Full Coverage: North America

31.08.2006 NEW YORK, Aug 31 (IPS) - His name is Junaid Ahmad. He is 24 years old. And he is among a rapidly increasing number of first generation Muslim-Americans who have decided to pursue careers in the law.

31.08.2006 A key Senate vote on John Bolton's re-nomination as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is expected Thursday, September 7. Those opposing his nomination are organizing a day of action to influence senators on the eve of the vote.

31.08.2006 Architect Raed Jarrar was questioned and forced to change clothes at New York's JFK airport earlier this month because other passengers were apparently concerned about the Arabic script on his t-shirt. Here is his story.
From: Raed in the Middle blog

31.08.2006 An airline passenger at New York's JFK airport was detained and forced to change clothes as he walked through the terminal wearing a t-shirt with Arabic script on it. Other passengers apparently complained because they were concerned about what it meant.
From: American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee

31.08.2006 New laws in Las Vegas and Orlando prohibiting sharing food with homeless people in public parks are part of a nationwide trend of cities criminalizing homelessness. These laws are inhumane and unconstitutional, says attorney Tulin Ozdeger.

31.08.2006 from Ecostreet blog:
The house has been designed to sequester carbon dioxide and withstand extreme weather of all kinds, using standard commonly-available construction materials. It's also easier and cheaper to build than traditional homes.

30.08.2006 UNITED NATIONS, Aug 30 (IPS) - Marking the International Day of the Disappeared, United Nations officials joined international human rights groups Wednesday to draw attention to the plight of the thousands of people around the world who have been seized and imprisoned without recourse to their families or lawyers.

30.08.2006 SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 30 (OneWorld) - Hundreds of local residents protested the reopening ceremony for a 3.2-million-square-foot luxury resort in Biloxi, Mississippi Tuesday that was timed to coincide with the 1-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall in the region.

30.08.2006 In response to 9/11, the U.S. invested in war--and got what it paid for--says a faith-based social justice group. Five years after 9/11, they're rallying Americans to invest in peace. Find out how you can join in as the anniversary approaches.

30.08.2006 Many observers believe new death penalty laws for repeat child sex offenders in South Carolina and Oklahoma will be ruled unconstitutional; proponents say "killing a soul" is the same as "killing a body."

29.08.2006 KYOTO, Aug 29 (IPS) - While delegates to the World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP) keep highlighting the value of religion in resolving conflicts, the discussions at the 8th assembly, underway here, are decidedly political.

29.08.2006 Hurricane Katrina brought the public's attention to the tragedy of extreme poverty in both cities and rural areas throughout the United States. Don't forget Katrina's poorest victims; pledge your support today to create a working agenda to end poverty!

29.08.2006 Oxfam America called on Mississippi state officials Monday to immediately change course and work with community leaders to develop a comprehensive housing recovery plan by the end of September that meets the needs of the region's poorest residents.

28.08.2006 As politicians tout long-term plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60%, 70%, and more, voters would be wise to seek out the candidate that offers the best implementation plan, says climate scientist Simon Donner.
From: Maribo blog

25.08.2006 SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 25 (OneWorld) - A chief prosecutor of Nazi war crimes at Nuremberg has said George W. Bush should be tried for war crimes along with Saddam Hussein. Benjamin Ferencz, who secured convictions for 22 Nazi officers for their work in orchestrating the death squads that killed more than 1 million people, told OneWorld both Bush and Saddam should be tried for starting "aggressive" wars--Saddam for his 1990 attack on Kuwait and Bush for his 2003 invasion of Iraq.

25.08.2006 Individual and non-profit contributions have demonstrated that hope springs eternal in the Gulf Coast region, even as mismanagement and poor government policy have stymied efforts to provide affordable housing and new jobs since Katrina struck.

25.08.2006 from the BBC:
Over the last 10 years, public transport use has gone up by 65% and Oregon cities like Portland have managed to avoid a predicted 40% increase in congestion. The Vice Chair of the UK's Conservative Party explains why.

24.08.2006 One year after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, poor policy decisions, bureaucratic bungling, and lack of political will have left the region's poor further behind than ever, says a new report from a leading international humanitarian aid group.

24.08.2006 "Welfare reform was effective in getting more mothers to work, but not at making jobs work for low-wage mothers." Economists Randy Albelda and Heather Boushey explain.

24.08.2006 The United States' Millennium Challenge Corporation--much anticipated for its business-like approach to providing aid to developing countries--is barely off the ground in the Republic of Georgia but already faces allegations about accountability and transparency.