14 August 2008
Stories from 14 August 2008
Lebanon: Tripoli's Attack - More Online Reactions
Lebanon is back in the headlines after an explosion ripped through a bus in Tripoli, killing 18 people, including soldiers, and injuring tens more. And although the day the explosion happened marked the first visit of the newly elected Lebanese President Michel Suleiman to Syria - a visit which was highly anticipated and monitored by both pro-government and opposition officials - news of the explosion took over the media coverage.
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Lebanon: The Presidential Visit to Syria
As the Lebanese president Michel Suleiman wraps up his first official visit to Syria, the regional media outlets are dedicating their resources and efforts to broadcast every event, announcement and speculation surrounding the trip. Naturally, the local blogosphere too has been busy reporting news and opinions on the visit and what it holds for the future of Lebanon, writes Nash Suleiman, who takes a closer look at Lebanese blogs in this post.
Guyana: Hospital Fire
The entire psychiatric ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital was gutted by fire early yesterday morning. Bloggers have been chronicling the story...
Maldives: Non-Muslims to be Barred from Citizenship?
On 7 August, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the President of the Maldives, and Asia's longest serving ruler, ratified the amended constitution of the country. It culminated a process of constitutional amendment that lasted four years. One controversial amendment would prevent non-Muslims from becoming citizens of the Maldives, curtailing freedom of religion in the country.
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Japan: Debate over Google Street View continues
Less than two weeks after Google rolled out Street View in Japan, debate continues in the blogs over whether the new service is an appropriate match for Japanese culture and urban residential life. A letter addressed to Google written by IT professional Osamu Higuchi drew a huge reaction last week, the translation of which was picked up abroad in both the U.S. and the U.K., in Japan both in English and in Japanese, and eventually even made its way onto Chinese bulletin boards. While many bloggers in Japan supported sentiments expressed in the letter, others responded with criticism.
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I do not support capital punishment, in this instance there have no other alternative. What these killers have done is...