Stories about North America from April, 2013
EU Seal Ban Maims Indigenous Way of Life in the Arctic
A European Union court in Luxembourg has upheld its ban on the commercial trade of seal products despite a challenge from Canada's Inuit and several Canadian lawmakers that it cripples the indigenous people's ability to make a living.
Chinese Dream: To Become the Father of an American
Seeing Red in China has translated current affair commentator, Jia Jia's Chinese dream. Nowadays, most Chinese middle class want to see their daughters and sons going to the U.S and become Americans.
Saudi-American View on Boston Bombings
Nora Abdulkarim shares a Saudi-American perspective on the Boston Bombings. She explains: I won't try to simplify what is inherently complex. I will simply present and reflect, and nothing more. No fancy theorizing, no overarching message. This post is only meant to be a glimpse at personal identity – that...
‘Poor’ Coverage of Boston Marathon Bombing in Media
...[M]uch information has been misunderstood due to lack of knowledge about the Caucasus or Russia and a desire to present the suspects in a framework easily understandable to the American public.
Giants, Hackers, Trolls: Where Mythology and Online Activism Meet
The online world has much more in common with the mythological world than you might expect. A look at Bradley Manning, WikiLeaks, and Anonymous and their corresponding roles in mythology.
Expectations Run High for Immigration Reform in the United States
In a massive rally in Washington DC, protesters, activists and community leaders called for immigration reform that would legalize the status of some 11 million immigrants in the United States. Their cause seems to have been heard by a bipartisan group of senators who have just proposed a new immigration bill. Netizens weigh in.
What if Watertown was Droned?
At 7:15pm, the low buzz of a drone was heard overheard. Seconds later, an enormous explosion engulfed the area, destroying the boat and several nearby homes. Sources say 46 Watertown residents were killed in the missile strike, including 12 children. …… Of course, that's not what happened. But if it...
Bosnia & Herzegovina: “Dark Times, Black Humor”
A Sarajevo-based Boston native writes on Notes from Sarajevo Tumblr blog that “the last few days [since the Boston Marathon bombings] have served as a reminder of Bosnia’s particularly dark brand of humor”: […] To be sure, friends and colleagues here have been kind and considerate, asking if everyone I...
Boston Bombings Opens Debate on Rights
After the explosions at the Boston Marathon on Monday April 15, Twitter became a primary source of breaking news, and also of misinformation. Conversations were curated around the hashtags #bostonmarathon and #bostonexplosions the first days. On Thursday night, one of the suspects, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was killed during a police persecution...
Saudis Condemn Boston Marathon Bombings
At Riyadh Bureau, Ahmed Al Omran sums up Twitter reactions from Saudis living/studying in the US following the Boston Marathon bombings here.
Muslims Mourn Boston Marathon Victims
Free Arabs’ co-founder Nasser Weddady – representing the American Islamic Congress – spoke today at an Interfaith Memorial Service in Boston alongside President Obama. To read the speech and watch the video, click here.
Saudi Account of Boston Marathon Bombings
Saudi student Wael Omar Moathen shares this eyewitness account [ar] of his experience at the Boston Marathon bombing. Ahmed Al Omran offers a translation here: Like any human being who lives in this city, I picked up my camera and headed to Mile 26, the last mile in the race....
Terrorism Won't Work in China
Offbeat China translated an interesting online conversation on why a terrorist attack won't work in China after the Boston Marathon Explosions. The answer lies in the difference between the U.S and China in their media environments.
Chinese React to Boston Marathon Explosions
US's quick reaction to the Boston Marathon explosions have Chinese netizens imagining how the Chinese government would react to such a situation in China. Offbeat China has translated some comments from Sina Weibo.
A Message from an Achuar Indigenous Leader
Amazon Watch has uploaded a video with a message from Peruvian Achuar indigenous leader Peas Peas Auyi. In the message, Peas Peas Auyi thanks Canadian allies for their solidarity in the Achuar's struggle against mining in the Peruvian Amazon.
U.S. Food Safety Groups Urge for Veto of ‘Monsanto Protection Act’
Food Safety activists are outraged over the passage of an act by the U.S Congress that protects genetically modified seeds from litigation regardless of the effects on the health of consumers.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z's Cuba Getaway Offends Diaspora Bloggers
You might not think that political bloggers would be particularly interested in the whereabouts of celebrities, but the minute Beyoncé and Jay-Z, touched down in Cuba, an anniversary getaway became the business of the Cuban diaspora in the United States.
Chinese Colonel: Avian Flu is an American Conspiracy
A People's Liberation Army colonel declared the avian flu outbreak in China an American conspiracy and suggested that Chinese authorities should not react with too much concern to the tragedy as the death toll will be low.
Papoleto Meléndez: ‘Poetry Enters You Because It Is Looking for a Voice’
Jesús “Papoleto” Meléndez, Puerto Rican poet and one of the fathers of the Nuyorican literary movement, just released the collection "Hey Yo!, Yo Soy! 40 Years of Nuyorican Street Poetry." Yarisa Colón interviews him.
Chinese on North Korean Propaganda
Fauna from ChinaSMACK puts together some comments from Chinese netizens on a North Korean propaganda video about Americans.
North Korea Nuclear Threats Draw Arab Laughs
North Korea's threats to attack US military bases, including those on the American mainland, drew laughs from a number of Arab netizens.