Brazilian court halts return of boy to U.S., father says

I remember hearing about this story last year about a father (David Goldman) trying to regain custody of his son (Sean Goldman) after his wife didn't return for what was supposed to be a two-week trip to visit her family. Instead she remarried and started a new life in Brazil.

Goldman has argued that, as the sole surviving parent, he should be granted custody. But the boy's stepfather and his other Brazilian relatives have argued that it would be traumatizing to the boy to remove him from what has been his home for most of his life.

As a reader having prior background knowledge of the case, this development was long awaited in addition to the unexpected setbacks. It's a tough decision as it's understandable after Goldman's son has spent a majority of his life in Brazil, that a transition to life in America would seem filled with obstacles. It is a really tough case to have both sides come to an agreement that is best for Sean's sake.

Wife's Disappearance Has Shades of Laci Peterson

As the title of this article suggests, Susan Powell, 28, mother of two disappears without a trace. Her husband soon becomes the main suspect as his alibi seems odd to officials.

Due to its similarity to the Laci Peterson Case, it makes for a sad reminder of what happened nearly 7 years ago. The inconsistencies surrounding his alibi seems to be the one of the main reasons Sarah's family is left to worry of her well being.

Again, the structure of this story was fluid and organized and it was appropriate for this type of story. But as the case grows, we'll begin to see various angles of the case explored in order to bring it straight to the public.

Travel strike threats spread as BA launches court challenge

Baggage handlers and check-in staff at Heathrow Airport threatened Wednesday to strike during the week of Christmas, as British Airways went to court to try to stop a strike called by its cabin crews.

As the holidays near, thousands of people make travel arrangements around the world to visit family and friends. Yet if the the baggage handlers and check-in staff have their way, this strike could leave passengers stranded and unable to spend the winter holidays with family.

It also brings up the question as to why these employees would go to this extent? What is going on behind the scenes that we don't know about?

Unite, which said British Airways cabin crews will strike from December 22 to January 2, also announced the threat of the second air travel strike as BA fought its case in court.

Baggage handlers and check-in staff at Heathrow and at Aberdeen airport in Scotland will strike next week unless there is movement on resolving a pay dispute, Unite announced.

If it is a matter of their salary then it may be something British Airways should consider revising as it is has led to this drastic decision on the part of their employees.

30,000 flee Philippine volcano

"Emergency workers have so far evacuated 30,751 people, with 21 centers set up to take in the evacuees"

One of the reasons I found this article is due to the number of people evacuated in response to the Mayon volcano's eminent eruption. With a population of almost 50,000 people it is not an easy situation to be in. Thinking of the families moving away from their homes, belonging, and not knowing whether they'll be able to return to their home again was mind-boggling.

I also noticed another feature that is becoming effective with the coverage CNN provides on their website and that is the iReport. It allows readers to submit footage of newsworthy events happening all over the world which then can be included in the reporting which results in more information to be shared.

Choking in China's polluted city

This article regarding Linfen's pollution was really sad but it brought up a lot of the issues we're facing today with regards to Global Warming and the "going green" movement.

On the road into Linfen, the cars seem to disappear into dense smog that clings to vanishing buildings.

The sun shines through a murky haze, if at all. The smells of industry are pungent. Just a few minutes outside and your eyes start to sting, your throat starts to hurt. You may feel dizzy or nauseous.

For visitors it can be unbearable. For residents, this is life -- breathing the consequences of China's long march toward economic prosperity.

I was particularly impressed with the way in which the story was told, it included examples that were convincing as well as footage of the region to further stress the pollutions effect on Linfen's environment. The emotion was there along with the facts, and for an audience this is a critical point.

Pollution is nothing new, but it effects other parts of the world more than it can be seen elsewhere. It may be a while before Linfen is where it needs to be for the sake of its residents as well as the world. But overall, I think the article was effective.

H1N1

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091204/ap_on_he_me/us_med_swine_flu

http://www.attorneyatlaw.com/2009/09/bacterial-infections-common-among-h1n1-flu-deaths-cdc-says/

http://www.nationalpost.com/related/links/story.html?id=2217544

http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20091210/10-thousand-h1n1-swine-flu-deaths


I think the reason I chose to continue with this story is due to the fact that it has really impacted the way the world functions as a result of the pandemic qualification and fatalities. As a student I think it surprised me how serious it was with regard to young adults and the data provided by the Web MD link above. Rather than it being a huge threat to the really young and old, it has had the greatest impact on young adults.

What also seemed interesting was the unanimous belief that as young adults we really don't have to worry about being seriously affected by the new strain, but rather an illness that will just pass.