SPACE: The robot Curiosity passes his first laps on Mars

 

AFP – Wednesday robot Curiosity has made his first trip to Mars, the perimeter of the area where it landed early August, named by NASA "Bradbury Landing "in tribute to the legendary American author of science fiction Ray Bradbury, who died last June.

"In his honor, we named the place Curiosity landed + + Landing Bradbury (Bradbury The landing zone)," said Michael Meyer, chief scientist of the Mars Exploration Program at , NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory since (JPL) in Pasadena, near Los Angeles. 

The announcement coincided with the first movement – a few meters – Curiosity on Mars, Wednesday successfully conducted as a prelude to his departure for the area Glenelg in the coming days.

Ray Bradbury, who would have turned 92 years old on Wednesday, "had already achieved immortality with hundreds of new and nearly 50 novels. His books have inspired us, the Martian Chronicles + + inspired Curiosity and open our minds to the possibility of a form of life on Mars, "he said.

Prior to the announcement, the JPL has released a video of Ray Bradbury among NASA scientists gathered at the occasion of the arrival in orbit around Mars probe Mariner 9 in November 1971.

The author of "Fahrenheit 451" it says, before an audience laughing: "I was hoping that these days, as we neared Mars and the dust cleared, we would open Martians standing with large signs that could be read: + Bradubury was right! + ". 

Away from the full potential of the mission

Profilique The author died in Los Angeles in early June, helped to popularize science fiction to the general public, and invented a life on Mars has captured the imagination many researchers and scientists.

"It was also a friend of JPL," said Pete Theisinger responsible for Curiosity mission, stating that the writer had visited last time the premises of JPL in 2009.

The Curiosity mission team also confirmed that the robot had turned its wheels for the first time Wednesday.

"Curiosity drove for the first time on Mars today, with success. We have a mobility system in perfect working on our robot, "said Matt Heverly, head of displacement Curiosity.

The robot, which had not changed since his arrival in the Gale Crater on the night of 5 to 6 August, advanced about four meters forward before Rotate to the right 90 degrees, then backtrack a few meters.

"This places the robot at about 6 meters from the place where it landed 16 days ago," said NASA.  

A photo taken by Curiosity from its new position clearly shows the traces of its wheels on the Martian soil, and the circular marks left by the retros "overhead crane" who die placed on the Red Planet.

Pete Theisinger welcomed the success of the mission jsuqu'ici, while remaining cautious thereafter. "We are in the 16th day of a two-year mission, we have not yet put our arms (articulated) on the ground and we have not tested our ability to recover samples, which is a key element of the scientific mission, "he said.

"So even if everything went well so far, we have checked two boxes of our minimum requirements: take off time (the Earth) and land on Mars . We are still far from reaching the full potential of this mission, "he concluded.

UNITED STATES: Paul Ryan of Wisconsin elected, touted as running mate Mitt Romney

 

AFP – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in the White House Saturday morning would reveal the name of his running mate, according to which the media should be elected from Wisconsin (North) Paul Ryan , ending speculation about the identity of his potential vice president if he wins in November.

Mr. Romney must make the announcement to 9:00 (1300 GMT) in Norfolk, Virginia (east), aboard the USS Wisconsin, a ship disused World War II, said Friday evening his campaign in a statement.

Citing sources close to his entourage, television channels CNN and NBC, and the Huffington Post online media, ensure that Mr. Romney chose the representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, 42, who chaired the powerful Budget Committee in the House of Representatives.

Among the names most frequently mentioned in recent days were also the governor of Minnesota (North) Tim Pawlenty, 51, and Senator from Ohio (north) Rob Portman, 56.

One who hopes to unseat Barack Obama on Nov. 6 began Saturday in Virginia in a campaign tour bus in four key states, which led him to North Carolina (east), Florida (southeast) and Ohio (center).

This decision, most important he had to take since launching his presidential campaign, comes two weeks before the national convention of the Republican Party in Tampa, Florida.

This is where Mr. Romney and his running mate will be formally invested to tackle the outgoing Democratic president Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in November.

If the selection of Mr. Ryan was confirmed, it would be bold. Paul Ryan has been a champion of fiscal conservatism to the risk of displeasing the voters undecided.

At 42, he became one of the most influential Republicans in the House of Representatives, by addressing the staggering debt of the State.

The serious face and emaciated, Paul Ryan is far from being a newcomer to politics: it was seven times elected to the House and worked on Capitol Hill, cen ge of the Congress of the United States for nearly half of his life.

It argues for a new branch of the economy, and proposed earlier this year a draft budget supposed to "offer the nation a better way for the future "and" show how we plan to save this country from future debts, doubts and decline ". 

The Conservatives had called Romney to make this bet.

"Choose Paul Ryan, the intellectual leader of the Republican Party, the man who laid the foundations of the political program of the post-Obama," the analyst wrote such neoconservative William Kristol in the Weekly Standard magazine.

The Wall Street Journal had also supported the selection of Mr. Ryan.

Experts stressed, however, that his tax plan and budget is the "political dynamite" that Romney would assume.

The announcement of the choice of running mate comes at a delicate time for Mitt Romney while polls give President Obama a clear lead over his Republican rival who finds himself under pressure at three months of pre Presidential November.

Mr. Obama distance his opponent both in national opinion surveys in most of the dozen states "undecided" that will determine the outcome of the election of November 6.

A national poll released Thursday put Fox News Obama leads with 49% of the vote against 40% for Mr. Romney. Another survey by CNN on the same day gave the outgoing Democratic president to 52% against 45% for M. Romney.

According to experts, Mitt Romney is adversely affected by the attack ads of muscular Democrats, who ridiculed for example her recent trip abroad, or against his tax plan deemed worthy of a "Robin Hood in reverse", taking the middle class to give to millionaires.

Conversely, the continuing economic difficulties the country represent a liability for Obama. And Mr. Romney has a formidable war chest, which could give a decisive advantage in the fall when the presidential campaign in full swing.

OLYMPICS: London Olympics: French-American duel in the pool and on the floor

 

AFP – On the first floor for basketball, then in the basin of the Aquatics Centre, there will be at the Blues Sunday menu OJ two huge pieces 'made in USA': the Dream Team N. 6 Kobe Bryant and Lebron James and the 4x100m relay Phelps et al.

For the opening of the basketball tournament for men London Olympics, the draw took out the grand prize: a game between the defending Olympic champions and the band at Tony Parker. The challenge will be up to the event for El Tri.

With five champions Beijing 2008 Olympic and five world champions in Istanbul in 2010, Team USA looks more like the real "Dream Team" of 1992, which celebrates the twentieth anniversary, as ; the sad troop of 2004, the only one who missed the gold.

If the French, European finalists in 2011, say they have "no fear" and repeat that Team USA is "not unbeatable," the balance heavily in favor American superheroes. A French victory would be one of the greatest achievements of these Games.

Similarly, a 4x100m relay victory in the blue water Sunday night at 10:00 p.m., facing Phelps, Lochte and co, would be a first: the French have never won this e ; evidence, which the Americans have come out victorious eight times at the Olympics, for only two losses.

Revenge

Problem: there will be that the American ogre to fight for the gold. According to all the tipsters, the Australians are the favorites of James Magnussen, "missile".

In case of EHEC the relay, the Blues will have another chance at a medal, a little before. Still in the water, with Camille Muffat. Best time of the year 400 freestyle, gold holds out his arms.

A follow too: the battle of Bolade Apithy, Men's Sabre, fencing, and that of Tony Estanguet, in canoe single, in the waters of the River Lee, for the slalom. Olympic champion in Sydney and Athens, Pau would get his due after an unsuccessful campaign in Beijing.

Another man will revenge tomorrow in mounting the ring, the boxer Norman Alexis Vastine want erase four years of frustration after his defeat in Beijing on an arbitral incomprehensible for an EM bronze medal with a bitter taste.

FRANCE: Jean-Marc Ayrault reveals the social reform agenda of the quinquennium

 

AFP – Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault Tuesday unveiled the "roadmap" Social five years, with the menu including the negotiations on pensions, the financing of social protection or sites equal work and re-industrialization.

Follower of "give and take" with the social partners, Mr Ayrault was closed Tuesday afternoon conference that brought together social unions, employers and experts for two days to the Economic , social and environmental.

From the outset, Mr. Ayrault has sought to respond to those, particularly in the opposition, who criticized the conference that no concrete steps had to go out.

"Structural reforms can be undertaken in a cavalier, because then they are reforms rejected by society, what reforms are stillborn," he warned Mr. Ayrault, in a pique addressed to Nicolas Sarkozy and his stormy relationship with the unions at the end of the quinquennium.

"After two days of exchanges, my intention is not to conclude on precise measurements, because it would mean that the exercise was that it was artificial and that a facade of dialogue for decisions already taken in reality, "added the former mayor of Nantes, preventing further social dialogue that would" brand manufactures "of his government.

The Prime Minister is, however, came to the Palace of Jena with his wallet in ads for discussion and clarification of schedule.

It thus confirmed that constitutional reform would be carried out on social dialogue, "after an extensive consultation". 

Social protection and its sensitivity funding will also be subject to legislative reform in 2013, again following discussions with employers and unions, promised Mr. Ayrault, without giving track concrete such that an increase in CSG. Pensions will also be a consultation beginning next spring.

Another priority is employment. "Will we allow our country to remain the scene of social plans that are multiplying, that undermine confidence and morale of employees and all stakeholders in the economy?" questioned the Prime Minister.

He promised that the system of partial unemployment would be "improved" from autumn 2012. Negotiating "competitive employment" launched by Nicolas Sarkozy to allow companies to adapt the work under a reduction of activity is against "further order of days ".

About the decline of French industry, the former chairman of EADS, Louis Welsh, will be on a mission on the competitiveness of enterprises with the aim of "preparing implementation of concrete actions by the end of the year ", to improve their" environment ".

The minimum wage will also be reformed before the end of the year, so, promised Mr. Ayrault, to better take into account growth. The premium "dividends", announced in 2011 by Mr. Sarkozy but deemed ineffective by the social partners, will be "removed".

Unions and employers will finally consulted regularly on all subjects, across a "board or commission of social dialogue and foresight" that will emerge in the coming months.

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.

LEGISLATIVE FRENCH: The French press derides the tweet Valérie Trierweiler

 

Support of Valérie Trierweiler the dissident socialist opponent Segolene Royal in La Rochelle is regarded by newspaper editors Wednesday as a "settling of accounts" between Women and "the first quack of the Presidency normal" Francois Hollande.

"With Cecilia and Carla Sarkozy, the Elysee we had known bling. With Valérie Trierweiler, that fill the Elysee-pif, "writes Patrick Fluckiger in Alsace.  

He said the skirmish between the new president and partner of its predecessor "destroyed in a few lines, months of effort by Francois Hollande to appear strong, calm and reassuring" ;.

For Bruno Bécard of The New Republic of the Midwest account Tweeter is not "the fresh and innocent light chirping of a sparrow in the spring. This is a Scud sent by Valerie Trierweiler for Royal ".

Scud has a "looks like a settling of accounts", said Daniel Ruiz in The Mountain, which is "an illustration of the zero level of politics and causes great harm to one who aspires to simplicity ".  

Patrice Chabanet the Journal de la Haute-Marne believes that the position of the companion of the president takes "the gall of personal enmity between women in the political cauldron", weakening " ; necessarily Francois Hollande on again a heavy doubt on its ability to control the situation. "

The tweet in support of dissident Olivier Falorni has this "depressing it gets back to some mistakes of Sarkozyism" says Paul Quinio in Libération for whom "the mix of genres between life private and public life comes through the window. "

Dive in for Bruno Southwest, this is "a vaudeville, first president of the normal quack". "We thought it had finished mixing between sulfur and privacy policy after the beginning of the Sarkozy presidency, and here we go again!" Exclaims it.

Rémi Godeau in eastern Holland Republican said that Francis claimed to "overcome the practices of his predecessor" and that are caught "red handed crossing public-private line ".

"A strange picture we are given a President sandwiched between two strong women," says Philippe Waucampt in The Republican Lorrain. A "public rivalry," according to the editorial, which appears to accredit "the reputation of blur" that Martine Aubry wanted to "pin on the lapel of Francois Hollande at of primary socialist ".

Describing this tweet of "venom", Hervé Chabaud in The Union / The Ardennes provides that the companion of François Hollande, by attacking the mother of the children of the head of the State guarantees "the dense buzz of cynicism and irony."

LEBANON: At least four dead in Tripoli after clashes between pro and anti-Assad

 

Clashes between supporters and opponents of President Bashar al-Assad killed four people and injuring 25, Saturday in Tripoli, northern port city of Lebanon, and residents said a doctor.

Both sides exchanged fire with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, and the Lebanese army intervened with armored vehicles to try to silence the guns, said a Reuters reporter. The army did not open fire.

Civilians, caught in the crossfire, were among the killed, and a Lebanese soldier was wounded, residents said. Sporadic gunfire is heard from early morning.

Gunmen of Jabal Mohsen neighborhood, where a majority of Alawite, a branch of Shiism that owns Bashar al Assad, clash in recent weeks residents of Bab al Tabbaneh, which re ; President mainly Sunni.

The violence demonstrate how the insurgency continues in Syria managed to reach gradually this port city in Lebanon where Syrian soldiers were stationed until 2005.

FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL: Abstention up, the left worries

 

In J-19 before the first round of presidential elections, the French seem tempted by forbearance. According to a survey published by the Ifop "Journal du Dimanche" April 1, it could reach 32% in the first round of voting, three points higher than the 29% expressed in mid-March. An estimate which, if confirmed, would be a record under the Fifth Republic (see diagram). Especially since it is superior to voting intention loaned to major candidates. An Ifop poll published Tuesday, April 3 credits Nicolas Sarkozy 29%, 27% of Francois Hollande and Marine Le Pen 15.5%.

If the French actually shun the polls on April 22, several possible reasons for this choice according to observers. For Jerome Fourquet, deputy director of the Department of Ifop opinion, voters feel primarily disillusioned with politics, moreover with the Economic and Financial Crisis re. "They do not think that voting for one candidate or another will solve their problems, he says. They also feel that the decisions of politicians are motivated by the interests of big business rather than those of the French ".

The course of the campaign is also pointed. The French accuse the candidates to speak of insecurity and immigration instead of addressing the major issues of concern to the French, as the purchasing power or the fight against unemployment ; mage. "The voters did that make personal attacks between candidates, says Stephane Rozes, political scientist and president of Consulting, Analysis and Prospects (CAP). They expect that each of the major candidates present their project to respond to the crisis in order to judge them. "

The match Holland-Sarkozy already played

For other voters, the campaign has no interest because the match between Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande is, they already played. "Many believe that the Socialist candidate will win anyway, so they are reluctant to move to vote," says Jerome Fourquet.

This high rate of abstainers is no shortage of policy concern, particularly the Socialist Party that fears of reliving the trauma of April 21, 2002. That day, less than 200,000 votes separate the Socialist candidate Lionel Jospin, ousted in the first round of the presidential candidate of the National Front Jean-Marie Le Pen, who rises to the second I round over RPR candidate Jacques Chirac. For this first round, abstention was over 28%.

Jerome Fourquet confirms that "the leftist parties, including the Socialist Party, have the most to lose with a high abstention". "Their electorate, young or from the working classes, is quite volatile," he says. And Francois Hollande has understood. From Reunion Island, the Socialist candidate launched an appeal on April 1 against abstention. "Nothing is settled, launched the Socialist candidate, because if abstention is high, all polls are denials, and I mean all."

Inspired by the Obama campaign in 2007, the PS is also focusing on door to door. "We were all marked by abstention in poor neighborhoods" in the last elections, reports the AFP Feltesse Vincent, in charge of Web socialist countryside. The team hopes to convince Francois Hollande 5 million homes and neighborhoods to vote. But according to the survey of Ifop, only 46% of workers currently intend to vote in the first round.

FRANCE – REPORT: In the district of Toulouse Izards the footsteps of Mohamed Merah

 

Izards to the suburb where he grew up Toulouse Mohamed Merah, surprise gave way to annoyance. Our journalists Karim Hakiki Pellegry and Anne-Sophie, went in search of those who knew the young man, collided with "no comment": "The story is over." The media are no longer welcome in this neighborhood where deemed dangerous public housing alongside single family homes.

As pictures and videos, testimonies bribes to now. Refusing to pay – they will be asked up to 7000 euros – to agree to tell the youth that has become known as the killer of Montauban and Toulouse, our journalists have therefore turned to the camera hidden.

Thus they met with two childhood friends of Mohamed Merah. Like many people who knew they describe a young man happy, "in need of affection."

"He was someone who had several facets. On Monday, he could be dressed as chavs' soccer on Tuesday, it could be djellabah on Wednesday, he could have her hair dyed blond, says one of them. Much by the time you could hate it, as much by the time we could love and that's what made her unique. "

Back on the course of an enigmatic young man.

CONGO – BRAZZAVILLE: Emotion and meditation at the funeral of the victims of the explosion in Brazzaville

 

AFP – Thousands of people attended in the emotion and meditation Sunday in Brazzaville at the funeral of 145 of the 223 victims of the explosion of a munitions dump, exactly one week after the drama that is also more than 2,300 injured and 14,000 homeless.

The master of ceremony, Medard Milandou, said in a speech that 223 bodies were stored in the morgues of the city, of which 159 have e tee identified so far. A previous review reported nearly 200 deaths.

The funeral of 145 victims identiées were held Sunday, those of the other 14 will be held later at the request of families.

The 145 Congolese flag draped coffins of green-yellow-red and a wreath of the same colors, arrived late morning on the esplanade of the Palais de Congress in the capital of Congo on trailers with a dozen trucks.

Four soldiers, wearing a black beret and a scarf, stood on each of the trailers.

Relatives of victims, some weeping, gathered under white tents six, officials face the least of which Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso. 

Some parents ran pictures of the dead and crosses on which were inscribed the date of birth and date of death, March 4, 2012.

On the other side of the boulevard between the esplanade of the Foreign Ministries, several thousand people, most dressed in black and white, took place behind barriers.

After an ecumenical (Catholic, Protestant and African church kibanguiste), President Sassou Nguesso has laid a wreath of flowers and condolences to the relatives of victims.

The funeral procession of tractor-trailer then headed to the downtown cemetery for the burial of victims, followed by a bus with thirty families, AFP noted. 

Vaults were specially dug in recent days on land adjoining the site of the cemetery where lie the 48 Congolese victims of the attack against a DC 10 of the French airline UTA September 19, 1989.

This day of tribute marks the end of national mourning declared by the authorities since Tuesday.

The series of explosions in an ammunition dump in a barracks of a regiment of tanks that blew a neighborhood of Brazzaville on March 4 between 10:45 a.m. 8:00 a.m. ET, has 223 dead, over 2,300 injured and 14,000 homeless people whose homes were destroyed.

This is the deadliest such accident, in deposits of arms and ammunition, for 10 years in the world. 

Stock could rise even more bodies likely located near the ammunition depot, including demining has not yet started and where the Cross Red could not go that far.

The accident was due to a short circuit that would have caused a fire, according to the government opened an investigation.

The main city hospitals, under equipped and overwhelmed by the influx of refugees after the accident, received the following days a substantial assistance from foreign countries and NGOs, mainly medical staff and medicines. 

The Congolese Observatory for Human Rights (COHR) has criticized the management of the crisis by the authorities "at all levels", including deploring the lack of accompanying measures for damaged s in the host cities and called for an "international investigation".

The 14,000 homeless are welcomed into the gardens of two churches, a covered market and stages of the city they live in difficult conditions. The government sought the support of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to manage sites.