· September, 2011

Stories about North America from September, 2011

United States: Increase in Poverty Rate Amongst Hispanics

  30 September 2011

The American economy is at a standstill and seems stuck on that plateau. The poverty rate is affecting more than 46 million people, 15.1 percent of the population, according to the latest Census figures. Minorities, and Hispanics in particular, are amongst the most affected.

North Korea: Kim Jong-Il's Surprise Appearance On the Simpsons

  26 September 2011

Martyn Williams from the North Korea Tech blog wrote a short post on Kim Jong-il's appearance on “The Simpsons”. One character from the episode says that he was forced to write a musical about Kim in a North Korean prison and introduces a song addressing the regime's ban on internet.

USA: The Real and Digital Unite for Latin American Literature

  26 September 2011

La Casa Azul - an online bookstore - has recently announced it is going to collaborate with a new bookstore located in Washington Heights, New York. Word Up (@wordupbooks) has two goals: to spread Latin American literature and independent bookstores.

China: If This is Neocolonialism, Bring It

  24 September 2011

The new US ambassador to China Gary Locke's public appearances since his appointment in July have shown him to be a man with class that Chinese government officials just can't compete with. Or so most Chinese netizens say. It's actually just an elaborate scheme aimed at making China lose face.

World: Mourning the Execution of Troy Davis

  22 September 2011

The state of Georgia has executed Troy Davis, despite a brief reprieve. Twitter users from around the globe are expressing their feelings about Davis's case, as well as about the state of capital punishment in the United States.

World: Twitter Rallies for #TroyDavis

  21 September 2011

With the execution of Troy Davis looming, Twitter users from around the world rally for clemency. Davis was granted a temporary reprieve, but the cries continue. Jillian C. York reports.

Cuba: Milanes’ Miami Concert Stirs Controversy Among Cubans

  21 September 2011

On August 27th, Cuban music legend Pablo Milanés performed in Miami, marking his first concert in South Florida since the 1970s. On Cuba-focused blogs and news sites, bitter disagreement over the event’s political significance reverberated throughout the weeks surrounding Milanés’ performance.

Qatar: Wadah Khanfar Resigns as Al Jazeera Head

  20 September 2011

Al Jazeera Network director general Wadah Khanfar announced his resignation today, creating a stir on social networking site Twitter. The Palestinian-born journalist, who was at the helm of the network for eight years, is being replaced by a member of the Qatar royal family Shaikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani.

Videos: Homeless But Not Voiceless

  19 September 2011

We explore different initiatives that aim to bring to the foreground the plight of those who are forgotten: children, indigenous people, immigrants and the transgender community.

China: Calls to Free Blind Activist Met With Violence

  19 September 2011

After serving a 51-month sentence for disturbing public order, blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng was released in September 2010, but has been kept under house arrest for more than a year by local police in Linyi, Shandong province. Activists campaigning for his release have been victims of violence.

CIVICUS: Reflections on the Power of Civil Society

  17 September 2011

For three days several civil society representatives met in Montreal for the CIVICUS World Assembly. The subjects were diverse: from civil movements, social equality, and the effects of new technologies, to climate justice. Here are some blog posts that covered the assembly.

China: WikiLeaks Misreading Leads to Online ‘Spy’ Hunt

  14 September 2011

The release of unredacted United States (US) diplomatic cables since late August 2011 by WikiLeaks, has resulted in an online witch hunt in China. The word "informant" in the documents was misinterpreted as "Xianren" which usually refers to a "rat" or "spy" who makes a living by selling information.

China: Now With America's Attention Back

  13 September 2011

Not all netizens took this past weekend—a holiday in China—as a chance to confess a feeling of shame at things they said upon learning of the attacks on the United States ten years ago, but many did. Writer Yang Hengjun, who has written New York and the USA into his novels, shares something similar.

USA: Amnesty Campaign to Save Death Row Inmate Troy Davis

  11 September 2011

Amnesty International has launched an online campaign to save death row inmate Troy Davis in Georgia, USA from execution. Nearly 20 years since his conviction, the case against him “has fallen apart” says Amnesty. See online petition, videos, a recorded phone call with Davis, and more.

United States: Latino Perspectives on the Anniversary of 9/11

  11 September 2011

This year marks the 10th anniversay of the attacks on New York and Washington that changed the course of history. While the media remembers the victims and this decisive moment in history, we find that the Latino blogosphere in the United States focused on the famous conspiracies theories.