April 16, 2009

Obama makes visit to Mexico

Per The New York Times, U.S. President Barack Obama met with Mexican President Felipe Calderon in Mexico City on Thursday, with issues such as trade, drug violence, and gun trafficking at the top of the agenda. This is Obama's first trip to Latin America as president, according to the Times.

Twitterers in and around Mexico City provided a feel for Obama's visit.

  1. Deborah Bonello
    mexicoreporter (Mexico) Obama' jsut drove past the office - him and about 29 other cars with blacked-out windows.
  2. La Chilangabacha
    LaChilangabacha (Tenochtitlan, Mexico) @MariRamos It's raining Obama in the Distrito Federal.
  3. José Manuel
    plick88 (Mexico City, Mexico) Mexico City is caos today because of president Obama's prescence. There is traffic everywere.
  4. Teresa
    Atiret (Mexico) @UstreamTV Mexico City is right now a bunker, because Obama is here, i believe it´s ok, he is welcome in Mexico.
  5. luis poblete flores
    lpoblete (Mexico) i´ve heard barak obama is in mexico city right now......we both are very important persons.....jajajajjajajajaja
  6. José Manuel
    plick88 (Mexico City, Mexico) People gather to see obama outside the airport in Mexico City. http://yfrog.com/093y6j
  7. Susana Mo.Z
    inmodeofinertia (Jalisco, Mexico) welcome to Mexico city mr. Obama!


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Featured TwitPic: Aurora Borealis in Siberia


"© Akhmetsafin Ruslan. Aurora Borealis. Yakutia, Russia (Siberia)" (Posted by @spiritsurfer, April 16, 2009)

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Russia announces pullout from Chechnya

Per BBC, Russia announced Thursday that it is ending its counter-terrorism operations in Chechnya, effectively ending the 10-year regional conflict.

Many on Twitter remained skeptical.

  1. Elina Karakulova
    elinakarakulova (Kyrgyzstan) Russia ends Chechnya operation... for good? http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8001495.stm
  2. Krista Baumane
    Krista_Baumane (Riga, Latvia) Boris Grizlov of the Russian Duma just announced on camera that Grozny (Chechnya) is on the way to become one of Russia's tourism centres
  3. so_on
    so_on (Riga, Latvia) RT @bbcnews Russia ends its counter-terrorism operation in the southern republic of Chechnya, reports say. http://tinyurl.com/d7xoub | Nice
  4. Dave Cahill
    d_cahill (Ireland) Chechnya is now supposedly a peaceful territory, nothing to see here, move along. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8001495.stm
  5. Matt Spencer
    MKSpence (U.S.) Russia actually pulling out of Chechnya. I don't believe it. http://tinyurl.com/dk3m3o
  6. Pifiz
    Pifiz (London, U.K.) Russia ends 10 year war in Chechnya!!
    miracles do happen...
  7. Le Combat
    lecombat (Austin, Texas) How long will this last? Russia ends 10 year war in Chechnya http://tinyurl.com/d6a5or


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Boat carrying refugees set on fire off Australia coast

Per The Australian, five people died and 51 were injured Thursday when a boat filled with refugees off the coast of Australia caught fire. Western Australia officials believe the blaze may have been started deliberately.

Australian Twitterers immediately joined the discussion upon hearing the news, providing context and offering personal opinions.

  1. Cade
    KILLcade (Melbourne, Australia) This is an unbelievably chilling sign outside Broome Hospital in anticipation of the Asylum Seeker boat explosion: http://is.gd/sGBG
  2. Paul Kidd
    paulkidd (Drummond North, Australia) If Howard were still PM, this asylum-boat accident would be being spun as a terrorist act.
  3. cannboys
    cannboys (Melbourne, Australia) I'm sure if Peter Reith and John Howard were still in charge, they'd find a way to blame the asylum seekers for the explosion on the boat...
  4. seanbedlam
    seanbedlam (Melbourne, Australia) Sweet! My beautiful Australia is about to get stuck into boat people again! God I love my embarrassing, scared-of-refugees cuntry.
  5. Tim Jeffries
    timjeffries (Preston, Australia) WA Premier says that asylum seekers lit their own boat on fire ... Are we in for another Tampa?
  6. Jason Langenauer
    jasonlangenauer (Sydney, Australia) Poured petrol all over their boat? Like fun. Children overboard all over again.

News outlets and journalists in Australia used Twitter to add to the story.

  1. Malcolm Turnbull
    TurnbullMalcolm (Sydney, Australia) just did a doorstop interview in Brisbane on the tragic explosion on the asylum seekers’ vessel of WA http://tinyurl.com/dnhqeo
  2. SBS News
    SBSNews (Australia) Medics are being flown to a makeshift hospital in Western Australia to treat survivors of the asylum seeker boat blast: http://cli.gs/WRdyuB
  3. Dave Earley
    earleyedition (Brisbane, Australia) editRT @jg_rat 1.boat in custody at time explosion 2.Details on WA Premier claim asylum seekers doused own boat in petrol http://is.gd/sGTA


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