TUNISIA: Three killed in clashes in Tunis

AFP - Three people died in clashes Saturday between demonstrators and police in downtown Tunis, said the interior ministry in a statement.

The statement said "three people were killed among the twelve who have been injured in the clashes and were transferred to a hospital to be treated."The use of the term "person" suggests that this would be protesters.

"Several members of security forces were injured to varying degrees," the statement said without specifying their number.

On the other hand, the statement said, "more than 100 people were arrested on Saturday" and "88 other perpetrators of acts of vandalism were arrested the day", during the first clashes between police and protesters occurred Friday in the heart of Tunis.

The ministry attributed the violence against the police "to a group of agitators infiltrated the ranks of peaceful demonstrators who have used high school students as human shields to engage in acts of violence intended to spread fire terror among citizens and to the internal security forces. "

He calls "the population to be vigilant and urging parents to cooperate with security forces and to convince their children not participate in these events."

Previously, the ministry announced a ban on travel for pedestrians and cars on Avenue Habib Bourguiba in downtown Tunis, the scene of violent clashes, from 6:00 p.m. on Saturday until midnight Sunday, reported the TAP.

The central avenue was delivered Saturday to a pitched battle between police and demonstrators, the police dispersed several times by tear gas.

Libya: Muammar Gaddafi threatens to intensify law enforcement

AFP - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi faces an unprecedented popular revolt last week, vowed on Tuesday in a televised speech to restore order, wielding the threat of a bloody crackdown.

Promising to fight "until the last drop" of his blood, he called the police and army to regain control of the situation and assured that any demonstrators armed deserved "punishment."

"Make your arms immediately, otherwise there will be butchers," he said referring to a response "similar to Tiananmen," in reference to military repression of the "Beijing Spring" in June 1989 which had claimed hundreds, if not thousands dead, according to sources.

Draped in a brown tunic, his first official response since February 15, Colonel Gaddafi was speaking in front of his house bombed by the Americans in April 1986 and left for further processing.

"Muammar Gaddafi has no official position he resigned.Muammar Gaddafi is the leader of the revolution is synonymous with sacrifice until the end of days, "he said in a fiery speech of over an hour, punctuated with large hand gestures and sometimes silence and stuttering .

"All young people need to create tomorrow's defense committees of the revolution: they protect roads, bridges, airports," he said, calling on his supporters to show from Wednesday.

"No fool can cut our country into pieces," said Colonel Gaddafi, in power for over 40 years, threatening to "purge (country) house by house".

"We have not yet made use of force, but if the situation requires the use of force, we will resort," he said.

According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the repression has already been "at least 62" dead in the capital Tripoli since Sunday.

Monday morning, HRW announced a review of at least 233 deaths since February 15, without mentioning casualties in Tripoli. The International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) had put the figure at "300 to 400" deaths in the country.

The first bloodshed concentrated in Benghazi, the second largest city 1,000 km east of Tripoli, the capital hit Sunday night, when calm had returned to Benghazi on Monday night, according to testimony at the AFP.

According to the FIDH President, Belhassen, violence continued in the morning in Tripoli."The militias, security forces loyal to Qadhafi rampant so terrible, breaking doors, looting (...). It is impossible to remove the bodies in the streets, one gets shot," she explained to AFP.

Tunisians who fled the country told AFP nights of terror in Tripoli, Gaddafi's men and mercenaries firing in all directions, stopping, shining, raping, while the wounded were bleeding.

In the capital, many foreigners were confined to their homes. The airport was crowded, hundreds of expatriates seeking to leave the country.Many countries said on Tuesday sending planes to evacuate nationals.

The Security Council of the UN was an emergency meeting Tuesday in New York while the West calls for "swift and clear" face of repression.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, spoke of a "bloodbath totally unacceptable."

The Arab League announced that the participation of Libya in its meetings were suspended "until the Libyan authorities to accept the claims" of the Libyan people "and ensure his safety."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has held the speech of Colonel Gaddafi "very frightening" and demanded "a cessation of violence", adding that otherwise Germany "would consider sanctions."

But the Europeans were divided over whether to impose sanctions, some countries fearing a backlash against their nationals on site or opening the valves of illegal immigration. Rome has said such fear that flow from 200 to 300,000 migrants fleeing Libya.

The Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, whose country has very close economic relations with Libya, met with Colonel Qaddafi.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay called for the opening of an "independent international investigation into the violence, raising the possibility of" crimes against humanity. "

Several Libyan officials have defected to protest against violence against demonstrators, as well as diplomats abroad.

Economically, the deadly escalation in Libya, a leading global producer of black gold, pushed oil prices to levels not seen since 2008.OPEC has indicated its willingness to increase production if needed, while ensuring that the market remained well supplied.

However, the only pipeline connecting Libya to Italy and Europe was cut Tuesday.

TUNISIA: A Polish priest murdered by extremists near Tunis

Insecurity in Tunisia and the risk of pushing fundamentalist were illustrated Friday with the murder of a Polish priest found murdered "by extremists" near Tunis, officials said, and the attack of street prostitutes by Islamists who wanted to set fire to the center of the capital.

This is the first murder of both a religious and a foreigner since the fall of the regime of Ben Ali on January 14.

The priest, aged 34, was found dead "murdered" on Friday in a private school in the region Manouba, told AFP a source close to the Tunisian Ministry of the Interior.

It is "a fascist terrorist group with extremist orientations who is behind this crime, given the way he was murdered," the ministry said in a statement without specifying whether this was the Islamists.

Marek Rybinski was found murdered in the garage of a private religious school where he was responsible for accounting.He was assaulted before being murdered, the ministry said cited by the official news agency TAP.

An outbreak of fever had arisen in the Islamic afternoon in Tunis: dozens of them have attempted to set fire to a street where prostitutes work.

"The Islamists have tried to enter the street Abdallaah Guechi to burn," he told AFP Tunisian policeman under cover of anonymity. A major brothels in Tunis is located in the street near the Medina.

"Residents have prevented them from returning to this street until the arrival of agents of security forces who blocked the entrance prohibiting passage.They then managed to disperse the demonstrators, "said the policeman.

This area was flown for several hours by several army helicopters.

"Some groups have tried to enter the street but the police already knew that protesters were coming.They blocked the exits and now the street is guarded by the police and the army, "said one trader.

The Islamists had earlier expressed in the inner city, shouting "No to places of prostitution in a Muslim country."

"We demanded the closure of this street, we are in a Muslim country and we must apply what Islam requires," said one of them, Hamza, 21.

Last week, the Tunisian Jewish community had expressed its concern to the government after anti-Semitic incidents at the Great Synagogue of Tunis.

"Here we are vigilant," he repeated Friday the president of the community Roger Bismuth."It is the work of Salafists, the most extreme Islamists trained by the Wahhabis, but there is no soil in Tunisia for the development of Salafism," he added.

Aware of the prevailing security vacuum after the fall of the regime, the government decided last week to recall reservists retired for five years who joined the army on Wednesday.

The government is confronted daily with the instability of many armed robberies, demonstrations of Tunisians desperately calling on welfare and illegal immigration of thousands of Tunisians parties seek employment in Europe.

In an attempt to ease social tensions and meet the demands of a population exasperated by unemployment (14%, double that for young people), the government announced Friday a series of welfare measures aimed at emergency most disadvantaged (financial allocations, tenure of construction workers, allocation of free health care cards).

He also called on social partners to begin negotiations in the private and public key demand of the powerful trade union UGTT, according to his spokesman Baccouch Taieb.

Finally, the government passed a general amnesty for political prisoners. A decree-law shall be announced in "coming days".

EGYPT: EU looks into the freezing of assets of Egyptian officials

AFP - The Egyptian authorities have asked several European countries to freeze assets of former senior officials of the regime of Hosni Mubarak, but not the deposed president himself, and the issue will be addressed by the entire EU on Tuesday at a meeting in Brussels.

Paris was seized by the Egyptian authorities "a request to freeze assets of former Egyptian officials," said AFP Monday the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign AffairsBernard Valero.

"We consider this request and we will cooperate well with the Egyptian authorities," added the spokesman stating that it "does not cover former President Hosni Mubarak nor members of his family."

In London, British Foreign Minister William Hague also said to have "received a request from the Egyptian government to freeze the assets of several ancient Egyptian officials.

"We will of course cooperate" with the Egyptian authorities "working with EU and international partners as we did in the case of Tunisia," saidHague, referring to the gel by the European Union of assets of former Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his family.

"If there is evidence of misuse or illegal use of public funds, we will take firm and swift action," he assured the chief of British diplomacy.

The same request to freeze assets of former officials was made by the Egyptian government in the United States, said a senior State Department official in Washington also said it was not about Mr.Mubarak.

At the request of Great Britain in particular, the EU finance ministers have decided to put the issue of a possible freezing of assets of seven former Egyptian officials on the menu at a meeting Tuesday that they must have in Brussels, told AFP a diplomatic source.

"There are six or seven Egyptians on the list, but it does not definitively Mubarak," she said.

The EU will also discuss aid to countries on the southern shore of the Mediterranean.

"I asked what was mentioned together, and I know it will be tomorrow, the situation in countries such as Tunisia, Egypt in particular, to examine the financial and economic aspects is ie at a time, investment opportunities and support, including the European Investment Bank, through the various development agencies in each of our countries, "said French Minister of Economy Christine Lagarde.

We need to "see how we can all support the democratic movement that is taking root in these countries," she added.

Germany has also announced it was approached by Egypt with a request to freeze assets.

"A request for assistance from the Egyptian authorities concerning the freezing of assets of former members of the Egyptian government and parliament came to us," he told AFP a spokesman of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "We are reviewing this request," he added.

None of the three capitals has detailed the immediate amount of the assets concerned or the personalities involved.

The name of Hosni Mubarak, who left the presidency of Egypt on Friday after 30 years in power was not mentioned either in London and Berlin. According to the British press, Mr.Mubarak holds millions of euros of assets in Britain.

Switzerland, she decided on Friday to freeze with immediate effect "the assets that could detain Mr. Mubarak and his entourage.

The case turns into boxing Break diplomatic relations between Paris and Mexico

REUTERS - The case Cassez turned Friday to a diplomatic incident between France and Mexico.

Michèle Alliot-Marie called it "unconscionable decision" the discharge, the day before by the Mexican justice system, the cassation of the French and said it would affect relations between France and Mexico.

Mexico responded with a statement defending the conditions under which it had been rendered.

Sentenced to 60 years in prison in March 2009 for complicity in abductions and kidnappings, it has always denied Cassez had appealed in cassation in August.The French woman is imprisoned in Mexico for over five years.

"I'm shocked," said Michele Alliot-Marie on France 2. "It was a decision that is an unfair decision."

"The conditions under which that decision was not worthy of a rule of law," said French Minister of Foreign Affairs, who was to receive in the morning, the Mexican ambassador to France. "Our fellow was found in conditions that are not acceptable. It is a denial of truth is a denial of justice.We will support it and we will support until the end, "she said.

"Obviously this will have consequences on relations between France and Mexico," said Michele Alliot-Marie before announcing she would not participate in events planned in the year of France in Mexico .

Mexico defends decision

The reaction in Mexico has been quick in the form of a statement made by the Mexican Embassy in France.

"Contrary to statements made by Minister of State and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the French Republic, Mme Michele Alliot-Marie, the seventh college in criminal court of the First Circuit has analyzed each of the arguments presented by the defense, which were unanimously rejected by judges, "reads the statement said.

"The Department (Mexican Foreign) respectfully suggest to the French Minister of State to analyze carefully the terms of the trial," it said.

"The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, respecting the decision of the Tribunal members, deeply regrets that the Minister Michele Alliot-Marie believes that relations between our countries can be affected by this issue strictly legal."

The head of French diplomacy said she would meet with lawyers Cassez to explore all legal options.

"Obviously we will not abandon it," she said.

The "amparo" - further appeal - is the last remedy in Mexico.The lawsuit was filed as the last chance for Florence Break, 36.

Since his arrest, the young woman has consistently maintained his innocence.

Arriving in Mexico in August 2003 for a vacation, Cassez had decided to move to Mexico where she became acquainted with Israel Vallarta, presented by the Mexican police as the leader of a gang of kidnappers. She became the girlfriend, but claims to have known nothing of his activities. The police acknowledged that his arrest had been staged for television and had no place December 9, 2005, as originally announced, but the day before - something that has occurred or the original trial or that on appeal.

KOREA: First contact between the two Koreas after months of high tensions

AFP - North Korea and South on Tuesday held their first talks since the deadly bombing in November of a South Island by forces that Pyongyang still had heightened tensions between the two warring brothers.

Hosted discussions in the "Peace House" in the village of Panmunjom in the middle of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), began at 10:00 am (0100 GMT) and continued in the afternoon, according to a carrier word of the South Korean Ministry of Defense.

The two colonels in charge of the debates have shaken hands before opening the discussion, according to photographs provided by the department.

These discussions are intended to prepare a formal high-level meeting, presumably between the two Defence Ministers, at a date yet to be determined.

This initial contact after months of high tensions in Seoul was to test the intentions of Pyongyang, which was launched in late 2010 in a charm offensive and had repeated desire to resume the dialogue.

"The two parties discussed the agenda and organization of an encounter at a high level," said Kim Min-Seol, spokesman for the Department of Defense. "The atmosphere was serious and there were no political discussions".

Mr.Kim recalled that prior to any substantive dialogue, Pyongyang must take "responsible action" after the recent attacks and refrain from conducting further hostilities.

The year 2010 was marked by two serious incidents, the sinking in March of a South Korean corvette in which 46 sailors were killed and the bombing in November of a South Korean island that killed two soldiers and two civilians.

The North's side rejects any liability in the sinking of the sloop despite the findings of an international investigation that put into question.The communist regime also claims that the bombing in November was speaking in response to South Korean laborers in the region.

"It is possible that these discussions will result in a freeze on all positions," said a military official was quoted by South Korean Yonhap news agency before the talks began.

"The two sides could hold a series of preliminary discussions," he added.

China, Pyongyang's only ally, and the United States, an ally of Seoul, have urged the two warring brothers to resume the discussion.

Beijing is pushing for a resumption of six-party talks on nuclear disarmament of North, but Washington insists that the North first discuss with the South.

In response to the bombing in November, South Korea has conducted a series of maneuvers.It also strengthened the defenses of the island referred to Yeonpyeong and four other islands border.

A military source quoted by Yonhap, Seoul also plans to strengthen its marine corps of 2,000 men to reinforce the defense of this sensitive area, the scene of other incidents in the past.

The army has also deployed new batteries of artillery, radar systems for detecting weapons and missiles capable of striking North Korean artillery hidden in underground shelters.

The South also plans to deploy missiles on board a destroyer of 4,500 tons, sailing in the disputed area of the Yellow Sea, according to a source quoted by Yonhap.

EURO ZONE: France and Germany want a "pact of convergence" economic

AFP - German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy proposed on Friday a summit meeting of the euro area in March to prepare for the development of a "pact of convergence" Closer Economic European states.

"We will present the details of what we want to adopt in March during a summit of the eurozone (...) so that all observers around the world understand that all European economies is in the right direction with the interests of competitiveness, "saidSarkozy on the sidelines of an EU summit in Brussels.

"We asked (the President of the European Union Hermann) Van Rompuy to consult with other states in order to make a decision at the top end of March the European Union on the issue," said Ms. Merkel told reporters.

"That means we must first come to an agreement within the euro area," she said.

"We will explain this to our partners and we will have decisions to next March, first in a summit of the eurozone, the European Council and a" bringing together 27 countries across the EU, saidSarkozy.

"We want to strengthen Europe's competitiveness and its economy, we want to converge the various European economies," he said, "so it's a stronger integration of economic policy to serve a purpose: strengthen the competitiveness of our economies. "

FRANCE: Nearly 10 million French people are inadequately housed

Reuters - "A France owners, yes, but who can afford it?" This is essentially the message of the Fondation Abbé Pierre, who denounced in his annual report the character "unequal" in the current housing policy.

In a crisis marked by a rise in insecurity and the doubling of house prices in ten years, encourage the French to buy a roof can be
be risky, says the organization.

"The policy of 'any assumption' is highly questionable as subject to speculative market mechanisms, inadequate budgets of low income and very compatible with the reality of home ownership," it said in the 16th annual report Foundation Abbé Pierre.

Example given of a "budgetary and financial policy which prolongs inequality": the new loan (PTZ +) proposed non-means tested, which the government hopes it will help increase the homeownership rate in France of 58 % to 70%, the average European.

"Allowing 20% of the richest French access to the loan will cost 480 million euros to the state," lamented Patrick Doutreligne to reporters, Chief Executive of the Foundation. "This is a dogmatic choice that affects our taxes."

Are also highlighted issues of indebtedness, of social divisions and the environment, at a time when soaring prices led many new owners to stay away from downtown.

The Foundation also denounced the measures promoting evictions contained in the Act for guidance and planning for the performance of homeland security,
called "Loppsi II, which threatens the poorest, may be forced to live in tents, caves or squats.

Expulsion

"This law applies to all those who seek a solution to be able to put a roof over your head, it's crazy.It will not solve the housing crisis hits evictions, "complains Robert Christopher, Executive Assistant of the Foundation.

For the heirs of Father Pierre, housing, engulfing an average of more than a quarter of revenues of each French, should be priority candidates for the presidential election of 2012, which will submit a charter prepared for occasion.
"We want the candidates and political parties take to the fair housing needs of the French position," said Patrick Doutreligne.

"Missing 900,000 homes in France, it lacks accommodation places and meet these challenges we feel we leave to the market," he said."It is an intervention
strong public which is oriented mainly to the smaller and middle categories, which is not the case today. "

The urgency is even greater than the number of French at the threshold of poverty is increasing at the same time as inequalities: 10% of the richest households have 46% of assets, while 50% smaller 7% share.

The 2011 report on inadequate housing in France is black "to symbolize the weakness in which many families are victims of a failure or a political inertia of 30 years," wrote Chairman of the Fondation Abbé Pierre, Raymond Etienne.

In terms of proposals, the organization proposes to build 500.000 new dwellings per year to eliminate the backlog, the creation of a land law and a law
programming over five years, tax reform and more equal measures to encourage social mix.

Commission deems it appropriate to require municipalities with more than 3,500 inhabitants to build 25% of social housing, against 20% today.