Tuesday, April 30, 2013

North Korea to build replica of Big Ben in Pyongyang theme park

North Koreans are to be given a taste of London life with a replica of Big Ben reportedly being erected in the country's capital.

North Koreans are to be given a taste of London life with a replica of Big Ben reportedly being erected in the country's capital.

A replica of Big Ben is reportedly being erected in the North Korea capital Pyongyang Photo: PA/AFP/Getty Images
Pyongyang's take on Augustus Pugin's iconic clock tower will feature in a theme park that is planned to open this year, the Associated Press reported on Monday.
The "miniature world" park, which will also boast a replica of Paris' Eiffel Tower, is reportedly part of a construction boom that began in the capital in 2010.
Last year, North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un vowed to bring to an end decades of austerity and hardship with the slogan: "No More Belt-Tightening."
The Associated Press, which is the only western news organisation allowed to operate permanently inside the secretive state, reported that Pyongyang's "transformation" had seen its downtown areas spruced up with "glossy construction" including "department stores, restaurants and high-rise apartments." At the centre of this construction frenzy is Changjon street, in downtown Pyongyang, where a brand-new supermarket trades in Hershey's Kisses, Coca-Cola and Doritos.
"Inside supermarkets where shopgirls wear French designer labels, people with money can buy Italian wine, Swiss chocolates, kiwi fruit imported from New Zealand and fresh-baked croissants," the Associated Press reported.

Mlipuko mkubwa watokea Damascus,Syria

 30 Aprili, 2013 - Saa 11:45 GMT


Mnamo Jumatatu waziri mkuu wa Syria alinusurika kifo baada ya kutegewa bomu
Mlipuko mkubwa umetikisa katikati ya mji mkuu wa Syria, Damascus, vyombo vya habari vya serikali vimetangaza.
Kwa mujibu wa Taasisi Inayofuatilia Haki za Binadamu Nchini Syria (SOHR) yenye makao yake Uingereza, watu watano wameuawa katika mlipuko huo uliotokea katika wilaya ya kati ya Marjeh.
Haijafahamika mlipuko huo umesababishwa na nini. Milio ya risasi ilisikika katika eneo hilo mara baada ya mlipuko kutokea.
Jumatatu, wiki hii Waziri Mkuu wa Syria, Wael Al – Halqi, alinusurika kuuawa baada ya mlipuko kulenga msafara wake wa magari.
Taarifa zinasema, mlipuko huo wa sasa umetokea karibu na jengo la wizara ya mambo ya ndani.
Taasisi hiyo inafuatilia ukiukwaji wa haki za binadamu kutoka pande zote zinazohusika kwenye mgogoro kupitia mitandao mbalimbali ya mawasiliano kote nchini Syria.
Inakadiriwa kuwa mwezi Machi mwaka huu ulishuhudia umwagaji damu mkubwa ambapo zaidi ya watu 6,000 waliuawa, theluthi yao wakiwa ni raia.
Zaidi ya watu 70,000 wameuawa tangu kuzuka kwa mapigano kati ya vikosi vya serikali ya Syria na waasi Machi 2011.

Three British soldiers killed by roadside bomb in Afghanistan

A roadside bomb has killed three British soldiers in Afghanistan's Helmand Province. 

British soldiers from 21 Air Assault Battery Royal Artillery, who are providing the Helmand Task Force Provincial Reconstruction Team, are silhouetted against the sky 

The soldiers were from The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Major Richard Morgan, said.
They died after their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province.
 
The three soldiers were riding in a Mastif armoured vehicle when they were struck by an improvised explosive device (Julian Simmonds)
They received immediate medical attention and were evacuated by air to the Military Hospital at Camp Bastion but could not be saved.
"Their deaths come as a great loss to all those serving in Task Force Helmand. Our thoughts and prayers are extended to their family and friends at this difficult time," Maj Morgan said.

Next of kin have been informed.
The soldiers were in a vehicle searching for IEDs on a tarmac surface when the device exploded.
The deaths come just two days after the Taliban launched its spring offensive, saying it would take aim at British, US and other foreign military bases and diplomatic areas.
The militant group's leadership vowed that "every possible tactic will be utilised in order to detain or inflict heavy casualties on the foreign transgressors."
A total of 444 British soldiers and 2,207 US troops have died since fighting began in the country back in 2001.
The Taliban and other insurgent groups make heavy use of roadside bombs. They are among the deadliest weapons in the Afghan war for civilians.
Far to the north, in Archi district in the province of Kunduz, a roadside bomb killed two people, including a local police commander who had been credited with reducing the number of insurgent attacks in his area, said Abdul Nazar, a local council member.
Commander Miran and his driver were killed and two other police officers wounded when the car they were driving toward Kunduz City was destroyed by a bomb hidden by the road, said Nazar.

 

Al-Amriki na wapiganaji wa kigeni katika mapambano na kiongozi wa al-Shabaab .

Idadi ya matukio katika siku za karibuni yameonyesha wazi kuongezeka kwa mapambano baina ya makundi mbalimbali ndani ya al-Shabaab, na kiasi cha kuwa siku za usoni kikundi washirika wa al-Qaeda kitakabiliwa na mgogoro na kumomonyoka.
    Mpiganaji jihadi mzaliwa wa Marekani Omar Hammami alituma picha inayoonyesha damu kooni mwake kupitia akaunti yake ya Twitter hapo tarehe 25 Aprili baada ya wanausalama wa al-Shabaab kudaiwa kujaribu kumuua.  [Jalada] Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali (katikati), anayejulikana pia kama Abu Mansur, ni kiongozi wa juu wa al-Shabaab ambaye yuko katika msuguano na kamanda wa kikundi Ahmed Abdi Godane. Juu, Robow akisindikizwa na walinzi mjini Mogadishu mwaka 2008. [Na Mokhtar Mohamed/AFP]
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  • Mpiganaji jihadi mzaliwa wa Marekani Omar Hammami alituma picha inayoonyesha damu kooni mwake kupitia akaunti yake ya Twitter hapo tarehe 25 Aprili baada ya wanausalama wa al-Shabaab kudaiwa kujaribu kumuua. [Jalada]
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  • Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali (katikati), anayejulikana pia kama Abu Mansur, ni kiongozi wa juu wa al-Shabaab ambaye yuko katika msuguano na kamanda wa kikundi Ahmed Abdi Godane. Juu, Robow akisindikizwa na walinzi mjini Mogadishu mwaka 2008. [Na Mokhtar Mohamed/AFP]
Siku ya Jumatatu jioni (tarehe 29 Aprili), mpiganaji jihadi mzaliwa wa Marekani Omar Hammami, anayejulikana pia kama Abu Mansour al-Amriki, alionekana kuandika bandiko lake la mwisho katika mkasa uliodumu mwaka mmoja sasa ambao umemsibu yeye na wapiganaji wenzake wa kigeni dhidi ya kamanda wa al-Shabaab Ahmed Abdi Godane, anayejulikana pia kama Mukhtar Abu Zubayr.
Katika mfululizo wa mabandiko ya kuchanganyikiwa siku ya Jumatatu jioni, al-Amriki, akitumia akaunti ya Twitter handle @abumamerican, aliuaga ulimwengu kama mpiganaji wa al-Shabaab mwaminifu kwa Gadane kwa madai kuwa amekusudia kumuua yeye na wafuasi wake.
"Pengine nisipate fursa nyingine ya kuandika lakini kumbukeni tulichokisema na kile tulichosimamia. Mungu aliniweka hai ili kutoa ujumbe kwa umma," alisema.
Hata hvyo, siku ya Jumanne (tarehe 30 Aprili), al-Amriki alianza kutuma idadi kubwa ya ujumbe mpya kuhusu maendeleo ya hali yake, na kutaja kutolewa kiungo cha fatwa inayodaiwa kuandikwa na kuungwa mkono na makamanda watatu wakubwa wa al-Shabaab wanaopingana na Godane -- Ibrahim al-Afghani (ambaye jina lake halisi ni Ibrahim Haji Jama Meeaad na ambaye pia anajulikana kama Abu Bakr al-Zaylai), Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali (au Abu Mansur) na al-Zubayr al-Mujahid -- pamoja na kiongozi wa Hizbul Islam Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys.
Fatwa ilimweleza al-Amriki na wafuasi wake kama "ndugu" ambao damu yao haikuruhusiwa kumwagika "hata kama [Godane] ataamrisha hivyo".
Iliendelea kuonya dhidi ya "utiifu wa upofu" kwa Godane, na kuelezea majaribio dhidi ya maisha ya al-Amriki na wafuasi wake kama "uzembe unaosababishwa na ujinga wa hali ya juu, au matokeo ya kufanya hila kwa dhana za kisheria kwa ajili ya masilahi ya kisiasa na kupata malengo binafsi ambayo hayahusiani chochote na sheria ya Mungu".

Jaribio la mwisho kwa maisha ya al-Amriki

Alhamisi iliyopita jioni (tarehe 25 Aprili), wakati akiwa amekaa kwenye duka la chai, wanausalama kadhaa wa al-Shabaab walidaiwa kujaribu kumuua al-Amriki, lakini wakashindwa. Masaa kadhaa kupita, al-Amriki alisema alipokea neno kutoka kwa kikosi cha al-Shabaab kwamba walikuwa wameizunguka nyumba yake.
"Abu Zubayr ameshakuwa mwendawazimu, anaanzisha vita vya wenyewe kwa wenyewe," al-Amriki alisema.
Baada ya kuwa kimya kwa siku kadhaa, al-Amriki alirejea kwenye Twitter kusema kwamba alikuwa anaishi anaandaa kinachoweza kuwa pambano lake la mwisho ndani ya al-Shabaab. Kutoka katika Tweets yake, inaonyesha kwamba al-Amriki na wafuasi wake sasa wanakimbia baada ya majadiliano yaliyoshinda na wapiganaji wa Godane.
"Tuliomba iwepo sharia na kukubali mambo mengi ya kuleta amani lakini wanasema sisi ni kikundi cha wasaliti hata kama [Godane] ni kiongozi wetu na hatutapigana," alielezea.
"Ni hatima ya […] mapambano yaliyokamilika dhidi ya wale wanaosema ukweli," al-Amriki aliandika, "Hata kama tutakufa, tumeshinda".

Vikundi vya al-Shabaab vyawindana

"Jaribio la mauaji ya al-Amriki toka kwa Godane ni ishara ya wazi kwamba mpasuko baina ya kiongozi wa al-Shabaab na wapiganaji wa kigeni umekuwa vita vya moja kwa moja," alisema Omar Ali Roble, aliyekuwa waziri wa upunguzaji silaha na kuwaunganisha na jamii wanamgambo wa Somalia.
"Wanawindana wao kwa wao, jambo ambalo ni ushahidi wa wazi kuwa al-Shabaab hakukuwa kikundi cha dini au jihadi, bali kikundi cha wahalifu kilichojikusanya kuua umma wa Somalia chini ya kisingizio cha dini," aliiambia Sabahi.
Kumaliza upinzani sio kitu kipya kwa Godane, kwa vile anajulikana kufanya vitendo kama hivyo dhidi ya wanachama wa kikundi au washirika wao wanaompinga, Roble alisema.
Kile kinachoonekana zaidi, Godane ameunganishwa na kifo cha Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, kiongozi wa al-Qaeda katika Afrika ya Mashariki, ambaye aliuliwa mwezi Juni 2011 wakati msafara wake uliokuwa unaongozwa na wapiganaji wa al-Shabaab, inadaiwa kwa maagizo ya Godane, ulikwenda moja kwa moja katika kituo cha upekuzi wa usalama cha Umoja wa Afrika mjini Mogadishu.
Wapiganaji wa kigeni wa al-Qaeda wenye uhusiano na viongozi wa al-Shabaab ambao wanasimama kumpinga Godane, kama vile Robow, wanawakilisha hatari kwa kamanda wa juu wa kikundi, Roble alisema. "Ndo sababu [Godane] anaanzisha mkakati wa 'kugawa na kutawala', kwa kuwaondosha viongozi wa kigeni [wa al-Shabaab] wanaopingana na mawazo yake."

Barua za wazi zatingisha misingi ya al-Shabaab

Wakati mgogoro baina ya wapiganaji wa kigeni na wanachama wa al-Shabaab watiifu kwa Godane wanajitokeza, idadi ya barua za wazi zinazopelekwa kwa utawala wa Godane zimeanza kumomonyoa kikundi kutoka ndani.
Barua ya kukosoa iliyopelekwa kwa Godane kutoka kwa al-Zubayr al-Muhajir, anayedai kuwa mmoja wa wapiganaji wa juu wa al-Shabaab, ilitumwa kwa idadi kubwa ya tovuti za wanajihadi tarehe 20 Aprili, kuonyesha kuzidi kwa kutoaminiana na kukatika kwa mawasiliano baina ya vikundi tofauti ndani ya washirika wafuasi wa al-Qaeda.
Barua ya al-Muhajir ilikuja si zaidi ya wiki mbili baada ya kamanda wa pili kwa cheo, Ibrahim al-Afghani, kutoa barua ya wazi hapo tarehe 6 Aprili Ayman al-Zawahiri, ambamo alitosa ukosaji mkubwa wa wazi kwa Godane.
Barua ya al-Afghani ilifuatiwa na nyingine iliandikwa na al-Amriki, ambaye alikuwa wa kwanza kuonyesha tatizo ya uongozi wa ndani wa al-Shabaab, kutowaamini wageni na kutokuaminiwa kwa wageni katika suala la jihadi.
Hassan Abdullahi, mchambuzi wa masuala ya kisiasa ambaye anafuatilia masuala ya harakati za Kiislamu nchini Somalia, alisema barua hizo ni ishara ya mgawanyo mkubwa miongoni mwa uongozi wa kikundi hicho.
"Kwa hakika, kuna mtanziko mkubwa miongoni mwa uongozi wa kikundi hiki, Wasomali na wageni pia, na imekuwa wazi kwamba tofauti haziko tu baina ya Godane na Abu Mansur lakini pia zinajumuisha viongozi wengine wa kundi hili," Abdullahi aliiambia Sabahi.
"Wapiganaji wa nje katika kikundi hiki kwa sasa wanajua kuwa wanapuuzwa na kutengwa katika nafasi za ngazi ya juu na kwamba wako chini katika nafasi za uongozi, kwa hiyo wanatafuta kuondoka kwa usalama," alisema.
"Baada ya kuanguka kwa al-Shabaab kisiasa, kijeshi na kifedha, viongozi wa kikundi hiki wameanza kutuhumiana kuhusu nani anayehusika na kuanguka huko," Abdullahi alisema. "Isingekuwa kukuzwa katika kusema kwamba kikundi hiki kwa sasa kimeingia katika hatua nyingine ya kumomonyoka."

Kushindwa zaidi

Abdikadir Ahmed Gardiyow, ofisa usalama mstaafu wa Somalia, alitabiri hata kutoridhika zaidi ndani ya vyeo vya al-Shabaab.
"Mgogoro wa ndani katika al-Shabaab ni wa kina sana na sasa unafikia mgawanyiko na tofauti ya mawazo. Umefikia hatua ya mapigano ya moja kwa moja, mgogoro wa ndani kwa ndani na kufutwa," Gardiyow aliiambia Sabahi.
"Katika miaka kadhaa iliyopita, al-Shabaab ilijaribu kujionyesha yenyewe kwa mataifa ya nje kama ni chama chenye nguvu ambacho wanachama wake wanapigana kwa sababu moja. Hata hivyo, matukio ya hivi karibuni ya ndani na mgogoro unaoendelea miongoni mwa viongozi wake yametoa picha tofauti," alisema. "Ujumbe mbalimbali na malalamiko yanayotokea yatakuwa kali zaidi na hili litaathiri sana jitihada za kikundi za kuajiri wapiganaji wapya wa kigeni."
Hussein Mohamed, mchambuzi wa masuala ya kisiasa anayeishi Mogadishu, alitabiri kwamba matukio haya yatasababisha kutofautiana ndani ya vyeo vya al-Shabaab na kwamba kikundi kilichojitenga kingeweza kujitokeza katika siku zijazo.
"Kama mgogoro huu wa ndani katika al-Shabaab utaendelea, kikundi kilichojitenga kitajitokeza mara moja. kuna uwezekano kwamba kundi la kwanza kama hilo lililojitenga litamuunga mkono Abu Mansoor al-Amriki," aliiambia Sabahi. "Katika tukio ambapo tawi linatawaliwa na wapiganaji wa kigeni ndani ya al-Shabaab linaweza kuvunjika, hili litadhoofisha zaidi harakati na linaweza kusababisha kusambaratika kwake kwa jumla."

Mwanajeshi wa Ufaransa auawa Mali

 30 Aprili, 2013 - Saa 11:49 GMT


Ufaransa inatarajiwa kuanza kuwaondoa wanajeshi wake nchini Mali
Mwanajeshi mmoja wa Ufaransa nchini Mali ameuawa na wengine wawili kujeruhiwa vibaya.
Kwa mujibu wa maafisa wa Ufaransa, mwanajeshi huyo kutoka kikosi maalum cha Ufaransa aliuawa Magharibi mwa nchi baada ya gari lake kulipukiwa na bomu lililokuwa limetegwa kando ya barabara.
Hadi kufikia sasa wanajeshi sita wa Ufaransa wameuawa tangu Ufaransa kuanza operesheni yake dhidi ya wapiganaji wa kiisilamu waliokuwa wanadhibiti Kaskazini mwa nchi
Ufaransa ilitangaza kuanza kuondoa baadhi ya wanajeshi wake 4,000 walioko Mali.
Lakini wengine 1,000 watasalia nchini humo hadi mwakani kuweza kukabiliana na wapiganaji wa kiisilamu walio na uhusiano na kundi la Al-Qaeda
Baadhi ya miji, imeweza kudhibitiwa na wanajeshi hao, lakini wapiganaji hao wangali kwenye maficho yao ya mwisho Kaskazini mwa Mali ambako wanafanya mashambulizi ya kuvizia dhidi ya wanajeshi wa Mali na Ufaransa.
Hivi maajuzi Umoja wa Mataifa uliafikia kunda kikosi cha wanajeshi 12,000 kushika doria nchini Mali.
Watashirikiana na kikosi cha wanajeshi 6000 ambao tayari wako nchini humo.
Rais Francois Hollande ametoa rambi rambi zake kwa familia za waliouawa huku akiwasifu kwa ujasiri wao nchini Mali.

Wow! Monster Hurricane on Saturn Spied by NASA Spacecraft by Mike Wall, SPACE.com Senior Writer Date: 29 April 2013 Time: 03:04 PM ET

Saturn's Massive Northern Hurricane
The spinning vortex of Saturn's north polar storm resembles a deep red rose surrounded by green foliage in this false-color image from NASA's Cassini spacecraft. The storm's eye is about 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers) across with cloud speeds as fast as 330 mph (530 kph).
CREDIT: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI

Spectacular new images from a NASA spacecraft orbiting Saturn have captured the most detailed views ever of an enormous hurricane churning around the ringed planet's north pole.
The stunning new images and video of the Saturn hurricane, which were taken by NASA's Cassini probe, show that the storm's eye is 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers) wide — about 20 times bigger than typical hurricane eyes on Earth. And the Saturn maelstrom is more powerful than its Earth counterparts, with winds at its outer edge whipping around at 330 mph (530 km/h).
"We did a double take when we saw this vortex because it looks so much like a hurricane on Earth," Cassini imaging team member Andrew Ingersoll, of Caltech in Pasadena, said in a statement. "But there it is at Saturn, on a much larger scale, and it is somehow getting by on the small amounts of water vapor in Saturn's hydrogen atmosphere." [Amazing Views of Saturn's Mysterious Hurricane (Photos)]

Watoto wabobea ulevini Ulaya




Sasa tatizo la ulevi lawavamia watoto chini ya umri wa miaka 10 nchini Uingereza huku wengine wakilazwa hospitalini.
Wataalam wanasema karibu watoto wapatao 380 wamefikishwa hispitalini na kulazwa kutokana na kuchanganyikiwa kulikosababishwa na ulevi.
Kunywa pombe Uzeeni ni hatari kwa akili . mzee huanza kuwa na matatizo ya kusahau sahau na kuonekana mkosa hekima na busara.
Wataalam wagundua kuwa muziki mwaafaka ni mtamu hata zaidi ya starehe ya ngono...Muziki unamaliza uasherati.
By Abdurahman Swaleh, kutoka kwa  Odhiambo Joseph....