I decided to do my analysis on the special report Al-Jazeera has on the pilgrimage to the Hajj. This is a racially, culturally and religiously diverse group.
Muslims go to the Hajj and pay a visit to Mecca, Saudi Arabia as part of one of the central religious duties as Muslims. This year, close to 2.5 million people have gone to Hajj.
Al-Jazeera English has dedicated a section to this event. Most of the reporters, not all, were Muslim so you see them wearing the traditional Islamic dressings worn during Hajj and it really moves beyond the stereotypes about Muslims.
All the reporting are very good and they are first-hand experiences from the people themselves. I saw this story in which a little girl shares her own experience with the Hajj for the first time. There are blogs from people that are there and journalists that are there.
As a Muslim, I knew most of the things that they were talking about, however, I felt that someone with little knowledge about what exactly Muslims do during this time would find this very helpful.
The testimonies drove home for me. It was the people's stories that I enjoyed the most. The individuality and uniqueness in each story really made them stand out for me. I felt like the reporters did a good job in viewing Islam differently and bringing some positivity to it.
There are a lot of visuals, videos and testimonies to watch. Overall, I think they did a wonderful job.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
White House defends Social Secretary
CNN - White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers has done a great job despite the "party crashers" incident, U.S. administration officials say.
Rogers has been identified as a close friend of the Obamas and has been center of a scrutiny the past couple of days. Republicans have claimed she was at fault for an incident in which two uninvited guests got into the White House state dinner held in honor for an Indian Prime Minister.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that Rogers was too distracted by other things to enforce a proper security at the event. Gibbs told reporters that the Obamas and the White House staff are behind her.
Rogers has been the center of the media in recent days because the uninvited guests, Mr. and Mrs. Salahi, might have been danger to the president.
Rogers has been identified as a close friend of the Obamas and has been center of a scrutiny the past couple of days. Republicans have claimed she was at fault for an incident in which two uninvited guests got into the White House state dinner held in honor for an Indian Prime Minister.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that Rogers was too distracted by other things to enforce a proper security at the event. Gibbs told reporters that the Obamas and the White House staff are behind her.
Rogers has been the center of the media in recent days because the uninvited guests, Mr. and Mrs. Salahi, might have been danger to the president.
Head-on crash ends pregnancy; mom hurt
Pioneer Press - A pickup truck struck a Minneapolis woman who was pregnant when the vehicle drove the wrong way on a highway ramp Saturday night.
According Minnesota state patrol, the truck hit and slammed into a family's van around 11:45 p.m. at the 49th Avenue exit on Interstate Hwy. 94.
A 29-year-old pregnant woman, Tao Thao, was critically hurt and in critical condition at North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale. Thao's other family members including her husband and five other children were in the van with her.
The driver of the truck was identified as Connie Stroud, who had "too much to drink," said state patrol.
Stroud, 42, of Minneapolis was also in critical condition Sunday afternoon. Stroud could be charged with driving while "intoxicated, criminal vehicular operation resulting in homicide and criminal vehicular operation resulting in injuries."
The crash came after the Minnesota state patrol and other police agencies gave a press conference about harsher crackdowns between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Somali suicide bombing kills 3 Cabinet ministers
Hiiraan News reported that Somalia's fragile and dim future faced another setback on Thursday, when a male suicide bomber dressed as a woman, killed 23 and wounded 40 more.
The bombing took place at the Hotel Shamo in Mogadishu ending a graduating ceremony for medical students of the local Banadir University, which was also being attended by a number of governmental authorities.
Witnesses said that the attack seemed to target governmental officials.
Witnesses said that the attack seemed to target governmental officials.
Three of the victims were ministers while most of the others were innocent students who were about to graduate. Education Minister Abdullahi Wayel, Health Minister Qamar Aden and Higher Education Minister Ibrahim Hassan Adow died. As students were take their steps of their long road to education, someone decided to blast them all.
"Forty people with shrapnel wounds, including students, journalists, and medical doctors, have been hospitalized today. Six people died inside the hospital," said Dr. Ali Yusuf, director of Median Hospital.
Among the other dead includes two professors and two journalists. Some 50 other students were reported to have serious injuries.
Among the other dead includes two professors and two journalists. Some 50 other students were reported to have serious injuries.
Although aurthorities have reasons to believe that Al-Shabab, an Islamic militant organization close to Al Qaeda, is behind the bloodshed, the extremist group has denied any responsibility.
The spokesman for al-Shabab, Sheikh Ali Mohamud Rage, denies responsibility for the attack, suggesting it was the product of a feud within the UN-backed Transitional Federal Government.
From other reports I've read in VOA and other news sources, this attack has been one of the deadliest to hit Mogadishu for several months.
Somalia has been without a government since the late 1990's when the civil war broke out. It has since been facing some extreme setbacks with terrorist groups and warlords.
From other reports I've read in VOA and other news sources, this attack has been one of the deadliest to hit Mogadishu for several months.
Somalia has been without a government since the late 1990's when the civil war broke out. It has since been facing some extreme setbacks with terrorist groups and warlords.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
New Moon movie sets midnight records
CNN reported that the new movie 'New Moon' set midnight screening records. The report talked about the "Twilight" saga and how it broke a historical record for the biggest midnight showing in history.
The total gross for "New Moon" was $26.3 million when it opened in 3,514 theaters across the U.S. at 12:01 a.m. on Friday.
This reporter/report used a lot of numbers to tell the story. First, the reporter talked a lot about the gross total the movie made and how it compared to other numbers of other films that broke records. It also compared the movie to the first one that came out and where this one stood. The numbers that the report used a lot was the money the movie made its first night.
The numbers were a bit overwhelming. I am thankful that they were in numerals because I would have gotten lost without it. I think that the reporter could have used a better strategy to work with the numbers. Rather than cramming them all in the top with the hard news, it could have been a bit more spread out.
Perhaps he could have held some of the info back for a little while. I don't think the reporter crunched all the numbers, but I definitely feel like they were overwhelming a bit. However, I felt that the story was good the way it was. It didn't really make any sense to change it. It was good the way it was in my eyes but next time I would definitely change the way it was told.
The sources of the numbers are told but not completely. The reporter uses blockbuster and other viewing reports but does not necessarily name them, per say. Thus, they are not listed completely. Overall, the report was good. I liked it. I don't think I can say the same for the movie. :)
The total gross for "New Moon" was $26.3 million when it opened in 3,514 theaters across the U.S. at 12:01 a.m. on Friday.
This reporter/report used a lot of numbers to tell the story. First, the reporter talked a lot about the gross total the movie made and how it compared to other numbers of other films that broke records. It also compared the movie to the first one that came out and where this one stood. The numbers that the report used a lot was the money the movie made its first night.
The numbers were a bit overwhelming. I am thankful that they were in numerals because I would have gotten lost without it. I think that the reporter could have used a better strategy to work with the numbers. Rather than cramming them all in the top with the hard news, it could have been a bit more spread out.
Perhaps he could have held some of the info back for a little while. I don't think the reporter crunched all the numbers, but I definitely feel like they were overwhelming a bit. However, I felt that the story was good the way it was. It didn't really make any sense to change it. It was good the way it was in my eyes but next time I would definitely change the way it was told.
The sources of the numbers are told but not completely. The reporter uses blockbuster and other viewing reports but does not necessarily name them, per say. Thus, they are not listed completely. Overall, the report was good. I liked it. I don't think I can say the same for the movie. :)
Friday, November 20, 2009
2 on YouTube assault video arrested
The StarTribune reported that St. Paul police had arrested two young men who were believed to be involved in a series of random attacks in the Twin Cities. The attacks were recorded and posted on Youtube.
A 19-year-old was charged as an adult while a 17-year-old was taken to a juvenile detention center. Both of them were booked on aggravated assault among other charges, according to St. Paul police reports Tuesday.
St. Paul Police Sgt. Paul Schnell said police were searching for more offenders who were caught on camera. He said several victims came forward and filed their reports late Wednesday afternoon.
"From what we have seen in the footage, they were only four people that we can connect with possible criminal activity in the city of St. Paul that were clearly and directly involved in the planning and/or execution of these attacks," Schnell said.
WCCO also reported that at least two people from the video actually came forward. Because the videos contained the identity of the suspects, both names and faces, it was easy for the police to arrest them and try to go after the suspects.
WCCO also reported that the Minneapolis Police Department said they arrested juveniles Wednesday. The juveniles were suspected of an attempted robbery said the report.
The Youtube clip illustrated young Somali men attacking incident civilians, pushing bikers off their bikes, and attacking joggers and the elderly. Other incidents also included little children being pushed by the young men and one person actually fought his attacker before he ran off.
Police believe that there are more crimes that were not depicted in the video and that people who have been attacked randomly by these young men should come forward.
I actually know one kid who was in the video. It was really shocking for me to see what they were doing. It was not funny at all and this was suppose to be funny. I am glad some action was taken to stop future attacks like this.
Furthermore, I feel like WCCO report did much more thorough report than StarTribune because WCCO had more sources and it was concise, clear and got straight to the point.
A 19-year-old was charged as an adult while a 17-year-old was taken to a juvenile detention center. Both of them were booked on aggravated assault among other charges, according to St. Paul police reports Tuesday.
St. Paul Police Sgt. Paul Schnell said police were searching for more offenders who were caught on camera. He said several victims came forward and filed their reports late Wednesday afternoon.
"From what we have seen in the footage, they were only four people that we can connect with possible criminal activity in the city of St. Paul that were clearly and directly involved in the planning and/or execution of these attacks," Schnell said.
WCCO also reported that at least two people from the video actually came forward. Because the videos contained the identity of the suspects, both names and faces, it was easy for the police to arrest them and try to go after the suspects.
WCCO also reported that the Minneapolis Police Department said they arrested juveniles Wednesday. The juveniles were suspected of an attempted robbery said the report.
The Youtube clip illustrated young Somali men attacking incident civilians, pushing bikers off their bikes, and attacking joggers and the elderly. Other incidents also included little children being pushed by the young men and one person actually fought his attacker before he ran off.
Police believe that there are more crimes that were not depicted in the video and that people who have been attacked randomly by these young men should come forward.
I actually know one kid who was in the video. It was really shocking for me to see what they were doing. It was not funny at all and this was suppose to be funny. I am glad some action was taken to stop future attacks like this.
Furthermore, I feel like WCCO report did much more thorough report than StarTribune because WCCO had more sources and it was concise, clear and got straight to the point.
5-year-old girl found dead
On November 10, Antoinette Davis reported her little girl, Shaniya Davis, was missing from her Fayetteville, North Carolina home. Later that day, a surveillance camera in a hotel 30 miles away showed a man carrying a girl matching Shaniya's description.
Authorities first arrested another man, but charges against him were dropped a day latter when investigators found out that another man was involved in the disappearance of Davis, after a tip from a hotel employee.
Her body was found Monday in an underbrush off a rural North Carolina road after searchers spent almost a week looking for her.
Fatayetteville Police Chief Tom Bergamine said Mario McNeill is being charged with first-degree murder and first-degree rape of a child. The girl's mother, Antoinette Davis, is charged with trafficking her daughter and child abuse involving prostitution.
Shaniya Davis had been living with her mother at the Sleepy Hollow Mobile Home Park for about three weeks before she had been living with the father, Bradley Lockhart.
Lockhart said initially he did not want to let Shaniya go live with her mother, but allowed it because Antoinette Davis had shown some responsibility in her life.
Members of the community came together for a vigil on Monday night to remember the little girl. Her father, Lockhart, blames himself for his daughters death.
This story was just really touching and after following it for almost a week, I got somewhat emotionally attached and just wanted Shaniya to come home safe to her father. It was really sad how it ended. Very touching story.
Authorities first arrested another man, but charges against him were dropped a day latter when investigators found out that another man was involved in the disappearance of Davis, after a tip from a hotel employee.
Her body was found Monday in an underbrush off a rural North Carolina road after searchers spent almost a week looking for her.
Fatayetteville Police Chief Tom Bergamine said Mario McNeill is being charged with first-degree murder and first-degree rape of a child. The girl's mother, Antoinette Davis, is charged with trafficking her daughter and child abuse involving prostitution.
Shaniya Davis had been living with her mother at the Sleepy Hollow Mobile Home Park for about three weeks before she had been living with the father, Bradley Lockhart.
Lockhart said initially he did not want to let Shaniya go live with her mother, but allowed it because Antoinette Davis had shown some responsibility in her life.
Members of the community came together for a vigil on Monday night to remember the little girl. Her father, Lockhart, blames himself for his daughters death.
This story was just really touching and after following it for almost a week, I got somewhat emotionally attached and just wanted Shaniya to come home safe to her father. It was really sad how it ended. Very touching story.
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