>> welcome to "the journal." >> and i will have the business news for you. >> headlines at this hour -- in ivory coast, laurent gbagbo is in the hands of his rival, alassane ouattara. an explosion in belarus killed at least 11 people. libyan unions reject an african-union backed cease-fire and say muammar gaddafi must go. >>y and the forces of ivory coast's leader, backed by french

and u.n. troops have captured laurent gbagbo. he was seized in his bunker in abidjan at the climax of a power struggle that left hundreds of civilians dead. he held power for 11 years and refuse to admit defeat in the elections. >> i've korean television carried the first images of laurent gbagbo after a rest. he's now being held in a hotel. he appealed for an end to the fighting in a brief statement. >> i hope we can stop the fighting and get to the civilian part of the crisis and and it quickly so the country can get back to normal. >> now all eyes are on ouattara after months of of violence. the ambassador to the un said gbagbo would be prosecuted. >> he is alive, most importantly, and he will be brought to justice for the

crimes he has committed. >> but there are also claims that ouattara's troops committed atrocities on their own. they are investigating killings in one town. >> we know that the killings have taken place while forces of the president were in control of the area. but who has committed the killings, we are gathering evidence, but i cannot confirm this yet. >> his forces have denied taking part in massacres and he has pledged to establish a true that reconciliation commission. after almost six months of fighting, restoring stability to the ivory coast is ouattara's next big challenge. >> in belarus, an apparent terrorist bombing in the capital has killed at least 11 people and injured hundreds. it took place at the height of the evening rush hour.

media are quoting the president, calling the blast a deliberate act aimed at undermining stability in the country. the station is located near lukashenko's office and a presidential residence. our correspondent joins us now from belarus. the president spoke just a short while ago about this blast. can you tell us more about what he said? >> president lukashenko held a meeting with the cabinet of ministers, kgb and all law enforcement agencies just half an houou ago. he did not call it a terrorist attack yet. i guess he is careful about choosing words, but it is quite evident it is a terrorist attack. he called it a serious challenge with requires -- which requires an adequate response. he says of law-enforcement agencies should work in

emergency mode 24/7. he used the same rhetoric of looking for extremist element he said we should find those who did not like the stability in belarus and he said the explosives were probably brought from outside the country. >> can you tell us anything about the possible motive behind this attack? >> it is hard to say at the moment. i can only draw parallels between the explosion that took place today and the explosion that took place three years ago , when it was used as an excuse by law-enforcement agencies to ack down on the opposition, when the only opposition parties were searched, they only confiscated cameras. human-rights organizations and the independent media were subject to crack down after the

terrorist attack. >> thank you for that update. to libya now, where rebels have rejected a cease-fire proposal because they say it does not address their main demand that leader of muammar gaddafi lead the country -- leave the country immediately. delegates traveled to the rebel stronghold of benghazi to present the initiative, but it seeks only to reform a ruling system they want dismantled completely. >> the rebels transitional national council held a press conference in benghazi after meeting with delegates from the african union. rejecting the cease-fire plan, they said there could be no peace while muammar gaddafi remains in power. muammar gaddafi has embraced the plans, but the rebels say his words are not matched by his actions. they say his forces have stepped up their shelling of one of the main centers of the conflict. the chief of nato suggested he

had announced cease-fires in the past but had not kept his promises. >> and the cease-fire must be credible and bible -- and a verifiable. as this united nations security council has made clear, there must be a complete end to violence. and a complete and to all attacks against and abuses of civilians. >> nato said it would press on with air strikes as long as muammar gaddafi's forces continued to target the civilian population. so does this rejection of the ceasefire put an end to the african union efforts to reach a negotiated settlement? that is a question i put to our correspondent in benghazi. >> it is certainly a failed mission, but it never stood a chance. people here want one thing and one thing only and that is the removal of muammar gaddafi and

his family and for that to happen immediately. as far as the rebels are concerned, there is no way back. have had their uprising and revolution. maybe they have not succeeded militarily, but they did not want muammar gaddafi to stay in power under any circumstances. for the african union to arrive without that subject on the table was unrealistic proposal. we saw very angry demonstrations today outside the hotel where the talks were taking place. the talks were brief, there were quite angry in tone and the council here, the transitional council refused the proposal flatley and said please don't bring us any negotiated settlement unless it includes the departure of muammar gaddafi. >> what is the new in benghazi? is the rebel military capable of taking the fight to muammar gaddafi? >> the mood is defiant. people believe in their cause

and want to continue the fight. that was ascertained at a press conference to the rebel council saying this is what we are going to achieve, this is what libya once. but in reality, can they do it militarily? the rebels are inferior militarily and do not have the training. all the expertise and weapons to win this battle out there -- is there a political solution? what seems to be the case today is the answer is no. >> thank you for the update. in japan, a tsunami warning was briefly issued and workers at the fukushima in nuclear power plant were evacuated after another powerful aftershock hit the northeast of the country. the tremor came exactly one month after the devastating quake and tsunami that killed an estimated 22,000 people. power supplies at nuclear plants were interrupted and thousands of homes were left without electricity. >> again, the earth shook. at one of the many shelters in

fukushima prefecture, people left homeless by last month the's disaster held each other in fear. aftershocks continued for much of the day. >> my heart is pounding like a hammer. we can't go on like this. the ground is still shaking. >> the tremors could be felt all the way south to tokyo. and at the sedition and nuclear plant, crews had to evacuate and power was temporarily cut off to pumping operations to 3 damage reactors there. at fukushima, everything is operating again. there are no other problems at ototr nuclear reactors either. >> on monday morning, authorities said they were recommending people in certain areas beyond the 20 kilometer exclusion zone around the complex should also leave. >> radioactivity levels in some

levels beyond the 20 kilometer zone have been higher because of weather conditions and geographical circumstances. we will evacuate these regions in the course of the month. >> the aftershock hit japan one month after a magnitude 9 quake and subsequent to t make damaged much of the northeast coast. an olive silence was observed for the estimated 28,000 people lost their lives. >> or on the earthquake and the damage the economy. >> there are estimates about just how much steam international monetary fund and lowered its 2011 growth forecast for japan, highlighting what it termed her large uncertainties hanging over the world's third biggest economy one month after it was hit by the massive earthquake and tsunami and a series of powerful aftershocks since then. the imf is forecasting the economy in japan will grow just one plane for% compared with an

earlier forecast of 1.6% made before the disasters on march 11th destroyed or disrupted dozens of production sites and supply chains. japan boss ambassador in berlin presented his assessment of the situation. >> this map shows the evacuation zone around the fukushima a nuclear power plant. japan boss ambassador to germany says it will be a long time before the region and country recover from the disaster. the reconstruction effort will cost the country dearly. >> there are estimates in japan that put the cost somewhere between 210,000,000,200 20 billion euros. -- 210 billion and 220 billion euros. the ambassador said a free-trade agreement would be useful in

achieving that. >> the necessary agreements could be made at the european union japanese summit during may. that is what we are hoping for. >> the ambassador said he expected a protracted debate in japan about the future of nuclear power, but not until the process of recovery was well underway. >> onto monday's market action -- european investors sent the markets lower when news crossed of the earthquake in japan treat german stocks were dragged lower by the auto sector with bmw leading the decliners. >> shares in the building company horthy's lost nearly 10% m&a and not because the boss said he would quit his job, but because their australian subsidiary which, for many years

have only reported very strong earnings suddenly said they are expecting a loss for the current year. apparently, a totally miscalculated a joint venture in that police and two large projects in australia. also, on the rest of the german stock market, investors were not really ready to buy stocks. earnings report season starts in the united states this monday and many are concerned companies will start lowering their expectations. >> we can stay in frankfurt for the up monday numbers -- the dax finishing slightly lower. in new york, the dow jones closing at top of the hour just a tad higher. we will call at flat for the day. the euro is trading a bit lower

against the dollar. china is the world's leading exporter, rising commodity prices mean it is paying more for imports. they have posted their first quarterly trade deficit since 2004. beijing says the deficit amounted to more than 690 million euros for the time between january and march of this year. exports grew by over 26% in the first quarter, but so did imports, which were up. >> let's go to france now where police in paris have arrested a muslim woman wearing a full face veil after a law prohibiting wearing the garb and went into effect. the woman took' part in an unauthorized protest against the ban. france is the first european country to forbid the garment in public. the band has been condemned by

islamic organizations to call an abridgdgent of religious freedom. the french government says it is designed to protect women's rights. at a meeting in luxembourg. interior ministers have clashed in how to deal the meeting over africa with german and france saying it will close their borders to migrants pouring into italy. roma received little support in coping with an influx of migrants that have not subsided since the revolution began in the arab world. italy said they were granted passes to thousands of migrants out pulp and travel. >> it is a gateway to europe. but for italy, the situation is a test of how united the european union really is. the internal ministry says the flood of migrants is so great that they could be allowed to travel to other states.

the interior minister has other ideas. >> i think he is trying to turn this into a political situation that the whole european union will have to get involved in. >> he has, in fact, achieve that. but still, we expect the italians to abide by european union rules. >> the german interior minister wants italy to take responsibility for sending the mostly to asian refugees back home. the italians say they're being abandoned on the issue and are even openly questioning their european union membership. >> it seems to me that if that is europe's answer, we can do without them. >> that is little comfort that brussels says they will step up negotiations with tunisian and bolster the agency's front desk.

he wants help now. >> i will be right back with more on your of's response to the refugee crisis. >> thank yoh

us. italy has been turned down by the european union in its bid to help with an unprecedented influx from tunisia. the interior minister is meeting in luxembourg and have ruled the situation did not warrant that activation of a burden-sharing clause that would allow refugees to be hosted by other member states. the european unn has determined the people who have arrived are economic migrants. they have their sights set on a better life in europe, with one survey showing one in 10 intending to head for germany or france. >> this is one of the places the boats leave night after night. the vessels travel in pairs with between 5 and 10 passengers

each. >> there are woods over there. the boats and the motors are brought there and hidden. they come somewhere between 11:00 at night and midnight and stay for a few hours. then they leave between 1:00 and 3:00 in the morning. >> before the revolution, everyone who attended the crossing was thrown into prison. these days, the police look the other way. he did not make it to europe because of bad weather and a faulty motor. now, he wants to stay in tunisia like his friend. they are hoping for a new to eject, but most are not so optimistic. >> many friends and family have left already. in tyre districts are living in

italy. >> this is a small town 100 kilometers east of tunis. of the population, some 70% are under the age of 30. unemployment is very high which is why so many want to get to europe. her son left to -- left tunisia without saying a word. >> he disappeared with no money for nothing. i almost died. >> she was desperately afraid for her son and received a telephone call from italy with the news he was alive. she wants him to stay in italy because those who are sent back often attempted journey again. another person to make the journey was a friend who disappeared 15 years ago. three years later, her father left.

two of her other brothers have attended the journey several times. one is in prison, one disappeared. only his passport remains. >> he was a very good person. he took care of everything after my father went to italy. >> she now lives with her mother. her youngest brother left just a few days after he married. >> italy has borne almost the entire brunt of the refugee crisis alone. the situation spiraled out of control monday night when tunisia migrants rioted and set fire at the immigration center where they told they would be flown back,. police managed to bring the situation under control, but the lack of support has been met by italy's political leaders with anger. rome says it cannot go it alone. >> these videos show how the

migrants travel on overfilled boats. just like thousands of others before them. filmed on mobile phones, the images show a perilous journey. >> we risk our lives to get here. the journey may be dangerous, but that has not deterred 22,000 refugees and undocumented migrants from crossing the mediterranean in recent weeks. most came from to asia. italy says it cannot contend with the influx. for several weeks, migrants have been arriving faster than the authorities can deal with them. many had to camp in unsanitary, makeshift situations. roma says the migrantsts are

european problem and wants more help from the ropean union. >> it is not fair that with tens of thousands of refugees arriving, the mediterranean companies have to deal with it on their own. >> italy has taken matters into its own hands and decided to offer residency visas to the tunisian refugees. having a visa allows them to travel to other countries like france and germany where many migrants would like to go. >> i want to travel to paris. that is where my brother and father live. >> but the french government does not want to accept them. checked by french officers at the italian borders, they were reintroduced even know and a long time ago. what is the best way to deal with that issue? france and italy plan to jointly

patrol the coast line and say they will send a arriving migrants back home. but those measures don't present a long-term solution to the problem of migration from africa. a problem it's now an issue for the entire european union. >> european union member states are unwilling to take in any of these refugees. we asked our correspondent in brussels why they think the migrant crisis in italy is not their problem as well. >> there is a fear if you open the borders of the first sign of refugees coming in, you open the floodgates and create a precedent. the legal mechanism in the european union for changing existing rules, being that refugees come into one country, that's as far as they can go legally. that would open up borders to elsewhere. those rules were introduced to deal with the rate of refugees.

ministers have been saying that is hundreds of thousands of people in dire straits to need help immediately. the official response today was simply that this does not warrant that kind of opening of frontiers. it is within the realm of something one country can deal with. millions of pounds are being poured into border controls for help dealing with libyan refugees fleeing the trouble there. the issue the germans raised today was simply that tunisian refugees are economic migrants and did not warrant the opening of borders to give a safe haven as refugees in trouble. >> is part of the problems distinguishing between economic and political migrants'? >> it is. particularly from libya. a lot of people who are not fleeing troubles themselves are using the occasion to move across into a european member

state as -- under the guise of troubles in libya. that sounds like a harsh response, but there was a real fear expressed among member states that once these doors are open, countries like the u.k., france and germany will see a big influx of refugees eventually. they are determined to wait until the time is right to do that. >> the situation in north africa means we will see an increasing number of migrants. does the european union need to change its approach? >> it probably will in the long term. germany did offer to take 100 refugees coming from all the as a token, but they said we're not taking economic migrants taking advantage of the situation in north africa. >> thank you for joining us. we leave you with the latest

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