LIBYA: Libyan Transitional Council, an authority that fails to convince

Created in the euphoric early days of the revolution in Benghazi in February, but few recognized internationally and economically driven, the Libyan National Transitional Council (CNT) is it really a viable institution capable of influencing the scene policy?

"The question is on everyone's lips at a time when the conflict drags," says Jean-Pierre Maulny, Middle East specialist at the Institute of International and Strategic Relations (IRIS). "Many Western leaders are questioning the legitimacy of this body."

The absence of power-cons Libyan nevertheless gives little choice to European and American leaders. The CNT is the sole interlocutor of the international community."This is the only organization that resists visible," added the specialist. A view shared by Dominique Moisi, an expert on Middle East at the French Institute for International Relations (IFRI). "They are strong because they are unique," said the expert. "Their main asset is their existence. It invalidates the legitimacy to Gaddafi.

"No charismatic figure"

Both experts agree, however, the "fragility" of this reciprocating. "From a political standpoint, the insurgents have no charismatic leader," said Dominique Moisi."Their members are too small and lack a unifying figure is a major flaw for a body of resistance."

Composed of 31 members, the CNT is composed of a vast majority of anonymous - lawyers, professors, doctors. Civilians who, despite themselves, they damage the image of the Transition Board. "A resistance organization operates through two levers: a charismatic figure or organization infallible. Here we have neither one nor the other."

Cash also appears to be lacking Libyan insurgents. To fill their coffers, the rebels decided to go to their Western allies.The rebellion assess its needs for the next three months to three billion dollars to pay the balances of the insurgents, food, medicines and other basic supplies. "They have no money and the Libyan economy threatens to collapse," says Jean-Pierre Maulny.

In this context, the international community is reluctant to invest money in an organization as unstructured. "Western leaders refuse to finance weapons on which they have no control," says the specialist.

Diplomatic bungle

On the diplomatic front, the Transition Board fouls a little brushes. Thursday, CNT announced it has been recognized by Denmark, Spain and the Netherlands. Only problem, all three have denied."A false step that speaks volumes about the communication of the rebels," quipped Dominique Moisi. Denmark "has recognized the CNT as a dialogue partner." No more. Spain and the Netherlands as a valid interlocutor.

Only France, Qatar, Italy and The Gambia have officially recognized the Resistance Council as the legitimate representative of the people. "It's little," admits Jean-Pierre Maulny, "too few to influence global politics."

Does this mean that the CNT is destined to disappear? "It's a premature meets Dominique Moisi. The fall of Gaddafi is the ultimate test. It is only then that we will know if the movement will die or if a political leader will emerge ..." Although caution the side of Jean-Pierre Maulny."The CNT today derives its strength from the Hate crystallized around Gaddafi, but tomorrow ... If the regime falls, the CNT will prepare the future, an alternative to the Guide, win the support of the Libyans ... Are they really prepared and structured? "

NORTH KOREA: A quartet of former political leaders to visit Pyongyang

AFP - Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter arrived Tuesday in North Korea for a visit to assess the food situation, pacify inter-Korean tensions and encourage the resumption of negotiations on denuclearization.

Jimmy Carter and three other former heads of state and government hope to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il and his son and presumed successor Kim Jong-Un, but nothing is certain yet.The official news agency of North Korea announced their arrival in a statement on a line, with no details.

The group of four "old", which includes the former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari, former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland and former Irish President Mary Robinson, took off from China on Tuesday and will travel to Seoul on Thursday.

Efforts to resume the dialogue between the Koreas stalled. The South demanded an apology from Pyongyang about two serious indicents occurred in 2010 - the sinking of a corvette in March and the bombing of an island in November - but the North refused.

The six-party talks on denuclearization are also deadlocked since 2008.Pyongyang announced in November a uranium enrichment plant, which represents portentiellement a second way to obtain a nuclear bomb.

The food crisis in North Korea will also be the focus of this visit, had said Monday in Beijing the four "old".

According to the UN, more than six million people, or one quarter of the North Korean people, are in urgent need of food aid.

Jimmy Carter visited Pyongyang for the first time in 1994, to meet the founding president Kim Il-Sung, while North Korea and the United States was on the verge of declaring war because of nuclear program Pyongyang.

Former U.S. President had also visited this country in the summer of 2010, to secure the release of a U.S. citizen, but he had not met with Kim Jong-Il.

The President may also seek the release of a Korean-Americans detained in North Korea since last November because of unspecified crimes against the country. It would be a missionary, according to an anonymous source.

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.

THEATER: "Men and Gods", and Polanski "Gainsbourg" at the Cesar awards

"Men and Gods," by Xavier Beauvois and "The Ghost Writer" by Roman Polanski are the big winners of the 36th Cesar ceremony of French cinema, presented Friday night in Paris.

"Gainsbourg (heroic life)," Joann Sfar's first film, has also been awarded three times in a balanced place winners during an evening of almost three hours by Antoine de Caunes and chaired by American actress Jodie Foster.

Named best film, "Men and Gods" tells the story of Tibhirine monks murdered in Algeria in 1996.Spiritual work and demanding already seen by 3.2 million viewers, she received three Caesar, in addition to the Grand Jury Prize at last received the Cannes festival.

In his speech, Xavier Beauvois had a thought for the filmmaker Francois Truffaut and referred to the 2012 presidential election in France.

"I do not want that in capmagne election happens, we speak ill of the French Muslims, I want people to be with them is the lesson of this film," he said.

"Men and Gods" also earned the César for best supporting actor Michael Lonsdale for his luminous incarnation of a physician-monk, Brother Luke.

"Better late than never," said the actor rewarded in this way for the first time in nearly 80 years.

Awarded four times, including the Cesar for best director, "The Ghost Writer" allows Polanski to return to light after a year marked by legal troubles that forced him to spend several months under house arrest.

Franco-Polish filmmaker was freed last July after the refusal of Switzerland to extradite to the United States, where the court wanted to hear for a sex scandal.

"The Ghost Writer," who made a million entries, tells the story of a negro literary hired to complete the memoirs of British Prime Minister.

Politico-sentimental comedy by Michel Leclerc "The name of the people" received two statuettes, one for Sara Forestier, voted best actress. The young woman was particularly competing against Catherine Deneuve, heroine of the comedy "Potiche.

The Cesar for best first film was awarded "Gainsbourg, heroic life," by Joann Sfar, who runs the fantastic tone of the story the story of the singer Serge Gainsbourg, who died 20 years ago.Reincarnated on the screen, Eric Elmosnino, was crowned best actor on Friday night.

The Cesar for Best Actress was awarded to Leila Bekhti for "All That Glitters" and Best Male Newcomer went to Edgar Ramirez to Carlos, the film ".

The Cesar for best foreign film was awarded "The Social Network" by David Fincher, one of the favorites for the Oscars which will be held Sunday in Los Angeles.

For the first time, the Academy of Caesar rewarded an animated film.The prize went to "the Illusionist", work by Sylvain Chomet based on a script by Jacques Tati unfinished.

The Cesar for best short film was crowned "Logorama", already awarded last year in Hollywood for the Oscar for best short animated film.

Special tributes were paid to film greats missing last year: the actor and director Bernard Giraudeau, Alain Corneau and filmmakers Claude Chabrol.

A Caesar of honor was awarded to American director Quentin Tarantino. The creator of "Pulp Fiction" and "Jackie Brown" ended his acceptance speech by three French words uttered with enthusiasm: "Vive le cinema!"

EGYPT: Poor revenue shopkeepers Cairo

Shops, cafes, cloth merchants, boutiques of ready-to-wear, shoe ... On the seventh day of the protest movement that stirred Egypt, Cairo shopkeepers lifted the curtain and watch the customers. But after a week of protests, the activity is idling in the street Boulaq, in the heart of the capital.

Typically, this means that by building a business account, is very lively. "At noon, in general, this street is crowded. Today, it lacks 80% of customers," said Ali, a young clothing salesman. Today, he has managed to sell a shirt.Her shop, nestled in a stairwell, however, is full of articles of all kinds.

Ali had not opened his shop since the first demonstration against Hosni Mubarak, January 25. "The events of last week have greatly complicated my business. My shop remained closed until today." A significant loss for the small trader. This Monday at midday, Ali accounts: only 20 cookbooks. "I usually earns 200 pounds a day [25 euros]," he laments.

The shops under surveillance

The curfew, imposed by the authorities from 16 hours does not help his situation. "I will close my shop earlier than usual, I do not want to take risk.My merchandise is expensive, I must protect them if the situation goes out, "said the shopkeeper, who said he nevertheless supported the demands of protesters.

Boulaq Street has not yet been subject to looting: its merchants take turns throughout the night to monitor, along with citizen militias armed, aisles and came suspicious. "We're tired of working day and monitor the area at night. But thank you God, he did nothing serious happened here," said Hussein, a toy salesman. Inside his dusty shop, it hides two iron bars. "If ..."

Priority to food

Further, a Coptic textile merchant waits in a chair dilapidated barge. Not a soul in sight."I'm not complaining, there is still activity even if it is lower than usual," Boutros philosopher. His toothless driver, Mohamed, desperately waiting for a race this morning. "This situation is not good for trade in general. The people prefer to remain cautious and pay only for food," he notes.

Mothers who are walking this long shopping street are almost exclusively bags of food. Magdi, the septuagenarian neighborhood butcher, has a broad smile. His two son working to dismember the carcasses of cattle on the pavement. And clients are waiting for you."My butcher has remained open since the protests began, I have no problem to give me," he says while patting his casket.

Favorably to Mubarak, he is convinced that this "small rebellion" comes to an end. "Egypt is not Tunisia, the President will not leave. Moreover, whatever the character who will succeed him, there is no guarantee that it will be better," he says before getting up to receive a cage containing a dozen chickens.