>> al-shabab claims responsibility for the bus attack in kenya. at least 28 people are killed. >> hello, you're watching al jazeera live from doha. opposition calls for a boycott. and the birth play of the arab spring gets ready to mark a major milestone. >> i'm in london where we're at a world championship event. can you guess what it is? probably. but what has it all got to do

with selfies, hashtags an. that coming up. >> gunmen hijacked a bus near kenya's northeastern border and killed 28 passengers. the bus was on its way to nairobi. the >> al-shabab claimed responsibility for the passenger shootings.

>> a reporter with the standard newspaper told al jazeera the area is proximity to the border makes it vulnerable to attack. >> it is along the border.

>> there are reports of heavy fighting between houthies and alqaida in the yemeni city. houthi rebels deny the claim. we have the latest. >> reporter: the situation remains tense in the province. al-qaeda has killed 12 houthi fighters. the houthi say they're determined to expand into al quite. they continue to recruit tribesmen for the quite against the houthi.

the houthi has sent reinforcements to the area saying they're determined to prevent al-qaeda from seizing the oil operations. >> people in bahrain are voting in the first parliamentary election since the crackdown. but opposition says that the government has failed to address any of the grievances that sparked the unrest. >> they are competing for 40 seats in bahrain's parliament election. around 70% of the sunni muslim-ruled is shia.

>> what ithe government is looking for the impossible from any rational person. >> the 2011 protest made bahrain's neighbors first. saudi military played an important role in clearing protesters, who had set up tents. the bahrain authorities then arrested thousands of people. real power comes from bahrain's uncollected leadership. as international condemnation increased, the government described an independent inquiry. the findings were a damning indictment, including details of the tortured detainees and the sacking of employees in the public and private sector. while some progress has been made on police reform, rights organizations say abuses continue. >> we have arrest on a daily

basis. we have people taken from their homes being interrogated, being threatened. usually elections mean that you embrace the people, and you embrace opposition. in bahrain we have people being torture, and trying to silence right before the election, that's how they're preparing for it. >> they're trying to reach out to the opposition. >> our door is open to them. there was an invitation for dialogue. a second invitation for dialogue. they refused. because in their mind bahrain should be delivered to iran. >> the government accuses iran of trying to stir revolution in bahrain. the opposition said it just wants a greater role in politics. rights groups say that the u.s. isn't doing enough to protect human rights in bahrain. the u.s.' fifth fleet is based

there. it's been four years since the crackdown on what has been described as bahrain's arab spring moment. it is unlikely these elections will help with any meaningful reconciliation in this deeply divided country. charles stratford, al jazeera. >> still no break throw in takes in iran'talks in iran. a deadline for a deal is on monday. there are reports that eight people have been killed in an airstrike in western iraq. we have more on that, what can you tell us? >> reporter: well, i can tell you that according to the hospital sources that we have, eight civilians were brought in as a result of an airstrike. these were civilians for adults

and for children. two of those adults were women. also we're hearing that five were injured as well. now we don't know whereabouts in anbar province the airstrikes took place. we also don't know if they were coalition airstrikes. but what we do know there is a fierce fight going on between isil for ramadi city. they managed to talk from the south or north on friday, and we're seeing iraqi forces and tribal militias within the center of that city fight back. it's likely these airstrikes would be an as a result. like i say we can't confirm who was behind the airstrikes. >> put in perspective for us how crucial are some of these areas to the advance of isil? >> reporter: it's not just ramadi. it backs on to syria. it is a key border crossing to get fighters in syria in to

iraq. also there is a very long road that leads from syria in to iraq. long those roads are the main towns. some of them are occupied by isil forces. others have isil forces pushing on the edge. but the key is the fact that one of the towns leads directly to baghdad, and baghdad has always been a target for isil fighters. take for example the town of fallujah. you take a look at areas that have significant isil fighters, and anbar province is one of the key provinces where if you're going to beat isil it's where they have a lot of fight necessary iraq. it's proving to the point where many sunn sunny sunni

politicians are saying they would like to be able to help isil, and sunni militias have been formed to fight and take back the provinc province. >> thank you. isil is one of the topics on the table where the adjustment vice president is meeting with the turkish president. joe biden is there to discuss how turkey can play a bigger role in the coalition against isil. turkey has been criticized of not doing enough to stop the flow of fighters joining isil in iraq. but they say they need to remove bashar al-assad from power in syria. the foreign ministry said that the mission's di parture gave no reason for the decision. police keeping troops have been in darfur since 2007 for the

ongoing conflict there. the u.n. security council is calling for a thorough investigation into allegations of hundreds of women and girls have been raped by soldiers in darfur. they're accused of attacking women in two separate occasions in the past three weeks. the sudanese army denies the claims. >> reporter: to get to tabot is difficult. sometimes the only safe way in is with armed assistance. they escorted the media in to cover a scandal that says 200 women and girls have been subjected to massive rape, violated by sudanese soldiers. allegations that they deny. some women on the streets say nothing happened. >> we've heard about women young and old being raped in the villages. we heard that they were only

willing to spread rumors and give a bad reputation. >> these claims of mass rapes are big lies. those soldiers have married our girls, not raped them. >> but we have this report. >> the soldier beat up my husband badly in front of our three girls. they dragged him out of the house bleeding. four others came in and started raping my daughters. they were screaming think father's name to rescue them. the rape lasted three hours. they did that to everyone, and neighbors, everyone. >> the united nations first tried to send a team to investigate the allegations on the fourth of november. it's team was denied access to the village for almost a week. finally they were allowed in but with a sizable sudanese army present. >> they found no evidence to confirm the allegations reported in the media.

it was added, however, that there had been a heavy military presence during the teams' presen visit, and while the rape allegations remain unverified, in her view it was not impossible to conclude that no sexual violence took place. >> the u.n. team has tried to get back in the last few days and again has been refused access. the regional government in darfur denies this. >> we have nothing to hide. we are open for free and independent investigation. what has happened there did not deserve an investigation because everyone knows they deny their accusations. if there is an international investigation we will go with it because we have nothing to hide. >> for the moment it's not possible to prove what has really taken place there. but the u.n. seems determined to try to find out. dominick kane, al jazeera. >> still ahead on al jazeera, some women in ghana protest

ancient rituals demanded of widows. we'll introduce you to a woman who is a force for change.

>> welcome back. let's recap the headlines here in al jazeera. the armed group of al-shabab claims responsibility for the shooting death of 28 people. it happened along the somali somalia-kenyan border.

in bahrain opposition parties say grievances that sparked unrest has not been addressed. bahrain has been ruled by sunni muslims but the majority are shia. piece keeping troops in dafur has been i there since 2007. inial news are .

u.n. openers were pulled from the syrian side of the demarcation line. civilians say despite taking refuge in the so-called cease firecease-fire, they are still under bombardment. >> the fight something fierce. thousands have fled the area which borders the cease-fire line now villages inside the zone are coming under attack from syrian forces. u.n. peace keepers on the israeli side of the line after rebels took control of the crossing. those who live or took refuge inside the fighting zone hoped they would be safe. >> this is the result. i'm a civilian. i lost my eye. i lost my hand. i'm being treated in the

hospital. i need to go abroad where doctors may be able to do better for my case. we don't have the medicines here. >> the cross something a gate away from the west into damascus, which lies just 65 kilometers to the north. an alliance of rebel fighters including al-qaeda-linked al nusra front are not giving up. they are forced to the countryside, where nothing is easy. >> we need to buy everything. we need to buy water, bread, everything. we need to buy it, but we don't have money. >> many here don't take sides, and are angry for the bomb batterment and the opposition for failing to keep its word. neither are able to help those caught in the middle where the struggle for survival continues.

>> the new interim president of burkina faso begins his first term. they are warning that the army cannot be part of the government next year. >> no one in active service may seek position in political position. this means that those who take on elective positions must severe ties with the military. >> former police director in machines has been arrested in connection with the disappearance of 43 students. here's the latest in a string of arrests that including a former mayor and police officials. all suspected of being involved

in the students' disappearance in september. despite the break through public anger continues to boil over in massive street protest. u.s. president barack obama has been rallying support for his new immigration plan. he addressed supporters in las vegas. his plan would give temperature legal status and work pe permits to millions of undocumented immigrants. >> independent experts, not me, people who analyze the economy for a living, they said that over two decades the new law would grow our economy, shrink our deficits, in other words, it would help to solve some big problems in a bipartisan way. >> tunisians vote on sunday. it's a milestone for the country. three years after an up rising

that ousted the country's leader and caused similar protest in the region. among those vying for the top job a tycoon who is appeared to former italian prime minister berlusconi. >> he is a multi millionaire, but he wants to show he's also one of the people. he admits this is the first time he has ever been on a tram. and he's led a privileged life growing up in exile in libya. he's secretive about how he made his fortune. some say that he was close to the qaddafi family. others say its success in oils and construction. >> do you think you can actually change things for the country? or are you in it for the business. >> no, no, my business is outside of this country. i'm coming for change. >> his rivals say he's only in tunisia to amass more wealth. but he promises as president

he'll invest in the poorest regions. he has pent tens of thousands of dollars on his lavish campaign. here he tries to visit a hotelings but he's turned away and told he can't canvass on public property. most of his supporters are young students who are unemployed people. they believe he has a strong economic plan. >> we support him. we support the program. we support ideas. we don't support money. >> 's not buying your vote? >> no, no, never. >> he's been compared by some to former italian prime minister berlusconi. he owns this football cub club, the top in the tunisian league. many believe he has used his money to lead his party to third place in the parliamentary

elections. but some are concerned that he's more interested in running a business than the organization. >> he has the right to run. however, the only question is oh do we have the institutional guarantees that any other candidates won't be the next. >> whatever happens in sunday's election, he still has a role to play in tunisia's next government. his party's seats in parliament could be a deciding fact center a new coalition. al jazeera, tunis. >> the parliament is discussing a bill to protect the rights of widows. the problems many of them face. they're often discriminated against by traditional beliefs. >> reporter: her husband fell

sick and died nine years ago. she said her husband's family blame her for his death and tried to throw him out of the house. he was banned from eating eggs, chicken or beans. >> my husband's family didn't see the use in me because i didn't bear a child. they said i was a witch, and that is why i killed my husband, and that they didn't need me any more. they wanted me to die, but i'm not dead. my husband gave me this room, and it is my right. >> reporter: she found help through a support group. like mary, these women have faced discrimination. they come together regularly to arrange beads to sell in the eastern ghana.

the foundation supports women to know their rights and to work. >> in some traditions you need to go to the riverside and go make. in some traditions you need to tie something around your waist for years. this needs to stop. gender equality should be right. if your brother would not go through this, why should a woman go through it. >> she said the treatment of widows has to do with their level of education and social standing. widow hood rights have long been seen as part of the culture. there are laws to protect the spouses, and they say it is inefficient and complicated by the fact that many husbands don't leave behind a will. these women have found each other, and their message to other widows is that they should not suffer in silence because they're not alone. al jazeera, ghana.

>> now, the word game scrabble is played by millions worldwide, but nowhere is the game taken more seriously than in london, where hundreds of people have turned up for the world championships. >> you are looking at scrabble gold. these letters in the right order could net a massessive score. see if you can figure the word out. we'll leave it here for just a moment. what they wouldn't give for a set of letters just like that. 200 big brains all in one room here at the scrabble championships. >> i'm from poland. >> i have come from kenya. >> i've come all the way from south africa. >> the international championships, no less, scrabble is worldwide, and there is no better place to be than london right now. abdullah is from pakistan a 14-year-old with big dreams. >> i will be number one some day. >> so you have ambitions. >> big ones.

>> and that is where he is aiming, the main stage, the big tournament. it's hungry work. this is an old game with a modern approach. each move scrutinized by computers. a hobby enjoyed in 120 countries. >> it's a fun game. >> and won in the midst of a big change. >> for those who like to play scrabble but are absolutely dreadful at it, this is the bane of their lives. the dictionary is the rule book. it says the words you can and cannot use. traditionalcally slang ha traditionally slang has been banned. i say traditionally, because slang has been added. words like hashtag, selfie, vlog.

chillax. and for those who are traditional, it means they have to learn all over again. >> for word purists they don't want to add selfie, but everyone knows those are words. >> here it is again to put it out of your misery. that is the word quinzhee. it could give you 401 points if placed correctly. it's definition is a shelter made out of hallowed out pile of snow. >> this should be a good match. >> i'm brilliant. >> okay, that's a lie. but sometimes it's good to have plan b up your sleeve. >> o what's going on here? >> oops. >> literally, but only if you don't get caught. >> uaw. >> i'm having trouble just putting words together here.

let's remind you, if you want to see more on scrabble, as well as others stories you know where to go. www.aljazeera.com. you can see our front page there. we'll have a scrabble of all the stories we're following. >> the threat of deportation has been lifted for millions of undocumented people in the u.s. been lifted for millions of undocumented people in the u.s. does the executive action deliver the relief activists say they wanted and needed? this is "inside story." >> hello, i'm ray suarez. at the beginning of second term the president said he wanted an