Chile Mine Rescue: Join the Live Chat
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Tonight on 360°, special coverage of the mine rescue mission in Chile. Crews are getting ready to free the first of 33 trapped miners. We'll give you an up close look at the effort.
Want more details on what covering? Read EVENING BUZZ
Scroll down to join the live chat during the program. It's your chance to share your thoughts on tonight's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules.
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Evening Buzz: Mine Rescue Underway
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/10/12/t1main.2032.capsule.ctv.jpg caption="Crews conduct the last tests on a rescue capsule that will bring 33 trapped miners back to the surface." width=300 height=169]
Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer
Tonight we're bringing you breaking news coverage of the miner rescue mission underway in Chile. 33 miners are waiting to be reunited with family for the first time in 68 days.
We'll give you up close access as crews use a specially-made rescue pod to bring the men out of the darkness, one by one.
Any moment we're expecting rescuers to bring the first miner to the surface. We've learned Florencio Avalos, who acted as a cameraman during the ordeal, and Mario Sepulveda, who appeared as a narrator on many of the videos of the men underground, will be the first rescued.
As each man comes to the surface a siren will sound. Each will undergo about two hours of health checks at a field hospital. Those who are healthy enough will be allowed to briefly meet with family members in a reunion area before being taken by helicopter to hospital in the town of Copiapo.
Throughout our two hours of special coverage, we'll bring your live reports from our team of reporters on the scene. We'll also check in with experts in medicine, engineering and mining.
See you at 10 p.m. ET.
Miner's mother: 'Very anxious,' 'very happy'
CNN Wire Staff
(CNN) - The miner who became the cameraman who recorded the day-to-day activities of the trapped miners in Chile will be the first one rescued, Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said Tuesday.
The world will be watching as Florencio Avalos, 31, is extracted from the San Jose mine after 69 days of captivity, together with 32 others.
Pinera estimated that the rescue operation would begin at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. ET).
"I'm very anxious, I'm very happy," Avalos' mother, Maria Silva, told CNN Chile. She imagined that she will be speechless when she places her arms around her son for the first time in months.
In the hours before the highly anticipated rescue, the sounds of the site were those of a construction site as last-minute preparations were made. Drilling, beeping, rumbling and hammering filled the air at the mine site.
"Today's the end of a long journey," Pinera said after touring the site.
"This story started as a possible tragedy, and we hope that it ends as a blessing," he said.
Beat 360° 10/12/10
Ready for today's Beat 360°? Everyday we post a picture you provide the caption and our staff will join in too. Tune in tonight at 10pm to see if you are our favorite! Here is the 'Beat 360°' pic:
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-CA, casts her vote during early voting for the California midterm election at the Riverside County Registrar's Office on October 12, 2010 in Riverside, California. (Photo credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Have fun with it. We're looking forward to your captions! Make sure to include your name, city, state (or country) so we can post your comment.
Update: Beat 360° Winners:
Staff
Cubie King
“"You see this suit I'm wearing? Dry cleaners."*
(*see Curb Your Enthusiasm season 6, ep 2)
Viewer
Kevin Toronto
"Boxer isn't sure if she is more excited about being on the ballot or the possibility of winning first prize at an early Halloween party dressed as Hillary Clinton."
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Hope, faith sustain miners in Chile after months below
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Eliott C. McLaughlin
CNN
(CNN) - A hero's welcome awaits them when they get to the top, not because they did anything markedly noble - besides defy odds - but because they showed us there is hope even when the worst seems certain.
By this time Wednesday, the historic moment should be long under way. After 69 days beneath the earth, the last of the 33 miners trapped in the San Jose gold and copper mine in Chile should be preparing for their ascent to freedom.
Their survival, many will say, was born of the strength, patience and resilience God instilled in them.
Mexican investigator in Falcon Lake case beheaded, Texas lawmaker says
CNN Wire Staff
(CNN) - The severed head of the lead Mexican investigator in the Falcon Lake case, Rolando Armando Flores Villegas, was delivered Tuesday in a suitcase to the Mexican military, Texas Rep. Aaron Pena told CNN.
But a spokesman for the attorney general of Tamaulipas state in Mexico said he had not heard the report.
"We have nothing official," said Ruben Dario-Rios, the spokesman. "We have not heard any report about one of our investigators being killed. We have over 1,000 investigators working for the state."
The report came a day after authorities in the Tamaulipas state attorney general's office gave conflicting information on whether authorities were pursuing a pair of suspects in the case of a U.S. citizen who disappeared during a sightseeing trip on the U.S.-Mexican border in South Texas.
CNN Hero: 'We have to fight against this crime and protect the children from this.'
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/10/12/art.koirala.cnn.jpg caption="Anuradha Koirala is fighting to prevent the trafficking and sexual exploitation of Nepal’s women and girls."]
Programming Note: CNN Heroes received more than ten thousand nominations from 100 countries. A Blue Ribbon Panel selected the Top 10 CNN Heroes for the year. Voting for the CNN Hero of the Year continues through November 18th (6am ET) at CNNHeroes.com
ANURADHA KOIRALA
Editor's Note: Anuradha Koirala is fighting to prevent the trafficking and sexual exploitation of Nepal’s women and girls. Since 1993, she and her group, Maiti Nepal, have helped rescue and rehabilitate more than 12,000 victims.
The day I found out that I’d been selected as a Top 10 CNN Hero, I was in Delhi, India. I’d had meetings with Indian and Nepalese government officials, police officers and NGOs that are partnering with us regarding rescue and repatriation of Nepali girls; I also went to meet two Nepali girls at government remand home in Delhi.
I was very excited and thankful to get the news. I have a big family - about 2000 children and girls - this was a moment for us to cry, hug and remember how we started, what we have gained and where we are today.
I feel the Blue Ribbon Panel has recognized our work. It means they have given priority to this heinous crime against humanity. We have to fight against this crime and protect the children from this.
I would like to urge all the human beings around the world to please close your eyes and [imagine] these girls are your daughters and you will feel the pain of being trafficked.
VOTE FOR THE CNN HERO OF THE YEAR
WATCH CNN HEROES: AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE
A Global Celebration: Thanksgiving Night at 8p ET
Letters to the President: #631 'Throw the book at ‘em'
Tom Foreman | BIO
AC360° Correspondent
Reporter's Note: The Secret Service had to look into an incident over the weekend in which a man hurled a book at President Obama. Well, as long as they are busy checking him out, perhaps they won’t be too concerned about the nut writing letters every day…
Dear Mr. President,
Once again I have stayed up too late watching Monday Night Football and I’ll pay the price by being a shade tired tomorrow. But like they say, I’ll sleep when I’m dead, eh?
So I saw that video of the guy throwing the book at you during that speech and at first I thought it was something else. I assumed it was a piece of paper blowing past in the background or some kind of video trickery by one of the innumerable folks who seem to love doing such things on the internet, but no, now I hear it actually was a book tossed at you.
As I understand it, this was just some guy who really wanted you to read the book he wrote, and unable to get any closer to you, he figured he’d just heave it in your direction and hope it somehow wound up on your shelf in the Oval Office. Kind of wacky, but you’ve got to give him credit for initiative. On the other hand, I wonder if this was to be expected after that couple slipped into the state dinner and nothing came of it. Well, I should not say “nothing.” They got a TV show, so I guess that’s punishment enough. But you get my point.
Related: 'Exuberant' author aims for President, meets Secret Service
Actually, I think it wouldn’t be such a bad idea if this became a new form of protest. The book throwing I mean. Frankly I’m tired of people parading through the streets with their signs, and chanting, and bullhorns. It’s so 1960s. Half the time I’m not sure what they want anyway.
FULL POST
Congressional candidate defends wearing Nazi outfit for re-enactment
CNN Wire Staff
(CNN) - A Republican candidate running for U.S. Congress says his past donning of a Nazi outfit was part of a historical lesson - and defended his background in military re-enactments.
Rich Iott, a Tea Party favorite running for election in Ohio's 9th Congressional District, explained his position during an interview on CNN's "AC 360" Monday night.
Iott participated in World War II re-enactments for several years in the past decade and created a German alter ego. He has said he started participating in the events as a way to bond with his son. Iott has also participated in Civil War and World War I re-enactments.
"The whole purpose of historical re-enacting is to educate people one-on-one," Iott said. "And that is done by going out and participating in re-enactments."
When asked whether he thought the men being impersonated were "valiant men," Iott said, "I don't think we can sit here and judge that today. We were not there the time they made those decisions. Were there bad people? Absolutely. Were there atrocities committed? Absolutely there were. There are people that want to deny the Holocaust ever happened in this country and around the world."
