UN warns Ivory Coast's Gbagbo against attack

The UN has warned Laurent Gbagbo not to allow an attack on the hotel where its peacekeepers are defending Alassane Ouattara's shadow government in Ivory Coast.

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Laurent Gbagbo - Insists he is the legitimate leader of Ivory Coast

The United Nations has warned Laurent Gbagbo not to allow an attack on the hotel where its peacekeepers are defending Alassane Ouattara's shadow government in Ivory Coast.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned UN troops would resist any assault, which he said could trigger civil war in the fragile West African state.
Mr Gbagbo's most notorious lieutenant has vowed to storm his rival's base in the New Year.
In a statement, a 'deeply concerned' Mr Ban said the UNOCI force would 'use all necessary means to protect its personnel, as well as the government officials and other civilians at these premises of the hotel.'
Also in New York, the UN envoy for the prevention of genocide, Francis Deng, said reports that the Abidjan homes of Mr Gbagbo opponents 'had been marked to identify their ethnicity were extremely worrying.'
Mr Gbagbo's notorious 'Street General', Minister for Youth Charles Ble Goude, earlier this week urged Ivorian youths to rise up to seize control of Ouattara's headquarters in the waterfront Golf Hotel resort.
'From January 1, I, Charles Ble Goude and the youth of Ivory Coast are going to liberate the Golf Hotel with our bare hands,' the political showman turned minister declared Wednesday, to a cheering crowd of hardline supporters.
The call came as the UN chief peacekeeper accused Mr Gbagbo's state media of 'inciting hatred' against UN troops and as West African leaders promised to try once more to negotiate a peaceful settlement to the crisis.
'This is only the latest provocation from Gbagbo's camp,' Mr Ouattara's spokeswoman Anne Ouluto said from the hotel, where Ivory Coast's internationally-recognised leader is effectively cornered.
'It's a false pretext to attack United Nations forces and create a genuine incident,' she said, of Ble Goude's declaration.
The once-plush resort is protected by a small contingent of lightly-armed former rebel fighters known as the 'New Forces' and 800 UN troops equipped with armoured vehicles and re-supplied by helicopter.
It is surrounded by Mr Gbagbo's well-armed regulars, the Ivory Coast Defence and Security Forces (FDS), but Mr Ouattara's camp is more concerned about Ble Goude's threat to send thousands of unarmed youths to storm the hotel.
Ouattara's camp fears Mr Gbagbo is plotting a large-scale massacre of his opponents in order to cling on to power and that he wants to tarnish the reputation of UN troops by forcing them to employ deadly force.
Mr Gbagbo insists that he is the legitimate leader of Ivory Coast, and accuses France, the US and the UN UNOCI peacekeeping mission of conspiring with Mr Ouattara to falsify the election results.
Mr Gbagbo warned yesterday he would not leave power voluntarily and said international pressure for him to quit threatened to push the country to civil war.
'I do not believe at all in a civil war. But obviously, if the pressures continue as they have, they will push towards war, confrontation,' he said in an interview with TV channel Euronews.
Mr Gbagbo ruled out standing down voluntarily, saying that his departure did not provide 'a guarantee that it would bring peace.'
Both Gbagbo and Ouattara claim to have won last month's Ivorian election, but only the latter has been recognised as president by the world community, including the ECOWAS regional group and the UN.
Hopes for a negotiated settlement have come to rest on the west African leaders represented by ECOWAS, who have voted to authorise military intervention if Mr Gbagbo refuses to step aside for Ouattara.
A delegation of three West African presidents went to Abidjan on Tuesday to deliver their ultimatum, but left without a clear result, and have since said they are still pressing for a peaceful solution.
In the latest sign of cold feet, Ivory Coast's neighbour Ghana said it was not planning to contribute any troops to an ECOWAS mission.
The head of the UN human rights team in Ivory Coast said the number of killings linked to the crisis had plunged to six over the past week against 176 the week before, but said tension remained.

Roger Milla - 1982, 1990, 1994 FIFA World Cup Classic Players

Ivory Coast: General strike called to pressure Gbagbo

Laurent Gbagbo has demanded UN troops leave the country

Ivory Coast: Two presidents, one crisis

Political parties loyal to Ivory Coast presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara have called a general strike across the country from Monday to force the incumbent president to cede power.

Our correspondent John James says the strike is not being widely observed so far in Abidjan, the biggest city.
Laurent Gbagbo has refused to step aside following November's disputed election which he insists was rigged.
Mr Ouattara has been recognised internationally as the victor.
Regional West African grouping Ecowas has warned it may use "legitimate force" to remove Mr Gbagbo.
He accused the US and France of leading a plot against him.
Presidential visit
Mr Ouattara's spokesman Patrick Achi said on Sunday: "I can confirm that we have called for a general strike across the nation from tomorrow."
A statement from Mr Ouattara's party added: "We should not let them steal our victory."
Our correspondent in Abidjan says the city is relatively quiet but a lot of people are going to work and many shops are open.
He says people do not want to put their heads above the parapet at the moment - even those who may have voted for Mr Ouattara - because of the possibility that Mr Gbabgo could stay on in power.
The United Nations, the European Union, the US, the African Union and West African regional bloc Ecowas all say that Mr Ouattara won the 28 November vote.

Analysis

John James BBC News, Abidjan

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The call for a general strike echoes a similar call last week by the man who would be Mr Ouattara's prime minister.
Most civil servants are already staying away from work in the general confusion caused by the swearing in of two presidents, each with their own set of ministers.
Although the situation has felt less tense since the lifting of an overnight curfew, there's concern that things will worsen in the coming month.

A delegation of heads of state from Ecowas - from Benin, Sierra Leone and Cape Verde - is planning to travel to the country on Tuesday to convince Mr Gbagbo to step aside.

Mr Gbagbo's Interior Minister Emile Guirieoulou told a news conference that his government would: "welcome the three heads of states as brothers and friends, and listen to the message they have to convey".
Our correspondent says that after calls from the US and French presidents, this personal visit will represent the final notice for Mr Gbagbo, whose hold on power is diminishing by the day. He adds that any intervening force would almost certainly come from Nigeria.
On Sunday UK Foreign Secretary William Hague expressed "deep concern" at the situation and called on Mr Gbagbo to step down.
In an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro, Mr Gbagbo said that if military intervention occurred it would be a dangerous precedent.
"All threats must be taken seriously. But, in Africa, it would be the first time African countries would be ready to go to war because an election went badly."
He repeated his assertion that he was the victim of an international plot against him, led by former colonial power, France, along with the US.

Alassane Ouattara is the internationally recognised poll winner

"If there is an internal conflict, a civil war, there will be risks because we will not allow our rights, our constitution, to be trampled on. People have to remember that. We are not afraid. We are not the aggressors."
Threat of conflict
Earlier, his spokesperson warned that foreign intervention could ignite a civil war, sparking conflict between the country's many foreign migrant workers which could spill across Ivory Coast's borders.
"All these countries have citizens in Ivory Coast, and they know if they attack Ivory Coast from the exterior it would become an interior civil war," Ahoua Don Mello said.
"Is Burkina Faso ready to welcome three million Burkinabe migrants back in their country of origin?" he asked.
Millions of West African immigrants from poorer neighbouring states work in Ivory Coast's relatively prosperous cocoa-led economy.
Some 14,000 people have already fled to neighbouring Liberia following November's disputed election results, and the UN says it is prepared for a total of 30,000 refugees in the region.
The UN has said at least 173 people have died in violence already.

Most of those fleeing are supporters of Mr Ouattara, who, along with his cabinet, is based at a hotel in Abidjan under the protection of UN troops.
Mr Gbagbo has demanded that UN and French troops leave the country and a close ally has even warned that they could be treated as rebels if they did not obey the instruction.
The UN, which has 10,000 peacekeepers in the country, rejected the call.
The election was meant to unite the country after a civil war in 2002 split the world's largest cocoa producer in two, with the predominantly Muslim North supporting Mr Ouattara and the mainly Christian south backing Mr Gbagbo.

Laurent Gbagbo denied access to Ivory Coast state funds

Mr Gbagbo says the presidential poll was rigged in rebel areas that backed Mr Ouattara

Ivory Coast: Two presidents, one crisis

The Central Bank of West African States has blocked Laurent Gbagbo's access to Ivory Coast's funds and has recognised Alassane Ouattara as president.

The bank says only appointed members of Ivory Coast's "legitimate government" will have access to the deposits there.
The BCEAO had been urged to restrict access as it will make it difficult for Mr Gbagbo to pay the military, and increase pressure on him to step down.
Violence since last month's disputed election has left 173 people dead.
A senior UN official said its investigators had also found evidence of extrajudicial executions, more than 90 cases of torture and 500 arrests, as well as abductions, kidnappings, acts of sexual violence, and destruction of property.
The UN Human Rights Council expressed deep concern about the unrest, and unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the "atrocities".
Mr Gbagbo says the 28 November poll, meant to unify a country split by civil war in 2002, was rigged in rebel areas that backed Mr Ouattara.
The Independent Electoral Commission ruled that Mr Ouattara had won, a decision later certified by the UN. But the Constitutional Council said Mr Gbagbo had been elected, citing vote rigging in some areas.
The UN General Assembly gave Mr Ouattara a further boost late on Thursday, by unanimously deciding to recognise his choice of diplomats as the sole official representatives of Ivory Coast to the UN.
Emergency summit

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Few journalists have had access to the hotel where Alassane Ouattara set up his makeshift HQ three weeks ago.
A UN helicopter flew some of us over the lagoon to land in the garden, next to the tents for UN peacekeepers which guard the hotel.
The lobby was busy with a few dozen stranded supporters - many of them wearing white T-shirts from Mr Ouattara's electoral campaign. "It's not too bad, we're getting food," one says.
With access to the hotel being denied - even for most UN convoys - food and supplies are often airlifted in.
The cabinet says it is at work. A long table has been arranged in a big air-conditioned tent and about two dozen computers are available for Mr Ouattara's staff.
His men are up and running as if they were already in charge.

• Life inside Ouattara's hotel

At the same time as the UN Human Rights Council met in Geneva, finance ministers in West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) agreed to tell the BCEAO to hand over control of Ivory Coast's state accounts to Mr Ouattara.

"The Council of Ministers has noted the decisions of the UN, African Union and Ecowas [Economic Community of West African States] to recognise Alassane Ouattara as the legitimately elected president of Ivory Coast," a statement said, according to the Agence France-Presse news agency.
The council had decided that only "officials regularly designated by the legitimate government of Ivory Coast" could access the country's deposits and represent it within the UEMOA, the statement added.
The ministers instructed the central bank and all regional banks "to take all security measures to ensure the rigorous application of these measures".
The BBC's John James in Abidjan says the decision cuts off a major source of funds for Mr Gbagbo, who has shown no sign of stepping down.
Mr Gbagbo still has control of state television and the public support of the army, but without access to Ivory Coast's state accounts it is going to be extremely difficult to pay the salaries of soldiers and civil servants next month, even if he almost certainly has other financial reserves, our correspondent says.
But, analysts say the move by the finance ministers is risky, because Ivory Coast is by far the most important economy in the West African CFA monetary zone, whose eight members all use the franc CFA.

Mr Gbagbo has demanded that UN and French peacekeepers leave the country immediately

Although Mr Gbagbo has tried to paint the international condemnation of his decision to stay on in power as a plot by former colonial power France, West Africa's leaders have been some of the most vocal critics, our correspondent says.
On Friday, they will gather in Nigeria for an emergency meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) and are likely to consider a range of measures against Mr Gbagbo, including the possibility of military action, he adds.
It sent troops to bring peace to Liberia and Sierra Leone in the 1990s.
'Avoid violence'
Mr Ouattara and his supporters are currently holed up in the Golf Hotel in Abidjan, protected by 800 peacekeepers from Unoci. They are in turn being blockaded by soldiers loyal to Mr Gbagbo.

The incumbent president has demanded that UN and French troops leave the country immediately. A close ally even warned that they could be treated as rebels if they did not obey the instruction.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday that any attempt to "starve the United Nations mission into submission" would not be tolerated, told the international community that it "cannot stand by".
Guillaume Soro, the former rebel commander appointed prime minister by Mr Ouattara, meanwhile urged the use of force to oust Mr Gbagbo.
"The Ivorians cannot engage in talks with a dictator," he said.
A US government specialist on Africa, William Fitzgerald, told the BBC that various options for defusing the crisis were being considered, but that "we're really trying to avoid violence if at all possible".

Samuel Eto'o wins record fourth African Player award

Eto'o hit the heights with Inter in 2010 Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o has become the first man to be named African Player of the Year for a fourth time. The striker, 29, enjoyed little success with his country in 2010 but helped his club Inter Milan become European and Italian champions last season. Eto'o also won the prestigious award in 2003, 2004 and 2005 while playing in Spain, latterly with Barcelona. He finished ahead of Ivory Coast and Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and Ghana and Sunderland forward Asamoah Gyan. The forward also scored one and created one in Inter's 3-0 win over Congolese side TP Mazembe to seal the Club World Cup final on Saturday. Eto'o's fourth African crown takes him past other three-time winners Abedi Pele and George Weah. "It is a pleasure to be a winner again, to take it for the fourth time against such top opposition," he said after the ceremony in Cairo. "Africa now has so many good players and there is lots of talent coming up, so this might be a last chance for me." Eto'o was an integral part of Inter's success last term, scoring 16 goals during a highly successful campaign under then-coach Jose Mourinho. However, his exploits with the Indomitable Lions were limited as they were knocked out early in both the Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup in South Africa. In some quarters, that made him second favourite to Gyan, whose goals helped take Ghana to the World Cup quarter-finals, where they were eventually beaten on penalties by Uruguay. He also helped Ghana reach the final of the African Nations Cup, where they lost out to Egypt. Last week, Gyan was crowned BBC African Footballer of the Year for 2010. The winner of Monday's award was decided by votes from national coaches of the continent's 53 countries affiliated to the Confederation of African Football (Caf). Former Ghana boss Milovan Rajevac was named Coach of the Year, the Serbian seeing off competition from TP Mazembe's Lamine N'Diaye and Egypt's Hassan Shehata. Ghana were also voted National Team of the Year ahead of Algeria and Egypt, while Udinese midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah was named Young Player of the Year ahead of Algeria's Ryad Boudebouz and Niger striker Moussa Maazou. Veteran Egypt midfielder and captain Ahmed Hassan, 35, won the award for the best Africa-based player.

Ivory Coast crisis: Gbagbo ally warns of UN rebellion

The UN has accused pro-Gbagbo forces of harassing its troops

Ivory Coast: Two presidents, one crisis

An ally of Ivory Coast's incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo has warned UN peacekeepers they could be treated as rebels if they remain in the country after being told to leave.

Mr Gbagbo accuses the UN of siding with his rival Alassane Ouattara and ordered them out of the country.
The UN says Mr Ouattara won last month's poll and has urged all parties to recognise him as president.
It has extended the mandate of its 10,000-strong force by six months.
Mr Gbagbo says the polls were rigged in rebel-held areas of the north and was declared the winner by the Constitutional Council. But the UN mission in Ivory Coast, which was involved in organising the election, backed the electoral commission in saying Mr Ouattara had won.
Mr Gbagbo's Interior Minister, Emile Guirieoulou, said of the UN mission:
"If, against our will, they want to keep this force in our country, we won't co-operate with them.
"And if they chose to have authorities other than the legal authorities of the country, they become part of the rebellion."
Rival cabinets
As the stand-off continues, some fear that Ivory Coast could return to civil war.
The election, delayed for five years, was supposed to reunify the world's largest cocoa producer, which has been divided since 2002.
Both Western and African countries have also backed Mr Ouattara.
Nigeria's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Aliyu Idi Hong told the BBC that it would be willing to let Mr Gbagbo go into exile in Nigeria.
Both Mr Gbagbo and Mr Ouattara have named cabinets.

Bomb blast at Nairobi bus station kills three

 

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A witness said he saw someone throw something into the bus

At least three people have been killed and 39 injured by a bomb explosion at a bus station in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, police have said.

The blast happened as passengers passed through a security checkpoint before boarding a coach, which was bound for Kampala in neighbouring Uganda.
One of those who died was carrying a bag which contained the bomb, Police Commissioner Matthew Iteere said.
Earlier, Uganda's police chief had warned of attacks by Somali militants.
The Islamist group al-Shabab in July said it had carried out twin bomb blasts in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, in retaliation for Uganda's support for Somalia's government.
Most of the wounded were Ugandans travelling home for Christmas, Red Cross official Nelly Muluka told the Associated Press.
Attack warning

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I felt like I was hit by an electric shock”

End Quote Jack Wachira

The blast smashed the windows of the Kampala Coach vehicle, and left blood stains and scattered bags on the ground nearby.

"I felt like I was hit by an electric shock," Jack Wachira, who had escorted a friend to the bus station, told the Associated Press.
"When the particles hit my leg, I thought I stepped on electrical wires. Then I heard the explosion."
Mr Iteere said it was not yet clear if it was a suicide attack.
The bus driver told the BBC that a woman knocked the bag containing the bomb, which then went off. He said she was badly injured.
AS he visited some of the wounded in hospital, Kenyan Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka said he could not speculate on who may have been behind the blast but said police were investigating.
The BBC's Will Ross in Nairobi the fact that the targeted bus had been due to travel to Uganda seems to many people to be more than just a coincidence.
Al-Shabab has in the past threatened to attack Kenya because of its support for Somalia's weak, UN-backed government.

Snow deepens Europe's Christmas travel misery

 

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Hundreds slept in airports as they waited for their cancelled flights to be rescheduled

Overnight snowfall has compounded transport misery for travellers in Europe, as it continues to struggle with freezing conditions.

Germany's main air hub, Frankfurt, was forced to cancel almost 300 flights after being hit by unexpected snowfall.
In the UK, Heathrow Airport said it would continue to run only 30% of flights until 0600 GMT on Wednesday.
At London St Pancras rail station the queue for Eurostar trains to France and Belgium was already 1km by 0800 GMT.
Eurostar urged passengers to rebook or get a refund for their tickets, after services were curtailed by speed restrictions put on the lines.
A spokesman for Frankfurt airport said 139 arrivals and 136 departures had been cancelled on Tuesday morning.
The airport has fully reopened, but delays were expected for most of the day.

UN urges recognition of Ouattara as Ivory Coast leader

The UN accused Mr Gbagbo of distorting its position and threatening its personnel

Ivory Coast: Two presidents, one crisis

The UN Security Council has urged all parties in Ivory Coast to recognise opposition leader Alassane Ouattara as president and extended the mandate of the peacekeeping force for six months.

Incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo had ordered the 10,000-strong force to leave the country after the UN said he lost November's disputed run-off vote.
He and Mr Ouattara have both named a cabinet amid a stand-off in Abidjan.
Meanwhile, officials said the EU would impose a travel ban on Mr Gbagbo.
A spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton told the BBC that an agreement had been taken in principle to bar Mr Gbagbo, his wife and 17 other close associates, from member states.
The travel ban would come into effect by Wednesday, she said, adding that the EU was also hoping to freeze Mr Gbagbo's assets.
The US also threatened to impose sanctions on Mr Gbagbo.
"The election was clear, its result was clear, and it's time for him to go," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

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The UN is trying to manipulate public opinion and is looking for a pretext for a military intervention”

End Quote Toussaint Alain Adviser to Laurent Gbagbo

There are widespread fears that the election dispute could reignite civil war in the world's largest cocoa producer.

About 50 people have been killed in recent days, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay.
She said she had received reports of hundreds being snatched from their homes by people in military uniforms. Some were later found dead.
'Going through hell'
The resolution adopted unanimously by the Security Council increased pressure on Mr Gbagbo to admit defeat, which he has refused to do.
The resolution urged all Ivorian parties and stakeholders "to respect the will of the people and the outcome of the election" in view of the recognition of Mr Ouattara by the African Union and the West African regional group, Ecowas.

Ivory Coast

• World's largest cocoa producer
• 1990s: Slipped into internal strife after death of President Felix Houphouet-Boigny
• 2002: New Forces rebels seize north
• 2007: Power-sharing government installed with ex-rebel leader as prime minister
• 2010: First presidential elections in 10 years
• Laurent Gbagbo: President since 2000, southerner, backed by security forces
• Alassane Ouattara: Former prime minister, northerner, backed by ex-rebels, UN, West and African Union

In a further public challenge to the incumbent, the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in the country (Unoci) was extended.

The Security Council also said it might be possible for more UN peacekeepers to be redeployed from Liberia if necessary.
Since the election on 28 November, about 800 Unoci troops have protected a hotel in Abidjan, where Mr Ouattara has set up his headquarters. They have been encircled by the army, which is not allowing people to come and go.
Earlier, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's special representative promised Unoci would continue its operations despite the demand from Mr Gbagbo that its 9,000 peacekeepers, as well as 900 troops from the French force Licorne, withdraw immediately, accusing them of bias in favour of Mr Ouattara.
Choi Young-jin also accused Mr Gbagbo of distorting the UN's position and launching a new wave of harassment against its staff.
"Armed men have been coming to the personal houses of United Nations employees, asking them to leave and searching their houses under the pretext of looking for arms," he told a news conference in Abidjan.
"However, all these acts will not deter Unoci from doing its job as we remember one of Winston Churchill's maxims: 'If you are going through hell, just keep going.'"
Toussaint Alain, an adviser to Mr Gbagbo, said he did not believe soldiers or his supporters would be involved in such tactics.
"The UN is trying to manipulate public opinion and is looking for a pretext for a military intervention," he told the Associated Press news agency.
Mr Alain also said he doubted the allegations of multiple kidnappings and murders made by the UN were true, and warned the EU not to interfere.
"Europe must understand that this is not the colonial period," he added.

 

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Mr Gbagbo's supporters say France is trying to interfere in its former colony

The UN was invited by Ivory Coast to supervise the election, which was meant to reunify a country split into two parts since the 2002 civil war.
Mr Ouattara, a former IMF economist from the north of the country, was initially declared the winner by the independent electoral commission.
But the Constitutional Council then annulled the vote in many rebel-held areas of the north, after Mr Gbagbo's allies complained of fraud.
The Council later announced said Mr Gbagbo had won, with 51% of the vote. But Unoci said Mr Ouattara was the victor.
The BBC's Laura Trevelyan at the UN in New York says diplomats fear Ivory Coast may slide back into war unless the crisis is resolved swiftly.

EU 'to ban' Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo

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Gbagbo supporters say France is trying to interfere in its former colony

The European Union is set to impose a travel ban on Ivory Coast's incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo over disputed elections, a diplomat has told the BBC.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy had given Mr Gbagbo a deadline of Sunday to step down.
Mr Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara both say they won last month's election and have each named cabinet ministers amid a stand-off in the main city Abidjan.
The UN, the West and African leaders all say Mr Ouattara was the victor.
There are fears that the dispute could reignite civil war in the world's largest cocoa producer.
About 50 people have been killed in recent days, according to UN human rights chief Navi Pillay.
She said she had received reports of hundreds of people being snatched from their homes by people in military uniforms. Some were later found dead.
'Ready to die'
The diplomat told the BBC that an agreement had been taken in principle to ban Mr Gbagbo, and 18 of his allies, from the EU.

Ivory Coast

• World's largest cocoa producer
• 1990s: Slipped into internal strife after death of President Felix Houphouet-Boigny
• 2002: New Forces rebels seize north
• 2007: Power-sharing government installed with ex-rebel leader as prime minister
• 2010: First presidential elections in 10 years
• Laurent Gbagbo: President since 2000, southerner, backed by security forces
• Alassane Ouattara: Former prime minister, northerner, backed by ex-rebels, UN, West and African Union

The diplomat said the travel ban had to be officially adopted by EU leaders within the next 24-48 hours but said this was a formality as all member states backed it.

A separate decision may be taken to freeze any of Mr Gbagbo's assets in the EU. A US official last week said he and his family had "multiple homes in multiple countries".
Over the weekend, Mr Gbagbo demanded that the 10,000-strong UN peacekeeping mission be withdrawn from the country, accusing the UN of bias in favour of Mr Ouattara.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon immediately rejected the demand.
One of Mr Gbagbo's closest allies, youth leader Charles Ble Goude, on Sunday told a rally in Abidjan: "This battle that we began in 2002 - we are ready to die for it."
Mr Goude, who is on a UN sanctions list after his Young Patriots group were accused of killing, raping and assaulting opposition supporters, has been named Mr Gbagbo's youth minister.
Some of his supporters accuse former colonial power France of meddling in Ivory Coast's politics. It has a military base there and retains strong economic ties to the country.
UN troops are protecting the luxury Abidjan hotel where Mr Ouattara has been based since the disputed election.
Mr Ouattara, a former IMF economist from the north of the country, was initially declared the winner by the electoral commission.
But the Constitutional Council then annulled the vote in many rebel-held areas of the north, after Mr Gbagbo's allies complained of fraud.
The Council then said Mr Gbagbo had won, with 51% of the vote.
But the UN mission in Ivory Coast, Unoci, which was involved in organising the election, said Mr Ouattara was the victor.
The election was intended to reunify Ivory Coast, which has been split into two parts since a 2002 civil war.

Snow causes further Christmas travel chaos in England

Drivers are being warned of dangerous conditions

Snow and ice are causing further misery for travellers across England, with problems for air passengers and disruption on the roads and railways.

With more heavy snow predicted and bitterly cold temperatures, motoring organisations are warning of potentially fatal driving conditions.
Overnight temperatures fell as low as -19.6C in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, and -15C in other areas of the South.
Freezing fog is causing problems for commuters in northern England.
Forecasters warned of heavy snow across the South West on Monday, which could move towards London and the Midlands.
The British Airports Authority has issued an urgent appeal to travellers not to come to Heathrow unless they know for sure their flight will leave.
A spokesman said there was a huge backlog after flights were cancelled over the weekend because of snow and ice on the runway.
Abandoned cars Thousands of people were forced to spend another night at the airport because of the chaos.
British Airways was hoping 60 flight will depart from Heathrow on Monday morning, but dozens more have been cancelled.
Gatwick said the airport was returning to normal, but passengers should check with their airlines.
On the trains, passengers still face delays and cancellations following the weekend's heavy snowfall.
A number of train services have been cancelled in eastern England and on suburban routes in south-west London and Surrey.
Some London to Leeds and London to York services have been cancelled.

There are long queues at St Pancras station in London for Eurostar services to Paris and Brussels.

Driving conditions on the M5 in Somerset are described as "treacherous" and there are reports of motorists abandoning their cars on the motorway.
The chaos follows the severe problems faced by travellers on Sunday.

• Hundreds of rail passengers were left stranded in Peterborough overnight after icicles caused overhead power lines to fail.
• Drivers on the A34 in Oxfordshire faced eight-hour queues and some were stuck in their cars overnight.
• A tanker carrying liquid petroleum gas overturned on the M25 in Kent, causing police to close the motorway in both directions between junctions five and six for several hours. It has since reopened.
• Six people had to be rescued from freezing water after a dinghy sailing trip went wrong in blizzard conditions, off Alnmouth, in Northumberland.

'Hundreds abducted' in Ivory Coast election unrest - UN

Incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo has told UN troops to leave

Continue reading the main story Hundreds of people in Ivory Coast are reported to have been abducted from their homes since last month's disputed election, the UN says.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says some of the assailants wore military uniforms and there is evidence of "massive" human rights violations.
More than 50 people have died in violence in recent days, she adds.
Incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo says he won the poll, but his rival Alassane Ouattara has international backing.
On Saturday Mr Gbagbo demanded that all 10,000 foreign peacekeepers leave the country, saying UN and French troops were colluding with former rebels.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon rejected the call.
Ultimatum to Gbagbo
In a statement issued on Sunday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said UN officials in Ivory Coast had received hundreds of reports of people being abducted "from their homes, especially at night, by armed individuals in military uniform".

Rival Presidents

Laurent Gbagbo (left)

• Former history teacher
• Southern Christian
• President since 2000
• backed by security forces

Alassane Ouattara (right):

• Former IMF economist
• Northern Muslim
• Prime minister 1990-1993
• Backed by former rebels, UN, African leaders and the West

She said the gunmen were "accompanied by elements of the Defence and Security Forces or militia groups". Some victims had later "been found dead in questionable circumstances", she added.

The 50 deaths, the statement said, had occurred in the past three days. More than 200 people had also been also injured.
On Thursday, at least 20 people were killed as Mr Ouattara's backers tried to march on the headquarters of state TV and clashed with troops loyal to Mr Gbagbo.
The UN Security Council has warned that all sides will be held accountable under international law for any attacks against civilians.
On Sunday the confrontation between the two sides spilled into France, the former colonial power.
Clashes broke out as hundreds of pro-Gbagbo demonstrators and 100 Ouattara supporters gathered in central Paris. Two people were wounded, police say.
Meanwhile, the UK government has urged British nationals to leave Ivory Coast unless they have pressing reasons to stay.
The US and France have previously advised their citizens against travelling to the West African country.
The UN, the US, former colonial power France, and the African Union have all called on Mr Gbagbo to stand down.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday said he should quit by Sunday or face EU sanctions.
But Mr Gbagbo says the 28 November election was rigged by rebels who still hold the north after the civil war in 2002-03.
He was declared the winner by Ivory Coast's Constitutional Council after it annulled votes in parts of the north.
Both Mr Gbagbo and Mr Ouattara have sworn themselves in as president. Mr Ouattara is currently under UN protection at a hotel in Abidjan.

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Ghana's Asamoah Gyan is named as 2010 BBC winner

Gyan thanks fans for his award Ghana and Sunderland star Asamoah Gyan has been crowned BBC African Footballer of the Year for 2010. The Black Stars striker clinched the title with an overwhelming majority - receiving more than half of the vote. He finished well ahead of fellow Ghanaian Andre 'Dede' Ayew, Ivorians Yaya Toure and Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon. "I'm so happy, I can't believe it," he said. "I'm so thankful to all the fans who voted for me." He added: "It was really hard to win this award, especially because of all the other players I was up against. "So I'm so appreciative to all my fans in Africa - especially my family and fans in Ghana." Gyan had a memorable year internationally, leading Ghana to second place at the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola, scoring three of the four goals that helped the Black Stars reach their first final in 18 years. At the World Cup in South Africa, the 24-year-old grabbed the world's attention as another three goals helped them progress from the group and into the quarter-finals. But he shot to prominence through unfortunate circumstances as his missed penalty against Uruguay with the last kick of the game denied Africa its first semi-final berth. He then earned widespread praise and went some way to redeeming his error when he recovered his composure to score in the shoot-out following a 1-1 draw. Gyan receives the award from Sunderland manager Steve Bruce Despite the disappointment of the World Cup exit, the finals boosted his career as he left French side Rennes to become Sunderland's record signing at £13m. "Asamoah has been a fantastic addition to the Sunderland squad," said Sunderland manager Steve Bruce, who presented Gyan with the African Footballer of the Year trophy. "As our record signing, he had a lot of expectation placed on his shoulders but he has embraced the club wholeheartedly and has settled in very well. "He's a strong, quick player and brings something different to the side. "He has formed positive partnerships with other strikers and he's a real bright spark around the place too - always smiling and happy. "He has an infectious joy for football, and we are reaping the rewards of that. "I'm thrilled for Asamoah that he has been awarded this honour, it is thoroughly deserved." The search for BBC African Footballer of the Year 2010 began on 15 November when fans were given the chance to choose their African football hero from a shortlist selected by experts from each of the continent's 52 countries. Public voting closed on 10 December 2010 - with votes cast online at bbc.com/africanfootball or via text messages.   Gyan's contrasting fortunes at World Cup

Gbagbo orders peacekeepers to leave Ivory Coast

The UN has 10,000 peacekeepers in Ivory Coast

Incumbent Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo has demanded that all foreign peacekeepers leave the country immediately, escalating a dispute over last month's presidential election.

His spokesperson accused UN and French troops of colluding with former rebels.
The UN and major powers have recognised Mr Gbagbo's rival, Alassane Ouattara, as the winner of the 28 November poll. Mr Gbagbo insists he has won.
Mr Ouattara is currently under UN protection at a hotel in Abidjan.
In a statement read on national television on Saturday, government spokeswoman Jacqueline Oble said Mr Gbagbo had "requested the immediate departure of the Onuci [UN mission] and the French forces supporting it".
The UN force, the statement added, had "interfered seriously in the internal affairs of Ivory Coast".
Earlier, the UN said one of its patrols had come under fire as it entered the mission compound in Abidjan, the country's main city.
Opposition supporters have been arrested in Bassam, near Abidjan, and there are reports of several people being killed there.
Mr Ouattara's supporters have said they would again to the streets again, following gun battles which left 20 dead in Abidjan on Thursday.
The United Nations, the US, former colonial power France, and the African Union have all called on Mr Gbagbo to stand down.
President Sarkozy on Friday said he should quit by Sunday or face EU sanctions.
But Mr Ghagbo says the election was rigged by rebels who still hold the north after the civil war in 2002-03.
The BBC's John James, in Abidjan, says tension has been building since the head of the UN peacekeeping mission, Choi Young-Jin recognised opposition leader Alassane Ouattara as the rightful winner of the election.
A peace deal signed by all sides gave the UN a role in certifying the election results.

Introduction of immigration cap deemed 'unlawful'

Ministers say they are "firmly committed" to reducing levels of net migration

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A temporary cap on the number of skilled workers from outside the EU allowed into the UK was introduced "unlawfully", the High Court has ruled.

Home Secretary Theresa May introduced the cap this summer as an interim measure ahead of a permanent cap.
But a legal challenge to it was upheld with judges ruling that ministers had "sidestepped" Parliamentary scrutiny.
The Home Office said this did not imperil its flagship immigration policy but Labour said it was in "chaos".
The BBC's Home Affairs Correspondent Danny Shaw said the ruling was an embarrassment and a setback for the coalition but was not a fatal blow to its plan for a permanent cap on non-EU migration.
The ruling has nullified the current temporary cap, meaning it is no longer in force.
But ministers can introduce a new cap when Parliament returns in January. This would come into effect immediately but MPs and peers would be able to challenge it within 40 days, the BBC understands.
Prime Minister David Cameron has said current immigration levels are not sustainable and called for net migration - the difference between the number of people entering the UK and those emigrating - to be reduced from nearly 200,000 a year to "tens of thousands".
Curbing numbers
As a first step, ministers introduced a temporary cap for non-EU skilled workers of 24,100 a month in June, in line with a Conservative election commitment.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

We will do all in our power to continue to prevent a rush of applications before our more permanent measures are in place”

End Quote Damian Green Immigration Minister

But the measure was challenged by the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) and English Community Care Association, which was concerned over the position of immigrant care workers.

In Friday's ruling, Lord Justice Sullivan and Mr Justice Burton concluded that the home secretary had not gone through the proper parliamentary procedures before implementing the cap - which took effect without a vote in Parliament.
"The secretary of state made no secret of her intentions," they stated. "There can be no doubt that she was attempting to side-step provisions for Parliamentary scrutiny set up under provisions of the 1971 Immigration Act and her attempt was for that reason unlawful."
As a result, it said no lawful limits were now in place for two tiers of job applicants from abroad.
The English Community Care Association said the temporary cap - which reduced by 5% the number of non-EU work visas issued - could have a potentially "catastrophic" effect on the care sector.
As 13% of those who work in care homes come from outside Europe, it said thousands of staff from the Philippines, India and South Africa could be forced to quit their jobs and this could damage continuity of care.
'Not thought through'
Vacancies created would not be filled by British staff, it said, as there was not sufficient demand for the jobs.
It argued the cap had been introduced with "complete disregard" for care providers and their staffing needs.
In response, the Home Office said it was still "firmly committed" to reducing levels of net migration.
"I am disappointed with today's verdict," Immigration minister Damian Green said, stressing ministers would launch an appeal if "there were grounds" to do so.
"We will do all in our power to continue to prevent a rush of applications before our more permanent measures are in place," he added.
But Shadow Home Secretary Ed Balls, for Labour, said the policy "may have sounded good before the election but it wasn't properly thought through and didn't get the scrutiny it deserved".
He added: "David Cameron's flagship election promise to bring net migration down to the tens of thousands has now been watered down from a firm pledge to just an aim."
The level at which the permanent cap will be set has been a source of tension within government, with Lib Dem ministers calling for the regime to be flexible as possible so as not to prevent firms from being able to recruit highly skilled labour.

Goodluck Jonathan gets boost to Nigeria election bid

Goodluck Jonathan is the first president from Nigeria's oil-producing Delta region

A group of Nigeria's powerful governors have said they will back President Goodluck Jonathan for next year's elections - seen as a major boost to his campaign.

Half of the 36 governors backed Mr Jonathan's bid to be selected as the ruling party's candidate.
Whoever wins the PDP nomination will be the favourite for the April 2011 poll.
Mr Jonathan, a southerner, is opposed by some in the PDP, who say the party should choose a northerner.
The PDP (People's Democratic Party) has a tradition of alternating power between north and south every two elections, meaning a northerner would normally stand in 2011.
Several northern powerbrokers have backed the campaign of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, a northerner, to be the PDP candidate.
'Principle of incumbency'
At an emergency meeting in the capital, Abuja, 18 governors and two deputies said they would support Mr Jonathan in PDP primaries on 13 January 2011.
"Democratic systems all over the world recognise the principle of incumbency and continuity," said Ibrahim Shema, governor of the northern state of Katsina, reports the Reuters news agency.

Seeking the Presidency

• Goodluck Jonathan, president - PDP
• Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president - PDP
• Nuhu Ribadu, former anti-corruption fighter - ACN
• Muhammadu Buhari, former military ruler - CPC

They did, however, say he should seek only one term.

The chairman of the governors' forum, Bukola Saraki, also later dissociated himself from their position, saying he would support a candidate from the north.
The PDP has 26 of Nigeria's 36 state governors and, in the party's structures, they wield considerable power.
In previous primaries, they have instructed delegates from their states how to vote.
So the BBC's Bashir Saad Abdullahi in Abuja says their announcement is a significant boost for Mr Jonathan.
But he says that if state delegates vote independently, rather than how governors tell them, Mr Abubakar could still secure the party's nomination.
Mr Jonathan became president in February after the death of Umaru Yar'Adua, a northerner.
He is the first president from Nigeria's southern, oil-producing Delta region.
Nigeria's recent elections have been tarnished by fraud and violence.
Mr Jonathan has promised to introduce electoral reforms, but correspondents say it will be difficult to implement radical changes before April.
The main opposition candidates are former anti-corruption campaigner Nuhu Ribadu and Gen Muhammadu Buhari.

Ivory Coast: Gbagbo under pressure to stand down

Mr Gbagbo has refused to admit defeat since last month's election

International pressure is growing on Ivory Coast incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo to cede power to opposition leader Alassane Ouattara after last month's disputed presidential election.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy says Mr Gbagbo must stand down by "the end of the week" or face EU sanctions.
Kenyan Prime Minister Raile Odinga has called for African nations to remove Mr Gbagbo by force if necessary.
Mr Gbagbo's refusal to stand down has sparked fears of renewed civil war.
The United Nations, Washington, African states and others say the election on 28 November was won by Mr Ouattara.
Mr Gbagbo insists the result was rigged by rebels who still hold the north after the civil war in 2002-03.
Ouattara supporters threatened to take to the streets, a day after gun battles in the main city, Abidjan, left at least 20 people dead.
However, the BBC's John James in Abidjan says the city is quiet so far, although many businesses are closed.

Rival Presidents

Laurent Gbagbo (left): 65-year-old former history teacher, southern Christian; president since 2000; backed by security forces

Alassane Ouattara (right): 68-year-old economist, northern Muslim; prime minister 1990-1993; backed by former rebels, UN, African leaders and the West

Appeals to stand down

"The fate of Laurent Gbagbo and his wife lies in their own hands," Mr Sarkozy said on Friday. "If, by the end of the week, they have not left the office they hold... in violation of the will of the Ivorian people, they will feature by name on the [EU] sanctions list."

For his part, Mr Odinga said the African Union should "develop teeth".
"Mr Gbagbo must be forced, even if it means using military means to get rid of him, because now he is just relying on military power, not the people's power, to intimidate the people," Mr Odinga told a news conference in Nairobi.
One of the African Union's top officials, Jean Ping, arrived in Abidjan on Friday in an effort to mediate between the two sides.
The UN refugee agency UNHCR is making contingency plans for an outflow of refugees. More than 4,000 people have already fled to neighbouring Liberia.
A senior US official has also been quoted as saying that Mr Gbagbo has been given days to stand down or face travel and financial sanctions.
The unnamed official said Mr Gbagbo and his family have "multiple homes in multiple countries" he could go to but he could lose access to them if sanctions are imposed.
Our correspondent says, if confirmed, this would surprise many Ivorians, as Mr Gbagbo projects an image of austerity and nationalism.
On Thursday, at least 20 people were killed as Mr Ouattara's backers tried to march on the headquarters of state TV and clashed with troops loyal to Mr Gbagbo.
A spokeswoman for Mr Gbagbo said 10 protesters and 10 members of the security forces had died.
Officials from Mr Ouattara's camp put the number of dead at 30 or more.
The UN Security Council warned that all sides would be held accountable under international law for any attacks against civilians.

Ceasefire line
Mr Ouattara has been staying at a hotel in Abidjan since the disputed second round, which the Electoral Commission said Mr Ouattara won by 54% to 46%.
Mr Gbagbo refused to admit defeat, and the Constitutional Council then annulled some results from the north, declaring Mr Gbagbo the winner.
Most of Thursday's violence was reported in Abidjan, but on Thursday afternoon it appeared to be spreading, with reports emerging of unrest elsewhere.
Former rebels from the New Forces led by Guillaume Soro apparently tried to storm positions held by the military near the town of Tiebissou, just south of the ceasefire line agreed in 2003 to end the country's civil war.

Charles Koffi, Ivory Coast's current ambassador to Washington talks with Laura Trevelyan about the situation.

Mr Soro is Mr Ouattara's prime minister-designate.
The sides exchanged fire and civilians fled the town, reports say, but there were no confirmed casualties.
In Washington, State Department spokesman PJ Crowley said a combined delegation from the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) would be in Abidjan soon "to continue to encourage President Gbagbo to step aside".
Both organisations have already suspended Ivory Coast until Mr Gbagbo cedes power.
The UN has about 10,000 peacekeepers in Ivory Coast.

Government to press ahead with radical NHS reform plans

15 December 2010 Last updated at 04:59

The health secretary will insist on quality being unaffected by the government's reforms

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The government is expected to confirm it is to push ahead with big structural changes to the NHS in England.

Primary Care Trusts are to be abolished and, from 2013, family doctors will plan hospital care and manage the budgets to pay for it.
Hospitals will also be warned their funding could be docked if patients are forced to share mixed-sex wards.
Doctors have suggested dozens of ways the NHS in England can save money and improve care.
Despite recent criticism from doctors, nurses and patients groups over changes to the way the NHS is run, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley will indicate he wants to press ahead with his reform programme when he gives his response to the public consultation on the government's plans.
Mr Lansley will outline the priorities for NHS trusts in England for the next year - and that will include a pledge to cut hospitals' funding from next April if patients are forced to share mixed sex wards.
Labour ministers floated the same idea almost two years ago - and still mixed sex wards proved to be stubbornly persistent.
But the main message from Mr Lansley will be that quality must not slip as the reforms to the NHS are pushed through.
Funding for Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) for 2011-12 will also be revealed, the last year they will receive a full allocation of money before the reforms begin.
It is widely expected within the health service that PCTs will get a very small increase in their budgets.
That may not reduce the financial pressure on hospitals, which have seen their payment for treatments frozen this financial year.

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“Start Quote

There are huge challenges facing the health service but what is heartening about this report is that there are ways both to save money and improve the care we provide to people”

End Quote Hugo Mascie-Taylor NHS Confederation

If the prices paid to hospitals, known as the tariff, do not keep pace with inflation they will continue to be at the sharp end of finding savings in the NHS.

It would increase the pressure to move some types of care out of hospitals and into the community.
At the same time a new report by the think tank Civitas says abolishing PCTs in one go - a key part of the government's reorganisation of the NHS in England - could damage patient care.
Civitas says getting rid of the trusts could cause delays to treatment and calls for a more "incremental approach" to reform.
Doctors and surgeons have also contributed ideas to help the NHS save money, with suggestions including making changes to policies on discharging patients, cutting surgical equipment waste and not doing unnecessary procedures
Taken seriously
For example many hospitals have different policies on discharging patients which can mean some people stay in longer than is necessary, leading to extra costs.
Surgeons have pointed out that the scare over CJD infection has led to expensive surgical equipment being thrown away after just one use.
The report says the rules used to prevent infection from instruments is not based on reliable evidence.
The report was published by the NHS Confederation, which represents around 95% of the organisations that make up the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
NHS Confederation clinical director Hugo Mascie-Taylor said expert suggestions like these need to be taken seriously.
"There are huge challenges facing the health service but what is heartening about this report is that there are ways both to save money and improve the care we provide to people.
"This is the start of an important debate and these ideas need to be considered carefully. The NHS treats millions of people a year and does so with care and professionalism but there are always ways to improve, to do things better and to reduce waste at the same time."
The report comes as the NHS in England faces increasing financial pressures, not least the need to make up to £20bn in efficiency savings over the next four years.
On Tuesday the Commons Health Select Committee said meeting that target would test the NHS to the limit.
The reforms do not affect the health service in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which are devolved to their national administrations.

Oprah impresses Sydney during Australia visit

14 December 2010 Last updated at 07:28

Click to play

Oprah films two shows in her final series in Australia

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US chat show host Oprah Winfrey has taped two shows for her 25th - and final - series in front of thousands of screaming fans in Sydney, Australia.

The shows were taped next to the city's landmark opera house, re-named the "Oprah House" for the occasion.
She justified Australia spending about $5m (£3m) to bring her there, saying the shows will be worth millions more in tourism publicity.
Oprah also brought over 300 US audience members with her to tour the country.
Four shows in total were taped for what is being billed as Oprah's Ultimate Australian Adventure.
Filming had to be stopped at one point after a dramatic entrance by Australian actor Hugh Jackman on a zipline running from the opera house went wrong and he ended up with a black eye.
Her eight-day tour has felt like a presidential, papal and royal visit all rolled into one, says the BBC's Nick Bryant in Sydney.
The shows will be broadcast in January and are expected to reach millions of people in 145 countries.
It is the first time in the programme's history that shows have been recorded outside the United States.
Oprah's production company has reportedly spent nearly $7m on the Australian trip, in addition to the money offered by the Australian authorities.
'Friendly class'
"I love Australia!" she said to a cheering audience.

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“Start Quote

The tourism chiefs who have helped bankroll her visit are definitely hoping it will boost a sector that has pretty much been stagnant for the past 10 years ”

End Quote

Nick Bryant BBC News, Sydney

---

• Nick Bryant's Australia

"It's so great here, and to the rest of the world watching right now, you've got to come to Australia."

The praise continued: "You're so darn friendly, you must go to friendly class!"
Her trademark giveaways included laptops for the students of a boys' school in a low-income neighbourhood, necklaces of Australian pearls for all 6,000 audience members and a $250,000 cheque for an Australian man with cancer and his family.
Oprah's high-power stars included Australian actor Russell Crowe, the family of the late "crocodile hunter" Steve Irwin and rapper Jay-Z.
Before the Sydney shows were taped, Oprah told journalists her visit would produce a huge amount of publicity for Australia.
"I have named myself an unofficial ambassador for Australia and I have the biggest mouth on earth.
"It is immeasurable what four hours of a love festival about your country, broadcast in 145 countries around the world can do."
But for some Australians, the adulation heaped on Oprah has revived the country's cultural cringe, a sense of national inferiority and a craving for international recognition, says our correspondent.