Joon

Final hostages freed by Taliban

Hostage survival? what a shame...!

Summary: Taliban kidnappers Thursday released the seven remaining South Korean hostages and handed them over to Red Cross officials. On Wednesday, Taliban militants released a total of 12 South Korean hostages, part of the group of 19 Christian aid workers who have been held for nearly six weeks.
The kidnappers freed the 10 women and two men in three separate groups, a day after South Korea announced its team of negotiators in Afghanistan had reached a deal with them. Under the terms of an agreement reached on Tuesday, South Korea agreed to stick by its decision to withdraw its 200 non-combat troops from Afghanistan, who do mostly engineering and medical work. A South Korean presidential spokesman said there was no agreement to pay the captors, nor was there any mention of releasing Taliban prisoners -- a major demand of the kidnappers.

Opinion: Although I am a christian, I say that hostages should have died in Taliban. When the christian group planned to to go Afghanistan and applied to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. But the plan was obstructed by the Ministry of foreign Affaris because of the risk. However, christians wrote a note to the ministry saying that they will risk their life and left Korea. After few days later they became hostage and now people are blaming to the ministry of foreign affairs and trade of sending the christians to Afghanistan. To trade and save hostages it cost numerous of money that you can't imagine. At least the 2dead hostages became martyr, but the rest of people returned with shame and embarrass. Disregarding the admonition, they should have all been killed.

International: Bomb found at Mexico City tower

Summary: More than 10,000 people were evacuated Thursday from Latin America's tallest building where police found a small handmade bomb inside a car parked in the garage.A bomb squad retrieved the device -- consisting of three metal tubes filled with gunpowder, cables and a cell phone, all tied together with tape -- from the 740-foot (225-meter) Torre Mayor on Mexico City's main Reforma avenue, the city's Public Security Department said in a news release.
Had the device exploded, damage would have been limited mostly to the car.The federal Attorney General's Office is investigating the incident but there were no initial claims of responsibility.

Opinion: Even a tiny bomb like grenade is a fear to human. I think their security system of emergency system was well prepared to remove the bomb. The news says that the explosion will only limited to the car but no one knows if the bomb can affect to the builing and may crush down. To avoid the bomb in the parking lot I think the company should make a name code or a thing that only workers can access to building or parking lot.

National
Iowa court rules same-sex couples can marry

Summary: An Iowa district court ruled Thursday that same-sex couples can marry based on the state constitution's guarantee of equal treatment.The ruling was in response to a December 2005 lawsuit brought by six same-sex couples seeking to wed. They were denied marriage licenses and claimed such treatment violates equal-protection and due-process clauses in the Iowa constitution. The Iowa District Court for Polk County advances the case to the Iowa Supreme Court which will make a final decision on same sex marriage, according to Lambda Legal, a gay and lesbian legal organization representing the couples.

Opinion: In one view same gender marrying is really weird. I do not understand how man can love a man. But in other view, there are people who are gay and wants to get married. In my view I dont care if gay couple marry each other. If they love each other then they shall marry. I think gay couple are growing in United State. This is a kind of news that I do not understand.

National
Utah mine searchers still hoping for 'miracle'

Summary: Crews searching for any sign of six miners trapped for more than three weeks are "hoping a miracle could happen," a federal official told lawmakers Wednesday, while another hole was drilled to insert a robotic camera into the mountain.Three rescue workers digging through the rubble were killed August 16 when their tunnel collapsed. Because of repeated seismic shocks, the mountain has been declared too dangerous to resume underground rescue efforts.No one knows whether the six miners survived the August 6 collapse, which left reinforced roofs of mine tunnels mostly intact but blew out the walls, hurling chunks of coal like bullets and blocking passages. Oxygen levels in much of the mine are too low to support life.

Opinion: It is very sad. I think mine worker should have seen God by now. Scientifically human can live few weeks without almost nothing. But no sign can be a message from God that the miners have arrived to heaven. However veiwing in other way, the people should try to find the academic or and letters. But still parents are searching and trying to see the miracle.