BANKS: Suspected tax fraud: French raid on the headquarters of UBS

AFP

The French headquarters of Swiss bank UBS in Paris was raided Wednesday in the investigation for "laundering tax fraud", the bank was suspected , have introduced a double accounting and facilitated the opening of undeclared accounts in Switzerland.

A dozen investigators from the national judicial customs (SNDJ) entered Wednesday morning in the premises of the bank with the judge Daïeff Guillaume Paris, in charge of the investigation, AFP a source close to the matter.

Two people were indicted in this case, a former leader of the UBS office in Lille and a framework UBS employee in Strasbourg. Several searches have been conducted in the premises of the bank in Strasbourg, Lyon and Bordeaux since late June.

A spokesman for the bank in Paris confirmed Wednesday that the "judge has actually visited the headquarters of UBS in Paris France as part of its investigation."

"We are cooperating fully with the authorities. The search is part of searches in other subsidiaries of UBS in France since April 2012, "said his side a spokesman for UBS in Switzerland AFP.

"As a group, we have an internal regulation which requires that the laws of the country are met. If employees have violated these laws, then they will be punished, "he added.

The first Swiss bank is suspected of having set up a dual accounting, designed to hide certain capital movements between France and Switzerland, and have enabled its Swiss business to solicit clients on French territory, in violation of the law. Denunciations of former employees

These facts have been particularly criticized by former employees. 

An anonymous note sent to the Prudential Supervisory Authority (ACP), seen by AFP, outlines the existence of "books of milk" between 2002 and 2007, a system designed to register new accounts undeclared Swiss made by salespeople.

She described the alleged role of responsible business in Switzerland and France and executives of UBS in France this double counting.

This system allowed not to leave a trace in the official tools while allowing the bank to calculate business operations for their year-end bonuses, according to this note. 

The judicial practices of the Swiss bank in France was opened in April for "banking or financial by unauthorized persons and tax evasion and laundering of funds obtained through an illegal solicitation, committed by an organized gang. "

Initially, a preliminary investigation was opened by the Paris prosecutor's office in March 2011 after transmission by the ACP in charge of banking supervision, a note on the practices commercial bank.

Meanwhile, another judicial inquiry opened in Paris in April for "obstructing the functioning of the committee on health, safety and working conditions (HSC)" and "harass Lement moral "at UBS, told AFP judicial source. Several officers had denounced the conditions of their departure from UBS.

In 2009, an agreement was reached with the United States to UBS reveals the names of 4,450 American clients whom he had offered to conceal funds to the IRS. The first Swiss bank had also paid a sum of $ 780 million, including a fine and back taxes.

(AFP)

LIBYA: "Justice will be done in Libya," Obama promised

 

The death of the U.S. Ambassador in Libya, Christopher Stevens, and three U.S. officials in an attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Tuesday, Sept. 11, caused a shock wave , across the United States.

"The United States condemns in the strongest terms this outrageous attack and shocking," said Barack Obama, during a press conference on Wednesday, held alongside Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. "We strive to put our diplomats safe with the Libyan government. We work to ensure the safety of our diplomats. I also asked my administration to increase security around our embassies around the world. And make no mistake, we will work with the Libyan government to bring to justice the murderers who attacked our men, "he said.

Bilateral ties should not be "victims" of the attack on Benghazi

U.S. President during his speech, paid tribute to diplomat killed in the attack. "It is particularly tragic that Chris Stevens died in Benghazi, a city he helped save, lamented Barack Obama. At the height of the Libyan revolution, Chris held our diplomatic representation with any skill, the courage and determination that any characteristic. It has established partnerships with Libyan revolutionaries and helped them when they were building a new Libya ". Wednesday until Sunday, American flags of all public buildings were lowered to half mast in honor of the four Americans killed Tuesday.

Before him, Hillary Clinton was asked about the reasons for this tragedy "in a country we helped liberate in a city that we saved from destruction." She then urged Americans to "stay sighted despite the sorrow": "This is an attack by a small group of people senseless, and not by the people or Libyan government, "she insisted, ensuring that bilateral ties are not" victims "of the attack on Benghazi.

Mitt Romney, Obama's Republican rival the U.S. election on November 6, sharply criticized presidential intervention, ruling "shameful" response to the White House anti-American attacks in Egypt and Libya. 

Tuesday, shortly before the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, protesters stormed the U.S. embassy in Cairo, ripped and burned American flags to replace black flag – the flag frequently brandished by activists of Al-Qaeda. Originally the rampage: Internet broadcasting of excerpts from American film "The Innocence of Muslims," ​​judged insulting to the Prophet Muhammad .

FRANCE 24 with dispatch

SOUTH AFRICA: sum Lonmin employees strikers to resume work on Monday

 

The mining company Lonmin summoned Sunday Marikana strikers back to work Monday morning, under penalty of "possible layoffs," three days after the shooting that killed 34 people on this site extraction of platinum from northern South Africa.

"The final ultimatum was postponed to Monday 20 following the events of Thursday," said Gillian Findlay, Lonmin spokesperson in an email to AFP, "final ultimatum gives employees a last chance to return to work or face a possible firing."

"The employees could be fired if they did not comply with the ultimatum," insists spokesman. 

Interviewed in the morning by AFP, striking miners said they would refuse to return to work out of respect for their 34 comrades killed by the police and if management re , was laying not their wage demands.

"Expect us to return to work, this is an insult. Many of our friends and colleagues are dead and we expect that return to work, ever, "said a worker, Zachariah Mbewu, ensuring that none of his friends would not be present at his post Monday .

"There are people in prison and the hospital. Tomorrow, we return to the mountain but does not descend into the mine unless the owners give us what we demanded, "he added.

The hill was held Thursday repression remained deserted Sunday.

The police were discreet about housing miners going about their daily lives but the anger remained high.

"We expect that management expressed. Tomorrow we will not work if they do not listen to our demands for wage increases, "said Fezile Magxaba a foreman Marikana.

"People are dead. We are angry. If they resumed work, it would be like if they had died for nothing, "he said while her laundry at a communal tap.

The police response was 34 dead and 78 wounded by the police also arrested 259 people. An investigation must determine the exact circumstances of the outbreak of the shooting. Police said they acted in self-defense against miners armed with knives who loaded.

SYRIA: A shooting broke out near the offices of the Prime Minister in Damascus

 

AFP – A shootout erupted Wednesday afternoon behind the building housing the offices of the Prime Minister in Damascus, according to an AFP correspondent on the spot.

Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (OSDH) said for his part that "an exchange of fire is underway between the military and rebels in the area of ​​Mazze, around the Prime Minister's office and the new building under construction at the Embassy of Iran ".

The president of the OSDH, Rami Abderhamane, told AFP that the clash occurred after the firing of rockets into the two buildings, without being able to tell if the rocket had reached their target. 

According to state television, "specialized services raided a hideout of terrorist-mercenaries in the gardens behind al-Razi, killing an undetermined number of and capturing them other ".

An AFP reporter who visited the site heard a shooting near the offices of the Prime Minister. The shots came from a land separating these offices and that of the Iranian embassy.

The AFP could see black smoke and a van of the army equipped with Russian-made machine gun Douchka. The soldiers were also out identity checks.

The attack came hours after a bomb attack claimed by the rebels, for a building of the headquarters located near the hotel that houses the UN delegation in central Damascus.

The bombing, which injured five at a military site, occurred in the parking lot of the staff.

An officer explained that the explosion occurred at O8H00 (O5H00 GMT) when "recruits did their physical exercises and received their instructions, as every day."

According to an AFP journalist, the bomb was placed at the back of a tanker, whose tank was ripped open. Several military vehicles were burned and the walls of the building adjoining the Union of Workers. Windows were also broken.

The Syrian Army rebels free (ASL, composed of deserters and civilians who took up arms) have claimed responsibility, saying it was a "military meeting in an office of the General Staff which are decided the day's operations in Damascus. "

SPACE: Curiosity on approach of Mars

 

After eight months of travel in space and 570 million kilometers – or 1,500 times the distance from Earth to the Moon – The robot Curiosity should land on Mars on Monday at 7:31 (5:31 GMT) in the Gale Crater, near Mount Sharp (5000 m). Launched November 26, 2011, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the spacecraft exploration of NASA is the largest (900 kg) and the most advanced ever sent into space. Powered by a nuclear generator, it is supposed to work for two years (one Martian year) during which he will attempt to discover whether the Martian environment could be conducive to de ; development of life, even in microbial form that.

The mission of the robot is perilous. Between its entry into the Martian atmosphere and landing on the surface of the planet, seven minutes will pass. "Seven minutes of terror", according to NASA, because "if something does not work, it's game over!" Says one engineer in a video released by the agency U.S. space. Main challenge: slow the craft, very heavy, while the atmosphere of Mars opposes hundred times less resistance than that of Earth. After dropping the heat shield, supersonic parachute diameter of 21 meters will be deployed on time and to increase the speed of the module from 21 243 to 2.74 km / h.

Mild weather

Scientists will have to wait 14 minutes – the time that the signal travels the distance between Mars and Earth – to see if everything went well. But it could also take several days for bad positioning of the robot or three sensors (two American, one European) in orbit around the Red Planet.

"Every day that passes is more scary," admits Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA, noting that 40% of past attempts to send robots to Mars have been crowned are successful. The United States is the only country that has explored the Red Planet, and five of their probes have already reached the Martian soil.

For now, the weather looks pretty good near the crater Gale. "Mars is friendly to us, we will have good conditions for Sunday," said Saturday, one of the scientists in charge of the project, Ashwin Vasavada. A dust storm spotted a few days ago has dissipated, giving way to a "cloud […] Benin enough," he said.

Visit this page on Monday morning from 6:45 Paris time, to watch the landing live Curiosity:

SCIENCE: The Cern particle discovers a "compatible" with the Higgs boson

 

Reuters – Scientists at CERN in Geneva showed a new subatomic particle that could be the Higgs boson, considered crucial in the formation of the universe.

"I can confirm that a particle was found which is consistent with the theory of the Higgs boson," said John Womersley, Director General of Science & Technology Facilities Council UK at an event in London. 

Joe Incandela, spokesperson for one of two teams trying to prove the existence of the famous elementary particle, has told his side of people collected at the European Council for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva: "This is a temporary result, but we think it is very solid" …. ….

The Higgs boson is a central component of the Standard Model, the theory that illuminates the fundamental structure of matter.

This theory, which describes the interactions between particles at the quantum level, is based in part on the idea that two of the four fundamental forces, the weak force and electromagnetic force, are to me ; my nature. 

This force, called electroweak bring together electricity, magnetism and light, but this unification is conceivable that if the force-carrying particles have no mass, which n is a priori not the case.

In the 1960s, the Belgians Robert Brout and François Englert, on one side, and the British Peter Higgs, the other, were resolved by postulating the existence of the "boson" ;, which would have allowed the field to other particles acquire mass, just after the Big Bang, 13.7 billion years ago.

PARAGUAY: President Lugo has been removed from office by Parliament

 

AFP – The head of state of Paraguay, Fernando Lugo, a former bishop became the first leftist president for 62 years, had to step down Friday after being de ; put his duties at the end of a "political trial impeachment", shipped in a few hours before the Senate.

His vice president, Federico Franco, 49, was immediately invested in accordance with the constitution, during a brief ceremony at the Congress in Asuncion . 

The Latin American left immediately denounced that the Argentine President, Cristina Kirchner, described as "illegitimate coup", followed by the Bolivian Evo Morales, who is saw a "parliamentary coup", while Venezuela's Hugo Chavez described as "illegitimate" his successor.

Since the announcement of the conviction of the president, after this trial shipped in five hours, several thousand supporters gathered at the military base of the Paraguayan capital showed their anger. Some protesters have attacked police, who responded with batons, tear gas and water cannons.

The crowd quickly dispersed before returning gradually to Congress respecting the call "not to spill the blood of the righteous" formulated by their fallen favorite.

At 6:27 p.m. local time (10:27 p.m. GMT) in Asuncion, a total of 39 of the 43 senators present, more than the required two-thirds, said Fernando Lugo guilty of the charges against him, will result ing his immediate dismissal.

Mr. Lugo, who has remained a little over a year in office, was accused of "poorly performed his duties" as a result of clashes that have killed 11 peasants and landless six police officers during an operation to dislodge the occupants of a farm on June 15 in the north-east.

During the session, four senators have denounced a speedy trial, according to them constituting a violation of Paraguayan democracy.

"I submit to the decision of Congress," responded shortly after Mr. Lugo said in a statement to the Presidency, saying "it's Paraguayan history, its democracy, which have been deeply hurt".

"Today I will retire as president, but not as a Paraguayan citizen," he added, while calling on his supporters to calm.

The former bishop of 61 years, the first leftist president after 62 years in power of the Colorado Party (conservative), then left the building on a motorcade to an unknown destination, said a journalist from AFP.

Mr. Lugo, who has just been successfully treated for cancer of the lymphatic system, announced that he would not stand in the election of April 2013 . Previously known as the "bishop of the poor", he abandoned the cassock in 2006, two years before being elected.

A few minutes after removal, the vice president, Federico Franco, was sworn in, wearing the tricolor sash and baton in front of the TV cameras ; vision, at a quick ceremony at the headquarters of the bicameral parliament.

"This is the largest commitment ever and I can fill it with the help and collaboration of all of you," said Franco, the coastal ties of his wife, Emilia MP Alfaro.

Mr. Franco is a leader of the Liberal Party. This training, which supported Mr. Lugo at the time of his election in 2008, he formally withdrew its support Thursday against a background of recurrent political strife. The Liberals were at the forefront of the rebellion waged against the former president.

In the morning, the Paraguayan president had tried unsuccessfully to delay the procedure for entering the express Supreme Court, asking it "to suspend the trial until political he be provided constitutional guarantees for his defense ".

Asked about an Argentine radio before the verdict, Mr. Lugo had denounced "a coup disguised as a parliamentary legal process". He said he would certainly "resist through other organizations."

Outside the borders of this small country poor, landlocked South American cone, several voices were raised against the impeachment.

Even before the departure of Mr. Lugo, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa had announced it would not recognize a possible new president. And Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia had denounced a "disguised coup" at a special meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) on e to this crisis.

FRENCH LEGISLATION: The stakes of the second round of legislative

 

Last round. In the second round of parliamentary elections Sunday, June 17, the French have to decide between the last candidates. For the parliamentary left (Socialist Party, the Greens Europe-Ecology and the Left Front), which received 46.77% of votes in the first round, the challenge now is to win at least 289 cen ; management of 577 to command a majority in the National Assembly.

Comforted by their score of 10 June, 29.22%, the Socialists hope to achieve on their own absolute majority, thus avoiding having to deal with their allies. For opponents of the UMP, beset by internal divisions, it is to keep the damage.

The poll began on Saturday in Guyana and the Caribbean, closing a week between the two towers marked, right, by the strategy of "neither-nor" ( or National Front, or republican front) and adopted by the UMP, left, by the case "tweetweiler" which has embarrassed the Socialist Party and the Elysee.

Duels in suspense

Besides the expected score of abstention – June 10, it reached 42.77%, a record for legislative – this election is different issues. Within hours of the results, including the eyes are pointed at La Rochelle, where the Socialist candidate supported by the government, Segolene Royal, the dissident faces Olivier Falorni, who was sent a tweet encouragement by Valérie Trierweiler, wife of the President of the Republic. An electoral battle on which the ambitions of the former Socialist candidate for president in 2007, eyeing the perch of the National Assembly.

Side of the Modem, Francois Bayrou, who plays his political survival, attacking a triangular face risky Nathalie Chabanne (PS) and Eric Saubatte (UMP) in the second district of Pyrenees-Atlantiques, it represents over 25 years. The centrist candidate could be punished by voters swayed by his vote in favor of Francis Holland in the second round of the presidential election.

In the UMP – who won 27.12% of votes in the first round – it is especially in the fourth district of Essonne that one of the battles over media should play: the outgoing member Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet faces the PS candidate Olivier Thomas. Calling the candidate to beat UMP, the National Front (FN) has supported the controversial socialist.

The FN hope, for his part, win up to five districts, starting with that of Henin-Beaumont, in the Pas de Calais, where Le Pen got 42% of the votes June 10 The return on the benches of the Assembly would be a first for the party since 1998.

Finally, among the Ministers-government candidates Ayrault is on Carlotti concern that weighs most. Faced with the UMP Muselier in the 5th district of Bouches-du-Rhône, home to the right, the Minister for disabled people should, as provided for under rule announced by the prime minister, quit his post in case of defeat.

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.

MALI: A shrine desecrated by fighters of Ansar Dine in Timbuktu

 

REUTERS – fighters of the Islamist group Ansar Dine Malian attacked and burned the mausoleum of one of the most venerated saints of Timbuktu, a World Heritage of Unesco, reported Saturday residents and a regional manager.

The militants of Ansar Dine, linked to Al Qaeda, swept with other armed groups in March and April in northern Mali, seizing the cities of Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal.

Friday they broke windows and the wooden gate of the tomb of the scholar Sidi Mahmoud Ben Amar, before setting it on fire, witnesses said. This is the first such attack in Mali.

"What you do is haram! (Forbidden). Ask directly to God rather than death, "said one of the gunmen to the inhabitants, who tried to visit the grave, reported Ahmed Ibrahim, witness of the scene. "Having uttered these words, three of them entered the mausoleum. They tore and burned the eyes of all pieces of white cloth that covered the mausoleum of the saint, "he added.

The armed men, who regard the veneration of the holy Muslim as contrary to Islam, have announced that they would return to destroy other mausoleums. Unesco did not react immediately.

"There is a risk that people will revolt because it is an event that affects the dignity of people. This tomb is sacred, it's too hard to bear, "said El Hadj Baba Haider, elected representative in parliament born in Timbuktu.

The Malian government has strongly condemned the desecration in a statement read on national television. "The government condemns in the strongest terms this act perpetrated unspeakable in the name of Islam, a religion of tolerance and respect for human dignity."

Ansar Dine, led by Iyad Ag Ghaly Tuareg, rejected independence in the north proclaimed by Tuareg rebels of the MNLA, and wishes to impose Islamic law across Mali.

Noncommissioned officers overthrew March 22 Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure, plunging the country into chaos with Tuareg rebels backed by Islamist fighters took the opportunity to seize the northern Mali.

Timbuktu, nicknamed "the city of 333 saints", is listed as World Heritage by UNESCO in 1988. It is home to 333 tombs of saints of which 16 are classified as World Heritage of Unesco, the mosques of Sankore and Sidi Yahia Djingarei-ber, and the famous libraries and dozens of thousands of ancient manuscripts.