Breaking Tweets » Asia

Explosions rock Southern Afghanistan

Fahad Zuberi — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:22:33 +0000

Four suicide bombings rocked Kandahar city in Southern Afghanistan on Saturday.

Voice of America reports, Afghan officials say suicide bombers targeted four different parts of the southern city of Kandahar, killing at least 30 people and wounding 46 others. Authorities say they now have the situation under control.

A Twitter user travelling in Afghanistan has been tweeting the latest developments.

strickvl (Kandahar, Afghanistan) Attacks tonight in Kandahar hit multiple targets: incl prison, opposite Continental Guesthouse, police HQ, and Indian Consulate office 13 Mar 2010 from TweetDeck

strickvl (Kandahar, Afghanistan) There was also a rocket that seems to have hit the ANP Barracks in Kandahar City 13 Mar 2010 from TweetDeck

strickvl (Kandahar, Afghanistan) Phone lines were cut for a bit within the city, a curfew was imposed, and there was some sporadic gunfire (probably panicked guards) 13 Mar 2010 from TweetDeck

– this quote was brought to you by quoteurl

Twitter users are concerned and are praying for the safety of people living in Afghanistan.

JuniorAli (Sugar Land, Texas) Breaking News inside of Afghanistan in the province of Kandahar 4 suicide bombings kill at least 35 and wounds 47 others pray for them 13 Mar 2010 from web

EricSutphin (Kabul, Afghanistan) Multiple bombs reported in #Kandahar with dozens killed. Sounds like a mess. #Taliban striking in advance of ISAF declared Kandahar ops?? 13 Mar 2010 from web

– this quote was brought to you by quoteurl

Tweet This Post

Obama in China: Twitter users in region address Beijing visit

Craig Kanalley — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:57:43 +0000

As part of his first tour of Asia, U.S. President Barack Obama met Tuesday with Chinese leader Hu Jintao in Beijing, participating in a summit to discuss a number of issues, per BBC.

@stevebruskCNN tweeted the following about the event, “CNN live now…President Obama and President Hu make comments after their meeting in Beijing. Unlike many such events, no questions allowed.”

Twitter users in China are paying close attention to Obama’s visit to their country.

Annie_He (Beijing) #Obama talks abt human rights, the police arrests 20 dissidents & activists. http://is.gd/4WL0F what’s happening during Obama in #China . 17 Nov 2009 from web

amojiang (Beijing) Obama is here in BJ, that’s why the traffic was so slow around Chang an jie this morning…brrr…I was late for work 17 Nov 2009 from web

pmdfoster (Beijing) Obama’s limo and motorcade parked right on front steps of Great Hall of the People. Tried to sneak a peek. Shooed away. 17 Nov 2009 from TweetDeck

telinida (Shanghai) cannot believe the number of Obama-Mao images springing up here in China….hmmmm oh the symbolism! 17 Nov 2009 from web

mlh2537 (Beijing) From HU’s facial apperacnce, a successful talk with Obama? 17 Nov 2009 from TwitIQ

Others in Asia have also been keeping a close eye on his trip:

casha527 (Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan) Obama is ok…I think…what’s their problem??? 16 Nov 2009 from web

Tootal (Japan) Is Obama going to sacrifice The Dalai Lama, blatant human rights violations, and Internet censorship to pally up with China? 17 Nov 2009 from web

technicolours (Seoul, South Korea) [grumbles about Obama for what must be the millionth time] 17 Nov 2009 from TweetDeck

Tweet This Post

Car bomb in Pakistan kills 24, wounds dozens

Fahad Zuberi — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:52:13 +0000

At least 24 people were killed and over a dozen injured when a car bomb ripped through a crowded market in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province on Tuesday.

Gulf News reports, the bombing, apparently aimed at causing maximum civilian casualties, was the third blast in as many days in or close to Peshawar, the capital of the North West Frontier Province, an area bordering the tribal region where the army is pushing into a key Taliban and Al Qaida sanctuary

Twitter users are in disbelief that another bomb blast has taken place in Pakistan.

1stkingmatt (United Kingdom) More Deaths in Another Pakistan Bomb Explosion, http://hubpages.com/t/eab74 10 Nov 2009 from web

JosephBrady(Denver, Colorado) Bomb Kills More Than 20 Outside Crowded Pakistan Market – Wall Street Journal I thought Islam was about peace & love? http://bit.ly/3RjKEq 10 Nov 2009 from TweetMiner

Rohu87 (Nagpur, India) Pakistan celebrates diwali everyday in d form of BOMB bLASTS…. 10 Nov 2009 from web

kushanmitra (location undisclosed) Wow, there has been yet another bomb in Peshawar! Is self-inflicted genocide the right term for Pakistan nowadays! 10 Nov 2009 from TweetDeck

altnews_ (London, UK) Car bomb strikes northwest Pakistan: At least 30 people killed in third attack in three days in and aroun.. http://bit.ly/9×1Jl
#news 10 Nov 2009 from twitterfeed

Tweet This Post

12 die in Karachi train collision

Nicole Hernandez — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:39:47 +0000

CNN reports, a cargo train collided with a passenger train in Pakistan’s commercial capital of Karachi on Tuesday, killing 12 people and wounding 19 others, police said.

The crash was caused by a technical error and the death toll will most likely rise as emergency workers continue to help those on board.

Twitter users are upset over this tragic event:

Mirza9 (Kerachi) damn, train collision in karachi… 03 Nov 2009 from TweetDeck

HawkesBay (undisclosed) #karachi train wreck? i guess it’s symbolic of the state of the country? what the f next? 03 Nov 2009 from TweetDeck

james_frinzi (Austin, Tx) Train crash in Pakistan! I’ve been to India numerous times and I’ve managed to never ride a train there. I don’t plan on ever. 03 Nov 2009 from web

berbaroo (Kerala) FAtal train collision in pakistan….they never seem to have peace 03 Nov 2009 from web

sm63 (India) Really feel sorry for Pak.. everyday tragedies. If not terror, now there’s train collision.. going through serious bad luck 04 Nov 2009 from TweetDeck

Tweet This Post

Baby born on flight named after Air Asia

Nicole Hernandez — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:55:43 +0000

Thestar.com reports the baby boy, who created national headlines when he was born on an AirAsia plane, has been named Asia Liew Ya Hang.

His mother Liew Siaw Hsia said the Chinese name ‘Ya Hang’ means ‘AirAsia’ in Mandarin.

The airline has presented Liew and the baby free flight tickets for life to celebrate the birth.

Twitter users buzz about how they wish to have free flights if they have their babies born on a plane:

SocialiteJacque (undisclosed) Baby boy born on plane gets to fly free for life and his moms …I’m jealous of them both lol. AirAsia flight ak 6506 27 Oct 2009 from Echofon

Eyesiie (Undisclosed) ‘baby born on plane has lifetime free flights’, what,so good! i want it too!!! 25 Oct 2009 from web

peardoll (California) a baby was born in mid air on an Air Asia flight. that’s even more awesome than being born at midnight. oh god, I’m crying a little. 23 Oct 2009 from Tweetie

eaporter (Undisclosed) Air Asia smart PR move to give baby just born onboard flight, free flights for life! 23 Oct 2009 from web

RushTime (Toronto, Ontario) Baby Born on Airplane Gets Free Flights For Life// I would like my kids to have birth on a plane as well, lol! 27 Oct 2009 from web

xixiangg (singapore) i hoped that next time my baby gets born on a plane. free flights for life for baby and me! wow how about that! 24 Oct 2009 from web

misschina322 (Boston) Baby born on plane gets free flights for life..I was born in a hospital..where’s my free health care dammit!?! 23 Oct 2009 from TwitterRide

Tweet This Post

Youth Pledge Day begins in Indonesia

Lauren McTigue — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:43:54 +0000

Indonesian Vice President Boediono is leading ceremonies for the country’s Youth Pledge Day Wednesday morning.

This day commemorates a pledge made on Oct. 28, 1928 when Indonesia was still a Dutch colony, The Jakarta Post reported. The pledge stated that the young people of the country could build a new and independent nation, which was eventually acheived in 1945.

Youth Pledge Day is highly celebrated as it acted as a “turning point” for Indonesia in gaining their independence.

Twitterers have been sending out good wishes early Wednesday morning before the ceremony which is being held in Serang, Banten.

niyataniya (Undisclosed) Selamat pagi pemuda Indonesia. (Good morning Indonesian youth.) 28 Oct 2009 from UberTwitter

GagasMedia (Undisclosed) Selamat Hari Sumpah Pemuda. Ayo pemuda Indonesia, bangun semangat berkarya! (Welcome Youth Pledge Day. Let the youth of Indonesia, to work up the spirit!) 28 Oct 2009 from web

harisprahara (Jakarta, Indonesia) Selamat hari Sumpah Pemuda… (Good day Youth Pledge) 28 Oct 2009 from web

ksetyadi (Jakarta-Yogyakarta, Indonesia) Selamat hari #sumpahpemuda ! Semoga pemuda (dan pemudi) Indonesia makin maju dan berprestasi (Good day # sumpahpemuda! May the youth (and women) Indonesia progress and achievement;)) 28 Oct 2009 from Echofon

andry (Jakarta, Indonesia) ‘Pemuda’ tentu mengacu pada pemikiran dan semangatnya: Sedikit naif, segar, subversif, dan membahana. Umur biologis, itu lain soal. (’Youth’ of course refers to the thought and spirit: A bit naive, fresh, subversive, and formations. Biological age, is another matter.) 28 Oct 2009 from Tweetie

hasanozo (Undisclosed) Semangat pemuda terdahulu melekat erat dijiwa!! Bangun pendidikan pemuda!! Bangun bangsa dan negara!! Semangat SUPER!! Untuk INDONESIA (The spirit of youth clung previous dijiwa!! Wake up youth education!! Wake up the nation! Spirit SUPER!! For INDONESIA) 28 Oct 2009 from UberTwitter

tintaniwidya (Undisclosed) selamat pagi dan selamat hari sumpah pemuda ! (good morning and congratulations on oath youth!) 28 Oct 2009 from web

made_it (Indonesia) Selamat Hari Sumpah Pemuda..Mari kita buat Indonesia menjadi tempat yang lebih baik..jadilah bangsa yang optimis krn pesimis adlh kehancuran (Youth Pledge Day Congratulations .. Let’s make Indonesia a better place .. be a nation of optimistic pessimism adlh destruction krn) 28 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

The motto for Youth Pledge Day is One Nation, One Language, One Country: Indonesia.

Tweet This Post

New logo for ANZ bank criticized on Twitter

Lauren McTigue — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:46:49 +0000

ANZ, one of the leading banks serving Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the South Pacific, has released its new company logo, but early reviews from Twitter users are not so positive.

InsideRetailing.com reported on the company’s logo change as being part of its rebranding campaign to show unity across the 32 countries that the bank serves.

The logo has the old ANZ letters in place, but in more modern font. The bank added a petal shaped figure next to it which is meant to signify the people and countries where ANZ has a presence, making it look like a person as a whole.

But Twitterers have other thoughts on what the new logo looks like, and many are not impressed by the bank’s new branding identity:

osirisX (Craigie, Perth, Australia) I like the new type in the ANZ logo. It makes ANZ feel more human and less IBM. But that symbol is POINTLESS. Is it a flower or a person?! 25 Oct 2009 from Twitterrific

TheVintry (Pokolbin, Australia) #anz#logo. Is that Kenny from South Park in the ANZ logo? 25 Oct 2009 from web

icanseeit (Brisbane, Australia) Hmmm not sure what I think about the new ANZ logo yet. Old one was around for so long it will take some time… #newlogo #anz 25 Oct 2009 from Tweetie

web_goddess (Undisclosed) The new ANZ logo/glyph looks like it should be on the side of a feminine hygiene product box. 25 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

Harcourt666 (Undisclosed) The new ANZ logo looks absolutely ridiculous. Looks like somebody crying because the bank has charged them $5 for breathing at their branch 25 Oct 2009 from Twitterrific

BettyBrowne (Sydney, Australia) what’s that blue thing on the end of the new ANZ logo? A jelly baby? Alien? half a croissant and two biscuits? 26 Oct 2009 from web

rljm (Adelaide, Australia) My friends at #QBN just showed me the new #ANZ logo. It is absolutely appalling, I really hope they don’t change, it’s a backwards step imo. 26 Oct 2009 from Echofon

nick_wade (North Geelong, Australia) just putting it out there, the new anz app logo is hideous 26 Oct 2009 from Twitterrific

HarrisonARH (Brisbane, Australia) Wow. Twitter is alive with discussion on the ANZ logo. Looks to be designed for push into Asian market. Certainly getting exposure. 26 Oct 2009 from web

ohhitskat (Melbourne, Australia) So ANZ is happy to spend millions of $$ on a new crappy logo but not willing to put a little bit forward to look after their employees? heh 26 Oct 2009 from Tweetie

Below is a TwitPic posted by one Twitterer that shows the new logo:

posted by: waynecheng

Whether or not Twitterers like it, the bank plans to continue releasing the new logo over the next two years by adding it to online material, office supplies and ANZ buildings.

Tweet This Post

Rescue operations begin after 22 die in India train accident

Nicole Hernandez — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:47:45 +0000

Dailyindia.com reports, resue operation begins after at least 22 people died in Muthra after a New Delhi-bound Goa Express rammed into the rear part of a stationary train, Mewar Express at 5.00 a.m (local time) near Mathura on Wednesday, officials said.

blog.taragana.com states, senior railway officials and platoons of Indian army went to oversee the rescue operations while those injured were sent to nearby hospitals.

Many Twitterers were saddened by the collision:

Joy_Dutta (Chennai, India) Depressed after seeing the images of train crash in Mathura, 21 Oct 2009 from web

Ssparshita (New Delhi, India) @ndtv Mathura train mishap is a real sad incident!!!!!!!!! 21 Oct 2009 from web in reply to ndtv

subybanu (Undisclosed) I feel sad about the 22 people who died in the train accident near Mathura yesterday. Really sad thing to happen. 22 Oct 2009 from web

nikhilchopra (New Delhi) Had a good meeting in Agra……..but was terrified witnessing the Train accident midway in Mathura 22 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

Other Twitter users could not believe the incident:

rubeshvp (Kannur, Kerala) how could a train jus ram in2 another from behind? (referring 2 the mathura incident) 21 Oct 2009 from web

harishragun (India) Shocked by the Mathura train accident..when are we going to learn? 21 Oct 2009 from web

Tweet This Post

China skeptical of Dalai Lama’s plans to visit India

Trish Donovan — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:11:12 +0000

The Dalai Lama is planning a visit to Arunachal Pradesh, India next month. While India has said they are not worried about this causing conflict with China, it has been made public that many Chinese do not like the presence of Dalai Lama in India.

His upcoming visit has become controversial due to a border dispute. Phayul.com reports, “India has reaffirmed the exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s right to visit its disputed border region with China in the face of objections from Beijing, a media report said Saturday.” The Dalai Lama hasn’t visited the state since 2003.

The Hindu also reported on the upcoming event, making note that this is a trip that supports him as a spiritual figure.

Indians respond to the Dalai Lama’s visit next month:

soleslide (Mumbai) PM should hold a summit with the Dalai Lama in Arunachal Pradesh to send a message to the Chinese. But that would need balls, wouldn’t it? 13 Oct 2009 from TinyTwitter

sayan12 (Kolkatta) @BDUTT I think sending Dalai Lama on a visit to Tawang is sending a message to China. 13 Oct 2009 from web in reply to BDUTT

aeronett (Mumbai) @Vikram_Sood It’s time India played the ‘Tibet’ card. The dalai lama shd be given more patronage & be allowd to openly critise China 13 Oct 2009 from web in reply to Vikram_Sood

IssuesFirst (Mumbai) @aeronett Agree on Tibet card. And Dalai Lama. We hv to be pre-emtive with China–even in gesture. Confucians understand art of dipl & war.. 13 Oct 2009 from web in reply to aeronett

IssuesFirst (Mumbai) Apart from MEA’s bold statement today warning China to lay off Illegally occupied Kashmir, India shd play Dalai Lama card with great finesse 14 Oct 2009 from web

Tweet This Post

Four dead after plane crash in Manila

Bryan Simpson — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 21:05:13 +0000

Per BBC News and the Associated Press, a propeller-driven plane crashed Saturday into an abandoned warehouse killing four people in the Philippine capitol of Manila.

AP reports that the plane, a DC-3, departed Manila airport for Puerto Princesa city in Palawan province southwest of Manila. However, the pilot almost immediately after takeoff asked permission to make an emergency landing.

Twitter users from the Philippines expressed their concern; one even recalls possibly seeing the plane prior to crashing:

naga_jolokai (Manila, Philippines) thankful i’m home safe, a plane just recently crashed in las pinas city, a city away from home.. 17 Oct 2009 from web

patrickpineda (Las Piñas City, Philippines) Walked from school to home. It was so traffic due to the plane crash in Villa Fidela. BTW, four are dead. 17 Oct 2009 from web

remsbandiola (Manila) While on my way to Cavite, I saw a shadow of and heard a plane flying in low altitude. when I came to GMA, I found out a DC3 plane crashed. 17 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

JeromeGotangco (Quezon City, Manila) A DC-3 plane crashed in Las Pinas – that’s a very old plane! Why is it still being used during that time? 17 Oct 2009 from web

glennong (Manila, Philippines) oh no! A private plane crashed in an abandoned warehouse in las piñas! 17 Oct 2009 from mobile web

Tweet This Post