BP calls Gulf oil leak 'environmental catastrophe'

BP's top official, who had previously said the environmental impact on Gulf of Mexico would be modest, upgraded his assessment Friday to an "environmental catastrophe."

I find it completely ridiculous that this problem is not taken care of yet. They knew that there was oil leaking and they knew it would be bad but they never really took action and did anything about it. BP should have taken the intiative to figure out what the problem was and how they could fix it. But now states are facing devestating affects from this oil spill.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/28/gulf.oil.spill/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29

At least 70 killed in India train crash

There have been at least 70 bodies pulled out of the where two trains crashed in eastern India. Officials believe that the incident is linked to Maoist rebels.

Also about 115 passengers were injured when 13 cars of the Lokmanya Tilak Gyaneshwari Express derailed, capsized on a parallel track and were slammed by a cargo train, authorities said.

Indian officials gave different theories about the derailment.

"It appears to be a case of sabotage where a portion of the railway track was removed. Whether explosives were used is not yet clear," Home Minister P. Chidambaram said in a statement.

I don't understand why anyone would want to do this. I mean people's lives are being put into danger. The authorites should try everything in their power to figure out what happened. If someone really did try to blow up the train or removed a part of the track there should be people that go over the tracks to make sure that are ready to ride everyday.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/05/27/india.train.crash/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29

Obama backs South Korea stance on ship's sinking

Barack Obama on Monday told military commanders to work with South Korean troops "to ensure readiness and to deter future aggression" from North Korea.

President Lee Myung-bak announced that his country was suspending trade with North Korea, closing its waters to the North's ships and adopting a newly-aggressive military posture toward its neighbor because of the sinking of a South Korean warship in March. South Korean military officials announced the results of an official investigation into the sinking of the ship, the Cheonan, which concluded that North Korea fired a torpedo that cut the vessel in half.

"We endorse President Lee's demand that North Korea immediately apologize and punish those responsible for the attack, and, most importantly, stop its belligerent and threatening behavior," the statement said.

North Korea has denied that it sunk the warship, which went down on March 26, killing 46 sailors.

I think that Obama is taking a good stance on this situation. These two countries really need to work things out. And in the mean time investigators really need to figure out what really happened so that people aren't pointing fingers when really they had nothing to do with it.


http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/05/24/skorea.ship/index.html?iref=allsearch

Mumbai gunman: 'We were sure to die'

Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the sole gunman captured in the November 2008 terrorist attack on Mumbai, was sentenced to death for his role in the bloody three-day siege that killed more than 160 people. Kasab was held directly responsible for killing people inside Mumbai's main train station. Security video showed Kasab wielding an assault weapon as he and another man shot into the crowded terminal. Kasab confessed to taking part in the attacks where he and nine others carried out a plan to take over five-star hotels and a Jewish cultural center -- and wreak havoc on India's financial capitol. The judge made it clear he could not use just the videotaped statement as evidence in the case because Kasab had recanted it. In the end, the judge agreed with the majority of the evidence against Kasab, including GPS records, tapped phone conversations, and security video -- finding the case against him to be overwhelming.

I find it ridiculous that the judge can't convict him from the video tape alone. He stated that he did it and I find that to be reason enough to prove him guilty. But I suppose its only right to find hard evidence and not just take his words at true.

Authorities to release new video in Times Square probe

Earlier there was a video released showing an image of a man changing his shirt along a New York street. The man was balding dark haired man and was seen removing his shirt and putting it in a bag before walking away out of the camera's view.Authorities looking for clues in this failed Times Square bombing attempt are expected to release another video in the case. An officer on the case said a video obtained from a tourist shows a person "running north on Broadway." Investigators are also evaluating a video that was released less than 24 hours after the incident by the leader of the Pakistani Taliban. It has raised questions about whether militants could have been behind the attempted bombing.

I don't think that this attempted attack on Times Square had anything to do with the Taliban. They are just trying to make it appear as if they had a hand in it. This attempt is very scary to think about. Thankfully it was an amateur attempt but we should not take this lightly. What if it had been detrimental? New York needs to up its security and make sure that it never happens again.

Issue #2- Boosting the Minimum

The issue behind minimum wage is whether it is high enough or if it should be raised. Many people argue that it needs to be increased for many different reasons. The biggest reason being that people cannot live off of minimum wage and therefore live in poverty. On the other side of the spectrum there are poeple saying that there are ways in which these people are being helped. Things such as government transfer payments: welfare, food stamps, social security, etc. Also, there are different regulations that are put into place, such as The Federal Minimum Wage, which ensures that people are making enough money to live on. Most people also have the perspective that the majority of the people working minimum wage jobs are teenagers, and that most of them aren't having to support a family.

I think that the minimum wage should not be increased. Most people don't take into consideration the ways in which increasing minmum wage would affect our economy. Prices of goods and services would increase tremendously resulting in more job cuts. And I feel that keeping the minimum wage low helps push people towards getting an education and becoming a skilled worker. This in turn only benefits our economy. If the minmum wage was somewhat high people would skip college and settle for a job at Buger King because the pay isn't half bad. Representative John Kline says that with an increase of minimum wage "it will leave recent economic growth dead in its tracks".

Issue #1
http://rachaelbeers951.blogspot.com/2010/04/issue-1-all-things-being-unequal.html

Issue #3
http://tarynthompson.blogspot.com/2010/04/issue-3-putting-welfare-to-work.html

Man with knife attacks kindergarten in China

A 47 year old man has been taken into custody for the stabbings of 28 kindergarten children. The incident happened in Taixing city in Jiangsu province of China. This occurred one day after another man attacked 18 students and a teacher with a knife at a primary school in southern China's Guangdong province. Authorities said he carried out the attack because he was frustrated at "failures in his romantic life".

This is absolutely appalling. Schools should have better security than to allow an unknown man into the school with a knife. China seems to have a big problem with people coming into schools and attacking children. Over the past few months there have been record numbers. I think that this should be an eye opener to China. They need to take these attacks seriously and find a solution to the problem.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/04/28/china.knife.attack/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29