health: Lincoln Tribune

الأربعاء، 4 أبريل 2012

Lincoln Tribune

Sectarian violence in northwestern Pakistan leaves 12 killed
Seventeen migrants die in Moscow market fire
Gunman kills seven at California religious college
Strong aftershock shakes southwestern Mexico, no casualties
TAAG Angola Airlines orders three aircraft from Boeing

Sectarian violence in northwestern Pakistan leaves 12 killed

Posted: 03 Apr 2012 07:06 PM PDT

GILGIT, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- At least twelve people were killed as a result of sectarian violence in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, local media reported. More than 50 others were injured.

The violence began on Tuesday when a group of unidentified people hurled a hand grenade at a group of protesters near the Gari Bagh area of Gilgit, a city located in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. The incident resulted in the deaths of at least five people, while dozens of others were injured.

Pakistani television channels said the grenade was hurled from two motorcyclists who fled quickly. Locals and witnesses helped the victims and rushed the injured to hospitals while many others donated blood. At least 50 people were reported injured, reports said.

The initial rally had been organized by Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) to demand the release of one of its leaders who was detained earlier. While authorities announced a curfew and advised residents to remain indoors, rival sects have clashed. Some residents were reported to be stranded in the middle of the fighting.

In Chilas, a small town also located in Gilgit-Baltistan, a group of gunmen attacked a passenger bus, ordering the passengers out of the vehicle before executing six of them. In a separate incident, assailants killed a man while he was in the lawn of his house in Majini Muhalla.

Pakistan's administrative military organization, the Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR), announced that the Army has been deployed to Gilgit to bring the situation under control.

Seventeen migrants die in Moscow market fire

Posted: 03 Apr 2012 07:00 PM PDT

MOSCOW, RUSSIA (BNO NEWS) -- At least seventeen suspected migrants were killed on early Tuesday morning when a fire broke out at a market in the Russian capital of Moscow, emergency officials said.

The fire broke out at around 4:50 a.m. local time at a warehouse located at the Kachalovsky market, where a number of migrant workers were staying at the time. The workers were reportedly cramped up in a small area, sleeping on a stacked bunk bed in a room which ahd no direct access to the street.

A spokesperson for Russia's emergency ministry confirmed at least seventeen people had been killed, but it was not immediately known if all the victims are migrants. The bodies of the victims were badly burnt, making it difficult to determine who they are.

Russian media said that all of the victims are believed to be from the impoverished former Soviet republic of Tajikistan. It not uncommon that workers from Tajikistan illegally migrate to Moscow and work in poor conditions.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known, although police are investigating whether it was caused by a heater which had been left on throughout the night, as temperatures had dropped to around zero degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) in Moscow.

The deadly blaze comes just six weeks after the Emergencies Ministry discovered a number of fire safety violations at the market, although it was not immediately known what had been done to address the issues. Russian prosecutors launched a criminal investigation on Tuesday, although this is a standard procedure when a large number of fatalities are involved.

Last year, approximately 12,000 people died in Russia as a result of fires across the country. In comparison, the United States, which has a population over twice as large as Russia, had around five times fewer fire-related fatalities.

Gunman kills seven at California religious college

Posted: 03 Apr 2012 08:42 AM PDT

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA (BNO NEWS) -- A gunman opened fire at a Christian college in the California city of Oakland on late Monday morning, killing seven people in the nation's deadliest school shooting in five years, police said.

The shootings began at around 10:30 a.m. local time when 43-year-old One L. Goh, a resident of Oakland, entered Oikos University near Oakland International Airport. He walked into a classroom and reportedly told students to "get in line" before opening fire at them.

Oakland Police Department spokeswoman Johnna Watson said officers received the first 9-1-1 call at 10:33 a.m. local time regarding a bleeding woman on the ground near Oikos University. The first Oakland Police patrol officer arrived at 10:36 a.m. local time and located a victim suffering from an apparent life-threatening gunshot wound amidst an extremely chaotic scene.

"Additional calls regarding multiple victims were received," Watson said, adding that officers established a perimeter around Oikos University as the gunman was believed to be still inside. Later, officers gained access to the building by breaking an exterior window to start an emergency evacuation.

"Officers extracted a total of 13 individuals, some of whom were critically injured," Watson said. "As the evacuation occurred, the preliminary investigation led to the identity of the suspect and his description. Within an hour and a half, investigators were in possession of the suspect's name and photo."

Several hours later, Goh walked into a grocery store in nearby Alameda, approximately 5 miles (8 kilometers) from the scene, and told staff that he had just shot a number of people. He was arrested without incident by Alameda police officers, who later handed him over to the Oakland Police Department.

In total, ten people were shot at Oikos University, which is a post-secondary vocational school with strong ties to the Korean community and Korean students. "Seven of these victims succumbed to their injuries - five were pronounced at the scene, and two victims later died after transport to hospital," Watson said.

Oakland Police Chief Howard A. Jordan praised first responders for what he described as heroic actions. "Today's unprecedented tragedy was shocking and senseless," Jordan said. "Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims, their families, and their friends; I offer my deepest condolences. No words can express the gravity of these crimes and the pain caused by them."

The motive for the shooting was not immediately known, but local media reported that Goh had recently lost two family members and had debts. The 43-year-old Korean-American had dropped out of the college several months ago, although it was not clear if he had dropped out himself.

Monday's school shooting was the deadliest in the United States in five years, and the worst in California since 24-year-old Patrick Purdy walked into Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton, California in January 1989, killing five children and wounding 30 others before committing suicide.

Strong aftershock shakes southwestern Mexico, no casualties

Posted: 03 Apr 2012 07:57 AM PDT

ACAPULCO, MEXICO (BNO NEWS) -- A strong earthquake struck southwestern Mexico in the early afternoon on Monday, seismologists and witnesses said, but there were no immediate reports of serious damage or casualties. It was the largest aftershock since a powerful earthquake last month.

The 6.0 magnitude earthquake at 12.36 pm local time (1736 GMT) was centered about 45 kilometers (28 miles) southwest of Pinotepa Nacional, a city located in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It struck about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) deep, making it a shallow earthquake, according to the Mexican Seismological Service (SSN).

"I was working on a story when I felt my chair moving around," said Djatmiko Waluyo, a reporter working for BNO News in Mexico City's Roma neighborhood, one of the older and traditional areas not far from downtown, about 338 kilometers (210 miles) from the epicenter. "I jumped up and saw the lamp move a little bit."

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimated that approximately 52,000 people near the epicenter may have felt strong to very strong shaking. An estimated 22.4 million people further away from the epicenter may have felt weak to moderate shaking, the agency said.

"I'm actually in an area where the earthquakes are usually not felt, so I guess it was pretty strong," Waluyo said, adding that a number of office buildings in Mexico City were evacuated as a precaution. Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard said there were no reports of damage or casualties.

Monday's earthquake was the strongest aftershock yet to a 7.4-magnitude earthquake which struck the same region of southwestern Mexico late last month, killing at least two people and injuring 11 others. As of Monday afternoon, a total of 295 aftershocks had been recorded, most of them too small to be felt.

Authorities closer to the epicenter also said there were no reports of serious damage.

Mexico sits on the so-called 'Pacific Ring of Fire', an arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin which is prone to frequent and large earthquakes. Volcanic eruptions also occur frequently in the region.

On September 20, 1985, one of the most devastating earthquakes struck the coastal area of Michoacan, although most of the damage was seen in Mexico City. Initial government reports indicated that from 6,000 to 7,000 people died, although further investigations revealed that approximately 10,000 people died.

The 8.1-magnitude earthquake completely or partially destroyed several important buildings such as the General Hospital of Mexico, the Televicentro building, which is now operated by Televisa, one of the country's most important TV networks, as well as several residential buildings.

TAAG Angola Airlines orders three aircraft from Boeing

Posted: 03 Apr 2012 05:17 AM PDT

LUANDA, ANGOLA (BNO NEWS) -- Angola's TAAG Linhas Aereas de Angola (Angola Airlines) on Monday announced it has finalized an order for three additional aircraft from Boeing in a deal valued at approximately $895 million at list prices.

Aircraft manufacturer Boeing said Angola Airlines has finalized an order for three of its 777-300 ER (Extended Range) airplanes, just months after the European Union (EU) decided to allow the African airline to operate its new Boeing aircraft in the 27 member states. The deal also includes purchase rights for three additional 777-300ERs.

"Boeing and TAAG share a strong partnership dating back more than 37 years. We continue to build on that relationship to ensure we share the next 35 years together," said Van Rex Gallard, vice president of Sales for Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "TAAG operates an all-Boeing fleet and adding three more 777s to its fleet will help TAAG continue to meet its growing demand with products designed for passenger comfort and airline profitability."

According to Boeing, aviation throughout the African continent continues to outpace the world average as more people fly to and from Africa, especially in Angola where the economy is growing at a rapid pace. This growth is expected to continue through the next few years.

"As we prepare our airline to meet increased demand for travel to and from Angola, adding three more Boeing 777-300ERs to our current fleet of five 777s will keep us well positioned as one of Africa's leading airlines," said TAAG Chairman Antonio Luis Pimentel Araujo. "Our customers prefer the comfort of the Boeing airplanes, particularly the 777, and we are proud to add more of what our customers want to our fleet."

The three new airplanes will be used by Angola Airlines to expand its direct routes to Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Brazil, Lisbon and Oporto, Portugal and other European destinations. "The addition of these airplanes to TAAG's fleet will further position our national flag carrier to effectively compete with all the foreign carriers that want to serve the Angola market," said Angolan Transport Minister Augusto da Silva Tomas.

Angola Airlines, which was founded in 1938 and currently has a fleet of sixteen Boeing aircraft, was previously banned from operating anywhere in the European Union due to safety concerns. The restrictions have been eased in recent years, and the EU decided in November 2011 to allow nine of the airline's modern Boeing 777-300 aircraft to operate in the EU. The other seven are still banned.

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الأربعاء، 4 أبريل 2012

Lincoln Tribune

Lincoln Tribune

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