Texas fertiliser plant blast: Criminal probe launched

 

The blast was so big it was felt in the surrounding area

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Texas authorities have launched a criminal probe into a deadly explosion at a fertiliser plant in April.

The incident "severely impacted" the community in the town of West, a law enforcement official said.
The 17 April explosion at West Fertilizer Company killed 14 people, wounded 200, and caused a tremor as powerful as a small earthquake.
Meanwhile, a paramedic who responded to the blast was charged with possessing pipe bomb components, prosecutors said.
The explosion flattened homes, shattered a block of flats and badly damaged a nursing home and several schools.

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No evidence has been uncovered to indicate any connection to the explosion and the arrest of Bryce Reed”

Parnell McNamara McLennan County Sheriff

"This disaster has severely impacted the community of West, and we want to ensure that no stone goes unturned and that all the facts related to this incident are uncovered," Texas Public Safety Director Steven McGraw said.

Egypt detains leading youth activist Ahmed Maher

 

The April 6 Youth Movement has become highly critical of President Mohammed Morsi

 Egyptian security forces have detained a prominent activist on suspicion of inciting an anti-government protest.

Ahmed Maher, who leads the April 6 Youth Movement, was arrested at Cairo airport after flying back from the US, officials said.

The April 6 Youth Movement was at the forefront of protests that overthrew former leader Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

Mr Mubarak's retrial on charges linked to the revolt is due to begin on Saturday.

He is charged alongside a former interior minister and six former security chiefs with complicity in the killing of hundreds of protesters.

Mr Mubarak will also face charges of financial corruption alongside his two sons, Alaa and Gamal.

The official Mena news agency said Mr Maher's passport was confiscated and he was ordered to be detained for four days.

A security official quoted by AP news agency said Mr Maher was accused of "incitement" following a demonstration in March against the country's interior minister.

Protesters hurled underwear at the minister's house following a police crackdown on the activist group.

Mr Maher is being held on the premises of the prosecutor's office in Cairo's eastern district of Nasr City, the official said.

Activists 'targeted'

Ingi Hamdi, a senior member of the April 6 Youth Movement, denounced the arrest and pledged a "tough" response

"This is part of a series of arrests targeting activists... to undermine their reputation," he said.

Correspondents say the youth movement - hailed as heroes in the aftermath of Hosni Mubarak's downfall - has since split into two factions.

It supported President Mohammed Morsi during the June presidential elections but later became increasingly vocal in its opposition to the Islamist leader.

Days before his arrest, Mr Maher had expressed regret for the group's alliance with Mr Morsi and his main backers, the Muslim Brotherhood.

He wrote on the group's website: "Now we are being treated as traitors and our image has been tarnished and we are sent to prisons by those we defended."

 

 The April 6 Youth Movement has become highly critical of President Mohammed Morsi

SERIKALI YATOA UFAFANUZI KUHUSU USALAMA WA KINYWAJI CHA SODA

Mamlaka ya Chakula na Dawa (TFDA) ni taasisi iliyoundwa chini ya Sheria ya Chakula Dawa na Vipodozi Sura ya 219, ili kudhibiti ubora na usalama wa vyakula, dawa, vipodozi, na vifaa tiba kwa lengo la kulinda afya ya jamii dhidi ya madhara yatokanayo na matumizi ya bidhaa hizo.

Ili kutimiza wajibu huo, TFDA inasimamia pamoja na mambo mengine udhibiti wa uingizaji  wa vyakula kutoka nje ya nchi na utengenezaji wa vyakula ndani ya nchi kwa ajili ya kulinda afya za watumiaji. 

Katika udhibiti wa vyakula hivyo, michakato mbalimbali hufanywa ili kuwa na uhakika juu ya usalama wake kwa; kufanya tathmini na uchunguzi wa kimaabara, kufanya ukaguzi na ufuatiliaji wa usalama wa bidhaa kwenye soko na hatimaye kusajili majengo na vyakula baada ya kujiridhisha juu ya usalama wake.

Kutokana na mfumo wa udhibiti uliopo, Mamlaka imesajili bidhaa mbalimbali za vyakula vilivyofungashwa ikiwa ni pamoja na vinywaji aina ya soda zinazozalishwa nchini na zinazoingizwa kutoka nje.

Hivi karibuni kulitolewa taarifa na baadhi ya vyombo vya habari nchini kueleza kuwa kinywaji cha soda ni sumu. 
 
Mamlaka ina mashaka juu ya taarifa iliyotolewa kwa sababu haidhani kama ilitolewa kwa kuzingatia misingi ya kisayansi. 


TFDA inapenda kuwatoa hofu watumiaji wa kinywaji hiki kuwa, soda ni bidhaa ya chakula ambayo inatumika kote duniani na huzalishwa kwa kuzingatia viwango vya ubora na usalama. Kwa upande wa TFDA, soda zote zilizosajiliwa zimepitia katika mchakato ambao unatoa uhakika juu ya usalama wake kwa lengo la kulinda afya ya binadamu.

Tunapenda kutoa rai kwa vyombo vya habari kufanya utafiti wa kina hususan katika masuala yanayohusu ushahidi wa kisayansi ili kuondoa uwezekano wa kutoa taarifa kwa umma ambazo zinaweza kujenga hofu na mashaka ambayo hayastahili.

WAHANGA WA MLIPUKO WA BOMU KANISANI WAZIKWA KWA HUZUNI KUBWA

Misa ya Mazishi ya wahanga wa mlipuko wa bomu la Jumapili iliyopita kwenye parokia teule ya Olasiti ilianza katika eneo lile lile mlipuko ulipotokea.

Misa  hiyo  iliongozwa na Muadhama Polycarp Kardinal Pengo, Askofu Mkuu wa Dar es Salaam.

Maandamano yalianzia toka chumba cha kuhifadhia maiti, miili ikapelekwa makao makuu ya Asofu Mkuu, Burka  na  baadaye  ikawasilishwa kanisani .....

Mahubiri ya Kardinali Pengo
Ndugu zangu,

Nafasi hii inaunganisha mawazo ya furaha na uchungu kutokana na kilichotukutanisha leo.

Mazingira haya yanaweka ugumu wa kupata cha kusema. Ila sisi ni watu wa imani. napenda kueleza imani yetu kama tunavyopaswa kuwa kwenye mazingira haya.

Tumejumuika ili kuwaweka kwenye nyumba ya milele hawa marehemu, lakini pia tunatumia nafasi hii kubariki Kanisa.

Kila mbatizwa ni kiungo cha mwili wa Kanisa. Kila kiungo cha mwili kinapaswa kuungana na kichwa cha Mwili ambae ni Yesu Mwenyewe

Kristo akipitia kwa mdomo wa mtume Paulo anatufundisha kuwa "Msijaribu kushindana na uovu kwa uovu, lakini shindeni uovu kwa wema".

Katika viongozi waanzilishi wa dini, ni Yesu peke yake aliyetolea uhai wake kujenga imani ya wafuasi wake. Viongozi wengine hawajikutoa sadaka wenyewe, na baadhi wametoa sadaka ya maisha ya watu wengine kwa ajili ya kueneza imani yao.

Sisi Wakristu Imani yetu inajengwa juu ya mwanzilishi wetu ambaye alitoa uhai wake ili kujenga imani yetu, na hakutoa uhai wa mtu yeyote kwa ajili ya kujenga imani yetu.

Katika masomo tuliyosikia leo, Somo la plili limetupa neno la Mtume Paulo Rum:12:17 linasisitiza hilo: usishinde uovu kwa uovu, bali shinda uovu kwa wema.

Soma la Kwanza limeeleza kuwa Paulo na Sila wanateswa kwa ubaya mkubwa sana na kuwekwa gerezani kwa ubaya. Na baada ya kufunguliwa kwa muujiza, askari wa magereza alitaka kujiua, lakini Paulo na Sila wakatenda lililo jema kuokoa maisha yake. Ni baada ya wema huo wokovu ulifika kwa askari huyo na jamaa yake yote wakaweza kumwamini Mungu.

Nawauliza waumini: "Wale waliotekeleza ubaya huu, akija mbele yetu akasema ni mimi ndiye, tungefanya nini kama waumini kwa kufuata mfano wa Yesu?"

Mimi nawaambia "Tujifunze kutoka kwa Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo: 'Tusidiriki kulipia uovu kwa uovu, lakini tutende mema ili kushinda uovu'."

Lakini haya hayaondoi majukumu ya serikali, ambayo yanabaki, na si mimi ninayepaswa kuyasema, wenye mamlaka wanayajua majukumu yao. Mimi nawaambia ninyi waumini.

Uovu si kitu kinachopendeza. Warumi waliwatesa wakristo kwa karne tatu, na haikusaidia chochote Himaya ya Warumi, ambayo baadaye ilisambaratika. Lakini imani yetu imebaki.

Amemalizia kwa kusema: Tukio hili na tukio la mauaji ya Padre Mushi, isiwe sababu ya kuacha amani ya nchi yetu isambaratike.

Lakini ni jukumu la wananchi wotte kuhakikisha nchi yetu haisambaratiki.

Wenye mamlaka watimize wajibu wao. Sisi wakristo tusamehe, tusijibu uovu, tudumishe amani na upendo katika taifa letu.

Tumsifu Yesu Kristu.