2 More Injured at Ground Zero Building

(NEWSER) - Two firefighters died in a blaze that broke out this afternoon in a skyscraper being demolished at the edge of ground zero in Lower Manhattan. The fire broke out in the partially dismantled Deutsche Bank building, which had been vacant since 9/11, condemned because health officials ruled that it was too contaminated with toxic dust and debris to be renovated. More»

He's makes first trip as president as 'closure' for New York City

(NEWSER) - President Obama made his first visit to Ground Zero as president, a trip the White House views as "closure" for New York City in the wake of Osama bin Laden's killing, reports the Daily News . He first visited a firehouse that lost 15 firefighters on 9/11. "When we say we will never forget, we mean what we say," said Obama, who ate lunch with the squad. "You’re always going to have a president and an administration who’s got your back." The president then visited Ground Zero and laid a memorial wreath. He also met privately with family members of 9/11 victims. More»

But rival protest pleads for peace

(NEWSER) - Some 1,000 protesters swarmed the site of the proposed Islamic Center near Ground Zero yesterday, largely overshadowing 250 demonstrators supporting the project. "It's a breeding ground for terrorists," grumbled critic Shawn Gilfeather. Opponents held aloft banners reading: "Building a mosque at Ground Zero Is like building a Hitler memorial at Auschwitz." But rival protesters chanted: "Hallowed ground, that's a lie, you don't care if Muslims die!" An organizer of the Manhattan center, to be located two blocks from Ground Zero, called the backlash racism, and vowed that plans will not change. More»

Fears sum won't be enough, and lawyers get too much

(NEWSER) - A federal judge put the kibosh today on New York City’s deal to set aside as much as $657 million for 10,000 workers sickened by toxic debris at the World Trade Center site. Alvin Hellerstein thinks it’s not enough money, would leave out other first responders to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks—and that lawyers are getting too much of it, the Daily News reports. More»

City faces 10K lawsuits over World Trade Center dust

(AP) - New York City has agreed to pay up to $657 million to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits filed by ground zero rescue and response workers who say they were sickened by World Trade Center dust. The settlement was announced tonight by the WTC Captive Insurance Company, a special entity established to indemnify the city and its contractors against potential legal action as they moved to clean up the site. More»