World News Briefs -- April 5, 2011

Ivory Coast: As Violence Intensifies, U.N. Finally Enters the Fray -- Time

For weeks, the U.N.'s mission in the Ivory Coast has sat pinned down in its quarters, watching as this West African country lurched toward civil war. An escalating conflict between the rival forces of Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara has led to hundreds, probably thousands of deaths and has displaced, by some counts, over a million people in this nation of 22 million. In early March, the International Crisis Group, a global conflict watchdog, slammed the U.N. mission (known by its acronym UNOCI) for being "unable to implement its mandate to protect civilians subjected to violence or the threat of violence."

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MIDDLE EAST

Baghdad area erupts with violence on a bloody Monday.

Gunfire erupts during new clashes in Yemen. More Yemeni protesters killed in fresh wave of bloodshed.

Syrian activists call for new wave of protests.

Iran says U.S. fomenting unrest to save Israel.

ElBaradei: We'll fight back if Israel attacks Gaza.

ASIA

Filipino rebels, UN to talk on child soldiers.

US ‘deeply concerned’ over rising trend of detentions in China.

Japan's ocean radiation hits 7.5 million times legal limit.

China raises interest rates again to tackle inflation. China ups rates 4th time since October.

AFRICA

Libya air strikes aid rebels as diplomacy stalls. Libyan rebels and government trade salvos at Brega. Libyan rebels get diplomatic, military boost.

Ouattara forces seize Ivory Coast president's home. Ivory Coast: Besieged Gbagbo 'in basement' of residence. France says only doing U.N. bidding in Ivory Coast.

Congo plane crash kills 32.

Somali pirates hold at least 56 vessels, 886 hostages.

EUROPE

Leaders decry IRA dissidents' `war against peace'.

Police told not to make public unveilings when French burka ban enforced next week.

Sex, cash and starlets: Berlusconi's "Rubygate".

Russia, NATO set to cooperate on missile defense.

AMERICAS

Alleged kingpin's remarks may spark new U.S.-Venezuela extradition fight.

Tijuana newspaper excels at drug war coverage.

Carnival singer Martelly 'wins Haiti presidential poll'.

Obama administration moving forward with government shutdown plans. Boehner tells Republicans to gird for shutdown.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Obama gives up on plan for 9/11 civilian trials.

U.S. asks Libyan opposition about al Qaeda reports. Libya: al-Qaeda 'receive looted Libyan weapons'.

White House warns on Al-Qaeda in Yemen.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Geithner warns U.S. to hit debt ceiling by May 16.

Bernanke predicts high level of foreclosure starts in 2011.

Google's Page presages bolder era; some uneasy.

Google goes shopping for patents.