Biography of Sonni Ali Ber, The Great

West African monarch who ruled Songhai from 1464 to 1492, expanding a small kingdom along the Niger River into one of medieval Africa's greatest empires.

Date of birth: unknown, Date of death: 1492

Also known as Sunni Ali, Sonni Ali Ber (The Great).

Interpretations of Sonni Ali's Origins There are two main sources of information about Sonni Ali. One is in the Islamic chronicles of the period, the other is through Songhai oral tradition. These sources reflect two different interpretations of Sonni Ali's role in the development of the Songhai Empire.

Sonni Ali was schooled in the traditional African arts of the region and was well versed in the forms and techniques of warfare when he came to power in 1464 in the small kingdom of Songhai, which was centred around its capital city of Gao on the Niger River. He was the 15th consecutive ruler of the Sonni dynasty, which had begun in 1335. One of Ali's ancestors, Sonni Sulaiman Mar, is said to have wrested Songhai away from the Mali Empire towards the end of the 14th century.

Songhai Empire takes over Although Songhai had once paid tribute to the rulers of Mali, the Mali Empire was now crumbling, and the time was right for Sonni Ali to lead his kingdom through a series of conquests at the old empires expense. By 1468 Sonni Ali had repulsed attacks by the Mossi to the south, and defeated the Dogon in the hills of Bandiagara. His first major conquest occurred the in following year when the Muslim leaders of Timbuktu, one of the great cities of the Mali Empire, asked for help against the Tuareg, the nomadic desert Berbers who had occupied the city since 1433. Sonni Ali took the opportunity not only to strike decisively against the Tuareg, but also against the city itself. Timbuktu became part of the fledgling Songhai Empire in 1469.

Sonni Ali and Oral Tradition, Sonni Ali is remembered in Songhai oral tradition as a magician of great power. Rather than following the Mali Empire system of Islamic city rule over a non-Islamic rural people, Sonni Ali mixed an unorthodox observance of Islam with traditional African religion. He was a man of the people rather than the elite ruling class of Muslim clerics and scholars. He is regarded as a great military commander who carried out a strategic campaign of conquest along the Niger River. He is said to have retaliated against the Muslim leadership within Timbuktu after they failed to provide promised transport for his troops to cross the river.

Sonni Ali and Islamic Chronicles, The chroniclers have a different viewpoint -Sonni Ali is portrayed as a capricious and cruel leader. In the 16th century chronicle of Abd ar Rahmen as-Sadi, a historian based in Timbuktu, Sonni Ali is described as an impious and unscrupulous tyrant. He is recorded as having massacred hundreds whilst plundering the city of Timbuktu - killing or driving out the Tuareg and Sanhaja clerics who had acted as civil servants, teachers, and as preachers at the Sankore mosque. In later years he is said to have turned on court favourites, ordering executions during temper tantrums.

Songhai and Trade Regardless of the circumstances, Sonni Ali learnt his lesson well. Never again was he left at the mercy of someone else's fleet. He built up a river-based navy of over 400 boats, and used them to good effect in his next conquest - the trading city of Jenne (now Djenné). The city was placed under siege, with the fleet blockading the port. Although it took seven years for the siege to work, the city fell to Sonni Ali in 1473. The Songhai Empire now incorporated three of the greatest trading cities on the Niger: Gao, Timbuktu, and Jenne. (All three had once been part of the Mali Empire.)

The Songhai Empire now had effective control over the lucrative Niger River trade (rivers formed the major trading routes within west Africa at that time) of gold, kola, grain, and slaves. The cities were also part of the important trans-Saharan trade route system which brought south caravans of salt and copper, as well as goods from the Mediterranean coast.

By 1476 Sonni Ali controlled the inland delta region of the Niger to the west of Timbuktu, and the lakes region to the south. Regular patrols by his 'navy' kept the trade routes open and tribute paying kingdoms peaceful. This is an extremely fertile region of west Africa, and it became a major producer of grain under his rule.

Slavery in Songhai A 17th century chronicle tells the tale of Sonni Ali's slave-based farms. When he died 12 'tribes' of slaves were bequeathed to his son, at least three of which had been obtained when Sonni Ali initially conquered parts of the old Mali empire. Whereas under the Mali Empire slaves were individually required to cultivate a measure of land and provide grain for the king; Sonni Ali grouped the slaves into 'villages', each to fulfil a common quota, with any surplus to be used by the village. Under Sonni Ali's rule children born in such villages automatically became slaves, expected to work for the village or to be transported to the trans-Saharan markets.

Sonni Ali the Warrior Sonni Ali was brought up as part of an exclusive ruling class, a warrior horseman - the region was the best in Africa south of the Sahara for breeding horses. As such he commanded an elite cavalry, with which he was able to pacify the nomadic Tuareg to the north. With cavalry and navy he repulsed several attacks by the Mossi to the south -- including one major attack which reached all the way to the Walata region north west of Timbuktu! -- and defeated the Fulani of the Dendi region, which was then assimilated into the Empire.

Under Sonni Ali the Songhai Empire was divided up into territories which he placed under the rule of trusted lieutenants from his army. Traditional African cults and the observance of Islam were combined, much to the annoyance of Muslim clerics in the cities -- and plots were hatched against his rule. On at least one occasion a group of clerics and scholars at an important Muslim centre were executed for treason.

End of the Legend Sonni Ali died in 1492 as he returned from a punitive expedition against the Fulani. Oral tradition has him poisoned by Muhammad Ture, one of his commanders. A year later Muhammad Ture staged a coup d'etat against Sonni Ali's son, Sonni Baru, and founded a new dynasty of Songhai rulers. Askiya Muhammad Ture and his descendants were strict Muslims, who reinstated orthodox observance of Islam and outlawed traditional African religions.

In the centuries which followed his death Muslim historians recorded Sonni Ali as "The Celebrated Infidel" or "The Great Oppressor". Songhai Oral tradition records that he was the righteous ruler of a mighty empire which stretched over 3,200 kilometres (2,000 miles) along the Niger River.

THE WESTGATE MALL SIEGE IN KENYA.(Still there is a gun fire)

Four huge explosions have been heard followed by a barrage of gunfire at the Westgate shopping complex in Nairobi where 62 people, including four Britons, have died in a raid by Islamic militants.

Black smoke is pouring from the centre as Kenyan troops lay siege to the four-storey building while military and police helicopters circle above.

A security official told reporters at the scene: "It is us who caused the explosion, we are trying to get in through the roof."

However, a Kenyan minister said the smoke had been caused by the al Shabaab militants setting fire to mattresses as a decoy.

Sky’s Stuart Ramsay said he had been told that some of the terrorists had blown themselves up while others has been "taken out" by special forces.

He added: "Things have heated up a lot. This appears to be the op trying to get to those hostages but it’s going to be very difficult and very dangerous."

Aerial view of the smoke rising from the shopping centre

Interior Minister Joseph Ole Lenku said he expected security forces to end the siege soon. Two of the attackers had been killed in the assault and several injured, and there was no way out for the others.

"We think the operation will come to an end soon," he told a news conference. "We are in control of all the floors, the terrorists are running and hiding in some stores ... there is no room for escape."

Kenya's police chief David Kimaiyo admitted some hostages had still not been rescued, but insisted: "We're increasingly gaining advantage of the attackers."

Defence chief General Julius Karangi said the militants were "a multinational collection from all over the world".

One of the Britons killed in the raid, which began on Saturday, has been named as Ross Langdon, who had dual Australian nationality.

Mr Langdon and Eliv Yavus. Pic: Windgrove: Life on the Edge blog

The 33-year-old architect died alongside his Dutch wife Eliv Yavus who was pregnant and due to give birth in two weeks.

Colleagues of Mr Langdon told Sky News: "We were shocked at the news. Ross was the kind of guy who restored your faith in humanity - what a senseless waste."

The Kenyan Defence Force said earlier on its Twitter feed it was making every effort to bring the situation "to a speedy conclusion".

It said it had secured most of the shopping mall, and many of the hostages had been rescued.

Officials said up to 15 attackers were still inside the building. They have been using the hostages as human shields and have threatened to kill them.

Kenyan troops take cover as they await developments

Al Shabaab spokesman Ali Mohamud Rage warned the hostages would "bear the brunt of any force directed against the mujahedeen".

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta said there have been "numerous offers of assistance from friendly countries" to end the stand-off, but that for now it remains a Kenyan operation.

However, a Kenyan security source confirmed that Israeli agents were "rescuing the hostages and the injured". The Westgate shopping complex is part Israeli-owned.

Britain's SAS is also reportedly helping out in an advisory role, along with US agents.

The Kenyan Red Cross says 62 people have been killed, at least 63 remain missing and around 200 have been injured. Five of these are said to be from the US.

Troops make their way to the shopping mall

Thirty-eight of the bodies were taken to Naiorbi City Mortuary which has been struggling to cope with the influx. An official said only 16 remained on Monday afternoon.

Police have conceded the number of dead could be "much, much higher", after reports there were multiple fatalities still inside the centre.

The Foreign Office, which confirmed four Britons were among those killed, warned that number was likely to rise.

Also killed were two Canadians, two French citizens, two Indian citizens, a South Korean, a South African, a Dutch woman and the former UN envoy Kofi Awoonor.

Prime Minister David Cameron was cutting short a visit to Balmoral to chair a meeting of the emergency response committee Cobra in London later today. Defence Secretary Philip Hammond chaired a Cobra meeting this morning.

Samantha Lewthwaite: Is she involved?

Mr Cameron has described the attack on the shopping complex as "despicable" and an act of "appalling brutality".

Meanwhile, some reports are linking a female British terror suspect nicknamed the "White Widow" to the plot, although the Foreign Office has denied it is investigating these claims and the Kenyan authorities say all the attackers are male.

Samantha Lewthwaite, who was married to July 7 bomber Jermaine Lindsay, is wanted by Kenyan police over links to a suspected terrorist cell.

In March 2012 it was reported that Lewthwaite, 29, who is originally from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, had fled across the border from Kenya to Somalia.

Stuart Ramsay said: "We know that she'd been in the area. She has been linked to a number of attack in east Africa and they have been trying to capture her.

Sky's Stuart Ramsay reporting on the siege

"Interestingly she has been used in the past with planning and propaganda, not actual assaults, although there is some evidence she has been linked to at least one.

"It is difficult to know whether or not it is her. The government have said there have been reports of more than one woman involved.

"Al Shabaab is thought to consist of foreign nationals as well as people from Somalia. I've heard reports of one Briton being involved and someone from Canada as well."

Mr Kenyatta said one of his nephews and his nephew's fiancee were among the people confirmed killed.

"They shall not get away with their despicable and beastly acts," the president said in an emotional speech to the nation. "We will punish the masterminds swiftly and indeed very painfully."

The attack is the worst in Nairobi since an al Qaeda bomb attack on the US embassy in 1998 that killed more than 200 people.

Judges at the International Criminal Court have adjourned the trial of Kenyan vice president William Ruto for a week to allow him to return home and help deal with the crisis.

The Kenyan Red Cross has set up a webpage for anyone worried about friends or relatives who might be caught up in the siege.

Vijana wa Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa

Vijana wa Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa limekuwa chimbuko la kuandaa vijana kuajiriwa na vyombo vya Ulinzi na Usalama nchini kama JWTZ, Polisi, Magereza, Usalama wa Taifa na taasisi binafsi za ulinzi. Hivyo Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa linachukua vijana wa kujitolea na mujibu wa sheria.   Kuwaanda vijana kuwa jamii yenye kutekeleza wajibu na moyo wa kupenda kufanya kazi. Masharti ya kijana wa kujitolea kwa ajili ya kujiunga na Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa 1.Awe raia wa Tanzania 2.Awe na Umri kati ya miaka 18-23 3.Awe amemaliza darasa la saba na kuendelea 4.Asiwe ameoa au kuolewa na asiwe na mtu yeyote anayemtegemea 5.Awe tayari kufuata sheria zote za kijeshi zitazokuwa juu yake wakati akiwa jeshini(kutoroka,wizi,ulevi,uvutaji bangi, madawa ya kulevya na upatikanaji wa mimba n.k) Jeshini ni makosa makubwa na utaweza kushtakiwa na kufutiwa mkataba na JKT 6.Awe tayari kurudi nyumbani baada ya kumaliza mkataba wake na Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa 7.Awe na tabia na mwenendo mzuri Masharti ya kijana wa mujibu wa sheria kwa ajili ya kujiunga na Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa 1.Awe raia wa Tanzania 2.Awe na Umri kati ya miaka 18-35 3.Awe amemaliza kidato cha sita na kuendelea 4.Awe tayari kufuata sheria zote za kijeshi zitazokuwa juu yake wakati akiwa jeshini(Uvutaji bang, madawa ya kulevya na upatikanaji wa mimba atashitakiwa na kufutiwa mkataba na JKT 5.Utoro haukubaliki na kosa la utoro mkataba utasogezwa mbele 6.Awe na tabia na mwenendo mzuri   UJUE UTARATIBU WA KUJIUNGA NA JKT JKT huandikisha vijana wa kujitolea kutoka mikoa yote ya hapa nchini kila mwaka. Utaratibu unaotumika ni kwa JKT kuandika barua kwa wakuu wa Mikoa na kuanisha nafasi ambazo mkoa umetengewa. Baada ya Mkoa kupata barua kutoka kwa Mkuu wa JKT na idadi ya nafasi za vijana waliopangiwa kujiunga. Mkoa hugawa nafasi hizo kulingana na wilaya zake. Pia wilaya zinatakiwa kupeleka katika tarafa, kata na vijiji. Mara nyingi uongozi wa wilaya hubandika tangazo la nafasi hizo katika ubao wao wa matangazo. JKT hutangaza nafasi za kujiunga na jeshi hilo kupitia vyombo vya habari vya Serikali na biafsi kwa nia ya kuharakisha taarifa kuwa. kia wananchi hasa vijana. Usaili wa awali hufanyika chini ya Kamati za Ulinzi na Usalama za Wilaya wanakotoka vijana hao, baadaye hufanyika mkoani, ili kupata idadi ya vijana wa mkoa mzima. Zoezi hilo linapokamilika mikoani, JKT hutuma timu za maafisa na askari kutoka Makao Makuu ya JKT kwa ajili ya kuhakiki vijana waliosailiwa katika mikoa yote ya Tanzania Bara. Vijana hupimwa afya zao na kusafirishwa katika vikosi vya JKT.

Iran 'will never build nuclear arms'

Iran 'will never build nuclear arms' September 19, 2013 8:39 AM Iran's new President Hassan Rouhani has said that his country would never build nuclear weapons. Mr Rouhani also told US broadcaster NBC he had full authority to negotiate with the West over Tehran's controversial uranium enrichment programme. And he described a recent letter sent to him by US President Barack Obama as "positive and constructive". Earlier, Iran freed noted human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh and reportedly released 10 other political prisoners. Iran insists its nuclear programme is solely for energy needs The 10 other detainees - seven women and three men - are said to include reformist politician Mohsen Aminzadeh. In his election campaign earlier this year, Mr Rouhani promised to free political prisoners. He also pledged a more moderate and open approach in international affairs. He is due to visit New York next week for a meeting of the UN General Assembly. 'Subtle and tiny steps' The BBC's Iran correspondent James Reynolds says Mr Rouhani's interview shows the importance to his government of reconciliation with Washington. Iran is under UN and Western sanctions over its controversial nuclear programme. It says it is enriching uranium for peaceful purposes but the US and its allies suspect Iran's leaders of trying to built a nuclear weapon. In an extract released ahead of the interview's full broadcast, the Iranian president says: "It could be subtle and tiny steps for a very important future." The White House on Wednesday gave details of the recent exchange of letters between President Obama and President Rouhani. "In his letter the president indicated that the US is ready to resolve the nuclear issue in a way that allows Iran to demonstrate that its nuclear program is for exclusively peaceful purposes," said White House spokesman Jay Carney. "The letter also conveyed the need to act with a sense of urgency to address this issue because, as we have long said, the window of opportunity for resolving this diplomatically is open, but it will not remain open indefinitely," he added. The moves come a day after Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, gave the strongest sign yet of Iran's potential flexibility in future talks with the West. In a meeting with Revolutionary Guards he said: "I don't oppose diplomacy. I am in favour of showing a champion's leniency. A wrestler may give way for tactical reasons, but should remember who is its opponent and enemy." The head of Iran's nuclear agency told reporters in Tehran on Wednesday that he expected "a breakthrough" this year in settling the nuclear issue with the West. Nasrin Sotoudeh (left) has been freed but Mohsen Aminzadeh's release has not been officially confirmed "We are very optimistic about the process that has started to resolve the nuclear issue," said Ali Akbar Salehi. Hunger strike Nasrin Sotoudeh spoke to the BBC's World Service a few hours after her release from prison. "It was only outside the prison walls that they told me I was free. At that moment I was very happy," Ms Sotoudeh said. Ms Sotoudeh was arrested in 2010 and jailed for six years on charges of acting against national security. She said that as a political prisoner she was not allowed phone or internet communication with the outside world, and she was worried her family could face punishment. She described being reunited with her family: "My children could see me from the intercom. They were very happy to see me, and me them." Ms Sotoudeh - winner of the European Parliament's 2012 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought - is a well-respected and outspoken human rights lawyer known for taking on high-profile political cases. She told the BBC she planned to "continue with my activities as before, in order to establish a proper judicial system in my country." During her captivity in Tehran's Evin jail, she went on hunger strike to protest against her prison conditions as well as restrictions imposed on her family. Mohsen Aminzadeh, a former deputy foreign minister under President Mohammed Khatami, was jailed in 2010 for organising protests and spreading propaganda against the system. He was a prominent supporter of the defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi. Analysts say that since President Rouhani's election, there have been growing calls for the release of political prisoners. According to an investigation by the UK's Guardian newspaper, there are close to 800 political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Iran. They include journalists, lawyers, human rights activists, bloggers, feminists, Christian priests, Sunni clerics, the entire leadership of the Bahai faith in Iran, and others. BBC © 2013

Assad:'One year to destroy weapons'

Assad: 'One year to destroy weapons' September 19, 2013 1:38 PM Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said he is committed to a plan to destroy his country's chemical weapons, but warned it could take about a year. Speaking to Fox News, Mr Assad again denied claims that his forces were responsible for a deadly chemical attack near Damascus on 21 August. The Syria disarmament plan was unveiled by the US and Russia last weekend. The West wants the deal enshrined in a UN resolution backed by the threat of military force, but Russia objects. Damascus - backed by Moscow - has insisted that rebel forces carried out last month's attack in the Ghouta area. In separate developments, a roadside bomb attack in central Homs province caused multiple deaths and fierce fighting was reported between two rebel groups in the north of Syria. The bomb detonated in the village of Jbourin as a convoy of minibuses was driving past. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least nine people were killed. Another report put the toll at 19. In the town of Azaz, near the Turkish border, jihadists from the al-Qaeda-linked group, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (Isis), reportedly clashed with fighters from the Western-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA). Activists said on Thursday morning that Isis fighters had overrun the town in what is believed to be one of the biggest confrontations so far between the jihadists and the FSA. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the clashes erupted after a failed attempt to kidnap a German doctor working in the area. Turkey closed one of its border gates to Syria near Azaz in response to the fighting, Reuters reported. The news agency quoted an official said the closure would disrupt the flow of humanitarian aid into Syria. 'Listen to your people' Referring to the issue of destroying Syria's stockpiles of chemical weapons, Mr Assad said it was "a very complicated operation, technically". "And it needs a lot of money, some estimates (say) about a billion [dollars]. "So it depends, you have to ask the experts what they mean by quickly. It has a certain schedule. It needs a year, or maybe a little bit more." And when asked whether he would be willing to hand over chemical weapons to the US, President Assad said: "It needs about one billion. It is very detrimental to the environment. If the American administration is ready to pay this money and take the responsibility of bringing toxic materials to the United States, why don't they do it?" 'Very serious' Mr Assad also used the one-hour interview recorded in Damascus to criticise the US stance in the Syrian crisis. Unlike the Russians, he said, Washington had tried to get involved in Syria's leadership and governance. He argued that if there was mutual respect, there would not be any problems. "Listen to your people. Follow the common sense of your people," he said, in an apparent reference to US President Barack Obama. Mr Assad's comments come shortly after a senior Russian diplomat said Damascus would fulfil its commitment to eliminate its chemical weapons by mid-2014. After talks in Syria on Wednesday, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said President Assad was "very serious" about the disarmament plan. Mr Ryabkov also said that Syrian officials had handed him "material evidence" that showed the rebels were involved in the sarin attack last month, contradicting claims by the US that the regime was responsible. And the Russian diplomat criticised the United Nations for being "one-sided" in its recent report on the attack - a claim the UN denied. The report - prepared for UN weapons experts after a visit to Syria - did not apportion blame for the 21 August attack. German chemical exports Meanwhile Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel has said in an interview on German television that chemicals exported to Syria which were capable of being used to make poison gas were used for civilian purposes. The German government, responding to a request from a member of parliament, said 137 tonnes of two substances capable of being used to make the poison gas, Sarin, were exported to Syria between 2002 and 2006. But she added that officials were still trying to ascertain what use was made of chemicals exported after 2006 and before May 2011, when Germany imposed strict controls on exports to Syria. More than 100,000 people have been killed since Syria's civil war began in early 2011, according to the UN. Millions have fled the country and millions more have been left homeless. BBC © 2013

Palestinian killed in West Bank raid

Palestinian killed in West Bank raid September 17, 2013 4:01 PM Clashes erupted as troops tried to arrest the suspect A Palestinian militant has been shot dead by Israeli troops in a refugee camp in the West Bank city of Jenin. An Israeli army spokesman said Islam Tubasi was hit when troops returned fire after being attacked by rioters. Tubasi's family say he was shot when troops entered their home. The militant group Islamic Jihad said Tubasi was one of its members. Last month, another Palestinian was shot dead when Israeli troops clashed with rioters during an arrest in Jenin. In the latest incident, the Israeli military says rioters threw stones, Molotov cocktails and improvised grenades as troops tried to arrest the suspect. A spokesman said soldiers opened fire after being shot at. The officials said Tubasi was shot as he tried to flee. Tubasi's family have disputed this account, saying the 22-year-old was shot when soldiers entered the family home. Palestinian Maan news agency quoted Tubasi's brother, Mustafa, as saying troops shot Tubasi in his leg before dragging him outside, at which point Mustafa Tubasi said he heard more gunshots. Tubasi was taken to a hospital in Israel, where he died, the Israeli military spokesman said. Relaxing restrictions An Israeli government official meanwhile has confirmed details of a package of measures Israel is proposing to ease conditions for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. It includes issuing extra work permits for Palestinians from the West Bank to find jobs in Israel and more water for the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The West Bank has been under Israeli military occupation since 1967; Israeli forces withdrew from Gaza eight years ago although it maintains control of Gaza's airspace and territorial waters and restricts movement across its shared border. Israel says the restrictions are necessary security measures to prevent attacks by Palestinian militants. Under the proposed new arrangements, 6.5% more work permits will be issued on top of the current 75,000. Seven-and-a-half per cent more water will be made available in the West Bank and a new pipeline to Gaza will be built. Restrictions on building materials allowed into Gaza - limited to prevent their use in building military bunkers - will also be eased. Israel and the Palestinian Authority, which governs in the West Bank, resumed peace talks last month after a three-year hiatus. There are no relations between Israel and the Islamist Hamas government in Gaza. BBC © 2013

Palestinian killed in West Bank raid

Palestinian killed in West Bank raid September 17, 2013 4:01 PM Clashes erupted as troops tried to arrest the suspect A Palestinian militant has been shot dead by Israeli troops in a refugee camp in the West Bank city of Jenin. An Israeli army spokesman said Islam Tubasi was hit when troops returned fire after being attacked by rioters. Tubasi's family say he was shot when troops entered their home. The militant group Islamic Jihad said Tubasi was one of its members. Last month, another Palestinian was shot dead when Israeli troops clashed with rioters during an arrest in Jenin. In the latest incident, the Israeli military says rioters threw stones, Molotov cocktails and improvised grenades as troops tried to arrest the suspect. A spokesman said soldiers opened fire after being shot at. The officials said Tubasi was shot as he tried to flee. Tubasi's family have disputed this account, saying the 22-year-old was shot when soldiers entered the family home. Palestinian Maan news agency quoted Tubasi's brother, Mustafa, as saying troops shot Tubasi in his leg before dragging him outside, at which point Mustafa Tubasi said he heard more gunshots. Tubasi was taken to a hospital in Israel, where he died, the Israeli military spokesman said. Relaxing restrictions An Israeli government official meanwhile has confirmed details of a package of measures Israel is proposing to ease conditions for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. It includes issuing extra work permits for Palestinians from the West Bank to find jobs in Israel and more water for the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The West Bank has been under Israeli military occupation since 1967; Israeli forces withdrew from Gaza eight years ago although it maintains control of Gaza's airspace and territorial waters and restricts movement across its shared border. Israel says the restrictions are necessary security measures to prevent attacks by Palestinian militants. Under the proposed new arrangements, 6.5% more work permits will be issued on top of the current 75,000. Seven-and-a-half per cent more water will be made available in the West Bank and a new pipeline to Gaza will be built. Restrictions on building materials allowed into Gaza - limited to prevent their use in building military bunkers - will also be eased. Israel and the Palestinian Authority, which governs in the West Bank, resumed peace talks last month after a three-year hiatus. There are no relations between Israel and the Islamist Hamas government in Gaza. BBC © 2013

Zimbabwe MDC boycotts Mugabe speech

Zimbabwe MDC boycotts Mugabe speech September 17, 2013 3:06 PM Robert Mugabe promised to press ahead with Zanu-PF's indigenisation policies Zimbabwe's main opposition party has boycotted the opening of parliament by President Robert Mugabe following its defeat in the 31 July elections. Mr Mugabe's election was not legitimate, said the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The party says its candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai, was cheated of victory, which Mr Mugabe denies. The election ended the coalition the two leaders formed after disputed elections in 2008. 'Renewed vigour' The July poll went off peacefully, in contrast to the previous election that was marred by violence and intimidation. Mr Mugabe, 89, won with 61% of the presidential vote against 34% for Mr Tsvangirai on 31 July. His Zanu-PF party clinched a two-thirds majority in the parliamentary vote. The MDC rejected the result, saying the election had been marred by widespread rigging. "He has no right to open parliament and we can't participate in the ceremony presided over by him," said MDC chief whip Innocent Gonese, AFP news agency reports. Mr Mugabe made no reference to the MDC in his parliamentary address, reports the BBC's Brian Hungwe from the capital, Harare. The president said he would pursue with "renewed vigour" policies aimed at forcing foreign firms to cede majority control to local partners. Zimbabweans could not be "mere bystanders" in the economy, he said. The controversial indigenisation law came into force in 2010. It has so far been applied to mines. Mr Mugabe said he was ready to rebuild relations with Western powers. "We stand ready to work with even those who before were at odds with us," he added. "On the other hand, we will continue to demand the immediate and unconditional removal of sanctions imposed by some arrogant Western countries.". In March, the European Union (EU) suspended sanctions against 81 officials and eight firms in Zimbabwe. The decision followed a peaceful referendum on a new constitution which expands civil liberties in Zimbabwe, Sanctions are still in force against 10 people, including President Mugabe. The EU first imposed sanctions, including a travel ban, on Zimbabwean officials and firms in 2002. It said it was in response to human rights abuses and political violence under Mr Mugabe's rule. The US also has a travel ban on Mr Mugabe and other top Zanu-PF officials, and has blacklisted companies linked to them from doing business with US companies. Mr Mugabe has been in power since independence in 1980. BBC © 2013

Call for 'strong' UN text on Syria

Call for 'strong' UN text on Syria September 16, 2013 1:11 PM Fighting in Syria shows no sign of diminishing despite the extensive international diplomacy France, Britain and the US will seek a "strong" UN resolution with "serious consequences" if Syria fails to hand over its chemical weapons, says French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. Mr Fabius and his British and US counterparts have held talks in Paris. Under a deal brokered by Russia and the US, Syria has agreed to disclose its full chemical arms arsenal within a week and eliminate it by mid-2014. The US had threatened military action over a chemical attack in Damascus. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government denies allegations it was behind the attack on 21 August, which killed hundreds, and has accused the rebels of carrying it out. UN weapons inspectors who visited the scene of the attack are due to release their findings later on Monday. The UN Security Council is expected to draft a resolution for the Syrian deal in the coming days. 'Precise timetable' Mr Fabius and French President Francois Hollande met British Foreign Secretary William Hague and US Secretary of State John Kerry in Paris on Monday to discuss the crisis. They agreed there had to be a "precise timetable" for the dismantling of weapons in Syria. "We want to obtain a strong resolution from the UN Security Council, a resolution that will support the plan for chemical disarmament with all the authority of the Council, a resolution that includes serious consequences provided if the plan is not implemented and, finally, a resolution that will also reaffirm that those responsible for the massacre on the 21st August be held accountable," Mr Fabius said in a joint press conference after the meeting. Syria agreed last week to join the global Chemical Weapons Convention. It will come under the treaty from 14 October, the UN announced. The framework deal was announced on Saturday after three days of talks in Geneva between Mr Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Syrian Reconciliation Minister Ali Haidar welcomed the agreement, calling it a "victory for Syria achieved thanks to our Russian friends". More than 100,000 people have died since the uprising against President Assad began in 2011. Millions of Syrians have fled the country, mostly to neighbouring nations and millions more have been internally displaced within Syria. BBC © 2013

Amir Shekh Kundecha aliwekwa kizuizini.

Leo katika swala ya ijumaa katika mskiti wa almarhum SHEKH Idrisa
Al akh SHEKH Basaleh akizungumza nawaislamu Mara baada ya swalatul Juma'  alisema juu ya kadhia ya SHEKH Ponda nakwamba serikali haikuwa na ufahamu wakujua wamemkamatia nini SHEKH Ponda.  kwakua wali dhamiria kwanamna yoyote kumnyima haki SHEKH huyo kwa namna yoyote kutokana na ukweli ambao anao uzungumza."kwanini wamfungulie mashtaka haraka nakatika hali ile akiwa hospitali halafu badala yake  wayafute napia siku hiyo hiyo kwa haraka,na tena wakampeleka Morogoro kumfungulia mashtaka mengine ? Hii ni dhahiri kwamba wamedhamiria kupindisha haki kiasi kwamba hawafaamu nini wanacho mshtakia au ni kosagani hasa wampachike" pia katika halinyingine SHEKH Basaleh amezungumza kuwa katika hali isio eleweka SHEKH Kundecha ambaye ni amir wa Taasisi na jumuia za kiislamu hapa nchini aliitwa na police jijini kwa mahojiano kisha wakamuweka kizuizini mpaka pale alipo tolewa kwa dhamana. vilevile mashekh wengine watakiwa kuripoti kituoni akiwemo SHEKH Kondo Bungo,amakwa hakika wamedhamiria kuupiga vita uislamu hapa nchini nasijui baada ya hao nani anafuata, alisema hayo SHEKH Basaleh. Pia SHEKH aliwataka waislamu wawe na mshikamano na umoja pamoja na subira, kwa kua tumeimizwa sana kuwa na subira katika kuyaendea matatizo yetu.Kwakuongezea pia SHEKH amesema inavyoonekana watu hawaujui uislamu ulivyo na kua uislamu ni dini ya kufanya mema na kukatazana mabaya hivyo nijuu ya kila muislamu anapo liona baya alitoe kwa mkono wake ama alikemee hivyo ni juu yetu waislamu kukemea maovu ndani ya nchi hii nakwamba serikali kwa matumizi yake ya mabavu itakwenda kuipeleka nchi hii pabaya kwani viongozi wengi wa kidini na siasa wamelaani juu ya tukio alilo fanyiwa SHEKH Ponda wakiwemo mapadri pia ambao pia wameiambia serikali kua, kwa matumizi yake ya mabavu itaipeleka nchi kubaya.