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.

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.

FRANCE: François Fillon will not participate in the debate on secularism

REUTERS - Prime Minister Francois Fillon will not participate on April 5 at the convention organized by the UMP on secularism, Matignon said Wednesday, adding that the decision had been taken long-standing agreement with Nicolas Sarkozy.

"He was fulfilling a long with the president that he would not go," they say at Matignon, confirming information given by the website of Le Figaro.

"This is not the place to express the government's position," says one in the entourage of Prime Minister.

The secretary general of the UMP Jean-Francois Cope had nevertheless invited the Prime Minister in this debate, says the website of Le Figaro.

François Fillon and Jean-Francois Cope had formally signed the peace on Tuesday, after the tensions caused by criticism of the secretary general of the UMP to the Prime Minister.

The "boss" of the majority party had accused the prime minister not to "play group" in distancing himself from the debate on secularism.

In an interview with Le Figaro, to be published Thursday, Jean-Francois Cope defends again organizing this debate controversial and arouses opposition from representatives of six major religions.

"When we have this debate on April 5, we finish with the hysteria of the debate on the debate leading finally to the real answers," he said.

"This debate will not give rise to confusion." My letter to a Muslim friend, published yesterday in L'Express, is the most honest answer to the fear of a possible drift, "he adds.

FORMULA 1: Sebastian Vettel started 2011 by winning the Australian Grand Prix

The German Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) won Sunday in Melbourne Australia Grand Prix Formula 1, first event of the season, ahead of Briton Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) and Russian Vitaly Petrov (Lotus Renault).

The reigning world champion, after dropping three in as many races on the circuit at Albert Park, has finally vanquished the curse of Australia and won the race handily. With a few laps left to his heir Hamilton, Vettel has occupied all the time the race leader.

He won with 22 seconds ahead of Columbia, giving the impression of having always dominated his subject.

Hamilton, earning 2nd, McLaren can thank for the outstanding work done in a few weeks.The MP4-26 (model 2011), completely out of touch during all the winter tests, achieved a dramatic increase in the favor of the change in its rear part.

Third, Vitaly Petrov continues its metamorphosis. The Russian, used weekends drafts last year, his first season in the discipline, has transcended Australia.

Obnoxious Perez

After a good qualifying Saturday, punctuated with a 6th place, Petrov has made a great start Sunday, allowing him to finish third, the first podium of his career in F1. A result which also marks the progression of Lotus Renault.

Fernando Alonso was fourth in a Ferrari not at the podium.Australian Mark Webber in the second Red Bull continues to run bad at his home GP, he finished in 5th place, just ahead of Jenson Button (McLaren, 6th), a great leader of the race.

Mexico's Sergio Perez (Sauber) completed a fantastic first race, he finished seventh, ahead of teammate Kamui Kobayashi of Japan. Brazilian Felipe Massa (Ferrari) is ninth, while Switzerland's Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso), 10, has assembled the last point at stake

Mercedes has had a calamitous start to the season, with the abandonment of Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher before the halfway point. Nick Heidfeld, Robert Kubica's replacement, injured in rally in February, has experienced first weekend very difficult, punctuated with a sad 14th place.

Liveblogging: Launch of international offensive in Libya

What you should remember:

The French army has carried out its first shot against the forces of Muammar Gaddafi at 17:45 (GMT +1, Paris time).
Earlier in the afternoon, French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced that fighter jets had entered French airspace to prevent the Libyan Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces to attack the city of Benghazi, a stronghold of the opposition.


The statement by the French head of state concluded an international summit on the situation in Libya, which gathered in Paris this Saturday the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, British Prime Minister David Cameron and many Arab and European politicians.
A military plane was shot Saturday morning while flying over the city of Benghazi. The aircraft belongs to the opponents of Muammar Gaddafi.
According to the insurgents in Benghazi, forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi bombed roads leading into town. The regime denies the accusations and says its planes remained on the ground, according to the cease-fire it announced Friday.

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Obama lifted the suspension of military trials at Guantanamo Exception

The U.S. president Barack Obama will lift the suspension of new military trials at Guantanamo exception and decided to rules governing the indefinite detention of prisoners in U.S. military base on the island of Cuba, said Monday the White House .

"The Defense Secretary will issue a decree annulling its previous suspension of the submission of new charges in military courts," said the American presidency in a statement.

The suspension of new military trials at Guantanamo had been one of the earliest actions of President Obama, the very day he took office January 20, 2009.

In the case of Guantanamo detainees who have been neither charged nor convicted and are not likely to be transferred to a third country, Obama gave the order to conduct "regular reviews crossings," and detailed process.

The White House, however, assured that "the administration remains committed to closing the prison at Guantanamo and maintain a system of legal custody, and based on sustainable principles."

She also renewed the commitment of the administration to try to try selected detainees in federal courts.

On January 22, 2009, Obama had signed a decree ordering the closure in the year of the prison of his predecessor, George W. Bush.But this promise was not fulfilled, largely because of congressional initiatives.

After putting a spoke in the wheels of Obama by prohibiting the coming of Guantanamo detainees on American soil for anything other than trial, the Congress decided in December to ban the Pentagon in 2011 to use its funds to close Guantanamo and in particular for any "transfer, release or assistance" to inmates in the United States.

TUNISIA: Beji Caid Mohammed Ghannouchi Essebsi replaced as Prime Minister

AFP - Beji Caid Essebsi, Sunday appointed Prime Minister of Tunisia, replacing Mohamed Ghannouchi, challenged for being the last leader of the ousted government of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, is reputed to be a liberal.

Born November 26, 1926 a family Tunis, Mr. Kingpin Essebsi, a lawyer by training, has been a companion of Habib Bourguiba, the first president of independent Tunisia, holding several ministerial posts including those of the Interior, Defense and Foreign Affairs.

Following the independence of Tunisia in 1956, he joined the government as an advisor to Habib Bourguiba, before being appointed Director General of State Security, and in 1965 Minister of Interior.It is then defense minister from November 1969 until June 1970.

Longtime Socialist Party Destour, Bourguiba's party, from which he retired in 1971 calling for political reforms in the country, Mr. Essebsi joined in 1978 the Movement of Socialist Democrats (MDS), a group of Liberal opposition.

In December 1971, he rejoined the government as Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister Mohamed Mzali, who then attempted a political opening.

Appointed April 15, 1981 Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kingpin Essebsi spent nearly six years as head of the Tunisian diplomacy.The highlight of this passage is his role to snatch the Security Council of UN resolution condemning the Israeli air bombardment of the headquarters of the PLO in Hamma Chott, in the southern suburbs of Tunis.

In 1989 he was elected, then president of the Chamber of Deputies until 1991.

At the expiration of his term as MP in 1994, he resumed his law career until his new appointment to head the transitional government, which must prepare Tunisia to an era of democracy after the fall of President Ben Ali .

Mr.Essebsi Kingpin "is known for his patriotism, his loyalty and selfless service of our country," said Tunisian President Fouad Mebazaa Acting, announcing his appointment in his new role.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Defence, flagship asset against Manchester Marseille

"A draw, 0-0 at home, would not be a bad result. That would mean we did 50% of the work," said Tuesday Olympian coach Didier Deschamps, lucid to the challenge that awaits his men in the fourth round to move the Champions League.

Indeed, Olympique de Marseille hosts a monument of European football, Manchester United. Suffice to say that victory will be difficult against the best offense in the English league. However, the Marseille defense, second in Ligue 1 with 20 goals conceded, has for several weeks with a serene face, like that of its custodian Steve Mandanda.

Gabriel Heinze, the veteran

The bad pass last year appears behind him. Finally steady and decisive, Gabriel Heinze reassured his supporters."It is big progress, without complex, well into his shoes and his head. He was released from a weight, may be compared to [Hugo] Lloris," keeper of the Blues, observes the sports director Jose Anigo. At the rear, too, the situation has settled.

Although he said he regretted having left Manchester (2004-2007), Gabriel Heinze should never do more than talk about his experience. At 32, the largest salary of the workforce is one of only three players on the team (with Edouard Cisse and Lucho Gonzalez) to have ever played at this stage of the competition.

A flawed attack

Apart from the expertise of Heinze, Didier Deschamps will also rely on the pair Stephane Mbia - Souleymane Diawara."We must be honest: there is a team when they are there, another when they are absent. When the black guard is not there, it feels like," said Anigo about the two defenders. Between injuries, suspensions and poor form, they have not always been aligned together. But no one doubts that if Mbia, formed Saturday derneir due ishcio-leg pain, was fit, it would take place in line alongside his colleague Diawara. With them since last season, OM Cash 0.65 goal per game. Without them, it amounts to 1.18, according to France Football.

Although Marseille are able to resist against the English armada led by Nani, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov, a victory will be essential to address the phases return with confidence.However, the weak point of the OM lies precisely in attack.

With 37 goals scored, the OM is only the fifth best attacks in Ligue 1. In addition, the package of Andre-Pierre Gignac, who had just returned to his best, not doing much of DD. Loïc Remy should take a position at the forefront with the Brazilian Brandao left and Mathieu Valbuena, back from injury to the right. Will this be enough to deceive the vigilance of the defenders Devils, though deprived of their Taulier Rio Ferdinand? Not so sure.

TUNISIA: At least two people dead during a demonstration against the police in Kef

The Tunisian government is betting on Saturday on an improved security situation, lowering again the curfew, but remains vigilant about security and social situation remains uncertain, three weeks after the fall of Ben Ali.

Two people were killed Saturday in clashes between protesters and police in the town of El Kef (North-west), told AFP a source at the Interior Ministry.

According to union sources attached to Kef, 200 to 300 people had gathered to demand the departure of the head of the local police.

The demonstration degenerated into clashes when it slapped a protester, to the anger of the mob who burnt the police station.The police responded by firing two demonstrators and 19 and 49 have been killed, according to these same sources.

The previous day, several hundred people protested outside a police station in Sidi Bouzid (center) after the death of two people who were detained there. Three police cars were torched, according to a witness contacted by AFP.

Two security officers suspected of involvement were arrested Saturday, said the official news agency TAP.

For the Minister of Interior, Farhat Rajhi, it is a crime that could be the work of supporters of the former regime.

The authorities announced Friday a reduction of two hours of the curfew will apply from this Saturday from 0:00 to 4:00 local, "because of improved security in the country."

Britain had also lifted its warning Friday about travel in Tunisia.

Vital for the country, tourism is expected to regain its level in the spring before the troubles that have driven thousands of foreigners, on Friday assured Tourism Minister Mahdi Houas.

CEO Fram second French tour operator, said Saturday in Tunis that his group was "fully prepared to support the revival of tourism."

Tunisia "has been and continues to be one of the top destinations Fram Voyages with over 100,000 French tourists a year," said Antoine Cachin, following a meeting with Tourism Minister Mehdi Houas.

The curfew was eased for the first time January 26 (2200-04HOO) since its inception on the 12th of that month, two days before the flight of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

The transitional government did not fall so far custody. The memory of the "assault" given Monday by hundreds of people against the Ministry of Interior is still fresh.

The minister had to flee the building and spoke the day after a "conspiracy against the state."

The Government is also facing a persistent social unrest in the phosphate mines of Gafsa (center-west) crippled by job seekers who block sites.

For two weeks, two public companies CPG (Gafsa Phosphates Company) and Groupe Chimique Tunisien (GCT) lose about 3 million dinars (1.5 million) each day, according to TAP.

While twelve members of the European parliament Saturday continued their mission of support and information in Tunis, the French Socialist Party has provided "support to all democratic forces engaged in the construction of a new Tunisia", after a mission in the country.

Not a day goes by now without the team in charge of the transition does not receive outside support.

Denmark and he announced a strengthening of support for democratic reform in Tunisia but also in Egypt, with a budget of 1.34 million euros to include "free media and civil society."

TUNISIA: The head of the Jewish community denies the rumors of a synagogue fire

The president of the Jewish community in Tunisia, Roger Bismuth, said on Wednesday told AFP that no anti-Semitic acts were reported in Tunisia since the beginning of the popular revolution, warning against rumors that reported Tuesday the burning of a synagogue.

"At no time, Jews have been targeted by attacks or even words moved during the revolution.Tunisia is a revolution, for all Tunisians, "said Roger Bismuth.

The head of the Jewish community in Tunisia, which has about 1600 people, has opposed a "formal denial" to "a rumor that has reported a synagogue on fire" Monday night at El Hamma, near the coastal city of Gabes (south).

"There is no synagogue in El Hamma. There is a mausoleum, with the tomb of a rabbi, a place of pilgrimage. On Monday night, several buildings in the region have been targets of looting and gate keeper's mausoleum was vandalized and removed a few chairs, "he said.

"It was not the Jewish community itself.A local UGTT (the main union Tunisia) was also ransacked and other buildings, "he said.

"We must pay close attention to rumors. People try to pretend that there is a willingness to attack synagogues. Wrong.We're not worried, we did not ask for reinforcements of security to the government because we believe that there is no reason to do so, "he said.

Tuesday, several officials of the local Jewish community had told the AFP and other international agencies had been burned a synagogue in El Hamma, after allegations relayed to Paris by a vigilance against anti-Semitism.

Several representatives of the Tunisian League of Human Rights denied to AFP the allegations, making them also cautions against the many rumors circulating in the country while security is not yet fully restored.

RUSSIA: The bomber Airport Moscow from the Caucasus north

AFP - Russian investigators announced Saturday that the suicide bomber at the Moscow airport was from the volatile Russian Caucasus and that he sought "primarily" to kill strangers, a finding of bad omen Safety Olympics 2014 in Sochi.

The bomber was identified by the Investigation Committee of Russia as a "man of 20 years, from one of the republics of North Caucasus", Southern Region of the country plagued for years to a bloody Islamic rebellion army.

Investigators do not yet want to disclose his name to "identify and arrest the organizers and accomplices" of the attack.However, they stressed that the attack, which killed 35 people Monday, including eight from other countries that Russia was "primarily" foreign citizens.

"It is no coincidence that the terrorist act took place in the arrivals hall for international flights (from Moscow-Domodedovo airport).Investigators said the terrorist attack aimed to kill before all foreign nationals, "said the spokesman.

According to the list of victims published by the Government, 27 Russians were killed and two citizens of Tajikistan, an Uzbek citizen, two Austrians, a German, a Ukrainian and a Briton.

Tracking the Caucasus

This is the first time that an attack in Moscow is admittedly authorities before any foreigners, while many observers question the ability of Russia to guarantee the security of the Olympic Games of Winter 2014 in Sochi, a city along the Black Sea located a few hundred kilometers from unstable areas of the Caucasus.

Investigators had not given any official information on the progress of their investigations since Monday, but many police sources had told the Russian media that the track was largely Caucasian privileged.

All suicide bombings in recent years Moscow has been claimed by the Islamist rebels Caucasians, like the double attack in the Moscow subway in March 2010 which had killed 40 people.

The attack Monday in the main airport in Russia has still not been claimed, but the fact that the bomber is from the Caucasus suggests that rebels in the region are the organizers.

After the first Chechen war (1994-1996) between Russian forces and separatist rebellion has gradually Islamized and has increasingly spilled over the borders Chechnya to become the mid-2000s in an armed Islamist movement active in all the North Caucasus.

Outside Chechnya, the republics of Ingushetia, Dagestan and Kabardino-Balkaria are regularly the scene of bombings and armed attacks, which generally target security forces.

The Russian Committee of Inquiry has also confirmed Saturday the information revealed by the press that the Islamists had attempted to commit a suicide attack Dec. 31 in Moscow.

The bomb exploded accidentally, however, according to press reports, in a room of a sports complex in the district of Kuzminki. Four suspects were arrested, according to the Committee.

Investigators ensure that the attack Domodedovo and attempting to attack Dec. 31 are "not linked", but both were committed by "armed groups operating in different Caucasian republics."

The Investigation Committee does not mention by cons in its press Razdoboudko Vitali, 32, a Russian convert to Islam than the Russian press had for several days as the number one suspect for the attack at the airport.

Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen is to lead his party

Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen said Sunday that he intended to remain as head of his party despite calls for his resignation, including within his own training, but he will ask Tuesday for Fianna Fail to renew his confidence.

"I have come to the conclusion that I should continue to lead" Fianna Fail, said in a press statement Brian Cowen, who has consulted for 48 hours within his center-right party.

While the Irish media were lost in conjectures Sunday on his imminent departure, he argued he was not "in the national interest" that he resigns.

But he said he would ask his party to renew its confidence in a secret ballot held on Tuesday, during the meeting of the parliamentary group of Fianna Fail.

"By taking this initiative, I think to better serve the interests of the party," he continued, saying "confident about the outcome" of that vote.

Brian Cowen, the lowest in the polls, is under fire from critics since he accepted that his country be call for international assistance to prevent the sinking of Irish banks.

He is also accused of "collusion" with the former boss of Anglo Irish Bank Sean FitzPatrick.The latter has indeed revealed in a book, excerpts of which were published recently, have played golf and dined with Brian Cowen, then Minister of Finance, just before the development of the rescue plan of this institution.

"I'm not guilty of economic treason," replied Brian Cowen to opposition MPs who were harassing this week in Parliament.

Brian Cowen directs since 2008 the coalition government formed by Fianna Fail and the Greens.

His popularity has plummeted since the announcement of the plan of international aid (85 billion euros), missed by the Irish who had the sense to abandon a portion of their sovereignty.

The Prime Minister has thus received only 10% approval rating in the latest survey available, and his party only 14% of the vote in the upcoming general elections.

The government has promised to organize after the adoption, scheduled under a month, the next budget. This budget is the most severe the country's history, according to the requirements of the EU and the IMF in exchange for the rescue of the island, including the financial sector has suffered the brunt of the crisis. It remains to stop the exact date of the election.