Omar Thompson

National- Mine searchers are still vigorously trying to find any sign of the six remaining miners trapped inside th Utah mine. It has been three weeks of searching for the remaining miners and so far there has been no sign of the unfortunate miners. A robotic camera similar to the one used in the September 11th search has been assigned to venture more than 1,500 feet down into the depths of the mine. Officials say that mine co-owner Bob Murray will decide when to stop searching for the lost miners. By Wednesday night, rescuers had drilled 1,400 feet into the mine and by Thursday they had hoped to reach a depth of nearly 1.900 feet. The cost for each hole being drilled is 1 million dollars and Murray is the sole payer of the bill.

Opinion- It is quite tragic to hear of another mine accident. There should be more tight regulations and inspections when it comes to mines and other hazardous work places. Being in a mine more than 6 hours isn't dangerous enough, not knowing if the entire mine will collapse on you is another worry in the back of your mind. It is highly unlikely that there are still any survivors, but there is still a chance and that is all the families of the miners need. It pains me to think of the families that are kept in suspense, not knowing if you father or husband might or might not be alive. Hopefully there will be a miracle.

International- A train filled with hundreds of people crashes into an empty train in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The train was reported to be traveling at 60 mph when it crashed into the back of a slow-moving empty six-car train. More than 80 people were injured and 6 were reported dead. Some passengers were still inside the wreckage of the crash and had to be freed with the aid of rescue workers. Fortunately, all passengers were freed from the wreckage. Most of the passengers suffered minor injuries. The reason for the crash has not yet been determined, however both engineers of the commuter train are alive and will be subject to an investigation.

Opinion- How can someone not see a giant, slow-moving object in front of you? It is totally beyond me. There might be other aspects of the situation that have not been thought of simply because no one is well enough to explain what actually happened. Trains in Latin America, especially Brazil, are crucial. Instead of people owning cars and having to pay for gas, a vast majority of the population simply uses public transportation. Another thing that totally boggles my mind is why there was a giant, slow-moving train in front of a commuter train in the first place. The only possible answer i can come with is a communicational error. Whatever the circumstances, it is still a tragic and grim situation and i mourn for those who lost their lives.

National- An Iowa court district ruled that same-sex couples may marry according to the state constitution on Thursday. The ruling was in response to a lawsuit made by six same-sex couples in December 2005. The couple's were denied marriage licenses in 2005 and set forth a lawsuit that would challenge their treatment. The case is pushing its way to the Iowa Supreme Court which will make a final decision concerning marriage in the state of Iowa. Written by Judge Robert Hanson, the 63-page ruling states that "Couples, such as plaintiffs, who are otherwise qualified to marry one another may not be denied licenses to marry or certificates of marriage or in any other way prevented from entering into a civil marriage pursuant to Iowa Code Chapter 595 by reason of the fact that both persons compromising such a couple are of the same sex."
The six couple's relationships range from six years to seventeen years.

Opinion- I do believe that people should be have equal. But i also believe that people who do not cherish the sanctity between a man and woman are in fault. In recent years, the topic of same-sex marriage has become quite common than taboo. I feel that America should not leave its values and traditions that it has strove to create in the last century. It is true that times change, but that doesn't necessarily mean that all that Americans have to conform to the rest of society's state. That to me is worse than death.

International- More than 10,000 people were evacuated from Latin America's tallest building in Mexico City on Thursday. Authorities were contacted by an anonymous individual stating that there was a bomb inside a car on one of the 13 parking levels. A bomb squad discovered a device filled with gunpowder, cables, and a cell phone all wrapped in tape. luckily, the device was retrieved in time. However, had the bomb exploded, damage would have only come to the authorities said. No initial claims were found, though the Attorney Generals office is investigating the matter. Torre Mayor (a 740 foot building) is in the main Reforma avenue, a bustling part of Mexico City.

Opinion- the Torre Mayor is considered a milestone in Mexico City. Personally i think it was some random terrorists wishing to instill fear into everyone into thinking Al Qaeda was behind it. It seems nowadays that people are quick to judge acts of terrorism as the work of Al Qaeda. But, even if it wasn't Al Qaeda at all behind an act of terrorism, they are still happy to take the blame for it. Go figure.