even mislead – first residents about the dangerous air quality following the attacks.
US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed
Democratic candidate for US Senate Abdul El-Sayed participates in a town hall event in Waterford, Michigan [File: Emily Elconin/Getty Images via AFP]
Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed took to the social media platform X to honour the lives lost during what he described as a “cruel act of terror”.
El-Sayed is locked in a tight midterm race in Michigan against his Republican opponent, former US Representative Mike Rogers.
Michigan’s open Senate seat is considered a must-win seat for Democrats, if they hope to take back control of the US Senate.
Rogers has sought to create controversy over El-Sayed’s past comments about the September 11 attacks. He has pointed to audio of El-Sayed reportedly saying, “9/11 scarred our country in profound ways, but what we did after 9/11 scarred millions of other people.”
During the Republican Party’s first-ever midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, on Thursday, Rogers blasted El-Sayed, who is Muslim, for being sympathetic to terrorists. He also sought to highlight El-Sayed’s links to left-wing internet commentator Hasan Piker.
“I never imagined that, 25 years after 9/11, I would be running against somebody who campaigns with Hasan Piker, who thinks America deserved it,” Rogers said. “Yep, but here we are.”
On Friday, however, El-Sayed used his social media post to push back against Rogers’s attacks.
“Nothing can justify the murder of innocent civilians. Nothing,” El-Sayed wrote.
He also called on Americans to help build a country that was “more inclusive, more empowering, more just” in tribute to the lives lost.
“They didn’t just attack America that day. They attacked the idea of America,” El-Sayed said of the 19 al-Qaeda hijackers who participated in the attacks.
“The notion of a nation brought together by ideals where it doesn’t matter how you pray or if you pray at all. A place where freedom and commitment to justice bind us, even if at times we struggle to fully realise it.”
13-year-old boy faces weapons charges after firearm seizure at Ajax hotel
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Get you up to speed: 13-year-old charged after firearm seized at Ajax hotel: Durham police
A 13-year-old boy faces multiple weapons charges after a firearm was seized during a Durham police investigation at an Ajax hotel. The immediate situation involves the ongoing legal proceedings related to the charges.
Durham police continue to investigate the incident and have not disclosed specific details regarding the circumstances leading to the firearm’s seizure. The 13-year-old boy has been charged with multiple weapons-related offences as authorities assess the broader implications of the case.
Durham police confirmed that a 13-year-old boy has been charged with multiple weapons offences following the seizure of a firearm during an investigation at an Ajax hotel. Authorities are evaluating the incident to determine subsequent actions and potential community safety measures.
What remains unclear — The specific circumstances that led to the boy’s possession of the firearm have not been disclosed.
13-year-old boy faces weapons charges after firearm seizure at Ajax hotel
A 13-year-old boy is facing multiple weapons charges after Durham police say a firearm was seized during an investigation at an Ajax hotel.
America marks 25 years since the September 11 attacks with reflection
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Get you up to speed: Live Updates: 25 years after Sept. 11 attacks, America reflects and remembers
Condoleezza Rice, former national security adviser, recounted the events of September 11, 2001, while speaking at a ceremony at the Pentagon. The immediate confirmed situation involved multiple attacks, including planes striking the World Trade Center, leading to the declaration that the United States was “at war.”
The Pentagon remains a site of remembrance for the 184 individuals who lost their lives during the attacks, with officials continuing to honour their memory. Condoleezza Rice highlighted the importance of recognising the sacrifices made by the armed forces and intelligence services in preventing further attacks since 9/11.
Condoleezza Rice reflected on the 9/11 attacks during a recent observance ceremony at the Pentagon, expressing a “deep debt of gratitude” to the armed forces and intelligence services for their role in preventing subsequent attacks. She also acknowledged a personal sense of remorse for not being able to prevent the original attacks, stating, “Those of us in authority on that day did not see the nature of the danger in time.”
What remains unclear — It is not specified how the intelligence failures on the day of the attacks contributed to the inability to prevent the 9/11 attacks.
America marks 25 years since the September 11 attacks with reflection
Condoleezza Rice, who was President George W. Bush’s national security adviser at the time of the attacks, recalled the events of that morning.
“The attack came quite literally out of the blue,” she said. “An assault on our cities that we had not experienced since the war of 1812.”
Rice was at her desk at the White House when her executive assistant told her a plane had hit the World Trade Center. She thought it was an accident, as did Bush when she called him. But within 17 minutes, a second plane hit the other tower. The president was rushed to Air Force One, and Rice was hurried to a bunker in the White House.
At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld couldn’t be reached. His phone simply kept ringing. It turned out that Rumsfeld was trying to pull people to safety, while his security detail begged him to get to safety.
“There was no doubt, the United States of America was at war,” Rice said.
AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein 
Donald Trump,Pete Hegseth,Dan Caine ” height=”413″ width=”620″ class=” lazyload” srcset=”https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/11/621406ef-5590-4e2d-a8ea-fcce7f1b8be4/thumbnail/620×413/cd04dd87b891a86720b16d8cc908244e/ap26254499885746.jpg 1x, https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/11/621406ef-5590-4e2d-a8ea-fcce7f1b8be4/thumbnail/1240×826/24248853eee96114741068da1237bccd/ap26254499885746.jpg 2x” loading=”lazy”/>
“Here at the Pentagon, we feel the presence of 184 souls who were lost,” she said. “Behind every name that we recite, there is a story. A life that mattered. A future unfulfilled. A void, a vast empty space. In the heart of a husband, a wife, a son, a daughter, a sibling, a colleague or a friend.”
Rice remembered the many Americans she saw who stepped up, went without sleep, and made immense sacrifices to serve their fellow Americans.
“Those of us in authority on that day did not see the nature of the danger in time to prevent the attack of 9/11,” she said. “We did what we knew to do. But by definition, it was not enough.”
Rice said they owe a “deep debt of gratitude” to the armed forces and intelligence services who prevented future attacks. But as national security adviser at the time, she also shared a deep sense of personal remorse that they did not prevent the attacks.
“I will always carry deep personal remorse for the pain that you, the families of the fallen still feel, and for the trauma that our country endured,” she said.
Israel demolishes Hezbollah tunnels beneath Ali al-Taher ridge in Lebanon
4:30 pm
Get you up to speed: Lebanon: Tremor recorded as Israel says destroyed key Hezbollah tunnels
Israel demolished tunnels constructed by Hezbollah beneath the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, resulting in a 4.1-magnitude tremor. The immediate situation confirmed by officials involves the destruction of these tunnels.
The Israeli military reported the demolition as part of ongoing operations targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. Investigations into the seismic event’s precise implications are ongoing, and further details are yet to be disclosed.
The Israeli government confirmed the demolition of Hezbollah tunnels beneath the Ali al-Taher ridge, stating it will enhance security along its northern border. Following the operation, the Israeli military is expected to bolster its presence in the area while monitoring any potential retaliatory actions from Hezbollah.
Israel demolishes Hezbollah tunnels beneath Ali al-Taher ridge in Lebanon as the rogue state continues to terrorise the middle east.
Israel said Thursday it demolished key tunnels built by the Iran-backed Hezbollah group beneath the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, triggering a 4.1-magnitude tremor.
The rogue state continues to terrorise the middle east despite the sanctions and condemnation by European countries.
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