Nigeria traditional leader shot dead by gunmen

Many towns and villages have been razed to the ground in the north-east A high-ranking traditional leader has been killed in northern Nigeria after his convoy came under attack by suspected Boko Haram militants. Gunmen shot dead the Emir of Gwoza, Shehu Mustapha Idris Timta, in his car. Boko Haram has waged an increasingly bloody insurgency since 2009 to create an Islamic state in Nigeria. Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan vowed to wage "total war" against the group, which has been held more than 200 girls captive since last month. "They shot the emir of Gwoza. He died on the spot," Wali Ibrahim, an aide to the emir, told the BBC Hausa service. "After he died we reversed back from that area and we went to the army checkpoint," he added.

The emir of Kano was targeted by suspected Boko Haram gunmen last year.

The government is under pressure to secure the release of schoolgirls abducted last month. Two other emirs, who were also in the convoy that was attacked in north-eastern Borno state, escaped unhurt. They were all on their way to the funeral of the emir of Gombe, who died recently in London. Borno state government confirmed the attack and said the gunmen were believed to be Boko Haram members, Reuters news agency reports. BBC Nigeria analyst Naziru Mikailu says traditional rulers have been targeted for assassination by Boko Haram before, but attacks on them are rare. Emirs, who command a lot of respect in the north, have taken a stand against the militants, he says. In January 2013, suspected Boko Haram fighters attacked the convoy of the emir of Kano, one of the country's prominent religious leaders, as he returned from a mosque to his palace in Kano city. Escalating attacks Mr Jonathan declared a state of emergency in May 2013, deploying more troops to the three northern states where Boko Haram is most active - Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

Boko Haram attacks have increased since a state of emergency was declared in the north-east a year ago. Boko Haram retaliated by stepping up its bombing campaign in cities and launching mass attacks on small towns and villages. Correspondents says since the kidnapping of the schoolgirls from their school in Chibok, the attacks have become an almost daily occurrence. A resident of Koma in Adamawa state told the BBC that at least 17 people were killed in an attack on his village near the border with Cameroon on Thursday morning. Earlier this week, the BBC learned that the government called off a deal to swap some of the girls for Boko Haram fighters in custody. The US, UK, China and France are among those countries to have sent teams of experts and equipment to help to locate the girls

Malawi election: Peter Mutharika sworn in as president

Peter Mutharika has been sworn in as Malawi's president after the High Court rejected a request for a recount following allegations of vote-rigging. The leader of the Democratic Progressive Party urged the 11 other presidential candidates to "join me in rebuilding the country". Outgoing President Joyce Banda had alleged ballot fraud but has now admitted defeat. Malawi is one of the world's poorest nations. It is heavily dependent on aid, which provides 40% of the government's budget. A protester died on Friday as police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse an angry crowd demanding a recount of last week's ballot in the south-eastern town of Mangochi.

More than seven million people were eligible to vote in the elections

The elections were chaotic and several irregularities were reported Mr Mutharika is the brother of the late President Bingu wa Mutharika, who died in office in 2012, and had served as his foreign minister. He obtained 36.4% of the vote, according to the electoral commission, and said he felt "very humbled" to become Malawi's fifth president. "It's obvious we are facing serious problems in this country. All of us together, let us build the country which is almost on the verge of collapse," he said. Former preacher Lazarus Chakwera came second in the election with 27.8% of the vote. He represented the Malawi Congress Party, which governed from independence in 1964 until the first multi-party poll in 1994. 'Cashgate' Mrs Banda, who came to power after the death of Bingu wa Mutharika two years ago, was third with 20.2% of the vote. Her administration had been hit by a corruption scandal dubbed "cashgate", which led donors to cut aid. Mrs Banda had attempted to have the polls declared "null and void" on the grounds of "serious irregularities". But she made no mention of this in a statement congratulating Mr Mutharika on his victory in a "closely contested election" and urging "all Malawians to support the newly elected president... and his government as they take on this foundation of progress and endeavour to develop Malawi even further." The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) had asked for a 30-day extension to declare the results so that a recount could be carried out. However, the High Court refused to delay the release of results and ordered the commission to make its announcement on Friday.

A protester in Malawi died after police dispersed an angry crowd demanding a recount of last week's election.

Demonstrators in the southern town of Mangochi broke shop windows and burned tyres, prompting police to fire tear gas and rubber bullets. A court is expected to rule whether the electoral commission should announce the result or order a recount. Opposition candidate Peter Mutharika has a lead in exit polls. President Joyce Banda says the vote was rigged. Last weekend, the High Court overruled her attempt by President Joyce Banda to annul the election. Her other main challenger is a former preacher, Lazarus Chakwera, the candidate of the Malawi Congress Party, which governed from independence in 1964 until the first multi-party poll in 1994. Malawians are getting impatient to hear presidential election results over week after the votes were cast, as the BBC's Nomsa Maseko reports Mrs Banda, who came to power after the death of President Bingu wa Mutharika two years ago, had said a new vote should be held within 90 days and she would not stand again in any new poll. Peter Mutharika, leader Democratic Progressive Party, is the the brother of the late president and had served as his foreign minister. 'Voting anomalies'

The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) applied to the High Court on Tuesday for a 30-day extension to announce the results so that a recount can be carried out. It said that in 58 of more than 4,000 polling centres the official number of votes cast was more than that of registered voters.

Nigeria under attack Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has vowed to wage a "total war" against militant Islamist group Boko Haram. Speaking on the the 15th anniversary of the end of military rule, he said "international terrorism" threatened Nigeria's democratic gains. Boko Haram has waged an increasingly bloody insurgency since 2009 to create an Islamic state in Nigeria. Its fighters killed 42 people during a raid on Gurmushi village in the north-east on Wednesday, a survivor said. Villagers were shot and hacked to death, and many homes were torched, the female survivor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told BBC Hausa. Boko Haramhas been holding more than 200 schoolgirls captive since last month, demanding a prisoner swap. BBC News examines the challenges facing Nigeria's president, in 60 seconds Earlier this week, the BBC learned that the government called off a deal to swap some of the girls for Boko Haram fighters in custody. off fireworks and honking their car horns. Many towns and villages have been razed to the ground in the north-east He added that he was determined to protect Nigeria's democracy. "I have instructed our security forces to launch a full-scale operation to put an end to the impunity of terrorists on our soil," he said. Mr Jonathan declared a state of emergency in May 2013, deploying more troops to the three northern states where Boko Haram is most active - Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. Boko Haram retaliated by stepping up its bombing campaign in cities and launching mass attacks on small towns and villages. In a major foreign policy speech on Wednesday, US President Barack Obama said that "no American security operation can eradicate the threat" posed by Boko Haram. "That is why we must focus both on rescuing those girls, but also on supporting Nigerian efforts to educate its youth," he said. "Indeed, this should be one of the hard-earned lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan, where our military became the strongest advocate for diplomacy and development," Mr Obama

added.

Egypt election: Sisi secures landslide win The BBC's Orla Guerin: "The problem for Sisi is that a large number of voters stayed away" Former military chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has won an overwhelming victory in Egypt's presidential election, according to provisional results. He gained more than 93% of the vote with ballots from most polling stations counted, state media say. Turnout is expected to be about 46% - far lower than Mr Sisi was hoping for as an endorsement. Islamist and some secular groups boycotted the vote. Mr Sisi's only opponent Hamdeen Sabahi has admitted defeat. "I accept my defeat and respect the people's choice," Mr Sabahi said in a televised press conference. However, he also said there were "violations" in the voting process, and rejected the 46% turnout announced by the government, describing it as an "insult to the intelligence of Egyptians". Bloody crackdown' Mr Sisi deposed President Mohammed Morsi last July after mass protests. He has overseen a bloody crackdown on Mr Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood movement in which more than 1,400 people have been killed and 16,000 detained. BBC News profiles Egypt's President-in-waiting, Abdul Fattah al-Sisi The Brotherhood boycotted the vote, as did many liberal and secular activist groups. The Islamist movement rejected the vote on Thursday with Tariq al-Zumar, a senior member of the Brotherhood, calling the process a "theatrical play which did not convince anybody". Analysis, by Jeremy Bowen, BBC Middle East editor, Cairo Supporters of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi started celebrating even before the polls closed in Egypt. His victory was never in doubt. The Muslim Brotherhood, the winner of the last presidential election, is banned. It had urged its supporters to boycott the vote. Egypt is a troubled country. Its most fundamental problem is the weakness of the economy. It has a big, young, growing populat ot nearly enough jobs to go round. About 40% of the population live in poverty. More than 40% of the poorest Egyptians are illiterate. Healthcare and education don't meet the needs of the people. Added to that are Egypt's security problems. There have been attacks from Islamist extremists, especially in Sinai. The former Field Marshal Sisi will not want them to escalate into a fully fledged uprising. No quick fixes exist for the grave structural problems faced by Egypt. But the president-elect needs results. Egyptians have a habit of protest now. If their lives don't get better they they will lose patience with their new president too. Democracy campaigner Nagy Kamel: "I don't believe these are real elections" Mr Sabahi secured fewer than 760,000 of the 24.7 million votes counted, and lost out in many regions to a high number of spoiled ballots, the state-run al-Ahram newspaper reports. Hundreds of Sisi supporters took to the streets of Cairo as results emerged, waving Egyptian flags, settingBoko Haram attacks have increased since a state of emergency was declared in the north-east a year ago

Maya Angelou 'the brightest light' says Barack Obama Continue reading the main story Related Stories Obituary: Maya Angelou In pictures: Maya Angelou Maya Angelou: Learning to love my mother Watch US President Barack Obama has led the tributes to Maya Angelou, describing the poet, author and activist as "one of the brightest lights of our time". He hailed Angelou, who has died aged 86, as "a brilliant writer, a fierce friend and a truly phenomenal woman". She made her name with the memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which charted a childhood of oppression and abuse in the Deep South in the 1930s. Her family described her as "a warrior for equality, tolerance and peace". In a statement on Facebook, they said she passed away quietly at home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, at 08:00 EST (12:00 GMT). "Her family is extremely grateful that her ascension was not belabored

by a loss of acuity or comprehension," they said. "She lived a life as a teacher, activist, artist and human being... The family is extremely appreciative of the time we had with her and we know that she is looking down upon us with love." Maya Angelou: "Learning to love my mother" Mr Obama gave her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian award, in 2011. He said: "Over the course of her remarkable life, Maya was many things - an author, poet, civil rights activist, playwright, actress, director, composer, singer and dancer. "But above all, she was a storyteller - and her greatest stories were true. Maya Angelou I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings dealt with the racism and family trauma of Angelou's upbringing "A childhood of suffering and abuse actually drove her to stop speaking - but the voice she found helped generations of Americans find their rainbow amidst the clouds, and inspired the rest of us to be our best selves." Raised by her grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas, Angelou was raped by her mother's boyfriend at the age of seven. After she told her family what had happened, the boyfriend was killed. "I thought my voice had killed him, so it was better not to speak - so I simply stopped speaking," she said. She remained mute for five years, but read voraciously. Former President Bill Clinton, who invited Angelou to read at his 1993 inauguration, said America had lost a national treasure and he and wife Hillary had lost "a beloved friend". "The poems and stories she wrote and read to us in her commanding voice were gifts of wisdom and wit, courage and grace," he said. "I will always be grateful for her electrifying reading of On the Pulse of Morning at my first inaugural, and even more for all the years of friendship that followed."Others paying tribute included civil rights campaigner Reverend Jesse Jackson, who wrote on Twitter: "The renaissance woman has made a peaceful transition. She acted, sang, danced & taught She used poetry as a road for peace." Continue reading the main story MAYA ANGELOU - FROM THE BBC RADIO 4 ARCHIVE Front Row interview, 10 April 2013 Woman's Hour interview, 17 October 2005 Discussing I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings on Book club, 4 August 2002 Desert Island Discs, 20 March 1988 Harry Potter author JK Rowling tweeted one of Angelou's quotes: "'If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.' Maya Angelou - who was utterly amazing." A statement from Wake Forest University, where Angelou had been professor of American studies since 1982, said: "Dr Angelou was a national treasure whose life and teachings inspired millions around the world." I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which dealt with the racism and family trauma of her upbringing, spent two years on the US best-seller list after its publication in 1970. It was the first of seven memoirs. After the poverty, violence and segregation of her childhood, she became a singer, a dancer, cocktail waitress, prostitute and an actress before beginning her writing career.

Maya Angelou 'the brightest light' says Barack Obama Continue reading the main story Related Stories Obituary: Maya Angelou In pictures: Maya Angelou Maya Angelou: Learning to love my mother Watch US President Barack Obama has led the tributes to Maya Angelou, describing the poet, author and activist as "one of the brightest lights of our time". He hailed Angelou, who has died aged 86, as "a brilliant writer, a fierce friend and a truly phenomenal woman". She made her name with the memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which charted a childhood of oppression and abuse in the Deep South in the 1930s. Her family described her as "a warrior for equality, tolerance and peace". In a statement on Facebook, they said she passed away quietly at home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, at 08:00 EST (12:00 GMT). "Her family is extremely grateful that her ascension was not belabored

by a loss of acuity or comprehension," they said. "She lived a life as a teacher, activist, artist and human being... The family is extremely appreciative of the time we had with her and we know that she is looking down upon us with love." Maya Angelou: "Learning to love my mother" Mr Obama gave her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian award, in 2011. He said: "Over the course of her remarkable life, Maya was many things - an author, poet, civil rights activist, playwright, actress, director, composer, singer and dancer. "But above all, she was a storyteller - and her greatest stories were true. Maya Angelou I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings dealt with the racism and family trauma of Angelou's upbringing "A childhood of suffering and abuse actually drove her to stop speaking - but the voice she found helped generations of Americans find their rainbow amidst the clouds, and inspired the rest of us to be our best selves." Raised by her grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas, Angelou was raped by her mother's boyfriend at the age of seven. After she told her family what had happened, the boyfriend was killed. "I thought my voice had killed him, so it was better not to speak - so I simply stopped speaking," she said. She remained mute for five years, but read voraciously. Former President Bill Clinton, who invited Angelou to read at his 1993 inauguration, said America had lost a national treasure and he and wife Hillary had lost "a beloved friend". "The poems and stories she wrote and read to us in her commanding voice were gifts of wisdom and wit, courage and grace," he said. "I will always be grateful for her electrifying reading of On the Pulse of Morning at my first inaugural, and even more for all the years of friendship that followed."Others paying tribute included civil rights campaigner Reverend Jesse Jackson, who wrote on Twitter: "The renaissance woman has made a peaceful transition. She acted, sang, danced & taught She used poetry as a road for peace." Continue reading the main story MAYA ANGELOU - FROM THE BBC RADIO 4 ARCHIVE Front Row interview, 10 April 2013 Woman's Hour interview, 17 October 2005 Discussing I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings on Bookclub, 4 August 2002 Desert Island Discs, 20 March 1988 Harry Potter author JK Rowling tweeted one of Angelou's quotes: "'If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.' Maya Angelou - who was utterly amazing." A statement from Wake Forest University, where Angelou had been professor of American studies since 1982, said: "Dr Angelou was a national treasure whose life and teachings inspired millions around the world." I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which dealt with the racism and family trauma of her upbringing, spent two years on the US best-seller list after its publication in 1970. It was the first of seven memoirs. After the poverty, violence and segregation of her childhood, she became a singer, a dancer, cocktail waitress, prostitute and an actress before beginning her writing career.

Rogue Libya general's forces bomb Islamist camp Khalifa Haftar leaves a news conference in Benghazi - 18 March 2011 General Khalifa Haftar says he is fighting "terrorism" Continue reading the main story Post-Gaddafi Why is Libya lawless? Profile: Khalifa Haftar Guide to the militias Land of the gun Libyan forces loyal to a renegade general have bombed government-funded Islamist militia in the eastern city of Benghazi. Witnesses say aircraft targeted a base of the February 17th Brigade, one of the main armed groups in the area. General Khalifa Haftar, a former army chief of staff under Col Muammar Gaddafi, has launched several recent attacks in Benghazi and Tripoli. He accuses the government of supporting terrorism, which the authorities deny. Gen Haftar's actions have been backed by an array of armed groups, including military forces in the east as well as some members of the air force. The central government has called his assault an "attempted coup", but some government officials say they back the operation. Legacy of violence Libya is still in turmoil three years after the fall of Gaddafi - with political, religious and political factions locked in disagreement about the country's future. There are almost daily assassinations, bombings and kidnappings. Mohamed al-Zahawi, leader of Libyan jihadist group Ansar Asharia, speaks to the press in front of a black Islamist flag in Benghazi on May 27, 2014. Mohamed al-Zahawi says the attacks against his group are a "crusade" Gaddafi's rule left Libya with few institutions, and in the absence of a fully functioning army and police, the government funds some armed groups to fulfil a security role in the country - including the February 17th Brigade. The brigade is a powerful force known for its close ties to the hardline Islamist group Ansar al-Sharia. In a news conference on Tuesday, Ansar al-Sharia's commander Mohamed al-Zahawi described the military operations against his group and others in Benghazi as a "crusade". He accused Gen Hafter of being backed by foreign powers, and warned the US against any intervention in Libya. The state department in Washington is now urging US nationals to leave the country immediately because of Libya's political instability.

Ukraine's prime minister calls on Russia to stop "terrorists" from crossing into his territory, as violence continues in Donetsk.

Police in #Brazil use tear gas on anti-World Cup & indigenous demonstrators http://bbc.in/1isl6xz pic.twitter.com/8VSXkmBYsr

Obama: "Our actions must meet a simple test, we must not create more enemies than we take off the battlefield" http://cnn.it/1tmXakx

USIKU WA MANGWEAR MOROGORO, KIMENUKA (love concert) Posted by : DJChoka Posted date : 24/05/2014 In Advertise Comments Off LOVE CONCERTKuelekea maadhimisho ya Tamasha maalum la kumkumbuka mfalme wa FREE STYLE Tanzania Marehemu Albert Mangwe, baadhi ya maeneo ya Mjini Morogoro tayari kishanuka. Katika tamasha hilo linalotarajiwa kufanyika siku ya TH 28 may pale Samaki samaki Kihonda. Akizungumza na mtupa taarifa hizi, Mratibu mtendaji wa tamasha hilo Kareeem Omary KO amesema, maandalizi yameshakamilika na wanawaomba wadau kujitokeza kuonesha LOVE ya pamoja. Kareeamesema walizungumza na familia na kwa pamoja wamebariki tukio hilo ambalo kabla ya ukumbini, litatanguliwa na ibada mbili ya Kanisani na nyumbani.