Madagascar protest turns deadly

Per Reuters, as many as 25 people were killed by security forces outside the presidential palace in Antananarivo, Madagascar, in an anti-government protest on Saturday. Some 125 people have died in civil unrest in the nation the last two weeks.

Within the last hour, @ariniaina provided an update from the capital city after listening to President Marc Ravalomanana speak on radio.

@ariniaina (Antananarivo): Ravalomanana ordered the force army to restore peace, declared he's sad for the deaths. He also asked the collaboration of the population.

She live chronicled the events as they were happening from the Palace of Ambohitsirohitra, though it is not clear if she was at the scene or relying on reports.

@ariniaina: TGV Protest: A truck pull of military officers are coming to Ambohitsirohitra (6 hours ago)

@ariniaina: TGV Protest: The Police invited the journalists to stay away from the place reported a journalist from Radio antsiva (5 hours ago)

@ariniaina: TGV Protest: Militaries are prepared to fire if needed (5 hours ago)

@ariniaina: Militaries shot (5 hours ago)

@ariniaina: TGV Protest: The shooting goes on. Till now 20 death and 200 injuries are registered. (3 hours ago)

Others also provided updates from the city, including @thierry_ratsiz, who texted based on what he was hearing through local media.

@thierry_ratsiz (Antananarivo): #madagascar Des corps gisent par terre...beaucoup de blesses (Bodies lying on the floor ... many wounded)


One man monitoring "Madagascar" tweets was not happy with what he saw.

@tandriamirado (Antananarivo): ALL: PLEASE STOP talking about Madagascar THE MOVIE, there's very serious things happening in Madagascar now. PLEASE!

Madagascar protest turns deadly

Toyota hit harder than first thought

Per the Japan Times, Toyota Motor Corp. announced Friday it expects to sustain a group operating loss of ¥350 billion ($3.9 billion) in 2008, three times more than initially projected. It marks the company's biggest loss in a year since 1937.

Only one person in Japan has tweeted about this so far.

@kei_shimada (Shibuya, Japan): on Performance: Toyota just announced they're positively in the red this FY, but McDJ, Suntory, Nintendo are forecasting all time high.


There was a larger response to the news internationally.

@michaelq (Mildura, Australia): @wolfcat I dont get how Toyota and GM can sell almost 9 mill cars each and lose money. Side note - KIA and Hyundai both making profits.

@JonathanHutter (Portland, Ore.): Toyota's got a brand that can withstand net loss. Because they've always made good cars. Can't say that about all the automakers. (0 left)


@dyphan (Hoffman Estates, Ill.): It's so bad, even Toyota is losing money. First time since 1950. http://tinyurl.com/cd4y5h

Toyota hit harder than first thought

Extreme heat in Australia

Per Sky News, health authorities in New South Wales, Australia are gearing up for temperatures to reach as high as 46 degrees Celsius (114.8 Fahrenheit) in some parts of the country this weekend. The heat will put the "elderly, the ill and the very young at risk," per the article.

One man said the wave has led to a change in his nightly routine.

@TheSeanWilson (Mount Druitt, New South Wales): The heat is forcing me to turn off my Mac mini every night.


A number of twitterers said it is disrupting their sleep.

@moudanie (Sydney): It's sooooo hot tonite! Helen & I can't sleep in this 30deg heat... twittering at 4am... I'm gonna be so sleepy later today


@shique (Canberra): It is impossible to sleep in this heat.



Others refuse to let the weather bring them down.

@purrsikat (Canberra): Wolfing down peanut buttered toast & orange juice before 0830 meetup at Sparrow Hill. Heat won't keep us down. Multicultural Festival later


@joshglid (Canberra): getting ready to head to the cafe for breakfast with the kids. refusing to comment on the heat. listening to Jane's Addiction

Extreme heat in Australia

U.S. Base in Kyrgyzstan will close

Per BBC News, "The Kyrgyzstan government has said its decision to close a US base that serves as a vital supply route for US and Nato operations in Afghanistan is 'final.'"

It was bad news for @nhangen, an American currently in Afghanistan.

@nhangen (Kabul, Afghanistan) In case you didn't know, Kyrgyzstan closing the base in Manas is a big deal. That's how I got to A-stan and how I was hoping to get out.

@You2Gov suggested the U.S. doesn't need Kyrgyzstan.

@You2Gov (Malibu, Calif.): @LoLoLee Kyrgyzstan is playing realpolitik, so should we. Do we really need that base? Or is it vitally important as inroad to Russia?


Several twitterers, both in the U.S. and abroad, linked to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's comments on the Central Asian base closing.

@syafiza (Malaysia): Clinton: Kyrgyzstan base-closure 'regrettable': Kyrgyzstan's decision to close a strategic U.S. military base is.. http://tinyurl.com/amhfqq

U.S. Base in Kyrgyzstan will close

Parts of China in state of emergency

Per China Daily, the Chinese government "raised the drought emergency alert level Thursday from orange to red, the highest level, in response to the worst drought to hit some parts of the country in half a century, according to a State Council meeting." The move allows for additional funding for those affected by the crisis.

The emergency declaration caught @SophiaZ by surprise.

@SophiaZ (Tianjin, China): I didn't think drought was overnight so why suddenly an emergency? Not a meteorologist! http://tinyurl.com/cbaj2u


@sonnypearl proposed one theory for the odd weather.

@sonnypearl (Beijing, China): It is mostly drought in the northern part of china. Could it possible be interfered by the prevention of rain during the Olympics?


Another Beijing man noted some troubling statistics.

@rjepson (Beijing, China): Beijing 100 consecutive days without rain. Drought gripping the nations' winter grain stock, yields down 20%.

Parts of China in state of emergency