Confusion over Gabon candidates

Two days before elections in Gabon to replace the late President Omar Bongo, at least five out of 23 candidates have said they are pulling out of the race.
They say they will now back Andre Mba Obame, a former government minister.
But several other candidates denied media reports that they had also withdrawn in favour of Mr Obame.
The favourite to win Sunday's poll is Ali Ben Bongo, the son of the former president who ruled Gabon from 1967 until his death in June.
Some of the candidates have complained of voter registration irregularities, including Bruno Ben Moubamba, who has gone on hunger strike in protest.
He, however, denied reports that he was one of those who had withdrawn from the race and was supporting Mr Obame.
Following overnight talks, one of those pulling out of the race, Anna Claudine Assayi Ayo, said that "consultations resulted in a secret vote and the designation of Andre Mba Obame [as candidate]".
Mr Obame was the interior minister under President Bongo.
He was a senior member of the ruling Gabonese Democratic party (PDG) until deciding to run as an independent after it selected Ali Ben Bongo as its candidate.
He, and some of those who withdrew from the election, are from the Fang ethnic group - Gabon's largest - and correspondents say this could help him pose a serious challenge to Mr Bongo.
However, the anti-Bongo vote still looks set to be divided, while the PDG candidate enjoys the advantage of having the best-financed campaign.
Gabon is a major oil producer but most of its 1.4 million people live in poverty.
The late President Bongo was facing charges of corruption in a French court when he died.

N Korea hints at 'specific' talks

Islamist militants have clashed with Nigerian police in two northern states leaving many dead, a day after at least 39 people were killed in other attacks.

Eyewitnesses told the BBC a gun battle had raged for hours in Potiskum, Yobe State and a police station set on fire.

A self-styled "Taliban" group which has staged previous attacks also fought with the security forces in Maiduguri, Borno State, killing at least 30.

A curfew has been imposed in Bauchi city after Sunday's violence.

Sharia law is in place across northern Nigeria but there is no history of al-Qaeda linked violence in the country.

Nigeria's 140 million people are split almost equally between Muslims and Christians and the two groups generally live peacefully side by side, despite occasional outbreaks of communal violence.

'Education is prohibited'

Militants chanting "God is great" attacked the Potiskum police station at about 0215 local time (0115 GMT) - the same time as the Taliban launched their raid in Maiduguri.

The police station and neighbouring buildings have been razed to the ground, eyewitnesses say.

The Taleban previously staged attacks in 2004

Hundreds of people are reported to be fleeing central Maiduguri, the state capital.

The BBC's Bilkisu Babangida in Maiduguri says she has counted more than 30 dead bodies at one police building alone in Maiduguri.

Security is said to have been beefed up in Plateau State, to the south of Bauchi, where hundreds were killed in clashes between Muslims and Christians last year.

The security forces have confirmed Monday's attacks but have not released any casualty figures.

Medical sources have told the BBC that two police officers have been taken to hospital in Potiskum.

It is not clear if Monday's attacks are linked to the violence on Sunday, which was carried out by a different group.

However the BBC's Ahmed Idris in Abuja says both the Taliban and Boko Haram, the group in Bauchi, campaign against Western-style education.

Members of Boko Haram, which means "Education is prohibited", attacked a police station after some of their leaders were arrested.

Correspondents say the group is seen locally as a fringe group and has aroused suspicion for its recruitment of young men, and its belief that Western education, Western culture and science are sinful.

The Taliban came to prominence after attacking police stations in Borno State in 2004.

Security boosted in north Nigeria

The Nigerian authorities have stepped up security across the north of the country, following two days of violence in which at least 100 people have died.

Soldiers have set up road blocks and imposed dusk-to-dawn curfews in affected areas in Yobe, Kano, Borno and Plateau states.

Islamist militants staged attacks on police and government offices.

There have been reports of youths armed with machetes and guns killing police officers and civilians at random.

Nigeria's military and police have been ordered to use all means necessary to contain the violence, the BBC's Caroline Duffield in Lagos reports.

Gun battles

Eyewitnesses told the BBC that police stations had been attacked and civilians pulled from their cars and shot dead.In the town worst affected by the violence, Maiduguri in Borno State, bodies of residents and militants have been piled outside the police station and in the streets.

A BBC reporter there counted 100 corpses.

Some of the militants are believed to be supporters of a preacher based in Maiduguri, Mohammed Yusuf, who says Western education is against Islamic teaching.

Nigeria's police are understood to be searching for him.

Late on Monday night there were still reports of shooting in Maiduguri.

Earlier, witnesses told the BBC that a battle had raged for hours in Potiskum, Yobe State, where a police station and neighbouring buildings were reportedly razed.

There was also attacks on police in Wudil, some 20km (12 miles) from Kano, the largest city in northern Nigeria.

Security is said to have been particularly beefed up in Plateau State, to the south of Bauchi, where hundreds were killed in clashes between Muslims and Christians last year.

Mr Yusuf's followers are known as Boko Haram, which means "Education is prohibited".

Eyewitness: Nigeria attacks Nigeria's anti-education preacher Fear and tension after attack

Youths began attacking police stations on Sunday after some of the group's leaders were arrested.

Correspondents say Boko Haram has aroused suspicion for its recruitment of young men, and its belief that Western education, culture and science are sinful.

Reuters news agency reports that one of the group's leaders, arrested in Kano state, said his followers were standing up for their faith.

"Even if I'm arrested, there are more to do the job," Abdulmuni Ibrahim Mohammed is quoted as saying.

Sharia law is in place across northern Nigeria, but there is no history of al-Qaeda-linked violence in the country.

The country's 150 million people are split almost equally between Muslims and Christians and the two groups generally live peacefully side by side, despite occasional outbreaks of communal violence.

Sharia trial for Somalia hostages

Two French security advisers seized in Somalia will be tried under Sharia law, an official from their captors, the Islamic al-Shabab militia, says.

The unnamed spokesman said they would be tried for spying and "conspiracy against Islam".
The two, who were training government troops, were kidnapped by gunmen in a Mogadishu hotel on Tuesday and later handed over to al-Shabab insurgents.
Al-Shabab and its allies control much of southern Somalia.
The al-Shabab official said no date had been set for the trial of the two men.

They were on an official mission to train the forces of the interim government, which has recently appealed for foreign help to tackle Islamist insurgents.

Moderate Islamist President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was sworn in in January after UN-brokered peace talks. Meeting al-Shabab
Somali justice, Islamist-style

He promised to introduce Sharia law but the hardliners accuse him of being a western stooge.
Somalia has not had a functioning national government since 1991.

Somali Islamists ban UN agencies

Somali militants accused of links to al-Qaeda have banned three United Nations agencies from operating in two southern towns they control.

Members of al-Shabab also raided the offices of the UN Political Office for Somalia, the Development Programme and the Department of Safety and Security.
Al-Shabab accused the agencies of being enemies of Islam and Somali Muslims.
The UN brokered the deal which brought President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, a moderate Islamist, to power in January.
Although he has promised to introduce Sharia law, al-Shabab accuses him of being a Western stooge and stages frequent attacks on government targets.
The UN has no permanent foreign staff in Somalia, but runs its operations from neighbouring Kenya.

Staff unharmed

One unnamed UN staff member told Reuters news agency that armed militia had surrounded the compound in Baidoa and taken away three cars.
Another official told AFP news agency that al-Shabab members had "told staff not to worry, nobody will harm them".
AFP reported that offices in the town of Wajid had also been targeted.
Other UN offices in both towns were not affected.
A statement broadcast on local radio from al-Shabab said the three UN organisations were "working against the benefit of the Somali Muslim population and against the establishment of an Islamic state in Somalia".
Al-Shabab and its allies control much of southern Somalia and swathes of the capital Mogadishu.
The group is currently holding two French security advisors, who were seized by gunmen in Mogadishu last wee