BUSH, THE NEWSBOYS LEADING 9/11 OBSERVANCES Washington (AP) President Bush is marking this 6th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks with a closed worship service followed by a public observance.

Bush will lead a moment of silence on the south lawn of the White House at 8:46 a.m. eastern time, when the first plane struck the World Trade Center in New York.

That observance follows a private service of prayer and remembrance at St. John's Episcopal Church, one block from the White House.

Later this morning, the Christian band the Newsboys will take part in a 9/11 memorial service at the Pentagon. After the ceremony, the Newsboys will perform a full concert for Pentagon employees.

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HOLD 9/11 MEMORIAL ON CAPITOL STEPS CAPITOL HILL (AP) The chaplain of the U.S. House has prayed that Americans won't be defined by the terrorists who killed 3,000 people in the 9/11 attacks six years ago.

The Reverend Daniel Coughlin (KAHG'-lin) delivered the opening prayer at a memorial ceremony attended by members of Congress Monday evening on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.

Coughlin prayed that fear wouldn't make Americans become like their enemies, even as the nation continues to mourn the victims of 9/11.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recalled that the attacks prompted Americans to turn to God and the Scriptures, and she read a passage from the Bible's Book of Isaiah.

A U.S. Marine Band soloist concluded the ceremony by singing "God Bless America."


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Reverend Daniel Coughlin (KAHG'-lin), House Chaplain, delivering opening prayer at congressional 9/11 memorial The Reverend Daniel Coughlin (KAHG'-lin), House Chaplain, says the victims of 9/11 have not been forgotten.

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:12 "the morning" Reverend Daniel Coughlin (KAHG'-lin), House Chaplain, delivering opening prayer at congressional 9/11 memorial The Reverend Daniel Coughlin (KAHG'-lin), House Chaplain, says America continues to mourn the victims of 9/11.

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:07 "their loss" Reverend Daniel Coughlin (KAHG'-lin), House Chaplain, delivering opening prayer at congressional 9/11 memorial The Reverend Daniel Coughlin (KAHG'-lin), House Chaplain, asks God to guide America in the continuing conflict against terrorists.

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:13 "like them" House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaking at congressional 9/11 memorial House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Americans turned to God after the 9/11 attacks.

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:14 "His word" House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, on U.S. Capitol steps, at remembrance ceremony Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi invokes blessings.

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:18 "bless America" Excerpt of U.S. Marine Band soloist, performing during remembrance ceremony, on U.S. Capitol steps A U.S. Marine Band solist sang 'God Bless America.' CUT ..497 (09/10/07)


:14 American Legion DENOUNCES RULING AGAINST DESERT CROSS CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) The national commander of the American Legion is denouncing last week's federal appeals court ruling that a cross in California's Mojave National Preserve must come down.

Marty Conatser (koh-NAT'-sur) says the 8-foot-tall cross is a veterans memorial that should be constitutionally protected. It was built in 1934 by a group of World War I veterans.

But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which had previously declared the cross to be an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion, has now invalidated a congressionally endorsed land exchange that sought to preserve it.

Conatser, who met with General David Petraeus in Iraq last month, adds that the American Legion supports the U.S. troop presence in Iraq as part of the continuing global war against terrorists.

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Marty Conatser (koh-NAT'-sur), national commander of American Legion, in AP interview Marty Conatser (koh-NAT'-sur), National Commander of the American Legion, says an eight-foot-tall cross that was erected in 1934 by World War I veterans shouldn't be torn down.

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:13 "veterans memorial" Marty Conatser (koh-NAT'-sur), national commander of American Legion, in AP interview Marty Conatser (koh-NAT'-sur), National Commander of the American Legion, says the American Legion disagrees with the federal appeals court ruling that the cross must come down.

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:06 "destroy it" Marty Conatser (koh-NAT'-sur), national commander of American Legion, in AP interview Marty Conatser (koh-NAT'-sur), National Commander of the American Legion, says he met with General David Petraeus in Iraq last month, and supports the general's recommendations.

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:12 "this time" Marty Conatser (koh-NAT'-sur), national commander of American Legion, in AP interview Marty Conatser (koh-NAT'-sur), National Commander of the American Legion, says Americans shouldn't forget the attack that left 3,000 dead six years ago.

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:12 "the world" IRS AUDIT CLEARS DOBSON, FOCUS ON THE FAMILY DENVER (AP) Focus on the Family chairman Dr. James Dobson has been cleared of accusations that he jeopardized his organization's nonprofit status by endorsing Republican candidates in 2004.

An Internal Revenue Service audit found that Dobson, who backed President Bush's re-election bid, was acting as an individual and not on behalf of the conservative Christian ministry.

IRS rules do not prohibit representatives of nonprofit groups from wading into partisan politics as long as they don't do it under the banner of their organizations.

Critics, however, contend that Dobson and Focus on the Family are inextricably bound.

In 2004, Dobson formed a separate political affiliate called Focus on the Family Action.

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James Dobson, chairman of Focus on the Family, speaking on Monday radio broadcast James Dobson, the chairman of Focus on the Family, says a government probe of Focus on the Family's tax-exempt status is over.

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:11 "the audit" James Dobson, chairman of Focus on the Family, speaking on Monday radio broadcast James Dobson, the chairman of Focus on the Family, reads part of the IRS audit clearing him of violating the ministry's tax-exempt status.

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:17 "the Family (third reference)" James Dobson, chairman of Focus on the Family, speaking on Monday radio broadcast Dr. James Dobson, the chairman of Focus on the Family, reads part of the IRS letter notifying him that the audit is over.

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:10 "income tax" Catholic STUDENT GROUP SUES UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON MADISON, Wis. (AP) A lawsuit filed Monday by a Catholic student group accuses the University of Wisconsin-Madison of illegally refusing to let student fees pay for certain religious activities.

The Roman Catholic Foundation is asking a federal judge to force the university to pay for things like printing Lenten booklets, running Evangelical Catholic training camps and hosting spiritual retreats where students are counseled by priests and nuns.

The university has argued that student fees cannot be used for activities involving prayer, worship and proselytizing because it would violate separation of church and state. But the Catholic group says not allowing the funding for its activities amounts to religious discrimination.

The lawsuit is the latest round in a lengthy dispute between the university and the group, which runs programs and services for Catholic students and has a history on campus dating to the 1880s.

VATICAN APPROVES NEW BISHOP IN China VATICAN CITY (AP) A new bishop reportedly has been ordained in China with the approval of the Vatican, which is working for better relations with the communist regime.

Beijing allows Catholics to worship only in government-controlled churches of the Patriotic Association, which recognizes the pope as a spiritual leader but appoints its own priests and bishops. The Vatican's insistence that only it can name bishops has been a sticking point in efforts to improve relations.

The Vatican-affiliated Asia News agency reports that Chinese Catholics were told at Sunday Masses that the new 40-year-old bishop had the Vatican's approval, even though the Patriotic Association was claiming the appointment as its own.

AL-QAIDA: VIDEO OF 9-11 HIJACKER TO BE RELEASED TODAY (Stations: Watch for dating) CAIRO, Egypt (AP) Osama bin Laden plans to mark the sixth anniversary of the September 11th attacks by releasing the last testament made by one of the suicide hijackers.

That word from al-Qaida was posted yesterday on an Islamic militant Web site.

The message said the video would be, quote: "Coming soon, God willing, from the testaments of the martyrs of the New York and Washington attacks." It comes just days after bin Laden appeared in his first video in three years, delivering a lecture to the American people on their need to abandon democracy and convert to Islam.

CANADIAN LEADER CRITICIZES DECISION TO LET MUSLIM WOMEN VOTE IN VEILS OTTAWA (AP) Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he disagrees with a decision to allow Muslim women to wear veils covering their faces when they vote.

Elections Canada an independent body that oversees national elections said last week that Muslim women will be allowed to wear veils when they vote in by-elections later this month in Quebec, where the issue of the traditional covering has been hotly contested.

The decision means women who wear veils even those covering the entire face except for the eyes can bring a photo ID or another document proving their identity when they vote.

Harper says he "profoundly disagrees" with the decision, noting that all four parties in Canada's Parliament have voted to bring in a new law requiring visual identification of voters.

EX-MUSLIMS BANDING TOGETHER IN EUROPE AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) Ehsan Jami knew he was making himself a target for radical Islamists when he decided to launch a Dutch organization for Muslims who renounce their religion.

Five months and three physical assaults later, his "Committee for Ex-Muslims" is being launched today, joining similar groups that have sprung up around Europe.

These groups are adding a new voice to the debate about and within Europe's Muslim communities, presenting themselves as diametrically different from the disenchanted and sometimes violent youth who grab headlines, or to immigrants who live cloistered among their own.

Among other rights, they insist that Muslims should be able to renounce their religion without fear. Under some interpretations of Islam, apostasy is forbidden and is punishable by death.

Jami has been forced into hiding by the attacks, and receives police protection.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 09-11-07 0230CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list