[01:02.67]days after resuming their uprising against President Francois Bozize.
[01:06.81]A spokesman for the rebel Seleka coalition said its forces were heading for the presidential palace.
[01:12.87]Richard Hamilton reports.
[01:13.99]The rebels say they’ve shot down an attack helicopter which had been supporting the government forces.
[01:20.06]People are said to be sheltering in their homes,
[01:22.89]many in the darkness since the rebels reportedly took out a power station providing electricity to parts of the city.
[01:29.21]A local United Nations official in southern Bangui said people were in the state of panic.
[01:34.28]Earlier some UN staff who were trying to leave were stopped at the airport.
[01:38.52]South Africa has sent 400 soldiers to support President Bozize who returned to Pretoria on Friday where he was meeting President Jacob Zuma.
[01:47.86]The president of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades has said he hopes a deal to secure an international rescue package for the country’s banks would be made soon.
[01:56.23]Negotiations with European Union,
[01:58.35]IMF and European Central Bank officials have continued throughout the day
[02:02.57]with the main sticking point being the size of a levy to be imposed on Cypriot savers.
[02:07.33]Andrew Walker reports from Brussels.