BY THE SPIRITUAL LEADER OF THE SALAWATIA MUSLIM MISSION OF GHANA
SHEIHU RASHID HUSSAIN SALWAT
(QUTUB AZ-ZAMAAN)
YEAR OF PROPHET YAQUB, WITH EFFECT FROM TUESDAY,December, 6, 2011
INTRODUCTION:
We give thanks to God and pray for peace and blessings to be upon the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his household. God taught man by the Pen and taught him what he knew not (Q 96:1-5). The mystery of knowledge was conferred on man and he was thus charged with the mystic meaning of everything including particular qualities of Feelings and Love.
Among the mystic meanings of knowledge is “Ayaam ul-Lah”, or “Days of Allah”. It also means (the unfolding of the scriptures). The Islamic concept of unfolding the scriptures is as old as time itself. In Quran 45: 14 we are told; “Tell those who believe, to forgive those who do not believe in the Days of Allah: it is His responsibility to reward each People according to what they have earned.” Also in Quran 14:5 it says; “We sent Musah (AS) with Our Signs commanding him to, “bring out his people from the depth of ignorance into the light of knowledge, and also to teach them to remember the “Days of Allah.” Verily in the concept of unfolding the scriptures, there are Signs for those who are steadfast and grateful”.
The Prophet Muhammad (SAW), explained “Ayaam ul-Lah”, or “Days of Allah” which was narrated by Muslim. He said, on the authority of Ubaiyi the Prophet (SAW) explained that, “Allah’s Days are some days of the year that are of fortunes and some others that are of misfortunes”. (Muslim, Book of Fadaail, Hadith No. 4386). In most cases, solutions are prescribed to curb and prevent the misfortunes not to occur.
WHAT THE SCRIPTURES SAY; 2012
1. GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS
Most countries will face serious economic difficulties. The socio-economic policies of the world need to be reviewed and should be aimed at empowering the masses by promoting the well-being of the youth. Much effort should therefore be made to get the unemployed youth employed in order to curb future global economic crises.
2. FOOD INSECURITY / HUNGER
There shall be food insecurity resulting into hunger globally. Already, some countries such as Somalia, Kenya, Bangladesh, North Korea etc. are victims to the severe hunger situation. The hunger situation in North Korea for instance is so severe that, people are starving to the extent that, they eat grass just to survive.
3. POLITICAL AGITATION AND ELECTORAL DISPUTES
There shall be serious political agitations resulting in electoral disputes in some countries around the world. Mostly the youth of these countries will call for new leadership in their various countries. All political and election issues should be aimed at promoting peace in the world. Elections must therefore be conducted freely and handled with absolute fairness in order to avoid political turmoil and disputes.
4. UPRISINGS/ PUBLIC UNREST
The current uprisings and public unrest in some countries will continue. Pressure will be put to bear on governments for political change due to economic difficulties.
5. NEW BIRTHS, INFANT MORTALITY AND MATERNAL DEATHS
There shall be so many new births thus, many children would be born into the world, but at the same time, the world will experience high rate of infant mortality and rampant maternal death through child birth.
6. SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS
Extreme cold and heat conditions shall be experienced and these could be dangerous to life in general. Disasters such as Earthquakes, Floods, Volcanic Eruptions, Land-slides, Storms, etc will also continue. Some Asian Countries will be mostly affected. This is as a result of the unbalanced position of the earth. Too much weight is skewed to one side of the globe above the equator. Meanwhile strange bodies or heavy objects would be deposited by Extra Celestial beings on the earth’s surface to help man gain a balance state for the earth in order to minimise the said disasters like Volcanic Eruptions, Earthquakes, and Floods etc. The strange heavy bodies and objects if deposited shall be discovered in their places of deposit.
7. UNBALANCED WORLD (EARTH)
Global warming currently is seen as a very dangerous phenomenon, frantic efforts are being made to arrest the situation. There is yet a more serious and a more dangerous situation that is either not realized or has been over looked, “The Unbalanced Earth,” this situation gives course to all the disasters like floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions etc. that we experience. For the avoidance and prevention of such disasters in the future, world scientists should first and foremost make a thorough research into the “unbalanced” nature of the earth. If this proves to be so, then the Scientists should also determine whether the unbalanced nature of the earth in weight, could not possibly be the cause of all the disasters we are experiencing. If that also proves to be so the Scientists should make serious efforts in finding a solution to the problem by constructing heavy structures on the opposite side of the equator to bring about a balance.
8. FALLING OF COMETS ON EARTH
Some comets and asteroids from outer space will fall onto the surface of the earth. These will course considerable damage to human life. It might be the most dangerous moments of our history on earth. Some of these if detected earlier could be destroyed half way in space by us before they reach the earth’s surface.
9. RACISM
Racism will show and work practically as if it was an acceptable norm.
10. ACCIDENTS
Accidents will be very common on land, at sea and in air, mostly due to human errors.
11. WARS (INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL)
Some countries will go to war against others and internally political opponents will rise against each other in quest for power. Such situations are already experienced in some countries around the world where hundreds of thousand of human lives are lost. Apart from the human lives lost, hundreds of millions of US Dollars have been wasted on such senseless wars, whiles over nine (9) million people especially women and children die of starvation. According to the United Nations report this year about 25 thousand people die every day of hunger or hunger related courses. That is to say in every three and half seconds one person dies of hunger. Please visit; www.worldhunger.org/articles/un.
12. MISSION TO THE PLANET MARS
The mission of the spacecraft “Curiosity” to Mars will not be successful. This mission will be aborted by the “Extra Celestial Beings”. The Extra Celestial beings are more advanced than the ordinary human being and can see upon the earth surface, and see the human cruelties and brutality and for that matter, they feel that the humans have a long way to go as far as civilization is concerned, hence their interference to abort the intended Mission. The Extra Celestial beings are disgusted at the wars, hunger and diseases situation of the world as indicated in item 10 above. They will send down messages that the Human Beings on earth have woefully neglected their responsibility of paying attention to and addressing the problems of the earth like hunger, diseases and wars. And that vigorous disarmament of the nations with weapons of mass destruction should be pursued for absolute peace to prevail in the world. It is only then that probes to space would be successful and not interfered by those beings.
The above exposition serves as an early warning to the humans. They should be seriously taken particularly by the world leaders and bodies and work with to bring about peace and eradicate hunger, diseases and war in the world for the well-being of everyone.
World leaders and bodies should review and redesign their policies on global economics and sacrifice their parochial interests and rather establish a truly new socio-economic frame work of responsibility, love, justice, tolerance and generosity to benefit all and sundry. They should prevent enslavement of some nations by others and human trafficking. By implementing the above, God willing, peace will reign in the world.
13. THE MEDIA
The world absolutely depends on the media for information. The reports presented by the media should therefore be based on accurate information and the right education on issues. Most of the tensions that will degenerate into conflicts and further result into wars could be diffused by the media probably causing them not to happen at all. In view of the above, the media should therefore be circumspect in their reportage to avoid creating situations that will give rise to human sufferings or wars.
SADAQAH (ALMS TO BE GIVEN): THE ALMS ARE MEANT TO PREVENT THE CALAMITIES FROM HAPPENING AND TO REALISE THE POSITIVIES. THE ALMS SHOULD BE GIVEN STRICTLY TO THE POOR AND THE NEEDY.
HEADS OF STATES FOR THEIR COUNTRIES:
- Recitation of the Quran 46 times.
- 6 white and 6 brown cows to be slaughtered to feed the poor.
- The equivalent of $19,000 to be given to the needy as alms.
KINGS AND PARAMOUNT CHIEFS:
- Recitation of the Quran 12 times.
- 3 white cows, 7 brown sheep to be slaughtered to feed the poor.
- The equivalent of $1,000 should be given to the needy as alms.
FAMILY HEADS:
- Recitation of the Quran 3 times and a slaughtering of a white sheep to be given to the needy.
- 3 bowls of rice or other grains for the poor.
- 10 Ghana pesewas should be given as alms on behalf of each member of the family to the poor.
INDIVIDUALS
- One bowl of any grain to be given to the poor.
- GH¢ 2.00 (two cedis) to be given to the poor.
Finally, I pray to Allah for permanent peace to prevail in the world. I pray to Allah for beneficial rains and abundance of food. I pray to Allah for prosperous socio-economic materialisation for all countries of the world. I pray to Allah to protect the world against all forms of disasters.
I wish all our Christian Brethrens in Ghana and in the world a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
God bless you all.
Sheihu Salawatia 
366 comments
Comments feed for this article
December 22, 2011 at 8:25 pm
Alhassan Nasiru-Deen
The Great SHEIHU once again has spoken in clear terms. May Allah give us the ear to listen and the courage, patience and the resources to comply.
December 22, 2011 at 11:55 pm
Alhassan yakub
The universal sheihu- imam rashid husein kutub zaaman; has once again spoken. Accept the message and pray for its positives, and guidance against the negatives or better still dont comment on it neither try discouraging people frm offering the alms. I pray to the Almighty to grant our beloved kutubu zaaman long life and prosperity.
December 23, 2011 at 11:40 am
Abdul-Rahim Ibrahim
All praise is due to Allah for choosing His representatives from time to time to inform man about events yet to happen in the coming year.It is obvious that Shehu Salawatia is one of such representatives who inherited what has been handed to us through the helper of truth with truth.
My advise goes to all world leaders to put aside their parochial interest and listen to those who are closer to Allah for the benefit of the majority of us.May the blessing of Allah be upon the Qutub Alzamaan for his concern for humanity indeed Shehu Salwatia is really an heir apparent to the holy prophet Muhammad (SAW).
December 23, 2011 at 12:40 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Thanks to the Almighty Allah for given us such a wonderful and a selfless visionary Leader.
The evidence of 2011 events proofs beyond reasonable doubts. Lets learn from it. Excuse me to say, the saddaqah doesn’t course that much.
The scientific proofs, what scientist will take years to visualized ! Can’t we see ? Lets take this opportunity because we are blessed!
December 23, 2011 at 12:44 pm
Haruna Mohammed
New Zealand’s Christchurch rocked by earthquakes
A series of earthquakes has shaken the New Zealand city of Christchurch, sending residents rushing from buildings and causing minor damage.
The first 5.8 magnitude quake struck at 1358 local time (0058 GMT), the US Geological Survey said. Another of similar magnitude hit 80 minutes later.
Dozens of people suffered minor injuries but only 19 were admitted to hospital.
source :http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16312041
December 23, 2011 at 3:41 pm
Sulemana Haruna
Alhammdu Lillahi, We are most grateful to the Shehu of our time for the long awaited scripture. This year, many people were nervous for this message. It is simply because all what Shehu said in the past has never missed the mark.
Indeed, this is a message Shehu has been assigned to deliver to the whole world at this moment. May Allah (SWT) guide him in this important enterprise.
Sulemana Haruna, Yendi
December 23, 2011 at 4:26 pm
Abdul Lateef Umar
May Allaahu bless the great Sheikhu and his family; and accept all his prayers for the good he is doing for this great Ummah. May Allaahu continue to bless Qutub Zamaan for his selflessness and great sacrifice for the Muslim Ummah. May Allaahu reward him for accepting the call to proclaim and teach TRUE ISLAM in spite of the obvious challenges he faces in doing so. May Allaahu bless his efforts for taken full responsibility for teaching and promoting world peace. May Allaahu give him the support he requires to perform his responsibilities as Qutubu Zamaan. May Allaahu continue to bless him for his love for Saydinaa Muhammad Rasoolulu Laahi. May Allaahu add him taqwa and give him the patience to endure his detractors; and May Allaahu give him good and excellent health and a long life for the sake of this ummah and the world at large.
December 23, 2011 at 6:34 pm
Abdulai Tanko
Sheik, humbly, you omitted the letter ‘a’ from point 8. i think it should read: Some comets and asteroids ( and not steroids)… guess that was a typo…..
God bless us
December 23, 2011 at 6:42 pm
seidumubarick
The unfolding of the scriptures has proven the divine mission of sheihu salawatia.He is a man of great humanity who is deeply affected by the sufferings of others.May we live long under his zamaan.
December 24, 2011 at 4:17 pm
Haruna Alidu
Thanks be the Allah, Subhanahuu Ta’allah, for giving the world this great and chosen servant of His. May the peace and Blessings of Allah be on the Holy prophet, Muhammed, whose shoes the Sheihu is wearing, his household and all those who see the truth and accept it and put it into practice. Once again the Sheihu has spoken, the envious out of envy and ignorance have started putting him and we who believe and are well informed into the hell fire even though they don’t power over Heaven or hell. To us who believe and have the welfare of mankind at heart act now. Lets us be patient, listen and comply to save mankind.
I pray for long life, prosperity and Allah’s continuous Blessing for the Sheihu.
Wassalam. Haruna Alidu, Tamale.
December 23, 2011 at 6:56 pm
ASADUL LLAH
Alhamdulil Lallahi, My greatest thanks goes to Allah for the most wonderful gift being given to our beloved country Ghana which is sheihu salawatiya, I pray to God to guide,bless and protect him for as, again I hear by pray to ALLAH to made him known to those who are still in darkness, I will end here and said jazaakal Lahu hairan.
i will end her with a promise of reciting dua for kutubzaman aftar every prayers.
Mohammed Hamzah Idris.
December 23, 2011 at 8:52 pm
B. Y. Abdulai (Olu)
Laa ilaaha illalah, laa ilaaha illalah, laa ilaaha illah Muhammadu Rasullullah
Laa ilaaha illalah, laa ilaaha illalah, laa ilaaha illah Muhammadu Rasullullah
Laa ilaaha illalah, laa ilaaha illalah, laa ilaaha illah Muhammadu Rasullullah
May Allah bless Sheihu Salawatiya, Qutb Zamaani and his time. May Allah grant us the listening ear for the message Allah has granted him for the Islamic Ummah. from Baba Y. Abdulai, (Mr. Olu) Savelugu.
December 24, 2011 at 9:05 pm
Hussein Abdul-Salam
Alhamdu il-Lahi, Ghana need more leaders like Sheikh Salawatia to tell us much about issues bordering us in the modern world and not always the Munkari wa Nakiri syndrom. May Almighty Allah bless all persons listens to truth, accept truth and put it to work. I pray for a prosperous life for all mankind.
December 24, 2011 at 11:32 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Protesters take to Moscow streets, calling for fair election
Moscow (CNN) — Tens of thousands of people took to the streets Saturday in Moscow, braving bitterly cold weather to demand fair elections after what they claim were rigged results earlier this month that returned Vladimir Putin’s party to power.
The protest, organized primarily through social media and word of mouth, comes on the heels of an announcement by President Dmitry Medvedev of sweeping political reforms, an effort to address discontent following the December 4 parliamentary elections.
source : http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/24/world/europe/russia-protests/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
December 25, 2011 at 11:27 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Christmas carnage in Nigeria; 5 churches bombed
Jos, Nigeria (CNN) — A string of bombs struck churches in five Nigerian cities Sunday, leaving dozens dead and wounded on the holiday, authorities and witnesses said.
The blasts mark the second holiday season that bombs have hit Christian houses of worship in the west African nation. In a statement issued late Tuesday, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan called the bombings “a dastardly act that must attract the rebuke of all peace-loving Nigerians.”
“These acts of violence against innocent citizens are an unwarranted affront on our collective safety and freedom,” Jonathan said. “Nigerians must stand as one to condemn them.”
Bombs targeted churches across the country, hitting the cities of Madalla, Jos, Kano, and Damaturu and Gadaka, said journalist Hassan John, who witnessed the carnage in Jos. The death toll in Madalla alone was 16, Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency spokesman Yushau Shuaib told CNN.
John said witnesses in Madalla reported a higher death toll, with more than 30 killed. Some victims died after being taken to a hospital, he said.
In Damaturu, a northern town in Yobe state, a police station and a state security building were also bombed, an aid worker said. The worker asked not to be named for security reasons.
source : http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/25/world/africa/nigeria-church-bombing/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
December 25, 2011 at 11:29 pm
Haruna Mohammed
11 missing after fatal capsizing in India
(CNN) — At least 13 people died and 11 were reported missing after a boat capsized Sunday in a southern India lake, authorities said.
Three people survived the accident on Pulicat Lake, about 36 miles north of Chennai, according to affiliate CNN-IBN.
V. Vanitha, senior superintendent of police in Thiruvallur district, said the private boat was on a pleasure trip.
Local fishermen were assisting divers and crews in the rescue and search mission, officials said.
The lake is in Tamil Nadu state, near the Bay of Bengal.
source : http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/25/world/asia/india-boat-capsize/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
December 25, 2011 at 11:34 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Sudan army kills Darfur rebel leader
Sudan’s army kills Justice and Equality Movement leader Khalil Ibrahim along with 30 of his troops in North Kordofan
SOURCE : http://www.aljazeera.com/
December 26, 2011 at 10:01 am
Haruna Mohammed
Death toll mounts from storm in Philippines as bodies wash ashore
(CNN) — The death toll from the tropical storm that lashed the southern Philippines just over a week ago has topped 1,200, the government said Monday, as the bodies of people swept out to sea by flash floods wash ashore.
The number of dead has increased to 1,249 from 1,100 over the weekend, said Major Reynaldo Balido, the military assistant for operations at the Office of Civil Defense.
The bodies have been washed up on nearby beaches and islands, Balido said by telephone from the island of Mindanao, the scene of the worst devastation.
The authorities have also enlisted the help of local fishermen to help search for the scores of people who remain missing, he said, adding that the fisherman volunteered, since many of them had lost friends and relatives in the disaster.
The unusually heavy rains of Tropical Storm Washi, which churned across the southern Philippines between December 16 and 18, set off landslides and flash floods that swept away whole villages.
“I’ve gone through many disasters but this one is the worst as some of the survivors have lost so many family members,” said Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine Red Cross.
“Some have lost as many as 30 relatives,” he said in comments posted recently on the organization’s website.
The number of people injured as a result of the storm has more than doubled to 4,594 from 1,979 at the weekend, the Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said in a statement on its website, putting more pressure on already stretched relief agencies.
source : http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/26/world/asia/philippines-storm-toll/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
December 26, 2011 at 10:08 am
Haruna Mohammed
Two new Earths and the search for life
Editor’s note: Meg Urry is the Israel Munson professor of physics and astronomy and chairwoman of the department of physics at Yale University, where she is the director of the Yale Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics. This article was written in association with The Op-Ed Project.
New Haven, Connecticut (CNN) — Americans were enthralled by fake reports of an alien invasion in the Orson Welles “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast on Halloween Eve in 1938. Hundreds of science fiction movies from the 1902 silent epic “A Trip to the Moon” (featured in the current film “Hugo”) to “Star Wars” to this year’s “Cowboys and Aliens” have fed a deep curiosity about intelligent beings elsewhere in the universe.
Hang on to your hats, because reality is starting to catch up.
On Tuesday, scientists reported evidence from the Kepler satellite that two Earth-sized planets are orbiting a nearby star about 1,000 light years from earth — practically our back yard compared to the extent of our Milky Galaxy, but far too distant to visit with current spacecraft.
These planets, named Kepler 20-e and Kepler 20-f, have sizes and masses similar to the Earth, and their host star is similar to our sun. But the resemblance ends there. Both orbit very rapidly — in 6.1 days and 19.6 days, respectively, compared to 365 days for an Earth year — so both are much closer to their star than the Earth is to the sun.
This makes both planets way too hot to support life as we know it. Still, the pace of planet discovery is astonishing. Sometime in the next few years, scientists will likely discover Earth-like planets that are capable of supporting life.
Our sun is just one star among the hundreds of billions that make up the Milky Way galaxy, which itself is only one of hundreds of billions of galaxies in the universe. Over the last 15 years, astronomers have found hundreds of planets orbiting stars in our corner of the Milky Way and the list will pass 1,000 next year.
Planets are plentiful. Discoveries of planets are limited only by the capabilities of current telescopes and instruments and by the time needed to sample several full orbits of a planet around its host star.
Most “extra-solar planets” (or “exoplanets”) have been found by measuring tiny Doppler shifts (wavelength shifts) in the light of the host star. With this method it is easier to find heavy planets than light ones, and easier to find planets in close rather than distant orbits. So most of the planets found so far are big ones, similar to Jupiter or Neptune in our solar system, only orbiting much, much closer than the Earth to their host star. This is kind of like surveying your neighborhood for sumo wrestlers: You find far fewer than the number of other people who live there, and way fewer than the population of the world. So the 716 known exoplanets are just the tip of the iceberg.
The Kepler satellite uses a different method, based on transits of planets across the face of their host star. Visible light from the star dims very slightly, typically by 0.01% or less for an Earth-sized planet passing in front. Thus Kepler finds planets regardless of mass, although it more easily sees large planets (which cover more of the star’s surface and thus diminish the light more) and it only sees planets that cross the star as seen from the Earth (which most planets don’t).
By the way, you can help make these discoveries. At http://www.planethunters.org, a citizen science project started by colleagues of mine at Yale, anyone can search the Kepler data for signs of new planets. In particular, users might find unusual systems that the Kepler computer algorithms don’t search for. (For a fun Christmas holiday interpretation of the Kepler plots of star brightness over time, see this video.)
“Life” can mean anything from single-celled organisms to a walking, talking homo sapiens, or possibly something much stranger. For now, scientists are focusing on conventional carbon-based life because its signatures are well known.
Such life requires liquid water, meaning a temperature between freezing (32 F) and boiling (212 F). Planets too close to their star will be too hot, like the sweltering surface of Venus, which approaches the 800 degree Fahrenheit temperature of Kepler 20-f. Planets too far away have frigid surfaces, like Europa, a moon of Jupiter.
Temperatures that allow water to be liquid define the so-called “habitable zone” — like Goldilocks’ favorite porridge, planets in the habitable zone are not too hot, not too cold, but just right for life.
We haven’t yet found definitive signs of life elsewhere in the universe. But we can estimate that even the narrowest case of carbon-based life on an Earth-like planet orbiting a sun-like star in the habitable zone is likely, because planets are probably common around such stars, sun-like stars are common in our galaxy, and our galaxy is similar to many throughout the universe.
We also know the building blocks of life — amino acids and other organic compounds — form naturally from carbon, water and energy, as the chemists Stanley Miller and Harold Urey first showed more than 50 years ago.
Sadly, although life is likely to exist on exoplanets throughout our Milky Way galaxy, intelligent life is another thing altogether. Humans have lived at most a few hundred thousand years out of the Earth’s 4.6 billion year history — or less than 0.006% of the available time. In contrast, simple single-celled organisms probably formed several billion years ago, and thus have populated the Earth for more than three-quarters of its existence. This means it is overwhelmingly likely that the life we find elsewhere will be extremely primitive.
Face it: We’re not going to be IM’ing with aliens, nor should we expect an invasion or a rendezvous in outer space.
For now, we’re just looking for cells breathing and multiplying. Not “Another Earth” — more like “The Blob” (or, “The Green Slime”).
source :http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/24/opinion/urry-two-earths/index.html?hpt=hp_c1
December 26, 2011 at 10:10 am
Haruna Mohammed
Tropical Cyclone Grant Batters Australia
An area of low pressure located off the northern coast of Northern Territory, Australia, has developed into Tropical Cyclone, or Storm, Grant.
The storm, as of Sunday morning EST, was moving erratically toward the east, but a turn toward the south is expected later today. On this path, the storm will move over land later this evening.
Maximum sustained winds were near 45 mph early on Sunday morning, EST. Some strengthening is possible prior to landfall, though Grant should remain a tropical storm.
Grant will take a turn toward the east during the day on Monday, passing over largely unpopulated areas of Northern Territory. This time spent over land will allow Grant to weaken, perhaps even dissipate, by the middle of the week.
However, if enough of the storm can survive the trek across land, the storm will emerge over the Gulf of Carpentaria and could regain its tropical storm strength.
Over the next few days, daily rainfall totals across the northernmost Northern Territory will average 3-6 inches (75-150 mm), while local amounts can exceed 10 inches (250 mm). This will likely lead to widespread flooding across the region.
Localized damaging winds can also be expected, with wind gusts to near-hurricane strength at the time of landfall.
source : http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/tropical-cyclone-grant-batters/59474
December 27, 2011 at 1:12 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Italian firefighters tackle Liguria woodland fires
The fire service in north-west Italy has evacuated hundreds of people from their homes as smoke from forest fires chokes the air.
Multiple fires have been blazing in woodland around three coastal villages in the Liguria region.
Jennie Matuszek reports.
source :http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16336753
December 29, 2011 at 8:02 am
Iddrisu Sulemana Kushibo
May Allaahu Subhaana wata’alaa bless our shehu and give him more kind heartednes to continue saving Ghana and the world at large.MAY GOD PROTECT US GUIDE US AND BLESS US.AMEN.By: Iddrisu Sule kushibo.
December 30, 2011 at 11:36 am
Haruna Mohammed
Severe storm threatens eastern Indian coast
(CNN) — High winds began smacking the southeastern coastline of India as a “very severe cyclonic storm” was expected to move ashore early Friday.
Coastal districts in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and in the territory of Puducherry were on high alert as they braced for Thane, a storm in the Bay of Bengal that was predicted to pack winds gusting at 83 miles per hour, the Indian Meteorological Department said in a bulletin.
Fishermen were advised to stay off rough seas and coastal residents were told to evacuate to higher ground.
Almost 10 inches of rainfall was predicted in some areas over the next 48 hours. A storm surge of up to 5 feet was expected to inundate low-lying areas, the IMD said.
Many people in largely agricultural and fishing communities along the coast live in thatched-roof huts that could sustain extensive damage, the government warned. It also warned of power and communication outages.
Farmers were advised to drain off excess water from their fields to prevent crop damage.
In Tamil Nadu, the government announced a closure of schools in coastal districts, including the capital.
Residents of coastal areas said winds had already begun howling late Thursday night.
Even after landfall, the system is likely to maintain its intensity for 12 hours and weaken gradually, the IMD said. Extremely heavy rainfall is likely to continue over north Tamil Nadu and Pudducherry for 24 hours after landfall, the department said.
source : http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/29/world/asia/india-storm/index.html
December 30, 2011 at 11:37 am
Haruna Mohammed
Russian nuclear submarine fire put out
The huge fire that engulfed a Russian nuclear submarine undergoing repairs in the northern Murmansk region has been put out, the emergency minister says.
Sergei Shoigu said radiation monitoring would also now go back to normal after being stepped up when the blaze started on wood decking near the Yekaterinburg.
Officials said there was no risk as its two reactors had been shut down. Nine people were hurt fighting the fire.
President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered an investigation into the incident.
One of his deputy prime ministers has promised that the Yekaterinburg, a Delta-IV-class nuclear submarine, will be repaired within several months.
“According to preliminary information, the damage caused by the fire will not affect the ship’s combat characteristics,” Dmitriy Rogozin said.
source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16361825
December 30, 2011 at 11:41 am
Haruna Mohammed
Venezuela petrol tanker blaze kills 13 in Caracas
A petrol tanker has crashed in Venezuela, bursting into flames and engulfing seven cars and a bus in burning fuel.
At least 13 people were killed in the accident on a busy road in the capital Caracas, and another 16 were injured. police said.
Rescue workers pulled charred bodies from the scorched vehicles.
The tanker is reported to have flipped over after the driver lost control, spilling petrol that then caught fire.
Caracas fire department coordinator William Martinez said the crash sent a river of burning fuel down the Pan-American Highway west of Caracas, engulfing other vehicles.
The flames were so intense that vegetation beside the road also caught fire and nearby houses were threatened before the blaze was brought under control, he told Venezuelan National Radio.
Survivor Mariana Salas said the bus caught fire in a matter of seconds.
“People started to get out of cars, the traffic was paralysed, nothing was moving in either direction,” she said.
source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-16361121
December 30, 2011 at 3:05 pm
Alhaji A.B. Yakubu
All praises and Glory be to Allah (SWT) for His infinite Mercy onto us and for the immeasurable Favor shown us by giving us Sheik Salwatia, Kutubu Zamaan. We pray to Allah to prolong his life, endow him with good health, grant him the needed energy and strength to continue to provide the useful information and guidance which he has committed his whole life to.
Nobody in his right senses would take the Kutubu Zamaan’s predictions and cautions lightly, having followed similar ones that he made for the past four years which have all come to past.
We pray that all well-meaning people around the world would circulate the message and particularly be encouraged to offer the alms or sacrifices that the Sheihu has prescribed.
May the peace and Blessings of Allah (SWT) be showered on the Holy Prophet Muhammed and his Household until the day of Judgement!
December 30, 2011 at 3:07 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Civilians in Syria face fight for supplies
(CNN) — In Homs, Syria’s third-largest city and a focus of resistance to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, snipers pose a direct threat to civilians. But the risk of being shot is just one problem they face — their daily challenge is finding food, fuel and medical care.
One foreign journalist and film-maker who was recently in Homs said trash was piling up in the streets and fighting has led to a shutdown of basic services. CNN has agreed not to name the journalist for his own security.
While people are not yet starving, he said food was becoming harder to find. The journalist filmed a long line of people queueing for bread in the district of al Khalediyah. One man described his struggle to eat: “I have not eaten bread for 10 days. With all these checkpoints and the constant shooting it is almost impossible to move around.”
source : http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/30/world/meast/syria-civilians-supplies/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
December 31, 2011 at 7:11 am
Haruna Mohammed
Chile forest fire ravages Torres del Paine Park
The authorities in Chile have closed one of the country’s most popular national parks as a massive forest fire continues to rage through the area.
Four hundred tourists were evacuated from Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia on Thursday as firefighters failed to stem the blaze.
Officials said more than 85 sq km (21,000 acres) had been destroyed.
Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said it could take weeks to bring the fire under control.
The head of Chile’s national emergency service, Vicente Nunez, said the situation “an extreme scenario, mainly due to topography, strong winds and highly combustible vegetation”.
Officials said they suspected “human negligence” triggered the fire.
source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-16369649
December 31, 2011 at 9:21 am
Musah kalamullahi
Qutubu Zamani !!! May u live long to guide the world back to the light that The Holy Prophet MUHAMMADU left it. The zamani is in your hands now, so with patience that you can make it a save place for us. I wish u Allah protection and His guidance. God bless u.
December 31, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Haruna Mohammed
South India cyclone kills at least 42, says report
CHENNAI – At least 42 people including a French national were killed when a cyclone hit southern India, reports said on Saturday as engineers rushed to restore power supplies knocked out by the gale.
The Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency quoting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa said the death toll from Friday’s cyclone had risen to 42 in the southern Indian state.
Cyclone Thane packing winds of up to 140 kilometres (85 miles) an hour lashed the coast between Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu and the territory of Pondicherry on Friday, leaving in its wake a trail of destruction.
At least 26 people died in Tamil Nadu’s worst-hit district of Cuddalore, the United News of India news agency said in a separate dispatch from state capital of Chennai.
“Approximately 50,000 (thatched) huts are damaged by the high winds but we will get a clearer picture of the damage later today,” Cuddalore administrator V. Amuthavalli added.
Seven others were killed in the former French enclave of Pondicherry, other officials said by telephone.
France’s government of Foreign Affairs said a French national had died in Pondicherry but gave no other details.
The other deaths were reported elsewhere in Tamil Nadu.
Most of the deaths occurred due to electrocution and walls collapsing in the cyclone-hit regions, they said.
Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/South+India+cyclone+kills+least+says+report/5932642/story.html#ixzz1i7iTFgQP
Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/South+India+cyclone+kills+least+says+report/5932642/story.html#ixzz1i7iH9700
January 1, 2012 at 2:32 am
Haruna Mohammed
Eastern Ohio rattled by 4.0-magnitude earthquake
(CNN) — A 4.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Ohio on Saturday, a week after a similar but smaller tremor rattled the region, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
The quake was centered 5 miles northwest of Youngstown and 6 miles southeast of Warren, the agency said. The quake’s epicenter was 55 miles east-southeast of Cleveland, and 145 miles northeast of Columbus.
According to the preliminary estimate, the earthquake struck 1.4 miles deep.
Youngstown police Sgt. Michael Kawa said that the “tremor shook the whole building we were in,” but that there were no early signs of major damage. That appeared to hold true elsewhere in the eastern Ohio city, based on early post-quake surveys.
“A lot of house alarms, it shook the buildings,” Kawa said. “The fire department hasn’t reported any major damage.”
source : http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/31/us/ohio-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
January 1, 2012 at 2:37 am
Haruna Mohammed
35 Southern California fires rock cities
Los Angeles (CNN) — A joint task force Saturday was investigating a string of 35 fires across several Southern California communities, and one mayor called them a “new form of domestic terrorism.”
Despite a $60,000 reward, authorities had not made an arrest by Saturday afternoon.
The 21 initial fires, set in rapid succession in the Hollywood area, prompted authorities in California to post the reward in what they say is one of the worst arson sprees in recent memory.
The fires were set within a span of about five hours early Friday morning, and in nearly every case they were started on parked cars, officials said. Some of the fires spread to nearby buildings.
Among the homes damaged was one that was once occupied by Doors frontman Jim Morrison. The street where the house sits — Rothdell Trail — was the inspiration for the Doors song, “Love Street.”
Seventeen fires were set in Hollywood; four others in West Hollywood — all of them within a 2-square mile area.
The fire department’s Capt. Jaime Moore told CNN Saturday an additional 14 fires were reported. Investigators will determine whether they are arson and related to the other fires.
“This area of concern involves vehicle fires and fires involving vehicles in structures,” the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a statement. “Ten of these fires were located in the North Hollywood (Burbank) area and the last three were located in the Fairfax district (southwest of Hollywood). The Los Angeles County Fire Department has reported one fire meeting this criteria in the Lennox area.”
West Hollywood Mayor John J. Duran told CNN the arsonists “are using cars as an incendiary device to set buildings on fire.” Many of the buildings are close to each other and house senior citizens who are not mobile, he said.
“We have a full-force deployment out tonight,” Duran said.
“When you have millions of people living with millions of cars in these very dense neighborhoods, this is becoming a new form of domestic terrorism that really has got our community in a very bad spot.”
County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky told reporters Friday afternoon that authorities are “dead serious about trying to apprehend the individual or individuals who are responsible” for the arson fires.
“We want to get these SOBs before they hurt somebody,” he said.
Fire officials said they were relieved no one was hurt, although a firefighter suffered a non-life-threatening injury.
“If you’re setting something alight when people are going to bed, you obviously don’t expect them to wake up,” resident Mark Todd told CNN affiliate KTLA. “It sort of goes past arson to attempted murder.”
The Hollywood area is home to about 20,000 people per square mile, said Los Angeles fire spokesman Erik Scott.
He also said the fires caused $350,000 in property damage — a “conservative estimate.”
Authorities deployed extra police officers after sundown. The Los Angeles Fire Department’s arson unit called in additional investigators to review surveillance footage and pore through the ashes.
“While our police officers and our fire departments are working on high alert in coming days, everyone must remain vigilant,” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
source : http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/31/justice/california-arson/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
January 1, 2012 at 3:36 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Japan Started 2012 with a magnitude of 6.8 earthquake………..
Magnitude 6.8 quake hits Japan
(CNN) — A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck off the coast of Japan on Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
The earthquake hit 468 kilometers (302 miles) south-southwest of Tokyo at a depth of 348 kilometers, according to the USGS.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not issue a tsunami warning.
The USGS gave the quake a preliminary magnitude of 7.0 before downgrading it to 6.8.
Japan lies along the Pacific “ring of fire,” an area of high seismic and volcanic activity stretching from New Zealand in the South Pacific up through Japan, across to Alaska and down the west coasts of North and South America.
Last year, a devastating earthquake and tsunami hit northeastern Japan, leaving thousands of people dead or missing. The March 11 earthquake triggered powerful tsunami waves and sparked a nuclear crisis.
SOURCE : http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/01/world/asia/japan-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
January 1, 2012 at 3:39 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Nigeria’s Ebonyi state ethnic clashes: 50 killed
At least 50 people have been killed in eastern Nigeria in clashes between rival ethnic groups, officials said.
A government spokesman said the violence in the state of Ebonyi took place between the Ezza and Ezilo peoples due to a land dispute.
Dozens of riot police have been deployed to the area, officials said.
The attacks came hours after a state of emergency was declared in parts of the country due to an unrelated spate of attacks by Islamist group Boko Haram.
President Goodluck Jonathan vowed to “crush” Boko Haram, just days after the group carried out a deadly bombing on a church on Christmas Day.
source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16376582
January 1, 2012 at 11:58 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Eastern Ohio rattled by 4.0-magnitude earthquake
(CNN) — A 4.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Ohio on Saturday, one week after a similar but smaller tremor rattled the region, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
The quake was centered 5 miles northwest of Youngstown and 6 miles southeast of Warren, the agency said. The quake’s epicenter was 55 miles east-southeast of Cleveland, and 145 miles northeast of Columbus.
According to the preliminary estimate, the earthquake struck 1.4 miles deep.
There was a lot of shaking “and a rumbling sound,” said Jimmy Hughes, a former Youngstown police chief running for sheriff of Mahoning County. “I could see the house move… It seemed like the ground was moving. ”
The quake struck one day after Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director James Zehringer announced that work would be halted on a fluid-injection well in Youngstown, due to fears it could be contributing to a recent apparent spike in seismic activity in the area. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an injection well “is a device that places fluid deep underground into porous rock formations, such as sandstone or limestone, or into or below the shallow soil layer.”
source: http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/31/us/ohio-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
January 1, 2012 at 11:59 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Dozens of birds found dead in Arkansas town for second straight New Year’s Eve
(CNN) — For the second year in a row, dozens of blackbirds died overnight Saturday in Beebe, Arkansas, apparently after being startled by New Year’s Eve fireworks, an official with the state’s Game and Fish Commission said Sunday.
Tests will be conducted to determine the official cause of death, said Ginny Porter with the Arkansas Game and Fish commission. Porter said between 50 and 80 birds were reported dead.
Beebe, about 40 miles northeast of Little Rock, is an area through which the birds migrate and is home to a large roost. The fireworks set off Saturday were located near the south side of the roost, according to Porter. Blackbirds have poor night vision and do not typically fly at night, according to the game commission.
A much larger bird kill was reported in Beebe last New Year’s Eve when about 5,000 birds were found dead in a square-mile area. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma after the otherwise healthy birds became disoriented and flew into stationary objects such as trees and buildings.
source : http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/01/us/arkansas-bird-deaths/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
January 2, 2012 at 10:07 am
Haruna Mohammed
Iran ‘test-fires cruise missile’ in Gulf exercises
Iran has successfully test-fired a ground-to-ship cruise missile during military exercises in the Gulf, the official Irna news agency reports.
Iranian naval commander Mahmoud Mousavi was quoted as saying it was the first time they had tested the Iranian-made Ghader missile, with a range of 200km.
Irna reported on Sunday that a medium-range surface-to-air missile had been successfully fired.
Comm Mousavi said two other types of missiles would be tested on Monday.
He earlier told Irna that the Ghader missile “built by Iranian experts” was “ultra-modern… with an integrated, ultra-precise radar whose range and intelligent anti-detection system have been improved over previous generations”.
source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16377185
January 2, 2012 at 10:09 am
Haruna Mohammed
UN warns South Sudanese to flee deadly ethnic vendetta
The United Nations has warned villagers in South Sudan to flee from advancing fighters from a rival ethnic group.
Fighters from the Lou Nuer ethnic group are pursuing members of the Murle group, reports say, as a deadly vendetta over cattle raiding continues.
Tens of thousands of Murle fled the town of Pibor after it came under attack from the Lou Nuer on Saturday.
The BBC’s East Africa correspondent Will Ross says some Lou Nuer fighters remain in Pibor but many have left.
About 1,000 people have been killed in recent months as reprisal attacks over cattle raids have escalated.
A spokeswoman for the United Nations mission in South Sudan told the BBC that “several flanks of the attackers have moved in a south-easterly direction [from Pibor], almost certainly looking for cattle”.
The spokeswoman, Lise Grande, said they were burning huts as they moved.
She said troops from the South Sudanese army, backed by several hundred UN soldiers, had held the main part of Pibor as it came under attack from the Lou Nuer, but that a clinic belonging to the charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) had been “overtaken”.
Ms Grande said the UN was tracking the movement of the Lou Nuer and warning others in their path to “disperse into the bush for their safety”.
‘Reinforcements sent’
Our correspondent said a witness in central Pibor told him some Lou Nuer fighters were still in parts of the town.
He said many of the Lou Nuer were now believed to be in pursuit of the Murle who had fled Pibor.
The BBC has learnt that some of the displaced – mainly women, children and the elderly – have been killed although it has not been possible to verify how many.
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has called on the Lou Nuer to stop their advance and return to their traditional areas.
The government said it was deploying more troops and an additional 2,000 police to Pibor.
source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16381579
January 2, 2012 at 10:12 am
Haruna Mohammed
Zimbabwe Issues Flood Warnings Across Country Amid Heavy Rains
January 2, 2012 at 10:14 am
Haruna Mohammed
Zimbabwe Issues Flood Warnings Across Country Amid Heavy Rains
The Zimbabwe weather services department on Friday issued a flood alert for areas in the north and east of the country heavy rains with gusty winds and hail.
Violent thunderstorms were also forecast in the three Mashonaland provinces, Harare, Matabeleland North and parts of Manicaland province, an advisory from the Meteorological Services Department said.
The heavy rains started Friday and were set to continue through next week.
“Naturally there will be heightened risk of flash flooding principally in susceptible places and poorly drained soils,” the weather service said. Officials said they were expecting some areas to receive rains in excess of 80 milliliters or 3 inches.
Meteorological Department Officer Tichaona Zinyemba told VOA the Civil Protection Unit had been activated and was monitoring the situation. He urged people in flood-prone localities to seek higher ground and not to attempt to cross flooding rivers.
“There is a high risk that rivers will be flooded,” Zinyemba said. “What we can advise people is that they must not cross rivers because they may be swept away.
Tsholotsho Senator Believe Gaule, whose constituency lies within the area considered subject to flooding, urged his constituents to exercise caution.
source : http://www.voanews.com/zimbabwe/news/Zimbabwe-Issues-Flood-Warning-Amid-Heavy-Rains-136441438.html
January 2, 2012 at 4:21 pm
RICHARD WILSON
1 000 dead and counting
Road accidents are the world’s biggest killers – and South Africa’s road death toll is double the global average.
More than 1 000 people have died on our roads since the beginning of December, and South Africa is counting the cost.
Speeding, not wearing seatbelts, not observing traffic laws and not being vigilant have been identified as some of the contributing factors to the high fatality rate.
The spokesman for the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), Ashref Ismail, said the severity of head-on collisions could be minimised if speed was reduced.
“Depending on the speed of impact, these types of crashes are the most devastating since in most cases, victims are trapped in the cabin. In many cases, vehicles have exploded on impact,” he said.
The physical impact on victims, he said, led to multiple fatalities; multiple fractures; brain and organ damage; or spinal cord injuries.
Quoting research, he said an 80 percent increase in the number of people wearing seatbelts in the front and back seats of a vehicle would bring an automatic 30 percent reduction in fatalities.
“Seatbelts reduce the chances of a fatality or serious injury by more than 50 percent,” he said.
During inclement weather, he implored motorists to reduce speeds and to be aware of adverse road conditions, such as potholes, oil patches, jagged tar edges and rutting.
“During wet weather, stopping distances are increased and therefore prudent following distances should be observed,” he said.
Tyres, he said, should have sufficient tread and wiper blades should be in good condition.
Department of Transport spokesman, Logan Maistry, said this year more than 11 500 driving licences had been cancelled or suspended – 1 497 from KwaZulu-Natal were cancelled, while 159 were suspended.
Insurance company, First for Women, also expressed concern about the high accident rate.
“Worldwide, road traffic injuries are responsible for the highest injury mortality,” said Robyn Farrell, managing director of the company. “But in SA, it’s shocking that the road traffic fatality rate (39.7 per 100 000) is higher than for any World Health Organisation region and almost double the global average.”
They also examined how to keep children safe during the festive period.
She said that according to the RTMC, SA had more than 700 000 crashes a year, with three children dying every day on the roads.
Correctly using and fitting car seats or booster seats could substantially reduce the risk of serious injury or death, she said.
“The next time you see someone driving with their children not in a car seat or safely buckled up, call 0861 400-800 with the car’s licence plate, the date and place you saw it occur and the RTMC will send them a warning letter. It could save a child’s life.”
AA spokesman Gary Ronald said it was important not to drive when tired. “Rest every 200km or after every two hours of driving. If you’re tired, it’s simple – don’t drive,” he said. – Daily News
January 2, 2012 at 4:25 pm
RICHARD WILSON
Naadu cries over alarming maternal deaths
The First Lady, Mrs. Ernestina Naadu Mills, has called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives to draw comprehensive programmes that would help reduce the maternal mortality rate in the country.
According to her, the rate at which women were dying during child birth was unacceptable, and something drastic must be done to reverse the trend.
The First Lady was speaking at the Volta Region launch of her campaign for accelerated reduction of maternal mortality in Africa last Friday, at Ho.
It was under the theme: ‘Ghana Cares: No Woman should die while giving Life.’ Mrs. Naadu Mills called on all to work hard to ensure zero tolerance of maternal mortality in the country.
‘I am in the Volta Region, and hope to enjoy all the support for the vision of sustaining the continuity of the human race in Ghana, by ensuring that every woman in giving life stays alive, as well as the baby,’ she said.
The wife of the President noted that the loss of a mother shatters a family and threatens the well-being of the surviving children.
Naadu Mills said Ghana was part of the global community that would report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, and in order to achieve the MDGs 4 and 5, there was the need for everybody to play important roles to ensure that women in labour get access to health facilities early enough to have skilled delivery.
She said the launch of the programme in the region, just like other regions, was to have policy dialogue, advocacy, and community social mobilisation to ensure political commitment towards the reduction in maternal mortality and increase in resources, as well as bring about societal change in supporting to reduce death during delivery.
The First Lady used the opportunity to urge the private sector, civil society organisations (CSOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders, to increase their efforts to mobilise resources to accelerate the reduction in maternal mortality in the country, adding that the nation would soon be called to report on all the MDGs, particularly 4 and 5, which she stressed, called for concerted efforts to reduce significantly maternal mortality.
The Volta Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Joseph Teye Nuertey, said even though health workers in the region were putting up their best, they were faced with numerous challenges, some of which were beyond their control, hence the preventable deaths during delivery in the region.
Dr. Nuertey disclosed that 82 maternal mortality cases were recorded in 2010, and 30 recorded in the half year review of 2011, which he said, was an improvement over last year, and pointed out that Krachi-West and East, Kpando and Biakoye Districts were constantly improving on health care provision.
The Regional Director explained that maternal mortality rates were very high among the age groups of 20 to 34 years in the region, adding that poor road networks were a major factor.
Dr. Nuertey, therefore, appealed to the government to help improve the transportation system in the region, by constructing the roads to facilitate easy transportation of patients to health facilities, adding that the provision of the necessary health equipments to health facilities, without good roads to transport patients, would be meaningless.
Source: Ghanaian Chronicle – Ghanaian Chronicle
12 December 2011
January 2, 2012 at 4:28 pm
FUSEINI AMADU
Regional News of Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Source: GNA
Two persons died on the spot in a motor accident at Mantukwa
Mantukwa (B/A), Dec. 20, GNA – Two persons died on the spot in a road crash involving a Mercedes Benz saloon vehicle and a Ford transit bus on Tuesday morning at Mantukwa near Sunyani.
The dead included the driver of the Mercedes car and a male relative on the front seat, who were returning from a funeral, at Wamfie in Dormaa-East district.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Paul Wesley Baah, Brong-Ahafo Regional Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) the deceased had not been identified.
He said the bodies had been deposited at the Regional Hospital mortuary in Sunyani for autopsy, whilst the injured including an unconscious woman were on admission at the same hospital.
ASP Baah said the crash occurred when the driver of the Mercedes saloon car in an attempt to overtake a taxi collided head-on with the Ford vehicle, killing the two instantly and injuring others.
The MTTU Commander said the saloon car was destroyed beyond repair whilst the Ford bus had its front part severely damaged.
ASP Baah advised drivers to desist from alcoholic drinks when driving and also to avoid over-speeding especially in the Yuletide.
January 2, 2012 at 4:34 pm
FUSEINI AMADU
710 festive season road deaths
INLSA Photo: Antoine de Ras Since the beginning of the festive season on December 1, there have been 710 fatalities on South African roads, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said on Tuesday. Some 592 fatal crashes that led to 710 deaths on the road were recorded between December 1 and December 19, spokesman Ashref Ismail said. Factors that contributed to the crashes were high speed, dangerous driving, fatigue among long distance minibus drivers, overloading and tyre failure….
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Published By: Ghanamma – Tuesday, 20 December
January 2, 2012 at 4:38 pm
FUSEINI AMADU
Tragedy
Five Dead In Galamsey Disaster Search for bodies of boat disaster continues – Police 50 Perish!• On Volta Lake 20 Bodies Recovered From Volta Lake Accident – Search Continues Truck Smashes Building, Killing 2 253 people displaced by tidal waves at Abuesi 4 Killed In Gory Accident Fire Burns Two Children 2 Die In Accident 2 Kids Killed• In Fire Kokonte Kills 4 Gas Explosion Claims 6 Lives Boy, 4, Dies In Manhole 2 Die In Ashaiman Gas Blast Man dies from gas explosion Cows Trample Man To Death Two Naval Men Die In Training Sessions Fire Burns Man To Death Man burnt to death in Atonsu Three Die In Taifa Accident Taifa: Two die in fatal accident 10 Drown In Volta Lake Father, two children perish in fire outbreak Man Dies In Motorway Crash The Sowutuom Tragedy: 4 Kids Buried Former employee of University of Ghana commits suicide Woman Hacked 3 Children Burnt To Death One dead, 10 on admission after eating “poisonous” food Four Kids Perish In Fire – But Bible In The Room Left Intact Two Die In Highway Robbery 4 Kids Killed Wrongful overtaking kills policeman and a woman Boy strangely found behind steering wheel of locked taxi Man, 45, crushed to death by truck Thunder kills fisherman at sea Industrial Accident Kills One Man crushed by mixing machine NPP Woman Killed Tema: Soap miller crushed to death Soap mixer machine kills employee Senior High School student kills colleague over girl Heavy rainfall kills two in Tarkwa Accident victims identified Falling tree kills 53-year-old man 15 Die In Accidents 150 Migrant Bodies Found After Boat Accident 10 Killed In Gory Crash 15 die in accident 27 Killed 27 perish in Bonomanso motor accident One killed and 10 others injured in car crash Two trapped to death by falling wall Headteacher dies of snakebite Two Siblings Drown Cop’s Son Commits Suicide Metro Mass Kills Deaconess One Dead, Several Injured In Motor Accident Man, 60, drowns in a well 6 Killed In Fatal Accident
January 2, 2012 at 4:44 pm
MAXWELL ANANG
Japan Earthquake: 7.0 Strikes Japan
By Jessica Sinclair on January 1st, 2012
Japan was hit with a 7.0 magnitude earthquake Sunday—The strong quake reportedly struck under the sea just south of Japan.
USGS
According to the USGS, the quake, that was later lowered to a 6.8 magnitude, struck at around 12:30 a.m. near the Izu Islands, south of Japan. The quake had a depth of around 217 miles below the sea and, struck the region 307 miles from Tokyo.
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According to the Associated Press, there have been no reports of damage caused by the quake but shaking buildings in the capital was reported and trains in the area were suspended temporarily for safety checks but later resumed—Additionally, there were no abnormalities reported at power plants.
The earthquake did not generate a tsunami warning for Japan or the United States.
“A strong earthquake has occurred, but a tsunami IS NOT expected along the California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, or Alaska coast. NO tsunami warning, watch or advisory is in effect for these areas,” The West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center stated in a report.
The earthquake follows a strong quake this past July and another in March that left thousands dead.
In July, a 7.0 quake struck Japan’s northeastern coast. The U.S. Geological Survey estimated a 7.0 magnitude earthquake with a depth of 10 kilometers. Japan’s Meteorological agency increased the magnitude to a 7.3 magnitude and the depth to 30 kilometers.
The earthquake caused a tsunami warning. Officials urged residents to stay away from the coast and prepare for possible dangerous waves. Japanese officials reportedly predicted the quake could generate tsunami of up to 20 inches. The tsunami warning was later lifted.
In March, one of the strongest earthquakes hit Japan and triggered a subsequent tsunami that devastated the same region and left thousands dead and missing.
Pictures of the March Earthquake & Tsunami in Japan
The massive 9.0 earthquake hit March 11 and wreaked havoc on the region including damaging Japanese nuclear plants and causing cooling system failures and radiation leaks. Thousands had to evacuate the area as plant workers battled to stop the nuclear plants from causing even more damage to the region.
The earthquake’s subsequent tsunami was felt around the world, leading to evacuations of dozens of places including the Philippines and Hawaii. The United States West Coast of Crescent City, California even felt the wrath of the tsunami hours later where dozens of boats were destroyed.
Read about the deadliest earthquakes in history
More articles filed under National News
January 2, 2012 at 4:45 pm
MAS
Kumasi, ghana – January 02 2012 – Accident At Pakyi: 4 Confirmed Dead, 4 More in Critical Condition – Modern Ghana
He says the Ghana Highway Authority must give the issue a serious … Relatives besieged the Accident and Emergency Center after a Kumasi based radio station announced 27 people had died in the accident. Hospital officials had a tough time managing the …
Kumasi, ghana – January 01 2012 – Help comes for young Leticia – Myjoyonline.com
The accident which is said to have occurred around 5:30 am this morning (Friday) left many of its passengers unconscious. Eyewitnesses say the Benz bus run into a fully loaded Dove mini truck while trying to overtake another vehicle at the wrong side of the road.
Kumasi, ghana – January 01 2012 – Modern Ghana – General News
Accra, ghana – December 29 2011 – President John Mills To Be Impeached ? Before the end of April, 1992, Ghana and Ghanaians were subjected to dictatorship from …
Lagos, nigeria – January 01 2012 – Dirges and lullabies of 2011 – Modern Ghana
A ghastly motor accident involving a trailer and a commuter bus yesterday claimed 20 lives with 7 others in critical condition along Kaduna-Kano highway. The incident occurred between Gaida village, near Kwanar Dan Gora in Ikara Local Government …
Kumasi, ghana – January 01 2012 – Should the NPP fear the Volta Region anymore?
Events characterizing elections in Ghana reveal that the Volta Region has been a no-go area for the political parties rooted on the Danquah-Busia political tradition since 1948 when elections became the means for choosing our national leaders.
Kumasi, ghana – December 30 2011 – Final list published for Liberia poll candidates
I am looking for the obituary of David John Amble. (10/16/1929-8/5/2003) He is buried in Fort Snelling Cemetery in Minnesota. He was born in Adams, MN to Jesse & Anna …
Accra, ghana – December 29 2011 – Police launch operation ‘Father Christmas 3′ – Vibe Ghana
The quiet fourth-grader is the youngest of a big family who moved here from Ghana, in West Africa … A clerk asked if he’d ridden to the store on his bike. He shook his head. “Good,” she said, eyeing his gifts. “That would have been …
Kumasi, ghana – December 29 2011 – 9 school kids, 6 others perish in 2 accidents :: Ghana News Link …
COMMENTARY ON THE FATAL ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED AT YAWKWEI ON THE ACCRA-KUMASI ROAD An old adage states that once bitten twice shy. The literal meaning of this …
Accra, ghana – December 29 2011 – President John Mills To Be Impeached ?
Before the end of April, 1992, Ghana and Ghanaians were subjected to dictatorship from December 31, 1981. It was led by Chairman Rawlings and his bunch of inexperienced military cum civilians who thought western democracy was alien and that development in freedom was all that useless; generation and possession of wealth was nowhere to be found in their socialist-oriented dictionaries.
Accra, ghana – December 29 2011 – Bus | George Hatcher’s Bus, Train, Trolley, Ship & Pipeline – Part 9
Accra, ghana – December 22 2011 – Nana Akufo Addo’s Precipe For Political Suicide If there were any one person, politician or otherwise, who should count himself …
Accra, ghana – December 29 2011 – Visions of new life: How migration led to the formation of human society
Beyond all our Christmas homecomings beckons the hope of turning a new page. The New Year is a vision –muzzy, perhaps, but still a vision – of new life. We’ll give up smoking and go to the gym every day.
Kumasi, ghana – December 29 2011 – Christians reminded to live in peace-as they celebrate Christmas
Prestea (WR), Dec. 24, GNA – Mr. Francis Adu-Blay Koffie, Member of Parliament (MP) for Prestea Huni/Valley in the Western Region, has reminded Christians to ensure that they live in peace with one another as the birth of Christ is celebrated.
Kumasi, ghana – December 29 2011 – Is Ghana’s NDC Government Really About to Ban Used Vehicle Imports?
There are three inalienable truths in Ghana. (1) The Sun rises in the east and sets in the west: (2) Most Ghanaians magically live above their means: (3) At least, once a week, one of our politicians or leaders will gaffe so badly in public that we will be left scratching our heads wondering if his/her mouth was connected to the brain while he/she spoke.
Kumasi, ghana – December 29 2011 – Washington Accident – Crash Reports – Accidents in Hawaii …
Macho Man Randy Savage– one of the greatest wrestlers of all-time — died today in a car accident in Seminole, Florida … TMZ has learned. TMZ spoke with …
Johannesburg, south africa – December 29 2011 – S. African minister denounces Christmas road carnage – Modern Ghana
With the holidays approaching, many South Carolina residents are purchasing fireworks in preparation <img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin …
Kumasi, ghana – December 29 2011 – Government To Ban Importation Of Second-Hand Vehicles?
*[Readers who are not sure about this writer and get confused about his name and identity may please read the information placed at the bottom of this article.]
Kumasi, ghana – December 29 2011 – Apawawase appeals for road repairs
Apawawase (E/R), Dec. 26, GNA – The people of Apawawase near Asuboi in the Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District, have appealed to the district assembly to reshape the bad portions of the feeder roads in the area to avert accidents.
Kumasi, ghana – December 29 2011 – The Health Awareness School
This year like many others, Ghana joined the world to mark several days set aside to raise awareness for certain health conditions. These events are to help us gain adequate knowledge about health issues and improve our lives.
Lagos, nigeria – December 29 2011 – Nigeria: A government of inertia – Modern Ghana
promoting Nigeria's global security interests, and supporting peacekeeping efforts especially in West Africa. Waste management presents problems in a mega city like Lagos and other major Nigerian cities which are linked with economic development …
Accra, ghana – December 28 2011 – Ghana to get new international airport – Modern Ghana
Ghana music can be equated to an open fire hydrant—the music … As a harbor city, many trucks/containers can be seen here, so we decided to use the back of the truck as a stage and have people gather around, as if we were doing a show.
Accra, ghana – December 28 2011 – NDC, Corruption: Two Sides of the Same Coin – Katakyie
The recent daylight robbery of the state by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) through Alfred Agbesi Woyome has shaken the democratic foundation of our dear country, and had this scenario happened in the late seventies, I believe the military would have taken advantage of the situation to put some common sense in the heads of these professional armed robbers.
Kumasi, ghana – December 28 2011 – NDC, Corruption: Two Sides of the Same Coin – Katakyie – The Statesman Online
He says the Ghana Highway Authority must give the issue a serious … Relatives besieged the Accident and Emergency Center after a Kumasi based radio station announced 27 people had died in the accident. Hospital officials had a tough time managing the …
Accra, ghana – December 26 2011 – Nigeria: Why Airlines Fail – AllAfrica.com
About 15 people are feared dead in Ghana and several others were … On Tuesday morning, the accident occurred at Pakyi No. 1, near Kumasi, about 270 km northwest of the capital Accra, involving a Benz bus and a Ford vehicle which collided head-on while …
Accra, ghana – December 25 2011 – Ghana: New Radio Station for Ho Municipality – AllAfrica.com
About 15 people are feared dead in Ghana and several others were … On Tuesday morning, the accident occurred at Pakyi No. 1, near Kumasi, about 270 km northwest of the capital Accra, involving a Benz bus and a Ford vehicle which collided head-on while …
Kumasi, ghana – December 25 2011 – Commentary; Let Us Give Meaning To Christmas
On Sunday, Christians in Ghana will join their counterparts throughout the world to observe Christmas, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, in a manger in Bethlehem. Generally, in Ghana, the day is marked with merry-making.
Kumasi, ghana – December 25 2011 – GRTCC, PROTOA say road safety is a shared responsibility – Vibe Ghana
Briefing the Ghana News Agency at Beposo, Police Inspector Emmanuel Sakyi Kwabena Boakye, said the accident was caused by the reckless … seen dancing with his colleagues in the moving truck fell down and one of the back tyres ran over his thighs.
Kumasi, ghana – December 25 2011 – Update: Accra-Kumasi highway accident, 20 dead, 2 unconscious …
Accident Report Database For The City Of Kumasi, Ghana, Updated Live From Our Local News Sources. Find or report a Crash.
Kumasi, ghana – December 25 2011 – Yes; Ghana Needs You Alive!
Yes; Ghana Needs You Alive! Folks; your good old Okyeame greets; he wishes you good health and Merry Christmas.
Accra, ghana – December 24 2011 – Japanese Gov Rescues Krobo School – TMCnet
About 15 people are feared dead in Ghana and several others were … On Tuesday morning, the accident occurred at Pakyi No. 1, near Kumasi, about 270 km northwest of the capital Accra, involving a Benz bus and a Ford vehicle which collided head-on while …
Accra, ghana – December 22 2011 – Selling Ghana Piece by Piece to Foreigners
Kindly spend just 25 minutes of your time and watch this link and shed a small tear for Ghana. *Verse 1* Y?n ara asaase ni ?y? ab?denden ma y?n Mogya a nananom hwie gu, nya de too h? maa y?n Aduru me ne wo nso so S? y?b?y? bi atoa so Nimde? ntraso nkotokrane ne ap?s?menkomenya Ato y?n bra mo dem na ye'sase ho do at?m s?
Accra, ghana – December 22 2011 – Nigeria: Menace of Shipwrecks On Coastal Waters – AllAfrica.com
Additionally, toxicity testing in regards to marine species shows little tolerance by all forms … A dispersant product must demonstrate that it causes a minimum of 45% of the oil to sink within 30 minutes, despite the fact that the NCP list states …
Accra, ghana – December 22 2011 – Car Rentals Accra | Cheap Car Rentals Accra Ghana | from Golden …
Now we're really confused. We arrived in Ghana 'round about September. Even though we were carless well into November, we submitted paperwork back in …
Accra, ghana – December 22 2011 – Nana Akufo Addo’s Precipe For Political Suicide
If there were any one person, politician or otherwise, who should count himself lucky in Ghanaian politics, then that individual person was no other personality than Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo. Nana’s luck stems from the fact that he is the son of a former ceremonial president, the late Edward Akufo Addo during the 2nd Republic with the Progress Party government in power.
Accra, ghana – December 22 2011 – Traffic accident kills 30 in Ghana – Xinhua
Briefing the Ghana News Agency at Beposo, Police Inspector Emmanuel Sakyi Kwabena Boakye, said the accident was caused by the reckless … seen dancing with his colleagues in the moving truck fell down and one of the back tyres ran over his thighs.
Accra, ghana – December 22 2011 – Stay Jay: One on One with the Hit Making Machine
Ghana music can be equated to an open fire hydrant—the music is coming out fast and it hits you hard. Currently, some of the biggest hits in Ghana and Africa can be traced back to the harbor town of Tema, Ghana.
Accra, ghana – December 22 2011 – Five Ivorians killed in Ghana accident | VibeGhana.com
Accident Report Database For The City Of Accra, Ghana, Updated Live From Our Local News Sources. Find or report a Crash.
Accra, ghana – December 22 2011 – Family Buys Robber’s Corpse From Police
The body of a genius of a wicked armed robber, George Kosi Buame Kleh of Ho-Bankoe, who was gunned down in Accra with a colleague Doku aka Mellow, a month ago, has finally been released to its family.
Accra, ghana – December 22 2011 – Ghana Plane Crash News – Airline Industry Today
The escalating incidence of road accidents in Ghana is no news to a reasonable Ghanaian of ordinary intelligence. Despite increased road safety campaigns, the rate at …
Accra, ghana – December 22 2011 – United, City crash out of Champions League – Kickoff
Now we're really confused. We arrived in Ghana 'round about September. Even though we were carless well into November, we submitted paperwork back in …
Accra, ghana – December 22 2011 – Ghana to get new international airport
The Minister for Transport, Alhaji Collins Dauda, has announced that financial arrangements for the Tamale airport would soon be finalised to upgrade it to international status, to serve as an alternative to the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
Accra, ghana – December 22 2011 – Is Betty A Disgrace To Womanhood Or An Apology . . .
This article is not meant to downplay the level of intelligentsia in governance and to denigrate the person of Ms Betty Mould Iddrisu.
Accra, ghana – December 21 2011 – Police launch operation 'Father Christmas 3'
Accra, Dec.20, GNA – The Police Administration has launched an operation dubbed, “Father Christmas 3,” to ensure a Christmas, void of crime and vehicular accidents.
Kumasi, ghana – December 21 2011 – Don't allow politics to divide the nation – Minister – Vibe Ghana
ACCRA, Ghana—Sani Boubakar, 28, lost his right leg 10 years ago in an auto accident in his hometown of Doutchi, Niger. “On that day, I knew I would be disabled forever,” he said. He moped around his family’s home for two years until he …
Kumasi, ghana – December 21 2011 – Sixty-two-year-old female preacher on Chris FM at Berekum dies in road – Modern Ghana
About 15 people are feared dead in Ghana and several others were seriously injured in a fresh road crash in Ghana, reports monitored said … involving a Benz bus and a Ford vehicle which collided head-on while the latter was overtaking the vehicle towards …
Kumasi, ghana – December 21 2011 – Booksgravity
Find and share videos at SquidChannel. … All photos are Creative Commons commercial use, public domain or used with permission.
Kumasi, ghana – December 20 2011 – Luv gives reason to celebrate yuletide in the Garden City
Holiday makers in Ghana this yuletide would be in for a great time if they choose to be in the country’s second largest city, Kumasi.
Kumasi, ghana – December 20 2011 – Kessben FM Gives Blood. To KATH – Daily Guide
… and several others were seriously injured in a fresh road crash in Ghana, reports monitored said on Tuesday. On Tuesday morning, the accident occurred at Pakyi No. 1, near Kumasi, about 270 km northwest of the capital Accra, involving a Benz bus and a …
Accra, ghana – December 19 2011 – Accra Realty
Institution !! Location !! Public/Private !! Affiliation ; University of Ghana : Legon : Public : Ghana Telecom University College : Tesano: Islamic University College
Accra, ghana – December 19 2011 – A propos de la diplomatie burkinabè : Réflexions éparses – LeFaso.net
Kumasi, Dec 14, GNA – The Ashanti Regional Commander of the Ghana Private Roads Transport … to make the Christmas holidays accident-free. He told the GNA in an interview that it was unacceptable the spate of car crashes and the attendant loss of …
Accra, ghana – December 18 2011 – Drunken Driver arrested in Madina – Modern Ghana
THE MOTOR Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service has impounded 40 vehicles … He said reckless driving, unlawful over-taking, drunk driving, abuse of road markings and signs, jumping red lights and excessive speeding in police …
Accra, ghana – December 17 2011 – An insurance claimant complains about ill treatment by SIC – Modern Ghana
Kumasi, Dec 14, GNA – The Ashanti Regional Commander of the Ghana Private Roads Transport … to make the Christmas holidays accident-free. He told the GNA in an interview that it was unacceptable the spate of car crashes and the attendant loss of …
Accra, ghana – December 17 2011 – Ghana: CILT Calls for Urgent Development of Tema and Takoradi Ports – Dredging Today
Briefing the Ghana News Agency at Beposo, Police Inspector Emmanuel Sakyi Kwabena Boakye, said the accident was caused by the reckless … seen dancing with his colleagues in the moving truck fell down and one of the back tyres ran over his thighs.
Kumasi, ghana – December 17 2011 – viasat1.com.gh | McAfee SiteAdvisor Software – Website Safety …
Hosting report about Viasat1.com.gh. Viasat1.com.gh is currently hosted at Domeneshop AS. The IP 194.63.250.235 links to a server in , Norway. The company behind this …
Accra, ghana – December 17 2011 – Managing The Xmas Fever – Daily Guide
ACCRA, Ghana—Sani Boubakar, 28, lost his right leg 10 years ago in an auto accident in his hometown of Doutchi, Niger. “On that day, I knew I would be disabled forever,” he said. He moped around his family’s home for two years until he …
Kumasi, ghana – December 16 2011 – Ghana: Celebrating John Mensah Sarbah – AllAfrica.com
Kumasi, Dec 14, GNA – The Ashanti Regional Commander of the Ghana Private Roads Transport Union (GPRTU) Guards, Mr Kofi Opoku, has appealed to drivers to be extra careful on the roads to make the Christmas holidays accident-free. He told the GNA in an …
SOURCE: http://www.accidentin.com/world/accidents_in_ghana.htm
January 2, 2012 at 11:23 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Deadly Chile forest fires spread
Firefighters in Chile are tackling dozens of forest fires which have killed one person and destroyed 230 sq km (57,000 acres) of land in the southern and central regions.
A 75-year-old man died in Bio Bio after he refused to evacuate his home.
Firefighters said they had managed to contain four out of six blazes in the Torres del Paine National Park.
An Israeli tourist detained on Saturday has denied a charge of causing the park fire through negligence.
President Sebastian Pinera said Chile was in a “situation of extreme vulnerability”.
He said that on Sunday emergency services were battling 48 separate fires, 15 of which were not yet under control.
The president said almost 130 sq km (32,000 acres) had been burned in the Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia.
Stiffer penalties
He announced that parts of the park would re-open on Wednesday to minimise disruption to tourism and local businesses.
An Israeli tourist has been charged with causing the fire through negligence, which he denies.
If found guilty, he could face up to 60 days in prison and a fine of around $300 (£190).
President Pinera has proposed increasing the penalties for anyone who causes forest fires, be it intentionally or negligently.
In the Bio Bio region, fire destroyed more than 100 homes and a plant making wood panels.
More than 500 firefighters have been deployed to stem the blaze.
The BBC’s Gideon Long in Santiago says that Chile always suffers forest fires during the southern hemisphere summer but that a drought has made 2011 a particularly bad year.
source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-16387079
January 3, 2012 at 1:35 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Fierce storms gather across UK
Storms have caused damage across many parts of the UK, with gusts of almost 100mph in Scotland.
The BBC’s Louise Hubball reports from Cornwall, followed by Lorna Gordon in Glasgow.
SOURCE : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16391058
January 3, 2012 at 5:59 pm
Alhaji A.B. Yakubu
Asalaamu Alaikum, Brother Haruna Mohammed,
Thank you for the information confirming how the predictions of Maulaana Sheihu Salawatia are gradually coming to pass. Those of us who know the Qutubu Zamaan have no doubt about what he says. We only pray that mankind in general, and world leaders in particular, would not play the ostrich. May Allah SWT rather inspire them to live up to the truth and do what is expected (perform the sacrifice the Sheihu prescribed) to avert or at least minimize the magnitude of the disasters predicted by the Sheihu.
May the Almighty Allah SWT continue to protect the Qutubu Zamaan for us!
Wa salaamu alaikum.
January 3, 2012 at 11:03 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Iran warns U.S. over aircraft carrier
(CNN) — Iran warned the United States Tuesday not to return a U.S. aircraft carrier “to the Persian Gulf region.”
U.S. officials rejected the “warning” and another recent threat from Tehran that it could close the Strait of Hormuz. The White House and U.S. State Department called the latest threats signs that sanctions against Iran, the result of a standoff over its nuclear activities, are working.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran will not repeat its warning,” said Maj. Gen. Ataollah Salehi, commander of Iran’s Army, according to the state-run news agency IRNA.
Salehi “said the country will not adopt any irrational move but it is ready to severely react against any threat,” the report added.
The commander spoke at the Port of Chabahar in southern Iran, as forces held a military parade the day after Iran ended naval drills in the region, IRNA reported.
Iran was referring to the USS John C. Stennis, part of the U.S. Navy’s fleet in the region. It moved last week from the Persian Gulf into the North Arabian Sea, as part of what the Navy’s 5th Fleet called a pre-planned transit.
Iran said the ship’s movement during Iran’s naval exercises showed that the United States “understood” that Iran’s maneuvers were not “suicidal or aggressive,” but rather about Iran protecting its own “interests and power.”
But Western diplomats last week described the naval drills — which, according to Iranian officials, included test-firing missiles — as further evidence of Iran’s volatile behavior.
Iran’s naval exercises began in the strait and also included waters in the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean up to the Gulf of Aden, according to IRNA.
After Tuesday’s warning from Iran, a Pentagon spokesman issued a statement saying “deployment of U.S. military assets in the Persian Gulf region will continue as it has for decades.”
“These carrier strike group deployments are necessary to maintain the continuity and operational support to ongoing missions in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility,” George Little said.
The United States has had forces in the Persian Gulf since World War II. Its ships sail through the Persian Gulf frequently, many on their way to and from the 5th Fleet’s headquarters in Bahrain. The 5th Fleet’s area of responsibility covers about 2.5 million square miles, including the Persian Gulf, which the Navy also refers to as the Arabian Gulf; the Red Sea; the Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean.
The dispute over the Stennis began last week. Tehran said an Iranian warplane identified a U.S. carrier patrolling the area of the drills. State-run media showed a picture of the vessel.
Iran’s state-run Press TV said Tuesday the images it showed last week were of the Stennis.
Tuesday’s events came amid growing tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping channel.
Iran last week threatened to block the strait if sanctions are imposed on its oil exports. France, Britain and Germany have proposed sanctions to punish Iran’s lack of cooperation on its nuclear program.
Cmdr. Amy Derrick Frost, spokeswoman for the 5th Fleet in Bahrain, responded at the time, “Anyone who threatens to disrupt freedom of navigation in an international strait is clearly outside the community of nations; any disruption will not be tolerated.”
In his statement Tuesday, Pentagon spokesman Little said the Navy “operates under international maritime conventions to maintain a constant state of high vigilance in order to ensure the continued, safe flow of maritime traffic in waterways critical to global commerce.
“Our transits of the Strait of Hormuz continue to be in compliance with international law, which guarantees our vessels the right of transit passage. We are committed to protecting maritime freedoms that are the basis for global prosperity; this is one of the main reasons our military forces operate in the region.”
The dispute has been pushing up oil prices. Nearly 17 million barrels of oil a day pass through the strait, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency. “Flows through the Strait in 2011 were roughly 35% of all seaborne traded oil, or almost 20% of oil traded worldwide,” the agency says.
“No one in this government seeks confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz,” Little said. “It’s important to lower the temperature.”
But closing the strait would require means that likely are not available to Iran, said Jean-Paul Rodrigue, an expert in transport geography at Hofstra University. “At best, Iran can posture and potentially disrupt traffic for a short duration,” he said.
China and Japan are more dependent on Persian Gulf oil than the United States is, he said, and he added that any move to close the strait would be “suicidal” to the current regime.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland noted Tuesday that Iran is already under sanctions for its failure to cooperate on nuclear issues.
“Frankly, we see these threats from Tehran as just increasing evidence that the international pressure is beginning to bite there and that they are feeling increasingly isolated and they are trying to divert the attention of their own public from the difficulties inside Iran, including the economic difficulties as a result of the sanctions,” she said.
White House spokesman Jay Carney made similar remarks. “I think it reflects the fact that Iran is in a position of weakness. It’s the latest round of Iranian threats, and it’s confirmation that Tehran is under increasing pressure for its continued failures to live up to its international obligation,” he said. “Iran is isolated and is seeking to divert attention from its behavior and domestic problems. This is simply a measure of the impact that sanctions have been having on Iran and the broad international support for… putting pressure on Iran and isolating Iran because of its refusal to live up to its international obligations.”
source : http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/03/world/meast/iran-u-s-/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
January 4, 2012 at 11:20 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Iran says U.S. warships in Persian Gulf spawn ‘mayhem’
(CNN) — Another top Iranian official weighed in Wednesday about the tensions brewing between his country and the United States, the latest salvo in the war of words over the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.
“We have always stated that there is no need for the forces belonging to the countries beyond this region to have a presence in the Persian Gulf,” Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi said Wednesday, the semiofficial Fars News Agency reported. “Their presence does nothing but create mayhem, and we never wanted them to be present in the Persian Gulf.”
His statement is the latest rhetoric stemming from Iran’s threat last week to close the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. The strait, the only outlet from the Persian Gulf, is a critical shipping lane, with 17 million barrels of oil per day passing through in 2011, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency.
Iran threatened to block the strait if sanctions were imposed on its oil exports. France, Britain and Germany have proposed sanctions to punish Iran’s lack of cooperation on its nuclear program.
source : http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/04/world/meast/iran-strait/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
January 4, 2012 at 11:21 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Fewer than 100 homes still without power across Northern Ireland
Fewer than 100 homes are still without electricity following the storms which battered Northern Ireland on Tuesday.
Engineers from Northern Ireland Electricity worked throughout the night to repair faults, however, some customers in Ballymoney, Maghera and Coleraine are still without power.
The network was damaged in all parts of Northern Ireland, causing more than 500 individual faults.
Power has now been restored to around 35,000 customers.
Sara McClintock from NIE said: “We worked throughout the night and by this morning we have restored power to all but the very worst affected customers.
“We will be moving staff from Local Incident Centres where faults have been repaired to the worst affected areas in the north.
“We still have a number of faults on the rural low voltage network and will be working to restore them throughout the day. Some customers will experience temporary losses of supply as permanent repairs are made during the day. ”
The strongest recorded gusts in Northern Ireland on Tuesday were 75mph in Castlederg, with speeds of 105mph in north Donegal in the Irish Republic.
The areas worst affected were the north and east coasts.
The strong winds disrupted traffic, with trees blocking several roads.
Strong winds have been battering Northern Ireland
Some property was also damaged and the police said motorists should take extra care and slow down.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-16389023
January 5, 2012 at 11:37 am
Haruna Mohammed
Deadly clash of militias in Libyan capital Tripoli
Four people have been killed and at least five injured in a firefight which erupted earlier in the centre of the Libyan capital, Tripoli.
The clash centred on an old intelligence building bombed by Nato in last year’s uprising against ex-leader Muammar Gaddafi.
A brigade from the city of Misrata tried to free prisoners held inside, leading to a confrontation with another armed group from Tripoli.
The casualties were from both brigades.
The gunfight broke out near the building between Zawiya and Saidi streets.
The roads quickly reopened once the situation had calmed.
“I regret the incident. I don’t want to go into details, but it was the result of a problem between Misrata thwars [revolutionaries] and members of the military council of Zawiya street,” Abdul Hakim Belhaj, the head of the Tripoli military council, told a news conference.
“What happened is an irresponsible act and the situation is now under control. Since the afternoon, we have not heard any gunshots,” he added.
It is yet another sign of the continuing security threat posed by the disparate militias comprising former rebels, says the BBC’s Mark Lowen in Tripoli.
They still wield significant power in the absence of a national army or police.
But Libya’s new government, under popular pressure, has now begun the process of disbanding the groups and integrating them within the defence and interior ministries, our correspondent says.
Tens of thousands of fighters still make up the various brigades, and sporadic clashes have broken out between them in recent weeks.
The transition from civil war to a secure, stable Libya remains slow and difficult and dealing with the militia problem is one of the key challenges ahead, our correspondent adds.
source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-16395533
January 5, 2012 at 1:31 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Philippines mining landslide ‘kills 25’
At least 25 people have been killed and 150 more are missing after a landslide struck a mining village in the southern Philippines, officials say.
The landslide occurred at about 3:00 a.m. on Thursday morning (19:00 GMT Wednesday) in Pantukan, Compostela Valley province, on Mindanao island.
Civil defence chief Benito Ramos told the BBC it was triggered by “continuous rain” over two days.
A task force is still assessing the actual number of casualties.
Fifteen people have been reported as injured, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in an update on the incident.
“A military unit is in the area but they are basically digging with their hands,” Mr Ramos told the AFP news agency.
He said that a request for heavy equipment from the provincial government and local mining firms had been made to help speed up the rescue.
Small-scale miner Saul Pinggoy said he was woken up by rocks falling onto the roofs of houses.
“It was dark but we decided to move to safer grounds. Hours later, we saw tonnes of soil burying dozens of houses,” Reuters news agency quoted him as saying.
source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16420800
January 5, 2012 at 1:33 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Rwandan FDLR rebels ‘kill 26 in DR Congo’
At least 26 people have been killed in attacks by a Rwandan militia group in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the Congolese army says.
It says several remote villages in South Kivu province have been targeted since the start of January.
An army spokesman blamed the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) – which has a history of attacking Congolese civilians.
The army is sending reinforcements to the area.
All those killed were civilians, said army spokesman Sylvain Ekenge.
He said bands of rebels had attacked settlements and burned homes in Shabunda territory, a heavily forested area of South Kivu, on 2 and 3 January.
The villagers “said they were attacked because the population had been supporting [another] local militia”, Col Ekenge said.
He said military operations were already taking place to try to flush the rebels out.
source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16419944
January 5, 2012 at 11:15 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Brazil dam burst forces thousands from homes
Brazilian authorities are trying to evacuate several thousand people after a dam burst in northern Rio de Janeiro state.
Water broke through the dam protecting the town of Campos de Goytacazes, opening up a big crater in a highway.
Rio and other parts of south-eastern Brazil have been battered by floods and landslides, with several people killed.
Some 66 towns and cities in Minas Gerais state have declared a state of emergency.
On Thursday, a dam protecting Campos de Goytacazes ruptured, sending floodwaters from the River Muriae towards the small community of Tres Vendas some 30km (19 miles) away.
Officials said it was a race against time to get the people out before the area was flooded.
“Practically all the families are leaving,” civil defence official Henrique Oliveira told the G1 website.
“The river might rise three and half metres, four metres. Only the roofs will be visible.”
Flooding is common in south-eastern Brazil during the rainy season. Nationwide, more than two million people have been affected by this year’s rains, Brazil’s civil defence force says.
Floodwaters are also threatening hillside communities in Rio de Janeiro state that were devastated a year ago.
Many roads have been blocked, making it difficult to get help and supplies to affected areas.
source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-16426732
January 6, 2012 at 11:32 pm
Haruna Mohammed
3 trains in accident in northwest Indiana
(CNN) — One freight train rear-ended another Friday afternoon, causing rail cars to jackknife into a passing third train, authorities in Porter County, Indiana, said.
Two crew members suffered non-life threatening injuries. The remainder of the crews were accounted for, officials told CNN.
The three-train accident occurred around 1:15 p.m. Friday about 11 miles northeast of Valparaiso, said David James of the county’s highway department.
Aerial video footage showed smoke and flames rising from jumbled train cars.
The accident occurred on a CSX Transportation line, James said. He did not know what speeds the trains may have been traveling.
The county’s hazardous materials team was on the scene, and between 100 and 200 people within a one-mile perimeter were evacuated, authorities said.
Crews originally thought ethanol may have been burning, but the tank cars thought to be carrying the chemical were empty, James said. Firefighters now believe the fires may involve diesel fuel.
James said the stretch of railroad was in an agricultural section of the county.
“It’s been like a spring day here,” he said of weather conditions.
One of the trains had two engines and 40 cars, and a second had two engines and 32 cars, according to James. The complement of the third train was not immediately known.
CNN affiliate WMAQ said the accident occurred near county roads 550 East and 600 North.
CSX and the Porter County Sheriff’s Department did not immediately return messages left by CNN
source : http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/06/us/indiana-trains/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
January 6, 2012 at 11:33 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Balloon crash in New Zealand kills 11
(CNN) — A hot air balloon crash in New Zealand early Saturday killed 11 people — the pilot and 10 passengers — officials said.
No one survived the crash, which happened on the outskirts of Carterton, a town northeast of Wellington.
A fire likely started on board the balloon, sending it plummeting to the ground, said Superintendent Mike Rusbatch, Wellington District commander for New Zealand Police.
It was not immediately clear what started the fire.
“This is an absolutely tragic incident and our thoughts are with the families of the deceased. We are in the process of notifying next of kin. However, we will not be releasing any names until all next of kin have been advised,” Rusbatch said.
Police and emergency personnel rushed to the scene.
A witness to the crash told Radio New Zealand that the balloon was in flames as it fell. He was in his garden when he heard a hissing sound and looked up to see flames climbing the sides of the basket. When the balloon hit the ground, a large cloud of smoke ascended, Radio New Zealand reported.
The weather was likely not a factor in the crash, according to Jill Stringer, a spokeswoman for the Wairarapa District Health Board.
“It was a perfect morning for ballooning,” she said.
source : http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/06/world/asia/new-zealand-balloon-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
January 8, 2012 at 2:16 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Ship grounded off the coast of New Zealand splits in two
(CNN) — A cargo ship that ran aground on a reef off the coast of New Zealand last year has split in two, spewing debris and triggering the possibility of a new oil spill, officials said Sunday.
Hundreds of tonnes of oil have already leaked from the ship, leading New Zealand’s environment minister, Nick Smith, to call the spill the country’s most significant maritime environmental disaster.
The sections of the ship, which are about 20 to 30 meters (65 to 98 feet) apart now, remain on the Astrolabe Reef.
The Rena, a Liberian-flagged vessel, struck the Astrolabe Reef, about 12 nautical miles off the city of Tauranga, on the North Island, in October.
“While reports at this stage indicate there has not been a significant release of oil, with the Rena in its current fragile state, a further release is likely. While it is unknown at this stage exactly how much oil may be released, teams have been mobilised and will be ready to respond to anything that may come ashore. The wildlife response had also been increased to help deal with any affected wildlife,” Maritime New Zealand officials said in a statement.
Bad weather, which caused the ship to break, is expected to continue for the next three to four days, the agency said.
At least 23 containers from the ship have been confirmed lost as a result of the split, while another seven are thought to be in the water, officials said. Debris surrounds the wreck.
source :http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/08/world/asia/new-zealand-oil-spill/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
January 10, 2012 at 11:50 pm
Haruna Mohammed
7.3 magnitude quake hits off Indonesia’s Sumatra island
The quake, which happened at 12:37 a.m. local time (1:37 p.m. Tuesday ET) at a depth of 18.1 miles, was centered in the Indian Ocean about 262 miles southwest of Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia, and 590 miles west of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the USGS said.
Indonesian authorities issued a tsunami warning for the area, but the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat of a massive wave like the one that devastated the region in 2004.
There were no immediate reports of damage, and hotel clerks contacted by CNN reported only mild shaking. One front desk clerk in Aceh said a few hotel guests went outside when the quake hit, but most weren’t awakened.
In December 2004, Indonesia and a number of other countries were hard hit by a tsunami generated by a 9.1-magnitude earthquake off northern Sumatra. The tsunami and earthquake killed more than 280,000 people in 14 countries – mainly India, Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The Indonesian region of Banda Aceh was hard-hit: About 150,000 died there.
source : http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/10/7-3-magnitude-quake-strikes-off-indonesia/?hpt=hp_t2
January 11, 2012 at 11:54 am
Haruna Mohammed
Three believed dead in S Korean boat fire in Antarctic
Three crew members are thought to have died on a South Korean fishing boat that caught fire in Antarctica.
“Three crew members are still missing and are believed to have died in the fire in the vessel’s accommodation block,” the New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre said.
Another 37 fishermen were rescued – seven sustained burn injuries, two of which were serious.
The 51-metre (167ft) Jeong Woo 2 issued a distress call early on Wednesday.
It got into trouble in the Ross Sea, about 600km (375 miles) north of the US McMurdo Antarctic base.
Two other South Korean fishing vessels rushed to evacuate the crew members.
They were being medically assessed and would be transferred to the US research ship Nathaniel B. Palmer, which was ”steaming north to meet them”, said the New Zealand rescue authorities.
The two rescue boats remain stuck due to ice and fog conditions, it added.
The Nathaniel B. Palmer has medical facilities on board and will sail to the McMurdo base, where flights to New Zealand are available.
The incident happened about 3,700km (2,000 miles) south-east of New Zealand.
The weather in the area is calm and relatively mild, according to a Reuters report. Ships in the area would usually be fishing for toothfish, a valuable species known as the ”white gold” of the Southern Ocean.
The Jeong Woo 2 was built in Japan and is registered in Busan, South Korea, according to the Associated Press News Agency.
Last month, a Russian fishing boat hit an iceberg in ice-filled waters off Antarctica, leaving its 32-member crew stranded for 12 days.
The Sparta was eventually repaired and managed to sail into a New Zealand port.
source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16499390
January 12, 2012 at 11:40 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Tornado, storms injure 15, destroy homes in North Carolina
(CNN) — Dozens of western North Carolina homes were damaged, including 16 destroyed, in a tornado and storms that also injured 15 persons, authorities said Thursday.
In Rutherford County, a tornado Wednesday left 10 persons injured and a dozen homes damaged, officials said.
The extent of injuries were not immediately known, authorities said.
The National Weather Service on Thursday confirmed that Wednesday night’s storm in Rutherford County was a tornado classified on the Enhanced Fujita scale as an EF-2, with estimated maximum wind speed of 115 mph.
Wednesday night’s severe weather damaged more than 50 homes in adjacent Burke County, 16 of them being destroyed, authorities said. Five persons were also injured, and six businesses were damaged, county authorities said.
“We’re still doing assessments,” Burke County Emergency Manager Mark Pitts told CNN.
A limited state of emergency was in place for eastern Burke County where some 800 homes were without power after a suspected tornado hit the area, the board of commissioners said.
source: http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/12/us/north-carolina-storm/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
January 14, 2012 at 2:20 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Italy’s Costa Concordia: ‘People started to panic’
At least three people are reported to have died after a cruise ship ran aground off the coast of Tuscany in Italy.
Coastguards were forced to evacuate more than 4,000 passengers and crew from the Costa Concordia, near to the Isola del Giglio.
The ship had sailed earlier on Friday from Civitavecchia port near Rome for a Mediterranean cruise. Passengers were eating dinner, when they heard a loud bang.
Cruise ship shop worker Fabio Costa described scenes of chaos as ”people started to panic”.
source : http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/13/us/obit-richard-threlkeld/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
January 15, 2012 at 5:36 pm
YUSSIF
may Allah guide you,coming to think of some of wethout the world will have distroy.sheihu continioue to pray for the natoin,God bless you. thank you
January 15, 2012 at 11:49 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Russian Mars probe crashes into Pacific
Moscow (CNN) — The failed Russian space probe Phobos-Grunt fell back to Earth on Sunday, crashing in the southeastern Pacific Ocean off Chile, Russia’s state news agency Itar-Tass announced.
The spacecraft crashed about 1,250 km (775 miles) west of Chile’s Wellington Island, according to a Russian military spokesman quoted by Itar-Tass.
The nearly 15-ton probe was supposed to have landed on one of the moons of Mars and send back soil and rock samples. But its engines failed to boost it out of Earth orbit after its November 9 launch, and Russian officials estimated that fragments weighing up to 440 pounds could have survived re-entry.
source :http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/15/world/europe/russia-mars-probe/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
January 15, 2012 at 11:50 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Strong earthquake hits off Antarctica’s coast
(CNN) — A strong 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck Sunday off the coast of Antarctica, prompting a warning that there was a “small possibility” it could trigger a tsunami.
The tremor was centered in waters south of South America’s southern tip, about 334 miles (539 kilometers) west of Coronation Island and 388 miles northeast of Palmer Station in Antarctica, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
It hit at 9:40 a.m. local time (8:40 a.m. ET) on Sunday, according to the federal agency, and had an estimated depth of 6.2 miles.
Afterward, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center released a statement saying that there appears to be no threat of “destructive widespread tsunami” because of the quake.
But the agency did state “there is a small possibility of a local or regional tsunami that could affect coasts located usually no more than a few hundred kilometers from the earthquake epicenter.
“Authorities in the region near the epicenter should be made aware of this possibility,” the warning center added.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/15/world/americas/antarctica-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
January 15, 2012 at 11:51 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Protesters gather for fourth straight day in Romania
Bucharest, Romania (CNN) — Protesters seeking the ouster of Romanian President Traian Basescu and early elections gathered for a fourth straight day Sunday in a main square of Bucharest, the capital, and 18 other cities in the Eastern European nation.
The demonstrations, which included clashes between police and protesters Saturday in University Square that injured 17 people, are the most serious since Basescu’s election in 2004.
See images from the protests
Some of the hundreds who showed up at the square on Sunday demanded justice and blamed the government and austerity measures for their poor living standards.
“We have no financial security. My husband and I are retired but we are sharing our modest income with our children because they are jobless,” said Rodica Ganea, who described being asked during hospital visits to pay for “medicines, syringes, bandages, everything.”
“I can’t afford it,” Ganea said. Another woman, 64-year-old Marilena Salan, described similar circumstances.
“My kids are university graduates but they are jobless,” Salan said. “They are forced to break up their families, leave their kids home and go abroad to work. My nephews are growing up without their parents. This is unacceptable.”
On Saturday, police fired tear gas to disperse thousands of protesters gathered in University Square to demonstrate against government austerity cuts.
The protesters blocked traffic, waving flags with the centers ripped out to symbolize the 1989 communist revolution. Others carried signs reading “Liberty” and “Down with President Basescu.”
Police fired tear gas in an attempt to calm the crowd, and 17 people were hospitalized in the ensuing chaos with 50 fined for disturbing public peace. The injured included a local journalist and five police officers, one severely injured when demonstrators stoned him.
The protests broke out Thursday after the resignation of Deputy Health Minister Raed Arafat, an opponent of health care reforms proposed by the government.
Facing public pressure, Basescu decided to scrap the reforms Friday, saying he made the decision after realizing that a majority of those in the medical system opposed the change.
“The hospitals don’t want the change, the (doctors) don’t want the change and neither does the emergency health care system,” Basescu said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/15/world/europe/romania-protests/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
January 16, 2012 at 1:44 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Cruise ship captain ‘off course’
The CEO of Costa Cruises, the owner of the ship that ran aground off Italy, says the captain made an “unapproved, unauthorised” deviation in course.
Capt Francesco Schettino is suspected of manslaughter, but denies wrongdoing.
Six people were killed and about 15 remain missing after the hull of the Costa Concordia was torn open by rocks late on Friday off the Tuscan coast.
The search for survivors has temporarily been suspended after the ship slipped in rough weather.
“The company will be close to the captain and will provide him with all the necessary assistance, but we need to acknowledge the facts and we cannot deny human error,” Costa Cruises Chief Executive Officer Pier Luigi Foschi told a news conference in Genoa.
Mr Foschi said Costa’s ships have their routes programmed and alarms sound when they go off course.
“This route was put in correctly,” he said. “The fact that it left from this course is due solely to a manoeuvre by the commander that was unapproved, unauthorised and unknown to Costa.”
He said the ship was regularly inspected and had had a major check in November last year.
At the emotional news conference, Mr Foschi fought back tears and apologised for the accident.
source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16576979
January 16, 2012 at 1:53 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Afghan snowfall: 16 dead in Badakhshan province
Heavy snow and avalanches in the Afghan province of Badakhshan have killed at least 16 people with many more missing feared dead, officials say.
They say that the big snowfall combined with shortages of equipment have made it almost impossible for rescue teams to reach the worst-affected areas.
At least 72 houses in one village have been buried by an avalanche.
Officials say that landslides have cut off at least 12 districts from the provincial capital of Faizabad.
Provincial Governor Shah Waliullah Adeeb said that 2-3m (7-10ft) of snow has fallen in some areas.
Badakhshan’s disaster preparedness director Ihsanullah Amiri told the BBC that blocked roads, combined with a shortage of snow clearing equipment such as bulldozers, meant that people in areas worst affected by the snowfall were trapped and urgently needed food and medical supplies.
Provincial MP Fawzia Koofi accused the government of “failing to help the people of Badakhshan” by not granting the province its annual winter assistance allowance.
“This year, the Department for Natural Disasters failed to pay any money to Badakhshan,” she said.
“Everyone knows that it snows in Badakhshan from October onwards. They could have surveyed areas and warned people about landslides – and could also have provided food and medical supplies.”
Hard life
Officials say that they expect heavy casualties in Ishkashim district, where “an entire village of 72 families” has been trapped under snow.
“We don’t have any equipment to help people there,” a local official in the province said.
The BBC’s Bilal Sarwary in Kabul says that Badakhshan is a remote and mountainous province. Most of its districts remain closed for almost half the year because of snow and avalanches.
Residents say that road closures because of the harsh winters mean that life for pregnant women, the elderly and ill children can be especially tough.
Our correspondent says that in some areas people walk for days to get to the nearest clinics.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16576311
January 16, 2012 at 1:57 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Three die in South Korean ship explosion
A South Korean cargo ship has sunk after an explosion on board, killing at least three crew members, the coast guard says.
Eight people are still missing and five others have been rescued in the incident north of Jawol island, near the port of Incheon.
The blast happened in the morning after the ship had unloaded oil products.
The cause is being investigated, but officials say it is unlikely to be the result of an attack by North Korea.
“The explosion took place far below the sea border with North Korea. We see very little possibility (of attacks by the North),” a coastguard spokesman told the AFP news agency.
The ship’s owners said that the explosion could have been caused by gases leaking from the ship’s oil tanks.
“We believe that something went wrong during the process to take out remaining gas in the oil tank,” an official of Doora Shipping told South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.
“The vessel usually transports diesel, but this time it carried gasoline. We are now examining whether it had any relation to the explosion,” the official said.
The dead crew members included two Burmese nationals and one South Korean.
The search for the missing is continuing.
The 4,191-tonne freight ship had 16 crew members on board – 11 South Koreans and five Burmese.
source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16565208
January 16, 2012 at 2:03 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Landslide kills eight in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state
A least eight people have been killed in a landslide in Brazil.
Emergency workers said 14 people could still be buried in the mud in Jamapara, in Rio de Janeiro state.
Officials said rescuers had only been able to reach the site by helicopter after the main road to the town was cut off by torrential rain.
The landslide happened in the same area where thousands of people were evacuated last week when heavy rains caused a dam to burst.
Local residents said they were woken by a sound which resembled that of an explosion.
Nine houses were buried in the mud.
source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-16480213
January 16, 2012 at 2:05 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Leptospirosis hits Philippines’ flood-hit areas
At least five people have died of leptospirosis in the aftermath of Typhoon Washi in the southern Philippines, officials say.
According to the Department of Health, 128 people in Cagayan de Oro City have also been diagnosed as of 1 January.
source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16388238
January 16, 2012 at 2:15 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Madagascar Facing Cyclone Threat
Tropical low pressure has formed in the Mozambique Channel, where it could become an important tropical cyclone before potentially crossing the shores of western Madagascar Sunday or Monday.
Already, as of Saturday, locally heavy rain has pelted both sides of the channel, mostly in the northern halves of Madagascar and Mozambique, this week. Likewise, the Comoros Islands have been dosed.
source : http://www.worldweatherpost.com/2012/01/07/madagascar-facing-cyclone-threat/#.TxQsrdubTMg
January 16, 2012 at 2:17 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Emergency call as Romania austerity protests escalate
Romania’s government has called an emergency meeting after growing violent protests against austerity cuts.
It comes as dozens of people were injured for the second day running in clashes between demonstrators and riot police in the capital Bucharest.
The rallies in Romania began four days ago to support an official who had quit in protest against health care reforms.
But the protests have since widened to include general discontent with the government’s policies.
The alliance of opposition parties has called for early elections.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16570860
January 16, 2012 at 3:00 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Hungary’s hard-won democracy under threat?
BUDAPEST, Hungary—He paid youths to attend his speech and clap. He championed laws to silence critical journalists. He rammed through a constitution aimed at remaking Hungary on conservative Christian values.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who made his name protesting Hungary’s communist dictatorship, is now confronting protesters chanting “Viktator!”
As a student radical, Orban wrote a stinging analysis of the dirty tricks communists used to cling to power. He now faces accusations of playing by a similar handbook as he consolidates power for his right-wing party and erodes the democracy he once fought for with zeal.
Orban’s Hungarian critics are alarmed by a creeping move in the EU nation toward centralized one-party rule under his Fidesz party.
“Orban is a big threat to Hungarian democracy,” said Jozsef Debreczeni, the author of two biographies of Orban and a former adviser who broke with him in the 1990s because he felt Orban was even then beginning to abandon his liberal principles. “I am convinced he is ruining the country.”
Debreczeni is now also a vice president of the Democratic Coalition, the party headed by Orban’s archrival of the past decade, former Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany.
Since Orban’s party swept to power in 2010, it has used a two-thirds majority in parliament to reshape the country’s laws in a way that has startled political opponents, the EU and the United States.
The overwhelming victory was the result of deep disillusionment with the former Socialist government, which mismanaged the economy so badly that Hungary became the first European country to need a bailout when the global financial crisis took hold in 2008.
source : http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2012/01/13/hungarys_hard_won_democracy_under_threat/?rss_id=Boston.com+–+Latest+news
January 17, 2012 at 11:37 pm
Abdul-Rahaman Mamdud
Related Content
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Video: Baby On Board: Woman Gives Birth On PATH TrainCBS 2 New York 1:56 | 9596 views
ADDS NAMES OF PARENTS – In an image made from WABC-TV video, a newborn boy sleeps at St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital in New York after being born on a PATH commuter train from New Jersey Monday, Jan. 16, 2011. A fellow passenger helped Aditya Saurabh of Harrison, N.J., and his wife, Rabita Sarkar, during the delivery. (AP Photo/WABC-TV)View Gallery
ADDS NAMES OF PARENTS – In an image made from WABC-TV video, a newborn boy sleeps …
NEW YORK (AP) — A New Jersey woman got the morning commute of her life when she gave birth to her first child on a PATH commuter train to New York.
The 31-year-old woman, Rabita Sarkar, of Harrison, N.J., said she had started feeling contraction-like pains but didn’t think they were real because her baby wasn’t due yet. She and her 30-year-old husband decided to travel into the city to have her checked out Monday.
They didn’t want to drive and decided to take the train from Harrison into the city instead, thinking they could then take a taxi to Manhattan’s Roosevelt Hospital, where her doctors are.
“It’s just that this guy had other plans, and he came out earlier,” Sarkar said as she held her infant son in her arms in the hospital. The couple declined to reveal the boy’s name or due date.
It was on the train ride that Sarkar started feeling her pains come more quickly, and she told her husband to check what was happening to her. He looked and saw that his son’s head had already started to come out.
With guidance from another woman on the train, her husband, identified in published reports as Aditya Saurabh, was able to deliver the baby around 10 a.m. Fellow riders offered encouragement, and the couple said one little girl offered her jacket to keep the baby warm.
PATH officials turned the train into an express, bypassing most stops so that it would get to its final stop, 33rd Street in midtown Manhattan, as soon as possible. Emergency services personnel met the train and took the family to the hospital.
The responding police officers said it wasn’t unusual for women to give birth in facilities run by the Port Authority.
The biggest issue was the winter temperature, around 30 degrees outside, and making sure the baby was warm, Sgt. Mike Barry said.
“That’s our biggest concern,” he said. “We know that baby’s body temperature is going to drop like a rock.”
For one of the responding officers, delivering a baby in these circumstances was something familiar — because it happened to him.
Officer Atiba Joseph-Cumberbatch said his son didn’t want to wait, either, and came out early — so Dad had to deliver him.
January 18, 2012 at 12:49 am
Abdul-Rahaman Mamdud
By the CNN Wire Staff
January 18, 2012 — Updated 0015 GMT (0815 HKT)
(CNN) — A 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit Chile’s central coast on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The quake’s epicenter was in the Coquimbo region, 100 miles north of the city of Valparaiso. It struck just after 8:20 p.m. (6:20 p.m. ET) at a depth of 14.6 miles.
No tsunami warning had been issued, and there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
Earthquakes do not frequently hit the area, and some communications problems were reported after the quake, Juan Carlos Ossandon of Radio Balneario de Los Vilos told CNN Chile.
January 18, 2012 at 1:16 am
Abdul-Rahaman Mamdud
Racism row hits Republican hopeful
Ron Paul under fire over controversial commentaries published under his name several years ago.
Last Modified: 29 Dec 2011 07:42
Republican US presidential hopeful Ron Paul is facing fresh allegations of being racist and homophobic.
In the 1980s and ’90s, newsletters published under the congressman’s name included disparaging comments on minorities. But Paul says that he did not write the statements and denies holding those beliefs.
Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett reports from Washington DC.
January 18, 2012 at 1:29 am
Abdul-Rahaman Mamdud
Death toll rises in Italy cruise shipwreck
Five more bodies found aboard capsized liner, as audio emerges revealing how captain apparently abandoned ship.
Last Modified: 17 Jan 2012 20:06
Italian officials say five more bodies have been found aboard a cruise ship that capsized off the coast of an Italian island, raising the official death toll to 11.
Rescue workers found the bodies on Tuesday in a submerged part of the Italian cruise liner which ran aground after hitting rocks near the island of Giglio on Friday.
“Scuba divers found five more bodies in the stern of the ship. They entered through holes made earlier in the day” with explosives, Cristiano Pellegrini, a Giglio official told the AFP news agency.
“The bodies are being evacuated for the ship now,” he said. “We don’t know if the are members of the crew or passengers,” he added.
Before the latest discovery, authorities had said 29 people remained missing among the more than 4,200 people who were on board when the liner went down.
‘Abandoning ship’
As the rescue efforts continued, the Italian coast guard released an audio recording apparently revealing how the captain of the stricken Costa Concordia abandoned ship and refused to go back.
Prosecutors have accused Captain Francesco Schettino, who is in an Italian jail, of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning his ship before all passengers were evacuated on Friday night.
Paul Brennan reports from Giglio Island
Schettino has said he stayed aboard until the ship was evacuated.
However, a recording of his conversation with Italian Coast Guard Captain Gregorio De Falco indicates he fled before all passengers were off and then resisted De Falco’s repeated orders to return.
“You go on board and then you will tell me how many people there are. Is that clear?” De Falco said in the audio tape.
Schettino resisted, saying the ship was tipping and that it was dark. At the time, he was in a lifeboat and said he was co-ordinating the rescue from there.
De Falco shouted back: “And so what? You want go home, Schettino? It is dark and you want to go home? Get on that prow of the boat using the pilot ladder and tell me what can be done, how many people there are and what their
needs are. Now!’
“You go aboard. It is an order. Don’t make any more excuses. You have declared the abandoning of the ship, now I am in charge,” De Falco shouted.
Schettino was finally heard agreeing to reboard. It is unclear whether he did.
Fuel fears
Amid the latest developments, officials have voiced concerns that the possible break-up of the stricken vessel could trigger an environmental disaster.
Sergio Ortelli, Giglio’s mayor, said on Tuesday that the Costa Concordia was an “ecological timebomb” that could start leaking thousands of tonnes of diesel fuel into the surrounding sea.
The Costa Concordia accident explained
A spokesman for Royal Boskalis Westminster, the Dutch company handling the operation to remove the fuel from the vessel, said the process would take at least three weeks.
When pumping out diesel oil, Peter Berdowski told Dutch television, “every hour counts because if something happens and that spills and there is damage, then you have a very big ecological catastrophe”.
The ship, one of the biggest passenger vessels ever to be wrecked, foundered after striking a rock just as dinner was being served on Friday night.
It quickly rolled on its side, revealing a long gouge below the waterline.
Most of the passengers and crew survived, despite hours of chaos as some were rescued from the ship and others boarded lifeboats or swam to shore.
“You go aboard. It is an order. Don’t make any more excuses. You have declared the abandoning of the ship, now I am in charge,” De Falco shouted.
January 19, 2012 at 1:51 pm
Haruna Mohammed
As snow slows, roads get dangerous in Pacific Northwest
Seattle (CNN) — Snow tapered off in parts of the Pacific Northwest on Thursday, a day after a storm made some normally busy streets in Seattle look more like ski runs.
As the snowfall slowed Wednesday night, officials warned that falling temperatures are making roads icy and dangerous for drivers.
“We are seeing multiple spin-outs and collisions,” the Washington State Department of Transportation reported on its website, advising drivers to slow down as road conditions worsened.
The National Weather Service canceled a winter storm warning for the area Wednesday afternoon, but said a winter weather advisory remains in effect until midnight.
source : http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/19/us/northwest-winter-storms/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
January 19, 2012 at 6:04 pm
Ibrahim Adam, Tamale
May ALLAH bless Sheihu Salawatia,i wonder how the world will have been without sheihu salawatia in it. someone who always wants the best for everyone a leader with a vision.may God guide and protect him wherever he is. AME EN.
January 19, 2012 at 11:56 pm
Haruna Mohammed
U.S. destroyer aids crew of sinking Iranian fishing vessel
(CNN) — U.S. sailors aboard a guided-missile destroyer aided the crew of a sinking Iranian fishing vessel in the Arabian Sea, the U.S. Navy said Thursday.
The crew had already boarded two other vessels and were safe, the USS Dewey said in a statement. But U.S. sailors boarded the vessels and provided food, water, medical and hygienic supplies, the statement said.
It was the third time this month that Americans have assisted or rescued Iranians at sea, despite a wave of tension between Iran and the United States. Tehran and Washington have been adversaries for decades.
The incident began Wednesday morning, when a helicopter spotted the disabled dhow, Al Mamsoor, which was tethered to two other dhows, the Dewey said. After determining the crew was safe and reporting the sighting to the Dewey, the helicopter remained on scene, the statement said.The Dewey traveled to the scene to assist the fishermen, and its Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) team was sent to communicate with the displaced crew members.
“Once we talked with their captain, it was clear that they needed food and water,” said Lt. j.g. Jason Dawson, head of the VBSS team, in the statement.
The U.S. sailors spent about two hours with the crew, providing supplies and confirming the crews of the other dhows did not need additional fuel, the Dewey said. “While rendering aid, they learned that the Al Mamsoor (crew) fought flooding for three days before finally abandoning their vessel.”
The sailors provided about 150 pounds of supplies before returning to the Dewey, the statement said.
“I’m very proud of my team,” Dawson said. “The crew of the dhow knew that we were there to help, and we did.”
Dhows are traditional Arab fishing vessels that are typically rigged with triangular sails.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued six Iranian mariners at the northern end of the Persian Gulf, the Pentagon said.
The Iranians’ small merchant vessel, the cargo dhow Ya-Hassan, apparently flooded, and the Coast Guard cutter responded to flares and flashlights from the vessel in distress. One Iranian was treated for minor injuries, and the crew was given water, blankets and halal meals — prepared in accordance with Muslim law, and kept on board in case Muslim mariners are in distress.
The six were then transferred via rigid-hull inflatable boats to an Iranian Coast Guard vessel.
“Without your help, we were dead,” the Pentagon quoted Hakim Hamid-Awi, the owner of the Ya-Hassan, as saying. “Thank you for all that you did for us.”
Also earlier this month, the destroyed USS Kidd — whose recent presence in the Persian Gulf drew the ire of Iranian military officials — rescued 13 Iranian sailors from a hijacked fishing boat near the Strait of Hormuz.
A helicopter from the Kidd saw a suspected pirate boat alongside the Iranian vessel, the Navy said, and at about the same time the Kidd received a distress call from the vessel’s captain, saying pirates were holding him and his crew captive.
A team from the Kidd boarded the vessel, took 15 suspected pirates into custody and freed the 13 Iranian hostages, the Navy said.
Ramin Mehmanparast, spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, told Arabic news network Al-Alam, “Rescuing Iranian sailors by the U.S. was a humanitarian act, and we welcome such acts. The Iranian Navy also engages in such rescue operations. It is the responsibility of all nations to rescue nationals from other countries by pirates.”
Both the USS Kidd and the USS Dewey are part of the USS John Stennis Strike Group, which moved into the Arabian Sea from the Persian Gulf recently after Iranian military officials said the United States should not send any more warships into the Gulf.
source: http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/19/world/meast/iran-us-rescue/index.html?hpt=wo_c2
January 21, 2012 at 7:31 pm
yakubu amin
would like to know what celestial beings are. Thank you
January 22, 2012 at 12:43 am
Haruna Mohammed
At least 100 dead in blasts in Nigeria’s Kano
Locals under curfew until further notice after co-ordinated bombings and gunfire that targeted police and state offices.
source: http://www.aljazeera.com/
January 22, 2012 at 1:33 am
Haruna Mohammed
Nigeria violence: Scores dead after Kano blasts
Co-ordinated attacks by Islamist militants in the northern Nigerian city of Kano on Friday killed about 150 people, witnesses and reports say.
Hospitals are struggling to deal with the numbers of killed and injured.
A series of explosions ripped apart police buildings, passport offices and immigration centres around the city, which is now under a 24-hour curfew.
Boko Haram militants said they carried out the attacks, which would be their bloodiest assault to date.
The group has said it wants to overthrow the national government and install an Islamic state.
Its members have frequently attacked police stations and other symbols of state power, but the group has also bombed churches and killed hundreds of people – including many Muslim and Christian civilians.
President Goodluck Jonathan promised that the perpetrators would “face the full wrath of the law”.
“As a responsible government, we will not fold our hands and watch enemies of democracy, for that is what these mindless killers are, perpetrate unprecedented evil in our land,” he said.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16663693
January 22, 2012 at 1:35 am
Haruna Mohammed
22 show horses die in New Jersey barn fire
A fire has ripped through a barn at a farm in the US state of New Jersey killing 22 show horses, each worth tens of thousands of dollars.
The fire destroyed the barn at Heritage Acres farm in Lafayette early on Saturday, killing the animals inside.
Farm owner Betty Hahn told the Star Ledger newspaper that the horses had appeared in shows across the region.
“I’m so numb and so hurt that I can’t cry. It would probably feel better if I could,” she said.
She told the paper that the building was not insured, and said she would probably now sell the property.
State Police Sgt Brian Polite said the barn was engulfed in flames when emergency crews arrived at about 02:00 (07:00 GMT).
He said the fire was quickly put out, but all of the horses inside were killed.
Investigators are now trying to find out how the fire started, but police quoted in local media said it appeared to be an accident.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16669317
January 22, 2012 at 1:39 am
Haruna Mohammed
Protesters attack NTC’s Benghazi headquarters
Around 200 protesters frustrated with the pace of reforms in Libya have attacked the ruling National Transitional Council (NTC) headquarters in the eastern city of Benghazi, witnesses say.
At least one grenade was thrown on Saturday evening as the attackers broke through the gate and into the compound housing the council’s offices, but there were no reports of casualties.
Residents in Benghazi have been protesting for nearly two weeks, demanding more transparency and justice from the country’s new leaders. There are more protests planned beginning in February to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the beginning of the revolt that overthrew longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The attack, in the city that was the cradle of the uprising, took place as protesters demonstrated outside the NTC office, witnesses and an NTC member told the AFP news agency.
“People were protesting in front of the NTC office and then one grenade was thrown at the office,” an NTC member told AFP.
Once inside, protesters, including some who were injured in the conflict, sought out NTC chairman Mustafa Abdul Jalil, who was visiting Benghazi. They demanded he sack his second in command, Abdel Hafiz Ghoga, who was mobbed and attacked last week at Benghazi University.
“We demanded many times before to compensate the injured people and to provide those people with intensive care,
but no one respond to our demands. Benghazi has been neglected,” protester Ahmed Taher told Reuters.
Some have pitched tents outside the NTC’s headquarters to protest against a set of election laws they say were drafted by the interim leaders without consulting the public.
The laws will relax a ban on NTC members running for office and do away with a proposed quota for women’s seat, according to a Western diplomat.
The council only took into account public suggestions through an online survey. Elections are set for June.
“The election laws have not been approved by thousands of Libyans and do not honour those who died for our freedom,” Tamer al-Jahani, a lawyer taking part in the protest, said. “We don’t want to replace one tyrant with another.”
source:http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/01/2012121141933822408.html
January 22, 2012 at 11:14 am
Haruna Mohammed
Double weather whammy hits Mozambique
It was less than one week ago that Tropical Depression Dando brought flooding across parts of Mozambique, causing disruption to the capital, Maputo. Now, another storm system threatens even worse weather for the country.
Tropical Cyclone Funso has been meandering through the Mozambique Channel over the last few days. It has already dropped large amounts of rain across westerm Madagascar and coastal areas of Mozambique.
The storm has been generating sustained winds of 200 kph and these show no sign of abating over the next two to three days as Funso maintains its strength, using the energy gathered over the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.
It is expected that waves will exceed six metres in height and these will pound the coast of Mozambnique causing considerable erosion.
The high seas will also affect the major river of the region, the Limpopo with river water unlikely to find a direct outlet to the sea – hence the risk of the river bursting its banks.
Rainfall remains the main threat to not just Mozambique but southern Malawi, eastern Zimbabwe, and the Kruger Park region of South Africa. Computer models suggest that rainfall totals could touch 1000 mm in some places. To place that in context, Maputo’s average annual rainfall is just 770 mm.
Funso is expected to remain close to the coast of Mozambique for several days. It is moving very slowly at just 6 kph (which is the equivalent of a slow jog) and this is one reason why such incredibly high rainfall totals are being predicted.
Should Funso hit southern Mozambique, this will be the second storm in a week to hit the region after a gap of 27 years, when Tropical Storm Domoina made landfall back in 1984.
The cyclone season in the southwestern Indian Ocean began in mid November and it will run until the end of April.
source: http://www.aljazeera.com/weather/2012/01/201211910121278319.html
January 22, 2012 at 11:17 am
Haruna Mohammed
World Bank warns of ‘very difficult year
The World Bank has warned the international community to brace for slow growth and economic challenges in 2012, as the International Monetary Fund said it would seek an additional $500bn in lending resources to help mitigate the worsening financial crisis.
In a report issued late on Tuesday, the Washington-based bank substantially cut its forecasts for growth in both developed and poorer nations in its twice-yearly report, issued late on Tuesday.
“Europe appears to have entered recession, and growth in several major developing countries [Brazil, India and to a lesser extent Russia, South Africa and Turkey] has slowed,” the bank said as it updated forecasts made last June.
It predicted the global economy will expand by 2.5 per cent in 2012 and by 3.1 per cent in 2013, well behind the 3.6 per cent growth for each year that the bank had projected in June.
The US economy will also suffer from slower global growth, the report said, though not by as much as developing countries.
“The world is very different than it was six months ago,” said Andrew Burns, head of the bank’s global economics team and lead author of the report. “This is going to be a very difficult year.”
Meanwhile, the IMF said in a statement that it would seek to raise $500bn when officials from the G20 economies meet in Mexico City on Thursday and Friday to discuss raising the fund’s budget.
It said it expected to need up to $1tn to meet borrowing requirements as a consequence of the financial crisis.
‘Exploring options’
“At this preliminary stage, we are exploring options on funding and will have no further comment until the necessary consultations with the Fund’s membership have been completed,” a Fund spokesman said in a statement.
While eurozone nations have already promised to contribute an extra 150 billion euros ($200 billion) of the proposed $500 billion, getting funds from more advanced economies, like the US, might be difficult.
With budget issues at home, some U.S. Republicans have threatened to withdraw $100 billion in US funds from the IMF if it is used to bail out eurozone countries.
Emerging market countries such as China and Brazil have said they are willing to contribute new funds to the IMF in exchange for greater voting power. Emerging market powers have repeatedly argued in recent times that their power at the IMF should be increased to reflect their growing clout in the world economy.
The World Bank report said that while Europe was moving toward a long-term solution to its debt problems, markets remained nervous.
“While contained for the moment, the risk of a much broader freezing up of capital markets and a global crisis similar in magnitude to the Lehman crisis remains,” the World Bank said, referring to the US investment bank that went bankrupt in 2008 and helped intensify a global financial crisis.
Against that backdrop, it said developing countries were even more vulnerable than they were in 2008 because they could find themselves facing reduced capital flows and softer trade.
In addition, many developing countries have weaker finances and would not be able to respond to a new crisis as vigorously.
The World Bank pointed out that since last August risk aversion to Europe has shot up and “changed the game” for developing countries that have seen their borrowing costs escalate sharply and the flow of capital to them decrease.
“No country and no region will escape the consequences of a serious downturn,” the World Bank said, adding that now was the time for developing countries to plan how to soften the impact of a potential deep crisis.
source: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2012/01/20121185217348992.html
January 23, 2012 at 11:40 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Year of the Dragon roars into Asia……Baby Boom !!!
A billion-plus Asians have welcomed the Year of the Dragon with a cacophony of fireworks, hoping the mightiest sign in the Chinese zodiac will usher in the wealth and power it represents.
From Malaysia to South Korea, millions of people travelled huge distances to reunite with their families for the lunar new year on Monday – the most important holiday of the year for many in Asia – indulging in feasts or watching dragon dances.
As the clock struck midnight, Beijing’s skyline lit up with colour as families across the Chinese capital set off boxes and boxes of fireworks to ward off evil spirits in the new year — a scene repeated across the country.
Pollution levels in the city, which has come under fire for its bad air quality, spiked in the early hours of Monday morning as fireworks filled the skies with particulates, before falling back down again, official data showed.
Those living in the Philippines, meanwhile, were able to sleep in on Monday after the Lunar New Year became an official holiday for the first time, despite objections from some in the business community.
China’s celebrations come amid uncertainty over the possibility within months of a change of leadership at the top of the country’s ruling Communist Party, according to Al Jazeera’s Melissa Chan.
The dragon is the most favourable and revered sign in the 12-year Chinese zodiac – a symbol of royalty, fortune and power that is also used in other cultures that see in the Lunar New Year, such as in Vietnam.
Baby boom
As such, hospitals across China and in Chinese communities are bracing for a baby boom as couples try to have a child this year.
Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore’s prime minister, even took advantage of the Dragon to call on the country’s residents to boost a stubbornly low birth rate, in an attempt to reduce the government’s heavy reliance on foreign workers.
“I fervently hope that this year will be a big Dragon Year for babies… This is critical to preserve a Singapore core in our society,” he said in his new year message.
Nannies in Beijing and neighbouring Tianjin are charging more in 2012, and beds in the capital’s maternity hospital are all booked up until August, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
Al Jazeera’s Rob McBride reported that there was also an influx of expectant mothers into Hong Kong to gain a coveted Hong Kong passport for their children.
But some astrologers and geomancers have predicted that the Dragon could bring new natural disasters and further financial volatility.
Hong Kong feng shui master Anthony Cheng warned that a “scandalous corruption case” would rock China in the second half of 2012, and also said high-ranking officials would be forced to step down, thrown behind bars or even die.
source: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2012/01/201212383631437487.html
January 24, 2012 at 11:07 am
Haruna Mohammed
Severe weather rakes Southeast; 2 dead in Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama (CNN) — Severe weather tore across the Southeast early Monday, killing at least two people, injuring more than 100 and spreading damage through several states, emergency officials said.
The two fatalities reported were near Birmingham, Alabama, according to Sgt. Jack Self of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
One was a 16-year-old in Clay, northeast of the city, and the second was an 82-year-old man in the Oak Grove community west of Birmingham, Self said.
The teenager was a female, Self said, although the fatality was initially reported as a male. Authorities believe the same storm, which struck about 3:30 a.m., was responsible for both deaths, he said.
source: http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/23/us/severe-weather/index.html?hpt=us_c2
January 24, 2012 at 11:10 am
Haruna Mohammed
Turbulence injures three flight attendants on flight to Miami
(CNN) — Three American Airlines flight attendants were injured Sunday when a flight bound for Miami, Florida, encountered severe turbulence.
Flight 980 from Recife, Brazil to Miami was carrying 167 passengers. No passengers were injured, according to American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith. Three of six flight attendants on board were injured.
source: http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/23/travel/airline-turbulence-injuries/index.html?hpt=us_c2
January 25, 2012 at 9:44 am
Haruna Mohammed
Tornado recovery work begins in Alabama
Clay, Alabama (CNN) — Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley on Tuesday toured communities hit by a tornado that destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes and killed two people.
“I do not understand, except by God’s grace, that people can survive some of the damage that I see in some of the residential areas,” Bentley said.
The National Weather Service confirmed at least three tornadoes touched down in Alabama early Monday. Two were detected in north central Tuscaloosa County, while the third hit near the town of Clay in Jefferson County, packing winds estimated at 150 miles per hour. The storm destroyed at least 211 homes and seriously damaged another 218 in Jefferson County alone, according to the Alabama Red Cross.
The severe weather obliterated the three-story home of Darrell Heichelbech, his wife and two children. Daughter Christina Heichelbech, 16, was one of two killed in the storm.
“She had just such spirit, such life … She was the kind of kid you wanted to have,” her father told CNN, barely able to speak through tears. “All her plans were coming into play, and now they’re gone. I don’t know what to do.”
source: http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/24/us/alabama-storms/index.html
January 26, 2012 at 1:35 pm
Haruna Mohammed
3 dead, 19 missing in Rio building collapse
Sao Paulo, Brazil (CNN) — Brazilian rescue workers dug through rubble in search of survivors Thursday morning, hours after three buildings collapsed in the historic center of Rio de Janeiro, Mayor Eduardo Paes told reporters.
Nineteen people were still missing, Paes said, and five people had been rescued with injuries.
Three bodies were found Thursday morning, CNN affiliate Band TV reported, but it was not known if they were among those reported missing.
The commercial buildings were largely empty when they crumbled Wednesday night, sending rubble and dust flying through the air.
It was not immediately clear what caused the collapses of the 20-story building and the adjacent 10 and 4-story buildings. Officials said they were investigating both the possibility of a gas leak and a structural failure.
The accident comes at a delicate time for Rio de Janeiro as it prepares for the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games two years later.
The buildings were located just steps from the emblematic Municipal Theater, where U.S. President Barack Obama gave a speech last year during his visit to Brazil.
Residents talked to CNN affiliate TV Record about what they saw.
“I started to hear a crackling. I thought they were gunshots. When I looked up, I saw the top floors falling,” maintenance worker Julio Cesar de Oliveira Brandao said.
A fire broke out after the buildings fell, the state-run Agencia Brasil news agency reported. The entire area — a bustling commercial center during the day and a popular drinking spot at night — was closed off Thursday.
Cars parked on the street near the buildings were covered in dust, and there was a strong smell of gas in the area, fire officials said, according to the news agency. The lobby of one of the buildings contained a bank branch and a bakery, Agencia Brasil said.
Witnesses told Band TV that neighboring buildings swayed, as if there had been an earthquake. One witness said people were inside one of the buildings when it collapsed.
Electrical engineer Jorge Drauss told TV Record he was drinking juice at a nearby diner when he saw small stones falling from the top of one of the buildings.
“I thought it was someone making a hole for air conditioning,” he said. “From one moment to another, the building began to fall.”
source : http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/26/world/americas/brazil-building-collapse/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
January 26, 2012 at 1:37 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Julia Gillard ‘rescued’ amid Australia Day protests
Australian PM Julia Gillard and leader of the opposition Tony Abbott had to be rescued after becoming trapped by an angry protest, local media reports.
About 50 police escorted the pair from Canberra’s Lobby restaurant after it was surrounded by some 200 supporters of the city’s Aboriginal Tent Embassy.
Mr Abbott had reportedly angered them by suggesting it was time for the camp – marking its 40th year – to come down.
The pair had been at a ceremony for the inaugural National Emergency Medals.
The honours – presented as the country marked Australia Day – were introduced to recognise those who served their communities during events such as the 2009 bushfires in Victoria and the floods in Queensland in 2010 and 2011.
But Australia’s newspapers reported that riot police were called to the restaurant at about 14:30 local time as protesters gathered outside, with people banging on the glass yelling “shame” and “racist”.
Ms Gillard and Mr Abbott were reportedly forced to wait 20 minutes before police escorted them through a side door.
According to the BBC’s Duncan Kennedy, chaos ensued as a bodyguard grabbed Ms Gillard by the shoulders and shoved her into a waiting car.
The prime minister appeared to have stumbled in the process and was missing a shoe. Protesters continued to bang on the car’s roof and the bonnet as it sped off.
Supporters had gathered for a three-day Corroborree for Sovereignty to mark the 40th anniversary of the tent embassy.
Media reports suggested some had been angered by Mr Abbott’s suggestion in a TV interview that it was “time to move on” from the camp in light of current plans to recognise indigenous people in the country’s constitution.
The tent embassy was established in 1972 by four men as a protest against the prime minister of the time’s refusal to acknowledge indigenous land rights.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16736054
January 26, 2012 at 1:43 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Thousands march in Poland over Acta internet treaty
Thousands of protesters have taken to Poland’s streets over the signing of an international treaty activists say amounts to internet censorship.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk says his government will on Thursday sign the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement.
The treaty, known as Acta, aims to establish international standards to enforce intellectual property rights.
But critics say it could curb freedom of expression, and government websites have been hacked in protest.
Several marches took place in cities across the nation on Wednesday, says the BBC’s Adam Easton in Warsaw.
Crowds of mostly young people held banners with slogans such as “no to censorship” and “a free internet”.
After convening a special government meeting to discuss the issue, Mr Tusk said the government would not be blackmailed by the treaty’s opponents.
There would be ample time for public discussion about the treaty before it was ratified by the Polish parliament, he said.
The agreement has so far been signed by the US, Australia, Canada, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea. Poland is expected to sign it in Tokyo on Thursday.
Acta shares similarities with America’s Stop Online Piracy Act, which US lawmakers set aside last week after Wikipedia and Google blacked out or partially obscured their websites for a day in protest.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16735219
January 26, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Tensions flare over Falkland Islands
Buenos Aires (CNN) — It’s been nearly 30 years since British and Argentinian troops fought over the Falkland Islands, but politicians from both countries are ratcheting up their rhetoric over the British-controlled territory.
The ideological battle comes as Prince William is scheduled to begin a Royal Air Force tour of duty there next month — a move which has drawn more attention to islands at a time when Argentinian officials are increasingly criticizing the British presence in the area.
“They are preying on our natural resources, our oil, our fish,” Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said Wednesday.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has offered a different take, criticizing Argentinian officials for their renewed claims to the island.
“We support the Falklands’ right to self determination, and what the Argentinians have been saying recently I would argue is actually far more like colonialism, because these people want to remain British, and the Argentinians want them to do something else,” he told lawmakers last week.
The islands have been under British rule since 1833.
Argentina invaded the Falklands in 1982, prompting a war in which more than 600 Argentinian and 255 British troops died. After the war, the United Kingdom retained control of the islands, which are off Argentina’s coast in the South Atlantic.
About 2,500 residents live on the islands, in addition to 1,700 people stationed at the British military’s Mount Pleasant Complex there, according to the islands’ government website.
Fernandez has recently emphasized her country’s claim to the territory, saying she wants British officials to enter into talks with Argentina over the islands, which are known as the Malvinas in Argentina.
Cameron’s comments about colonialism have roiled Argentinian politicians and protesters alike.
Demonstrators marching outside the British Embassy in Buenos Aires this month burned British flags and urged Argentina to sever ties with the United Kingdom.
The foreign relations committee of Argentina’s Senate is scheduled to hold a meeting Thursday to draft a resolution condemning Cameron’s remarks, the state-run Telam news agency reported.
Fernandez has won over several neighboring countries.
Last month, members of the Mercosur trade bloc — which includes Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay — said they would stop ships bearing the Falkland Islands flag from entering their ports.
That move angered British officials.
“It is unacceptable to engage in an economic blockade of the Falklands. Mercosur should take the responsible decision and not do this,” UK Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne said.
Fernandez thanked Argentina’s allies for their support.
“The Malvinas are not an Argentine cause, but a global cause,” she said.
Prince William will be one of four Royal Air Force pilots to be sent to the Falkland Islands military base next month, the British Ministry of Defence said in November.
The Duke of Cambridge, who is qualified as a search and rescue pilot, has been flying Sea King helicopters for the Royal Air Force from a base in Anglesey, Wales.
source : http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/25/world/americas/argentina-uk-falklands/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
January 28, 2012 at 7:02 am
Haruna Mohammed
Could you survive an extreme weather disaster?
Atlanta (CNN) — Ranee Roberts feels lucky to have survived the impact of a tornado that hit her Alabama convenience store in April.
“Before the twister hit, I sent a last text to say ‘I love you’ to my best friend, and then the building began to come apart around me,” said the 34-year-old from Henagar.
Roberts said she knew only about two minutes before impact that the twister was heading toward her store. The tornado was rated an EF-4, with estimated winds peaking at 175 mph.
“There was no time for preparations, only prayer,” she said. “I felt utterly hopeless thinking I might be spending my last moments on Earth curled up on the stockroom floor.”
Looking back, she was ill-prepared for the storm and its aftermath. She felt that she got off extremely lucky walking away with “just a few scratches” to her body.
She learned from her harrowing experience to keep a first-aid kit, flashlight, bicycle helmet, battery-powered radio, power generator and Meals Ready to Eat in her storm closet.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a record 14 weather and climate disasters in 2011 caused $1 billion or more in damage, including the Alabama tornado that Roberts survived. At least 669 people died in these storms and thousands were injured.
source: http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/27/us/extreme-weather-prepare-for-worst/index.html?hpt=hp_c1
January 28, 2012 at 7:06 am
Haruna Mohammed
Senegal clashes erupt as court clears Wade poll bid
Violence has broken out in Senegal after the country’s top court ruled that President Abdoulaye Wade can run for a third term in office next month.
Protesters set fire to buildings and barricades in the capital Dakar.
A policeman was reported to have been killed during running battles between stone-throwing demonstrators and the security forces.
Mr Wade, 85, appeared on television to call for calm, describing the protests as “displays of petulance”.
The president has already served two terms in office, but the constitution has been amended since he was last elected and he argued that the change did not apply retrospectively.
The opposition had earlier warned it would hold street protests if Mr Wade’s candidacy was approved, and crowds had gathered in central Dakar to await the ruling.
After the decision by the constitutional court, youths in the area around Place de l’Obelisque set fire to tyres and threw stones at riot police, who responded by firing tear gas.
Reports from the central town of Kaolack said the local headquarters of Mr Wade’s party had been burned down.
Unrest was also reported in Thies and Mbour, near Dakar.
The authorities earlier said the protests would be tolerated in spite of an official ban on demonstrations.
Youssou N’Dour
The court’s statement, issued late on Friday, listed 14 candidates – including Mr Wade – as eligible to stand in the 26 February election.
However the court barred Senegal’s best known music star, Youssou N’Dour, from running saying many of the signatures he had gathered to support his candidacy could not be verified.
The Grammy award-winning musician had announced earlier this month that he would stand.
“The people are fed up with career politicians who almost all enriched themselves with the state’s money,” he said at the time.
The list of candidates who can stand includes three former prime ministers, Idrissa Seck, Macky Sall and Moustapha Niasse as well as the main opposition leader Ousmane Tanor Dieng.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16770305
January 28, 2012 at 7:09 am
Haruna Mohammed
Bournemouth resident mystified by ‘blue sphere shower’
A man in Dorset has been left mystified after tiny blue spheres fell from the sky into his garden.
Steve Hornsby from Bournemouth said the 3cm diameter balls came raining down late on Thursday afternoon during a hail storm.
He found about a dozen of the balls in his garden. He said: “[They’re] difficult to pick up, I had to get a spoon and flick them into a jam jar.”
The Met Office said the jelly-like substance was “not meteorological”.
Mr Hornsby, a former aircraft engineer, said: “The sky went a really dark yellow colour.
“As I walked outside to go to the garage there was an instant hail storm for a few seconds and I thought, ‘what’s that in the grass’?”
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-16754531
January 29, 2012 at 5:02 am
Haruna Mohammed
26 die in Peru rehab fire
(CNN) — Twenty-six people were killed and 15 were rescued from a fire at a rehabilitation center in Lima, Peru, the state-run Andina news agency reported.
The fire was controlled by firefighters by Saturday afternoon.
The cause of the fire was under investigation, the fire department said, though witnesses said a mattress was set on fire during a melee inside the building.
The victims were trapped inside the building and died from asphyxiation, Peru’s fire chief, Antonio Zavala said.
The building may have been a clandestine rehabilitation center, and many people were concentrated on the first floor, which lacked escape routes, Zavala said.
Some 40 people were housed in a small space with only one exit that was locked with a chain. Bypassing the heavy metal door was the biggest challenge in the rescue, he said.
source: http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/28/world/americas/peru-rehab-fire/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
February 6, 2012 at 9:11 am
Haruna Mohammed
Situation ‘tragic’ as winter weather blankets Europe
London (CNN) — Heavy snow left several Italian villages paralyzed and without power as winter weather and cold temperatures spread across Europe, the mayor of one village said.
Many of the 32 villages in the Aniene Valley, near Rome, lost electricity on Friday when an electric pylon fell because of the snow, said Piero Moscardini, mayor of Vallinfreda.
The valley, home to about 50,000 people, has received some 100 cm (39 inches) of snow, Moscardini said.
“It’s the worst snow since 1956,” he said. “The situation is tragic. We need the Army to save us.”
Ambulances cannot traverse the roads, he said, and some villagers cannot reach their stables to feed livestock.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/05/travel/europe-cold-snap/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
February 6, 2012 at 9:12 am
Haruna Mohammed
Thousands evacuated from Queensland flooding
Floods continue to threaten Queensland in eastern Australia, with the town of St George expected to be worst hit.
Thousands have been evacuated from the area, which is seeing its third major flood in less than two years.
The Balonne River in St George reached 13.48 metres on Monday and was expected to keep rising to a peak of 14-15 metres by late Tuesday.
Despite a mandatory order to leave, about 400 residents remained in town, Australian media reported.
”The danger area now is St George,” Queensland Premier Anna Bligh told ABC News.
The evacuation, which she said was the largest ever for a town in the state, was orderly.
About 1,700 people left in their own vehicles, and another 500 were transported by bus and planes.
On Monday morning, a major highway was closed due to flooding and the town of about 3,000 was accessible only by air.
More planes will be sent to take the remaining 400 residents out, said Ms Bligh.
The highway is expected to be under water for five to seven days, she added.
”When people do return to town they are going to find I think a lot of devastation, a lot of heartache,” she said.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16901378
February 6, 2012 at 9:15 am
Haruna Mohammed
Europe is developing an asteroid shield… but it won’t be in time for the 19-mile wide monster hurtling past Earth next week
Scientists are trying to find a way to protect Earth from the giant rocks which travel around the Milky Way.
Run out of Berlin with funds from the EU, the NEOShield project, which will look for a way to protect earth from the space rocks, is expected to take three years to complete.
Some of the ideas being tossed around at the moment include repelling asteroids with projectiles or explosives or using gravity to change its course.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2092626/Asteroid-shield-wont-time-19-mile-wide-monster-hurtling-past-Earth-week.html#ixzz1lahJzZx6
February 6, 2012 at 9:16 am
Haruna Mohammed
At least one dead in central Philippines earthquake
A 6.7 magnitude earthquake shook the central Philippines, killing at least one and causing panic in nearby cities.
The quake hit 70 km north of the city of Dumaguete on Negros Island at 11:49 am (0349 GMT) at a depth of 20 km, the US Geological Survey said.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology issued a tsunami alert for a metre high wave along the east coast and west of Cebu City.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said a regional tsunami was not expected.
However, it said on its website that earthquakes of this intensity can sometimes trigger destructive local tsunami.
The late morning quake in the Negros and Cebu region caused panic in nearby cities, with people rushing out of schools, malls and offices. Officials in some areas suspended work and cancelled classes.
A child was crushed to death by a collapsed wall in Tayasan town in Negros, Benito Ramos, chief of the Office of Civil Defence told reporters.
Buildings in the cities of Cebu and San Carlos shook violently and sustained damages such as broken windows and cracks on the walls, he added.
Two aftershocks measuring 4.8 and 5.6 magnitude on the USGS scale followed within half an hour of the earthquake.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16901385
February 6, 2012 at 9:44 am
Haruna Mohammed
ALIEN SPACESHIPS TO ATTACK EARTH IN NOVEMBER 2012!
Three giant alien spaceships are again heading for Earth! Scientists predict the new ships will arrive in November of 2012.
UFO encounters continue to increase – as documented on WWN. And today scientists at SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), an independent non-commercial organization, made a major announcement:
“Three giant spaceships are heading toward Earth. The largest one of them is 200 miles wide. Two others are slightly smaller. At present, the objects are just moving past Jupiter. Judging by their speed, they should be on Earth by the fall of 2012,” said John Malley, the lead extraterrestrial expert at SETI.
Three similar giant ships landed in China and the Indonesia Sea in November, 2011. They were identified as alien spaceships from Planet Gootan. Three more giant Gootan ships are headed her for November, 2012.
Read two of WWN’s many stories about the three Gootan ships landing in 2011:
THE STORY ABOUT THE LANDING OF THE THREE SHIPS IN NOVEMBER 2011
THE GOOTANS ARE HERE
The new Gootan spaceships have been detected by HAARP search system. The system, based in Alaska, was designed to study the phenomenon of northern lights. According to SETI researchers, the objects are extraterrestrial spaceships. They will be visible in optical telescopes as soon as they reach Mars’s orbit – sometime in November of 2012. The US government has been reportedly informed about the event.
SETI researchers have spent fifty years monitoring space. Dr. Malley said that they have conclusively proven that “we are just newcomers in this huge and unexplored world. Many believe that there are many other civilizations in space besides our own civilization.”
Wikileaks recently released many classified documents that prove that NASA and high-level U.S. official are aware of the three spaceships and are making plans to battle the spaceships. They have been concealing information from the U.S. public for decades. Wikileaks also confirms that the UFO sightings over the last three months prove that the alien invasions (long predicted by SETI) has begun. The three spaceships will mark the official beginning of the alien invasion.
Malley said that a Chinese official, Mao Kan, had obtained over than 1,000 secret NASA photographs depicting not only human footprints, but even a human carcass on the surface of the Moon. Some of the bones in the carcass were missing, the official said. The human corpse must have been dropped on the Moon from an alien spaceship, whereas the extraterrestrials kept some tissue samples for research.
Dr. Ken Johnston, former Manager of the Data and Photo Control Department at NASA’s Lunar Receiving Laboratory, said that US astronauts had found and photographed ancient ruins of artificial origin on the Moon. US astronauts had seen large unknown mechanisms on the Moon.
Both Johnston and Mao Kan agree that three more Gootan spaceships are heading for Earth.
Beginning in August of 2012 the U.N. will begin preparing citizens of the world for the second attack of the three Gootan spaceships and a subsequent alien attack, which they predict will be “a large-scale assault.”
source: http://weeklyworldnews.com/headlines/26535/alien-spaceships-to-attack-earth-in-2011/#
February 6, 2012 at 10:05 am
Haruna Mohammed
Asteroid 433 Eros To Make Closest Approach Since 1975
On Tuesday, January 31, asteroid 433 Eros will come closer to Earth than it has in 37 years, traveling across the night sky in the constellations Leo, Sextans and Hydra. At its closest pass of 16.6 million miles (26.7 million km) the relatively bright 21-mile (34-km) -wide asteroid will be visible with even modest backyard telescopes, approaching magnitude 8, possibly even 7. It hasn’t come this close since 1975, and won’t do so again until 2056!
433 Eros is an S-type asteroid, signifying a composition of magnesium silicates and iron. S-types make up about 17 percent of known asteroids and are some of the brightest, with albedos (reflectivity) in the range of 0.10 – 0.22. S-type asteroids are most common in the inner asteroid belt and, as in the case of Eros, can even pass within the orbit of Mars.
Occasionally Eros’ orbit brings it close enough to Earth that it can be spotted with amateur telescopes. 2012 will be one of those times.
Eros was discovered on August 13, 1898, by astronomers Carl Gustav Witt in Berlin and Auguste Charlois in Nice. When Eros’ orbit was calculated it was seen to be an elongated oval that brought it within the orbit of Mars. This allowed for good observations of the bright asteroid, and eventually led to more accurate estimates of the distance from Earth to the Sun.
In February 2000 NASA’s NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft approached Eros, established orbit and made a soft landing on its surface, the first mission ever to do so. While in orbit NEAR took over 160,000 images of Eros’ surface, identifying over 100,000 craters, a million house-sized boulders (give or take a few) and helped researchers conclude that the cashew-shaped Eros is a solid object rather than a “rubble pile” held together by gravity.
Read more: http://www.cosmostv.org/2012/01/asteroid-433-eros-to-make-closest.html#ixzz1lasGX7sU
February 7, 2012 at 7:07 am
Haruna Mohammed
European freeze hits transport hubs
4 February 2012 Last updated at 19:32 GMT Help
Freezing weather has hit transport hubs across Europe, closing airports, blocking roads and halting trains.
Bosnian officials have declared a state of emergency in Sarajevo, where snow has paralysed the city.
In Serbia, a state of emergency is in place across much of the country.
Emily Buchanan reports.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16889994
February 7, 2012 at 7:08 am
Haruna Mohammed
Summer floods swamp towns in eastern Australian
4 February 2012 Last updated at 16:23 GMT Help
Flooding in the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales has forced thousands of families from their homes.
It is the second year running that summer rains have caused serious problems in Australia.
Widespread flooding in Queensland last year killed 35 people, damaged crops and infrastructure and hit coal production hard.
The BBCs Duncan Kennedy reports from Sydney.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16889399
February 7, 2012 at 7:09 am
Haruna Mohammed
Europe’s cold snap claims more lives
London (CNN) — Eastern and central Europe continue to shiver under a blanket of heavy snow Friday, with more deaths reported after bitter cold overnight temperatures.
Ukraine is probably the worst affected, with Poland, Romania, Serbia and Belarus also suffering much more severe winter conditions than usual.
Thirty-eight people have died of hypothermia in Ukraine over the past 24 hours, the state-run news agency Ukrinform reported Friday morning, citing government ministries.
The latest deaths take the total number killed in Ukraine in the cold spell that started January 27 to 101, the news agency said.
Meanwhile, temperatures in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, continue to plummet. Friday morning’s lows dipped to 27 degrees below zero Celsius (17 degrees below zero Fahrenheit), and it was the ninth day in a row that temperatures had dropped below minus 15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit).
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/03/world/europe/europe-cold-snap/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
February 7, 2012 at 7:10 am
Haruna Mohammed
Thousands stranded by floods in eastern Australia
(CNN) — Heavy rains left thousands stranded in eastern Australia on Saturday as authorities warned of more flooding and urged several communities to flee to higher ground.
About 16,500 people are isolated because of flooding in New South Wales, with evacuation orders in place for several communities, the New South Wales Emergency Services said.
In the neighboring state of Queensland, authorities issued flood warnings for three towns, Surat, Roma and Mitchell, and warned residents living downstream of rivers to move to higher ground.
Residents of the southwestern Queensland town of Charleville are hoping that its protective levees will hold back the rising waters.
Emergency officials ordered evacuations early Saturday as they warned that the river was expected to top the levee banks within 12 hours.
Food and medical supplies have been flown to isolated communities elsewhere in Queensland.
In New South Wales, officials issued natural disaster declarations for several areas.
Flood waters have started to recede around North Moree after five days of major flooding, the New South Wales Emergency Services said, but many of the town’s streets remain closed.
Aerial assessments show some 300 homes and businesses have been inundated — making it the worst flooding in nearly 60 years, CNN affiliate Seven Network reported.
The State Emergency Service carried out 18 flood rescues from Friday to Saturday, Seven Network reported, including half a dozen people stuck on a shed roof near Moree with snakes swimming underneath them.
The airline Qantas put on a special flight to Moree on Saturday with supplies of fresh food and milk, the network added.
Major flooding has also affected communities along the Namoi River, leading to the rescue of at least one person trapped in a vehicle on a flooded bridge.
The town of Wee Waa is cut off, with all roads made impassable by flood water and the local airport also out of action, the New South Wales Emergency Services said. Major flooding is expected to continue there until the middle of next week.
Other communities affected by the Namoi River include Boggoabri, Narrabri Bugilbone and Goangra, with flood waters closing roads and inundating some rural properties..
Emergency officials urged people not to walk, ride or drive through flood waters, as this is the main cause of death and injury during floods.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/04/world/asia/australia-floods/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
February 8, 2012 at 7:29 am
Haruna Mohammed
Argentinian leader denounces ‘militarization’ of the South Atlantic
Port Stanley, Falkland Islands (CNN) — Amid escalating tensions over the Falkland Islands, Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner accused Great Britain of militarizing the South Atlantic and said Tuesday her country would file a protest at the United Nations.
“I have instructed our chancellor to formally present before the U.N. Security Council and the U.N. General Assembly this militarization of the South Atlantic, which implies a great risk for international safety,” she said during a speech in Buenos Aires.
“We’re going to file a protest,” Fernandez added.
Speculation in recent days had been that she would cut the Falklands air link to the South American mainland by banning the airline LAN Chile from using Argentinian airspace to fly to the islands from Chile. The Saturday flights are the only scheduled air service to the Falklands and carry fresh food as well as passengers.
The president made no such announcement in her speech Tuesday.
Argentina already bans Falklands ships from its ports, an action joined by other South American and Caribbean nations.
“I guess we were all kind of relieved that there wasn’t anything particularly concrete. It seems to be another burst of hot air really — and to that degree — we’re relieved,” said John Fowler, a journalist and Falkland Islands resident.
Britain and Argentina fought a war over the Falkland Islands, which Argentina calls Las Malvinas, in 1982. Though Britain won the war, expelling an Argentinian military force, Argentina still claims the territory, which has been under British rule since 1833, as its own. Britain maintains that the 2,500 residents of the Falklands have the right to determine their allegiance, and so far that has been staunchly British.
“We support the Falklands’ right to self-determination, and what the Argentinians have been saying recently I would argue is actually far more like colonialism, because these people want to remain British, and the Argentinians want them to do something else,” British Prime Minister David Cameron told U.K. lawmakers last month.
Addressing Cameron directly in her speech, Fernandez said: “I simply want to ask the prime minister of England to give peace a chance.”
Tensions between London and Buenos Aires were raised even higher this month when Britain sent Prince William to the Falklands as a military helicopter pilot.
The prince’s deployment comes as Britain is making other moves to support its 1,700 personnel at the Mount Pleasant military complex in the Falklands.
The Royal Navy is sending its top-of-the-line warship, the destroyer HMS Dauntless, to the South Atlantic in the spring on what the British Defence Ministry calls a routine deployment, according to British media reports. Additionally, a British nuclear submarine is headed to the Falklands, according to those reports.
“We are having what in game theory is called tit-for-tat … I don’t see an end in sight right now, but I’m sure that war is not the end,” Federico Merke, a professor of international relations at San Andres University, said after the president’s speech.
So why, besides supporting the Falklands’ inhabitants, does Britain want to hang on to the islands? The answer may lie in the lucrative fishing grounds around the islands as well as a growing oil drilling industry.
Argentina, of course, has economic interests as well, but analysts say the current standoff has much to do with internal politics.
“The government is being squeezed from lots of different areas, so one way to distract from the economic problems facing the country is to raise the Malvinas issue,” Mark Jones, an expert in Latin American politics at Rice University in Texas, told CNN. “It’s one of the few issues outside football that you can get universal consensus on.”
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/07/world/americas/argentina-uk-falklands/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
February 8, 2012 at 10:11 am
Haruna Mohammed
Death toll now 400 from European freeze
Europe’s death toll from the cold snap that began 11 days ago has topped 400.
The overall death toll from the cold snap that began 11 days ago topped 400 while forecasters warned there would be no early let-up to the freezing weather.
In Serbia, icebreakers were summoned from Hungary in an attempt to keep the Danube flowing, while army demolition experts sought to dynamite ice barriers that threatened to provoke flooding on tributary rivers.
The Danube, one of Europe’s main rivers, was barely navigable around Belgrade and the port authority in Veliko Gradiste, near the Romanian and Bulgarian border, said river traffic was blocked along a 170km stretch.
‘I have some 30 vessels blocked in Veliko Gradiste,’ an official said.
In Bulgaria the Danube exploration agency said icing was at 20 per cent near the Serbian border and up to 80 per cent along a 220km stretch between the ports of Nikopol and Silistra further down river.
Navigation was impossible, the agency said, adding that the Danube delta leading into the Black Sea in Romania was completely frozen.
Upstream in Hungary, 13 icebreakers went into action but only managed to clear the ports of Baja and Gyor.
‘If the temperatures continue to be this low the ice could solidify on the Danube during next week as is already the case for smaller rivers,’ Istvan Land, director of Hungary’s government water and environment agency OMIT.
Meanwhile, snow blanketed much of the Balkans with Serbia reporting 70,000 people trapped in villages in the south of the country.
A train linking Croatia’s central coastal town of Split to the capital Zagreb derailed as a result of a snow drift. There were no reports of injuries.
The army and rescue services attempted to get food and medicine to hundreds of Croatian villages blocked by snow.
‘This is a disaster, we have been cut off from the rest of the world … Snowploughs cannot reach us, so we have to walk to get some bread and basic things,’ Marko Ancic told the Slobodna Dalmacija daily after trekking some 17km from his village to the nearest town.
Large parts of Bosnia were also cut off by the snow and avalanches.
Authorities have lost touch since Friday with the hamlet of Zijemlje, some 30km from the southern town of Mostar.
‘We don’t know what is going on there. They have not had electricity since Friday and phone lines are cut, they have no running water,’ Radovan Palavestra, the mayor of Mostar, told AFP.
On Tuesday a woman was found dead of cold in a village near Mostar, while another was found by the roadside, covered by snow, near Travnik, in the centre of the country, police said.
Ukraine remained the country worst affected, with the death toll at 136, while the numbers killed by hypothermia in Poland rose to 68 after the authorities there recorded another six deaths in the past 24 hours.
The coldest place overnight was the Kvilda region of the Czech Republic where the mercury plunged to minus 39.4 degrees Celsius.
The UN weather service said temperatures would remain low until March.
‘We might expect the change in the current cold wave to start easing from the start of next week up to the end of the month,’ Omar Baddour, a scientist at the World Meteorological Organisation, told reporters.
In France, electricity consumption reached a historic high on Tuesday, the RTE powergrid company said.
In the Netherlands, a 55-year-old man drowned when ice gave way in Rijpwetering, in the west of the country, officials said.
Snow also kept falling in northern Italy, with temperatures dropping to minus 25 degrees Celsius on the shores of Lake Garda.
A woman froze to death in Monza, near Milan, on Tuesday, as did a mentally ill man who had wandered off from the institute where he was being looked after in the Campania region.
A homeless man was found dead under a cardboard shelter in Ferrara, while a woman who had been admitted to hospital days ago died of hypothermia.
In the town of L’Aquila, devastated by an earthquake in 2009, snowed-in residents warned of wolves scavenged in the deserted streets of the nearby village of Trasacco, the Corriere della Sera daily said.
Meanwhile, the Russian Gazprom company on Tuesday said it was unable to meet a spike in requests for gas brought on by the cold, noting that demand has increased by 50 per cent.
SOURCE: http://www.skynews.com.au/world/article.aspx?id=716326&vId=
February 10, 2012 at 7:45 am
Haruna Mohammed
Volcano erupts in Indonesia, hurling ash cloud into the sky
Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) — A restless volcano in northern Indonesia erupted Friday, spewing clouds of ash as high as 2 kilometers into the sky, the country’s National Disaster Management Agency said.
The authorities are warning residents to stay away from the volcano, Mt. Lokon, in North Sulawesi, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the disaster management agency.
A 2.5 kilometer exclusion zone had already been set up around Mt. Lokon, which had been showing signs of activity in recent days.
A series of eruptions by Mt. Lokon in July prompted the evacuation of thousands of local residents. The volcano also erupted in October and December.
Indonesia is located on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin that is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/09/world/asia/indonesia-volcano-eruption/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
February 13, 2012 at 6:48 am
Haruna Mohammed
DR Congo: President Kabila’s aide dies in plane crash
A senior adviser to the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila, has been killed in a plane crash in the east of the country.
Augustin Katumba Mwanke died when the private jet came down near the town of Bukavu, a statement read out on national TV said. The pilot also died.
Finance Minister Matato Ponyo Mapo and a provincial governor were among other passengers who were seriously injured.
The crash happened when the plane overshot the runway, officials said.
“Unfortunately, I have to confirm the death of Katumba Mwanke and the pilot,” government spokesman Lambert Mende told Reuters.
“It’s a very big loss, he was considered a pillar of the presidential majority,” he added.
The accident is the latest in a string of crashes in the DR Congo – a country which has one of the world’s worst air safety records.
Last July, a passenger plane with 112 people on board went down at Kisangani airport, in the north, killing more than 50 people.
In April, a UN plane crashed as it attempted to land in heavy rain in Kinshasa, killing 32 of 33 people on board.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17004512
February 13, 2012 at 6:50 am
Haruna Mohammed
Japan economy contracts amid strong yen and Thai floods
Japan’s economy contracted more than expected in the last three months of 2011 as a rising yen and floods in Thailand hurt businesses.
Gross domestic product shrunk by 2.3% during the period from a year earlier, much worse than 1.4% contraction that analysts had forecast.
Compared with the previous three months, the economy shrank by 0.6%.
The numbers are a big blow to Japan’s efforts to recover from the earthquake and tsunami last year.
“The economy is slowing down by more than what was expected,” Martin Schulz of Fujitsu Research Institute told the BBC.
“The slowdown of exports is taking a heavy toll on industry.”
Multiple factors
The data comes amid concerns of a slowdown in the global economy, not least due to the ongoing debt crisis in the eurozone.
The crisis has hurt confidence and dented consumer demand in Europe, which is a key market for Japanese goods.
Meanwhile the high rate of unemployment in the US, the world’s largest economy, continues to be a concern despite encouraging economic data in recent weeks.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17008164
February 13, 2012 at 6:57 am
Haruna Mohammed
Ice grips Europe’s waterways as deadly cold lingers
London (CNN) — Europe remained gripped by frigid temperatures and snow Friday, with the icy weather closing much of the Danube River to shipping and disrupting travel across the region.
Central and Eastern Europe have borne the brunt of the unseasonably bitter weather, which has led to hundreds of deaths and thousands of cases of frostbite and hypothermia.
Twenty-two countries have posted warnings for extreme cold temperatures and accumulating snow, CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller said.
The big freeze is not likely to end any time soon, Miller said, with the Arctic air forecast to continue spilling deep into Europe, keeping temperatures well below average and allowing the snow to continue to pile higher and higher.
In Ukraine, the worst-affected country, well over 100 people have died and more than 3,000 have sought hospital treatment.
State news agency Ukrinform said more than 120 ships — most of them foreign — were trapped in the Kerch Strait, linking the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea, because of ice.
Parts of the Danube River, one of the most important rivers in Europe for commerce, have nearly frozen over for the first time in 25 years.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/10/world/europe/europe-cold-snap/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
February 13, 2012 at 6:59 am
Haruna Mohammed
Athens sees ‘worst violence in months’ as MPs pass austerity plan
Greece’s parliament has passed a controversial package of austerity measures, demanded by the eurozone and IMF in return for a 130bn-euro ($170bn; £110bn) bailout to avoid default.
The vote was carried by 199 votes in favour, with 74 MPs voting against.
Coalition parties expelled over 40 deputies for failing to back the bill.
The vote came amid largescale violence in Greece, with protesters outside parliament throwing stones and petrol bombs, as the BBC’s Mark Lowen explains.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17008476
February 13, 2012 at 1:47 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Magnitude 5.8 earthquake strikes Costa Rica
San Jose, Costa Rica (CNN) — A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck Costa Rica on Monday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The quake’s epicenter was nearly 50 miles (75 kilometers) south of the capital city, San Jose, the survey said. The quake was about 17 miles (28 kilometers) below the Earth’s surface, and its epicenter was just off the country’s southwestern coast.
It struck about 4:55 a.m. local time (5:55 a.m. ET), according to the geological survey.
There were no immediate reports of damages or injuries.
The agency estimated a higher magnitude for the quake earlier Monday in a preliminary reading.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/13/world/americas/costa-rica-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
February 14, 2012 at 7:08 am
Haruna Mohammed
Cyclone Giovanna to hit Madagascar
Tropical Cyclone Giovanna is due to make landfall on the east coast of Madagascar on Tuesday.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/17013494
February 14, 2012 at 8:09 am
Haruna Mohammed
At least 11 dead, 34 missing after boat with Somali migrants capsizes
(CNN) — A boat carrying Somalis fleeing violence in their homeland capsized this week in the Gulf of Aden, leaving at least 11 people dead and another 34 missing, a U.N. agency said.
The vessel carrying 58 people, and captained by three smugglers, had set off from Somalia destined for Yemen last Saturday, the United Nations refugee agency said Friday in a news release.
The boat’s engine failed soon after. Survivors later told authorities that the smugglers then forced 22 people to jump overboard, the U.N. said.
Those remaining were adrift at sea until Wednesday, when — rocked by bad weather and rocky seas — the boat capsized.
Beginning that night on Somali beaches, locals found 13 survivors, including two adult women and a teenage boy and girl. Most suffered from skin burns caused by fuel inside the boat, the U.N. agency said.
U.N. partners and local authorities transported these survivors from the Somali village of Qaw to the port city of Bossaso so they could get medical treatment.
In addition, 11 bodies have washed up on beaches near the village of Ceelaayo.
The U.N. says that each year, tens of thousands of Somalis and Ethiopians pay smugglers to help them flee violence in their native nations. Last year alone, more than 100,000 refugees, migrants and refugee seekers ended up in Yemen, despite the political insecurity in that Arab nation.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/10/world/africa/somalia-boat-capsizes/index.html?hpt=iaf_c2
February 14, 2012 at 11:02 am
MOHAMMED ABU
SHEIKH RASHID VINDICATED?
Predicted – “Outer Space to Beings Sabotage Mission to Mars”
Story: Mohammad Abu, The Al-Hajj News Paper, Volume 1 No. 99, Tuesday January 17, 2012
Even though sheikh Rashid of the Salawatia Muslim Society of Ghana had earlier predicted that the Mission, “curiosity” to mars for 2012 is bound to fail, he still stands vindicated following the reported crashing to earth of Russia’s Phobos-Grant Spacecraft mission to Mars on Sunday, January 2012.
Sheikh Rashid had predicted that “Extra Celestial beings, “as carried in the volume one edition 98 of your most reliable, the Al-Hajj of Thursday January 12, 2012, had vowed to disrupt any mission to mars this year because they were peeved about mankind’s failure to eradicate hunger, war and diseases.
He said that those beings who are more advanced than humanity in science and technology would only allow human missions to space when mankind is able to establish mechanisms for eradicating those three conditions including disarmament of weapon of mass destruction.
International media sources said, a failed Russian Mars probe came crashing back to earth Sunday (Jan 15) in a death plunge over the Pacific Ocean, according to Russian News reports.
After languishing in Earth orbit for more than two months, the reports said the 14.5 ton Phobos-Grunt spacecraft fell at around 12:45 p.m. EST (1745 GNT) Sunday, apparently slamming into the atmosphere over a stretch of the southern Pacific off the coast of Chile, Russian officials told the Ria Novosti news agency.
“Phobos-Grunt fragments have crashed down in the Pacific Ocean,” Alexei Zolotukhin, an official with Russia’s Defence Ministry, was quoted by Ria Novosti as saying, Zolotukhin said that the spacecraft crashed about 776 miles (1,250 Km) west of the island of Wellington, the news agency reported. Before the crash, Russia’s Federal Space Agency, known as Roscosmos, released a map that estimated a potential crash zone in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean sometime between 12:50 p.m. and 1:34 p.m. EST (1750 – 1834 GMT) on Sunday.
The huge probe the reports added, likely broke apart as it re-entered with the vast majority of the pieces burning up in the atmosphere, but some big components were expected to survive the fiery fall. At the moment, it’s not clear how many chunks of Phobos-Grunt survived, or exactly where this hail of hardy debris touched down.
Roscosmos had estimated that 20 – 30 chunks of Phobos-Grunt, weighing a total of no more than 440 pounds (200 kilograms) might hit the earth’s surface. Officials also stress that the probe’s huge reservoir of toxic fuel would burn up high over Earth.
While it can be tough for observers in the West to vet such claims from the Russians, fear that Phobos-Grunt’s fall would cause dangerous chemicals to rain from the sky are probably unfounded, experts say.
“They did acknowledge early on that the fuel tanks are made of aluminium,” Nick Johnson, chief scientist of NASA’s Orbital Debris Programme Office at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston, toldspace.com. “Aluminium rarely survives re-entry, so there’s no reason to really doubt them”
Russian officials have also repeatedly stated that there’s little danger of contamination from a tiny amount of radioactive material onboard Phobos-Grunt about 10 micrograms of Cobalt – 57 that forms part of a science instrument on the craft.
The crash marks a dramatic end to Phobos-Grunt’s brief and troubled life. The $165 million probes launched Nov. 8 on a mission to collect soil samples from the Martian moon Phobos and send them back to Earth in return capsule (“grunt” meaning “soil” in Russian). Phobos-Grunt’s main engines were supposed to fire shortly after lift-off to send the spacecraft on its way to the Red Planet. That never happened, however, and the probe got stuck in Earth Orbit.
Russian officials still aren’t sure what went wrong. They hinted recently that some form of sabotage may be responsible for Phobos-Grunt’s problems, and perhaps for the other four embarrassing space failures Russia suffered in 2011 as well.
Keep reading your favourite, The Al-Hajj, for updates on the mission to planet Mars as the events unfold. For additional predictions by one of Ghana’s most celebrated Psychics of international acclaim, book your copies for next week.
February 15, 2012 at 12:42 pm
Haruna Mohammed
500m children ‘at risk of effects of malnutrition’
Half a billion children could grow up physically and mentally stunted over the next 15 years because they do not have enough to eat, the charity Save the Children says in a new report.
It says much more needs to be done to tackle malnutrition in the world’s poorest countries.
Tthe charity found that many families could not afford meat, milk or vegetables.
The survey covered families in India, Bangladesh, Peru, Pakistan and Nigeria.
One parent in six said their children were abandoning school to help out by working for food.
A third of parents surveyed said their children complained about not having enough to eat.
The survey was carried out in the five countries – where, the agency says, half the world’s malnourished children live – by international polling agency Globescan.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-17034134
February 15, 2012 at 12:47 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Man digs through snow to find house in Romania
Romanian rescue teams have been struggling to evacuate people whose homes have been smothered by heavy snow.
A big freeze continues to grip eastern and central Europe. Seventy-four people have died in Romania since the start of the cold snap. Samreen Naz reports.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17036988
February 16, 2012 at 6:37 am
Haruna Mohammed
Honduras prison fire: Porfirio Lobo vows full inquiry
Honduras President Porfirio Lobo has pledged a “full and transparent” investigation after a fire at a jail killed more than 350 inmates.
Mr Lobo also suspended local and national prison officials while the inquiry into the “unacceptable” tragedy at the jail in Comayagua was conducted.
Many victims were burned or suffocated to death in their cells.
Human Rights Watch said the disaster was ultimately the result of chronic overcrowding in Honduran jails.
It also blamed poor conditions and called for the prison system to be overhauled.
“Given that Honduras has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, authorities have been locking up convicted and suspected criminals, but failing to address the conditions in which they are being held,” said Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch.
The authorities are trying to establish whether the blaze in the overcrowded prison was started deliberately by an inmate or was caused by an electrical fault.
source: Honduras President Porfirio Lobo has pledged a “full and transparent” investigation after a fire at a jail killed more than 350 inmates.
Mr Lobo also suspended local and national prison officials while the inquiry into the “unacceptable” tragedy at the jail in Comayagua was conducted.
Many victims were burned or suffocated to death in their cells.
Human Rights Watch said the disaster was ultimately the result of chronic overcrowding in Honduran jails.
It also blamed poor conditions and called for the prison system to be overhauled.
“Given that Honduras has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, authorities have been locking up convicted and suspected criminals, but failing to address the conditions in which they are being held,” said Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch.
The authorities are trying to establish whether the blaze in the overcrowded prison was started deliberately by an inmate or was caused by an electrical fault.
February 16, 2012 at 3:22 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Bus, truck collision kills at least 6 in Ramallah
(CNN) — A bus carrying school children burst into flames after a collision with a truck outside the Palestinian city of Ramallah on Thursday, killing at least six people, authorities said.
Dozens more were injured and are undergoing treatment at Israeli and Palestinian hospitals.
Palestinian medical sources said five of those killed were students traveling with their teacher.
The school bus collided with a truck near a circle that acts as an interchange for traffic between Jerusalem and the West Bank, witnesses said.
Tayser Odeh was commuting when he saw the truck in front of him lose control and start swerving.
Cars coming from the other direction, including the bus, moved to the edge of the road to avoid the truck, he said.
It did not get to the side of the road quickly enough before the truck hit the fuel tank of the bus, sparking a fire that eventually engulfed the entire vehicle.
About 35 children were in the bus, Odeh said, adding that motorists tried to remove as many children as possible, but were not able to save them all.
“This is the most terrible thing I have ever witnessed in my life,” he said.
The Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas declared a three-day period of mourning following the accident.
Israeli and Palestinian authorities are conducting a joint investigation into the circumstances of the accident, Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/16/world/meast/mideast-bus-accident/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
February 18, 2012 at 8:59 am
Haruna Mohammed
Police, protesters clash as Senegal vote nears
Dakar, Senegal (CNN) — Senegalese police clashed Friday night with protesters, firing tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse them from downtown Dakar, where protests have been banned. The unrest was part of the opposition against the candidacy of President Abdoulaye Wade ahead of February 26 elections.
After Friday prayers in the Muslim-majority country, police blocked protesters from reaching the capital’s Place de l’Independence, the demonstration’s planned location. Confrontations occurred less than a mile from the Presidential Palace, in the city’s commercial center.
At least four people have died in protests in Senegal since January 27, when the country’s highest court, the Constitutional Council, cleared the 85-year-old president to run for a third term, government officials have said. The opposition says that the court was compromised and the constitution limits presidents to two terms. He has been in office since 2000.
A court ruled in his favor last month after the incumbent argued that he is exempt because he took office before the term limit was put in place.
Amadou Sow, a 38-year-old security guard, went downtown on his day off to protest Wade’s candidacy and to exercise his right to protest in one of Africa’s most stable democracies.
“We’re in an electoral campaign and every citizen is free to go where he wants,” Sow said. “We have come here to protest peacefully, but the police have prevented us from coming and that’s not normal.”
Others say that protests have been banned downtown because they disturb the workday in the city’s economic hub.
“I can’t understand the protests here,” said Boubacar Sow, 27, who works in the Dakar’s large informal sector and is not related to Amadou. “Because, me, I come here to work, to earn money, and to return home, but not to protest. I work here.
“We are here to protest Wade,” said Abdoulaye Diouf, a 22-year-old student. “We dont want him anymore. We are fed up ”
Some protesters are also demanding that the Constitutional Council allow three independent candidates, including Grammy-winning musician Youssou N’Dour, to seek the presidency.
The court rejected their candidacies last month in the same ruling that granted Wade and 13 others spots on the February ballot.
It ruled that the three rejected candidates had failed to gather 10,000 valid signatures.
The opposition June 23 Movement, or M23, is named after the date of protests last summer that forced Wade to withdraw a constitutional amendment that would have nearly guaranteed his victory in this month’s election.
West Africa has a history of political strife, but Senegal has largely maintained peace and has never experienced a military coup.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/17/world/africa/senegal-violence/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
February 20, 2012 at 6:55 am
Haruna Mohammed
Africa News Roundup: Food Crises in Somalia and West Africa, Senegalese Elections, South Sudan Violence, and More
Christian Science Monitor: “Famine ends in Somalia, as drought looms in West Africa.” For more, see Reuters on the United Nations’ declaration that Somalia’s famine is over, and AFP on UN warnings concerning food insecurity in West and Central Africa.
Kenya claims to have inflicted over 100 casualties on Somalia’s rebel movement al Shabab in yesterday’s fighting.
IRIN reports on political conflicts in northern Kenya:
Politically motivated violence in the northern Kenyan town of Moyale, which has left dozens dead and tens of thousands displaced in recent weeks, shows little sign of abating and there are fears that the clashes could continue until elections are held for new local government positions.
The main two pastoralist communities involved, the Borana and the Gabra, have a long history of sometimes violent competition over resources.
But by many accounts, an unintended consequence of Kenya’s new devolutionary constitution has raised the stakes considerably. The prospect of real political and budgetary power – concentrated since independence in distant Nairobi – rather than water, pasture and cattle-raid vendettas, now drives the violence.
The Economist offers a somewhat mixed view of the political situation in Senegal, whose presidential elections are only twenty-two days away. On the one hand, The Economist‘s sub-header says, “West Africa’s beacon of democracy loses its lustre.” On the other, the magazine predicts, “Even if there are further violent protests in the run-up to the poll, Senegalese democracy should survive.”
source: http://sahelblog.wordpress.com/tag/famine/
February 20, 2012 at 6:58 am
Haruna Mohammed
Africa Blog Roundup: Kenya and Somalia, DRC, Equatorial Guinea, West African Food Crisis, and More
The International Crisis Group released a report (.pdf) this week, “The Kenyan Military Intervention in Somalia.” From the executive summary:
The intervention taps into deep-seated Kenyan fears of Somali encroachment and corresponding Somali qualms that Kenya seeks to assert control over territory that was once part of colonial Kenya. Al-Shabaab is trying to exploit Kenyan-Somali grievances against Nairobi and making pan-Somali appeals, although without much apparent success to date. For Kenya’s venture to have a positive outcome, its leadership will need to define its goals and exit strategy more clearly, as well as work effectively with international partners to facilitate reconciliation and the development of effective local government mechanisms in the areas of Somalia where its forces are active, as part of a larger commitment to ending Somalia’s conflicts and restoring stability to the region.
source: http://sahelblog.wordpress.com/
February 23, 2012 at 6:27 am
Haruna Mohammed
Argentina declares two-day mourning period after train crash kills 50
Buenos Aires, Argentina (CNN) — Argentina’s president declared a two-day mourning period after a commuter train plowed into a barrier at a Buenos Aires station, killing 50 people and injuring hundreds more.
Rescuers pried open windows of twisted train cars after the accident Wednesday to reach trapped passengers as helicopters flew some victims to area hospitals.
“The government and people of Argentina give their solidarity and weigh the pain felt by the families of the victims,” President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said in a statement declaring the mourning period. Memorials will be held outside Argentina’s Government House and Olivos, the presidential residence, the state news agency Telam reported.
“Never in my life had I seen anything like this,” Transportation Secretary Juan Pablo Schiavi told reporters hours after the accident, which occurred during the height of the morning rush.
Passengers told reporters the crash sounded like a bomb blast.
The crash injured 676 people,Telam reported. Family members flooded local hospitals, clamoring for news of missing loved ones.
“The strongest impact was between the first and second car,” with the second plunging “about six meters into the first,” Federal Police spokesman Fernando Sostre said.
The train was traveling at 26 kilometers per hour (16 mph) when it entered the station around 8:30 a.m., according to Schiavi.
“We do not know what happened in the last 40 meters,” he said.
The train’s 28-year-old driver had just started his shift and had a good record, the transportation minister said.
Earlier Wednesday, Schiavi said authorities believed there were problems with the train’s brakes that caused it to smash into a barrier at the station.
Buenos Aires Trains, which runs the rail service, said it was cooperating with the federal investigation.
Wednesday’s crash was among the worst in Argentina’s history, Telam reported.
In 1970, 200 people died when two trains crashed north of Buenos Aires.
Eight years later, 56 people were killed when a train hit a truck in Argentina’s Santa Fe province, the state news agency reported.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/22/world/americas/argentina-train-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
February 29, 2012 at 2:48 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Report: 12 killed in rioting in Xinjiang, China
(CNN) — Rioting near the northwestern Chinese city of Kashgar on Tuesday left 12 people dead, according to China’s official Xinhua news agency.
The news agency said that 10 people were killed in riots in the restive Xinjiang province and police shot dead a further two people in the disturbance.
The report, which could not be independently verified, gave no details about what could have sparked the violence. It said a group of knife-wielding assailants attacked people in a market in Yecheng county.
Chinese authorities have blamed militants of Uighur descent for outbreaks of violence in Xinjiang in recent years. Uighurs are ethnic Turks who are linguistically, culturally and religiously distinct from China’s majority Han population.
Beijing claims overseas-based militant Uighur groups linked to the East Turkistan Islamic Movement that allegedly trains in Pakistan have been fomenting trouble in the region.
The rioting coincides with the opening of a new 3.64 billion yuan ($579 million) highway linking Kashgar to Yecheng which lies 155 miles (258 km) to the south of the city.
In December, Chinese authorities killed seven Uighurs in a bid to free two hostages kidnapped in the rural county of Pishan, near Yecheng, in an incident which the Stockholm-based World Uighur Congress disputes.
The WUC said the deaths occurred when police opened fire on a demonstration outside a police bureau where Uighurs were protesting a recent security crackdown in Hotan city.
Xinjiang was rocked by the worst violence in decades in July 2009 when rioting between Uighurs and Han Chinese left nearly 200 people dead and 1,700 injured in the regional capital Urumqi.
The massive security clampdown in the wake of the violence has angered many Uighurs, who make up more than half of the 9 million people that live in the far western region of China, who say police have been behind a series disappearances.
Authorities in Xinjiang said last month they plan to recruit 8,000 extra police officers as China strengthens security in the run-up to a major leadership transition later this year.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/29/world/asia/china-riots/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
February 29, 2012 at 5:38 pm
Haruna Mohammed
7 killed as storm system slashes central U.S.
(CNN) — A storm system that produced a number of tornadoes in the Midwest was blamed for at least seven deaths in two states, officials said Wednesday.
At least three people were killed when a tornado touched down in Harrisburg, Illinois, early Wednesday, the Saline County Sheriff’s Office said. About 100 others were injured.
The number of fatalities in Harrisburg could rise, the city’s mayor said, in the wake of the twister that appeared to have been on the ground for several miles, said the city’s mayor, Eric Gregg. The path of destruction was about three or four football fields wide, he said.
The scene in the southern part of Harrisburg, where the tornado struck, was one of debris and collapsed houses. Commercial and residential buildings were crushed. A tractor-trailer could be seen laying on its side, off the highway.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/29/us/kansas-severe-weather/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
March 1, 2012 at 6:45 am
Haruna Mohammed
FHM Philippines scraps cover in racism storm
n the Philippines, the men’s magazine FHM has scrapped the cover of its March issue after accusations it was racist.
It featured actress Bela Padilla standing in front of two black models with the caption “stepping out of the shadows”.
FHM Philippines was flooded with criticism on social networking sites, the majority apparently from incensed, dark-skinned Filipinos after the cover was posted online.
FHM pulled the shot and apologised, saying: “In our pursuit to come up with edgier covers, we will strive to be more sensitive.”
Bela Padilla spoke to the BBC’s Mishal Husain
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-17196449
March 2, 2012 at 7:47 am
Haruna Mohammed
Nicolas Sarkozy hides in bar to avoid protest
Hundreds of angry protesters have booed French President Nicolas Sarkozy, forcing him to take shelter in a bar as he campaigned in the Basque country ahead of April’s presidential election.
Some in the crowd then threw eggs at the bar, which was guarded by riot police in the south-western town of Bayonne.
Mr Sarkozy described the protesters – Basque nationalists and supporters of his rival Socialist candidate Francois Hollande – as “hooligans”.
He left the bar after about an hour.
source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17228029
March 5, 2012 at 11:13 am
Haruna Mohammed
Ammo dump explodes in Congo, killing 200
(CNN) — A series of explosions at an ammunition depot killed 200 people and wounded about 2,000 more in Brazzaville, the capital of Africa’s Republic of Congo, Congolese officials said Monday.
The explosions occurred shortly after 8 a.m. Sunday (2 a.m. ET) when a fire at the depot set off a cache of tank shells, said Betu Bangana, director of protocol for President Denis Sassou-Nguesso. Bangana said at least 200 people had been confirmed dead by Monday morning, and many bodies may be “unfindable.”
Ministry of Information press attache Bruno Impene said hospitals were overflowing, with the wounded lying in the corridors. The blasts destroyed numerous homes in the neighborhoods surrounding the installation, Bangana said.
The force of the explosions broke windows up to 5 km (3 miles) away in Kinshasa, the capital of the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo. The DRC’s military responded by putting tanks and troops on the streets and the banks of the Congo River, which separates the two cities, until it became clear that no attack on the capital was under way.
Impene said a short circuit the suspected cause of the fire. Authorities are treating the blaze as accidental, Bangana said.
SOURCE: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/05/world/africa/congo-explosion/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
March 7, 2012 at 8:02 am
Haruna Mohammed
Poland train crash
There are dozens of dead and injured after a head-on collision between two trains in the Polish village of Szczekociny. One ended up on the wrong set of rails during maintenance work in the area, authorities said. The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, visited the disaster scene and called it the country’s worst rail accident in many years
source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2012/mar/04/poland-train-crash-video
March 7, 2012 at 6:30 pm
ADJEI MENSAH
Fire Guts Lands Commission Offices in Accra
A fire outbreak Thursday morning has destroyed portions of the Lands commission building in Accra.
The building which is near the Cantonments post office is said to have been badly destroyed along with several documents belonging to the Lands commission.
According to the night watchman, the fire started about 5am. He said the fire started in one department and quickly spread to other departments.
Seven offices serving the records department, the accounts and the client service units were razed, destroying property including air conditioners, files, furniture and computers worth thousands of Ghana Cedis.
DO1 Anna Obeng, District Fire Officer at the Ghana Trade Fair District at La in Accra, said six pumps including one from the the military were exhausted before the fire was brought under control, adding that two more tankers from the Fire Service Headquarters had also been brought in as stand-by to avert any eventuality .
Deputy Superintendant of Police Freeman Kumashie, deputy operations commander for Accra Police Region, said police personnel had been deployed to maintain law and order and to protect the offices….
GBC/GNA
March 7, 2012 at 6:35 pm
MUSAH DRAMANI
Fire guts Suame Magazine
Friday, February 24, 2012 9:09 AM
Property running into hundreds of thousands of Ghana cedis were lost when fire swept through part of the Suame Magazine in Kumasi on Wednesday night.
It left five metal containers and seven wooden structures containing vehicle spare parts, gallons of engine oil and upholstery materials completely wrecked.
Mr Philip Aheng-Mensah, Ashanti Regional Fire Commander told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that but for the timely response of firefighters, it would have been more devastating.
He said the fire could have spread to destroy vehicles packed at garages in the area.
It took personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) 30 minutes to put out the fire, which started at about 2130 hours.
The cause of the fire is yet to be established.
Source: GNA
March 7, 2012 at 6:43 pm
MASAWUDU
Three confirmed dead in Abeka-Lapaz accident
March 1, 2012 Posted by: VibeGhana
Three persons have been confirmed dead while two others received injuries in an accident involving four vehicles on Tuesday evening at Abeka – Lapaz in Accra.
The vehicles comprise an articulated Benz Cargo truck, a mini Hyundai passenger bus, a Benz bus and a Nissan taxi cab.
The dead are the driver of the Hyundai bus, Ofori Asimang, 36, and two of his passengers, Happy Agbogbo and another female yet to be identified.
Deputy Superintendent of Polic Ernest Acheampong of the Accra North Division of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Tesano that two of the victims, Raphael Dogbatse, 30, and Samuel Baah, who were also passengers on the Hyundai bus, are responding to treatment at the Police Hospital in Accra…
.Residents around the accident area, however, blamed the accident on the absence of traffic control officers when there had been a power outage. GNA
March 7, 2012 at 6:54 pm
MASAWUDU
A Pitiable Fatality – Peace FM Online
Kumasi, ghana
The accident happened at around 7 am, as the children – who were aged between eight and twelve – were waiting for a bus to take them to school … Traffic accidents are common in Ghana, which has poor vehicle maintenance, inadequate driver …
Source: Ghana Accident – Crash Reports
March 7, 2012 at 6:55 pm
MASAWUDU
“Okada” road crashes on the increase – GhanaWeb
Accra, ghana
The motorbike was mangled. Mukaila was not wearing a crash helmet at the time of the accident though he had one hanging on his motorbike. The driver and other passersby managed to rescue Mukaila, who sustained serious head and arm injuries, and sent him to …
March 8, 2012 at 7:18 am
Haruna Mohammed
Tropical Storm Irina kills 73 in Madagascar
(CNN) — At least 73 people are dead and more than 21,000 people homeless after Tropical Storm Irina struck Madagascar, an official with the nation’s disaster bureau said Wednesday.
One person has been injured, and two more are missing, according to Setra Rakotomandrindra of the National Bureau of Natural Catastrophes.
About 21,235 people are homeless, he said, and a total of 67,911 people have been affected, mostly in the southeastern part of the island nation. The government was using tents to house those who need shelter, he said.
Irina was Madagascar’s second violent storm in two weeks, according to the IRIN news agency, a service of the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Cyclone Giovanna wreaked havoc on Madagascar last month, IRIN said. But “while most people had been warned of Giovanna’s destructive potential, Irina took the Indian Ocean island largely by surprise, destroying roads and houses already weakened by the first cyclone.”
More than 100 people have died during the nation’s current cyclone season, which usually runs from January to March, IRIN said.
Most of the casualties were in the southeastern town of Ifanadiana, where a mudslide swallowed homes and caused a traffic accident involving a minibus, according to IRIN.
Main roads in Madagascar have been reopened as of Wednesday, Rakotomandrindra said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/07/world/africa/madagascar-storm-deaths/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
March 8, 2012 at 12:02 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Fears of disruption as big solar storm strikes the Earth
The Earth is currently being battered by a storm of charged particles from the Sun, which could disrupt power grids, satellite navigation and plane routes.
The storm – the largest in five years – will bombard the Earth’s magnetic field throughout Thursday.
It was triggered by a pair of solar flares – the largest of their kind – earlier this week.
As a result, the Northern Lights may be visible at lower latitudes.
The effects will be most intense in polar regions, and aircraft may be advised to change their routings to avoid these areas.
In the UK, the best chance to see them will be on Thursday night, the British Geological Survey says.
The Sun’s activity rises and falls through an 11-year cycle, and has in recent months been seen to launch more of the solar flares that are causing the current storm.
The cycle is due to peak in 2013.
The flares have resulted in what is known as a coronal mass ejection, “the technical term for what is really just a big ball of gas travelling at 2,000 kilometres per second”, according to Doug Biesiecker from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa).
The incoming cloud of charged particles could affect satellites and will launch a geomagnetic storm in the Earth’s protective magnetic field, Mr Beisiecker told the BBC.
“This magnetic field keeps harmful radiation out. Now, the geomagnetic storm isn’t going to take that magnetic field away from the Earth, but… it’s going to shake it.
“And if you shake a magnetic field you generate things like electric currents in the atmosphere and say, in the power grid that criss-crosses pretty much every country on the planet now.”
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17295337
March 13, 2012 at 6:39 am
Haruna Mohammed
Scores missing in Bangladesh ferry accident
At least 150 people have been reported missing after a ferry carrying around 200 passengers sunk in Bangladesh, police said, adding that about 35 people were rescued.
The double-decker Shariatpur 1 ferry was hit on Tuesday early morning by another vessel in the middle of the Meghna River southeast of the Bangladeshi capital city of Dhaka, Shahidul Islam, a local police chief told AFP news agency.
“About 35 passengers were rescued by another ferry. But more than 150 passengers remain unaccounted for,” Islam said.
Local police chief Mohammad Shahabuddin Khan said rescue workers were trying to locate the sunken ferry in the river in Munshiganj district, around 32 kilometres away from the capital.
Coastguards, fire brigade and police rescue workers also rushed to the site after the accident at 2:30 am (2030 GMT Monday).
Estimates as to how many people were on board the ferry varied.
Khan put the number at close to 200, while Dulal Dewan, a survivor, told reporters that about 300 people were on board when the ferry sank.
It is difficult to get a reliable estimate as ferry operators rarely keep a list of passengers. Most passengers buy tickets once on board.
Ferry accidents, often blamed on overcrowding, faulty vessels and lax rules, are common in Bangladesh, a low lying delta nation of 160 million people.
In April last year 32 people were killed after a passenger vessel sank in the Meghna river after colliding with a cargo ship.
source:http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2012/03/20123134506785234.html
March 14, 2012 at 7:00 am
Haruna Mohammed
28 killed in Swiss bus crash
(CNN) — A bus crashed into a tunnel in Switzerland, killing 28 people, including 22 children, Tuesday night, police said.
Another 24 children were injured in the wreck, police said.
The bus was on its way back to Belgium from a ski trip. It slammed into a highway tunnel in Sierre in the Swiss canton of Valais.
Switzerland has 26 cantons, or districts.
The bus was carrying 52 people in total: two bus divers, four other adults and 46 children.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/14/world/europe/switzerland-bus-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
March 15, 2012 at 7:14 am
Haruna Mohammed
Strong earthquake hits Japan
Tokyo (CNN) — A 6.8-magnitude earthquake shook northeastern Japan on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The Japanese Meteorological Agency issued a brief tsunami advisory, warning of a half-meter wave. The tsunami advisory was called off a short time after the agency issued it.
The quake was centered about 270 kilometers (170 miles) off the east coast.
There were no immediate reports of damage, police said.
This temblor comes three days after the one-year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that killed thousands in Japan, and triggered the world’s worst nuclear crisis in a quarter century.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/14/world/asia/japan-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
March 15, 2012 at 7:17 am
Haruna Mohammed
Bangladesh ferry death toll rises to more than 100
Dhaka, Bangladesh (CNN) — At least 112 bodies have been recovered after a packed ferry capsized in Bangladesh, police said Wednesday.
At least 35 survivors have been rescued, said local police chief Shahabuddin Khan, who is supervising the rescue operation.
Khan could not say how many people were on the ferry when it sank early Tuesday in southern Bangladesh.
The MV Shariatpur-1 sank in the Meghna River after colliding with a cargo ferry while passengers slept, a survivor said.
“We were seven in a cabin in the ferry, and six of my family members are still missing,” Mohammad Dulal Dewan told CNN Tuesday.
“Everything happened before I could understand anything.”
The 55-year-old survivor said he “jumped into the river and was rescued by people in another passing ferry.”
Dewan and his family were traveling to Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital, to see his brother-in-law off to the United States. Shamim Fakir was scheduled to fly on his U.S. trip early Wednesday, Dewan said. He was still missing Tuesday evening.
Khan, the police chief, said Tuesday that divers from the Bangladesh navy and the Fire Service and Civil Defence took part in the operation alongside police and the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority.
About 30 people were initially rescued after the ferry collided with the cargo boat on the river in Munshiganj district, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Dhaka. The ferry was traveling to the nation’s capital from Shariatpur district.
Ferry accidents are common on Bangladesh’s vast river network. Hundreds of people die in such accidents every year as the operators often ignore rules. Nearly 4,000 people are estimated to have lost their lives in ferry accidents since 1977.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/14/world/asia/bangladesh-ferry-sinking/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
March 15, 2012 at 7:32 am
Haruna Mohammed
Swiss bus crash: Belgium prepares to repatriate bodies
The Belgian authorities are preparing to fly home the bodies of 22 children and six adults killed in a coach crash in Switzerland.
Two C-130 Hercules military planes are on standby. The Belgian cabinet is due to hold an urgent meeting shortly.
The coach, carrying 52 people back to Belgium following a skiing trip, struck a wall head-on in a tunnel on Tuesday.
Relatives of the victims were later flown to Switzerland, many still unsure about the fate of their children.
Another 24 children were injured, some critically, in the late night accident near the town of Sierre, in the southern Swiss canton of Valais.
It was the most serious traffic accident in Switzerland’s history for decades.
The Belgian foreign ministry said most of the children were aged about 12, and the bus was one of three hired by a Christian group. The other two reached Belgium safely.
The children had spent a week skiing in Val d’Anniviers in the Swiss Alps.
Those on board the bus that crashed were from the Stekske primary school in Lommel, near the Dutch border, and from St Lambertus in Heverlee, near Leuven (Louvain).
Although most of the victims are Belgian, Swiss officials say the dead include seven Dutch children. Among those injured are three Dutch, one Pole and one German.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17376620
March 19, 2012 at 5:39 pm
Abdul-Rahaman Mamdud
By Scott Stump
TODAY.com contributor
updated 3/19/2012 9:28:06 AM ET
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The family of a Florida teen fatally shot by a neighborhood watch volunteer last month is speaking out, saying that the shooting was unprovoked —and racially motivated.
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Trayvon Martin, 17, was killed by George Zimmerman in a Sanford, Fla., gated community on the evening of Feb. 26 as he returned from a trip to a local 7-Eleven. Martin and his father were visiting family friends there. Zimmerman claimed he shot Martin in self defense, and has not been charged with a crime.
Video: Mom: Teen targeted due to of ‘color of his skin’ (on this page)
But Martin’s family is pointing to 911 calls released by police on Friday that they say depict a terrified teenager who was being chased by Zimmerman. Martin was found face down, unarmed, with a bag of Skittles and an iced tea.
“(Zimmerman) was reacting to the color of his skin,’’ Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, told Matt Lauer on Monday. “He committed no crime. My son wasn’t doing anything but walking on the sidewalk, and I just don’t understand why this situation got out of control.’’
Video: 911 calls eyed in killing of Florida teen (on this page)
“Trayvon had a bag of Skittles,’’ Fulton’s attorney, Ben Crump, told Lauer. “(Zimmerman) had a nine millimeter gun. He was almost 80 pounds more weight than Trayvon Martin. This is a situation where when you…listen to those 911 tapes and the three witnesses, everyone in America is asking, when are they going to arrest Zimmerman for killing this kid in cold blood?’’
Fulton believes her son did nothing to engage Zimmerman before the deadly encounter. The family is pushing for an investigation, and Zimmerman’s arrest. The case is now in the hands of the State Attorney’s Office, which has the power to file charges or present evidence to a grand jury.
TODAY
Trayvon Martin’s mom, Sybrina Fulton, along with the family’s attorney Ben Crump told TODAY Monday that they believe the teen was killed because of “the color of his skin.”
“I just can say I’m pretty sure my son tried to get away,’’ Fulton said. “He didn’t know who this guy was. He saw him as a stranger, so he was trying to just get away from the situation. He had never had a run-in with the law. He was mild-mannered. He was a nice kid.’’
Video: Family seeks justice for slain teen
In one call, the 911 dispatcher can be heard instructing Zimmerman not to pursue Martin.
“This guy looks like he’s up to no good or on drugs or something,’’ Zimmerman tells the dispatcher. “He’s a black male. Something’s wrong with him. He’s coming to check me out.”
“Are you following him?’’ the dispatcher replies. “OK, we don’t need you to do that.’’
Several neighbors also made frantic calls, describing the struggle. “They’re wrestling right in the back of my porch,’’ one neighbor said. “The guy’s yelling “Help” and I’m not going outside.’’
“There’s someone screaming!’’ another neighbor said. “I just heard gunshots!”
A voice can be heard screaming in the background of one of the calls. Zimmerman has said the voice is his, but Martin’s family believes it is the cries of their terrified son.
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“There’s a black guy down,’’ a neighbor said in one chilling call. “It looks like he’s been shot and he’s dead.’’
“That was my baby, and he was pleading for his life,’’ Fulton told Amy Robach tearfully on TODAY Saturday. “I just don’t understand how that’s self defense. You can clearly him yelling for help.’’
Florida has a “stand your ground’’ law that makes a self-defense claim easier than it is in some other states, but Martin’s family’s attorney doesn’t believe it applies in this instance.
Family: 911 calls show shooting of black teen was not in self-defense
“I think Zimmerman has no legal recourse,’’ Crump said. “He was not at his home. He was on the sidewalk, a common area. Trayvon Martin was 70 feet away from the back door — he was almost home. Zimmerman got out of his car, did not listen to the police, and chased this kid. You can’t chase somebody and then claim self defense.’’
Zimmerman’s father has said that his son, who is Hispanic, has never discriminated against anyone. He wrote in a letter to the Orlando Sentinel that his son has been unfairly depicted as a racist by the media.
“I just don’t think his dad knows all the facts in the situation that happened,’’ Fulton said. “If something happened to his son, he would want to know more information and not just jump to conclusions.’’
More than anything, Fulton wishes for a different outcome.
“I would just want to ask him, was there a different way he could’ve handled the situation?’’ she said
March 20, 2012 at 6:57 am
Haruna Mohammed
Samba upset by racism happening “in view of children”
Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala have called on Lokomotiv Moscow to identify the fan who threw a banana at Congo’s Christopher Samba on Sunday.
The incident, which Anzhi have described as “idiotic”, took place in Moscow as the hosts won 1-0.
“We are assured that representatives of … Lokomotiv will settle this issue and the guilty will be identified and punished,” Anzhi said in a statement.
Samba said he was saddened by the incident happening close to children.
Lokomotiv have said they will publish findings of their investigation into the incident on their official website, while the Russian Football Union (RFU) has also launched its own investigation.
“The incident with Samba was simply outrageous and I’ve instructed our ethics committee to look into this,” RFU chief Sergei Fursenko told reporters.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17434648
March 20, 2012 at 7:05 am
Haruna Mohammed
Killing Of Fla. Teen Trayvon Martin Becomes National Story About Race
Now that 911 recordings show how a white Florida man continued to follow a 17-year-old black boy even after police advised him not to — and captured the sound of the man killing the unarmed youth with a shot to the chest — Trayvon Martin’s family wants the FBI to take over the investigation into his killing.
The gunman says it was an act of self defense during a Neighborhood Watch patrol.
But, “I just want answers from the police department about what happened with my son,” Trayvon’s mother, Sabrina Fulton, said during a tearful news conference on Friday. And as NPR’s Joel Rose reported on Morning Edition, the family “has lost faith in the Sanford [Fla.] police department.”
There’s a rally planned today in Sanford, Fla., to bring more attention to what has now become a national debate about what may have been a case of racial profiling that turned deadly.
If you’re just catching up on this story, Joel’s Morning Edition report wraps up the news so far and includes portions of those 911 recordings (note: the content could be disturbing to some).
source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/03/19/148905661/killing-of-fla-teen-trayvon-martin-becomes-national-story-about-race
March 22, 2012 at 6:32 am
Haruna Mohammed
Thousands protest fuel price hike in Indonesia
Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) — Thousands of protesters marched along Jakarta’s main thoroughfare to the presidential palace Wednesday, opposing government plans to increase subsidized fuel prices by 33%.
According to police estimates, between 3,000 and 5,000 protestors participated in the largely peaceful march to reject the price hike, which is expected to take effect April 1.
The fuel price hikes have triggered nationwide protests, mostly organized by student organizations and labor unions, the Jakarta Globe reported. In Makasser, capital of South Sulawesi and the largest city in east Indonesia, students clashed with anti-riot police and set a vehicle alight.
More protests are expected in the days to come.
Shubham Chaudhuri, a World Bank economist in Jakarta, says the government’s plans will try to correct an imbalance in government spending. In 2011, the government spent 2.2% of GDP on fuel subsidies “and 1.5% of GDP on infrastructure and 1% of GDP on what we would call social assistance programs,” Chaudhri said yesterday.
Indonesia’s parliament has yet to approve the proposal but the government says a rise in fuel prices is necessary on April 1. The plan was announced last week and comes after global crude oil prices have steadily risen on growing tensions with Iran, rising more than 7% this year.
Workers also marched in a separate protest Wednesday to the Ministry of Health building to demand better health benefits.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/22/business/indonesia-fuel-price-protests/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
March 22, 2012 at 6:35 am
Haruna Mohammed
Renegade Mali soldiers announce takeover
Rebel troops have appeared on Malian state TV to announce they have seized control of the country, hours after attacking the presidential palace.
The rebels said that a nationwide curfew was in force and that the constitution had been suspended.
The renegade troops had staged a mutiny on Wednesday, trading gunfire with soldiers loyal to the government.
The mutineers say the government is not giving them enough arms to tackle a rebellion by ethnic Tuaregs.
On Wednesday the mutineers had taken over the state radio and TV broadcaster in Bamako and took it off air.
After several hours of footage of traditional Malian music and dancing, a group of soldiers appeared on screen early on Thursday morning, with a caption identifying them as the “Committee for the Re-establishment of Democracy and the Restoration of the State”.
A spokesperson for the rebels, identified on screen as Lt Amadou Konare, said they had ended the “incompetent regime” of President Amadou Toumani Toure.
Lt Konare condemned the “inability” of President Toure’s government to “fight terrorism”, and said the soldiers would look to hand over to a democratically elected government.
There has not yet been any reaction from President Toure to the announcement.
Tuareg unrest
The unrest began on Wednesday as the country’s defence minister started a tour of military barracks north of the capital.
Soldiers fired in the air during the inspection, prompting an immediate strengthening of security around the presidential palace.
Troops are upset with the government’s handling of a Tuareg rebellion in the north of the country, and are also reportedly opposed to any potential talks with the rebels.
There was heavy gunfire in Bamako throughout Wednesday, and armoured vehicles had moved in to protect the presidential palace. Gunshots reportedly continued to ring out overnight.
A member of the presidential guard described the fighting to AFP news agency.
“We are in control of the presidential palace. People are shooting towards us and we are returning fire,” he said.
The BBC’s West Africa correspondent Thomas Fessy says it is unclear whether President Amadou Toumani Toure was inside the palace at the time.
In the northern town of Gao, young recruits were said to have begun rioting at a military base, according to the Associated Press.
Both the US and France have urged the soldiers and government to resolve their dispute through peaceful means.
The Tuaregs have forced the army out of several northern towns in recent months.
Earlier this week Ecowas, the West African regional organisation, urged its member states to support Mali with military equipment and logistics.
A presidential election was due to take place in the country in just under a month.
The government had so far refused to postpone the poll, despite the unrest involving Tuareg-led rebels.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17462111
March 26, 2012 at 6:44 am
0243716225haruna
7.1-magnitude earthquake strikes central Chile
(CNN) — A 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit central Chile on Sunday, injuring three people and prompting emergency officials to order an evacuation along parts of the coast.
There were no immediate reports of major damage.
The earthquake was at a depth of 21.6 miles (34.8 km) and struck 16 miles (27 km) north-northwest of Talca, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It had originally reported the quake was offshore and had a magnitude of 7.2.
No tsunami warning was issued and authorities initially canceled an evacuation order that had been issued for parts of the coast. They reissued that order late Sunday as a preventative measure.
Three people were injured as a result of the quake, emergency officials said. One person was in a traffic accident in the Biobio region and two people sustained light injuries when a ceiling collapsed.
Talca was one of the cities hit hard by a devastating 8.8-magnitude earthquake in 2010.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/25/world/americas/chile-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
March 26, 2012 at 6:47 am
Haruna Mohammed
Hong Kong appoints new leader
Hong Kong (CNN) — Protesters pushed their way past police in rowdy scenes as elite members of Hong Kong’s Election Committee decided the city-state’s next chief executive.
They chose Leung Chun-ying, known as CY Leung, a British-educated chartered surveyor and one of two candidates who were backed by Beijing.
Leung beat his nearest rival Henry Tang by a wide margin, after an uncharacteristically dirty campaign which exposed extramarital affairs and allegations of bribery.
Leung won 689 of the votes, compared to Tang’s 285. A third candidate, Democratic Party leader Albert Ho won just 76.
While most of the mudslinging during the campaign was aimed at Tang, Leung ran into his own trouble. He is currently under investigation for a conflict of interest case involving a construction project when he was in government office.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/25/world/asia/hong-kong-election/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
March 29, 2012 at 8:47 am
0243716225haruna
Sudan and South Sudan may slide back to war, world powers warn
(CNN) — Sudan and South Sudan may be sliding back toward war, the United States and other international powers are warning, amid reports that Sudan is bombing its newly independent neighbor.
The White House is “alarmed” by recent fighting in the region of Southern Kordofan, Sudan, it said in a statement Tuesday, urging both sides to “exert the greatest restraint.”
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton laid most of the blame for the recent fighting on Sudan.
On Tuesday, she called bombing runs and the use of heavy weaponry by the North “evidence of disproportionate force on the part of the government in Khartoum.”
SOURCE: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/28/world/africa/sudan-violence/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
April 2, 2012 at 6:44 am
0243716225haruna
Report: 32 dead in Siberia plane crash
(CNN) — A twin-engine plane carrying 43 people crashed upon takeoff in Siberia on Monday, killing all but 11 people on board, Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency said.
The plane had taken off from the city of Tyumen and traffic control lost contact with it immediately afterward, the news agency said.
The ATR-72 plane was carrying 39 passengers and four crew members.
Thirty two of them died, including all four crew members, the news agency said.
The 11 survivors were in intensive care, RIA-Novosti said.
Authorities could not immediately say what caused the crash. Officials have recovered the plane’s data recorders, which will help shed light on what happened in the flight’s final minutes.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/01/world/europe/russia-plane-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
April 2, 2012 at 6:46 am
0243716225haruna
Recording surfaces of alleged racial abuse by London police
(CNN) — First came the physical assaults, said the young man arrested by London police during last summer’s riots.
What followed a knee to the chest became even more personal.
One officer used a racial epithet and taunted him while another used a pejorative sexual term, according to the 21-year-old black man. It happened last August, when there was still a heavy police presence on London’s streets a day after rioting.
The remarks were captured in a recording made by the unidentified man, who said the incident “has destroyed my life, to be honest.” The recording was published Saturday on the website of The Guardian newspaper in London. CNN has not verified the authenticity of the recording but the man says it was not altered in any way.
The Crown Prosecution Service, which prosecutes cases in England and Wales, earlier this year declined to bring any criminal charges against officers, but said Friday it would review the case after the man’s lawyer threatened to take the service to court.
In the audiotape the young man, inside a police van, complains about his treatment. The disparaging comments came during an exchange between the man and the officers after his August 2011 arrest.
After using the racial epithet, one officer allegedly said, “You’ll always have black skin color. Don’t hide behind your color, yeah,” according to the recording. “Be proud. Be proud of who you are, yeah. Don’t hide behind your black skin.”
The alleged victim told ITN the officers made insulting remarks about his family and mother. Neither The Guardian nor ITN identified the man by name.
“They abused me very badly and I felt like an animal,” he said. “I felt humiliated, and it was the worst experience in my life.”
According to the Guardian, the man was arrested on a driving offense but was never prosecuted. The inquiry began after the alleged victim handed his mobile phone to officers at a police station and said he had been abused, according to The Guardian.
London’s Metropolitan Police, in a statement Friday, said it received a complaint of discriminatory behavior; assault and oppressive conduct or harassment. One officer was subsequently suspended. One was placed on restricted duties on an unrelated matter and the other remained on full duties.
The case was then referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which began an investigation. No independent witnesses came forward, the IPCC said.
“The IPCC’s investigation initially examined the actions of all eight officers inside the police van at the time the man was arrested. As the investigation progressed three officers were served with notices in connection with alleged assault and public order (use of racist language) offenses,” IPCC Commissioner Mike Franklin said in a statement.
The case next went to the Crown Prosecution Service, which in February had decided to take no action against the three officers.
It’s now pledging a new review of the matter.
Grace Ononiwu, deputy chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS London, said she had “considered the matter personally and directed that all of the evidence should be reconsidered and a fresh decision taken by a senior lawyer with no previous involvement in this matter.”
Michael Oswald, the alleged victim’s attorney, told ITN that “we were surprised” by the Crown Prosecution Service’s initial decision not to take action. He said the service made serious errors when deliberating the matter.
The alleged victim said he wants justice.
“They were really downgrading words and just the horriblest words you could ever hear, especially from someone in that sort of, that’s meant to be protecting the community.”
The National Black Police Association in the United Kingdom said the incident “once again highlights the issue of racism.”
“NBPA are deeply concerned that this issue undermines efforts to build and maintain trust and confidence of communities grappling with the impact of serious violent crime and escalating hate crimes. Moreover, questions are bound to be raised about the very fairness of our police and CJS (criminal justice system).”
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/01/world/europe/uk-police-allegations/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
April 2, 2012 at 6:49 am
Haruna Mohammed
Italy’s Mount Etna volcano erupts again
Europe’s largest volcano Mount Etna in Sicily has erupted again – the fifth time this year that it has been active.
Ash was spread around the local area, but it did not disrupt air traffic.
Watch video here : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17577784
April 3, 2012 at 7:13 am
Haruna Mohammed
Seven dead in university shooting in Oakland
At least seven people have been shot dead and several injured at a university in California, police say.
A gunman opened fire at Oikos university, a Christian college in Oakland and was later detained by police.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-17590453
April 3, 2012 at 7:16 am
Haruna Mohammed
Deadly blaze hits Moscow market warehouse
(CNN) — An early morning fire at a market in southern Moscow killed at least 12 people Tuesday, Russia RIA Novosti news agency said.
The fire burned down a two-story warehouse at the Kachalovsky market, which vendors used as living quarters, the news agency said.
It took eight teams of firefighters two hours to put out the blaze.
In an unrelated incident Monday evening, fire engulfed the top floors of an under-construction Moscow skyscraper that, when completed, will be Europe’s tallest.
No one was hurt, state media reported.
The fire at the Federation Tower broke out just before sunset and spread over the 66th and 67th floors of the building, RIA Novosti said.
When completed in 2013, the tower will have 93 floors.
Officials said insulation, tarpaulin and other construction materials left on the top floors started the blaze, the news agency said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/03/world/europe/russia-fire/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
April 3, 2012 at 7:17 am
Haruna Mohammed
6.3 earthquake hits southern Mexico
Mexico City (CNN) — A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.3 struck southern Mexico on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The quake’s epicenter was about 17 miles (27 kilometers) from Ometepec, Guerrero. It was about 7.6 miles (12 kilometers) deep, the USGS said.
There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
Officials described the quake as an aftershock of the 7.4-magnitude temblor which struck in the same area on March 20, damaging hundreds of homes.
There have been 280 aftershocks since that quake, Mexico’s National Seismological Survey reported.
Residents felt Monday’s quake in Mexico City, hundreds of miles from the epicenter. There were no initial reports of major damage in the capital, Mayor Marcelo Ebrard said on Twitter.
The USGS describes Mexico as one of the most seismically active areas of the world. The country sees an average of seven earthquakes daily with a magnitude greater than 3.0, according to Mexico’s National Seismological Service.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/02/world/americas/mexico-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
April 3, 2012 at 7:19 am
Haruna Mohammed
Small plane crashes into Florida Publix store
(CNN) — “Multiple people” were injured after a small plane crashed into an Orlando area Publix supermarket Monday evening, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said.
“All customers were evacuated safely and all Publix associates are accounted for,” Publix spokesman Dwaine Stevens said.
The store remained closed late Monday.
The first calls about the incident in DeLand, Florida, about 35 miles outside of Orlando, came about 7:20 p.m., Officer Brandon Haught with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said. Authorities were on the scene within minutes, officials added.
There was some “structural damage to the store’s roof,” Stevens said, but little else was affected.
Aerial video from local Orlando affiliate WFTV showed nearly a dozen emergency crew vehicles responding to the scene.
Two victims, both with third-degree burns, were being treated at the scene, according to CNN affiliate WESH, which cited Volusia County Sheriff’s Office officials.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/02/us/florida-plane-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
April 3, 2012 at 7:20 am
Haruna Mohammed
5 dead, thousands displaced in Fiji floods
(CNN) — Severe flooding in the Pacific island nation of Fiji has killed five people and left about 8,000 others seeking shelter in evacuation centers, a government official said Tuesday.
Tropical Cyclone Daphne has lashed Fiji’s largest and most populous island, Viti Levu, with strong winds and heavy rain.
The storm was expected to pass to the south of Fiji over the course of Tuesday. The Fiji Meteorological Service said it was maintaining its severe flood warning for “all major rivers, streams and low-lying areas” on the island.
Government officials, including Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, toured the affected areas on Monday.
Sharon Smith Johns, the government’s information secretary, said Tuesday that improving weather in some areas was allowing some Fijians to move back to their homes.
The extreme weather has disrupted both internal and external travel. Authorities on Sunday suspended inbound flights to Nadi International Airport because nearby roads were flooded. The suspension was lifted Monday but remained subject to review.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has advised its country’s citizens planning to fly into the airport “to reconsider their need to travel.”
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/02/world/asia/fiji-floods/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
April 3, 2012 at 6:03 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Rival fighters in Libya clash; casualties reported
(CNN) — At least four people were killed and dozens more injured in heavy fighting around the coastal Libyan city of Zuwara on Tuesday, a city official said.
The four killed were Zuwara militia members engaged in clashes with rival fighters from two towns bordering the city, said Ayoob Sufyan, a spokesman for the city’s local council.
Sufyan called the violence the worst in that stretch of western Libya since the fall of Tripoli in August. More than 60 people, including civilians, were wounded, and many are in very bad condition. The local hospital can barely cope with the wounded, and an appeal for blood donations has been aired on radio.
“The situation is terrible,” Sufyan told CNN. “It is a real war now.”
Libyan authorities have been struggling to maintain peace in the country.
Weapons have flooded Libya’s streets, and clashes have raged between rival groups since the Moammar Gadhafi regime was toppled last year. Last week, deadly tribal clashes in the southern city of Sabha left nearly 150 people dead.
The fighting in the Zuwara area broke out a few days ago, with people from the largely Berber town of Zuwara clashing with others from the Arab towns of Raghdalin and Jamail.
The latest hostilities started when Zuwara fighters were among a group of more than 60 who were driving back home recently from the Tunisian border where they were posted, Sufyan said.
They were intercepted by a large number of armed men, called Gadhafi loyalists by Sufyan.
He said some of the Zuwara militiamen managed to flee, but 25 others were captured and held for more than two days.
Sufyan said the men were severely beaten and tortured by their captors, who called them “rats” and “NATO agents” — terms that had been used by the Gadhafi regime to describe rebel fighters.
The National Transitional Council and government officials intervened and secured the release of the militiamen. But after they were freed, clashes broke out Sunday.
Sufyan said military support from the city of Zawiya is on its way to the region to assist the Zuwara fighters.
source : http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/03/world/africa/libya-fighting/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
April 4, 2012 at 6:55 am
Haruna Mohammed
US tornado flings trucks through the ai
A truck trailer park has been destroyed after a tornado struck in Dallas County in Texas.
There were no immediate reports of injuries but the National Weather Service declared a tornado emergency.
The service’s Mark Wiley told the BBC’s Clive Myrie that he had never seen anything like it.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-17605586
April 5, 2012 at 7:46 pm
ABU
13 dead; 600 hospitalised in Accra cholera outbreak
From: Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Joy news
At least thirteen people have been confirmed dead in the latest cholera outbreak that has hit the capital, Accra.
600 more are bed ridden in various hospitals across the capital since the first case was reported last month.
This was confirmed by Dr Edward Antwi Deputy Greater Accra region Health Director in an interview with Joy News.
According to him, Adabraka, Odawnaa, Nima, Maamobi, Newtown, Madina-Abokobi are some of the worst hit areas.
Dr. Antwi blamed the outbreak on poor personal hygiene, saying, “You get the cholera disease when food or water that has been contaminated with faecal matter; that is the faeces containing the germ is eaten.
He said food and water sources must be protected and “we have to ensure that we eat from safe places.”
He said the Directorate is liaising with the AMA to disinfect areas identified as worst hit.
Meanwhile, the AMA has begun prosecuting land lords who do not have places of convenience in their homes.
The move is part of efforts to ensure cleanliness in the region.
April 5, 2012 at 7:55 pm
ABU
Mali’s Dictator Is Overthrown in Coup
Tweet(AP) Soldiers overthrew Mali’s military dictator today after days of rioting and promised to replace Gen. Moussa Traore’s “bloodthirsty and corrupt regime” with a multiparty democracy. At least 59 people were reported killed in violence after the overnight coup, including two top Traore supporters who were burned to death. General Traore had ruled this West African nation for 23 years. “The army will no longer meddle in politics,” the coup leader, Lieut. Col. Amadou Toumani Toure, pledged in a radio broadcast. He said that “the army will return to its barracks” after establishing “social justice and total democracy.” General Traore’s whereabouts was not known, although the state radio said he was under arrest. Unconfirmed reports said the President had been caught at the airport as he…
April 12, 2012 at 8:39 am
Haruna Mohammed
7.0-magnitude quake strikes western Mexico
Mexico City (CNN) — An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.0 struck near Mexico’s western coast on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The epicenter of the quake was 32 miles (51 kilometers) southwest of La Mira, Michoacan, USGS said.
The U.S. agency said the quake was about 40 miles (65 kilometers) deep. Mexico’s National Seismological Service reported its depth at 10 miles (16 kilometers), and said its magnitude was 6.4.
Residents felt the quake in Mexico’s capital, 350 miles (560 km) from the epicenter.
There were no immediate reports of damages or injuries.
An aerial survey of the capital showed no major damage, Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard said in a Twitter post.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/11/world/americas/mexico-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
April 12, 2012 at 8:44 am
Haruna Mohammed
Earthquakes shake Gulf of California
(CNN) — A pair of strong earthquakes rocked Mexico’s Gulf of California only minutes apart early Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
The quakes — magnitude 6.9 and 6.2 — were centered about 85 miles northeast of Guerrero Negro in the Mexican state of Baja California, or 325 miles south-southwest of Phoenix in the United States. Both epicenters were shallow, a little more than six miles underground.
No tsunami warnings were issued and there were no immediate reports of damage, but people as far north as Tucson, Arizona, reported feeling them.
The temblors were recorded at 12:16 a.m. and 12:06 a.m. local time (3:16 a.m. and 3;06 a.m. ET).
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/12/world/americas/mexico-earthquakes/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
April 12, 2012 at 9:47 am
Haruna Mohammed
Tsunami fears after Indian Ocean earthquake rocks Indonesia
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/tsunami-fears-after-indian-ocean-earthquake-rocks-indonesia-20120411-1wsbl.html#ixzz1romFCFvy
A MASSIVE earthquake has hit beneath the ocean 346 kilometres south-west of Aceh, prompting tsunami warnings for as far away as India, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Thailand.
However, late yesterday, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said it appeared there would be no tsunami as a result.
The quake hit at 3.38pm local time (6.38pm AEST) and registered 8.7. Aftershocks of up to 6.5 also rattled the province. But Indonesia’s disaster agency reported no significant damage to buildings at the closest major city, Banda Aceh.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/tsunami-fears-after-indian-ocean-earthquake-rocks-indonesia-20120411-1wsbl.html#ixzz1romMKnbN
source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/tsunami-fears-after-indian-ocean-earthquake-rocks-indonesia-20120411-1wsbl.html
April 12, 2012 at 9:49 am
Haruna Mohammed
5 die after earthquake near Indonesia
Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) — Five people died after two major earthquakes struck near Indonesia, authorities said Thursday.
Three of the people died from heart attacks while the others died of shock after two earthquakes struck Wednesday, officials with Indonesia’s Disaster Mitigation Agency said.
The first massive earthquake struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Wednesday afternoon, triggering a tsunami watch for the Indian Ocean, which was later canceled. It was an 8.6-magnitude quake.
The second large quake, with a magnitude of 8.2, occurred off the west coast of Sumatra about two hours later, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
There were no immediate reports of major damage.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/12/world/asia/indonesia-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
April 16, 2012 at 6:24 am
0243716225haruna
Portuguese leaders condemn Guinea-Bissau coup
(CNN) — A group of Portuguese-speaking countries condemned a coup that has roiled the tiny nation of Guinea-Bissau, plunging the African country into more chaos after nearly four decades of instability.
Foreign ministers from the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries group discussed the coup at a gathering in Lisbon, Portugal, on Saturday.
Guinea-Bissau is a member of the group, which also includes Portugal, Angola, Mozambique and Brazil.
Coups and coup attempts are common in Guinea-Bissau since it won its independence from Portugal in 1974.
In the latest coup, soldiers took Acting President Raimundo Pereira and Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Jr. into custody Thursday night, sparking international condemnation.
Both leaders are well and alive, said Daba Naualna, a spokesman for the army’s chief of staff. He said a group called the military command was behind the arrests, though it was unclear who its members are.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/15/world/africa/guinea-bissau-coup/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
April 16, 2012 at 7:10 am
Haruna Mohammed
An interesting info about the phenomenon that will occur in 2012.
Three giant plane space (alien) was heading for Earth. Scientists predict that the new ships will arrive in November 2012. Meeting people with UFOs continue to rise, as documented in the WWN (world weekly news). And today scientists at the SETI (Search for Extra terrestrial Intelligence), an independent non-commercial organization, make a big announcement:”Three giant space ships are heading toward Earth. One of the largest of the three is as wide as 200 mil. And two others slightly smaller.
For now, it’s just moving objects around the planet Jupiter. Looking at speed, they will arriveat Earth in 2012,” said John Malley, head of space agency experts in SETI.
SETI Experts predict a similar giant Three ships will land in China and the Sea of Indonesia in November 2012. They were identified as an alien spaceship from Planet Gootan. The Gootan and its space plane has been detected by the search system HAARP. Sistem based in Alaska, which designed to study the phenomenon of a light from the north.
According to SETI researchers, the object of HAARP is captured spacecraft. They will be visible in the telescope optics after the position reached Mars orbit, which is usually always seen in November. And the U.S government has also informed about this. SETI researchers havespent fifty years in space monitoring. Dr. Malley said that they had to convince and prove that “we only new comer in the world and are still being investigated. Many believe that there are other civilizations in space other than our own civilization. “Wikileaks has just released secret. All documents that provethat NASA and U.S officials aware of the three spacecraft and are already making plans for his battle with the spacecraft. But the Americans deliberately with hold information from the U.S public for decades, including President Obama (read moreteory conspiracy that Obama is still mystery). Wikileaks also confirmed that UFO sightings over the past three months prove that the alien invasion has begun. The three spacecraft will mark the official start of the foreign invasion. Malley said that a Chinese official, Mao Kan, has gained morethan than 1,000 NASA photographs that depict not only the secrets of human footprints, but even adead man in the Moon’s surface.
Read more: http://socyberty.com/paranormal/aircraft-ufo-landed-in-indonesia-and-china-november-2012/#ixzz1sBWgxMo8
April 16, 2012 at 11:47 pm
Abdul-Rahaman Mamdud
(CNN) — After a relative dropoff in deaths in recent days, violence in Syria ratcheted up again Monday — including a fierce military offensive in Idlib reported by opposition activists — just as U.N. observers began monitoring a tenuous cease-fire.
The Local Coordination Committees of Syria, an opposition network, reported 55 deaths across the embattled Middle Eastern nation on Monday, a notable uptick from the at least 13, 30 and 28 deaths it counted on Friday, Saturday and Sunday respectively.
“The news has not been good,” U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters Monday. “It appears that the fragile cease-fire is eroding.”
Until Monday, the recent numbers were below the norm that had been reported earlier this month, when opposition groups regularly claimed regime forces were killing 50 or more people a day. On four days, more than 100 people were purported to have died.
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CNN cannot independently verify reports of violence and deaths, as the government has severely restricted access by international media.
The death toll for Monday threatened to spike further, as opposition activists reported Syrian forces had launched a fierce military offensive in the city of Idlib.
Fighters with the rebel Free Syrian Army told activists in neighboring Binnish that Idlib residents were trapped in their homes as the sound of sniper fire and explosions rang out in the streets. The activists said helicopter gunfire and mortar shells were pounding the city
Opposition fighters said bodies littered the streets, though it was difficult to confirm the number of dead amid the ongoing violence, the activists said. While the LCC reported at least 26 deaths Monday in that northern Syrian city, one activist estimated at least 100 people had been killed.
The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency quoted an unnamed military source Monday as saying that “armed terrorists” were behind the violence, a claim made repeatedly over the past year by the Syrian regime.
The news agency reported that aggression by the groups had “hysterically escalated” since the start of the cease-fire, which was to begin by Thursday morning.
That agreement was brokered by Kofi Annan, a former U.N. secretary-general who is serving as an envoy from the United Nations and the Arab League trying to curb the bloodshed.
Annan will be in Qatar on Tuesday to participate in an Arab League meeting and hold talks with top officials from the league, said his spokesman, Ahmad Fawzi.
Six U.N. observers who are part of the international effort arrived in Syria on Sunday, a day after the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to authorize such a monitoring mission.
They will be “liaising with the Syrian government, security forces and the opposition members to establish the monitoring process across the country,” said Kieran Dwyer, a spokesman for peacekeeping missions at the United Nations.
As many as 250 more observers, who will be unarmed, could join them later. Such a larger deployment, though, is contingent on how the cease-fire holds and if discussions between Syria and Annan make progress.
“It is the Syrian government’s responsibility to guarantee freedom of access, freedom of movement within the country,” U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday. “They should be allowed to freely move to any places where they will be able to observe this cessation of violence.”
Meanwhile, a U.N. human rights panel tasked with investigating the situation in Syria said Monday it is “seriously concerned” about accounts of government forces shelling neighborhoods and using heavy weaponry since Thursday.
The Commission of Inquiry on Syria also said it had received “reports of human rights abuses committed by anti-government armed groups engaged in fighting against the Syrian army during and after the cease-fire, including extra-judicial killings of soldiers captured during armed confrontations.”
Armed opposition fighters said Monday that they aren’t waiting to see how the cease-fire holds. They are gathering more weapons to fight the regime just in case the agreement falls apart.
Syrian expats debate cease-fire deal
Syrian refugees too scared to return
“We are preparing ourselves for the next stage if the Annan mission fails,” Capt. Amar Wawi, leader of the Ababil Battalion of opposition fighters based in Aleppo, said from the Syria-Turkey border. “We will then use this equipment against the Assad thugs.”
He is part of the Free Syrian Army, which consists mostly of Syrian military defectors with members fighting in separate groups or battalions operating in different towns.
Lt. Abdullah Oda, an opposition fighter in Istanbul, said he was in Iraq last week brokering a deal to send weapons, including anti-tank missiles, to the Free Syrian Army.
“They got this equipment from rebel supporters in the Iraqi-Syrian border,” Oda said. “Now the Free Syrian Army are going to get more weapons, more new things which we need strategically on the ground against tanks and against armor. We accept the cease-fire, but that doesn’t mean we are not preparing ourselves. Because we don’t trust the regime. The regime is going to kill people.”
If the cease-fire fails, he said, “We will answer back with huge operations all over the place.”
Many world leaders have said the Syrian government is targeting dissidents seeking democracy and the ouster of al-Assad, whose family has ruled Syria for 42 years.
The United States is “gravely concerned” about continuing violence, Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Monday. If the cease-fire does not hold, she said, that “will call into question the wisdom and viability of sending in the full monitoring presence.”
The United Nations estimates at least 9,000 people have died since the protests began, while others put the death toll at more than 11,000.
April 17, 2012 at 6:34 am
Haruna Mohammed
Strong earthquake strikes Chile; no serious damage reported
(CNN) — A strong earthquake struck coastal Chile about 26 miles (42 kilometers) from the port city of Valparaiso late Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
The 6.7-magnitude quake knocked out some power and phone lines in the region, but there were no immediate reports of major damage, authorities said.
The temblor was felt in the capital city, Santiago, located 69 miles from the epicenter. A CNN en Español anchor held onto his desk as the quake rattled the studio during a newscast in Huechurba, a suburb of the capital.
“We could feel the ground shaking,” said journalist Richard Madan. “It felt like we were standing on a subway track but multiply that by about 200.”
Madan, of CNN’s Canadian affiliate CTV, is in Santiago as part of the traveling press for Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s visit there.
Both he and the Canadian delegation were okay, Madan said.
No tsunami warning was issued, according to Chile’s Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service, although the government did issue a “mandated preventive evacuation off the coast of Tangoy and Constitution.”
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/17/world/americas/chile-quake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
April 17, 2012 at 6:36 am
Haruna Mohammed
Oklahoma tornado claims sixth victim
Woodward, Oklahoma (CNN) — The death toll from a weekend tornado in Woodward, Oklahoma rose to six Monday with the death of a critically injured man in the hospital, a city official said.
The man, whose name has not been released, died at a hospital in Amarillo, Texas, about 160 miles away, Woodward emergency manager Matt Lehenbauer said.
His wife remains hospitalized in critical condition, Lehenbauer said.
The storm struck after midnight Sunday, taking aim at the Hidden Valley Mobile Home Park in Woodward, killing Frank Hobbie and his two young daughters, ages 5 and 7.
Two other victims, Derrin Juul and a 10-year-old girl presumed to be Juul’s daughter, died when powerful winds rolled their car several times, Woodward Mayor Roscoe Hill said.
The Woodward storm was one of dozens of tornadoes believed to have been spawned by a furious storm system that wreaked havoc across large swaths of 10 states in the Midwest and Plains over the weekend.
The only known casualties occurred in the northern Oklahoma city of about 12,000, about 85 miles west of Enid. At least 29 people were injured, officials said.
By early Monday, the National Weather Service lifted the last of widespread tornado watches in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Iowa and Illinois after threats of another furious outbreak of tornadoes never materialized. Strong thunderstorms remained a possibility during the early morning hours, the service said.
The weather service’s Storm Prediction Center received 10 reports of tornadoes Sunday — the last a reported touchdown in McLeod County in Minnesota — and 122 reports of tornadoes Saturday.
Officials credited working early warning systems elsewhere in the region with preventing more fatalities.
Advisories from the system were issued two days in advance, rather than just hours, and were “remarkably accurate,” said Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback. “People took it very seriously.”
But in Woodward, Oklahoma, where 89 homes and 13 businesses were destroyed, the storm took out the transmitter for the tornado warning siren system. “We lost our manual override” when the electricity was knocked out, City Manager Alan Riffel said.
Given that and timing of the tornado — after midnight, and after other severe weather had barreled through — Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin said, the human cost could have been even worse.
“It’s remarkable that we didn’t have more loss of life in Woodward,” she said late Sunday afternoon.
Fallin has declared a state of disaster emergency in 12 counties in order to help expedite resources.
In southwest Iowa, residents of Thurman were digging through debris after a tornado struck Saturday.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/16/us/midwest-storms/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
April 18, 2012 at 7:29 am
Haruna Mohammed
Volcanic activity recorded at mountain near Mexico City
Mexico City (CNN) — Scientists recorded continuing volcanic activity Tuesday in Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano, which sits just southeast of Mexico City and its more than 19 million residents.
Local government officials and residents began taking precautions, with schools in the zone near the volcano closing Tuesday and the government advising residents to close windows and avoid the outdoors.
Activity had decreased in Popocatepetl overnight, but eight exhalations of low intensity were recorded, Mexico’s National Center for the Prevention of Disasters said.
A low-amplitude tremor lasting 40 minutes early Tuesday morning was also felt, the agency said.
Officials placed the alert at Popocatepetl — which means “Smoking Mountain” in the native Nahuatl language — at Yellow Level 3. This means there is a probability of explosive activity of an intermediate to high scale, an eruption of lava and a spewing of ash.
A glow was visible inside the crater overnight, the agency said.
Popocatepetl is one of Mexico’s highest peaks and last had a major eruption in 2000. It is located in a national park southeast of Mexico City and can be seen from there on a clear day.
Already, scientists have observed a continuous column of water vapor and moderate amounts of ash rising from the crater. Falling ash was reported in the city of Puebla, the capital of the state.
A 7-mile perimeter around the volcano has been cleared, and the Puebla state government asked residents to limit travel between cities near the volcano.
To guard against falling ash, residents should close doors and windows, cover water tanks and food and avoid outdoor activities, the government said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/17/world/americas/mexico-volcano/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
April 19, 2012 at 6:53 am
0243716225haruna
Sudan president seeks to ‘liberate’ South Sudan
Sudan President Omar al-Bashir has said his main goal is now to “liberate” the people of South Sudan from its rulers following recent border clashes.
The former rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has ruled South Sudan since it seceded from Sudan in July 2011.
President Bashir described the SPLM as “insects” that needed to be eliminated.
Fighting between the two countries has now spread to another area, further adding to fears of all-out war.
South Sudan seized the Heglig oil field – generally recognised as Sudanese territory – eight days ago. On Tuesday fighting broke out north of Aweil in South Sudan, about 100 miles (160km) west of Heglig.
The South Sudanese military said 22 soldiers had been killed, with casualties on both sides.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17761949
April 20, 2012 at 11:28 am
0243716225haruna
Official: Helicopter crashes in Afghanistan, likely killing 4 Americans
(CNN) — A Black Hawk helicopter crashed Thursday in southern Afghanistan, likely killing all four of its crew members — all of them Americans — a U.S. military official said.
The crash occurred in bad weather, though the official said, “We cannot yet rule out enemy action.”
Troops at a combat outpost in the area waiting to be picked up saw the crash happen, the official said. Another helicopter flying nearby was not affected.
Fatal helicopter crashes involving members of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force are not unprecedented in Afghanistan, with some of the aircraft brought down by enemy fire while others crashed for mechanical reasons.
The single deadliest loss for U.S. troops since the Afghan war began in late 2001 happened in August, when 30 U.S. service members died when a helicopter carrying them went down while they were reinforcing other troops, officials said. Seven Afghan troops died in that same crash.
A U.S. military official said then that insurgents were believed to have shot down the CH-47 Chinook. The Taliban claimed that militants downed the helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade.
More recently, 12 people died last month when a helicopter crashed last month in Afghanistan’s capital city of Kabul. Capt. David Yaryar, an ISAF spokesman, said there was no reported “insurgent activity in the area” at the time.
source : http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/19/world/asia/us-afghanistan-helicopter-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
April 20, 2012 at 4:33 pm
0243716225haruna
Official: Plane crashes in Pakistan; 121 people on board
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) — A commercial airplane carrying at least 121 people crashed Friday in Rawalpindi just before it was to land at an airport in Islamabad, according to Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority, which cited poor weather as a possible factor.
The Bhoja Air Boeing 737 was on its first flight from Karachi to Islamabad, authority spokesman Pervaz George told CNN, who said weather conditions in the capital were cloudy. Officials initially reported that 131 people were on board, but George later reduced that number.
There were no survivors.
The crash occurred near the Chaklala airbase, which the Pakistani air force uses, and is adjacent to the Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Islamabad.
Debris was scattered across the crash site as workers sifted through the wreckage in the heavily populated residential area.
The Bhoja airliner was flying from the southern seaport city of Karachi and crashed just before touching down, officials said.
The crash site was about five aeronautical miles from the airport in Islamabad, authorities said. The flight had lasted roughly 3½ hours.
Weather reports indicate conditions in the area included thunderstorms and limited visibility, according to CNN meteorologist Mari Ramos.
Authorities are investigating what may have caused the crash and the potential for additional casualties at the crash site.
Investigators are “going to be looking at technology,” aviation security consultant Greg Feith said. “What kind of radio equipment, what kind of ground proximity warning system the aircraft was equipped with, weather radar, things like that … since the weather may be a factor in this accident.”
In 2010,152 people were killed when a Pakistani passenger plane crashed on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital.
That plane was also was coming from Karachi when it crashed into a hillside while trying to land, officials said at the time.
The first known commercial passenger airplane crash occurred in Pakistan in 1953 when a Canadian Pacific DH-106 Comet crashed shortly after takeoff from Karachi. That crash killed 11 people on board.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/20/world/pakistan-plane-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
April 23, 2012 at 6:45 am
Haruna Mohammed
Renewed fighting on Sudan border near disputed oilfield
Fighting has broken out on the border between Sudan and South Sudan, shortly after the South pulled out of a disputed border town.
South Sudanese military officials say they repulsed ground and air attacks.
Sudan confirmed there had been clashes, which come after 10 days of fighting over the oilfield town of Heglig.
Satellite pictures of the Heglig area released on Sunday suggest key oil installations were badly damaged in the fighting and are no longer operating.
The pictures were analysed by the US-funded Satellite Sentinel Project (SSP), which says it is impossible to know who was responsible for the damage.
Sudan and South Sudan have accused each other of attacking oil facilities. On Friday South Sudan said it was withdrawing from Heglig, while Sudan said it forced out the South’s troops.
Access to the disputed border region around Heglig is limited, making it difficult to verify what is happening in the area.
The renewed fighting has been taking place to the south of the Heglig oilfields, although it is unclear which side of the disputed border it is happening.
Sudan military officials said its forces had repulsed a major rebel attack.
The BBC’s James Copnall who is in the border town of Bentiu says the fighting makes it clear that tension has not eased, and also underlines that all-out war is still a possibility.
He says South Sudan is building up its troops near the border, and is assuming that Sudan is doing the same.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17808937
April 23, 2012 at 6:46 am
Haruna Mohammed
China needs ‘consistent policy’ on South China Sea
China needs a ”consistent policy” on the South China Sea if it is to resolve disputes, a new report says.
The International Crisis Group said ”conflicting mandates” and ”lack of co-ordination” among Chinese agencies had stoked tension in the region.
Philippine and Chinese vessels remain locked in a two-week stand-off at a remote shoal which both sides claim.
Meanwhile annual joint military exercises between the US and the Philippines are continuing in the area.
While the South China Sea conflict has been a longstanding one, the number of maritime disputes has ”increased dramatically” in recent years, the report by the think-tank notes.
This has led to ”concerns that China, Vietnam and the Philippines are growing more assertive on this issue, endangering regional stability”, it says.
In China, many government agencies are using this issue to bolster their power and budget, it says.
Repeated proposals for ”a more centralised mechanism” have not been met, it adds, and the foreign ministry ”does not have the authority or resources to manage other actors”.
”More immediate conflict risks lie in the growing number of law enforcement and paramilitary vessels playing an increasing role in disputed territories without a clear legal framework,” it says.
The findings are based on interviews with officials, academics, diplomats, journalists and industry experts in fishing, tourism and oil, from China, South East Asia, Taiwan, Japan and the US.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17809959
April 23, 2012 at 2:03 pm
Haruna Mohammed
North Korea threatens ‘special actions’ to take out South Korean government
Hong Kong (CNN) — North Korea said Monday that it would soon initiate “special actions” aimed at destroying the South Korean president and his government.
North Korean armed forces will use “unprecedented peculiar means and methods of our own style” to carry out the actions, the official Korean Central News Agency said in a report, adding that the operation would take 3 or 4 minutes.
It did not specify what those actions would involve.
An unusual broadcast on North Korean state television also announced the planned measures and showed images of people throwing rocks at a caricature of Lee Myung-bak, the South Korean president.
North Korean state media have consistently lambasted the conservative Lee and his administration. Recent reports have described them as “rats.”
One of the main motivations for the threats Monday appears to have been the announcement last week by the South Korean military that it had deployed a cruise missile capable of striking any site in North Korean territory.
That move showed that Lee’s government “has long lost its reasoning power,” the KCNA report said Monday, citing the Supreme Command of the Korean People’s Army.
The South Korean Unification Ministry did not have an immediate comment on the statements from Pyongyang.
The menacing comments from the North follow its failed launch of a long-range rocket earlier this month, which exacerbated tensions in the region.
South Korea and the United States described the rocket launch, which Pyongyang said was to put an “earth observation satellite” in orbit, as a long-range missile test in disguise.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/23/world/asia/north-korea-threats/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
April 30, 2012 at 6:33 am
Haruna Mohammed
Witness: Gunmen attack Nigeria university campus
(CNN) — Gunmen attacked Christians worshipping on a Nigerian university campus on Sunday, with witnesses reporting multiple explosions and gunfire.
The number of casualties was not immediately clear.
Professor A.B. Baffa said he was at home on the campus of Bayero University in the city of Kano when he heard the gunfire and explosions. When he went to see what was going on, he said he saw people fleeing and saying gunmen attacked areas where Christians were worshipping.
The gunmen began their attack around 8:30 a.m., targeting a lecture hall normally used by Christians for Sunday services, journalist Salihu Tanko reported from the scene.
“Reports say that they came in one vehicle and they also came on the bike and started shooting sporadically and at the same time threw about four or five small locally made bombs,” Tanko reported.
Baffa said police have closed off the area.
The attack happened while the university is on a break, so most of the students are not on campus, Tanko said.
Britain’s Foreign Office said it had received reports of an explosion and gunfire at Bayero University and that the incident may be ongoing.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/29/world/africa/nigeria-kano-attack/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
April 30, 2012 at 6:35 am
Haruna Mohammed
Nairobi church struck in grenade attack
At least one person has been killed and 10 wounded in a suspected grenade attack on a church in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, police have said.
The attack targeted the God House of Miracle Church, in Ngara neighbourhood.
There has been a string of small arms attacks and explosions in Kenya since Kenyan troops crossed the Somali border.
Kenyan police have blamed previous attacks on Somalia’s al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab Islamists.
However, no-one has yet said they carried out the blast.
“I can confirm that one person is believed to be dead,” Kenya police spokesman Eric Kiraithe told Reuters.
Kenyan officials claim the attacks are a response to the Kenyan army’s incursion into Somalia, launched in October.
In March, at least six people were killed and more than 60 injured in an attack at a busy bus station in Nairobi when four grenades were thrown from a passing car.
Also last month, one person was killed in a similar attack when a grenade was hurled at a Christian meeting near the port city of Mombasa.
Last October, grenades were thrown into a bar and bus station, killing one and injuring many others.
The blast, which happened when the church was crowded with worshippers attending mass, follows a warning by the US embassy that a terror attack on prominent government buildings and hotels in Nairobi could be imminent.
On Monday, the embassy said that the timing of the attack was not known but they believed it to be at a final stage of planning.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17885476
April 30, 2012 at 4:40 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Bosco ‘Terminator’ Ntaganda takes over DR Congo towns
Troops loyal to Bosco Ntaganda, wanted by the International Criminal Court, have taken two towns in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
A BBC reporter in the area says thousands of people are fleeing the fierce fighting towards nearby Goma.
Hundreds of heavily armed soldiers loyal to Gen Ntaganda recently defected from the Congolese army.
Known locally as the Terminator, Gen Ntaganda has denied the ICC accusation that he recruited child soldiers.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17893674
May 2, 2012 at 7:18 am
Haruna Mohammed
Dozens of protesters injured in Egypt clashes, medic says
(CNN) — Men in plainclothes attacked protesters demonstrating against the barring of a presidential candidate in Cairo early Wednesday, killing one and leaving dozens injured, witnesses said.
One man was shot and died at the scene, according to Tarek Salem, a field medic.
“More protesters were shot with live ammunition and transferred to hospitals in critical conditions,” Salem said. “I expect news of more deaths.”
Protesters camped outside the ministry of defense for a fourth day to voice their anger at the disqualification of Islamist candidate Hazem Abu Ismael. The presidential race is scheduled to start on May 23.
Abu Ismael was disqualified from the race because of evidence that his late mother had U.S. citizenship. He has denied it, prompting his followers to protest the decision by the election commission.
A day before the attacks, state TV broadcast videos showing protesters chanting against the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
“Dozens of military men dressed in plainclothes started pelting us with stones, cement blocks, and fired tear gas from rifles, so they were obviously security officers under cover,” said Alaa Younis, who took part in the sit-in with some friends.
“We fought back with rocks until we noticed they escalated and fired bird shot, many of us took refuge at one of two field hospitals.”
The epicenter of the clashes was around the Noor Salafi Mosque, one of the biggest in Cairo, but clashes continued in several streets.
“We found labeled military food rations in the area where the plainclothes attackers came from. They must have left them behind during the clashes, ” said Reem Ahmed, another protester.
Residents formed neighborhood watches to protect their streets as gunfire cackled for hours, according to witnesses. The military blocked some highways leading to the ministry and did not interfere in the fighting between protesters and the unidentified attackers.
A cautious calm came at day break as protesters continued their sit-in.
About 10 of the 23 presidential contenders have been disqualified, the head of the election committee said earlier this month.
The May 23-24 vote will be the first presidential election since President Hosni Mubarak’s ouster in February 2011. It comes amid rising political tensions as officials work to craft a new constitution and Egyptians await the June 2 verdict in Mubarak’s murder trial.
SOURCE: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/02/world/africa/egypt-protests/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
May 2, 2012 at 7:20 am
Haruna Mohammed
100 feared dead in India ferry disaster
(CNN) — At least 100 people are feared dead after a ferry broke in two and sank in a remote part of northeastern India, according to officials.
The ferry sank Monday evening as it sailed along the Brahmaputra River in Assam, the state’s home commissioner Jishnu Barua told CNN.
Barua said 90 people have so far been rescued, while 40 bodies have been recovered. Divers have been deployed to search for more victims.
The vessel apparently broke apart when it was about to dock after a storm, Barua said. He added that it was overcrowded and carrying around 300 passengers — more than its capacity of 280.
“I could see people being swept away as the river current was very strong,” Rahul Karmakar, who witnessed the disaster, told Agence France-Presse. He added that “chances of survival seem to be remote” in the river, swollen by the heavy rains.
The ferry was from Dhubri, some 186 miles (300 kilometers) from Assam’s biggest city, Guwahati, to Fakirganj, AFP said.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called the sinking a “tragedy.” In a statement he said he was “shocked and grieved to know about the loss of lives,” adding that he had given instructions “for all possible assistance to the government of Assam in relief operations.”
Boat accidents are nothing new in remote areas of India, where ferries are often overcrowded and in poor condition due to lax safety standards.
In 2010, a boat packed with Muslim pilgrims capsized in West Bengal in eastern India, killing at least 79.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/30/world/asia/india-ferry/index.html?hpt=ias_c2
May 2, 2012 at 7:22 am
Haruna Mohammed
Colombian Air Force helicopter crashes, killing 13
(CNN) — A helicopter carrying members of the Colombian Air Force and police crashed in the north of the Latin American nation on Monday, killing all 13 people on board.
The crash took place at 4:30 p.m. local time (5:30 p.m. ET) in the municipality of Sabanagrande, near Colombia’s Caribbean coast, according to a statement from the Colombian Air Force.
Seven of the dead were from the air force and six were from the police.
“We regret the accident of the Air Force helicopter crash,” President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia said in a message posted on his official twitter account. “Our condolences to the families of the patriotic heroes who died in this accident.”
In an amateur video broadcast on the local Caracol TV, dozens of people were shown standing near the crash site, which was covered with smoke and flames.
The Colombian Air Force said that the Bell 212 helicopter was on a transportation mission from Barranquilla to Caucasia when it went down.
An inspection team was sent to the site to work on the investigation and determine what may have caused the crash.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/01/world/americas/colombia-air-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
May 3, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Official: Dozens killed, injured in Nigeria cattle market attack
(CNN) — Thirty-four people were killed and 30 wounded in an attack on a cattle market in Nigeria’s northern Yobe state, a government official briefed on the investigation said Thursday.
The attack Wednesday evening appears to have escalated from an initial raid on the market by two suspected robbers, one of them armed, said the official, who did not want to be named for security reasons.
The market traders eventually overpowered the man with the gun and beat him severely before burning him with tires, the official said.
This appears to have angered allies of the two robbers, who then attacked the market with grenades and sporadic shooting, the official said. He noted that the tactics used were similar to those of the militant Islamist group Boko Haram.
The governor of Yobe is believed to be on his way to the market to see the level of damage, the official said.
The official said a member of the Cattle Market Owners’ Association had told him he counted 60 bodies Friday morning, most of which have been collected by their relatives for burial.
Nigeria has suffered a string of violent attacks, many of them sectarian in nature, in recent months.
A suicide attack Monday in northeastern Taraba state killed 11 people and wounded another 26, a spokesman for the Nigerian Red Cross said. The attack appeared to target a police commissioner.
And at least eight people were killed, including a suicide bomber, and dozens wounded last Thursday in three bomb blasts in central and northern Nigeria, two of them targeting newspaper offices.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/03/world/africa/nigeria-attack/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
May 4, 2012 at 7:59 am
Haruna Mohammed
Twin explosions kill 8 in Russia
(CNN) — At least eight people were killed and 20 injured in an apparent suicide car bomb attack and follow-up blast in the capital of Russia’s North Caucasus republic of Dagestan, according to state-run news agency RIA Novosti.
The twin explosions in Makhachkala killed five police officers, two rescuers and a civilian, reported RIA Novosti, quoting a law enforcement source.
The second explosion occurred about 10 minutes after the suicide attack near a police field post. It caused casualties among arriving emergency responders.
Hospital sources told RIA Novosti that the number of injured could be “between 25 and 30.”
Violence has plagued Dagestan for years as Islamist rebels fight Russian rule over the region.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/03/world/europe/russia-dagestan-explosions/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
May 7, 2012 at 6:56 am
Haruna Mohammed
Anti-Putin protesters clash with police; more than 250 arrested
Moscow (CNN) — An anti-government protest in Moscow turned violent Sunday, with some demonstrators clashing with police after they veered off their agreed-upon route.
More than 250 people were arrested, including leading opposition figure Boris Nemtsov, leftist radical group leader Sergei Udaltsov and popular blogger Alexei Navalny, Moscow police told CNN.
They were among the thousands that descended on the Russian capital for the latest demonstration denouncing Vladimir Putin, the nation’s current prime minister who was recently elected to a six-year term as president. He is set to be inaugurated Monday.
As they marched, many chanted slogans such as “Russia without Putin” and “Putin is a thief.”
A large number of demonstrators did not follow the route to Bolotnaya Square that their leaders had agreed to with Moscow authorities, instead stopping in front of a line of police and refusing to move.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/06/world/europe/russia-protest/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
May 7, 2012 at 7:00 am
Haruna Mohammed
UK FLOOD NOT SEEN IN 100 YEARS
Members of the public are being warned not to risk their lives by driving through flood water following the death of one driver and predictions of further localised downpours at the end of the wettest April for 100 years.
As dozens of flood warnings and alerts remained in place across much of England and parts of Wales , the Met Office predicted more rain in the south overnight and on Tuesday.
The 52-year-old and his dog died when their car became completely submerged in 1.5m (5ft) of fast-flowing water while driving across Headley ford on the Hampshire–Berkshire border . His 54-year-old wife was able to escape from the car and was treated in hospital for shock but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Inspector Jon Snook, from Hampshire police’s roads policing unit, said: “We believe the car drove into the ford from the Hampshire side where it appears as though it was swept downstream and became submerged.
“On arrival, we co-ordinated a rescue operation with the fire service to try to free the man. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The spokesman said emergency services had attended the scene to recover the car, which had become completely submerged. A spokeswoman for Hampshire fire and rescue service said crews from Hampshire and Berkshire had attended the scene after being alerted at 9.07am on Monday.
“They quickly located the car, which was completely submerged under 5ft of fast-flowing water. The woman from the car had already managed to swim free of the vehicle and reach the bank,” she said. “Using ladders from both sides of the banks … [Firefighters] broke the window of the vehicle and pulled a man free.”
A witness, Simon Hiscock, who lives in nearby Headley, said 11 emergency vehicles had arrived at the ford. He said rescuers tried to free the man and the couple’s pet dog from the Toyota, which was upside down and submerged. “A man walking his dogs found them. They were trapped in the car,” he said.
With up to 20mm to 30mm (0.8in to 1.2in) of rain forecast for southern England on Monday night, the Environment Agency remained on “high alert” for flooding amid fears already saturated river catchments will struggle to cope with more downpours.
April was the wettest across the UK since records dating back to 1910 began, according to provisional figures from the Met Office.
The Met Office said six of its weather stations had seen more than three times their usual monthly average in April, and Liscombe in Somerset had seen the most rainfall, with 273.8mm (10.8 inches) of rain compared with its 86.4mm (3.4 inches) April average.
Much of the rain has been focused on the south of the UK, with England recording more rainfall than Scotland. Despite the heavy showers, sunshine levels have not been far off the average, the Met Office said.
A total of 37 flood warnings were in place on Monday, including 20 in the south-west and a handful each in the Midlands, north-east and East Anglia. There were also more than 155 less serious flood alerts.
Deluges and high winds last weekend brought powerlines down, cutting off electricity to homes and disrupting travel.
However, the Environment Agency said only 20 properties have been flooded across the country and that flood defences had protected many, including 600 homes in Taunton, Somerset, and 25,000 properties along the River Don through Doncaster and Bentley.
Taunton Deane Cricket Club was submerged, fallen trees caused dozens of incidents in Wiltshire, two roads had to be closed due to flooding, and in Devon, the Torquay-based attraction Living Coasts was closed because of the weather.
Elsewhere, a caravan park in Great Billing, Northampton, was being evacuated over concerns that overnight rain could cause flash flooding after another holiday park nearby, Cogonhoe Mill, started evacuating its residents over the weekend.
Unfinished flood defences in Upton upon Severn, Worcestershire, which were shored up over the weekend kept water out of the town.
Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire – which was badly hit by the 2007 floods – experienced some localised flooding, but nothing unusual for the area, while rail services were also affected.
Heavy flooding has also forced the cancellation of the Badminton horse trials in Gloucestershire, which were due to start on Thursday.
Last cancelled in 1987, the trials are one of the premier events on the equestrian calendar and results in dressage, cross-country and showjumping were expected to play a part in selection of British hopefuls for the Olympics.
A statement on the event’s website said: “The recent exceptional rainfall has left the ground at Badminton totally waterlogged and partially flooded. Further rain is due this week leaving no chance of the ground drying out.”
Yogi Breisner, performance manager for the British eventing team, said: “It is a real shame that it has been called off, especially in an Olympic year when a lot of the riders and horses would have been on show. I don’t think it will majorly affect the Olympic preparations though.
“We always had contingency plans in place which you have to do with horses because there is so much uncertainty. You need to have a Plan B, C and D.”
Despite the heavy rain, swathes of England are still in a state of drought, with warnings that the downpours were not enough to counteract the effects of two unusually dry winters.
A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “While we welcome the rain we have received recently, we cannot be complacent and still need everyone to save water where they can.”
SOURCE: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/apr/30/man-drowns-car-river-newbury
May 7, 2012 at 3:33 pm
Haruna Mohammed
26 dead, 100 missing in Afghanistan flood
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) — Flash flooding in northern Afghanistan killed at least 26 people in northern Afghanistan and rescue workers fear the toll may rise, officials said Monday.
Eight hours of relentless rainfall that began Sunday led to the flooding in several districts of Sar-e-Pol province, said Faizullah Sadat, provincial director of Afghanistan Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA).
More than 100 people are missing, most of them members of a wedding party that was deluged, he said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/07/world/asia/afghanistan-floods/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
May 7, 2012 at 3:36 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Rescue efforts continue after Nepal floods, despite dwindling hopes
Kathmandu, Nepal (CNN) — Rescue workers continued their search Monday for survivors from a flash flood in central Nepal that swept away houses over the weekend, killing at least 17 people and leaving as many as 47 missing.
The authorities are using sniffer dogs to try to find the missing people and excavators to clear debris, said Sailesh Thapa, police superintendent of Kaski District where the flooding occurred.
The flooding took place near the Annapurna range of mountains, a part of the Himalayas popular among hiking enthusiasts. Three Ukrainian trekkers are among the missing.
The likelihood of finding any survivors is diminishing quickly, though. Thapa said Sunday that the chance of finding any of the missing people was “extremely minimal.” Of the 17 bodies recovered, only 12 have been identified, he said.
He was speaking from the rescue operations center in Pokhara, Nepal’s second largest city, which is situated about 200 kilometers (124 miles) west of Kathmandu.
A recent landslide had blocked the snow-fed Seti Gandaki River at the foot of the Annapurna mountains, building up pressure from the collected water. The rubble in the river’s path eventually gave way, releasing a torrent of water Saturday that washed away two small settlements of about 17 houses downstream.
The Ukrainians had been trekking in the mountains and had stopped for the night at a riverbank lodge in one of the settlements, according to Thapa.
There is a heightened risk of avalanches and rock slides in the area at the moment as the snow melts.
People lined the edge of the river Sunday, watching debris being swept downstream. Police officers stood watch at various points, apparently looking for bodies in the water.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/07/world/asia/nepal-flash-floods/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
May 8, 2012 at 7:09 am
0243716225haruna
Tornado reported during storm in Oxfordshire
A tornado has been reported in parts of Oxfordshire during a storm which caused damage to trees and roof tiles.
It was spotted in several places, including Bicester, Eynsham, Kidlington and South Leigh, on Monday afternoon.
Large hailstones were also reported during the storm, which is thought to have started in Wiltshire and moved to Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
One forecaster said it was almost certainly a tornado, thought to have been caused by a special kind of storm.
Brendan Jones, from Meteogroup, said: “At the moment it’s difficult to say exactly where the tornado was because while the parent thunderstorm travelled all the way across the south Midlands, it wasn’t necessarily producing a tornado all the time.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-17986143
May 8, 2012 at 7:11 am
Haruna Mohammed
Niger worst place to be mother – Save the Children
The West African state of Niger is the worst place in the world to be a mother, according to Save the Children.
The ranking comes in the charity’s annual index which compares conditions for mothers in 165 countries.
It considers a number of factors including health, education, economic status and nutrition.
Niger is severely affected by a regional food crisis. It replaces Afghanistan at the bottom of the Save the Children index.
After two years at the bottom of the list, Afghanistan has moved up a notch. This is credited to greater investment in front-line health workers.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17984899
May 8, 2012 at 7:15 am
Haruna Mohammed
Flash floods kill 50 in Kenya since March
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 5 – At least 50 people have died as a result of heavy rains lashing the country since March, the Kenya Red Cross said on Saturday.
In the latest incident on Friday night, seven people drowned about 20 kilometres southwest of Nairobi as rains swept the capital and its surrounding region.
“Four people were swept away by flood waters near Rongai yesterday night. Their bodies were found on top of the Rimpa Bridge in Rongai on Saturday morning,” a statement from Kenya Red Cross said.
“The other three died near Ongata Rongai.”
Following the incident Kenya Red Cross said their Karen Branch Response team was conducting assessments in Kitengela, Rongai and Kiserian to assess the situation.
Two weeks earlier, another seven Kenyans from a church youth group were swept away by flash floods as they were trekking through the Hell’s Gate national park northwest of Nairobi.
At least eight people perished earlier last month in a Nairobi slum when their homes were destroyed by boulders after a night of heavy rainfall.
In the last three weeks heavy rains in Nairobi have resulted into flash floods, rendering several roads impassable with trees falling across some roads, vehicles breaking down and others being swept away in flood waters.
The rains have also caused extra ordinary traffic jams in Nairobi and its outskirts. Some of the hardest hit areas are parts of Langata, the Central Business District, Mombassa road, Uhuru highway, Waiyaki way and Thika road.
Nairobi Metropolitan Minister Jamleck Kamau said his office will next week roll a disaster management programme which will include improving the city’s drainage system to avoid floods.
”We are working on a programme, and I think in the next couple of days will be rolling out what my ministry is going to do in respect to the flooding you are seeing in the city. Also traffic jams, because decongestion of the city is in my ministry and things to do with disaster preparedness,” he said.
Kamau said the ministry had already received funding to deal with the matter of flooding.
Elsewhere, an alert has been issued in the Mount Kenya region, asking families living in the low lands along Tana River to move to higher grounds.
Despite the heavy down pour in most parts of the country, the meteorological department has predicted that the heavy rains will end of this month in most parts of the country but will continue in Western Kenya, parts of central Rift Valley and Coast Province.
The Head of the Meteorological department Dr Joseph Mukabana said rains in Nairobi are likely to continue for the next two weeks.
”Despite the floods in the last three weeks, we declared the March-May rainfall season as “generally poor”. This is mainly because of the delayed onset and very low and erratic rainfall in March 2012,” he said.
Kenya’s main rainy season between March and May often causes floods and massive displacement across the east African country.
source: http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2012/05/flash-floods-kill-50-in-kenya-since-march/
May 10, 2012 at 6:14 am
Haruna Mohammed
Indonesia searchers find missing Russia jet wreckage
Indonesian officials say a helicopter has spotted what is thought to be wreckage of the Russian Sukhoi Superjet plane that disappeared on Wednesday.
The Sukhoi Superjet 100 vanished from radar screens 50 minutes after taking off from Jakarta for a brief demonstration flight.
Officials said the helicopter had seen debris on the side of a cliff near a dormant volcano.
About 50 people are said to have been on board the aircraft.
There was no information given about the fate of those on the plane, but a search and rescue operation is continuing in the area.
“The aeroplane crashed at the edge of Salak mountain,” Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhyono said on television.
“I have spoken directly to our officer in the field, it was found around 1.5km (one mile) from the spot where the plane last made contact,” he said.
“An investigation must be carried out immediately and thoroughly. Search and rescue operations must prioritise finding any survivors.”
Eight Russian pilots and technicians, Indonesian airline representatives and journalists were among those said to be on board the plane.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18015534
May 14, 2012 at 7:06 am
Haruna Mohammed
Plane crashes in Nepal, killing 14
Kathmandu, Nepal (CNN) — A small plane crashed as it attempted to land in a mountainous area of Nepal on Monday, killing 14 of the 21 people on board, an aviation official said.
The plane was coming into land at the airport at Jomsom, a popular tourist town in central Nepal, when it crashed, said Purusottam Shakya, deputy director of air traffic service operations in Kathmandu.
There were three crew members on board the plane and 18 passengers, most of whom were Indian, according to Shakya.
Thirteen of the 16 Indians on board the plane died, said Apoorva Srivastava, a spokeswoman for the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.
The seven survivors from the crash were being airlifted to the town of Pokhara, about 200 kilometers (124 miles) west of Kathmandu, Shakya said.
Jomsom is the gateway to Muktinath Temple, a pilgrimage site for Hindus from Nepal and India. The temple is about six hours’ walk from Jomsom airport.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/14/world/asia/nepal-plane-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
May 14, 2012 at 7:12 am
Haruna Mohammed
State of emergency declared in Georgia
The authorities in Georgia have declared a state of emergency and sent troops into the capital, Tbilisi, after severe flooding.
At least five people have been killed and dozens injured after the river running through the city burst its banks following prolonged heavy rain.
There have also been landslides in surrounding areas, with reports of farm animals being swept away.
The BBC’s Damien McGuinness reports from Tbilisi.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18052727
May 14, 2012 at 7:19 am
Haruna Mohammed
Rise and fall of underwater volcano revealed
The violent rise and collapse of an underwater volcano in the Pacific Ocean is captured in startling clarity for the first time.
Researchers studying the Monowai volcano, near Tonga, recorded huge changes in height in just two weeks.
The images, gathered by sonar from a research ship, shed new light on the turbulent fate of submarine mountains.
Published in the journal Nature Geoscience, the findings were made during a seabed survey last year.
Underwater wonder
Lead author Tony Watts of Oxford University told the BBC that the revelation was “a wake-up call that the sea-floor may be more dynamic than we previously thought.”
“I’ve spent my career studying the seabed and have generally thought it pretty stable so it’s stunning to see so much change in such a short space of time.”
As many as 32,000 underwater mountains have been identified around the world and the majority are believed to be volcanic in origin. Several thousand of these may be active but a combination of ocean depth and remoteness means that very few have been studied.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18040658
May 16, 2012 at 7:00 am
Haruna Mohammed
Hollande’s plane hit by lightning, reports say
A plane carrying Francois Hollande was forced to turn back to Paris, after apparently being struck by lightning en route to Berlin.
French officials say no one was hurt, but that the plane returned to Paris as a precaution.
The newly-inaugurated French President boarded a second flight, in order to attend a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18074342
May 16, 2012 at 11:38 am
larry
Source: GNA
Ghana unlikely to achieve MDG on maternal and infant mortality by 2015.
Koforidua, Jan. 16 GNA – Despite significance reduction in maternal, infant and under five mortality rates in Ghana, it is unlikely that the 2015 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets could be met.
Mr Prem Shukla, Country Director of Plan Ghana, a non-governmental organization (NGO), who made this observation, said Ghana could achieve the targets if effective maternal and child survival interventions were increased.
Mr Shukla was speaking at the opening of a five-day start–up workshop on the Women and Their Children’s Health (WATCH) project in Koforidua on Monday.
He said the maternal mortality rate per 100,000 live births in the country remained high above expectation due to postpartum, hemorrhage, hypertensive, disease and unsafe abortion, leading to maternal death.
Mr Shukla said it was against this background that the NGO decided to launch the WATCH project, to help reduce morbidity of mothers, neonate and children under five years at the household, community and health facility level through the use of evidence-based, feasible, cost –effective and gender responsive interventions in six districts in Eastern and Volta Regions.
He said the project sought to build the capacity of communities so that men and women could recognize, prevent and respond to basic Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH).
Mr Shukla said it would also improve upon the quality of health care services and strengthen rural women- friendly health care systems.
He mentioned that the WATCH project would cover approximately 103,000 women of childbearing age, 88, 000 children under five in 120 communities, and would also build the capacity of 180 community mobilizers, 360 community health workers and 600 community leaders with 80 per cent of them being women.
Mr Shuykla said the project would help men and women to acquire knowledge in basic MNCH issues, and increase women participation in decision-making on sustainable development as well as reduce inequalities between women and men, girls and boys.
Mr Shukla said the NGO is operating in 17 districts in the Eastern, Central, Volta and Upper West Regions.
He said more than 300 communities across the country are benefiting from projects of the NGO that seek the rights, health, education, food security and protection of children.
He commended Canadian International development Agency for sponsoring the project.
The Eastern Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Erasmus Agongo, called on participants to take the workshop seriously and come out with new ideas that would help the country to achieve the MDG by 2015.
Participants were district directors of health services of the Volta and Eastern regions and other health workers.
May 16, 2012 at 12:07 pm
larry
There are still high records of maternal deaths in hospitals although the country has made great strides in reducing maternal mortality, Minister of Health, Alban S. K. Bagbin has stated.
He said there had been a reduction in maternal mortality outside health facilities as compared to those which occurred in hospitals.
‘We have been able to reduce maternal mortality outside health institutions, rather we are getting bad figures in health institution,’ he said.
The country currently has 350 maternal mortalities per 100,000 births, according to United Nations estimate.
Hon. Bagbin said although the figures showed a considerable advancement in the fight against maternal mortality, there was more to be done.
He noted that with the abundance of resources and support from development partners, it was unacceptable that the country should continue to lose mothers, especially in health facilities.
He called for improved emergency care in health facilities as deaths occurred within the first 24 hours after admission…
source: daily guide, 2nd May, 2012
May 16, 2012 at 2:46 pm
Alhassan Muhammad
Greater Accra engulfed in Floods
Heavy rains Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning has caused flooding in many parts of Accra. Flood prone areas have been cut off making accessibility very difficult.
Reports from Awoshie Mangoase say many people have been displaced by the flood.
Property worth millions of Ghana cedis have also been destroyed due to severe flooding.
Vehicular movements in the capital have also been brought to a standstill as a result of severe flooding on major roads such as the Graphic Road and Kwame Nkurmah Circle.
A victim at Awoshie, Kosmos Boafo attributed the flood to a diversion of the drainage system in the area because of the construction of the Mallam- Tetteh-Quashie Road.
At least two people are reported dead following floods at Adabraka.
The deceased described as physically challenged were residents of the area.
The construction of a gutter near the Graphic Communications Group is said to be the main cause of the flood.
A resident at Adabraka, Joseph Darko told Radio Ghana that parts of the area are still flooded and people are helpless as many have lost their belongings.
The flood situation at Teshie has been described as very severe.
Although there are no formal reports of casualties many people have been displaced.
Meanwhile, President Mills is visiting some of the flood affected areas in Accra. He has assured victims of government’s support.
He is being accompanied by the Mayor of Accra, Greater Accra Regional Minister and other officials.
GBC
May 18, 2012 at 6:58 am
Haruna Mohammed
NASA estimates 4,700 ‘potentially hazardous’ asteroids
(CNN) — About 4,700 asteroids are close enough and big enough to pose a risk to Earth, NASA estimated Wednesday after studying data beamed back from an orbiting telescope.
The figure — give or take 1,500 — is how many space rocks bigger than 100 meters (330 feet) across are believed to come within 5 million miles (8 million km) of Earth, or about 20 times farther away than the moon.
“It’s not something that people should panic about,” said Amy Mainzer, an astronomer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. “However, we are paying attention to the issue.”
NASA defines a potentially hazardous asteroid as one large enough to survive the intense heat generated by entry into the atmosphere and cause damage on a regional scale or worse. The figure released Wednesday is lower than a previous rough estimate had projected, but more are now thought to be in orbits inclined like Earth’s, making them more likely to cross its path.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/16/us/nasa-asteroids/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
May 21, 2012 at 7:19 am
Haruna Mohammed
Italy quake kills 7; survivors huddle in tents, cars
Finale Emilia, Italy (CNN) — Thousands of survivors huddled in tents or in their cars under rainy skies early Monday following a weekend earthquake that killed seven people across northern Italy.
Aftershocks rattled the country’s industrial heartland throughout Sunday evening following the magnitude-6.0 quake that struck around 4 a.m. (10 p.m. Saturday ET). The head of Italy’s Civil Protection Department, Franco Gabrielli, said 11,000 people had been displaced after the quake, with the government putting 3,000 of them up in tents or hotels.
In Finale Emilia, about 35 km (21 miles) north of Bologna, 75 people were sleeping in cars in a public park. One of them was Filomenna Gatti, who planned to cram into a Fiat Punto with her husband and three children under 6.
“I close my eyes and I see stones falling and I feel the ground shaking when it’s still,” Gatti said as she walked her dog. “I don’t want to be in any building.”
Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti was expected to return from the NATO summit in Chicago on Monday, his government announced Sunday. Monti annoucned Sunday he was leaving the conference early, vowing, “All that is necessary will be done as soon as possible” to help the survivors.
The quake was centered about 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) outside Camposanto, northwest of Bologna, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. In addition to the seven reported fatalities, 50 people were injured in the quake, Gabrielli said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/20/world/europe/italy-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
May 22, 2012 at 6:39 am
0243716225haruna
Moderate earthquake rattles Bulgaria
(CNN) — A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck Bulgaria on Tuesday, about 14 miles outside the capital of Sofia, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
It was less than six miles deep, the USGS said.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/21/world/europe/bulgaria-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
May 22, 2012 at 6:41 am
0243716225haruna
14 dead, 35 injured after train crash in India
New Delhi (CNN) — At least 14 people are dead after a train crash in India early Tuesday morning, a spokesman for the ministry of railways said.
The Hampi Express passenger train was traveling from Hubli to Bangalore and crashed into a stationary goods train in Penukonda, in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, said the spokesman, Anil Kumar Saxena.
The collision, which involved three coaches of the Hampi Express, also left 35 people injured.
Saxena said he suspects the driver of the Hampi Express may have overlooked a red signal. He said an investigation has been ordered.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/22/world/asia/india-train-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
May 22, 2012 at 6:44 am
Haruna Mohammed
Mali protesters storm palace, beat interim president
Bamako, Mali (CNN) — Dioncounda Traore, Mali’s interim president, was beaten and rushed to a hospital after hundreds of protesters demanding his resignation stormed the presidential palace Monday.
Traore was assaulted and hit over the head when protesters found him inside the palace. The president was later taken to the hospital where he was treated for a wound to his head, hospital staff said.
“There were three dead and some injured by gunshot when [Traore’s] security shot at people,” said Bakary Mariko, a spokesman for the National Committee for the Restoration of Democracy, a group of military officers who mounted a coup in March.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/21/world/africa/mali-president-beaten/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
May 22, 2012 at 7:13 am
Haruna Mohammed
12 students dead in Albania bus crash
(CNN) — A bus carrying Albanian university students plunged hundreds of feet into a ravine Monday, killing at least 12 people according to police.
Rescuers were working Monday to free students who may be trapped inside the bus, located at the bottom of a deep ravine near the city of Himara, about 136 km (86 miles) south of the capital of Tirana.
19 killed in bus accident in Peru
According to police, the driver of the private bus carrying about 49 female students from Aleksander Xhuvani University of Elbasan tried to stop the bus for some reason but failed. The vehicle left the road and fell 150 meters (492 feet) into ravine below.
In addition to the dead, about two dozen students were badly injured, according to police.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/21/world/europe/albania-bus-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
May 22, 2012 at 3:28 pm
larry
General News of Sunday, 20 May 2012
Source: GNA
Strong winds wreak havoc in southern Ghana
The storm which wreaked havoc in southern Ghana on Saturday evening carried winds of up to 50 knots per hour (about 92.5 kilometres per hour), the Ghana Meteorological Agency has told the Ghana News Agency in Accra.
The wind uprooted trees, tore down branches and advertisement bill boards and power lines, plunging many parts in the area, including Accra and Tema, into darkness.
Some roofs were blown off in the course of the storm.
The Ghana Meteorological Agency said the strong winds and rain blew in from Benin and Nigeria.
It said although the wind was moderate whilst blowing in, it had gathered momentum with the speed going up to 50 knots per hour as it entered Ghana.
From Accra, it headed westwards to Cape Coast and Takoradi and then headed westward to Cote d’Ivoire.
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has been working round the clock to restore power to affected areas.**
May 22, 2012 at 3:33 pm
larry
Thunderstorms to dominate 2012 major rainy season-Meteo
This year’s major rainy season would be characterized by thunderstorm and strong winds, the Ghana Meteorological Agency has said.
In the seasonal rainfall forecast 2012 made available to the GNA in Sunyani, the Agency explained that generally, the southern sector of the country would, however, experience below average rainfall during the major rainy season between April and June.
“Unlike 2011, when the rainfall during the major rainy season was evenly distributed, rainfall for 2012 will be erratic”, it said, adding “onset dates are expected to delay by about two or three weeks”.
The Agency clarified that northern Ghana “has a 70 per cent (last year was 80 per cent) chance of receiving normal to above normal rainfall during the rainy season, expected to start from April 16 to 23.
In a break down, the Agency presented the rainfall patterns for the various sectors of the country as follows, northern 650-1100mm, with the onset date at April 16 to 23, transition 800 – 900mm, Eastern Coastal 500 – 800mm with an onset date from April 10 to 15 and Forest/Western Coastal with the onset date from April 6 to 11and rainfall amount at 850 – 1100mm.
The Agency added forecast for the minor rainy season for southern Ghana and update for the northern sector would be issued in May. Source: GNA
Short URL: http://ghanaian-chronicle.com/?p=43841
May 25, 2012 at 4:25 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Many injured in Tema Motorway accident
Several people are reported to have sustained varying degrees of injuries after a benz bus there were travelling on was involved in an accident on the Tema Motorway.
The accident occurred at a spot near the police post at Trazaaco. There are no reports of fatalities.
An eyewitness told Joy News the vehicle somersaulted and landed on its back, trapping a number of passengers in the process.
It is not yet clear what may have caused the accident.
One of the victims was said to have been pulled from beneath the vehicle after onlookers managed to overturn the vehicle.
The injured have been rushed to the Tema General Hospital while the police have arrived at the scene of the accident to assist in rescue efforts,
Source: http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201205/87263.php
source
May 28, 2012 at 7:05 am
0243716225haruna
Torpedo test sinks US ship
An Australian submarine has sunk a decommissioned US warship during a test of a new torpedo.
The MK 48 Mod 7 Common Broadband Sonar System torpedo was fired from HMAS Waller during the Rim of Pacific 2008 naval exercise off the coast of Hawaii
source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7523147.stm
May 28, 2012 at 7:22 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Shopping mall fire in Doha, Qatar, kills 19
(CNN) — A fire erupted in a nursery in a shopping mall in Qatar’s capital city, Doha, late Monday morning, killing 19 people, at least 13 of them children, a government official said.
The fatalities at the Villaggio shopping mall included seven girls and six boys, four teachers and two members of the civil defense, said the minister of state for interior affairs, H.E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, in a posting on the ministry’s Facebook page.
Another 17 people were injured, four of them children, he said. Most of the other injured are civil defense firefighters, he said
A spokeswoman for Spain’s Foreign Ministry said four of the dead were Spanish nationals.
A collapsed ceiling, heavy smoke and high temperatures complicated the firefighters’ efforts, an official told Qatar TV. “So many dangers obstructed us,” he said.
Christine Wigton, an American who moved to Doha last year, told CNN she was walking in the mall planning to buy some takeout shortly after 11 a.m. when she heard a buzzing noise. “As I walked back to where I had parked and heard a buzzer, not very loud, and a little bit of smoke, it looked like a store had had a small fire,” she said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/28/world/meast/qatar-fire/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
May 28, 2012 at 7:24 pm
Haruna Mohammed
2 killed in Afghanistan helicopter crash
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) — Two International Security Assistance Force troops were killed in one of two helicopter crashes Monday in eastern Afghanistan, officials said.
Separately, three police and four tribal elders were killed in a roadside bombing, police said.
The first helicopter crash, during a routine operation, did not result in any fatalities, said ISAF spokesman Capt. Justin Brockhoff. Two died in the second crash, ISAF said.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in an e-mail that the two helicopters were shot down and 36 soldiers died, but ISAF said there were no reports of enemy activity in the area where the crashes occurred.
A third ISAF service member died Monday in an insurgent attack in southern Afghanistan, the coalition said in a news release. No further details were released on the attack or the crashes.
After the first crash, those on board the chopper were taken to a NATO facility for evaluation. The crash did not harm civilians or damage property, ISAF said.
Some previous helicopter crashes involving ISAF members were the result of enemy fire, while others were for mechanical reasons.
The single deadliest loss for U.S. troops since the Afghan war began in late 2001 happened in August. Thirty U.S. service members died when a helicopter carrying them went down while they were reinforcing other troops, officials said. Seven Afghan troops died as well.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/28/world/asia/afghanistan-isaf-aircraft/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
May 28, 2012 at 7:29 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Kenya blast injures 28; authorities disagree on cause
Nairobi, Kenya (CNN) — At least 28 people were injured Monday, four of them critically, in an explosion in downtown Nairobi, according to Kenyatta National Hospital.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga said he believes the blast was “act of terror,” but hospital and police on the scene said they suspect an electrical fire was the cause.
The hospital said injuries were “not consistent with a grenade or bomb blast.”
But Dennis Onyango, an aide to Odinga, said the level of damage was too much for a fire.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/28/world/africa/kenya-explosion/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
May 29, 2012 at 7:13 am
Haruna Mohammed
2 small planes collide; one pilot and a passenger are killed, authorities say
(CNN) — A pilot and passenger were killed as two small planes collided in the air above Fauquier County, Virginia, on Monday, the FAA and Virginia State Police told CNN.
The midair collision happened about five miles south of the Warrenton-Fauquier Airport around 4 p.m.
“One plane has been destroyed by fire,” Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller told CNN. “In that plane, which is believed to be a six-seater aircraft, two bodies have been recovered. State Police are in the process of identifying the pilot and passenger.”
The second plane’s pilot, an adult male, was transported to Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, according to state police.
The two planes crashed to the ground approximately a mile apart from one another, state police said. Parts of the planes and debris were scattered between the two crash sites in a secluded and difficult to access area, state police said.
As to what caused the crash some 50 miles from Washington, D.C., “that remains under investigation at this time” state police said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/28/us/virginia-planes-collide/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
May 29, 2012 at 10:35 pm
Mamdud Abdul-Rahaman
The collapsed BBG industrial moldings building is seen in Mirandola, northern Italy, Tuesday, May 29, 2012. (AP)
MIRANDOLA, Italy – A powerful earthquake killed at least 17 people in northern Italy Tuesday, collapsing churches and factories.
Rescue workers combing through the rubble of the quake say they have found the bodies of two workers in a collapsed factory, raising the death toll to at least 17.
Earlier Tuesday, the body of another worker was found in the factory’s wreckage and rescuers are still searching for a missing person.
The 5.8 magnitude quake added to the misery being felt in the Emilia Romagna region of towns north of Bologna, one of Italy’s most agriculturally and industrial protective areas.
The quake hit just after 9:00 a.m. with an epicenter 25 miles northwest of Bologna, according to the U.S. Geological Survey — just a handful of miles away from where the deadly May 20 quake was centered.
The quake was felt from Piedmont in northwestern Italy to Venice in the northeast and as far north as Austria. It was followed by many aftershocks, some registering more than 5.0 in magnitude.
While Tuesday’s quake was about 100 times less intense than the 6.0 temblor on May 20, its death toll was more than twice the earlier quake’s toll of seven. In both, the dead included workers killed by collapsing factories and warehouses.
Civil Protection agency officials said at least 15 people were killed, about 100 were injured and there was no precise number of the missing. Emergency crews were trying to sift through the twisted steel and broken stone, looking for victims.
In the town of Mirandola, near the epicenter, the church of San Francis crumbled, leaving only its facade standing. The main cathedral also collapsed.
The 9 a.m. temblor terrified many of the thousands of residents who have been living in tents or cars since the May 20 quake and added thousands more homeless into the area.
`’I was shaving and I ran out very fast, half dressed,” a resident of Sant’Agostino, one of the towns devastated in the quake earlier this month, told AP Television News on Tuesday.
Sant’Agostino’s town hall, so damaged in the May 20 quake that it looked as if it had been bombed, virtually collapsed when the latest deadly temblor struck.
In a hastily called news conference, Premier Mario Monti pledged the government will do `’all that it must and all that is possible in the briefest period to guarantee the resumption of normal life in this area that is so special, so important and so productive for Italy.”
The region around Bologna is among the country’s most productive. Italy is desperately in need of its industries, for the country is in the midst of another recession and struggling to tame its massive debt as the European debt crisis worsens.
Many victims of the new quake, like the one nine days ago, were at work in huge warehouses that collapsed, including one dead inside a machinery factory in Mirandola.
The mayor of San Felice sul Panaro told Sky News 24 that there were fatalities in his town, where Italian media said a tower had collapsed.
Tall buildings and schools were evacuated as far away as Milan as a precaution before people were allowed to re-enter. Train lines connecting Bologna with other northern cities were halted while authorities checked for any damage.
When the quake hit, Monti was meeting with emergency officials in Rome to discuss the impact of the earlier quake, which struck in the middle of the night and left at least 7,000 homeless.
The May 20 quake was described by Italian emergency officials as the worst to hit the region since the 1300s. In addition to the deaths, it knocked down a clock tower and other centuries-old buildings and caused millions in losses to a region known for making Parmesan cheese. Its epicenter was about 22 miles north of Bologna.
Residents had just been taking tentative steps toward resuming normal life when the second quake struck. In the town of Sant’Agostino, a daycare center had just reopened.
In the town of Concordia, the mayor had scheduled a town meeting Tuesday evening to discuss the aftermath of the first quake. Instead, mayor Carlo Marchini confirmed the death of one person struck by falling debris in the town’s historic center.
Italy’s friendly soccer match against Luxembourg, a warm-up match for the Euro 2012 championships, was canceled. The game was due to be played Tuesday in Parma, just 40 miles west of the quake.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/05/29/58-magnitude-earthquake-hits-northern-italy/?test=latestnews#ixzz1wIhcqQrS
May 29, 2012 at 11:05 pm
Mamdud Abdul-Rahaman
21 May 2012 Last updated at 15:46 GMT Share this pageEmail Print Share this page
710ShareFacebookTwitter.EU austerity drive country by country Protests have become a common sight on the streets of Europe’s cities as austerity measures bite
Europe is in the grip of tough austerity measures – some of the deepest public sector cuts for a generation.
The colossal debts and rock-bottom growth of eurozone “periphery” nations – especially Greece, Italy and Spain – have hammered market confidence. The interest rates (yields) on their sovereign bonds have soared, making it hard or even impossible for them to borrow in international markets.
Greece, the Republic of Ireland and Portugal have all received massive bailouts from the EU and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The 27 EU member states aim to cut deficits to a maximum of 3% of GDP by the financial year 2014-15, so what belt-tightening measures are the countries taking?
Greece
Greece is the biggest worry for the EU, after elections on 6 May produced a surge in support for parties opposed to the tough austerity conditions attached to the country’s bailout.
There is now great uncertainty about Greece’s ability to fulfil its austerity pledges and much speculation about a possible Greek exit from the eurozone.
The left-wing bloc Syriza, which came second in the inconclusive election, looks poised to do well again in new elections on 17 June. It has vowed to tear up the bailout agreement – yet insists that Greece should keep the euro.
The previous technocratic government of Lucas Papademos negotiated a second massive bailout for Greece, worth 130bn euros (£110bn; $173bn). It took months of difficult talks with international lenders before a deal was reached in March.
In the largest restructuring of government debt in history, lenders and banks wiped 105bn euros ($138bn, £88bn) off Greece’s debt burden.
But in order to receive the new bailout, the Papademos government committed Greece to far-reaching spending cuts, equal to 1.5% of its output. Greece has now been in recession for five years.
The cuts proved deeply unpopular with the Greek people, leading to a wave of protests and crippling strikes.
To make the economy more competitive Greece pledged to cut the minimum wage and make labour markets more flexible, weakening job security.
The aim is to cut the Greek government’s debt from 160% of GDP to a little over 120% of GDP by 2020.
The more unpopular austerity measures include a new property tax and the suspension of 30,000 civil servants on partial pay.
Many Greeks feel the credit terms are intolerable, condemning the country to years of painful cuts and job losses. The unemployment rate has risen to 22%.
Greece remains frozen out of international credit markets because its sovereign debt has junk status.
Italy
This year Italy has slid further into recession – its steepest economic contraction for three years.
The crisis toppled the veteran leader who dominated Italian politics for two decades – Silvio Berlusconi.
The immediate trigger for his downfall was Italy’s soaring bond yields – they entered the 7% danger zone, generally regarded as unsustainable.
The markets are still jittery about Italy’s public debt, which rose to abound 1.9 trillion euros (approximately 120% of GDP) at the end of 2011.
A former EU commissioner, Mario Monti, replaced Mr Berlusconi with a promise to get Italy’s economy back on track.
The Berlusconi government had already adopted an austerity package in July 2011, featuring savings worth 70bn euros. It included increases in healthcare fees, and cuts to regional subsidies, family tax benefits and the pensions of high earners.
Mr Monti’s administration has pushed through further austerity measures, including higher taxes for the wealthy, a rise in pension ages and a major drive to tackle tax evasion.
The government aims to cut public spending by 4.2bn euros this year.
Italy has been cutting public sector pay and freezing new recruitment. Only one employee will be replaced for every five who leave.
The government is currently locked in a dispute with unions over labour market reforms. The changes – supported by the EU – would make it easier to sack staff.
Irish Republic
The IMF signed off on a 3.9bn euros (£3.2bn) tranche of loans to Ireland in December 2011, following on from a EU/IMF bailout worth 85bn euros a year earlier.
In July 2011, EU leaders agreed to a request from the new government of Enda Kenny to lower the interest rate from around 6% to between 3.5% and 4%.
The length of time to pay back the loan was also extended from seven-and-a-half years to 15 years.
The toughest budget in the nation’s history included a pledge to trim the deficit by 6bn euros in 2011.
Government spending has been slashed by 4bn euros, with all public servants’ pay cut by at least 5% and social welfare reduced.
VAT rose to 23% as child benefit was cut and police stations were closed.
The government aims to cut public service pay by 400m euros in 2012.
Ireland’s economy shrank by almost 2% in the third quarter of 2011, compared with growth of 1.4% in the previous quarter.
Portugal
In May 2011 Portugal became the third eurozone country to receive a huge EU/IMF bailout – 78bn euros.
A new centre-right coalition government took office with a big enough majority to pass the austerity measures necessary under the bailout conditions. The previous minority Socialist government fell after failing to get opposition backing for a new austerity package.
The new government adopted a range of austerity measures, including a 5% pay cut for top earners in the public sector, a VAT rise of 1% and income tax hikes for high-earners.
The military budget is being slashed and two high-speed rail projects have been postponed.
There has also been widespread privatisation, and unemployment rose to 14.8% in January 2012.
In March, public sector workers staged their second strike in four months to protest against the measures.
Spain
Unemployment in Spain has soared to nearly 25% – the highest rate in the EU – and for young people under 25 the rate is above 50%.
The new conservative government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy plans to cut 27bn euros from the state budget this year – one of the toughest austerity drives in modern Spain’s history.
Changes will include freezing public sector workers’ salaries and reducing departmental budgets by 16.9%. Health and education are among the areas hit.
The cuts are aimed at meeting the new deficit target agreed with the EU Commission: 5.3% of output (GDP) this year.
Spain had already passed an austerity budget in 2011 which included tax rises for the rich, a 28% increase in the tax on tobacco and 8% spending cuts.
Spain has seen widespread protests against austerity, with makeshift tent cities organised by young people who fear a bleak, jobless future.
A general strike was held ahead of the new budget in March and hundreds of thousands of people turned out on the streets to protest against austerity measures.
UK
At the start of its term in 2010, the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government announced the biggest cuts in state spending since World War II.
Savings estimated at about £83bn are to be made over four years. The plan is to cut 490,000 public sector jobs. Most Whitehall departments face budget cuts of 19% on average. The retirement age is to rise from 65 to 66 by 2020.
The budget deficit is about 10% of GDP and unemployment – officially 2.67 million (8.4%). That is its highest level since 1994.
In the 2012 budget, Chancellor George Osborne announced several measures to ease taxes – including a 5% cut to the top rate of tax and a rise in the personal income tax allowance threshold.
However, he also cut the personal income tax allowance pensioners receive, reduced child benefit and raised taxes on tobacco and other items.
Public anger over the cuts has grown. More than 250,000 people demonstrated in London in March 2011 – the city’s biggest protest since the 2003 Iraq war.
Protest camps sprang up in cities across the UK towards the end of 2011, echoing similar “occupy” sit-ins around the world.
France
France’s new Socialist President, Francois Hollande, has made it clear he aims to shift the EU’s emphasis away from austerity and towards growth.
Controversially he says he wants to renegotiate the EU’s fiscal pact – already agreed by 25 nations – to include measures to stimulate growth.
In the run-up to his victory on 6 May he promised to increase taxes on big corporations and people earning more than 1m euros a year.
He wants to raise the minimum wage, hire 60,000 more teachers and lower the retirement age from 62 to 60 for some workers.
The previous centre-right government of Nicolas Sarkozy announced plans for 65bn euros of savings by 2016, including closing tax loopholes and withdrawing temporary economic stimulus measures.
Mr Hollande is also committed to balancing France’s budget, but a year later than Mr Sarkozy – in 2017.
Germany
Germany’s economy is doing better than most in Europe. It grew by 3% in 2011 and its growth of 0.5% in the first three months of 2012 was stronger than expected.
The German performance – largely a result of strong exports – meant the eurozone as a whole narrowly avoided returning to recession.
German unemployment in April was 7% – the lowest rate in more than 20 years.
The government plans to cut the budget deficit by a record 80bn euros by 2014. The plans include a cut in subsidies to parents, 10,000 government job cuts over four years, and higher taxes on nuclear power
May 30, 2012 at 9:23 am
Haruna Mohammed
Official: 160 girls poisoned at Afghan school
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) — A hospital in northern Afghanistan admitted 160 schoolgirls Tuesday after they were poisoned, a Takhar province police official said.
Their classrooms might have been sprayed with a toxic material before the girls entered, police spokesman Khalilullah Aseer said. He blamed the Taliban.
The incident, the second in a week’s time, was reported at the Aahan Dara Girls School in Taluqan, the provincial capital.
The girls, ages 10 to 20, complained of headaches, dizziness and vomiting before being taken to the hospital, said Hafizullah Safi, director of the provincial health department.
More than half of them were discharged within a few hours of receiving treatment, Safi said. The health department collected blood samples and sent them to Kabul for testing.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/29/world/asia/afghanistan-girls-poisoned/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
May 30, 2012 at 9:44 am
Haruna Mohammed
Euro 2012 hosts Ukraine and Poland hit back at racism accusations
(CNN) — Euro 2012 hosts Ukraine and Poland have told CNN World Sport a documentary accusing football fans from both nations of racism was “unbalanced and biased.”
An investigation by UK television channel the BBC featured right-wing supporters from both countries displaying racist and anti-Semitic attitudes.
Footage also appeared to show soccer fans at a match in Ukraine targeting Asian supporters with violence.
Former England defender Sol Campbell warned fans not to travel to Poland or Ukraine after seeing the pictures and questioned why both countries were awarded the tournament in the first place.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/29/sport/football/football-ukraine-poland-racism/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
June 4, 2012 at 6:18 am
Haruna Mohammed
Lagos air crash: No survivors, officials say
A passenger plane with about 150 people on board has crashed into buildings in a densely populated district of Nigeria’s main city of Lagos.
Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority said there were no survivors on board the Dana Air plane. The cause of the crash is not yet known.
Thousands of onlookers gathered at the crash site as rescue services searched the rubble for survivors.
President Goodluck Jonathan has declared three days of mourning.
The plane crashed in Iju neighbourhood, just north of the airport. It is not yet clear how many people may have died on the ground.
Black smoke billowed at the crash scene
TV pictures showed chaotic scenes as crowds swarmed the crash site, some helping pass along hoses to douse the smoking wreckage.
A passenger plane with about 150 people on board has crashed into buildings in a densely populated district of Nigeria’s main city of Lagos.
Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority said there were no survivors on board the Dana Air plane. The cause of the crash is not yet known.
Thousands of onlookers gathered at the crash site as rescue services searched the rubble for survivors.
President Goodluck Jonathan has declared three days of mourning.
The plane crashed in Iju neighbourhood, just north of the airport. It is not yet clear how many people may have died on the ground.
Black smoke billowed at the crash scene
TV pictures showed chaotic scenes as crowds swarmed the crash site, some helping pass along hoses to douse the smoking wreckage.
The plane did not to appear to have nose-dived into the building but to have landed on its belly, careering into a furniture shop and a print works, reports said.
Casualties on the ground may have been minimised because it was Sunday and the buildings were likely to have been empty.
An investigation is under way but in difficult night-time conditions, says the BBC’s East Africa correspondent Will Ross.
Officials told AFP the cockpit recorder had been found and given to police.
Technical problem
In a statement, President Jonathan declared three days of mourning and said he had ordered the “fullest possible” investigation into the crash.
The crash had “sadly plunged the nation into further sorrow on a day when Nigerians were already in grief over the loss of many other innocent lives in the church bombing in Bauchi state”, the statement said.
The weather at the time of the crash was overcast – but there were none of the storms that regularly strike the city.
On 11 May a similar Dana Air plane – possibly the same one – developed a technical problem and was forced to make an emergency landing in Lagos, our correspondent adds.
Nigeria, like many African countries, has a poor air safety record, though some efforts have been made to improve it since a spate of airline disasters in 2005.
Dana Air’s website says it operates Boeing MD-83 planes to cities around Nigeria out of Murtala Muhammed Airport.
The airport is a major hub for West Africa and saw 2.3 million passengers pass through it in 2009, according to the most recent statistics provided by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18316130
June 4, 2012 at 6:25 am
Haruna Mohammed
Plane Crash in Ghana: How the international media reported it
The Cargo plane with crashed into the Hajj Village near the El Wak Sports Stadium, Saturday night made the headlines of most international media houses. In all there were 400 major news websites reported the event.
The event which occurred after downpour in the capital appeared on BBC around 8pm. Below are the reportage of some of the notable media houses on the incident which claimed 10 lives in a 207 Benz bus which was caught in the process of the crash landing of the Allied Air cargo plane.
Ten people killed as plane crashes into bus in Ghana
Ten people have died after a cargo plane attempting to land in the Ghanaian capital Accra crashed into a bus near the airport.
Emergency workers said that all 10 people on board the bus were killed.
The crash took place near Kotoka International Airport, which sits near newly-constructed high-rise buildings, hotels and the country’s defence ministry.
Witnesses said the Allied Air Cargo plane first smashed through the fence that encircles the airport before hitting the bus. The Independent
Cargo jet hits van in Ghana, at least 10 dead
A cargo jet slammed into a minivan at Ghana’s Accra airport on Saturday after overshooting the runway on landing, killing at least 10 people, airport officials said.
The Boeing 727-200 was operated by Nigerian cargo airline Allied Air, Doreen Owusu Fianko, managing director of Ghana Airport Company, told reporters.
“The aircraft collided with a mini Mercedez van resulting in 10 confirmed fatalities,” she said, adding all four crew of the aircraft survived the accident. Reuters
Plane crash claims 10
Accra – A cargo plane crash-landed on Saturday near the airport in Ghana’s capital Accra after overshooting the runway and hitting a bus on the ground, killing at least 10 people, but the crew survived, officials said.
Wreckage from the Boeing 727 Allied Air plane could be seen in an area near the airport along with a badly damaged bus. Rescue, police and fire officers flooded the scene and cordoned off the immediate area of the crash. News24
Ten dead in Ghana as plane crashes through runway fence and ploughs into bus
Ten people died after a cargo plane smashed through a runway fence at Ghana’s international airport and slammed into a minivan bus.
The Boeing 727 had flown in from the Nigerian capital of Lagos when it overshot the runway at Accra’s Kotoka International airport. The injured four-man aircrew jumped to safety and were rushed to hospital.
Witness Kofi Annor had just left work near the airport when he saw the plane come down and hit the bus. ‘I was walking home in the rain, only to see the plane falling and people in the bus crushed to death,’ he said. Daily Mail
Cargo plane crashes in Ghana’s capital Accra, killing at least 10
ACCRA, June 2 (Xinhua) — A cargo plane crashed in Ghana’s capital Accra on Saturday evening and slammed into a minivan loaded with passengers, killing at least 10 people, airport officials said.
The plane hit a mini-bus outside the El Wak Stadium, less than 10 km from the Kotoka International Airport when it was trying to touch down at the airport, Xinhua correspondents learnt.
Flight DHV III (Allied Air Cargo Aircraft) operating from Lagos of Nigeria to Accra overshot the runway on landing at 7:10 p.m., said managing director of Ghana Airport Company Doreen Owusu Fianko. Four member crew survived and are receiving treatment at airport clinic, Fianko said. Xinhua
Cargo plane hits bus in Ghana airport crash
A cargo plane has crash landed in Ghana’s capital Accra, hitting a bus full of passengers, officials say.
Ten passengers on board the bus were reported to have been killed while all four crew members survived.
Local TV showed the heavily damaged Boeing 727 Allied Air plane lying across a road close to Kotoka International Airport.
Ghana’s airport operator said the plane, which had flown from Lagos, Nigeria, overshot the runway. BBC
Crowds rush to view Ghana plane wreckage
GHANA’S police battled today to control crowds flocking to the site of a plane crash in Accra where debris remained scattered after a cargo plane that overshot the runway hit a bus and killed at least 10 people.
Rescue workers and security services immediately cordoned off the site near a stadium and military barracks after the Boeing 727 Allied Air crashed last night.
The deployment remained heavy today. The Australian
10 die in Ghana plane crash
Ten people have died after a cargo plane attempting to land in the Ghanaian capital Accra crashed into a bus near the airport.
Emergency workers said that all 10 people on board the bus were killed.
The crash took place near Kotoka International Airport, which sits near newly-constructed high-rise buildings, hotels and the country’s defence ministry.
Witnesses said the Allied Air Cargo plane first smashed through the fence that encircles the airport before hitting the bus. Irish Examiner
Cargo plane crashes during takeoff in Ghana, killing at least 10
A cargo jet has crash into a minibus at Ghana’s Accra airport after overshooting the runway on landing, killing at least 10 people.
The accident happened just before 7.15pm local time in Accra at the Kotoka International Airport, which sits near newly built high-rise buildings, hotels and the country’s Defense Ministry.
Witnesses said the Boeing 727 cargo plane first smashed through the fence that runs around the buildings before hitting the bus. The Telegraph
Official: Cargo plane crashes, slams into bus near airport in Ghana’s capital; 10 killed
ACCRA, Ghana — A Boeing 727 cargo plane attempting to land at the international airport in Ghana’s capital crashed Saturday, slamming into a bus loaded with passengers on a nearby street, killing all 10 people inside the vehicle, emergency responders and airport officials said.
The crash occurred in Accra near Kotoka International Airport, which sits near newly built high-rise buildings and hotels. Witnesses said the plane first smashed through the fence that runs around the airport before hitting the bus. Washington Post The Cargo plane with crashed into the Hajj Village near the El Wak Sports Stadium, Saturday night made the headlines of most international media houses. In all there were 400 major news websites reported the event.
The event which occurred after downpour in the capital appeared on BBC around 8pm. Below are the reportage of some of the notable media houses on the incident which claimed 10 lives in a 207 Benz bus which was caught in the process of the crash landing of the Allied Air cargo plane.
Ten people killed as plane crashes into bus in Ghana
Ten people have died after a cargo plane attempting to land in the Ghanaian capital Accra crashed into a bus near the airport.
Emergency workers said that all 10 people on board the bus were killed.
The crash took place near Kotoka International Airport, which sits near newly-constructed high-rise buildings, hotels and the country’s defence ministry.
Witnesses said the Allied Air Cargo plane first smashed through the fence that encircles the airport before hitting the bus. The Independent
Cargo jet hits van in Ghana, at least 10 dead
A cargo jet slammed into a minivan at Ghana’s Accra airport on Saturday after overshooting the runway on landing, killing at least 10 people, airport officials said.
The Boeing 727-200 was operated by Nigerian cargo airline Allied Air, Doreen Owusu Fianko, managing director of Ghana Airport Company, told reporters.
“The aircraft collided with a mini Mercedez van resulting in 10 confirmed fatalities,” she said, adding all four crew of the aircraft survived the accident. Reuters
Plane crash claims 10
Accra – A cargo plane crash-landed on Saturday near the airport in Ghana’s capital Accra after overshooting the runway and hitting a bus on the ground, killing at least 10 people, but the crew survived, officials said.
Wreckage from the Boeing 727 Allied Air plane could be seen in an area near the airport along with a badly damaged bus. Rescue, police and fire officers flooded the scene and cordoned off the immediate area of the crash. News24
Ten dead in Ghana as plane crashes through runway fence and ploughs into bus
Ten people died after a cargo plane smashed through a runway fence at Ghana’s international airport and slammed into a minivan bus.
The Boeing 727 had flown in from the Nigerian capital of Lagos when it overshot the runway at Accra’s Kotoka International airport. The injured four-man aircrew jumped to safety and were rushed to hospital.
Witness Kofi Annor had just left work near the airport when he saw the plane come down and hit the bus. ‘I was walking home in the rain, only to see the plane falling and people in the bus crushed to death,’ he said. Daily Mail
Cargo plane crashes in Ghana’s capital Accra, killing at least 10
ACCRA, June 2 (Xinhua) — A cargo plane crashed in Ghana’s capital Accra on Saturday evening and slammed into a minivan loaded with passengers, killing at least 10 people, airport officials said.
The plane hit a mini-bus outside the El Wak Stadium, less than 10 km from the Kotoka International Airport when it was trying to touch down at the airport, Xinhua correspondents learnt.
Flight DHV III (Allied Air Cargo Aircraft) operating from Lagos of Nigeria to Accra overshot the runway on landing at 7:10 p.m., said managing director of Ghana Airport Company Doreen Owusu Fianko. Four member crew survived and are receiving treatment at airport clinic, Fianko said. Xinhua
Cargo plane hits bus in Ghana airport crash
A cargo plane has crash landed in Ghana’s capital Accra, hitting a bus full of passengers, officials say.
Ten passengers on board the bus were reported to have been killed while all four crew members survived.
Local TV showed the heavily damaged Boeing 727 Allied Air plane lying across a road close to Kotoka International Airport.
Ghana’s airport operator said the plane, which had flown from Lagos, Nigeria, overshot the runway. BBC
Crowds rush to view Ghana plane wreckage
GHANA’S police battled today to control crowds flocking to the site of a plane crash in Accra where debris remained scattered after a cargo plane that overshot the runway hit a bus and killed at least 10 people.
Rescue workers and security services immediately cordoned off the site near a stadium and military barracks after the Boeing 727 Allied Air crashed last night.
The deployment remained heavy today. The Australian
10 die in Ghana plane crash
Ten people have died after a cargo plane attempting to land in the Ghanaian capital Accra crashed into a bus near the airport.
Emergency workers said that all 10 people on board the bus were killed.
The crash took place near Kotoka International Airport, which sits near newly-constructed high-rise buildings, hotels and the country’s defence ministry.
Witnesses said the Allied Air Cargo plane first smashed through the fence that encircles the airport before hitting the bus. Irish Examiner
Cargo plane crashes during takeoff in Ghana, killing at least 10
A cargo jet has crash into a minibus at Ghana’s Accra airport after overshooting the runway on landing, killing at least 10 people.
The accident happened just before 7.15pm local time in Accra at the Kotoka International Airport, which sits near newly built high-rise buildings, hotels and the country’s Defense Ministry.
Witnesses said the Boeing 727 cargo plane first smashed through the fence that runs around the buildings before hitting the bus. The Telegraph
Official: Cargo plane crashes, slams into bus near airport in Ghana’s capital; 10 killed
ACCRA, Ghana — A Boeing 727 cargo plane attempting to land at the international airport in Ghana’s capital crashed Saturday, slamming into a bus loaded with passengers on a nearby street, killing all 10 people inside the vehicle, emergency responders and airport officials said.
The crash occurred in Accra near Kotoka International Airport, which sits near newly built high-rise buildings and hotels. Witnesses said the plane first smashed through the fence that runs around the airport before hitting the bus. Washington Post
source: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=240845
June 4, 2012 at 6:29 am
Haruna Mohammed
Strong earthquake strikes south of Panama
(CNN) — A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast of Panama on Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The center of the quake was roughly 215 miles south of David, Panama, and almost 330 miles southwest of the capital, Panama City, the USGS said.
It was an estimated six miles deep.
The USGS had initially given the quake a magnitude of 6.6.
There was no tsunami threat, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said. There were also no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/03/world/americas/panama-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
June 4, 2012 at 6:38 am
Haruna Mohammed
Air tanker crash kills 2 in Utah
(CNN) — An air tanker crashed while fighting a fire in western Utah on Sunday, killing two pilots, a spokesman for local authorities said.
The crash took place near the Utah-Nevada state line, said Detective Sgt. Jody Edwards, a spokesman for the Iron County, Utah, sheriff. When it went down, the tanker was on its second run of the day fighting the White Rock Fire, and was loaded with about 1,600 gallons of fuel and 2,000 gallons of water and fire retardant, he said.
It was not immediately known what caused the crash, which took place in steep, mountainous terrain.
The plane was owned by Neptune Aviation Services of Missoula, Montana.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/03/us/utah-tanker-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
June 4, 2012 at 6:42 am
Haruna Mohammed
Firefighters battle largest wildfire in New Mexico’s history
(CNN) — A record wildfire raged on in southwestern New Mexico on Sunday, belching out a wall of smoke as it devoured thousands of acres and advanced across the rugged wilderness.
Authorities cautioned children, adults with heart disease and other sensitive groups to stay indoors and avoid the smoke.
The blaze — the biggest in the state’s history — has scorched an area more than one and a half times bigger than Chicago.
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A total of 1,236 personnel are fighting the wildfire, which is 17% contained, U.S. Forest Service officials said Sunday.
Two separate lightning strikes started two wildfires that merged, creating the giant fire.
Lightning ignited the Whitewater Baldy Complex wildfire last month, sparking a blaze that has devoured more than 241,000 acres — about 380 square miles — in the southwest portion of the state.
Firefighters made good progress on the northeastern portions Saturday, the forest service said, while along the southwest boundary “reduced fire behavior was observed as the fire moved into gentle sloping hills of pinon and juniper.”
On Sunday, firefighters were “scouting the area along Gila Mountain Trail and the Middle Fork River for potential control lines,” the forest service said in a statement. A contingency line was being constructed “a safe distance east of the fires along Road 150. Firefighters will also strengthen containment lines south of the community of Mogollon.”
An evacuation order in Mogollon will be lifted for residents and business owners will be lifted effective Monday; on Wednesday, the community will be open to the public, the fire service said.
The Baldy Fire started May 9 in an inaccessible area of the rugged wilderness and the Whitewater Fire was reported on May 16 several miles away, according to Forest Service officials.
The two fires in the Gila National Forest merged May 23, enhanced by drought and sustained winds of 40 mph to 50 mph, authorities said.
Extreme drought could mean the smoke in the region will persist until the monsoon season, which typically begins in July, said Catherine Torres, secretary of the New Mexico department of health.
The blaze is 15 miles east of Glenwood, New Mexico.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/03/us/new-mexico-historic-wildfire/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
June 4, 2012 at 6:11 pm
Haruna Mohammed
One dead; six wounded in Kokomba, Bemoba clashes
One person has been confirmed dead and six others severely wounded in gun battles between the Kokombas and Bemobas in the Northern Region of Ghana.
The conflict said to have been sparked by a land dispute left over a hundred houses burnt down.
Deputy Northern Region Minister Asabigi Nasaamu confirmed the latest casualties to Joy News’ Dzifa Bampoh on Top Story, Monday.
The two ethnic groups were alleged to have exchanged gun shots in the early hours of Monday, which led women and children to flee further into the bush.
Nasaamu Asabigi said uneasy calm has returned following the police and military presence in the area.
He said the casualties have been sent to the Nalerigu Hospital but cannot say the seriousness of the injuries.
He said the security personnel will be present in Kpanyili, a village near Nankpanduri as long as necessary to maintain law and order.
Asabigi noted the police have begun investigations and will bring perpetrators to book.
He also warned of reprisal attacks which he said will not be in anybody’s interest
source: http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201206/87748.php
June 5, 2012 at 8:32 am
larry
Cargo plane crashes into bus in Ghana; 10 dead. Jun 03, 2012
A cargo plane belonging to Allied Air skidded off the runway at the Kotoka International Airport Saturday night and rammed into a passenger bus near the El-Wak Stadium killing 10 passengers on the spot.
The pilot and crew, all totaling four survived and are currently receiving treatment at the nearby 37 Military Hospital.
The Emergency Operating Centre said the 10 confirmed fatalities consist of one female and nine males. The road between El Wak traffic light and the Burma Camp Shell filling station have been cordoned off until further notice.
The aircraft which was involved in the accident was a Boeing 727-200 with registration 5NBJN en route from Lagos via Accra to Abidjan.
A high-powered government delegation has been at the accident scene and President John Evans Atta Mills himself is visiting Sunday morning.
The Vice President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, told reporters at the airport that a thorough investigation would be carried out.
“No early conclusions should be drawn. We should allow investigations to arrive at the actual cause.
But I can assure Ghanaians that the situation is under control,” he said.
Ghana Airport Company said flights were continuing as normal at the airport.
Among government officials who have already been at the scene are Defence Minister, Lt. General Joseph Henry Smith; National Security Coordinator, Col (rtd.) Larry Gbevlo-Lartey; National Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation, Mr. Kofi Portuphy, Deputy Health Minister, Rojo Mettle Nunoo; Deputy Transport Minister, Dzifa Attivor and Accra Metropolitan Assembly Chief Executive Officer, and Dr. Alfred Nii Okoe Vanderpuije.
Security officials including the police, military and national security operatives have cordoned off the scene following the incident that occurred just after 19:00 GMT on Saturday.
By Citifmonline.com/Ghana
June 5, 2012 at 8:40 am
larry
Plane Crash In Nigeria Kills 152 Passengers
It was a black Sunday for Nigeria as a plane belonging to Dana Air, a privately-owned commercial airline, crashed into three residential properties in Iju-Agege, a densely populated residential area in Lagos, the country’s economic hub, killing all 152 passengers on board as well as several other residents on the ground.
The aircraft, an MD-83 twinjet, was inbound from the capital of Abuja to Lagos, when it crashed at around 15:43 Nigeria time. The flight is believed to have lost an engine mid-air, and the pilot of the plane is reported to have called for emergency landing while making futile, frantic efforts to sustain the aircraft with the remaining functional engine.
The chief executive of Dana Air, Jacky Hathiramani, said in a press statement available on Dana Air’s website that the airline is “deeply saddened” by the crash and promised the airline would do everything to assist the relatives of the victims of the crash. The airline has suspended all commercial flights and closed its offices in Abuja to allow Nigerian officials and international experts from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigate the cause of the crash. Among the victims of the fatal incident are an American pilot, an Indian pilot, a flight engineer from Indonesia and six Chinese citizens.
Speculations are rife that the 21 year-old aircraft was not fit for travel. The twinjet apparently had a history of mechanical faults long before its original owners, America’s Alaska Airlines, sold it to Dana Airlines in February 2009. According to news reports, the MD-83 was involved in a minor safety incident in August 2006 among others when Alaska Airlines operated the plane. The plane also had very recent mechanical hiccups which were allegedly treated with laxity by management of Dana air. Just two weeks ago, the plane had a landing gear problem in Uyo, in the south of Nigeria. The plane also developed a hydraulic problem midair and had to make emergency landing three weeks ago in Lagos.
The plane in question had been under repair for several weeks, and according to newspaper reports, the airline’s station manager had vehemently protested its use, but the Indian management of the company insisted that the plane fly its passengers nevertheless- an ill-advised decision that appears to have resulted in Sunday’s tragedy. Dana Air is a subsidiary of the Dana Group of companies, a $2 billion (annual sales) Nigerian conglomerate with interests in manufacturing, construction, transportation, chemicals and motoring. The group is owned by a prominent Indian family led by its chairman, Ramesh Hathiramani.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan, who visited the crash site Monday, has declared three days of mourning. In the light of the crash, Nigerian digital activists on Twitter and Facebook have also called on the government to closely monitor Dana Group’s business operations in Nigeria.
As at press time, over 90 unrecognizable corpses had been recovered from the crash site and deposited at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.
When I contacted Dana Air for a response, an official of the airline asked me to check on their website for an official statement.
June 8, 2012 at 6:22 am
Haruna Mohammed
Ekumfi clashes: Ama Benyiwa Doe appeals for calm
Central regional Minister, Ama Benyiwa Doe has described the ethnic clashes that occurred at the Ekumfi Traditional Area Thursday as a very unfortunate incident.
The Minister was in the area to assess the effects of the clashes.
The clashes followed the death of a 60-year-old man, Nana Eguase who was murdered and beheaded on his coconut plantation. The deceased was subsequently buried on the farm.
The Fantse community, suspecting foul play, attacked the Ewe community which was not too far from where the deceased was murdered, burning down some houses in the Ewe community.
Ama Benyiwa Doe appealed to the two communities to exercise restraint and allow the security agencies handle the situation.
She conceded that the manner in which Nana Eguase was killed was unfortunate but urged the people not to take the laws into their own hands.
The Minister, who visited the two communities in her bid to calm the escalating tension, called on the police to act swiftly.
The Central regional Minister added that the two communities need serious education to make sure future clashes are averted.
Meanwhile, Central Regional correspondent, Richard Kojo Nyarko reports of an uneasy calm in the two communities due to heavy police presence in the area.
The death toll in the clashes has risen to three.
Until now, the two communities has co-existed without much conflict but the latest incident has caused the Ewe community to request police protection due to fear of reprisal attacks by the dominant Fantse community.
source: http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201206/87958.php
June 11, 2012 at 6:29 am
Haruna Mohammed
Kenyan government minister among 6 killed in helicopter crash
Nairobi, Kenya (CNN) — A helicopter crashed in the outskirts of Nairobi on Sunday, killing the Kenyan internal security minister — a man who once served as vice president and was a presidential contender in an upcoming election.
Security minister George Saitoti, 66, was one of the most visible figures in the nation’s politics.
He was aboard the flight with five others, who also died in the crash: his deputy minister Orwa Ojode, two pilots and two bodyguards, President Mwai Kibaki said.
“The deaths of the six Kenyans is a devastating loss to our country,” the president said in a statement. “Minister Saitoti will forever be remembered as a hardworking and determined public servant who dedicated his time to the service of the Kenyan people.”
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/10/world/africa/kenya-minister-killed/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
June 11, 2012 at 6:31 am
Haruna Mohammed
As elections loom, protesters rally in Mexico
Mexico City (CNN) — Protesters marched and packed the main square of Mexico City on Sunday, slamming the candidate widely seen as the front-runner in next month’s presidential elections.
Enrique Peña Nieto, the Institutional Revolutionary Party candidate, leads in polls. His party — better known as the PRI — ruled for some 70 years, before losing the presidency in 2000. Demonstrators say his winning would be a step back for democracy in Mexico.
“I’m here because I’m really angry with what’s going on in my country. I think it’s not fair,” said Adrian Garcia, 34, a protester.
He wore a white T-shirt with the words “Yo Soy 132,” (“I am 132”) printed on it, referencing a nascent protest group that Peña Nieto inadvertently helped to create.
After students jeered the candidate at a recent campaign event, Peña Nieto dismissed the demonstrators as outsiders, dragged there by political operatives to cause commotion.
Three days later, a YouTube video featured 131 students flashing their university ID cards, saying “We are students from Ibero. … Nobody forced us to do anything.” The 11-minute video went viral.
Posts promoting protests throughout the country on social media have used it as a jumping off point, using the phrase “#YoSoy132” on Twitter and Facebook.
But Sunday’s protests in Mexico City attracted more than just students — teachers, unions and various political groups were also there.
The demonstrations were timed to coincide with the last scheduled televised debate before the presidential election, which is set for July 1. Similar, though smaller, rallies were held in several other Mexican cities.
Garcia, the protester, said he voted for leftist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in the last election. Lopez Obrador never conceded after officials declared Felipe Calderon the winner of Mexico’s election in 2006 and has been known to refer to himself as “the legitimate president of Mexico.”
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/10/world/americas/mexico-protests/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
June 11, 2012 at 7:00 am
Haruna Mohammed
One dead in Tishigu chieftaincy clashes in Northern Region
One person has been killed and several others injured in a violent clash in Tishigu in the Northern Region over a chieftaincy dispute.
Violence erupted following the enskinnment of a disputed chief.
The Northern Regional Police Commander DCOP George Tuffour told Joy News calm has returned to the area.
According to him, eleven people have so far been arrested for their roles in the violent confrontation.
He said but for the timely intervention of the police who stopped the newly enskinned chief from entering into the Palace, there would have been a blood bath.
source: http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201206/88078.
June 11, 2012 at 7:03 am
Haruna Mohammed
One dead in bloody clash between police, Anlo residents
One person is reported dead early Sunday after the Ho Municipal police embarked on a dawn swoop to arrest drug peddlers at Anlo Kordzi near the Ho Central market.
The deceased, Atsu Mensah was shot dead when he tried to attack a Police officer.
The drug peddlers were angered by the event and engaged the police in a fight by throwing objects including stones and sticks.
Sensing danger, the Police retreated to the station but this angry mob advanced to the Ho Municipal Police Station and attacked police officers on sight.
Joy News Volta Region correspondent Agbeko Ben Coffie reported the angry mob blocked the road from Taso Hotel to Civic center.
The Military from the 66 Artillery Regiment was called to duty to restore order.
The police have meanwhile been tight-lipped on the matter.
Several other people sustained varying degrees of injuries. The Police have so far arrested 13 suspects and have begun investigations.
Volta Region Minister and chairman of the Regional Security Council Henry Ford Kamel confirmed the incident to Joy News.
Explaining the details of the incident, the Regional Minister said the police were on their usual patrols to the Ho Central Market a place notorious for drug peddlers.
According to him, the police attempted to arrest Atsu Mensah but he drew out a dagger and attempted to attack the police man.
The police in self defence shot and killed him. But this angered some residents and friends of the deceased who went on a reprisal attack, the minister stated.
He added police and military personnel have been deployed there to ensure calm.
source: http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201206/88075.php
June 11, 2012 at 9:30 am
Haruna Mohammed
Riots at Hohoe; Togbega Gabusu’s car set ablaze
Muslim youth at Hohoe have set ablaze a vehicle belonging to the paramount chief of the Gbi Traditional Area, Togbega Gabusu.
The entire palace has been vandalised by the rampaging youth who are angry at the exhumation of their Imam.
The whereabouts of the chief is unknown but reports say the situation requires security reinforcement.
Lolonyo FM’s Isaac Kwesi Minta told Joy FM’s Super Morning Show the police were helpless as they were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the angry youth.
Isaac said he personally saw the body of the Imam dumped on the road.
He said the angry youth said they were going to bury the Imam again and promised to burn down the entire Hohoe if the grave was tampered with again.
Tension had been mounting between the Muslim Community and the Gbi Traditional Council of Hohoe over the exhumation of the chief Imam who was buried yesterday.
The Muslims accused the paramount chief of the area, Togbega Gabusu of exhuming their Imam, Alhassan Sanni.
The Zongo chief at Hohoe, Alhaji Tajudin Meriga told Myjoyonline.com that the body of the Imam had been dumped on Jasikan road.
He said the suspicion that Togbega Gabusu may have ordered the that the body of the Imam be exhumed was well grounded.
source: http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201206/88110.php?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook
June 12, 2012 at 4:30 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Rockfall set off by quakes kills scores in northern Afghanistan
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) — A landslide set off by earthquakes has killed scores of people in a remote area of northern Afghanistan after rocks crushed their mud houses, a local official said Tuesday.
A 5.4 magnitude quake on Monday morning in Baghlan Province was followed less than half an hour later by a 5.7 magnitude one in the same area, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The tremors dislodged rocks on the side of a mountain in the district of Burka, bringing them crashing down on houses below and killing between 80 and 90 people, said Munshi Majid, the governor of Baghlan.
Two bulldozers are working to recover the bodies of the dead and clear the rubble, he said.
Majid will travel to the area with a delegation from Kabul. He said that if it’s not possible to dig out all the bodies from under the rockfall, the area will become the burial site for the victims, and funeral prayers will be performed on site.
He said it was unlikely that there were any survivors from the disaster.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/12/world/asia/afghanistan-quake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
June 12, 2012 at 4:32 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Bodies found after Haitian migrant boat sinks in Bahamas
(CNN) — At least 11 people are dead and 13 missing after a boat carrying 28 Haitian migrants ran into trouble while on its way to the United States, the U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday.
Four of those on board made it safely to shore and raised the alarm with the Bahamas police force, U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer Jon-Paul Rios said.
The Haitians’ vessel broke up off Hawksbill Cay in the Bahamas, he said.
The U.S. Coast Guard sent three aircraft, one of them a rescue helicopter, to the scene after Bahamian authorities asked for help, where they recovered 11 bodies, Rios said.
The United States has long been a destination for migrants from Haiti, with many sailing via the Bahamas or the Turks and Caicos Islands.
source:http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/12/world/americas/haiti-boat-deaths/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
June 12, 2012 at 9:34 pm
Firdaws Allem Baba
I have Three Questions for Sheikh:
1. Why is it that all your predictions are NEGATIVE? (Accidents, Desasters, Mortalities)?
2. Is Haruna Mohammed paid to research and post comments to confirm what is predicted.
3. Can Sheikh PRAY to avert all the negative predictions AT LEAST for Ghana since he is the SPIRITUAL LEADER of the World’s spiritualities?
June 13, 2012 at 10:43 am
Haruna Mohammed
Curfew imposed in Tunisia
(CNN) — The Tunisian government declared a curfew Tuesday in eight governorates, including the capital city of Tunis, in an attempt to quell violence after protests that included radical Islamists.
The 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew was announced by the Interior Ministry and the Defense Ministry “in the wake of violence carried out by criminal groups against establishments of sovereignty and public and private property,” a prime ministry communique said, according to the official Tunis Afrique Press.
The curfew is to be observed in the governorates of Tunis, Ariana, Manouba, Ben Arous, Sousse, Jendouba, Monastir and the Ben Guerdane delegation in the governorate of Medenine, it said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/12/world/africa/tunisia-curfew/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
June 13, 2012 at 10:47 am
Haruna Mohammed
Togo security forces clash with opposition over electoral law
Lome, Togo (CNN) — Togolese security forces shot canisters of tear gas to disperse angry anti-government protesters who demonstrated against a new electoral law Tuesday in this capital city.
Protesters defied the security forces for three hours, throwing stones and other objects.
The West African nation’s parliament passed the law two weeks ago, ahead of parliamentary and municipal elections due in October.
“This law is unfair,” shouted one supporter of the Save Togo Movement, which is composed of six opposition parties and nine civil society organizations. “It favors the ruling party, and we are not going to tolerate that this time around. We are going to fight every day until it’s withdrawn from parliament.”
As the clashes continued in opposition strongholds of this port city in southern Togo, militants set tires ablaze along some of the streets in the capital while security forces engaged them in street battles.
“This motley gathering is a lever exploited by certain members of the opposition prior to the legislative elections with the goal of creating an artificial tension,” the posting said.
Security forces said the intervention was necessary.
“We were compelled to shoot tear gas to disperse them because they began hurting our forces with stones and we were not ready to take that long,” said Col. Yark Damehame, commander of the National Gendarmerie in charge of the security forces.
Zeus Ajavon, a lawyer who helped organize the demonstration, blamed the clashes on security forces, saying they sparked the violence by arresting some of the militants.
“We want these three-day demonstrations to have an impact and we want the law to be purely and simply withdrawn from parliament,” he said.
Ajavon said the electoral law “amounts to the ruling party’s attempt to rig the next elections” and promised not to give up if his goals are not immediately achieved. “If the government doesn’t react at the end of the three-day demonstrations, we will call on new demonstrations in the coming days,” he vowed.
A number of shops in Lome’s commercial center remained closed after the demonstrations.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/12/togo-demonstrations/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
June 14, 2012 at 6:32 am
Haruna Mohammed
India Visakhapatnam steel plant explosion kills 11
A massive explosion at a government-owned steel plant in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has killed at least 11 people, police say.
The blast triggered a fire in the plant in the coastal city of Visakhapatnam. At least 16 other workers suffered serious burn injuries.
The blast took place in an oxygen tank in the plant when workers were installing new equipment, reports said.
The death toll is expected to rise as some of the injured are critical.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-18437238
June 16, 2012 at 2:19 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Carlotta weakens over Mexican mountains
(CNN) — Mexico’s high terrain took its toll on Carlotta, weakening the system to a tropical storm status on Saturday.
The storm, which was moving toward the northwest at 13 mph (20 kph), is expected to continue to weaken and become a tropical depression later Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said. It had sustained winds of 45 miles per hour (75 kph).
Carlotta was about 40 miles (70 kilometers) northeast of the resort town of Acapulco.
At least two children were killed when Carlotta slammed southern Mexico at hurricane strength, unleashing fierce winds and dumping intense rains over Oaxaca state.
The storm destroyed a clay house Friday night in Pluma Hidalgo, killing a 13-year-old girl and her 7-year-old sister, said Cynthia Tobar, a spokeswoman for Mexico’s civil protection agency.
The girls’ mother was seriously injured and taken to a hospital in the city of Huatulco, Tobar said.
According to preliminary reports, Carlotta ripped off the roofs of homes and caused widespread power outages and small landslides, Tobar said. Authorities will survey the area once daylight comes and and the weather conditions are favorable.
In the mountain community of Pluma Hidalgo, about 1,200 people are in shelters, Tobar said. Many more evacuated to stay with relatives or friends, she said.
On Saturday, Mexico discontinued all hurricane watches and warnings, while a tropical storm warning remains in effect for the Pacific coast of Mexico from Punta Maldonado to Acapulco.
Carlotta is expected to leave total rainfall accumulations of 4 to 8 inches through Monday over parts of southern Mexico, with as much as 15 inches of rain in isolated areas, the hurricane center said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/16/world/americas/mexico-weather-carlotta/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
June 16, 2012 at 2:21 pm
Haruna Mohammed
At least 17 dead as landless peasants clash with Paraguayan police
Asuncion, Paraguay (CNN) — Peasants in eastern Paraguay opened fire Friday on police trying to evict them from private property, initiating a clash that ended with at least 17 dead, local authorities and state-run media said.
The violence occurred in Curuguaty, a remote community about 240 kilometers (150 miles) northeast of the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion near the Brazilian border.
About 300 law enforcement officers arrived Friday morning to serve the order when some of the approximately 100 farmers who had been occupying the land illegally for more than a month began shooting at them, authorities said.
Curuguaty Hospital director Gustavo Gonzalez told the state-run Paraguay Agency of Public Information that seven policemen and more than 10 farmers were killed.
About 80 more police and civilians were wounded and were receiving medical treatment, Gonzalez added. Three of the police officers were flown to Asuncion for treatment, the official news agency said.
Authorities did not detail the number of civilians killed, but they did confirm the deaths of seven police, including the chief and deputy chief of the national police’s special operations unit.
“The police entered and tried to get the people to leave, to get out of the place,” Interior Minister Carlos Filizzola told Telefuturo. “There were shots against the police and, well, from there a confrontation was produced.”
Police said the peasants had been camping on land owned by Blas Riquelme, a businessman and politician active in the South American nation’s Colorado Party.
But Jose Rodriguez, the leader of the “tent people” — so named because they live in tents, told Radio Nacional that the peasants were on public lands that Riquelme had acquired illegally.
Rodriguez lamented the loss of life, but said the peasant leaders did not order the attack on police. He added that the institutions of government don’t work and there is a need for agrarian reform.
After the incident, President Fernando Lugo sent soldiers to the zone. “All the resources of government security and strategic air are working at this moment to restore calm and tranquility to this region of the country,” he said. “I have ordered the armed forces to develop their specific mission in support of the police operation.”
In a special session, the House of Representatives observed a minute of silence in honor of the dead, the Agency of Public Information reported.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/15/world/americas/paraguay-farmer-clashes/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
June 16, 2012 at 2:23 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Bus falls off bridge in India, killing 30
Mumbai, India (CNN) — A speeding bus plunged off a bridge in central India on Saturday, killing 30 people and injuring 16 others, authorities said.
It was traveling from the southern city of Hyderabad to the site of a shrine in western Maharashtra when the accident occurred, said Dattaray Karale, a local police chief.
The bus was speeding, the police chief said.
The accident occurred in Osmanabad, about 400 kilometers (249 miles) from Mumbai.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/16/world/asia/india-bus-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
June 19, 2012 at 8:55 am
ABUBAKARI MUBARIK
MAY ALLAH BLESS SHEIHU SALAWATIA AND INCREASE HIM IN KNOWLEDGE
June 22, 2012 at 4:23 pm
Haruna Mohammed
110 people rescued from capsized boat near Australia
By the CNN Wire Staff
(CNN) — Rescuers have saved 110 people from a ship that capsized in the waters between Australia and Indonesia and are searching for the many missing, an Australian official said Friday.
The boat, that was carrying about 200 people, flipped over Thursday, authorities said, triggering the massive rescue effort.
A 13-year-old boy was one of the many rescued, Australia Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
The others that were rescued were all adults, Clare said. Authorities believe all the passengers in the ship were male, according to Clare.
The survivors were being transported to Christmas Island.
“Over the course of 36 hours from the time the boat capsized, my advice is that people can survive out there if they’ve got either life jackets or they are able to hold onto debris, as a lot of people did through the course of yesterday,” Clare said. “So the window is still there where we hold out the prospect of finding more people alive.”
On Thursday, authorities said the vessel was 110 nautical miles northwest of Christmas Island. Indonesia has sent two warships to assist Australian rescue efforts.
And Clare said four more ships would be in the area Friday to help the ships and aircraft that are already searching.
Christmas Island has been the scene of another recent boat capsizing.
At least 28 people died in December 2010 when a boat carrying asylum seekers crashed into cliffs near the coast of the island.
Most of the people on the boat were from Iran and Iraq, a rescue worker said at the time.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/22/world/asia/australia-ship-capsizes/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
June 22, 2012 at 4:26 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Nigeria: Dozens dead in church bombings and rioting
At least 36 people have been killed in multiple blasts at at least three churches in the northern Nigerian state of Kaduna, and in subsequent reprisals.
Officials said at least 16 people died and dozens were injured in the blasts.
Some 20 more people were killed in later rioting apparently targeting Muslims, aid workers and witnesses said.
Kaduna state authorities have imposed a 24-hour curfew as soldiers and police try to restore order.
No-one has yet claimed responsibility for the blasts, but Kaduna state has previously seen attacks by the radical Islamist group Boko Haram.
Last week the group attacked two church services, sparking violence which killed seven people. Hundreds have died in its previous attacks on churches.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18475853
June 25, 2012 at 7:06 am
Haruna Mohammed
Wildfires burn across Colorado, thousands evacuated
(CNN) — Dry and hot conditions allowed a spate of wildfires to burn across Colorado on Sunday, forcing thousands of people into shelters and cutting off access to some of the state’s largest national forests.
Some 11,000 people were evacuated in and around Colorado Springs after the 2,000-acre Waldo Canyon Fire began there Saturday. The Waldo Canyon Fire was 0% contained Sunday.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorized the use of federal funds to help fight the Waldo Canyon Fire after Colorado Springs and surrounding El Paso County declared an emergency, which allows them to receive state and federal aid.
“This is obviously beyond the resources of any one agency,” Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach said. “This declaration is the next step needed for an incident of this size.”
More than 70 firefighters were holding the line west of Colorado Springs, said Sunny Smaldino, spokeswoman for the city’s fire department.
Six other wildfires were active in the state, according to the Colorado Division of Emergency Management.
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, who traveled to the Waldo Canyon Fire on Sunday, said 70 helicopters and tankers were in the air over Colorado to help crews battle the flames.
“Almost half the airborne fire suppression in the country is in Colorado,” the governor said. “We recognize this is going to take a big push.”
The largest of the fires was the High Park Fire, which began June 9 and has now consumed 83,205 acres, the U.S. Forest Service said. It was 45% contained Sunday.
Nearly 2,000 fire personnel were fighting the wildfire, located in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, and more were expected later, emergency management spokeswoman Micki Trost said.
She said the High Park Fire has destroyed 191 homes, though officials expect that number to go up once crews are able to go in and assess the damage.
Gene Ellisberg was shooting pictures in the nearby Rocky Mountain National Park when he saw “a giant, enormous smoke cloud” about 30 to 50 miles away, he told CNN.
Ellisberg lives in the flatlands near Denver, but said, “I’m close enough to the fire that when the wind blows, it makes the air quality horrible.”
The other major fire was the 19,566-acre Little Sand Fire, burning on rugged, inaccessible terrain in the San Juan National Forest in southern Colorado. It was 31% contained Sunday.
Though smaller than the other wildfires, the Waldo Canyon Fire was of big concern because of its aggressive behavior, officials said.
“I don’t think there’s been anything more devastating than that fire right there,” El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa said, adding the fire has been spreading in two or three different directions.
“This is the greatest natural threat that we’ve seen in this community in the last 30 or 40 years,” Maketa said.
Kimberly Shumard, 47, who lives 20 miles from the fire, said the air can be thick and full of ash. She said she woke up to burned leaves in her yard Sunday and can hear fire-fighting planes and helicopters overhead.
“This is the scariest thing I’ve seen, because it’s so unpredictable,” Shumard told CNN.
She described the smell as “stronger than a campfire.” She said her dog, a Shepherd-Lab mix named Pasha, is keeping a close eye on where she and her husband are at all times and staying close by.
Also Sunday, FEMA authorized federal funds to help fight the Weber Fire in southwest Colorado, which stood at 6,500 acres Sunday and 0% containment.
“Weather conditions are ripe for the fires,” Trost said. Temperatures have been above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the past two days and humidity has been low, she said.
For firefighters, that means a danger of overheating and a need to keep them hydrated.
The fires are prompting a long list of ever-changing road closures. County and state officials and charities such as the Red Cross and Humane Society are using Twitter and other social media to keep residents updated.
The use of Twitter is beneficial to emergency management officials as well, she said, because it allows residents to share photographs and details of what they’re seeing.
Trost encouraged residents to heed evacuation warnings as soon as they’re issued.
“When you receive that call to evacuate, (make sure) that you are ready to go and that you get out of the area as quickly as possible for your safety and so the fire crews can get into the area,” Trost said.
In neighboring Utah, where the weather was also hot, dry and windy, at least two wildfires were burning Sunday. FEMA is providing funds to help fight the Wood Hollow Fire, which grew to 10,000 acres since starting Saturday afternoon, the Sanpete County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday.
There were evacuation orders in place for parts of the county, about 50 miles south of Salt Lake City. The sheriff’s office could not say how much of the fire was contained.
West of Provo, the Dump Fire had grown to more than 6,000 acres and was 40% contained, officials said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/24/us/western-wildfires/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
June 25, 2012 at 7:08 am
Haruna Mohammed
Tropical Storm Debby spawns fatal tornado in Florida, drenches coast
(CNN) — The expansive, stalled Tropical Storm Debby lashed Florida on Sunday, spawning apparent tornadoes in the central part of the state that killed one woman, a county spokeswoman said.
Gloria Rybinski, emergency operations spokeswoman for Highland County, said two twisters destroyed four homes in the southern end of the county and damaged others.
The woman was found dead in a home in Venus, located in the middle of the state roughly between Port St. Lucie and Sarasota, Rybinski said. In addition, a child in one of the affected homes was injured and transported to a hospital for treatment.
Packing 60 mph winds, Debby’s eye was still 115 miles south-southwest of Apalachiocola, Florida (and 195 miles east-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana) according to the National Hurricane Center’s 7 p.m. (8 p.m. ET) Sunday update.
Even so, it’s already made a big impact — and is likely to cause damage, flooding and worse for days to come. In fact, the heart of the storm was churning but not moving in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday evening, and forecasters still don’t know where it will end up.
“Little movement is expected during the next couple of days, but this forecast remains uncertain due to weak steering currents,” the Miami-based center said. “Some gradual strengthening is possible during the next 48 hours.”
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/24/us/tropical-weather/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
June 25, 2012 at 7:09 am
Haruna Mohammed
25 killed in Mexico when bus plummets off embankment
Mexico City (CNN) — At least 25 people were killed and more than 20 injured Sunday when a bus ran off a freeway and fell down an embankment in Guerrero state, Mexico, authorities said.
Nine of the dead were children.
The crash occurred just before 1 p.m. when the bus’ brakes apparently failed while it was traveling over a steep incline, Guerrero state officials said. The bus plummeted 300 meters (983 feet) down the embankment.
The local government expressed condolences to the victims’ families and pledged its support.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/24/world/americas/mexico-bus-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
June 27, 2012 at 6:45 am
Haruna Mohammed
Scores rescued from water after ship capsizes off Australia
(CNN) — Rescuers pulled more than 130 people from the waters between Australia and Indonesia on Wednesday after a ship capsized, the Australian authorities said.
Merchant and naval vessels carried out the rescue effort about 107 nautical miles north of Australia’s Christmas Island, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said.
By 3:50 p.m. (1:50 a.m. ET), 136 people had been rescued from about 150 believed to have been on board the ship when it turned over, said Jo Meehan, a spokeswoman for the authority. One person was reported dead, she said.
Meehan declined to comment on the nationality of the people on board the ship and the purpose of their voyage.
“We don’t have details on origin or intended destination of the vessel,” she said.
The ship is the second to capsize in the area in the past week.
A vessel carrying an estimated 200 people seeking asylum in Australia turned over last week 110 nautical miles northwest of Christmas Island.
Rescuers recovered 110 survivors and six dead bodies from that accident, according to the Australian authority. An accurate number of exactly how many people died “may never be known,” it said.
“We never know the exact number of people on board as they get on board illegally,” Gagah Prakoso, a spokesman for Indonesia’s Search and Rescue Agency, said last week.
Christmas Island is a remote territory northwest of the Australian mainland and close to Indonesia.
Several ships carrying people seeking asylum in Australia have run into trouble near Christmas Island in the past two years.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/27/world/asia/australia-sinking/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
June 27, 2012 at 6:49 am
Haruna Mohammed
18 killed in Ugandan landslides
(CNN) — The death toll from a landslide that buried three villages in eastern Uganda stood at 18 Tuesday, and rescue officials fear the figure will rise.
Another nine were injured and countless more may be missing, the Red Cross said.
Heavy rains sent rocks and mud crashing down on the villages in the mountainous district of Bududa on Monday, about 275 kilometers (170 miles) northeast of the capital Kampala. At least 15 homes were destroyed, said Catherine Ntabadde of the Uganda Red Cross Society.
“Last night district authorities requested all people in high risk places to move to a school that we are using as a primary camp,” Ntabadde said Tuesday.
No bodies have been recovered due to the heavy debris that has buried some of the victims 100 meters deep, Ntabadde said. Additional equipment is expected to arrive in the remote area Wednesday to assist in the excavation.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/26/world/africa/uganda-landslide/index.html?hpt=iaf_c2
June 27, 2012 at 6:52 am
Haruna Mohammed
Sudanese police crackdown on growing protests
(CNN) — Sudanese police fired tear gas on a hundred university students demonstrating against government austerity measures and calling for the president’s ouster Sunday, a journalist in Khartoum, Sudan, reported.
The government ordered a crackdown on protests that began a week ago and grew in size and number in the last several days, the journalist, who asked not to be identified, told CNN Sunday.
“I was told a good number of activists have been detained from their homes before they even join the protest as a precautionary measure,” the reporter said.
Growing numbers of protesters have rallied in the capital against government spending cuts and other measures. The protests have in some cases turned violent, with people throwing stones at police, burning tires and police trucks, and cutting off roads.
Police have been ordered to take harsh measure against any protests, including the use of tear gas, the reporter said.
Women and children, who joined the students in the streets, have not been spared the tear gas except in the case of older women, the journalist said.
Students at two Khartoum universities were in the streets protesting Sunday, but several other demonstrations were taking place elsewhere, the reporter said.
The head of Sudan’s police force told his officers Saturday how to deal with riots, groups targeting property, and arbitrary road closures by protesters “in accordance with the laws,” state television reported.
At the same meeting with Gen. Hashim Osman Hussein, police called on residents of Khartoum to “cooperate with the police in doing its job to enforce the law aimed at securing the homeland and its citizens,” state TV reported.
After Friday prayers, crowds called for the toppling of President Omar al-Bashir.
“Leave, Bashir, leave!” they chanted. “Khartoum, people, please revolt against humiliation and dictatorship.”
Police and security agents intensified their crackdown Saturday, detaining a number of opposition figures and surrounding the buildings of two of the country’s main opposition parties.
Officers used batons to disperse the demonstrations and police vehicles patrolled throughout the capital.
In a televised speech on state media last week, al-Bashir urged citizens to understand the new harsh austerity measures, which lifted fuel subsidies and cut the Cabinet by half to reduce expenses.
Sudan has faced soaring inflation since it separated with South Sudan a year ago — taking with it more than 70% of Sudan’s oil reserves.
The nation’s inflation has gone up by 30%, according to Sudanese Finance Minister Ali Mahmud.
Protesters have vowed to hold mass rallies June 30, when the ruling party celebrates 24 years in power. Organizers are also calling for mass action using social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, where they are posting pictures and details of upcoming protests.
The government has described the week-long protests as small and urged citizens to avoid them. Government officials were not immediately available for comment.
In similar protests in January last year, students vowed to replicate the Arab Spring that has swept over the Middle East.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/24/world/africa/sudan-protests/index.html?hpt=iaf_c2
June 28, 2012 at 9:30 am
Haruna Mohammed
Officials: 95 dead after heavy rain, floods in Bangladesh
Dhaka, Bangladesh (CNN) — Rescue crews were frantically trying to find survivors possibly buried in debris Wednesday after heavy rain and floods washed through southeastern Bangladesh in the past few days, killing 95 people, police and local officials said.
Most of the victims died in landslides caused by torrential rains and flash floods in the port city of Chittagong, the tourist destination of Cox’s Bazar and the hilly Bandarban district.
“We’ve recovered 95 bodies so far, and the death toll may go up as many people, as claimed by the relatives, are still missing,” Divisional Commissioner of Chittagong Mohammad Serajul Huq Khan said.
Khan, who serves as the administrative chief of all districts in Chittagong region, said rescuers from the army, police and fire services are assisting in the operations, which were taking place in many of the affected areas.
“Most of the people died in landslides, while drowning and lightning were the other causes of death,” Khan said. “At least 37 died in Cox’s Bazar, 36 in Bandarban and 22 in Chittagong city.”
Local officials said the flooding cut off the region from the rest of the country, shutting down roads, rail and air routes and communications.
Chittagong’s Shah Amanat International Airport, one of three international airports in the country, was closed as floodwaters submerged the runway Tuesday.
Airport manager Rabiul Islam said all flights were diverted to Dhaka as the runway was still inundated.
Tens of thousands of people in the districts were either stranded or displaced, officials said.
“We’re marooned even in the city. … Most of the roads are under water, and in some places, it is waist-deep,” said Abdul Momen, a businessman in Chittagong.
Aslam Alam, secretary of the Disaster Management and Relief Division of the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management, said in Dhaka that many people were evacuated and the government was sending food relief to the affected areas.
Crews were trying to restore communications to the region, Alam added.
In 2007, at least 126 people were killed in a landslide in Chittagong.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/27/world/asia/bangladesh-floods/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
June 28, 2012 at 9:33 am
Haruna Mohammed
4 dead, 1 missing as sodden Florida bids Debby good-bye
(CNN) — Post-Tropical Cyclone Debby headed into the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday after leaving four people dead and one missing, and deluging Florida with buckets of rain that triggered flooding statewide.
The storm lost its tropical characteristics late Wednesday and was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph, the National Weather Service said. No further public advisories were going to be issued, the service said.
The four deaths occurred in four different counties: one each in Pinellas, Highlands, Lake and Polk counties, Florida’s State Emergency Response Team said Wednesday.
The Polk County death was a 21-year-old woman whose vehicle hydroplaned and crashed, said Jessica Sims, spokeswoman for the emergency team.
In Pinellas County, Armando Perez, 71, was found face down in floodwater outside his Indian Rocks home, county officials said. An autopsy determined the cause of death to be drowning, with heart disease as a contributory factor, authorities said.
source:http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/27/us/tropical-weather/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
July 3, 2012 at 6:57 am
Haruna Mohammed
BA jet crashes at Heathrow
A Boeing 777 crashed at Heathrow Airport in January this year. No-one was seriously injured in the incident.
source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7343176.stm
July 3, 2012 at 7:11 am
Haruna Mohammed
Kenya church attacks ‘kill 15’ in Garissa
Fifteen people have been killed in attacks on churches in the Kenyan town of Garissa near Somalia, say the Kenyan Red Cross and a medical official.
Regional deputy police chief Philip Ndolo said balaclava-clad “goons” attacked the town’s Catholic church and the African Inland Church (AIC).
A combination of grenades and gunfire was used, police said.
Kenya’s border region has been tense since it sent troops into Somalia to pursue al-Shabab Islamic militants.
Kenya said the operations, launched last October, were designed to bring an end to kidnappings on Kenyan soil and other violence which it blamed on al-Shabab.
But since then, al-Shabab has been blamed for a further string of grenade and bomb blasts across Kenya – though it has never admitted to carrying out any such attack on Kenyan territory.
No group has yet said it carried out these latest attacks, but the finger of blame will once again undoubtedly be pointed at al-Shabab or sympathisers, says the BBC’s Kevin Mwachiro in Nairobi.
“We condemn this act in the strongest terms possible,” Mr Ndolo said.
The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims also condemned Sunday’s church attacks, saying that “all places of worship must be respected”, reported the AFP news agency.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-18662975
July 3, 2012 at 5:00 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Monsoon floods in India kill 81, displace 2 million
The worst monsoon floods in a decade to hit a remote northeastern Indian state have killed more than 80 people and forced around 2 million to leave their homes, officials said on Monday.
Nearly half a million people are living in relief camps that have been set up across Assam state, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told journalists in Gauhati, Assam’s capital. The rest of the 2 million displaced have moved in with relatives or are living in the open, sheltering under tarpaulin sheets.
Assam officials said 81 people have been killed over the past four days. Most of them were swept away when the mighty Brahmaputra River overflowed its banks and flooded villages. Sixteen people were buried in landslides triggered by the rains.
At least 11 people were missing in six districts, the state disaster management agency said in its bulletin.
Air force helicopters were dropping food packets and drinking water to marooned people, Singh said after surveying the flood-hit districts.
Army soldiers used boats to rescue villagers from rooftops of flooded homes.
Teams of doctors have opened health clinics in the 770 relief camps that had been set up across Assam, one of India’s main tea-growing states. The hilly tea growing areas have not been affected, but lower rice fields have been washed away.
“Once we complete rescue and relief operations our focus will shift to restoration of damages caused by floods,” Singh said.
The rain has stopped, but many rivers remains dangerously high.
Much of the Kaziranga National Park, known for its one-horned rhinos, was under water, forcing the animals to move to higher ground. Poachers have already killed one rhino that had strayed from the park and took away its horn, foresters said.
Singh announced 100,000 rupees ($1,800) compensation to each of the families whose members died in the floods.
“Until today 77 people have died. We are passing through a challenging time,” Nilamoni Sen Deka, Assam’s agriculture minister and official spokesman, told Reuters.
Thousands of cattle have perished after being swept away by the raging water or getting stuck in the mud. The stench of rotting animal carcasses was adding to the woes of the people in tents at the relief camps, officials said.
In the worst-hit Dhemaji district, raging waters of the Brahmaputra River swept away entire villages.
Officials said the entire Majuli island, one of the world’s largest river islands, was awash as water levels in the Brahmaputra rose above the danger level
source: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2012-07/03/content_15543869.htm
July 3, 2012 at 5:03 pm
Haruna Mohammed
50 dead, 42 missing in China floods
According to the ministry, more than 10.4 million people have been affected by downpours in 399 counties in Inner Mongolia, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Chongqing, Sichuan and Guizhou, with 1.247 million in urgent need of aid, as of 10 am Friday.
Torrential rain also toppled 34,000 houses, damaged another 89,000 and rendered 738,000 hectares of crops unharvestable in these regions, resulting in direct economic losses worth 10.3 billion yuan ($1.62 billion).
According to the ministry, some of the affected provinces have been battered by numerous rounds of heavy rain since April while other usually water-starved regions, including Inner Mongolia autonomous region, have suffered record levels of rain that have seen many of their crops ruined.
The ministry noted that more than half of the affected counties and cities are in the country’s impoverished regions and ethnic areas where local residents with already limited means of self-support largely rely on government aid.
Local governments in disaster-hit regions have poured more than 90 million yuan into living aid, including 20 million yuan allocated in Inner Mongolia — one of the hardest-hit areas, said the ministry.
Vowing to keep close track of how these disaster unfold, the National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the ministry promised to trigger emergency responses in a timely manner and offer relief guidance for affected areas.
Persistent rain continues in south China. In the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, the death toll from week-long rainstorms has risen to 11 as of Friday, according to the regional civil affairs department.
More than 1.35 million people have been affected and direct economic losses of 864 million yuan have been incurred in the region.
Another round of storms are expected to arrive in Guangxi from June 30 to July 1 as a result of the upcoming tropical depression Duksuri, which will land in Guangdong on early Saturday, according to a local observatory forecast on Friday.
In neighboring Guizhou province, three people were killed and another was injured in a rain-triggered landslide on Friday afternoon.
At least three people had been confirmed dead and 38 others are still missing as of Friday after a rain-triggered mudslide hit a a construction zone on Thursday morning in Southwest China’s Sichuan province.
source:http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-06/30/content_15538898.htm
July 3, 2012 at 5:05 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Floods hit northern England after torrential rain
Torrential downpours have brought flooding to swaths of northern England, forcing people to leave their homes as more than a month’s worth of rain fell in 24 hours.
An 80-year-old man was hospitalised with serious internal injuries following a collision in heavy rain in the Scottish Borders on Friday afternoon. In the West Yorkshire village of Mytholmroyd, the river Calder burst its banks at about 9pm, leaving many homes and businesses under water.
Simon Young, a local councillor, said it was “a pretty devastating picture. I’ve spoken to a lot of people, a lot of whom have lived in the area for years, and they cannot remember anything like this in the last 24 years. It’s going to be a pretty big clean-up operation.”
The deluges also battered revellers at the Isle of Wight Festival and brought havoc to Cumbria which buckled under the worst of the wet weather.
Up to 100mm of rain hit the region overnight, while south-west Scotland, Northern Ireland and Lancashire also experienced unusually heavy rainfall.
The Environment Agency issued around 140 flood warnings and alerts in northern regions which are also subject to Met Office severe weather warnings.
Some families spent the night in temporary accommodation after they were evacuated from properties in Lancashire when rivers burst their banks.
They were taken to the nearby Darwen Leisure Centre after fleeing homes in Croston and Darwen, near Chorley, but were expected to return today.
In Wigan, fire crews helped a number of residents leave their homes using a rescue boat after waist-deep water flooded homes and the RSPCA called firefighters to assist in the rescue of a number of animals from a flooded allotment, including six horses and four dogs.
Forecasters said water levels would begin to recede but further showers are expected to slow the clear-up process, meaning some areas will remain swamped.
However, the adverse conditions are set to improve – with the possibility of sunshine for festival-goers on Sunday.
Matt Dobson, senior forecaster at MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said Borrowdale in Cumbria bore the brunt of the bad weather, with an estimated 100mm of rain.
“It has been exceptionally wet overnight across Cumbria,” he said.
“By the end of the night, it is fair to say that probably 70mm-100mm fell over 24 hours which is a month’s worth of rain. It looks like the worst is probably now over for Cumbria.
“There will still be some showers today and overnight but it is not going to be anywhere near as bad as it has been.
“The worst weather today is going to be across Scotland, where there is likely to be further heavy rain or thunder storms. But the good news is the Isle of Wight is likely to have a dry day.”
Severe weather warnings remain in place in the North West, East and West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber, Northern Ireland, Strathclyde, south-west and central Scotland, Lothian Borders, and Tayside and Fife, the Met Office said.
The Environment Agency has 92 flood warnings in place across northern England and 47 flood alerts. There are another three flood alerts in both the South West and Wales.
It came after rain brought chaos to parts of the country yesterday, flooding more than 70 homes.
Croston was said to have become an “island” and homes were evacuated as the local authority handed out sandbags and a shelter was set up at the village’s Bishop Rawstorne School.
Localised flashflooding also hit households in Greater Manchester where water was said to be waist height in some areas.
Firefighters were called in to clear floodwater in Wigan, helping three people and a dog away from their properties by boat.
The Olympic torch relay was also hit by the weather with organisers forced to cancel an outdoor event in Blackpool.
But the outlook is more promising in the coming days.
A band of wet weather is expected to sweep the country tonight, moving from West to East. Forecasts suggest it will pass relatively quickly, meaning no one place should see more than five hours of rain.
Amounts of between 10mm-15mm are expected to fall quite widely before clearing in many areas tomorrow, with much of the country expected to see a dry day on Monday.
source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jun/23/floods-northern-england-torrential-rain
July 3, 2012 at 5:07 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Plan to distribute cash transfers to families affected by floods in Bangladesh
BANGLADESH (Plan International) – Following landslides and floods triggered by heavy rains in Bangladesh, Plan International is responding to the basic needs of 6,000 of the poorest and hardest hit families with emergency cash transfers.
At least 121 people died and thousands more were stranded last week after monsoon rains intensified, bringing water from upstream and swelling rivers to bursting point.
Houses were washed away while villages and crop fields were inundated. Families who sought shelter on higher ground were in urgent need of food and water, reported local media.
“We monitored the situation closely and after assessing the extent of the damage, concluded it was large enough that the government would need support from relief organisations to meet the needs of affected children and their families,” said Myrna Evora, country director of Plan Bangladesh.
Recovery cash
Building from previous experience working with disasters-affected communities, Plan is distributing emergency cash transfers to families in Kurigram and Gaibandha districts in the north and Cox’s Bazar in the southeast part of Bangladesh.
As these are districts Plan does not normally work in, official approval is being sought before distribution can begin, likely within the next 2 days.
Bangladesh is a flood-prone country regularly affected by disasters, after which life usually returns to normal fairly quickly, especially in places like local markets.
Recipients of cash transfers, who typically buy things like seeds, animals, medicine or food, say they appreciate the freedom to choose what they buy, rather than having to make do with what they’re given.
The initial response, with a budget of US$500,000, will reach up to 40,000 people and should take about a week and a half to complete once approval to respond in all of the districts has been granted.
source: BANGLADESH (Plan International) – Following landslides and floods triggered by heavy rains in Bangladesh, Plan International is responding to the basic needs of 6,000 of the poorest and hardest hit families with emergency cash transfers.At least 121 people died and thousands more were stranded last week after monsoon rains intensified, bringing water from upstream and swelling rivers to bursting point.Houses were washed away while villages and crop fields were inundated. Families who sought shelter on higher ground were in urgent need of food and water, reported local media.“We monitored the situation closely and after assessing the extent of the damage, concluded it was large enough that the government would need support from relief organisations to meet the needs of affected children and their families,” said Myrna Evora, country director of Plan Bangladesh.Recovery cashBuilding from previous experience working with disasters-affected communities, Plan is distributing emergency cash transfers to families in Kurigram and Gaibandha districts in the north and Cox’s Bazar in the southeast part of Bangladesh.As these are districts Plan does not normally work in, official approval is being sought before distribution can begin, likely within the next 2 days.Bangladesh is a flood-prone country regularly affected by disasters, after which life usually returns to normal fairly quickly, especially in places like local markets.Recipients of cash transfers, who typically buy things like seeds, animals, medicine or food, say they appreciate the freedom to choose what they buy, rather than having to make do with what they’re given.The initial response, with a budget of US$500,000, will reach up to 40,000 people and should take about a week and a half to complete once approval to respond in all of the districts has been granted.
July 5, 2012 at 6:56 am
Haruna Mohammed
Devastating India floods leave 95 dead, millions homeless
(CNN) — Flooding described by India’s prime minister as the worst in recent times, has left at least 95 people dead and almost 2 million others homeless in the country’s remote Assam state.
The Brahmaputra river overflowed during monsoon rains over the past week, flooding more than 2,000 villages and destroying homes in the northeast of the country, officials said.
Most of the dead were swept away by the fast-flowing water, while 16 were reported to have been buried by landslides caused by the heavy rains.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told journalists Monday that almost half a million people were living in relief camps, and the remaining of the displaced were staying with relatives or living in the open, using tarpaulin sheets for shelter.
source:http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/04/world/asia/india-flooding-deaths/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
July 5, 2012 at 6:58 am
Haruna Mohammed
162 passengers transferred from troubled boat to Australian navy ships
(CNN) — The 162 passengers who were transferred from a ship in distress in waters south of Indonesia were en route Wednesday to Christmas Island, the Australian government said.
Two ships from the Royal Australian Navy were en route Wednesday to the island after accepting the transfer of the passengers, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said in a statement.
HMA Ship Leeuwin was carrying 99 passengers, three of whom were receiving medical treatment, and HMA Ship Wollongong was carrying the 63 passengers, the authority said.
“Upon arrival at Christmas Island, the passengers will undergo initial security, health and identity checks and their reasons for travel will be established,” the release says. “The safety of all involved in this situation remains the immediate priority.”
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/03/world/asia/australia-indonesia-boat/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
July 5, 2012 at 7:01 am
Haruna Mohammed
New particle fits description of elusive Higgs boson, scientists say
(CNN) — Scientists said Wednesday that they had discovered a new particle whose characteristics match those of the Higgs boson, the most sought-after particle in physics, which could help unlock some of the universe’s deepest secrets.
“We have reached a milestone in our understanding of nature,” said Rolf Heuer, the director general of the European Organization for Nuclear Research, which has been carrying out experiments in search of the Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world’s largest particle accelerator.
“The discovery of a particle consistent with the Higgs boson opens the way to more detailed studies, requiring larger statistics, which will pin down the new particle’s properties, and is likely to shed light on other mysteries of our universe,” Heuer said.
The particle has been so difficult to pin down that the physicist Leon Lederman reportedly wanted to call his book “The Goddamn Particle.” But he truncated that epithet to “The God Particle,” which may have helped elevate the particle’s allure in popular culture.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/04/tech/physics-higgs-particle/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
July 9, 2012 at 7:30 am
Haruna Mohammed
Mourning, search for answers as Russian flooding death toll climbs to 171
Moscow (CNN) — Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Monday a national day of mourning in the wake of devastating, raging floodwaters that tore through streets in the southern part of the country and killed more than 170 people, Russian media reported.
The day of mourning also will remember 14 Russian pilgrims headed to a Ukrainian monastery who died Saturday after their bus swerved off the road and crashed into a ditch in an accident that was not flood-related, state-run media said. Twenty-nine people survived that crash.
Yet the higher toll, and the greatest controversy, involves what has happened in recent days in Russia’s Krasnodar region near the Black Sea. A Russian interior ministry spokesman told the official Itar-Tass news agency late Sunday that 171 people died due to the floods.
A vast majority of these deaths — 159, according to the interior ministry — were in and around Krymsk, a city of about 57,000 residents where torrential rains spurred waters to surge 7 meters (23 feet) as people were sleeping Friday night. Another 10 died in Gelendzhik district and two in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, Itar-Tass reported.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/08/world/europe/russia-floods/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
July 13, 2012 at 9:07 am
Haruna Mohammed
Very Strong CME Blast To Hit Planet On Saturday, Communication To be Affected
(TheWeatherSpace.com) – An X1.4-Class Solar Flare put out an incredible Coronal Mass Ejection, which is scheduled to hit the planet on Saturday.
This blast was associated with Sunspot AR1520. Due to the sunspot being directly facing our planet, the entire blast wasin our direction.
The graphic above show just that. This graphic shows the Earth as a yellow dot, withe coronal mass ejection material being the white and gray bow-like shape.
Expect communications to be affected. This blast hits when it is daylight over the North American areas, but hits at night for Europe. If the magnetic field goes south right away then Europe will have a very strong auroral display. If it waits a bit, it is possible the display will be over North America, furthar south than usual!
source: http://www.theweatherspace.com/news/TWS-71312-cme-heading-to-earth-from-flare.html
July 13, 2012 at 5:54 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Official: 3 Americans die as private jet crashes in France
Paris (CNN) — Three Americans died when a private jet crashed at a small airport in the south of France, a local official said Friday.
Two men, aged 24 and 51, and a 30-year-old woman were on board the plane when it crashed at Castellet airport, said Didier Couve, spokesman for the Prefecture of the Var department.
The three were the only people on the plane, Couve said.
A spokeswoman for the airport said emergency services are on site.
The plane crashed at the end of the runway, she said.
The aerodrome is between the cities of Marseille and Toulon, on the Mediterranean coast.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/13/world/europe/france-plane-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
July 13, 2012 at 5:57 pm
Haruna Mohammed
4 people missing after Canadian landslide
(CNN) — Authorities will meet early Friday to decide how to proceed with the search of a landslide in a mountainous remote area of British Columbia, looking for anyone who might be trapped in the debris, emergency officials said.
Four people are unaccounted for after three homes were destroyed and several others were damaged, said Bill Macpherson of the Regional District of Central Kootenay Emergency Operations Center.
The landslide happened in Johnsons Landing in the Kootenays, just before midday Thursday. Two search and rescue teams and multiple Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers were on the scene, along with geotechnical workers and a landslide expert, Macpherson said.
source: 4 people missing after Canadian landslide
July 13, 2012 at 5:59 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Torrential rains kill at least 19 people in southern Japan
Tokyo (CNN) — Exceptionally heavy rains have killed at least 19 people and flooded hundreds of houses on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, the local authorities said Friday.
The intense rainfall in certain areas of the prefectures of Kumamoto and Oita has attained levels “never experienced before,” the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
In one part of Kumamoto, the equivalent of one month’s rain fell in the space of just eight hours early Thursday, according to the meteorological agency.
Besides the 19 people who died — some of them in landslides and houses that collapsed — eight people are missing, according to information posted on the websites of the local prefecture offices and fire services.
The violent rain has damaged 75 houses and flooded more than 500 in the two prefectures, the local authorities said.
Evacuation orders were temporarily issued for tens of thousands of households as the Shirakawa River, which runs through Kumamoto City, began spilling over its banks. Helicopters plucked some residents from the roofs of their homes. Most of the evacuation orders had been lifted by Friday morning.
Kyushu is the third largest island of Japan, located southwest of the main island, Honshu.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/13/world/asia/japan-floods/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
July 17, 2012 at 4:16 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Aircraft fuel tank drops in Adenta
Two additional fuel tanks aboard a flying K8 fighter jet has fallen off in Adenta, a suburb of Accra.
One of the tanks fell on a plain field with the other falling on a building.
No casualty has been recorded.
Director of the Military Public Affairs Col Mbawini Atintande told Joy News the jet was on regular training.
District Police Commander for Adenta, DSP Stephen Ahiatafu who was at the scene of the accident told Joy News there was no cause for alarm.
The aircraft, Col Atintande stated had since returned to base.
Tuesday’s incident followed series of aircraft accidents recorded in the country.
Last month, a helicopter flying workers of Newmont made an emergency landing in Beposo after one of its engines was said to have malfunctioned.
No casualty was recorded.
Earlier in the same month however, ten people perished when a cargo plane overshot its runway at the Kotoko International Airport, crashed into a benz bus killing all its occupants.
source: http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201207/90393.php
July 17, 2012 at 6:16 pm
Haruna Mohammed
500 dead penguins wash up along Brazil’s beaches
(CNN) — Marine biologists in Brazil have launched an investigation after hundreds of dead penguins washed ashore in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, they said Monday.
More than 500 birds have been found on beaches over the past week, and that figure has steadily risen over the past few days, according to experts from Brazil’s Center of Coastal and Marine Studies (Ceclimar).
Japan’s fugitive penguin captured
The figure has been especially puzzling for the marine scientists, who say the birds are badly decomposed but otherwise seem unhurt and without oil stains.
The discovery follows an official inquiry launched by the Peruvian government this year when close to 3,000 dolphins and more than 500 pelicans washed up along the country’s northern coast.
Mauricio Tazeres, a biologist from the Center of Coastal and Marine Studies, said “it’s actually pretty common for us to find at least some penguins but never in this number.
Stolen penguin back safe at Sea World
“The animals usually migrate from Argentina around this time of year in search of food and warmer weather, and each year, some do wash up. But over 500 is a very, very high number, and right now, I simply do not have an explanation.
“We have collected some samples for autopsy, but the animals are so decomposed, it is going to make analysis very difficult,” he said. “The animals were a lot smaller in terms of size and weight than normal penguins, so we think it will be natural causes, but it is certainly very strange.”
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/17/world/americas/brazil-dead-penguins/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
July 27, 2012 at 8:57 am
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July 28, 2012 at 9:34 pm
Haruna Mohammed
6.6-magnitude earthquake strikes in Pacific off Papua New Guinea
(CNN) — A 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck early Sunday in the western Pacific off Papua New Guinea, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
The tremor did not immediately prompt any tsunami warnings by the U.S. National Weather Service’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center or the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Tsunami Programme, which is affiliated with the United Nations, likewise said historical data suggests there is “no destructive widespread tsunami threat.”
“However, earthquakes of this size sometimes generate local tsunamis that can be destructive along coasts located within a hundred kilometers of the earthquake epicenter,” the IOC said in a bulletin. “Authorities in the region of the epicenter should be aware of this possibility and take appropriate action.”
The quake was centered 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) deep under the ocean floor, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It happened shortly after 6 a.m. Sunday (4 p.m. ET Saturday).
The epicenter was about 33 kilometers south-southeast of Taron, in the eastern part of Papua New Guinea. The island nation’s capital of Port Moresby was some 850 kilometers away.
There were no immediate reports of damage due to the quake.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/28/world/asia/pacific-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
July 28, 2012 at 9:38 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Deadly Ebola virus kills 14 in Uganda
(CNN) — The lethal Ebola virus has left at least 14 people dead in western Uganda this month, according to Health Ministry officials, after local reports of a “strange disease” swept through the region.
A total of 20 cases of the virus have been recorded, officials said Saturday.
The cases have emerged in Kibaale, a district in midwestern Uganda, where a national task force had been mobilized in an effort to combat the outbreak.
Officials from the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control are also supporting that effort, ministry officials say.
The Ebola virus is considered a highly infectious disease spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, with symptoms that include fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, headache, measles-like rash, red eyes and at times bleeding from body openings.
Health officials urged the public to report suspected cases and avoid contact with anyone who has contracted the virus and to disinfect the bedding and clothing of an infected person by using protective gloves and masks.
Officials also advised against eating dead animals, especially monkeys, and to avoid public gatherings in the affected district.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/28/world/uganda-ebola-virus/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
July 31, 2012 at 7:00 am
Haruna Mohammed
Ugandan officials, international experts tackle Ebola outbreak that’s killed 14
(CNN) — Teams in Uganda are trying to track down anyone who came into contact with patients infected with the Ebola virus, which has killed at least 14 people there this month, authorities said Monday.
“This is very, very important, to trace every contact and to watch them for an incubation period of 21 days,” World Health Organization spokesman Gregory Hartl said.
The teams — consisting of officials from Uganda’s ministry of health, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the WHO — are part of an aggressive approach to try to stamp out the outbreak of the highly infectious virus.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni spoke on state and private television Sunday urging his countrymen to be cautious.
“I therefore appeal to you to be vigilant. Avoid shaking of hands; do not take on burying somebody that has died from symptoms which look like Ebola. Instead, call the health workers to be the ones to do it. And avoid promiscuity because these sicknesses can also go through sex,” he said.
This month’s outbreak in western Uganda initially went undetected because patients did not show typical symptoms, Health Minister Dr. Christine Ondoa told CNN on Sunday. Patients had fevers and were vomiting, but did not show other typical symptoms, such as hemorrhaging.
The Ebola virus is a highly infectious, often fatal agent spread through direct contact with bodily fluids. Symptoms can include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache, a measles-like rash, red eyes and, at times, bleeding from body openings.
But diagnosis in an individual who has only recently been infected can be difficult since early symptoms, such as red eyes and skin rash, are seen more frequently in patients who have more common diseases, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health declared the outbreak in Kibaale district Saturday after getting confirmatory results from the Uganda Virus Research Institute identifying the disease as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, Sudan strain.
The fatality rate for those infected with that strain is about 65%, Hartl said.
“One can recover, but there’s no medicine that can help one recover, so you just have to pray that your own body is strong enough,” he said.
Patients with symptoms of Ebola infection had been reported early in the month in Kibaale district.
Some people delayed seeking treatment, in part, because they believed that “evil spirits” had sickened them, according to a report from district health authorities.
“This caused civil strife among the community, requiring police intervention to quell the animosity,” the Health Ministry said.
An emergency team of 100 volunteers was undergoing training Monday to help spread the word in vulnerable communities about the disease and its transmission, the Uganda Red Cross Society said in a statement.
Medecins Sans Frontieres, also known as Doctors Without Borders, was helping set up an isolation center at Kibaale’s hospital.
National health authorities say that in addition to the 14 deaths, at least six other people have been infected. Nine of the deaths were from a single household in the village of Nyanswiga, according to WHO.
A medic who had treated other victims is among the dead, Ondoa said.
Officials were trying to determine the extent of the outbreak, CDC spokesman Tom Skinner said Sunday. The Atlanta-based organization was sending about five people to join CDC staffers permanently based in Uganda, he said.
“These outbreaks have a tendency to stamp themselves out, if you will, if we can get in and … stop the chain of transmission,” he said.
In Kibaale, a national task force has been mobilized in an effort to stem the outbreak.
As of Monday, two people with the virus remained hospitalized in stable condition, said WHO. One was a 38-year-old woman who had attended to her sister, the medic who died, and the other was a 30-year-old woman who had helped bury another victim.
Though both patients had symptoms that included fever, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain, neither had shown signs of hemorrhaging, the ministry said Sunday.
One patient suspected of being infected with the virus ran away from a hospital Sunday morning, but was tracked to her home and returned to the hospital in Kibaale, Catherine Ntabadde, a spokeswoman for the Uganda Red Cross in Kampala, told CNN in a telephone interview.
“The concern is where she could have gone to when she ran away,” she said.
Health officials urged the public to report any suspected cases, to avoid contact with anyone infected and to wear gloves and masks while disinfecting bedding and clothing of infected people.
Officials also advised avoiding public gatherings in the affected district.
The WHO did not recommend any travel or trade restrictions be applied to Uganda because of the outbreak.
The U.S. Embassy in Kampala issued an emergency message for U.S. citizens that said the outbreak appeared to be centered in Nyamarunda Sub County, Kibaale district, although one suspected victim is reported to have traveled to Kampala for treatment at Mulago Hospital, where he died on July 22.
It urged avoiding contact with dead animals, especially primates, and refraining from eating “bushmeat.”
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/30/world/africa/uganda-ebola-virus/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
August 2, 2012 at 7:10 am
Haruna Mohammed
Typhoon Saola leaves 23 dead in Philippines
(CNN) — Heavy rains from the outer bands of Typhoon Saola, which hovered near the Philippines beginning last week, have left 23 people dead and another five injured, an official with the National Disaster Coordinating Center said Thursday.
The center’s executive director, Benito Ramos, told CNN in a telephone interview that another 129 people — most of them fishermen — had been rescued.
Forty-four evacuation centers were opened as Manila and the cities of Valenzuela and Malabon north of the capital along Manila Bay remained flooded, he said.
In all, Saola dropped as much as half a meter (1.5 feet) of rain over the Philippines, said CNNI Meteorologist Taylor Ward.
Rains over the Philippines were only intermittent by Thursday at about 4 a.m., when the typhoon — packing winds of 157 kph (98 mph) was making landfall in northeast Taiwan, said Ward.
Taipingshan, a mountainous in northern Taiwan, got more than 1.7 meters (5.6 feet) of rain. “The mountains really help enhance the rainfall,” Ward said. “They basically force the air upwards, and that squeezes out the possible precipitation.”
He described Saola as the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane in the Atlantic when it made landfall in Taiwan. It was expected to continue at similar strength into China, striking 300 to 400 miles south of Shanghai at about 10 p.m. Thursday (10 a.m. ET).
The U.S. government’s National Hurricane Center describes a Category 2 storm as one with sustained winds of 154-177 kph (96 – 110 mph) that “will cause extensive damage.”
Another typhoon — Typhoon Damrey — was expected to strike about 150 miles north of Shanghai, Ward said.
Damrey was expected to be slightly weaker — the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane in the Atlantic, he said. The hurricane center describes those as packing sustained winds of 119-153 kph (74-95 mph) that “will produce some damage.”
source:http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/01/world/asia/philippines-typhoon/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
August 3, 2012 at 6:27 am
Haruna Mohammed
Tropical Storm Ernesto moves toward Caribbean Sea
Tropical Storm Ernesto has formed in the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to head into the Caribbean Sea, the National Hurricane Center said Thursday.
The storm’s center was about 295 miles east of the Windward Islands, moving west at about 22 mph, and should be near the Windwards by early Friday, the center said.
Track Tropical Storm Ernesto
Tropical storm warnings have been issued for Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, St. Lucia, Martinique and Guadeloupe. The warnings mean that tropical storm conditions are expected there within the next 24 hours.
Rainfall of 2 to 3 inches, with isolated maximum amounts of 5 inches, are possible across the Windward Islands through Friday, the center said.
The storm had maximum sustained winds of about 50 mph, and some slight strengthening is expected from now to Saturday, according to the center.
The Windward Islands are the southern portion of the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela and southeast of Puerto Rico
source:http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/02/tropical-storm-ernesto-moves-toward-caribbean-sea/?hpt=hp_t3&hpt=hp_t3
August 6, 2012 at 7:06 am
Haruna Mohammed
Jamaica under tropical storm warning as strengthening Ernesto approaches
(CNN) — Tropical Storm Ernesto churned across the Caribbean Sea on Saturday, regaining some strength even as forecasters expect it to grow more powerful and emerge as a Category 1 hurricane in the next few days, the National Hurricane Center said.
That means that by the time it likely passes south of Jamaica on Sunday evening, Ernesto could pack sustained winds in excess of 74 mph. As is, the Miami-based weather center reported in its 8 p.m. advisory that the storm had regular winds of 60 mph and even more potent gusts.
Ernesto had weakened somewhat earlier Saturday, but leveled off through the middle of the day and then got even stronger.
By Saturday night, tropical-storm-force winds, at 39 mph or stronger, could be felt up to 140 miles for the storm’s center about 260 miles south-southwest of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and 435 miles east-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica.
The Jamaican government has issued a tropical storm warning for the Caribbean island, meaning such conditions are expected there some time over the next 36 hours.
The storm could bring three to six inches of rain, if not more, to Jamaica by the time it’s gone, the hurricane center said. Residents and visitors on other Caribbean islands such as Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire could also find themselves getting drenched.
“Some strengthening is possible during the next 48 hours and Ernesto could become a hurricane during the next day or so,” the hurricane center said of Ernesto at 8 p.m., when it was spinning west at an 18 mph clip.
The storm is forecast to enter the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday morning, by which time it is expected to be back to tropical storm status, according to forecasters.
“Past Thursday, we will be monitoring this storm very closely for further development in the Gulf,” CNN meteorologist Sarah Dillingham said.
Ernesto is not the only tropical threat forecasters are monitoring.
Tropical Storm Florence strengthened a bit Saturday over the open Atlantic Ocean, its center about 515 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands as it headed toward the Leeward Islands.
At 5 p.m. Saturday, the storm was heading west-northwest at a 15 mph rate and had sustained winds of 50 mph, a shade weaker than Ernesto. It could gain more strength over the next few days, the hurricane center said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/04/world/americas/tropical-weather/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
August 7, 2012 at 7:46 am
Haruna Mohammed
Flooding brings chaos to Philippine capital
(CNN) — Flood waters were rising in parts of the Philippine capital on Tuesday as torrential rains that have killed more than 50 people in recent weeks continued to drench the country.
In several areas, the water was waste deep, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said in its Twitter feed.
Deep water in many parts of metropolitan Manila blocked roads and crept up to the doorways of people’s homes. In at least one area of Quezon City, the water exceeded human height, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said.
Local officials were urging residents to relocate from affected neighborhoods. The authorities in Marikina City imposed a forced evacuation of areas near the Marikina River, which has risen above critical levels, the state-run Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported.
The dam on the La Mesa Reservoir near Quezon City began overflowing on Monday night, sending more water toward low-lying areas, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.
SOURCE: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/07/world/asia/philippines-floods/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
August 7, 2012 at 7:49 am
Haruna Mohammed
Tropical Storm Ernesto expected to become a hurricane
(CNN) — Tropical Storm Ernesto is expected to become a hurricane by Tuesday evening as it churns through the southern Caribbean toward the Yucatan Peninsula, forecasters said.
The Mexican and Belizean governments issued hurricane warnings Monday as the storm advanced.
In Nicaragua, government officials said they were evacuating about 1,500 people in coastal areas and had banned boats from setting sail.
As of late Monday, the storm was about 265 miles (425 kilometers) east of Isla Roatan in Honduras, the National Hurricane Center reported. Ernesto was moving west-northwest at 13 mph with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph. Its bands stretched 125 miles (205 kilometers) from the storm’s center, the service said.
The center of the storm was expected to pass north of the coast of Honduras on Monday night and Tuesday before nearing the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula on Wednesday morning.
Between 3 and 5 inches of rain are expected along the northern coast of Honduras and the northeast coast of Nicaragua, the hurricane center said. Some mountains may see up to eight inches.
Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula may get as many as 12 inches of rain in some areas, which are likely to cause “dangerous flash floods and mud slides over higher terrain,” the center warned.
Belize issued a hurricane warning for its east coast. Areas of Honduras and the Yucatan Peninsula are under tropical storm warnings.
Ernesto will cause a surge when it reaches the coast, increasing water levels by as much as 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels in the area near and north of where the storm makes landfall, the hurricane center said.
Meanwhile, Florence weakened to a post-tropical system.
No coastal watches or warnings were in effect for that storm, which was about 1,515 miles (2,440 kilometers) east of the northern Leeward Islands late Monday morning, the hurricane center said. It was moving west at about 15 mph.
Maximum sustained winds dipped to 35 mph, and further weakening is forecast in the coming days.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/07/world/americas/tropical-weather/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
August 8, 2012 at 8:27 am
Haruna Mohammed
Typhoon Haikui strikes east coast of China
(CNN) — Typhoon Haikui slammed into the east coast of China on Wednesday morning, pummeling the area around the business metropolis of Shanghai with heavy wind and rain.
The storm’s winds were at “severe typhoon” strength when it made landfall in the province of Zhejiang, about 225 kilometers (140 miles) south of Shanghai, the China Meteorological Administration said. The winds diminished to typhoon strength as Haikui moved inland.
A severe typhoon is considered to have maximum sustained wind speed of between 150 and 184 kilometers per hour (93 and 114 mph). A typhoon has maximum sustained winds of between 118 and 149 kilometers per hour (73 and 93 mph).
Hundreds of thousands of people had been evacuated from Haikui’s path as it approached, the third tropical cyclone to hit China’s east coast in less than a week.
Chinese officials had relocated 374,000 people from Shanghai and 250,000 from Zhejiang, according to the state-run newspaper China Daily.
Although the storm’s winds are expected to weaken as it moves overland, it will continue to dump large amounts of rain on the surrounding area, raising the risk of landslides and flooding.
“The rain is the bigger impact going forward,” said CNNI Meteorologist Taylor Ward. “We have already had up to 8 inches in some locations.”
Ward said another 6 to 10 inches of rain were expected to fall, with “maybe isolated amounts greater.”
Haikui was moving northwest at 20 kph (12 mph) but was expected to slow over the coming two days, he said.
SOURCE: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/08/world/asia/china-typhoon/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
August 8, 2012 at 1:08 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Ernesto weakens to tropical storm
(CNN) — Ernesto weakened to a tropical storm early Wednesday as it doused Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula with rain, the National Hurricane Center said.
Even though Ernesto was no longer a Category 1 hurricane it was still battering the area with 70 mph winds and heavy rain.
As of 5 a.m. ET, the storm was about 55 mi (85 kilometers) northwest of Chetumal, Mexico, the National Hurricane Center reported. Ernesto was moving west at 15 mph.
The storm is forecast to move into the Bay of Campeche Wednesday afternoon, where it could build back to hurricane strength.
Between 4 to 8 inches of rain are expected in some area with as much as 12 inches in some areas in Belize, the southern Yucatan Peninsula and northern Guatemala, the hurricane center said.
Complete coverage of weather
Ernesto will cause a surge when it reaches the coast, increasing water levels by as much as 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels in the area near and north of where the storm makes landfall, the hurricane center said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/08/world/americas/tropical-weather/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
August 28, 2012 at 10:32 am
Haruna Mohammed
Chinese fishermen missing after boat capsizes in Typhoon Bolaven
Tokyo (CNN) — Rescuers searched typhoon-swept waters off South Korea’s Jeju Island Tuesday for 28 Chinese fishermen missing in the wake of Typhoon Bolaven, a ferocious storm that headed for the Korean Peninsula after making landfall on Okinawa.
Maritime police on Jeju Island said six people had been rescued but searches were on for the others after two boats capsized early Tuesday as Bolaven raged.
Okinawa, meanwhile, emerged relatively unscathed after the typhoon swept it with maximum sustained winds near its center of 185 kilometers per hour (115 mph), according to the Hong Kong Observatory, which monitors storms in the region.
That wind strength put Bolaven in the “super typhoon” category. And with a cloud field of 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles), it was 20 times larger than Okinawa’s length.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/27/world/asia/typhoon-bolaven/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
August 30, 2012 at 7:53 am
Haruna Mohammed
6 rescued in waters off Indonesia
Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) — Six people were rescued in the waters off Indonesia early Thursday as authorities search for survivors of a boat that reportedly had engine trouble a day earlier, Australian officials said.
Rescue workers searched all day Wednesday after the Australian Maritime Safety Authority received a call from someone who said they were on board a vessel having engine trouble with about 150 others, presumed to be asylum seekers.
The Australians said they were able to determine from the conversation that the vessel was about 8 nautical miles southwest of the island of Java. They alerted the Indonesian search and rescue agency, BASARNAS, which dispatched two helicopters and a rescue boat, BASARNAS spokesman Gagah Prakoso said.
Rescue workers were unable to find any signs of the vessel after searching a large area in the Sunda Strait between Java and the island of Sumatra, he said.
Later Wednesday, Australian search and rescue authorities said they updated the vessel’s likely position based on drift modeling and tasked the container ship APL Bahrain to head to the area.
Early Thursday, the APL Bahrain reported seeing people in the water and managed to pick up six survivors about 42 nautical miles west of Java, Australian authorities said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/29/world/asia/indonesia-vessel-distress/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
August 30, 2012 at 7:56 am
Haruna Mohammed
Thousands being rescued as waters rise from Isaac
(CNN) — Louisiana and Mississippi officials conducted search-and-rescue missions Wednesday for residents stranded by slow-moving Tropical Storm Isaac, which flooded homes and pushed water over the top of several levees.
While Isaac lost its hurricane status Wednesday afternoon, officials warned of continued life-threatening hazards from storm surges and local flooding.
The surge was unusually bad in LaPlace, about 25 miles northwest of New Orleans, where many people had been rescued or still needed to escape rapidly rising water, said Paige Falgoust, communications director for St. John the Baptist Parish.
“We have established pickup points in certain subdivisions that are easy access for our residents to get to by foot,” she said.
People were being taken to a processing center at a church then bused to state shelters outside the parish.
The storm surge from Lake Ponchartrain came quickly and “in a different way from what we were expecting,” Falgoust said.
“In some areas the water levels rose in 10 minutes to where they could not get out of their homes,” she said.
According to a release from Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s office, 1,500 people had been evacuated with 1,500 more needing rescue. The state sent 89 buses to take evacuees to shelters.
The situation also was particularly dire in Plaquemines Parish, southeast of New Orleans, where 3,000 people remained in one area close to an 8-foot tall levee that waters are threatening, the governor’s office said.
Earlier Jindal said a first estimate from local officials in the parish showed as many as 800 homes may have received significant water damage. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported significant storm surge in the parish, scene of many rescues.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/29/us/weather-isaac/index.html
August 31, 2012 at 7:24 am
Haruna Mohammed
54 rescued in waters off Indonesia
(CNN) — The number of people rescued in the waters off Indonesia after a boat reportedly had engine trouble has risen to 54, Australian officials said Friday.
Rescue workers have been searching for survivors since Wednesday, when the Australian Maritime Safety Authority received a call from someone who said they were on board a vessel having engine trouble with about 150 others, presumed to be asylum seekers.
Operations in a search area west of the island of Java are expected to resume at first light Friday.
All 54 survivors, including three with injuries, will be taken to Merak, Indonesia, the officials said. Six were saved early Thursday while the rest were rescued later in the day.
Several ships carrying people seeking asylum in Australia have run into trouble in the waters between Indonesia and Australia in the past two years. The issue has become a highly sensitive political topic in Australia.
The vessels often head for Christmas Island, a remote Australian territory closer to Java than to the Australian mainland.
Dozens of people are believed to have died after two ships capsized near Christmas Island in June. More than 200 people were rescued from those accidents.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/30/world/asia/indonesia-vessel-distress/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
August 31, 2012 at 7:26 am
Haruna Mohammed
Two bodies found in flooded Louisiana home
(CNN) — The bodies of a man and woman were found in 7 feet of water at a home in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, which was hit hard by Isaac, officials said late Thursday.
An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of the death of the couple, described as in being their 40s, parish president Billy Nungesser told CNN. The two were found late Thursday afternoon in the dwelling’s kitchen.
The house is on the parish’s East Bank, said Commander Terry Rutherford of the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Officials in Mississippi earlier reported a storm-related death.
A tow truck driver attempting to clear debris on a road was struck and killed by a falling tree, officials said. The incident took place at midnight, said Amanda Harris, deputy director of the Pearl River County Emergency Management office. The National Weather Service said it received reports of the fatality in Picayune.
Weary residents in Louisiana and Mississippi, meanwhile, began moving into recovery mode Thursday as a weakened Isaac dumped additional rain during its slow trek northward.
Amid the flooding, there was good news: All coastal warnings were discontinued, utility workers were making progress and more roads were reopening.
Isaac, downgraded from a tropical storm to a tropical depression, was still causing problems, though.
CNN iReporter Gerard Braud had no water or power at his home in Mandeville, Louisiana, on the northern shores of Lake Pontchartrain.
“It comes to a point when the lake and your yard become one,” he said of 36 hours of constant waves. Fortunately, water levels beneath his home, which is built on pilings, had dropped a few feet by Thursday night.
Braud continued to use a canoe to get around Thursday. “Some friends made gumbo for me. I paddled five blocks to dry land and they gave me dinner.”
An earthen dam on 700-acre Lake Tangipahoa in Mississippi was holding its own and not leaking late Thursday, despite significant damage, according to the Pike County Emergency Management Agency.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/30/us/weather-isaac/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
August 31, 2012 at 4:00 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Quake near Philippines prompts evacuation
Manila, Philippines (CNN) — A 7.6-magnitude earthquake off the coast of the Philippines has prompted a small tsunami, warnings of structural damage and an urgent call for people to move to higher ground.
“People in threatened coastal areas are strongly advised to immediately evacuate,” the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said late Friday.
“Boats at sea are advised to stay in the deeper parts of the open seas until the threat has passed. If there is sufficient time, boats in harbors and enclosed bays are advised to go to the deeper parts of the open seas until the threat has passed.”
So far, the quake has spawned only a tsunami with up to 3-centimeter-high waves at Legaspi in the eastern Philippines, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.
The quake, which was about 20 miles deep, struck just before 8:50 p.m., authorities said. Its center was about 65 miles southeast of the coastal town of Guiuan, in the Philippine province of Eastern Samar.
The quake prompted a tsunami warning for parts of the Philippines and Indonesia, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said. The U.S. Geological Survey initially said the quake had a magnitude of 7.9 but later revised that figure.
A tsunami watch was in effect for the Marshall Islands, Wake Island, Solomon Islands, several other Pacific islands and parts of Russia, the center said. Authorities say the tsunami “may have been destructive along coastlines of the region near the earthquake epicenter.”
“An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines near the epicenter within minutes and more distant coastlines within hours,” the tsunami warning center said.
The Philippines coastal areas of Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur fall under the tsunami alert.
Paul Earle, a USGS seismologist, said the quake is “fairly far off the coast, so it likely won’t cause severe shaking damage.” But, he said, an earthquake “this large could cause a lot of damage” if it were inland.
Aimee Menguilla, information officer of Philippines’ National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said the agency has advised regional authorities to alert citizens about possible tsunami waves.
“This is not new to us,” she said. “We do regular tsunami exercises.” But people need to be “particularly alert” because the earthquake occurred at night.
She said the quake was centered in the Marianas Trench in the western Pacific Ocean and was felt in the country’s east. There have been no reports, she said, of damage or injuries.
Paul Daza, governor of Northern Samar, said officials are informing citizens of evacuation and “everyone is cooperating.”
“Most of our towns are at risk of the possible tsunami,” he said. “There are emergency plans if needed, but hopefully there will be no tsunami.”
Marie Elairon, working at the front desk at Hotel Dona Vicenta in Borongan, Eastern Samar, said some people are headed to mountainous areas and others have taken shelter in a church.
“There is no panic right now,” she said, “but we are being safe and still evacuating.”
Dan Molina, a hotel employee in Guiuan, said, “We are advised to go up,” referring to higher ground.
Ed Serrano, the head of security at the Marco Polo Hotel in the city of Davao, about 250 miles south of Guiuan, said he felt the ground shake.
“The quake was very strong and the hotel guests were panicking. Most of them went outside,” he said. “But now, the situation is under control and we are waiting for official reports on how strong the quake was.”
Witnesses in the east said they saw 4-foot waves.
An initial tsunami warning issued for Japan, Taiwan and several Pacific islands was lifted.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/31/world/asia/philippines-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
August 31, 2012 at 4:02 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Long, hot summer sends food prices soaring
Hong Kong (CNN) — A summer of droughts and extreme temperatures across the world threaten the planet’s most vulnerable people, as food prices rise.
A new report from the World Bank has revealed global food prices soared by 10% in July, with staples such as maize and soybean increasing by 25% to an all-time high.
The drought-hit United States — the world’s largest exporter of grains such as maize — is facing the worst production shortfalls since the “Dust Bowl” of the 1930s, while a scorching summer in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan hit wheat supplies, according to Food Price Watch.
A recipe for world food woes
Overall, the World Bank’s Food Price Index, which tracks the price of internationally traded food commodities, was 6% higher than in July of last year, and 1% over the previous peak of February 2011.
“Food prices rose again sharply threatening the health and well-being of millions of people,” said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/31/business/world-food-prices/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
August 31, 2012 at 4:12 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Thousands evacuated as wildfire threatens Spanish coast
From Laura Perez Maestro, CNN
(CNN) — Thousands of people were evacuated from the coast of southern Spain on Friday as a wildfire menaced the wealthy resort town of Marbella, local authorities said.
About 4,000 people were evacuated from the village of Ojen and an additional 2,000 people from the eastern part of Marbella, said Maria Jose Figueira, a spokeswoman for Marbella’s government.
The fire has been brought under control in Marbella but continues to rage out of control north of Marbella near Ojen and Coin, Figueira said.
At least one person is feared dead after a charred body, thought to be that of an elderly man, was found in Ojen, she told CNN. An injured German couple has been admitted to the Carlos Haya Hospital in Malaga, she added.
The wildfire started Thursday in Coin, to the north of Marbella, Figueira said.
It was at its most intense at noon Friday near the villages of Ojen, Coin and Monda, Spain’s Efe news agency reported.
A racetrack in Marbella and a sports center in the Monda area have been set up as shelters for those forced to leave their homes, the news agency said.
However, those previously ordered to leave their homes in Marbella can now return, Figueira said.
The Costa del Sol, in Spain’s Andalucia region, is popular with visitors for its Mediterranean beaches and sunshine, and is home to large numbers of expatriates, particularly from Britain.
The UK Foreign Office said it was working with Spanish authorities.
“We estimate that several hundred British nationals have been evacuated, including some 300 who have been relocated to evacuation centers in the La Cala de Mijas and Calahonda areas,” a Foreign Office spokeswoman said.
Marbella, studded with luxurious villas, is known as a destination for the rich and famous.
Monda and Ojen lie in the foothills of the Sierra de las Nieves, a mountainous area designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1995, according to the Costa del Sol Tourist Board.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/31/world/europe/spain-wildfire/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
August 31, 2012 at 4:21 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Spain: One in four is unemployed
Spain suffered the highest level of joblessness in the eurozone in July, as overall unemployment in the region held steady at a record high.
One out of every four citizens in Spain is unemployed, according to the latest statistics from Eurostat. The situation is even worse for young Spaniards. The unemployment rate for those under 25 years old is now approaching 53%.
Spain has been dealing with high unemployment for years. The nation’s jobless rate has been above 20% since May 2010, according to data from the European Central Bank. In July, the rate rose to 25.1%.
The Spanish economy slipped back into recession during the first quarter and activity has continued to deteriorate. Spanish gross domestic product declined 0.4% in the second quarter.
Related: Spanish economy shrinks
Spain’s woes stem largely from a major property bust a few years ago that left the nation’s banks saddled with a mountain of bad debt. Spain has requested up to €100 billion in loans from the eurozone bailout fund to recapitalize solvent banks, while insolvent banks will be consolidated in a so-called bad bank.
Meanwhile, the Spanish government has seen its borrowing costs surge to unsustainable levels as investors in the international bond markets worry it may need to be bailed out. The yield on Spanish 2-year notes rose above 6% in July before falling back in August.
Spain is also dealing with a growing number of regional governments that need to be rescued. This week, Catalonia became the latest region to officially ask for help from the €18 billion fund Madrid set up to aid its 17 autonomous regions.
The troubles in Spain have raised worries that the government could have its credit rating cut to junk status by one of the global credit rating agencies. Moody’s said Thursday that its review of Spain’s credit rating, which it launched in June, will continue through the end of September.
Of course, Spain is not the only eurozone nation struggling with high unemployment.
Related: Everything you need to know about where things stand
In Greece, unemployment rose to 23.1% in May, the most recent month for which data were available. Cyprus also saw its unemployment rate edge up to 10.9% in July from 10.6% the month before.
Overall, the unemployment rate for the 17-nation eurozone held steady at 11.3% in July, with an estimated 18 million people out of work, according to Eurostat. That’s up from 15.9 million in July 2011.
source: http://buzz.money.cnn.com/2012/08/31/spain-unemployment/
September 3, 2012 at 8:00 am
Haruna Mohammed
Isaac’s aftermath: Power outages, flood threats plague Louisiana
Slidell, Louisiana (CNN) — Nearly a week after Hurricane Isaac slammed into the Gulf Coast, the effects of the storm were still being felt Monday: From the thousands forced into shelters by flooding to the tens of thousands still living without power in sweltering conditions.
Evacuation orders, most voluntary, remained in place in a number of parishes as authorities grappled with new threats posed by rain swollen rivers and lakes.
In St. Tammany Parish, north of Lake Ponchartrain, authorities were grappling with two potential threats — one from a weakened lock on a canal and the other from the rain swollen Pearl River.
Parish officials warned people to stay away from the area, even as a mandatory evacuation was lifted after authorities opened the lock to relieve pressure.
“As there is still a potential threat, even though reduced, a voluntary evacuation remains in place until the Army Corps of Engineers deems the lock stable and safe,” Pat Brister, the president and sheriff of St. Tammany Parish, said Sunday. “Please stay vigilant.”
Forecasters, meanwhile, predict the Pearl River will crest Monday at 19.5 feet, more than five feet about flood stage, posing a potential threat to up to several thousand homes in St. Tammany.
President Barack Obama was set to visit the state on Monday to get a first-hand look at recovery efforts, which will include a tour of St. John the Baptist Parish where thousands were forced from their home after Isaac’s storm surge pushed water over the banks of Lake Ponchatrain.
The storm posed the first real test to New Orleans following a $14.5 billion federal effort to reconstruct the city’s flood control system after it failed during Katrina in 2005. Katrina killed nearly 1,800 people, most when the storm overwhelmed the levee system and flooded the city.
Though much weaker than Katrina when it came ashore, Isaac moved slowly and dumped enormous amounts of rain on Louisiana and Mississippi.
A flood warning was issued for Mississippi’s rain swollen Wolf River, north of Gulfport, where it was expected to crest Tuesday more than eight feet about flood stage, the weather service said.
More than 3, 500 people were in shelters across the state on Sunday, according to Gov. Bobby Jindal’s office. In Mississippi, roughly 100 people remained in shelters, state officials said.
In St. James Parish, between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, a dusk to dawn curfew was imposed after the Blind River crested at flood stage, flooding nearly two dozen homes. National Guard troops were deployed to the area to help with security and possible evacuations, Jindal’s office said.
Most of the areas hit hard by Isaac were outside the new federal levee system that was reconstructed at a price of $14.5 billion following Hurricane Katrina.
Crews in Lafitte, on the outskirts of New Orleans, were considering intentionally breaching two spots in a levee along Bayou Barataria on Monday to help drain up to five feet of flood waters brought by the storm surge, officials said.
State officials have promised that money garnered from fines paid by BP over the Gulf oil spill will be used to reinforce the area levees, Lafitte Mayor Tim Kerner said.
But so far, he says, that hasn’t happened.
“Yeah, it’s frustrating,” Kerner told CNN affiliate WWL-TV. “It makes you feel like you’re not doing your doggone job. But I can’t help it if the corps actually looks me in the face and promises that we’re going to get things and we don’t.”
As many in Louisiana entered their sixth day without power, frustration with the pace of restoration efforts also grew.
At the height of the storm, more than 850,000 customers were reportedly without power in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas and Arkansas. By Monday, there were roughly 129,000 customers without power in Louisiana, according to Entergy Louisiana.
“Some areas are delayed due to high water conditions,” the power company said on its website.
But for Tyrone Wilson, who relies on an electric scooter for transportation, the return of power means the return of his mobility.
“I got to go put I up because I got no power,” Wilson told WWL. “I have no way to get around. I have to medicine and go to the doctor. I have no way to get there.”
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/03/us/severe-weather/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
September 3, 2012 at 8:03 am
Haruna Mohammed
Legionnaires’ disease kills 10 in Quebec
(CNN) — Ten people have died, out of 165 total cases, after contracting Legionnaires’ disease in Quebec City, the provincial government said Saturday.
Canadian authorities have not publicly pinpointed the exact source of the outbreak. Results from samples may take until mid-September to come in, said Regional Directorate of Health. The agency said it is focusing on places frequented by those afflicted with the disease.
Health authorities are looking especially into cooling systems in two large buildings in Quebec, CNN affiliates CTV and CBC report. A government order has been issued requiring those who own or manage buildings in an unspecified target area to regulate levels of chlorine in the water so that the legionella bacteria — which cause the disease — cannot grow.
Quebecois should not have to change their daily habits due to the outbreak, the health department said, noting that healthy people are generally at low risk.
But those who develop tell-tale symptoms are encouraged to contact their doctor, the department said.
Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia and is contracted by breathing in small water droplets, whether from mist or vapor, contaminated with the Legionella bacteria. It is not transmitted from person to person.
The disease usually develops two to 14 days after exposure to the bacteria and often begins with a headache, high fever and chills. By the second to third day, a person may develop symptoms of pneumonia like cough, chest pain, and shortness of breath.
Most victims recover, but between 5% and 30% of people who get the disease die, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
An outbreak of the disease in Philadelphia in 1976, largely among people attending a convention of the American Legion, led to its name.
On Friday, the JW Marriott Chicago hotel announced it removed its lobby fountain and closed parts of its luxury spa after authorities determined them to be the likely source of a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak that killed three people.
Health officials in the city confirmed 10 cases of Legionnaires’ disease, involving people who visited or stayed at the hotel.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/02/health/canada-quebec-legionnaires/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
September 4, 2012 at 7:15 am
Haruna Mohammed
North Korea reports death toll of 48 from Typhoon Bolaven
Seoul, South Korea (CNN) — North Korea has said that Typhoon Bolaven, a powerful tropical cyclone that pounded the Korean Peninsula last week, killed 48 people in the country and left more than 21,000 homeless.
The storm also injured more than 50 people and destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of crops, according to a report published Monday evening by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The secretive, militaristic North Korean regime has repeatedly asked for food aid from international aid organizations as it struggles to feed its own people after suffering extensive famines during the 1990s.
Employees from humanitarian groups that operate inside North Korea have described severe malnourishment on a large scale. A deal earlier this year for the United States to ship food aid to the country fell apart after the authoritarian regime in Pyongyang went ahead with a controversial rocket launch.
North Korea already experienced widespread devastation in late July from heavy rains and flooding. KCNA said the extreme weather resulted in the deaths of at least 169 people and left more than 200,000 homeless.
The United Nations World Food Program called it an emergency and organized for emergency food aid to be delivered.
North Korea then took the unusual step of releasing footage of the devastated areas, showing houses submerged and farmlands destroyed.
The damage caused by Bolaven last week has now added to the woes of the North Korean population.
The storm also resulted in at least 15 deaths and widespread disruption in South Korea as it swept up the side of the Korean Peninsula.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/04/world/asia/north-korea-typhoon-deaths/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
September 5, 2012 at 3:58 pm
Haruna Mohammed
At least 25 dead in India factory fire
New Delhi, India (CNN) — At least 25 people were killed when a fire ripped through a fireworks factory in southern India Wednesday, police said.
The blaze at a factory in the town of Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu state left 50 others injured, District Police Chief Ajmal Godha said.
Godha said emergency crews inside the gutted unit did not find anyone trapped inside.
The factory employed between 250 and 300 workers; most managed to escape, Godha said.
Police will investigate the cause of the fire, officials said.
Sivakasi, in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar district, is a hub of the country’s fireworks industry.
The fireworks are a large part of the celebrations for Diwali, the country’s biggest Hindu festival, in November.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/05/world/asia/india-factory-fire/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
September 5, 2012 at 3:59 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Gunman targets Quebec premier at victory speech
(CNN) — Police in Montreal were working Wednesday to uncover the motive behind a gunman’s midnight attack on the victory speech by Quebec’s newly elected premier that left one person dead.
Pauline Marois was speaking to excited supporters near midnight Tuesday when the gunman, dressed in what appeared to be a bathrobe and face mask and armed with two guns, slipped into the Montreal concert hall and opened fire. He then set a small fire at the venue’s back door, police said.
Amid the chaos, Marois’ security team hustled her off stage. She was not injured, but one person died and another was wounded, according to police.
Minutes later, the 63-year-old returned to thank her supporters and asked the crowd to calmly leave the room.
Montreal police Commander Ian Lafreniere confirmed Marois was the target of the gunman, who was arrested moments after the attack.
Police have not yet released the identity of the dead shooting victim, saying family members may not yet have been notified. The second shooting victim suffered non-life threatening injuries, according to Lafreniere.
As police dragged the man to a cruiser, he shouted in French: “The English are waking up!” CNN affiliate CBC reported.
Marois’ party, Parti Quebecois, wants the French-speaking province to secede from Canada and become its own country. Marois and her party defeated the incumbent Liberal party in the elections, making her the province’s first female premier.
“As a result of this tragedy, it is all the Quebecois who are grieving today in the face of such a senseless act of violence,” Marois said in a statement released by the party.
She said elections, not violence, should guide Quebec’s future.
Quebec voters first elected a separatist government in 1976, and since that time the province has quarreled with the English-speaking majority in the rest of Canada over its position in the country.
During her victory speech, Marois told English-speaking Quebec residents that their rights would be respected, CBC reported.
“We share the same history, and I want us to shape together our future,” she said in English.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/05/world/americas/canada-election-shooting/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
September 6, 2012 at 9:52 am
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September 6, 2012 at 12:01 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Two dozen dead after ship sinks off Turkey’s coast
(CNN) — At least 24 people died when a boat believed to be carrying illegal immigrants sank in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Turkey’s Izmir province on Thursday, according to the semiofficial Andalou Agency.
Women and children were among the dead, the news service reported, citing acting Gov. Ardahan Totuk.
Totuk said the passengers were illegal immigrants. The Andalou Agency did not say where the boat originated or where it was headed.
More than 40 passengers were rescued and were in good condition, the news service said.
Search and rescue activities were continuing, according to Totuk.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/06/world/meast/turkey-boat-sinks/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
September 7, 2012 at 7:46 am
Haruna Mohammed
Quakes hit southwestern China, killing at least 5
(CNN) — A series of earthquakes in southwestern China on Friday killed at least five people and damaged more than 20,000 houses, the state run news agency Xinhua reported.
The four quakes struck near the border of the provinces of Yunnan and Guizhou between 11:19 a.m. and 1:12 p.m. local time, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Their magnitudes ranged between 4.8 and 5.6, it said.
The first quake took place at the border area of Yiliang County in Yunnan and Weining County in Guizhou, Xinua reported. The news agency cited unidentified “government sources” for the initial death toll and damage.
All four quakes hit at a depth of about 10 kilometers, the USGS said.
The southwestern region of China is prone to earthquakes. In May 2008, a magnitude 7.9 quake in the province of Sichuan caused widespread devastation, killing at least 69,000 people.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/07/world/asia/china-earthquakes/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
September 7, 2012 at 7:47 am
Haruna Mohammed
Bermuda closes schools as Hurricane Leslie advances
(CNN) — Public schools will be closed Friday and government offices will also shut down early as Bermuda braces for the slowly approaching Hurricane Leslie.
Bermuda officials have told residents to “prepare for the worst” as the Category 1 storm is predicted to move close by the British territory Sunday.
“Leslie could be a historic storm for Bermuda as it is very large and forecast to intensify rapidly as it approaches,” Bermuda’s Emergency Measures Organization said in a statement earlier this week. “The island could experience hurricane force winds for a sustained period of time, possibly up to two days.”
The hurricane seemed to stall Thursday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. The storm was about 430 miles south-southeast of Bermuda, and was stationary, the center said in an evening statement.
Forecasters expect that it will move more on Friday and could strengthen.
Late Thursday, it had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (121 kph), the hurricane center said.
Wayne Perinchief, Bermuda’s national security minister, said officials are planning a “well-coordinated” response to any problems caused by the storm.
The storm is already dishing out heavy swells and dangerous currents in coastal areas of Bermuda, the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the U.S. East Coast from Florida to New York, the National Weather Service said.
Forecasters warned of potentially deadly rip currents that can pull even the strongest swimmers out to sea quickly. The agency warned beachgoers to stay out of the surf until the danger passes.
Another hurricane, Michael, formed late Wednesday in the eastern Atlantic. By Thursday, it had become the first major hurricane of the season as it strengthened to a Category 2, with winds of near 105ph.
Michael is the seventh hurricane of the 2012 season, but posed no immediate threat to land and is expected to weaken in the coming days, the hurricane center said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/07/world/americas/bermuda-hurricane-leslie/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
September 10, 2012 at 6:57 am
Haruna Mohammed
Thousands evacuated after volcano in Nicaragua erupts
Chinandega, Nicaragua (CNN) — More than 1,500 people have been evacuated after a volcano in western Nicaragua erupted Saturday, shooting gas and ash 2 1/2 miles into the sky, government officials said.
Explosions at San Cristobal Volcano — located in the department of Chinandega about 65 kilometers (40 miles) south of the Honduran border and 130 kilometers north of the capital, Managua — began around 8:45 a.m. Saturday, according to an assessment from SINAPRED, Nicaragua’s federal emergency and disaster management agency.
“We have to be careful and take all appropriate measures for the families that are there and families from neighboring towns,” first lady Rosario Murillo told the EL19 government-run newspaper. She said 400 families have been moved.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/08/world/americas/nicaragua-volcano/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
September 11, 2012 at 7:21 am
Haruna Mohammed
29 die in Nepal bus crash
(CNN) — At least 29 people died after a passenger bus plunged down a cliff in the remote mountains of western Nepal, police said Tuesday.
The accident occurred Monday night on a gravel road in the Kalikot district, about 280 miles (450 kilometers) west of Kathmandu, authorities said.
“The bus driver seems to have lost control at a hairpin bend and the bus fell about 400 meters,” said police inspector Barun Bahadur Singh.
Eleven people were rescued and were being treated in a local hospital, Singh said.
In the mountains of Nepal bus accidents are frequent because of poor roads, old buses, overcrowding and inexperienced drivers.
On Sunday, 13 people were killed in another bus accident in Gulmi district in western Nepal.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/11/world/asia/nepal-bus-accident/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
September 13, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Haruna Mohammed
As protests spread, mystery shrouds anti-Islam film
(CNN) — Some time in the summer, a small theater in Los Angeles screened a movie to which hardly anyone came.
It was a clunky film filled with scenes in a desert and in tents. The characters were cartoonish; the dialogue gauche.
The actors who’d responded to a July 2011 casting call thought they were making an adventure film set 2,000 years ago called “Desert Warrior.” That’s how Backstage magazine and other acting publications described it.
The movie, it turns out, was hardly an innocent Arabian Desert action flick.
Instead, the movie, backed by hardcore anti-Islam groups in the United States, is a tome on Islam as fraud. In trailers posted on YouTube in July, viewers saw this: scene after scene of the Prophet Mohammed portrayed as a womanizer, buffoon, ruthless killer and child molester.
Islam forbids all depictions of Mohammed, let alone insulting ones.
Staff and crew of film that ridiculed Muslims say they were ‘grossly misled’
The Muslim world erupted in rage.
Protesters aired their anti-American anger in Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia, Morocco, Sudan, Iran and in the Palestinian territories. They came after violent mobs attacked the U.S. Consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi leaving the ambassador and three other Americans dead.
But as outrage spread, the film’s origins still remained murky. Whose idea was it? Who financed it?
At the heart of the mystery was the filmmaker himself, a man identified in the casting call as Sam Bassiel, on the call sheet as Sam Bassil and reported at first by news outlets as Sam Bacile.
By Thursday, it was becoming apparent that Bacile was probably not the producer’s real name.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, the filmmaker identified himself as Sam Bacile and said he was a 52-year-old Israeli-American real estate developer from California.
But Israel’s Foreign Ministry said there was no record of a Sam Bacile with Israeli citizenship.
“This guy is totally anonymous. At this point, no one can confirm he holds Israeli citizenship, and even if he did we are not involved,” ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said.
CNN has been unable to contact anyone named Sam Bacile and cannot verify the information reported in the Wall Street Journal.
A search by CNN of public records related to Bacile came up empty. A search of entertainment records turned up no previous mention of a Sam Bacile, and the directors and writers guilds had no listing for him.
Six things to know about the attack
In his interview with the Wall Street Journal, the filmmaker characterized his movie, now called “Innocence of Muslims,” as “a political effort to call attention to the hypocrisies of Islam.”
“Islam is a cancer,” he said. “The movie is a political movie. It’s not a religious movie.”
An actress in the film, who asked not to be identified, told CNN that the original script did not include a Prophet Mohammed character. She said she and other actors complained that their lines had been changed.
She said she spoke Wednesday with the producer.
“He said he wrote the script because he wants the Muslims to quit killing,” she said. “I had no idea he was doing all this.”
She described the movie’s repercussions as a “nightmare,” given the outrage and deaths, and she regretted having a role. She said she was angry and hurt by the lies.
The 79 other cast and crew members said they were “grossly misled” about the film’s intent.
YouTube restricts video access over Libyan violence
“The entire cast and crew are extremely upset and feel taken advantage of by the producer,” they said in a statement.
They said they were “shocked by the drastic rewrites of the script and lies that were told to all involved. We are deeply saddened by the tragedies that have occurred.”
The actress said that the character of Mohammed in the movie was named George when it was shot, and that after production wrapped she returned and read other lines that may have been dubbed into the piece.
A member of the production staff who worked on the film and has a copy of the original script corroborated the woman’s account. There was no mention of Mohammed or Islam, the crew member said.
The filmmaker told the Wall Street Journal that he was backed by Jewish donors, who contributed $5 million to make the film. Based on the trailer, however, the cartoonish movie appears to have been produced on a low budget.
Anti-Muslim activist Steve Klein, who said he was a script consultant for the movie, said the filmmaker told him his idea was to make a film that would reveal “facts, evidence and proof” about the Prophet Mohammed to people he perceived as radical Muslims.
Klein said the movie was called “Innocence of Bin Laden.”
“Our intent was to reach out to the small minority of very dangerous people in California and try to shock them into understanding how dangerous Islam is,” Klein said.
“We knew that it was going to cause some friction, if anybody paid attention to it,” he said.
But when Klein went to the screening in the Los Angeles theater, no one was there.
“It was a bust, a wash,” he said.
Killing shines light on Muslim sensitivities around Prophet Mohammed
But a while later, the trailers were online. They were segments focusing on the Prophet Mohammed and posted under the title, “Innocence of Mohammed.”
The trailers were translated into Egyptian dialects of Arabic, the New York Times reported. Egyptian television aired certain segments.
And the fury erupted.
Klein told CNN Wednesday that Sam Bacile was in hiding.
“He’s very depressed, and he’s upset,” Klein said. “I talked to him this morning, and he said that he was very concerned for what happened to the ambassador.”
The Atlantic later quoted Klein as saying that Sam Bacile was a pseudonym. He said he did not know Bacile’s real name.
Klein is known in Southern California for his vocal opposition to the construction of a mosque in Temecula, southeast of Los Angeles, in 2010. He heads up Concerned Citizens for the First Amendment, a group that contends Islam is a threat to American freedom.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, says Klein, a former Marine and Vietnam veteran, helped train militant Christian fundamentalists prepare for war.
The movie got even more notice after it was promoted by anti-Islam activists, including Egyptian-born Coptic Christian Morris Sadek and Terry Jones, the Florida pastor whose Quran-burning last year sparked deadly riots in Afghanistan.
Jones said he had been contacted to help distribute the film.
“The film is not intended to insult the Muslim community, but it is intended to reveal truths about Mohammed that are possibly not widely known,” Jones said in a statement.
“It is very clear that God did not influence him (Mohammed) in the writings of the Quran,” said Jones, who went on to blame Muslims’ fear of criticism for the protests, rather than the film.
Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called Jones to ask him to withdraw his support for the film, said Col. David Lapan, Dempsey’s spokesman.
“Jones’ support of the film risks causing more violence and death,” Lapan said.
That fear mounted as anger raged in the Muslim world and especially as Friday, Islam’s day of religious observance, fast approached.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/13/world/anti-islam-filmmaker/index.html
September 14, 2012 at 4:54 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Strong earthquake rattles Indonesia
(CNN) — A strong earthquake hit off the coast of Sumatra in Indonesia on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
The 6.2-magnitude shook the Kepulauan Mentawai region
Its epicenter was 760 kilometers (470 miles) west-northwest of the capital, Jakarta, at a depth of 20 kilometers, according to the USGS.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
Last month, a 6.6-magnitude earthquake hit Palu city on the island of Sulawesi, killing at least six people.
Indonesia is on the so-called Ring of Fire, an arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin that is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/14/world/asia/indonesia-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
September 14, 2012 at 4:55 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Tens of thousands evacuated as ‘Fire Volcano’ erupts in Guatemala
(CNN) — A volcano erupted Thursday in Guatemala, prompting officials to evacuate 35,000 residents, a spokeswoman for the Red Cross told CNN.
The “Volcan de Fuego,” or Fire Volcano, began spewing ash at 10 a.m. and was continuing to belch forth late in the afternoon near the country’s former capital, Antigua, said Carmen Maria Caballero of the Guatemalan Red Cross.
CNN iReporter Harby David Marroquin had been working at a nearby golf course when he saw nature’s pyrotechnics and shot video on his iPhone. It showed white smoke pouring out of the top of the 3,763-meter (12,346-foot) volcano.
Listening to the volcano gives him peace of mind, Marroquin said. “You feel an indescribable energy, and this time was no different.”
iReport: Are you there? Send us your photos, videos
Ten shelters, each able to house some 200 people, were opened in the affected villages, Caballero said. Most evacuees were staying with friends or relatives, she said.
Residents within 20 kilometers (12 miles) of the volcano were being taken from the affected zone in buses and private cars, she said. Ash was falling up to 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the volcano.
Several people were treated at mobile health centers for respiratory problems; one person was hospitalized in critical condition, according to Caballero.
Another Red Cross spokesman, Vinicio Sarazua Santillan, told CNN en Español that a number of people were remaining in their houses, unwilling to evacuate out of fear that their belongings could be stolen.
Thursday’s eruption marked the sixth — and the strongest — this year, she said. “It’s a very active volcano,” she added, but said that that did not necessarily mean Thursday’s eruption would last longer than others.
According to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the volcano is one of Central America’s most active.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/13/world/americas/guatemala-volcano-eruption/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
September 18, 2012 at 7:29 am
Haruna Mohammed
Fresh anti-Japanese protests in China on symbolic anniversary
Tokyo (CNN) — Tensions between China and Japan showed no signs of abating Tuesday as more Japanese companies halted work at Chinese plants and hundreds of protesters marched past the Japanese Embassy in Beijing to mark a sensitive anniversary.
The increasingly volatile territorial dispute between the two Asian countries has begun to hurt economic links between the world’s second and third largest economies and prompted calls from the United States to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.
At the heart of the issue is a group of small islands in the East China Sea that both countries claim sovereignty over. Japan calls the islands Senkaku; China calls them Diaoyu. They are under Japanese control, but China claims they have been a part of its territory “since ancient times.”
The escalating disagreement over the islands has brought latent anti-Japanese sentiment in China boiling back to the surface, resulting in violent demonstrations over the weekend and damage to Japanese businesses in China.
Protesters carrying portraits of the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong streamed past the Japanese Embassy in Beijing on Tuesday, the 81st anniversary of the “Mukden Incident,” which set off the Japanese invasion of China in 1931.
Flanked by a heavy police presence, the Chinese demonstrators marching past the embassy were vocal but orderly.
The “Mukden Incident” refers to an explosion that destroyed Japanese-owned rail tracks near the Chinese city of Mukden (Shenyang) on September 18, 1931. The Japanese accused Chinese nationalists of causing the blast and used the event as a reason to invade northeastern China.
Many Chinese people still harbor resentment over the subsequent Japanese occupation of large swathes of eastern China.
The flurry of anti-Japanese actions in China over the past few days has prompted a string of Japanese companies to temporarily halt operations in the country.
The corporations suspending operations Tuesday at some of their Chinese factories included the auto makers Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mazda, as well as the electronics company Canon.
Another electronics company, Panasonic, had already said Monday that it was stopping work at three plants in China after two of them were damaged Saturday amid violent protests.
The situation is also tense around the disputed islands, which are situated between Okinawa and Taiwan.
A Chinese fisheries patrol ship came within 24 kilometers of one of the islands on Tuesday morning before it was warned away from Japanese territorial waters by a Japanese Coast Guard vessel, the coast guard said.
The Chinese ship responded that the islands are part of Chinese territory and that the Japanese Coast Guard should leave the area, according to the coast guard.
China had sent six surveillance vessels to carry out patrols on Friday around the remote islands in an effort to underscore its claim to sovereignty.
That move followed the Japanese government’s announcement last week of the acquisition of several of the disputed islands from a Japanese family to bring them under public ownership. China declared the purchase to be “illegal.”
The waters near the islands are likely to become more crowded in the coming days, complicating the delicate situation further, after the Chinese authorities’ summer moratorium on fishing in the East China Sea ended Sunday.
Hundreds of Chinese fishing vessels are set to be active in the area — an average of 1,000 of them fish near the islands each years, according to the Chinese authorities — and Beijing has said fisheries patrol ships will be present to protect them.
Background: How remote rock split China, Japan
The United States, a key military ally of Japan, has called on the two sides to find a peaceful resolution to the disagreement, which is generating more and more unease in the region.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/18/world/asia/china-japan-islands-dispute/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
September 18, 2012 at 7:32 am
Haruna Mohammed
How a remote rock split China and Japan
Hong Kong (CNN) — The wave of anti-Japanese protests currently sweeping across China has its roots in history but more recently can be traced back to April, when the firebrand governor of Tokyo announced plans to buy a group of islands claimed by Japan, China and Taiwan.
He did so without the apparent knowledge or approval of the Japanese government.
Spying an opportunity to assert Japanese control over the Senkaku islands, or Diaoyu as they’re known in China, Governor Shintaro Ishihara launched an online appeal fund to buy them from their private owners.
Donations poured in, prompting a sharp rebuke from China and forcing the Japanese government to wade into the dispute with its own offer for the contested land.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/17/world/asia/china-japan-islands-dispute-explained/index.html?hpt=hp_c1
September 25, 2012 at 6:50 am
0243716225haruna
UK Storm Cuts Loose with Rain, Wind
Soaking rain and strong winds will persist in the U.K. through Tuesday as a strong early fall storm hangs over the British archipelago.
Monday, the U.K. Met Office posted rainfall warnings and alerts for much of the country, according to its website. Wind warnings were focused upon southeastern England.
Motorists and commuters were warned of “significant disruption,” owing to flooding, the BBC News website said.
Scenes of flooding, wind and wild seas were shown online by the U.K. news media.
At least one death was blamed on weather, that of a woman struck by a falling tree branch in high winds near London on Sunday, according to the BBC.
Met Office forecasters warned of winds to 70 mph along the southeast coast. Highest rainfall was expected to be at least 80 mm, or more than 3 inches.
Torrential rain targeted the south and west of England overnight and early Monday, hitting Somerset and Devon hard. Downpours left rainfall to about 2.5 inches at Dunkeswell, data available to AccuWeather.com showed.
Area roads were inundated, tempting motorists to drive through floodwaters, according to the Daily Mail website.
The local flood defense in Blackford was “swamped” for the first time since it was installed in the 1960s, the Daily Mail said.
Monday, the heaviest rain shifted north and east, with amounts topping 1 inch within six hours along the northern Welsh borders.
The storm center, deep low pressure over eastern England as of early afternoon, local time, is forecast to hook northward and westward, loitering over northern England and Wales through at least Tuesday.
Further outbreaks of heavy rain will happen as far north as Scotland, even west into Ireland.
The big storm comes on the heels of a summer that was the wettest in 100 years, according to the U.K. Met Office.
As it organized northeast of the Azores late last week, the storm may have gotten a boost from the former Hurricane Nadine, which at the time was weakening south of the mid-Atlantic islands.
The storm then lifted northeastward, crossing northwestern France Sunday night, then reaching southern England by daybreak on Monday.
SOURCE: http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-blogs/andrews/uk-storm-cuts-loose-with-rain-wind-1/78327
September 25, 2012 at 6:53 am
Haruna Mohammed
Stormy weather causes disruption across the UK
An area of low pressure is bringing disruptive heavy rain and strong winds to the UK.
Alex Deakin explains the meteorology behind the stormy weather.
SOURCE: http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/19701459
September 28, 2012 at 8:06 am
Haruna Mohammed
Britons and Chinese reported to be among 19 dead in Nepal plane crash
Kathmandu, Nepal (CNN) — A plane caught fire and crashed, killing all 19 people on board, shortly after taking off from the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu and colliding with an eagle, authorities in the Himalayan country said Friday.
There were 16 passengers and three crew members on the Dornier Aircraft when it crashed near the Manohara River in Bhaktapur District, Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority said. The river is in the same valley as Kathmandu.
The passengers included seven Britons and five Chinese citizens, said Sameer Neupane, an official at Sita Air, which was operating the flight. The other people killed were four Nepali passengers and the three Nepali crew members, Neupane said, citing the plane’s passenger list.
Images from the scene showed emergency workers surrounding the plane’s charred remains, trying to extinguish the flames.
Officials are investigating the cause of the crash and have recovered the plane’s flight data recorder, said Ratish Chandra Lal Suman, general manager of Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, where the plane took off from.
The plane’s collision with the black eagle soon after takeoff is believed to be a contributing factor to the crash, he said.
The plane was scheduled to fly from Kathmandu to Lukla, a village in northeastern Nepal that is a popular staging post for people on their way to Mount Everest, the world’s tallest peak. This time of year is the peak season for visitors to the Everest region.
The seven British passengers were booked on a trek with Sherpa Adventure Travels, said Sonam Sherpa, the manager of the trekking company. The 13-day hike would have taken the tourists to the base camp at Everest and back to Lukla, Sherpa said.
The Chinese state-run broadcaster CCTV cited the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu as confirming the deaths of the five Chinese passengers.
The British Embassy in Kathmandu wasn’t immediately able to confirm the reports of the British deaths.
Plane crashes in Nepal occur with some regularity. A small plane crashed in a mountainous area of the country in May, killing 15 of the 21 people on board.
And a year ago, a plane returning to Kathmandu from a sightseeing tour hit a mountain and broke into pieces. All 19 passengers on board died, including two Americans.
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/28/world/asia/nepal-plane-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
October 1, 2012 at 2:27 pm
Haruna Mohammed
German tourists among 6 killed in bus crash in China
(CNN) — Five German citizens were among six people killed Monday after a tourist bus crashed into a container truck and burst into flames on an expressway outside Beijing, Chinese state media reported.
A Chinese person also died, and 14 other people were injured, in the crash on a road linking Beijing with Shanghai, the state news agency Xinhua reported, citing police authorities in Tianjin, a city about 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of the capital.
The crash, in which the bus transporting German tourists rear-ended the container truck, occurred at 8:30 a.m. Monday, according to the Xinhua report. The Germans’ tour group was organized by the Beijing-based China Youth Travel Service, it said.
Road accidents are frequent in China, and traffic on the nation’s roads had been particularly heavy over the weekend as people headed home for a weeklong national holiday.
A photo carried by Xinhua showed the charred wreckage of the bus standing on the expressway Monday.
The news agency said it was unclear how many people were on the bus, but that witnesses had reported seeing “a few people” escaping from the burning vehicle.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, it said.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19782375
October 1, 2012 at 2:28 pm
Haruna Mohammed
China manufacturing activity shrinks again in September
Manufacturing in China has contracted for a second month, another sign of economic slowdown in the world’s second largest economy.
The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 49.8 in September, government data showed. That comes after a reading of 49.2 in August.
A reading below 50 indicates a contraction in activity, while a reading above 50 indicates expansion.
Weak external and domestic demand has weighed on Chinese manufacturers.
Seasonal uptick
Although the reading was below 50, it was an increase from the August figure.
Many analysts said the PMI reading tends to improve in September for seasonal reasons, however the improvement was less than expected this year.
“September PMI readings are normally fairly strong, and we don’t see that this month is that much better than last month,” said Prakash Sakpal of ING.
China’s top leaders have warned that growth may slow further before rebounding.
Demand woes
The data from the National bureau of Statistics showed that demand for refined metals, steel and other materials used for building remains subdued.
China’s real estate sector has seen a slowdown in recent months mainly due to government curbs to bring down sky-rocketing prices.
The government has recently announced spending on infrastructure projects, seen by many as a stimulus measure to boost growth.
China’s economy grew at its slowest pace in three year in the second quarter.
source: http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/01/world/asia/china-bus-fire/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
October 2, 2012 at 7:09 am
Haruna Mohammed
Hong Kong rescuers search for survivors after boat crash kills dozens
Hong Kong (CNN) — Rescue workers searched Tuesday off the shore of a Hong Kong island for survivors from the collision of two passenger boats that left at least 36 people dead in the territory’s worst ferry accident in recent memory.
The crash happened on Monday evening, a night when Hong Kong’s busy waters were even more crowded than usual, as the city celebrated China’s National Day.
One of the two vessels, owned by The Hong Kong Electric Company, was carrying company employees and their families to watch the scheduled fireworks display when it was struck by a passenger ferry traveling from Hong Kong Island to Lamma Island.
Government officials said the collision occurred off Lamma’s coast around 8:20 p.m., plunging more than 100 people into the water.
“I thought we’d hit a rock or a lighthouse,” said Chris Head, a school teacher who was on the passenger ferry that crashed into the Hong Kong Electric vessel. He said the ferry went from what felt like full speed to “an abrupt halt.”
Head said the force of the impact threw him out of his seat at the back of the ferry, which was not very full of people.
As the damaged ferry began to move toward the pier in the small town of Yung Shue Wan on Lamma, Head said he could see the other boat had started to sink into the water vertically, like the Titanic.
source: http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/02/world/asia/hong-kong-ferry-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
October 3, 2012 at 9:12 am
Haruna Mohammed
Gunmen attack Nigerian school
Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) — An attack that killed 25 people, mostly students, at a Nigerian school Monday night appeared to be “an inside job” in which the gunmen called out the names of their targets, a police spokesman told CNN Tuesday.
“The attackers went to the houses of the victims, called them out by their names and killed them,” said Adamawa State Police spokesman Mohammed Ibrahim. “They used guns and knives on the victims.” Some of the victims suffered slit throats, he said.
The armed men attacked a student facility at the Federal Polytechnic, a university in Mubi, Nigeria, Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency spokesman Yuhau Shuaib said.
Among the 25 killed were 19 Federal Polytechnic students and three students from the School of Health and Technology, Ibrahim said. The three others killed were a school official, a former military man and an older gentleman, he said.
Investigators are trying to determine if the attack was related to upcoming campus elections, he said. “We believe this was an inside job.”
“By God’s grace, in the next few days we will have some suspects,” he said
Mubi is in northeast Nigeria near the border with Cameroon.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/02/world/africa/nigeria-school-shooting/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
October 4, 2012 at 7:04 am
Haruna Mohammed
Landslide in China buries 18 students in primary school
Beijing (CNN) — A landslide buried 19 people in a village in southwestern China, including 18 students in a primary school, state media reported Thursday.
A rescue effort was under way in the village of Zhenhe in Yunnan Province after the landslide hit the school and two nearby houses on Thursday morning, according to reports by the official news agency Xinhua and the state-run website Chinanews.com.
Local authorities have relocated people in the village to safer locations, the Xinhua report said.
Zhenhe is in Yiliang County, which was hit early last month by a series of earthquakes that killed at least 80 people and injured hundreds.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/04/world/asia/china-landslide-school/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
October 4, 2012 at 7:05 am
Haruna Mohammed
Meningitis outbreak spreads to 5 states; 4 dead
(CNN) — A non-contagious, fungal form of meningitis has sickened 26 people in five states, killing four, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.
Five additional cases were reported in Tennessee, health officials said Tuesday. The total number of cases in that state is 18.
Three cases have been reported in Virginia, two each in Florida and Maryland and one in North Carolina, the CDC said. Two people have died in Tennessee, one in Virginia and one in Maryland.
All of those infected had received steroid injections to the spine.
Tennessee: Meningitis outbreak investigated
The Tennessee victims range in age from 49 to 89, state Health Commissioner Dr. John Dreyzehner said Wednesday. Department spokesman Woody McMillin said Tuesday 11 patients were hospitalized.
“The prime suspect for this outbreak is methylprednisolone acetate,” Dreyzehner said Wednesday.
Methylprednisolone acetate is an injectible steroid product used to treat pain and inflammation.
Food and Drug Administration officials identified the manufacturer as New England Compounding Center (NECC), which conducted a voluntary recall of three lots of methylprednisolone acetate 80mg/mlinjection produced at NECC. The lot numbers are #05212012@68, #06292012@26 and #08102012@51.
The FDA continues to work with state health departments and the Massachusetts Board of Pharmacy to investigate the scope and cause of the outbreak of the fungal meningitis, according to FDA spokesperson Erica Jefferson.
“We expect to see more cases,” Dreyzehner said, noting the infection can take up to 28 days to develop.
Three pain treatment centers in Tennessee received the steroids that were part of the three recalled lots, officials said.
They are the Specialty Surgery Center in Crossville, Tennessee; the PCA Pain Care Center in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; and the St. Thomas Outpatient Neurosurgery Center in Nashville.
Biopsies from two patients are consistent with the aspergillus fungus found in another patient, according to Dreyzehner, but he was careful to note that the findings need to be confirmed by the CDC.
The investigation is ongoing and evolving, he said. “Though we are closer to identifying the cause, we have not concluded there is one factor at this time.”
The investigation is also looking at anesthetic or the antiseptic as possible causes of infection, he said.
The dates of the investigation have also been widened, and now include patients treated between July 1 and September 20. “We are casting a wider net as a precaution,” Dreyzehner said.
The Nashville facility contacted 737 patients who had lumbar epidural steroid injections between July 30 and September 20, health officials said previously.
What is meningitis?
The facility was temporarily closed on September 20 and will remain closed until investigating authorities “are confident the current concerns have been resolved,” the health department said.
Between 100 and 200 patients at the Crossville facility may have been exposed or put at risk because of lumbar injections during the same time period, according to McMillin.
No cases have been identified from the Oak Ridge facility, Dreyzehner said.
Meningitis is a general term for swelling of the protective membranes that cover the brain and spine.
The swelling is typically caused by an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord that can be caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungus, although meningitis also be caused by injury, cancer or medications.
For this type of meningitis, symptoms include worsening to severe headache, nausea, dizziness and fever, Dreyzehner said. Other symptoms can include slurred speech, unsteady gait, urinary retention, weakness and sensory deficit.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/03/health/tennessee-meningitis/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
October 5, 2012 at 4:24 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Nigeria floods kill dozens, wash hippos and crocodiles into homes
(CNN) — Ravaging floods killed dozens in Nigeria and displaced tens of thousands of residents as crocodiles, hippos and other water animals washed into homes.
The floods have left 148 people dead and affected 21 of the nation’s three dozens states, according to the local Red Cross.
“Torrential downpours in recent weeks have caused widespread destruction and forced many families into makeshift camps,” the aid agency said on its website. “An estimated 134,000 people have now been affected by the floods and concern is growing about the spread of waterborne diseases.”
Read more: Heavy rains kill 21 in Nigeria
The floods have affected a series of states, including Bayelsa and Benue.
In Bayelsa state, an official said the area’s terrain has intensified the effects of the downpour.
“It is like Florida … swampy with a lot of sea water mixed with fresh water because we are close to rivers and the Atlantic (ocean),” said Tam Alazigha, the chief economic adviser for the state.
“A lot of people have been displaced. Snakes, crocodiles and hippos have been displaced and are ending up in people’s homes. Everyone has been displaced.”
Alazigha said more rain is forecast and authorities are evacuating residents to shelters that have been set up in schools located on higher ground.
“The bad part is … there is no relief yet,” he said.
State officials are working to enhance drainage around the buldging rivers, according to the adviser.
“Our main goals are to help settle the displaced people and improve on the drainage,” he said. “Our hope is that when the drainage gets better and the waters subside, we can deploy more resources to see how much we can save.”
Alazigha said the amount of rain was unexpected.
“It took us by surprise,” he said. “We need help from those agencies that are out there that usually help out in situations like these. All hands are on deck, but it is quite a challenge.”
In the state of Benue, more than 25, 000 people were displaced after a local river overflowed, the National Emergency Management Agency said.
source: http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/05/world/africa/nigeria-floods/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
October 5, 2012 at 4:25 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Death toll rises in Cameroon flooding, which has displaced thousands
Maroua, Cameroon (CNN) — Cameroon authorities have found six more bodies in flood waters, bringing the number killed to as high as 40 in the wake of tropical downpours and the breaching of a dam in the west African country.
The inundation in the Far North Region has affected more than 26,000, officials said Thursday, and in neighboring Nigeria at least 15 deaths are blamed on waters rushing into the country from Cameroon’s compromised Lagdo Dam on the Benoue River.
Cameroon’s Communication Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary has described the flooding as “a calamity” and called for urgent action to save lives and property. Local officials are calling it the worst flood disaster in over 60 years.
Water has submerged swaths of the North Region downstream, wiping out homes, farms and livestock, and Cameroon’s government has dispatched a military contingency to assist and evacuate victims.
Aid agencies Plan International Cameroon and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) fear infectious diseases – in particular cholera and malaria – could spread with the water, as is often the case. About 3,000 people have been hospitalized, and tents have been erected to house victims.
In 2010, flooding in northern Cameroon triggered an outbreak of cholera that claimed nearly 6,000 lives, according to official estimates.
Thousands of children are suffering from respiratory problems brought on by the flooding, and malaria infections among pregnant women are running high, according to Dr Alain Njiki of the UNFPA, which normally offers reproductive health services in Cameroon but has had to double as a medical aid agency since the flooding began.
Food supplies are running low, boosting worries about malnutrition, and tent shelters are inadequate for the tens of thousands of displaced flood victims, said Demian Toh from the Red Cross.
source: http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/21/world/africa/cameroon-flooding/?iref=obinsite
October 8, 2012 at 7:00 am
Haruna Mohammed
Volcano spews ash, lava in northeast Indonesia
(CNN) — Fresh lava and ash spewed Sunday from a volcano in northeast Indonesia, casting haze over the crater and prompting authorities to warn nearby residents, state news reported.
Loud, thumping noises were heard at a monitoring post 6 kilometers (3.8 miles) from where Mount Lokon erupted around 2:05 p.m. (2:05 a.m. ET) Sunday, said Sutupo Purwo Nugroho of Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Board, as reported by the official Antara news agency.
The volatile activity continued after that, though authorities could not immediately ascertain how many additional, separate eruptions had occurred.
“Right now, there are still eruptions, but they could not be observed as the volcano is covered by haze,” said Nugroho.
Those living within 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) of the volcano, which is in the Pacific island nation’s North Sulawesi province, are being told to limit outdoor activity, according to Nugroho, who heads the mitigation board’s data and information center.
The volcano has been active since last Friday, with some eruptions spewing ash 1,500 meters into the air. One day earlier, officials issued an early warning to residents — yet Mount Lokon was still categorized as idle until Sunday, as it is now on alert status.
Indonesia is on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin that is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
According to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s Global Volcanism Program, Lokon is the higher of twin volcanic peaks separated by 2.2 kilometers (1.4 miles) in northeast Indonesia. At 800 meters (2,600 feet) high and with a flat top, it is one of the most active volcanoes in the region.
In February, for instance, the restless volcano spewed clouds of ash 2 kilometers into the sky, said Indonesia’s disaster management agency.
Residents at that time were warned to stay away from the volcano, but not to leave their homes, Nugroho said.
That was unlike in July 2011, when a series of Lokon eruptions prompted the evacua
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/07/world/asia/indonesia-volcano/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
October 9, 2012 at 7:48 am
Haruna Mohammed
Toxic leak in South Korea sickens thousands, ruins crops
Seoul, South Korea (CNN) — October is supposed to be the busiest month of the year for Lim Chae-ho’s vineyards and rice fields in the southern part of South Korea.
In a normal year, the 50-year-old farmer would be in the midst of harvesting the crops he had spent months cultivating. But a toxic leak from an explosion at a chemical plant in the nearby city of Gumi two weeks ago has left him empty handed.
“Grapes and rice crops are withered and cannot be sold,” Lim said over the phone.
“All our neighbors are affected,” he said. “My neighbor’s 60 cows are drooling and their noses are running with snot and blood. They are refusing to eat.”
Thousands of people in the area have been affected by the blast at the chemical factory on September 27, which killed 5 people and injured 18 others at the time.
The exact cause of the explosion, which involved 8 tons of hydrofluoric acid, is still being investigated, according to authorities. But the blast spread toxic vapor from the acid — which is used for tasks like metal cleaning and rust removal — across the surrounding area.
In the ensuing days, about 3,200 people have visited hospitals seeking treatment for ailments related to the leak, the city government said Sunday.
The national government on Monday declared a “special disaster zone” around the plant. Around 300 people are being relocated to safer areas.
The health problems people are suffering from include headaches, nausea, sore throats and severe coughs, according to Jung Soo-geun, an official at a local environmental group, Daegu Environmental Movement Association.
He said people in the area were concerned about the possible long-term effects of the toxic vapor on their bodies.
“I visited the site several times and ended up getting a sore throat as well,” Jung said.
The chemical leak has affected at least 3,200 livestock, damaged more than 1,000 vehicles and caused about $16 million worth of damage to companies in the area, according to the city government. It has spread across about 230 hectares (570 acres) of farmland, the equivalent of roughly 430 American football fields.
But the chemicals have not contaminated the local water system, the city government said.
Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/09/world/asia/south-korea-toxic-leak/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
October 13, 2012 at 3:30 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Protest turns violent in Cairo
Cairo (CNN) — Clashes erupted in Cairo on Friday after Egyptian political forces called on President Mohamed Morsy to take a stand for justice after his first 100 days in office.
Shops and streets at Tahrir Square were closed as Morsy supporters and critics threw rocks at one another. At least 121 people were injured, a spokesman for the health ministry said.
Thousands turned out for the protest, with some groups chanting, “Leave Morsy.” Protesters threw Molotov cocktails at one another, and firecrackers sounded amid clashes around Tahrir and Talat Harb squares.
Read more: Should U.S. worry about Morsy?
Witnesses said protesters from the Muslim Brotherhood attacked and destroyed a stage built by right-wing groups that criticize Morsy.
The Brotherhood said two of their buses were burned near Tahrir Square and their headquarters was burned in Mahala.
The same protesters that toppled President Hosni Mubarak in 2011 were scheduled to meet in five locations Friday and march toward Tahrir Square around 3 p.m.
“We want retribution for all the martyrs of the revolution. Those Mubarak cronies released from prison for the camel attack must return behind bars, and we also demand a drafted constitution that represents all factions in a civil democratic language,” Rami Shaath told CNN, explaining the main demands of the nationwide protest.
Shaath, a founding member of the Egyptian Revolutionary Alliance, a bloc of secular and religious parties, was referring to the February 2011 “Battle of the Camel,” street violence in which regime supporters, backed by men on horses and camels, attacked opposition demonstrators. He says he wants to keep Egypt’s revolution going while the media covers Morsy’s political maneuvers.
The acquittal Thursday of all suspects detained in relation to the battle last year has sparked a wave of discontent among youths and the Islamic movement across the country — especially since 24 of those suspects were former senior members of Mubarak’s regime.
Most of the officers charged with killing more than 800 protesters during the uprising have not been convicted.
“We also want the retrial of Mubarak, his Minister of Interior Habib El Adly and the seven chief police officers accused of killing the martyrs,” Shaath said.
Many people relate the latest wave of acquittals to the removal of General Prosecutor Abdul Majid Mahmoud on Thursday night.
“The general prosecutor submitted his resignation to the president, and he appointed him as an ambassador to the Vatican,” presidential spokesman Yaser Ali told CNN.
Mahmoud’s removal has been a top demand during the many “million-man” protests that followed Mubarak’s ouster.
In a tone of defiance, Adel Saeed, the general prosecutor’s official spokesman, released a statement saying that the prosecutor has not resigned and that he will continue his business as usual, as the judicial system bans the president from firing the general prosecutor.
iReport video: Clashes in Tahrir Square
“He is a corrupted man appointed by Mubarak, and it would be a disgrace to the Vatican if this is true,” said Mohamed Farhat, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Many people who followed the revolution know the vital role the young revolutionaries took in sparking the uprising against Mubarak.
The same personalities that toppled the regime have been discreetly applying pressure by mobilizing laborers to demand more rights and better pay.
Activist Gigi Ibrahim and her husband, Hossam El-Hamalawy, a member of the Socialist movement, have supported the laborers and helped them strike against the government, including this week’s action by doctors, in which people in hundreds of public hospitals took part in a partial strike and demanded higher wages. More than 30,000 people took part, the Ministry of Health said.
“If the government does not provide to the people, we may see a ‘revolution of the hungry’ next,” Ibrahim said.
The political duo, along with certain right-wing groups, also aided last week’s general transportation strike.
“They all wanted to revolt demanding better pay, so we helped them by providing lawyers, organizing meeting points and involving media to pressure Morsy to accomplish what he promised to do” Ibrahim told CNN.
Morsy on Wednesday announced a presidential decree to pardon all those arrested between the January 25 uprising and June 2012. The revolutionaries welcomed the decision with some reservations.
“What are the criteria they are using to identify the true revolutionaries from the thugs? No cop has been convicted for killing us, and now, Mubarak’s former NDP (National Democratic Party) members are loose after they hired men on camels who charged into Tahrir Square, beating us with whips and sticks,” Shaath said.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets Wednesday to remember the 27 protesters killed by the army on October 9, 2011, in what has become known as the Maspero Massacre. Protesters demanded the arrest and trial of Gen. Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, the former head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which was running the country then. Dozens of political parties and movements, along with the Muslim Brotherhood, say they will join the protests.
Abdelmonen Abol Fotoh, a former presidential candidate, has announced that members of his party will protest on courthouse steps across the nation.
Morsy, in his latest presidential speech, announced that he had completed 75% of his promises in regards to security, traffic and garbage removal.
A court ruling this month is expected to dissolve an assembly appointed to draft a new constitution. Islamic movements hold 80% of the seats, according to lawyer Sameh Ashour, a member of the assembly.
“If the court dissolves the assembly, then President Morsy will appoint the new team. I hope he does not please his Muslim Brotherhood supporters and remain fair for all sects — women, Coptics and legal constitutional experts,” Shaath said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/12/world/meast/egypt-protest/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
October 13, 2012 at 3:32 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Snow hits Australia in the middle of Spring
A cold snap has covered parts of Australia’s east coast with a blanket of snow, in the middle of spring.
Motorists were left stranded in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, while power lines were downed, trees uprooted and ferries cancelled due to high winds and hail in coastal areas.
Residents in Katoomba described the snowfall as the heaviest they had seen.
Forecasters predict the cold weather will give way to warmer temperatures over the weekend.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-19932805
October 15, 2012 at 8:04 am
Haruna Mohammed
Tropical Storm Rafael strengthens, heads toward Bermuda
(CNN) — Tropical Storm Rafael churned in the central Atlantic early Monday as it approached hurricane strength, forecasters said.
Maximum sustained winds increased to 70 mph late Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. The storm was centered about 260 miles (420 km) north-northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was swirling north-northwest at 10 mph.
“Some additional strengthening is forecast … and Rafael could become a hurricane on Monday,” the hurricane center said.
A projection map shows Rafael headed toward Bermuda later this week.
Officials there issued a tropical storm watch Sunday and told residents that they expected the storm to affect the British territory on Tuesday. A tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.
While the National Hurricane Center predicted Rafael will stay well to the east of the Bahamas through Monday night, it did warn of life-threatening surf conditions and rip currents on the eastward-facing beaches of the Bahamas over the next few days.
Forecasters expect Rafael to leave between 4 to 8 inches of rain over the northern Leeward Islands, with some pockets getting as much as 12 inches.
“These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides, especially in areas of mountainous terrain,” the hurricane center said.
Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are possible in the Virgin Islands, Culebra and Vieques, forecasters said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/15/world/americas/tropical-storm-rafael/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
October 15, 2012 at 8:06 am
Haruna Mohammed
Gunmen kill 23 at Nigeria market
(CNN) — Investigators suspect a criminal gang was behind the Sunday morning killings of nearly two dozen men in a marketplace in northern Nigeria, a government official said.
The killings took place near a mosque in the village of Dogon Dawa, in the northern state of Kaduna. The attackers left 23 dead and 17 wounded, said Musa Ilallah, a regional coordinator with Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency.
“Today is a market day at the village, so many people were out shopping,” Ilallah said.
The victims, all of them men, had just left morning prayers at a nearby mosque, he said.
The surrounding district is notorious for armed robberies, and Dogon Dawa is surrounded by a forest that criminals use as a hideout. Ilallah said he was sure the attack was aimed at villagers who participate in a community watch group, “because they expose the criminals and their hideouts to police.”
“I’m sure the Nigerian government will further investigate and take action to ensure this mass killing does not happen again,” he said.
The victims of Sunday’s attack were farmers, village chief Suleiman Zuberu told CNN.
Kaduna has been the scene of deadly clashes between Nigerian Christians and Muslims, including a spate of attacks on churches in June that left 50 people dead. The Islamic militant group Boko Haram, which is fighting to replace Nigeria’s government with a fundamentalist Islamic state, claimed responsibility for those killings.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/14/world/africa/nigeria-violence/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
October 15, 2012 at 8:10 am
Haruna Mohammed
Many feared dead in 207 bus accident on Graphic Road
A Mallam-Accra bound 207 Benz bus has tipped over the newly constructed overhead bridge on the Graphic Road.
The bus was said to be carrying mostly market women when the incident occurred around 5:30am.
An unspecified number of persons are said to have died on the spot and have been conveyed to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Injured persons in the accident have been rushed to the hospital.
Personnel from the Police and Fire Service have towed the mangle 207 bus.
source: http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201210/95493.php
October 16, 2012 at 6:34 am
Haruna Mohammed
Pacific hurricane becomes a Category 3 storm as it nears Mexico
(CNN) — The government of Mexico issued a hurricane warning Monday for parts of the west coast of Baja California as Hurricane Paul became a major storm, the U.S. hurricane center said.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said hurricane conditions are expected to affect a stretch of coast from Santa Fe, Mexico, to Puerto San Andresito on Tuesday afternoon.
As of 8 p.m. ET on Monday, Hurricane Paul had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph) but forecasters predict it will weaken on Tuesday as it skirts the coast.
The eye of the storm is 360 miles (580 kilometers) from the southern tip of the peninsula, the center said. The storm is moving toward the north-northeast at 13 mph (20 kph).
Some areas may see as much as 8 inches of rain, forecasters predicted.
The same region was hit by Hurricane Jimena three years ago. Jimena reached Category 4 status before striking land as a Category 1.
On its current path, Paul should pass to the west of the popular tourist destination of Los Cabos on the southern tip of the peninsula.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/15/world/americas/hurricane-paul/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
October 18, 2012 at 4:51 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Landslide kills children in Peru’s jungle
(CNN) — Several children were among the victims when a mudslide sent a mass of tree and rock debris crashing into homes in Peru’s jungle Wednesday, killing at least 11 people.
Ten more people are unaccounted for, according to the country’s state news agency.
Heavy rains set off the natural disaster in the San Martin tropical forest in Peru’s northeast, which destroyed “at least 10 houses and a pedestrian bridge,” Andina news agency reported.
Six of the 11 bodies recovered so far appear to be children. Residents are working with civil defense officials and the military to find victims in the rubble, but the flooding of a local river is hindering their efforts.
Peru’s government is sending humanitarian aid, including tents and sheets, the state news agency reported.
source:http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/18/world/americas/peru-landslide/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
October 22, 2012 at 11:07 am
Haruna Mohammed
Pilgrims evacuated as French floods hit Lourdes shrine
Hundreds of Roman Catholic pilgrims have been evacuated from the sanctuary of Lourdes in France after heavy flooding in the area.
The Gave de Pau river burst its banks after days of rain, flooding campsites around the shrine and parts of the southern city itself.
Lourdes is famous for what many Roman Catholics believe was a vision of the Virgin Mary by a local girl in 1858.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20019917
October 22, 2012 at 11:51 am
Haruna Mohammed
Floods displace hundreds in Cape Coast
Hundreds of residents at Ankaful and Kwapro, all in Cape Coast, have been displaced after Kakum River overflowed its bank following the opening of its spillways Sunday.
At least seventy houses have been submerged with the road linking the two communities to Cape Coast also submerged cutting them off from the city.
Residents of the two communities told Joy FM’s Central regional correspondent, Richard Kojo Nyarko that government must takes steps to address the perennial problem.
According to them, the Kakum river has a narrow channel hence it overflows its bank at the least downpour making the place inhabitable. Some of the affected residents appealed to the Cape Coast Municipal Assembly to come dredge the river to forestall future occurrence.
The National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) have been to the two communities to assess the situation likewise the Ghana National Fire Service who have also been to Kwapro to understudy the situation.
The Cape Coast Municipal NADMO Coordinator Farouk Adamu told Joynews people affected by the floods would be assisted to move out of the community and relief items also provided them.
source: http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201210/95856.php
October 30, 2012 at 9:22 am
Haruna Mohammed
Storm Sandy causes severe flooding in eastern US
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has urged people to leave their homes as heavy rain caused by post-tropical cyclone Sandy hits the region.
Footage showed seawater rushing into the streets of communities near Atlantic City, New Jersey
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20130839
October 30, 2012 at 9:24 am
Haruna Mohammed
Powerful storm kills at least 30 in Philippines, Vietnam
Hong Kong (CNN) — As Hurricane Sandy lashes the East Coast of the United States with wind and rain, Southeast Asia is dealing with the trail of death and damage from a powerful storm that has killed at least 30 people in the region over the past few days.
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Tropical Storm Son-Tinh was moving northeast along the northern Vietnamese coast on Monday after tearing the roofs off hundreds of houses and breaching flood defenses overnight, the state-run Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.
Son-Tinh was at typhoon level when it thumped into northern Vietnam late Sunday with winds as strong as 133 kilometers per hour (83 mph). It left three people dead and two injured, according to an initial estimate from the Office of the National Search and Rescue Committee reported by (VNA).
More than a 1,300 rescue workers and soldiers have been deployed to work with local authorities on search and rescue efforts in the aftermath of the storm, VNA said.
Helicopters were on standby for a search and rescue mission for an oil rig with 35 people on board that became disconnected from its towboats miles out at sea amid strong waves generated by the storm, according to VNA.
And five people were missing Sunday after winds from Son-Tinh sank an engineering vessel near a cargo terminal in Sanya, a city on the southern Chinese island of Hainan, China’s state-run news agency Xinhua reported.
Son-Tinh is expected to gradually weaken over the course of Monday, regional weather agencies said. At least 260,000 people in Vietnam had been relocated to safer areas as it approached Sunday.
The storm had already killed 27 people when it swept across the central Philippines during the second half of last week, causing flash floods and landslides, according to the Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Nine people remain missing, the council said Monday.
East Asia is buffeted for several months a year by heavy storms that roll in from the western Pacific Ocean. In August, a big typhoon, named Bolaven, killed more than 60 people on the Korean peninsula.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/29/world/asia/vietnam-tropical-storm/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
October 30, 2012 at 9:25 am
Haruna Mohammed
Sandy’s trail of devastation: 13 dead, millions in the dark — and it’s not over
“Super-storm” Sandy has swept across the eastern US coast, bringing heavy rain, high winds and severe flooding.
Sandy made landfall in New Jersey, causing a record surge of seawater in New York City, flooding car and subway tunnels and leaving much of lower Manhattan without power.
It has been blamed for 10 deaths in several states, Associated Press said.
An estimated 50 million people could be affected, with up to one million ordered to evacuate homes.
Public transport has been halted in several eastern cities, and thousands of flights have been grounded.
Both President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney cancelled campaign appearances little more than a week before the presidential election.
The storm made landfall close to Atlantic City in New Jersey at about 20:00 local time (midnight GMT), packing winds of more than 80mph (129km/h).
Much of Atlantic City was underwater, and 30,000 residents were evacuated.
America’s oldest nuclear power plant, Oyster Creek in New Jersey, was put on alert due to rising water, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/30/us/tropical-weather-sandy/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
November 1, 2012 at 6:56 am
Haruna Mohammed
At least 8 killed after storm tears into southern Indian coast
New Delhi (CNN) — At least eight people were killed and thousands displaced after powerful Cyclone Nilam roared into India’s southeastern coast, authorities said Thursday.
About 8,000 people in low-lying areas on the coast of Tamil Nadu state were moved to temporary shelters, said Jatindranath Swain, the province’s disaster management commissioner.
An oil tanker with 37 people on board got into difficulty as the storm made landfall Wednesday, he said. The high winds and strong waves set the vessel adrift and drove it toward the coast, where it ran aground, Swain said.
Naval divers engaged in rescue efforts at the stranded ship, according to Swain, but six crew members remained missing Thursday.
The India Meteorological Department said that Nilam crossed the southern coast at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. It then moved inland and weakened into a deep depression, the agency said.
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Emergency crews were patrolling vulnerable zones in Tamil Nadu, Swain said.
Governments in neighboring Andhra Pradesh state and the federally-administered territory of Puducherry had said they were prepared to deal with Nilam.
The national weather department was forecasting heavy rains in parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry.
“Gale wind-speed reaching 80-90 kph (50-56 mph) gusting to 100 kph (62 mph) would prevail along and off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts during next 24 hours,” it said Wednesday.
Weather officials also predicted a storm surge that was likely to inundate low-lying areas, mainly along Tamil Nadu’s coast.
Forecasters warned that residents should expect extensive damage to thatched roofs and huts, advising fishermen not to venture into the sea until the storm has passed.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/31/world/asia/india/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
November 8, 2012 at 7:00 am
Haruna Mohammed
48 dead after earthquake rocks Guatemala
(CNN) — A powerful earthquake off the Pacific coast of Guatemala on Wednesday sent debris crashing down onto cars, collapsed roads and killed dozens in the Central American nation, officials said.
At least 48 people died in the temblor, President Otto Perez Molina said in a Twitter post Wednesday night, and doctors treated at least 150 others for injuries.
Earlier Wednesday, Guatemala’s disaster relief agency said 29 people were missing and hundreds had lost their homes.
Residents felt the 7.4-magnitude quake throughout Central America and as far north as Mexico City. Its epicenter was about 15 miles off the western coastal town of Champerico, at a depth of 26 miles.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/07/world/americas/guatemala-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
November 8, 2012 at 7:03 am
Haruna Mohammed
New storm hits New York and New Jersey after Sandy
New York and New Jersey residents have been warned to evacuate their homes as a new storm hits the area still reeling from Sandy’s devastating impact.
Some 650,000 buildings remain without power one week after storm Sandy struck, killing at least 106 people.
The latest storm has already brought some snow, with forecasters also predicting heavy rains and high winds.
The low-pressure system, which is not unusual for the season, is expected to strengthen and last into Thursday.
The storm, known as a nor’easter, was forecast to intensify as it moved north on Wednesday, with gusts of up to 97 km/h (60mph), the National Weather Service said.
At least 1,200 flights have been cancelled in and outside the New York metropolitan area.
New York’s main utility company, Consolidated Edison, warned of further power cuts.
“We are expecting there will be outages created by the new storm, and it’s possible people who have just been restored from Sandy will lose power again,” spokesman Mike Clendenin said.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20241091
November 8, 2012 at 7:04 am
Haruna Mohammed
Ghana: Accra’s Melcom department store collapses
A multi-storey department store has collapsed in the capital of Ghana, Accra, trapping dozens of people in the rubble.
Rescue efforts are continuing, with officials saying that at least four people died in the Melcom store.
The BBC’s Sammy Darko, who has visited the scene, says 42 people have been pulled out alive.
Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama said he had suspended his campaign for next month’s election.
The government has declared the area in the city’s Achimota neighbourhood a disaster zone.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20237230
November 9, 2012 at 3:36 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Burma train crash and fire kills 27
A train carrying liquid fuel has crashed and burst into flames in central Burma, killing 27 people and injuring dozens.
The train was travelling from the central city of Mandalay to Myiktyina in the north.
Officials told the BBC Burmese service the train had come off the tracks, then a fire broke out in fuel storage tanks.
Many of those killed were believed to be local residents who had gathered at the scene.
The AFP news agency quoted Burma’s information ministry as saying people had been attempting to collect the spilled fuel.
More than 80 people were taken to hospital.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20272264
November 12, 2012 at 7:19 am
Haruna Mohammed
6.5-magnitude earthquake strikes off Guatemala’s western coast
A 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck this afternoon in the Pacific off the western coast of Guatemala, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
Striking about 17 miles (27 kilometers) below sea level, the tremor was centered about 19 miles west-southwest of Champerico, Guatemala, and 115 miles from the capital, Guatemala City. The quake was not far from southern Mexico, with the USGS reporting it was 27 miles south-southeast of the border community of Suchiate, Mexico.
Earlier Sunday, the U.S. agency had said it was a 6.2-magnitude tremor, but later revised the report with the higher magnitude. It was followed by a number of significant aftershocks with magnitudes as strong as 5.0.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said that “based on all available data, a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected.”
Sunday’s earthquake is the second major one in four days to strike the region.
Last Wednesday morning, a powerful 7.4-magnitude tremor struck in the same area – about 22 miles from the coastal town of Champerico – at a depth of 15 miles. At least 52 people were killed in its aftermath, according to President Otto Perez Molina. Hundreds more were injured, while more than 2,200 homes were damaged.
That earthquake was the strongest to hit Guatemala since 1976, when one with a magnitude of 7.5 killed about 23,000 people, Molina said.
source: http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/11/6-2-magnitude-earthquakes-strikes-off-guatemalas-western-coast/?hpt=hp_t4
November 12, 2012 at 2:16 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Floods cause chaos in Venice after heavy rain
12 November 2012 Last updated at 09:44 GMT Help
Heavy rains combined with strong winds have caused flooding in several areas across Italy, with the problem particularly severe in Venice.
Floodwaters submerged much of the city, forcing people to wade through knee-high water, as the BBC’s Alan Johnston explains.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20294488
November 21, 2012 at 9:06 am
Haruna Mohammed
UN condemns DR Congo rebel seizure of Goma
The UN Security Council has backed a resolution calling for sanctions against leaders of rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The resolution, adopted unanimously, came hours after the rebels seized the eastern city of Goma.
The rebels met little resistance from the army or UN peacekeepers.
In its resolution, the Security Council demanded an end to foreign support for the M23 rebels and expressed readiness to take appropriate measures.
After M23 fighters entered Goma, the leaders of DR Congo and Rwanda, Joseph Kabila and Paul Kagame, flew to Uganda for talks, amid claims that Rwanda was backing the rebels.
Mr Kabila has urged people to “resist” the rebels, who launched their rebellion seven months ago.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20422053
November 21, 2012 at 9:08 am
Haruna Mohammed
New Zealand’s Mount Tongariro erupts
New Zealand’s Mount Tongariro has erupted again, having rumbled back to life in August after more than a century of quiet.
The volcano, in the North Island, sent a column of ash at least 2km (1.25 miles) into the air, scientists said.
There were no immediate reports of injuries, but hikers and a group of school children were being moved out of the national park.
Before the August activity, the 1,978m (6,490 ft) peak last erupted in 1897.
The latest eruption happened at around 13:25 local time (00:25GMT) and lasted for around five minutes, experts said.
A release from the Ministry of Civil Defence said “minor volcanic activity” was occurring at the Tongariro – Te Maari craters and “could be hazardous in the immediate vicinity of the craters”.
“Light volcanic ash fall can be anticipated downwind of Tongariro”, it said, potentially affecting the Waikato, Hawkes Bay, Gisborne and Bay of Plenty areas.
Air New Zealand said it did not expect delays or cancellations as a result of the eruption, based on current information.
It was “working closely with the relevant authorities to keep up to date with ash movement and forecasts” and would adjust flight routes if necessary.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20422058
November 21, 2012 at 4:03 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Israel-Gaza crisis: Push for ceasefire amid fresh attacks
International efforts to finalise a ceasefire are being stepped up after a night of renewed Israeli air strikes in Gaza and sporadic Hamas rocket attacks.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is visiting the West Bank and, later, Cairo after talks with Israeli leaders.
Palestinian sources had suggested a truce would be announced on Tuesday, but Israel said no deal was struck.
Some 136 Palestinians and five Israelis have been killed since the flare-up began eight days ago, officials say.
On Tuesday alone, the conflict claimed the lives of at least 20 Palestinians and two Israelis.
Mrs Clinton has arrived in Ramallah on the West Bank for talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is also visiting leaders in the region to try to cement a ceasefire.
In Cairo, officials from Hamas, the militant Palestinian group that has governed Gaza since 2007, had suggested a truce would come into effect at midnight on Tuesday, but Israel later said it had not agreed to a text.
Israel’s demands include no hostile fire of any kind from Gaza and international efforts to prevent Hamas from re-arming, while Hamas is demanding an end to the blockade on Gaza and targeted killings by Israel.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20422152
November 23, 2012 at 6:58 am
Haruna Mohammed
Opposition: Fighting across Syria leaves 151 dead
Istanbul, Turkey (CNN) — One day after Syrian rebels accused government forces of a deadly bombing near a hospital in the besieged city of Aleppo, opposition groups said another 151 people had been killed in the fighting Thursday.
The majority of those deaths occurred in the Syrian capital of Damascus and its suburbs, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based opposition group.
Another 34 were killed in Aleppo, where some of the heaviest fighting has occurred.
The 20-month civil war has claimed more than 42,000 lives, according to the latest tally from the opposition Center for Documentation of Violations in Syria. The group counts 3,133 government soldiers among the dead.
And the bloodletting has since carried on unabated while also threatening regional stability.
On Wednesday, 15 people died in the strike on a building next to the Dar al-Shifa Hospital, including two children and a doctor.
Ralib al-Omar, a leader of the Yusif al-Asma rebel group, said the strike had targeted the hospital and that the dead included two nurses. A doctor was among the dead — one of 40 people killed in Aleppo on Wednesday and 113 across the country.
Dar al-Shifa is one of the main sources of medical help for people in Syria’s commercial hub. In video posted by opposition activists, the blast appeared to have affected the hospital’s often-crowded front lobby.
Amanpour blog: U.S. has no plan for Syria
Protests first broke out against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011. Al-Assad responded by turning the army and police on the demonstrations.
The government-owned Syrian Arab News Agency reported a series of clashes between security forces and “armed terrorist groups,” while intense fighting near the Syrian-Turkish border in recent weeks has pitted loyalist Syrian forces against the rebel Free Syrian Army.
CNN cannot confirm claims by the government or the opposition because of government restrictions that prevent journalists from reporting freely within Syria.
In a sign of a potential escalation of the conflict, Turkey asked its NATO allies for Patriot missiles Wednesday to bolster its air defenses against its southern neighbor. A letter to NATO included the “formal request” that the alliance send “air defense elements,” according to a Turkish government statement that cited “the threats and risks posed by the continuing crisis in Syria to our national security.”
The statement added that the NATO Council would convene “shortly” to consider the matter. NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a Twitter post that the request would be considered without delay.
Israel puts trust in Iron Dome
Rasmussen said the letter from Turkey requested Patriot missiles that would “contribute to the de-escalation of the crisis along NATO’s south-eastern border” and serve as “a concrete demonstration of alliance solidarity and resolve.”
His statement said three NATO countries have available Patriot missiles — Germany, the Netherlands and the United States — and it would be up to them to decide if they can deploy them and for how long.
A NATO team will visit Turkey next week to survey possible deployment sites for the missiles, Rasmussen’s statement said.
Sources told CNN that Germany would be the likely source for a deployment. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday that any decision involving her country would need the approval of Parliament.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/21/world/meast/syria-civil-war/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
November 26, 2012 at 11:31 am
Haruna Mohammed
At least 117 killed in fire at Bangladeshi clothing factory
Dhaka, Bangladesh (CNN) — A fire ripped through a clothing factory near the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka, killing at least 117 people and sending workers jumping out of the multistory building.
At least 200 people were injured as they rushed to get out of the factory in Ashulia, police said.
Firefighters battled to contain the raging blaze that started Saturday night on the first floor of the nine-story building and spread to other floors, leaving hundreds of workers, mostly women, trapped.
Overpass collapse kills 11 in Bangladesh; protests erupt
Officials said some 2,000 people were working in the factory as the fire began, but it was unclear how many had been rescued.
The fire department said rescue operations have been very difficult because the factory was packed with fabrics, yarn and cotton, the fire department said. It said the death toll might rise because firefighters could not enter some floors of the building.
Scores of people were anxiously waiting outside the burning factory in search of their relatives.
Bilkis Akhter, mother of teenage factory worker Munni Akhter, said she had checked with the hospitals and police stations but did not find her daughter, who had been working on the fourth floor.
Bangladesh’s ready-made garments make up 80% of the country’s $24 billion in annual exports.
The country has about 4,500 garment factories that make clothes for stores including Tesco, Wal-Mart, J.C. Penney, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Kohl’s and Carrefour. The sector earned $19 billion this year as of June.
The state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha recently reported that some 6,000 people die every year in fires in Bangladesh.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/25/world/asia/bangladesh-factory-fire/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
December 3, 2012 at 7:31 am
Haruna Mohammed
Japan Sasago tunnel collapse killed nine
Nine people are now confirmed to have died after a major tunnel collapsed in Japan, officials say.
The bodies were found in three vehicles that were crushed by fallen concrete panels in the Sasago tunnel, about 80km (50 miles) west of the capital Tokyo.
A fire broke out after the tunnel caved in on Sunday, and a number of survivors fled to safety on foot.
The usually busy tunnel remains closed, as police are investigating potential negligence.
There will be serious questions about how a major tunnel on one of Japan’s most important traffic arteries could have failed so catastrophically, the BBC’s Rupert Wingfield Hayes in Tokyo reports.
The private company that runs the highway has said the tunnel was given a major inspection just two months ago and was given a clean bill of health, our correspondent adds.
source: http://www.myjoyonline.com/
December 4, 2012 at 11:31 am
Haruna Mohammed
Typhoon Bopha hits storm-battered southern Philippines
(CNN) — An intense typhoon made landfall in the southern Philippines early Tuesday amid fears that it could be worse than a 2011 storm that killed more than 1,200 people.
Typhoon Bopha struck the southern island of Mindanao shortly before 4:45 a.m. (3:45 p.m. Monday ET), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center reported.
The storm packed top winds of 175 kph (110 mph) as it came ashore over the city of Baganga, and millions of people — many of whom live in remote and unprepared communities — were in the storm’s path, Philippine authorities and aid groups said.
The tightly packed but powerful storm threatened to bring devastating flash floods and landslides. High winds could blast some homes into sticks, uproot trees and cut power for days, government officials warned.
The storm weakened slightly as it moved west across Mindanao during the course of the morning, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/03/world/asia/philippines-typhoon/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
December 6, 2012 at 12:24 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Military plane crashes in South Africa
A military plane carrying 11 passengers has crashed in South Africa’s mountainous east.
Unconfirmed reports said that those on board included members of Nelson Mandela’s medical team.
The plane, which had been travelling from Pretoria to Mthatha, went missing on Wednesday but the initial search was abandoned due to poor weather.
The wreckage was found in the Drakensberg Mountains, near Ladysmith, in KwaZulu-Natal province.
A spokesman for the defence department, Siphiwe Dlamini, has refused to confirm or deny the reports that Mr Mandela’s doctors were on board the flight, saying it was an operational matter.
Brig Gen Xolani Mabanga said that the aircraft had taken off from Pretoria’s Waterkloof Air Force Base on Wednesday night, according to the Associated Press. He said soldiers had been sent to the scene to look for survivors.
The remains of the aircraft were found some 210 miles (340km) south-east of the Waterkloof air base.
The wreckage of the Douglas DC-3 Dakota, a twin-propeller aircraft, is reported to be spread over a wide area near the Giant’s Castle, a famous peak on a steep escarpment.
Mthatha’s small airport in Eastern Cape province is situated some 17 miles (30km) from Mr Mandela’s rural homestead of Qunu, where the former president has lived since retiring from public life.
The BBC’s Andrew Harding, in Johannesburg, says the military are responsible for the health of the 94-year-old anti-apartheid hero and a medical team travels regularly to his home.
According to AP, another South African military flight crash-landed at Mthatha’s airport in November and several people were injured. The military denied that those on board had anything to do with Mr Mandela’s care.
SOURCE: http://www.citifmonline.com/index.php?id=1.1172739
December 10, 2012 at 1:27 pm
Haruna Mohammed
Singer, reality television star Jenni Rivera dies in plane crash, brother says
(CNN) — Mexican-American singer Jenni Rivera died when the small plane she was traveling in with at least five others crashed in the mountains of northern Mexico, her brother told CNN.
Authorities notified the family there were no survivors, Gustavo Rivera said late Sunday. He planned to fly to Mexico early Monday to identify his sister’s remains.
There were conflicting reports about the number of people aboard the plane, which took off early Sunday from Monterrey, Mexico, and lost contact with air traffic controllers a short time later.
Rivera said there were six people aboard: his sister, her publicist, her lawyer, a family friend and two pilots. The Civil Aviation Authority of Mexico said there were up to seven people on the plane, though it did not identify those believed to be on board.
source:http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/10/showbiz/mexico-singer-plane/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
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Five lives, property worth GH¢7,395,465.00 lost to fire in A/R
Five lives and property totaling GH¢7,395,464.00 were lost through fires in the Ashanti Region last year according to Assistant Divisional Officer (ADO) II Desmond Ackah Essoun of the Regional Safety Department of the Ghana National Fire Service.
The region recorded 920 fire incidents compared with the 2011’s figure of 769, which claimed one life and destroyed GH¢4,402,209.00 worth of property.
He reported that just two weeks into 2013, fire firefighters have already had to respond to 70 emergencies and two people have perished in those fires.
He said the Ghana National Fire Service has stepped up its public education campaign to help bring down fire outbreaks and the resultant devastation to lives and property.
ADO II Essoun said majority of fire disasters that occurred in the region were domestic, accounting for close to a half of the 2012 total.
He attributed the upsurge of fire cases to carelessness and the mishandling of electricity, gas and other combustible materials. In addition to these, he mentioned the use of sub-standard electrical gadgets and illegal power installations, particularly in the markets.
He said that people must heed fire safety warnings and keep fire safety education in mind education.
source: http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201301/100068.php
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