WASANII JITOKEZENI TUPIGE VITA UKIMWI!

Pichani kushoto ni Prodyuza Braton (Backyard Records).
Napenda kumshukuru Mungu kwa kuendelea kuwa hai mpaka sasa.
Pia nawashukuru watanzania wenzangu kwa kushiriki na kufanikisha uchaguzi wetu mkuu. Masikio yalikuwa hoi sana kusikia habari za uchaguzi uchaguzi mpaka tumehitimisha kwa huru na haki ya kidemocrasia.
Shukrani zangu za dhati kwa media zote kwa kupoteza muda, mali hata kuatarisha afya zao ili hali kuhakikisha ujumbe na kampeni za uchaguzi zinatufikia. Shukrani za pekee kwa wasanii wote walio shiriki kwa njia moja au ningine kuhakikisha kila mtu anajua maana ya democrasia ya uchaguzi. Naamini kwa kupitia wasanii ujumbe umefika sana kwa kiwango walicho fanya na mchango umeonekana na naamini heshima lazima iwepo kwao.
Kwa kuzingatia hilo Backyard Studio tulitoa nafasi kwa wasanii kurecords bure nyimbo zinazo husu uchaguzi mkuu kuanzia tarehe 01/07/2010, mpaka week ya uchaguzi mkuu, nashukuru wito ulitimia kwani tulirecord nyimbo zaidi ya hamsini.
Wasanii tunaweza, kwa niaba ya Backyard Studio naomba nitoe tena fulsa ya pekee kwa Wasanii wote nchini iwe vikundi au mmoja mmoja kurecord nyimbo BURE kuanzia tarehe 30/11/2010 hadi tarehe 09/12/2010. Nyimbo hizo ziwe mahususi kwa ajili ya kusaidia, kuhamasisha jamii na kuelimisha kuhusu janga la Ukimwi linalo tukabili.

Dhumuni la Backyard kwa sasa ni kusaidia Jamii katika Majanga yote ya kitaifa kwa kupitia Sanaa. Tunaamini Ukuimwi ni moja ya Janga kubwa sana linalo pelekea Serekali na Jamii kutumia pesa nyingi, muda na maarifa katika kutaka kuogoa maisha ya ndugu na jamaa zetu sambamba na kutokomeza gonjwa hili. Wasanii ni watu muhimu sana na naamini wakiamua kupiga kampeni hii ujumbe utafika na yote haya yana wezekana.
Naomba nyimbo ziwe za kweli zenye uwezo wa kukaa kwa muda mrefu zaidi na ambazo zitavutia jamii kusikiliza na ujumbe kuwafikia pale walipo ndani ya kipindi chote si wakati wa maadhimisho haya tu.
Tuwasiliane hii ili tupeane utaratibu wa kufuata japo hakuna mashari. Ahsante
Braton (Backyard Records)
S.L .P 14663 D'Salaam
Tanzania
+255 713 888 779.

 Je, Ni Kwanini Mwamwindi Alimpiga Risasi Dr Kleruu? Nimefanya Mahojiano Na Mtoto Wa Mwamwindi ( 2)

Na Maggid Mjengwa, Iringa.
"Kleruu akamwuliza Mzee kwa ukali, ” Mbona mnafanya kazi leo siku ya Krismasi?”. Baba akamwomba Kleruu waende wakuzungumze nyumbani. Akamwambia mdogo wangu Mohammed aendelee kulima. Mzee akatangulia mbele, nyuma anamfuatia Kleruu. Kabla ya kufika kwenye nyumba yake wakayapita makaburi. Kleruu akamtamkia baba mzee Mwamwindi; ” Hapa ndipo unapozika mirija yako?” Alitamka hivyo huku akimtomasa tomasa mzee na kifimbo alichoshika mkononi.
Jambo hilo lilizidi kumkasirisha marehemu mzee. Akafika nyumbani kwake. Mlangoni alisimama mke wake mdogo. Inaonekana mzee alishafanya uamuzi. Jana yake alikwenda kuwinda. Hakupata mnyama. Bunduki yake moja aia ya riffle kati ya bunduki zake mbili ilikuwa bado ina risasi. Akamwambia mke wake mdogo huku Kleruu akiwa anasikia;
” Kanichukulie bunduki yangu”…… Endelea…
“ Je, aliposikia hayo Dr Kleruu alifanyaje?”
” Nadhani alipigwa na butwaa. Hakuamini kama baba angefikia hatua hiyo”
”Na ilikuwaje basi Mwamwindi alipoletewa bunduki?”
” Ilienda haraka, Mzee Mwamwindi akainua bunduki yake. Tayari ilikuwa loaded na risasa tangu jana yake alipotoka kuwinda. Kleruu aliinua mikono yote miwili kama mtu anayesalimu amri. Mwamwindi akampiga risasi ya kwapani. Kleruu akabaki hai. Akapiga risasi nyingine. Ikamwua pale pale.” Anasimulia Mzee Amani Mwamwindi.
Kinafuatia kimya. Anainama,..... Soma zaidi: http://mjengwa.blogspot.com

T-Pain awasili Dar

T-PAIN

Msanii Faheem Rasheem Najm ambaye anajulikana zaidi kama T Pain jana usiku aliwasili jijini Dar-Es-Salaam tayari kabisa kwa ajili ya kupiga shoo kali katika str8 Music festival intercollege special 2010.

Msanii huyo ambaye ni mzaliwa Talahassee mjini Marekani, alitokea moja kwa moja kutoka Atlanta na kutua katika uwanja wa ndege wa kimataifa wa Mwalimu Julius kambarage Nyerere majira ya saa nane kasoro akitokea nchini Afrika kusini ambako alipitia akiunganisha kuja Tanzania.

Msanii huyo anayejulikana zaidi kwa collabo zake na wakubwa wa muziki  na hasa sauti yake kali ambayo watu wengi wanasema anapenda matumizi ya autotune, anatarajiwa kufanya makamuzi pamoja na wasanii wenzake Gyptian, Mims na Elephant Man katika shoo ya ukweli kabisa ya Str8 Muzik Festival.

Show hiyo itafanyika leo katika viwanja vya Posta sayansi kuanzia majira ya saa Mbili za usiku na inategemewa kunogeshwa na wasanii kutoka nyumbani, baadhi yao kama Mangwea, Cpwaa na Sheta.

Waziri wa Korea ya Kusini ajiuzulu

Waziri wa ulinzi wa Korea ya Kusini, Kim Tae-young, amejiuzulu, siku mbili baada ya wanajeshi wa Korea ya Kaskazini kukishambulia kwa makombora kisiwa kimoja cha nchi yake.

Waziri wa ulinzi wa Korea ya Kusini aliyejiuzulu

Barua yake ya kujiuzulu imekubaliwa na Rais Lee Myung-bak.

Bw Kim alilaumiwa na baadhi ya watu kwa kutochukua hatua za kutosha kujibu mashambulio yaliyofanywa na Korea ya Kaskazini.

Korea ya Kusini sasa imetangaza kwamba inabadilisha baadhi ya utaratibu wake wa kijeshi, na vile vile kuongeza idadi ya vikosi katika kisiwa ambacho kilishambuliwa.

Hayo yakiendelea, Uchina imeelezea wasiwasi wake kutokana na ushirikiano wa shughuli ya kijeshi kati ya Korea ya Kusini na Marekani, kufanyika mwishoni mwa wiki hii.

Kiran Reddy sworn in as new Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee after the announcement of Kiran Kumar Reddy as the new Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh at Assembly Committee hall on November 25, 2010.

Mr Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy, until now the Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, was today sworn in as the 16th Chief Minister of the State in succession to Mr K Rosaiah, who resigned yesterday in a surprise move.

Mr Reddy, 50, was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor E S L Narasimhan at a brief ceremony in the Darbar Hall of Raj Bhavan here.

Union Ministers M Veerappa Moily and Ghulam Nabi Azad, who were the Congress party's Central observers, senior State Congress leaders, MLAs and MLCs were amongst those present at the ceremony.

Mr Reddy, who was the only one to be sworn in today, is expected to finalise his Council of Ministers in the next day or two in consultation with the Congress High Command, sources said.

Mr Rosaiah, 77, announced his decision to quit yesterday, citing personal reasons and poor health and submitted his resignation to the Governor.

The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) met here last night to decide on a successor. Senior Central leaders of the Congress such as Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Mr Moily were present to elicit the views of the party's legislators on who the next Chief Minister should be.

The meeting finally left the decision on the new leader to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who chose Mr Reddy after she heard from Mr Mukherjee and Mr Moily about the legislator's views. The party's decision was announced by Mr Mukherjee here last night.

Mr Reddy, who has degrees in Commerce and Law, is in his fourth term as a legislator. Among other achievements, he has played for the Hyderabad Ranji Trophy cricket team.

Mr Rosaiah had told journalists before meeting the Governor yesterday that there were no political reasons for his decision to step down and made it clear that no one had asked for his resignation.

The State unit of the Congress has been in a bit of a turmoil in the past few days after Sakshi TV, a television channel owned by Congress MP Jaganmohan Reddy, the son of late Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, known popularly as YSR, telecast a programme last Friday that was critical of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The management of the channel claimed Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy was not aware of the contents of the programme and it later sought to make amends by repeating the programme without the controversial portions.

Mr Jaganmohan Reddy was overlooked by the party while choosing a successor to his father. He and his supporters have since then been seemingly challenging the decision through campaigns such as the recent Ordarpu Yatra in which he toured many parts of the State in what appeared to be a show of strength an act of defiance against the High Command.

The charismatic and hugely popular YSR died in a helicopter crash on September 2 last year and Mr Rosaiah was chosen to take over as the Chief Minister the next day, but he found the going tough from the start, paling in comparison to his predecessor on the one hand and having to contend with dissident campaigns, on the other. There was also the added pressure of the revived demand for statehood for the Telangana region.

The Congress is hoping that Mr Reddy, will be able to neutralise the campaigns being mounted by Mr Jaganmohan Reddy, given his young age and the fact that he belongs to the influential Reddy community and hails from the Rayalaseema region, like YSR's son.

New Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy with a patient at NIMS Hospital, Hyderabad, on November 25, 2010

Also, Mr Reddy used to be the Congress Chief Whip in the Assembly during YSR's time and this has brought him into close contact with almost all the MLAs of the party.

There were indications tonight that the new Council of Ministers would have a Deputy Chief Minister, who could be from the Telangana region.

A known YSR loyalist, one of Mr Reddy's first actions as the new Chief Minister was to visit the NIMS Hospital here to meet a patient being treated under the Arogyasree, a popular scheme that was started by YSR. This step was seen by many people as an indication of Mr Reddy's plans to build on the YSR legacy.

Arsenal yampoteza tena Fabregas

Arsenal yampoteza tena Fabregas

Matumaini ya Arsenal kusonga mbele hatua ya timu 16 ya kuwania Ubingwa wa soka wa Ulaya, yalizidi kuingia mashakani baada yakufungwa na Braga mabao 2-0 na vile vile wachezaji wake wakutumainiwa, nahodha Cesc Fabregas na Emmanuel Eboue kuumia.

Cesc Fabrega

The Gunners baada ya kupoteza mchezo huo, hivi sasa hawana budi kujifunga kibwebwe na kushinda mchezo wao wa mwisho wa hatua ya kufuzu ili kujihakikishia kusonga mbele.

Nahodha Fabregas aliumia misuli ya paja, wakati Eboue ameumia goti.

Kwa mujibu wa meneja wa Arsenal, Arsene Wenger: "Huenda ikamchukua wiki mbili au tatu Fabregas kupona. Aliongeza "Nilibahatisha kumchezesha na sasa mambo yameharibika."

Wenger alimchagua Fabregas kucheza licha ya kiungo huyo kutokuwa katika hali yake ya kawaida. Amesema, ni tatizo la msuli wa paja katika mguu mwengine, ni vigumu sana kutabiri kwa muda gani Cesc hatacheza.

Alipoulizwa iwapo hatacheza mchezo wa Jumamosi wa Ligi Kuu ya England dhidi ya Aston Villa, Wenger alijibu: "Hakika hataweza."

Akaongeza: "Eboue hataweza kucheza kwa wiki chache zijazo kwa sababu alifanyiwa rafu mbaya, ambayo mwamuzi hakutoa adhabu."

Wenger, ambaye alishuhudia Carlos Vela akikataliwa kupewa adhabu ya mkwaju wa penalti, wakati timu hizo zilipokuwa sare ya 0-0, hakufurahishwa na waamuzi kuhusiana na kuumizwa kwa Ebue na kuongeza: "Ni kazi gani mwamuzi wa tano anafanya? Tunaelekea kipindi kigumu tusichokuwa na bahati nacho."

Arsenal ilikuwa inahitaji pointi kuweza kujihakikishia nafasi ya kusonga mbele hatua ya mtoano, lakini wakazembea na kuruhusu mabao mawili yaliyofungwa na Matheus dakika ya 83 na jingine kutoka kwa Mbrazil huyo katika dakika za nyongeza kwenye uwanja wa Estadio Municipal.

Kikwete atangaza Baraza jipya la mawaziri Tanzania

Rais Jakaya Kikwete wa Tanzania ametangaza baraza jipya la mawaziri huku mawaziri wengi waandamizi wakiendelea kushikilia nafasi walizokuwa nazo katika serikali iliyopita. Kikwete ametangaza baraza jipya la mawaziri baada ya kushinda katika uchaguzi mkuu wa Oktoba 31 uliogubikwa na madai ya wizi wa kura na idadi ndogo ya wapiga kura. Akizungmza na waandishi habari, Kikwete amesema kuwa baada ya kutathmini muundo wa serikali, ameridhishwa na utendaji wa baraza la mawaziri alililoteua mwaka 2008 na hivyo hakufanya mabadiliko makubwa. Mawaziri waandamizi waliosalia katika nafasi zao ni Mustafa Mkulo wa Fedha na Masuala ya Uchumi na Bernard Membe wa Mambo ya Kigeni na Ushirikiano wa Kimataifa. Waziri wa Nishati na Madini William Ngeleja amebakia katika nafasi yake sawa na Waziri wa Ulinzi na Jeshi la Kujenga  Taifa Hussein Mwinyi. Kati ya nyuso mpya katika baraza la mawaziri Tanzania ni Anna Tibaijuka mkurugenzi wa zamani wa Shirika la Umoja wa Mataifa la Makazi UN HABITAT ambaye ameteuliwa kuwa Waziri wa Ardhi, Nyumba na Maendeleo ya Makazi. Kikwete pia ambuni wizara mpya itakayoshughulikia uwekezaji wa kigeni. Kwa ujumla rais Kikwete ameteua Baraza la mawaziri lenye idadi ya nafasi 50 wakiwemo manaibu mawaziri na nyuso 24 mpya. Baraza lililipota la mawaziri lilikuwa na nafasi 47.

Baraza jipya la mawaziri Tanzania linatazamiwa kuapishwa siku ya Jumamosi katika viwanja vya Ikulu ya Dar Es Salaam.

Orodha kamili ya mawaziri na manaibu waziri ni kama ifuatavyo:

1. Ofisi ya Rais (Utawala Bora): Mathias Chikawe

2. Ofisi ya Rais - Mahusiano na Uratibu: Stephen Wassira 

3.Ofisi ya Rais - Menejimenti ya Utumishi wa Umma: Hawa Ghasia 

4. Ofisi ya Makamu wa Rais - ( Muungano): Samia Suluhu 

5. . Ofisi ya Makamu wa Rais - (Mazingira): Dr. Terezya Luoga Hovisa 

6. Ofisi ya Waziri Mkuu (Sera, Uratibu na Bunge): William Lukuvi 

7. Uwekezaji na Uwezeshaji: Dr. Mary Nagu 

8. Ofisi ya Waziri Mkuu, Tawala za Mikoa na Serikali za Mitaa (TAMISEMI): George Huruma Mkuchika 

Naibu: Aggrey Mwanri 

Naibu: Kassim Majaliwa 

9. Wizara ya Fedha: Mustapha Mkulo 

Naibu: Gregory Teu 

Naibu: Pereira Ame Silima 

10. Wizara ya Mambo ya Ndani ya Nchi: Shamsi Vuai Nahodha 

Naibu: Balozi Khamis Suedi Kagasheki 

11. Wizara ya Katiba na Sheria Celina Kombani 

12. Wizara ya Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Kimataifa Bernard K. Membe Naibu: Mahadhi Juma Mahadhi 

13 . Wizara ya Ulinzi na Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa: Dr. Hussein Ali Hassan Mwinyi 

14. Wizara ya Maendeleo ya Mifugo na Uvuvi: Dr. Mathayo David Mathayo 

Naibu: Benedict Ole Nangoro 

15. Wizara ya Mawasiliano, Sayansi na Teknolojia: Prof. Makame Mnyaa Mbarawa 

Naibu: Charles Kitwanga 

16. Wizara ya Ardhi, Nyumba na Maendeleo ya Makazi: Prof. Anna Tibaijuka 

Naibu: Goodluck Ole Madeye 

17. Wizara ya Maliasili na Utalii: Ezekiel Maige 

18. Wizara ya Nishati na Madini: William Mganga Ngeleja 1. Adam Kigoma Malima 

19. Wizara ya Ujenzi: Dr. John Pombe Magufuli 

Naibu: Dr. Harrison Mwakyembe 

20. Wizara ya Uchukuzi: Omari Nundu 

Naibu: Athumani Mfutakamba 

21. Wizara ya Viwanda na Biashara: Dr. Cyril Chami 

Naibu: Lazaro Nyalandu 

22. Wizara ya Elimu na Mafunzo ya Ufundi: Dr. Shukuru Kawambwa 

Naibu: Philipo Mulugo 

23. Wizara ya Afya na Ustawi wa Jamii: Dr. Haji Hussein Mpanda 

Naibu: Dr. Lucy Nkya 

24. Wizara ya Kazi na Ajira: Gaudensia Kabaka Makongoro Mahanga 

25. Wizara ya Maendeleo ya Jamii, Jinsia na Watoto: Sophia Simba 

Naibu: Umi Ali Mwalimu

26. Wizara ya Habari, Vijana na Michezo: Emmanuel John Nchimbi 

Naibu: Dr. Fenella Mukangara 

27. Wizara ya Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashariki: Samuel John Sitta 

Naibu: Dr. Abdallah Juma Abdallah 

28. Wizara ya Kilimo, Chakula na Ushirika: Prof. Jumanne Maghembe 

Naibu: Christopher Chiza 

29. Wizara ya Maji: Prof. Mark James Mwandosya 

Naibu: Eng. Gerson Lwinge

Hausigeli Akatwa Mdomo, aunguzwa na pasi

Sumiati Binti Sala Mustapa akiwa katika hospitali ya Mfalme Fahdi mjini Madina alipolazwa.

MFANYAKAZI wa ndani raia wa Indonesia, aliyekuwa akifanya kazi katika nyumba moja nchini Saudi Arabia, amelazwa hospitali katika chumba cha watu mahututi baada ya kukatwa sehemu ya mdomo wake na kuchomwa kwa pasi ya moto sehemu mbalimbali za mwili wake na bosi wake.

Mfanyakazi huyo wa ndani aitwaye Sumiati Binti Sala Mustapa amelazwa hospitalini kufuatia mateso toka kwa bosi wake wa mji wa Madina, mwanamke raia wa Saudi Arabia mwenye umri wa miaka 53.

Sumiati alishambuliwa na muajiri wake ambaye hivi sasa ametupwa rumande. Sumiati alikatwa sehemu ya mdomo wake kwa mkasi, aliunguzwa na pasi ya moto mgongoni na alipigwa sana miguuni kiasi cha miguu yake kukaribia kupooza na kumfanya atembee kwa tabu sana.

Kwa mujibu wa gazeti la Saudi Arabia la Al-Watan, kipigo alichopewa Sumiati kilisababisha kuvunjika kwa baadhi ya mifupa ya mikono na mbavu zake.

Maafisa wa Saudia na maafisa wa Indonesia walikutana juzi mjini Madina kujadili kesi ya Sumiati ambayo imesababisha mtafaruku mkubwa nchini Indonesia.

Maafisa wa serikali ya Saudi Arabia wameahidi kuifuatilia kesi hiyo kwa ukaribu zaidi.

Sumiati amelazwa kwenye hospitali ya Mfalme Fahdi mjini Madina ambapo madaktari wamelazimika kumfanyia upasuaji wa kurekebisha sura yake iliyoharibiwa vibaya.

Hii ni miongoni mwa kesi ambazo zimekuwa zikitokea katika nchi za kiarabu katika siku za hivi karibuni.

Baraza Jipya La Mawazi 2010

Waziri Ofisi ya Waziri Mkuu Sera,Uratibu na Bunge William Lukuvi

Wizara ya Ardhi, Nyumba na Maendeleo ya Makazi Prof. Anna TibaijukaWizara ya Mambo ya Ndani ya Nchi Shamsi Vuai Nahodha

Dr. Harrison Mwakyembe Naibu Waziri wa Ujenzi

Naibu Waziri Viwanda na Biashara Lazaro Nyalandu

Wizara ya Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashariki Samuel John Sitta

***HAPPY BIRTHDAY SADALLAH MBEYU***

SADALLAH MBEYU

LEO NI SIKU YA KUZALIWA KWA MDAU WA BLOG HII KAKA SADALLAH MBEYU WA TOLICHOWKI HYDERABAD INDIA.

BLOG HII INAUNGANA NA FAMILIA,NDUGU,JAMAA NA MARAFIKI KUMTAKIA KILA LA HERI KATIKA SIKU YAKE HII YA KUZALIWA.

MOLA AKUPE AFYA NJEMA NA MAISHA MAREFU,BUSARA NA HEKIMA  KATIKA MAISHA YAKO.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAKA SADALLAH MBEYU.

************

Waamuzi wa ligi ya Scotland kugoma

Ratiba za mechi mbalimbali nchini Scotland zinakabiliwa na hatari ya kuvurugika wiki ijayo baada ya waamuzi wa daraja la kwanza kupiga kura kuidhinisha mgomo wao.
Waamuzi kugoma Scotland

Waamuzi kugoma Scotland

Waamuzi hao wa Scotland wamekatishwa tamaa na jinsi wanavyoandamwa msimu huu na hata kutishiwa maisha.
BBC nchini Scotland imegundua kuwa waamuzi wana wasiwasi na pia kushushwa heshima yao na baadhi ya vilabu na hata watu binafsi.
Kumekuwa na ongezeko la vitisho kwa usalama wao kutokana na kuchukiwa na jamii.
Uamuzi wa kugoma ulifikiwa na katika mkutano wa chama cha waamuzi uliofanyika siku ya Jumapili mchana, wengi wakiunga mkono.
Kuna mechi sita za Ligi Kuu ya Scotland zilizopangwa kuchezwa mwishoni mwa wiki ijayo.

NEWZEALAND: 29 miners trapped after explosion

Three Britons were believed to be among 29 men at the centre of a search and rescue mission today after a huge explosion at a New Zealand coal mine left them trapped deep underground.

One was said to be a Scotsman and the two others were from Yorkshire.They had been working there for over a year.

The miners were entombed after a powerful gas blast struck at the Pike River Coal Mine in Atarau, on South Island, yesterday

.

Wrecked: Black smoke leads from an air vent leading from the mine cut in to the mountain at the Pike River, near Atarau, New Zealand

One of the missing Britons is understood to be Pete Rodger, 40, from Perthshire.The former grammar pupil emigrated to New Zealand two years ago to be near his mother and sister who live there, according to the Courier newspaper. 

He was formerly an offshore oil engineer.

The Foreign Office confirmed that two Britons had been reported missing in the incident. 'Both are residents in New Zealand and both families have been offered consular assistance,' a spokesman said.

Friends of family members said that a number of miners who were made redundant when coal mines in Britain closed looked for similar jobs overseas. It is understood that some of the men found work in the coal mines of New Zealand's south island.

Today the rescue operation was hampered by fears that dangerous gas could trigger a second explosion. It is not known if the miners - who have now been missing for more than 24 hours - are alive or dead.

Video from the scene showed blackened trees and light smoke billowing from the top of the rugged mountain where the mine is sited.

Two injured men stumbled to the surface hours after the blast shot up the 354ft (108m) ventilation shaft. They were taken to a hospital for treatment to light injuries.

'They're being interviewed and we're trying to determine the full nature of the incident,'  said Pike River chief executive Peter Whittall.

'We can't risk sending men into the mine until we know exactly what (the quality of the gas) is.'.

Fearful: A relative wipes away a tear as he waits for news of a loved one trapped underground

Nothing had been heard from the 16 employees and 13 contract miners since the blast and repeated attempts to contact them had failed.

Messages of support and offers of assistance were last night flooding in from all across the world.

Mr Whittall said officials would have enough information later to decide whether a rescue team can go in, adding that the missing miners would have to deal with such hazards as air pollution, high levels of methane and carbon dioxide, and low levels of oxygen

Electricity went out shortly before the explosion and it is feared the power cut may have caused ventilation problems and contributed to a build-up of gas.

Families of the missing men and the local community were said to be 'grief-stricken'

'It's not good news at all,' said Tony Kokshoorn, the mayor of Greymouth,  30 miles from the mine.

'We don't know at what depth the explosion is but there's certainly a big explosion. With a bit of luck, things might be OK.' Family members of the missing men have now gathered in the town.

They have been kept away from questions about the miners but a friend of one of the families said: 'It's just terrible for everyone, though, no matter who you are.

'Not many of us have got much sleep during the night.'

Pike River has operated since 2008, mining a seam with 58.5 million tons of coal, the largest-known deposit of hard coking coal in New Zealand, according to its website.

The mine is not far from the site of one of New Zealand's worst mining disasters - an underground explosion in the state-owned Strongman Mine on January 19, 1967, which killed 19 workers.

Police area commander John Canning said details were still sparse but initial reports suggested those still in the mine could be up to 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) underground.

Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee said emergency exit tunnels were built into the mine but that he didn't know if they could be accessed by the miners.

St. John Ambulance service have three rescue helicopters and six ambulances heading for the scene.

The Red Cross has set up a mobile medical centre ready to handle any survivors of the mine blast

The coal seam is about 200 meters underground and is reached through a horizontal tunnel 1.4 miles (2.3 kilometers) in length. One vertical ventilation shaft rises 354 feet (108 meters) from the tunnel to the surface, according to the company's website. 

This was blocked by falling rocks within the shaft in early 2009, delaying mining for months.

PINDA AAPISHWA RASMI

WAZIRI MKUU MIZENGO PINDA AKILA KIAPO KATIKA IKULU NDOGO YA CHAMWINO DODOMA LEO.

JK AKIMPONGEZA WAZIRI MKUU MARA BAADA YA KUMWAPISHA

BREAKING NEWS: WABUNGE WA CHADEMA WATOKA BUNGENI!

Katika hali isiyokuwa ya kawaida, Wabunge wa Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), wameamua kutoka nje ya Bunge mara baada ya Rais wa nchi, Jakaya Kikwete kuanza kuhutubia Bungeni. Wabunge hao wametimiza adhima yao ya kutoka nje ya Bunge kama walivyoahidi hapo mwanzo kwa kile kinachodaiwa kuwa hawamtambui Dkt Kikwete kama Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania. JK hivi sasa anaendelea na hutuba yake kama kawaida. 
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