Blogs feed information frenzy on Mumbai attacks
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Mumbai attacks, tourists head homeBy Melanie Lee
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Bloggers across Mumbai fed live updates of the action after Islamist gunmen launched waves of attacks in the heart of India's financial capital, highlighting the emergence of citizen journalism in news coverage.
Some, including a blogger named Vinu, were furiously uploading photos of damage from the attacks that killed at least 101 people and injured 287, with scores of foreigners, including Westerners trapped in luxury hotels.
Images of the attacks also surfaced on photo-sharing website Flickr.
Some bloggers provided running descriptions and commentaries from near the action, while others vented emotions.
"I've been tweeting almost all night, too, from Mumbai. Upset and angry and bereft," said businesswoman Dina Mehta on her blog, www.dinamehta.com/blog .
Twitter, the wildly popular "micro-blogging" site where users communicate with short "tweets" of 140 characters or less, saw intense activity on Thursday.
Within five seconds at 0748 GMT, 80 messages were posted. Posts included offers of help for the media and updates on the situation.
"One terrorist has jumped from Nariman house building to Chabad house - group of police commandos have arrived on scene," one tweeter wrote.
Twitter came in for some criticism as well in the blogosphere for divulging too many details that could prove helpful to the gunmen holed up in the hotels with their hostages and who may have been monitoring blog sites.
"It's a terrorist strike. Not entertainment. So tweeters, please be responsible with your tweets," said one blogger identified as primaveron@mumbai.
Several local Indian news channels were reported to have carried a live feed of the twitter updates on the Mumbai attacks.
Trying to aid India's weak public services, Mumbai Met Blog, (www.mumbai.metblogs.com) posted the telephone numbers of hospitals on its website, encouraging readers to donate blood.
Blogs such as Mumbai Help (mumbaihelp.blogspot.com), offered advice to those with friends and family in the city. "Suggest you avoid calling. Lines are bound to be screwed."
New media analyst Cherian George said events such as the Mumbai attacks and the London bombings have spotlighted the emergence of citizen journalism and user-generated content.
"If the event is highly dispersed and affects very large numbers of people, it would be physically impossible for a very large news organization to keep track of every development," George said. Continued...
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Hostages released in Mumbai terror
Nov 27 - Video showing the first sighting of 8 hostages who have been released from the Nariman House in Mumbai following their capture by militants.
The hostages which have been released will now face police questioning about how many hostages remain in the house and how many miltants are holding them hostage.
Militants battle on in Mumbai
Nov. 28 - Gunfire and explosions are continuing to erupt from the luxury Taj Mahal Hotel where commandos are battling a lone gunman holed up inside.
More than 140 people are now believed to have been killed in a series of co-ordinated attacks by Islamist militants on India's financial capital, Mumbai. The dead include at least eight foreigners who were gunned down after militants stormed hotels, a restaurant and the city's main railway station. Commandos have recovered 50 bodies at the Taj Mahal Hotel and another 24 at the nearby five-star Trident-Oberoi, which security forces say is now in their hands after the last two attackers were killed. An operation to free several Israeli hostages from a Jewish centre is underway. Helen Long reports.
SOUNDBITES: India Lieutenant-General N. Thamburaj Unidentified Commando Chief
Mumbai tourists back on home soil
Nov. 28 - Tourists caught up in the violent attacks in India have been flying home - and telling the stories of their escape.
The attacks in India's financial capital has claimed hundreds of lives. Gun battles still rage on with militants inside the Trident-Oberoi hotel and the Jewish centre, with around half a dozen hostages. Police say 121 people have been killed and 279 are wounded. Mumbai is a city with a population of around 18 million, it is the nerve-centre of the country's growing economy and home to the Bollywood film industry. Basmah Fahim, Reuters.
SOUNDBITES: Celia Meirow, an Israeli who lives in Mumbai and arrived on the flight Kobi Onasy, Israeli who returned from Mumbia Toni Nagel, who was staying at the hotel Joey Jeetun, Passenger who was in Cafe Leopold
India siege continues
Nov 28 - Indian commandos tried to flush out armed militants in Mumbai early Friday, more than a day after attacks that have left at least 119 people dead and over 300 wounded.
Sporadic gunfire and explosions continued at a Jewish centre where at least 10 Israelis were trapped or held hostage, while groups of militants still hold hostages in two Mumbai luxury hotels.
Grief for Mumbai massacre victims
Nov 27 - Friends and families bury their dead and hope for the safe return of those held hostage in the drama.
More than 100 people have been killed in a series of co-ordinated attacks by Islamist militants.
The dead include several policemen and at least six foreigners when the armed gangs struck at popular landmarks in India's financial capital.
Paul Chapman reports.
Huge flames at Mumbai hotel
Nov 27 - Huge flames are seen from an upper floor of Mumbai's Trident-Oberoi Hotel as commandos battle militants.
These pictures were broadcast live on Indian tv on Thursday evening local time (Nov 27, 2008) as there appeared to be a fresh bout of fighting between Indian commandos and Islamist militants at the Trident-Oberoi Hotel, where scores of people have been trapped and some taken hostage.
Commandos earlier freed hostages from the Taj Hotel and have also gathered outside a Jewish centre where militants are thought to be holding a rabbi.
Attacks kill scores in Mumbai
Nov 26 - Scores are dead in a series of shootings in India's financial capital.
The attackers struck two luxury hotels, the Taj and Oberoi. CNN/IBN reports some Westerners were being held hostage at the Taj.
Fred Katayama reports.
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