More countries infected with swine flu

Per BBC, the swine flu virus has been confirmed in four more countries around the globe, including Britain, New Zealand, Spain, and Israel as the United Nations warned that the influenza cannot be contained.

No deaths have been reported in the United States, Canada, Spain and Britain where cases of the virus have been confirmed earlier, which denotes Mexico as the only country where the virus has caused fatalities. The Mexican death toll from probable swine flu deaths has risen to 152, with 1,614 suspected cases, as reported by the BBC.

Twitter users from Britain show concern:

1. 
   busytucker @jc76 (Sussex, UK) Yes, swine flu is a worry to me too. Taking advice on whether to come off meds that affect immune system. Good luck for weds *hugs* 28 Apr 2009 from web in reply to jc76
2. 
   PlymouthHerald (Plymouth, UK) Seven tested for swine flu in West Country http://snipurl.com/gx5l6 #SwineFlu 28 Apr 2009 from web
3. 
   PembsDave (Wales, UK ) Right... thats all the windows and doors taped up - lets see Swine flu get through that! - I aint panicking now! 28 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck

Twitter users in New Zealand comment on the virus reaching them:

1. 
   Overwelmingodds (Wellington, New Zealand) For goodness sakes everyone! Stop panicking about Swine Flu! 28 Apr 2009 from web
2. 
   BigEars (Wellington, New Zealand) RT @Nightwyrm: swine flu has been confirmed in New Zealand. Good thing we've got a mature mainstream media who won't overhype it¡ 28 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck
3. 
   zwuh (Wellington, New Zealand) Swine flu is incredibly lame. It's just like regular flu. OH EM FRICKING GEE. We're all doomed. 28 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck

Twitter users in Spain report first case of swine flu and speculate over media's coverage on virus:

1. 
   barcelonareport (Barcelona Spain) First official case of swine flu confirmed in Spain
   www.barcelonareporter.com 27 Apr 2009 from web
2. 
   emjaydub (Barcelona, Spain) suffering from swine flu (or is it just hypochondria?) - well, a girl in my theatre group has just come back from Mexico... 28 Apr 2009 from web
3. Pilar" height="48" width="48">
   englishteach8 (Barcelona, Spain) RT @colleencoble: So tired of the fear promoted on TV. We're always having a new flu spreading...In 70s swine flu outbreak, only 1 died here 28 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck
4. 
   Martini5 (Barcelona, Spain) There are many dead, but only 20 confirmed dead of complications from swine flu... so why not wait until we know for sure before panicking? 28 Apr 2009 from web

More countries infected with swine flu

Twitter revives historic coup d'etat in Spain

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)

Twitter revives historic coup d'etat in Spain

Famed Spanish judge hospitalized

Per The Associated Press, Spain’s Judge Baltasar Garzon, was admitted to the coronary unit of a hospital near his office in central Madrid after a spike in his blood pressure following an anxiety attack.

Garzon is best known for having issued an arrest warrant for former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet for human rights violations in 1998 and has recently taken part in an investigation of alleged corruption within the country’s main opposition Popular Party, according to the article.

Twitter users commented:

@carlossaiz (Around Madrid): garzon en el hospital? Puede que exista una justicia más allá que la de los hombres? (Garzon in the hospital? Could there be a higher justice than that of man?)


@nubeblog (Spain): Crisis de ansiedad de Garzon. Leer los diferentes medios es divertidisimo. (Garzon's anxiety attack. Reading the different media is really fun)



@paulo_saavedra (Santiago, Chile): Juez Baltazar Garzon internado de urgencia en Madrid, via @cooperativa!! (Judge Baltazar Garzon urgently admitted [to the hospital] in Madrid, via @cooperativa.)

Famed Spanish judge hospitalized

Spanish politician removed from Venezuela

Per El Universal in Venezuela, the Spanish government is seeking an explanation from Venezuela after European Parliament member Luis Herrero was expelled from the Latin American country on Friday, apparently for calling President Hugo Chávez "a dictator."

The topic generated discussion on Twitter across the Atlantic Ocean.

@fatimaperibanez (Spain): @LuisCarlos ¿Qué ha pasado por allí con el eurodiputado Luis Herrero? (@LuisCarlos What happened there with the MEP Luis Herrero?)


@LuisCarlos (Caracas, Venezuela): @fatimaperibanez Lo sacaron del país anoche. Sus compañeros declararon esta mañana que el procedimiento fue excesivo. (@fatimaperibanez He was taken out of the country last night. His colleagues said this morning that the procedure was excessive.)

One Venezuelan was quick to point out the amount of attention the story has received.

@jmourad (Venezuela): 355 notas de prensa sobre la expulsión de Luis Herrero eurodiputado español en google news. #15F (355 press releases on the expulsion of Spanish MEP Luis Herrero in google news. # 15F)


A man in Spain posted a blog with reaction to the incident.

@elcarty (Madrid, Spain): Luis Herrero: yo también te habría echado http://tinyurl.com/c9a373 (Luis Herrero: I have missed you http://tinyurl.com/c9a373)

Spanish politician removed from Venezuela

Bomb explodes In Madrid

Per BBC News, A van packed with explosive has detonated near a conference center in eastern Madrid. It happened early Monday morning after the Basque separatist group ETA phoned in a warning to the Spanish Red Cross. No casualties have been reported.

@el_pais Spanish newspaper El Pais is on twitter and tweeting breaking news from the bombing. The El Pais website also has photos and video of the aftermath.



@joduba (Geneva, Switzerland): Social Media is more effective than traditional one, just learned via Twiiter of a boom blast in Madrid! What a crazy world!!!!


@loogic (Spain): mal día para venir a Madrid tinyurl.com/crvw68 (Bad day to come to Madrid)


@gabriellaopaz (Terrassa, Spain): Van exploded at 9am in Madrid in the same area where FITUR was held. http://bit.ly/3jxQNK


@mistercaceres (Caseres, Spain): Ferrovial, objetivo de ETA: Ferrovial, empresa frente a cuya sede en Madrid la banda terrorista ETA ha hecho est... tinyurl.com/daxsvc (Ferrovial [Spanish national railways], ETA's target: Ferrovial's Madrid headquarters has been...)

@rrey (Salamanca, Spain): Menudo susto me ha pegado esta mañana un amigo que trabaja por la zona del atentado... ¡nunca despertéis a nadie con un sms de bomba! (A friend of mine works in the area where the bomb struck this morning. Never wake anyone up with an SMS bomb!)

@ionantolin (Madrid, Spain): Viendo las fotos del coche-bomba en Flickr. (Looking at the pictures of the car bomb on Flickr)



@vitoptah: Mi sobrino "el periodista" me ha llamado a mi móvi,l después de su clase, para contarme el atentado del coche bomba en Madrid (My nephew, the journalist, called me after class to tell me about the car bomb in Madrid)

Bomb explodes In Madrid

Unemployment on rise in Spain

Per EuroNews, nearly 200,000 Spaniards lost their jobs in January, the highest toll for a single month in the country's history. Spain's unemployment rate is about 14 percent (3.3 million), the highest of any nation in the European Union, according to the report.

The tweets tell the story.

@Ayram (Salamanca): Buscando trabajo para Verano. No importa de qué. Si alguien tiene algo que avise. Preferiblemente Bilbao, Madrid o Barcelona. (Looking for summer work. No matter what. If someone has something tell. Preferably Bilbao, Madrid or Barcelona.)

@ivanmh (Madrid): Lo más triste es que no hay trabajo ni para quienes quieran hacerlo de gratis. Y asi @grotuk quería hace meses que yo fuera optimista. (The saddest thing is that there is no work for those who want to do it for free. And so @grotuk since months ago I have wanted to be optimistic.)

@mgdarrell (Madrid): Spain has been hit very hard by econ. crisis. As of today most on my job are owed 3 months back pay. Times are tough.

Unemployment on rise in Spain