CYPRUS: London airlifting one million euros for its staff in Cyprus

 

This is the story of the British aircraft that was worth a million. "An aircraft of the Royal Air Force took off for Cyprus this afternoon (…) in the context of exceptional measures to provide emergency loans to military personnel and their families" , said Tuesday, March 19, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

This decision was taken by surprise fear Cypriot banks running out of money. Nicosia, on the edge of bankruptcy, forceps negotiates the terms of its financial bailout with the European Union (EU) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Cyprus does not digest the tax on bank deposits required in the famous rescue plan. Pending a final agreement and prevent stampedes at the counters, island banks are closed and will not reopen until Thursday, March 21.

The UK Department also contacted members of his staff to ask if they wanted their salary for the month of March and the following months will be paid into bank accounts in the UK, rather on bank accounts in Cyprus.

"We are determined to do everything possible to minimize the impact of the banking crisis in Cyprus on our citizens," added the spokesman.

Approximately 3,000 British troops are based in Cyprus, former colony and strategic point in the Mediterranean.

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.

JUSTICE: Extradited to Lomé, Le Floch-Prigent revives the legal troubles

 

"Stubborn as a Breton," says the proverb. Again, Camp Le Floch-Prigent, a native of Brest (Finistère), shouts to the plot at a time when the former leader of the former oil company franç , ais Elf finds himself in the hands of justice in Lome Togo. If you believe his lawyer Patrick Klugman, told FRANCE 24, the fraud case in which it is pursued in Togo "do [him] not apply."

"Whether we return to Mr. Le Floch-Prigent its rightful place in this case is probably that of a witness. Definitely not the place of a person subject to a warrant, "he says about his client's extradition to Lomé, 24 hours after his arrest on Friday 14 September, , Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

Le Floch-Prigent is indeed the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by the Togolese authorities. This mandate follows a complaint by a businessman from the United Arab Emirates, Abass al-Youssef, who said that the former CEO and two Togolese have mounted a scam that would have cost more than $ 36 million. The French businessman says about the UAE but denies attempted to defraud.

Several stays in jail

A conspiracy, that's what Le Floch-Prigent had already denounced in 2003. At that time, he was sentenced to five years in prison for embezzlement in the Elf affair, a corruption scandal in which the investigation was entrusted to a some Eva Joly, then judge. It offended then the only oil company boss prosecuted in this case.

After 19 months of detention, Le Floch-Prigent regained his freedom, but claimed ruined and regretted that all his friends have turned their backs. "I live mostly on income from my wife. What little I had was seized and officers scrutinize accounts permanently empty. It will not let me live, "he said in 2006 the weekly" Le Nouvel Observateur ".

The following years have not been so much brighter. In 2010, an engineer by training performs additional six months in prison for failing to comply with the terms of his parole. Who could have imagined such troubles 25 years ago?

CEO, Consultant … and writer

In the 1980s, under the presidency of François Mitterrand, Le Floch-Prigent was a leader of the leading companies who occupied the head of several large hexagonal. During the wave of nationalization, officer near the left becomes number one Rhone-Poulenc (1982-1986), he recovers accounts, Elf-Aquitaine (1989-1993), GDF (1993 -1995) and SNCF (1995-1996) before being caught by the Elf affair.

Today, he claims to have turned the page. "I no longer think it is completely behind me," he said in an interview with AFP late August. At 69 years old soon, however, he returned to the energy sector as done today consultancies in oil. "Fifteen days per month in Brazzaville, Abidjan, Addis Ababa and Dubai, the other 15 days in Paris with trips to Italy and in the countries of Eastern Europe," he explained.

But especially fishing enthusiast tries to spend most of his free time Trébeurden in his native Brittany. There he devoted himself to pleasure found in prison writing. The action of his fourth book, the novel "Granite rosse" (ed. Coop Breizh), is also on its cherished land.

In this detective story, the PDG-novelist depicts a Parisian who does not understand the intricacies of local life and stick to the designated culprit … As a nod to his own legal problems. Today, Le Floch-Prigent seems to be trying to clear his name in the Elf affair. Stubborn as a Breton, say …

(FRANCE 24 with dispatches)

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:

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.

MALI: The governorate Gao, HQ Tuareg rebels, was taken by Islamists

 

AFP – The governor of the town of Gao (Mali's northeast) which served as headquarters to the Tuareg rebellion, was taken Wednesday by the Islamists after several hours of fighting that led to casualties among Tuareg fighters, witnesses said AFP.

The Islamist Movement for the uniqueness and jihad in West Africa (Mujao) "came inside the governorate. The fighters of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA, Tuareg rebellion) have fled, others were killed, others arrested, "according to the owner silence of the service station adjacent to the governorate.

"I'm in front of the governorate, the mujahedeen came in, they control the governorship and the surrounding area," said another witness, Issa Fane, a member of the Asssociation of nationals of Gao.

He said there are "wounded, dead, prisoners" in the ranks of MNLA.

These witnesses testified that after taking control of the governorate, the fighters were heading Mujao Wednesday afternoon to a military camp run by the MNLA near the aero ; airport of Gao. 

A former police officer stationed at Gao Mali, which has not worked since the capture of the city by various armed groups three months ago, said that "many prisoners are currently in the police MNLA" central.

"The Mujao currently controls the land. MNLA are prisoners of the police, others fled the city, others are dead or wounded. but the stampede "in the ranks of the Tuareg rebel movement, he said.

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.

In Moscow, Tehran and the major powers struggle to reconcile their views

 

AFP – The major powers and Iran have failed Monday to reconcile their positions on the Iranian nuclear issue during talks tough in Moscow, as part of a new round of negotiations considered as the last chance to resolve the crisis through diplomatic channels.

"The main stumbling block is that the parties' positions are quite complex and difficult to reconcile," said Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Ryabkov after the first day of discussions. 

The great powers of the Group of "5 +1" (USA, Russia, China, France, UK, plus Germany) have resumed Monday in crucial negotiations with Iran two days in the hope that an impending oil embargo and pressure from Russia to convince Tehran to surrender its nuclear program.

The Iranian delegation headed by Saeed Jalili and the major powers led by Catherine Ashton, head of European diplomacy, ended up in the morning in a big ho as the Russian capital.

Ali Bagheri, deputy Iranian negotiator Saeed Jalili, stressed during a press briefing on "the absolute right of the Islamic Republic of Iran's uranium enrichment" . 

"The talks were very serious and constructive," said Mr. Bagheri, noting that Ashton had promised to meet Tuesday with Iranian proposals during the negotiations to resume in ; 0800 GMT.

"We promised each other to discuss our mutual positions. Much will depend on assessments to be made "by Tuesday, said the spokesman of the European delegation, Michael Mann.

The United States noted that the day was marked by an "exchange of views very clear and very direct about the fundamental issues at stake."

"The Iranians have come back today (to the negotiating table) with a number of answers to these concerns. The 5 +1 group has given them a unified response by saying that it is Iran's responsibility to meet its obligations, "said a door to the press Speaking for the White House, Ben Rhodes, on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Los Cabos (Mexico).

On the sidelines of the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama has called on Tehran in a joint statement, to comply "fully" its obligations and to "make proof of the peaceful nature "of its nuclear program.

Even before the start of discussions, Mr. Jalili described them as "big test to see if the West" is against that Iran make "progress" or not.

According to the EU delegation, the great powers maintain their requirements with respect to Iran: stop enriching uranium to 20% and the stock exchange of uranium enriched to 20% against the nuclear fuel that Tehran needs.

"Our priority is that the Iranians are addressing the 20%", which brings Iran's enrichment level required to manufacture the atomic bomb (90%), has de said Mr Mann.

In return, the 5 +1 offer relief from international sanctions – six resolutions of the Security Council including four of the UN economic sanctions are attached – as well as cooperation in several areas civilian nuclear.

In the two previous rounds of negotiations in Istanbul in April and May in Baghdad, the parties had separated on the observation of their differences, including the enrichment of uranium to 20%.

This activity dear to Iran, suspected by the great powers and Israel of wanting to develop atomic weapons, is the focus of discussions. 

A failure of the negotiations could have serious consequences since the United States and the Jewish state have begun to evoke the possibility of a military option to stop Iran's nuclear program, amid threats of new sanctions.

The Moscow talks take place before the coming into force on 1 July of an oil embargo of the European Union against Iran, and the strengthening of sanctions the United States, with restrictions imposed countries are buying Iranian oil.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Iran cease uranium enrichment if it received 20% of the major powers "guarantee" they would provide him with the nuclear fuel he needs. 

To believe the Russian daily Kommersant on Monday, citing diplomatic sources, the major powers will offer Iran a compromise whereby Tehran reduce the level of uranium enrichment in its Natanz plant to 3.5% or 5%, against 20% today.

According to this compromise, Tehran should also freeze all its enrichment activities at its plant underground Fordo or close this unit located in central Iran.

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.