Stories about North America from October, 2012
Arab World: Sandy Unleashes Wrath of God on Infidel America
As the world turned its eyes to New York and New Jersey to follow the news of hurricane Sandy, and the destruction it has caused, many across the Arab world debated whether the storm was the embodiment of the wrath of God - unleashed against the infidels and in retaliation to US foreign policy. Seriously.
Facebook Donations Support Volleyball in Tajikistan
A new Facebook page, Volleyball for Tajikistan, has recently been launched to raise funds for two volleyball teams created in the country's south. Within eight days after the launch, people from across the United States donated enough money to purchase uniforms for 26 young Tajikistani volleyball players, including 13 girls.
USA: Commissioner David Stern Set to Exit NBA in 2014
One of sport's longest serving administrators, Commissioner David Stern, has announced he will be leaving his job as head of the world's most popular basketball league, the NBA (National Basketball Association). The announcement comes just a few days before the 2012-13 season start, on 31 October, 2012.
Occupy Movement Rallies for ‘Debt Strike’ Worldwide
Under the slogan “You are not a loan, you are not alone”, Occupy Wall Street's “Strike Debt” group is aiming to inject life into a resistance movement against debt repayment. The operation is gaining worldwide support, and could very well revive the protest movement Occupy Wall Street which was born a year ago.
United States: Latin America Invisible in Third Presidential Debate
Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, was the venue of the third and final debate between President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney amidst a tight presidential race. Despite its geographical proximity to the U.S., Latin America was the big absentee of the night.
Manufacturing a Car in Open Source and Modular Design
I don’t know whether we will need gasoline, electric or hydrogen cars tomorrow. I don’t have to know, because I designed my car so that I can change the motor in about the same time that it takes to change a tire. Joe Justice, founder and Team Lead of Wikispeed,...
China: Iron Man 3 and the Mandarin
The Walt Disney Company China, Marvel Studios and DMG Entertainment announced back in April that they were intended to co-produce “Iron Man 3″ in China. Stan from China Hearsay doubts if the mainland Chinese censor would accept the villain of the movie being “The Mandarin”.
Competition to Use Civic Apps Before U.S. Election
Race for Reuse is a competition launched by the Code for America Brigade to implement one of four civic applications in a local community in the United States before the presidential election on November 6, 2012. The apps are: Adopta, Textizen, LocalWiki and Shareabouts.
Arab World: Obama and Romney are on the Same Page on Syria
Arab netizens had some harsh words to share after waiting to the wee hours of the early morning to tune in to the last US Presidential Debate 2012 between President Obama and Republican hopeful Mitt Romney before the November elections. On Twitter, netizens rammed the US policy on Syria, saying both Obama and Romney were two faces of the same coin.
United States: Former Police Chief Blogs for Better Policing
Police officers need to police with consent of those affected if we are to ever have peace and safety in our cities. Former Madison, Wisconsin police chief David C. Couper writes about the need for compassion in a police force in his blog Improving Police.
China: National Security Threat or Trade Protectionism?
Last week on 8 October 2012, the U.S. House Intelligence Committee released an investigative report accusing two major Chinese telecommunications companies, Huawei and ZTE of posing threat to U.S national security.
United States: Hispanic Perspective on Second Presidential Debate
The second debate which took place in New York's Hofstra University on October 16th showed a much more energetic Barack Obama than in the first debate. Twitter saw high levels of activity surrounding the debate. According to reports, more than 100,000 tweets were recorded per minute when the subject of immigration arose.
United States: The Fight for Young Undocumented Immigrants
Hundreds of thousand of young undocumented immigrants rejoiced at the news: President Barack Obama's Government authorized registration for the deferred action plan, which allows them to resolve their immigratory and laboral status for two years.
Colombia/U.S.: “We Need to Talk About Coke”
Colombia based American blogger Natalie Southwick writes about cocaine supply chain and asks her countrymen to think about how Americans may be perpetuating the cycle of violence and exploitation by feeding the demand for cocaine. “At the least, think before you inhale”.
Mali: MOJWA Threatens the Lives of Hostages and French President over Military Intervention
The Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MOJWA) via its speaker Oumar Ould Hamaha has threatened the lives of hostages and French President [fr] because of the planned military intervention in Northern Mali that the UN security council has unanimously approved [fr]. Activist associations Coren and the FDR organized a march on...
United States: Immigration Absent in Vice-Presidential Debate
In the debate between the vice-presidential candidates Joe Biden and Paul Ryan there were, as was to be expected, differences on issues such as the economy, foreign policy, health care and abortion. However, immigration was absent from the debate.
Ukraine: “The Babushkas of Chernobyl” Documentary Project
On Kickstarter.com, only a few hours are left to pledge funding for The Babushkas of Chernobyl, a documentary project by Holly Morris and Anne Bogart, which tells stories of “an extraordinary group of women who live in Chernobyl’s post-nuclear disaster ‘Zone of Alienation’ or ‘Dead Zone'”: Time really is of...
United States: The Road to Peace According to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, emblematic figure of the Burmese opposition and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, recieved the Vaclav Havel for Creative Dissent award given by the Human Rights Foundation during the San Francisco Freedom Forum. Her participation was part of a 15-day tour throughout the United States.
Global Pot-Banging Protests Scheduled for October 13
A day of pot-banging protests promises to shake the most sensitive ears across across the globe on October 13, 2012. The Global Noise initiative, organized by the international networks of Occupy, Indignados, and other social justice movements, aims to build on a wide variety of struggles for global justice and solidarity.
Got a Question for Jimmy Carter?
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter is accepting questions on Facebook and Twitter (#CarterQA) as part of a commemoration of the Carter Center’s 30th anniversary of “waging peace and fighting disease worldwide”. President Carter will be answering by video on October 19, 2012.
