Osama Bin Laden Dead

Web's bin Laden 'death photo' (just the photo) is fake
A senior U.S. official says that they are still deciding whether to the release a still photo of dead bin Laden.

"It is really, really graphic," the official said, adding that U.S. officials are trying to decide whether it is just too graphic to put out.



The bloodied image of a man with matted hair and a blank, half-opened eye has been circulating on the internet for the past 2 years. It was used on the front pages of the Mail, Times, Telegraph, Sun and Mirror websites, though swiftly removed after the fake was exposed on Twitter.

It appears the fake picture was initially published by the Middle East online newspaper themedialine.org on 29 April 2009, with a warning from the editor that it was "unable to ascertain whether the photo is genuine or not".

Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden March 10, 1957 – May 2, 2011 was a member of the wealthy Saudi bin Laden family and the founder of the jihadist organization al-Qaeda, responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets.

Osama bin Laden was on the American Federal Bureau of Investigation's lists of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives and Most Wanted Terrorists for his involvement in the 1998 US embassy bombings. Since 2001, Osama bin Laden and his organization had been major targets of the U.S. War on Terror. He was believed to be hiding near the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas with fellow al-Qaeda leaders, however, he was discovered hiding in a million-dollar three-story mansion in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

On May 2, 2011, Osama bin Laden was killed in Abbottabad, Pakistan in an operation conducted by a small group of American military forces and the Central Intelligence Agency.

Osama Bin Laden Dead

Web's bin Laden 'death photo' (just the photo) is fake
A senior U.S. official says that they are still deciding whether to the release a still photo of dead bin Laden.

"It is really, really graphic," the official said, adding that U.S. officials are trying to decide whether it is just too graphic to put out.



The bloodied image of a man with matted hair and a blank, half-opened eye has been circulating on the internet for the past 2 years. It was used on the front pages of the Mail, Times, Telegraph, Sun and Mirror websites, though swiftly removed after the fake was exposed on Twitter.

It appears the fake picture was initially published by the Middle East online newspaper themedialine.org on 29 April 2009, with a warning from the editor that it was "unable to ascertain whether the photo is genuine or not".

Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden March 10, 1957 – May 2, 2011 was a member of the wealthy Saudi bin Laden family and the founder of the jihadist organization al-Qaeda, responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets.

Osama bin Laden was on the American Federal Bureau of Investigation's lists of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives and Most Wanted Terrorists for his involvement in the 1998 US embassy bombings. Since 2001, Osama bin Laden and his organization had been major targets of the U.S. War on Terror. He was believed to be hiding near the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas with fellow al-Qaeda leaders, however, he was discovered hiding in a million-dollar three-story mansion in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

On May 2, 2011, Osama bin Laden was killed in Abbottabad, Pakistan in an operation conducted by a small group of American military forces and the Central Intelligence Agency.

Osama Bin Laden Dead

Web's bin Laden 'death photo' (just the photo) is fake
A senior U.S. official says that they are still deciding whether to the release a still photo of dead bin Laden.

"It is really, really graphic," the official said, adding that U.S. officials are trying to decide whether it is just too graphic to put out.



The bloodied image of a man with matted hair and a blank, half-opened eye has been circulating on the internet for the past 2 years. It was used on the front pages of the Mail, Times, Telegraph, Sun and Mirror websites, though swiftly removed after the fake was exposed on Twitter.

It appears the fake picture was initially published by the Middle East online newspaper themedialine.org on 29 April 2009, with a warning from the editor that it was "unable to ascertain whether the photo is genuine or not".

Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden March 10, 1957 – May 2, 2011 was a member of the wealthy Saudi bin Laden family and the founder of the jihadist organization al-Qaeda, responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets.

Osama bin Laden was on the American Federal Bureau of Investigation's lists of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives and Most Wanted Terrorists for his involvement in the 1998 US embassy bombings. Since 2001, Osama bin Laden and his organization had been major targets of the U.S. War on Terror. He was believed to be hiding near the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas with fellow al-Qaeda leaders, however, he was discovered hiding in a million-dollar three-story mansion in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

On May 2, 2011, Osama bin Laden was killed in Abbottabad, Pakistan in an operation conducted by a small group of American military forces and the Central Intelligence Agency.

Japan

400 killed in the major tsunami after 8.9 Japan quake

A powerful tsunami spawned by the biggest earthquake in Japan's recorded history slammed the eastern coast Friday, sweeping away boats, cars, homes and the people as widespread fires burned out of control. Tsunami warnings blanketed the entire Pacific, as far away as South America, Canada, Alaska and the entire United States. West Coast.

Authorities said at least 400 people were killed. The magnitude 8.9 offshore quake was followed by at least 19 aftershocks, most of them of more than magnitude 6.0. Dozens of cities and villages along a 1,300-mile (2,100-kilometer) stretch of coastline were shaken by violent tremors that reached as far away as Tokyo, hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the epicenter.

A utility company in northeastern Japan reported a fire in a turbine building of nuclear power plant.

"The earthquake has caused major damage in broad areas in northern Japan," Prime Minister Naoto Kan said at a news conference.

Even for a country used to earthquakes, this one was of horrific proportions. It unleashed a 23-foot (7-meter) tsunami that swept boats, cars, buildings and tons of debris miles inland.

Large fishing boats and other sea vessels rode high waves into the cities, slamming against overpasses. Upturned and partially submerged vehicles were seen bobbing in the water.

Waves of muddy waters swept over farmland near the city of Sendai, carrying buildings, some on fire, inland as cars attempted to drive away. Sendai airport, north of Tokyo, was inundated with cars, trucks, buses and thick mud deposited over its runways. Fires spread through a section of the city, public broadcaster NHK reported.

The tsunami roared over embankments, washing anything in its path inland before reversing directions and carrying the cars, homes and other debris out to sea. Flames shot from some of the houses, probably because of burst gas pipes.

"Our initial assessment indicates that there has already been enormous damage," Chief government spokesman Yukio Edano said. "We'll make maximum relief effort based on that assessment."

He said the Defense Ministry was sending troops to the quake-hit region. A utility aircraft and several helicopters were on the way.

A large fire erupted at the Cosmo oil refinery in Ichihara city in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo and was burning out of control with 100-foot (30 meter) -high flames whipping into the sky.

In northeastern Japan's Miyagi prefecture, a fire broke out in a turbine building of a nuclear power plant. Smoke was observed coming out of the building, which is separate from the plant's reactor, and the cause is under investigation, said Tohoku Electric Power Co. the company said.

There have been no reports of radioactive leaks or injuries, the company said. Several nuclear plants elsewhere along the coast were also partially close down, with no reports of leakage.

Also from Miyagi prefecture, NHK showed footage of a large ship being swept away and ramming directly into a breakwater in Kesennuma city.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the 2:46 p.m. quake was a magnitude 8.9, the largest earthquake to hit Japan since officials began keeping records in the late 1800s.

A tsunami warning was extended to a number of Pacific, Southeast Asian and Latin American nations, including Japan, Russia, Indonesia, New Zealand and Chile. In the Philippines, authorities said they expect a 3-foot (1-meter) high tsunami.

The quake struck at a depth of six miles (10 kilometers), about 80 miles (125 kilometers) off the eastern coast, the agency said. The area is 240 miles (380 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo.

In downtown Tokyo, large buildings shook violently and workers poured into the street for safety. TV footage showed a large building on fire and bellowing smoke in the Odaiba district of Tokyo. The tremor bent the upper tip of the iconic Tokyo Tower, a 333-meter (1,093-foot) steel structure inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

In central Tokyo, trains were stopped and passengers walked along the tracks to platforms. NHK said more than 4 million buildings were without power in Tokyo and its suburbs.

Large numbers of people waited at Tokyo's Shinjuku station, the world's busiest train station, for service to resume so they could go home. Television announcer urged workers not to leave their offices to prevent injuries in case of more strong aftershocks.

Osamu Akiya, 46, was working in Tokyo at his office in a trading company when the quake hit.

It sent bookshelves and computers crashing to the floor, and cracks appeared in the walls.

"I've been through many earthquakes, but I've never felt anything like this," he said. "I don't know if we'll be able to get home tonight."

Footage on NHK from their Sendai office showed employees stumbling around and books and papers crashing from desks. It also showed a glass shelter at a bus stop in Tokyo completely smashed by the quake and a weeping woman nearby being comforted by another woman.

Several quakes had hit the same region in recent days, including a 7.3 magnitude one on Wed.

Hiroshi Sato, a disaster management official in northern Iwate prefecture, said officials were having trouble getting an overall picture of the carnage.

"We don't even know the extent of damage. Roads were badly damaged and cut off as tsunami washed away debris, cars and many other things," he said.

Tokyo's main airport was closed. A large section of the ceiling at the 1-year-old airport at Ibaraki, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo, fell to the floor with a powerful crash.

Dozens of fires were reported in northern prefectures of Fukushima, Sendai, Iwate and Ibaraki. Collapsed homes and landslides were also reported in Miyagi.

Japan's worst previous quake was in 1923 in Kanto, an 8.3-magnitude temblor that killed 143,000 people, according to USGS. A 7.2-magnitude quake in Kobe city in 1996 killed 6,400 people.

Japan lies on the "Ring of Fire" — an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones stretching around the Pacific where about 90 percent of the world's quakes occur, including the one that triggered the Dec. 26, 2004, Indian Ocean tsunami that killed an estimated 230,000 people in 12 nations. A magnitude-8.8 temblor that shook central Chile last Feb also generated a tsunami and killed 524 people.

Japan

400 killed in the major tsunami after 8.9 Japan quake

A powerful tsunami spawned by the biggest earthquake in Japan's recorded history slammed the eastern coast Friday, sweeping away boats, cars, homes and the people as widespread fires burned out of control. Tsunami warnings blanketed the entire Pacific, as far away as South America, Canada, Alaska and the entire United States. West Coast.

Authorities said at least 400 people were killed. The magnitude 8.9 offshore quake was followed by at least 19 aftershocks, most of them of more than magnitude 6.0. Dozens of cities and villages along a 1,300-mile (2,100-kilometer) stretch of coastline were shaken by violent tremors that reached as far away as Tokyo, hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the epicenter.

A utility company in northeastern Japan reported a fire in a turbine building of nuclear power plant.

"The earthquake has caused major damage in broad areas in northern Japan," Prime Minister Naoto Kan said at a news conference.

Even for a country used to earthquakes, this one was of horrific proportions. It unleashed a 23-foot (7-meter) tsunami that swept boats, cars, buildings and tons of debris miles inland.

Large fishing boats and other sea vessels rode high waves into the cities, slamming against overpasses. Upturned and partially submerged vehicles were seen bobbing in the water.

Waves of muddy waters swept over farmland near the city of Sendai, carrying buildings, some on fire, inland as cars attempted to drive away. Sendai airport, north of Tokyo, was inundated with cars, trucks, buses and thick mud deposited over its runways. Fires spread through a section of the city, public broadcaster NHK reported.

The tsunami roared over embankments, washing anything in its path inland before reversing directions and carrying the cars, homes and other debris out to sea. Flames shot from some of the houses, probably because of burst gas pipes.

"Our initial assessment indicates that there has already been enormous damage," Chief government spokesman Yukio Edano said. "We'll make maximum relief effort based on that assessment."

He said the Defense Ministry was sending troops to the quake-hit region. A utility aircraft and several helicopters were on the way.

A large fire erupted at the Cosmo oil refinery in Ichihara city in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo and was burning out of control with 100-foot (30 meter) -high flames whipping into the sky.

In northeastern Japan's Miyagi prefecture, a fire broke out in a turbine building of a nuclear power plant. Smoke was observed coming out of the building, which is separate from the plant's reactor, and the cause is under investigation, said Tohoku Electric Power Co. the company said.

There have been no reports of radioactive leaks or injuries, the company said. Several nuclear plants elsewhere along the coast were also partially close down, with no reports of leakage.

Also from Miyagi prefecture, NHK showed footage of a large ship being swept away and ramming directly into a breakwater in Kesennuma city.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the 2:46 p.m. quake was a magnitude 8.9, the largest earthquake to hit Japan since officials began keeping records in the late 1800s.

A tsunami warning was extended to a number of Pacific, Southeast Asian and Latin American nations, including Japan, Russia, Indonesia, New Zealand and Chile. In the Philippines, authorities said they expect a 3-foot (1-meter) high tsunami.

The quake struck at a depth of six miles (10 kilometers), about 80 miles (125 kilometers) off the eastern coast, the agency said. The area is 240 miles (380 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo.

In downtown Tokyo, large buildings shook violently and workers poured into the street for safety. TV footage showed a large building on fire and bellowing smoke in the Odaiba district of Tokyo. The tremor bent the upper tip of the iconic Tokyo Tower, a 333-meter (1,093-foot) steel structure inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

In central Tokyo, trains were stopped and passengers walked along the tracks to platforms. NHK said more than 4 million buildings were without power in Tokyo and its suburbs.

Large numbers of people waited at Tokyo's Shinjuku station, the world's busiest train station, for service to resume so they could go home. Television announcer urged workers not to leave their offices to prevent injuries in case of more strong aftershocks.

Osamu Akiya, 46, was working in Tokyo at his office in a trading company when the quake hit.

It sent bookshelves and computers crashing to the floor, and cracks appeared in the walls.

"I've been through many earthquakes, but I've never felt anything like this," he said. "I don't know if we'll be able to get home tonight."

Footage on NHK from their Sendai office showed employees stumbling around and books and papers crashing from desks. It also showed a glass shelter at a bus stop in Tokyo completely smashed by the quake and a weeping woman nearby being comforted by another woman.

Several quakes had hit the same region in recent days, including a 7.3 magnitude one on Wed.

Hiroshi Sato, a disaster management official in northern Iwate prefecture, said officials were having trouble getting an overall picture of the carnage.

"We don't even know the extent of damage. Roads were badly damaged and cut off as tsunami washed away debris, cars and many other things," he said.

Tokyo's main airport was closed. A large section of the ceiling at the 1-year-old airport at Ibaraki, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo, fell to the floor with a powerful crash.

Dozens of fires were reported in northern prefectures of Fukushima, Sendai, Iwate and Ibaraki. Collapsed homes and landslides were also reported in Miyagi.

Japan's worst previous quake was in 1923 in Kanto, an 8.3-magnitude temblor that killed 143,000 people, according to USGS. A 7.2-magnitude quake in Kobe city in 1996 killed 6,400 people.

Japan lies on the "Ring of Fire" — an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones stretching around the Pacific where about 90 percent of the world's quakes occur, including the one that triggered the Dec. 26, 2004, Indian Ocean tsunami that killed an estimated 230,000 people in 12 nations. A magnitude-8.8 temblor that shook central Chile last Feb also generated a tsunami and killed 524 people.

Japan

400 killed in the major tsunami after 8.9 Japan quake

A powerful tsunami spawned by the biggest earthquake in Japan's recorded history slammed the eastern coast Friday, sweeping away boats, cars, homes and the people as widespread fires burned out of control. Tsunami warnings blanketed the entire Pacific, as far away as South America, Canada, Alaska and the entire United States. West Coast.

Authorities said at least 400 people were killed. The magnitude 8.9 offshore quake was followed by at least 19 aftershocks, most of them of more than magnitude 6.0. Dozens of cities and villages along a 1,300-mile (2,100-kilometer) stretch of coastline were shaken by violent tremors that reached as far away as Tokyo, hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the epicenter.

A utility company in northeastern Japan reported a fire in a turbine building of nuclear power plant.

"The earthquake has caused major damage in broad areas in northern Japan," Prime Minister Naoto Kan said at a news conference.

Even for a country used to earthquakes, this one was of horrific proportions. It unleashed a 23-foot (7-meter) tsunami that swept boats, cars, buildings and tons of debris miles inland.

Large fishing boats and other sea vessels rode high waves into the cities, slamming against overpasses. Upturned and partially submerged vehicles were seen bobbing in the water.

Waves of muddy waters swept over farmland near the city of Sendai, carrying buildings, some on fire, inland as cars attempted to drive away. Sendai airport, north of Tokyo, was inundated with cars, trucks, buses and thick mud deposited over its runways. Fires spread through a section of the city, public broadcaster NHK reported.

The tsunami roared over embankments, washing anything in its path inland before reversing directions and carrying the cars, homes and other debris out to sea. Flames shot from some of the houses, probably because of burst gas pipes.

"Our initial assessment indicates that there has already been enormous damage," Chief government spokesman Yukio Edano said. "We'll make maximum relief effort based on that assessment."

He said the Defense Ministry was sending troops to the quake-hit region. A utility aircraft and several helicopters were on the way.

A large fire erupted at the Cosmo oil refinery in Ichihara city in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo and was burning out of control with 100-foot (30 meter) -high flames whipping into the sky.

In northeastern Japan's Miyagi prefecture, a fire broke out in a turbine building of a nuclear power plant. Smoke was observed coming out of the building, which is separate from the plant's reactor, and the cause is under investigation, said Tohoku Electric Power Co. the company said.

There have been no reports of radioactive leaks or injuries, the company said. Several nuclear plants elsewhere along the coast were also partially close down, with no reports of leakage.

Also from Miyagi prefecture, NHK showed footage of a large ship being swept away and ramming directly into a breakwater in Kesennuma city.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the 2:46 p.m. quake was a magnitude 8.9, the largest earthquake to hit Japan since officials began keeping records in the late 1800s.

A tsunami warning was extended to a number of Pacific, Southeast Asian and Latin American nations, including Japan, Russia, Indonesia, New Zealand and Chile. In the Philippines, authorities said they expect a 3-foot (1-meter) high tsunami.

The quake struck at a depth of six miles (10 kilometers), about 80 miles (125 kilometers) off the eastern coast, the agency said. The area is 240 miles (380 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo.

In downtown Tokyo, large buildings shook violently and workers poured into the street for safety. TV footage showed a large building on fire and bellowing smoke in the Odaiba district of Tokyo. The tremor bent the upper tip of the iconic Tokyo Tower, a 333-meter (1,093-foot) steel structure inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

In central Tokyo, trains were stopped and passengers walked along the tracks to platforms. NHK said more than 4 million buildings were without power in Tokyo and its suburbs.

Large numbers of people waited at Tokyo's Shinjuku station, the world's busiest train station, for service to resume so they could go home. Television announcer urged workers not to leave their offices to prevent injuries in case of more strong aftershocks.

Osamu Akiya, 46, was working in Tokyo at his office in a trading company when the quake hit.

It sent bookshelves and computers crashing to the floor, and cracks appeared in the walls.

"I've been through many earthquakes, but I've never felt anything like this," he said. "I don't know if we'll be able to get home tonight."

Footage on NHK from their Sendai office showed employees stumbling around and books and papers crashing from desks. It also showed a glass shelter at a bus stop in Tokyo completely smashed by the quake and a weeping woman nearby being comforted by another woman.

Several quakes had hit the same region in recent days, including a 7.3 magnitude one on Wed.

Hiroshi Sato, a disaster management official in northern Iwate prefecture, said officials were having trouble getting an overall picture of the carnage.

"We don't even know the extent of damage. Roads were badly damaged and cut off as tsunami washed away debris, cars and many other things," he said.

Tokyo's main airport was closed. A large section of the ceiling at the 1-year-old airport at Ibaraki, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo, fell to the floor with a powerful crash.

Dozens of fires were reported in northern prefectures of Fukushima, Sendai, Iwate and Ibaraki. Collapsed homes and landslides were also reported in Miyagi.

Japan's worst previous quake was in 1923 in Kanto, an 8.3-magnitude temblor that killed 143,000 people, according to USGS. A 7.2-magnitude quake in Kobe city in 1996 killed 6,400 people.

Japan lies on the "Ring of Fire" — an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones stretching around the Pacific where about 90 percent of the world's quakes occur, including the one that triggered the Dec. 26, 2004, Indian Ocean tsunami that killed an estimated 230,000 people in 12 nations. A magnitude-8.8 temblor that shook central Chile last Feb also generated a tsunami and killed 524 people.

Cnn News

Rescue only the first step in Chilean miners’ recovery process

The process of extracting thirty-three miners from a Chilean mine, where they've been trapped for more than two months, is going better than expected, the nation's health minister told reporters Wednesday. "Things are going extraordinarily well so far," said Jaime Manalich. However, the miners' rescue is only the first step in a longer recovery process, workers with NASA have said. Health concerns linger regarding their lack of sunlight, nutrition, effects of their confinement, lack of sleep and sanitation. Mental health is also a concern. They must be re-introduced to their families and society and deal with their sudden celebrity status. Dr. Michael Duncan, the deputy chief medical officer at Johnson Space Center, told CNN, "The work is just beginning when the miners get out of the mine." The 1st group of miners brought up were the younger men, who could best relay information back to the surface and in case of emergency would have been able to activate levers to liberate the rescue capsule, Manalich said. Those miners with health conditions were being brought up afterward, he said. The rescue capsule has behaved well, Manalich said, and wasn't rotating as much as officials had feared, reducing the likelihood that the men would become dizzy while being brought up to the surface. The speed with which the rescue capsule ascends is getting shorter, he said. It required some scheduled maintenance, which delayed the rescues for a while, but all was proceeding according to plan, he said. The miners' health situation is "pretty good," the minister said. "We have had very, very minor problems." The 1st 2 miners rescued were taken to Copiapo Hospital, he said, where they were evaluated by specialists including ophthalmologists and dermatologists and given chest X-rays. "Their recuperation process is going quite well and according to the schedule." Other rescued miners were at different stages in that process, he said, with some spending time in a meeting room with relatives before being flown to the hospital. Manalich said the miners could have opted out of going to the hospital, but it was strongly recommended to them that they do and they were all in agreement. Extensive precautions were taken to minimize the miners' health risks before they were rescued. Chilean Army nurses were in the mine, evaluating the miners and helping them prepare for their trip to the surface, Manalich said. "They have an anemic condition, and right now they have been sleeping less these last few days. They're tired and they still have long hours of waiting in order to be able to come up to the surface and to meet with their families." The miners were switched to a liquid diet 6 hours before their rescue in case they vomit on the way up. Because Chilean Mining Minister Laurence Golborne was concerned about the miners being re-introduced to sunlight abruptly, special sunglasses were sent down for the men to wear to make sure they do not suffer damage to their retinas. While underground, they were given special clothing that pulls sweat away from the body because of concern about skin infections, as well as special socks to help prevent infections like athlete's foot. They also had a series of vaccinations including a tetanus booster and flu shot. They have been exercising daily, and one miner -- Yonni Barrios -- is a paramedic and has been weighing his colleagues daily and taking blood tests and daily urine analyses. American astronaut Jerry Linenger knows something about isolation and confinement. He says his five months in space aboard the Russian space station Mir left him weak and with bone loss. "Down in the mines you've gravity pulling you down. There will be disorientation -- turning your head will feel like doing 100 backflips in a row," he said. The reunions with those brought to the surface with their families have been "very emotional," Manalich said after eight miners had been rescued, and "they're very happy, very grateful for all they have been able to experience together during this rescue process." The miners are showing slight increases in blood pressure and cardiac activity during the trip, but have recovered satisfactorily after a few minutes of rest and haven't required medication, he said. "I think things are going better than we thought." However, psychological adjustments will be a hurdle for the miners. "These men spent 20 days totally cut off in the dark until the first bore hole was made," Linenger said. "So they were in survival mode, which is tough psychologically because you're in a life and death situation." Once out, the miners will be examined on site and hospitalized for a mandatory 2 days. During that time they will be monitored and receive physical and mental health care. Doctors will keep an eye out for things like nightmares, panic attacks, anxiety and claustrophobia, among other potential issues.

Cnn News

Rescue only the first step in Chilean miners’ recovery process

The process of extracting thirty-three miners from a Chilean mine, where they've been trapped for more than two months, is going better than expected, the nation's health minister told reporters Wednesday. "Things are going extraordinarily well so far," said Jaime Manalich. However, the miners' rescue is only the first step in a longer recovery process, workers with NASA have said. Health concerns linger regarding their lack of sunlight, nutrition, effects of their confinement, lack of sleep and sanitation. Mental health is also a concern. They must be re-introduced to their families and society and deal with their sudden celebrity status. Dr. Michael Duncan, the deputy chief medical officer at Johnson Space Center, told CNN, "The work is just beginning when the miners get out of the mine." The 1st group of miners brought up were the younger men, who could best relay information back to the surface and in case of emergency would have been able to activate levers to liberate the rescue capsule, Manalich said. Those miners with health conditions were being brought up afterward, he said. The rescue capsule has behaved well, Manalich said, and wasn't rotating as much as officials had feared, reducing the likelihood that the men would become dizzy while being brought up to the surface. The speed with which the rescue capsule ascends is getting shorter, he said. It required some scheduled maintenance, which delayed the rescues for a while, but all was proceeding according to plan, he said. The miners' health situation is "pretty good," the minister said. "We have had very, very minor problems." The 1st 2 miners rescued were taken to Copiapo Hospital, he said, where they were evaluated by specialists including ophthalmologists and dermatologists and given chest X-rays. "Their recuperation process is going quite well and according to the schedule." Other rescued miners were at different stages in that process, he said, with some spending time in a meeting room with relatives before being flown to the hospital. Manalich said the miners could have opted out of going to the hospital, but it was strongly recommended to them that they do and they were all in agreement. Extensive precautions were taken to minimize the miners' health risks before they were rescued. Chilean Army nurses were in the mine, evaluating the miners and helping them prepare for their trip to the surface, Manalich said. "They have an anemic condition, and right now they have been sleeping less these last few days. They're tired and they still have long hours of waiting in order to be able to come up to the surface and to meet with their families." The miners were switched to a liquid diet 6 hours before their rescue in case they vomit on the way up. Because Chilean Mining Minister Laurence Golborne was concerned about the miners being re-introduced to sunlight abruptly, special sunglasses were sent down for the men to wear to make sure they do not suffer damage to their retinas. While underground, they were given special clothing that pulls sweat away from the body because of concern about skin infections, as well as special socks to help prevent infections like athlete's foot. They also had a series of vaccinations including a tetanus booster and flu shot. They have been exercising daily, and one miner -- Yonni Barrios -- is a paramedic and has been weighing his colleagues daily and taking blood tests and daily urine analyses. American astronaut Jerry Linenger knows something about isolation and confinement. He says his five months in space aboard the Russian space station Mir left him weak and with bone loss. "Down in the mines you've gravity pulling you down. There will be disorientation -- turning your head will feel like doing 100 backflips in a row," he said. The reunions with those brought to the surface with their families have been "very emotional," Manalich said after eight miners had been rescued, and "they're very happy, very grateful for all they have been able to experience together during this rescue process." The miners are showing slight increases in blood pressure and cardiac activity during the trip, but have recovered satisfactorily after a few minutes of rest and haven't required medication, he said. "I think things are going better than we thought." However, psychological adjustments will be a hurdle for the miners. "These men spent 20 days totally cut off in the dark until the first bore hole was made," Linenger said. "So they were in survival mode, which is tough psychologically because you're in a life and death situation." Once out, the miners will be examined on site and hospitalized for a mandatory 2 days. During that time they will be monitored and receive physical and mental health care. Doctors will keep an eye out for things like nightmares, panic attacks, anxiety and claustrophobia, among other potential issues.

Cnn News

Rescue only the first step in Chilean miners’ recovery process

The process of extracting thirty-three miners from a Chilean mine, where they've been trapped for more than two months, is going better than expected, the nation's health minister told reporters Wednesday. "Things are going extraordinarily well so far," said Jaime Manalich. However, the miners' rescue is only the first step in a longer recovery process, workers with NASA have said. Health concerns linger regarding their lack of sunlight, nutrition, effects of their confinement, lack of sleep and sanitation. Mental health is also a concern. They must be re-introduced to their families and society and deal with their sudden celebrity status. Dr. Michael Duncan, the deputy chief medical officer at Johnson Space Center, told CNN, "The work is just beginning when the miners get out of the mine." The 1st group of miners brought up were the younger men, who could best relay information back to the surface and in case of emergency would have been able to activate levers to liberate the rescue capsule, Manalich said. Those miners with health conditions were being brought up afterward, he said. The rescue capsule has behaved well, Manalich said, and wasn't rotating as much as officials had feared, reducing the likelihood that the men would become dizzy while being brought up to the surface. The speed with which the rescue capsule ascends is getting shorter, he said. It required some scheduled maintenance, which delayed the rescues for a while, but all was proceeding according to plan, he said. The miners' health situation is "pretty good," the minister said. "We have had very, very minor problems." The 1st 2 miners rescued were taken to Copiapo Hospital, he said, where they were evaluated by specialists including ophthalmologists and dermatologists and given chest X-rays. "Their recuperation process is going quite well and according to the schedule." Other rescued miners were at different stages in that process, he said, with some spending time in a meeting room with relatives before being flown to the hospital. Manalich said the miners could have opted out of going to the hospital, but it was strongly recommended to them that they do and they were all in agreement. Extensive precautions were taken to minimize the miners' health risks before they were rescued. Chilean Army nurses were in the mine, evaluating the miners and helping them prepare for their trip to the surface, Manalich said. "They have an anemic condition, and right now they have been sleeping less these last few days. They're tired and they still have long hours of waiting in order to be able to come up to the surface and to meet with their families." The miners were switched to a liquid diet 6 hours before their rescue in case they vomit on the way up. Because Chilean Mining Minister Laurence Golborne was concerned about the miners being re-introduced to sunlight abruptly, special sunglasses were sent down for the men to wear to make sure they do not suffer damage to their retinas. While underground, they were given special clothing that pulls sweat away from the body because of concern about skin infections, as well as special socks to help prevent infections like athlete's foot. They also had a series of vaccinations including a tetanus booster and flu shot. They have been exercising daily, and one miner -- Yonni Barrios -- is a paramedic and has been weighing his colleagues daily and taking blood tests and daily urine analyses. American astronaut Jerry Linenger knows something about isolation and confinement. He says his five months in space aboard the Russian space station Mir left him weak and with bone loss. "Down in the mines you've gravity pulling you down. There will be disorientation -- turning your head will feel like doing 100 backflips in a row," he said. The reunions with those brought to the surface with their families have been "very emotional," Manalich said after eight miners had been rescued, and "they're very happy, very grateful for all they have been able to experience together during this rescue process." The miners are showing slight increases in blood pressure and cardiac activity during the trip, but have recovered satisfactorily after a few minutes of rest and haven't required medication, he said. "I think things are going better than we thought." However, psychological adjustments will be a hurdle for the miners. "These men spent 20 days totally cut off in the dark until the first bore hole was made," Linenger said. "So they were in survival mode, which is tough psychologically because you're in a life and death situation." Once out, the miners will be examined on site and hospitalized for a mandatory 2 days. During that time they will be monitored and receive physical and mental health care. Doctors will keep an eye out for things like nightmares, panic attacks, anxiety and claustrophobia, among other potential issues.