Stories about North America from July, 2008
Israel: Homemade Plane Flies from Israel to US
Sure, we all have dreams of flying, but Israeli Yair Gil is making his personal ambition a reality. Isrealli reports that Gil took off from Israel in his one-man homemade plane on July 7th for a three-week flight to the US. He is due to arrive in Osh Kosh, Wisconsin...
Israel: Welcoming New Immigrants
Jacob Richman of Good News From Israel reports on the nation's newest North American immigrants (olim, in Hebrew): “There were 217 olim on the flight including 50 singles… 28 families with 98 children (98 – wow!). The youngest oleh in the group is 3 months old and the oldest oleh...
U.S., Russia: Foreign Policy
The Ivanov Report reflects upon the ignorance of and indifference to Russia in US foreign policy and in the ongoing presidential campaign, and ponders upon the implications for Russian policies towards the US with a new incoming administration in Washington.
Cuba, U.S.A.: Sharpton Calls for Prisoners’ Release
“When it comes to Cuban political prisoners, any publicity is good publicity”: Uncommon Sense and Balablu Blog draw attention to Reverend Al Sharpton's “call for the release of Cuba's prisoners of conscience.”
Jamaica, U.S.A.: Obama the Hero?
“As the days, weeks, and months have gone by, it has become increasingly clear that Barack Hussein Obama…has been stepping into this role of the ‘selfless superhero'”: Jamaican Geoffrey Philp says time will tell if the Democratic US Presidential candidate can fulfill the “mythical role” that has been hoisted upon...
India: A Trust Vote, and a Nuclear Deal
It’s not time yet, for the ruling party to gloat over their sensational yet marginal victory over the ‘Indo –US Nuclear Deal Issue’ which has long haunted their very existence. But they have emerged as the winners nonetheless. Lok Sabha TV drew eyeballs off the internet to engage many Indians...
Russia: Discussion of US Captive Nations Resolution
Russia Blog recounts a conference at the Russian diplomatic academy (MGIMO) about the 50th anniversary of the US Captive Nations Resolution.
Barbados, Cuba, U.S.A.: The Times Rejects Mc Cain
Caribbean blogs are irate over The New York Times‘ rejection of John Mc Cain's rebuttal to Barack Obama's recent editorial on Iraq: Babalu Blog: “Who the hell gave them the power to think they speak on behalf of my best interests?” Barbados Free Press: “As much as we support Obama,...
Jamaica, U.S.A.: Getting Connected
“I remember learning not to try to hold on to people after moving to the U.S. After all, the chances were good that I would never see them again. In Jamaica, the opposite is true”: Francis Wade blogs about the feeling of connectivity he enjoys in Jamaica.
China: Looking back at a campus shooting
“...the first few days with the cast were really strange, everyone kept whispering to each other wondering if I was a big kung fu master back in China.” Why does it always have to be so awkward when Chinese and Americans get together?
Is the U.S. militarizing aid to Africa?
Regrets only: An Africa Journal comments on the recent report by Refugees International about “the increased militarization of U.S. foreign aid” and how it “is complicating the achievement of American foreign policy goals in Africa”. He also posts a response from AFRICOM to the report.
Israel: ‘Kuntar Not a Victim’
Israeli Carl in Jerusalem criticizes the coverage of the New York Times of Lebanese Samir Kuntar's release. “Wednesday's New York Times included an appalling, sickening article in which the ‘gray lady’ attempted to turn Lebanese mass murderer Samir al-Kuntar – who bashed in the head of 4-year old Einat Haran...
Angry Arab: Israel Humiliated in Lebanon
“Israel has been humiliated in Lebanon in the last 2 decades, and its ability to inflict pain on Lebanon and the Lebanese without restraint or punishment (as it has done in 1950s, 1960s, 1970s) has been deterred,” writes The Angry Arab, whose views on the latest prisoner swap between Lebanon and Israel are compiled in this post.
Serbia, U.S.: Peter Egner
East Ethnia writes about the arrest of a man thought to be Peter Egner, 86, “a member of the Nazi security police in Belgrade between 1941 and 1943 where he acted as an interpreter during interrogations of prisoners and guarded transports of prisoners (at least) between two prison camps in...
Sri Lanka: Obama and the New Yorker cartoon
Going Global on the New Yorker cartoon that highlights the smear campaign against Obama.
Palestine: Obama in the News
Presidential Candidate Barack Obama is making headlines this week in the Palestinian blogosphere: partly for his impending visit to the West Bank and partly for his turn on the cover of this week's New Yorker. Jillian York reviews Palestinian blogs.
Balkans, U.S.: Goran Bregovic in NYC
Veni Markovksi posts pictures and writes at length about Goran Bregovic and his Wedding and Funeral Orchestra's concerts in New York City.
Barbados, U.S.A.: Controversial Cartoon
Barbadian blogger Cheese-on-bread! comments on the controversial cover of The New Yorker: “Some people are really scared Obama is going to be the 43rd President of the United States…”
Armenia: Meet The Kardashians
Blogian posts the text of an email that laments the fact that many Americans are beginning to associate ethnic Armenians in the U.S. with socialite and sex tape celebrity Kim Kardashian.
Doing business with the poor
The United Nations Development Program has released a new report on how businesses may include the global poor as potential customers–and how the global poor might benefit from collaborating more closely with businesses.
Bermuda: Tourism Outsourced
News that the Bermuda Department of Tourism is retrenching workers at its New York office, and outsourcing to an unnamed US sales company, leaves Vexed Bermoothes asking a lot of questions.