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.

ITALY: Carabinieri seized one billion euros of assets to a clan of the Camorra

AFP - The Carabinieri have seized one billion euros of assets to a clan of the Naples mafia in the course of the investigation that led Tuesday to the arrest of 39 people, including two activists of the party of Silvio Berlusconi Ansa agency said Thursday.

The Carabinieri have made the seizure of land, buildings, companies, business, vehicles and boats belonging to the clan Polverino for a total value estimated at one billion euros.These properties were registered in the names of clan members and nominees.

Polverino clan members are accused of mafia association, attempted murder, extortion, usury, illegal possession of weapons, drug trafficking, illegal transfer of funds from illegal activities real estate, finance and trade.

Two persons were arrested Tuesday are candidates of the People of Freedom (PDL, right, the party of the Italian head of government) to municipal Quarto, near Naples: Armando Chiaro, considered one of the leaders of the organization and serving as a nominee to the clan, and Salvatore Camerlingo, cousin of the boss Salvatore Liccardi.

These arrests are the result of an investigation by the Anti-Mafia Directorate of Naples in collaboration with the Central Unit of the Spanish Civil Guard on the activities of the Camorra clan Polverino (Neapolitan Mafia).

According to investigators, the tribe operates from the northern suburbs of Naples, a major drug trafficking from Spain to supply the Italian market.

LIGUE 1: Marseille stimulus championship, PSG up to 4th place

The championship was revived! Marseille, second, returned Sunday to a point behind leaders Lille with its success in Montpellier (2-1), while Paris St Germain, who won the Lyon (1-0) took 4th place at a point in the Lyon, 3e, after the 31st day of L1.

Unlike last weekend, OM, ten against ten (Remy and exclusions El Kaoutari) has not missed the boat this time, after another misstep from Lille, who conceded a draw against Bordeaux on Saturday night (1-1).

Lille is still first with 59 points, but sees in his mirror close Marseille, 2nd with 58 points. LOSC, who lost to Monaco (1-0) last weekend, has not reassured about its ability to handle pressure with a home draw against Bordeaux and allowed competition to benefit.The zen of Rudi Garcia Will it take a hit?

Lyon-Paris SG PSG then smiled (4th, 52 points) taking fourth place in Rennes, defeated him by Saturday at Lorient (2-1). In Rennes, 5th with 51 points, times are tough. The team has not won since Breton five games and fears of reliving the nightmare of last season (the last eight games without a victory).

Looking at the standings, Lyon (3rd, 53 points) will manage a big blow to morale. PSG is now just one point behind ... Blame it on an old Lyon, Giuly, decisive passer Camara. The Fight for the Champions League will be fierce.

Place in the League Cup

The winner of the "Big Five" in the French and the weekend is Liverpool, widening the gap on Lyon, 3rd, 5 points behind.Defending champion find Montpellier next Saturday at the Stade de France for the final of the League Cup. The OM has prepared this great event and a soup end championship more exciting.

The last weekend, while OM was already back on Lille, Didier Deschamps' men had had to settle for a draw (2-2) against Toulouse at the Velodrome.

This time, though not really impressive, they have ensured that most precious three points. "We're still alive and there are safety issues, although we still do not dominate the debate," welcomed the Marseille coach Didier Deschamps, while pleased with the progress of the match: "Just 25 minutes from the end, all media would said that we were losers + +, 25 minutes later, we are in the race. "

These points will do good in the locker room and away from the rumors about the possible departure of Didier Deschamps-Lucho, who began to parasitize the end of the championship Marseille.

Arles-Avignon officially L2

In the bottom of the standings, the 31st day was rich in sensations. A free kick from Dudka, which has the bad reputation often do not fit its strikes, helped Auxerre to win (1-0) in Toulouse in injury time and get out of the relegation zone. Auxerre climbed into 15th place and 18th place leaves in Caen, slapped by Sochaux (3-2).

Lens, who conceded a draw (1-1) on its ground against Brest, is still mired in 19th place. Arles, Avignon, the red lantern, is officially in L2 after his defeat against Valenciennes (1-0) Sunday.Expected outcome of a long ordeal.

"The relegation sad for the players and fans," said Faruk Hadzibegic, coach of Arles. Alight of course does not please me but it's not a surprise. We knew what to expect. "

EURO AREA: "The ECB is acting too soon by raising its key rate"

Everyone expects the central bank increased its key interest rate Thursday for the first time since the crisis began. It should be fixed at 1.25% to fight against inflation in Europe. A gamble for Christophe Blot, économine European specialist at OFCE (French Office of Economic Conditions).

FRANCE 24 is the first time since the crisis began that the ECB will increase these rates, why?

Christophe Blot: Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank, has made clear it was time to fight against inflation in the euro area. Since the beginning of the year it is 2.4% while the target of the ECB is to maintain inflation at 2%.By increasing the policy rate by 0.25% even as it should be the case, Jean-Claude Trichet hopes to curb this trend.

This approach questionable because current inflation is due solely to rising oil prices and it is by definition a highly volatile indicator. If we remove the price of oil and food prices, also volatile, inflation is only 1%. By not taking this into account, the ECB adopts a reflection only in the short term, then it is supposed to reflect the medium-term.Also if you look abroad, particularly in the United States and Great Britain, central banks are not as stringent goals against inflation.

F24: The low rate was that of the ECB so far was supposed to promote growth in times of crisis. Does it increase suggests that the crisis is over by the central bank?

CB: You can ask. Indeed, another reason to raise the rate indicator is that the ECB has always believed that monetary policy before the crisis was too lax.She often said that with interest rates too low, the funds had flowed afloat and had encouraged the emergence of bubbles [real estate speculation] that played a role in triggering the crisis. So by raising rates, it is conceivable that the central bank believes it must now work to prevent future bubbles rather than supporting growth.

F24: Yet one can hardly say that Europe is growing ...

CB: It is indeed a matter of timing. I think the ECB is acting too soon. By increasing interest rates, banks will pay more to finance when the banking sector in Europe is still very fragile.Moreover, ultimately, the banks will raise rates at which they lend money, which will not improve purchasing power. If we add to that all plans rigorously determined in the countries of the euro area is a very risky bet that the ECB does. And all that while inflation is not that strong!

LIBYA: New clashes in Benghazi, where dozens of people were killed

AFP - At least 173 people were killed in Libya since the start of the protest on February 15 according to Human Rights Watch (HRW), while the movement of revolt against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, in power for nearly 42 years, began Sunday reach Tripoli.

Most victims were killed in Benghazi, the second largest city 1,000 km east of Tripoli, but according to witnesses contacted by AFP, bloody clashes erupted Saturday in Musratha, 200 km east Capital.

Opposition stronghold, Benghazi became the scene of "massacres," said Fathi Terbeel, one of the protest organizers, on Al Jazeera."It looks like a war zone opened between protesters and security forces."

In the Libyan capital, dozens of lawyers have participated in a sit-in protest against repression in court, witnesses and opposition websites. Many residents were food reserves while traders emptied their shops for fear of coming events.

Members of revolutionary committees in plainclothes patrolling the streets of Tripoli, very few moving sometimes in cars without license plates, according to other witnesses.Clashes also took place Sunday at Zaouia, 60 km west of Tripoli, the sources said.

According to the director of HRW's office in London, Tom Porteous, "at least 173" people have been killed since Tuesday. This statement is based on hospital sources in four cities in eastern countries including Benghazi, he said, adding that it was incomplete because a number of communication difficulties in the country.

According to an AFP count compiled from various sources Libyan stock of protest against the regime of Colonel Gaddafi was at least 77 dead, mostly in Benghazi.In this city, thousands of people protested in court, told AFP Mohammed Mughrabi, a lawyer.

Security services, quoted by state news agency Jana reported that clashes were continuing around a barracks in Benghazi, causing deaths and injuries among the attackers and the military. Witnesses said several protesters were killed Saturday in an attempted attack against the barracks.

"We asked the Red Cross to send field hospitals. We can no longer cope," said Mr. Mughrabi."It seems that the Libyan leader has ordered his security forces to end the protests at all costs, and the Libyans are now paying the price with their lives," Amnesty International has denounced.

Prime Minister Al-Baghdadi Al-Mahmoudi said Libya was "right to take all measures" to preserve the unity of the country, during a meeting with ambassadors of European Union countries in Tripoli according to the agency Jana.

The Arab League has called for his part in a statement "to cease immediately all acts of violence."The Permanent Representative of Libya to the League, Abdel Moneim al-Honi, announced he was resigning to join "the revolution" and to protest against "violence against demonstrators" in his country.

Many western countries were preparing to evacuate their citizens, while Turkey has already repatriated more than 500 people since Saturday, saying some have been targets of violence in Benghazi. According to a union official Tunisian, hundreds of Tunisians have left Libya on Sunday to take refuge in their country and run "a real massacre."

Muammar Gaddafi has made no official statement since the beginning of the movement.Libyan state television announced that Seif al-Islam, a son, would speak Sunday night.

A Musratha third largest city, the police were supported Saturday by "African mercenaries" who "shot (have) on the crowd without distinction", according to testimony consistent.

In addition, a senior Libyan official said Sunday that a "group of Islamic extremists" was holding hostage members of law enforcement and citizens in Al-Baida, in Eastern countries, demanding the lifting of head around it.

Meanwhile, authorities announced they had arrested dozens of Arab nationals belonging to a "network" with a mission to destabilize the country, according to Jana.

According to the Hungarian presidency of the EU, the Libyan authorities have summoned a representative of the EU to threaten to Tripoli to stop its cooperation in the fight against immigration if Europe continues to "encourage" unprecedented events in the countries.

Despite these threats, Europeans strongly condemned the bloody suppression of protests. "We call for restraint, we urge an end to violence and dialogue," said the head of European diplomacy Ashton.

THEATER: "MIDInight in Paris" by Woody Allen opening the next Cannes Film Festival

AFP - The latest Woody Allen movie "Midnight in Paris" including the First Lady of France Carla Bruni-Sarkozy will be screened on opening the 64th Cannes Film Festival May 11, organizers announced Wednesday.

"It's Midnight In Paris + +, the new film by Woody Allen will open the Cannes Film Festival May 11 next in the great room light in the presence of the jury chaired by Robert De Niro" the statement said.

The film will be released the same day in theaters in France.

It will be "a priori out of competition, Woody Allen refusing on principle to be included," he told AFP the general delegate Thierry Fremaux Festival, which has still trying to convince him "until the last moment."

The official selection will be announced in mid-April, he said.

"Midnight in Paris + + is a wonderful love letter to Paris," Mr Fremaux said in a statement.

"This is a work in which Woody Allen deepens the questions in his latest film: our relationship to history, art, pleasure and life.For his 41st feature film, he again showed a great inspiration, "he adds.

Furthermore Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, who holds is his first movie role, this "romantic comedy," shot last summer in the French capital, met the French actor Marion Cotillard, Lea Seydoux and Gad Elmaleh, and an important distribution International starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates and Adrien Brody.