Breaking Tweets | World News, Twitter-Style

April 3, 2009

North Korea launch imminent

Per Sky News, Pyongyang's official news agency has announced that preparations are complete and it will launch a satellite "soon." The move would be in defiance of international calls for resistance in recent days.

Voice of America foreign correspondent Steven Herman (@W7VOA) is reporting via Twitter that the launch could happen at any minute, as 2:00 GMT (the current time as of this post) opens a window North Korean officials have given for it.

The latest reports have heightened the fears of Japanese Twitterers:

prophotopete (Japan) Apparently North Korea has a bloody missile aimed in our direction and are getting ready to launch it soon. Any news in the US? 03 Apr 2009 from web

dialogjapan (Tokyo, Japan) North Korea says to rocket launch imminent. Is it a missile to Japan ? so much afraid that if it hits anywhere in Japan. http://news.go ... 04 Apr 2009 from twhirl

japchap (Japan) North Korea's supposedly launching their "satellite" into orbit... or is it really a satellite? Crazy dictators stirring the pot... 04 Apr 2009 from Twidget

mickstokyo (Tokyo, Japan) scared of north korea's rocket!!!! 04 Apr 2009 from web

shita (Yokohima, Japan) North Korea is ready.... 04 Apr 2009 from twitterrific

Featured TwitPic: Antelope Canyon in Arizona, U.S.A.

"More Antelope Canyon from today" (Posted by @kristenwestlake, Arizona, April 3, 2009" Find more of her pictures here.

13 dead in Binghamton, N.Y. shooting

Per the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin, a gunman killed at least 12 people after a hostage situation inside the American Civic Association in Binghamton, N.Y., on Friday afternoon.

CNN is reporting that the death count raised to 13, but it is not clear if the gunman is included in that toll.

The Press & Sun-Bulletin's official Twitter account provided the first tweets on the news.

pressconnects Gunshots fired at Amer. Civic Association downtown Binghamton. Possible hostage situation. 2 people injured. Call press with updates. 03 Apr 2009 from web

pressconnects Call out for 8 ambulances at American Civic Association shooting. 03 Apr 2009 from web

Tweets in Binghamton and its suburbs painted a picture of the impact on local residents.

taliagirl (Binghamton, N.Y.) I live a two streets away from the shooting and I keep hearing ambulances go by. I pray that nobody will be killed from this hold off. 03 Apr 2009 from web

eric_adler (Binghamton, N.Y.) At my desk. Apparently there's an active shooting situation in downtown #binghamton 03 Apr 2009 from web

pcmofo (Johnson City, N.Y.) Wow Binghamton is going crazy. They are bringing a few people from the shooting to the hospital where I work. Lots of conflicting reports. 03 Apr 2009 from Tweetie

smithryanp (Binghamton, N.Y.) great...there is a shooting down the street from my house. Some nut case went crazy. Just turn on MSNBC to see lovely Binghamton, NY 03 Apr 2009 from web

sudsinhereyes (Binghamton, N.Y.) BU sent out alert saying "Avoid area of Main and Front St due to shooting. Campus and Downtown Center are secure." 03 Apr 2009 from txt

Berlusconi upsets the Queen

Per Times Online, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has made Queen Elizabeth a YouTube hit after a photo opportunity at the G20 Summit yesterday. On camera Berlusconi can be heard calling out to United States President Barack Obama and the Queen can be heard saying, "Why does he have to shout?" This has caused outrage in Italy as newspapers are calling Berlusconi out on being an embarrassment to the country.

The Twitterverse is buzzing about what happened:

TelegraphPoliti (London, England) Queen shows up Silvio Berlusconi - how on earth did he end up in charge of a great country? http://tinyurl.com/cc4wcp 03 Apr 2009 from twitterfeed

CleoWalpole (England) Ha, Queen tells off italian president Mr Berlusconi - "Why do you have to shout?" Go Queeny, you tell 'em!! http://tinyurl.com/c4a7dj 03 Apr 2009 from web

kevatkinson (England) @ronniewilson Good morning (afternoon here) not much happening, except the Queen (of England) is a little miffed at Berlusconi (Italian PM) 03 Apr 2009 from web in reply to ronniewilson

helovieira (Brazil) what can I say about a guy who yells and scary the England queen? Berlusconi, I missed you at the news in the last months. 03 Apr 2009 from Power Twitter

giordanobc (Shanghai, China) Hilarious:Berlusconi makes noises calling Obama,Queen Elizabeth chastises him. He's the best http://tinyurl.com/d72452 03 Apr 2009 from TwitterFox

Leisure_In_Rome (Rome, Italy) Buongiorno! Good old Berlusconi always brings a smile to my day.........go Queen!!! http://tinyurl.com/c6pyz3 03 Apr 2009 from web

macleans (Location not listed) Video of the Queen jokingly reprimanding Berlusconi a YouTube hit http://tinyurl.com/dcynb5 03 Apr 2009 from twitterfeed

NATO summit underway in France

Le Monde reports that the NATO summit has started in Strasbourg with 300 protesters arrested after clashes with police. The summit marks NATO's 60th anniversary. The BBC has a look at U.S. President Barack Obama's early remarks, as he gives a 'town hall' style meeting in Strasbourg and holds talks with his French and German counterparts who are co-hosting the Summit.

In sidebar stories, Agence France Presse (AFP) report that Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni (wives of the US and French Presidents, respectively) bring "star power" to the summit. And The Telegraph profiles the French chef who will be cooking dinner for NATO leaders.

Twitterers in Strasbourg - residents and summit visitors - are writing about their experiences:

CNDuk (U.K.) Strasbourg swarming with police. Makes London during the #g20 look calm. Tram network suspended but making our way to #NATO counter-summit 03 Apr 2009 from TwitterBerry

lOlA2luxe (France & Luxembourg) Strasbourg Otan : Michelle Obama embrasse spontanément Sarkozy mais Barack Obama garde ses distances avec Carla !!! (NATO Strasbourg: Michelle Obama spontaneously embraces Sarkozy but Barack Obama keeps his distance from Carla !!!) 03 Apr 2009 from web

mr2157 (Brussels) A pie al centro de Prensa. Tráfico bloqueado hasta para buses de Otan! (On foot heading to the press center. Traffic is blocked by NATO busses!) 03 Apr 2009 from twitterrific

lejoko (Strasbourg, France) #otan #sxb le balais des helicos au ras des maisons continu zone PMC http://twitpic.com/2rcys (Helicopters continue to buzz the rooftops near the security zone) 03 Apr 2009 from TwitterFon