Stories about North America from September, 2011
United States: Increase in Poverty Rate Amongst Hispanics
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.
China: Obama Fried Chicken
Obama Fried Chicken (OFC) is now opened in Beijing. (From Shanghaiist)
North Korea: Kim Jong-Il's Surprise Appearance On the Simpsons
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
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.
United States: “Occupy Wall Street” Takes the Heart of New York's Financial District
In New York, a peaceful protest has developed: "Occupy Wall Street." Inspired by the events in cities throughout Arab and European countries, demonstrators are protesting against the way in which the U.S. economy has been managed.
China: If This is Neocolonialism, Bring It
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.
Puerto Rico: “Occupy Wall Street”
Sofía Gallisá writes about the “Occupy Wall Street” movement in the digital publication 80 Grados [es].
World: Mourning the Execution of Troy Davis
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
Korea: WikiLeaks Reveals More on South Korean Policy, Rather than North Korean Realities
Leon V. Sigal from 38 North site posted an interesting analysis on the WikiLeaks cable traffic between Seoul and Washington. The author stressed that the cables shed less light on North Korea than they do on South Korea’s policy toward the North.
Arab World: Remembering September 11
Twitter users from across the Arab world paid tribute to the 3,000 victims of September 11 as the world recalled the horrors committed by Al Qaeda terrorists who flew four passenger jets into buildings in the US 10 years ago.
USA: Amnesty Campaign to Save Death Row Inmate Troy Davis
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
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.
9/11 Retrospective: The Birth of a Generation
Ten years have passed since the coordinated 9/11 attacks on the USA by al-Qaeda, an event that changed the world in many ways. All this is discussed through short videos by young people from around the world who came of age in the post 9/11 era.
