SPAIN: Hundreds of people defied a ban on protests

AFP - now "illegal" but determined to hear their ras-le-bol of the crisis and unemployment, hundreds of youths were mobilized Saturday in the camp alternative to the Puerta del Sol in Madrid, despite the electoral truce No events.

Chanting "we are now illegal," an immense crowd welcomed Friday at midnight on the start of the truce, after, at the stroke of the clock, symbolically launched a "silent scream" of scotch tape on the mouth, arms raised to heaven.

Saturday morning, a thousand protesters still occupying the "village" of tents and plastic sheeting blue.

The crowd, much larger than previous days, had begun to thin in late night. Thousands of young people were then kept in the main square, watching sat in a circle, talking, playing music, sleeping in tents or under the stars.

The agency Efe, based on counting a specialist company, puts the figure of 19,000 protesters Friday night at the Puerta del Sol and surrounding streets, crowded.Other media put the number at 25,000 to 60,000 in Madrid and throughout Spain.

"This is something necessary, because in Spain we did not know that people were able to do that. We live finally something," says Julia Estefania, a political science student of 20 years came from Toledo.

She and her friends have rested a few hours, lying on cardboard."Sleep, sleep, I did not feel like finally we're stretched to six hours," said Irene, 18, another girl group.

The police presence, despite a ban on protests, remained quiet throughout the evening, limited to a few police cars parked around the square.

The government, embarrassed by this spontaneous movement occurred a week of regional and local elections on Sunday ahead disastrous for the Socialists, had said on Friday to show "understanding".

The Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, had suggested that police action could be avoided provided that no overflow takes place.

In this context, the youth movement, building on its growing popularity, plays on the ambiguity of the law and the embarrassment of the government, repeating that he is "apolitical", "citizen" and that the days of Saturday and Sunday will be devoted to the pursuit of a "reflection" collective.

"We act in full respect of the truce election meetings will be held but no action will be decided," Lopez said Saturday, a spokesman.

Since Tuesday, the spontaneous movement brings together a mosaic of young people but also people from all backgrounds and all ages, unemployed, students, retirees and employees.

Unique, colorful and pacifist movement, on behalf of the "right to be indignant," denounced the stranglehold of the major parties on Spanish politics, social injustice, the excesses of capitalism, "political corruption" and means a laboratory of ideas for future reforms.

Most importantly, it betrays the frustration of millions of Spaniards who face unemployment reached a record high of 21.19% and hit nearly half of those under 25 years, the salary cuts, fallout from the economic crisis.

The movement, born on the place most emblematic of the old center of Madrid, dares inevitable comparison with the recent Arab uprisings.

"In Tahrir in Madrid, the world, world revolution," declared Friday a big banner in black letters.

The protesters now have "firm intention" to continue moving on Monday, said Juan Lopez, that is to say beyond the original schedule which was to coincide with local elections.

Syria: Opposition calls for general strike

The opposition in Syria on Tuesday launched an appeal for a general strike for Wednesday, once again defying the regime of Bashar al-Assad, subjected to increasing pressures abroad, the United States announcing measures " Extra "in" coming days ".

"Wednesday will be a day of general strike in Syria," said a statement posted on the Facebook page "Syrian Revolution 2011," Engine of the protest movement launched in mid-March against the regime.

"Let's make Wednesday a Friday (usual day of events), with massive demonstrations, no school, no university, no shops or restaurants open, not even taxis."

The unprecedented protest movement of the system continues despite the magnitude of the repression that has, according to NGOs, over 800 deaths and at least 8,000 arrests.

The head of American diplomacy, Hillary Clinton announced that "additional measures" would be taken "in the days to come" in response to this repression. She has also accused Damascus of having "adopted the worst tactics of its ally Iran."

She was speaking after talks with the EU diplomatic representative, Catherine Ashton, who called the situation "extremely alarming".

Ashton said she traveled to Washington to "discuss what we can do.""It is extremely urgent that the Syrian government to act," she said, failing which the international community would consider "all options".

The French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said on his part that a majority was "taking shape" with the UN to condemn the repression, indicating that a veto threat from Moscow and Beijing on a text still existed.

The countries of the European Union are working to broaden its sanctions against the Syrian regime to a dozen people including President Assad, because of repression, with an expected decision in principle on Monday.

Discussions to this effect were held Tuesday in Brussels between ambassadors from the 27 EU states, according to diplomatic sources.

The EU has already imposed sanctions (freezing of assets, prohibition of entry visas) to 13 Syrian officials including members of the president's family and an arms embargo that could be used for law enforcement purposes .

On the ground, the authorities have denied the existence of a mass grave in Deraa, southern town where the dispute arose, admitting however that five bodies had been discovered there.

"This information is totally false," said an official at the Interior Ministry was quoted by the official SANA news agency, speaking of a "smear campaign (...) fabricated."

SANA, quoting a local official in Dera, said that five bodies had been discovered in the city Sunday and the local prosecutor had opened an investigation. The agency did not specify how the bodies were discovered or how the victims died.

The activist Ammar Qourabi, the National Organization for Human Rights in Syria said Monday the discovery of mass grave, said Tuesday told AFP that a second had been unearthed.

"One contained 24 bodies and another seven, including the five mentioned by the authorities as well as unidentified woman and her son."He called on authorities to investigate.

Rami Abdel Rahman, the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights, based in London, he insisted on the existence of a single grave, containing five bodies.

The army had besieged Deraa, located 100 km south of Damascus, April 25 to quell the protest, before beginning its withdrawal on May 5

Rami Abdel Rahman has also reported the arrest Sunday of a leader of the protest, Anas al-Choughri in the coastal city of Banias (west).

More than 800 people, including women and children, were killed in the crackdown and at least 8,000 were arrested, according to human rights organizations of human rights.

The regime of Bashar al-Assad for his part attributed these problems to "armed terrorist groups", some of which are in the pay abroad.

LIBYA: Chief of Staff of the British army will intensify strikes

The Chief of Staff of the British Army, General David Richards, NATO's request that steps up air raids on Libya "to increase the pressure" on Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, in an interview published Sunday by the Sunday Telegraph.

"The noose is tightening around Gaddafi, but we need to increase the pressure through military action more intense," J. General and it requires a broadening of targets "selected by NATO in Libya.

"The military campaign so far has been a significant success for NATO and our Arab allies.But we must do more, "the general said, adding:" if we do not set now, there is a risk that the conflict could lead to what Gaddafi is clinging to power. "

"At present, Nato does not attack the infrastructure in Libya.But if we want to increase the pressure on the Qaddafi regime then we must consider increasing the range of targets we can hit, "says the officer.

"We do not aim directly Gaddafi, but if it happened it is in a central command and control struck by NATO and he is killed, then it would be within the rules" commitment, the Judge said.

"We must tighten the vise to demonstrate that Gaddafi is to damn him and he must go," insists General Richards.

NATO took command of operations in late March of the international coalition intervened on March 19 in Libya to stop violence against civilians and establish a no-fly zone, under a resolution of the Security Council UN.

The Libyan capital and surrounding towns are covered by the almost daily raids.

LIGUE 1: Lille is a giant step towards the title, PSG wins

REUTERS - Lille took another step towards his first title of champion of France for over half a century from win (2-1) Tuesday night in Saint-Etienne in advanced match of the 35th day of Ligue 1 .

Two goals from Tulio De Melo and Rio Mavuba, after an initial advantage for the Greens, allow Losc bring their lead to seven points in Marseille, which hosts Brest Wednesday.

However, Paris Saint-Germain has seen his hopes of delighting in Lyon the third qualifying place for the preliminary round of the Champions League dwindle after conceding a draw (2-2) at Parc des Princes against Nancy.

The people of Nancy, struggling to avoid relegation, were conducted twice and reached the mark every time to revert to their opponents.

After this result, PSG has a point behind the third, Birmingham, which moves Wednesday with another ill-classified, Auxerre.

In Stade Geoffroy-Guichard not completely filled, the ASSE opened the scoring in the 5th minute by his center-forward Emmanuel Rivière, well placed to take a shot rejected by Lille goalkeeper Mickael Landreau.

Ten minutes later, the Losc reacted and center Frank Beria from the left, Tulio De Melo mistaken Jeremie Janot an outside right foot.

Master Lille

Stéphanois were about to take the lead shortly after on a penalty whistled for a foul on River, but turned away Landreau hits Bakary Sako.

In the second half, the championship leader showed his technical mastery and collective and finally took the lead through captain Rio Mavuba, author of a magnificent strike from thirty yards (66th) deflected by Sylvain Monsoreau.

At Park, Parisians were detached input through a head of his victorious Turkish striker Mevlut Erding, on receipt of a center for Ludovic Giuly (4th).

But the visitors back into the game on a penalty converted by Lee N'Guemo for a foul on Christophe Jallet Feret into the surface.

In this action, Jallet handed a red card and PSG found himself with ten men after 21 minutes of play

But the Parisians showed their mental strength this season and they regained the advantage in injury time through Zoumana Camara on a flawless delivery of Guillaume Hoarau.

In the second half, Youssouf Hadji, entered the match just minutes before, brought the heads of the two teams tied (69th).

Nancy and PSG also ended the game tied in terms of numbers when Lemaitre picking up a second yellow card mean expulsion (71).

EGYPT: Government promises firmness after violent clashes between religions in Cairo

AFP - The Egyptian government said Sunday that he would do an "iron fist" to defend the security of the country and take action against attacks on places of worship, a day after clashes between Muslims and Christians with 12 died in Cairo.

The authorities would "strike with an iron fist all those who seek to harm the security of the nation," said Justice Minister, Abdel Aziz al-Guindi, following a crisis meeting after Saturday night's violence, blaming the violence on a "cons-revolution".

The government will "implement an immediate and strong laws that criminalize attacks against places of worship and cons of freedom of belief," assured the minister, adding that anti-terror laws are used against troublemakers.

The army, custodian of the office, said she would bring the 190 people arrested in connection with the violence in military courts.

Two churches attacked in Cairo

Violent clashes between Muslims and Christians on Saturday night in the neighborhood of Imbaba.Twelve people were killed and 232 injured, according to a latest official death toll.

Major confrontations took place around a church, attacked by Muslims believed that a Christian wanting to convert to Islam was shut up.

A curfew was imposed at 11:00 am (0900 GMT) Sunday in the area until Monday 11:00 (0900 GMT), said on state television.

Another church was burned in the neighborhood, where many soldiers and riot police were deployed.

"Counter-revolution"

Mr.Guindi has blamed the violence on a "cons-revolution"-the government has repeatedly claimed to be orchestrated by loyal to the regime of President Hosni Mubarak ousted Feb. 11 by a popular revolt-spreading disorder in the country.

"The Egyptian people, the noble and great military police are standing together today to defeat the cons-revolution," he said.

Laws against attacks against national unity "provide for severe penalties and can lead to the death penalty," he added.

The army has urged "all communities in Egypt, the youth revolution and Muslim theologians and Christians to stand firm against attempts by obscurantist groups to torpedo the national unity."

Sectarian tensions rising

For months, Egypt is experiencing a rise in sectarian tensions fueled by controversy over women Copts wishing to convert to Islam, but would remain cloistered by the Church.

Several demonstrations calling Salafi (radical Islamists) have occurred in recent weeks to demand the "liberation" of Camilia Shehata and Wafa Constantine, two wives of priests they say kidnapped by the Church.

The two women each have left their husbands, seven years ago for Ms. Constantine, the last year for Ms. Shehata.Both were escorted home by police after the Copts have ensured that they had been abducted by Muslims.

The church has denied their possible conversion, but neither is publicly reappeared to give his version of events.

Seized by the Islamists, the prosecution requested April 30 to hear Camilia Shehata, but the Church refused to receive notice of a bailiff.

The Copts, or Egyptian Christians, represent 6-10% of the estimated 80 million Egyptians.They feel discriminated against and increasingly marginalized in a society overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim.

They have been targeted by several attacks, particularly that of the night New Year's Eve against a Coptic church in Alexandria that left 21 dead.

TERRORISM: Washington refuses to publish the photographs of the corpse of Osama Bin Laden

After three days of reflection, Barack Obama on Wednesday decided not to publish photos of the remains of Osama bin Laden, saying they constitute a "security risk" of the United States and could be used propaganda purposes.

Voices were raised in the U.S. Congress calling for the dissemination of such images in order to silence those who doubt the death of the leader of al-Qaida on Sunday in a commando raid against the American home where he was hiding Pakistan.

Hit by bullets, including a face, bin Laden died in the assault. His body was then taken and left at sea, according to the report of the authorities.Photos of the remains were taken to identify and members of Congress said Wednesday in seeing them.

Three U.S. senators are, however, their income statements Wednesday on the shots that circulated among them being obviously fake.

Among them, Saxby Chambliss, the leading Republican member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, who said that these photos "correspond to what is expected when someone is hit by a bullet to the head.It's not pretty. "

Asked if Saxby Chambliss, who is also a member of the Committee of Defence, had seen pictures authentic, his spokeswoman Bronwyn Lance Chester, however, told AFP: "It was very clear about this: he has not seen the official photos.

Two other members of the Committee on Defense, Republican Kelly Ayotte and Scott Brown, who also claimed to have seen pictures of the corpse of Bin Laden, were finally questioned their authenticity.

Mr.Obama has decided that the risks created by the dissemination of these images beyond the benefits to be expected, "he told CBS television.

"We discussed it internally, and remember that we are absolutely certain it was him. There have been sampling and DNA analysis. So there is no doubt that we have killed Osama bin Laden, "Obama said, according to a report of the interview broadcast by the channel.

"It is very important not to allow photographic evidence in nature as a tool of incitement (to violence) or propaganda. This is not our kind. We do not fly these things like trophies, "saidObama, according to the channel that will broadcast the full interview in the Sunday program "60 Minutes".

"The truth is that it was someone who deserved what he got. And I think Americans and people around the world are glad he is dead," Obama said.

But "given the violent nature of the photo, (publication) would create a risk to national security," he said according to CBS.

The nature of the horrible scene mentioned by Obama is illustrated by photographs obtained by Reuters from three unidentified men who died, none of them is like Bin Laden.

AFP was unable to verify the photos.Reuters said to have purchased a Pakistani security official who entered the home of bin Laden shortly after the American raid on Monday.

The dead lie in large pools of blood. One wearing a T-shirt that has blood flowing from her right ear. According to the time indication, this photo was taken at 2:30 am (local time), about 50 minutes after the announcement by U.S. officials to end the raid.

The other two corpses are wearing traditional Pakistani. One of them has blood flowing from his mouth and chin.A computer cable and probably a water gun to child are near his right shoulder.

The third man has blood flowing from his nose and a large blood stain in the middle of his white tunic.

Other photographs taken in the light of dawn showed the tail of a crashed helicopter and land covered with trash on the property of Ben Laden.

Reuters said that the photos had the same pixel size indicating that they had not been manipulated and the data files correspond to the digital time indications in the photos, from 2:30 to 6:43 local.

"There is no doubt that bin Laden is dead. There is certainly no doubt among members of Al Qaeda on his death.And so we do not believe that a photograph in itself make any difference whatsoever, "argued Obama.

"There will be people who will disagree. The truth is that Bin Laden never walk on this earth," stressed the president.

Earlier Wednesday, the head of the Intelligence Committee in the House of Representatives, Republican Mike Rogers claimed to have seen a photo and said he did not want it to be released, saying food security concerns for U.S. troops stationed abroad.

"Imagine how Americans would react if Al-Qaeda killed one of our soldiers and commanders of the army and put the pictures on the internet," he told Mr.Rogers.

The influential Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has meanwhile said Wednesday that Obama had made a "mistake".

"The purpose of sending our soldiers into the residence, rather than bombing, was to obtain clear proof of the death of bin Laden. I know that Bin Laden is dead. But the best way to protect and defend our interests abroad is to prove that fact to the rest of the world, "he said.

YEMEN: The opposition accuses President Saleh to refuse to sign the agreement to end the crisis

AFP - A mediator of the Gulf monarchies left Sanaa Saturday after the failure of his mission, the Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh denied having refused to sign a plan to end the crisis providing his resignation, according to the opposition.

Mr Saleh told the Secretary General of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Abdul Latif al-Zayani he refused to sign the plan to end the crisis "as President of the Republic", as stipulated in the document according to the spokesman of the opposition, Mohamed Qahtani.

Mr. Zayani conveyed this position to the Joint Forum (Parliamentary Opposition), which required that Mr.Saleh sign the agreement, an official of the coalition.

The agreement was expected to be signed on Sunday in Riyadh, attended by the heads of diplomacy of the GCC (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar).

It provides training through the opposition of a government of reconciliation and resignation of Mr. Saleh after a month. It also plans to grant immunity to Mr. Saleh and his staff to hold a presidential election within 60 days after the resignation of Mr. Saleh and draft a new constitution to be submitted to a referendum.

The plan was approved by the opposition and the ruling party, General People's Congress (GPC), but never explicitly by Mr.Saleh faces a growing challenge from the streets since January.

The Head of State had concerted the afternoon, before receiving the mediator of the GCC, with more than 400 personalities from government, parliament and the GPC "to discuss the initiative of the GCC," said Tarek al-Shami, spokesman of the party.

In a statement, the ruling party said the head of state was "not concerned with the signing of the agreement to be signed by the GPC and the Joint Forum," while the text of the plan provides that the document is signed by the president and the opposition.

The ruling party said the vice-chairman of GIC, Abdel Karim al-Iryani, political adviser to Mr.Saleh, would lead the government delegation in Riyadh.

But the opposition refused to go to Riyadh as the president would not sign the text. "We are ready to go to Riyadh, but on condition that Saleh sign," he told AFP an official of the Common Front.

"Mr.Saleh is ready to sign the document in his capacity as chairman of GIC but not as president of the republic, "replied the deputy secretary general of the GPC, Sultan Al-Barakani.

The opposition had in recent days accused the regime of seeking to torpedo the agreement and has blamed a "savage massacre" after the death of 13 demonstrators in Sanaa.

Demonstrations demanding the resignation of President Saleh, in power for 32 years, since late last January and made more than 145 dead.

On Saturday, two soldiers and four civilians were killed in Aden, the main city in southern Yemen, in exchanges of fire between soldiers and gunmen, according to the Defense Ministry and hospital officials.

At the call of the protesters, the city of Aden, one of the hotbeds of protest, was paralyzed by a general strike.