· January, 2011

Stories about North America from January, 2011

USA: “We Want Our Al Jazeera!”

  31 January 2011

In the wake of the Tunisian and Egyptian popular uprisings, Al Jazeera has received praise around the globe, yet remains unavailable through cable providers in the United States. Jillian C. York looks at reactions from Americans on Twitter and blogs, and finds that they want their Al Jazeera!

India: The Great TriValley University Scam

  28 January 2011

Runa at Uber Desi writes in details about the scam of Tri Valley University in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area, which has now been shut down. Hundreds of Indian students, mostly from Andhra Pradesh, were enrolled in this University and they now face the threat of...

Cuba, U.S.A.: New Travel Rules in Effect

  28 January 2011

Cuban diaspora bloggers note that the new Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regulations, which contain the new Cuba-related travel policy, are out; from Havana, Iván García observes that “the new policies of flexibility in the U.S. embargo against Cuba have permitted an exhibit [by Dégas] to be displayed at...

Video: Life in a Day

  27 January 2011

Collaborative documentary recounting what the 24th of July of 2010 was like all around the world through people's uploads on YouTube will premiere later on today, live from the Sundance Film Festival on the YouTube Life In a Day Channel.

Lebanon: ‘Day of Rage’ Shocks Bloggers

  27 January 2011

Thousands of supporters of disposed Sunni Prime Minister Saad Al Hariri took to the streets in a 'day of rage' on Tuesday to protest the fall of their leader. The worst of the scenes were in the predominantly Sunni city of Tripoli, where protestors burnt tyres, vehicles, offices, and attacked the media. Bloggers of all political persuasions expressed dismay at the violent behaviour and openly sectarian nature of the protests.

Cuba: Obama Eases Several Embargo Restrictions

  24 January 2011

US President Barack Obama signed into law a series of small legislative reforms to the US embargo on Cuba. Many in the US-Cuba blogging community hailed this as a small but significant step in improving relations between the two countries, while others have criticized the reform.

China: Wind power drive target of complaints

  24 January 2011

Do China's massive state-backed efforts at ensuring energy security constitute a violation of WTO trade rules? United Steelworkers seems to think so, and Angry Chinese Blogger looks today at the nature of the American union's complaints.

“Showdown” between US and Bolivia over UN coca ban

  20 January 2011

J.F. String in Hemispheric Brief reports: “An international showdown between the US and Bolivia has officially begun. The matter under dispute: whether or not an international ban on coca-leaf chewing should be pulled from the 1961 United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.”

China: Glenn Beck takes aim at China

  20 January 2011

In case you missed it, Glenn Beck on Hu Jintao's US visit: Burger King kids meals are a Chinese plot for world domination, and so was Leonardo da Vinci. Turns out, it doesn't add up quite so neatly. Next week: the Chinese run Opus Dei, too.

China: Presidents Hu and Obama set to talk

  18 January 2011

Chinese President Hu Jintao arrives in Washington, DC today for face time with President Obama. How would you start off a dinner like that? And currency revaluation? One Chinese blogger suggests the renminbi is already worth more than you might think.

Jamaica, T&T, U.S.A.: Buju's Mobile Concert

  17 January 2011

mediascape says that “this weekend promises to be an exciting one for reggae lovers”, as reggae icon Buju Banton, who is due to head back to court soon to face drug trafficking charges, will have his Miami concert broadcast via mobile phone, so that “thousands of subscribers will be able...

Jamaica, Guadeloupe, T&T, U.S.A.: MLK Day

  17 January 2011

“Dr. King's importance lies in his challenge to expand our moral imagination”: Geoffrey Philp and other regional bloggers pay tribute to the late American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

Cuba: Cubadebate's YouTube Channel Taken Down

  14 January 2011

The YouTube channel of Cubadebate was taken down on January 12th, due to copyright infringement claims on a video of Cuban terrorist suspect and former CIA operative Luis Posada Carriles, who is currently on trial in a US federal court in El Paso, Texas. Cubadebate, a state-run news site, has urged YouTube to reactivate the channel, which contains over four hundred videos.

Taiwan: Responses to “Chinese mothers” article

  13 January 2011

An article in the Wall Street Journal by Amy Chua about the parenting practices of “Chinese mothers” provoked many strong reactions. Taiwan bloggers Taiwan-Born American and shu flies responded to the article by writing about their own experiences as Taiwanese-Americans.