Frost over the World - Cote d''Ivoire: Overcoming division
Frost Over the World

Cote d’Ivoire: Overcoming division

Alassane Ouattara, the Ivorian president, describes the challenges facing his war-torn country.

Earlier this year Cote d’Ivoire was gripped by a civil war as Laurent Gbagbo, who had lost last year’s election, refused to accept the result and held on to power. It was a bloody battle with over a thousand deaths, but in the end, with French help, Alassane Ouattara, the election’s winner, managed to capture Gbagbo, to defeat his forces and to take control. Where does it leave such a deeply divided country?  

Alassane Ouattara, the president of Cote d’Ivoire, talks to Sir David about the situation in his divided country, the challenges he is facing as the country’s leader, and his vision for the West African country.

The Bank of England announced that it is pumping in another 75 billion pounds into the banking system to kick-start the UK’s economy. Strikes in Greece are bringing the country to a standstill, and Dexia, the Belgian-French bank, is looking for a rescue bank as its shares fall to an all time low. It was another week of battle in the financial war that is raging in the Eurozone.

Bernadette Segol, the general-secretary of the European Trade Union (ETUC), is joining Sir David from Brussels to talk about the current debt crisis, a growing nationalist feeling in Europe and the role of Unions.

Last week, an independent stock market trader appeared on a UK news channel to discuss the state of the fiancial market. The following day the video went viral, making him an internet sensation.

Alessio Rastani, the stock market trader, talks to Sir David about the overnight fame that hit him after the interview and explains why he is looking forward to a downward market and why a recession is an opportunity.

‘Broken Glas’ and Russian oligarchs

Arthur Miller’s play Broken Glas is currently showing in London. The play centers on the events of Crystal night in Nazi Germany. The award-winning British actress Tara Fitzgerald talks about the basis of Broken Glas and her career.

With the recent kidnapping of a wheelchair-bound British tourist and the murder of her husband Somali pirates and terror groups are again making the headlines. These tragic examples highlight the danger of al-Qaeda-linked group al-Shabab, who currently control much of southern Somalia. The thriller Dead Center follows the protagonist to Somalia as he attempts to rescue the kidnapped son of a Russian oligarch. Andy MCNab, a former SAS operative and the author of Dead Center joins Sir David to discuss terror groups, his book and the issues behind it.

Twenty-five years ago a new newspaper was born in the UK. Few thought that The Independent would last, but it has. Its proprietor today is Russian billionaire Evgeny Lebedev who is joining Sir David to talk about why the Lebedev’s continue to support The Independent.