BREAKING NEWS UPDATE: The former president of Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo - who had been refusing to hand over power to his rival Alassane Ouattara - has been arrested. A French defence ministry official said he had been detained by Mr Ouattara's troops backed by those of the United Nations and France. Earlier those forces advanced on Mr Gbagbo's residence where he was holding out in a bunker. Mr Gbagbo has been taken to the UN-secured Golf Hotel with his wife and son. Ivory Coast's ambassador to the UN said he was alive and would be brought to justice. Please get in touch with your reaction to the latest development.
ORIGINAL POST: France is at the centre of three top stories today - and its role in all three areas is controversial.
Facebook and twitter (hastags #voile and #niqab) are humming with debate about the French ban, imposed today, on women covering their face in public with the niqab or burqa.
The first arrests have already taken place after a small group of women - who were wearing veils - staged a protest in Paris.
Some of those who support the ban argue that France's secular identity must be preserved. Others, who see the niqab and burqa as symbols of female oppression, say the law is a way of supporting women's freedom.
But Nesrine Malik writes in The Daily Telegraph today and describes the law as "a mix of Islamophobia, busy-bodying feminism and resurgent nationalist sentiment".
Who's right? Is France setting an example? Would you like your own country to follow suit? Or is it getting it wrong?
In Libya, the African Union is struggling to get the rebels to sign up to a peace deal. Colonel Gaddafi has already accepted it. It's less clear that the rebels will agree. Should the West - and France in particular - be pressing the rebels to accept a settlement?
And in Ivory Coast, the French authorities say their special forces in Ivory Coast have arrested Laurent Gbagbo after a military operation. They say they're enforcing the UN mandate. Are they right to be increasing the pressure on Mr Gbagbo in his bunker?
You don't have to be French to comment. Wherever you are in the world, do get in touch.
Your comments
Comment sent via SMS
19:37
117228517
MARWAN VAPHY SESAY From Monrovia. Mr Gbagbo if you had understand the language of peace earlier you wouldn鈥檛 have been arrested like a thief, but do you see the kind of emberancement you put yourself to.
Comment sent via SMS
19:37
117296321
Mr gbagbo deserves such humilation. He is the man who has succeeded in dividing the people of Ivory Coast, in order to stay in power. Shame on you gbagbo. Oren Jusu, Liberia
Comment sent via SMS
19:37
117248936
Until Africans are prepared to take care of their problems the west and the USA always ready to fuel problems in Africa. From M. S.Lahai, Sierra Leone.
Comment sent via SMS
19:36
117296297
Africa o Africa, always manipulated and fooled. Who says the Ivory Coast issue is about elections? The colonialist have scored another goal. Welcome to the puppet called Allassan outtara. Karl Samura Sierra Leone
Comment sent via SMS
19:36
108511410
Gbagbo has made himself ugly to many Ivoriens and the outside world.After loosing the election to Alasane Ouattara 5 months ago,he remains defiant to conceed defeat.His refusal to relinguish power has claimed innocent lives and properties.Let him join Chales taylor and the others at the hague after his arrest!
Vamuyan Ayouba Sheriff in Mon.Lib.
Comment sent via Feed
19:29
113631290
Degun from Lagos tweeted:
Gbagbo ousted! Good riddance.
Comment sent via Twitter
19:24
116816226
@大象传媒_WHYS Should've happened in Kenya and Zimbabwe. Instead all vacillated and the thieves remained in power.
Comment sent via Twitter
19:11
116669697
@大象传媒_WHYS A rebirth has dawned! This should have happened long time ago. Wish Kenya and Uganda should ave happened long ago!
Comment sent via SMS
18:59
117296001
If the capture will save a thousand of civilian then it doesnt matter who captured him. Is time africans respect civilian than politicians.
Comment sent via Feed
18:59
113631290
Kagel tweeted
I've been waiting for a long time for something to happen. I hope that this will be the start of a new phase.
Comment sent via Feed
18:59
113631290
Tobias in Malawi emailed:
I salute UN and the west for enforcing sanity on our dictatorial leaders.
Comment sent via SMS
18:58
117295983
鈥檓 glad it is over Gbagbo should tried for war crimes.
Comment sent via SMS
18:58
117295983
Gbagbo held hostage the entire country just to stay in power. If he was conceded long time ago he well be qualified for the MO Ibrahim good governance reward. I
Comment sent via SMS
18:50
117211631
I lived in Cote d鈥檌voire 4 many years, the French have always been part of the Ivorians so they have every right 2 defend their investments. Amelia Dacas
Comment sent via Feed
18:39
113631290
Amos in Ghana emailed the bbc:
The question is will the forces loyal to Gbagbo back down?
Comment sent via SMS
18:29
117295436
This is a day of shame for africa. Once again a foreign power steps in France has no right and no guarantee this will be a solution kobe an african in london
Comment sent via Twitter
18:25
117295402
@大象传媒_WHYS . What an end for a dictator (Gabago)! I m ecstatic to hear this , now Ouattara shud evolve a vibrant democracy bereft of extrmsm
Comment sent via SMS
18:23
117295375
Edmund wright from monrovia. The capture of president Gbagbo by french special forces is a clear indication of an unconventional means to arrive at a ps -missing Fragment-
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:22
113631290
Hamisi in Kenya emailed
Mr. Gbagbo be tried at The Hague.
Comment sent via Twitter
18:22
116723922
@大象传媒_WHYS People of Ivory Coast be happy and stop blaming French Troops of Neo Colonialism. Nana Amsterdam
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:22
113631290
Manzie in Beijing emailed
It's a shame to watch a Head of State on TV in his underwear, eyes full of shame. What legacy has Gbagdo left behind for the children of Ivory Coast? It's a lesson to others indeed!
Comment sent via Feed
18:21
113631290
Diaby in Ghana tweeted: Atrocities on civilians and looting in Abidjan in mass now.
Comment sent via SMS
18:19
113922101
The main burden for democracy lies on the rulling dictator, how he let鈥檚 go will ultimately determine if the transition will be peaceful or violent. Such
Comment sent via SMS
18:19
113922101
stubbornness under internationally recognized elections required extreme measures. Now it will be up to him to try to limit the damage of the polarizati
Is France setting an example for the world ?
| Monday, 4 April 2011 | 18:00 - 19:00 GMT
BREAKING NEWS UPDATE:
The former president of Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo - who had been refusing to hand over power to his rival Alassane Ouattara - has been arrested. A French defence ministry official said he had been detained by Mr Ouattara's troops backed by those of the United Nations and France. Earlier those forces advanced on Mr Gbagbo's residence where he was holding out in a bunker. Mr Gbagbo has been taken to the UN-secured Golf Hotel with his wife and son. Ivory Coast's ambassador to the UN said he was alive and would be brought to justice.
Please get in touch with your reaction to the latest development.
ORIGINAL POST:
France is at the centre of three top stories today - and its role in all three areas is controversial.
Facebook and twitter (hastags #voile and #niqab) are humming with debate about the French ban, imposed today, on women covering their face in public with the niqab or burqa.
The first arrests have already taken place after a small group of women - who were wearing veils - staged a protest in Paris.
Some of those who support the ban argue that France's secular identity must be preserved. Others, who see the niqab and burqa as symbols of female oppression, say the law is a way of supporting women's freedom.
But Nesrine Malik writes in The Daily Telegraph today and describes the law as "a mix of Islamophobia, busy-bodying feminism and resurgent nationalist sentiment".
Who's right? Is France setting an example? Would you like your own country to follow suit? Or is it getting it wrong?
In Libya, the African Union is struggling to get the rebels to sign up to a peace deal. Colonel Gaddafi has already accepted it. It's less clear that the rebels will agree. Should the West - and France in particular - be pressing the rebels to accept a settlement?
And in Ivory Coast, the French authorities say their special forces in Ivory Coast have arrested Laurent Gbagbo after a military operation. They say they're enforcing the UN mandate. Are they right to be increasing the pressure on Mr Gbagbo in his bunker?
You don't have to be French to comment. Wherever you are in the world, do get in touch.
Your comments
Comment sent via SMS
MARWAN VAPHY SESAY From Monrovia. Mr Gbagbo if you had understand the language of peace earlier you wouldn鈥檛 have been arrested like a thief, but do you see the kind of emberancement you put yourself to.
Comment sent via SMS
Mr gbagbo deserves such humilation. He is the man who has succeeded in dividing the people of Ivory Coast, in order to stay in power. Shame on you gbagbo. Oren Jusu, Liberia
Comment sent via SMS
Until Africans are prepared to take care of their problems the west and the USA always ready to fuel problems in Africa. From M. S.Lahai, Sierra Leone.
Comment sent via SMS
Africa o Africa, always manipulated and fooled. Who says the Ivory Coast issue is about elections? The colonialist have scored another goal. Welcome to the puppet called Allassan outtara. Karl Samura Sierra Leone
Comment sent via SMS
Gbagbo has made himself ugly to many Ivoriens and the outside world.After loosing the election to Alasane Ouattara 5 months ago,he remains defiant to conceed defeat.His refusal to relinguish power has claimed innocent lives and properties.Let him join Chales taylor and the others at the hague after his arrest! Vamuyan Ayouba Sheriff in Mon.Lib.
Comment sent via Feed
Degun from Lagos tweeted: Gbagbo ousted! Good riddance.
Comment sent via Twitter
@大象传媒_WHYS Should've happened in Kenya and Zimbabwe. Instead all vacillated and the thieves remained in power.
Comment sent via Twitter
@大象传媒_WHYS A rebirth has dawned! This should have happened long time ago. Wish Kenya and Uganda should ave happened long ago!
Comment sent via SMS
If the capture will save a thousand of civilian then it doesnt matter who captured him. Is time africans respect civilian than politicians.
Comment sent via Feed
Kagel tweeted I've been waiting for a long time for something to happen. I hope that this will be the start of a new phase.
Comment sent via Feed
Tobias in Malawi emailed: I salute UN and the west for enforcing sanity on our dictatorial leaders.
Comment sent via SMS
鈥檓 glad it is over Gbagbo should tried for war crimes.
Comment sent via SMS
Gbagbo held hostage the entire country just to stay in power. If he was conceded long time ago he well be qualified for the MO Ibrahim good governance reward. I
Comment sent via SMS
I lived in Cote d鈥檌voire 4 many years, the French have always been part of the Ivorians so they have every right 2 defend their investments. Amelia Dacas
Comment sent via Feed
Amos in Ghana emailed the bbc: The question is will the forces loyal to Gbagbo back down?
Comment sent via SMS
This is a day of shame for africa. Once again a foreign power steps in France has no right and no guarantee this will be a solution kobe an african in london
Comment sent via Twitter
@大象传媒_WHYS . What an end for a dictator (Gabago)! I m ecstatic to hear this , now Ouattara shud evolve a vibrant democracy bereft of extrmsm
Comment sent via SMS
Edmund wright from monrovia. The capture of president Gbagbo by french special forces is a clear indication of an unconventional means to arrive at a ps -missing Fragment-
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Hamisi in Kenya emailed Mr. Gbagbo be tried at The Hague.
Comment sent via Twitter
@大象传媒_WHYS People of Ivory Coast be happy and stop blaming French Troops of Neo Colonialism. Nana Amsterdam
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Manzie in Beijing emailed It's a shame to watch a Head of State on TV in his underwear, eyes full of shame. What legacy has Gbagdo left behind for the children of Ivory Coast? It's a lesson to others indeed!
Comment sent via Feed
Diaby in Ghana tweeted: Atrocities on civilians and looting in Abidjan in mass now.
Comment sent via SMS
The main burden for democracy lies on the rulling dictator, how he let鈥檚 go will ultimately determine if the transition will be peaceful or violent. Such
Comment sent via SMS
stubbornness under internationally recognized elections required extreme measures. Now it will be up to him to try to limit the damage of the polarizati