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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

MEXICO: The Mexican justice dismissed the cassation appeal of Florence Break

AFP - A Mexican court of three judges on Thursday rejected the appeal in cassation Break of Florence, the French woman sentenced to 60 years in prison in Mexico for kidnapping and imprisoned for over five years.

"Justice of the Union does not challenge the final decision of the court of appeal against Florence Break", now aged 36 years, according to the ruling made public before the forty journalists.

The three judges of the Supreme Court made their decision after less than two hours of meeting.

The French, who has always protested his innocence, has no recourse to justice in Mexico, but it can still enter international organizations, said the second counselor of the Embassy of France in Mexico, Florian Blazy.

"We need to revise the ruling. There are other international remedies," said the French diplomat. The situations envisaged by the embassy even before the trial were those of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights or the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

"I do not know how is Florence, but I can imagine," said Mr.Blazy.

Cassez, arrested in December 2005 during a mock inquiry held for television, was sentenced to 96 years in prison in the first instance, a sentence reduced on appeal to 60 years in prison in March 2009.

The arrest of Florence Break, along with his former partner Israel Vallarta, had been a television broadcast made at dawn on December 9, 2005 as a live broadcast in a "rancho", a house countryside on the outskirts of Mexico City.

The French had claimed she was arrested yesterday and held incommunicado until dawn.The police had then acknowledged having made a "recovery".

For advocates of the young woman, the cassation appeal (amparo) filed in August 2010 was to demonstrate that all the charges "built on sand" on "false evidence" in the words of counsel French Break Florence, Frank Berton.

At the beginning of the case, the opinion was unanimous Mexican Cassez been hostile to media and the verdict was no appeal against the "evil French".

But in five years, the activities of lawyers and press-depth investigations, including from French journalists on the spot on a record of more than 10,000 pages, had sown doubt in circles wider and wider in Mexico.

In November 2010, the French had received two notable supporters: that the Catholic Church of Mexico and a former federal Attorney-General, the equivalent of the Minister of Justice, who claimed to believe in his innocence.

The church had found a "total violation" of human Cassez and his "absolute innocence".

Former Minister Ignacio Morales Lechuga said for his part that the procedure "has not respected the rules of the Mexican criminal law, violated the rights of the condemned" and "led to freedom by letting the real perpetrators of crime" .

Break The case also became a contentious diplomatic row between France and Mexico, especially since the visit of Nicolas Sarkozy in Mexico in March 2009.

Three months later, in June 2009, Mexican President Felipe Calderon has ruled out personally in a speech for radio and television, the solution advocated by French President to transfer Cassez France.

This decision of the Supreme Court comes as Mexican has been officially launched, a few days ago, the year of France in Mexico.

UNITED KINGDOM: Assange's lawyers challenged the legality of the extradition request

AFP - Lawyers for Julian Assange Monday challenged the legality of the extradition proceedings initiated by Sweden against him for sexual violence and fears "a miscarriage of justice" during the 5th and most important founder of Wikileaks's appearance before the British justice.

Defenders of the Australian 39 years were immediately occupied the land, by posting the outset of the hearing all their arguments, an exceptional gesture intended to "fundamentally calling into question the validity of the mandate European arrest.

Assange has always fiercely denied accusations of sexual abuse made against him by two young Swedes.And his supporters believe he is the victim of a conspiracy related to the disclosure by Wikileaks thousands of official documents that have embarrassed many governments.

On the eve of his trial, a police report was leaked on the internet: one of his accusers told in detail how he imposed an unprotected sex while sleeping.

During the first day devoted to the defense arguments before the hearing on Tuesday from witnesses, lawyers Assange opened a first edge by challenging the charge of rape, the definition is much broader in Sweden.

"What is considered rape in Sweden is not in other countries," argues Mr. Robertson also noted that a rape trial in Sweden "would be held in camera" as usual in this countries, which would constitute "a flagrant denial of justice."

The founder of Wikileaks lawyers also argue that the warrant is not admissible to the extent that the Australian was not charged. And that the prosecutor in charge of the case had no authority to issue it.

Another argument: the "real risk" that once extradited to Sweden, founder of Wikileaks is sent to the United States and, they say, interned at Guantanamo Bay, or even sentenced to death.In violation of the European Convention on Human Rights.

United States, where Assange fugure made for some politicians to public enemy number one organized by leaks from his site, Justice opened an investigation against him, but she has not charged and did not ask her extradition.

The hearing, which is attended by a hundred journalists allowed to cover the proceedings via twitter, should last 48 hours.In such cases, the judge's decision is usually taken under advisement.

If the green light to extradition, Australia has many opportunities for appeal and the procedure could take several months to the end.

While the defense fought tooth and nail in court, several personalities, including British Jemima Khan, fashion muse and ambassador for Unicef, had planned to attend a demonstration outside support to the founder of Wikileaks.

Julian Assange, who now lives under house arrest in the English countryside, arrived 45 minutes before the start of the hearing at Belmarsh court, in the east of the city, flanked by his lawyers.

Wearing a gray hooded duffle coat, very talkative in the Australian media since his arrest on December 7 in London, was this time remained silent, merely a hello from the hand towards the international press came to number to cover this new episode of a legal saga that promises to be long.

TURKEY: Several dead and dozens wounded in an accidental explosion in Ankara

AFP - A powerful explosion occurred Thursday accidental origin in a workshop of an industrial district of Ankara killed three and thirty wounded, said the local mayor, Yasar Fethi, the news channel NTV.

"Three people are dead, unfortunately," said Mayor Yenimahalle the district to which the industrial and commercial area Ostim the Turkish capital, where the accident occurred.

The official said "there is a 90% chance that this is an accident," caused by the explosion of the boiler room of the building due to a gas leak.

Workers could be buried under the rubble, the official said.

The blast occurred in a large studio in a building with four floors producing generators and drilling rigs.Maximum 80 workers employed in the workshop, says Yasar.

According to images broadcast by NTV, many ambulances arrived on the scene transported the wounded to hospital while others were injured, most lightly affected and apparently in shock, receiving on-site first aid.

Television channels have also raised the Runway to explain the disaster. The authorities have not yet decided.

Rescuers accompanied by sniffer dogs were busy in the cold area of the accident to search for potential workers trapped under the rubble of the building, including at least two floors have been very badly damaged.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN: The Serb Novak Djokovic wins his second title in Melbourne

AFP - Serbia's Novak Djokovic, world No.3, won his second Grand Slam title, again at the Australian Open where he won in 2008, beating with authority on Sunday's final edition 2011 Britain's Andy Murray, world No.5, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3.

Finalist U.S. Open last September, won the Davis Cup in December, the Serb said himself in practicing this time his "best tennis". Since his first major title in Melbourne three years ago, Nola + + has grown in thickness, adding to its warlike a form of insurance and tranquility in the decisive moments.

Thus, on his way to the title in Melbourne, he had ruled Thursday in the semifinals Defending champion Roger Federer, world No.2, in three sets dry.If Djokovic refused to see a handover, it seems to have filled much of the gap that separated him from the Swiss legend and World No.1 Rafael Nadal.

During this fortnight Australian, Serbian has crashed while on its way, only losing one set in the second round against the unknown Croatian Ivan Dodig. A hiccup.

Murray took a similar path but have not seemed well on Sunday night. Great disappointment for the Scots, who lost his third Grand Slam final, his second in a row at Melbourne.

Defeated last year by Federer 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (13/11), he regretted to see the match as quickly scroll.It has not been otherwise Sunday.

The United Kingdom still awaits his first major title since Fred Perry in 1936, and Murray, valid only hope the country will never cease to be alone all the pressure.

Murray loses foot

Both players 23 years old, born a week apart in May 1987, issued their long-standing friendship Sunday evening on Rod Laver Arena.

Djokovic had announced that the game would be key to the service, to hitters in this duel tireless. He was right: with 68% success on his first ball, against 53% for Murray, he left with a certain advantage.

The first set was played three times nothing.It can be put into the abyss in this amazing exchange of 38 shots, at 5-4, 30-15 for Djokovic, Murray service.

Both players were hitting their fill but Djokovic had the final word thanks to a forehand more incisive. He offered himself and two set points and converted the first.

The Serb was gaining confidence, returning more in the short and abusing Murray. The Scot lost his footing and cashed five games in a row twice by committing more mistakes than its opponent.

Murray reacts during the third inning, knocking the service Djokovic repeatedly climbing more particularly at the net. But never does the Serb was falling behind, and he stood out even lead to 5-3, capitalizing on the mistakes of Columbia.

He finally concluded a final 2:37 of play that has not really fulfilled its promise of hard fighting.