Prism scandal: the NSA had intercepted 56,000 private emails per year

 

The National Security Agency (NSA) may have "inadvertently" and illegally intercepted private emails to 56,000 per year between 2008 and 2011 as part of a program that a secret court found that may have violated the laws and the Constitution of the United States, show documents published Wednesday, August 21.

These previously classified secret documents were declassified by the White House, trying to fall the scandal caused by revelations of Edward Snowden computer on the extent monitoring programs for U.S. intelligence agencies. 

According to U.S. officials, the documents show that programs to collect information that led the NSA to intrude "inadvertently" on the private lives of Americans were identified , s and corrected.

The interception of emails between U.S. citizens should normally be authorized by a warrant.

But this was not the case, which led to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), a secret court that oversees intelligence activities in question in 2011 on the legality , shares of the NSA. 

The extrajudicial collection of tens of thousands of emails seemed "in certain respects, lacking legal and constitutional basis," has found John Bates, a magistrate of the FISC, in October 2011, we read in one of declassified documents Wednesday.

According to U.S. officials and a court document declassified by the White House, the NSA has decided to "destroy" these collected "inadvertently" and strengthen its procedures.

"When there is a complex operation in terms of technology, in which thousands of people are involved, there are bound to be mistakes," pleaded one American intelligence official. 

NSA happen annually screened some 250 million emails in the world and millions of telephone conversations.

Reuters

NATURE: The olinguito a new mammal out of the fog cloud forests

 

So far the olenguito did not officially exist. Certainly, this small family pet raccoons already lived for hundreds of years quietly in South America, but nobody knew it was an unlisted animal ,. A team of researchers from the Smithsonian Institution in Washington revealed, Thursday, August 15, this new species of carnivorous mammals.

"When you look at it, we just feel that it is a cross between a big cat and a teddy bear," said Kristopher Helgen, zoologist at the Smithsonian and specialist mammals . No new carnivorous mammal had been found in the western hemisphere since the Colombian weasel in 1978.

Importantly, the identification work conducted by the research team for a decade has put an end to a scientific error of nearly 100 years. The man was, in fact, already seen olinguitos before. "There has even been one that has wandered from zoo zoo in the United States," said Kristopher Helgen. But until now, they were confused with their cousins, the olingos. "Yet olinguitos are smaller, do not have the same coat and if you look well resemble very little to olingos" said Kristopher Helgen.

A carnivore that eats fruits

To make sure they were in the presence of a new species, scientists have made in the Andes. Specifically in the cloud forests of Ecuador and Colombia. This is where they found and studied olinguitos for several years. They then realized that this little carnivore … ate mostly fruits. It is certainly rare, but not impossible: the biological order Carnivora is a collection of animals (lions, cats, bears, etc..) That originally ate all the meat but some, such as Panda, changed diet.

The olinguitos are solitary about 75 cm long that live in trees "which they descend almost never" animals, says Kristopher Helgen. The research team also found that the new species was not endangered and there are currently a number thousands in South America. Watching them, they found it was not that kind of olinguitos, but there were actually four subspecies. "I do not think we discovered before long a new species that has many subspecies," says Kristopher Helgen.

Other new mammals remain to be discovered promises that zoologist, who is currently studying several possible new species. At the company's information, Google maps and other technologies, meeting with olinguitos proves, according to Kristopher Helgen that "the Age of Discovery new animals is far from over. "

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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FOOTBALL: Olympique Lyonnais made his European return against Zurich

 

Olympique Lyonnais, forced to spend the summer with the preliminary rounds of the Champions League, is the first French club to launch its season on Tuesday night against Grasshopper Zurich.

For its 17th European participation on the OL opens the new formula imposed on third Ligue 1: it must go through a qualifying round, then by dams before entering – the best – in wider Europe.

The seven-time champion France is doubly dangerous in the UEFA rankings of France, now the sixth European nation behind Portugal as calculated by the governing body of continental football career. 

Paris Saint-Germain, the defending champion, and Olympique de Marseille, the dolphin, are in turn provided these challenging games that require them to draw on the resources at the heart of e ty.

Before the first day of Ligue 1, scheduled for August 10 against Nice, Lyon has already played two games and, if successful, the club will be two more in the During the month of August.

The OL has no interest in making these appointments lightly, especially as the resources generated by the qualification would provide a breath fresh air to the club. But, according to coach Remi Garde, this motivation is not enough.

"If the money had run faster it's not," he said Monday at a press conference. "I think this is the desire to excel, is the desire to succeed together and qualify for the Champions League."

"We are ready"

Opposite Zurich does not figure scarecrow. The Swiss are 195th in the UEFA rankings of clubs, their last appearance at this level was in 2003 after the 27th and last national title to date, and their last appearance in phase hens date the 1996-1997 season.

But Zurich has the advantage of having already started his championship for three weeks. And so far, the club won its first season, with two wins for a draw.

Last season, the Grasshopper finished Dolphin FC Basel with the second best defense in the country and the fourth best offense in a league with ten teams.

For its part, Lyon has the psychological benefit of good 2-2 friendly made last week against Real Madrid.

"I think we're ready as I said after the game against Real Madrid," according to Remi Garde. "On the one hand because it had worked well so far and on the other hand, this game has allowed us to raise our game pace"

Shared by defender Mouhamadou Dabo opinion: "It has brought us confidence," he said at the same press conference.

"It was a good start to the match with the availability and movement. We will continue to work well in practice. Real Madrid was a friendly match, but tomorrow it will be something else. "

For this opening match, Remi Garde has available its entire group, with the exception of midfielder Rachid Ghezzal back injury.

The striker Bafetimbi Gomis, pending transfer and spread of the group since the beginning of Lyon preparation is not part of the workforce called Remi Garde.

REUTERS

TENNIS: Wimbledon: Bartoli at the gates of the feat

 

All the lights are green for Marion Bartoli. The French argument that the semi-final of Wimbledon Thursday in a 2013 edition where all the favorites have already fallen. In the last four of the London tournament, all exploits are possible, the last four players who have never won a Grand Slam tournament.

The French 28 years old, seeded 15, is opposed to the amazing Belgian Kirsten Flipkens (No. 15). Face it, Marion Bartoli hopes to repeat the feat in 2007 when she was eliminated in the semifinals on the grass of Wimbledon, another much more famous Belgian Justine Henin. The Auvergne was then granted his first and only one Grand Slam final, before losing against Venus Williams.

Despite this beautiful memory, Marion Bartoli prefer not to show confidence. "It's totally different from 2007. Then I end up with the status of favorite. There are only four players. We all have a chance to win, "she said at a press conference.

The French leader is wary of this Belgian who had imposed Wimbledon junior ten years ago: "If Kirsten is, is that it plays excellent tennis. In 2007, I played Justin Henin and I had no luck on the paper. It is she who will be the most enterprising. "

Bartoli, although surrounded

In support of this challenge, Marion Bartoli can count on a new environment. Since the beginning of the year, the player asked his father and mentor Walter, with whom she maintained a close relationship, take a step back. It is now driven by Thomas Drouet, the former sparring partner of Bernard Tomic.

"Marion Bartoli, this is really a great person, a great human. I did not expect that at all for the first Grand Slam where I found the coach, "said the young coach, the French recruited after the it had been violently assaulted by the father of Tomic last May.

The Wimbledon semi-finalist also benefits from advice Amelie Mauresmo, captain of France's Fed Cup. Bartoli can not do without the presence of his senior, who had not planned to stay so long in London: "I'll tie on a chair and she will no longer be able to from. This is not a mascot but we will organize to keep it. "

"He'll have to get organized," said Mauresmo who considers Bartoli's opponent will not be easy to maneuver, "Flipkens not change badly, she is able to serve and volley occasionally. The slice backhand. It's a different game than we usually see on the circuit. "

The other semi-final will oppose the Polish Agnieszka Radwanska (No. 4) to Germany's Sabine Lisicki (25 °).

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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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FRANCE: The hidden face of Chinese weddings Tours

 

For over four years, from 2007 to 2011, more than 200 Chinese couples marched in the city of Tours. They came especially from China to symbolically celebrate what they call their "romantic honeymoon". "All Chinese people like the French marriage," showed at the time a bride.

The mayor of Tours Jean Germain, had personally the idea of ​​this operation to develop the economic activities of traders in the town and castles. "The Chinese, they sell us a lot. But we have to sell tourism. And the Loire and the city of Tours, this is very difficult to be relocated, "he explained in 2007.

From marriage to divorce

But the wedding of your dreams quickly turned to divorce. Lise Han, former special assistant to the mayor of Tours, is now suspected of fraud. This young Taiwanese woman was in charge of the entire organization of marriages find couples, to come and settle every detail of the ceremony. The contracts were then transferred to a small business, which it had formerly management, but that it had officially severed all ties to avoid conflict of interest.

Yet in 2011, the newspaper "The Chained Duck" revealed that in reality Lise Han was still a shareholder in this company. She even placed successively her husband and her ex-husband at the head of the structure. For three years, this woman and attributed juicy public contracts with bills sometimes amounting to more than EUR 50 000, were used to fund gala dinners and trips China for city officials.

Time in prison

The former project manager of the Town Hall is now under investigation for fraud, as well as her husband and ex-husband. In recent days, she even sleeps in prison for not paying his bail.

But through his lawyer, Lisa Han pleads good faith and blames the mayor. "I wish the justice go a little faster. Because it's 14 months of preliminary investigation. It is six months of information with judges. And Mayor Jean Germain has never been confronted with my client while it's been six months since I ask, "said Christophe Moysan me.

For his part, the mayor remains silent. He does not give interviews, preferring to reserve his speech to justice. He himself filed a complaint for fraud after the discovery of unjustified double bills. Despite this unflattering interlude, he hopes soon to celebrate the Chinese new marriages.

Focus Christophe DANSETTE Claire DEBUYSER China France City Wedding Tourism

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

NIGER: According to the president of Niger, Chad is a target of Islamist

 

After Niger, Chad. According to the Nigerian President Mahamadou Issoufou, the Islamists that struck Niger twice on May 23 at Arlit and Agadez, fomented a parallel attack against Chad.

The attack "against Niger was prepared in conjunction with another attack, which was Chad. For now this attack does not happen but it was being prepared at the same time as that which took place against the Niger ", told Monday, May 27 Chief of the Nigerian state, speaking in Agadez after the ceremony commemorating the victims of the attacks.

Mahmadou Issoufou also reiterated that he believes "the home that is now destabilizing the Sahel is in Libya." He had said, Saturday, May 25, the attackers were "southern Libya." He said then fear "Somalisation of Libya."

Libyan Prime Minister denies

Contradicted by a Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zaidan version visiting Brussels. For the latter, all allegations that the attackers came from Libya are "baseless and do not correspond to reality," arguing that it was more the former leader Muammar Gaddafi "which exported terrorism"

.

"The new Libya will not tolerate it" and "is not a hotbed of terrorism," said the head of the Libyan government. He also revealed that the son of the former Libyan leader, Saadi Gaddafi, and former regime officials enjoyed the right of asylum in Niger. "I ask our Nigerian friends to take these facts into consideration and extradite these elements to be tried in Libya," said the Prime Minister.

Both attacks from May 23 to Niger were committed at dawn against a military base in Agadez, where twenty people died, mostly Nigerian military, and mine Arlit uranium where a Nigerian employee of Areva site was killed. The French special forces intervened in the morning and shot the last two Islamist fighters who resisted. In total, ten jihadists were killed, eight in Agadez and Arlit two.

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IVORY COAST – REPORT: The bodies of victims of the Ivorian crisis symbolically handed over to families

 

During the post-election crisis in Ivory Coast 2010-2011, which killed more than 3,000 deaths, according to the UN, many families have had no choice but to bury their dead in their yard or neighborhood, insecurity making travel impossible in a morgue or cemetery. On April 4, the government has launched a major campaign in Abidjan exhumations. Twenty graves have been opened, 40 bodies exhumed and identified 22.

Wednesday, May 22, almost two months after the beginning of the exhumation, the families of 22 victims identified were invited to a symbolic ceremony in the presence of body the Minister of Justice, Gnenema Mamadou Coulibaly. From across the country, and they want to start with their grief, like Gisele Detalbi. His son had been executed by militia; insecurity of the time had prevented from properly bury her child. "I spent two years with the body of my son buried behind my house. Today I had a relief but I am pained, really pained. My son died for nothing! "

Caused by the refusal of President Laurent Gbagbo to concede defeat in the presidential election of November 2010, the post-election crisis had ended with the arrest of former president in April 2011. On August 8, 2012, an Ivorian investigation demanded by his successor, Alassane Ouattara, had concluded that the armed forces that brought him to power have killed more than 700 people and those loyal to Laurent Gbagbo about twice.

Funeral too expensive

More than two years after the end of violence, slow justice is strongly criticized by human rights. But the exhumation campaign and the ceremony are a first concrete step for the relatives of victims. During a speech, Minister Mamadou Coulibaly Gnenema invited relatives of the victims to "dry [their] tears" and "assured them that everything will be to ensure that the truth appears and justice for those who have been so brutally torn from [their] condition. "

Most families are divided from the ceremony with flags, but without coffins, not having the means to pay for the funeral of their loved ones. This is a situation that is denounced Tatenda Diaby, president of the Collective of Victims of Côte d'Ivoire: "We absolutely must support measures to enable them to organize the funeral of their dignity missing relatives. "And to call a" major action of the government in their favor. "