The Breakfast Meeting: Akin\'s Evolving Media Strategy, and Student Autonomy

By NOAM COHEN

In trying to calm the anger swirling over his comments about “legitimate rape” and whether rape can lead to pregnancy, Representative Todd Akin, the Republican candidate for Senate from Missouri, scheduled a prime-time appearance on CNN on Monday, but ultimately didn't show up. The host who was stood up by Mr. Akin, Piers Morgan, made the most of the nonappearance, Brian Stelter writes, telling the audience: “You're looking live at the empty chair that Todd Akin was supposed to be sitting in for a live, prime-time exclusive interview.” The camera was fixed on the empty chair during the show, which appeared in an inset box.

• Instead of an unscripted appearance, Mr. Akin has taken the scripted approach to try to atone for his comments - which have been roundly criticized by Democrats and Republicans - that victims of “legitimate rape” rarely become pregnant. In his new ad, Politico reports, he asks for forgiveness from the voters of his state, acknowledging that he used “the wrong words in the wrong way.”

The student editors of the University of Georgia newspaper The Red and Black announced on Monday that they would be returning to their jobs after winning a guarantee of editorial control. Last week, the editors walked out over recent attempts to shape the coverage at The Red and Black by the board of the nonprofit publishing company that owns the newspaper; also, a nonstudent manager was given a veto power over student editors' decisions. The joint statement from the board and the students included this passage:

We students dedicate ourselves to timely, accurate, fair and ethical journalism for which The Red and Black is known and which is essential to the University community. As journalists, it went against our instinct and training to walk out of a newsroom on deadline. We extend an apology to those who were adversely affected.

Speaking of veto power over students' decisions, athletes at the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville routinely have their comments on social media monitored, The Louisville Courier-Journal reported. Louisville flags 406 words or slang expressions that have to do with drugs, sex, or alcohol; Kentucky flags a similar number, of which 370 are sports agents' names. (Kentucky also flags “Muslim” and “Arab” - though The Courier-Journal reported that the university said it would stop, after being asked about it.) The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky said it believed that the monitoring violated free speech protections.

Notwithstanding the worldwide sympathy expressed for the members of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot, the Russian authorities are pressing ahead, trying to identify other members of the band who may have participated in the anti-Putin stunt at Moscow's main Russian Orthodox church, Andrew Roth reported. Three m embers of the band were sentenced to two years in prison over the stunt, which took place in front of the golden Holy Doors leading to the altar at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

A Japanese journalist was killed while reporting on the fighting around the city of Aleppo in Syria, The Associated Press reported, while two journalists from the United States government-supported Middle East broadcaster Al-Hurra were reported missing. The Japanese journalist, Mika Yamamoto, worked with Japan Press, an independent news agency, and was hit by gunfire while she was traveling the rebel Free Syrian Army; according to The A.P., a YouTube video posted by an activist in Syria was said to show her body inside a van wrapped in blankets with only her face showing.

• In a video shot while embedded with a unit of the Free Syrian Army, C.J. Chivers shows the desolate yet violent scene in and around Aleppo.