Jonathan promises 'new dawn' as world leaders applaud Nigeria election - CNN International

Incumbent is "significant departure" of the last elections new era changes are made means, he says Clinton: vote for brands a "dramatic shift from decades of failed elections" Nigerians in Northern States protesting the results

Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) President Goodluck Jonathan pledged a "new era" for Nigeria, days after the Election Commission declared him the winner in a vote as a major improvement from recent surveys.

The last elections four years ago was widely condemned for rampant vote rigging, violence, theft of ballot boxes and intimidation.

If by violence, reports of minors vote and logistical problems, as an observer the recent elections a improvement.

"This time, one of the differences is that local and international observers said," Yes, there are significant departure from the past ' "Jonathan said CNN."

A success world leaders declared the vote, but calls for election officials could these claims including ballot stuffing and unusually high turnout in some areas.

"This historic event a dramatic shift from decades of failed elections and an improvement in the presidential election of 2007," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague described the vote as an "important step" for the nation.

Jonathan said vote the ushers a new era for Africa's most populous nation and its largest oil producer.

", Which should tell you that we say we will do it and this is a new era", the President said. "We are working with all Nigerians to ensure that changes are made."

Jonathan comes from the oil-rich southern part of Nigeria, a region that is majority Christian.

Parts which plunged into chaos after it turned out that Jonathan had won, mostly Muslim North charge that the elections were tampered with.

Rioters took to the streets in the North, shouting the name of General Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler and the main opposition candidate.

About 17,000 people fled their homes in the region as violence entbrannte, said the Nigerian Red Cross.

Jonathan appealed curfews for unity as the unrest and it provide sound alarms for the Government, the military and enforce, maintain peace.

"My brothers and sisters, we are all winners," Jonathan said earlier in the week. "In this context it is defeated no Victor and no.." "We have shown in our diversity, the progress of which remains for all celebridad Nigeria."

An investigation of the President is attributed to underway to determine the perpetrators of violence, jobless youth.

"We have been having a crisis in the North, we have been having a crisis in the South, all symptoms are the same," he told CNN. "We have a number of young people who have no source of income, we need to provide."

If no source of income, offer the Government said it will help, the youth are at risk, violence spark is paid.

He declined to go into detail on the perpetrators of violence.

He said "The Government find out formally,". "If I make some statements, I will be biased in people's minds and I don't want to accuse anyone."

Nigeria elections, staggered over three weeks, close April with the vote for Governor 26.CNN's Christian Purefoy contributed to this report.

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Flooding of the Prairies needed permanent fix: Aboriginal leaders

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Native leaders whose communities have been most affected by Prairie floods year after year pleaded Tuesday for a permanent solution, as the region struggled with the worst flooding the Prairies have seen in 150 years.

Nearly 700 people on reserves in Manitoba and 440 in Saskatchewan have been forced from their homes by flooding.

Floodwaters are still rising in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. In Manitoba, the Red River and Assiniboine River are on the verge of cresting any day now and Saskatchewan officials warn the flood threat will last at least until the end of the month.

At least 32 municipalities in Manitoba have declared states of local emergency and 55 provincial roads are fully closed.

Ice jams have already been pushing water levels over the banks for many communities in Manitoba even though crest levels are still at least a week away. Although the Red River is virtually ice free now, ice flowing west to east along the Assiniboine is pushing water levels up around the Winnipeg area. Forecasters say it's possible the Red and Assiniboine Rivers will both crest in Winnipeg near the end of the month.

The ice jam along the Assiniboine over the weekend is moving east toward Winnipeg, where a 0.3-metre rise in water levels is expected Tuesday, said CBC meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe.

The weekend precipitation has been taken into account. Although the forecast crest levels are pretty much the same for the major rivers, smaller tributaries may experience a double crest as the new precipitation enters into the watershed. Many tributaries in Saskatchewan will actually experience their first crest over the next couple of days, she said.

"Temperatures are rising across the west as well; this will increase snowmelt although luckily overnight lows should remain cold enough to moderate the rate."

Near the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border, Ed Houle has just 48 hours to save his home. The Assiniboine River, which lies at the foot of his backyard, is expected to crest on Thursday.

"It's just seeping in," he told the CBC's Marisa Dragani. "I got two pumps down there. Hopefully, the power doesn't kick off. If it does, I'm in deep trouble," he said.

Micheal Handler stands on his flooded property in Petersfield, Man., as Premier Greg Selinger warns the worst may not yet be over. Tevor Hagan/Winnipeg Free Press/Canadian Press

In Manitoba, the rising floodwaters have forced hundreds of people from their homes and most of the affected houses are on three First Nations reserves. It's a situation that has happened before, leading to a lot of anger and frustration among residents.

"It's been like that every year. ... Sick of it, yeah, but what can you do?" said Philip Sinclair who was filling sandbags and building dikes on the Peguis First Nation, north of Winnipeg.

This is the sixth flood in three years. Already, the Fisher River has surrounded or filled nearly 200 homes with water. More than 500 people from this community have left as part of a voluntary evacuation.

Aurilia Thickfoot, 96, has left in previous floods, but says she's determined to stay this time: "Because the other times, they put me in that hotel by the airport. They put me on the main floor and the room was filthy, dirty, stinking."

She said it's time Ottawa did something to protect homes like hers.

"It makes me angry what they do to us, that's how they treat us Indians, and they think it's good enough for us."

In Saskatchewan, 15 communities have declared states of emergency and more than 400 people on two First Nations have been forced from their homes by flooding.

The main road on the Red Earth First Nation has been washed out.

Band councillor Charlie McKay said these floods are becoming too frequent.

McKay said it's time the province and Ottawa consider a longer term solution, to avoid floods in the future.

"This is our third time. I think there's something that could be done or something that could be avoided," McKay said.

"I don't think the people want to see a fourth one."

At a campaign stop in Winnipeg Tuesday, Leader Leader Michael Ignatieff laid out a Liberal plan to deal with springtime Prairie flooding.

The two-year, $225-million fresh water strategy is contained in the Liberal platform. Ignatieff said the plan involves looking at the "best science" to develop long term solutions to the problem of flooding.

It also involves the federal government working with the provinces and municipalities. The plan would solicit advice from hydraulic engineers, water experts and community leaders.

Ignatieff said the plan would also look at how best to clean up Lake Winnipeg, the 10th largest fresh water lake in the world. Lake Winnipeg is said to be deteriorating and in the state that Lake Erie was in the '60s.

Ignatieff said there is a need to work with aboriginal leaders to deal with the issue of flood protection on reserves.

"It's extremely important to base a fresh water and flood prevention strategy on the best science," Ignatieff said.

"There is legitimate disagreement about what is the best way to go here. We need to get a scientific consensus, a community consensus, on the best way to go. And that is why I think investment in a fresh water strategy is a national project that will help us to identify exactly how we get long-term solutions to this problem."

Steve Ashton, Manitoba's minister responsible for emergency measures, said nearly $1 billion has been spent to protect the Red River Valley in Winnipeg, and areas north of the city. But there is no on-going fund, and no national strategy.

"We have been providing assistance during this flood event. Do these communities need permanent flood mitigation? Absolutely," he said.

"When you're looking at First Nations, the most important thing is the impact it has on people — many of same people are being evacuated [again]."

Ashton told CBC News Network that Manitoba is seeing "overland flooding on an unprecedented geographic scale."

"Pretty well from The Pas south in Manitoba we have some degree of flooding in the vast majority of our municipalities," he said.

Officials there are watching the crest on three rivers — the Assiniboine, the Red and the Souris, Ashton said.

Conservative leader Stephen Harper called Manitoba's premier last weekend to talk about the flood. Greg Selinger told him First Nations communities are the most vulnerable and need help.

The chief of Peguis said permanent flood protection, including a diversion and permanent dyking, will cost between $30 million and $190 million.

The department of Indian Affairs said it has set aside $750,000 for dikes and to relocate and elevate 75 at-risk homes. It has also spent $3 million on sandbags and labour costs.

Meanwhile, people living in the Red River Valley, south of Winnipeg are having a hard time getting around. They're isolated because many of the roads are either washed out or under flood water. And water levels are still rising.

On Monday, the province shut down Highway 75, the main highway between Winnipeg and the U.S. border, severing a major transportation link.

"Every mile costs a lot of money, just with the detours and extra miles, it's a lot of extra cost. For us, it's huge. Drivers have to put on more hours," said Bill Brandt, co-owner of a trucking company based in Morris, Man.

Local businesses are also hurt when the highway is flooded.

"Unfortunately, I will probably cut back on staff. The restaurant hours get shortened," said Liz Wiebe, who manages a gas bar and restaurant.

Morris has benefited from the $1 billion spent on flood-proofing the Red River Valley since the "Flood of the Century" in 1997. It has a permanent ring dike that keeps it dry.

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UN and France beat leader's forces in Côte d'Ivoire

France, which showed a newfound muscularity of military strikes against Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi defending forces in Libya, heavy artillery attacked and Mr Gbagbo said armored vehicles to residence and presidential offices, two centres of power, a French military spokesman Monday night.

The United Nations said that it had created also in helicopter strikes against Mr Gbagbo forces in two of its basis, to prevent that they have the types of heavy weapons, which has been given during the crisis to civilians and United Nations staff.

By early Tuesday, Mr Gbagbo has been in a bunker under his residence and negotiated a possible surrender by the French Ambassador, according to Alain Lobognon, a spokesman for the Prime Minister, Guillaume Soro. Forces support Mr Gbagbo rival, Alassane Ouattara, were several hundred metres away.

The international attacks coincided with a renewed attack by local troops loyal to Mr Ouattara, the man of the United Nations, the African Union and other international organisations as the winners of last year presidential election acknowledged.

With the attacks in progress, Mr. Soro, who is Mr Ouattara, Prime Minister Monday, Mr Gbagbo declared rule now just hours away was from end.

"Our armed forces have made significant progress," Mr Soro said in a telephone interview. "In a few hours it will be over everything." "We came into the city Abidjan today, and I think that it will be soon."

Mr Gbagbo long urged international officials to resign, but Secretary General Ban Ki-moon took pains to say that the United Nations "no party of the conflict." He said that it had taken measures just because loyal to Mr Gbagbo "Bazookas, mortars and heavy machine guns against the civilian population" had used forces

He noted that Mr Gbagbo patrols shot United Nations forces and attacked the company's central in Abidjan "with heavy caliber snipers and mortars and bazookas" wounding four peacekeepers.

France, Ivory Coast of former colonial ruler, has deployed more than 1,500 soldiers in the country and played last month begin a crucial role in the rally of the United States and their allies of airstrikes in Libya.

In a statement Monday France said that it had joined the operation in C?te d'Ivoire at the request of the United Nations, with the intention of "neutralizing heavy weapons used against the civilian population and the United Nations staff in Abidjan."

Peacekeeping deadly fire with Pro-Gbagbo above have been forces, but represented a remarkable increase in the international efforts to Mr Gbagbo step down past the latest military commitment since the election in November the year losing to enforce.

Yet, it also Mr Gbagbo risks a strengthening most potent weapons propaganda:, which is he by foreign forces, particularly the French and the United Nations, is singled out in an attack on Ivorian sovereignty. These ideas, every night for months in the national television, thousands of Gbagbo repeatedly have supporters and soldiers, by you them a passion, it over and over map aroused.

Until now but bear no resemblance to the reality on the ground these instructions.

Mr Soro dismissed in advance evidence to suggest that the French and the United Nations was offensive undue foreign interference. "they have a mandate to protect of the civilian population," he said. "Gbagbo has committed many crimes against the civilian population, so this is absolutely appropriate."

Hard have pits, Mr Gbagbo, loyalist troops to protect a former University historian, which turns autocrat in the course of a long political career in a hard line.

On Monday the city in a renewed push entered more than 2,000 fighters support Mr Ouattara, to oust him his spokesman said.

"This is the final assault," said the spokesman, Apollinaire Yapi. "I would say this is the General offensive we expected." "So far, the raids were Gbagbo's forces to test."

Other Ouattara officials decided that Monday military measures added to the pressure on the Mr Gbagbo.

"Front is open," said as rental Sindou, consultant Mr Soro. "The operations have begun." "Very quickly, we will restore security in Abidjan continue."

As during Monday's attack intensified the fighting, residents described an intimidating universe of the sustainable gunfire and booms and a fourth according to out just day unable to coach.

Some languages running and of food. "We are lying flat;" the guns does not stop, "A resident said the Cocody neighbourhood, where Mr Gbagbo, speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisals." He was not only his own five children, but also seven of a related protect. "It's very, very hard," he said.

Mr Soro said the United Nations and French attacks the combat would cut: "The election results must be respected." "The rule of law must be restored."

Dan Bilefsky carried coverage of the United Nations.

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U.S. leaders help Yemen leave

New: Senior White House official: "It seems that he is in the ditch" when President Ali Abdullah Saleh crucial question is sayU.S, Yemeni officials. warns that Saleh of escalating violence, will not meet opposition DemandsContinuity in the fight against al Qaeda active groups in Yemen U.S.

Washington (CNN) - system.UInt64 helps US to provide a transition from Office for Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and say that departure of the President is a question that is discussed, two Yemeni officials say, CNN.

The timing is delicate, officials say, because she might want all steps to avoid, that more Yemen destabilize or interrupt counterterrorism efforts a country that US officials believe is home to some of the most active al-Qaida activists in the world.

The White House signalled disenchantment with the process.

"There is a sense of urgency" on the establishment of a timeline for Saleh step-down and "now it seems that he is in the ditch", a high Obama said administration of officials CNN Monday.

This official confirmed, that U.S. trying behind the scenes has worked, see-what is the best way forward.

"What they are developing, we can timeline akzeptieren-- but it must be drawn up." "The problem is, that makes people concerned", he said. "It must be a path forward, there can be no situation where he believes that week to week, he art can continue without some kind of accommodation to note be."

With new reports that at least 14 people security forces in the Yemen have been killed by Government continue to US officials to warn that if Saleh takes concrete steps to meet requirements to the opposition, the country of more violence, is headed potentially efforts against al Qaeda undermined.

"President Saleh has publicly indicated his willingness to a peaceful transition which makes." And we believe that the timing and form of this transition should be achieved through dialogue and negotiation are "Spokesman Jay Carney said earlier Monday White House." "Our position with regard to cooperation with the Government of Yemen on fight against terrorism is efforts, that it is not and has not a person been focused yet it should be."

Yemen's President offered, until the end of the year after constitutional reforms and new elections, step down but led by the joint meeting he demanded the opposition parties block, immediately to leave. A plan presented by the block Saturday to hand over all authority to the Vice President Abdu Rabu Saleh Mansour Hadi in the meantime demanded. But Saleh is not further offers more concessions and protests of the opposition.

US officials says that the advantage of various groups, including al Qaeda and secessionist elements, the political turbulence and divisions within the military and security services for their own gain.

The rapidly deteriorating situation is a major problem for Obama management.

Saleh is since 1978 in power and was a confident U.S. ally in the fight against al Qaeda in the Arabian peninsula. Saleh argued that he should remain in Office because he is the only one that can effectively continue the fight against terrorism.

The senior administration official, who says, spoke to CNN the problem in the Yemen can typically for heads of State and Government who will be forced to resign. Find some of them a "graceful way" of leaving office, he says, so that for a peaceful transition "or they wait too long and too late, and then create a situation which is full of chaos and conflict?"

When asked whether doubts, the Saleh will retire the US has the official not necessarily, but "the thing is all these leaders: until they are so far - you know for sure that they?"

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