Emily's News Blog

The Star Tribune and CNN handle the story about the sexual assault tape in Nevada with similar standards.

Because this is a hard news story both begin with the most important and most updated information. They also include some background information in the lead because the stories are continuing coverage and may be follow up stories.

For both the first few paragraphs contain details about the most recently obtained information, followed by paragraphs explaining more background about the initial story. The articles safe the least important information till the end of the story.

The one obvious difference is that CNN has much more information because it keeps stacking the latest information on top by updating the article. The Star Tribune article appeared to stay the same throughout the day today.

Posted by Emily Weber at 9:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

About 1,000 rebels from the Sudan Liberation Army attacked a peace keeping base amid efforts by the United Nations to encourage countries to commit troops to create a bigger peacekeeping force, according to the New York Times. This attack may deter other countries from helping in the peacekeeping efforts.

Killing 10 people, this attack was the deadliest since the African Union set up the base in Darfur with peacekeeping intentions in 2004, according to the Washington Post. Dozens are missing and the remaining peacekeepers were evacuated under the protection of Sudan's army. The violence that began in 2003 has left about 200,000 dead and many more forced from their homes as the violence continues to escalate against peacekeeping missions.

Some of the attackers have been associated with some different rebel groups that did not sign a peace agreement in 2006, according to CNN.

There was only one rebel group who signed the peace agreement where now "the conflict has morphed from a rebellion and brutal counterinsurgency into a free-for-all between dozens of armed groups," according to the New York Times.

Posted by Emily Weber at 8:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The infamous men's bathrooms at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport are getting $25, 000 worth of new dividers to discourage the sexual activities that have been known to take place in them, according to an Associated Press article for Minnesota Public Radio.

The airport is choosing the two bathrooms that have been advertised online as hot spots for sexual encounters. The airport has over 80 bathrooms and to put the new dividers in every bathroom would cost $1 million.

The police have made 41 arrests from these two bathrooms on suspicions of sexual behaviors, according to the Star Tribune. The sexual activity in the bathrooms has dissipated since the publicity surrounding Senator Larry Craig's arrest has brought much attention and surveillance of the bathrooms in the airport.

Other airports have taken measures such as increased police presence and even cameras in some cases.

Posted by Emily Weber at 8:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A man driving a semitrailer was shot in the forearm by two juveniles ages 11and 12, aiming at a squirrel, according to the Star Tribune.

The bullet came from a .22 caliber rifle, through the passenger side window and into the mans forearm. He continued driving north to a hospital in International Falls and was treated and released there.

The two juveniles later admitted to shooting at a squirrel towards the highway. The county sheriff urged parents to closely supervise children with firearms and shooters to be aware of what is behind their target, according to the Pioneer Press.

Posted by Emily Weber at 8:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The recent crackdown in Myanmar by the armed junta forces on peaceful for-democracy demonstrations have drawn international attention and concern to the country. About 1,000 refugees from Myanmar live in Minnesota and 200 gathered by the capitol in St. Paul to support change in the country, according to the Star Tribune.

The violence began just before dawn on Thursday with attacks on Buddhist monasteries in the country's main city Yangon. United Nations has sent an envoy in to help find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Other countries including Russia, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations also urged Myanmar to restrain violence and address the demonstrator's desires, according to CNN.

Hundreds of monks are detained and monasteries are deserted. Nine are reported dead by the government of Myanmar, but human rights activist say that the death toll is much higher, according to the New York Times.

The demonstration is the largest opposition to the current ruling junta since it came to power 19 years ago. The government has shut off access to its internet, confiscated cameras from pedestrians and taken other measures to stop the flow of information from inside the country to the rest of the world. Pressure from China, Myanmar's neighbor and closest trading parter, would be very influential in moving the country into a peaceful means of resolving the conflict, according to the New York Times. China has yet to join the rest of the world in boycotting or financially isolating Myanmar.

Posted by Emily Weber at 1:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A 7-year-old-girl who was sexually assaulted on tape when she was 3 years old has been found and is safe and in good condition, according to CNN.

The police asked the media to release her picture in order to help them find her. Once the girl was located in Las Vegas the media stopped releasing her picture.

Chester Arthur Stiles, considered a distant friend of th family, is a suspect in the case. A Nye County sheriff said that Stiles was a register sex offender, according to the Star Tribune.

The girl was located with family and the mother was unaware that the sexual assault ever happened to her daughter. The mother recognized Stiles and furniture in the tape.

The tape was given to police by Darren Tuck of Nevada, saying he found it in the dessert. Tuck allegedly showed th tape to others before handing it over to authorities. He faces possible jail time for possession of child pornography, according to CNN.

Posted by Emily Weber at 12:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A man posing as a police officer took a woman and her grandson hostage Tuesday. The womans daughter, who is a bank manager at a TCF branch in Farmington, cooperated with the kidnapper because he told her he had her mother and son hostage, according to WCCO.

The man, dressed in plain clothes, was invited in after telling the grandmother he was a police officer. He handcuffed her and took her and the 2-year-old grandson to the TCF bank.

About $20,000 was dropped off at the Farmington ice arena where the kidnapper picked it up. The two victims were dropped off at near by kindergarten center, which then went into lock-down as a safety precaution.

Dakota County officials could not elaborate on specifics of the incident while investigations had begun.

The family did not comment much because the investigation is underway. The kidnapping is being investigated by the FBI and the local police. A sketch of the kidnapper is being prepared and will soon be released, according to the Star Tribune.

Posted by Emily Weber at 5:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The presence of private security contractors in Iraq will be reviewed after a shooting that left eight people dead, according to the New York Times. Blackwater, one of the security companies working in Iraq for the United States has been banned from working in the country. A spokeswoman from Blackwater said that the individuals fired upon were armed enemies, who had fired at a U.S. convoy and were fired upon in defense.

Reuters reported that in the shooting Sunday, 11 people were killed, according the Iraqi Interior Ministry. The interior ministry also said that Blackwater contractors fired randomly after the convoy appeared to be under attack.

There are 1000 Blackwater employees in Iraq that provide protection for U.S. embassy officials in Baghdad. Security firms function under a memorandum that makes them immune to Iraqi law, according to Reuters. Many companies operate without a license, and the rules do not apply evenly to all forces. Baghdad security sources told Reuters that it was "widely known that Blackwater was opperating without a license because they worked under the protection of the U.S. Embassy."

The Iraqi government said it would review the status of all security companies operating in Iraq. It may be difficult to prosecute any Blackwater contractors because they operate under a law that protects them from Iraqi prosecution.

Posted by Emily Weber at 4:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Federal reserve cut a key interest rate by from 5.25 percent to 4.75 percent Tuesday. Economists expected a less aggressive cut from the Fed, according to the Star Tribune.

Cutting the federal funds rate, the rate at which banks borrow from each other, is expected to lower the borrowing costs for consumers and businesses. Commercial banks are expected to lower their prime rate, which has been at 8.75 for the last 15 months.

Cutting this rate may help the growing housing and credit problems, but is not by any means a quick fix, according to CNN. This rate is important because it directly effects what consumers pay on mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards. Some investors considered it a bold step and cautioned that it does not mean an end to the problems affecting Wall Street.

It's possible that the Fed will cute the rate one more time this year as part of an easing cycle, according to CNN.. The next financial policy decision by the Fed is scheduled to take place Oct. 31.

Posted by Emily Weber at 2:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

"ST. GEORGE, Utah (CNN) -- A reluctant child bride told a Utah jury Friday that she was trying to preserve her "eternal salvation" when she obeyed a command by polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs to marry her cousin at age 14."
(whole story on CNN.com)

This lead does a decent job at capturing the important elements of this story. The 'who,' the young bride, and Warren Jeffs, are present in the lead. The 'where' is stated right before the lead and more generalized as "Utah" in the lead. We learn that the testimony happened Friday so we know when it takes place. The 'what' is relatively clear taking about the testimony and the marriage.

The lead does not make it clear that Jeffs is the one on trial or what he is charged with. We have detail information on Warren Jeffs name, probably because he is a relatively prominent person.

I'll note that the use of the word reluctant is confusing here because it doesn't clarify if she was reluctantly testifying or was reluctantly married.

The reporter probably chose to highlight the subject of the woman's testimony as the 'what' because that is the most current information from the trial and it is extremely interesting because of the controversial issues of polygamy, marrying relatives and marrying young.

Posted by Emily Weber at 7:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Warren Jeffs, a religious leader of a polygamist community in Utah, went on trial Thursday charged with rape as an accomplice.

The prosecutions main witness is a woman who they are referring to as Jane Doe. The woman was married at age 14 to her 19-year-old cousin in a religious ceremony preformed by Jeffs in 2001.

The defense attorney, Tara Isaacson, told the jury that there was no evidence that Jane Doe was raped by her husband, who has not been charged with anything. Isaacson also said that Jeffs had nothing to do with the couples sexual conduct, according to the New York Times.
"We would forfeit our chance at the afterlife" by disobeying religious leaders who are regarded as "gods on earth" by the followers of this religious sect.

After the marriage the woman locked herself in the bathroom and "cried and cried and cried," she said after Jeffs told them to go forth and replenish the earth.

Later in the marriage she became depressed and went to Jeffs for counsel, he told her to repent and "go home. Give yourself mind body and soul to your husband." She testified that she was "petrified" of sex and would avoid and often hide from her husband, according to CNN.

Jane Doe tried to file a civil suit against Jeffs before he was criminally charged.

Just how much control Jeffs had over the young woman is a big factor in the case. The trial is expected to last two weeks.

Posted by Emily Weber at 6:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A shot was fired in the Target Center concourse Saturday night during a mixed marshal arts event. The shot came after an argument between two men. The Star Tribune reported that no one was hit by the gunfire but some blood had spilled, according to police.

The Pioneer Press reported that witnesses saw the victim of the shooting fall down a stairwell and then flee the building. No one was immediately taken into custody. A witness said he was at the top of the stairwell where the shooting occurred and spotted the gunman who has a red cut or mark on his face.

The event, which drew thousands of people, continued after the gunshot until about midnight.
Police could not provide very much information late Saturday night.

*An interesting difference between these two articles is the sources. The Star Tribune attributed most of their information to the police. The Pioneer Press attributed their information to the AP and witnesses.

Posted by Emily Weber at 5:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Following a 8.4 magnitude earthquake off the shore of Indonesia was several smaller quakes and seismic tremors. A 10-foot tsunami resulted from the first major quake and mostly went out to sea but wiping out only a dozen houses of a small fishing community according to the Star Tribune
Three days after the first quake, smaller ones ranging from 4.9 to 7.8 magnitude are still shaking the Bengkulu Province. People are sleeping outside in tents because their homes have already been destroyed or because they do not what to be in them if they finally do collapse. It's safer outside, reported the New York Times.
There were 14 casualties and th structural damage was considered not that bad and a need for international aid was not desperately necessary.

Posted by Emily Weber at 9:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

President Bush claimed that 21,500 troops will be home by July of next year. He asked the American people to keep their trust in America, and to bring together the rigid separation of positions on the war in Iraq.
He also told us that it is necessary that the Iraqi government be willing to put forth more effort in order to achieve political progress according to the Star Tribune
CNN reported that Bush said "It is never too late to deal a blow to Al Qaeda, it is never too late to advance freedom and it is never too late to support our troops in a fight they can win," in response to the criticisms that it is too late to do anything productive in Iraq.
Bush's argument for progress in Iraq came from General Petraeus' report and an air of confidence in U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker. Reuters included the opinions of a think tank analyst, James Dobbins, and Christopher Gelpi, a political science professor at Duke University. Gelpi described Petraeus' report as "cherry-picking" th facts to make a case for progress. Gelpi also said that a few recent reports offered a much grimmer picture.
Dobbins said that Petraeus pointed out small tactical advances without any evidence of larger political resolution.

Posted by Emily Weber at 8:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Months from parole, Jun William Vang, 27, walked away from the Lino Lakes minimum security facility.
The Pioneer Press reported that officials are still looking for him. Local officers checked the community and then handed the matter over to the Minnesota Department of Corrections Unit because they believe he has left the city.
Vang was a gang member who was the driver in a drive by shooting in Maplewood in 1999. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison for second-degree attempted murder reports the Star Tribune. He could have been released on parole in next February.
"He is described as 5 feet 4, 145 pounds and Asian with brown eyes and black hair. He has numerous tattoos on his chest and arms and a small tattoo on his neck" accordingly to the Star Tribune. The Pioneer Press has published photos of Vang, including close-ups of his tattoos for identification purposes.
According the Pioneer Press he walked away from the facility Saturday afternoon, police were notified two hours later, and information was released to the public at about 1:30p.m. on Monday. Vang is not considered a "violent offender" in which case the public would be notified immediately.

*The article in the Pioneer Press was written by one of their reporters and the article in the Star Tribune was written by the Associated Press. The article in the Star Tribune was quite a bit shorter while the Pioneer Press article was longer and dealt with some concerns the community might have as well as posting detailed pictures that may be helped in identifying the escapee.

Posted by Emily Weber at 8:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)