National News Roundup for Sept. 5 – Sept. 19

This is not original reporting. All information has been compiled from the Washington Post and the New York Times. Silver Chips Online posts this news summary to provide readers with a forum for discussion.

Gainesville, Fla.

Sept.11 – In an appearance on NBC's "Today" show, Pastor Terry Jones canceled burning copies of the Quran on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Jones cited protest against plans to build an Islamic center near where terrorists brought down the World Trade Center nine years ago as the reason for his plans. He stated no meeting is planned with the imam leading the center but he hopes one will take place soon. The controversy began on July 12, when Jones tweeted: "9/11/2010 International Burn a Koran Day" and started an associated "International Burn a Koran Day" Facebook group. Since then, President Obama and General David Petraeus have condemned his plans and international protests have erupted in Indonesia and Afghanistan. New Orleans, La.

Sept.17 – Crews began pumping cement into BP's cracked oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, in a final stage procedure that should seal the well completely within a few days. The company said the pumping began through a relief well that had intercepted the stricken well the day before Earlier, BP cited the space between the well's metal casing and the surrounding rock nearly 13,000 feet below the seabed as the interception site. After this step is complete, standard plugging and abandonment procedures for the relief well will follow through as planned.

San Bruno, Calif.

Sept. 10 – A 30-inch natural gas pipe three feet under ground busted, causing an explosion and fire. The blaze killed at least four people and burned down dozens of homes so quickly that residents barely had time to gather their belongings and run. For weeks, residents of this suburban area in the hills near San Francisco International Airport reported natural gas scents. Firefighters spend the next day searching for missing bodies and putting out the fire.

Chicago, Ill.

Sept.14 – Lawyers for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich asked that US District Judge James Zagel have Blagojevich's conviction for lying to the FBI thrown out – the only guilty verdict last month out of the 24 counts he faced. The conviction carries a maximum sentence of five years. In a motion filed, attorneys state that Blagojevich's Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights were violated and a fair trial was not administered. Zagel allegedly made inappropriate comments about lawyers in front of the jury and cut off their cross examinations of some witnesses. Meanwhile, Blagojevich's lawyers asked for permission to review the transcripts that he could not purchase.