IRELAND: Croke Park, the symbol of the march towards Independence

On the second day of his visit to Ireland, Queen Elizabeth II visited this Wednesday at Croke Park stadium in Dublin. A highly symbolic passage in the process of reconciliation between Britain and its neighbor.Croke Park has long remained the undisputed temple of Gaelic sports - such as hurling, Gaelic football and Camogie.

The stadium, which has a capacity of 82,300 seats, was opened to other sports (like football and rugby) in 2005, 92 years after its commissioning in 1913.

Most importantly, Croke Park was in 1920, the scene of a massacre orchestrated by British forces that helped lead to independence.

On the morning of November 21, 1920, the Irish Republican Army (IRA), Armed Force independence, launched a commando in several places in Dublin to remove a network of agents of British intelligence.The review of the operation was high: in the ranks UK, 12 people were killed and two paramilitaries in the pay of the Crown.

In the afternoon, the regular British police, backed by paramilitaries, decides to conduct a "punitive expedition" during a Gaelic football match, sports flagship of Ireland.

Catalyst for the march towards Independence

The British forces entering Croke Park, where 5,000 people gathered, and opened fire on the crowd. Fourteen people, including a woman, two children and two players were killed.

London, which had not been informed of the operation, is struggling to justify the massacre.The official version of the authorities reported a police action aimed at searching the audience to uncover potential supporters of the IRA and said that it is they who opened fire first.

Subsequent surveys will invalidate this thesis.Seventy-nine years later, the "Bloody Sunday" ("Bloody Sunday", not to be confused with the 1972 in Londonderry, Ed) is still remembered for the Irish as one of the pivotal events of the march the country to Independence.

Indeed, he helped establish the resentment against Great Britain in the Irish population, until the formal independence of Eire in 1922.

In Ireland, Croke Park is more than a major sporting complex. It is a temple of Irish culture, a monument dedicated to the memory of the struggle for national independence.

YEMEN: The Gulf states again recommend leaving Saleh

The monarchies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) called Sunday to Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh objected to cede power to his vice president, to resolve the crisis in his country continued demonstrations demanding his departure.

After a meeting in Riyadh of their foreign ministers, the six GCC members have called on the government of Mr.Saleh and opposition to a meeting in the Saudi capital for a peaceful transition in Yemen.

"The president (should) ad (r) the transfer of his powers to vice-president," Mansour Hadi Abd Rabbou, and "a government of national unity led by the opposition" will be responsible for "setting up a constitution and organize elections, "said GCC Secretary General, Abdellatif Zayani.

Protests continue, repression also

Sunday, tens of thousands of Yemenis have decried the new regime, following street battles between protesters and police in Sana'a and Taiz.

One protester was killed and dozens of people injured in the clashes with security forces on Saturday, which continued well into the night, according to a report delivered on Sunday by medical sources and by committees governing protests against the regime.

The protester died in Taiz, a city south of the capital, where four protesters were killed Friday.

In addition, 43 demonstrators were wounded by gunfire, 29 by blows and 580 others suffered from suffocation after inhaling tear gas.A dozen other protesters were arrested.

The toll was high also in Sanaa, where 30 demonstrators were wounded by gunfire, 80 by blows and 1,200 were treated for inhaling tear gas, according to medical sources.

After the fighting at night, tens of thousands of Yemenis opposed to President Saleh expressed Sunday without incident in Sana'a, Taiz and Ibb, further south-west, and Hodeidah on the Red Sea, according to witnesses.

In Sanaa, protesters camped for nearly two months on the Place du Change, marched on a major artery of the capital.

Saleh had already rejected any idea of ​​starting

The Gulf monarchies, concerned about instability in Yemen, had offered to mediate a week ago.

The Head of State, in power for 32 years, this offer was rejected Friday in the version announced by Qatar, which already provided he cedes power, while continuing to say he remained open to the proposal Gulf countries.

As a sign of anger, he had recalled its ambassador to Doha Saturday.

The Yemeni parliamentary opposition had called for his part, GCC and the international community to "take stronger measures to protect civil society against the repression and killings."

Yemen was the scene since late January demonstrations demanding the resignation of President Saleh, who made a hundred dead.

In other violence linked to Al Qaeda, a colonel in the intelligence services was killed Saturday and his son wounded in the region of Loder, in southern Yemen, officials said Sunday the security and medical sources.

The United States worked closely with the regime of President Saleh in the fight against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which is active in southern and eastern Yemen.

Barack Obama announced his candidacy for president in 2012

AFP - U.S. President Barack Obama announced Monday his candidacy for a second term of four years as head of the United States during the 2012 presidential election, calling on his supporters to take action to "protect the progress made".

"Today we are filing papers to launch our campaign 2012," saidObama in a statement.

Ensuring that its administration and its supporters "fight to protect this progress, achieve and benefit", he stressed that "we must also begin to mobilize ourselves for 2012, well before the time comes for me to launch myself really in the campaign. "

"I will need you to develop our plan and create a campaign that goes further, more focused and more innovative than anything we've built so far," Mr.Obama, whose campaign for the 2008 election was regarded as particularly innovative, relying particularly on the Internet and social networks to mobilize many volunteers.

"This will be my last campaign, at least as a candidate," he continues, the U.S. Constitution limiting to two the number of presidential terms. "But the goal of leaving a lasting legacy for our families, our communities and our country, never concerned that a single person.And it only works if we work together. "

Dissemination of the text was preceded by that of a first video campaign with supporters of the president discussing the importance of seeing him continue the work undertaken since the beginning of his term and ending on the date 2012 with the below address barackobama.com.

Barack Obama, 49, was elected at the presidential in November 2008 and took office in January 2009, becoming the first black president of the United States.

The formal announcement of candidacy will notably allow his campaign team, which will be based in his political stronghold of Chicago (north), to begin to raise funds for the next election.

COTE D'IVOIRE: ECOWAS relies on a strengthened UN mission to solve the crisis

AFP - West African leaders met in ordinary summit in Abuja Wednesday examined the possibility of asking the UN to go further in its response to the Ivorian crisis worsens.

"I think we can pass a resolution asking the UN to take action a bit more serious about the situation in Côte d'Ivoire," said Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan to the Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS, 15 countries).

The meeting held with representatives of UN and African Union (AU), was completed shortly after 20:00 local time (1900 GMT).It will resume and will end Thursday, and a final statement on Côte d'Ivoire will be published, said participants.

Goodluck Jonathan is the current chairman of ECOWAS.

Stressing "the commitment and collective determination" of the regional organization to end the election crisis in Côte d'Ivoire, which has nearly 440 deaths, according to the UN since the presidential election of 28 November 2010, he hoped that this would be possible "without the use of legitimate force".

Three months ago, the West African leaders have threatened to oust Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo out by force if he persisted in refusing to cede the presidency to Alassane Ouattara, recognized winner of the election by the Almost all of the international community.

Mr Gbagbo still occupies the presidency and now there are fears a civil war.

Chairman of the AU Commission, Jean Ping, absent from the summit, in a message deemed "serious concern" the developments of recent weeks. Noting an "escalation", Mr Ping urged the summit to "begging Mr. Gbagbo to do what is right."He added that the AU was about to appoint a "senior representative" for Côte d'Ivoire.

In the morning, hundreds of West Africans have protested outside the ECOWAS headquarters in Abuja to demand an end to violence in Côte d'Ivoire.

One of them was invited to speak before the summit, asked the officer to "redouble efforts" before bursting into tears.

The military option in Côte d'Ivoire seems for now ruled out by ECOWAS. The Nigerian foreign minister, Odein Ajumogobia has highlighted that the UN should validate any armed intervention.And the Court of Justice of Ecowas has urged the community last week to refrain from the use of force in Cote d'Ivoire.

John Shinkaiye, chief of staff Jean Ping, said to AFP that "ECOWAS and the AU agreed that the force be our last resort after all peaceful means have failed."

Among those present were the heads of state summit Boni Yayi (Benin), Blaise Compaore (Burkina Faso), Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia), Amadou Toumani Toure (Mali), Abdoulaye Wade (Senegal), Ernest Koroma (Sierra Leone) and Faure Gnassingbe (Togo), was a journalist from AFP.

As the special representative of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in West Africa, Said Djinnit.

The West African leaders will choose the successor of Goodluck Jonathan at the rotating presidency of ECOWAS and review the suspension of Guinea and Niger.

Excluded from the organization due to military coups, in 2008 and 2010, these countries have recently held elections for a transfer of power to civilian rule.

LIBYA: Gaddafi's troops are preparing to take Benghazi assault

AFP - The pro-Gaddafi forces regained the advantage in Libya Tuesday, a month after the start of the insurgency, pounding Ajdabiya (east) and announcing an offensive on the insurgent headquarters in Benghazi, (is), not the G8 no agreement on military intervention.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi said in the evening to be "determined to crush the enemy" in a televised speech, hammering: "if it is a foreign conspiracy we'll crush it, if it is an inside job we will also crush. "

Government forces launched air force and heavy artillery against Ajdabiya, strategic communication node and final lock held by the rebels before Benghazi, 160 km further south, cutting the main road between the two cities.

The official television and a senior Libyan government announced qu'Ajdabiya was controlled by loyalist forces.

The Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaaim said Tuesday evening qu'Ajdabiya AFP was "under control" forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi.

The information had been denied earlier by the military spokesman of the National Council of Libya, the governing body of the rebels based in Benghazi.

"Ajdabiya is still in the hands of the revolutionaries," said the spokesman, Khaled El-Sayeh, saying: "Army units tried to enter the city, but our forces have repulsed.He also denied the insurgents to retreat Benghazi despite the scenes of stampede which has seen an AFP journalist.

Hundreds of civilians and insurgents fleeing Ajdabiya arrived in the south of Benghazi in cars, trucks and pickups.

"I took my family as much business as possible and we left," he told AFP a family man, Said, 42 years, telling "there was a lot of bombs."

The fighting has killed at least three dead and fifteen wounded, according to doctors, in addition to two deaths received during the night.

"There are still some elements that take and our forces are now chasing them," said Khaled Kaaim stating: "We will now beyond Ajdabiya, our forces are moving towards Benghazi.

The Libyan army announced on television on an imminent offensive Benghazi, where the rebels have used anti-aircraft guns in the evening, without journalists on the spot from the AFP have seen or heard aircraft.

It was unclear whether the rebels retaliated in an attack or expressing their joy after rumors of a bombing aimed at the residence of Kadhafi in Tripoli.Fireworks took place at the same time as the heavy artillery and air defense, early in Benghazi.

The Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) withdrew its staff from Benghazi, stressing that "everyone evacuate Benghazi, humanitarian as journalists."

The major powers met at the G8 in Paris have dismissed for lack of consensus the military option to slow the forces of Muammar Gaddafi, merely promised for this week a new UN resolution on tougher sanctions.

The NATO countries were examined for the first time the military options available to them if the alliance decided to intervene in Libya, although the probability of a UN resolution authorizing them down.

The French Minister of Foreign Affairs Alain Juppe described as "outdated" idea of ​​establishing an air exclusion zone, originally due by Paris and London as well as the Arab League and claimed by the Libyan opposition.

He spoke of "targeted strikes", while stating that the Security Council of the United Nations was blocked because of opposition from the Chinese, while the Americans have still not defined its position.

Barack Obama has again called on the Libyan leader to leave, but his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton refused to promise military aid to the rebels.

The United States expanded its sanctions 16 firms Libyan government, the national oil company.

Crunch time for the insurgents, who have announced they still masters of Misrata (150 km east of Tripoli), where government forces were gathered in a nearby barracks, presaging an attack.

Zouari, a town located 120 km west of Tripoli on Monday and resumed the pro-Gaddafi, supporters of the regime demonstrated by the television, and shots rang out, "probably shooting in the air to scare residents, "according to a witness near the rebellion.

Since February 15, the bloody suppression of the insurgency has killed at least hundreds dead and forced more than 250,000 people to flee the country.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) called on fighters to allow civilians to flee, noting the unusually low number of women and children arriving at the borders with Egypt and Tunisia.

According to the International Energy Agency, Libyan oil production, usually by 1.6 million barrels per day, was nearly stopped in recent days.

On the other hand, London confirmed Tuesday the arrest of a Libyan man with dual British and Libya after it became known to journalists in a Tripoli prison by claiming to have raised funds for a Islamist organization.

JORDAN: "These accusations against the Queen Rania is also a disavowal of the political class"

"I am closely monitoring developments in Tunisia and pray for stability and peace for his people," twitter January 15 Queen Rania of Jordan. His country has not yet been saved by the protest movement that shook the Arab world, and Queen now finds itself on the frontline. In a statement released earlier this week, 36 individuals belonging to the great Bedouin tribes accuse him of "corruption".They argue, among other things, Rania al-Abdullah, herself of Palestinian origin, have facilitated the granting Jordanian citizenship to 78,000 Palestinians since 2005.

Jordan "will sooner or later the target of an uprising similar to Tunisia and Egypt," say those tribal leaders who want a "trial of the corrupt who have looted the country, whoever they are and whatever are their rank and importance. " "We continue to be loyal to the Hashemite throne, but we believe that King Abdullah II must end the abuse of his wife and family, they continue.Otherwise, the throne will be in danger. "

According Hasni Abidi, specialist and director of the Arab Centre for Studies and Research of the Arab and Mediterranean (CERMAM) in Geneva, Switzerland, these charges reflect, as in other Arab countries, a severe denial of class policy.

FRANCE 24: Tribal leaders are directly Queen Rania of Jordan in their release, accusing him of "corruption". Why is this a turning point in the criticism of the regime?

Hasni Abidi, That queen is referred namely a first in Jordan. So far, no one dared make the slightest criticism or reservation about the conduct of King Abdullah II and his family [the criticism of the royal family can be punished by a sentence of three years in prison, Ed].Recent events in Egypt and Tunisia, where we talked about leaders, their families and the wife of President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, have undoubtedly contributed to this red line is crossed into Jordan.

The wife of King Hussein [Queen Noor, Ed], father of Abdallah II, was far behind, while Queen Rania has an important role. It is also visible than was Leila Trabelsi Tunisia, although it is mainly involved in issues related to education or literacy. King Abdullah II wanted to use it to modernize the country's image, and it has worked elsewhere in Europe or the United States. But this has had adverse effects on the domestic scene.There have been many articles on the expensive wardrobe of Queen Rania, its designers, it is part of the Board of the Economic Forum in Davos ... It began to grate on people.

FRANCE 24: The corruption charges against the Queen Rania are credible?

Hasni Abidi: I do not think Rania of Jordan could be accused of corruption because it is not responsible for any economic issue. Within the Royal Palace, close to the king or counselors, who have a say on these topics can benefit. Corruption exists, but not at what took place in Tunisia and Egypt.When he came to power, Abdullah has also conducted an operation "clean hands" in some jurisdictions, to drive out the profiteers.

FRANCE 24: What explains these large tribes also speak today so virulent?

Hasni Abidi: The tribes have an important weight in Jordan, they are the traditional mainstay of the monarchy. The stability of the scheme is based on their loyalty and allegiance and it is very rare that they do act of political revenge. In criticizing the Queen Rania now they criticize the king.

Several factors explain this position. First, the economic and social situation is very bad, Jordan is more related to the global economic situation as Egypt.Political instability is also high, with repeated changes of government. But mostly it sounds like a repudiation of the political class in general, like what is happening in other Arab countries. The tribes expressed their discontent and demand a change.

They may also try to redeem themselves: they have long been taxed to the second column and supporting the royal palace against all odds ...

FRANCE 24: These allegations against the Queen they threaten the future of the scheme?

Hasni Abidi: The Jordanian army is very strong and the system too. Jordan operates a system of fuses, if the discontent is widespread, the king can make a jump, changing government ...There are also many fault lines within the Jordanian society, nearly half the population is of Palestinian origin.This affects the mobilization, the feeling of allegiance to the country is very important and nobody dares to yell too loudly for fear of being labeled a "traitor."

Since the beginning of the protest movement, there have been major changes: Abdullah II appointed a new prime minister, Marouf Bakhit, who was retired [the new government was sworn in on Wednesday, Ed], he announced lower prices of food and fuel while the finances of the state are not looking good [debt represents 60% of GDP and the credit rating agency Moody's has revised the rating of the country from stable to negative Tuesday , Ed]. This reflects the weakness of the regime, but also because it is sensitive to people's demands.This year, for example, neither the king nor the queen Rania not have gone to Davos. The Jordanian regime is more attentive to its population than other Arab regimes.

AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS: Morocco to host CAN 2015

AFP - The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has awarded Saturday at Lubumbashi (DR Congo) organization of the African Cup of Nations (CAN) in 2015 in Morocco and that of 2017 to South Africa, host of last World Cup.

Morocco, which has organized most of the continent's premier competition since 1988, is thus designated by the CAF, after several unsuccessful bids.

South Africa, hosts of the 1996 edition won by his Bafana Bafana-(nickname of the national soccer team of South Africa), will once again host the tournament in six years, having successfully organized the first World on the continent in the summer of 2010.

Both countries were the only ones vying for the C-2015 and 2017.

The FCA was appointed Angola as host of the CAN-2010, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon in 2012 and Libya in 2013.

MIDDLE EAST: The Palestinian Authority was ready for major concessions in 2008

They are presented as "the most important leaked documents in the history of Israeli-Palestinian conflict." The few papers published since 1600 on Sunday night by the pan-Arab channel Al-Jazeera and the British daily "The Guardian" bring a new light on the peace negotiations in the Middle East between 1999 and 2010. They reveal the extent of such concessions that the Palestinian Authority was ready to go, especially on the crucial issues of the status of Jerusalem and the return of refugees.

These revelations "concerning bids Palestinian, all the more explosive than the other for the street," says Gallagher Fenwick, FRANCE 24's correspondent in Jerusalem.They have something seriously damage the credibility of the already weakened Palestinian Authority to the Palestinian population. They portray leaders almost desperate face confident Israeli negotiators, backed by the Americans. "

From Monday morning, the Islamist party Hamas has denounced the "implication" of the Palestinian Authority "in attempts to liquidate the Palestinian cause."

Asked about Al-Jazeera on Sunday, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told him that these documents were a "tissue of lies.""What was broadcast was distorted and taken out of context, and contains lies," he said Monday.

"The biggest Yourshalayem of history"

According to these confidential documents, mainly reports of meetings, and contrary to the positions shown in public, the Palestinian Authority would have done behind the scenes of major concessions to the Jewish state over the past two decades. For example:

Jerusalem: In 2008, a leading Palestinian negotiator, Ahmed Qureia, proposed that Israel annex the Jewish settlements built in and around East Jerusalem since 1967 with the exception of Abu Ghneim - called Har Homa by the Israelis.

"This is the first time in history that we do such a proposal, we had refused during the discussions at Camp David, in 2000, said Ahmed Qureia on this occasion. "It's no secret that we have proposed the largest Yourshalayem - Jerusalem in Hebrew - of history," said his side the chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat to the former Israeli foreign minister, Tzipi Livni.

Proposals completely contrary to the official position: "From our perspective, there are no negotiations over Jerusalem.Jerusalem is ours ", repeated Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president, there is another week.

The Israeli authorities did nothing at the time proposed in exchange for these concessions the Palestinian ruling that they "did not go far enough."

Esplanade of the Mosques: Regarding the Temple Mount, Saeb Erekat has proposed an "innovative solution" which is that an international committee monitoring this area in the old city of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount houses the third holiest of Islam.Refugees: On the thorny issue of right of return for Palestinian refugees, Saeb Erekat said he was ready to accept "the return of 10,000 of them per year over 10 years, a total of 100 000. Yet it is estimated about five million people the number of refugees. Safety: These documents also reveal a high level of security cooperation between Israeli security forces and the Israel, and prove that President Mahmoud Abbas was informed of an imminent Israeli attack against Gaza - Operation Lead Cast - in late 2008.

A senior Israeli official denied Monday that information. "This is an example of inaccuracy.No specific warning about an attack has been sent to the Palestinian Authority, "said Maj. Gen. Amos Gilad Reserve, Director of Political-Military Affairs at the Ministry of Defence.

Blockade: In 2008, Saeb Erekat also asked Livni to "strengthen the Israeli blockade" imposed on the Gaza Strip, controlled by Hamas.

"It takes political courage"

On Monday, former Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Haim Ramon, a member of Kadima, he has found that these documents prove that the Israeli government "has a true partner for peace"."It is further necessary that the search" sincerely, "he added.

For Ofer Bronchtein, president of the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation in the Middle East, these are the parameters of a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which, with these revelations publicly exposed: a recognition in principle of Israel's right to return for Palestinians and a sharing of Jerusalem, which would become the capital of two states. "The secret negotiations, that's enough! Says Ofer Bronchtein to FRANCE 24. There is nothing left to invent for peace between Israelis and Palestinians."

"Ehud Olmert [former Israeli Prime Minister, ed] and Mahmoud Abbas arrived in a millimeter of a peace agreement," he says.Unfortunately, the political situation in Israel has not allowed that agreement to be signed. Today we must strengthen the Palestinian Authority so it can get these decisions to public opinion, and Israel must show some political courage. It is political courage needed by the Middle East, "said Ofer Bronchtein finally.