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.

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.

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.

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.

ALGERIA: The power dispersed another demonstration of the opposition

"Power murderer!", "Bouteflika emerges youth committed!", "Ouyahia thief!", "Down with dictatorship and injustice!", "Bouteflika Ouyahia, terrorist government!". Along the Boulevard Belouizdad, near the popular district of Belcourt and street Hassiba Benbouali, slogans against the Algerian regime has resonated throughout the morning of Saturday, despite the anti-riot trucks that had been made very early to avoid Walking takes the direction of Martyrs' Square.

To elude the vigilance of the police, the demonstrators - 1 000-2 000, according to organizers - gathered in small groups, transforming the square into 1-May arena of contestation. "This is not about people.This is the story of a rotten regime must fall. It is imperative that youth take up the torch! "Said Farouk Atamna, member of the Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD) of Jijel, a coastal city east of the country, present in the crowd. Before further, questioning the hundreds of billions of dollars held by the generals who have gone up in smoke without the Algerians do not see color, "I tell people this scheme: 'Please, release! 'and I call all those who love their country to join us to bring about change. "

"The Algerian people is not a cow who thinks only of eating!"

Struck by the riot police, another member of the RCD, Tahar Besbes, lost consciousness for several hours. He had to be urgently admitted to hospital Mustapha Bacha. Mohsen Belabas, spokesman of the party, the days of Mr. Besbes, who had regained consciousness, are not in danger, even if it suffers injuries in the knee and back.

Foreign language teacher at the University of Algiers, Ismail Sebai wishes him a peaceful change in his country. "Everybody is corrupted in Algeria since the ordinary citizen to the president. The people want change. Even those officers that you see and affecting 40,000 dinars per month (about 350 euros) in dream."And specify that the Algerians are under an arbitrary power since 1962, the country's independence. Kamel, another protester from the town of Tizi-Ouzou, said the crisis in Algeria has no connection with the soaring prices of food staples, foremost among which sugar and milk. "The Algerian people is not a cow who thinks only of eating. It seeks to regain its freedom and dignity", and launches it.

For its part, the honorary president of the Algerian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LADDH), Mr. Ali Yahia Abdenour, 90, braved the forbidden to come to support the protesters.Surrounded by police and journalists, he promised that the fight would continue until the regime fell. "It is a march for the people. We will not allow anyone to recover it. Neither political parties and even less power," he said before moving on: "I can not talk too much, I'm sick and tired ". At his side, Mr Mustapha Bouchachi, president of the LADDH, also manhandled by the police, assured that this campaign would not stop there. "We will continue to organize walks every Saturday, to the satisfaction of our claims."

FRENCH POLICY: After MAM, Francois Fillon, in turn, attacked on his holidays

After the controversy caused by the escapades of the Tunisian Foreign Minister, Michele Alliot-Marie ("MAM") in December, it was the turn of Prime Minister Francois Fillon, to cross a zone of turbulence. This Wednesday, "Le Canard chained" reveals that family vacations as head of government has spent in Egypt at Christmas time were partly paid by the Egyptian authorities ...Anticipating the release of the weekly satirical French, Matignon Tuesday detailed the conditions that trip along the Nile, which ran from December 26 to January 2.

In the statement issued by the Prime Minister, it is stipulated that Francois Fillon, his wife and children, were sheltered by the regime and used a plane "of the government fleet" graciously provided by Cairo for a tour the whole family Fillon at Abu Simbel. "He also made a boat trip on the Nile under the same conditions", further clarify the text.

"Mixing genres"

"The hierarchy is respected, the Prime Minister has hit even harder than the Minister of State," quipped on his side "Le Canard chained" which states that the device used by the leader of the French government during his stay in Egypt belonged President Hosni Mubarak himself. "How can we demand the departure of a chief of state and have a critical eye on his diet when you become indebted to him?" Went on air on FRANCE 24 Brigitte Rossigneux, the journalist who signed the article in the satirical newspaper.She says "do not mix genres, because it was not a State visit, but rather a private residence with his wife and children."

For his part, Martine Aubry, the boss of the Socialist Party (PS) expressed "dismay" by this new case, saying the government had "lost the sense of public spirit." The Minister of Labour, Employment and Health, Xavier Bertrand, François Fillon responded that "[could] not behave like tourists."His stay in Egypt was responding to "safety," he said, accusing the opposition to the passage to draw "a smokescreen".

This revelation comes as the Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie is accused of having used it twice in late 2010, the private jet of a businessman close to the famous clan Tunisian Ben Ali on the occasion of his holiday in Tunisia.Overwhelmed by opposition calls for his resignation last week, criticized by the media, the patron saint of French diplomacy fought back as best they could attack which is the subject and has received support from Matignon.

Specifically French Republic and impeccable

If the holiday in Tunisia and MMA Francois Fillon in Egypt have certainly taken place in different contexts - those of the Minister of Foreign Affairs took place in Tunisia full revolution while those of the Prime Minister were held before the uprising in courses in Cairo - these two cases converge on one point: to reveal a common practice at the top of the French state which is being offered for travel and private stays abroad by authoritarian regimes ...

The daily Le Parisien "and recalls in its Wednesday edition" African hunting parties "of former President Valery Giscard d'Estaing in the Central, then headed by the capricious and violent Emperor Bokassa," the holidays Mitterrand in Aswan, "or" Cuban cruises Jack Lang, "the former Culture Minister, on the yacht Fidel Castro. According to Brigitte Rossigneux, "a story like that would have triggered the immediate resignation of the minister implicated in countries such as Canada or the United States."

Yet if these two cases are as loud today because they add to the recent controversy arising from the case-Woerth Bettencourt and the resignations of Secretary of State for Greater Paris, Christian Blanc and Secretary of State for Cooperation and Francophony, Alain Joyandet, last July. The first was forced to leave his post after it was learned that he had paid his personal cigars by his department to the tune of 12,000 euros. The second had rented, meanwhile, a private jet for a total of 116,500 euros for a ministerial trip to the West Indies.A series of law that undermines the "Republic impeccable" advocated by President Nicolas Sarkozy during his presidential campaign in 2007. The latter has also asked Wednesday his team at the Council of Ministers, now "focus on France" for their holidays and approval by the Prime Minister their invitations abroad.