Saturday, May 21, 2011

Dominique Strauss-Kahn under house arrest on Broadway

The former head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who was accused of sexual crimes, arrived Friday evening in the Manhattan building where he will reside temporarily under constant surveillance after leaving prison Rikers Island.

The arrival of former French finance minister in the building south of Broadway near Ground Zero, site of the twin towers destroyed in the attacks of Sept. 11, was confirmed to AFP by police.

"It is here," said a police official requesting anonymity, while his brothers erected metal barricades to keep away from many journalists.

"I do not really like (it is there).I find it a little scary, "said Gemma Harding, a woman dressed in his 31 which has magnetized the flashes of many photographers in front of the temporary residence of Mr. Strauss-Kahn.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn was released from prison after a New York judge had approved all the documents establishing the conditions that accompany his parole.

Several addresses were given successively for the dwelling which reside temporarily the former boss of the International Monetary Fund, accused of sex crimes against a hotel employee.

Mr.Strauss-Kahn had to move to an apartment on 65th Street in Manhattan, but the place has been changed due to "invasion" of journalists who upset the neighborhood, said Friday his lawyer, William Taylor.

The man of 62 years will remain "a few days," Judge Michael Obus of New York Supreme Court, in this residence near Ground Zero, owned by the local press to the company Stroz Friedberg responsible for ensuring its implementation house arrest.

He can overcome this temporary residence, unless a case of force majeure.

Mr.Strauss-Kahn will then leave this apartment for another permanent which he may leave for specific reasons - hearings, appointment of lawyers, doctor visits or synagogue - if requested by at least six hours advance, "said Justice in New York.And he can not go out between 10:00 p.m. to 6:00.

Judge Michael Obus was signed earlier this afternoon, the release order of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, jailed since Monday in the Rikers Island prison after his lawyers and his guarantor court had provided the bond of one million dollars and a deposit of five million.

Former IMF chief is accused of sexual assault and attempted rape on May 14 against a housekeeper Guinea 32 years of the Sofitel Manhattan.

Justice had authorized his release Thursday if a set of conditions were met. Besides the security and the security deposit, he had to prove that he was living in a Manhattan residence under surveillance 24 hours 24.

The next meeting of Mr.Strauss-Kahn to justice was set for June 6 At that hearing, he will plead guilty or not guilty to seven counts against him.

If he pleads guilty, there will be no trial but sentenced to several years in prison, whose number will be negotiated with the judge. If he pleads not guilty, as his lawyers have suggested, a trial will take place.

In France, writer and journalist Tristane Banon, who said he was sexually assaulted in 2002 by Dominique Strauss-Kahn, decided against pursuing and will not testify against him in the United States.

She informed by his counsel, Mr. David Koubbi, it reserved "for later" his decision to press charges.But in all cases of possible criminal acts occurring in 2002 would be required in 2012.

Meanwhile, speculation continued to go well on the estate of Mr. Strauss-Kahn to head the IMF.According to European sources, the French Christine Lagarde was "almost inducted" as a candidate of the European Union and "you should already have a signal from Deauville" at the G8 summit on 26 and 27 May in the Normandy resort.

Chancellor Angela Merkel supported lip to Christine Lagarde, saying she had to "particular esteem".

The United States said they were "prepared to support" as a candidate who can create a "broad" support among members of the institution.

The IMF announced Friday that it would open Monday until June 10 nominations for the post of general manager and he stared for "objective" to appoint his number one "by 30 June."

He also denied Friday a report in the New York Times describing the relationships between employees of the institution as marked by leniency vis-à-vis sexual harassment."Harassment is not tolerated in this institution."

As for the future of the former hexagonal poll favorite, "politically, it will be Dominique Strauss-Kahn and his alone" to say "if it can or can not be a candidate in the primary PS, "said Francois Hollande, himself a candidate in the primaries, taking the foot of the Socialist-cons had already drawn a line on an application" DSK ".

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Municipal: Berlusconi's party losing ground in its stronghold of Milan

The Italian right is adverse to tie in Milan, the economic capital of the country and traditional stronghold of Silvio Berlusconi, left, who won the first round 48% of the vote in municipal elections, according to final results.

The candidate of the People of Freedom (PDL, right) Mr.Berlusconi, the outgoing mayor Letizia Moratti, with 41.6%, was accelerated by the candidate of the left, the lawyer Giuliano Pisapia, with 48%, contrary to the predictions of pollsters.

The left has won the first round Bologna and Turin, two cities traditionally "red".

In Turin (north), the leftist candidate Piero Fassino won with 56.66% of the vote against 27.3% for his rival on the right, and Bologna (center) Virginio Merola has obtained an absolute majority (50, 5%) against 30.3% in the right-wing candidate.

During the municipal elections, which represents the last big test for Silvio Berlusconi before the legislative elections of spring 2013, the turnout was 71.07% against 72.85% the previous local elections.

In contrast, in Naples, controlled by the far left and where voting takes place against a backdrop of yet another garbage crisis, the LDP candidate Gianni Lettieri was a tie in favor (40.5%), well ahead of his challenger Luigi De Magistris (26%), according to nearly complete results.

Nearly 13 million Italians were called to elect mayors on 8100 1310 Italian municipalities, but only 11 cities were affected more than 100,000 people, including Milan, Naples, Turin and Bologna.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

FRANCE: Dominique Strauss-Kahn was arrested in New York for alleged sexual assault

The Director General of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dominique Strauss-Kahn, was arrested Saturday at JFK Airport in New York before his departure for France and placed in custody for an alleged sexual assault at a hotel in the city.

Mr.Strauss-Kahn, known as "DSK", was unloaded from an Air France flight to Paris just minutes before takeoff, officials said.

By late evening Saturday, French official was in a police station in Harlem in New York pending a formal indictment, according to police sources.

"We have placed in custody and delivered to the New York Police Department (NYPD), told AFP on condition of anonymity, an official at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. "We did it at the request of the NYPD," the source said.

Strauss-Kahn "was placed in custody. He is asked about an alleged sexual assault.He was not charged, "he told AFP by telephone on NYPD spokesman Michael Debon.

According to police sources, Mr Strauss-Kahn would have hurriedly left the Sofitel Hotel where he was staying, leaving his mobile phone and personal belongings. A housekeeper told police she was assaulted by the Director of the IMF as he left naked in his shower.

Earlier, the New York Times announced the arrest of Mr. Strauss-Kahn, former finance minister and a leading French political figures, likely candidate for the Socialist Party's primary for the presidential election of 2012.

"Mr.Strauss-Kahn has been unloaded from an Air France flight by officials of the Ports Authority of New York and New Jersey and delivered to investigators in Manhattan, "writes the New York Times, quoting a spokesman of the Authority.

"He is accused of sexually assaulting an employee of a hotel in Times Square in New York earlier in the day" on Saturday, the source said.

An IMF spokesman in Washington made no immediate comment.

Contacted by AFP in the early evening, the lawyer for Mr. Strauss-Kahn in Washington, William Taylor, was unaware of the case.Contacted later, he said he had never managed to reach his client.

The New York Times, "It was 4:45 p.m. when undercover investigators from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey have suddenly taken on board of Air France Flight 23 (...) and took Mr. Strauss-Kahn in custody, "said John Kelly, spokesman for the Authority.

"It happened 10 minutes before scheduled flight departure," the spokesman quoted by the newspaper.

Officials of the Authority acted on the basis of information from the New York Police investigating "a brutal assault of an employee of the Sofitel New York, located at 45 West 44th Street, according to the same source.

Mr.Strauss-Kahn had planned a visit in Berlin on Sunday and should be received by Chancellor Angela Merkel.

It should normally attend Monday at a meeting of finance ministers from the euro area in Brussels, then a speech Wednesday at the 12th Economic Forum in Brussels, an event organized by the European Commission.

Mr.Strauss-Kahn was appointed in September 2007 to head the IMF for a fundamental reform that institution.

In 2008, the IMF had ordered an investigation of its director after an extramarital affair between the former Minister of Finance, 62, and a former head of the Africa Department, Ms Piroska Nagy.

The investigation established that she had received no special treatment, and that "there was no harassment or favoritism or any other abuse of authority."

But then the IMF had criticized a "serious misjudgment" in a case that had made the front of the world press.

Economist acknowledged his candidacy for the French presidential election in 2012 to wear the colors socialists is acclaimed in the polls.

Socialist nomination in 2006, it was widely anticipated by Ségolène Royal, finally beaten by Nicolas Sarkozy, who then supported his candidacy for the IMF.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

FRANCE: Gas shale: the Assembly vote against exploitation by hydraulic fracturing

French deputies adopted Wednesday by 287 votes against 186 the UMP bill prohibiting hydraulic fracturing technique for exploration and exploitation of gas and oil shale.

Groups UMP and New Centre (NC) voted for the text presented by Christian Jacob, the president of the UMP.The opposition, finding several provisions "ambiguous", voted against this bill that the Senate will look to turn on 1 June

The technique of hydraulic fracturing highly controversial because of its impact on the environment, is to liberate the carbides, inject large amounts of water mixed with sand and chemicals ajduvants.

The text, introduced by Christian Jacob, the president of the UMP, and as amended in committee, speaks only hydraulic fracturing and the repeal of the exploration permit who use them, which would pave the way for potentially using another technique.

The bill provides that the exclusive licensee of Research shall, within two months, state in a report to the administrative authority of the techniques used in their operations.

In case of non submission of the report or whether it is stated that the licensee uses hydraulic fracturing, the license granted by the Government will be repealed.

The Minister for Ecology Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, who brought the government's support of this text, acknowledged that the licenses granted they have "not been in good terms" and "things have been made upside down. "

"With this text, it is an opportunity to go further in the implementation of the precautionary principle," she said, by ensuring, in connection with article 2 of the bill, it "is indeed abrogate all research permits that have no raison d'etre after the ban" of hydraulic fracturing.

The Socialist Group, which had seemed at first to accept the version of the text developed by the Committee on Sustainable Development, has backtracked.

"It is a text that does not legally," said Pascal Terrasse (PS)."We do not trust you," he said in calling for total repeal of all operating permits granted.

Several hundred people, including all the heads of associations and environmental movements, protested Tuesday in the vicinity of the National Assembly to protest against the proposed law as "poor".

Sunday, May 8, 2011

IRAQ: Mutiny in a murderous detention facility in Baghdad

AFP - Ten suspected members of Al Qaeda and eight policemen were killed in Baghdad after a night in a prison riot caused by man accused of orchestrating the carnage last year in a church in the capital, has here Sunday morning.

The shooting occurred when security forces fear a resurgence of activity of the Iraqi branch of the Islamist, who might seek to avenge the death of the head of the organization, Osama bin Laden.

The mutiny, which lasted several hours in a detention center for counterterrorism unit of the Ministry of Interior, has killed four officers, including General Moayed al-Sayed, head of the unit for the sector Karrada, and four other officers said on condition of anonymity a senior Iraqi terrorist-cons.

It began when police were questioning an alleged leader of al Qaeda, al-Houthaifa Bataoui to try to obtain information on possible projects of reprisals by the organization.

Mr.Bataoui was accused of having coordinated the bloody attack on the Syrian Catholic Cathedral in Baghdad October 31, 2010, during which 44 worshipers, two priests and seven members of the security forces had died.

Upon his arrest in November with 11 other suspected members of Al Qaeda, it had been presented by the authorities as the leader to Baghdad of the Islamic State in Iraq, the local branch of Al Qaeda.

During his interrogation, Mr.Bataoui arrived shortly after midnight to grab the weapon of a lieutenant he has done before taking hostages and releasing nine other inmates, all members of the cell dismantled in November, the official said cons of terrorism.

The group then went to the office of General Saleh, who was shot in the head. Ten insurgents have seized more weapons and grenades.

Five inmates then tried to flee aboard a police car but were killed by special forces who arrived as reinforcements.The other five were holed up in the prison until the death of the last of them, around 4:30 (0130 GMT), said the official, who said a prisoner had been injured.

"The cell was dismantled in November accused of numerous terrorist operations, not only against the church," he told AFP."Many investigations were under way about them and that is why they were still detained in counter-terrorism unit."

The detention center housed 220 prisoners, including 38 suspected members of Al Qaeda.

An official with the Interior Ministry has reported five deaths, including four policemen and al-Houthaifa Bataoui and six wounded, including five policemen and an insurgent.

After the death of Osama bin Laden, security measures were tightened in Iraq, where al Qaeda still has the ability to conduct operations bloody, despite the setbacks that the organization has wiped recent years.

The Islamist is also suspected of being responsible for the suicide car bomb attack against a police station in Hilla, in which 24 policemen were killed Thursday.

This mutiny may again raise the question of the ability of Iraqi forces to provide security at least eight months of the departure of U.S. forces, which are still 45,000 men in Iraq

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Manchester United and Schalke corrects joined Barca in final

By aligning lone striker Raul, Ralf Rangnick had taken a gamble on his midfield to cut muscle transition ball between the lines of Manchester United. But, as one way, Schalke has hardly existed against the Red Devils, and was heavily tilted at Old Trafford (4-1).

Manchester, even with a team carried by a trio bis offensive Valencia-Berbatov Nani-unpublished, confirmed the undeniable superiority of his community. Never Alex Ferguson's men have appeared in real trouble and if they were not as dominating as the go into the game, they have proven to be equally effective.

Finally, after two meetings, the qualification of Alex Ferguson's men could not be more logical.On Wednesday, the Red Devils have mastered the early game, negating the few German offensive tendencies. Farfan only managed to break the lock but the Mancunian hit the Peruvian could not find the part (8e).

Manchester while control

After a pleasant half hour but no clear chances, it is ultimately the Mancunians who would initiate hostilities. Ball on a good recovery Nani, Valencia was alone with Neuer. The Ecuadorian, a crossfire at ground level, the German goalkeeper was crucified (26th, 1-0).

In the process, gave Manchester a little more breadth to its domination by doubling the bet.Gibson, well served by Valencia back, let fly a shot that dries Neuer could not divert enough (31e, 2-0).

Paradoxically, it is in the hole that players were Gelsenkirchen resources to respond. On a recovery of approximately Smalling, Uchida recovered the ball on the right. The Japanese, with much success, managed to pass the ball to Jurado which reduced the mark of a beautiful half-volley into the top corner of Van der Sar (35th, 2-1).

Behind, the match resumed its course on the same pace.Schalke was trying clumsily to the physical impact, while Manchester was content to manage the adverse timid attempts.

Schalke sank

After the break, the Germans finally managed to get some play on their own, but was once again Manchester, cons, who would get the most candid opportunities.

Shortly before the hour, Anderson, at the edge of the box, fired in a magnificent strike from the left towards the top corner of Neuer. The German goalkeeper was able in extremis to push the ball for a corner with a superb flight (56th).

Following the match would confirm the slow erosion of Schalke. The Red Devils, taking advantage of the many approximations of their opponents in the evening, would put even triple by Anderson.The Brazilian found the penalty spot by a center of Berbatov, is playing defense in two Neuer before crucifying once again powerless (72nd, 3-1).

In the process, the match would even turn the demonstration. Berbatov again pierced the German defense on the right side and found Anderson.The Brazilian, to six meters, concluded this new opportunity with a flat foot unstoppable (76th, 4-1).

And as to give a more pronounced bitterness at the loss, the men saw themselves Rangnick - logically - a goal disallowed Klass Jan Huntelaar in any end game (82nd).

The addition would have been even heavier if Neuer, in stoppage time, had not made a new high-class parade before Owen (90 +2).

Remains in a relaxed, the Devils players have proved they were the most credible challenger Barça, Real Madrid's winner Tuesday in the other semifinal. And the opponent they meet in the final of the Champions League on 28 May at Wembley, should offer a challenge of any magnitude.

Saturday, April 30, 2011

UNITED KINGDOM: A marriage without any fault and with a hint of modernity

The marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton, now Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, was hailed Saturday as faultlessly brilliant and a strong sign of renewed commitment on the part of the monarchy.

"This marriage gives the signal for a change, a renewal as the monarchy has not seen since the death of Princess Diana," the Telegraph noted, for whom "everything went smoothly."

"Marriage shows a new generation, more relaxed and closer to us," wrote The Times.

The paper points out many small signs that a "new conception of the monarchy" is running.It evokes a marriage "more relaxed, more natural and intimate" than Charles and Diana in 1981.

Thus, Prince William slipped his stepfather with a smile "and when I think it would be a family affair", arriving at the altar.

Wink to popular tradition, the couple made an impromptu exit from Buckingham Palace in an open car, the traditional balloons trailing behind the bumper.

In the early morning, Harry, the younger brother of the groom had arranged a breakfast for the night owls of the feast of the day.As for the queen, she was a party in the evening for the weekend, leaving the palace to "young".

All signs of normality that allows everyone to identify with the royal couple, the BBC noted, away from the pump-century stilted marriage of Charles and Diana in 1981.

"The fact that Prince William has chosen a love marriage rather than an arranged marriage portends a different future for the monarchy, less bound by tradition, closer to people, and loyal to his mother in it," Diana says the Telegraph.

The "people's princess" remains extremely popular among the British, was present in everyone's mind Friday, the crowd massed on the course."Diana would have been proud," the Times noted Saturday.

And former private secretary to the princess saw the wedding a "reconciliation": Camilla, Charles's second wife, appeared on the balcony a few meters from Kate who was wearing the engagement ring to Diana.

"A great family event is an opportunity for this type of repair," commented Patrick Jephson.

In fact, the British, as polls showed little interest in the royal wedding, answered "present" with a million people in the street and more sitting in front of their TVs for the ceremony.

The "perfect day" on Friday gave the British people the opportunity to "rediscover a sense of national identity," said The Sun, the first draw of the country.

A success that is timely, following a series of marital failures that undermined the image of the monarchy. Of four children of the queen, only Edward was still married to his first wife Sophie Rhys-Jones, even if they do not live together. Both Andrew and Anne especially Charles were divorced in an unprecedented media commotion.

Saturday morning, while the cleaners were clearing the remains of the festival, speculation was rife about the destination of the honeymoon.

But one thing seemed clear: "William has called for peace," noted the BBC.After an official visit to Canada in early June, the young prince should take its place, the second in line of succession to the throne, whatever the public want to see replace Charles.

"After the show the curtain falls," wrote the Guardian, for whom the "place of royalty," but also "the economy, and above all the workings of our democracy just as problematic as before."