Via train derails southeast of Quebec City

A Via passenger train travelling from Halifax to Montreal has derailed near Saint-Charles-de-Bellechasse, in Quebec City's south shore region. About 120 people were on board the passenger train when all of its cars went off the track at 4:45 a.m., said Via spokeswoman Ashley Doyle. Seven passengers suffered minor injuries, and at least one person was sent to hospital, while others were treated for shock. The accident happened very close to a house in Saint-Charles-de-Bellechasse, about 20 kilometres southeast of Lévis on the south side of the St. Lawrence River. One train car hit the back porch of a house, local police said. It's not yet clear what caused the accident.

Canada hasn't modernized our fast passenger railroad yet because we have such a large land mass and the cost to do so would be immense. I feel that if it will cause a smooth and safer ride, we should invest in new modernized railroads. It is important to at lease check over the railroads every so often and rebuild our railroads so they are up-to-date. If we do invest in such things, I doubt a train will be crossing peoples houses again.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2010/02/25/mon-via-derailment.html

Students rescued from sinking ship

A Nova Scotia-based ship carrying dozens of students has sunk off Brazil, but everyone is safe, officials say. The tall ship SV Concordia went down about 550 kilometres southeast of Rio de Janeiro in rough seas, Brazilian navy officials said Friday. West Island College, of Lunenburg, which runs the Class Afloat program, said all 64 people aboard were rescued from four life rafts by merchant vessels in the area. It has been said by te navy that the Concordia capsized in rough and high seas. The Concordia met "all of the international requirements for safety," and passed inspections by the U.S. and Canadian coast guards.

Nobody really knows what happened out there except for the fact that the cause was probably from rough seas. I feel that the fact that the ship sunk is horrible but the fact that all the passengers are fine is great. It was a terrifying experience for all the students but what matters is that everyone is okay.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2010/02/19/ns-brazil-ship-sinks-students.html

TSA to swab airline passengers' hands in search for explosives

To the list of instructions you hear at airport checkpoints, add this: "Put your palms forward, please." The Transportation Security Administration soon will begin randomly swabbing passengers' hands at checkpoints and airport gates to test them for traces of explosives. Previously, screeners swabbed some carry-on luggage and other objects as they searched for the needle in the security haystack -- components of terrorist bombs in an endless stream of luggage. But after the Christmas Day attempted bombing of Northwest Flight 253 over Detroit, Michigan, the TSA began a program of swabbing passengers' hands, which could be contaminated by explosive materials, experts say. The TSA will greatly expand the swabbing in the coming weeks, the agency said.

I agree with this new system of swabbing hands for explosives because many of these terrorists probably touch and handle the bombs leaving these traces on their hands. So by introducing this new system of random hand swabbing, I feel it will really increase the safety of our people, America, Canada, and any country for that matter. Tony Fainberg said that they are currently swabbing luggage handles for bomb traces but by swabbing the hands directly, it will increase the chances of finding explisive materials. Overall, I completely agree with this new system and hopes it comes into place very soon.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/02/17/tsa.hands.swabbing/index.html?hpt=T1

Iran’s Leader Shifts Spotlight From Protests to Nuclear Step

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran confronted opponents at home and abroad on Thursday, one of the most momentous days of his country’s political calendar, sending security forces onto the streets to break up opposition protests and taunting Western adversaries by claiming advances in Tehran’s nuclear capacity. Speaking on the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, which toppled Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, Mr. Ahmadinejad told a huge and closely orchestrated crowd of supporters in Tehran’s Azadi Square — also known as Freedom Square — that Iran was now a “nuclear state.”
“When we say we do not manufacture the bomb, we mean it, and we do not believe in manufacturing a bomb,” Mr. Ahmadinejad told the crowd, according to news reports.
But, apparently addressing the United States and its allies, he continued, “The Iranian nation is brave enough that if one day we wanted to build nuclear bombs we would announce it publicly without being afraid of you.”

He also states how his western experts were able to reach uranium to 20 percent. I feel that America should do something to enusre that themselves and Canada are safe because he also states, "The Iranian nation is brave enough that if one day we wanted to build nuclear bombs we would announce it publicly without being afraid of you.” If this is the case, we need to take charge and maybe start creating bombs ourselves for safety purposes. Anything to keep our countries safe. These times are dangerous and this speech he gave is a huge deal that we should take into consideration.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/12/world/middleeast/12iran.html?hp

Cargo ship freed in St. Lawrence River

A cargo ship carrying nickel en route to Norway has run aground near Quebec City. The Algoma Discovery veered off course shortly after it left Quebec City's port Monday night. It eventually ran aground at the south end of Île d'Orléans, just east of Quebec City. No one was injured and no cargo was lost, the Canadian Coast Guard said. But the ship will remain stuck at least until the St. Lawrence River returns to high tide sometime Tuesday afternoon. If that doesn't work, the cargo could be unloaded before tugboats attempt to dislodge the ship, the coast guard said. The incident appears to have been caused by a mechanical failure.

I think that more steps should be made to ensure that all the mechanical procedures and every part of the cargo ship is safe and ready. What if this cargo ship got stuck in the Arctic because of mechanical failures. It would be much more dangerous because there are not many people out there to help and it is much colder. So to ensure the safety of the cargo ship workers, the extra steps should be made.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2010/02/09/quebec-ship-runs-aground-near-ile-dorleans.html

Students in shock as tragedy revisits Vaughan school

The deaths of two teenagers in a Monday car accident left students at a Vaughan high school in mourning for the second time in a month. Friends identified the victims as 17-year-old Ryan Sheridan, who was driving, and 15-year-old Niko Di Iorio. A third passenger, identified by friends as 15-year-old Giancarlo Stalteri, remains in hospital with injuries police called serious but not life-threatening. "He's doing okay today," said York Regional Police Const. Mike Buchanan. "We're not talking about talking or walking or getting out of the hospital anytime soon, but he's okay. "Buchanan said the Volkswagen Golf was travelling roughly double the posted 70 kilometre-per-hour speed limit in a hilly area on Keele St. near Lloydtown-Aurora Rd. in King Township. The car slammed into a tree after the driver lost control, creating what Buchanan described as the "most horrific" crash scene he has seen in 15 years.

This is a huge tragedy considering that a couple of weeks ago another student from Vaughan high school died after getting struck by a truck on the way to school. These boys are so younge and for it to be the worst crash scene Buchanan has seen in 15 years, its just horrible. The school, hopefully, is doing something for the parents and families.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/759722--students-in-shock-as-tragedy-revisits-vaughan-school?bn=1

Scores Killed in Attack on Shiite Pilgrims in Iraq

A female suicide bomber attacked a column of Shiite pilgrims on the outskirts of Baghdad on Monday, part of a convulsion of violence that has hit the capital in advance of national elections in March. At least 41 people died and more than 100 were wounded in the attack, which took place in an industrial district on the northern edge of the city, according to initial reports from security officials, who said the toll could rise. The bomber, perhaps because she was a woman, was able to mingle among Iraqis making an annual pilgrimage to Shiite Islam’s holiest shrine before detonating a hidden vest packed with explosives, an Interior Ministry official said.

If this is Shiite Islam's holiest shrine, shouldn't more precautions be made in order to keep this shrine safe. It is wrong to assume that all females are innocent. Because of this 41 people died and much damage was made. Hopefully more precautions will be made and the Islam's will check females just as much as males for weapons or bombs.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/world/middleeast/02iraq.html?ref=world