Last of the Hollywood greats: Dame Elizabeth Taylor has died in hospital aged 79 of congestive heart failure

Her last show: Elizabeth was snapped celebrating her 79th birthday a month early in January before she was admitted to hospital a few days after

Dame Elizabeth Taylor, one of the 20th Century's biggest movie stars, has died in Los Angeles at the age of 79.

The double Oscar-winning actress had a long history of ill health and was being treated for symptoms of congestive heart failure.

Her four children were with her when she died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, her publicist said.

In a statement, her son Michael Wilding called her "an extraordinary woman who lived life to the fullest".

"We know, quite simply, that the world is a better place for Mom having lived in it," he continued.

"Her legacy will never fade, her spirit will always be with us, and her love will live forever in our hearts."

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Michael Wilding

Dame Elizabeth's most famous films included National Velvet, Cleopatra and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

She was equally well-known for her glamour and film partnership with Richard Burton, one of seven husbands.

In her prime, she was arguably one of the world's greatest actresses and most beautiful women.

Her colourful private life, screen success and Aids charity work ensured she was never far from the spotlight since finding fame at the age of 12.

The peak of her film career came in the 1950s and 1960s, with four Oscar nominations in a row from 1958 to 1961.

She lost out in her first three attempts - for Raintree County, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Suddenly, Last Summer - but triumphed at her fourth attempt with Butterfield 8.

She met the actor while filming 1963's Cleopatra - which became notorious as one of the most expensive films of all time, but which also sparked one of Hollywood's greatest romances. 

Her second Oscar came in 1967 for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, one of 12 films with Burton.

Taylor had already been married four times - to Conrad Hilton Jr, Michael Wilding, Michael Todd and Eddie Fisher - before she wed Burton in 1964.

Their tempestuous relationship saw them divorce and remarry in 1975 before she moved on to further marriages with John W Warner and Larry Fortensky.

Her health problems began with a fall while filming her first hit film, National Velvet, which led to a lifetime of back problems.

A rare strain of pneumonia almost killed her in 1961 and she also battled addictions to alcohol and painkillers.

In the 1990s, she endured two hip replacement operations and another near-fatal bout of pneumonia and survived surgery for a benign brain tumour in 1997.

In 2004, it was revealed that she was suffering from congestive heart failure, with symptoms including fatigue and shortness of breath, and scoliosis, which twisted her spine.

But she continued to campaign for her Aids charity, which she set up in 1991 after the death of her friend and co-star Rock Hudson.

In addition to her four children - Michael Wilding, Christopher Wilding, Maria Burton-Carson and Liza Todd-Tivey - Dame Elizabeth is survived by 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

A private family funeral will be held later this week. Instead of flowers, the family has requested that contributions be made to the Elizabeth Taylor Aids Foundation.

Waliofariki katika ajali ya Bendi ya Five Star ni pamoja na 

Issa Kijoti, Omar Tolu, Haji Babu, Sheba Juma, Omar Hashim, Tizo Mgunga, Hamisa Mipango, Husna Mapande, Samir Maulid, hasan Ngereza, Rama Kinyoya, Nasoro Madenge na mcheza shoo wakitu tigo mmoja.

 

Hawa ni marehemu waliokufa kwenye ajali hiyo na mwili wa tatu ndio Issa Kijoti aliyekuwa mwimbaji mzuri kabisa katika bendi hiyo ya Five Star Mordem Taarabu

Hawa ndo baadhi ya wanamziki wa Five Star Modern Taarab

WANAMUZIKI WA BENDI YA FIVE STAR MODERN TAARABU ZAID YA 10, WAMEPOTEZA MAISHA KWA AJALI YA GARI HUKO MOROGORO ENEO LA MIKUMI NA WENGINE KUJERUHIWA VIBAYA SANA NA HALI ZAO NI MBAYA. GARI HILO LILIKUWA NA WATU 22, LAKINI WAMENUSURIKA 5, HUKU WATATU WAKIWA WAMEUMIA KIDOGO. KWA MUJIBU WA VYANZO VYA HABARI INADAIWA GARI HILO LILIKUWA KWENYE MWENDO MKALI NA KUPELEKEA KUGONGA LORI LILILOKUWA LIMEPAKIA MBAO PEMBENI YA BARABARA, KUGONGA HUKO ILIPELEKEA VIFO VYA WATU 8, HAPO HAPO NA KISH AKAENDA UPANDE WA PILI AMBAPO LORI LINGINE LILIKUWA LINATEMBEA NDIPO ILIPOISHIA NA KUSABABISHA VIFO HIVYO ZAIDI YA 10, NA MAJERUHI WENGI.MAITI ZIMEHAARIBIKA VIBAYA SANA HALI AMBAYO HAZITAMBULIKI KUTOKANA KUWA VIWILI WILI. 

Habari kwa hisani ya Andrew Chale (Tanzania Daima)

Hivi karibuni tumeshuhudia katika vyombo vya habari madhara makubwa yaliyotokea Japan kutokana na mtetemeko mkubwa wa Ardhi pamoja na Tsunami. Maelfu ya watu wamefariki na wengine bado hawajulikani hatima yao kutokana na mawimbi makubwa yenye kina cha mita kumi kufika ardhini kwa kasi na kuharibu kila kilichosimama.

Madhara makubwa yametokea katika mji wa Sendai kaskazini mashariki mwa Japan na sehemu nyingi ambazo zipo kando kando na bahari zimeathirika vibaya sana kutokana na Tsunami. Waziri Mkuu wa Japan ameliweka tukio hili sawa na yaliyotokea takriban miaka 60 iliyopita Vita vya pili vya Dunia.

Japan ni nchi iliyoendelea. Iliwahi kukumbwa na Tsunami 1920 ambapo watu 120,000.00 walifariki. Japan ni nchi iliyopo katika mkanda wa ardhi ambao hutokea matetemeko mengi ya Ardhi na imejiandaa kadri ya uwezo wake kukabiliana na majanga ya aina hii.

Licha ya ukubwa wa mtetemeko katika kipimo cha Richter (Richter scale) 8.9, hatukuona nyumba zilizoanguka kutokana na mtetemeko (zilizoanguka zilikumbwa na dhoruba ya tsunami) wakati majuzi tu New Zealand ilipata mtetemeko ambao ni maradufu kulinganisha na Japan lakini nyumba nyingi ziliharibiwa. Japan inajenga nyumba zake quake proof (tayari zina hifadhi na mitetemeko)

Zanzibar si mgeni wa majanga lakini nina imani Mola wetu anatupa yetu kutokana na hali zetu ‘dhooful haal’. Mwaka 2009 tulipata mtihani wa kuzama meli Mv Fatih wakati ikijaribu kutia nanga bandarini. Meli ilichukua muda mrefu kuopolewa tena kwa msaada kutoka Tanganyika. Watu sita walifariki. Tume iliundwa na ikaleta ripoti. Mapendekezo yalifanyiwa kazi Kwani hatukuwa na Tagi lenye winchi nzito ya kuweza kuibeba Meli na Jitihada nyingi za kienyeji zilizokosa utaalamu zilijaribiwa na kufeli.

Mwaka 2009 huo kuna meli mbili pacha zilikuwa matengezoni Mtoni Mv Aziza 1+2, nazo zilishika moto. Vikosi vya zimamoto viliitwa kudhibiti hali kwa kuwa Meli zilikuwa karibu na ufukwe. Je ikitokea Meli kuwaka na iko nangani tuna kifaa chochote cha kuweza kuzima moto baharini?

Mwaka 2005 kulitokea mvua kubwa za El Nino. Maeneo mengi yalijaa maji na nyumba nyingi kuharibika katika maeneo ya Kwahani, Sebulani, Kwamtipura na kadhalika.

Mawimbi ya Tsunami yanaweza kutembea masafa marefu na kwa kasi na kuweza kuathiri sehemu nyengine ambazo hazipati mtetemeko wa lakini zinaweza kupata athari za Tsunami kama ilivyotokea mwaka 2006 Kusini mashariki mwa Asia ambapo mawimbi yaliweza kufika mpaka fukwe za Somalia, Kenya na kadhalika.

Ulimwengu hutoa tahadhari ‘alert’ ya kujuulisha kuwepo kwa tsunami. Ingawa Mamlaka ya Hali ya Hewa Tanzania (TMA) imewataka wananchi wanaoishi katika mwambao wa Bahari ya Hindi kuondoa wasiwasi wa kukumbwa na hali hiyo, hivyo wanapaswa kuendelea na shughuli zao ila suala la kimsingi endapo hali hii itatokea wananchi tayari wameshaelimishwa (awareness) nini wanatakiwa kufanya? Je vipi idara yetu ya hali ya hewa ina utaratibu wowote wa kupokea hizi tahadhari na huzifanyia kazi angalau kuwatahadharisha wananchi, wavuvi, wasafiri ambao hutumia bahari?

Kuna mazoezi yoyote yaliyowahi kufanyika kama “drill” ambayo yangelioneshwa kwa televisheni zetu vipi mwananchi akiwa baharini, nchi kavu, kando kando mwa bahari anatakiwa afanye? Japan kukitokea mtetemko, kila mwananchi anajua nini afanye vipi ajipange katika kuikabili hali hii.Kuna matangazo yoyote au vipeperushi vilivyoandaliwa ambavyo vinatoa taarifa na maelekezo likitokea janga la tsunami nini wananchi wafanye?

Na vipi hiyo taarifa ya tahadhari itaweza kutolewa kwa kutumia njia gani, redio, Tv, simu, mdomo kwa mdomo pasipo kuleta kuhamanika (panic) na kitahanani kwa wananchi na kwa muda wa haraka na hapa ndipo panapohitaji maandalizi na mipangilio.

Zanzibar ni nchi masikini. Lakini umasikini wetu usiwe kigezo cha kukosa maandalizi angalau kwa kadri ya uwezo wote na hili tusisubiri wafadhili waje kutusaidia ili kukitokea majanga au maafa tuweze kujipanga.Umasikini wetu usiwe sababu ya kutukwaza katika mambo ambayo yataweza kuokoa maisha ya watu hasa ukizingatia mazingira ya kisiwa chetu jinsi kilivyo takriban sawa na usawa wa bahari kwa maeneo mengi. Wimbi la mita tano tu likija kwa nguvu ya tsunami basi nusu ya mji wa Zanzibar upo majini. Madhara yake ni Allah pekee anayejua.

Tusisubiri yatokee kisha tuanze kuunda tume, tuwe ‘proactive’ wabunifu kabla ya majanga na maafa na huku ndiko kujiandaa tunakoshauri vyombo husika kama Tume ya Maafa na kadhalika hasa kwa majanga ambayo yanaweza kutukabili katika maeneo yetu kutokana na hali halisi ya kiulimwengu na mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa.

Ndiyo tuna matatizo mengi na hili la tsunami si la kutuumiza vichwa kama baadhi yetu wakatakavyotumia hoja ya kudadisi haja ya kujiandaa na tukio hili la ‘kufikirika’ Ila msemo wetu wa Kiswahili unatukumbusha ‘mwenzako akinyolewa...

Tumuombe Mola wetu atuepushe na majanga na maafa kwa rehma na nguvu zake Subhaana.

source;othman  mapara.