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Blizzards are sweeping north along the eastern coast of the US and Canada, forcing the cancellation of flights and disrupting rail and road traffic.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
The indicated region (white box) shows black fungi at a sharp boundary A particular type of ancient rock art in Western Australia maintains its vivid colours because it is alive, researchers have found.
While some rock art fades in hundreds of years, the “Bradshaw art” remains colourful after at least 40,000 years.
Jack Pettigrew of the University of Queensland in Australia has shown that the paintings have been colonised by colourful bacteria and fungi.
These “biofilms” may explain previous difficulties in dating such rock art.
Professor Pettigrew and his colleagues studied 80 of these Bradshaw rock artworks – named for the 19th-Century naturalist who first identified them – in 16 locations within Western Australia’s Kimberley region.
They concentrated on two of the oldest known styles of Bradshaw art – Tassel and Sash – and found that a vast majority of them showed signs of life, but no paint.
The team dubbed the phenomenon “Living pigments”.
“‘Living pigments’ is a metaphorical device to refer to the fact that the pigments of the original paint have been replaced by pigmented micro-organisms,” Professor Pettigrew told BBC News.
“These organisms are alive and could have replenished themselves over endless millennia to explain the freshness of the paintings’ appearance.”
Among the most frequent inhabitants of the boundaries of the artwork was a black fungus, thought to be of the group of fungi known as Chaetothyriales.
Successive generations of these fungi grow by cannibalising their predecessors. That means that if the initial paint layer – from tens of thousands of years ago – had spores of the fungus within it, the current fungal inhabitants may be direct descendants.
Black fungi with yellow “fruiting bodies” (left), alongside red bacteria, give one work its colours The team also noted that the original paint may have had nutrients in it that “kick-started” a mutual relationship between the black fungi and red bacteria that often appear together. The fungi can provide water to the bacteria, while the bacteria provide carbohydrates to the fungi.
The exact species involved in these colourations have yet to be identified, and Professor Pettigrew said that the harsh conditions in the Kimberley region may hamper future research.
However, even the suggestion of these “living pigments” may explain why attempts to date some rock art has shown inconsistent results: although the paintings may be ancient, the life that fills their outlines is quite recent.
“Dating individual Bradshaw art is crucial to any further understanding of its meaning and development,” Professor Pettigrew said.
“That possibility is presently far away, but the biofilm offers a possible avenue using DNA sequence evolution. We have begun work on that but this will be a long project.”
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
How Britain’s wildlife has coped in the big freeze
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Scottish Labour have called for widespread use of the bottle tagging scheme Scottish Labour have called on local licensing boards to enforce the “tagging” of bottles of alcohol to help reduce under-age drinking.
Under the scheme, off licences are given a unique code to mark bottles so they can be traced to a specific store.
If under-age drinkers are found with a tagged bottle, officers can check the shop’s CCTV to see who bought the alcohol.
The Scottish government said tagging was an “operational matter” for police.
A tagging scheme is currently in place in parts of Dundee after being introduced by Tayside Police, working with Dundee City Council and local off licences.
Scottish Labour said it was urging licensing boards to use bottle tagging in other “hot spot” areas where under-age drinking and antisocial behaviour have been found to be a problem.
Labour’s Community Safety spokesman James Kelly said: “Under-age drinking can all too often be a direct cause of antisocial behaviour in communities across Scotland.
“This innovative but simple approach will hopefully help bring to justice those peddling booze to young people.”
Mr Kelly said those who supplied alcohol to young people needed to realise that they were often “fuelling antisocial behaviour” as well as breaking the law.
He added: “The SNP may be happy to turn a blind eye to antisocial behaviour, but Labour is not. I urge licensing boards to adopt this new approach to hammer home the message that supplying under-agers with alcohol is never acceptable and will not be tolerated.”
The Scottish government said it had always encouraged police to make use of bottle tagging in the fight against under-age drinking.
A spokesman said: “As an intelligence-led tool, it can help forces crack down on the problem by proving that certain shops are selling alcohol to under-18s.
“Bottle-tagging remains an operational matter for police, often deployed during targeted exercises against under-age drinking. However, we would caution against the blanket deployment of this measure, to ensure it remains effective.”
The Scottish Conservative party said it had “reservations” about the practicality of the bottle tagging scheme and that it should be made more difficult for people to buy alcohol for under-age drinkers in the first place.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting says he realises he was wrong to argue over a review during the second day of the fourth Test.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Bad news on the dreadsheet? Or updating your disgracebook? Technology, and the hype that surrounds it, is changing the way we speak. But we don’t have to turn into drones, all spouting the latest i-word. Chris Bowlby says it’s time for the techno-bullied to fight back with their own subversive speak.
With the online Oxford English Dictionary recently re-launched and on the look-out for new language, maybe it’s time for a counter-revolution.
Can we create a new vocabulary that expresses not marketing mania, but the downside, the frustration, the terrible things we sometimes suspect modern technology is doing to us?
When your cursor makes you a curser, do the necessary words come to mind?
Let’s start to talk about the crazily fidgetal, the MisApps, mobile drones and Skypeochondria that afflict us all.
Puzzled? Definitions to follow. But first, here’s the problem.
In the pre-Christmas rush, the air is full of the sound of a thousand ad agencies launching their latest slogans. We need, we are told, to be more connected, upgraded, future-proofed than ever.
It is every advertiser’s dream to change our language, so that we talk Bluetooth or Mac or Google as readily as we talk about the weather or music or food.
And the more old technology is demonised, with phrases like “snail mail”, the better.
Are you buffering?
Broadcaster and language expert Susie Dent has watched how companies try to popularise “deliberately planted words”, or phrases that “catch the mood of the moment”.
“The marketing theory” she adds, is “that people like new words. New words are connected with new ideas, which in turn are the currency of conversation”.
So in the marketers’ dream world we Hoover up their slogans and spread them more widely, believing they do exactly what it says on the tin.
“[There] are not many anti-technological words that have become standard or even well-recognized. Most are pet nicknames”
Susie Dent Countdown
And technology does this very effectively. It’s even changed the way we talk about ourselves – as “hard-wired” in how we behave or “pre-programmed” to do something.
But not everyone is happy to go along with this linguistic change, this hyper-positive ad-speak about the wonderful world of super-connectivity.
Parents baffled by their children’s technological immersion fret about what it is doing to them. Young children have been known to say, when pausing for thought, that they are “buffering”.
The 30% of Britons not online are also baffled by what can seem a foreign language.
And even techno-enthusiasts know there are moments when we need very different words to describe how we feel when it all goes wrong.
So can we create an alternative language? What might catch on?
The US website Word Spy, which spots new words and phrases coming into use, has begun to identify some that meet the need.
There’s “laptop zombie” for those in cafes with wi-fi who start ignoring everything and everyone around them.
And back here in Britain there’s “social notworking” for those of you who really should not be reading this if your boss is nearby.
But otherwise, says Susie Dent, there’s “not that much” of an anti-language in Britain.
There “are not many anti-technological words that have become standard or even well-recognized. Most are pet nicknames that we keep close to home”.
High time that changed. Here, as a start, are a few of my suggestions, with definitions to try and get them into all those new dictionaries.
Fidgetal – modern technology whose primary purpose is to give people something to do with their fingers (closely related to the decline of smoking)MisApp – something going terribly wrong due to over reliance on latest Phone gizmoWikisqueak – sound emitted by diplomat who realises she’s sent confidential telegram without proper encryptionDreadsheet – spreadsheet containing very bad financial newsDisgracebook – social networking site advertising user’s embarrassing pastMobile drone – lover of interminable tedious and public phone conversationsSin card – alternative device to fit in mobile for immoral communicationPowerpointless – universal feeling in room at end of hi-tech executive presentation of negligible valueSkypeochondria – queasy feeling brought on by obsessive fear of being offlineScroogele – search engine for people trying to find cheapest online gifts
Other contributions are welcome.
Otherwise, in the fidgetal future, any memory of pre-tech language will have been wiped or corrupted.
A bit like that key document your wonderful new laptop or phone mangled the other day, leaving you… speechless.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Murdered Shelley Armitage, Susan Rushworth and Suzanne Blamires all worked as prostitutes A debate is needed about changing the prostitution laws, the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) has said.
Deputy Chief Constable Simon Byrne, Acpo’s lead on prostitution and sexual exploitation, has also called for the funding of a national database of men suspected of attacking sex workers.
He was speaking after the murders of three women who worked as prostitutes in Bradford, West Yorkshire.
Earlier this month, Stephen Griffiths was jailed for life for the killings.
Griffiths, 40, from Bradford, admitted murdering Suzanne Blamires, 36, Shelley Armitage, 31, and 43-year-old Susan Rushworth.
Mr Byrne said “any murder [was] one too many and if we can do something simple and effective to stop that then we should do so”.
“Perhaps the law does need changing – some of it is frankly complicated”
Deputy Chief Constable Simon Byrne Acpo
In many cities across the UK, details are already gathered about so-called “ugly mugs” – men who have been violent or threatening towards sex workers.
But they are separate schemes and information is not shared between the different projects, which campaigners argue leaves many women vulnerable.
“Someone can rape in Liverpool and the sex workers in Manchester would not necessarily be aware,” said Shelly Stoops, of support service the Armistead Street Project in Liverpool.
“We need something to co-ordinate and link up all the information… and something that the police can look at on a national level and see patterns and trends of offending.”
Late at night “ugly mugs” leaflets are handed out in Liverpool by outreach workers, along with condoms and advice.
Some women who work as prostitutes in the city insist the scheme has prevented them from being attacked.
Acpo wants to examine whether things like designated red-light zones would help improve safety Mr Byrne said: “There is another dimension – there is a significant cost to investigating a murder.
“When times are tough and you have all the austerity and revolution going on in the public service… there’s some hard [edged] maths to be done here.
“If you can invest a small amount of money in rolling the scheme out, you can prevent an awful lot of crime,” he said.
The Home Office says it has been carrying out a feasibility study into the possibility of a national scheme and it will be considering its recommendations.
But some people involved in sex work want more fundamental changes to the legislation surrounding prostitution, such as designated red-light zones or decriminalised brothels.
In the UK selling sex in itself is not illegal, but brothels and street prostitution are against the law.
“It means the people that are there to protect you, can also arrest you,” said Rosie Campbell of the UK Network of Sex Work Projects, “so [sex workers] can be reluctant to go the police.”
In Blackpool the authorities have been cracking down on prostitution.
Bev has worked as a prostitute in Liverpool for over a decade. She says the city’s “ugly mugs” scheme has helped to prevent attacks but more could be done.
“Over the past few years there have been quite a number of murders of friends of ours.
“After each one we were promised designated areas but it never happened.
“You get a higher police presence for a while but then all the hype dies down.
“Until something is done about it these girls are dying in vain and there but for the grace of God go I, because it could be me.
“I’m someone’s mother, I’m someone’s daughter and it could be me.”
Joanne Andrew, who owns a massage parlour in the town, was recently convicted of running a brothel.
The law only allows one person to sell sex in a property. To avoid a further prosecution she says women have had to leave the relative safety of her building, to work on the streets.
“I had a girl who worked for me a while ago, who was assaulted and dragged into a van by three guys,” said Ms Andrew.
“She came back and asked me for a job but I couldn’t give her one.”
No one from Blackpool Council was available to discuss the issue of safety but in a statement they said: “We are committed to cleaning up Blackpool and that includes a zero tolerance approach to illegal activities such as prostitution.
“This will involve taking the strongest possible action, including prosecution.”
For most police forces prostitution is not a priority.
With shrinking budgets the police tend to concentrate on cases where they suspect people have been trafficked or forced into sex work – although different forces have different strategies.
Acpo says it is time to examine whether suggestions like designated red-light zones or decriminalised brothels would help to improve safety.
“Perhaps the law does need changing – some of it is frankly complicated,” said Mr Byrne.
“We’d be keen for a dialogue to see if there’s a better way of managing the problem – be it ideas around criminalising some parts of it and not others.
“I think it’s time for that debate.”
The Home Office said that it plans to publish guidance in the spring on how best to police and deal with problems linked to prostitution.
Britain’s Prostitutes – Life on the Edge will be shown over the New Year’s weekend on the BBC News Channel.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
For what will 2011 be remembered? What are going to be the year’s most important themes and stories? Here some experts give their considered predictions…
Security and foreign policy
The threat posed by al-Qaeda ‘is not going to go away in 2011’ Afghanistan, al-Qaeda and cyber-terrorism will be the main threats to the UK in 2011, says Paul Cornish, head of international security policy at the Chatham House foreign affairs think tank.
And while the first two have been centre-stage since 9/11, we can expect to be discussing the cyber-threat a lot more in the months ahead.
Mr Cornish says: “Cyber operations are deniable – it can be a lone hacker, a terrorist group or even a state who is responsible but it is very difficult to pin down who is doing it, how they are doing it, and how to fight back or pre-empt it.”
He warns organisations are “very vulnerable to vigilante-style cyber-attacks” such as the ones recently on companies which refused to do business with Wikileaks.
The virtual threat, of course, exists alongside the one posed by al-Qaeda and its affiliates.
“That threat is not going to go away in 2011,” says Mr Cornish, but he adds that security services are working flat out, identifying operations. “It is an enormous and never-ending task.”
He says that for terrorists to successfully carry out a ‘big ticket’ operation, such as a nuclear or chemical attack, they need to get lucky perhaps 25 times. “This creates opportunities for switched-on police and security services to catch them.”
Mr Cornish says, on balance, that Afghanistan “is going reasonably well at the moment”, in terms of meeting the ambition of handing over security responsibility to the Afghans by 2014.
He says he hopes progress would continue in 2011 so that “we can look at the wider regional picture” – meaning closely monitoring developments in Pakistan.
Transport
Rising fares, overcrowded trains – not a happy return to work for commuters in the new year Rising rail fares, cuts in bus services and an increasingly bumpy and expensive drive to and from work – hardly the most optimistic prediction for 2011 from the Campaign for Better Transport pressure group.
Campaigns director Richard Hebditch paints a bleak picture for the year ahead, not least for rail users: “We’ve already got above-inflation increases, and from 2012 it will get even worse, with fares rising by 3% on top of inflation.”
In May, the government will set out its long-term vision for the railways, with speculation that there may be a return to pre-British Rail days in that train operating companies would take more responsibility for maintaining the signals, track and stations in their areas.
In November 2010 the coalition announced its immediate plans for railways, involving £8bn worth of spending.
On the buses, Mr Hebditch says: “We are very worried that there will be big cuts in [non-profit making] services, especially in rural areas. At the moment these are subsidised by local authorities, but they are under threat because of councils’ wider budgetary pressures.”
The wider financial climate, he said, will tempt many councils into reducing road maintenance budgets.
Fuel duty will increase but there is speculation that as a concession to their coalition partners, the Tories may agree to Lib Dem demands for a lower rate for rural areas.
Tourism
Paradise cost: Long-haul exotic destinations will be more expensive to reach Life for holiday-makers is likely to reflect the tough economic times we are still in, says Simon Calder, travel editor of The Independent.
He says governments around the world see tourists as relatively easy cash-cows ripe for milking: “There’s also the bonus that international visitors don’t vote, and therefore can’t make their unhappiness felt at the ballot box.”
A few examples of tourists being taxed more include:
A bed tax of two to three euros (£1.70 to £2.55) per night in RomeA new 3.75% tax on just about everything tourists spend their money on will be introduced on 1 January in the MaldivesKenya doubles its visa-on-arrival fee to $50 (£31.50) from the same day
“The present Atol scheme was designed for a very different era, when no-one had heard of low-cost airlines etc. Everyone agrees that it’s not fit for purpose – but no-one can agree what should replace it.”
Simon Calder Travel Editor, The Independent
Here in the UK, the recent rise in Air Passenger Duty, especially for longer-haul flights, makes destinations like Egypt seem less attractive on price grounds.
The pound has recovered from its low against the euro in 2009 when a pound barely bought you a single euro. But in mid-December it still only bought you around 1.20 euros, compared to 1.50 euros in 2007.
Those seeking a bargain all-inclusive deal may continue to head away from the euro-zone, with Mr Calder saying Turkey is an ideal destination.
But Turkey still has a long way to go before it troubles Britons’ traditional favourite. Mr Calder predicts Spain will easily keep its place as “by far the biggest package-holiday destination”.
Everybody books their holiday hoping for a fantastic time, but what happens when things go wrong?
Harsh economic realities have forced a number of holiday providers to the wall over the last couple of years, and have highlighted some problems with the existing consumer protection laws, says Mr Calder.
He says: “The present Atol scheme was designed for a very different era, when no-one had heard of low-cost airlines etc. Everyone agrees that it’s not fit for purpose – but no-one can agree what should replace it.
“I predict a messy compromise when the government finally reveals its plans.”
Fashion
An 80s throwback: shoulder pads will be back with a vengeance in 2011 Women with an hourglass figure who love the 1980s will be in luck during the spring and summer.
Shoulder pads will make a major return to the High Street, predicts fashion guru Julian Bennett, as will skin-tones, pale colours and “flowing, asymmetrical lines”.
Tops will be fitted and bottoms will be flowing, he says, while a perfect summer’s day outfit will be a floral-patterned maxi dress with wedges or Grecian sandals.
Come next autumn and winter, flat-heeled boots will still be a staple item for many, and the 2011 Christmas party season will see a return of the little black dress.
For men, dark denim and checked shirts will be very popular, the former Queer Eye For The Straight Guy presenter predicts.
During the summer, he says: “The Abercrombie-look will be very tired, so it’ll be more Ralph Lauren… checked print tennis-style shorts rather than army shorts, and proper shirts rather than T-shirts.”
And it seems Premier League footballers are ahead of the fashion curve. “Next winter, woollen snoods will be big, as will thick woolly jumpers,” he adds.
Shopping
You’ll soon see consumers scanning barcodes in shops to see whether they are offering the best price Our relationship with technology may help us cope with the difficult economic times, says Tamar Kasriel, founder of Futureal consumer trends consultants.
She says that the real impact of the spending cuts will only be seen in 2011, for example when your local playground closes down, but people will respond as consumers by becoming even savvier.
“We’re going to see a lot more location-specific interaction between retailers and consumers, and it’s going to have a real impact on the way we shop.”
Examples include mobile phone apps which can offer discounted deals at retailers in your vicinity, and apps which allow you to scan the barcode of any product and then tells you the cheapest stockist.
“While we used to be a cash-rich, time-poor society, this is no longer the case, hence the increasing number of people who cook from scratch as opposed to buying ready-meals. ”
Fran Walton Futurologist
Ms Kasriel says: “The majority of us haven’t done this yet, but by this time next year you could imagine that there will be a name coined for somebody who scans barcodes in one shop to see if it is cheaper elsewhere.”
Retailers will respond, she thinks, by adopting “pricing 2.0”. Simply put, this means they will be moving towards tailoring their pricing to each consumer.
Fran Walton, director of The Futures Company, agrees that brands will need to work harder to retain customer loyalty.
Examples include banks sending text messages to customers nearing their overdraft limit, and food manufacturers sending recipes.
She says: “While we used to be a cash-rich, time-poor society, this is no longer the case, hence the increasing number of people who cook from scratch as opposed to buying ready-meals.
“Consumers want more control, and are willing to spend time searching for the best offers.”
So there are good deals for those who spend time looking for them. But do we really have the time or the inclination to spend our whole lives online?
Partly as a backlash, Ms Kasriel predicts “techno yoyo” will become a well-known term for people who have a real love-hate relationship with technology.
She says she would not be surprised if there were be calls for areas to be set up where people cannot connect or go online. “People will be voicing more fears about what technology is doing to us as people, and to our brains,” she said.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Computers have become a vital tool for homework More than a million school children in the UK still lack access to a computer at home, research suggests.
And almost 2m are unable to go online at home, according to leading digital education charity, the E-Learning Foundation.
It also claims those from the poorest families are two-and-a-half-times less likely to have the internet at home than children from the richest homes.
The government would not comment on the findings.
The E-Learning Foundation, which works to ensure that all children have access to the internet and a computer at home, has analysed the latest government spending survey.
It found that while computer access is growing in better-off households, those from low income families are being left behind.
It is warning that many of the UK’s poorest children face being severely educationally disadvantaged by their lack of access to technology as a result.
In November more than half of teachers who took part in a survey for the Times Education Supplement said pupils without access to internet or a computer at home were hampered in their learning.
The foundation’s chief executive, Valerie Thompson, said: “With so many children swamped with gifts from family and friends over the Christmas period it is important we reflect on the fact that millions of children live in poverty in this country.
“For those at school, this translates into very tangible disadvantages when it comes to completing homework, researching topics, independent learning, and communicating with teachers and classmates on the school learning platform.
“Without the use of a computer and the ability to go online at home the attainment gap that characterises children from low income families is simply going to get worse.”
The Department for Education was not prepared to comment on the findings.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
On Monday, supporters of Alassane Ouattara took over the Ivory Coast’s embassy in Paris The African Union has asked Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga to lead its efforts to resolve the political crisis in Ivory Coast.
The AU said Mr Odinga had been asked to “follow through the crisis”, a month after the country’s disputed polls.
The Union and other international bodies say incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo is not the legitimate winner.
Meanwhile, supporters of his rival, Alassane Ouattara, briefly took over the Ivory Coast embassy in Paris.
Some 20 protesters spent six hours in the building on Monday calling for Mr Gbagbo to step aside, before leaving peacefully, French television reported.
The move came after France, the former colonial power, recognised Mr Ouattara’s proposed envoy as the country’s ambassador.
Mr Ouattara’s victory in 28 November polls was overturned by the Constitutional Council, a body headed by a Gbagbo ally, citing claims that results were rigged in the north.
As pressure mounts on Mr Gbagbo to step aside, a delegation of heads of state – from Benin, Sierra Leone and Cape Verde – from the West African body Ecowas is planning to travel to the country on Tuesday.
The regional group has warned Mr Gbagbo of possible military intervention if he does not hand over to Mr Ouattara, who has been recognised internationally as the victor.
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”.
Correspondents say the AU’s appointment is another setback for Mr Gbagbo, as Mr Odinga has been hawkish on the crisis, and was the first African leader to call for military action.
Mr Odinga has said he planned to talk to Mr Gbagbo, but would wait for the outcome of the Ecowas talks before deciding his next move.
“[Mr Gbagbo] has of course portrayed himself as a democrat all his life, that’s why he lived very many years in France in exile,” Mr Odinga told the BBC. “So I think I’m going to try to impress upon him that the time has come for him to lead by example.”
“This, I think, is something that needs to be said and to tell him also that he risks becoming an international pariah if he tries to continue to cling to power. Going by the current trends he will have no friends left any more anyway.”
Mr Odinga was named Kenya’s prime minister in 2008 in a coalition government after weeks of political unrest.
However he dismissed the possibility of power-sharing between Mr Gbagbo and Mr Ouattara, saying that the election commission, not the constitutional court, was the only legitimate authority to determine the winner.
The BBC’s John James says the atmosphere in Abidjan is tense; while less violent than a few days ago, everyone fears a military intervention in the coming weeks.
Ivorians had hoped these elections would close the chapter on the country’s most difficult 10 years, but instead they have opened up a new period of instability, adds our correspondent.
Mr Ouattara earlier called for a general strike on Monday as part of his protest, but many residents in the main city of Abidjan appeared to ignore the request.
Pressure mounts on Ivory Coast’s Laurent Gbagbo
However later in the day the message seemed to have spread, with AFP news agency reporting disruption to public transport and isolated street barricades springing up.
His supporters are still hoping that the strike may take hold on Tuesday, as the call came fairly late on Sunday evening, our reporter says.
Mr Ouattara and his shadow government are currently in an Abidjan resort, protected by about 800 UN peacekeepers.
Mr Gbagbo, who has accused the US and France of leading a plot against him, insists he is legally president.
“Did the Ivorians elect me or not? That’s the only question. I’m not looking for compromise. Truth is not looking for compromise. I want truth,” he said.
The UN has said at least 173 people have died in violence, and scores of others have been tortured.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
NI Water has taken 14,000 calls in the past five days NI Water has received more than 14,000 calls from people affected by frozen and burst water pipes.
The company is making bottled water available at depots in Londonderry and Craigavon for anyone who has been without a mains supply for 24 hours.
It said some customers may experience a temporary loss of supply or a drop in pressure as repairs are made to pipes.
The Roads Service said it did not carry out salting overnight, but warned of excess water on roads.
The service said many gullies were still blocked with frozen ice allowing water to accumulate on roads.
It has advised motorists to continue to be extremely vigilant.
NI Water said it had received more than 32,000 calls this month and staff had repaired 400 burst water mains.
The main areas affected include Belfast, Londonderry, Dungannon, Omagh, Armagh, Newry and Craigavon.
The SDLP has called for an emergency meeting of the Executive to discuss the impact of the extreme weather conditions on homes and businesses.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Blizzards sweep north along the eastern coast of the US, forcing the cancellation of more than 1,400 flights and disrupting rail and road traffic.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Creating the look of the classic Christmas ballet
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Nine men have been charged with conspiracy to cause explosions in the UK and with terrorism offences, West Midlands Police have said.
Three of the men are from Cardiff, two from London and four from Stoke-on-Trent. They are aged between 19 and 28.
They will appear at City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court in the morning.
Twelve men were arrested in raids co-ordinated by the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit on 20 December. Three have been released without charge.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Heavy fog has disrupted train schedules in north India for the past three days Heavy fog over northern India has disrupted train and flight schedules for the past three days.
On Monday, dense fog enveloped the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the capital, Delhi, leading to delays and diversions of more than 70 flights.
The railways rescheduled at least five trains and delayed 55 others due to low visibility.
Tens of thousands of passengers have been left stranded at Delhi airport and the three major railway stations.
Fog descended on the airport on Sunday night and gradually became dense, forcing airport authorities to implement low visibility procedure, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
On Monday morning, around 23 flights coming to Delhi were diverted to nearby airports, the agency quoted an airport official as saying.
More than 100 flights were affected by fog on Sunday with more than 40 flights, including 14 international ones, being diverted. At least 38 flights were cancelled.
Rail travel was equally hit by the fog.
At least 100 trains were delayed by several hours on Sunday, leading to chaos at railway stations.
The meteorological department has predicted foggy days ahead which means the disruptions will continue.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
