Mr Ravalomanana said he would form a new government of national reconciliation to try to settle the four-month crisis which has divided the island. 

He was speaking after talks with a delegation from the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which is trying to broker a settlement of the dispute. 

Mr Ravalomanana said the new government would prepare the country for another vote to decide who won last December's election. 

His remarks were made amid reports that another bridge had been blown up on the road south of the capital, Antananarivo - further disrupting supplies to the city. 

Court ruling

The bridge at Behenjy, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of Antananarivo, was destroyed at dawn on the main road linking the capital to the south of the giant Indian Ocean island. 

Four other bridges, linking Antananarivo to the south, south-east and east of the island of 16 million people have been destroyed in recent weeks, reinforcing a blockade of the city mounted by supporters of embattled ruler Didier Ratsiraka. 

Mr Ravalomanana was declared president by a court on Monday, but Mr Ratsiraka rejected the ruling which said a recount of disputed December polls showed that his opponent had won. 

The OAU ministers met Mr Ratsiraka in his eastern hometown of Toamasina on Thursday and had a meeting with Ravalomanana in Antananarivo on Friday. 

Ratsiraka is based in his hometown of Tamatave

The OAU, which still recognises Mr Ratsiraka as president, has said a referendum to decide who should be president is the only way to avoid partition of the island, which is the size of Spain and Portugal combined. 

But it was not clear whether Mr Ravalomanana, faced with threats of secession from provincial governors, would give in to demands from Ratsiraka supporters to hold a referendum to decide who rules the vast island off southeast Africa. 

The two men had agreed to the recount last month in Dakar, but Mr Ratsiraka said the court's ruling was biased. 

Provincial governors loyal to Mr Ratsiraka, a former admiral who has ruled Madagascar for more than 20 years, have threatened to break away from central rule if Mr Ravalomanana goes ahead with his investiture ceremony on Monday. 

The crisis in Madagascar began when Mr Ravalomanana, the hugely popular mayor of Antananarivo, accused Mr Ratsiraka of rigging 16 December presidential elections. 

Mr Ravalomanana's supporters staged massive protests and a strike to try to force a recount, but when that failed the millionaire businessman declared himself president, saying he had no alternative. 

Barricades

Mr Ravalomanana controls the capital, including the ministries, and has a growing portion of the army behind him. 

But there has been strong resistance to his rule from the provinces, where Mr Ratsiraka still has considerable support. 

Governor Samwel Lahady and others supporting Ratsiraka have threatened to secede

Ratsiraka supporters have erected barricades to isolate the capital, cutting off vital supplies and devastating the economy by paralysing imports and exports. 

Mr Ratsiraka has reneged on an agreement to remove the barriers. 

Provincial governors said they would secede from central rule on Thursday but have so far not carried out their threat. 

It is not clear what secession would mean, or how many of the island's 16 million people would support the move. 

Analysts have warned that violence is likely to worsen if the crisis persists. 

Up to 60 people have already died in clashes between the two side, the Health Ministry says. 

Keita says the results were manipulated

Complete results from Sunday's presidential elections in Mali, released after days of confusion, take the two leading candidates on to a second round. 

Provisional results

Amadou Toumani Toure: 28%  Soumaila Cisse: 23%  Ibrahim Boubacar Keita: 21%  Turnout: 39%

Military strong man, Amadou Toumani Toure, and the candidate of the ruling Adema party, Soumaila Cisse, will contest a second round of voting on 12 May after neither candidate won the 50% needed for outright victory, according to complete but provisional results released on Friday. 

But the candidate in third place, former Prime Minister Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who was backed by Mali's Islamic leaders, has alleged fraud and vote-rigging. 

The Independent Electoral Commission has also criticised the way the count has been handled. 

Mr Keita's RPM party and five others allege that results were manipulated before being released by the interior ministry. 

No conflict

Mr Cisse's campaign manager is the wife of the interior minister, Ousmane Sy. 

Mr Sy has denied any conflict of interests. 

Former military ruler Toure won the first round

The RPM is threatening to take the results to court but has asked their activists to remain calm. 

"It's clear the vote has been manipulated, because in some zones, the number of votes cast was higher than the number of registered voters," Mr Keita told journalists. 

"I am not a rabble-rouser... But if you rob and cheat your people, it is sometimes hard to keep them under control," he warned. 

The RPM has called for a mass rally of its supporters in Bamako on Saturday. 

'Unfair'

The president of Mali's Independent Electoral Commission, Moustaphe Cisse, told journalists that polling stations had not provided official electoral results, as required by the law. 

It was also "unfair" that results from Bamako had not been released, he said. 

Soumaila Cisse had the best-funded campaign

The BBC's Joan Baxter in Bamako says that privately many observers have "serious reservations" about the counting of the votes. 

Current President Alpha Oumar Konare is not standing, as he has served the constitutional limit of two terms. 

Mali is often referred to by westerners as a model democracy in Africa, since multi-party elections were introduced by Mr Toure in 1992. 

But our correspondent says many Malians are concerned about rising poverty and what they see as the spread of corruption. 

Password

International election observers have agreed not to make an official statement until final results are declared. 

They were initially expected on Tuesday but were delayed after a computer technician had a car accident. 

Election officials said he was the only person with the password to access the election centre's computers - forcing the vote count to be suspended. 

But our correspondent says that many people suspect officials used the accident as an excuse to suspend counting. 

A seven-day period of mourning has been declared

The self-declared republic of Somaliland has sworn in a new president only a few hours after the death of its leader, Mohamed Ibrahim Egal, in a hospital in South Africa. 

The vice-president of Somaliland, Dahir Riyale Kahin, was inaugurated at an emergency meeting attended by senior government officials, according to a provision in the constitution, officials said. 

Mr Kahin later said that Mr Egal's body will be flown back to the republic's self-declared capital Hargeisa on Saturday before being buried alongside his father in the port town of Berbera "according to his last wishes". 

A seven-day period of mourning has also been declared and Mr Kahin has called on the people of Somaliland to pray for their late president. 

Mr Egal, who had been undergoing treatment for a number of ailments - ranging from rheumatism and hypertension to diabetes and cancer - died from what are described as complications following surgery. 

Treatment

He was elected as president of the breakaway republic in 1993, but neither his position nor the independent status of Somaliland have ever been internationally recognised. 

We have not received what we really wanted most, and that was recognition of Somaliland.

Mohamed Egal

Reports said Mohamed Ibrahim Egal had been undergoing treatment at a hospital in the South African city of Pretoria for the past 10 days, but he had not been responding to treatment. 

He died early on Friday morning, aged around 80 - although no-one seems to know his precise date of birth. 

Mr Egal was elected leader of the self-declared republic by a council of elders drawn from the region's main clans. 

Instability fear

In an interview with the BBC three years ago, Mr Egal said he was disappointed that Somaliland's development as an independent state had not been acknowledged, and he rejected any suggestion of reunification with Somalia. 

"They are split into 20 parts you know (referring to Somalia), each one ruled by a warlord who knows nothing but killing and mayhem. 

"Our people are prepared to talk to Somalia - we are prepared to help them find their way - to try to give them the benefits of the lessons we've learned here. 

"We have not received what we really wanted most, and that was recognition of Somaliland." 

Old rivalries

Mohamed Egal had just had his term of office extended for another year in a final bid to secure the international recognition he craved. 

But he did not live to see his dream realised. 

The fear is that after a decade of relative stability, the death of Mohamed Egal might prompt old rivalries to re-emerge. 

The Lagos-bound flight with 77 people on board ended in disaster shortly after take-off on Saturday when it nose-dived into a heavily-populated district of the city. 

If necessary we will involve investigators from outside Nigeria to ensure that a proper job is done

President Olusegun Obasanjo

Spontaneous street protests broke out at the crash site - where the plane had ploughed through tin-roofed houses, a mosque and a Koranic school. 

Throughout the day bodies were being pulled out of the rubble and wreckage - many of them by boy scouts who spearheaded the rescue effort after police and firefighters were overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster. 

Residents want answers how this happened

The confirmed death toll is expected to rise and could end up "much higher", rescuers said. 

Four people on board the plane are reported to have survived - one female crew member, and three passengers, one of whom was a Lebanese national, officials from the privately-owned EAS airline said. 

One of those who died was Sports Minister Ishaya Mark Aku. He had been on his way to Lagos to see a World Cup warm-up match for Nigeria's footballers. 

At least one British passenger was on the flight and is presumed dead. 

Flags at half mast

President Obasanjo called for an "immediate and detailed investigation" into the cause of the crash, involving foreign experts if required. 

Rescue worker Shehu Tofa told the French news agency AFP that the plane's black box flight recorder had been recovered. 

The president could face angry protests from bereaved relatives whose anguish has been increased by the difficulty of identifying loved ones. 

The refrigeration system was not working at Kano's hospital mortuary, and workers just piled burned corpses on the floor, according to one relative quoted by AP. 

She said hospital workers had demanded 2000 naira ($15) to help her identify a 55-year-old aunt and 22-year-old nephew who had been on the plane. 

"I'm a woman and it is difficult for me to even go into that stinking place, and then they ask for money when I'm grieving," she is quoted as saying. 

Safety fears

This is the worst aviation disaster in Nigeria since 1966 when a domestic flight crashed near Lagos with a loss of 142 lives. 

Nigeria has had several disasters since Obasanjo took power

Correspondents say there are concerns about the use of older aircraft by the private domestic carriers, and some foreign embassies have forbidden their staff from flying on certain airlines because of safety concerns. 

In April, the Nigerian Government announced a ban on the use of aircraft more than 22 years old, a move that triggered strong protests from private local airline operators. 

By Alistair Leithead  BBC correspondent in Tamatave

A delegation from the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) sent to Madagascar is leaving the country having made no headway towards resolving the constitutional crisis there. 

Ratsiraka said the recount was illegal

But it did not suggest any real way forward or any way of getting an agreement signed in Dakar last month between Mr Ratsiraka and his rival, Marc Ravalomanana back into effect. 

The Dakar accord aimed to reconcile the two rivals' long-standing differences over a contentious presidential vote held in December by having the ballot papers recounted. 

Last Monday a court upheld the original vote, declaring Mr Ravalomanana president. But Mr Ratsiraka has rejected the court's decision. 

Stalemate

Mr Ravalomanana pressing ahead with his presidential investiture on Monday. 

Ravalomanana prepares to be inaugurated for a second time

With Mr Ratsiraka describing the planned ceremony as "a second coup d'etat" and refusing to accept a ballot recount, the country is back to a stalemate. 

"Mr Ravalomanana and his partners have made one coup d'etat, and then a second coup d'etat on Monday," Mr Ratsiraka said. 

"We did not make any coup d'etat at any time. We didn't attack anybody at any time." 

It is interesting that the only firm statement the OAU made was against Mr Ratsiraka, and the delegation also said there was no deal done in Dakar behind the scenes. 

Breakaway plans

Mr Ratsiraka's cabinet has been meeting in Tamatave in the east of Madagascar - they are now a government in exile. 

Although they are serious, it is difficult to see how this would work in practice. 

The OAU appears to be leaning more towards Mr Ravalomanana. 

But by not speaking out, an end to this crisis appears no nearer. 

Residents are thought to have sought refuge inside the church to escape fierce fighting between the left-wing rebels and right-wing paramilitaries. 

The scene was one of utter devastation. Local government spokesman, Jorge Caicedo, described the killings as a national tragedy and called for urgent humanitarian help. 

Correspondents say it is one of the deadliest attacks by the FARC on civilians in recent years. 

Fight for lucrative trade 

For several days the FARC guerrillas have been fighting the paramilitaries of the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC) in the dense jungle around the town of Bojaya. 

Despite warnings the security forces were nowhere to be seen

Then the fighting moved in the town itself, and the mayor gathered the people into what he thought were the safest places - the church and adjoining square. 

The Colombian human rights ombudsman, Eduardo Cifuentes, said that despite advance warnings that the local community was vulnerable to attack, no troop reinforcements had been sent to the area. 

The target for the illegal armies is the River Atrato that runs through Choco and on which the town of Bojaya sits. 

The BBC correspondent in Colombia says that whoever controls the river also controls the lucrative trade in drugs, arms and contraband that makes its way to and from Panama and the Caribbean coast. 

At least 35,000 people have been killed over the last decade of violence in Colombia, and about two million people have fled the country. 

Police show President Arroyo their weapons haul

 

By John McLean  BBC correspondent in Manila

Police in the Philippines say they have arrested nine men they accuse of being terrorists with links to Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network. 

The arrests were carried out in operations in which the police also say they seized a quantity of firearms and bomb-making materials. 

The men were detained in the northern Philippines, a predominantly Christian area far from the southern homeland of the country's Muslim minority. 

All the suspects are Muslims, some of them recent converts from Christianity. 

Gunfight

The police allege that they are terrorists connected with the Jema-Ah Islamiya, a group of Islamic militants sometimes described as the south-east Asian arm of the al-Qaeda network. 

The police have arrested many people accused of being terrorists but in many cases they have turned out to be no such thing

The chancellor of the Catholic diocese in the territory, Reverend Lawrence Lee, told local television the Church was investigating the latest allegations. 

The church's image and reputation will no doubt be affected

Reverend Lawrence Lee

The allegations are the latest in a wave of accusations of child abuse by priests which have rocked the Catholic Church worldwide. 

Reverend Lee told the Post the alleged abuses took place over the past 11 years. 

The Church had previously said they happened over three decades. 

Hong Kong police said they would investigate the claims "as soon as possible" and urged other victims of abuse to come forward, French news agency AFP reported. 

None of the accusations were reported to the police before the story appeared in the newspaper. 

Bribe denial

The diocese said two of the first three priests accused of abuse, whom it said were Chinese, had been suspended from their positions. 

The Pope met US bishops to discuss the scandal

The third, it said, had "reportedly committed a sexual abuse offence in his home country many years before arriving in Hong Kong", and had been barred from working with children. 

"The church's image and reputation will no doubt be affected, but this is a fact we have to face," Reverend Lee told a television programme. 

He admitted the diocese had offered the alleged victims financial aid but denied it was to buy their silence. 

"We made such an offer in case the victims had financial problems paying for counselling or psychological treatment," said Reverend Lee. 

He said none of the families had accepted the offer. 

Global scandal

The Church has 300 priests and runs a similar number of schools and kindergartens in the former British colony. 

Last week, the Vatican held an emergency meeting with American cardinals over the child abuse scandal engulfing the Church in the US. 

Pope John Paul II has said there is no place in the priesthood and religious life for those who would harm the young. 

On Friday, the Roman Catholic Church in Boston, US, decided against an earlier agreement to pay $30m to alleged victims of a former priest.

The Taiwanese vessel docked at the island of Matsu, one of the worst affected areas. Local officials are considering buying 50,000 tonnes of water from China - a month's supply - if the drought continues. 

However Taiwan's cabinet has said the shipment should be seen as a one-off, and has warned against relying on Chinese assistance. 

This is the first time we have been allowed to buy water from the mainland... something that was unthinkable before

Matsu official

Lying in the Taiwan Strait, Matsu is controlled by Taipei. It is mainly populated by a Taiwanese military garrison. 

An official on Matsu, which is nearer the Chinese coast than to the main island of Taiwan said: "This is the first time we have been allowed to buy water from the mainland - something that was unthinkable before." 

"We have been waiting for rains for months. The situation is quite desperate," he added. 

Rationing

Previous requests from Taiwan's islands to import water from China had been turned down by Taipei authorities over security fears. 

China and Taiwan have been bitter rivals since their split in 1949 following a civil war. 

China regards Taiwan as a renegade province that must be re-unified with the mainland, by force if necessary. 

On Taiwan itself, restrictions on water use have been imposed in some areas. Swimming pools have been closed and the authorities are no longer watering public parks or using water to clean the streets. 

They are warning that the restrictions will increase if the severe water shortage continues. 

By Richard Galpin  BBC Jakarta correspondent

The Indonesian police have arrested the leader of one of the country's most militant Islamic organisations. 

Jafar Umar Thalib, head of Laskar Jihad, was picked up after leaving the Moluccan Islands where his organisation has been accused of involvement in a massacre of Christian villagers last weekend. 

Jafar Umar Thalib is now being held by the police in the capital, Jakarta. 

At a news conference, the national police spokesman said Mr Jafar had been accused of inciting his supporters to commit crime. 

Religious violence has claimed 6,000 lives in the past three years

If formally charged and found guilty, he could face up to seven years in prison. 

Both allegations stem from a speech given by Jafar Umar Thalib just over a week ago of which the police have video and audio recordings. 

In the speech in front of thousands of Muslims in the city of Ambon, the provincial capital of the Moluccan Islands, Mr Jafar called for a renewed holy war against the Christian community. 

He told the crowd to prepare their weapons for the conflict. 

Two days later, a Muslim mob attacked a Christian village on the outskirts of the city killing at least 12 people, including women and a young baby. 

Dozens of houses and a historic church were also burned down. 

Peace deal blow

The attack was a serious blow to the peace agreement signed in February by local Christian and Muslim leaders which it was hoped would end the three-year religious conflict in the region which has claimed at least 6,000 lives. 

Initially, it seemed the authorities were scared to take action against Laskar Jihad who know there was strong circumstantial evidence. 

Two years ago, Jafar Umar Thalib sent thousands of Laskar Jihad fighters to the Moluccan Islands leading to a major escalation in the conflict. 

But the government and security forces did nothing to stop them. 

Now, finally, they have moved against Mr Jafar. 

But it has already sparked a violent reaction in Ambon City. 

At least two people were killed and more than a dozen injured after a Muslim crowd went on the rampage. 

Buildings have also been set on fire. 

Sabri: Talks "useful, frank and focused"

One-on-one talks between UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri were held alongside separate discussions by weapons experts on both sides. 

Mr Sabri said that a third set of talks with Mr Annan would be held later this year. 

No date has been set for these meetings, but Mr Sabri said that Friday's discussions had been "useful, frank and focused". 

"We continued our debate in the same positive spirit of cooperation that characterised our meeting in March," he told French news agency AFP. 

Mr Annan, is expected to brief the UN Security Council later on Friday about his discussions with Mr Sabri. 

Concerns

The BBC's Greg Barrow said that the UN had been impressed by how seriously Iraq had taken the talks and with the positive approach taken by the country, although Iraqi delegates repeated their concerns about other issues including US threats to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and disputes over the no-fly zone. 

The meeting followed earlier talks between the two parties on Wednesday, prior to which Mr Annan had said he wanted discussions to focus on the return of weapons inspectors to Iraq. 

Iraq has repeatedly refused to allow inspectors back in to continue their search for weapons of mass destruction since ordering them out in 1998. 

Under the terms of UN resolutions, Gulf War sanctions cannot be lifted until the inspectors certify that Iraq's chemical, biological and nuclear weapons have been destroyed - along with missiles to deliver them. 

Mixed signals

Baghdad has given mixed signals about whether it will agree to the return of weapons inspectors. 

Earlier talks with the UN in March were described as positive and constructive. 

However Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz said recently that he thought it was too early to talk about a return of UN inspectors. 

Our UN correspondent said the Iraqis may think they have room for manoeuvre because it is widely accepted in diplomatic circles that Washington wants to avoid a military campaign against Iraq while there is no end in sight to the Israel-Palestinian crisis. 

A resolution to the stand-off, which began on 2 April, appeared closer after Palestinians handed over a list of names of people still inside the church. 

Negotiators are discussing the fate of wanted militants

And a Palestinian woman and two children were shot dead by Israeli troops near the West Bank town of Jenin. 

In a sign of diplomatic activity, senior Egyptian officials visited Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for the first time since Israel ended his confinement last week. 

Click here for Bethlehem siege timeline

In Bethlehem, Israeli and Palestinian officials moved into what could be the final phase of talks over the fate of 123 Palestinians named on the list, under US and UK mediation. 

They are believed to be working out a deal similar to that which allowed Israel to lift its siege of Mr Arafat's headquarters following the jailing of wanted militants. 

An Israeli Government spokesman, Mark Sofer, told the BBC there was a possibility that the siege would be over in a short period of time, although he said the discussions between Israel and the Palestinians were now delicately poised. 

Negotiators are discussing exiling a number of suspected militants in the church to Jordan. 

At one stage on Sunday morning a white jeep arrived and was met by priests who came out of the church. Food and cigarettes were taken in on Saturday night. 

Sharon peace plan

As talks to end the stand-off continued, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon left for Washington with details of a peace plan. 

Sharon is seeking the US president's support to sideline Arafat

Aides said Mr Sharon would suggest that a long-term interim deal with the Palestinians should be worked out at a regional peace conference, proposed last week by Us Secretary of State Colin Powell. 

Mr Sharon will also give President Bush a 100-page dossier which officials say proves links between Mr Arafat and terrorist organisations. 

The Israeli leader is seeking the president's support to sideline Mr Arafat, a move which the Bush administration has so far resisted. 

The visit to the White House will be Mr Sharon's fifth since he was elected last February, while President Bush is yet to invite the Palestinian leader. 

West Bank bloodshed

A Palestinian woman and two children were killed by Israeli fire on Sunday near the West Bank city of Jenin. An Israeli military source said troops opened fire after a bomb was detonated near an armoured vehicle. 

"The force identified suspicious figures in the adjacent grove and fired towards them with light weapons only," the military source said. 

The Israeli army apologised for the incident and regretted the loss of life, the source said. Palestinian correspondents said the army opened fire "without justification". 

Elsewhere in the West Bank, Israeli troops sealed off the town of Tulkarm on Sunday and began conducting house-to-house searches - the latest of several such raids on the town. 

In Ramallah, the Egyptian Foreign Minster, Ahmed Maher and Osama al-Baz, a political adviser to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, flew from Jordan to express solidarity with the Palestinian leader. 

Mr Maher said the first step to peace had to be a complete withdrawal by Israeli forces from Palestinian territories they entered in a major offensive at the end of March.

The Iran newspaper, which is owned by the official IRNA news agency, was suspended on Saturday, believed to have been accused of blasphemy. 

Khamenei has criticised Iran's liberal media

The temporary ban was the latest in a crackdown on reformist media by hardline rivals of Iran's moderate president Mohammed Khatami. 

No reason was given for the paper's suspension, although a BBC regional analyst says it is likely to do with a recent article which Iranian religious authorities said insulted the Prophet Mohammed. 

Last week, the newspaper published an item which suggested the prophet enjoyed listening to women sing and play music. 

Women singing before a male audience is considered un-Islamic in Iran, which banned such activities two years ago. 

The head of the newspaper, Abdol Rassul Vessal, said the publication was closed after 96 complaints against it. 

Press battleground

The judiciary also shut down another liberal newspaper, Bonyan, to which writers of banned publications frequently contribute. 

It is not known whether the order against Bonyan will also be reversed. 

The Iranian press has become one of the main battlegrounds between conservative hardliners and President Khatami. 

More than 80 publications supporting the president have been shut down over the past two years and dozens of reformist campaigners jailed.

The boat lacked adequate escape procedures

Survivors from a passenger ferry which capsized in Bangladesh with heavy loss of life on Friday night say the vessel was seriously overcrowded. 

It was packed beyond its carrying capacity

Passenger Mohammad Altaf

Hopes are fading for hundreds of people thought to be trapped inside the boat, which now lies under about 20 metres (60 feet) of water in the river Meghna, near the south-eastern port of Chandpur. 

River transport authorities said about 150 people were on board the vessel when it sank, but passengers who managed to swim ashore said the total was between 300 and 400. 

Survivors say the boat collided with another vessel in stormy weather before overturning. 

Up to 70 people escaped from the stricken vessel, which got into trouble shortly before midnight (1800 GMT) on Friday, river authorities said. 

Wind and drizzle

Only two bodies have so far been recovered, reports say - a woman and a child. 

The two-deck ferry Salahuddin-2 was travelling to the coastal region of Patuakhali from the capital Dhaka when it was struck by a whirlwind - a common phenomenon at this time of year. 

"It was packed beyond its carrying capacity," passenger Mohammad Altaf told the Reuters news agency. 

"It was dark and we were sitting on the ferry's congested upper deck. It was drizzling, then came the strong winds and the ferry listed to one side," he said. 

"Within moments I was thrown overboard into the water and I saw the ferry going down as well," he told Reuters. 

The BBC's Alastair Lawson in Dhaka says it is one of the worst ferry accidents in Bangladesh in recent years and - like many other previous ones - could have been avoided. 

Inadequate safety

The boat lacked adequate escape procedures in the event of an emergency and trapped survivors may have died because the nearest rescue boat lacked the proper equipment. 

Onlookers were horrified

A large crowd of relatives and onlookers are now gathered on the banks of the river in the hope of finding more survivors - but rescue workers said that was unlikely. 

Divers have been trying to reach the ferry, but there is little to be done until a powerful floating crane arrives from the coastal city of Barisal to lift the ferry out of the water. 

Only then will the final death toll become apparent. 

Those who survived managed to swim ashore or to reach other boats. 

Altaf Hossain, a surviving passenger who managed to swim ashore, said four of his family members including his wife and son were still missing. 

He said the ferry was first hit by another vessel from the side and then a strong wind overturned it, although this has not been confirmed. 

River travel

Most Bangladeshi ferries travelling on local routes do not keep passenger lists or issue tickets. 

Ferry accidents are very common in Bangladesh, a country criss-crossed by hundreds of rivers. 

Friday's disaster occurred near the powerful confluence of three major rivers - the Padma, Meghna and Jamuna - which flow into the Bay of Bengal. 

Ferries are a key means of transportation in Bangladesh. Most accidents are blamed on overloading or on unskilled skippers, correspondents say. 

Nearly 200 people were killed when a ferry sank in the Meghna river early last year, and there have been many more smaller ferry disasters. 

Musharraf dismisses rigging charge

Musharraf said he had been given a clear mandate

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has said claims that huge numbers of people were forced to vote for him during Tuesday's referendum were "ridiculous". 

General Musharraf said he had been determined to ensure the referendum was fair and impartial. 

The opposition says there were massive irregularities

According to official figures, 98% of voters said he should stay in power. 

Opposition groups and human rights organisations have spoken of serious abuses and irregularities in the referendum, which produced a record turnout. 

But General Musharraf told reporters in Islamabad that he had been given a heavy mandate by the people of Pakistan in the referendum to continue his reforms. 

'No force'

The general denied reports there had been widespread instances of multiple voting, ballot stuffing, and people being forced to vote. 

Official figures say 98% voted for the general

He said there were some incidents, but it was ridiculous to think hundreds of thousands had been dragged into vote. 

He would not commit himself on whether the referendum decision would be ratified by parliament once elected in October. 

The general said political parties would be allowed to contest elections, but the ban on outdoor rallies would continue until an unspecified period - possibly 60 days before the polls. 

And even after elections, he made it clear he would be closely monitoring events. 

President Musharraf said that to resolve any potential struggles between the president and prime minister, they were seriously considering a national security council to include the heads of the armed forces. 

The council would, in his words, "have the power to check any misdoings of the government". 

But critics say it will give too much power to the military. 

War on terror

President Musharraf said he would continue to fight sectarian extremism and that his government had been creating nationwide anti-terrorism agencies. 

He said it was possible small groups of al-Qaeda had been entering Pakistan from Afghanistan, but he denied reports of US special forces working in Pakistan's tribal areas, saying the US military personnel were only involved in communications. 

General Musharraf repeated that if he was needed to stay on once his five year term was up, he would do so, but he added: "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it".

Nepal military steps up offensive

The whole kingdom has been wracked by unrest

Nepal's military has stepped up its offensive against Maoist forces in the west of the country after operations this week which may have left as many as 350 rebels dead. 

The rebels want a communist republic

Authorities said on Saturday that security forces had intensified aerial and ground assaults on rebel hideouts in Rolpa and Doti districts. 

The operation follows a major military success for the government late on Thursday night. 

Authorities have confirmed that about 100 Maoists died in the attack, but say that an accurate assessment has been hampered by difficult terrain and bad weather. 

Reports of much higher casualties remain unconfirmed, but a defence ministry statement cited circumstantial evidence as saying up to 350 rebels may have died. 

Escape routes

The latest offensive has concentrated on one of the biggest rebel hideouts in Rolpa, 300 kilometres (185 miles) west of the capital Kathmandu, where security forces have reportedly destroyed training camps and shelters. 

Junior Home Minister Devendra Raj Kandel told the BBC the military had blocked several possible rebel escape routes. 

Details of the offensive have been sketchy, and independent verification of the official claims is difficult to obtain due to the lack of communication with conflict areas. 

Restrictions on the press have also been imposed since a state of emergency was declared late last year. 

There has as yet been no reaction from the rebels to the government offensive. 

The Maoist conflict, in which the rebels have been fighting for a communist republic since 1996, has cost over 3,700 lives and wrecked Nepal's aid-dependent economy. 

Peace offer

On Thursday the rebels had said they were ready to resume peace talks with the government. 

The offer came just days ahead of a scheduled visit by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is leaving for the United States and Britain on Sunday. 

Security forces are fighting back after rebel successes

Washington is considering increasing military aid to the kingdom, and Mr Deuba is expected to drum up support for what he says is the fight against terrorism. 

The government has not ruled out a resumption of dialogue, but it says the rebels must lay down their arms first - something they refuse to do. 

The rebels unilaterally broke a ceasefire and pulled out of talks last November, after three inconclusive rounds. 

A state of emergency and military campaign against them have been in place since. 

The latest Maoist offer of talks has been widely interpreted as a sign of declining morale among the rebels following the security forces' reported success. 

The government has also received broad national and international backing for its campaign against the rebels. 

The rebels deny that they are weakening. 

Bangladesh ferry search resumes

Relatives of the passengers are still waiting for news

The Bangladeshi authorities have resumed a full-scale search operation for scores of people who are believed to have drowned when a ferry sank on Friday. 

Stormy conditions earlier delayed the arrival of special equipment to lift the river ferry which sank after a collision on the Meghna river near the south-eastern port of Chandpur. 

Navy divers have been brought in to help in the search

Divers are now busy tying ropes to the ferry which lies under about 20 metres (60 feet) of water. 

Only 11 bodies have been recovered so far. 

Survivors have said the vessel was seriously overcrowded - carrying more than 300 passengers rather than the 150 the river transport authorities say were aboard. 

Up to 100 people escaped from the stricken vessel - but hopes are fading for the hundreds of people thought to be trapped inside. 

Survivors say the boat collided with another vessel in stormy weather before overturning in what appears to be one of Bangladesh's worst ferry disasters. 

Wind and drizzle

The final death toll will not be known until the ferry is pulled out of the water. 

A large crowd of relatives and onlookers gathered on the banks of the river in the hope of finding more survivors - but rescue workers said that was unlikely. 

The two-deck ferry Salahuddin-2 was travelling to the coastal region of Patuakhali from the capital Dhaka on Friday when it was struck by a whirlwind - a common phenomenon at this time of year. 

"It was packed beyond its carrying capacity," passenger Mohammad Altaf told the Reuters news agency. 

"It was dark and we were sitting on the ferry's congested upper deck. It was drizzling, then came the strong winds and the ferry listed to one side," he said. 

"Within moments I was thrown overboard into the water and I saw the ferry going down as well," he told Reuters. 

The BBC's Alastair Lawson in Dhaka says that like many other previous ferry accidents in Bangladesh, this one could have been avoided. 

Inadequate safety

The boat lacked adequate escape procedures in the event of an emergency and trapped survivors may have died because the nearest rescue boat lacked the proper equipment. 

Most Bangladeshi ferries travelling on local routes do not keep passenger lists or issue tickets. 

Ferry accidents are very common in Bangladesh, a country criss-crossed by hundreds of rivers. 

Most accidents are blamed on overloading or on unskilled skippers, correspondents say. 

Friday's disaster occurred near the powerful confluence of three major rivers - the Padma, Meghna and Jamuna - which flow into the Bay of Bengal. 

Nepal PM on crucial US visit

A state of emergency has been in place since November

The Prime Minister of Nepal, Sher Bahadur Deuba, is travelling to the United States to cement American support for his government's war against Maoist rebels. 

From US, we need material assistance such as weapons, equipment and training to fight the terrorists and financial assistance to fight budgetary constraints

Prakash Sharan Mahat, Advisor to PM

The visit comes as up to 400 suspected Maoist rebels were killed in fresh clashes with security forces in western Nepal. 

Mr Deuba will meet President George W Bush later this week. 

Officials said terrorism and security issues would dominate the talks between the two leaders. 

Mr Deuba would visit London on his way back and hold discussions with Prime Minister Tony Blair. 

More than 3,000 people have died in six years of fighting in Nepal - more than a third of them since the Maoists walked out of peace talks with the government last November. 

US aid

The Bush administration has asked Congress for $20m in unspecified military aid for the Nepalese government. 

Insurgency will dominate the talks

Some observers said the US was also expected to announce military supplies and training for Nepalese army. 

They said the supplies would depend on the assessment made by an American team during a visit to conflict areas in Nepal recently. 

Nepalese officials said the military needed more sophisticated weapons and logistic support to bolster their operation against the rebels. 

Nepal has been under a state of emergency since November last year when the rebels pulled out of peace talks and launched an offensive on the security forces. 

Both the sides have suffered heavy casualties in clashes since then. 

Latest battle

Hundreds of rebels are reported killed in the latest round of the battle. 

Security forces are fighting back after rebel successes

So far there is no independent confirmation of the government's casualty figures, but security sources insist there have been major successes in recent days against rebels in one of their strongholds in the west of the country. 

Some reports suggest the army used helicopters to attack a meeting of Maoist leaders. 

However, there has been no independent confirmation. 

Human rights groups say it is difficult to assess such claims without access to bodies and battlefields. 

But ministers are treating this as a major success for the government's campaign against the rebels, who have recently renewed an appeal for peace talks.