IGIHE

Author: Théophile Niyitegeka

  • Performance of earthquake early warning systems

    {The future of earthquake early warning systems may be contained in smartphones — and vehicles, and “smart” appliances and the increasing number of everyday objects embedded with sensors and communication chips that connect them with a global network.}

    At a presentation at the 2017 Seismological Society of America’s (SSA) Annual Meeting, Benjamin Brooks of the U.S. Geological Survey and colleagues will share data from a recent project in Chile that provided early detection, estimates and locations for earthquakes using a network of sensor boxes equipped with smartphones and consumer-quality GPS chips. Data collected by the sensor boxes is transmitted through an Android app developed by the researchers and analyzed to produce earthquake source models, which in turn can be used to create ground shaking forecasts and local tsunami warnings.

    The sensor stations have successfully detected three magnitude 5 or larger earthquakes since December 2016, with no false alarms. Although the smartphone-based sensors in the study are distributed in a fixed network, Brooks and colleagues say, it may be possible to someday harness individual smartphones and “smart” appliances into a crowd-sourced network for earthquake early warning.

    On the U.S West Coast, seismologists at the University of Washington are expanding and testing the capabilities of earthquake early warning systems already under development, such as the G-FAST system in the Pacific Northwest, and ShakeAlert in California. Brendan Crowell and colleagues will discuss the performance of G-FAST as tested by 1300 simulated megathrust earthquakes of magnitudes between 7.5 and 9.5 in the Cascadia region. Renate Hartog will present data suggesting that the algorithms behind ShakeAlert can be configured to work for the Pacific Northwest as well as California, suggesting that a West Coast-wide earthquake early warning system could be closer to reality.

    In other presentations at the SSA Annual Meeting, researchers will also discuss how earthquake early warning systems are developing ways to improve real-time ground motion alerts. Many early warning systems perform best when asked to pinpoint the magnitude and location of earthquakes, but ground motion warnings are also key to predicting and preventing infrastructure damage and destruction.

    Source:Science Daily

  • Police cautions on fire safety measures as fire guts Muhima shops

    {Rwanda National Police (RNP) has called upon property owners to take precaution against fire in their buildings and to insure that their businesses are safe from fire outbreak.}

    The call was made by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Jean Baptiste Seminega, the Commanding Officer of Fire and Rescue Brigade in RNP.

    This was after one commercial building and eight shops were gutted in a blaze in Nyarugenge District in the wee hours of Wednesday.

    Police said goods yet to be valued include stationary, motor-vehicle spare parts and food stuffs are among the property destroyed in the fire before the blaze was brought under control by the RNP firefighters.

    ACP Seminega said that no anyone was injured in the fire.

    “The fire is still under investigation. The cause has not been determined.” he said

    He, however, said that most fire outbreaks can be avoided if basic safety precautions are observed.

    “The public should never take fire safety measures lightly since the consequence are always fatal and heavy loses,” he said.

    He advised that owners of buildings should acquire and install firefighting gadgets and fire warning devices as well as quality and standard electric installations that can accommodate electric machines used.

    He called for timely information with the police fire department through 24/7 phone contacts 111 and 0788311120, for immediate response.

    Police records indicate that last year, 35 cases of fire outbreaks that claimed at least five lives.

    Since the beginning of this year, ten fire incidents have been recorded, through which one person succumbed to fire burns.

    Source:Police

  • How to avoid sex in your relationship until marriage

    {Staying away from Sex in your relationship can be a tad difficult, especially seeing as it’s almost a mainstay in relationships today. However you can actually stay away from sex until marriage if you want to, it’s only a matter of you making a conscious decision to stay off it, and trust me, you’ll find that it’s not unachievable or impractical. I also believe that with the right help and guidance, it’s even easier.
    }

    So I have a few things I think would aid your achieving that goal once set.

    {{Never be alone in a room or house with your partner }}

    This is why group dating is strongly emphasised. You do not need to be alone to talk. In fact, when you are alone together, you would not be talking. You would be consumed by feelings which would lead you to breaking your promise of avoiding premarital sex unless you do the next best thing.

    {{Know when to leave }}

    You must be prepared to leave the scene of dating when you notice that you are alone or the mood has started to change.

    The moments his friends who were all with both of you start leaving, it is also time for you to leave, as it could be arranged, so you don’t end up doing something regrettable.

    {{Set boundaries from the start }}

    It wouldn’t be a bad idea to set boundaries in your relationship from the start. It’s important to sit your partner down and talk about those things you think can jeopardise your chances of fulfilling your goal of staying celibate until marriage. Tell him or her those things you wouldn’t want to find yourselves doing, including dirty talking, touching, etc, as those can be a temptation.

    {{Read up related subjects }}

    If you’re going to be an auto mechanic, apart from going for training, you’re also expected to study related books in order to grow and learn more. The same applies here. Read books and write ups that pertain to celibacy and how to stick to set principles and goals. They’ll be helpful a great deal.

    Good luck!

    Source:Elcrema

  • Kwibuka week closes, politicians opposed to genocide honoured

    {The official Kwibuka23 Commemoration Week (7-13 April) was concluded today with an event to honour politicians who opposed the genocidal plan and paid the ultimate price for defiance.}

    The event took place in Kigali at Rebero Genocide Memorial, which serves as the final resting place for over 14,000 victims of the Genocide against Tutsi and 12 politicians who were killed for standing against the genocidal government in 1994.

    The politicians buried at Rebero Genocide Memorial include:

    Landouard Ndasingwa (Liberal Party)
    Charles Kayiranga (Liberal Party)
    Jean de la Croix Rutaremara (Liberal Party)
    Augustin Rwayitare (Liberal Party)
    Aloys Niyoyita (Liberal Party)
    Venantie Kabageni (Liberal Party)
    Andre Kameya (Liberal Party)
    Frederic Nzamurambaho (PSD President and Agriculture Minister)
    Felicien Ngango (PSD)
    Jean Pierre Mushimiyimana (PSD)
    Faustin Rucogoza (MDR)

    The former President of the Constitutional Court, Joseph Kavaruganda, is also buried at the memorial. Former Prime Minister, Agathe Uwilingiyimana, is buried at the National Heroes Mausoleum at Remera and was also honoured today.

    Special guests included Senate President Bernard Makuza, Sports and Culture Minister Julienne Uwacu, Ibuka President Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu, CNLG ES Dr Jean Damascene Bizimana, the Executive Secretary of the National Forum of Political Organisations, and the dean of the diplomatic corps.

    After laying a wreath on the graves of the victims and observing a moment of silence, Senate President Bernard Makuza said that the 12 politicians were killed for choosing the righteous path.

    “The politicians buried here should serve as an example to all of us as politicians. Remembering them reminds us that above anything else, politicians should endeavour to improve citizens’ wellbeing. Bad leadership generates bad results, whereas good leadership brings people together to achieve positive results,” Senate President Makuza said.

    The Senate Speaker reminded politicians and other guests convened at Rebero that the 1994 Genocide was no accident.

    “The truth is that the Genocide was no accident. It was not a natural disaster. The history of divisionism goes way back to the colonial era when Rwandans were divided into unfounded ethnic groups,” He said.

    He further reiterated that politicians should always bear in mind that it is their responsibility to cement the current constructive politics that the country enjoys.

    Senate President Bernard Makuza laying a wreath on the graves of the victims at Rebero genocide memorial.

  • Who killed 17 clergy at Centre Christus as 1994 genocide against the Tutsi began?

    {The 1994 genocide against the Tutsi left over a million innocent people murdered over 100 days of man slaughter. Clerics and nuns were among those who perished during the genocide. At the beginning of genocide EX-FAR soldiers woke up in the wee hours , went to Centre Christus (a center accommodating clerics and nuns) located in Remera sector,Gasabo district of Kigali city and shot dead priests and nuns who were praying.}

    A total of 17 clergymen and women were at Centre Christus in the night of 6th April 1994 praying for a colleague who was about to fly to Europe.

    The dead included one priest in Jesuit Congregation from the Democratic of Congo who had arrived at Centre Christus a day earlier in transition to Israel and eight nuns that had completed canonical courses.

    All the priests and nuns were all killed as Father Martin Mudenderi chief priest of Centre Christus shared during their remembrance last night.

    “One of them was a priest from Congo who had to travel to Israel the following day along with nuns who joined others to pray for him. They were killed in the morning of 7th April 1994 in the chapel. Returning from Kenya, I found remains of bullets that killed them and blood on the floor,” he said.

    Father Budenderi explained their death remains a mystery.

    “We hear that they were killed by soldiers. We have not yet established why they preferred coming here in the morning to kill. Some people say the head of this center was a friend of Habyarimana’s family and were killed as things turned upside down; others say he would often visit Inkotanyi in CND. We also get information that killers wanted to execute members of Josephite Congregation and confused them with Jesuit Congregation while others attribute killings to the fact that people suspected to host spies had fled to this center in February 1994 after the murder of Gatabazi,” he said.

    The Minister of Sports and Culture, Uwacu Julienne has requested religious leaders to build spiritualism among members so they can totally abandon genocide ideology, divisionism among other evil acts.

    The memorial of killed 17 clergy at Centre Christus as 1994 genocide against the Tutsi began.
    Father Martin Mudenderi laying wreaths at the memorial of perished priests and nuns.

  • Journalists killed during genocide remembered

    {The Minister of Local Government, Francis Kaboneka has said that journalists killed during the 1994 genocide against Tutsi will be always remembered as brave professionals who perished standing for and defending the truth. }

    He made the remark as journalists killed in the 1994 genocide against Tutsi were commemorated yesterday by Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA), Media High Council (MHC) and Rwanda Journalists Association (ARJ).

    Kaboneka said that media played a direct role in genocide though some journalists stood for the truth and resisted discrimination until death.

    “We remember them today for their good deeds. We remember them as heroes having stood for the truth which prevailed. Those who committed evil acts will be remembered for cowardice,” he said.

    Minister Kaboneka requested journalists to embrace patriotism.

    “Currently, Rwanda needs professional journalists standing for the interests of the nation not for selfish desires,” he said.

    {{These are some journalists who perished during the 1994 genocide against Tutsi and media houses they were affiliated to:}}

    {{ORINFOR}}

    1.RUBWIRIZATharcisse
    2.MWUMVANEZA Médard
    3.GASANA Cyprien
    4 .KARAKE Claver
    5. KARAMBIZI Gratien
    6. KARINDA Viateur(sports journalist)
    7. RUDAHANGARWA J. Baptiste
    8. SEBANANI André
    9.KALISA Calixte
    10.NSABIMANA Emmanuel
    11.BUCYANA Jean Bosco
    12.MBUNDA Félix
    13.MUNYARIGOGA Jean Claude
    14.NSHIMIYIRYO Eudes
    15.ByabagambaStraton

    {{LE PARTISANT}}

    15. HABINEZA Aphrodice (SIBO)
    LE TRIBUN DU PEUPLE
    16. MUKAMA Eugène
    17. HATEGEKIMANA Wilson
    18.GAKWAYA Eugène
    19. RUGAJU Jean Claude
    LE FLAMBEAU
    20. BAZIMAZIKI Obed
    21. KARINGANIRE Charles
    22 .MUNANA Gilbert
    RAFIKI
    23.KAYIHURA Octave
    24. NTAGANZWA Alexis

    {{KINYAMATEKA}}

    25. NKUBIRI Sylvestre
    26. MUGANZA Clement
    27.KAYINAMURA M.Beduwa
    28. SERUVUMBA Anastase
    LE SOLEIL
    29. KAYIRANGA Marcelin
    30. MUKAMUSONI Jeanne d’Arc
    31. BURASA Prisca
    ISIBO
    32. MURERAMANZI Néhémie
    KANYARWANDA
    33. NKUNDIMANA Joel
    34. MUTESA Donat
    KANGUKA
    35. RWABUKWISI Vincent (RAVI)
    36.MBARAGA Wellars
    KIBERINKA
    37. SHABAKAKA Vincent
    38.NYIMBUZI Aloys
    39. KAMANAYO Théotime
    RWANDA RUSHYA
    40. KAMURASE Martin
    41. MUDATSIKIRA Joseph
    42. KAMEYA André
    L’OBSERVATEUR
    43. MUNYAKAZI Bernard
    Independent journalists
    44. MBUGUJE Sixbert
    45. MUKAMANA Winifrid
    46. RUKUNDO Emmanuel
    47.RUTSINDURA Emmanuel
    48.RUTSINDURA Alphonse
    49.RWEMARIKA Claude
    50. TWAGIRAMUNGU Felix

  • Kigali U.S. Mission remembers 26 employees

    {Employees of the U.S. Embassy in Kigali held a memorial ceremony to honor 26 Mission employees who lost their lives during the 1994 genocide against Tutsi. Over 200 people participated in the event, including employees from the U.S. Department of State, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Department of Defense and Peace Corps, as well as surviving members of the victims’ families.}

    At this years’ commemoration event, Ambassador Erica Barks-Ruggles was joined by Mr. Egide Nkuranga, First Vice President of Genocide Umbrella Association IBUKA and Dr. Jean Damascene Gasanabo, Director General of the National Commission for the Fight against the Genocide (CNLG). The Ambassador, along with surviving family members, laid wreaths at the Embassy’s memorial plaque in remembrance of the 26 U.S. Mission employees who perished.

    In her remarks, Ambassador Barks-Ruggles highlighted the U.S. Embassy’s collaboration through a grant from the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation with CNLG and Penn State on preservation and conservation of genocide memorial sites and evidence. “Through this partnership a series of experts have come to Rwanda and the Nyamata Genocide Memorial site to work side by side with CNLG staff from memorial sites across the country and at headquarters on innovative textile preservation techniques, architectural conservation, and educational and training programs. … Their collective work will ensure that the entire world will always be able to see – for generations to come – what happened here, and use those lessons to fight hate and prevent genocide everywhere.”

    The participants from today’s commemoration service will gather on April 13 for a Walk to Remember. They will walk from the U.S. Embassy in Kacyiru to the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Gisozi, where U.S. Ambassador Erica Barks-Ruggles and Embassy staff members will lay a wreath in honor of their fallen colleagues.

    The memorial plaque on the U.S. Embassy grounds was unveiled in 2007 to honor and keep alive the memories of colleagues. In 2005, the U.S. Embassy employees created a Genocide Orphans Fund to assist orphans with their school fees and education expenses through their graduation from university. Most of them have now graduated from university, while three still benefit from this fund.

    {{U.S. Mission to Rwanda, Kigali
    Employees killed during the 1994 Genocide
    }}

    André Karani
    Jean NepomuscèneNicyolibera
    AloysHakizimana
    ModesteKayitesi
    DonathMutuyeyezu
    TheophileKazungu
    EugèneNyirumulinga
    MédardMwumvaneza
    Marc Bizimungu
    Come Rusimbi
    Edmond Bizumuremyi
    Francois Mugenzi
    TelesphoreNdayambaje
    Andrew Gasana
    Damien Mivumbi
    GodelieveKagoyinyonga
    Pierre ClaverMulindahabi
    Clement Sebera
    ThaddéeRuzirabwoba
    Emmanuel J. Kayitare
    Pierre Gatera
    Joseph Murangwa
    EugénieMujawamariya
    ViateurRwamasirabo
    François Ntaganira
    EsdrasSemugeshi

  • ‘Charging Bull’ sculptor wants ‘Fearless Girl’ removed

    {Sculptor of bull statue says ‘Fearless Girl’ is attacking the bull and distorting the message of his art.}

    The sculptor of Wall Street’s “Charging Bull” statue is seeing red over New York City’s decision to keep in place the “Fearless Girl” sculpture that now stares it down, saying the adjacent art has changed the meaning of his work and violated his legal rights.

    “Charging Bull” has stood south of Wall Street for nearly 30 years and the Italian-American artist who created it alleged on Wednesday that “Fearless Girl” breached his copyright, distorted his artistic message and should be moved elsewhere.

    “It’s really bad,” sculptor Arturo Di Modica, 76, told reporters, his voice thick with emotion and barely audible. “She’s there attacking the bull.”

    The 50-inch girl stands fists on hips on a cobble stone plaza, eye-balling the 11-foot bull that has occupied the space in Manhattan’s financial district for nearly three decades.

    Initially installed to mark International Women’s Day on March 8, the girl statue was meant to be removed on April 2. But the city extended its stay amid ebullient interest on social media, generous press attention and at least two petitions.

    “How did the process happen and should permits be revoked?” the attorney, Norman Siegel, said, adding that his client ought to have been consulted.

    “He should have been asked, never was. There are copyright and trademark infringement issues.”

    State Street Global Advisors, a subsidiary of State Street Corp, said it financed the installation by artist Kristen Visbal to highlight the need for more women on corporate boards.

    Twenty-five percent of the largest 3,000 US companies have no female directors, State Street noted at the time.

    Siegel said the intent was less high-minded, adding, “They did it for commercial purposes.”

    The 3,200kg bull itself originally appeared as guerrilla art, installed unofficially in front of the New York Stock Exchange by Di Modica in 1989 and intended to convey the fighting spirit of the United States and of New York.

    After police seized the sculpture, public outcry led the city’s parks department to reinstall it days later nearby at its current location.

    Siegel said they want the girl sculpture moved and for Di Modica to be awarded damages for the violation of his legal, statutory rights.

    “Very simply we request respectfully that the ‘Fearless Girl’ statue be removed,” said Siegel, calling for damages to be awarded for the “violation” of his client’s statutory rights.

    “Fearless Girl”, he suggested, could be relocated outside any number of New York firms with poor records on gender equality, or indeed in any other US city.

    “None of us here today are in any way not proponents of gender equality but there are issues of copyright and trademark,” he said.

    Initially installed to mark International Women's Day on March 8, the girl statue was meant to be removed on April 2

    Source:Al Jazeera

  • Houthi court sentences Yemeni journalist to death

    {Yemeni journalist has been accused by the Houthis of collaborating with an ‘enemy state’.}

    A Yemeni journalist has been sentenced to death by a Houthi court, which accused him of collaborating with enemy states, activists have said.

    Yahya Abduraqeeb al-Jubaihi was kidnapped by Yemen’s Houthi rebels from his home in September 2016 and was forcibly disappeared.

    This is the first time a journalist has been sentenced to death in Yemen.

    The court accused Jubaihi of helping rival President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s government of conducting killings and attacks in Houthi-led areas.

    Hooria Mashhour, Yemen’s former minister for human rights, wrote on Twitter “We have to stand against this farce trial”.

    Jubaihi is among at least 36 activists currently being tried by a Houthi court in Sanaa.

    The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate issued a statement condemning the death sentence of Jubaihi, calling the sentence “heinous” and “unconstitutional”.

    It demanded the immediate release of Jubaihi and all other activists held by the Houthis.

    Baraa Shiban, a caseworker with Reprieve UK, an international human rights organisation, wrote about the trial on Twitter, saying that the mothers of those on trial protested outside the prison but were attacked by the Houthis.

    11. Activists’ mothers protested next day in front of Yemeni intelligence prison but were attacked and chased by Houthi armed men

    Among activists who are being prosecuted by the Houthis are journalists, professors, researchers and teachers.

    5. A professor during trial said they were tortured, finger nails being pulled out, humiliation… judge considered information irrelevant

    A video being shared online shows the Houthi trial in Sanaa of the activists who have been forcefully disappeared since 2015.

    On December 20, 2016, Mohammed al-Abbsi, another Yemeni journalist, died in hospital, reportedly from a heart attack.

    {{Where are journalists under attack?}}

    An autopsy was performed at the direction of his family, and the results, which were released on February 5, 2017, confirmed that he was killed by exposure to a toxic gas.

    In 2014, Houthi fighters overran Yemen’s capital Sanaa and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Hadi to flee into exile.

    An Arab coalition was assembled by Saudi Arabia in 2015 to fight the Houthis and troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh .

    According to UN figures , the nearly two-year conflict has killed at least 10,000 people and wounded 40,000.

    Source:Al Jazeera

  • Lebanon’s Aoun blocks extension of parliament’s term

    {Michel Aoun invokes his constitutional powers to adjourn the parliament for one month.}

    Lebanese President Michel Aoun has suspended a parliamentary session for a month, temporarily blocking proposed plans to extend parliament’s term for the third time in a row since 2013.

    Parliament was expected to vote on Thursday to extend its own mandate until 2018 without an election, officials said.

    In a televised address to the nation on Wednesday, Aoun said that the delay was aimed at giving politicians more time to reach an agreement on a new electoral law.

    Current members of parliament were elected in 2009 for what was meant to be a four-year term.

    Lebanon’s political parties say it is time to scrap the country’s 1960 voting law that allocates seats by religious sect, but disagree over what system should replace it.

    Opposition parties and civic groups are threatening demonstrations against any parliamentary extension on Thursday.

    Sectarian divisions

    Lebanese politics has long been dogged by sectarian divisions, with the war in neighbouring Syria exacerbating party rivalries.

    Parliament has already extended its mandate twice because MPs were unable to agree on an election law.

    It last did this in 2014, citing security concerns linked to the civil war in Syria.

    The government struggles to make basic decisions and parliament is often paralysed.

    In October of 2016, parliament elected former army commander Michel Aoun as president, ending a 29-month vacuum in a political deal that secured victory for his Lebanese ally Hezbollah, Iran and Syria.

    Michel Aoun was elected as president in October 2016 ending a 29 month vacuum

    Source:Al Jazeera