KARIBU PEMBA (WELCOME PEMBA)

Uokozi ni mgumu kwenye tetemeko Uchina

21 Aprili, 2013 - Saa 18:28 GMT

Wafanya kazi za uokozi wamekuwa wakipata shida kufika kwenye vijiji vya mbali milimani vilioko kusini-magharibi mwa Uchina, baada ya tetemeko la ardhi ambalo linalijulikana kuuwa watu 200 na kujeruhi zaidi ya 11,000.

Taarifa zinazohusiana

Asia,
mazingira

Wanajeshi 17,000 wametumwa huko kwenda kusaidia.
Tetemeko hilo lilitokea Jumamosi asubuhi karibu na mji wa Ya'an katika jimbo la Sichuan.
Waokozi wamekuwa wakijaribu kupanda barabara nyembamba zilizozongwa na maporomoko.
Lori moja la jeshi lilobeba wanajeshi 17 lilipinduka mlimani na kumuuwa mwanajeshi mmoja na kujeruhi wengine saba.
Magari ya kubeba wagonjwa yanawapeleka manusura katika kituo kwenye hospitali kuu mjini Ya'an.
Majeruhi wengi, baadhi yao wamevunjika viungo, wanatibiwa kwenye mahema yaliyowekwa nje ya hospitali.
Tetemeko hili lilikuwa ni dogo likilinganishwa na lile la mwaka 2008 ambalo liliuwa watu 70,000.
Lakini kwa sababu ya shida za kuwafikia manusura na vitetemeko vidogo vinavoendelea wakati wote, idadi ya waliokufa inaweza kuongezeka.

Mshukiwa wa Boston hawezi kuhojiwa

21 Aprili, 2013 - Saa 17:12 GMT

Meya wa Boston amesema wakuu wa Marekani pengine hawataweza kabisa kumhoji mshukiwa wa shambulio la bomu katika Boston marathon kwa sababu ya jinsi alivoumia.

Mshukiwa huyo, Dzhokar Tsarnaev, anatibiwa kwenye hospitali moja ya mjini Boston, ambayo ilieleza kuwa hali yake ni mbaya.
Alikamatwa Ijumaa wakati wa msako ambapo kaka ake aliuliwa na polisi.
Meya Tom Menino alipohojiwa na televisheni ya Marekani alisema anafikiri mashambulio hayo yalifanywa na ndugu hao wa kiume peke yao, na pengine hawakupanga kufanya mashambulio mengine.

US to double aid to Syrian rebels following assurances

The United States is to double its aid to rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad after winning a written pledge that a future Syria will be democratic, non-sectarian and give “universal” rights to women.

Syrian revolution comes to Damascus as rebels openly patrol the streets: Syrian rebels march in a show of strength during a demonstration in Idlib, Syria, Friday, Feb. 10, 2012.

Syrian rebels march in a show of strength during a demonstration in Idlib, Syria Photo: AP

The extra $123 million in non-lethal military aid, possibly including armoured vehicles as well as body armour and night-vision goggles, was announced in the early hours of Sunday after the US secretary of state John Kerry and other foreign ministers met opposition leaders. There will also be USD25 million in civilian food aid.

While they spoke, battles were raging as the Assad regime attempted to retake areas around Damascus and near Homs with scores of casualties. Mr Kerry referred to the recent use of ballistic missiles against rebel territory by the regime, as well as suspected, localised use of chemical weapons.

"We are at a critical moment," he said. "The stakes could not be more clear: chemical weapons, the slaughter of people by ballistic missiles and other weapons of huge destruction, the potential of a whole country being torn apart into enclaves, the potential of sectarian violence."

Western allies have been urging the United States to take a "leadership role" on Syria, as the conflict becomes ever more bloody and locked in stalemate. President Barack Obama has been reluctant to be drawn in, and has vetoed proposals by both the state department and the Pentagon to arm the opposition, according to reports from Washington.

The opposition Syrian National Coalition went further yesterday, demanding the West launch drone missile attacks on President Assad's "ballistic missile and chemical weapon launch pads", and establish a no-fly zone, as it did in Libya.

Saudi Arabia deports 'irresistible' men deemed 'too handsome' to women

Three men were forcibly removed from an annual culture festival in Saudi Arabia and subsequently sent back to the UAE after it was deemed that women could find them irresistible

Saudis take part in the traditional Arda dance or War dance during the Janadriyah Festival of Heritage and Culture in the Saudi capital Riyadh. Photo: Getty Images

The delegates from the United Arab Emirates were in attendance at the Jenadrivah Heritage & Culture Festival in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, when religious police officers stormed the stand and evicted the men because “they are too handsome,” according to the Arabic language newspaper, Elaph.

“A festival official said the three Emiratis were taken out on the grounds they are too handsome and that the Commission [for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vices] members feared female visitors could fall for them,” Elaph reported.

The UAE released an official statement indicating that the religious police were anxious over the unexpected presence of an unnamed female artist in the pavilion.

“Her visit to the UAE stand was a coincidence as it was not included in the programme which we had already provided to the festival’s management,” Saeed Al Kaabi, head of the UAE delegation to the festival, said in a statement.

It was not clear if the woman’s presence was related to the decision to evict the “handsome” Emirati men.

Following the incident, Elaph said the festival’s management took swift action to deport the trio back to Abu Dhabi, capital of the Emirates.
With a majority Sunni Muslim population, Saudi Arabia is a deeply religious and ultraconservative society which forbids women from interacting with unrelated males and refuses to accord them with the same rights as men.
It is the only country in the world where women are banned from driving.
Change could be on the horizon, however, with billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal recently expressing his support for female drivers.
“The question of allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia will save more than 500,000 jobs in addition to the social and economic benefits,” the prince tweeted on Sunday.
It is estimated that eight million foreigners work in Saudi Arabia and thousands have been dismissed from their jobs and then deported as part of a government effort against foreigners who live and work illegally in the country.