Pham,+David

__**1**__ __**0/31/10** Synopsis__  Forty-seven police officers were killed when they tried to intervene between the ethnic clash of two villages in the northern Democratic Republic of Congo. The number of policeman casualties are known, but not the civilian casualties. These casualties occurred early on Thursday in Dongo in Equateur province. These fights did not start recently, but have been going on in recent months.

__Sources__ NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/10/30/world/international-us-congo-democratic-violence.html?_r=3&ref=africa ITN: http://itn.co.uk/e0caac16260cebdc4775768302369d8d.html

__Compare & Contrast__ Both articles are not very long, with minimal detail. No specific people were mentioned, only groups of people. The ITN article has one picture while the NY Times article does not have any. The NY Times article does give more detail about these fights, though. The NYT article mentions that these fights were with mostly with machetes and hunting rifles. The NYT article also mentions that these fights have no relations with the war in the east. It also has a quote from the Congo's Information Minister, and speaks about the U.N.'s largest peace-keeping mission, but most of the forces are based in the east. The NYT lastly mentions that most of these scurries are because of disputes over illegal tax collection and mines.

__Opinion__ I see these happenings as usual events in life. The government in the Congo is not very organized, therefore, creating a lot of confusion, disputes, problems. These fights had nothing to do with the war in the east, so this violence is a local problem. The people of the two villages fought over something they both wanted. Most peoples and villages and place have done that. For example, the huge wars for colonization were all for something the countries wanted, which was land. I find this very normal, but I think it could still be corrected if the government were more competent. They don't even have account of the people in the villages. That is why they did not know the death count of the civilians in the villages. I find the coverage of the NY times very detailed and resourceful, while I think the ITN could do more research and find more information to talk about. The article was too general in my opinion. The ITN had no quotes or any physical evidence, while the NY Times did. Both articles brief a person about the situation very well, though. _ __Synopsis__ Niger has been suspended from the Regional Bloc (of West Africa) by ECOWAS( The Economic Community of West Africa States) in protest of the flawed legislative elections occurring there. ECOWAS said that Niger's President was taking advantage of the parliamentary vote to keep himself in power, therefore leaving ECOWAS not recognizing the election. The voting comes just two months after the referendum allowed the president, Mamadou Tandja, to extend his rule years past the constitutional limit. As a response, Tandja says that he was pushing his position of power because his people demanded it. As of now, Niger is suspended from the bloc, until constitutional legality is reinstated."
 * __11/6/09__**

__Source__ Newszine: http://newszine.jou.ufl.edu/world/1339/niger-suspended-from-regional-bloc-after-controversial-election The NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/world/africa/21briefs-Niger.html?scp=11&sq=africa&st=cse

__Compare & Contrast__ The article from Newszine is more informational than the article from the NY Times. The NY Times has a brief summary of the event, while the Newszine article has more details and explains reasons of why things happened the way they did. The Newszine article recognizes important dates, locations, and people, while the NY Times article doesn't mention many. The Newzine article has scanned the information more, while the NY Times article has a summary of it.

__Opinion__ I think this event is fair. The ECOWAS are doing this because they believe that the leader of Niger has too much power. The leader was voted to receive another term as president, and this violates the constitutional limit. The ECOWAS are just following the law in their community of states. This presidential limit was part of the constitution, therefore it must be followed. If Niger did this, other countries would follow the example and extended their presidential limits. Also, if all these countries did it then there would be utter chaos. _ __Synopsis__ France has captured twelve suspected Somali Pirates, off the coast of Somalia. The French captured their ship that contained ammunition and fuel as well as two 'skiffs' 650 miles east of Hobyo. Their attacks have included Tuna boats and Private Yachts. Europes anti piracy "Operation Atlanta" pointed out a suspicious boat and guided the Floreal to the boats, who then were captured. France does not how to prosecute these pirates, in the past they have just been sent to Seychelles or Kenya because Somalia lacks the mean to prosecute them.
 * __11/13/09__**

__Source__ The Ny Times: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/11/13/world/international-uk-somalia-piracy-france.html?scp=55&sq=africa&st=cse The Usa Daily: http://www.theusdaily.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=904628&type=World

__Compare & Contrast__ Both articles have the same data. Word for word. But the Usa Daily had a picture of what seems to look like the raid, and I thought a visual element helped me focus on the article better. But at the end, both articles data matched.

__Opinion__ It's good that we caught these pirates because they are making a living off of stealing other peoples money. That's horrible. I hope that they will be able to stop these pirates once and for all because stealing is a crime. The could all find a job and make an honest living but they decide to break the law and take essential and crucial money from people in order to survive. Capturing this is an upside and I hope they get prosecuted soon and get executed or something. _ __Synopsis__ Trade between Africa has increased recently, and they have been working together. Since the year 2000, the trade has been enjoying a growth rate of 33.5% a year. It reached over 100 billion US dollars in 2008. Since China has been in Africa, it's been building schools, hospitals, and other things to support Africa. China has invested a lot to Africa, including 875 million dollars of money and over 900 projects. China has also exported a lot of good to Africa to sell. Many say that China only has interacted with Africa to take advantage of the trade, selling electronics, electric devices, and linens. That claim has not been proven, and China says it is there to help Africa, but nothing is sure. Africa and China have been collaborating for several years, and the trade has increased substantially.
 * __11/20/09__**

__Sources__ Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010222128_apaschinaafrica.html Xin Hua Net: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-11/06/content_12400149.htm

__Compare & Contrast__ Both articles talk about the same subject. The Xin Hua Net has more detail and goes further in depth with the information. It also has more statistics and amounts, while the Seattle Times article has only the main statistics. Also, the Xin Hua Net article looks at the situation in a positive perspective, while the Seattle Times article does not. The Xin Hua Net article talks about how both Africa and China are being benefited, while the Seattle Times article talks about how China is taking advantage of Africa. Both have no pictures. Since the Xin Hua Net has more information, the longer is explained to a longer extent.

__Opinion__ I think that that it is good that China is going over to Africa, but they shouldn't be so involved. Africa is it's own land and China should help, but not get too involved. I, myself, think that maybe China is trying to take advantage of Africa because why would China bother to help. China could help out other countries, but it focuses more on Africa, investing so much money. At the moment, it looks like China is trying to gain as much money as they can from Africa _ __Synopsis__ In Tunisia, a journalist who is strongly against the government of Tunisia and has criticized President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali Taoufik Ben Brik, was arrested for assault. He was said to have damaged a woman's car and engaged in physical violence that resulted in injuries. He was sentenced six months in jail.
 * __11/27/09__**

__Sources:__

NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/27/world/africa/27briefs-assault.html?scp=4&sq=africa&st=cse Maktoob: http://business.maktoob.com/20090000390442/Tunisia_arrests_dissident_journalist/Article.htm

__Compare & Contrast:__ Both articles talk about the same information, but just in different words. The Maktoob article has more quotes and proof, while the NY Times article is just a brief summary. Both are brief, but more info is given in the Maktoob article, such as quotes, dates and people.

__Opinion:__ I personally think that maybe the government framed the journalist of this crime because he was disgracing their name. They probably wanted to get rid of him, so the only way they could was if he did something himself, or if it looked like he did something himself. This is unfair because everybody should be able to speak freely of how they feel, unless how they feel hurts someone else's feelings. The journalist only tried to get his ideas out and now he's dead. The government didn't like the stories he was writing because it gave them a bad name. _ __Synopsis__ Alicia Keys' Charity, Keep A Child Alive, will be launching a contest to give five winners an opportunity to visit Africa. On Keys' trip about a decade ago, she felt like it really changed her, and now she wanted to give people an opportunity to experience Africa the way she did. Keys said the winner will visit the places and people that were most influential and affected her the most. The contest was to be announced in a performance at the Nokia Theater in New York's Time Square on Tuesday, December 1st, 2009, which is also World AIDS Day. The concert will also be aired live on Youtube. Fans will be able to enter the contest on the Foundations Web site, or by sending a text that will cost $5 that will go to the charity.
 * __12/4/09__**

__Sources__ NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/12/01/arts/AP-US-People-Alicia-Keys.html?scp=1&sq=africa%20keys&st=cse Google/Press Association: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gYW0gJnLXWJOA5BUPqGJ6IuxoU7Q

__Compare & Contrast__ Both articles talk about the same subject, except the NY Times article has more information, details, and quotes than the Google article. The whole Google article is the beginning of the NY Times article, except it's cut off after a quote and the NY Times article continues on. The Google article gives a very brief notice of the event. The NY Times article gives an explanation of why the event is going on, who is running it, when will it start, how to enter, and etc. The Google article has one quote, while the NY Times article has many. The Google article is basically the intro of the NY Times article.

__Opinion__ I think that Alicia Keys is a big inspiration in helping the public to come out and help the less fortunate people in need. People really do need to go over to Africa and actually experience the horrific things over there. After there experiences, hopefully news will spread and more people will be willing to help Africa and the needy people. Some might think this is all for publicity, but why would anybody go to the extremes to going to Africa and bringing people just for publicity? _ __Synopsis__ Guineans were arrested, captured, and even killed over the shooting of the president Moussa Dadis Camara. The guineans were accomplices of Lieutenant Aboubakar Diakite. A reward of 200 million Guinean francs has been offered for the capture of Diakite. The president is currently in a hospital Morrocan hospital. Human Rights Watch said that Diakite was in control of presidential guard forces that had massacred civilians in a sports stadium in late September. More than 200 people were killed at 150 woman were raped. Diakite is at large and is in hiding for the the attempt murder of the President.
 * __12/11/09__**

__Sources:__ Bloomberg: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601116&sid=aH9UHpHGLXzI Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSGEE5B70N920091208

__Compare & Contrast__ The Bloomberg article talks more lightly about the event. In the Reuters article, it talks about the event as rounding up, torturing, and murdering suspects, while the Bloomberg article talks about only the captures.Both Talk about Lieutenant Diakite and the shooting of President Camara. The Reuters fully focuses on the event and what happens, with many quotes from officers and officials, some of which remained anonymous. The Bloomberg articles talks about the event and moves on to why and what caused the event. At the end of Bloomberg, it mentions about Guinea being one of the big exporters of bauxite, while the Reuters doesn't and only focuses on the event and aspects of people involved.

__Opinion:__ I think that this event makes sense. If you think about it, the article makes it look like the Lieutenant is at fault, but what it does not say is that the president is breaking the law by extending his own term and running again next year. This is a just a response of rebellion for what the law is and i find it not wrong. The president is the one breaking the law, not the lieutenant. The article makes it seem like it's like that, but it's not.

__Synopsis:__ Pham Thanh Nghien, a Vietnamese protest writer, was today sentenced to four years of imprisonment in Vietnam. She was charged for spreading propaganda against the state. She was also sentenced to three years of house arrest in the Northern city of Haiphong. She has also had recent arrests for criticizing Vietnamese policies toward China's over disputed maritime claims. Two banners had been posted at her home and pictures of the protest had been posted on the internet. Her trial was closed from the western media and diplomats. Her mother was also prevented from attending.
 * __1/29/10__**

__Sources:__ Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010922394_apasvietnamdissidenttrial.html BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8486647.stm

__Compare & Contrast__ Both articles talk about the arrest and the reasons of the arrest. Both also talk about the sentencings and the trials. In the parts where the information differs, the Seattle Times article talks about what Pham Thanh Nghien fought for, and her protest against the policy toward China and her arrest in 2008. And in those parts the BBC article talks about the related incidents of protest and arrests of other people in the past few weeks.

__Opinion:__ I think that the government is wrong in arresting Pham Thanh Nghien. The government policies, system of regulation and laws are wrong and should be changed. They do not benefit people and are focused on only the country. Pham Thien Nghien is righteous for fighting for human rights and what is wrong. She is just fighting for the cause of freedom of the people and rights that all people deserve.

__**2/12/10**__ __Synopsis__ Recently on a coffee plantation in Vietnam, an artillery shell from the Vietnam War era exploded, injuring four men. Three of the men were seriously injured, having to be hospitalized. The explosion occurred on Sunday when one of the four men was working with a hoe in the plantation, and hit the shell while weeding.

__Sources__ Google: [] HurriyetDailyNews: []

__Compare & Contrast__ The articles are identical except for the third paragraph that tells about the hospitalizations of the injured men. In the Google article, it briefly says that the three seriously injured men were hospitalized. But in the Hurriyet Daily News article, the third paragraph tells that the three seriously injured men stayed at the provincial general hospital, while the less injured man was treated at a clinic.

__Opinion__ I think that there should be an effort put out on searching for any other artillery shells or bombs in Vietnam because many people have already been injured or killed from the remaining shells or bombs. It's hard to believe that no efforts have been put out for the searching of the explosives, knowing that the war ended in 1975, approximately 35 years ago. I think that no more people should have to worry or be victimized by these dangers, as they are resolvable through easy processes.