美国纪念911恐怖袭击14周年

It's now fourteen years since the Twin Towers fell. But time has not fully taken away the sense of loss. Marking the day on which almost 3000 people died, America again came together to remember the worst terrorist attack in recent history.

In Washington, at the White House, President Obama marked the day with a moment of silence, just a few miles from where one of the four planes was flown into the Pentagon.

The first plane hit one of the towers of the World Trade Center in New York.

As in years past, relatives and survivors gathered here, standing beside the pools of remembrance, where water cascades into the vast foundations of where the Towers once stood.

And they read the names of every person who died - a task taking almost four hours to complete.

"I lost my husband David Berry."

Amanda Berry's husband was working in the World Trade Center on September the 11th 2001.

"It was a really horrible day, and it's a tragedy, and for many family members they're still grieving. It's still very painful and raw for them."

But controversy still surrounds this site. Rosemary Kane comes here every year to remember her son George, one of the 343 firefighters who died. His unidentified remains are buried beneath the museum - a decision taken without consulting Rosemary.

"They never asked, they never took a poll of the family members, and it's despicable. They've stolen the dead, they've taken ownership of the dead and I want people to know that."

Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan followed the 9/11 attacks. Al Qaeda has been diminished.

But with the rise of the Islamic State and other organizations, the US government says the threat against America is still very real.

Indeed former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani says the country is more danger now than 14 years ago.

"Islamic extremist terrorism wants to come here and kill us. And this administration is in more denial and the facts are even more compelling than they were on September 11th 2001."

But despite the memorials events the day is less remarkable than it once was. For many people who work near the site of the attacks, it's just another day in the office.

Lower Manhattan, indeed the city in general, is moving on. Last year the 9/11 Museum opened. And just a few months ago One World Trade Center opened to the public - casting its shadow over the site of the terror attacks.

All around the area, other towers are going up. Indeed on this anniversary construction didn't stop. For the cranes and builders of Manhattan today was just like any other day.

For CRI, I'm Nick Harper in New York.