Stories from 14 August 2008
Japan: Rural City
Tony Boys wrote a photo essay about Japanese rural city.
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.
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.
South Korea: 100 Days of Candlelight
CINA posts the protesters’ plan for celebrating the 100 days of candlelight protest against the importation of U.S beef on August 15.
Lebanon: Prisoners in Syria
As Lebanese President Michel Suleiman visits Syria, “the government media in Damascus recognizes for the first time after years of silence the existence of the question of the Lebanese prisoners held in Syrian jails,” writes Abullor at Bilad ash-Sham.
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...
Philippines: Humanitarian crisis
Filipino blogger On the 8 Spot insists the more important issue that media should tackle is not the charter change proposal of the national government but the humanitarian crisis in a southern province in the Philippines
Sabah Bloggers Gathering 2008
Congratulations to the organizers and participants of the successful Sabahan Bloggers Gathering 2008.
Jose Ramos-Horta visits the Philippines
East Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta recently gave a lecture in the Philippines. He told a university crowd: “If in the process of struggle for independence you use the same tactics as your opponents you are no better than them.”
Laos: Selection of athletes for the Olympics
Lao athletes who participated in the Beijing Olympics were chosen because of their close ties to the Lao communist government, as alleged by a commenter in the blog post of Lao Cook.
Singapore: Weakness of education system
Ian On The Red Dot wonders if swimmer Michael Phelps would have succeeded if the Olympic gold medalist was born in Singapore. The blogger criticizes Singapore’s education system which pushes students “who don’t do well in academics into a lower stream.”
Vietnam: Coconut milk
Wandering Chopsticks mentions why coconut milk and coconut juice are important ingredients in several Vietnamese and Thai recipes.
Haiti: Restavèk
“The restavèk practice essentially throws away the lives of children and along with them Haiti’s future”: jmc strategies maintains that no matter how you slice it, “the practice of ‘lending’ a child away to go and live with well-off families” is still a form of slavery.
Puerto Rico: Gay Marriage
“If a person thus chooses to love another–of the same sex or opposite–and that person loves back, why shouldn't they be allowed to formalize their relationship? Is love so frightening?” asks Gil the Jenius, as he weighs in on the issue of gay marriage.
Trinidad & Tobago: Equal Opportunity?
Blogging from Trinidad and Tobago, Alien in the Caribbean thinks that religious extremists are the only ones threatened by the Equal Opportunity Bill.
Jamaica: Decriminalizing Homosexuality
From Jamaica, YardFlex.com reports on “a proposed legislation…recommending the decriminalization of homosexuality and commercial sex workers” in order to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Trinidad & Tobago: Talk Yuh Talk
“Who honestly thinks they can change anything by talking?” Trinidad-based blogger Jeremy Taylor thinks there may be nothing left to say.
Georgia's relationship with the US
Frencheagle writes about Georgia's cozy relationship with the American government [Fr]: “How can we condemn Russia's actions without also condemning America's imperialist policies which use a so-called struggle for liberty and democracy to install new pawns more in line with its own interests.”
Cuba: Birthday Candles
Child of the Revolution notes that “every August 13 without fail, the official Cuban media celebrates Fidel Castro’s birthday by trying to come up with ever more ridiculous ways to describe the man who ruled his 11 million subjects with an iron fist for close to half a century.” Yoani...
Jamaica, China: Masters of the Universe?
She makes you think and she makes you laugh! Jamaican Annie Paul‘s post on the Olympics is a must-read.
Jamaica: Shifting Sands
Guest Blogging at Abeng News Magazine, Long Bench discusses the matter of the sand heist at a beach in Coral Spring, which is earmarked for private development: “It is…our civic, ethical and moral duty to ensure that our institutions are responsive to our collective needs…I do not now, nor will...
