Emily's News Blog

The number of new HIV cases each year in the United States has been estimated at 50 percent higher than previously thought, according to the Washington Post.

New testing and counting methods have led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to estimate the number of new cases of AIDS at between 55,000 and 60,000 each year, up from the 40,000 a year estimate that has been in place for almost a decade.

The CDC has not released the estimate yet but sources close to the scientists involved have confirmed it.

The Washington Post reported that it is unclear if the new estimate indicates that the AIDS epidemic is growing in the United States or if it was just bigger than was thought.

The new estimate could affect decisions on how much money is spent on prevention efforts, according to the New York Times.

Several states are using two testing methods, one that can detect HIV in its very early stages and another that can only detect it after the infection has been present for a while. If a patient tests positive for the first method and negative for the second it may indicate that they have been infected recently.

The agency asked scientists to be patient while the numbers are being reviewed.

Posted by Emily Weber at 9:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The oil spill in the San Francisco bay was still on its way to being cleaned up Sunday, but tides that will peak after thanksgiving could spread the oil to areas that were previously unaffected, according to the Washington Post.

Crews had cleaned up 16,000 gallons of the 58,000 that had spilled, 4,000 had evaporated. A criminal investigation looking at the actions of the pilot and crew is underway after the taker hit the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

Nearly 1,400 birds have already died from the spill. Tar balls, thick sticky balls of oil could reach other beaches as far as 40 miles away depending on winds and tides in the next few days.

Hitting the bridge created a 90-foot gash in the boat, but the damage was not apparent as little was felt on board, according to National Public Radio.

The original report to authorities was that the boat "touched" the bridge. The ship's pilot did not immediately recognize the severity of the damage. He and the rest of the crew, are being investigated by federal authorities, according to NPR.

Posted by Emily Weber at 9:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Openly gay candidate, th Rev. Tracy Lind, finished fourth on a ballot of eight candidates for the new Bishop of the Chicago Diocese of the U.S. Episcopal Church, according to Reuters.

If she were elected, Lind, 53, would have been the second gay Bishop in the U.S. branch of th worldwide Anglican Communion.

Gene Robinson, the first gay Bishop was consecrated in 2003 and some diocese may be switching their allegiance in order to protest the churches support for Robinson.

The Rev. William D. Persell, the former Bishop of th Chicago Diocese said that the election should not be seen as a vote against a gay person. "We are committed to full inclusion," he said, according to the New York Times.

A parishioner said that while the Chicago Diocese has mostly overcome the issue of sexual orientation, Lind's election would've created some turbulence.

Posted by Emily Weber at 7:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cargill announced Saturday that it's recalling 1 million pounds of beef because E.coli was found in a tested sample, according to the Washington Post.

The beef was produced from Oct. 8 to Oct. 11 and involves Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

No illnesses have been related to the meat that has been recalled.

Giant, Stop Rite, Stop & Shop, Wegmans and Weis are retailers that sold the meat, according to Reuters.

Symptoms of the particular strain of E. coli associated with this recall are potentially severe stomach cramps, diarrhea and dehydration.

Cargill recalled beef earlier in October when four Minnesota children and four Wisconsin adults developed illness from eating contaminated beef patties, according to the Washington Post.

Posted by Emily Weber at 9:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

President Bush has asked congress for $46 billion more to fund the Iraq war. Most of it will go to day-to-day operation in Iraq, according to the Washington Post.

Though Bush is urging congress to approve it before Christmas, top House lawmakers will probably not act on his request until next year. The war which is now costing about $10 billion a month has a grand total cost of $455 billion so far, if the $46 billion request is approved, it will bring the running total to nearly half of $1 trillion, according to the Washington Post.

Bush recognizes that some in congress oppose the war, but he says they can voice their opinions but it is still necessary to give the troops what they need, according to CNN.

Small portions of the $46 billion will also go towards veteran health care, training of Iraqi soldiers and police, and some relief in Darfur and to Palestinians.

Posted by Emily Weber at 4:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Three homes, three businesses and one church have been destroyed in a fire that also forced students to evacuate their dorms on the Pepperdine University campus in Malibu and shut down a portion of the Pacific Coast highway, according to CNN.

Evacuation centers were set up at Zuma beach for those who have evacuated about 200 homes, campus buildings and a nearby vacation resort. The university campus' power was knocked out and several buildings are in danger from the fire.

The wildfire had consumed over 1,000 acres moving quickly fueled by high-speed winds of up to 65 miles per hour and the hot and dry weather conditions in Malibu, according to the New York Times.

No rain is expected until Tuesday while helicopters dropping water and some 250 firefighters battle the blaze, according to the New York Times.

Posted by Emily Weber at 2:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

An off duty deputy sheriff killed six people Sunday in what may have been a "jealous boyfriend's" rampage in a small town in Wisconsin, according to the Star Tribune. The victims were students and recent graduates of Crandon High School. The shooter, Tyler Peterson, 20, was shot and killed by officers eight miles north of Crandon Sunday afternoon.

In the town of about 2,000 people, residents say that everyone in the town will be affected by this tragedy.

The residents are questioning how this young man capable of killing six people, was cleared to become a law enforcement officer. The investigation will be carried out by the state Department of Criminal Investigation because the gunman is a law enforcement officer, according to the Pioneer Press.

Posted by Emily Weber at 11:15 AM | 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)

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)

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)