FRANCE: French alleged jihadist arrested in Mali, another deported to France

 

They are now number two. French jihadist was recently captured in northern Mali, while another man with dual nationality, arrested in November in the center of the country was expelled on 5 March to France and placed in custody on Thursday.

The arrest is the latest result of taking a "half-dozen" jihadists after fierce fighting that pitted these days the French forces and Chadian Islamists in the massif of Adra Ifoghas in northern Mali, officials said Thursday night a source close to the case, confirming a report given by the French daily Liberation. 

The other jihadist alleged Franco-Malian nationality, was arrested on November 3 at Sévaré in the center of the country, the authorities in Bamako. Aziz Ibrahim Ouattara, 25, is suspected of trying to join jihadist groups operating in the region. At the time of his arrest, he traveled with the identification of a certain Dramé Khalifa. This has also been placed in custody Tuesday in the premises of the Central Directorate of Internal Intelligence (DCRI) in Levallois (Hauts-de-Seine), according to the ME I source.

The French Minister of Defence, who makes a surprise visit Thursday from Mali, confirmed Tuesday the expulsion of the latter to France. "We made a French prisoner who will be extradited to France in times to come," said Defence Minister on Europe 1. "This shows that there was the creation of a kind of chain terrorist war that could accommodate some young people in search of a destiny radical as some have to go before Afghanistan or Syria, "said Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Already indicted in 2010

The man was already known to the French police. In November 2010, he was indicted under suspicion of planned attack against the rector of the Paris Mosque, Boubakeur. During this investigation, nine people have been indicted.

The case of Aziz Ibrahim Ouattara was particularly interested investigators, because of stays abroad, particularly in Yemen and Pakistan, where apprentice terrorist sought to rally combat zones. Arrested in Egypt in the fall of 2010, he was sent to France and then remanded in custody before being released in July 2012 and placed under controlled and the judiciary.

Forbidden to leave the country, however, man is able to obtain a false identity and join the Mali through Portugal.

With despatches

UNITED STATES: An anti-jihad campaign authorized in the New York subway

 

An advertising campaign comparing radical Islamists to wild will be spread over the walls of the subway in New York on Monday, a conservative blogger who received the endorsement of the American justice system.

"In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel, fight jihad, "reads the provocative posters. The conservative writer Pamela Geller, already known to have militated against an Islamic center to be built near the site of the attacks of 11 September 2001, has been successful U.S. courts to conduct this new campaign.

"Hands tied"

Posters should be put up on the walls of a dozen stations from Monday. Describing the message "insulting" the direction of the New York subway had first refused to exhibit signs of Pamela Geller. But justice has authorized the U.S. saying it was protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion and expression.

"We have their hands tied," said the spokesman Metro New York The Associated Press, adding that the board was now " obliged to publish this campaign. "

It should last a month, at a cost of 6000 dollars per show (about 4600 euros). In San Francisco, the same posters were displayed during a similar campaign in bus, sparking a public backlash. Several posters were vandalized, users replacing the phrase slogan "defeat jihad" by "overcoming racism."

"Islamoréalisme"

Pamela Geller is not his first attempt. Organization, "American Freedom Defense Initiative" (Initiative for American freedom), had already launched an advertising campaign in New York with the slogan: "It is not Islamophobia but the islamoréalisme. "

Pamela Geller has also announced that it would file a complaint against the Washington Metro. The administrative authority for transportation in the U.S. capital has refused to publish the posters when violent protests against anti-Islam video shake the Muslim world.

Considered "the figurehead of the most visible and the most flamboyant of the anti-Muslim" U.S., according to the agency specialized in monitoring extremist groups, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Pamela Geller says she is not worried about re-violence that have claimed the lives of over 30 people, including the U.S. ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens.

"I do not intend to sacrifice my freedom just to not offend the savages," she says.

Holland receives Samaras and aligns with the position of Merkel

 

REUTERS – François Hollande Saturday confirmed the Greek Prime Minister's desire to see Greece keep the single currency, urging Athens to the "credibility" and European Union to "it must" maintain the integrity of the euro area. After a one-hour interview with the Head of State at the Elysee Palace, Antonis Samaras made the maintenance of the single currency a matter of "pride" for his country, where hope should return, he said, otherwise threaten social cohesion.

François Hollande has reiterated that Greece should remain in the euro area while focusing on the efforts that the country must make to consolidate its fiscal position.  "We must ensure that the issue of Greece in the euro area does not arise because for me, it does not arise: Greece is in the eurozone and Greece must remain in the euro zone, "said the French president in the courtyard of the Elysee. "It must demonstrate the credibility of the program and the commitment of its leaders to go through while making sure that it is bearable for its people," said François Hollande, scoring his concern for social risk in Greece.  Eve in Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel had also pleaded alongside Antonis Samaras for Greece in the euro, despite the doubts expressed by some of its citizens a year of elections in Germany. Facing its fifth year of recession, Greece would receive a reprieve to meet its budgetary commitments agreed under a second plan international aid of 130 billion euros. The eyes of François Hollande, the clock is ticking and Europe must move quickly after receiving the report on Greece by the troika – the European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund – expected in mid-September.  Athens creditors will then decide if they unlock new aid tranche in October and they give more time to Greece for its re ; forms. "GREECE Y HAPPEN" DIT SAMARAS called Questions to be discussed at the Eurogroup meeting on 8 October and Luxembourg, before the EU summit on 18 and 19 October in Brussels. Once the report is submitted and confirmed commitments Greek, "Europe will do what it needs," stressed François Hollande. "It's been two and a half years that the question is asked. There are no more time to lose. There are commitments to reaffirm both sides, to make decisions and the sooner the better. "

French Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance Laurent Fabius and Pierre Moscovici, attended the meeting between Francois Hollande and Antonis Samaras, who saw for the first time. In his statement, the new Greek Prime Minister, elected on June 17, said the European Union had everything to gain by keeping his country in the euro. "Greece will succeed, it will remain in the euro area," he said. "And that Greece will be successful European success. We will show that Europe is able to overcome its difficulties and problems, united. "  "We will fulfill our goals and commitments," he said while emphasizing growth, "if all these efforts will lead to a race to the bottom". "Greece, the Greek people are a proud nation: we do not like to depend on others and take," he said. "We must restore hope because without hope we will lose social cohesion." After a relative lull in the markets this summer, the crisis in the euro zone back on front of the stage with renewed concern Greece but also in Spain, Italy and Portugal.  François Hollande will be next Thursday in Madrid to meet with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and Italy in early September for a meeting with the chairman, Mario Monti. Agitated in Germany and in other countries such as Finland and the Netherlands, the possibility of an outflow of Athens remains outside the euro in Paris. The French authorities consider that it would be a disaster for the Greeks, not to mention the risk of lead others along this path. "The integrity of the euro zone is the basis of the action that we must lead," said a source in Paris

.

Syria: Aleppo insurgent neighborhoods plagued by relentless fighting

 

AFP-The Syrian army and the rebels delivered Wednesday a fierce battle for control of Aleppo, the second largest city and a crucial challenge for the rest of the rebellion that shook from Syria sixteen months.

Backed by tanks and armored forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad launched before dawn a major ground offensive and entered the main area of ​​dissent ' Aleppo Salaheddin.

The offensive came a day after the promise of President Bashar al-Assad to "purge" the country "terrorists", a term used to describe his regime rebels.

At midday, the arméea claimed to have taken control of this neighborhood landmark, that the insurgents were immediately denied. 

"Our armed forces have taken full control of Salaheddin, inflicting heavy losses on terrorist groups," said an official source quoted by SANA.

The source said "dozens of terrorists were arrested, others went into giving up their weapons" and "large quantities of weapons used by the terrorists to terrify the people and commit murder against the police were seized. "

Colonel Abdel Jabar dissenting Oqeïdi confirmed "a barbaric and savage attack of the neighborhood," adding "it is wrong to say that the military regime took full control of the district" . 

The fighting "focus primarily Salaheddine since the neighborhood is of great symbolic value for us and the army of the regime," said the head of the Military Council for the region of Aleppo .

By mid afternoon, the Syrian rebels said they recovered some lost ground a few hours earlier after having been reinforced by 700 fighters from Sukkari (south), al Bustane -Qasr (center), and Hanano Chaar (is).

Cons-offensive

"We launched an offensive against-back and lost three of five streets," said Wassel Ayoub, the brigade commander Nur al-Haq Army Syrian free (ASL rebels).

Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (OSDH), has said the army had destroyed two schools as the basis for the rebels. 

"These are the fiercest fighting around the neighborhood" since the conflict started in Aleppo on July 20, according to OSDH.

The arméea sent 20,000 troops to carry out this crucial battle for the regime, facing mid-March 2011 in a revolt that has militarized over time against repression brutal. Nearly 17 months of conflict were 21,000 dead according to OSDH.

Amnesty International has denounced the violence of the shelling of the last days based on satellite images that show more than 600 craters formed by the impact of shrapnel in Aleppo and in the nearby town of Anadane.

Elsewhere in the country, the army continues to bomb the province of Homs (center), the town of Deir Ezzor (is), and Kurdish villages in the province of Latakia (northwest), according to OSDH that counts at least 82 people killed Wednesday (41 civilians, 15 rebels and 26 soldiers), including 34 in Aleppo.

According to this NGO based in Britain, who works with a network of activists and witnesses through Syria, 225 people were killed Tuesday on the whole territory. 

Meeting Thursday in Tehran

"The Syrian people and its government are determined to purge the country of terrorists," promised Tuesday Bashar al-Assad receives a messenger from his Iranian ally.

The envoy, Saeed Jalili, told him that "Iran will never allow the destruction of the axis of resistance which Syria is a key pillar".

Iran hosts a meeting Thursday with a dozen countries have "a realistic" about the crisis, according to Tehran.

Lebanon has already said he would not participate in its observance of "neutrality" in the conflict. No more than Kofi Annan, the mediator has resigned from the UN and the Arab League.

On its 48 nationals abducted on Saturday by the Syrian Army free (ASL) in the region of Damascus, Tehran called "cooperation" of the Secretary General General of the UN Ban Ki-moon to secure their release.

While the kidnappers accused the Iranians of being Revolutionary Guards, the elite corps of the Islamic regime, Tehran, which in turn ensures they are pilgrims, nevertheless stated that a number of them were "retired Revolutionary Guards and the army".

UNITED STATES: Slaughter of Denver police attempts to enter the apartment of the shooter trapped

 

Artificers will try again Saturday to penetrate inside the apartment's lone gunman arrested after opening fire in a crowded theater in Aurora , a suburb of Denver (USA), killing 12 people and wounded 58 at a first of the new Batman.

Bomb experts had tried Friday until nightfall to enter the apartment of the alleged gunman, found trapped with an arsenal of products chemicals and flammable Friday.

"There is a mass of electric son, son of relaxation, jars filled with ammunition, liquid. Several things that look like mortar ammunition. Entering the apartment safely is a challenge, "said Chief of Police Dan Oates of Aurora during a press conference, adding that operations would resume Saturday.

Inside, police hope to gather clues to help them understand the motive for the alleged gunman, a common inhabitant of the age of 24, James Holmes who was arrested without resistance.

Friday night, residents of Aurora gathered for two evenings, including one at midnight. Hundreds of mourners held candles and expressed their grief, in memory of the dead and wounded.

"Many patients are in critical condition," continued the chief of police. Nearly all the wounded were hit by gunfire, he said, adding that a "handful" of people treated in hospital showed no injury ball, but had suffered other injuries during the panic caused by the firing.

The police gave no indication of the identity of victims, but the Batman series, whose last component is not recommended at least 13 years, attracts an audience made up mostly of teenagers and young adults.

A children's hospital in the region has reported six young victims, the youngest of whom was only six years old. According to the Pentagon, at least three of the injured belong to the U.S. Army.

James Holmes, the alleged gunman is a student from San Diego, California, which was previously not known to police, except for a speeding ticket last October.

He had however bought more than 6,000 cartridges on the internet these last two months, according to the police chief. His services have seized an assault rifle, a shotgun and a pistol in his car, while another gun was found in the cinema.  

The weapons were acquired legally, according to the store that sold them, Bass Pro Shops.

The attack caused panic among the hundreds of spectators for the first session at midnight "The Dark Knight rises", last Batman trilogy whose output was expected by millions of fans.

According to Dan Oates, witnesses said the gunman, dressed in protective gear and gas mask, had dropped a tear gas bomb or smoke to ; his arrival in the room of the multiplex "Century 16 Movie Theater": "They heard a whistle, then a kind of gas occurred and the gunman opened fire."

The shooting sparked anxious reactions from several political leaders, particularly President Barack Obama, and has reignited the debate on the Control of Firearms in the U.S. States.

The U.S. president, campaigning in Florida since Thursday (southeast), has suspended its tour to return to Washington. His Republican rival Mitt Romney suspended his campaign also.

The White House said that there was a priori "no connection with terrorism". Obama, however, denounced violence "senseless" and called on his countrymen to "a day of prayer and reflection". He ordered flags to half-mast on all public buildings for six days.

French President Francois Hollande expressed "very strong feelings" and condolences to Americans. In Paris, the premiere of the film, to be held in the presence of players Friday night on the Champs-Elysées, has been canceled.

The NYPD announced that it would strengthen security measures in cinemas broadcasting Batman "as a precaution against possible imitators and to improve feelings of safety ; spectators ".

HEALTH: France remains cautious about the effectiveness of preventive anti-AIDS Truvada

 

Reinforced by the recommendation of a committee of experts, the FDA, the agency that monitors food and medicine in the United States, has authorized the marketing of Truvada on the ground improve ; Rican. Taking a daily basis, the blue pill is intended to reduce the risk of transmission of the AIDS virus in healthy subjects but the risk of contamination is important. Gilead Sciences, the U.S. laboratory that develops the anti-retroviral, indicates that this prophylactic treatment is part of a general prevention device that does not detract from the condom use and other preventive measures. In Europe, we welcome the arrival of this new preventive tool with great care.

"This is a pure history of money!"

If the majority of French associations to fight against AIDS is concerned about the rapid commercialization of such medication, Act Up, she makes no secret of his hostility. Interviewed by FRANCE 24, Hugh Fischer, prevention coordinator within the organization, denounced a race to the money for the benefit of U.S. laboratories. "Gilead Sciences wished at all costs be the first to market the drug for short take its competitors despite all the negative studies published on this subject. This is a story of pure cash! It should have more depth the experimental protocol before launching it on the market. "

Coincidence or coincidence, the marketing authorization comes at one week of the International Conference on AIDS held in Washington from July 22 to 27. A boon for the pharmaceutical company that will touch on this occasion and makers of the European market.

The possibility of loosening preventive practices

Beyond the financial windfall that the marketing of this drug is, associations are concerned about AIDS prevention so unanimous risk of loosening of use the male condom. While the latest figures for its use show a steady decline in its use among young people, it is feared that taking Truvada Stavros Dimas this trend.

For Sandrine Fournier, project manager for preventing gay association Sidaction, "everything is a matter of compliance," she says FRANCE 24. In theory, preventive treatment of Truvada is 90% effective. But the compliance and dosages the patient is paramount in successful treatment. Clinical trials conducted between 2007 and 2009 from healthy homosexual couples had resulted in a success rate of 44%. According to Hugh Fischer, "nobody is able to fully take medication. I'm positive, I take the Truvada combination therapy for my long time and it is very difficult to follow the treatment every day. "

Not until mid-2013 in France

Still in the trial in France, treatment is unlikely to be sold any time soon on this side of the Atlantic. It must first laboratory Gilead files an application for authorization to market with French drug agencies (MSNA) and European (EMA). According to Professor Jean-Francois Delfraissy, director of the Institute of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (IMMI), the drug should not make its appearance in the Hexagon before the end of the second half of 2013.

There remains the problem of financial support. The amount of Truvada in treatment for a patient varies from 12 000 to 14 000 dollars per year. According to Sandrine Fournier, "the case is also political. What French community will fund the cost of such treatment? "Prevention is expensive as Truvada may finally increase a little sick of the injustices of the under-die ; oped which are still not, at present, triple therapy for all.

SPAIN: The famous bullfights of Pamplona began

 

AFP – Dressed in white, red scarf around his neck, thousands of fans screamed and jumped for joy by sprinkling wine on the town hall square of Pamplona on Friday to mark the occasion of sending of San Fermin, most famous bullfighting festivals in Spain.

"It's crazy, amazing, I love it!", Enthused, hair and clothes dripping wine, Louise Haley, 28, from Australia to attend This medieval fair, that fascinated Ernest Hemingway in his time.

With cries of "Viva San Fermin!" And "Gora San Fermin" in Basque, followed by the "chupinazo", run it from the balcony of the mayor of a rocket, fireworks, new day celebrations punctuated by the very famous bull runs were officially opened at noon. 

Waving their red scarves in a charged atmosphere, thousands of revelers from around the world were sprayed with wine, transforming the immaculate white of their traditional clothing in an original pink gradient. Dancing, singing, they went to enormous balloons, others, many, watching from the balconies overlooking the square.

Early in the morning, already, some had begun the festivities, drinking beer and sangria sitting in class or while walking and singing through the narrow cobbled streets of the city, their huge plastic glasses containing as much as one liter of beverage.

Punctuated by religious processions, traditional dances, concerts, watered by streams of drinking in bars allowed to open until dawn, the holidays are primarily famou ; members for their running of the bulls. 

Every morning at eight o'clock, hundreds of intrepid riders will engage with six fighting bulls of half a ton each, trying to avoid their horns over a distance of 850 meters leading to the arena of the city.

The bravest, or perhaps the most reckless, will run as close to the horns, hoping not to be injured during the four minutes that lasts the race through the heart historic city.

The first release, one that traditionally attracts the most people, will be held Saturday.

"It's a great feeling, your heart starts to beat faster," Anderson testifies Goyoaga, unemployed plumber of 34 years came from Bilbao.

He has already participated in the bull runs and getting ready to try again experience. 

"Every time I tell myself that this is the last but I can not help but go back," he admits.

In 2011, 20,500 runners participated in the eight bull runs, mostly men 18 to 35 years with nearly half were from overseas, especially U.S., d Australia and the United Kingdom, according to the mayor of Pamplona.

This curious mediaeval tradition could have inspired the butchers, to run before the animals brought to the campaign for the festival of San Fermin.

Each year, dozens of runners are injured, often because of the rush that sometimes falls under the legs of bulls.

The race sometimes turns into tragedy. The most recent death date three years ago, when a bull gored a Spaniard was 27 years.

To avoid injury, the organizers are trying to ban drunken revelers to participate in the release and have sprayed the road of a chemical to prevent slipping.

Pamplona, ​​which has 200,000 inhabitants, is expecting a half million visitors this year and hope the holidays bring him in about 70 million euros.

"I saw the images on television and I had no choice but I had to come," enthuses David Higgins, a British man 25 years came with three friends.

"This is probably the craziest party in the world!"

EURO AREA: Madrid calls for EU support for its banks

 

AFP – Spain's fourth largest economy in the euro area, has resigned Saturday to call for EU support for its banks, which could reach one hundred billion euros, a scenario long departed from Madrid, but now face the inevitable worsening of the debt crisis.

This support plan will be the fourth for a country of the euro area since the crisis began in late 2009, after Greece, Ireland and Portugal.

It will be this time to bail out the banking sector in Spain, asphyxiated by its exposure to real estate, for an amount estimated by the Eurogroup to one hundred billion at most. 

Spain will seek "a European financial aid" to restore its banking sector, announced in Madrid the Minister of Economy Luis de Guindos, after a telephone conference Finance Ministers of 17 countries in the euro area.

He said that in exchange, there will be no conditions of economic reforms "outside the scope of the financial sector".

"The conditions will be imposed on banks, not Spanish society," added the minister, trying to reassure the country, the record unemployment rate of 24.44% and already ; subjected to a harsh austerity measures to reduce its public deficit to 8.9% in 2011 to 5.3% this year.

"This has nothing to do with a rescue," insisted Mr. of Guindos, adding that the assistance will be restricted to "30% (banks) that have the most difficulty," and identified as such in the report of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday evening.

"This announcement is good for the Spanish economy and the future of the euro area", "this is a very positive signal about the political will of the whole euro area," said de clared the Minister, who has strongly denied having undergone any pressure from its European partners.

Mr. of Guindos explained that such aid is considered a "debt" Spanish, which will therefore increase, and "absolutely must be repaid."

It will be injected into the Spanish public funds to assist the sector (Frob), which will award the money to the "banks that request," he said.

The IMF will participate in the plan help, but will have a supervisory role, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Hours earlier, the finance ministers of the euro area had a video conference to draw the outlines of this plan.

"It will in fact one of the largest bailouts in recent history," stressed the Prime Minister of Sweden Fredrik Reinfeldt, whose country is not part of the monetary Union silent. 

Fourth largest economy in the euro area, Spain is in fact 12% of GDP in the euro area, against only 6% for Ireland, Portugal and Greece combined. The rescue of the three countries respectively have cost 85 billion, 78 billion and 292 billion euros.

So far, Madrid had refused to issue a call for help for fear of being imposed, such as Greece, a program that would be associated with strict conditions dictated by its international donors.

But the Spanish government had to bend under pressure and extreme markets of Europe, probably anxious to resolve the issue before the elections in Greece June 17, fear of contagion. 

Just this week, the government remained adamant: "I'll wait for the IMF and independent experts may give their opinion on the recapitalization needs of the Spanish financial system and ; from there, I will give my number and tell the government what needs to recapitalize the system ", said Thursday the head of government couservateur, Mariano Rajoy.

The IMF report has estimated the industry needs at least 40 billion euros, the euro area but it was prepared to "respond positively to a request for assistance" of the Spain in favor of its banking sector and to lend up to 100 billion euros. 

"It's a sum up," said Luis de Guindos, and, "very clearly, there is a margin of safety" in this figure.

To make a specific request, Madrid expected, in addition to the IMF report, the results of the audit conducted by the German firm Roland Berger and American Oliver Wyman. They will be known "in a few days," said the minister.

The German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, for its part, quickly welcomed the agreement reached with Spain, he considers the "track".

"I greet, as with other colleagues of the Eurogroup, the Spanish government's determination to proceed with the recapitalization (banks) and through this program to use to fund European aid (EFSF) or of the bailout (MES) with the corresponding conditions, "he said.

ITALY: New earthquake in the north, at least eight people

 

AFP – At least eight people died in the new 5.8-magnitude earthquake that occurred Tuesday morning near Modena, in north-eastern Italy, nine days after a the first earthquake in the same region, said the Carabinieri cited by ANSA news agency.

Three people died in San Felice del Panaro in the collapse of a factory, two in the adjacent municipality of Mirandola, one at Concordia and another in Finale, said the commander Carabinieri of Modena, Salvatore Iannizzotto. He said the pastor of Rovereto di Novi has died, but it is not known yet whether as a result of an illness or a building collapse.

Previously, a spokesman for Civil Protection was confirmed to AFP that there were "at least six dead" in the new quake.

At Mirandola, several churches including the Cathedral would have been severely damaged. Throughout the area, the new earthquake caused the collapse of buildings already half-fallen since the earthquake of magnitude 6 on May 20.

According to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, the new earthquake "of magnitude 5.8" occurred at 0700 GMT at a depth between 5 and 10 km.

The quake was felt throughout the north-central Italy, Bolzano, near the border with Austria, in Milan, has seen as an AFP journalist, and in Tuscany.

In the great city of Bologna, where the quake was clearly felt, train traffic was halted to Verona, Milan and Mantua to Modena and announced the Italian railways. 

Evacuations were decided into Val d'Aosta, on the border with France, and many people took to the streets. Moment of panic as in Venice where the statue fell, flicking a pass, near Piazzale Roma, a short walk from the station.

Standards for firefighters and civil defense have been inundated with calls and telephone calls have been very disturbed in the minutes following the quake.

For ten days, Italy has recorded many shocks or aftershocks from May 20 with an epicenter near Ferrara. A total of 417 tremors were recorded until Monday, including three of magnitude greater than 5, according to media reports.

In Emilia-Romagna (Modena and Ferrara area), 7,000 people are assisted by about 1,400 rescuers in 89 makeshift camps set up in schools, sports grounds or hotels, with continuous arrivals of people distressed by the aftershocks.

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.