Straw: 'Pakistani Men Abusing White Girls'

(Yahoo) Former home secretary Jack Straw has been criticized for claiming there is a problem with young Pakistani men grooming and sexually abusing vulnerable white girls.Skip related content

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(Yahoo) Former home secretary Jack Straw has been criticized for claiming there is a problem with young Pakistani men grooming and sexually abusing vulnerable white girls.Skip related content

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The Blackburn MP talked of a "specific problem" involving Pakistani men who were "fizzing and popping with testosterone".

He added that a minority of these young men considered vulnerable white girls as "easy meat".

His comments have been attacked by fellow Labour colleague Keith Vaz - who said it was wrong to "stereotype a whole community".

Mr Straw spoke after two Asian men who subjected a series of vulnerable girls to rapes and sexual assaults were given indefinite jail terms.

Abid Mohammed Saddique, 27, was jailed for a minimum of 11 years at Nottingham Crown Court (NCC). Mohammed Romaan Liaqat, 28, must serve at least eight years before being considered for release.

The pair led a group of men who befriended girls aged from 12 to 18 in the Derby area and groomed them for sex.

The judge said he did not believe Saddique and Liaqat's crimes were "racially aggravated".

But Mr Straw told Sky News: "There is an undeniable problem with a small minority of Pakistani-heritage men targeting vulnerable white girls.

"These white girls almost exclusively come from chaotic families, some are in care. Otherwise they would not be out on the streets, aged 12, 13, 14."

Mr Straw said he believed the young men were targeting white girls because Pakistani-heritage girls were "off limits".

He told Sky's Colin Brazier that the abusers often did less well at school than their white andIndian peers and drifted into crime.

But he added that it was important to acknowledge that sex offenders in general in the UK were "disproportianately white".

Mr Straw spoke to Sky after telling BBC Newsnight that Pakistani men were "fizzing and popping with testosterone, they want some outlet for that, but Pakistani-heritage girls are off limits and they are expected to marry a Pakistani girl from Pakistan, typically".

He continued: "So they then seek other avenues and they see these young women, white girls who are vulnerable, some of them in care... who they think are easy meat."

Mr Vaz questioned why the ex-home secretary had not spoken out previously.

The Leicester East MP, who chairs the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said he did not believe there was a "cultural problem".

He told Sky News: "I understand what Jack Straw is saying, but I disagree. I think we should look at this issue primarily as one of criminality.

"I don't think we can make that jump necessarily to it being a cultural problem.

"This is about criminals behaving in a way against young women - they need to be prosecuted and they need to go to jail."

He called for a high-level investigation of such grooming across the UK and said nothing was gained by "lecturing communities about culture".

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Stewardess death still mystery, MAS swaps Dutch hotels

A general view of the main entrance to Schipol in Amsterdam. — Picture by Shirley de Jong

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 — Malaysia Airlines stewardess Chin Swee Len’s death remains…

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A general view of the main entrance to Schipol in Amsterdam. — Picture by Shirley de Jong

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 — Malaysia Airlines stewardess Chin Swee Len’s death remains a mystery but the flag carrier is not taking any chances and has changed accommodation for flight staff in Amsterdam.

The Malaysian Insider understands that flight crews flying into Amsterdam Airport Schiphol will now stay at another hotel.

“It’s a security precaution,” a source from MAS told The Malaysian Insider.

Chin, 34, was found dead in a hotel at Schipol early Friday morning after she failed to attend a pre-flight briefing for MH17/Amsterdam-Kuala Lumpur flight on January 14.

She had flown to the Dutch capital last Tuesday and was supposed to have returned to Kuala Lumpur yesterday. The cause of death has yet to be ascertained.

Her body was said to have been found by hotel employees.

MAS operations director Capt Azharuddin Osman said the airline was deeply saddened by the death of the cabin crew member.

“Our main concern now is to support the family where we can,” he said in a statement.

Capt Azharuddin said Chin’s family had been informed and arrangements were being made to fly them over to the Dutch capital. She leaves behind a husband and a child.

The family members left on a MAS flight from the KL International Airport last night.

“We are fully co-operating with the authorities as they are still in the process of ascertaining the cause of death,” said Capt Azharuddin.

“As the authorities shed more light on this matter, we would be in a better position to release more details. Until then, any other information on this would be pure speculation,” he said, adding that MAS was unable to disclose any further details as it was a police case.

Chin joined MAS in 1997 and the airline said her service record throughout her tenure had been exemplary.

“She is described by colleagues as disciplined, pleasant, genial and likeable,” Captain Azharuddin added

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Rosmah, isteri PM paling kontroversial?

Isteri PM memiliki pejabat First Lady of Malaysia di Putrajaya dengan peruntukan RM111 juta dalam Belanjawan 2011

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia dengan enam Perdana Menteri (PM) dan tujuh isteri Perdana Menteri…

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Isteri PM memiliki pejabat First Lady of Malaysia di Putrajaya dengan peruntukan RM111 juta dalam Belanjawan 2011

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia dengan enam Perdana Menteri (PM) dan tujuh isteri Perdana Menteri semenjak PM pertama, isteri kepada PM terkini dianggap paling kerap diharungi kontroversi yang tidak putus-putus.

Jika era PM kelima, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi diselar oleh seorang lagi bekas PM iaitu PM keempat, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad kerana dikatakan menempatkan menantunya di tingkat empat Jabatan Perdana Menteri (JPM), Datuk Seri Najib Razak pula didakwa menempatkan pejabat isterinya di bangunan yang sama.

Isteri PM, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor ketika ini dilihat sedang menikmati kedudukan beliau sebagai isteri PM Malaysia apabila bukan
sahaja berjaya mencuri tumpuan malahan menjadi satu-satunya isteri PM yang menerima peruntukan yang tinggi dan pejabat khas di Putrajaya untuk beliau.

Memetik lidah rasmi Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), edyesdotcom dan beberapa blog lain, Rosmah bukan sahaja memiliki pejabatnya sendiri malah turut mempunyai bahagian atau jabatan yang dinamakan Bahagian Wanita Pertama Malaysia atau First Lady of Malaysia Division.

Bahagian tersebut yang hanya ditubuhkan ketika era PM terkini itu, diketuai oleh Pegawai Khasnya Datuk Siti Azizah binti Sheikh Abod disamping lima lagi pegawai lain.

Selain dianggap keterlaluan, tindakan tersebut turut dianggap satu pembaziran apabila melibatkan perbelanjaan tambahan dana kerajaan seperti gaji pegawai dan kakitangan, ubah suai pejabat dan pelbagai kos lain yang berkaitan.

Wanita Pertama Negara

Rosmah juga didakwa menderhaka kepada Yang Dipertuan Agung dan Permaisurinya kerana menggunakan gelaran Wanita Pertama Negara yang sepatutnya gelaran bagi Permaisuri Agung seperti yang termaktub di dalam Perlembagaan Negara.

Kontroversi gelaran ini yang telah lama ditimbulkan semenjak isu iklan satu muka surat penuh di akhbar New York Times yang memaparkan beliau sebagai Wanita Pertama Malaysia tidak berapa lama dahulu, telah diserang hebat oleh media pro pembangkang.

Bagaimanapun serangan pihak pembangkang yang seakan menyedari bahawa Rosmah sebagai satu lagi ‘titik lemah’ Najib, tidak memberi apa-apa kesan apabila Rosmah dilihat berusaha menjadikan gelaran tersebut sebagai gelaran rasmi terhadapnya apabila menganjurkan Sidang Kemucak Wanita Pertama selama tiga hari yang menelan belanja RM4.5 juta.

Malahan sesetengah pihak menganggap dari hari ke sehari, Rosmah dilihat begitu dominan dalam pentadbiran Najib dan dikatakan sebagai pihak di belakang tabir dalam beberapa keputusan pentadbiran Najib.

Memetik blog bedukcanang.blogspot, dalam satu entri lama di awal tahun 2010, pengendali blog tersebut melihat tingkah laku Rosmah sebagai tidak mustahil sekiranya beliau mempunyai cita-cita untuk terjun ke dunia politik sepenuhnya dan langkah-langkah awal untuk mempromosi dirinya sedang giat dijalankan sebelum Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13.

Teng cadang Rosmah bertanding pilihan raya
Sementara itu, FMT pula dalam satu temu bual bersama Speaker Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor, Teng Chang Khim sekitar Oktober tahun lalu, dengan nada sinis Teng turut mencadangkan agar Rosmah bertanding dalam pilihan raya itu nanti.

Selain itu keputusan Najib meletakkan Senator Datuk Seri Sharizat Abdul Jalil sebagai Menteri di Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita,
Keluarga dan Masyarakat sebelum ini juga ‘dibaca’ sebagai tindakan bagi membolehkan Rosmah lebih berperanan jauh dalam hal ehwal yang membabitkan kementerian tersebut.

Status Sharizat yang hanya sebagai Senator yang bukanlah dipilih rakyat sebaliknya dilantik PM telah memaksa Sharizat hanya bertindak sebagai timbalan atau penasihat kepada Rosmah.

Malahan Rosmah turut diberikan kuasa untuk mengendalikan program Permata yang sepatutnya lebih relevan diletakkan di bawah kendalian Kementerian Pelajaran yang menterinya Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Baru-baru ini, ketika Rosmah di Arab Saudi, beliau juga mengadakan perbincangan dengan Menteri Pelajaran Arab Saudi, Putera Faisal Bin Abdullah Bin Mohamad Al-Saud Royal Suite, Intercontinental Hotel di sana sekaligus seolah membelakangkan Muhyiddin.

Bagi kebanyakan penyokong PR, Rosmah dianggap menghina Islam apabila menjadi penaung Festival Busana Muslim yang diadakan di Monte Carlo, Monaco yang memperagakan ‘busana muslim’ memaparkan nama Nabi Muhammad dalam keadaan terbalik dan mendedahkan aurat wanita.

RM100,000 satu malam bilik hotel (tajuk kecil)

Sementara itu dalam satu ceramah di Taman Bolton, Gombak Isnin lalu, Timbalan PKR, Azmin Ali mendedahkan Rosmah dikatakan telah menginap di Hotel Atlantis, Dubai yang menelan belanja sebanyak 120,000 dirham atau kira-kira RM100,000 untuk satu malam.

Kontroversi tidak putus melibatkan Rosmah juga mungkin menambah rumitkan Najib apabila kos perbelanjaan isterinya itu ke luar negara dikatakan mempunyai signifikan terhadap peningkatan 40 peratus
peruntukkan perbelanjaan lawatan JPM ke luar negara seperti yang diumumkan dalam parlimen tahun lalu.

Keputusan Najib dalam belanjawan 2011 yang memperuntukan sejumlah RM111 juta bagi Pusat Anak Permata Negara yang dinaungi isterinya sebelum ini telah mendapat bantahan keras dari ahli-ahli parlimen blok pembangkang.

Bagaimanapun tidak dapat dipastikan samada keputusan-keputusan Najib yang menyentuh isterinya itu dibuat berdasarkan nasihat yang diberikan oleh penasihat-penasihatnya termasuk syarikat penasihat komunikasinya yang penuh kontroversi itu atau pun terpaksa menolak nasihat tersebut bagi memberi laluan kepada isterinya itu

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October 1987 revisited

Watch out for PEKIDA or the ‘tiga line’. They have been trying to create problems since way back and during every by-election since March 2008. Their job is…

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Watch out for PEKIDA or the ‘tiga line’. They have been trying to create problems since way back and during every by-election since March 2008. Their job is to push the country to the brink of another race riot so that the government can ‘restore order’ by detaining activists and opposition leaders under the Internal Security Act.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

First take a look at these photos of the demonstration after Friday prayers yesterday.

Did you notice those green-yellow-red flags, the colours of the traffic lights? Well, those are PEKIDA flags. And if you want to know more about PEKIDA then go to their website here: http://www.pekida.org/

PEKIDA is a ‘fifth column’ founded soon after May 13, 1969. Its purpose is to form a front line or line of defence in the event a second race riot erupts -- May 13 Version 2. All the Prime Ministers and Deputy Prime Ministers, past and present, have links with PEKIDA -- as do some in the army, police, UMNO leaders, civil servants, and whatnot.

It is like Ireland where Sinn Fein is the political party and the IRA is the militant wing. In Malaysia it is UMNO and PEKIDA respectively.

PEKIDA also played a role in the Perak crisis, as you can read below:

Sebenarnya punca krisis politik Perak ini segala-galanya bermula dari UMNO Perak yang tidak bersedia menerima kekalahan mereka dalam PRU ke-12 pada Mac 2008. Sejak dari keputusan diumumkan oleh SPR yang menunjukkan UMNO/BN Perak hanya memenangi 28 kerusi dari 59 kerusi DUN Perak, mereka terus merancang untuk menggagalkan penubuhan kerajaan Perak dari pakatan parti-parti pembangkang PAS/PKR/DAP.

Pada malam keputusan tersebut diumumkan UMNO telah menghubungi beberapa ADUN PAS untuk melompat parti dengan tawaran berjuta ringgit. Orang yang pertama mendapat tawaran itu ialah Ir. Hj.Nizar Jamaluddin, ADUN Pasir Panjang (kini Dato’ Seri).

Setelah saya selaku Pesuruhjaya PAS Perak mengumumkan persetujuan PAS untuk bersama DAP dan PKR membentuk kerajaan di Perak, tidak berhenti-henti saya dihubungi oleh beberapa orang yang mewakili UMNO, diantaranya beberapa orang pegawai kerajaan. Bahkan saya ditemui oleh beberapa orang pemimpin PEKIDA yang saya percaya mereka mewakili UMNO.

Saya mendapat maklumat pihak UMNO cuba mempengaruhi istana untuk membentuk kerajaan minoriti dengan 28 ADUN kerana parti-parti lain memperolehi bilangan kerusi yang lebih kecil dari UMNO/BN. Akan tetapi kami berjaya memintas dengan membuat keputusan menubuhkan gabungan 3 parti yang kemudian dikenali dengan Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat.

UMNO terus cuba memujuk PAS dengan menghantar Dato’ Zahid Hamidi untuk berbincang dengan saya, tetapi saya enggan berjumpa beliau. Beliau dan beberapa orang rakannya termasuk Dato’ Amin Salleh, Ketua Jabatan Hal Ehwal Khas Kementerian Penerangan gagal berjumpa saya kerana rumah kediaman saya di Simpang Empat Semanggol dikawal ketat oleh Unit Amal dengan dibantu oleh beberapa orang polis.

Kejadian itu berlaku pada malam 16 Mac 2008, sehari sebelum majlis upacara mengangkat sumpah Hj. Nizar sebagai Menteri Besar Perak yang ke-10. -- Ustaz Ahmad Awang

What UMNO/PEKIDA is trying to do is reminiscent of the 1987 UMNO-MCA sabre-rattling and the rounding up of more than 100 activists and political leaders soon after that in October 1987 -- called Operasi Lalang.

In 1987, UMNO had split into two that eventually resulted in the creation of UMNO Baru and Semangat 46. To distract people from UMNO’s internal problems, Najib Tun Razak, the UMNO Youth Leader then, and Lee Kim Sai, the MCA Youth Leader, engaged in highly-publicised sabre-rattling, or what Malaysians would call ‘wayang kulit’ (shadow play).

The impression given was that Malaysia was rapidly moving towards May 13 Version 2.

To ‘restore peace’ and to ‘guarantee the safety’ of Malaysians, Operasi Lalang was launched and more than 100 ‘troublemakers’ who were a ‘threat to national security’ were rounded up under the Internal Security Act. Many ended up in Kamunting under two years detention without trial.

Strangely enough, both Najib and Kim Sai, the main players in this wayang kulit, were spared. They were not detained under the Internal Security Act.

Today we are seeing the same thing happening again. Since March 2008, UMNO has been trying many times to trigger racial problems. Yesterday was just another in a series of many attempts.

Yesterday’s demonstration was about a letter one MCA man wrote to the Prime Minister complaining about the ‘noise’ from the mosque in his neighbourhood. The Prime Minister leaked the letter and this triggered an uproar.

Back in 2008, Teresa Kok was accused of also complaining about the noise from the mosque. The mosque committee denied the incident but still Teresa was detained under the Internal Security Act.

On this latest issue the MCA man actually wrote a complaint letter to the Prime Minister and copied to all and sundry. However, even with this evidence no action was taken against him whilst in Teresa’s case, even though she did no such thing -- and this was confirmed by the mosque committee -- she was still detained.

If this is not a wayang kulit then, as Ummi Hafilda Ali declared: I dare say I am still a virgin.

Watch out for PEKIDA or the ‘tiga line’. They have been trying to create problems since way back and during every by-election since March 2008. Their job is to push the country to the brink of another race riot so that the government can ‘restore order’ by detaining activists and opposition leaders under the Internal Security Act.

And when we say PEKIDA we of course mean UMNO.

In spite of this I bet the Chinese and Indians will still vote for Barisan Nasional in the Tenang by-election at the end of this month. And when I say Cina dan India bodoh sombong they get angry. But if I don’t call them bodoh sombong then what do I call them?

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Impose stiffer sentences to curb crime, judges told

The New Straits Times
By V. Anbalagan

PUTRAJAYA: The nation's top judge has reminded his judicial officers to impose deterrent sentences on accused persons to help check the crime rate.…

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The New Straits Times
By V. Anbalagan

PUTRAJAYA: The nation's top judge has reminded his judicial officers to impose deterrent sentences on accused persons to help check the crime rate.

Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi said if the public lost confidence in the courts and law enforcement agencies, they might start taking the law into their own hands.

"We do not want that," he said at the opening of the 2011 legal year at the International Convention Centre here yesterday.

He said the public demanded that criminals be brought to justice early and that they be given sentences that would deter others from committing similar offences.

He added that justice was not only for the accused but also the victim, witnesses and the public.

"Just because it is a white collar crime, it does not mean he should not be sent to prison. In fact a fine, no matter how heavy it is, may not be a sufficient deterrent in some cases.

"After all money is nothing to a millionaire. But a small fine to a kampung man in Gua Musang may be a sufficient deterrent."

Zaki said he believed the crime rate, although slightly reduced, was still a cause for concern.

"It is just an injustice to let off a person lightly."

Zaki, who will retire in September, said postponements in criminal cases were still a major problem and this was not fair to witnesses, especially victims.

He said the judiciary would add more courts to dispose of criminal cases and also formulate a policy to not strike out warrant of arrest so that the accused surrendered or was caught.

Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail in his speech said plea bargaining in criminal cases was expected to be implemented in three months.

(Plea bargaining is an agreement where the prosecutor offers the accused the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter sentence than the maximum).

Gani, who is also the public prosecutor, later told reporters that the mechanism of plea bargaining was being worked out and a nationwide road show would be conducted to allow lawyers and the public to have a better understanding of it.

"We want to do everything in a transparent manner," he said, adding that not all cases would be plea bargained.

Gani said the prosecution would charge a person for murder or drug trafficking that carried the death penalty if evidence was strong enough to secure a conviction.

However, he said the prosecution would offer a reduction from trafficking to possession (which only carries a jail term and caning) if there was doubt. Gani said it was better for the prosecution to reduce the charge instead of the court making amendments in the course of the trial.

Plea bargaining was added in amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code and was passed by Parliament. Royal assent had been obtained and it was gazetted on June 10, last year.

Apart from disposing of cases expeditiously, plea bargaining could aid the prosecution in securing convictions.

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PAS To Announce Tenang Candidate Tonight

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- PAS is expected to announce its candidate for the Tenang state by-election tonight, its vice-president Salahuddin Ayub said.

He said PAS president Datuk Seri…

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KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- PAS is expected to announce its candidate for the Tenang state by-election tonight, its vice-president Salahuddin Ayub said.

He said PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang would make the announcement in Labis in an event where Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang would also be in attendance.

"So far, there are two candidates proposed to us," he told Bernama when contacted, adding that one of the candidates proposed is a woman.

Both are from Tenang, he added.

The by-election is called following the death of Datuk Sulaiman Taha of Barisan Nasional on Dec 17.

The nomination day is on Saturday while polling is on Jan 30.

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Pengundi cina dalam Felda Tenang

SAMM telah memulakan gerak kerja di Tenang. Modus operandi sebelum Penamaan Calon ialah bergerak dalam kumpulan kecil dialog/sembang-sembang dengan pengundi tempatan serta lawatan perbincangan dengan bilik - bilik gerakan PR…

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SAMM telah memulakan gerak kerja di Tenang. Modus operandi sebelum Penamaan Calon ialah bergerak dalam kumpulan kecil dialog/sembang-sembang dengan pengundi tempatan serta lawatan perbincangan dengan bilik - bilik gerakan PR untuk bincang apa boleh dibantu. Cara ini dilihat lebih dekat dengan pengundi. Malah pengundi yang ditemui boleh bertanya perbagai soalan yang bermain difikiran mereka yang kadang - kadang kita tak terfikir pun persoalan itu penting.

13 Jan 2011 yang lepas dalam satu lawatan dan pertemuan dengan 10 orang pengundi Felda Tenang. che'GuBard turut disertai oleh beberapa petugas ANAK selain dari 'team SAMM'. Kami telah singgah dan berbincang dengan petugas-petugas bilik gerakan PR di Felda Tenang. Beberapa perkara dan program anak muda dibincang dan diselaraskan.

Namun yang paling menarik ialah penemuan beberapa nama pengundi Cina dalam senarai pemilih Felda Tenang yang mana peneroka Felda Tenang sendiri tidak mengenali mereka. Peti Undi Felda Tenang ialah antara Peti Undi dalam Dun Tenang yang akan diadakan PRK dalam masa terdekat ini.

Gambar di atas ialah senarai Pengundi Berdaftar yang diambil dari Bilik Gerakan PR Dun Tenang. Jelas tersenarai beberapa nama pengunci Cina. Jika ia senarai lama yang 'tersilap' tentu ia melibatkan pengundi saluran satu sahaja, tetapi turut tersenarai pengundi muda.

Sekurang - kurangnya setakat dikesan kira - kira 20 orang pengundi Cina dikesan di Felda Tenang.

Apa sebenarnya yang berlaku ? SPR harus tampil memberikan penjelasan.

Kepada seluruh rakyat Malaysia yang bertanggungjawab diharapkan dapat memeriksa nama dan no. kad pengenalan anda dan pastikan tempat mengundi kita seperti yang kita daftar. Terlalu banyak nama dialihkan tanpa sedar, nama hilang dari senarai.... malah lebih parah lagi ada nama yang tak dikenali tetapi wujud dalam senarai pemilih dan ada pula 'orang tertentu' yang datang mengundi bagi pihak nama itu.

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Flood-hit Brazil faces more rain

Further catastrophic landslides are feared in Brazil after forecasters warned of several more days of wet weather in an area where nearly 550 people were killed when muddy waters tore through their homes earlier in…

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Further catastrophic landslides are feared in Brazil after forecasters warned of several more days of wet weather in an area where nearly 550 people were killed when muddy waters tore through their homes earlier in the week. As rescue teams and residents combed the wreckage of hillside communities near the city of Rio de Janiero, forecasters said that the rain in the mountainous Serrana region could contine until Wednesday. "We are predicting a light but steady rain, which is not good because it could lay the conditions for more landslides," Luiz Cavalcanti, the head of the national weather institute, said on Friday. He said such conditions were particularly dangerous because there is nowhere for it to flow away and "it accumulates until the earth gives way under its weight and swallows up the hillside". Isolated areas Rivers of mud tore through towns in the region on Thursday, levelling houses, throwing cars atop buildings and leaving thousands of people seeking shelter. Flood deaths The total death toll in Serrana region has reached 537, with the following towns hardest hit:   Teresopolis: 223 deaths   Nova Friburgo: 246   Petropolis: 39   Soumidouro: 19 The renewed rainfall threatened to further complicate efforts by rescue teams to reach survivors trapped in isolated areas. Groups of rescue workers made their way on foot as a difficult terrain and washed out roads prevented the use of vehicles. "The rain did not stop at dawn and is continuing in the morning, which is making the rescue efforts more difficult," Lieutenant Rubens Placido, a fireman in the hard-hit town of Nova Friburgo, said. "The number of deaths is going to rise quite a bit. There are still a lot of people buried." Sergio Cabral, the governor of Rio state, repeated his call for residents to abandon their homes in the disaster zones and move to safer ground. "The forecast of more rains is not reassuring," he said. Marise Ventura told the AFP news agency that said she and others had no choice but to leave Nova Friburgo, where at least 246 people had been killed. "I'm going because there's no electricity anywhere, no water, no food... So I'm going to a relative's place," she said. Looting reported Meanwhile, Al Jazeera's Gabriel Elizondo, reporting from Teresopolis, one of the worst affected towns, said there had been reports of looting on Friday. "The security situation is deteriorating," he said. "There are reports of looting; according to local officials here they are calling the city of Rio de Janeiro asking for more police officers to be sent here." At least 223 people are believed to have died in Teresopolis, where hundreds more are feared buried under the rubble of their homes after the equivalent of a month's rain fell in less than 24 hours. An abandoned building was being used as a morgue to house the hundreds of bodies being brought there. The military said on Friday that it was sending 11 helicopters and 500 personnel to help approximately 800 rescuers from fire departments and the state civil defence agency. The army and navy also pledged heavy digging machinery, ambulances and generators. Heavy rains, common during Brazil's summer wet season, were intensified this week by a cold front which doubled the usual precipitation.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

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