LIBYA: Participation shy of Arab countries to the London conference

Arab countries appeared back on Tuesday at the London conference to prepare for the Libya post-Qaddafi, the French and British wanted to cause the broadest and consensual way.

The announcement in the final communique that Qatar, the only Arab country with the UAE to participate in operations in Libya, will host the next meeting of the "contact group" came opportunely temper that impression late in the day.

Primarily concerned with the future of this country, most Arab states, such as Algeria and Egypt, which has now been overturned Hosni Mubarak, were not represented at the founding meeting of the "contact group" on Libya, which was attended by some forty countries and organizations.

The Arab League chief Amr Moussa, had declined the invitation, being represented by a single ambassador, a low profile by an Egyptian diplomat said the support of military operations by NATO and the unknowns hanging over Following the events in Libya.

The support of the Arab League to the West had yet been the trigger for the adoption of resolution 1973 the Security Council of the United Nations authorizing the adoption of "all necessary measures" to protect civilian populations.

While the Western powers - the United States, France and Germany - were represented by their Foreign Minister, Arab states were found by an ambassador, with the notable exception of the UAE and Qatar, which has a gesture of good will by agreeing to be noticed the host of the next meeting.

"The end of the Gaddafi regime is near," assured the opening of the meeting, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem.

Only seven Arab countries, on the 24-member Arab League were represented.

The African Union was, she was absent, while the chairman of the AU Commission, Jean Ping, was given again this Monday.

Other notable absentees, the Libyan people.The National Transitional Council (CNT), opposed the plan by Colonel Qaddafi, could not attend the meeting, despite the pressures of France.

Ahmad Jibril, who represents the CNT abroad, but multiplied sidelines meetings with chiefs of American diplomacy, Hillary Clinton, French, Alain Juppe, German, Guido Westerwelle, British and William Hague.

Contacts described as "very friendly" by the Council, which was then called, during a press conference, the countries involved in the response to Libya to supply arms to the rebels, in addition to political support.

The Council also submitted a statement in his "vision" of the post-Qaddafi and listed its "obligations: draft a new constitution, formation of political parties, citizens' right to vote in parliamentary and presidential elections and denunciation of terrorism ".

The terms are vague, when fighting continues and where Colonel Qaddafi does not appear eager to take the path of exile, as many call them leaders.

"I hope we do not make the same mistake as Iraq, where the post-Saddam Hussein was actively prepared including London, with the Iraqi opposition, to achieve the result we know" said one Arab diplomat, who requested anonymity.

 

COTE D'IVOIRE: UN to investigate the violence committed in the country

Reuters - The Commission on Human Rights to the UN on Friday gave its approval for the shipment to Côte d'Ivoire for an independent commission to investigate the violence.

The intergovernmental body composed of 47 States and based in Geneva, approved the resolution submitted by Nigeria on behalf of African countries.

The assessment of post-election violence prepared by the High Commissioner for Human Rights UN reports of 462 deaths.Nearly a million people have fled further Abidjan, as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

According to a spokesman of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, an investigation is underway regarding allegations of the death of 200 Africans from Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Guinea and Togo, around the town of Guiglo, located in western Côte d'Ivoire.

Alassane Ouattara was declared winner of the second round of the presidential election four months ago by an independent commission Ivorian whose results were certified by the UN. Laurent Gbagbo, named winner of the election by the Constitutional Council, refuses to cede power.

JAPAN: In Tokyo, markets jump amid hopes in Fukushima

AFP - The Nikkei index of Tokyo Stock Exchange surged Tuesday close of 4.36%, investors buy shares at bargain prices after the plunge last week, amid hopes for nuclear power plant in Fukushima.

The Nikkei 225 index of blue chips gained 401.57 points to 9608.32 points.

The Topix index of all securities in the first table, which relates to a larger number of sectors, has greatly increased its share of 4.54%, taking 37.74 points to 868.13 points.

The activity was still very intense, with 3.66 billion shares traded, nearly double an average day.

The situation remained uncertain but appeared to have stopped deteriorating in the central Fukushima Daiichi (No. 1), hit by a series of accidents and radioactive leaks from the earthquake and tsunami of 11 March.

Number of operators rushed accordingly securities offered at bargain prices from diving 10.22% recorded last week by the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Tokyo instead dropped last week because of concern among investors for the Japanese economy, affected by the consequences of the earthquake and tsunami, and the uncertainty surrounding the plant in Fukushima.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange remained closed since Friday night, Monday was a holiday in Japan.

ALPINE SKIING: Season ends with a bang for Adrien Theaux, who won the downhill in Lenzerheide

AFP - After experiencing his first podium this winter, Adrien Theaux has tasted its first victory Wednesday in the final downhill of the season in Lenzerheide, where the Swiss Didier Cuche was removed for the fourth time the World Cup of race queen.

At 26, the Pyrenean lived the emotions of a first podium, first super-G with a second place finish in Beaver Creek in early December, then downhill, with a third place in Kitzbuehel in January. On Wednesday, he felt the thrill of its premiere.

"I could not imagine a finer end of the season," said the skier dismissed in Val Thorens. "These are things we dream since childhood.This is not the world championships, it's a shame, but but it is a very good win. "

Its gently sloping winter allows the speed to find the French mountains. Since the heyday of its Olympic champion Antoine Deneriaz, skiing blue had recorded only one World Cup downhill, that won by Pierre-Emmanuel Dalcin in January 2007 in Val d'Isere.

Adrien Theaux had to have a bit of luck in his daily horoscope.

First with the timer, because it is one hundredth that has relegated to second place in the Austrian Joachim Puchner, while Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal, vice-Olympic downhill champion, took third place at 16/100e.Then with the sky, which was veiled in passing of the old lions like Didier Cuche and Michael Walchhofer, who disputed the crystal globe.

Especially with the track, steep, curvy and cannot, perfect to express his talents as a technician. "I told him that the track was cut out for him", said Patrice Morisod, the Swiss who has taken over the group velocity two years ago."Now he will kindly understand it can be very good at skiing," said this farmer champions, who led for years Didier Cuche.

The most moving

The Swiss 36-year veteran finished off the podium, but fourth place enabled him to blow the little globe Walchhofer, its Austrian rival, only 11th, and write his name in crystal among the largest ever Downers .

One in the history of downhill skiing is more globes that he, the great Franz Klammer, who won five times in World Cup downhill."It's the world that gives me the greatest emotions, even if the first was special," said Didier Cuche.

His female counterpart, the American Lindsey Vonn had her fourth downhill crystal globe in hand before arriving in Switzerland. As Cuche, the vice-champion of the world remained at the foot of the podium in Lenzerheide, seeing her compatriot Julia Mancuso win again four years after his last success.

But the triple defending the World Cup could be smiling as it took control in the overall standings with that almost got them all winter, Maria Riesch, disappointed not to score any points again Wednesday.

The German, who accuses now 27 points behind, has a super-G, slalom and a giant to reverse the trend."Since the beginning of the season, I was talking about the general at every race. Psychologically, it is experiencing," said the Bavarian, whose two bronze medals at the World Championships could well be his only trophy of the winter.

CARS: A security officer of Renault indicted for fraud

AFP - The alleged spy case that shook Renault last two months has led Sunday to the indictment for "organized fraud" a security official from the automaker and its detention.

Heard last 48 hours by the police of the Central Intelligence Inside (DCRI), Dominique Gevrey, a security officer at the origin of espionage charges that led to the dismissal of three executives in early January, was indicted Sunday evening by a judge.

Mr.Gevrey, who was arrested Friday as he prepared to fly to Guinea, in the wake was remanded in custody in accordance with the requisition of the prosecution.

Two other security officials of the automaker, also arrested on Friday and Saturday, for their part have been released without charge brought against them at this point.

"As part of Renault's complaint on suspicion of espionage, investigators have collected a number of elements that suggest that we are dealing with acts of fraud", it was commented judicial source, without provide details.

"We must refrain from making any comments not to disturb the course of justice," he told AFP Jean Reinhart, the lawyer for Renault. "We will provide a comprehensive and complete after the floor, probably Monday afternoon," he added.

M. Gevrey, former member of the Directorate for Protection and Security of Defense (DPSD) would have been in contact with a "source", paid up to several hundred thousand euros, the source of Charges against the three executives. He always refused to reveal the name.

To bring his accusations, the group relied on the numbers of three bank accounts which have been provided.One would have been particularly open in March 2009 in Switzerland fed with money from an audit firm in Cyprus, and another in Liechtenstein in February 2010 that would feed a third account.

But a source close to the deal was revealed last week told AFP that investigators had found the DCRI "no trace" of bank accounts on behalf of the officers nor "any evidence of espionage."

About 250,000 euros were paid to the anonymous informant Renault, according to the manufacturer's lawyer. The amount was channeled through a private investigator who was acting as an intermediary between the security department of Renault and the informant believed to have given substance to the suspicions of espionage.The DCRI did not rule on Friday to hear also "soon" means.

After shouting to espionage, the management of Renault now evokes the idea of ​​a "manipulation" in this case that led to the dismissal of three of its executives specializing in electric cars. The manufacturer's number 2, Patrick Pelata, recently warned that after the end of the investigation "all the consequences" would be taken at the highest level of the company.

PAKISTAN: At least 37 dead in suicide bombing at a funeral

At least 37 people were killed Wednesday by a suicide bomber who detonated his bomb at a funeral in Peshawar in northwestern Pakistan, a country gripped by a deadly wave of bombings Taliban allied with al-Qaeda, police said.

The man slipped in the middle of some 200 people who were preparing to pray at the funeral of the wife of a man fighting in an anti-Taliban militia, in the hamlet of Adeza, a suburb of Peshawar The metropolis of north-west, located at the gates of the tribal areas Islamist insurgent stronghold.

"The bomber came on foot, his target was the anti-Taliban militia members" who attended the outdoor funeral, told AFP by telephone Ijaz Mohammad Khan, a police officer in Peshawar.

"We took 37 dead and 45 wounded in hospital," said on-site AFP Kalam Khan, a police officer in Peshawar.

Adeza, a hamlet known for its anti-Taliban militia, was the target of fundamentalist attacks on several occasions in recent months.

Shortly after the powerful explosion, the floor of the place of prayer was stained with blood and shreds of flesh were lying among many caps that men cover their heads for prayer.

This new attack comes a day after a devastating attack at a service station near the offices of the powerful intelligence services in Faisalabad in central Pakistan, which killed 25 people and injured over 150.

A bomb hidden in a car set off a series of devastating explosions in the gas station was completely destroyed.Several surrounding buildings collapsed, but not the intelligence services building, apparently the target of the attack, police said.

Pakistan is experiencing an unprecedented wave of attacks (about 450 since summer 2007), mostly perpetrated by suicide bombers Taliban allied with al-Qaeda, which killed more than 4,100 dead in three and a half years.

The main insurgent group, the Movement of Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has declared in the summer of 2007 and in unison with Osama bin Laden himself, jihad Pakistani government for supporting Washington in its "war against terrorism" since late 2001.

The attacks are mostly security forces - army, police, intelligence services - but also increasingly civilians.

Friday in full great prayer, eleven people were killed in an attack against a mosque in Nowshera, near Peshawar, near the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

On several occasions recently, TTP claimed responsibility for attacks against security forces in retaliation, he said, the Pakistani army offensives and firing missiles almost daily by U.S. drones on executives' Al-Qaeda and Taliban Pakistani and Afghan tribal areas.

Tuesday, at least five insurgents were killed by two missiles from a U.S. drone in South Waziristan, the main stronghold of the TTP, as security forces.

COTE D'IVOIRE: Ping brings a "message" to the AU in Abidjan and requires "stop killing"

The president of the African Union Commission, Jean Ping, presented Saturday in Abidjan Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo and leaving his rival Alassane Ouattara, a "message" of the panel of mediators, which demanded "an immediate halt to killings ".

According to Mr. Ouattara, President recognized by the international community, it is an "invitation", he accepted at a meeting of the Council for Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the AU, scheduled for 10 March in Addis Ababa.

The visit of Mr.Ping comes as the outbreak of violence two weeks ago raised fears that the crisis arose from the November 28 poll will lead to a civil war.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) Saturday expressed readiness to "move quickly" against the perpetrators of crimes against the civilian population.

Seven women were killed by gunfire during a pro-Ouattara Thursday in Abidjan, in the district of Abobo (north). Witnesses, the camp Ouattara and the UN mission in the country, UNOCI, accused the Defence Forces and Security (FDS) loyal to Gbagbo.The Gbagbo government on Saturday rejected the blame on "terrorists" armed insurgents that FDS face in Abobo and which he says are supported by UNOCI.

Accompanied by the Commissioner for Peace and Security of the AU, Ramtane Lamamra, Mr. Ping met in the afternoon with Mr. Gbagbo at his residence.

He then found Alassane Ouattara at Golf Hotel in Abidjan where it is entrenched with the government under a blockade of forces loyal to his opponent, whose panel has called for the lifting.

Mr. Ping has not revealed the contents of the "message". But Mr. Ouattara said it consisted of an invitation to Thursday's meeting of Heads of State of the SPC."Of course, I accepted this invitation and all the arrangements (will be) taken for me to go there," he said.

Mr. Ping, who was to leave Abidjan on Sunday morning, then met with President of the Constitutional Council N'Dré Paul Yao.

Close to the outgoing President, Mr. Yao N'Dré is central to the post-election crisis that, while Mr Ouattara was declared winner by the electoral commission and the UN, the Constitutional Council struck down some of these results and proclaimed Gbagbo reelected.

Mr.Ping is sent by the panel of five African heads of state on the Ivorian crisis, which met Friday in Nouakchott under the chairmanship of Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz (Mauritania) and in presence of Jacob Zuma (South Africa), Jakaya Kikwete (Tanzania), Idriss Deby (Chad) and Blaise Compaore (Burkina Faso).

The group, whose findings were originally expected in late February, was finally in March to reach solutions "binding".

For now, the quintet has demanded "immediate cessation of killings" and protests that could "degenerate into disorder and violence."

The Security Council UN fears a "resurgence of civil war."After a failed coup, the fighting of 2002-2003 had divided the country into two, the north being in the hands of the former rebel New Forces (FN) now allied with Mr. Ouattara.

The violence has already killed 365 since late 2010, including 50 in a week, depending on the balance sheet prepared by UNOCI before the death of seven women in the neighborhood of Abobo, a stronghold of Mr. Ouattara.

The humanitarian situation is worsening further with the exodus of residents in Abobo and west, plagued by fighting between FDS and FN.

After a break occurred since Monday FN zone, electricity and water have been restored Saturday, residents said several northern cities.The Gbagbo government had relied on industrial needs, but the UN had denounced "an inhuman act with tragic consequences."

TECHNOLOGY: Apple is about to unveil a new iPad

The U.S. manufacturer Apple expected to unveil on Wednesday a new version of its tablet computer iPad, which should be given additional features to better counter the competition from devices left by other manufacturers lately.

On the eve of the conference format in San Francisco (California, western United States) from 1800 GMT, the blogosphere was buzzing with rumors about the new waiting.

Apple, for its part has merely invite journalists by sending them a picture showing the corner of a calendar sheet is covered on an iPad.

A year ago, the Apple boss Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad, calling it "revolutionary and magical product really." This year Mr.Jobs, 56, is on sick leave since mid-January, but according to the news site specializing All Things Digital, however it would consider making an appearance to attend the presentation of the iPad 2.

Analysts at Goldman Sachs, "the device should provide a first line of defense against competing tablets expected in the coming months."An enhanced memory, a more powerful microprocessor, cameras front and back, perhaps a thinner design and more angular, could characterize the new device.

"In today's market, we can not wait long to deliver an update," he told AFP by Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney, who said that "other tablets have caught at least ( capacity) of the model last year. "

Monday, Motorola's Mobility CEO Sanjay Jha said he was pleased with initial sales of its tablet Xoom, running the Google Android Honeycomb: very noticed the large electronics show in Las Vegas in January, the unit is stores since Thursday and it has "started well", despite its hefty price tag.

Samsung sells for several months his Galaxy Tab, and BlackBerry prepares its playbook for its part, while Hewlett-Packard has announced its TouchPad for next summer.

In February, the consulting firm Deloitte predicts that it would sell a total of fifty million tablets this year. Apple has sold some 15 million iPad 2010.