FOOTBALL: Euro-2012: against Estonia, the Blues wear their preparation

 

AFP – France team to offer a final trial run on the road to Euro-2012 against Estonia on Tuesday in a friendly at Le Mans, one last time to refine the automation and s' the next day fly to Ukraine army of some certainties.

The easy victory against Serbia (2-0), Thursday, assured the readiness of men of Laurent Blanc and endorsed the theory of a gradual rise in ; as we approach the deadline, and this clash against England on June 11 in Donetsk. It would be unfortunate to squander this beautiful building and ruin, just before the big trip to the European Championship Wednesday, a capital trust patiently built after 20 games without a loss of row.

Only Yann Mvila injury, suffered a sprained right ankle and a major doubt for the first match against England, came scrambling and jostling of the coach plans since the beginning of the course, 18 May But even this hazard has not had the gift to undermine morale, which are offered two days of rest (Friday to Sunday), to cut a little history with the football before plunge.

All that remains now but to freeze a hierarchy and to finalize the eleven who will start the heavy burden of the final phase.

Complete the puzzle

Estonia, that France has ever faced in its history, appears in this respect as an ideal sparring partner: a team located far from the global elite ( 54th in FIFA rankings) to avoid any unpleasant surprises, but a marked increase for several years (defeat in the Euro dam against Ireland), although saddle just suffered a heavy defeat in a friendly against Ukraine (4-0), the second opponent of France in Group D. 

White suggested that the team fielded Tuesday would be very close to that change in response to the English. Remains to complete the puzzle and put names in the boxes missing.

One thing is certain, the team will be built in France 4-3-3, the tactical scheme which offers more balance and is the reference from the Blues success in Bosnia in September 2010 (2-0).

The trio A. Diarra-Cabaye-Malouda scored points against Serbia in the middle just behind the attacking trident-Nasri Benzema, Ribery and should confirm good agreement while Nasri, benefits more obscure and not yet the unanimously to right, will also play very big.

The other question concerns the identity of the left side, Gael Clichy, fresh and excellent English champions Thursday, directly threatening the position of Patrice Evra.

As for Koscielny, his approval rating never ceases to rise in the eyes of the coach, his partnership with Mexes has worked perfectly against the Serbs. White will he shake up the hierarchy and to launch a new center hinge in less than a week of D-Day?

All these questions make this last game a go a bit peculiar.

TENNIS: Victoria Azarenka, World No. 1, is surrounded by a 100% French team

 

AFP – Belarussian Victoria Azarenka is but the world No.1 played a little home at Roland Garros where she is surrounded by his team 100% French and his latest recruit, Amelie Mauresmo.

Sat Sumyk, Breton coach of the new wonder of tennis, had decided to take some days off before the start of Roland Garros on Sunday. So it's Amelie Mauresmo who is responsible for preparing Azarenka this week, tapping balls and talking, a lot.

"Amelie loves to talk and listen to me," said the player with long blond hair, born 22 years ago in Minsk and has retained as lead counsel the importance of "being me themselves in all circumstances ".

It's been six weeks since the former world No.1 joined the structure of the current world No.1, where France is omnipresent. 

Furthermore Sumyk, resulting in the Belarus since 2010 and which led to his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January, "Azarenka Team" consists é ; also two other French: a chiropractor, Jean-Pierre Bruyere, and a sparring partner of 32 years, Julien Jeanpierre, former 133rd world and winner of the Australian Open juniors in 1998.

This team, "my family," said Azarenka, is entirely devoted to the young mistress of all qualified by pleasant, outgoing and "funny".

Christmas together

Sign of a real bond, they spent last Christmas together, along with Sergei Bubka Jr, 170th worldwide and Azarenka boyfriend and the father of it, the legend the pole vault. 

The role of Mauresmo, the newest, is primarily to advise the Belarus. "He saves time thanks to my experience and my experience", says the French 32-year retiree courts since 2009 and had already vee cu a similar experience with the first Michael Llodra.

"I'm glad to have him on board, said Azarenka. She has much experience and much to teach me, not only on the court but also outside, how to manage a career. I do not think I need a major change in my game It is there to work out the details. "

When Mauresmo joined structure in early April, Azarenka had just undergone its first defeat of the season, after twenty-six wins in a row, series stopped in Miami … the French Marion Bartoli.

Since then she has not won a tournament but confirmed, with two finals in Stuttgart and Madrid, to be one of the major contenders for Roland Garros, even if the clay is not his best surface.

Systematically overcome with emotion and pressure, Mauresmo has never exceeded the quarterfinals Porte d'Auteuil. Beaten at this stage in 2011 by eventual champion Li Na, Azarenka wants to go further this year.

"We come to win, as always," concludes Sumyk Sat.

TUNISIA: Nessma TV director sentenced for the dissemination of "Persepolis"

 

Tunisian justice delivered Thursday fined 2,400 dinars (1,200 euros) against Nabil Karoui, director of private television Nessma accused of blasphemy after broadcasting October of "Persepolis".

In this animated film by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud shows a representation of Allah, which is prohibited under Islam.

Nabil Karoui, who faced up to three years in prison, was convicted for disturbing the public order and moral values.

The release, 7 October 2011, shortly before the elections, the film Franco-American award-winning provoked tensions between secularists and Islamists in Tunisia. 

Some radical Islamists, free to express themselves since the overthrow of President Ben Ali in January 2011, had called up the execution of the chain director Nessma.

The laity have seen in action against Nabil Karoui an attack against freedom of expression, an opinion backed up by Amnesty International, which had called for the lifting of the charges against the director of the chain.

The United States Ambassador in Tunis, Gordon Gray, said he was "concerned and disappointed by this conviction for distribution of an animated film whose distribution was previously approved by the Tunisian government. "

"This conviction raises serious questions about tolerance and freedom of expression in the new Tunisia," he said. "From what we understand, Mr. Karoui has the right to appeal and we hope this case will be resolved to ensure the free expression." …. ….

The announcement coincides with the verdict of the International Day for Press Freedom.

"The fact that Nabil was fined, even a dinar, is an attack against freedom of expression and creativity in this World Day of press freedom, "he told Reuters lawyer Nabil Karoui, Abada Kefi.

"The same law (under which Karoui was charged) was applied during the reign of Ben Ali," he said.

The country is heading towards the organization of early parliamentary

 

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has called Monday morning an extraordinary cabinet meeting which should pave the way for early elections, after the failure of negotiations on Saturday reducing the public deficit.

"Towards the Binnenhof (the seat of government, Ed) to the Cabinet: the main concern is how we will keep the economy and finances on track," he tweeted early morning Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Maxime Verhagen, leader of the Christian Democratic Party (CDA).

The coalition agreement reached between the Liberal party (VVD) Mark Rutte and CDA M. Verhagen, who form a governing coalition of center-right minority, with the far-right party of Geert Wilders who had agreed to support them in parliament, has fizzled out after a year and a half just .

Mark Rutte is expected to visit Queen Beatrix in the day Monday, after the Cabinet intended to draw lessons from the failure of negotiations, which started ; at 0730 GMT.

Since March 5, Mark Rutte, Maxime Verhagen and Geert Wilders, head of the Party for Freedom (PVV), Islamophobic and eurosceptic, found themselves almost daily Catshuis, re ; residence of the Prime Minister's work in The Hague. 

Their mission: to agree on measures to generate 16 billion euros in savings to reduce the deficit of the Netherlands, which reached 4.7% of GDP in 2011, well beyond the norm of the Eurozone by 3%.

For seven weeks, virtually nothing had been leaked on the content of discussions, negotiators have decided to remain silent in the media.

Geert Wilders, whose party secured a majority government of 76 seats out of 150 until the March 21 resignation of one of his deputies, had a surprise Saturday Catshuis leaving the car without saying a word.

Ninety minutes later, Mark Rutte and Maxime Verhagen announced the failure of seven weeks of negotiations. "The three parties have failed to find common answers", sorry Mark Rutte, adding that early elections seemed "obvious".

The package on the table provided in particular a slight increase in VAT, a freeze on civil service salaries and a reduction in the health budget and aid to countries developing.

"This project was not in the interest of PVV voters", had commented Geert Wilders: "We do not want to submit a bleeding because our pensions the diktat of Brussels ". 

"The bomb that the PVV leader Geert Wilders has launched against the government Rutte plunged the Netherlands into uncertainty", stressed Monday the leftist daily Volkskrant, that "none of the major players could predict Sunday it's going to happen. "

Analysts said the Netherlands would risk losing the precious triple-A they receive from the three major rating agencies.

The minority government of Mark Rutte was formed after the early elections after the fall in February 2010 the government of Christian Democrats in January Peter Balkenende because of disagreements within the coalition center-left on the extension of the Dutch military mission in Afghanistan.

SUDAN-SOUTH SUDAN: War, an option "against-productive" for both countries

 

Both Sudans are on the brink of war. In recent weeks, Khartoum and Juba multiply coups on their common border, the delimitation always contested. After initial clashes at the end of March, the southern Sudanese troops crossed the border, April 10, and seized Heglig, its main oil field adjacent to the north.

In retaliation, aviation bombed Khartoum, Sunday, April 15, a camp of UN peacekeepers in southern Sudan, killing 10 people and wounded 14 civilians who were around . In the process, the Sudanese parliament adopted on Monday 16 April, a resolution with the government of South Sudan as an "enemy".

"A war would destabilize the entire region"

If they are not officially at war, both countries through the most serious crisis since the Southern Sudan seceded in January 2011. Researcher at the Center for International Studies and Research (CERI), Sudan specialist, Roland Marchal, however, refuses to yield to alarmism. "The situation is serious, but we must see that it hits the border areas, he tempers. Despite having the means, aviation Khartoum has not bombed military barracks. "

He said neither state has an interest in going to war, because open conflict would have consequences "disastrous" and "totally against-productive" for both sides. "Southern Sudan is in danger of losing the sympathy of much of the international community, while the regime of Omar al-Bashir to isolate a little more on the diplomatic [ Sudan's president since 2009 is described by an international arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), Ed], "he analyzes.

Especially, Roland Marchal wonders if Sudan and Southern Sudan take full extent of their actions. "It makes you wonder if both sides realize they do not point to an internal conflict but to a real war, which would destabilize the entire region." .. ……

Disbelief shared by the anthropologist and researcher at the Centre for the Study of African worlds (CEMAF), Christian Delmet. On the antenna of RFI, the latter described as "incomprehensible" Sudan's decision to seize South Heglig. "Why Salva Kiir [President of South Sudan, Ed] he decided to take over these wells when he does not need this oil, he had begun ; negotiations and he was ready to receive Bashir? "asked he.

Concern of the international community

The clashes, for now, because few victims, but they have rekindled the specter of civil war, which claimed two million lives between 1983 and 2005. The great powers are also a dim view of this renewed tension in the region, less than a year after the independence of South Sudan, in which the international community é ; silent heavily involved.

"We did not exhaust all the solutions. The great powers, the United States, China, but also the Russians, Qatar and regional powers will put pressure on both sides to cease provocations, "says Roland Marchal.

The United States also condemned Monday, April 16th, the shelling of the UN in Southern Sudan, urging both countries to cease "immediately and unconditionally" to hostilities resume talks.

The researcher hopes that the tension will eventually fall in the two capitals, "where there are reasonable people, one side or the other." "Hopefully they can be heard, because we are destroying everything that was built between 2005 and 2011."

GUINEA-BISSAU: Attempted coup in two weeks of the second round of presidential

 

REUTERS – Soldiers attacked Thursday night the residence of former Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior, topped the first round of presidential elections in Guinea-Bissau, in what the Foreign Ministers of ECOWAS have called a coup attempt.

Political and diplomatic sources have said that this attack occurred in the evening was to derail the electoral process currently underway in this small country in West Africa.

Gomes Junior, candidate of the ruling PAIGC, had almost obtained an absolute majority of votes in the first round of presidential elections last month in the former Portuguese colony. The second round is scheduled for April 29.

The situation was confused Thursday night in the capital Bissau while television and radio interrupted their national emissions.

According to rumors which could not be confirmed as prime minister was killed in the attack during which a house was burned. There was no news of him for now.

After the gunfire and explosions could be heard, soldiers prevented journalists from approaching the home of Gomes Junior who is in front of the Angolan Embassy.

According to a witness, the military blocked traffic in both directions on the main thoroughfare of the capital.

Gomes Junior had incurred the displeasure of some of the military because of its policy of reform and downsizing of the bloated military.

A political source who spoke on condition of anonymity said that soldiers had arrested the acting president, Raumundo Pereira, former parliament speaker and member of PAIGC.

"There are things happening. We do not know what it is. There are shootings, sporadic shootings with automatic weapons and there were three loud explosions, "said a diplomat in Bissau.

"We heard that it came from a place near the residence of Gomes Junior," he added.

Unacceptable Ecowas

Guinea Bissau, which became the beachhead of drug cartels in South America to transit their goods bound for Europe, vote to elect a successor to President Malam Bacai Sanha, who died in a Paris hospital in January following a long illness. 

In the second round of presidential Gomes Junior faces his opponent former president Kumba Yala, but the latter called for a boycott saying the first round was marred by fraud.

Hours before the start of the event, Kumba Yala, who claims to have close links with the military majority-owned Balanta ethnic group, has warned against the "consequences" of holding the second round of the election.

At a meeting of Foreign Ministers of ECOWAS in Abidjan, the representative of Guinea-Bissau, Mamadou Djalo Pires, called a "reaction energy "of the international community.

"The situation is serious. The soldiers took the streets, "said Pires told Reuters. "I spoke to the acting Prime Minister (Adiato Djalo Nandingna) and she told me she was covered," he said.

Reached by telephone by Reuters, the interior minister, Fernando Gomes, acknowledged being in a dangerous situation. "I can not speak," he added, his voice filled with tension.

"As was the case for Mali, ECOWAS formally and severely condemns such an attempted coup d'etat. This is unacceptable and will not be accepted by ECOWAS, "said Daniel Kablan Duncan, Ivorian Foreign Minister.

Senior officers of the Guinean army are considered by the United States as drug traffickers and diplomats said the army is aware of each plane loaded COCAI ; not landing in the territory.

REPORT – TURKEY: The Syrian refugees flocking enTurquie

 

A prayer room, a school … In the Reyhanli camp, near the city Antakya, in southern Turkey, hundreds of Syrian refugees have managed, year year to organize a new life, punctuated by prayers and school hours in makeshift schools. The temporary camp is about to be evacuated, and its inhabitants moved to a new camp in the Turkish province of Kilis, further east. Previously sheltered under thick canvas tents, they now dwell in mobile homes in one of ten camps set up by Ankara near the Syrian border.

One year after the start of the crackdown in Syria, some 25,000 people sought refuge in neighboring Turkey. They fled the bombing and atrocities committed by the military regime of Bashar al-Assad. "Several of the refugees we met, mostly from Idlib and Hama in northern Syria, the Syrian army offensive has increased recent days, reports Assia Shihab, special correspondent for FRANCE 24 in the Syrian-Turkish border. Since Thursday, April 5, 4000 Syrians fled to Turkey. "

The army emphasizes the violence

For a week, the wounded arrive in greater numbers in Turkish hospitals in the region. Civilians, but also members of the Syrian Army free (ASL). Others flock to the camps. Imam Sheikh Samir fled Hama. It is one of the few religious Syrian dared to challenge openly the authority. "These days, the Syrian army struck the people so very violent, but thank you, he testifies. The soldiers destroyed the houses, we are therefore entitled to protect us. So we issued a fatwa [notice given by a religious authority] to give ASL the right to defend the people. "

The testimonies collected by FRANCE 24 on the side of Reyhanli are summary executions. "We left the country because we have seen crimes, murder. My three brothers were killed, they were slaughtered, "says a man on camera FRANCE 24. His friend agrees: "They kill people in a group. They put them in a corner and kill them all together. This is something we can not describe. "

The Annan Plan ailing Approaching the deadline of Tuesday, April 10, established by the plan to end the crisis, proposed by Kofi Annan, UN special envoy and the Arab League to Syria, Damascus and accepted by the forces of the regime of Bashar al-Assad increased the pressure of the rebellion, especially in the cities of northern Syria, Hama and Idlib. "It seems that the Syrian army wants to clean these pockets of resistance before the deadline, says Assia Shihab. These are strategic areas where ASL is very present and that are close to the Turkish border in which the ASL draws. "

The Annan Plan provides for a withdrawal of Syrian forces from cities by Tuesday morning and a total cessation of violence 48 hours later. But both among refugees than among observers, few people believe in stopping the violence. Especially since Sunday, Bashar al-Assad, speaking through his foreign minister, has raised new demands to withdraw its troops. He now wants written guarantees of ASL on ending all forms of violence and demands that it makes their weapons.

Monday, heavy fighting between the army and rebels in the Syrian province of Aleppo in northern Syria, and Deir Ezzor in the east, suggesting a new influx of refugees in Turkey. Ankara has called on the international community for support material. Kofi Annan should be on site Tuesday to visit a refugee camp.

Egypt: The Coptic Patriarch Shenouda III has died at age 88

The head of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt, Patriarch Shenouda III, died Saturday at age 88, leaving behind a worried face community the thrust in the Islamic country after the fall of President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011.

Egyptian state media announced the death of the head of the largest Christian church in the East. According to news agency MENA, he suffered from liver and lung tumors.

He had to cancel his sermon last week.

Born in August 1923, Pope Shenouda III had many years of health problems and had been a neat time in the United States.

The news of his death is likely to cause consternation among the faithful of the Coptic Orthodox church he led for nearly four decades. The Copts are estimated between 6 and 10% of some 82 million Egyptians, the Coptic Church while talking about 10 million followers.

Thousands of worshipers were heading into Saturday night the great cathedral in Cairo, after the announcement of his death for which the leaders of the Muslim community in Egypt have expressed their sadness.

His death is "a serious calamity that afflicts the whole of Egypt and its noble people, Muslims and Christians," lamented the Mufti Ali Gomaa said in a statement.

The Party for Freedom and Justice, from the Muslim Brotherhood, has extended condolences to the Copts saluting the "big role" Shenouda III of Egypt. 

Shenouda III, whose community is one of the Eastern Orthodox Churches do not recognize the primacy of the papacy Catholic nor the Orthodox Patriarchate of the East, was at the Te you World Council of Churches and the Council of Churches of the Middle East.

His death will open within the hierarchy of this church a complex process of nominating his successor, for which no name has emerged in recent years.

Elected primate of the church in 1971, and the 117th successor to the founder and evangelist St. Mark, he drove an iron hand his community from confrontation to conciliation with power in Egypt, a country won by Islamism. 

Very conservative, he was particularly opposed strongly to any relaxation of rules banning divorce his followers.

In recent years he has faced an increase in violence against Copts-attacks or deadly clashes.

And the victory of the Muslim Brotherhood in the early post-legislative Mubarak, as well as the breakthrough of ultra-conservative Salafist parties have caused renewed concern among the Copts. Although the Muslim Brotherhood have multiplied reassuring statements about it.

In December 2011, Shenouda III had said that "Egypt is going through a critical transitional period but we are sure we will do so in peace." He also praised the role of the armed forces, "who have made sacrifices for the good of Egypt and its people".

Yet, two months earlier by the military repression of a demonstration by Coptic activists in Cairo had killed 25 people, mostly Christians, reinforcing the sense of insecurity and widespread discrimination in this community.

And early 2011, when the mass of the Coptic New Year, an attack against a church of Alexandria (north) had a score of deaths among the faithful.

Many anti-Coptic violence have taken place since the fall of M. Mubarak.

Shenouda III was deposed and placed under house arrest by President Anwar Sadat, he criticized the rapprochement with Israel and opening towards the Islamists, before becoming a president's support Mubarak.

The uprising in January-February 2011 takes off guard while many of his followers are in the streets demanding the resignation of President.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Not surprisingly, Real Madrid qualified for the quarterfinals

 

Real Madrid qualified for the quarterfinals of the Champions League by winning (4-1) against CSKA Moscow thanks to a brace from Ronaldo in the second round back of the Champions League on Wednesday in Santiago Bernabeu.

After their 1-1 draw in the first leg in Moscow, Madrid will have alternating good phases of play with a release that could play tricks on them.

But Higuain, a favorite Benzema still under injury, gave the advantage to early Merengue (26th), Ronaldo (55th) and Benzema French, came into the game instead of Higuain (70th), then making the break before a late winner but brought unbridled two more goals, one for the Russians signed Tosic (77th) and the other Ronaldo (90 + 4). 

Wednesday, whites have been slow to return to the game, the Russians are showing far more incisive early in the game, but without benefit.

Limited initially to a minimum, Mourinho's men were missing and being surprised in the first moments. The attacker of Muscovites, Doumbia, spoiled indeed a great opportunity by sending a good service Dzagoev above goals Casillas (8th). The center forward of CSKA was then too short to intersect the trajectory of a center of Musa (13th).

Real took into account such warnings, however, gradually emerging from its torpor. While his approach to the cages Chepchugov had hitherto lacked conviction – Özil dropping into the surface instead of focusing – the White House shrugged gradually the tone.

And after a big occasion signed Kaka retrieving a ball badly cleared by the Russian defense, but finally hitting next (19th), whites were the fault quickly .

Ronaldo made the break

On a beautiful three-movement, they déséquilibraient CSKA in two passes: Khedira right surface reversed left to Kaka who handed in the axis for Higuain. The Argentinian, waiting, opened the scoring with a right foot outside (1-0, 26th).

After this, the Real was playing with fire, Musa is very close to equalizing on a ball that Doumbia managed to send it to 18 meters. But the striking of the Russian winger was on his way Casillas (35th).

The second period began with a yellow card for Xabi Alonso, for a charge on Wernbloom, which will prevent him from playing the quarter-final (50th).

Ronaldo, a far nothing casual, then took matters in hand and took charge in person to make the break: the Portuguese and was fly a shot from 30 meters, although aided by the doorkeeper deceived Chepchugov by a rebound before the line (2-0, 55th).

But Madrid did not intend to stop there: Benzema, just came into play, weighed down by adding to it taking up to two times (3-0, 70th).

Qualification now well assured, Whites relaxed their grip. And 77th, the Russian winger Tosic, cons on, reduced the score of a splendid shot from the left under the crossbar. Real, wishing to put on a show through, then gave a kidney last shot, and Ronaldo was offered a brace in stoppage time, on a pass signed Benzema (90 +4).

GREECE: The event brings together anti-austerity few Greeks

Less than 2,000 people had begun to gather Wednesday in Athens to the call of the main Greek trade unions who denounce the cuts in pensions and salaries included in the bailout granted Greece in the euro area, it was learned Wednesday.

Under a steady rain, only 700 people gathered around 1515 GMT on Syntagma Square, at the foot of the parliament where members of the Finance Committee consider the bill on the PSI, the process erasure of the Greek debt held by private creditors, banks and investment funds.

This bill must be voted on Thursday night. 

Protesters responded to the call of the two main trade unions Greek General Confederation of Workers, GSEE (private) and the Federation officials, ADEDY (public) .

On the other side of downtown, about a thousand people demonstrated Omonia Square until the reinforcement of troops from the pro-Communist union Pame around 16:00 GMT.

"Down with the memorandum of starvation and submission to strangers!" Proclaimed a banner held aloft by demonstrators from Syntagma Square in reference to the new austerity program included in the plan bailout and debt released by the euro area in favor of Greece on the night of Monday to Tuesday.  

A wet cardboard guillotine promised a fatal spell "troika must go now and the government too!" In the words of Grigoris Kalomiris, a chemistry professor of 57 years.

"The budget for education will decline again this year to 150 million euros. Expenditure on education in Greece is 2.6% of the Greek, while the European average is around 6%, "he complained.

Mobilization, however, was very weak in relation to events of 12 February, accompanied by violent clashes, when more than 100,000 Greeks, 80,000 in Athens, had expressed the vote of parliament an agreement in principle on the new austerity program called for the country.

Last Sunday, the events were already far from filling the tank that is bringing together 3,000 people in Athens.