EGYPT – REPORT: In pictures: Bibles burned and charred walls of a Coptic church in Giza

 

Lost at the end of a dusty alley of Giza, the Coptic church Kordossa neighborhood seems strangely quiet Sunday, August 18, a few hours of Sunday mass. Simply push the heavy iron gate in a painting depicting the Archangel Michael to enter any anxiety that plagues the Christian minority in Egypt since the crushing of protests conducive to Islamist ousted president Mohamed Morsi.

The church is more than an empty shell, with arches and blackened ceiling show a violent fire. Some benches half charred were pushed into a corner of the building, the remains of religious robes and Arabic-language Bibles are visible among the ashes. The caretaker of the church, Reda Abdallah, shows team FRANCE 24 the extent of damage and returns to the course of the attack, which occurred on Aug. 14 , t last, at the same time gave the Egyptian forces storm the main camp to the pro-Morsi Rabaa mosque in Cairo.

"Islamiya, Islamiya" "We first heard the cries out … The cries of an angry crowd chanting" Islamiya, Islamiya! ' and chanting slogans against our pope [the Coptic Patriarch Tawadros II] and General Al-Sissi. There were about a thousand people, mostly young people from 20 to 25 years, but also some older people. Many of them were armed with sticks and knives, they came here directly after ransacked the local police, "recalls Reda Abdallah.

Faced with this hysterical crowd, the keeper had no choice but to escape through the back door. The locks of the outer portal did not take long face the attackers. Between 16:30 and 18 pm, they have methodically vandalized the entire site, setting fire to the church and the adjoining room parties, while scoring Islamist slogans on the walls outside. Three people were injured in the attack. Not a police officer came to investigate on the spot

The young Coptic Korollos Khalil attended the scene from the roof of his house, which adjoins one of the buildings burned. He also reviews the way his father was busy frantically to water the inside wall of the housing to prevent it from catching fire in turn. "I could not even touch the wall with my hand it was so hot!" Exclaims the child of eight years, still shocked by the violence of the attack.

His parents tried to alert the authorities. In vain.

"My husband and I called the police a hundred times. Sometimes the police said they were coming … but they never came, "says the mother of Korollos Khalil. The caretaker of the church confirmed that no police officer has visited the site to investigate between the date of the attack on 14 August, and the arrival of the team of FRANCE 24 , Aug. 18.

Abandoned to their fate, the Coptic Kordossa could not count on the solidarity of the immediate vicinity – predominantly Muslim. Elsam Ahmed, who lives 20 meters from the church, said he received two wounded Copts home. The man of fifty years described the attackers as "addicts, lowlifes, thieves took away fridges and everything they could find."

Despite the vocal support of the Patriarch Tawadros II General Al-Sissi, the Coptic Kerdassa fear being released by the police in the event of another attack pro-Morsi. "We are afraid for our children, our fate is in God's hands," says Reda Abdallah with a resigned air.

PRESIDENTIAL MALI: Mali: IBK named the winner of the presidential election by his rival Soumaila Cisse

 

Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, known as IBK, should soon be officially proclaimed president of Mali after being congratulated by his opponent, Soumaila Cisse, who recognized Monday, August 12 defeat after the second round of the presidential election. "My family and I went to Mr. Keita, future president of Mali, congratulate him on his victory. God bless Mali ", wrote Monday unsuccessful candidate on his Twitter account.

Soumaila Cisse made the announcement even before the publication of the results of the second round. The former Minister of Finance decided to concede defeat when it became clear qu'IBK was head Gao even the most largest city in the north of Mali. Estimates for two-thirds of the ballots gave, indeed, a very large advance IBK.

After the first round of 28 July, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita had obtained 39.79% of the vote against 19.70% for his rival, and went heavily favored in the second round. He had obtained the rallying 22 25 candidates eliminated.

A daunting task for the winner

Despite some marginal irregularities, Malian and international observers praised the conduct of the election. "This election, in terms of democratic norms, is a follow one another s ", told Louis Michel, head of the observation mission of the European Union. "This is an election that now allows Mali to start the conclusion of an ongoing process: the return to a normal democracy," he added.

"This was an important step in the transition to Mali to peace and reconciliation, said the Special Representative of the UN, Bert Koenders. There were small imperfections […] but no violence was impressive in a country emerging from conflict only. "

After the victory of IBK will be officially confirmed, the cacique of the Malian political life of 68 years will prioritize to open negotiations with the Tuareg in the north, whose uprising in early 2012 led Mali to the brink of collapse.

The lack of protest from Soumaila Cisse should give the former prime minister the authority to also engage in discussions on the preservation of the unity of Mali, to reform the army and to tackle endemic corruption found in the circles of power. 

This presidential election is expected to close open in March 2012 by a coup of junior officers unhappy with the failure of the then President parenthesis Amadou Toumani Toure, to quell a rebellion Touareg.

The Movement for the uniqueness and Jihad in West Africa (Mujao), one of three major Islamic groups at work in 2012 in the north of Mali, had threatened to disrupt the dice , bearing the presidential election, but it has not happened while the UN is currently deploying a peacekeeping of 12,600 peacekeepers, known Minusma.

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UNITED STATES: SNCF in the U.S. elected viewfinder for his role in the Holocaust

 

Several elected Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress introduced a new bill to allow prosecutions against SNCF for its role in transporting Jews to the camps of death during the Second World War. If approved, the law would counter the argument that the French company can not be prosecuted in the United States because of a U.S. law that guarantees the immunity as a controlled foreign corporation.

"For a long time the survivors and relatives of those who died trying to establish the liability of the railway for the active role it played in the Holocaust, but until Now the company has managed to wrap themselves in immunity and thus avoid proceedings before U.S. courts, "said Sen. Chuck Schumer said in a statement. 

SNCF, "a cog in the Nazi extermination machine"

This law "would allow survivors and relatives [of the victims] to be accountable to the French railway company to court for sending thousands of people to death during World War II," says there. If adopted, the text must be sent to President Barack Obama for promulgation.

In 2011, SNCF president Guillaume Pepy had recognized corporate responsibility in the deportation of Jews. The railway was "a cog in the Nazi extermination machine," he declared then, pointing out that more than 2,000 railway had been executed by the Nazi occupiers. Far from any ethical consideration, many felt that the train had to present his "apology" to preserve its chances of obtaining overseas contracts.

Requisitioned by the French Vichy government at the request of the German occupation authorities, SNCF transported 76,000 Jews from France in freight cars across the country and to extermination camps between 1942 and 1944.

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RAILWAY ACCIDENT: Derailment in Spain: the train driver refuses to answer police

 

Francisco José Garzón Amo, the driver of the train that derailed Wednesday, July 25 at the entrance to the station of Saint-Jacques de Compostela, has not spoken. Placed in custody at the hospital where he was treated for 20 hours on Thursday night, he refused to answer police questions.

Investigators suspect him of having driven too fast: he had himself acknowledged when he radioed the station from his cabin where he got stuck after derailment, having driven 190 km / h instead of 80 km / h at the entrance to the corner before the station, twice the speed limit.

The final toll of this disaster always seems a little fuzzy. During the press conference the head of the police, the number of 78 retrouvésa body was raised, while the official death toll rose to 80 so far dead. Of the 72 bodies identified, there are several foreigners: one French, one Algerian, a Mexican and an American.

52 years old, the prime suspect for 30 years working on the Renfe, the public company of the Spanish railways, and since 2000 as a driver. Friday, many Spanish media showed screen captures his Facebook page, which has since been deleted, where the man boasted of up to 200 km / h.

But human error can not be the only cause. The investigation focuses also on possible gaps in the braking system. As evidenced by a video of webcast Thursday monitoring the train going at breakneck speed in a very dangerous curve. train "braked too late," headlined the Friday newspaper "El Pais".

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FOOTBALL: The Argentine "Tata" Martino, new coach of FC Barcelona

 

Less than a week after the announcement of the departure of Tito Vilanova, who must undergo a new operation of his cancer, FC Barcelona has already hired a new coach.

The Catalan club officially announced Tuesday, July 23, have offered the services of Argentine Gerardo Martino.

"FC Barcelona reached an agreement with Gerardo Martino to become the first coach of the football team for the next two seasons. The drafting and signing of the contract are pending, "reads the official website of the Spanish Champion team.

Since the beginning of the week, the Spanish press was already echoing the arrival of Argentine coach, who should bring in his luggage his current deputy Jorge Pautasso and its pre physical separator, Elvio Paolorroso.

"A game-oriented offensive"

Known as the "Tata" (grandfather in Spanish), the new coach of the Blaugrana, aged 50, has directed several clubs in South America. This was made known in 2007 as coach of the Paraguay he had conducted in 2010 in the quarterfinals of the World Cup.

Since 2011 he was the head of the Argentine team of Rosario, Newell's Old Boys, where he played as a midfielder in the 80s. Last month, he led his players to victory in the final tournament of the Argentine championship.

Hailing from Rosario as Lionel Messi, Gerardo Martino has already favored by the star of FC Barcelona. "I love Gerardo Martino. It is a great coach," said last year was the star striker to the newspaper Ole.

His brother, Matias Messi, has also welcomed his arrival on his Twitter account saying: "Welcome to Tata! Everything goes well, and continues on track. "

According to the Catalan daily Sport, the new coach of Barça supporter "of a game vocation clearly offensive." He became the fourth coach of Argentine club history after Helenio Herrera (1958-1960), Roque Olsen (1965-1967) and César Luis Menotti (1983-1984).

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Egypt: The army launched a 48-hour ultimatum to Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi

 

Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the chief of staff of the Egyptian army, gave Monday a "last chance" for political leaders to "take their responsibilities to historical circumstances in which the country faces. " In a message read on television message, the military command said that within 48 hours, the people's demands to be satisfied, saying the country could not afford to lose time.

The army could announce his own road

If this deadline is not met, the armed forces announce their own roadmap and measures to overcome the crisis, said Al-Sissi. He also said that the army, which has managed the transition from the fall of Hosni Mubarak in February 2011 and the election of Mohamed Morsi summer , last, no longer wished to be involved in politics or government.

This statement was greeted by an explosion of joy on the part of anti-Morsi gathered in Tahrir Square, the nerve center of the dispute. "Morsi is not our President, Sissi with us," chanted the demonstrators.

General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, however, did not explicitly ask for the resignation of President Mohamed Morsi, main claim millions of opponents who showed Sunday, June 30

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TENNIS: Rafael Nadal's surprise elimination in the first round of Wimbledon

 

Rafael Nadal was eliminated in the first round of Wimbledon by Belgian Steve Darcis, world 135th, author of a huge surprise by winning in straight sets 7-6 (7/4 ), 7-6 (10/8), 6-4 on Monday.

This is the first time in his career that Nadal, winner of the London grass in 2008 and 2010, losing in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament.

Further evidence of the immense sensation that rocked Wimbledon since its opening day, the Spaniard was never inclined Grand Slam against a player ranked as badly as Darcis, 135th in World , 29 years.

Already last year, Nadal had left the tournament early with a defeat in the second round against the Czech Lucas Rosol. 

He suffered martyrdom because of his left knee, which was then forced to leave the circuit for seven months.

Revenue in February, he managed an amazing return by reaching the final of the nine tournaments he has played for seven titles in total, including two weeks ago won at Roland Garros.

But on Monday, knee pain, bandaged as usual, seems to have caught since Nadal became increasingly diminished over the game, though, as usual, n ' did not want to dwell on the subject.

"I do not want to talk about my knee this afternoon. All I could say would sound like an excuse. And I do not want that. This is not a good day to talk about it. This is sport, sometimes you play well, sometimes you play bad today not much has worked for me, "he said, refusing to validate the comparison with the defeat of the last year against Rosol.

"It is difficult to adapt to grass, this is probably the most demanding surface for me. I have not found my rhythm, "he added.

Before the tournament, he spoke without any preparation tournament on grass in the legs, he had confided his fear to find a very challenging area for the joints.

Struggling to his backhand from the start, he had more and more difficult to move stop to see his series of 22 consecutive victories since his dice faced Novak Djokovic in the final of Monte Carlo in mid-April.

Thus Darcis, unlikely hero with his 12 disposals in the first round of a Grand Slam in 18 occasions, created the event on the first day of the short N.1 Wimbledon with an ace on match point.

"Nobody expected my victory today. In agreement Nadal did not play his best tennis and I knew that the first match on grass is always difficult. But this is a great victory for me, "said the Belgian, 44th World in 2008 that had won a match so far at Wimbledon.

"Yes, but I've always played on grass, even if it has not necessarily been the case in this tournament. I had already beaten a Top 10 here on the Central with Berdych last year at the Olympics, "said Darcis.

While the Belgian find Polish Lucasz Kubot in the second round defeat Nadal releases a little the way Roger Federer, placed in the same part of the Spanish table and easy winner Romanian Victor Hanescu of Monday in the opening match on Centre.

AFP

BASKETBALL: The "Braqueuses" flying Euro basketball

 

The "Braqueuses" have so far fallen short of expectations raised by their great adventure of the Olympics in London, where they were amazed French viewers before to win the silver medal. A Trélazé host the first round of the Euro for their group, they signed a flawless flawless, with three wins in as many games, while communing with their subjugated by going public.

The friendlies were given an overview of both the popular fervor and the value of Blue. They had won their nine games prepared by a mean difference of 21.7 points. They did even better in the three official matches, won by an average 33-point gap. Latvia (62-39) and Serbia (76-32), archi-dominated athletically, have been crushed. Britain has fared better, but could not escape a similar fate (79-47). Although this group was perhaps the least observed of all, France has hit his fist on the table. The only threat hovering over the head of Blue would be to get caught up in the euphoria and lose concentration. But demanding Pierre Vincent is keeping watch. For the rest, everything goes.

The tricolor defense, the DNA of the team is in place, with only 39.3 points per game conceded. More surprisingly, it has the second best offense (72.3 points), behind Spain.

All lights green

France is also the second most skillful team in the competition (48.9% address) through a domestic sector ravaging everything in its path. Only the address winning shots (33.3%) is not quite so radiant, without being either disastrous. But the Blues have such a variety of options that fall within the detail.

For another positive aspect of the first round is that the coach could rotate his squad at leisure, without user organizations. Celine Dumerc and Sandrine Gruda, the two most used French, have played only 21 minutes on average. This was used to assess the science of game Gaëlle thomas, which begins in the blue shirt at age 30, or the raw talent of Diandra Tchatchouang (22) and Valerian Ayayi (19 years ).

All lights are green before entering the second round. Three opponents to come in order of appearance Croatia, the Czech Republic and Belarus, only the latter seems to disturb a little France.

With four points on the board to start the second phase, "Braqueuses" need only two wins in three games to be certain to go in the quarter. But they obviously target a new tripled history to maintain the momentum of 12 consecutive wins since their defeat by the United States Olympic final, and to provide a quarterfinal not too difficult.

AFP

INTERNET: Piracy: Justice delivered a first cut Internet

 

It took four years after the introduction of Hadopi (High Authority for the dissemination of works and protection of rights on the Internet). The district court of the Seine-Saint-Denis has just made the first cut internet for 15 days for a person convicted of illegally downloaded copyrighted works copyright. The judgment was made in late May, according to the PC Inpact who first revealed Wednesday, June 12 site is subject to a fine of 600 euros.

This ruling comes after three customary warnings required by law. The user affected by this procedure is believed to have hacked "two works." He would always post Inpact PC, especially not responded to warnings in the form of messages and emails. He would not even attend the hearing of the court to decide his fate. Still, it was another 10 days to appeal.

So far, the device fight against illegal downloading under Hadopi had given rise to a money judgment in September 2012. The user was then fined 150 euros for Rihanna songs illegally downloaded by his wife.

Technical difficulties

Internet disconnection is the sanction of last resort under the law. The conviction in late May by the district court arrived at this title at a pivotal moment in the troubled life of the Hadopi law, which was set up under the chairmanship , Presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy. The reason for this high authority, indeed, about to be gutted. The government intends to soon repeal the right to suspend, by court order, the Internet connection. "The decree is in the loop, it must obtain the opinion of the State Council," confirmed to PC Inpact, the French Minister of Culture Aurélie Filippetti.

The recent court decision could also bring grist to the mill of those who argue that the possibility of imposing an Internet disconnection is not effective. The suspension of the connection is, in fact, far from being effective. The implementation of sanctions not obvious. This is, indeed, not full access to the network can be cut, but only the "public" web.

In other words, the ISP (Internet Service Provider) must implement a selective cut. The user is condemned to continue to have access to his mailbox, instant messaging and all that belongs to the private email correspondence. In addition, digital TV and telephone – often involving the same networks as the Internet in three bunches in one – must be maintained. "All the operators do not have the technical capacity to carry out such a selective suspension," admitted Alex Türk, President of the CNIL (National Commission for Informatics and Liberties ) about this judiciaro engineering puzzle.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Exhibited in Paris, the pictures of "martyrs" are controversial Palestinian

 

"Martyrs" for some, "terrorists" for others. It is not uncommon to find in the streets and homes of Palestinian Territories pictures of men who carried out attacks against Israel, and who died in a suicide or were killed by the Israeli army. The iconography of a warrior type is explored by Palestinian photographer Ahlam Shibli, who exhibited his work at the Jeu de Paume museum in Paris until September 1. An exhibition that debate.

More than the photographs, it is their legends that are unacceptable to the CRIF [Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France], which protested against a "glorification of terrorism" and notes that "these People are mostly members of the al-Aqsa Brigades, ISSAL-Cardinal-Qassam Brigades and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), considered a terrorist organization by the Council of the Union European ". CRIF is an example of a photograph representing Osama Buchkar, which, according to legend in the exhibition, "engaged in a martyrdom operation in Netanya." "Actually," said CRIF in a statement, "three people were killed and 59 others injured in Netanya" by this individual.

Confrontation scheduled next Sunday

The Israeli Embassy in France, which sent its services to the museum to see the exhibition, explains in turn have "raised disturbing elements" and in the exhibition and "decided to take the authorities to ask for explanations," according to information obtained by FRANCE 24. For its part, the French Ministry of Culture does not want to react at the moment.

The case is amplified by the Israeli press and relayed over the internet, where circulating petitions and appeals gatherings. An appointment is even set next Sunday, June 16 by pro-Israeli movements to express their discontent. In response, pro-Palestinian groups have called for a "get massively on Sunday preferably to see and judge […] in the interest of this achievement, "wrote the Europalestine site last Saturday. The muséea provided a security strengthened. The scenario looks the same as in 2010, when an exhibition at Museum of Modern Art of the City of Paris had created great controversy and turned sour. Again, it was a reflection on the representation of Palestinians, this time via the work of German photographer Kai Wiedenhöfer. The museum had to close its doors for two hours and call the police. The next day the incident was closed and exposure could reopen.

Refusal to explain the conflict

For its part, the Jeu de Paume museum wishes to remain quiet about the subject, not to further fuel the controversy. However, it specifies that the legends were written entirely by Ahlam Shibli, at the request of the artist, and they are an integral part of œ PIECE. The museum recalls that blurb, written by the curators of the exhibition, presents these photographs and descriptions in context. Photograph of Ahlam "suspends the autonomy of the image and flips it into a system that is no longer used for informational purposes only" and believe the commissioners. The work of photographer "avoids own this medium historical obsession, that provide evidence at all costs. His images refuse to explain the conflict. "

The exhibition is not only focused on the Palestinians and their "martyrs". Ahlam Shibli strength to step back by expanding its theme to very remote countries and situations. It explores more generally uprooting, loss of home. For example, within the gay, lesbian and transgender immigrant from the Middle East, among orphans community in Poland, or the registration of memorials in France, celebrating in the same block the French resistance to the Nazis and the French colonial wars fighters. Tension between the subject and its environment, between a buried near death of his enemy. Contradictions in the same place.

The photographer saw itself in Haifa, Israel. And his work, says the blog "red glasses" on the website of Le Monde, is in line with the Israeli photographer Miki Kratsman, who emerged from anonymity and several Palestinian fighters gave a face. It has drawn the portrait (the cons) of Zakaria Zubeidi, leader of the Martyrs Brigades al-Aqsa in Jenin, weapons in hand and staring into the camera. The photograph was published in the Israeli daily Haaretz and then exposed at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.