Chew,+Cian

**British Couple Kidnapped**
Summary

According to news report from the NY Times and CNN News article, on October 23, 2009, Somali Pirates kidnapped a British couple, Paul and Rachel Chandler, from their sail boat, the Lynn Rival, as the couple were sailing on their 38 foot sail boat off the coast of the Seychelles Islands.

The Somali pirates transferred the Chandlers to a container ship on the Somali Coast. The couple sounded unharmed in an interview with ITV News but the line disconnected before they were able to tell ITV News how they were treated and ITV News was not able to reconnect with them. The Somali pirates said they will not harm the Chandlers and wanted a ransome. They have taken valuables from the Chandlers sail boat. Chandler's family said that they were not wealthy and are deeply concerned. Prime Minister Gordon Brown have condemed the act and demanded the release of the hostages. British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said that they will be using all the methods at their disposal to ensure the safe return of the British nationals, but nothing is said about paying the pirates off.

The article from CNN indicated that this year has seen 306 sea hijackings so far compared to 293 in all of last year. More than half of those were committed by Somali Pirates the CNN article said. It is a lucrative venture for the Somali Pirates. Last year they made over $100 million according to the NY Times article.

CNN Link- [] NY Times Link- []

Similarities and Differences

The NY Times and CNN article both tell the reader right away what, how, and when the incident happenned. Right away they tell you that a British couple was kidnapped by Somali pirates off the coast of the Seychelles Islands. One important difference is the NY Times quotes that, "they would “protect” the captives until a ransom was delivered." and the CNN article never said that the pirates wanted a ransom. Also the CNN article gives you more information on piracy, which gives you an overall perspective of piracy as a problem at sea. The NY Times article doesn't give you that kind of information. The CNN article also gives you more information on what authorities will be doing to help the release of the couple.

My Opinion

I thought that the CNN article was more fun to read because it gives you more information and quotes. CNN also gives you a more complete picture of the problem by giving you background data and statistics. I liked the fact that the CNN article told you that they were going to try to do everything that they could do to help the couple. What I dont like about these articles is the lack of thoughts about what the authorities will do about piracy and how they plan to make the seas safer for tourists and for businesses. 309 hijackacking is high don't you think! I won't be sailing around open seas or around that area anytime soon.

Somali pirates take Spanish hostages ashore
Summary

According to the CNN and Seattle Times news articles, Somalia pirates captured a Spanish ship with 36 crew members and took three ashore, threatening to kill them unless the Spanish government released two Somali pirates being held in Spain. Spain is working on bringing the hostages home safely.

Links

CNN Link- http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/11/05/somalia.spain.pirates/index.html SeattleTimes- http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010209470_appiracy.html

Similarities and differences

One main similarity in the CNN and Seattle Times articles is that they are coming from the viewpoint of the Spanish people and there is nothing from the Somali point of view. One main difference is that the CNN article quotes are mostly coming from Spanish Defense Minister Carme Chacon and the Seattle Times article has quotes from the Spanish captain of the hijacked ship and the wife of a crew member. there are still quotes from Spanish Defense Minister Carme Chacon in the Seattle Times article but are not the main focus of the article.

Opinion

I thought the Seattle Times article was better written because it was easier to understand because the facts were laid out in a more organized way. The Seattle Times article doesn't give as many facts but has more interesting quotes because the quotes are from people who are living through times this like the sailors husband "Silvia Albes." I wonder how this is going to be resolved without further violence.

China Pledges $10 Billion to Africa
Published: November 8, 2009

Summary

China has offered 10 billion dollars in loans to African nations to develope their infrastructure such as ports, roads, electricity, the airports and also building of 100 clean-energy projects across the continent. China is sponsering a number of other programs in health, education, culture and agriculture to african counties that dont have relations with Taiwan.

The articles talk about the problem with China doing business with Africa is that China is not putting any pressure on African nations to stop killing their people for example the army in Guinea opened fire on demonstrators killing 150 people recently. The article also talks about China flooding African markets with Chinese goods which is putting the locals people who make local products out of work. One of the conditions of the loan is Africa has to buy Chinese goods.

Links

BBC Link- [] NYTimes Link- []

Similarities and Differences

The similarities are that both article say China is lending Africa 10 Billion dollars. These articles aren't very similar because one of the articles is opinionated. The differences are that you get more facts about what china is going to do with their money in the New York Times article and the BBC aritcle gives you lots of quotes of what people think to try and persuade the reader.

My Opinion

I think China is very smart for investing in the country to develope their resources but is bad for Africa because they have no control over their country and will eventually be taken over by the West or China. I like the New York Times article better because it give the reader more facts so you can decide for yourself your opinions but the BBC article persuades you to think that it is bad for China to take advantage of Africa.

**Somali Pirates seize North Korea tanker crew**
Summary

On Monday, October 16th a chemical tanker has been hijacked in the south Somali Basin heading for Mombasa, Kenya with a crew of 28 North Koreans.Somali pirates tried to capture a second Ukrainian ship but did not succeed. The Somali pirate attacks had been slowing down because of the monsoon season, but have started up again.

Links

http://www.prokerala.com/news/articles/a93807.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8363922.stm

Similarities and Differences

The only similarity is that both of the articles are the same subject. The differences are that the BBC article has more facts and details about what is going on. Another difference is that the BBC article said the Somali pirates captured a chemical tanker and the Prokerala article say that they captured a tanker. The last difference is the BBC article states facts thats say "Meanwhile, pirates holding a Spanish trawler say they are freeing it for a ransom of at least $3.5m" but the other article says the ransom is $4 million.

Opinion

This is terrible that people are letting this happen. We should reinforce more protection for the ship traveling through dangerous part or the ocean. I like the BBC article better because it had more facts about the story and i don't know if the other link is a reliable source.

=Congo boat sinking leaves 73 dead= Pulished: Saturday, 28 November 2009

Summary

On November 25, 2009 seventy three people were killed when a logging vessel authorized not to take passengers sank on a lake in the west of the Democratic Republic of Congo. 270 people survived and DR Congo Red Cross president Dominique Lutula said there are still people missing.

Links

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Similarities and Differences

the similarities are that both of the articles have the same facts. The differences are that the BBC article says that 270 people survived and the Irishtimes article said that 273 survived.

Opinion

I wonder why they were transporting people if they weren't supposed too. i like both articles the same because they gave the same information and kept if short and to the facts.

=5 Peacekeepers in Darfur Die in Rebel Attacks= Published: December 5, 2009

Summary

On Friday and Saturday, December 4 and 5, a total of 5 peacekeepers were killed in the Darfur region or Sudan. The peacekeepers, who were from Rwanda, were killed in the conflict between the rebels and the Sudanese government. The three peacekeepers who were killed on Friday were helping escort a water tanker near the northern town of Saraf Umra. On Saturday 2 peacekeepers were killed distributing water at a camp.

Similarities and Differences

The similarites are that the basic facts of the articles are the same. One difference between these articles is one of the articles has a map of Sudan and the surrounding countries in Africa. The second difference is that the NYTimes article says what happened on Friday but the BBC article didn't.

Links

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8397199.stm http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/world/africa/06darfur.html?ref=africa

Opinion

This is terrible that people are being killed for distributing water and providing help to civilians. I liked the NYTimes article better because it had more specific facts about what happened and was easier to understand.

=UK freezes funding to Kenya=

The UK will stop giving money to help support primary education in Kenya because a million dollars was discovered missing. Although the media said it may be more.

This money is part of a five year commitment to build classrooms and buy textbooks. The UK said it will not resume funding until investigation into the matter is completed and they receive satisfactory answers. I don't believe they expect to recover the money but they would like for the Kenyan government to improve their systems and stop corruption. The UK also plan to ban Visas for tops officals suspected of corruption. They also plan to freeze assets of these officials in the UK if they find it.

The Chairperson of the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission, Okogo Mogeni blames the citizens for participating in the corruption according to the Capital FM Kenya News. He said that the consitution, caws and institutions are like hardware and people's values are like software. There is no point in having fancy hardware if the software does not work. He said that citizens are giving government officials 2600 to 3600 kenyan Shillings for quicker service.

Similarities and Differences

The similar things are botharticles are about the same thing and both have thee same facts. The differences are that the CapitalFM article is longer than the BBC article.

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Opinion

Why would someone take money from donations to support schools and education. I think it is terrible that someone even think about it. i liked the BBC article better because it was more brief and said only the important facts about the story instead of stating them all.

=Vietnam democracy activist jailed=

Summary

A writer and democracy activist in vietnam was sentenced to 4 years in jail for criticising Vietnam's communist government and being found guilty of spreading propaganda against the state. She was arrested at her house in 2008 when staging a protest against the Vietnamese government's policies toward China.

Links [] []

Similarities and Differences

The similarities are that are that the facts are the same in each article. The differences are that the aljazeera article says that there were 2 other defendents that were charged with 4 years in jail also but the BBC article did not mention it. Also the aljazeera article stated specificly why she was chaged with 4 years in jail.

Opinion

I think it is wrong that people cannot speak out what they think without getting in trouble. I liked the Aljazeera article better because it was more detailed but I like the BBC article also because they kept it short and got to the point.

=U.S. pressures China over censorship=

Summary

The United States and China are fighting over right of speech. Google discovered that Chinese Government has participated in a plan to tried that tried to hack into its software coding and the email accounts of human rights activists protesting against Chinese policies. The Chinese Government denied this and in turns accused the US Government of cyber attacks. Google said it will not continue to follow the Chinese Laws of sensoring search results and will pull of out China. Baidu, China's Internet search company said that Google's decision to quit China is for financial reasons because it failed to dominate the Chinese market.

Links [] []

Similarities and Differences The BBC article has more information on the history of Google's relationship with working with China and background information about sensorship. It also talks about Google's position in the market place in China. The Aljazeera article is more focused on the sensorship and the politics between the US and China.

Opinion I think information makes people more informed. China should not sensor search results and allow people free access to information. People should also not be punished for speaking their minds.

=Toyota's President Apologizes for Recall=

Summary

The President of Toyota Motor Corporation, Akio Toyoda, has apologized for safety problems that have resulted in the recall of millions of cars in the United States. Certain Toyota models have had braking problems and have been linked to 29 fatal crashes.

Toyoda came to Washington D.C. to answer questions from the U.S. Congress. He promised to correct the problems and to improve the quality of the cars in the future.

Links

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/feb2010/db2010025_109559.htm http://english.aljazeera.net/business/2010/02/2010224195918247230.html

Similarities and differences

The Business Week article was written earlier so it said there were 19 deaths linked to the Toyotas and the Al Jazeera article said 29. The Al Jazeera article includes information about Mr. Toyoda's appearance before the Congress in which he admitted the company's safety standards had slipped. Also, the Al Jazeera article mentions that a Toyota Lexus driver whose car accelerated out of control and she thought she was going to die.

Opinion

I think Toyota was not being responsible because they should have seen what was happening to their cars before they had so many defective cars. I think it will take them years before they get their reliability back.

=Four South Koreans detained in North Korea= Summary

Four South Koreans are being held for illegally crossing the border into North Korea, according to the North Korean government. South Korea is trying to find out the identity of the four people being held.

This event is taking place as tensions continue to increase between the two countries. North Korea accuses South Korea and the United States of planning an attack against them.

Links http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/02/201022634933967767.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8538173.stm

Similarities and Differences

The Al Jazeera article has more information about the history of tensions between the two Koreas and information about the nuclear threat from North Korea. The basic factual information about the capture of the four South Koreans is the same.

Opinion

I don't think the four South Koreans should have gone into the territory of the North Koreans. That was not very smart unless they got lost.

=Ivory seized in Thai custom bust=

Summary

Thai authorities seized two tons of elephant tusks at the Bangkok airport which were headed from Dubai to Laos. The tusks came from South Africa and were the biggest seizure of illegally poached ivory ever in Thailand. The ivory was estimated to be worth $3.5 million. The shipment was disguised as cell phone parts.

The poaching causes 38,000 elephants to die each each year for their tusks. The total population of African elephants is half a million.

Links http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/02/20102264575392607.html http://www.dailynews.co.za/?fArticleId=5368160

Similarities and differences

The Al Jazeera article has more information on the international trade in endangered species. The article in the Daily News has information about the specific African countries where there has been a massive increase in smuggling. Both articles have the same basic information, but it is unclear who gave the tip that led to the arrests.

Opinion

I think the lives of the elephants is more important than the money. I should they should regulate this more so elephants won't go extinct.