Leo ni Leo uwanja wa Taifa

Vancouver kuwavaa Yanga leo champion

Na Julius Kihampa MABINGWA wa Ligi Daraja la Kwanza ya Marekani ya Kaskazini, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, leo wanashuka katika Uwanja Mkuu wa Taifa jijini Dar es Salaam kukipiga na mabingwa wa hapa, Yanga kwenye mchezo wa kimataifa wa kirafiki...

BUNGE LA MWAKA 2010 KUWAKA MOTO....WAGOMBEA URAIS WOTE ISIPOKUWA LIPUMBA KUWANIA UBUNGE..

KUNA uwezekano mkubwa kwamba Rais Jakaya Kikwete akapata mgombea mpya kutoka kambi ya upinzani baada ya kuwapo taarifa za wagombe waliojitokeza uchaguzi uliopita kuamua kuwania ubunge na kubadilika kwa upepo wa kisiasa nchini.

Hali hiyo imeelezwa kuchochewa na hali ya kisiasa duniani ambako sasa wapiga kura wameonekana kutamani kuwa na wagombea mbadala kutoka wale waliozoeleka katika nyanja za kisiasa.

Kutokana na hali hiyo viongozi kadhaa wa vyama vya siasa waliogombea urais katika chaguzi zilizopita wametajwa sasa kuamua kuwania ubunge majimboni kwa kile wanachokisema ni kujaribu kupata viti vingi bungeni.

Kwa sasa kuna taarifa za uwezekano wa kutokea wagombea wapya katika ngazi ya urais kutoka vyama vya upinzani na huenda hata wakaweza kutokea ndani ya Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM).

Ndani ya CCM kumekuwapo na mpasuko wa wazi wazi ambao umesababisha hata kuibuka kwa malumbano miongoni mwa viongozi wa kisiasa, hali inayoelezwa kuchochea kuibuka kwa kundi litakaloamua kuweka mgombe urais kukabiliana na Kikwete.

Wiki iliyopita, mmoja wa viongozi hao ambaye amegonbea urais tangu mwaka 1995 na kushindwa, Augustine Mrema wa Tanzania Labour Party (TLP) aliviambia baadhi ya vyombo vya habati kwamba alikuwa ameitika wito wa kumtaka akagombee katika Jimbo lake la zamani la Vunjo, Kilimanjaro.

Mwingine, mgombea urais wa mwaka 2005, Freeman Mbowe wa Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) amekuwa akitajwa kuwa atakwenda kugombea ubunge katika Jimbo la Hai, Kilimanjaro, jimbo alilopata kuwa mbunge wake.

Habari za ndani ya CHADEMA zinasema kwenda kwa Mbowe Hai ni sehemu ya mkakati wa chama hicho wa kutaka kujizolea majimbo mengi ambayo sasa yanaonekana yana utata wa ugombea na ikiwezekana, kwa wingi huo, kuunda serikali, hata kama hakitakuwa na kiongozi katika ngazi ya urais.

Habari zinasema pia kwamba mwingine ambaye angeweza kuwania urais kutokana na nafasi yake ya uenyekiti wa chama, James Mbatia Mwenyekiti wa NCCR- Mageuzi, anataja kwenda katika Jimbo la Kawe ambako Mbunge wa sasa, Rita Mlaki upepo umamvumia vibaya hata ndani ya chama chake, Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM).

Mwaka 2005, NCCR- Mageuzi kilimsimamisha Dk. Sengondo Mvungi, mhadhiri kutoka Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam, ambaye kwa matokeo mabaya aliyopata mwaka huo, mazingira hayampi nafasi kubwa ya kuwania tena urais kupitia chama hicho.

Kujitoa katika kinyang’anyiro hicho cha urais mwakani kwa Mrema, Mbowe, Mbatia na ukweli kwamba Mwenyekiti mwingine wa chama cha upinzani ambaye angeweza kujitupa ulingoni, John ‘Bwana Mapesa’ Cheyo wa United Democratic Party (UDP) alikwisha kuona muda mrefu busara ya kwenda bungeni, kunamfanya mgombea pekee anayesalia kutoka wapinzani waliogombea mwaka 2005 kuwa Profesa Ibrahim Lipumba.

Wiki hii Profesa Lipumba alifanya mahojiano maalumu na Raia Mwema, kuhusu pamoja na mambo mengine, kama atawania urais mwakani, majibu yake hayakuonyesha kuwa hatasimama.

JE WEWE UMESHAPIMA?

Dar es Salaam residents were yesterday implored to check their HIV/Aids status and act responsibly in reversing the alarming infection rate in the region. Acting Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Abdallah Kihato said HIV infection rate in the region stood at 8.9 per cent, well above the national rate of 5.8 per cent.

The acting RC said Dar es Salaam region ranked second in the country, in
terms of HIV infection. Mr Kihato, who graced the International Women’s Day celebrations held at regional level at Mnazi Mmoja grounds yesterday, said the 2007/08 research findings by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that women led by 10.2 per cent in infection rate compared to 7.3 per cent of men.

He said there were 31 voluntarycounselling and testing (VCT) centres in the region that issued anti-retroviral drugs (ARV) and that 57,944 people had registered
themselves for the services out of which 36,000 have started taking the life prolonging drugs.

The acting RC underscored the importance of men involvement in caring for the people living with HIV instead of leaving the task to women saying this will not only help to reduce stigma against ailing relatives but also reinforce peace, love and unity at family level.

“In African culture families stand together in anything that besets them. Let us also
share the responsibility of caring for family members living with AIDS,” he said. He also called upon Dar es Salaam residents to turn up en masse for the referendum against albino and elderly killers on witchcraft beliefs and armed robbers slated for March 29 in the region.

Speaking on behalf of the regional women, Ms Mwanne Yusuf said women were irked by the vices and supported the campaign to name the killers that was launched by the Prime Minister, Mr Mizengo Pinda, last Thursday. She pledged with Dar es Salaam authorities to construct more secondaryschools to save the female students from walking long distances to schools, a factor that exposes them to various risks including rape, violence and HIV/AIDS.

wAFUNGWA SASA KURUHUSIWA KUFANYA MAPENZI GEREZANI

utaruhusu wanandoa kujamiiana itakapowezekana

Gloria Tesha Daily News; Sunday,March 08, 2009 @18:39

Habari nyingine Kilosa yaanzisha matumizi ya vyandarua Mafisadi wabanwa kuwania ubunge Magereza:Tutaruhusu wanandoa kujamiiana itakapowezekana Lori lapamia basi, watano wafa Viongozi wenye majungu Mbeya waonywa Shahada ya Ubaharia sasa kutolewa nchini Shelys yaipa dawa Ocean Road Taharuki yazuka vituo vya LUKU Wanafunzi washinda rufaa Bodi ya Mikopo Wafanyakazi TSN wasaidia yatima Magereza inafanyia kazi mapendekezo ya wataalamu iliowatuma nje, ya kuangalia uwezekano wa wafungwa kupata haki ya ndoa zao wakati wanatumikia vifungo vyao. Hayo yalielezwa na Kamishna Mkuu wa Magereza, Augustino Nanyaro wakati akizungumza na waandishi wa habari baada ya kuwavisha nishani askari 44 wa Magereza mwishoni mwa wiki Dar es Salaam. Alisema upitiaji wa mapendekezo hayo unachukua muda na hata utekelezaji wake utategemea mambo mengi, yakiwamo ya uwezo wa kiuchumi. Kama utaratibu huo utaanza kutumika, wafungwa watakaokuwa na vigezo stahili vikiwamo vyeti vya ndoa, watapaswa kutumia maeneo yenye mazingira tofauti na gerezani lakini si nje ya gereza. “Wazo lipo lakini uwezo wa kutekeleza ni kitu kingine, tumeyaona haya kwa wenzetu katika kutembea kwetu na tumedhani ni jambo zuri kufanyika hapa nchini, kufungwa si kwamba hustahili mambo yote,” alisema Kamishna Mkuu wa Magereza, Augustino Nanyaro. Alisema hata hivyo utekelezaji huo hautahusu kila mfungwa, bali ni wale watakaokidhi vigezo ikiwamo nidhamu na heshima ya hali ya juu itakayoruhusu kukaa na familia yake (mke au mume) na kujamiiana. Alisema hata hivyo, utekelezaji wake utachukua muda mrefu kulingana na hali ya uchumi itakavyoruhusu. Nanyaro alisema mpango huo utakuwa na faida kwa vizazi vijavyo baada ya mambo ya msingi kama kupunguza msongamano yatakapopatiwa ufumbuzi wa kudumu. Kuhusu msongamano magerezani, alisema ziara ya Rais Jakaya Kikwete ya kutembelea magereza aliyoifanya zaidi ya mwaka mmoja uliopita imeanza kuzaa matunda, kwani msongamano umepungua na kasi ya kusikiliza kesi mahakamani imeongezeka tofauti na awali. “Ushirikiano wa mahakama, polisi na magereza umeongezeka baada ya ziara ya rais na maboresho yamefanyika na yanaendelea kufanyika magerezani, tumejenga mabweni mawili ya wafungwa gereza la Ukonga na ukarabati wa mabweni unaendelea huko Tanga, Mbarali, Lilongwe na maeneo mengine,” alisema Kamishna huyo. Aidha kuhusu idadi ya wafungwa waliohukumiwa kunyongwa na namna wanavyochangia msongamano magerezani kutokana na kukaa muda mrefu gerezani bila hukumu yao kutekelezwa, alisema wafungwa hao hawazidi 400 na idadi hiyo haichangii kwa namna yoyote msongamano. Kuhusu mazingira na namna Magereza ilivyojipanga kutumia nishati mbadala na gesi asilia kuepusha uharibifu wa mazingira kutokana na matumizi ya kuni, alikiri kuwa wanachangia uharibifu wa mazingira na kwamba miradi mbalimbali ya gesi mbadala na asilia inafanyika katika magereza. Alisema maofisa kadhaa wa magereza walipelekwa Rwanda kupata utaalamu wa kutengeneza nishati kutokana na kinyesi katika gereza kuu la nchi hiyo na sasa majaribio yanafanyika katika gereza la Ukonga na yatakamilika Mei mwaka huu. “Walipata mafunzo kwa gereza la wafungwa 11,000 ambalo wanatumia nishati itokanayo na kinyesi cha mahabusu. Ukonga mradi wa majaribio unafanyika kupitia mtaalamu yule yule wa Rwanda na itakapokamilika na kuonyesha mafanikio, tutaitumia kwa magereza yote 12 makuu,” alisema. Aliyataja magereza mengine yenye miradi ya gesi na nishati mbadala kuwa ni Ruanda, Mbeya wanakotumia mkaa wa mawe, Keko, Dar es Salaam wanakotumia gesi asilia ya Songo Songo kwa majaribio na Chuo cha Magereza Ukonga. Katika hatua nyingine, Nanyaro alisema mchakato wa kupanda miti kwa kushirikiana na wafadhili, wizara mbalimbali, mashirika ya nje na ndani ya nchi unaendelea katika maeneo mbalimbali ambapo tayari miti zaidi ya milioni tatu imepandwa. Maeneo hayo ni pamoja na Bariadi mkoani Shinyanga ambapo zaidi ya ekari 1,200 zimehusika.

mAXIMO KOCHA WA TIMU YA TAIFA ADAIWA KUUA WACHEZAJI WOTE WA YANGA

Kondic: Maximo umeua wachezaji wangu wote

Kocha wa Yanga Kondic Dusan(Kulia) akiwa na msaidizi wake, Spaso Solokovisk. Kondic ambae timu yake inacheza na Al- Ahly wikiendi ijayo katika mechi ya Ligi ya Mabingwa amelalamika kwamba wachezaji wake wote zaidi ya saba waliokuwa kwenye timu ya Taifa ni wagonjwa na hajui la kufanya.

Na Michael Momburi

KOCHA wa Yanga, Kondic Dusan amesema hana raha kwani wachezaji wote waliokuwa kwenye kikosi cha Taifa Stars wapo katika hali mbaya.

Ingawa hakumtaja Kocha wa Taifa Stars, Marcio Maximo, Kondic amekuwa akilalamika mara kwa mara wachezaji wake wengi kuitwa kwenye kikosi cha Stars na kuingilia ratiba ya klabu hiyo.

Yanga inajiandaa na mechi ya raundi ya kwanza ya Ligi ya Mabingwa Afrika dhidi ya Al-Ahly ya Misri ambayo wenyeji wametangaza rasmi kwamba itachezwa jijini Cairo Jumapili ya wikiendi ijayo.

Kondic aliiambia Mwanaspoti mazoezini kwenye Uwanja wa Uhuru Alhamisi usiku, kwamba, hali ya wachezaji wote waliokuwemo kwenye kikosi cha Stars si nzuri na inamuweka katika wakati mgumu.

Wachezaji wa Yanga waliokuwa na kikosi cha Stars kwenye fainali za CHAN ni Shadrack Nsajigwa, Nurdin Bakari, Kigi Makassi, Godfrey Bonny, Nadir Haroub 'Cannavaro', Athuman Idd, Amir Maftah, Mrisho Ngassa, Jerry Tegete na Abdi Kassim.

"Sina raha kabisa, usinione ninavyozungumza na wewe. Niko kwenye wakati mgumu sana wachezaji wangu tegemeo waliokuwa safarini wamerudi lakini wote ni matatizo," alisema Kondic kwa hasira kocha huyo wa Serbia.

"Kila mmoja ni mgonjwa hakuna mzima hata mmoja, halafu angalia nina siku ngapi kabla ya kuingia kwenye mchezo wa Ligi ya Mabingwa Afrika dhidi ya Al-Ahly tena ugenini.

"Ngassa na Cannavaro hawapo mazoezini matatizo ni hayo hayo kwamba hawako vizuri na wana majeraha madogo madogo ndio maana nimewaruhusu wapumzike.

"Hao wengine umewaona hapo wamekuja na wanafanya mazoezi lakini kila mmoja ana tatizo; mara msuli unauma, mara goti! Hakuna hata mmoja ambaye yuko kamili, yaani hapa inabidi kufanya kazi ya ziada sana na kutegemea ripoti ya daktari.

"Vinginevyo hali itakuwa ngumu sana halafu muda tulionao ni mfupi mno. Sina raha kabisa, najaribu kufanya kazi kadri inavyowezekana niangalie hali za hawa wachezaji zitakuwaje katika siku zilizobaki,"alisisitiza Kondic ambaye alisema mambo mengine yanakwenda vizuri mazoezini.

Katika hatua nyingine, Kondic alisema kwamba kiungo wake, Athuman Idd 'Chuji' amemwambia kwamba hana tofauti zozote na kocha Marcio Maximo kama inavyoripotiwa.

"Nimezungumza naye kaniambia kwamba hana matatizo yoyote na Maximo wala Taifa Stars na mimi nadhani kama kungekuwa na tatizo Maximo angeshaniambia lakini huyo kocha hajanieleza au kunipigia simu,"alisisitiza Kondic kwa kifupi na kusisitiza kwamba labda abanwe mwenyewe Idd anaweza kusema zaidi.

Lakini hata hivyo mchezaji huyo ambaye amejitoa kwenye timu ya Taifa amekuwa mgumu kutoa tamko.

Katika mazoezi ya juzi jioni ambayo wachezaji Ngassa na Cannavaro ndio pekee waliokosekana, mabingwa hao watetezi walikuwa wakichezea mipira uwanjani kwa zaidi ya saa mbili na baadaye wakatumia dakika chache kunyoosha viungo kabla ya kupanda gari na kuelekea kambini kwenye Hoteli ya Tamal iliyoko karibu na Mwenge karibu na ofisi za Mamlaka ya Mapato Tanzania (TRA) jijini Dar es Salaam.

Timu hiyo imetimuliwa kwenye Hoteli ya Lamada baada ya kushindwa kulipa fedha wanazodaiwa.

sawa bwana, leo wanaonekana na nyuso za furaha...je ndo ushirika wa kweli umeanza?

Russian FM Lavrov, U.S. State Secretary Clinton content with talks - 2 World 13:58 | 07/ 03/ 2009 (Adds paras 3, 7-10) GENEVA, March 7 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's foreign minister and the U.S. secretary of state have said they are content with their talks in Geneva and hope for continuation of dialogue on bilateral and global issues. Sergei Lavrov and Hillary Clinton said they will rebuild bilateral relations and try to reach an agreement on a new strategic arms reduction treaty by the end of 2009. The Strategic Arms Reduction (START-1) Treaty signed between the Soviet Union and the United States in 1991 places a limit of 6,000 strategic or long-range nuclear warheads on each side, and limits the number of delivery vehicles, such as bombers, land-based and submarine-based missiles, to 1,600 each. The treaty expires in December 2009. They also voiced the hope that interaction will be continued in the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and in the Middle East settlement, as well as in the resolution of the Iran and North Korea problems. Clinton and Lavrov met in Geneva on Friday to discuss a number of issues on the international agenda, as well as bilateral relations that became increasingly strained during the era of the Bush administration. They made a symbolic "reboot" to improve relations between the two countries when they met. As a symbolic start to the process, Clinton brought to the meeting a yellow box with a large red "reset" button, which she asked Lavrov to push with her. On either side of the button was a label in English "reset," and what was supposed to be a Russian translation. However, Lavrov pointed out to Clinton that there was a mistake in the Russian equivalent and instead of "reset," the word had been translated as "overload." "You've made a mistake," Lavrov told Clinton. "It should be written 'reset,' but there's a completely different word here." In Russian, the word "peregruzka" means overload, whereas "pereZAgruzka" means reset. Clinton laughed and promised not to "overload" Russian-U.S. relations. This was Lavrov and Clinton's first official meeting and a lead-up to the G20 summit in London on April 2, where Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and U.S. President Barack Obama will meet for the first time.

New Russia-U.S. arms treaty should cover delivery vehicles - Lavrov		World
		14:37 | 07/ 03/ 2009

GENEVA, March 7 (RIA Novosti) - A new Russian-U.S. arms reduction treaty that will replace the START-1 treaty expiring in December should limit delivery systems as well as nuclear warheads, the Russian foreign minister said Saturday.

Sergei Lavrov quoted President Dmitry Medvedev as saying that the treaty should also exclude the possibility of strategic arms being deployed beyond national borders.

"The document should limit not only the number of warheads but also the strategic means of their delivery - intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-based ballistic missiles and heavy bombers," Lavrov quoted Medvedev's statement while speaking at a UN disarmament conference.

"We also believe it is necessary to rule out the possibility of strategic offensive weapons being deployed beyond the national territory," he said, adding that the future arms treaty should be legally binding.

The Strategic Arms Reduction (START-1) Treaty signed between the Soviet Union and the United States in 1991 places a limit of 6,000 strategic or long-range nuclear warheads on each side. The treaty expires in December 2009.

Ajali yamuua mke wa Tshangirai, yeye aponea chup chup

Mke wa Tsvangira afariki katika ajali

	Bw.Morgan Tsvangirai

Habari kutoka Zimbabwe zasema kua Mke wa Waziri Mkuu wa Zimbabwe Morgan Tsvangirai amefariki katika ajali ya barabarani.

Susan Tsvangirai alikua akisafiri na mumewe kuelekea kusini mwa mji mkuu Harare ajali hio ilipotokea.

Bw.Tsvangirai, akiwa nji kiongozi wa chama cha upinzani cha Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) aliunda serikali ya Umoja na Rais Robert Mugabe mwezi uliopita.

Msemaji wa chama cha MDC, James Maridadi, amelifahamisha shirika la habari la AP kua gari la Waziri Mkuu liligongana na Lori na Waziri Mkuu alipelekwa katika hospitali ya mjini Harare.

Ajali hiyo inatokea siku mbili baada ya Bw.Tsvangirai kulihutubia bunge kwa mara ya kwanza tangu kuapishwa kama Waziri Mkuuwa Zimbabwe.

Bw.Tsvangirai na marehemu mke wake Susan walifunga ndoa mnamo mwaka 1978 na hadi ajali hii walikua na watoto sita.

Tshangirai chupuchupukufa. mkewe afariki dunia..

Morgan Tsvangirai apata ajali ya gari

Waziri Mkuu wa Zimbabwe Morgan Tsvangirai wa chama cha MDC.

Waziri Mkuu mpya wa Zimbabwe Morgan Tsvangirai amelazwa hospitali baada ya kujeruhiwa katika ajali ya gari iliyotokea siku ya Ijumaa kusini ya mji mkuu Harare.

Msemaji wa chama cha Morgan Tsvangirai cha MDC,James Maridadi amesema,Susan Tsvangirai,mke wa waziri mkuu aliekuwemo katika gari hilo amefariki dunia.Ajali hiyo ilitokea walipokuwa njiani kwenda nyumbani kwao wilayani Buhera.Ripoti zinasema,gari hilo lilipinduka mara tatu baada ya kugongwa na lori.

Morgan Tsvangirai,kiongozi wa chama cha MDC,aliapishwa waziri mkuu wa Zimbabwe tarehe 11 mwezi wa Februari kufuatia makubaliano ya kuunda serikali ya umoja wa kitaifa na Rais Robert Mugabe wa ZANU-PF.Wengi wana matumaini kuwa Morgan Tsvangirai mwenye miaka 56 atasaidia kuimarisha uchumi wa Zimbabwe ulioporomoka vibaya.Wengine wana wasiwasi kuwa anagawana madaraka na Robert Mugabe.

Takriban nusu ya wananchi wanategemea msaada wa chakula kutoka nje na hali hapo zamani Zimbabwe ilikuwa ikilisha nchi zingine barani Afrika.Hata mifumo ya miundombinu na huduma za afya zinahitaji kufanyiwa ukarabati wa dharura. Ugonjwa wa kipindupindu ulioripuka nchini humo tangu mwezi wa Agosti mwaka 2008 umeua watu 4000 na wengine 80,000 wameambukizwa ugonjwa huo.

Hebu pima wadau...mtoto huyu ana miaka 19

KADIRIA Chombo (pichani kulia) ni binti mwenye umri wa miaka 19 ambaye anakabiliwa na tatizo la ulemavu wa viungo na ambaye huishi kwa kula vyakula laini kama uji kwa miaka yote tangu kuzaliwa.........

Rais Kennedy atunukiwa cheo cha SIR KENNEDY na Waziri Mkuu wa Uingereza Gordon Brown...

Marekani yaishambulia vikali Israel juu ya mpango wange wa kubomoa nyumba za Palestina

RAMALLAH, West Bank – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday promised vigorous and personal involvement in stalled Mideast peace efforts and criticized Israel's demolition of Palestinian homes in Jerusalem as "unhelpful."

Clinton also displayed strong public support for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The Palestinian Authority is the "only legitimate government of the Palestinian people," she told a news conference, standing next to Abbas.

On Tuesday, Clinton met with Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu.

The hardline leader opposes the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel and supports the expansion of Israeli settlements on war-won land claimed by the Palestinians, including the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

In recent days, Israel has issued orders for the demolition of dozens of Palestinian homes in east Jerusalem, saying the homes were built illegally.

Palestinians say they cannot receive proper building permits from Israeli authorities, and the planned demolitions are means to assert Israel's control over the disputed city.

"Clearly, this kind of activity is unhelpful," Clinton said, adding that she would raise it with the Israeli government as well as municipal officials in Jerusalem. She said such actions violate the "road map," a U.S.-backed peace plan.

Clinton spoke shortly after Israel issued a new order to demolish five residential buildings containing 55 apartments, said Hatem Abdul Qader, a Palestinian official on Jerusalem affairs.

"It's an open demographic war," he said. He said lawyers have challenged the orders, halting the demolitions until March 10.

Stephan Miller, a spokesman for city hall, said the buildings under demolition notice were empty and had been built illegally.

Israel captured east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed the area. But the annexation is not internationally recognized, and the Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as capital of a future independent state.

Palestinian leaders are watching closely for signs of change in U.S. policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Palestinians were disappointed with the previous U.S. administration's failure to take Israel to task for accelerated settlement construction in 2008, at a time when the two sides were holding U.S.-backed peace talks.

Settlement expansion makes it increasingly difficult to establish an independent Palestinian state.

Abbas said Israel cannot be considered a peace partner if it keeps expanding settlements and demolishes homes in east Jerusalem.

"The Israeli government has to respect its obligations under the road map and the two-state solution and completely stop all that is related to settlement and demolitions," he said.

Abbas has steadily lost support at home, particularly after a year of inconclusive peace talks. His Islamic militant Hamas rivals, who seized Gaza from him in 2007, meanwhile are widely seen as emerging stronger from Israel's recent military offensive against them.

Clinton signaled that she'd be heavily involved in the region, and said her special envoy, George Mitchell, would return soon.

"The Obama administration will be vigorously engaged in efforts to forge a lasting peace between Israel, Palestinians and all of the Arab neighbors. I will remain personally engaged," she said.

"This is a commitment that I carry in my heart, not just in my portfolio."

Her predecessor, Condoleezza Rice, was also a frequent visitor, but made no headway in solving the conflict.

Clinton suggested Wednesday she is not considering imposing solutions, saying it's up to the two sides to reach an agreement. On Tuesday, she said that working toward the creation of a Palestinian state as part of a peace agreement with Israel "seems inescapable."

Clinton said she intends to hold "very constructive talks with the new Netanyahu government." Netanyahu is still trying to form a coalition, and seems headed for a right-wing government.

Abbas and Clinton, meanwhile, talked about Gaza's future. After the Hamas takeover, Israel and Egypt closed the territory, a policy tacitly supported by the international community, which shuns Hamas as a terrorist group.

However, the blockade has come under renewed scrutiny following Israel's three-week military offensive against Hamas, which ended in an informal cease-fire Jan. 18. Some 15,000 homes were destroyed or damaged in the war, meant to halt Palestinian rocket fire on southern Israel, and international aid officials say Gaza's borders need to reopen to make reconstruction possible.

"We want humanitarian aid to get into Gaza in sufficient amounts to alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza," Clinton said, but stopped short of calling for a full opening of the crossings.

Abbas called for an opening of Gaza's borders to pave the way for reconstruction.

Currently, Israel allows several dozen truckloads of aid to get into Gaza every day, but bars the entry of concrete, pipes and other materials. Israel argues that such shipments could be seized by Hamas and used for building bunkers or rockets.

In Gaza, Hamas condemned Clinton's comments. Spokesman Taher Nunu said her statement "was a slap in the face of those who were expecting changes in America foreign policy. She did not bring anything new. Instead, her statements show bias to the Zionist enemy."

Mshitakiwa aibua mabishano ya kisheria mahakamani

MAELEZO ya mshitakiwa wa sita katika kesi ya kupora Sh 234 mali ya benki ya NMB, Tawi la Moshi aliyoyaandika polisi na kukiri kushiriki katika tukio hilo, yameibua mabishano makali ya kisheria mahakamani baada ya mawakili wa utetezi kupinga vikali maelezo hayo, yasipokelewe kama kielelezo.

Mabishano hayo, yaliibuka jana mchana baada ya shahidi wa nne upande wa mashitaka, Mrakibu Msaidizi wa Polisi(ASP), Isaya Mbugi kutoa maelezo hayo, kama kielelezo mbele ya Jopo la Mahakimu watatu wanaosikiliza kesi hiyo wakiongozwa na Hakimu Mkuu Mkazi, Pantrine Kente.

Wakili wa Serikali Mfawidhi Kanda ya Moshi,Juma Ramadhan, Shahidi huyo alisema aliandika maelezo hayo ya kukiri kosa la mshitakiwa wa sita, Emanuel Mziray na kwamba aliyatoa kwa hiyari yake na alimweleza haki zake zote, ikiwamo kumuita wakili wake au ndugu yake yoyote kushuhudia.

Shahidi huyo ambaye ni mkuu wa kituo cha Polisi Wilaya ya Same (OCS), alisema pamoja na kumfahamisha haki zake hizo, mshitakiwa huyo alimweleza kuwa kulikuwa hakuna haja ya kuwepo mtu mwingine na ndipo alipochukua maelezo hayo.

Haya hivyo, Wakili Midian Mwale anayemtetea mshitakiwa huyo pamoja na washitakiwa wengine, alipinga vikali maelezo hayo kwa kuwa mteja wake, ameikana saini iliyoko katika maelezo hayo, akidai polisi wameigushi.

Pia wakili huyo, alisema kifungu cha 57 cha sheria ya mwenendo wa makosa ya Jinai (CPA) kina maelezo kama hayo kwamba yanaweza kupokelewa mahakamani endapo tu mshitakiwa huyo angekuwa ana ushahidi ambao unatofautiana na maelezo yake aliyoyatoa wakati akihojiwa na afisa wa polisi.

Mwale alidai sheria hiyo, inasisitiza kuwa maelezo ya ungamo la kukiri kosa yanapaswa yaandikwe katika mfumo wa maswali na majibu tofauti na maelezo hayo yanayotakiwa kutolewa mahakamani kama kielelezo.

Wakili huyo alisema kisheria, upande wa mashitaka ulipaswa kutoa notisi ya kutoa maelezo hayo kama kielelezo na washitakiwa wote wapewe nakala ya maelezo hayo ili kama maelezo hayo yanawagusa basi wapate fursa na haki ya kisheria ya kuwasilisha pingamizi la kupinga kupokelewa kwa maelezo hayo.

Akijibu hoja hizo, Wakili Ramadhan alisema wakili mwenzake, Mwale anapaswa kusoma vifungu vya sheria kikamilifu badala ya kushikilia kifungu kimoja cha 57, wakati kifungu cha 58 cha sheria hiyo, kinatoa maelezo jinsi ya kuchukua maelezo kama yalivyochukuliwa na ASP Isaya.

Wakili huyo wa Serikali alisema maelezo ya mshitakiwa kukiri kosa yanaweza tu kupingwa yasipokelewe kama kielelezo endapo tu mshitakiwa atakuwa ameyatoa bila hiyari yake au kwa kushawishiwa.

`Kumkamata al-Bashir ni ukoloni mpya Afrika`

Serikali ya Sudan, imeshutumu nguvu za kimataifa zinavyotumika kuishinikiza mahakama ya uhalifu ya kimataifa (ICC), itoe hati ya kukamatwa kwa Rais Omar Hassan al-Bashir wa nchi hiyo, ikielezea mpango huo kama ukoloni mpya Afrika.

Akizungumza katika mkutano na waandishi wa habari jijini Dar es Salaam jana, Balozi wa Sudan hapa nchini, Abdelbagi Kabeir, alisema baadhi ya mataifa yanayotoa shinikizo hilo si wanachama wa ICC.

Balozi huyo, aliishutumu moja kwa moja Marekani kuwa miongoni mwa mataifa yanayoshinikiza kukamatwa kwa Rais Bashir.

``Marekani si mwanachama wa ICC, lakini imekuwa mpiga propaganda mkuu wa kutaka kukamatwa kwa al-Bashir,`` alisema.

Balozi Kabeir, alisema Sudan haina uanachama katika ICC, hivyo matumizi ya mahakama hiyo yanastahili kuwepo inapohitajika na si kuchukua nafasi ya mifumo na mamlaka za kisheria za nchi hiyo.

Nawajua wanaosaidia kukwepa kodi TRA- Kikwete

Rais Jakaya Kikwete amesema ana orodha ya wafanyakazi wa Mamlaka ya Mapato Nchini (TRA) wasio waaminifu ambao wanashirikiana na wafanyabiashara kukwepa kodi kwenye Bandari ya Dar es Salaam.

Alisema anaifanyia kazi orodha hiyo na akishamalizana nayo atamkabidhi Kamishna Mkuu wa TRA, Harry Kitilya, ili achunguze na kuwafukuza kazi wafanyakazi watakaothibitika kujihusisha na vitendo hivyo.

Aliyasema hayo jana wakati akizungumza na viongozi wa Mamlaka ya Bandari (TPA) na wadau wa bandari Tanzania alipotembelea Bandari ya Dar es Salaam ikiwa ni ufuatiliaji wa agizo alilotoa mwezi uliopita kupunguza msongamano wa makontena.

Alisema serikali haiwezi kuvumilia watu wanaoikosesha mapato.

Akitoa mfano namna wizi huo unavyofanywa, Rais Kikwete alisema wanaweza kuendesha zoezi hilo kwa simu ambapo mtu aliyeko Dubai anapewa maelezo namna atakavyojaza fomu ili mzigo wake usipite kwenye scanner, hali inayoweza kupitisha mizigo haramu kama dawa za kulevya.

Alisema wafanyakazi na wafanyabiashara hao wanatumia udanganyifu kuwa kontena hizo zimebeba mitumba, kumbe ndani ya mitumba hiyo wakati mwingine inatumika kufunika magari.

``Ninayo orodha ndefu na nitaikabidhi kwa Kamishna Mkuu wa TRA, Kitilya ili awafuatilie na ahakikishe anawatimua kazi mara moja wale watakaobainika wanahusika na mchezo huo ili tuanze upya,`` alisema.

Alisema serikali haiwezi kuvumilia kuwa na wafanyakazi wanaokula njama za kuipotezea mapato.

Kikwete alisema bandarini kuna uzembe mkubwa ambao hauvumiliki na aliuagiza uongozi kuondoa matatizo yaliyopo badala ya kukaa na kunung`unika.

Alisema msongamano wa makontena umekuwa ukiisababishia serikali kukosa mapato mengi na alisisitiza kuwa bandari ni sehemu muhimu ambayo serikali haiwezi kuiacha iwe ya hovyo.

Akiwa katika kitengo cha kuchunguza bidhaa katika kontena, Tiscan, Rais Kikwete alisema maelezo aliyopewa na TPA yanatofautiana na yale aliyopewa na viongozi wa Tiscan.

``Hapa mbona mimi sielewi naomba mnieleweshe, hawa Tiscan wanasema wana uwezo wa kuchunguza hata makontena 200 kwa siku ila wanasema tatizo ni nyinyi hamleti kontena za kutosha... Jamani fanyeni kazi na muachane na visingizio na malalamiko,`` alisema Kikwete.

Aliagiza mamlaka hiyo impe taarifa ya maendeleo ya utekelezaji wa upunguzaji wa makontena ndani ya wiki mbili zijazo na aliahidi kutembelea tena bandari hiyo.

Kwa upande wake, Mwenyekiti wa Chama cha Wakala wa Forodha, Otieno Igogo, alimweleza Rais Kikwete kuwa wadau wa Bandari ya Dar es Salaam walikubaliana kulipa dola 30 ikiwa ni gharama za kuhamishia kontena moja katika bandari kavu.

Igogo alimweleza Rais kuwa ingawa wadau wote wamekuwa wakichangia, Kampuni ya Kimataifa ya Kupakua Kontena Bandarini (TICTS), imegoma kutoa fedha hizo.

Alisema dola 30 ambazo TICTS walipaswa kulipa kwa kila kontena linalohamishiwa bandari kavu kama wanavyolipa wadau wengine, zimekuwa zikitolewa na TPA.

Baada ya kauli hiyo ya Igogo, Rais alisema anashangaa kuona jeuri hiyo ya TICTS na kusema kuwa TPA ina mamlaka, lakini haitaki kuyatumia.

Kikwete alisema TPA imefanya vizuri kulipa gharama ambazo TICTS imekataa kuzilipa, lakini aliagiza mamlaka hiyo ihakikishe TICTS inazirudisha mara moja.

``Nyinyi mnashangaza sana, mna mamlaka, lakini hamyatumii... Sasa hizi gharama lazima walipe na wakiwashinda mwelezeni waziri na waziri akishindwa niambieni mimi,`` alisema.

Wakati huo huo, Kikwete alikataa maelezo marefu ambayo Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa TPA, Ephraem Mgawe, alitaka kuyasoma mbele yake na badala yake akamtaka amweleze sababu za msongamano kutoma lizika.

Baada ya kuelezwa hivyo, Mgawe alimweleza Rais Kikwete kuwa kikosi kazi kilichoundwa kufuatia agizo lake kinaendelea kujitahidi kuondoa msongamano uliopo.

Alisema Mamlaka inatarajia kuwa utekelezaji wa mikakati iliyowekwa itafanikisha kupunguza hali ya msongamano mwezi Machi mwaka huu.

Mgawe alisema katika kipindi cha mwaka 2007/08, TPA ilihudumia tani milioni 6.239, ambalo ni ongezeko la tani 227,222 au asilimia 3.8 ikilinganishwa na tani milioni 6.003 zilizohudumiwa mwaka 2006/07.

Alisema katika kipindi hicho mamlaka ilipata ziada ya Sh. bilioni 37.879 kutokana na mapato ya Sh. bilioni 168.789 na matumizi ya Sh. bilioni 133.909.

Polisi wavunja mgomo wa wanafunzi kwa risasi, mabomu Dodoma

Habel Chidawali Dodoma na Jackson Odoyo

VURUGU kubwa zimeibuka jana katika Chuo Kikuu cha Dodoma (Udom) na kusababisha Jeshi la Polisi kutumia mabomu ya machozi na risasi za moto kutawanya wanafunzi waliokuwa wakifanya vurugu na kuvunja milango tisa ya majengo ya mabweni na utawala, wakidai kuchelewshewa mikopo.

Tayari wanafunzi watatu ambao wanadaiwa kuwa ni vinara wa mgomo huo wameandikiwa barua za kutimuliwa ambazo watakabidhiwa wakati wowote kuanzia leo, Mwananchi imeelezwa.

Katika mgomo huo ulioandaliwa na kundi la wanafunzi wa kitivo cha elimu wa mwaka wa kwanza katika kundi la pili lilioingia chuoni hapo tangu Januari, ulianza mapema jana muda mfupi kabla ya kuingia madarasani. Wanafunzi hao walianza fujo hizo wakidai kuwa tangu wafike chuoni hapo, hawajapewa fedha zao kutoka Bodi ya Mikopo.

Wanafunzi hao walidai kuwa wamekuwa wakiishi maisha ya tabu na manyanyaso makubwa sana, huku wakisema kuwa wanafunzi wa kike wamekuwa wakilazimika kufanya mapenzi na Wachina wanaosimamia majengo katika chuo hicho ili kupata fedha za kujikimu na kupunguza makali ya maisha.

Waziri mkuu wa serikali ya wanafunzi wa chuo hicho, Kasalali Emmanuel alisema kuwa tatizo kubwa linalotokea katika chuo hicho ni pamoja na baadhi ya watu kutaka umaarufu kupitia katika matatizo ya wanafunzi hao.

Emmanuel alidai kuwa Bodi ya Mikopo ya Elimu ya Juu imekuwa ndio tatizo kubwa linalofanya kuwepo na mgomo na akatahadharisha kuwa kama tatizo hilo halitatatuliwa mapema kuna uwezekano mkubwa wa kupata matatizo makubwa zaidi katika chuo hicho kikubwa nchini.

Makamu mkuu wa chuo hicho, Profesa Idris Kikula alisema ni kweli kuna baadhi ya watu ambao wamekuwa wakitumia matatizo ya wanafunzi katika kufanikisha mambo yao, ikiwa ni pamoja na wanafunzi ambao wanatarajia kufanya uchaguzi wao hivi karibuni.

Kikula alisema kuwa tatizo jingine linalosababisha vurugu kubwa ni pamoja na Bodi ya Mikopo kushindwa kuwapa wanafunzi fedha kwa wakati muafaka, jambo alilosema kuwa linasababishwa na wanafunzi kujaza fomu kwa makosa.

Alitoa mfano kuwa kati ya majina 400 yaliyokuwa yamebandikwa kwenye ubao wa chuo hicho, ni wanafunzi 15 tu ndio waliofanikiwa kupata fedha hizo kutokana na fomu walizojaza kutokuwa na makosa. Alisema jambo hilo lilisababisha uongozi wa chuo kuwakopesha wanafunzi zaidi ya 600 Sh100,000 kila mmoja ili kupunguza makali ya maisha na baadaye kuunda timu iliyofuatilia suala hilo Bodi ya Mikopo na kuahidiwa kuwa suala hilo lingeshughulikiwa haraka sana.

Kikula alisema kuwa wanafanya utaratibu wa kujua vinara wa mgomo huo na kwamba watakaobainika ni lazima watatimuliwa chuoni hapo kwani watakuwa wameshindwa kukidhi moja ya masharti ya chuo hicho.

Lakini Mwananchi ilitaarifiwa baadaye kuwa tayari vinara hao wameshajulikana na jana barua zao za kutimuliwa zilikuwa zikiandaliwa tayari kukabidhiwa kwa wahusika.

Polisi walifika jana asubuhi na mapema wakiwa na magari matano yaliyojaa askari wa kikosi cha kutuliza ghasia wakiwemo maafisa wa jeshi hilo kutoka mkoani hapa ambao hadi majira ya saa 8:00 mchana walikuwa bado wapo kwenye uwanja vya chuo hicho kuangalia usalama zaidi.

Dk. Bilali alitumia hekima kuwashawishi wanafunzi kurudi madarasani wakiwa tayari wamesababisha hasara kubwa baada ya milango tisa ya mabweni na jengo la utawala kuvunjwa. Thamani halisi ya hasara hiyo bado haijajulikana.

Bilal, ambaye ni mwenyekiti wa baraza la chuo hicho na pia ni mwalimu wa somo la fizikia, aliwaita wanafunzi wote kwenye ukumbi wa mikutano na kuzungumza nao. Baadaye wanafunzi walionekana kumuelewa na kusitisha mgomo huo.

Naye msemaji wa Bodi ya Mikopo, Cosmas Mwaisobwa alisema tayari baadhi ya wanafunzi wameshalipwa, isipokuwa wachache ambao hawana sifa kutokana na kutojaza fomu za kuomba mkopo.

Marekani yatangaza kuunda Taifa la Palestina...

JERUSALEM – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the U.S. will "vigorously" pursue the creation of a Palestinian state.

Clinton is making her first visit to the Mideast as the top U.S. diplomat. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, she said pursuit of a peace agreement that includes a Palestinian state "seems inescapable."

Clinton says the U.S. "will be vigorously engaged in the pursuit of a two-state solution every step of the way."

She spoke alongside Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni ahead of a meeting later in the day with Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu's criticism in the past of peace talks with the Palestinians and the possibility of Palestinian independence has raised concerns that his new government could clash with the U.S.

Obama atoa ofa kwa Russia kama itasaidia kumaliza mpango wa nuclear wa Iran

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama has written to his Russian counterpart suggesting U.S. plans for a missile defense system in Eastern Europe might be unnecessary if Moscow helped in blocking Iran's progress toward building long-range missiles, senior administration officials said on Tuesday.

Plans for deploying U.S. missile defenses in Poland and the Czech Republic, ostensibly to guard against Iranian attacks on U.S. allies in Europe, are among a host of issues that soured U.S.-Russia relations during the former Bush administration. There have been indications Obama, who has vowed to shake up American foreign policy, might be willing to set aside the missile defense system.

"President Obama sent a letter to Medvedev that covered a broad range of issues, including missile defense and how it relates to the Iranian threat," one senior administration official said on condition of anonymity to discuss private communications of the president.

"The suggestion is that need for missile defense deployment could become unnecessary if, working together with Russia, the Iran missile threat is addressed," the official told The Associated Press.

Obama and Medvedev were expected to meet at the G-20 economic summit of advanced and developing nations in London next month, according to the officials.

The administration has previously hinted that the policy on the missile defense shield that former President George B. Bush fiercely advocated was open to reassessment.

The Obama letter was first reported in Tuesday's editions of The New York Times.

In Moscow, Medvedev spokeswoman Nataliya Timakova said that Obama's letter contained various proposals and assessments, but offered no quid pro quo.

"Obama's letter contained various proposals and assessments of the current situation," she said . "But the message did not contain any specific proposals or mutually binding initiatives."

She further disclosed that Obama's letter was in response to one from Medvedev and that the Kremlin appreciated the "positive" spirit of Obama's message.

On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov urged the United States to restore diplomatic relations with Iran, Russian news agencies reported. "This would be an important element in stabilizing the situation in the region," he said.

Lavrov is scheduled to hold talks with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Geneva on Friday in the highest-level meeting between the two nations since Obama took office.

At a February gathering of NATO defense chiefs in Krakow, Poland, Gates said that Washington would review the missile plan "in the context of our relationship with both Poland and the Czech Republic" as well as with NATO and Russia. The language marked a departure from the tone of the Bush administration, which enthusiastically promoted the plan and signed deals last year with Warsaw and Prague.

Gates said that if Moscow really wants to stop the missile shield, it should help eliminate the threat of a missile attack from Iran.

The Obama administration has been vocal about its desire to repair rifts between the U.S. and Russia. In Munich last month, Vice President Joe Biden told a gathering of world leaders, "It's time to press the reset button and to revisit the many areas where we can and should be working together with Russia."

RAIS OBAMA AFANYA KUFURU.....ATOA SIRI ZOTE ZA BUSH

ustice Department memos from 2001 are seen in Washington Monday, March 2, 2009. The Justice Department on Monday released a long-secret legal document from 2001 in which the Bush administration claimed the military could search and seize terror suspects in the United States without warrants. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration threw open the curtain on years of Bush-era secrets Monday, revealing anti-terror memos that claimed exceptional search-and-seizure powers and divulging that the CIA destroyed nearly 100 videotapes of interrogations and other treatment of terror suspects.

The Justice Department released nine legal opinions showing that, following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Bush administration determined that certain constitutional rights would not apply during the coming fight. Within two weeks, government lawyers were already discussing ways to wiretap U.S. conversations without warrants.

The Bush administration eventually abandoned many of the legal conclusions, but the documents themselves had been closely held. By releasing them, President Barack Obama continued a house-cleaning of the previous administration's most contentious policies.

"Too often over the past decade, the fight against terrorism has been viewed as a zero-sum battle with our civil liberties," Attorney General Eric Holder said in a speech a few hours before the documents were released. "Not only is that school of thought misguided, I fear that in actuality it does more harm than good."

The Obama administration also acknowledged in court documents Monday that the CIA destroyed 92 videos of involving terror suspects, including interrogations — far more than had been known. Congressional Democrats and other critics have charged that some of the harsh interrogation techniques amounted to torture, a contention President George W. Bush and other Bush officials rejected.

The new administration pledged on Monday to begin turning over documents related to the videos to a federal judge and to make as much information public as possible.

The legal memos written by the Bush administration's Office of Legal Counsel show a government grappling with how to wage war on terrorism in a fast-changing world. The conclusion, reiterated in page after page of documents, was that the president had broad authority to set aside constitutional rights.

Fourth Amendment protections against unwarranted search and seizure, for instance, did not apply in the United States as long as the president was combatting terrorism, the Justice Department said in an Oct. 23, 2001, memo.

"First Amendment speech and press rights may also be subordinated to the overriding need to wage war successfully," Deputy Assistant Attorney General John Yoo wrote, adding later: "The current campaign against terrorism may require even broader exercises of federal power domestically."

On Sept. 25, 2001, Yoo discussed possible changes to the laws governing wiretaps for intelligence gathering. In that memo, he said the government's interest in keeping the nation safe following the terrorist attacks might justify warrantless searches.

That memo did not specifically attempt to justify the government's warrantless wiretapping program, but it provided part of the foundation.

Yoo, now a professor at the University of California at Berkeley School of Law, did not return messages seeking comment.

The memos reflected a belief within the Bush administration that the president had broad powers that could not be checked by Congress or the courts. That stance, in one form or another, became the foundation for many polices: holding detainees at Guantanamo Bay, eavesdropping on U.S. citizens without warrants, using tough new CIA interrogation tactics and locking U.S. citizens in military brigs without charges.

Obama has pledged to close the Guantanamo Bay prison within a year. He halted the CIA's intensive interrogation program. And last week, prosecutors moved the terrorism case against U.S. resident Ali Al-Marri, a suspected al-Qaida sleeper agent held in a military brig, to a civilian courthouse.

A criminal prosecutor is wrapping up his own investigation of CIA interrogations.

Monday's acknowledgment of videotape destruction, however, involved a civil lawsuit filed in New York by the American Civil Liberties Union.

"The CIA can now identify the number of videotapes that were destroyed," said the letter submitted in that case by Acting U.S. Attorney Lev Dassin. "Ninety-two videotapes were destroyed."

It is not clear what exactly was on the recordings. The government's letter cites interrogation videos, but the lawsuit against the Defense Department also seeks records related to treatment of detainees, any deaths of detainees and the CIA's sending of suspects overseas, known as "extraordinary rendition."

At the White House, press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters he hadn't spoken to the president about the report, but he called the news about the videotapes "sad" and said Obama was committed to ending torture while also protecting American values.

ACLU attorney Amrit Singh said the CIA should be held in contempt of court for holding back the information for so long.

"The large number of videotapes destroyed confirms that the agency engaged in a systematic attempt to hide evidence of its illegal interrogations and to evade the court's order," Singh said.

CIA spokesman George Little said the agency "has certainly cooperated with the Department of Justice investigation. If anyone thinks it's agency policy to impede the enforcement of American law, they simply don't know the facts."

The details of interrogations of terror suspects, and the existence of tapes documenting those sessions, have become the subject of long fights in a number of different court cases. In the trial of Sept. 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui, prosecutors initially claimed no such recordings existed, then acknowledged after the trial was over that two videotapes and one audiotape had been made.

The Dassin letter, dated March 2 to Judge Alvin Hellerstein, says the CIA is now gathering more details for the lawsuit, including a list of the destroyed records, any secondary accounts that describe the destroyed contents and the identities of those who may have viewed or possessed the recordings before they were destroyed.

But the lawyers also note that some of that information may be classified, such as the names of CIA personnel who viewed the tapes.

The separate criminal investigation includes interrogations of al-Qaida lieutenant Abu Zubaydah and another top al-Qaida leader. Tapes of those interrogations were destroyed, in part, the Bush administration said, to protect the identities of the government questioners at a time the Justice Department was debating whether or not the tactics used during the interrogations were legal.

Former CIA director Michael Hayden acknowledged that waterboarding — simulated drowning — was used on three suspects, including the two whose interrogations were recorded.

John Durham, a senior career prosecutor in Connecticut, is leading the criminal investigation, out of Virginia, and had asked that he be given until the end of February to wrap up his work before requests for information in the civil lawsuit were dealt with.

Israel yapaswa kuheshimu makubaliano yaliyotangulia

Israel yapaswa kuheshimu makubaliano yaliyotangulia

Mkuu wa sera za nje wa Umoja wa Ulaya Javier Solana(kushoto) na kiongozi wa chama cha Likud cha Israel,Benjamin Netanyahu.

Mkuu wa sera za nje wa Umoja wa Ulaya Javier Solana amesema serikali yo yote ile itakayoundwa nchini Israel,inapaswa kuendelea kuheshimu makubaliano yaliyopatikana wakati wa serikali zilizotangulia.

Solana,anatazamia kuwa serikali itakayoundwa Israel na Benjamin Netanyahu wa chama cha Likud cha mrengo wa kulia,ataendelea na mchakato wa amani kupata suluhisho la mataifa mawili katika Mashariki ya Kati.

Baada ya kukutana na Rais wa Wapalestina Mahmoud Abbas mjini Ramallah kwenye Ukingo wa Magharibi,Javier Solana alisema,ni matumaini yake kuwa serikali ijayo nchini Israel itaheshimu makubaliano yaliyopatikana pamoja na Wapalestina na itasitisha harakati za ujenzi wa makaazi ya walowezi wa Kiyahudi katika Ukingo wa Magharibi.

Solana ametembelea Israel na maeneo ya Wapalestina kujitayarisha kwa mkutano wa wafadhili utakaoanza siku ya Jumatatu nchini Misri katika juhudi ya kusaidia ujenzi upya kwenye Ukanda wa Gaza.Msaada huo wa fedha hautotolewa kwa Hamas kundi linalodhibiti Ukanda wa Gaza,bali utapitia Utawala wa Wapalestina na utagawanywa kwa kushirikiana na mashirika ya kimataifa.

Obama kufafanua mpango wa kuondoa majeshi, baadae leo

Obama kufafanua mpango wa kuondoa majeshi, baadae leo

Rais wa Marekani Barack Obama.

Rais Barack Obama leo anatarajiwa kufafanua mpango wa kuondoa majeshi ya Marekani kutoka Irak.

Maafisa wa ngazi za juu katika utawala wa rais Barack Obama wamesema kuwa Marekani itaondoa majeshi yake kutoka Irak hadi ifikapo mwishoni mwa mwaka 2011.Rais Obama mwenyewe anatarajiwa kufafanua mpango huo baadae leo.

Anatazamiwa kufafanua mpango huo kwenye kambi ya kijeshi iliyopo North Carolina.Marekani kwa sasa ina wanajeshsi laki 1na 42 alfu. Zaidi ya 4,250 wameuawa tokea Marekani iivamie Irak mnamo mwaka 2003.

Obama anatazamiwa baadae leo kuitangaza tarehe 31 ya mwezi agosti mwaka 2010 kuwa siku ya mwisho ya harakati za kijeshi kwa Marekani nchini Irak.Hatahivyo baadhi ya wanachama wa chama chake -Demokratik wameonyesha wasiwasi kwamba mpango wake umechelewa. Obama aliahidi kuondoa majeshi ya Marekani kutoka Irak mnamo muda wa miezi 16 mara baada ya kuingia madarakani.

Rais Obama alikuwa mpinzani wa vita vya Irak tokea Marekani kwa kushirikiana na nchi zingine imvamie Saddam Hussein.Hatahivyo mpango wa rais Obama unalenga shabaha ya kubakiza wanajeshi alfu 50 watakaotoa ushauri kwa majeshi ya Irak na kulinda maslahi ya Marekani nchini humo. Lengo hilo limelaumiwa na Spika wa Baraza la Wawakilishi bibi Nancy Pelosi .Akizungumza katika mahojiano ya televisheni bibi Pelosi amesema haoni sababu ya kuhalalisha idadi hiyo ya askari kuendelea kubakia nchini Irak.Amesema askari kati ya alfu 15 hadi alfu 20 wangelitosheleza.

Rais Obama alikutana kwa faragha na viongozi wa bunge hapo jana ambapo alifahamisha juu ya mpango wa kuondoa majeshi yote ya Marekani kutoka Irak hadi kufikia mwaka 2011.

Walahi tena....

Pamoja na uzee wote huo ameweza kuzindua kitabu....

Rais kikwete akimsaidia Rashid Mfaume Kawawa kusaini kitabu chake kiitwacho Simba wa Vita katika uzinduzi wa kitabu hicho IKULU leo....

Rais Kikwete akionesha juu kitabu cha Kawawa....Ikulu leo

Pinda afagilia ufugaji bora

Waziri Mkuu, Mizengo Pinda akiwapa ng`ombe chakula baada ya kufurahishwa na ufugaji bora wakati alipotembelea shamba la Mzee, Jimmy Toll (kushoto) katika eneo la Ashtown nje kidogo ya jiji la Dublin nchini Ireland juzi(Picha na Ofisi ya Waziri Mkuu).