Davis,+Justine

[ latest wikis at the **__bottom__** of the page. thnx! ;)] Synopsis- Southern Sudanease peoples are threatening to secede from the country of Sudan because unity is " Unattractive." General Salva Kiir Mayardit, First Vice President of the Republic of Sudan, says that the chances for Sudan to remain united are very slim but there is still a chance. A 2005 peace argeement ended the 21-year civil war in Sudan between Arabs and Muslims of northern Sudan and the Christian-animist people of the south. the war left 2 million dead and 4 million displaced. the south has tried many times to maintain better relationships with their opposites, but each time, it brings up memories of hardships and pain, so the borders are constantly on the brink of war.

Sources- Sudan Tribune, [] The Associated Press, Nasrawi, Salah,[]

Comapre and Contrast- one thing i noticed about these two articles is that they both used th sam epassage in their articles. the passage was not a quote, but more of a statement. another similarity was that both articles mentioned the unity of the country being an "unattractive option." however, the Sudan Tribune article talked more about the vice president and what he had to say about the government, the decison and peoples/ parties invovled in this matter. the Associated Press article talked more about why the south is deciding to secede and more about the civil war and the peace agreement that could be broken.

My Say on the Matter- i believe that the south and north of Sudan should give it one more shot. they should at least try to unite somewhat and try to be a country- put the past behind them and forget about grudges. this will probably be difficult, because both sides did some terrible things to one another. if that doesn't work, the south has the option to succede. but they have to remember that they are completely on their own if they do follow through with the decision. if they are serious about succeding and understand the consequences, they should have the option to do so, but put the past behind them and see Sudan as a friendly neighbor country and not as place of grief and pain. Wiki # 2- Synopsis

In 2005, a giant rift cracked open the Ethiopian desert. At the time, researchers believed that the rift could lead to a new ocean, but the notion was skeptical. Now, I 2009, scientists have confirmed that indeed the rift is exactly like those at the bottom of the ocean and is slowly ripping the continent in two.

Sources

"African Desert Rift Confirmed as New Ocean in the Making." //University of Rochester News// (2009): 1. Web. 5 Nov 2009. .

"Giant Crack in Africa Will Create a New Ocean." //LiveScience// (2009): 1. Web. 5 Nov 2009. .

Compare and Contrast

In both articles, Ebinger is quoted on describing how this rift is unusual. "We know that seafloor ridges are created by a similar intrusion of magma into a rift, but we never knew that a huge length of the ridge could break open at once like this.” She stated. Both articles also stated that in 2005, an erution of a volcano at the north end of the rift tore it open a startling 35 miles, “unzipping” the rift, in Ebinger’s words. However, in the university article, it talked more about what will happen to the communities close to the rift. In contrary, the LiveScience article disscussed what researchers plan to do about the rift and about the oppertunities it presents to studis on what goes on under the sea.

My Say on the Matter

I tink the rift will be a huge assistence in the stuy of the sea floor,but I worry about the communites around the rift. The articles both stated that, unlike most rifts which drift apart in small chunks, this rift is literally tearing the continent in half. Over all, I think his is a very interesting subject and might possibly keep an eye on the matter.

Wiki #3-

Synopsis- In the Congo, the rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has been massacring the jungles of northern Congo. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced and many more thousands have been affected by the rebellions. However, the DRC government is preparing to send in troops to move out the rebels.

Sources- Bryson, Donna. "Group: Civilians under attack in northern Congo." //Associated Press// (2009): 1. Web. 12 Nov 2009. .

"DR Congo troops prepare to move in on Ugandan rebels." //Congo Planet// (2009): 1. Web. 12 Nov 2009. .

Compare and Contrast- In both articles, there is a lot of talk about what is going on with the rebels in the DRC. However, the Associated Press article focused more on what the rebels are doing to the people and the accounts of the people affected by the LRA. The Congo Planet article focused mainly on what the government is doing to move the rebels out of the Congo. The Associated Press article used quotes directly from the civilians who were harmed by the LRA, while the Congo Planet had its quotes from government officials.

My Say on the Matter- I think that it is wonderful that the DRC government is going to send out troops, but the LRA is based in the jungle. It will be difficult to get heavy machinery into the forest. They will have to go on foot and carry all their equipment. And many of the villages being terrorized are in the remote countryside. Most of the soldiers will probably be flown in, so if they were counting on the element of surprise, forget about it. //Everyone// knows when a helicopter is going to land.

Wiki # 4

Synopsis In Africa, the number of cell phone subscribers is on the rise. The number has increased by three-fold and may have some benefits to family planning. The cell phone interprise, Mobile4Good, is a toll free service, in which subscribers can receive reminders and updates, ranging from reminders to take medication to updates on clinic hours. However, there are some worries about service in Africa. Cell phone companies are planning on creating submarine lines for service in some areas.

Sources Anyangua, Susan. "AFRICA: Growing Use of Cellphones for Family Planning." //IPS news Net// (2009): 1. Web. 19 Nov 2009. .

Compare and Contrast For similarities, both articles discussed the growing number of cell phone users in Africa and how this budding growth could help develop Africa. However, the AllAfrica article more discussed how cell phones companies will get service to rural areas and what the rising numbers in cell phones use mean to urban development. The IPS article talked more about what the service Mobile4Good can do for the people of Africa and about the benefits of increased cell phone subscribers.
 * Shiner, Cindy. "Africa: Cell Phones Transform Continent's Development." //AllAfrica.net// (2009): 2. Web. 19 Nov 2009. . ||

My Say on the Matter When I first heard that cell phone use in Africa was on the rise, I was a little shocked. I wondered who, where, and what people were using cell phones for in Africa. After I thought about it, I realized most cell phone usage will be in the major cities. Once I read about the health alerts and reminders Mobile4Good was providing, I was very pleased and hoped that this might help solve the AIDS epidemic there.

Wiki #5

Synopsis Two warlords, Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, wet to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for trial. They have been accused of attacking a village in Congo, ordering child and older soldiers to kill, rape, and burn down houses. The village was completely destroyed and all living things, even goats and chickens, were killed. However, the warlords pleaded innocent.

Source Corder, Mike. "2 warlords plead innocent in Congo massacre trial." //Seattle Times// (2009): 1. Web. 24 Nov 2009. .

Gray-Block, Aaron. "Congo warlords in the dock at Hague court." //The Washington Post// (2009): 1. Web. 24 Nov 2009. .

Compare and Contrast In both articles, the authors talked about how the two warlords have been arrested for ordering subordinates to attack civilians and rape and destroy houses. However, the Seattle Times article talked more bout what the soldiers, child and older, did in the villages and why the warlords attacked the village. The Washington Post article was more about the warlords themselves and about the trial. Also, the Washington Post article was much shorter and included a quote from Param-Preet Singh, counsel with HRW's international justice program. The Seattle Times article had quotes from Luis Moreno Ocampo, lawyer at the trial for the victims and the child soldiers forced to do the killing, raping and burning.

My Say on the Matter I think that it will be extremely easy for the lawyers to convict the warlords. You can’t hide the total annihilation of a village and say, “I didn’t do it.” The lawyers defending the warlords are going to be hard pressed to find any scraps of evidence that does not point to them.

Wiki # 6

Synopsis In South Africa, president Jacob Zuma as announced that his government has optimistic plans to treat all HIV positive babies. Upon hearing these plans, the United States stated that they are giving South Africa $120 million over the next two years to help with AIDS medication. The Zuma government previously stated that showering could help prevent HIV and was ridiculed for it. These plans are a big change from the previous president, Thabo Mbeki, who didn’t approve of medications and said that garlic and beef remedies are better.

Sources Bryson, Donna. "South Africa to treat all HIV-positive babies." //Seattle Times// (2009): 1. Web. 3 Dec 2009. .

South Africa vows to treat all babies with HIV." //BBC News// (2009): 1. Web. 3 Dec 2009. .

Compare And Contrast These two articles were very similar. They both included quotes from president Zuma and had info what the U.S. is planning to do to help out. However, the Seattle Times article had more on Zuma and what his connections to HIV were. It also had more on the plans to treat HIV positive babies. The BBC news article had more quotes from president Zuma and had information on the plans of past governments to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS.

My Say on the Matter I think that it’s really wonderful that the government is going to try this idea. It will probably be hard to get to some of the rural villages and get //every// baby vaccinated and treated but since the government is so enthusiastic about these plans, I completely support them all the way, including the U.S.’s decision to give them $120 million for the medication.

Wiki # 7

Synopsis In southern Sudan, protesters set the office of Pres. Omar al-Bashir political party on fire after three southern politicians were arrested at a protest for changes in the country’s electoral laws. The government of Sudan has divided power between the SPLM (Sudan People’s Liberation Movement) and the NCP (Nat. Congress Party). However, the two opposing parties have been drifting apart, escalating in arguments and protest.

Sources "South Sudan leaders released." //Aljazeera.net// (2009): 2. Web. 10 Dec 2009.

"Sudan arrests spark south unrest." //BBC News// (2009): 2. Web. 10 Dec 2009.

Compare and Contrast The BBC article was well written but had little on why the three politicians were arrested. The introductory paragraph had a statement that the politicians were arrested and that the office was caught on fire, but the rest of the article had information on the election, which I found confusing. I wasn’t expecting to read about the election and I was looking for more evidence on the arrests. The Aljazeera article had why the politicians were arrested in the second paragraph. This article had much more on the president and the politicians.

My Say on the Matter In my opinion, the reason the politicians were arrested was unclear from both the article. The Aljazeera article went over it and gave me an idea but wasn’t a complete reason. Therefore, I am hoping I can gain more info on the arrests.

Wiki # 8

Synopsis Google is possibly pulling out their office in China after reports of hackers getting the g-mail accounts of several human rights activists in China. However, China has said little in response to this threat. Google’s main opponent there is Baidu, an Asian search engine. China seemed unfazed by the accusations. Some people, in respect to the company, placed flowers outside of the headquarters. Some student even said that the movement was “heroic,” in a sense.

Sources BBC News Al Jazeera

Compare and contrast Both articles stated that China had been accused of hacking into g-mails accounts. They both also stated that the Chinese government seemed very cool about the threat. Both articles also mentioned Google’s motto, “don’t be evil,” and that Google stated that China violated this motto. However, there are some differences. The BBC article focused more on the completion that Google had and how Google’s withdrawal will affect the company’s revenue and the country’s searching ability. The Al Jazeera article focused more on what Google was planning to do. Also, the tone was different between these two articles. In the BBC article, the tone was very formal. The Al Jazeera article seemed more angry at China, and seemed to place them in the spotlight as a country that violated it’s own moral codes and Google’s as well. These differences are important because if you read the Al Jazeera article, you might get the notion that China is a bad country for hacking the g-mail accounts, of which there is no real evidence.

My Say on the Matter I think that Google is over reacting a bit. China isn’t helping by saying anything, but Google’s threat was so extreme for this that it seems a little over the top.

Wiki # 9 Synopsis The United States, Japan and Britain are planning to buy off the Taliban as a non-violent approach to getting the Taliban to surrender. President Karzai, the Afghan president has admitted that there have been several corruptions in the country and said the Taliban must be stopped. The amopunt of money given to the Taliban, according to James Bays, a reporter from Al Jazeera, “… could be as much as between $500m and $1bn over the next five years.”

Sources ”Afghanistan: Brown supports offer of Taliban talks." //BBC News// (2010): 1. Web. 27 Jan 2010. .

"Plan considered to buy off Taliban." //Al Jazeera English// (2010): 1. Web. 27 Jan 2010. []

Compare and Contrast These two articles are similar and different. Firstly, these two articles both say that countries are discussing non-violent ways to get the Taliban to lay down their weapons. However, the Al Jazeera article focused more on how the governments of the United States, Britain and Japan were planning to buy off the Taliban. The BBC article talked more about the talks that the British Prime Minister and the Afghan president had in London about the Taliban. These differences make a difference because if someone reads the Al Jazeera article, one might get the impression that paying off the Taliban is our last resort. The BBC news article gives one the impression that the plans to stop the Taliban are still in planning phase and that nothing has ben officallay decided yet.

My Say on the Matter I think that the U.S. is already in debt. Paying off the Taliban should have been a last resort. The sums that I read are astronomical and I don’t think that the U.S. can afford to take much more financial stress.

Wiki # 10 Synopsis General Sarath Fonseka challenged the votes after the re-election of Sri Lanka’s president, Mahinda Rajapaksa. He claimed the voting was unfair and vowed to confront the ballots in court. The vote was generally peaceful after a violent campaign with bombings and a possible plot to assassinate Gen. Fonseka. Soldiers literally surrounded his hotel in uptown Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. This was as a precaution and as soon as Forseka left the hotel for his home, the soldiers disbanded, as the possible threat was decided as false. Rajapaksa says that he did not rig the votes and the margin of his winnings proves it. “How can you rig 1.8 million votes and why should I rig?” he said at a news conference. Shortly after he was declared president, there was a grenade attack on a Buddhist temple, were two were killed and four wounded. Sources BBC News Al Jazeera News

Compare and Contrast The BBC article and the Al Jazeera article were similar in ways, but more different. The BBC article paid more attention to Forseka, what he said about the vote, and the violent threats against hima and after the vote. The Al Jazeera article seemed almost more placid in which it didn’t include as many of Forseka’s outbursts and focused more around the vote and what the people who ran the vote think of Forseka’s accusation. At the very end it mentioned the grenade attack.

My Say on the Matter It seems to me that Forseka is being a big baby! He should not have gotten so upset over the fact that he did not win the election. I think its as if, to me, he is whining about it. I think that he shuld not have gotten so upset. Sayiong that someone rigged the votes is a pretty large claim and he should consider it some moe before taking this to court.

Wiki # 11- Synopsis- In China, the government shut down the largest web hacking site, Black Hawk Safety Net. This website had made over 1 million dollars in membership fees and had more that 10,000 members. On this website, hackers learned hacking techniques and could buy hacking software such as Trojans. Trojans allow hackers to illegally control the victim’s computer form the outside. Hacking is a delicate issue in China, after the recent scandal in G-mail accounts being hacked into.

Sources- "China pulls plug on hacker website." //Al Jazeera News// (2010): 1. Web. 8 Feb 2010.

"China shuts down training website for hackers ." //BBC News// (2010): 1. Web. 8 Feb 2010.

Compare and Contrast- In the BBC article, the main focus was cyber attacks and the website itself. Half of the article was on the website and its features and that three people had been arrested for running the site. The Al Jazeera article had much of the same information and focus as the BBC article, making them virtually the same. The Al Jazeera article focused a little more on online crimes in general and talked more about the software used, but other than that, the articles were very similar.

My Say on the Matter- I really can’t believe there was a huge site devoted to teaching hackers and only now the Chinese government is shutting it down. Were they just oblivious to the site? Was it that well hidden? Or did they ignore it? And with only three people arrested, this makes the site and the crime almost //minor//, whereas the hackers could have affected many people. I just don’t get it.

Wiki # 12

Synopsis Early Monday morning, in China’s Inner Mongolia region, a coal mine flooded, trapping at least 44 workers. One worker has already been killed as Chinese rescue workers worked to pump out the water, but “no progress” has been made. China’s mines are notoriously dangerous, with 2,631 deaths in 2009. Sources The China Post BBC News Compare and Contrast The BBC article and the China Post article are very similar. They both include that the flooding happened on Monday in the morning and that Chinese mines are notoriously dangerous. However, the BBC article included that one coal miner had been killed and stated that the government has been tightening regulations on safety, so over 1,000 smaller mines have been shut down. The China post article said that the mine was under construction. A person reading the China Post article might think that the mine was dangerous because the mine was under construction. My say on the Matter I am wondering why the miners are complaining about how dangerous the mines are! Wouldn’t they be the ones who should be concerned while working in a perilous mine? It does not make sense to me.

Wiki # 13 Synopsis A ban has been proposed to ban the international trade of bluefin tuna and the European Union has decided to back up this ban. However, Japan strongly protests the ban. "The Washington Convention [or Cites] is basically to protect endangered species, but I personally doubt that bluefin tuna is currently facing such a situation,” states the chief of the Japanese cabinet secretary, Hirofumi Hirano. In Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market, wholesalers protested the ban. Sources BBC News Al Jazeera News Compare and Contrast Both articles were rather similar, however, the BBC article stated that the Tsukiji fish market was the largest in the world, whereas the Al Jazeera article said it was only Japan’s largest fish market. Also, the BBC article said that Japan was only planning on not agreeing to the ban. The Al Jazeera article said Japan had vowed to oppose the ban. Reading the Al Jazeera article makes Japan seem much more opposed to the ban. It makes the whole event seem more serious. My Say on the Matter I think that the Japanese do have a right to oppose the ban, because bluefin tuna are a large part of their traditional diet. However, saying that the tuna are not in any danger should be reconsidered. The population has dropped 80% in the last 40 years. And plus, the ban would only be in effect until the population had been restored. That might not be as long as it sounds. = Wiki # 14 = = Synopsis = In Bangkok, Thailand, clashes between protesters and the government have resulted in hundreds wounded and eleven people dead. The protesters, called red-shirts, demand that the parliament be dissolved immediately and say that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva  be taken out of office because he lacks a popular mandate. Sources BBC News AL Jazeera News Compare and Contrast These two articles both include info on who has died and where the clashes between red-shirts and the army took place. However, the BBC article reports only 3000 wounded and 11 dead, while the Al Jazeera article reports 500 dead and states at least 10 are dead. To me, the Al Jazeera makes the events seemed a lot more serious that The BBC article. If I only read the BBC article, which seems to focus more on the army, the Red-shirts would seem just like a rowdy bunch of rebels. The Al Jazeera article seems to support the red-shirts more. My Say on the Matter I think that these red-shirts have enough people supporting the downfall of the prime minister that the government should listen to them. To keep oppressing the people will only make matters worse.