Breaking Tweets » Michelle Miner

Guinea-Bissau president, chief of staff killed

Michelle Miner — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 18:38:00 +0000

Per Soitu.es, the West African nation of Guinea-Bissau has experienced one of the most stressful weeks in recent history after the assassination of its president, Joao Bernardo Vieira, and his chief of staff of the Armed Forces, Tagme Na Wai.

A twitterer in neighboring Senegal retweeted an article from someone in Washington, D.C., then added context from the region in parentheses.

@malaidea: RT @bloodandmilk Guinea Bissau assassinations, who did it? http://tinyurl.com/d4ates (also: bomb is not “traditional” in West Africa)

Another in Senegal tweeted pictures from the house of former President Vieira.

@rignese (Dakar, Senegal): Pressafrik , senegal (Photos atroces) Guinée Bissau: dans la maison dévastée de Nino Vieira:.. http://tinyurl.com/8cx4rf (Pressafrik, senegal (Photos atrocious) Guinea Bissau: In the devastated house of Nino Vieira: .. http://tinyurl.com/8cx4rf)

A Ghanan twitterer had difficulty even tweeting about the developments.

@ust2izy (Kumasi, Ghana): @obaasima Fustrating,huh. I didn’t tweet about Guinea Bissau cos I felt, not again, more fuel for the ‘War Africa’ image. Sick of ‘em…

Some in Western Europe also reflected on the news.

@mfrancopt (Lisbon, Portugal): Como é possivel que ninguem tente saber quem assassinou o Presidente da Guine Bissau (How can anyone know who assassinated the President of Guinea Bissau)

@batistasemp (Algarve, Portugal): O Nino Vieira morreu no domingo, e só o vão enterrar amanhã. Imagino o cheiro, a esta hora já está cozido, os vermes agradecem o petisco. (Vieira died on Sunday, and just go bury tomorrow. Imagine the smell, at this time is already cooked, the worms welcome the snack.)

@MStreibhardt (Münster, Germany): Afinal o que terá acontecido na realidade a Nino Vieira? terá sidomorto ou sequestrado? (So what actually has happened to Nino Vieira? have been killed or kidnapped?)

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Two Chilean students killed in Florida

Michelle Miner — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 09:47:00 +0000

Per Clarin.com, Nicolas Pablo Torres, 22, and Racine Balbontín, 23, both of Valparaíso, Chile, were killed by an American who, according to witnesses, hates immigrants.

The attacker used a shotgun to commit the acts, in a house that overlooks the beach in Pensacola, Florida, per the article. Clarin.com said the suspect of the crime is Dannie Baker, 60, who was identified by neighbors as a “racist” and had sent emails with threats to democratic politicians.

Many twitterers were shaken by the incident.

@KenjiFinster (Santiago, Chile): Still disturbed: 2 Chilean students slayed, 3 injured by a crazy guy in (where else?) Florida. http://tinyurl.com/bhpaja

@mansun79 (Tampa, Fla.): outraged at the murder of two Chileans in North Florida.

Journalist Jorge Garreton provided updates from Santiago, the capital of Chile, through Twitter.

@Garreton (Santiago, Chile): Pensacola Chilean Killings: Racine Balbontin, 22, was studying to become a chef; Nicolas Corp, 22, studied PhysEd both lived in Valparaiso

@Garreton: Family members of Chileans killed by Pensacola Fla man travel tonight to begin process of returning bodies and wounded.

@Garreton: I have posted musings on YouTube and my Blog: http://tinyurl.com/bu85sa

Some questioned the lack of coverage by CNN.

@HectorRojas: @ricksanchezcnn any reason why CNN not covering 5 chileans shot in Florida yesterday by xenofobe former Bush campaign worker in Florida?

@JanieAngus (Las Vegas, Nev.): RT @ricksanchezcnn any reason why CNN not covering 5 chileans shot in Florida yesterday by xenofobe former Bush campaign worker in Florida?

The CNN anchor has not yet responded to these questions, at least publicly.

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Mexico on edge of civil war

Michelle Miner — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:51:00 +0000

Per CNN, the war against drug cartels in Mexico is having a high cost on the civil society who are becoming victims of the crossfire between criminal, militaries and police officers.

Dennis Blair, director of U.S. National Intelligence, spoke to the Federal Congress on Wednesday about the seriousness of the problem of government corruption and drug traffickers and argues that the government of Felipe Calderon had lost control of some parts of Mexico, per the Los Angeles Times.

In some cities, a state of anarchy and violence is growing, causing a collective hysteria and insecurity for visitors, international students and families, according to CNN.

Twitterers reacted to the news.

@Reptil (Guanatos, Mexico): “En escuelas de Tampico quieren organizar simulacros de balaceras” –>http://xiki.to/O4p !mexico (”In schools they want to organize Tampico mock shootings” -> http://xiki.to/O4p !mexico)

@RodrigoMX (Baja, Mexico): @shaine el fenomeno de la violencia es culpa de Estados Unidos.Mexico no produce armas. (The phenomenon of violence is the fault of U.S.A, Mexico States is not producing weapons.)

@treo700 (Maricopa, Az.): @bluestbutterfly No, civil war in Mexico. The drug war is not good. I live close to the border and can tell you its bad.

@ahdiaz (Las Cruces, New Mexico): Mexico is a complete mess. President Calderon is combating narco-terrorism with the civil war era guns the U.S. has provided him.

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Twitter revives historic coup d’etat in Spain

Michelle Miner — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 03:24:00 +0000

Per Soitu.es, Twitter revived minute by minute the historical coup d’etat, on February 23, 1981, of the Spanish government, remnants of General Francisco Franco’s dictatorship. On this same day, 28 years ago, about 200 soldiers and paramilitary members of the Spanish Civil Guard stormed the lower house of the parliament, firing automatic weapons and shouting for a new government.

During Franco’s quasi-fascist government all cultural activities were subject to censorship and many were plainly forbidden on various grounds (political or moral). Today this Twitter profile, @23f, provided a space to share thoughts and historical facts about what happened in real time. Here are just some of the many 23-f tweets:

@23f: 23:00 Sigue la ocupación militar en Valencia. Carros de combate y efectivos militares siguen en puntos neurálgicos del casco urbano (23:00 Follow the military occupation in Valencia. Tanks and troops remain in key areas of urban)

22:45 Hay policías con metralletas en tejados y guardias civiles ocupan lugares estratégicos de la ciudad. La radio emite músicas militares…(22:45 There are policemen with guns on roofs and civil guards occupy strategic locations in the city. The radio broadcast military music …)

@brujodoncarlos Tan claro tienes que el golpe fracasará? Yo lo quiero ver (clear that the coup have failed? I want to see)

21:33 Contestación de un guardia civil en la tribuna de prensa: ‘¿Democracia? ¿Para qué? ¿Para que sigan matando a nuestros compañeros?’…(21:33 Response of a civil guard in the press gallery: “Democracy? Why? So they continue killing our fellow ?’…)

21:10 ‘…La tranquilidad es total y no se pueden difundir noticias contrarias a las que son verdaderas, que son las aquí relatadas.’ (21:10 “… The peace is absolute and can not be contrary to the news that are true, which are reported here.”)

Mi tia me ha enviado esta otra foto http://23-f.com/mas-tanques Tenéis fotos para pasar? Algún video de móvil? (My aunt sent me this other photo http://23-f.com/mas-tanques you have pictures to pass? Some mobile phone video?)

Here are some reactions to the project from Twitter users:

@verowhite (Sevilla, Spain): @23f Me ha gustado mucho el trabajo que habéis hecho. Yo no había nacido, así que no pude experimentar lo que fue aquello. Felicidades! (@23f I liked the work they have done. I was not born, so I could not experience what it was. Congratulations!)

@ma_garcia (Torrelodones, Madrid, Spain): @23f ¡Lo habéis hecho genial! Creo que esto pasará a los anales de la historia… de Twitter. Y en virtual todo ha sido mucho más divertido! (@23f You have done great! I think this will go down the annals of history … of Twitter. And virtually all have been much more fun!)

@jsblanch (Barcelona, Spain): @23f gracias por vuestra iniciativa, ha sido genial (@23f thanks for your initiative, has been great)

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Argentine authorities expel Catholic bishop

Michelle Miner — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:34:00 +0000

Per BBC, the Argentine Interior Minister made public a statement announcing that authorities are given ten days to the Bishop Richard Williamson to leave the country under threat of immediate expulsion. The bishop denies the Holocaust in statements made to a local TV station.

Argentina has the sixth largest Jewish population in the world outside Israel. Buenos Aires, in particular, is considered the second capital with the highest Jewish population, behind New York.

Tweets poured in around the world about the news.

@Sabrioli (Brooklyn, N.Y.): Argentina: where in the 40’s or 50’s it was still ok to name your kid “Adolfo.” Holy..

@niels_stet (Nijmegen, Netherlands): “Argentina expels Holocaust bishop” and they are absolutely right!http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7900591.stm

@WillHeaven (York, U.K.): Argentina tells Bishop Williamson to get out of the country -http://tinyurl.com/cu9bjr. But where will he go? Tehran?

@jredding (Shanghai, China): Awesome! This behavior is no longer tolerated!http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/02/19/argentina.bishop/index.html

@sablikatriumph (Curacao, Netherlands Antilles): funny is how the Jewish aint protesting like #blck folks do against British bishop in Argentina that denied the Holocaust.

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Michelle Bachelet meets Fidel Castro

Michelle Miner — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 02:54:00 +0000

Per The Telegraph, Chilean president Michelle Bachelet visited Fidel Castro in Cuba on Tuesday, and found him in good health condition, refuting rumors of complications after an intestinal surgery.

Latin American tweets helped tell the story.

@edouardose (Brazil): Raúl Castro confesó que Fidel recibió a Cristina y a Bachelet porque son mujeres http://tinyurl.com/cjfrx3 (raul castro confessed that Fidel received Bachelet and Cristina because they are women)

@Chuqui (Santiago, Chile): Bachelet fue trotando, sí, TROTANDO a ver a Fidel Castro tal como los peregrinos van a la Meca. Verguenza ajena. (Bachelet was jogging, yes, jogging to see Fidel Castro as the pilgrims going to Mecca. Embarrassment of others)

@DMonKaZ (Lima, Peru): Fidel Castro con una casaca Adidas http://ping.fm/5FKA2 (wearing a adidas suit)

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