February 11, 2006: The UN has billed the Ivorian government $3.5 million for damages done to UN facilities during last months riots. The UN believes the government instigated and directed the riots.

February 9, 2006: The U.S. placed travel and financial sanctions on three leaders of the "Young Patriots" movement in Ivory Coast. This group is behind the street violence in government controlled Ivory Coast, and openly back (and apparently take orders from) president Gbagbo.

Meanwhile, in western Ivory Coast, things have quieted down enough for relief organizations have resumed distributing food and other aid.

February 6, 2006: The UN has moved several hundred of its peacekeepers from Liberia to Ivory Coast, in anticipation of more anti-UN riots. The UN has called for more permanent peacekeepers for Ivory Coast, but is having a hard time getting members to donate money and troops.

February 3, 2006: Despite efforts to regulate the "blood diamond" trade, illegal diamond mining in northern Ivory Coast continues, and is a major source of income for the northern rebels. The diamonds are smuggled across the border to Mali, where a network of dealers have well established methods for getting past the diamond industry attempts to stop the sale of "blood diamonds."