The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Monday, December 10, 2007 - 3A NEWS BRIEFS BAGHDAD Iraqi defense minister promises focus on Baghdad Iraq's defense minister promised yesterday to wage anew crackdown in a volatile province northeast of Baghdad where militants are try- ing to regroup after being routed from their urban stronghold there last summer. Suicide attacks have killed more than20 people in the last three days in Diyala province, a tribal patch- work of Sunni Arabs, Shiites and Kurds that stretches from Baghdad to the border with Iran. Defense Minister Abdul-Qader al-Obeiditold The Associated Press that preparations had begun for a fresh military operation in the pro- vincial capital, Baqouba, about 35 miles from Baghdad. LISBON, Portugal EU, Africa summit ends without any progress The first summit between Europe and Africa in peven years came to an acrimonious end yester- day with leaders squabbling over human rights and no progress on a looming trade pact deadline. old divisions surfaced atthetwo- day summit as leaders swapped accusations over the crises in Zim- babwe and Darfur, and postcolo- nial tensions deepened over free trade deals. The World Trade Organization has ruled that the EU's 30-year-old preferential trade agreement with Africa was unfair to other trading nations and violated international rules. New deals are meant to be finalized by Dec. 31. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan Former Pakistan PM's party to join elections The party of former Prime Min- ister Nawaz Sharif announced yes- terday that it would participate in Pakistan's parliamentary elections next month after failing to con- vince rival Benazir Bhutto to join a boycott. Greater participation will make the balloting look more open, bol- stering President Pervez Mush- arraf's democratic credentials, which took a hit over his Nov. 3 declaration of a state of emergency and his dismissal of independent- minded judges. But having by the opposition in the field also will siphon votes and seats from Musharraf's party, weakening the U.S.-backed leader. ARVADA, Colo. Gunman kills two at mission center, four at megachurch A gunman killed two staff mem- bers at a missionary training center early yesterday after being told he couldn't spend the night, and about 12 hours laterfour people were shot at a busy megachurch in Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs police Lt. Fletcher Howard said a suspect had been detained in the shootings at the New Life Church, but a source who was locked down at the church yesterday afternoon said a security guard had shot and killed the gun- man. Authorities in Arvada, a Den- ver suburb about 65 miles north, said no one had been captured in the shootings there. It was not immediately known whether the shootings were relat- ed, but Arvada authorities said they were sharing information with Col- orado Springs investigators. New Life was founded by the Rev. Ted Haggard, who was fired last year after a former male pros- titute alleged he had a three-year cash-for-sex relationship with him. Haggard, then the president of the National Association of Evangeli- cals, admitted committing undis- closed "sexual immorality." - Compiled from Daily wire reports 39886 Number of American service mem- bers who have died in the war in Iraq, according to The Associ- ated Press. There were no new U.S. deaths reported yesterday. Daily chooses new editors Editors promise more robust online presence By JACOB SMILOVITZ Daily StaffReporter The Michigan Daily has select- ed a new slate of top editors. The new class officially takes over Feb. 1, but it assumes many day-to-day duties on Wednesday. The entire staffvotes on the edi- tor in chief and editorial page edi- tor, while the photo, news, sports and arts staffs elect their respec- tive managing editors. Other positions - including the paper's managing editor - are appointed by the paper's senior editors. LSA junior Andrew Grossman, currently the Daily's managing news editor, was elected editor in chief. In addition to improving the quality of writing and reporting in the paper, he said he would focus on the Daily's web presence. "I think there's going to be alot of different ways of telling stories online," he said. Grossman, who was a city beat and government beat reporter during his freshman and sopho- more years, said he plans on making the website a constantly updated source of information for students. "We're going to start updating stories throughout the day, not just once every 24 hours at three in the morning," he said. The incoming managing editor, LSA junior Gabe Nelson, said he also wants to improve the paper's web presence. "We need to improve the blogs so that they tell people what's going to be in the paper and sup- plement what's already in the paper," he said. LSA junior Chris Herring, an associate news editor, will be the next managing news editor. He said he wants to cover a broader spectrum of campus life. "I really want to improve our coverage as it relates to minorities on campus," he said. "We don't ignore them right now, but at the same time we don't cover them as well as they should be covered." Herring said he would add a business beat to the news section to cover stories like students and faculty starting new businesses and how loan companies attract students. The next managing sports edi- tor, Nate Sandals, a junior in the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, has been a senior sports editor and an associate online editor. "I hope that we can continue to have depth.in our coverage and to also expand our online coverage," he said. Sandals said he hopes to accom- plish this with more live blogging and game updates for both big and small sports. Public Policy sophomore Gary Graca will be editorial page edi- tor. He has been an associate edi- torial page editor and the summer editorial page editor. Graca also plans to include a wider range of opinions and con- cerns from campus on the page. "The issues really get me excit- ed for some of the things that I can help to change on campus for the better," he said. LSA senior Chris Gaerig, the incoming managing arts edi- tor, said he wants to improve the section's multimedia work. Gaerig has been a summer associate arts editor, an associate Statement edi- tor and a music editor. LSA junior Rodrigo Gaya, the incoming managing photo editor, is an associate photo editor and the sports liaison for the photo section. He said his focus will be on photographer development. LSA sophomore JessicaVosger- chian will be magazine editor. After spending a semester as an associate design editor, LSA soph- omore Allison Ghaman will take over as managing design editor. Intra uralOfficials ----- ---------------------*1 Clinics Start Thurs. Jan. 3 @ 7PM Intramural Sports Building ee -F UN I -Flexible I I- On Campus &.... .......N ...o... Waerpolo REC SPORTS For more information contact Nicole at 764-0515 or nmgreen umich.edu RANDOLPH COURT APARTMENTS I£E 2 Bedroom Apartment Homes Ground Floor Ranch Style! Private Entrance! Patio! Spacious Kitchen! Air Conditioning! Laundry Facilities! 24-Hour Emergency Maintenance! Pets Welcome! And much, much more! Call today to reserve your new address! 7349712828 Equal Housing Opportunity Find the course thatfits yourclassschedule! Courses Start: Jan 6th 800-2Review IPrincetonReview.com ""* s v " : * i* s t'" Come study with us. Welcome Wednesdays might be over for this semester, but you can join us during finals for study days. l D~%3NteCeflbe e ie i 1on&& eJ1 i1e ce toe 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, WI-FI and free blue books will be provided. (Welcome Wednesdays returns Wednesday, January 16). ALUMNIASSOCIATION UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN www.umalumni.com/students