UNITED STATES: A violent tornado killed at least 24 victims in Missouri

AFP - At least 24 people were killed Sunday in a tornado that struck the small town of Joplin, in the State of Missouri (center), local media reported, less than a month after other hurricanes had caused enormous damage in the southeastern United States.

President Barack Obama has sent a message of "deep condolences" to relatives of victims.He assured that the federal government stood ready to help the Americans.

According to the newspaper Springfield News-Leader, Ryan Nicholls, head of the Office of Crisis Management of the Springfield-Greene County (east of Joplin), confirmed that 24 people had been killed.

Joplin, located a few kilometers from the states of Kansas and Oklahoma, was hit hard by the tornado, the paper said.

In early May, tornadoes, the deadliest in nearly a century, had hit the southeast United States, which killed 354.

"Department stores Home Depot and Walmart Joplin were razed. Gas stations, buildings.Wherever I turn my eyes, everything has been severely damaged or completely destroyed, "said John Miller, a freelance photographer working for the News-Leader.

"I saw fire and medical crews remove a small girl in a car at Home Depot," said Miller, adding that "part of the building of the department store fell on the vehicle."

The governor of Missouri Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency and requested the intervention of the National Guard.

"These tornadoes have caused extensive damage across Missouri, and constitute a certain risk to its inhabitants and their houses," Nixon said Sunday evening in a statement.

"We have made every effort to assist families in Missouri, find missing persons, and provide emergency medical assistance," said Nixon.

He also said that tornadoes were not completed.

"I urge Missouri residents to closely monitor the latest weather reports and follow the instructions and warnings of emergency services so that these deadly tornadoes continued their advance in the state of Missouri," he told Jay Nixon .

Jerry Williams, a senior at the University of Missouri said, for his part, he lived experience "horrible.""It's as if someone had dropped a bomb," he told the News-Leader.

Saturday, a deadly tornado struck the town of Reading in eastern Kansas, killing one man and damaging about 80% of its homes.

A tornado also caused the death of one person Sunday in Minneapolis, Minnesota, authorities said. At least 18 people were injured.

USA: Barack Obama wants to support revolutions in the Arab world

Barack Obama is extending his hand again the Muslim world. After the speech in Cairo in 2009, and that of Jakarta, in 2010, the President of the United States wanted to mark again the disconnect between the policies of his predecessor, George W. Bush, behind the invasion of Iraq in 2003, and his own.

But since his last message to the Muslim world, six months ago, the Arab spring reworked maps in North Africa and the Middle East.However, "although these countries are very far from our borders, we know that our fate depends on them," said the president of the United States in the introduction to his speech on U.S. policy towards the Arab world , delivered at the State Department (the equivalent of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in France), in Washington.

It was also the first speech of this kind since the death of Osama bin Laden, May 1.This has allowed Barack Obama to condemn the violence and stressed that the Arab world now sees the extremism of Al-Qaeda "an impasse".

"Punishment does not work"

That's why "the United States must necessarily change our approach" vis-à-vis the Arab world, said the Nobel peace 2009. For Washington, this shift is primarily to consider the hours of leaders who repress the demonstrators are now counted."The strategies of repression will not work anymore," said Barack Obama as a warning to the Libyan regime, Syria, Yemen and Bahrain.

"We can not intervene everywhere ... Our experience in Iraq shows how difficult it is to impose a regime in a country. But if we had not acted in Libya, thousands of people have died.Today, Qaddafi has more control of the country, "the president said about the intervention of the international coalition which is involved in Washington since March 19 last.

Similarly, in Syria, "Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad is now facing a choice: He can lead the transition, or move away," warned Barack Obama in particular demanding an end to violence against demonstrators.Otherwise, Bashar Al-Assad - that Washington has unilaterally sanctioned Wednesday - and his regime "will be challenged from within, and will continue to be isolated outside," he said.

With regard to Yemen, Barack Obama called President Ali Abdullah Saleh to "respect its commitments regarding the transition." Coincidence or not, the ruling party said during the speech that the agreement between Saleh, in power for 32 years, and the opposition, would be signed Sunday.Initiatives in the Middle East "more urgent than ever" The tenant of the White House has even rebuked his traditional ally of the Arabian Peninsula, Bahrain, calling the government "to establish the necessary conditions for dialogue" and the opposition "to accept and participate in dialogue." When the army had suppressed the demonstrations against the government in early February, Washington had not responded. "In the coming months, the U.S. will exert maximum efforts to support reforms in North Africa and the Middle East, "insisted Barack Obama, who announced plans to help Egypt and Tunisia, where the head of state was chased by protesters.But "initiatives more urgent than ever" concern the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for which the diplomatic efforts for a resumption of peace negotiations are currently on the rise. In his speech, Barack Obama went further than before, setting the parameters of an agreement between Israelis and Palestinians, without going so far as to unveil a U.S. peace plan.
Washington now has goals for the borders of Israel and a future Palestinian state are based on those of 1967 and the latter to be demilitarized. "We'll agree on the duration of this period of transition, and the effectiveness of security arrangements should be demonstrated," he added.But if diplomatic efforts are progressing, the security issue it is far from settled. Barack Obama conceded that the presence of Hamas in the unity government of Palestinian territories "complicated negotiations." As for the Israelis, they would have approved construction of 620 homes in east Jerusalem on Thursday, says an NGO. Not sure it makes things easier ...

EUROPEAN UNION: EU finance ministers commit the rescue of Portugal

The EU finance ministers gave the green light Monday to a rescue plan for Portugal, which provides 78 billion euros in joint loans with the IMF in exchange for austerity.

"The ministers agreed unanimously to grant financial assistance in response to the request of the Portuguese authorities," they announced in a joint statement issued at a meeting in Brussels.

The conditions of the assistance plan had been established at the beginning of the month: the country must receive the Europeans and the International Monetary Fund, amounting to two thirds / one third, 78 billion euros in loans over three years.

In exchange, he must take further austerity measures, restructure and strengthen the capital of its banks, to privatize and reform the health system in particular and the administration, with the goal of clean and replenish public finances.

According to the forecasts so far by the Portuguese government, the public deficit should thus be reduced by 5.9% this year to 3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2013.

The program is "ambitious" but "preserves the most vulnerable groups of society," stressed the EU finance ministers on Monday.

He "will tackle the challenges with determination budgetary, financial and structural facing the Portuguese economy" and "will also help restore confidence and protect the financial stability of the euro area," they insist, calling on "all Political Parties (Portuguese) to ensure a rigorous application and fast program.

After resisting for several months of pressure from financial markets, Portugal in April became the third country in the euro area to seek external financial assistance.

Before him, he had to put up last year of rescue for Greece (110 billion) and Ireland (85 billion).

Green light finance ministers seemed acquired after the announcement last week from the support of Finland, hitherto uncertain.

The True Finns, a right wing nationalist who won 19% of the votes in the elections of April 17, had in fact repeatedly stated their opposition to assistance to Portugal.But they finally decided to join the government.

Finland is one of six countries in the euro area receiving the highest possible credit rating on its ability to repay its debts (AAA), making it a crucial partner for the bailouts in Europe.

The Joint Ministerial Statement also includes a condition imposed by the Helsinki agreement, namely that "the Portuguese authorities will seek to encourage private investors to maintain their exposure" in the country, "based on voluntary ".

Even before the implementation of internationally austerity measures taken so far by Lisbon to try to calm the markets, lower wages and increase in VAT in particular, have made the plunge into recession Portugal where he was released in late 2009 .

The Portuguese GDP shrank by 0.7% in the first quarter, having already fallen 0.6% the previous quarter, according to statistics released last week.

The Portuguese Minister of Finance had said in early May that the new measures related to international aid plan could lead to economic contraction of 2% in 2011 and 2012, an upturn is expected only in 2013.

SYRIA: Facing rising anti-Assad, the Syrian Christians are reluctant to take a stand

While the Syrian regime is working to quell violent protests calling for his ouster and the proceedings were extended and radicalized in the country, some segments of the Syrian population - Multifaith - watch carefully the movement that is shaking up the system President Bashar al-Assad, in power since 2000.

Iraqi scenario

Since the uprising began, two million Christians living in Syria (12% of the population) were kept out of events, consisting of an overwhelming majority of Sunnis, who spearheaded the mobilization. "Most Christians have been left out of the revolt, Syrian sitters.They fear an unfavorable outcome to the crisis that would affect their lives and their property, "said Mohamed Ajlani, professor of political science and international relations at the Center for Diplomatic and Strategic Studies (CEDS), joined by FRANCE 24.

Within this community, concern of a repeat the Iraq scenario is very strong. Many fear being forced into exile, as were Iraqi Christians since the fall of Saddam Hussein, victims of several murderous attacks."The destabilization of Syria could jeopardize relations between religious communities and, in the same way as happened in Iraq after the occupation of Americans, harm to the two million Christians living in the country," said recently Vicar Apostolic of Aleppo Latin Catholic Bishop Giuseppe Nazzaro, the missionary agency Misna.

So far in fact, the Assad family in power in Damascus since 1970, itself a result of the Alawite religious minority (derivative of Shia Islam), has placed de facto under the protection of Christian and Druze minorities in the country ."The regime has always tried to maintain a privileged relationship with the Christians of Syria to secure its internal legitimacy. Partnering with minorities, the authority wanted to balance the roles against the Sunni majority, and maintain its image bulwark against Islam vis-à-vis the outside, "Mohamed Ajlani analysis.

Caught

For their part, Christians have been comforted over the years by the secular nature of the regime and not by the establishment of radical Islam that they fear the takeover in case of revolution."The Assad has always operated this card, claiming that if the regime falls, chaos will reign and that Christians would be the first to pay the piper," notes Mohamed Ajlani.

In exchange for the security and freedom of worship, the Christians of Syria have renounced to play a political role similar to that of their fellow Lebanese. Despite the presence of some of their representatives in government or parliament.At the cost of this implicit bargain - and not so much political commitment to the Assad regime - one of the oldest Christian communities in the world has prospered economically in a climate of religious tolerance.

"The Syrian Christians are a very active component of Syrian society, especially in the economic and cultural.If some people are accommodated in the scheme and benefited from the system to enrich themselves, others chose the opposition and the underground, like other communities, "analysis for its part Samir Arbache, religious historian and specialist Middle East at the Catholic University of Lille, joined by FRANCE 24.

Sandwiched between demonstrations calling for the downfall of the regime and pending a political solution to the crisis, the Christian community is therefore reluctant to take a stand. "If the regime falls, you may get wrong to anger all those who have been frustrated by the regime of Assad. If we participate in the demonstrations, the regime could make us pay dearly by addressing our rights.In both cases we lose! "Concluded Sami, a young Maronite Christian from Damascus.

IVORY COAST: Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara was sworn in Abidjan

AFP - Alassane Ouattara was sworn in Friday as president of Côte d'Ivoire, after five months of crisis-related challenge to the presidential election Nov. 28 by the outgoing Head of State Laurent Gbagbo, who was arrested April 11, found a AFP.

Mr.Ouattara, 69, was sworn in, standing, right hand raised before the President of the Constitutional Council, Paul Yao N'Dré, the palace of the Presidency, in the administrative district of Plateau (center) in the presence of members of government, diplomats, representatives of the armed forces, political parties and civil society.

"Before the sovereign people of Côte d'Ivoire, I solemnly swear to honor and to respect and faithfully defend the Constitution, protect the rights and freedoms of citizens, to conscientiously fulfill my duties in the best interests Nation, "he said.

"That the people will retire his confidence and that I undergo the rigor of the law if I betray my oath," he added.

"This is the beginning of a new era of reconciliation and unity between all the girls, among all our dear son of Ivory Coast," promised Mr. Ouattara in a brief intervention, immediately after its swearing.

The ceremony took place after the proclamation of Alassane Ouattara as president by the Constitutional Council, ending the controversy over the presidential election.

Ouattara Chairman welcomed this proclamation: "This decision has thus removing any doubt about the outcome of the vote."

3 December 2010, Mr. Yao N'Dré near Laurent Gbagbo, had opened the most serious crisis in the country's history by proclaiming Mr.Gbagbo reelected with 51.45% of the votes at the polls on November 28.

The Council then had to invalidate the results of the independent electoral commission, certified by the UN, giving Mr. Ouattara winner with 54.1% of votes.

December 4, Côte d'Ivoire was thus left with two chairs.Laurent Gbagbo was sworn in during a ceremony with great pomp in the presidential palace, while Alassane Ouattara had done so through a letter to the Constitutional Council.

Laurent Gbagbo was eventually arrested by the pro-Ouattara in the presidential residence in Abidjan on April 11, after several days of bombing of the French Licorne force and the UN, ending four months of crisis and 15 days of war, that killed nearly 3,000 people, authorities said, and about one million displaced.

The inauguration of President Ouattara to be held May 21 in Yamoussoukro (center), the political capital of the country, attended by foreign heads of state.

Bin Laden, a hunt that lasted nearly ten years

AFP - The information collected and analyzed for years have finally formed a puzzle: the hunt for Bin Laden has sharply accelerated last summer when the U.S. services have come back to the residence he occupied the north of Islamabad, as the story of a U.S. official.

Since Sept. 11, the most wanted man in the world remained elusive.Until the night of Sunday to Monday, when U.S. commandos killed him in the building of a wealthy district of Abbottabad, about fifty kilometers from the Pakistani capital.

"From the moment we have identified bin Laden as a threat, the CIA has gathered evidence on people's inner circle, including his personal messengers," said a senior official of the Obama administration on condition of anonymity in a conference call.

One of these messengers of particular interest to U.S. intelligence.Members of Al Qaeda captured had given his "nom de guerre" and had described as a protege of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the attacks of Sept. 11, and a trusted assistant of Abu Faraj Al- Libbi, the number three al Qaeda captured in 2005.

"They also presented the man as one of the only messengers that bin Laden had confidence and showed that he could live with him and protects him. But for years, we could not the be identified by his real name or know his whereabouts, "said the senior official.

It was not until 2007 that his identity is discovered.But no question the senior official revealed. A few months ago, the Americans finally discover the area where the messenger was, with his brother in Pakistan.

"But we could not always know exactly where they lived." They took great care.

"The fact that they are so cautious has reinforced the feeling that we were on the right path," he says.

August 2010, turning the hunt for the leader of Al Qaeda

August 2010: the breakthrough. Their house is finally located, it is a "complex in Abbottabad" in a neighborhood populated by retired military.Barack Obama is informed.

"When we saw the complex where the brothers lived, we had a shock," said the senior official.

The complex occupies a large area. It is "eight times larger than other houses in the neighborhood." When it was built in 2005, he was at the end of a small dirt road.From other houses have been built around.

Satellites, drones, human intelligence? The senior does not detail how the observations were made, but every detail of this residence is duly appraised.

Security measures? "Extraordinary," he said.The walls rise up to 5.5 meters and is topped with barbed wire, access is possible only by "two secure portals.

Another incongruity, the occupants are burning their garbage when the neighbors have a collection service.

The apartment building also clashes in the environment with "little windows on the exterior" and its three floors topped walls of two meters to mount on the roof while protecting themselves from prying eyes.

No internet, phone.And how the two brothers could they have offered this Properties valued at one million dollars where they live with their families and a third family that is very similar to that of Bin Laden?

After studying the issue "all angles", the conclusion is obvious: there is a "strong likelihood" that it is the leader of Al Qaeda.

Friday at 8:20 (12:20 GMT) Barack Obama authorizes the transaction.It is still Sunday afternoon in Washington early Monday morning in Pakistan, when "a small American team" boarded helicopters for this "particularly dangerous operation," says another senior U.S. official.

The raid itself as "surgical" not to cause casualties among women and children who occupy the residence or the neighbors. Bin Laden, a son and two brothers, his messengers, are killed and a woman used as "human shield by a fighter." Another woman was wounded.The senior official said he could not go into details and does not specify whether the prisoners were made.

One of the helicopters to mechanical problems, he can not take off. The commandos and destroy the pile aboard another aircraft with the body of bin Laden.

The commandos will be 40 minutes remained on the ground, the hunt is over.

TECH 24: A royal marriage celebrated also in digital

It is far from the marriage between Prince Charles and Diana in 1981: the British monarchy has this time coverage of the event ... very 2.0 way, the Twitter feed of Clarence House, the official residence of Prince Charles and Camilla distills information such as seating arrangements, or the floral composition of the ceremony ...

The wedding will be seeing, and again, on YouTube.

The Queen has become a geek

It must be said that Queen Elizabeth II is itself passionate new technologies. Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, all that has no secrets for her. It was already the case in 1953, when she brought the television cameras to Westminster for his coronation.She had also filmed his Christmas message in 1957.

Queen Elizabeth wrote her first email in 1976 from a military base ... For the renovation of the British monarchy in 2009, Tim Berners-Lee, the father of the Web, was part ... The Queen of England also has his Facebook page since November 2010 ... You can "liker" Her Majesty, but out of the question to be his friend or his comment on current events, protocol requires ... And to join the happiness of bride and groom, it is now possible to leave them a video message of congratulations!

Are you traced?

Apple on the spot and within the scope of collective action in the U.S. for invasion of privacy ...According to researchers, a fixture on iOS 4 records the location data, and maintain them without encryption. Steve Jobs' terse response: "We do not follow anyone. But Google, yes."

Nokia 1616: a reliable phone for emerging markets.

No miracles or tablets overpriced gadget this week, but a phone that has managed to create a market in emerging countries: the Nokia 1616. Finally a phone that is used to call!

And that is precisely what attracted you.We asked our African members on Facebook to tell us why Nokia 1616 had a preference.
Watch this reaction Awada ehem Chad: "Two reasons: the battery lasts longer than other mobile phones, and especially his torch is very useful at night in places where electricity is unreliable. It even a luxury. " Affordable luxury, since it costs 35 euros.

A high-tech advertising targeted

We close this issue by the Royal buzz of the moment. A video where the operator T-Mobile does not care about traditions and away the monarchy for a march to the altar House more than ever. advertising exceeds 12 million views on YouTube.Look!

This recalls another viral video, "J & K wedding entrance, which was all the rage on the Web a few months ago (with 65 million unique visitors).

Apple FRANCE 24 Internet Wedding Prince William TECH 24 YouTube

Syria: Repression bloody Deraa, the epicenter of protest

The crackdown by the Syrian regime hardens a little more. Monday, tanks and soldiers armed to the teeth have penetrated for the first time in Deraa, birthplace of the challenge set in the South, according to witnesses on the spot. A change of tactics by the regime which suggest that Bashar al-Assad is playing its trump card, "says Jean-Bernard Cadier, a specialist in international politics of France 24:" He can not turn back now. "

Contacted by France 24, a resident of the city has traced the events of the morning. "Just after the prayer, we heard gunshots. We tried to know where the shots came from. Here we have seen at least eight tanks military who took the road of the old city.They asked us to stop all form of protest. There is nobody to help us and they can shoot us! "

Panicked face this sudden military deployment, the population has increased calls for help with the means at hand. "People are using loudspeakers in mosques to ask for help. Electricity has been cut off, the telephone network as well," said Isabelle Dellerba, France 24 correspondent in Beirut. "Ambulances are struggling to reach victims. The wounded are lying on the ground in the streets, there are also dead."

Deraa, prime target of the regime in Damascus

Scenes of war are told by many people on the spot."Men are ambushed government forces in public buildings and shooting at houses," said one of them told Reuters. "They shoot in all directions and move behind the tanks, which protect them," related another. A witness contacted by AFP already reported five deaths.

Isabelle Dellerba, the current confrontation between the regime and the protesters should go crescendo. "Bashar al-Assad could decide to take a new direction by launching operations against punches home the most important challenge," she says.

And not only Deraa. Activist Syrian Human Rights, contacted by AFP reported heavy fighting in Douma, located on the outskirts of Damascus."On Monday, Syrian security forces and armed supporters of President Bashar al-Assad stormed the city Duma. They fired on civilians and arresting people."

Sign of the escalating security of the regime in Damascus, the government of Bashar al-Assad has ordered the closure of the border with Jordan.

As a reminder, these bloody confrontations abound for three days. The crackdown left at least 120 dead between Friday and Saturday, according to a list of names compiled by the Committee of the martyrs of the revolution 15-Mar.

Sunday at Jableh, near Latakia, thirteen people were also killed and several others injured by police, told AFP from an activist for human rights.This brings to 366 the number of victims since mid-March.

BURKINA FASO: President Blaise Compaore took over the Ministry of Defence

The Burkinabe President Blaise Compaore, whose country has been faced with mutinies of soldiers, has assigned the Ministry of Defence in the new government, whose composition was announced Thursday night, according to decrees read on state television RTB.

"The president of the (Burkina Faso) Faso, supreme commander of armed, took office as Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs," reads one of the decrees.

This position is particularly sensitive in the present context, the regime of President Compaore, a soldier who seized power in a coup in 1987, facing more than a month to the mutinies of soldiers who received up his own personal guard.

These riots occurred in parallel with other protest movements of most of society in Burkina Faso which began in late February.

Fifteen new ministers enter this government comprises 29 ministers (against 38 previously), all members of the ruling party or the presidential movement.This is the team most ressérée history of Burkina Faso.

Djibril Bassolé, former joint mediator of the UN and African Union (AU) for Darfur (Sudan), was appointed foreign minister.

Economy and finance back to Lucien Marie-Noel Bembamba, brother-in-chief of the State, Territorial Administration, Decentralization and Security, Jerome Bougouma, another close to Blaise Compaore.

The new team includes three women appointed to the Ministries of National Education, Social Action and Promotion of Women.

This government was formed by the new Prime Minister Luc Adolphe Tiao, a journalist by training and former ambassador to Burkina Paris, appointed Monday to replace Tertius Zongo, who was fired after a mutiny within the leader's own presidential guard of State, April 14.

Mr.Compaore had also replaced the main army officials, including Chief of Staff.

The new team of faithful head of state, while many observers had expected an opening to members of civil society and opposition, will have to try to stem a wave of protest unprecedented in history of the country.

Since late February, all segments of the population, youth, students, judges, soldiers, traders, expressed with varying degrees of violence across the country against Compaore's regime and the high cost of living while most of the 16 million Burkinabe live with about 1.5 euro per day.

Balance: At least six deaths, injuries, looting, damage to property.

NIGERIA - PRESIDENTIAL: Victory Goodluck Jonathan backdrop of riots in the north

The outgoing leader Goodluck Jonathan, won the presidential election in Nigeria, shaken Monday by rioting in the predominantly Muslim north, where the dead were enrgistrées.

Result of the 36 states of the Nigerian federation, the federal capital Abuja over, give 22 million votes out against 12 million in the second, a former military junta leader, Muhammadu Buhari, according to full results released Monday by the Electoral Commission National.

Jonathan also won over 25 per cent of the votes in more than two-thirds of the 36 states, a necessary condition for being declared the winner in the first round.

But the victory of Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian South, led to riots in the Muslim north.

"Deaths have been reported," particularly in Kano and in the neighboring state of Kaduna, said a security official, Yushau Shuaib, unable to give a more accurate assessment.

In a country marked by deep divisions and regional community, the rioters burned the house of Vice President Namadi Sambo in Zaria, Kaduna State, and that of the emir of the city, according to one resident.They also released many detainees.

"The protesters burned the residence of the Vice-President, the palace of the emir, before attacking the jail," said Mahmud Aliyu by telephone.

The first violence erupted Sunday after the vote, provoked by accusations of fraud against the camp of Mr. Jonathan.

Monday, they were still burning in Kano, the second largest city, and had won Jos in the Centre, and other cities.

In Kano, mobs armed with clubs, knives and boards faced soldiers, a shopping center was burned and shops and schools were closed.A curfew twenty-four hours was imposed in the neighboring state of Kaduna.

The crowd supported Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim North unsuccessful rival for the presidency of Jonathan, also attacked two suspected Christians.

In the city of Potiskum in Yobe State, north-east, witnesses reported that the crowd had tried to sacrifice a Christian passing a flaming tire around the neck but she was saved by residents.

"Young people set fires in the streets and burning the houses of supporters of the ruling party. Soldiers were called.The streets are deserted except for the demonstrators, "said one resident, Kabiru Usman.

Violence has also been reported in the cities of Kaduna, Zaria and Sokoto in the north, and Jos in the Centre, which marks the frontier between Christian and Muslim majorities and scene of frequent sectarian violence.

The main opposition party, Congress for Democratic Change which Mr.Buhari was the candidate has formally objected to the irregularities of the presidential result.

These accusations are contained in a complaint sent to the electoral commission said the party chairman, Tony Momoh.

Before the end of the count, the commission on Monday gave an advance Goodluck Jonathan as he is assured of winning. He came first in 22 of the 36 states of the federation with more than 21 million votes against 9,000,000 for Mr. Buhari, former head of a military junta in 1984-1985.

Although in general, observers judged the election on Saturday more honest than previous results in abnormally high for Mr.Jonathan, in its strongholds of South Christian, have cast doubt: the state of Akwa Ibom State gave him 95% of the vote and that of Bayelsa, his home state, 99.63%.

"Such figures above 95% seem invented and raise serious questions about the credibility of the election," said Jibrin Ibrahim of the NGO Centre for Democracy and Development.

These results confirmed a clear division between the pro-Muslim north and Christian south Buhari pro-Jonathan.

In the North, many hoped a victory by Mr.Buhari, 69, to revive a North economically marginalized by the oil rich south of the country's most populous country.

Goodluck Jonathan, 53, is a candidate of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) won the first round every presidential since the end of military rule in 1999.

RUSSIA: NATO beyond the mandate of the UN in Libya, says Moscow

AFP - NATO oversteps in Libya on UN mandate, said Friday the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for a political settlement of the Libyan crisis.

"Today we are witnessing the actions in a number of cases go beyond the mandate of the Security Council of the United Nations" as set out in resolution 1973, saidLavrov after meeting with his counterparts from the Atlantic Alliance in Berlin.

"We believe it is important to move urgently to the political phase and move towards a political and diplomatic settlement" of the Libyan crisis, "he added.

"In this context, Russia supports the initiative of the African Union" said the Russian minister, condemning "excessive use of military force that would lead to further losses among civilians."

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had already high Thursday against the NATO operations in Libya in these terms: "What we as a result. We have essentially a military operation.The resolution says nothing about that. "

Shortly before, the secretary general of the Alliance Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in reporting the meeting of NATO-Russia Council that "Russia (was) clear that the NATO operation was legitimate."

He even described as "very, very positive" exchange of views "between Lavrov and his 28 counterparts in the Atlantic Alliance.

Operation Protector unified NATO "takes place in accordance with resolution 1973 of the Security Council," he said, adding: "Let me emphasize that in the conduct of the operation we will not beyond the text and the spirit of EVs resolution.

"Quite the opposite," Mr. launchedRasmussen, "we are implementing in strict conformity with the letter and spirit" of the resolution.

The text voted on March 17 authorizes "all necessary measures" to protect civilians.

NATO took over the reins March 31 military operations launched March 19 by an international coalition led by the United States, France and the United Kingdom, which had relied on the resolution to bomb Gaddafi's troops since they represented a danger to the civilian population.

The leftist candidate, Ollanta Humala, led the first round

The leftist candidate Ollanta Humala will play the second round of presidential elections in Peru, but the identity of his rival, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and Keiko Fujimori, is still very uncertain, according to projections and partial official count on Sunday night.

The former Lieutenant-Colonel Humala, 48, who was beaten in the second round in 2006, obtained 27% of the vote, according to partial results announced by the electoral body (ONPE) with 43% of the votes counted, around 22:30 local (0330 GMT Monday).

But much indecision reigned over his rival for ONPE, former Wall Street financier and former Liberal prime minister (2005-06) Pedro Pablo Kuczynscki, 72, came in 2nd place with 23.6% voice.

Behind him, Keiko Fujimori, the populist right-wing member of 35 years and daughter of former authoritarian President of the years 1990-2000 now imprisoned Alberto Fujimori obtained 21.8% of votes.

According to the polls to exit polls, on the contrary that Fujimori would face Humala in the second round: she would surpass Kuczynski 1.8 to 3 points, according to the institutes.

"They gave us dead, and here we resurrect!" Kuczynski began his supporters in Lima, calling for patience.

According to some pollsters, Kuczynski could be caught, as the late arrival of voting provinces, supposed him to be less favorable.

But a reliable picture of the second round, June 5, might not emerge for several days, as in 2006, due to a slow count of official recounts.

"Everything leads us to believe that we will be in the second round," he told his supporters Humala Sunday night, giving them an appointment "on July 28th (the date of nomination) to the Presidency, for a big change, a major redistribution wealth ".

"We are in the second round!" Keiko Fujimori also provided at the center of Lima, to a crowd chanting "Chino" Chino "," nickname of his father.

A possible second-round Humala Fujimori has been described by analysts as heralding a sharp polarization of political life: "Humala is the leftmost, the rightmost Keiko, the two models are authoritarian," has said AFP has Luis Benavente Group opinion of the Catholic University of Lima.

He put a face to face left-nationalist candidate, accused by his opponents of being close to President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela illiberal, and the daughter of a former head of state autocratic prison for massacres of civilians during the repression of the guerrillas of the 90s, and corrutpion.

A choice "between a dark past and a leap into the void," said Alejandro Toledo, the centrist former president (2001-06), distanced with 15.4% of votes.

For the Nobel Prize for Literature Mario Vargas Llosa, Alberto Fujimori defeated for the presidency in 1990, the duel would be "a disaster".

Nearly 20 million Peruvians voted without incident on Sunday to elect a successor to Alan Garcia (center right) after a campaign dominated by the urgency of sharing the record growth (+ 8.78% in 2010), which has forgotten the way 34% of people living in poverty.

Toledo, conceding defeat, said Humala "was able to channel the anger of Peru", for this growth without distribution of profits.

Humala, who fought in the 90 Maoist guerrillas, is very popular in the Andean regions underdeveloped.

Since 2006, he moderated his rhetoric and anti-liberal marked his distance from Chavez, whose support had probably cost him the victory five years ago.

The Peruvians also renewed their unicameral parliament. According to the partial count, it comes out fragmented, with Humala's party in the lead, followed by Keiko Fujmori.

JAPAN: At least four people dead and hundreds injured after a new earthquake

Four people were killed and over one hundred injured when the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck Thursday night the north-eastern Japan, there already devastated nearly a month by an earthquake and tsunami giants According to the Agency Disaster Management and Media.

A woman of 63, who was on life support, died in Yamagata Prefecture, according to the Agency.

Two men aged 79 and 85 were killed in Miyagi Prefecture, according to public broadcaster NHK and Jiji Press.

In the city of Tome (Miyagi Prefecture) a woman of 83 years died after being admitted to hospital, Jiji said, quoting a doctor.

She has reassessed the number of injured at about 140, after the shock, identified as a replica of the magnitude 9 earthquake of 11 March.

The earthquake occurred at 11:32 p.m. (2:32 p.m. GMT) at a depth of 49 km, according to the American Institute of Geophysics USGS. Its epicenter was located in the Pacific Ocean, 66 km east of the city of Sendai (Miyagi Prefecture).

An alert for a tsunami up to two meters high was lifted half past one later without there having been a reported abnormally high waves on the shore.

The Nuclear Safety Agency said no nuclear power station in the area had been damaged.Staff working on the site of the central hilly Fukushima Daiichi (No. 1) had been evacuated as a precaution to the interior.

Some 3.3 million homes were without power in the north-east, said the local power company, Tohoku Electric Power.

The giant earthquake and tsunami of 11 March killed more than 27,000 dead or missing, police said.

CHINA: A wave of shock after the arrest of Chinese dissident Ai Weiwei

Main photo taken from the blog of Ai Weiwei (blog.aiweiwei.com /)

Since his arrest Sunday morning in broad daylight, at the international airport in Beijing, Ai Weiwei has given more news. This internationally renowned artist, troublemaker Chinese policy was to go to Hong Kong and Taiwan to discuss the organization of an exhibition. His wife was interviewed Sunday night by local police and then released, but said he could not collect any information about her husband. The eight assistants from studios headed by Ai Weiwei, the district Caochangdi, north-west of Beijing, were also released on Monday afternoon, reports the website on Ai Weiwei.The studio has been excavated and is still under police surveillance, several computers and hard disks were confiscated, and Internet access was cut in the neighborhood.

The absence of new Ai Weiwei, more than a day after his arrest, is not a good sign. The Wall Street Journal points out that Chinese law provides that the relatives of a detainee must be alerted within 24 hours. Neither his lawyer nor his wife could not contact him.

"The time of open dissent is over"

Concern about the fate of Ai Weiwei is all the greater because it follows "the arrest of dozens of people in recent months," the statement from Amnesty International.The authorities have reacted to the appearance on the Internet encouraging messages at rallies in China regularly on Sunday to protest against inflation, corruption and the gap between rich and poor.

By these waves of arrests, the Chinese government wants to "send the message that the time of open dissent is over," understands the organization of human rights based in London."If the Chinese authorities have the audacity to question a world-renowned artist in broad daylight at the Beijing airport, one can only worry at the thought of how treaties are likely to be other dissidents least known, "says the NGO.

"What I find most disturbing is the fact that these activists have" disappeared "and that the government refuses to take responsibility for their detention. It has been almost over a month they are unreachable.There is serious risk of torture and abuse ", reports the China specialist at Human Rights Watch based in Hong Kong, Nicholas Bequelin, interviewed by Le Monde.

Very popular on the blogosphere

The arrest of Ai Weiwei is an important step in this "wave of repression, the largest since more than ten years," said Agnes Gaudu, head of the section China, Singapore and Taiwan International Mail. "For the first time since the criminal detention of twenty people - activists, lawyers, activists, bloggers, known to a limited circle - someone who is extremely popular in China has been arrested," decrypt- she said.Ai Weiwei had made known to the general public during his survey of public buildings that collapsed during the earthquake in Sichuan province in 2008. "It also has built a solid reputation for his impertinence and his political jokes," recalls Agnes Gaudu.

His subversive photos on Tiananmen Square have been around the Chinese web, and his blog on the consumer website Sina.com has been a big success, before being censored two years ago. So much so that he had been elected by Chinese netizens "Artist of the Year" in a poll conducted by Sina.com earlier this year. The website had finally had to back off and hold a new vote.Ai Weiwei's works are currently exhibited at the Tate Modern Gallery in London. They should have been the subject of a first major exhibition in Beijing, before the Belgian gallery UCCA will withdraw in February.

GERMANY: The energy giant RWE attacked the moratorium on nuclear

Bang nuclear Germany. RWE, the German number 2 in the nuclear sector (and number 3 worldwide), filed a complaint Friday against the government's decision to temporarily close two of its reactors. The energy giant considers illegal moratorium on nuclear introduced by Chancellor Angela Merkel, March 18.

An approach that could negate one of the most popular government decisions in recent weeks.Supporters of the anti-nuclear issue in Germany and elsewhere in the world had found the appropriate response after the nuclear catasprophe occurred in Japan as a result of the earthquake and tsunami of 11 March.

"Our reactors meet all the safety conditions imposed by German law. So there is no legal argument for closing them," said RWE in a press release posted Friday morning.Contacted by FRANCE 24, the company declined to give details.

Under the moratorium, the German authorities had decided to close for three months the eight older reactors still in operation, including two owned by RWE.

The world's No. 1 does not follow RWE

The attack against RWE is German public opinion against the grain. The anti-nuclear message has indeed gained strength in recent days. On Sunday, the Greens, the Social Democrat allies of the SPD, have also won a historic election victory in Baden-Württemberg, the Land (administrative region German, Ed)'s richest countries.Success largely due to the sling anti-nuclear environmentalists.

"It's a brutal approach [to file a complaint, Ed] who points out that RWE has no regard for the public interest and public opinion and thinks only of profits," laments Karsten Smid, M . Nuclear Greenpeace Germany.

A complaint that also throws in trouble the other industry players, including E. ON, the world's No. 1 nuclear power. The latter, which had to close two reactors, decided Friday not to complain."We discussed at length this morning and we believe it is not possible in the context of emotion today to have a reasonable debate on this issue," says FRANCE 24 Christian Drepper, spokesman for E . ON.

A poorly conceived moratorium

However, the Spokesperson of E. We understand the legal process of its competitor. "We also have doubts about the legality of the decision to close the reactors," he adds.

Moreover, everyone seems to agree on this point: the moratorium is poorly conceived. It is based on a law that allows closing the reactors that if "an immediate danger to human life.""On the one hand, the immediate danger is not proven, and secondly, if a reactor is considered dangerous, it must be shut down, not only for three months," said the AFP Morlok Martin, professor law at the University of Düsseldorf.

A rookie mistake of the government of Angela Merkel? For the head of Greenpeace Karsten Smid, Berlin has either acted in a hurry without thinking or voluntarily created a way for the nuclear lobby to challenge that moratorium.

LIBYA: Obama fixed the issues and the limits of U.S. involvement

Reuters - Barack Obama in a speech on the situation in Libya, said Monday that the U.S. would, in concert with their allies, seek to hasten the day when Moammar Gadhafi should step down, but he stressed they would not use direct force to overthrow him.

In a televised address to the nation, Bush, accused by many members of Congress not to have explained the role of the international coalition in Washington, defended its decision to intervene militarily in the conflict in Libya.

At the same time, he clarified the limits of the action of the United States and sought to counter the impression that he had no clear goals nor credible strategy out of the conflict.

"For generations, the United States plays a unique role as an anchor of international security and defending the fundamental freedoms." Bearing in mind the risks and costs of military intervention, we're obviously reluctant to use force to solve the many problems facing the planet. But when our interests and values ​​are at stake, we have a responsibility to act. That's what happened in Libya over the past six weeks, " the president said.

"Libya is directly between Tunisia and Egypt, two countries that have inspired the world when their peoples have stood up to take control of their destiny. For over 40 years, the Libyan people is led by a tyrant, Muammar Gaddafi.It deprives its people of freedom, uses his wealth, murdering its opponents at home and abroad, and terrorizing innocent people in the world - including Americans who were killed by Libyan agents.

GADDAFI DOES NOT "OVERNIGHT"

"Tonight, I am able to say that we stopped the progression of lethal Gaddafi," he said before a gathering of officers at the National Defense University in Washington, 10 days after ordering that the United States participating in Operation "Dawn of the Odyssey."

"We hit the air defenses (Gaddafi), which allowed the establishment of a no-fly zone.We targeted the tanks and other forces that were strangling the cities, and we cut to a large extent the supply lines, "he said.

The U.S. president also said that the award of U.S. Command in NATO would intervene on Wednesday.

"We will deprive the system of any weapon, interrupt his source of income, help the opposition, and we will work with other countries to hasten the day when Gaddafi will leave power," continued the president.

This, he said, "will not happen overnight," and he admitted that Qaddafi might be able to cling to power."Expanding our military mission to a regime change would be a mistake," he pointed out, however.

Obama spoke on the eve of the scheduled conference in London on Tuesday attended by 35 countries on the situation in Libya.

The issue of Obama's speech was to identify and clearly define the purpose and scope of the mission of the United States to Libya, to be understood by Americans, preoccupied with domestic economic problems, which are already of a dim view of the costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

COTE D'IVOIRE: Paris for a strengthening of UNOCI

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Friday was "very concerned about the situation in Côte d'Ivoire," where violence increase, and indicated intent to apply for a strengthening of the UN force in the country (UNOCI).

The French President considered "scandalous" firing with heavy weapons "against innocent civilians" during a press briefing on the sidelines of an EU summit in Brussels.

"But there is a UN force" on the spot, "he said.And the purpose of the resolution intends to propose France "will ask the UN force to prohibit at least the heavy weapons in Abidjan," he said.

The West African leaders on Thursday urged the UN to strengthen the mandate of its mission in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and to impose sanctions "more binding" against the incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo.

After a two-day ordinary summit in Abuja, Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS, 15 countries), made the call while post-election crisis in Côte d'Ivoire worsens and there are fears a civil war.

UNOCI, 10,000 men strong, is in a delicate situation.Under fire from supporters of Gbagbo, who demands his immediate departure, designating it as an "enemy of Côte d'Ivoire" and biased, it is regularly the target of their attacks.

The mission also came under strong criticism recently from the camp of Alassane Ouattara, President recognized by the international community, who urged him to "take action" and "use of legitimate force" to protect civilians caught in the violence.

Since the presidential election of November 2010, 462 people were killed according to the UN, including 52 during the past week.

The international community press for months and unsuccessfully Laurent Gbagbo to cede the presidency to his opponent.

Yemen: President Ali Abdallah Saleh is increasingly isolated

Leaders of the Yemeni army announced Monday their rally to protest against President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has assured the people that supported him despite calls for redoubled his departure.

In addition, the main tribal leader, Sheikh Sadek al-Ahmar, asked President Saleh, in power for 32 years to retire, adding its voice to those of traditional and religious leaders, whose role is critical in this poor country 24 million inhabitants.

Two regions commanders, General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, head of the north-east which includes the capital Sanaa, and General Mohammed Ali Mohsen, head of Eastern Military District, declared themselves in favor of the protesters.

Their defections were the first of this magnitude in the ranks of the army, and two other generals: Nasser Ali Chouaibi in south-east, and Faisal Rajab, in the south.

Despite these defections, President Saleh, 68, said the "majority of the people" supports it.

"The vast majority of people with Yemeni security, stability and constitutional legality.And those who call for chaos, violence, hatred and sabotage are a tiny minority, "assured the president to Sanaa.

Previously, General al-Ahmar, from the most influential tribe in the country, had accused Al-Jazeera the head of state to "repress peaceful protesters" and "push the country towards civil war".

In Sanaa, dozens of officers have announced their allegiance to a crowd of protesters who braved still on the University Square a ban on demonstrations to demand the departure of President Saleh.

In the morning, tanks were deployed in the center of the capital, especially around the presidential palace, the seat of the ruling General People's Congress (GPC), the Department of Defense and the Central Bank.

In Aden (south), the second largest city, General Chouaibi has supported the protest, along with 60 officers of the province of Hadramout and 50 officers from the Ministry of Interior. And the governor of the province, Ahmad Qaatabi, submitted his resignation.

These rallies to protest came as the tribal leader, Sheikh Sadek al-Ahmar, President Saleh has asked to "avoid bloodshed and to opt for a graceful exit."

His defection adds to those of regime officials who have propagated these days, forcing the president Saleh to sack the government on Sunday night, after the resignation of three ministers.

According to the official news agency Saba, M.Saleh has asked his cabinet to "caretaker until the establishment of a new government."

The ambassadors of Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Mohammad Ali al-ahwal, and Kuwait, Sheikh Khaled Rajeh, also announced on Monday to join the protest movement against President Saleh.

Five ambassadors of Yemen in Europe have written to President Saleh to ask him to resign, according to the Yemeni ambassador in France, Khaled al-Akwa.

The departure of President Saleh is "indispensable" found on his side the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Alain Juppe.

The dispute has gained momentum after the death of 52 people killed in an attack Friday against protesters in Sanaa.The killings attributed to supporters of the regime marked the bloodiest day since the end of January in protest.

This massacre was sentenced Monday by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, visiting Cairo. "The Yemeni government has an obligation to protect civilians," Ban said, supporting a "comprehensive dialogue".

BAHRAIN: Curfew eased in Manama, despite the intensification of repression

AFP - The Bahraini authorities have eased the curfew in the center of Manama, which will now be imposed from 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. local time (5:00 p.m. to 1:00 GMT), said Thursday on state television.

The curfew was declared Wednesday between 4:00 p.m. (1300 GMT) and 4:00 (0100 GMT) in the areas of Manama with known events, including the replacement of the Pearl and the financial district.

Banks and many shops remained closed Thursday in Manama, as well as schools until further notice, while troops were stationed in the financial district where most of international companies.

The movement was fluid in the capital, just days after the proclamation of a state of emergency for three months by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in the kingdom shaken by a growing protest the plan.

The Bahraini security forces had stormed Wednesday against protesters Shiites observing a sit-in on the Place de la Perle in Manama, and five people were killed.

BENIN - PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: After several postponements of the elections, the Beninese elect their president

Beninese voters about to elect a new president Sunday, the outgoing Boni Yayi who is having ruled out a third postponement of the poll despite continuing delays in registering voters.

President Yayi is one of 14 candidates in this election, said Friday evening at a final campaign rally on the outskirts of Cotonou, there would be no further postponement.

"I can not violate the Constitution.March 13, will vote overwhelmingly, "he said before thousands of supporters, referring to the fact that its mandate expires on April 6 and a new president must be proclaimed before that date.

Under the Constitution, a second round must indeed be held if no candidate obtains an absolute majority in the first round, what many consider anaystes likely.

Adrien Houngbedji, the main opponent of President Yayi, criticized the decision not to postpone the election, but nevertheless called on his supporters to vote."Each of your voice will be seen as a sanction imposed on a system incapable of corrupt and dishonest, a regime that endangers our democracy and peace so dear to our people," he said in a statement that he read in the press.

The first round, originally scheduled for February 27, was relocated once a week to allow the compilation of electronic files and then postponed again on March 4 at the request of the Autonomous National Electoral Commission (CENA) but also the UN and African Union.

This week, election authorities have tried to complete the registration of some 300,000 voters on the electronic file, while according to the opposition, up to a million potential voters had been omitted from the list or did not have voter registration cards.

The deadline has been extended until Friday noon until Saturday noon, and even where the formalities were late getting started.

Registration operations continued late into the night Friday to Saturday and resumed early Saturday morning and ended at mid-day.

The ballot should be played mainly between the outgoing president, 58, elected in 2006, and the opponent Adrien Houngbedji, 69, who covets the presidency for twenty years. A third man, economist Abdoulaye Bio Tchane, 58, could play the role of arbiter.