Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News 20170911

School. The parents of a six year old child threaten to sue their sons school, after boys were allowed to come to class wearing dresses. 0n the anniversary of 9 11, President Trump appears alongside the first lady to pay tribute to the nearly 3,000 who died. Good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. The us state of florida has been battered by Hurricane Irma, which has destroyed more homes and caused widespread damage. At least four people have been killed and more than half of all homes and businesses in the state are without power. Parts of miami are under water. The hurricane has swept up from the caribbean, where it killed dozens of people and wreaked terrible damage. Over the weekend, it hit cu bas northern coast. Irma then moved north, battering the islands in the florida keys, before passing by miami and close to the coastal city of tampa. The storm which has now been downgraded to a Tropical Storm is heading north, towards the state of georgia. 0urfirst report is from daniela relph. Naples, on floridas west coast, known for its beaches and golf courses but not today. Here, taking the brunt of Hurricane Irma. The storm may have been downgraded, but it doesnt feel like that for much of florida. Its really, really dangerous, to be honest with you. Watching from the inside as water gushes through the streets and into some buildings. In the distance is the ocean, the coast of biscayne bay, near miami, but water has breached all the defences, surging through the entire area. Despite dire warnings, miami itself seems to have dodged the worst of the weather, but the city is deserted, the wind intense, the rain torrential. The top of this crane blown away in the storm. Whats left dangles in the strong winds. Power cuts are widespread and a curfew remains across much of the state of florida. The normal rhythm of life has been suspended. We will do our best to try to make sure we help all the citizens of this community to adjust and try to get them back to a sense of normalcy. With so many areas abandoned, looting has been a major problem. Here, the targets are sports shops, boxes of trainers piled into cars. The police say they wont tolerate criminal activity and a number of arrests have been made. Today, a group of dutch tourist in saint martin were evacuated to a nearby island, still traumatised by their experience. Translation we are alive so we should be happy with that. It wasnt nice. Ive never experienced anything like it. Translation five days without water, electricity and supplies, thats a long time. Ive left, but others havent. Theyve lost their whole existence. Across the caribbean, a major relief and rescue operation is underway. Here, the French Military are bringing humanitarian aid to communities who have been cut out for days. Hundreds of british troops have also been deployed to uk territories in the region. We are now seeing the final show of strength from Hurricane Irma. These are the over scenes overnight scenes from tampa, florda, where irmas presence was still felt, but she has lost her bite and now far less powerful. The danger isnt quite over, but Hurricane Irma will continue to weaken as it heads north into georgia. Lets talk to our correspondent gary 0donoghue, who is in tampa. The effects at irma, it is obvious looking at you, it is still happening . Yes, we are getting squalls coming through tampa although the storm is 100 miles north. There is still a sawn a storm surge in operation in tampa because the water is close to the land. The other patient is not great. It is a small warning, but it is still a risk. It has been light for a couple of hours here and the authorities have still got a curfew in place in the city and they are going round to see what the damages. The mayor has said this morning they feel the city itself did dodge a bullet because it did look to be right in the line of irma as it came up right in the line of irma as it came up the west coast yesterday. A lot of cost counting to be done still, but at the moment at least, it does not look like enormous damage has been done here. What about power . We have been hearing about power cuts in so many parts of florida, what is it like there . We have had power where we were stained glass night, there was no problem. There is not a great outage in the city in general. The figures are striking across the state. Almost 60 of people and businesses without power, this is a state of 18 Million People. It will ta ke state of 18 Million People. It will take a lot of time to get to them and to get those power lines back up. There is the added problem, the added concern about the florida keys where they have not been able to get him to see what damage was done when irma first made landfall there is a category four storm. Winds of 130, 140 Miles Per Hour hitting the middle of the florida keys, not key west but the middle, and the roads in and out are blocked at the moment. So the damage and the cost and god forbid any lives lost down there, that will become clear in the next few days. Across the state, there have been reports of looting which you do get, in the aftermath of things like this. And other Natural Disasters, people taking trainers from sports shops. So the authorities have a lot deal with. It is going to be weeks and weeks before a semblance of normality because 6 Million People we re normality because 6 Million People were under emergency evacuation orders here. All of them did not do that, but a lot of them do it and they will be flooding back into their homes to see the damage and to see what needs to be put right or the insurance claims. I can see the wind is picking up, can you take one more question . Yes, we are fine here. It was to continue what you are talking about. One of the more shocking aspects of this, in the middle of a Natural Disaster like this, it is the scale of the looting. There is a curfew in operation where you are, but it is a sad fact we go through this every time there is a disaster like this. Yes. I dont think there is much to say other than, that is human nature. There is a part of human nature. There is a part of human nature that takes advantage of the circumstances. Nature that takes advantage of the ci rcu msta nces. Clearly, nature that takes advantage of the circumstances. Clearly, Law Enforcement in the state knows about that and they have been clamping down on that as soon as they see it. In every disaster, someone is going to see an opportunity and some people have taken advantage. Last time out that, there have been around 29 arrests for that and i am sure that will increase. The storm is moving quite quickly. Which in some ways is a good ring. That means that it will not hang around and dropa that it will not hang around and drop a load more water in one place, it will be spread out over a wider area. For places like georgia and south carolina, they will get some pretty Tropical Storm level range in the next days but it does mean if it is moving more quickly, the authorities can get to some of those inaccessible areas on the west coast where it made the second manfuljust south of naples, that took a real hit the south of naples, that took a real hit the second landfall. They will want to see the scale of the damage and get power restored to ask many people as possible. Today is going to be a day for assessment, most of the airports, the airport in tampa and the state capital tallahassee, 0rlando is closed, miami as well. So it is certainly not business as usual here. Thank you very much from florida keys. And lets stay there. 0n the line isjohn crapper, a british ex pat who lives in tampa. It could use soon time to assess how damaging it has been, what is your initial assessment . My initial assessment Walking Around the immediate neighbourhood is it is like Tropical Storm damage. Still out of power in st petersburg. I think of the city is out of power. It is almost like another day kind of, we arejust it is almost like another day kind of, we are just so glad we dodged that bullet. What preparations had you made in readiness for this . Boarded up windows of the house, built up the bathtub with water so you have water in case they turn that off, made sure that everything that off, made sure that everything that could be blown away by the wind was basically put in the garage or ina was basically put in the garage or in a protected area. About two data preparation to get ready for it. About two days to win down. Two days. What about supplies, food, water, fuel . Are you worried things might get more difficult in the coming days . Fuel, ithink might get more difficult in the coming days . Fuel, i think our local station, not of the stations here have dual left. The supermarkets we re have dual left. The supermarkets were out of nonperishable is. Even things like corned beef and spam was flying from the shelf. We have been living here for the last 23 years and you are going to get used to there could be a storm coming and you have a preparation list. The local radio stations and tv stations make sure people know, this is what to expect. The eye of the storm passed of you before midnight last night, what was it like when the winds picked up again . It is not like being at home sometimes when you have gales and they last a couple of hours. This thing seems to keep going. That is the scary part, i feel so bad keep going. That is the scary part, ifeel so bad for keep going. That is the scary part, i feel so bad for the keep going. That is the scary part, ifeel so bad for the people hit earlier. You have four hours of wind pounding, your branches falling from trees. And it was a lot earlier than we thought. To the extent of my street, some of us were outside making sure everybody was safe and checking on the neighbours. You have been there 23 years, given the predictions are we will see more and more of this sort of scale of hurricane and storm where you are, are you thinking maybe 24 years will be at . Not really. There is always when it gets close like that comey you think about what you are doing here. After 23 years, this is only the second storm, hurricane, there has been a decent amount of damage from. I will still be here. Has been a decent amount of damage from. Iwill still be here. It is good to give us your time, a tampa resident having gone through Hurricane Irma. Before it hit florida, the storm battered cuba, ripping roofs off houses and causing widespread damage to the countrys northern coast. Flooding also hit the capital, havana, where residents were warned to stay off the streets. Thousands of tourists were stranded at the countrys tourist resorts as the storm hit. 0ur correspondent, will grant, sent this report. Havanas streets resemble canals. Forfamilies from its poorest neighbourhoods, the situation is becoming desperate. When Hurricane Irma came crashing into the island, she brought rains and storm surges, which flooded entire city blocks. Cu bas picturesque capital today a city of felled trees and debris. Power is out across havana, complicating the clean up operation. People are coping as best they can. Translation i heard that 9096 of the electricity is out in the whole country. Were going to be without power for several days. Thats going to hurt us a lot. Translation thanks to god, i have not heard that anyone has died. There have been very big material losses, but no human ones. Cubans are thankful to have avoided the loss of life seen elsewhere in the caribbean. But the damage to property and livelihoods here has been huge. Irma may have knocked cubas economyjust as hard as she hit its coastline. And hit it, she most certainly did. For almost two days, Hurricane Irma crept along cubas northern shore, thrashing anything in its path, from tiny fishing villages to 5 star resorts. This is the best known fishing village on the island, once the inspiration for ernest hemingway, but now it is struggling to clean up from irmas awesome power. Thousands of tourists remain trapped in the beach town of varadero. Tensions gradually rising. Cubas communist government is on an emergency footing, mobilising all of the resources at its disposal. From the army to the state security apparatus, every bureaucrat, every administrator has been drafted in. The president , raul castro, praised the cuban people for their response and said discipline and hard work would overcome the storms devastating effects. For now, it is the island s strong sense of community. But it is neighbours helping neighbours that will get cuba through this initial crisis. The long term clean up, though, may need International Aid. Will grant, bbc news, havana. And there is plenty more on Hurricane Irma on our website bbc. Co. Uk news. 0n the anniversary of 9 11, as with every previous anniversary, the people of new york are contemplating events of 2001 and at the site of ground zero, relatives here, this system remembering her brother. Letsjoin system remembering her brother. Lets join commemorations. We commemorate the 60th anniversary of 9 11, everyone will stop for a moment and remember all the people who gave their lives that day. Maybe then we can put away our disagreements and become one country again. I love you, david, continue to watch over our family. William chacon. Eli. Charles laurence chan. Mark lawrence. Gregorio travers. Douglas macmillan. Vernon paul cherry. Joseph chevalier. Robert chin. They continue to read names. And my father, you will miss my couege and my father, you will miss my College Graduation this year, you have inspired me every step of the way. And my uncle, i am proud to be your namesake. They continue to read names. So the names of the 2300 victims who we re so the names of the 2300 victims who were killed in the two planes going into the World Trade Center. The white roses in the memorial mark the birthdays of those who lost their lives, everyday white roses are placed on the names on their birthdays. Red roses have been put by relatives on this anniversary as well. I am going to take you to the pentagon, there is also a Remembrance Service there, donald trump and the first lady also there. Names are being read as they pay their respects. A ceremony led by their respects. A ceremony led by the defence secretaryjim matters. He reads out names. So that is the scene at the pentagon, a Similar Service attended by the Vice President mike pence. He is representing the administration atan is representing the administration at an observance of the 9 11 memorial insurance bill were flight 93 came down on 9 11. Some moments in the american capital, in new york and in pennsylvania. The brexit secretary, david davis, has warned mps that voting against the eu withdrawal bill would amount to backing a chaotic exit from the european union. The commons will vote late tonight, after another day of debate on legislation, which will convert all existing eu laws into domestic ones. Labour says it will oppose the bill, claiming it represents a power grab. 0ur political correspondent, chris mason, reports. Its the planned new law that will provide the legal toolkit to compliment brexit. After a day of debate last week, more debate this afternoon, this evening and into the night. Without this bill and this legislation, as cross Party Committees have recognised, there would be significant legal uncertainty and we wouldnt be in the best place to get a deal between the uk and the eu on market access. So this bill, whether you support or oppose leaving the eu, its a bill people should support because it provides us with continuity and stability and the best chance of getting a good deal through this process. Last week, when the brexit secretary made the case for the bill, oppositions mps and some conservatives said it gave the government too much power. Labour say they accept the result of the eu referendum, but. 0ur position is, well oppose the bill tonight because we want parliamentary scrutiny, we want democratic accountability of an elected government in how it reacts to the result of the referendum, and that is why we are voting the way we are tonight and i urge all colleagues to do the same. The governments confident it will get its way tonight. Those conservatives who dont like the look of this bill are likely to back it now and grumble later, but there are some labour mps who are nervous about what opposing this will look like. By saying you want to kill it at birth at the beginning of its passage through parliament, i think that sends out the wrong message about our attitude to the result in 2016 and how we want to effectively ensure a smooth brexit. Today is just the latest debate and vote here on brexit. Even after the leaves on the trees are long gone, the issue of our withdrawal from the eu will still dominate. A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a womans body was found at the bestival Music Festival in dorset. The body of the 25 year old, from london, was found in a wooded area, on the edge of the festival site, at Lulworth Castle. Earlier, our news correspondent, richard lister, gave us this update on the police investigation. A postmortem examination is also due to be carried out by dorset police, hoping that will give them more information about how the woman died. A28 information about how the woman died. A 28 old man from london has been arrested on suspicion of murder, he is due to be interviewed under caution. And as this investigation is carried out, the police have sealed off part of this site on the Lulworth Castle to allow a frantic examinations take place. They are working very closely with the festival organisers and they are asked for anybody who may have releva nt asked for anybody who may have relevant information to come forward. This festival is firmly established and it is known for being a very Family Friendly festival, 30,000 people were there yesterday. But part of the site has been sealed off and it is the focus of the murder enquiry. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have now fled myanmar formerly known as burma in the past fortnight to seek refuge across the border in bangladesh. The un human rights commissioner has warned that the situation now looks like a textbook example of ethnic cleansing. The un is urging myanmar to end what it calls the cruel military operation in the west of the country, where there are multiple reports of Security Forces burning rohingya villages, and killing the inhabitants. The bloody violence in Rakhine State has meant that more than three hundred thousand Rohingya Muslims have already fled across the border, with many more still coming. Many of those refugees have settled in makeshift camps near the city of coxs bazar. Sanjoy majumder has been to one of them and sent this report. When youre starving, you get desperate. And then it becomes dangerous. This aid trucks surrounded by a seething mass of rohingyas. The organisers, private donors, too nervous to distribute their supplies. Theres no sign of the police, and things begin to turn ugly. Fights break out. Volunteers try to enforce a sense of order, but it is futile. The rohingya relief operation is slowly but surely spinning out of control. Most of it is in the hands of local groups and individuals, entirely out of their depth. You get a sense of the desperation. People have just climbed onto this little van, trying their best to get hold of little bags of rice that are being handed out. But its utterly chaotic, there is no sense of order, theres nobody actually coordinating it. And then look over here. These are clothes that have just been flung on the ground, thrown from the aid trucks as they rush away from the scene. Well meaning, but an utterly wasted effort. And too many people are getting left out. Translation i have five people in my family, including two small children. Most nights, they just go to bed hungry. This man tries to hand out money to the refugees, and soon realises it is a foolish mistake. Unleashing a frenzied response from the mob that soon turns threatening. Translation i live in saudi arabia. I saw on television how they are suffering so i came here to give them some money. The International Aid groups, including the un, are here, but their operations are restricted to the authorised camps. The tens of thousands of refugees who are outside are entirely dependent on hand outs from locals. A holiday never developed as thousands of uk tourists remain in hurricane hit cuba. We will talk to thomas cook about what it is doing to help customers caught up in the storm. Lucy martin has the weather. Low pressure to stop the working week so unsettled and a fairly brisk north westerly breeze. Sunny spells to start the afternoon, some showers with the potential to be heavy, front are not out of the question, some hale and blustery winds, but sunny spells in between and temperatures at a maximum of 90 celsius. This evening and overnight, showers easing further east and further west, holding onto showers and it will be a breezy night with temperatures falling to an overnight low of 9 13dc. Id start tomorrow the further east you were with sunshine first thing and cloud bubbles up through the day. Showers from the word go in the west edging east, and those of you and far between, not quite as heavy, but seeing rain into Northern Ireland and west wales and the south west which the breezy. Hello. This is bbc news with simon mccoy. The headlines Hurricane Irma has weakened but is still wreaking destruction in central florida. In the south of the state, search and rescue teams are beginning to explore the worst affected areas. Officials in cuba say at least ten people have been killed by Hurricane Irma, which battered the island at the weekend, flooding the streets of havana. The majority of the victims died in collapsed buildings. The government has warned mps that voting against the brexit bill later would amount to backing a chaotic exit from the european union. The vote on legislation aims to end eu laws supremacy in the uk. Labour has ordered its mps to oppose it. Its time for the sport with 0llie foerster. Hello there, its the shortest managerial reign in the history of the premier league and also the worst start to any season. Frank de boer was sacked by Crystal Palace today, less than 24 hours after the chairman steve parish urged everyone connected to the club, to stick together. 0ur Sports Correspondent Katie Gornall is here. When the last couple of hours since the news broke, opinion has been divided. Yes, he was under pressure, it doesnt come as a surprise but the reaction to this will be mixed. When Frank De Boer was brought into the club injune he was tasked with changing the style, making them play a more possession and type of football. There were concerns that he might have tried to change things too soon, some players were uncomfortable playing in that system, but there will be a degree of sympathy with Frank De Boer. Certainly when they lost to birtley at the weekend, the burnley boss said Crystal Palace were the better side but it was reflected really in the fact his sacking comes after a dismal run of results you mentioned, they are the first team in 93 years to lose the opening four games and not score a single goal so the club run out of patience. Today they released a statement thanking him for his hard work and dedication to the club, but confirming he had been sacked. Crystal palace have been writing statements like that fairly frequently. We were going down the roll call of managers the last few yea rs, roll call of managers the last few years , we roll call of managers the last few years, we worked out eight in the last six or seven years full time managers, and they will be looking forward to a new man in the post, whoever wants it. Yes, certainly a high turnover of managers at a club that craves consistency. They thought they had found the answer with sam alla rdyce. Thought they had found the answer with sam allardyce. They wanted a change in style with Frank De Boer and that hasnt worked out and now they are looking for the latest in a long line of managers. They said they will appoint a manager in due course, we understand that will be roy hodgson who has been out of work since he quit the england job following englands humiliating defeat to iceland at euro 2016. It is understood he cannot wait to get started but he will face a tough road ahead. If you look at Crystal Palaces next four premier league games, after southampton may have got manchester city, united and chelsea, so the top three still to play but it looks like roy hodgson will be in charge of those games as things stand at the moment. Katie, thank you very much indeed. Chris froome may attempt the grand tour treble next year. Yesterday, he added the vuelta a espana to his fourth Tour De France title, becoming only the third man to win both races in the same year. He will prioritise the tour again next year and he will almost certainly defend his maiden vuelta title but the decision he has to make is whether to also compete in the giro ditalia in may. Team sky principal sir Dave Brailsford says froome must now be considered one of the sports greats. Hes a complete athlete. Hes matured. Hes rounded, but boy oh boy is this on a winner. He blends his personality with the ability to eke out. The way he wins, he ekes it out all the time and never gives up. Ithink it out all the time and never gives up. I think he wears out his competitors and they dont know how to beat him. It is something to be admired. It certainly is. Thats all sport for now. Ill have more in the next hour. Lets return to the United States, continuing commemorations. That is President Trump at the pentagon, and ceremony the to mark the moment the plane struck the pentagon on 9 11. Accompanied by the first lady, President Trump arrived having held a minutes silence at the white house before he left there, and they will be hearing from the chairman of thejoint chiefs of staff, also from thejoint chiefs of staff, also from the secretary of defence, james matters, as the president and the first lady take up the position to mark the moments silence. The National Anthem will be sold and then a moments silence to mark the moment the plane hit the pentagon six years ago. Ladies and gentlemen, the chairman ofjoint chiefs of staff. Ladies and gentlemen, the secretary of defence. Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States and the first lady. Please face the flag for our National Anthem. 0 say can you see by the dawns early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilights last gleaming, whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight 0er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming . And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there; 0 say does that star spangled banner yet wave, 0er the land of the free and the home of the brave . Ladies and gentlemen, the United States air force chief of chaplains. Let us pray together. Heavenly father, we bow our heads with our feet fixed on sacred soil, consecrated on september 11, 2001, by 184 innocents who perished in an instant but whose legacies will neverdie. Instant but whose legacies will never die. Whereas moses was commanded from a burning bush holy ground to rescue his countrymen from the oppressors, our generation was commissioned from a burning building on this site to do the same. Follow nearly 3000 lost their lives that day, we remember. Forfamily members, we pray. ForFirst Responders who helped others live to see another day, we rejoice. For those who witnessed this shot heard round the world and suited up for combat to seize the day, we thank you on this patriot day. Thank you forgiving our Freedom Fighters enough grace to stand firm. Enough grit to stand tall, and enough guts to stand up to anyone gullible enough to assume america would ever stand down. Standing here in the shadow of their sacrifices. Please transform the raw emotion of the ceremony into righteous action worthy of the service. The scripture is tell us that one day we will turn our swords into ploughshares and delete combat from our dictionaries once and for all but until that prophesy sized piece persists, lord, help us demonstrate Due Diligence in the quality of our vigilance and keeping bad guys on the run. When complacency creeps in, give us the skills to succeed. When fear cause, give us the will to win. When differences divide, unite us in a common cause. And when doubt appears, phil us with the faith to know this cause, liberty, is clearly worth the cost. In closing, we pause now for a moment of silent reflection. In your holy name we pray, amen. Ladies and gentlemen, the chairman of thejoint chiefs ladies and gentlemen, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff staff. To those gathered here to survived the attack, good morning. Its an honour to join the attack, good morning. Its an honour tojoin new the attack, good morning. Its an honour to join new and the attack, good morning. Its an honour tojoin new and reflect on those who lost their lives on 9 11. We are particularly mindful of the 184 this morning, who died in the pentagon. When the terrorists attacked the pentagon, the World Trade Center and the other attempted attacks in dc, they did so with a sense of purpose. They were attacking symbols that reflect our way of life and our values. The terrorists believe these attacks would shake our commitment to those values and as president bush said hours after the attacks, the terrorists thought they could frighten us into chaos and retreat but they were wrong. Instead of retreat, the tragedy of 9 11 produced a yielding results. Instead of hopelessness, our morning turned into action. And we have strengthened our commitment to the idea that freedom of money should never be endangered by the hatred of few. This morning, as we recall the events of 9 11, its appropriate for those still serving to remember and honour those who died, those who continue suffering from injuries and those left behind. But if we truly wa nt those left behind. But if we truly want one of those remembered today, each of us will walk away from the ceremony with a renewed sense of commitment to our values and the cause of freedom. Each of us will walk away from the simple ceremony reminded that the war is not over and further sacrifice will be required. In each of us, we will walk away with resolve to strengthen our personal commitment to protect our personal commitment to protect our family, friends and fellow citizens from another 9 11. Its a privilege to introduce our secretary of defence, the honourable james matters. Thank you, general dunford. Mr president , mrs trump, our first lady, fellow secretaries of the president s cabinet, distinguished guests, First Responders, ladies and gentleman and a special heartfelt welcome to the 306 family members gathered to remember their loved ones lost 16 years ago today. We are here to honour those 2977 lives claimed by the brutal attacks of september 11 claimed by the brutal attacks of septemberii hummer2001. Men claimed by the brutal attacks of september 11 hummer 2001. Men and women awoke that they never anticipating an attack on the place of work or against this country. Innocents who failed from all walks of life. Attackers perpetrating murder that fateful day. But heroism and compassion were boundless on 9 11. Patriots from all backgrounds and all walks of life responded with speed, with courage and with compassion. In the aftermath of the attack, our Service Members, our nation rallied together as one, for while we had never asked for this fight, we are steadfastly committed to seeing it through as President Trump has made abundantly clear. And with no more temporising, as our example of leadership galvanises other nations to stand united against this threat to all humankind, maniacs disguised in false religious garb for by hurting us false religious garb for by hurting us they could scare us that day but we americans are not made of cotton candy, we are not seaweed drifting in the current, we are not intimidated by our enemies and mr president , your military does not scare. 0ur president , your military does not scare. Our nation s troops today are worthy successors of our revolutionary army and valley forge, worthy successors to our valiant sailors at midway, marines and air force pilots. Men and women of your armed forces, america, have been signed a blank cheque to the protection of the American People and to the defence of our constitution, a cheque payable with theirvery constitution, a cheque payable with their very lives, your military stands ready and confident to defend this country, this experiment in democracy. And we will continue to do so using all means necessary and as long as necessary. So today we rememberthe as long as necessary. So today we remember the loss of so many in new york city, in a sombre field in pennsylvania and here in this very building behind me, and in many battles since, and some of those battles since, and some of those battles are still raging. As former secretary of defense rumsfeld observed, on 9 11 every year we again are mindfuland observed, on 9 11 every year we again are mindful and resolute that the deaths, like their lives, shall have meaning and that is in how we carry our responsibility to protect america. To the families of those who perished, the loss you have endured drives us in our Mission Today and every day, and it is in that spirit, ladies and gentlemen, that spirit, ladies and gentlemen, that its my honour to introduce our commander in chief, the president of the United States, donald trump. Thank you. Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. I want to thank u, secretary mateus, general dunford, members of the cabinet, members of the armed forces, First Responders and most importantly to the families and survivors. Its an honour to join the families and survivors. Its an honour tojoin you on the families and survivors. Its an honour to join you on this very, very solemn location. This is an occasion that is extraordinary, and it will always be extraordinary. Before we begin, i would like to send our nations prayers to eve ryo ne send our nations prayers to everyone in the path of a Hurricane Irma and everyone suffering through the devastation of hurricane harvey. These are storms of catastrophic severity, and we are marshalling the full resources of the federal government to help our fellow americans in florida, alabama, georgia, texas, louisiana, tennessee and all of those wonderful places and all of those wonderful places and states in harms way. When americans are in need, americans pulled together and we are one country. And when we face our chip, we urge closer, stronger and more determined than ever. We are gathered here today to remember the morning that started very much like this one. Parents dropped off the children at school, travelers stood in line at airports and getting ready to board flights. Here at the pentagon and offices all around the country, people began the early meetings. Then our whole world changed. America was under attack. First at the World Trade Center, then here at the pentagon, and then in pennsylvania. The horror and anguish of that dark day seared into our National Memory forever. It was the worst attack on our country since pearl harbor, and even worse because this was an attack on civilians. Innocent men, women and children whose lives were taken so needlessly. For the families with us on this anniversary, we know that not a single day goes by when you dont think about the loved ones stolen from your life. Today our entire nation grieves with you, and with every family of those 2977 innocent souls who were murdered by terrorists 16 years ago, each family here today represents the son or daughter, sister or brother, and mother or father who was taken from you on that terrible, terrible day. But no force on earth can ever take away your memories, diminish your love or break your will to endure and carry on and go forward. Though we can never erase your pain or bring back those you lost, we can honour the sacrifice by pledging our resolve to do whatever we must to keep our people safe. Resolve to do whatever we must to keep our people safe. 0n on that day, not only did the world change, but we all changed. 0ur eyes we re change, but we all changed. 0ur eyes were opened to the depths of the evil we face. But in that hour of darkness, we also came together with renewed purpose. 0ur differences never looked so small. 0ur common bond is never felt never looked so small. 0ur common bond is neverfelt so never looked so small. 0ur common bond is never felt so strong. Never looked so small. 0ur common bond is neverfelt so strong. The sacrifice grounds on which we stand today are monument to our National Unity and to our strength. For more than seven decades, the pentagon has stored as a global symbol of american might. Not only because of the great power it contained within these halls but because of the incredible character of the people who filled them. They secure our freedom. They defend ourflag who filled them. They secure our freedom. They defend our flag and they support our courageous troops all around the world. Among the 184 brave americans who perished on these grounds were young and listed Service Members, dedicated civil serva nts Service Members, dedicated Civil Servants who had worked here for decades and veterans who served our nation in korea, vietnam and the middle east. All of them love this country and pledge their very lives to protect. That september morning, each of those brave americans died as they had lived, as heroes. Doing their duty and protecting us and our country. We mourn them, we honour them, and we pledge to never, ever forget them. Applause. We also remember and cherish the lives of the beloved americans who boarded flight 77 the beloved americans who boarded flight 77 at dollars airport that morning. Everyone had a family, story and beautiful dreams. Each of them had people they loved and who loved them back. And they all left behind a deep emptiness that the warmth and grace once filled so fully and so beautifully. The living, breathing soul of america worked with grief for every live taken on that day. We shared our tea rs taken on that day. We shared our tears in the memory, pledge our devotion in the honour and turned our sorrow devotion in the honour and turned our sorrow into devotion in the honour and turned our sorrow into an devotion in the honour and turned our sorrow into an unstoppable resolve to achieve justice in the name. The terrorists who attacked us thought they could incite fear and wea ken thought they could incite fear and weaken our spirit. But america cannot be intimidated, and those who try will soonjoin the cannot be intimidated, and those who try will soon join the list of vanquished enemies who dare to test our metal. Applause. In the years after september 11, more than 5 billion men and women have joined the ranks of our great military to defend our country against barbaric forces of evil and destruction. American forces are relentlessly pursuing and destroying the enemy is, also voiced people ensuring these are horrible, horrible enemies, enemies like we have never seen before. But we are ensuring that they never again have a safe haven to launch attacks against our country. We are making plain to these savage killers that there is no dark corner beyond our reach. No sanctuary beyond our grasp, and nowhere to hide anywhere on this very large earth. Since 9 11 nearly 7000 Service Members have given their lives fighting terrorists around the globe. Some of them rest just beyond terrorists around the globe. Some of them restjust beyond this phone is in the shrine to our nation heroes on the grounds of Arlington National cemetery. They came from all backgrounds, all races, all faiths, but they were all there to dedicate their lives. And they defend our one Great American flag. Applause. Every person who puts on the uniform has the love and gratitude of our entire nation. Today as we stand on this hollow ground, we are reminded of the timeless truths that when america is united, no force on earth can break us united, no force on earth can break us apart, no force. 0n the morning of 9 11 Pentagon Police officer isaac, one of the many heroes whose love for his fellow americans knew no bounds. He was a mile away when he got the call over his radio that a plane had crashed into the pentagon. He sped to the scene and raced into smoke and fire. Few people would have done it. He ducked under live wires and trudged through puddles ofjet fuel, under live wires and trudged through puddles of jet fuel, only under live wires and trudged through puddles ofjet fuel, only steps away from sparks and vicious flame. In the pitch black, he began calling out people in need of help. Isaac heard faint voices and he wanted to a nswer heard faint voices and he wanted to answer those faint voices. 0ne one by one he kept carrying people out of the burning rubble and he kept going back into the smouldering darkness calling out to anyone who was alive. He saved as many as 20 people who had followed his voice. He carried eight himself. For nearly 36 hours isaac kept on saving lives, serving our