NIGERIA: NO MORE SICK PRESIDENTS – NEW BILL PROPOSES

LAGOS, Feb 28 (NNN-AFROLNEWS) — Nigeria may introduce new clear-cut law for the future of its aspiring presidents.

Rule one: Don?t get sick for over two weeks. And, if it so happens, Resign!

The tough but clear-cut proposed law will however need two-thirds support from the country?s legislature from all the 36 states.

The proposed law follows the debacle caused by President Umaru Yar?Adua’s absence from office, since end of November last year, which sparked constitutional debates over when and what needed to be done for his deputy to take-over.

With his return to the country this week, there has also been a confusion, which at least needed a clarification from the office of the ailing president. At least some calm sense has been brought back, with the announcement that the Acting President, Goodluck Jonathan, is still running the country.

Political observers in Nigeria have said the new law will come handy to ensure that nobody rules the country from some remote sick bed, in some quiet corner outside the country.

Observers have even said the law, if passed, would strengthen democratic principles, in Africa’s most populous country.

Mr Yar?Adua?s health has been a constant issue for debate since he assumed power in Nigeria. With his latest long disappearance, initially reported as a regular check-up by officials, he has been ruled out in many opposition and civil society quarters as unfit to rule the country anymore.

Officially, the Nigerian government has not said anything about his state of health since jetting back into the country on Wednesday this week. — NNN-AFROLNEWS

Abandoning the malls and discovering the Caves

For many of us, a weekend escape to the neighbouring town of Miri City usually means shopping, relaxation, great bargains, and more shopping. Not many of us would consider doing anything other than that. However, next time, try adding a new to-do item on your list – go on a visit to the Niah Caves. .

NO TSUNAMI THREAT TO MALAYSIA FOLLOWING CHILE QUAKE

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia Feb 28 (NNN-Bernama) — The Meteorological Department has confirmed that there is no tsunami threat to Malaysia following a huge, 8.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Chile Saturday afternoon, triggering waves towards several coastal areas in the country.

However, it warned the people living along the coastal areas of Lahad Datu, Semporna, Tawau and Sandakan in Sabah to be alert of high waves and rising sea water from noon Sunday.–NNN-BERNAMA

CHILE STRUCK BY ONE OF STRONGEST EARTHQUAKE EVER; DEATH TOLL SO FAR 300

TALCA (CHILE), Feb 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — One of the largest earthquakes ever recorded tore apart houses, bridges and highways in central Chile on Saturday and sent a tsunami racing halfway around the world.

The magnitude-8.8 quake was felt as far away as Sao Paulo in Brazil ? 2,900 kilometers to the east. The full extent of damage remained unclear as dozens of aftershocks ? one nearly as powerful as Haiti’s devastating Jan 12 earthquake ? shuddered across the disaster-prone Andean nation.

President Michelle Bachelet declared a “state of catastrophe” in central Chile but said the government had not asked for assistance from other countries. If it does, President Barack Obama said, the United States “will be there.” Around the world, leaders echoed his sentiment.

In Chile, newly built apartment buildings slumped and fell. Flames devoured a prison. Millions of people fled into streets darkened by the failure of power lines. The collapse of bridges tossed and crushed cars and trucks, and complicated efforts to reach quake-damaged areas by road.

At least 214 people were killed and 15 were missing as of Saturday evening, Bachelet said in a national address on television. While that remained the official estimate, Carmen Fernandez, head of the National Emergency Agency, said later: “We think the real figure tops 300. And we believe this will continue to grow.”

Bachelet also said 1.5 million people had been affected by the quake, and officials in her administration said 500,000 homes were severely damaged.

In Talca, just 105 kilometers from the epicenter, people sleeping in bed suddenly felt like they were flying through major airplane turbulence as their belongings cascaded around them from the shuddering walls at 3:34 a.m. local time.

Also near the epicenter was Concepcion, one of the country’s largest cities, where a 15-story building collapsed, leaving a few floors intact.

Chilean state television reported that 209 inmates escaped from prison in the city of Chillan, near the epicenter, after a fire broke out.

In the capital of Santiago, 325 kilometers to the northeast, the national Fine Arts Museum was badly damaged and an apartment building’s two-story parking lot pancaked, smashing about 50 cars whose alarms rang incessantly.

While most modern buildings survived, a bell tower collapsed on the Nuestra Senora de la Providencia church and several hospitals were evacuated due to damage.

Santiago’s airport was closed, with smashed windows, partially collapsed ceilings and destroyed pedestrian walkways in the passenger terminals. The capital’s subway was shut as well, and transportation was further limited because hundreds of buses were stuck behind a damaged bridge.

Chile’s main seaport, in Valparaiso about 120 kilometers from Santiago, was ordered closed while damage was assessed. Two oil refineries shut down, and lines of cars snaked out of service stations across the country as nervous drivers rushed to fill up.

The state-run Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer, halted work at two of its mines, although it said it expected them to resume operations quickly, the newspaper La Tercera reported.

President-elect Sebastian Pinera angrily reported seeing some looting while flying over damaged areas. He vowed “to fight with maximum energy looting attempts that I saw with my own eyes.”

The jolt set off a tsunami that swamped San Juan Bautista village on Robinson Crusoe Island off Chile, killing at least five people and leaving 11 missing, said Guillermo de la Masa, head of the government emergency bureau for the Valparaiso region. He said the huge waves also damaged several government buildings on the island.

On the mainland, several huge waves inundated part of the major port city of Talcahuano, near the hard-hit city of Concepcion. A large boat was swept more than a block inland. Pinera flew over the area and said an unspecified number of people had died in Talacahuano.

Waves also flooded hundreds of houses in the town of Vichato, in the BioBio region.

The surge of water raced across the Pacific, setting off alarm sirens in Hawaii, Polynesia and Tonga and prompting warnings across all 53 nations ringing the vast ocean.

Tsunami waves washed across Hawaii, where little damage was reported. Shore-side Hilo International Airport was closed.

About 13 million people live in the area where shaking was strong to severe, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. USGS geophysicist Robert Williams said the Chilean quake was hundreds of times more powerful than Haiti’s magnitude-7 quake, though it was deeper and cost far fewer lives.

More than 50 aftershocks topped magnitude 5, including one of magnitude 6.9.

A tremor also hit northern Argentina, causing a wall to collapse in Salta, killing an 8-year-old boy and injuring two of his friends, police said. The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude-6.3 quake was unrelated to Chile’s disaster.

The largest earthquake ever recorded struck the same area of Chile on May 22, 1960. The magnitude-9.5 quake killed 1,655 people and left 2 million homeless. It caused a tsunami that killed people in Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines and caused damage along the west coast of the United States.

Saturday’s quake matched a 1906 temblor off the Ecuadorean coast as the seventh-strongest ever recorded in the world. — NNN-AGENCIES

Beauties beneath Manukan Island

Have you ever wondered how it feels like to be surrounded by colourful fishes under the sea? Charmed by the beauty of the sandy white beaches, crystal clear water and the natural greeneries? I do. There are so many things that you can do if you are seeking for tranquillity, serenity, sun, and fun activities .

Getting dirty with off-road runners

The fun is only limited by your imagination. So they say, however when it comes to 4×4 adventure, the fun is only limited by the lack of big tyres. Every 4×4 adventurer knows that the crew is just as important as the vehicle that they drive. Yes the vehicle has to be ‘pimped up’. The .

Brunei students at religious camp in London

“Kem Ibadah” is an annual event organised by its Student Chairperson Ahmad Shamil Hj Abd Rahman and Rozailah Hj Abd Rahman. It was first introduced last year, and this year the Kem Ibadah programme was held from February 12 to 14. With help from all the committee members as well as cooperation and support of .

MALAYSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY TRYING TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH ITS EMBASSY IN SANTIAGO

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia Feb 28 (NNN-Bernama) — The Foreign Ministry is still trying to establish contact with the Malaysian embassy in Santiago on the status of Malaysians in Chile, in the aftermath of the massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake which struck the central part of the South American country Saturday, said Deputy Foreign Minister A. Kohilan Pillay.

Kohilan, contacted by Bernama here Saturday night, said initial news reports had stated that telephone and power lines were down following the quake, thus hampering efforts to contact embassy officials in order to get the latest developments on the safety of Malaysians as well the overall situation there.

“Efforts are ongoing to contact our embassy officials in Santiago,” Kohilan said.

It is also not known how many Malaysians are in Chile, a country of some 17 million people.

Carmen Fernandez, the head of Chile’s emergency services, was reported as saying that at least 52 people had died so far and that the quake had caused serious damage in the historic areas in two southern cities.

News reports also said that telephone and power lines were down, making damage assessments difficult in the early morning darkness and that the quake also knocked down buildings besides triggering a tsunami.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the undersea earthquake struck 56 miles (90 km) northeast of the city of Concepcion at a depth of 22 miles (35 km) at 3:34 am local time (0634 hours GMT).

Chilean television and radio stations said several buildings collapsed in the city of Curico and that there was damage to buildings in the historic centre of the capital Santiago, about 200 miles (320 km) north of the epicentre.

The capital’s international airport was forced to close, a highway bridge collapsed and chunks of buildings fell into the street.

– NNN-BERNAMA

HM, Royal Family members join Maulidur Rasul parade

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam joined and led 18,000 of his subjects in a 4.3km walk around the capital yesterday to celebrate the 1431 Hijrah Maulidur Rasul procession marking the anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad’s (Peace Be Upon Him) day of .

It’s not about the equipment, it’s how you use it

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN THOSE hoping to venture into a career in photography should do so only after acquiring the necessary skills and knowledge, as well as establishing a name for themselves. Jerome Wong, a professional photographer and operator of JenStudio in Gadong, said an aspiring photographer should first consider his objectives and goals. “Are they .