ICELAND: A volcano erupts, the risks are limited

Reuters - A volcano erupted Saturday in Iceland's largest glacier in the country, a year after the disturbances in European transport by the eruption of Eyjafjöll, but the scenario should not be repeated according to the experts .

The Grímsvötn in south-east of the island, let out a plume of white smoke, said Hjorleifr Sveinbjörnsson, Icelandic Meteorological Services, told Reuters.

"This may be a strong eruption, but it is unlikely that this is like last year," said the latter.

The last eruption of Grímsvötn of 2004.

The Icelandic airline Icelandair, said domestic air traffic was not disrupted.

"We do not expect the rash of Grímsvötn affects traffic in the country in any way," said the spokesman Icelandair Gudjon Arngrimsson.

Images broadcast on local media sites show a thick cloud of white smoke formed over the mountains nearby.

"Grímsvötn volcano is a very powerful, so we are monitoring the situation closely, even though its last eruptions were harmless," said Pall Einarsson, a geophysicist at the University of Iceland, on the website of the daily Morgunbladid.

The air control agency of the continent, Eurocontrol, had suspended several thousands of flights and much of European airspace was closed last year because of the cloud of volcanic ash from the volcano that might deteriorate Eyjafjöll aircraft engines.

FLYING RIO PARIS: One of the black box flight AF447 crashed into the sea is fished out by investigators

AFP - The box containing the flight parameters of the Air France Airbus which crashed in 2009 off the coast of Brazil, rescued Sunday is "in good physical condition", leaving the investigators hope to be able to read valuable data, told AFP the director of the Bureau of Investigation and Analysis (BEA).

"At this stage, the box looks in good physical condition.Our experts tell us that we can hope to read these data, "said Jean-Paul Troadec.

He however expressed caution noting that for the moment, it was unclear whether or not there was corrosion.

Shortly before, the BEA, in charge of the technical investigation said it had recovered the memory module of the flight data recorder, Flight Data Recorder (FDR)

"If these data are usable, it will help advance the investigation because the FDR recorded altitude, speed, different positions of the government," he explained Troadec.

Questioned by AFP, a spokesman for Airbus said the group did at this stage "absolutely no comment".

The module is for the time being immersed in water.It must be transported to BEA, where he will be husked. "He should be in our office by 8 to 10 days, the time a Navy ship to pick him and lead him home," he said Troadec.

The objective is to recover the second black box, recording the conversations in the cockpit before the Navy come first search box to route both recorders simultaneously.

The disaster, which has killed 228 on 1 June 2009, remains so far unexplained.

FRANCE: Police exonerated after the death of two teenagers in Clichy

Five and a half after the tragedy, the Court of Appeal of Paris gave a non-suit Wednesday in favor of two officers initially referred to a court investigation into the death of two teenagers in Clichy-sous-Bois in the origin of the 2005 riots.

Both officers were dismissed in October by the judges in charge of the investigation before the criminal court for "failure to assist persons in danger" but the prosecutor of Bobigny had appealed that decision.

The Court of Appeal of Paris followed the submissions of the prosecutor general who believed that the two officers were not aware of the reality of danger.

On October 27, 2005, Zyed Benna, 17, and Bouna Traore, 15, died electrocuted in a power substation where they fled after a chase with police. A third teenager, Muhittin Altun, who survived.

Urban violence had started the night in Clichy-sous-Bois and had spread to all the French suburbs.The state of emergency had been imposed even on November 9.

"The issue has always been empty," said the lawyer for Mr. Daniel Merchat police after the decision in closed session by the Board of Education.

"After 5 years, the small voice of truth, justice eventually cover the decoys media uproar," said the lawyer.

The lawyer for the families of two young was in high contrast against this decision and announced an appeal.

"It is a justice of fear that was made this morning," responded Jean-Pierre Mignard on France Inter. But "we will go through," he said, accusing prosecutors of being "not independent" and "not impartial".

The police initially questioned had seen criticized for not having tried to assist the youth entered the peril of their lives in the transformer.

But for prosecutors, police officers were unaware that the three youths had entered the transformer.Well for one of the policemen who, in exchange radio, "announced that he saw two individuals in the process of stepping over a fence to move to the EDF website.

He also said in this exchange: "At the same time, if they fall on the EDF site, I would not give much of their skin."

Claude Dilain, Socialist Mayor of Clichy-sous-Bois (Seine-Saint-Denis), regretted the decision of the appellate court.

"From day one, I called for an independent investigation and adversarial," he recalled elected to AFP.

"It will not happen and I regret it, even for police officers," he said."Their non-responsibility might have been more clearly demonstrated after the debate," he said.

Mohamed Mechmache, president of the collective associations AC-Fire in Clichy-sous-Bois has also expressed its disappointment. "We work so that young people believe in justice, but after a decision like that is hard for us," he said.

JAPAN: Nicolas Sarkozy travels to Tokyo to show the solidarity of France

AFP - Nicolas Sarkozy will meet Thursday in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, then members of the French community in Japan on a visit intended to show the solidarity of France after the tragedy of March 11, said Tuesday the Elysee in a statement.

After a visit to China was already on its official agenda Wednesday and Thursday, the president will visit Japan Thursday to "to express France's solidarity, nationally and as chair of the G20 and G8 with the Japanese people in the trials he goes through the dramatic events since 11 March, "it is written.

During the visit, said the statement, Mr.Sarkozy "will meet with Naoto Kan, Prime Minister of Japan, and meet the French community in Japan."

A magnitude 9 earthquake and massive tsunami that occurred on March 11 killed more than 28,000 dead or missing in north-eastern Japan and damaged the cooling of reactors in Fukushima Daiichi (No. 1), causing the start of melting nuclear fuel.

One official said Monday night UMP had told AFP that the head of State had decided that short visit to Japan on the occasion of his visit to China, focusing in particular on the reform of international monetary system placed at the top of priorities the French presidency of the G20.

COTE D'IVOIRE: In Abidjan, thousands of Ivorians express support for Laurent Gbagbo

The camp of the Ivorian head of state Laurent Gbagbo mobilized out Saturday thousands of supporters near the presidential palace in Abidjan, when international pressure is growing to force originally, amid fears of civil war.

France, former colonial power, announced this week that have submitted a draft resolution to the Security Council of the United Nations to halt the firing with heavy weapons in Abidjan, which are a "scandal" according to President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The text, which must be considered in the coming days, explicitly requires the departure of Laurent Gbagbo and his rival Alassane Ouattara recognizes as legitimate president after the November ballot, which plunged the country into a deadly crisis.

At the invitation of Charles Ble Goude, leader of the "patriotic" pro-Gbagbo, several thousand people, mainly young, have invaded in mid-day the Republic Square in the Plateau district, heart of the bristling power many young dams.

"Gbagbo or nothing", "Côte d'Ivoire belongs to the Ivorians," or "Sarkozy, the country is your last stop," proclaimed banners and posters.

Mr.Ble Goude has entered to the cheers by wearing a mattress on the shoulder of the rally-style festive campsite was to continue all night prayer sessions, and ended Sunday morning.

"Before attacking Laurent Gbagbo, you (should) kill all these people there," he said at the international community, pointing to the crowd.

"There will be no civil war," he stressed, attacking Mr Sarkozy, but also to President Barack Obama, the United Nations and the Economic Community of African States of the (ECOWAS).

While Pascal Affi N'Guessan, head of Gbagbo's party, accused MrOuattara from being "a mercenary in the service of Western imperialism," Charles Ble Goude, echoing Laurent Gbagbo, has renewed its call for "dialogue" to "find a solution to the post-election crisis."

The African Union (AU) last Saturday appointed a senior representative in Abidjan, the former Minister of Cape Verde José Brito Foreign Affairs in charge of opening negotiations between the two sides to implement the decisions taken by the AU March 10 in Addis Ababa: she recognized Mr. Ouattara as president and asked him to find an "honorable exit" for its rival.

But Mr. Ouattara was immediately challenged Mr.Brito for "his personal and political connections" with Laurent Gbagbo.

The crisis has never been so dramatic consequences for the Ivorians or generated as much concern outside. Over 460 people were killed in violence since late 2010, one million people may have been displaced in the country, the UN says.

Mr Ble Goude said that "over 100,000" young people had registered with the staff to enlist in the Army, responding to his call last weekend.The army said it would call these recruits to the "appropriate time".

In the West as in Abidjan, the time remaining in the clashes, and the use of heavy weapons, as in the districts of Abobo and Anyama, pro-insurgent strongholds Ouattara in the economic capital.

Abobo remains the epicenter of fighting. In the sector "Samankè" shots were heard Friday and two light armored Defense Forces and Security (FDS) loyal to Gbagbo were visible at a crossroads, charred.Witnesses said they had fallen into an "ambush" of insurgents, called "Commando invisible."

In the north, controlled by the former rebel pro-Ouattara, the population was from Wednesday night's private water and electricity, according to residents. The Ivorian Electricity Company (CIE, private) has blamed on the Gbagbo government, which controls the system since mid-January.

"The children are sick because they can not sleep well (lack of ventilation, ed.) There is also a lack of hygiene", said a resident of Bouake, the stronghold former rebel in the center of the country.

Liveblogging: Find events Friday in Libya and the Arab world

AFP - Forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi continued Friday to bomb rebel positions in eastern Libya, while the West showed its rapprochement with the opposition, which has lost two cities in recent days.

European leaders have increased the pressure on the Libyan leader, in power for nearly 42 years, calling the National Transitional Council of the Opposition (CNT) based in Benghazi (east), an interlocutor "legitimate".

President Barack Obama announced at the same time he was going to have a representative to the rebellion Jamahiriya.

France acknowledged Thursday CNT as "the legitimate representative of the Libyan people." Libya has responded Friday by suspending diplomatic relations with Paris.

On the ground, the loyalist forces launched two airstrikes east of Ras Lanuf, reaching an insurgent checkpoint and a refinery, according to AFP journalists.

This strategic oil city, south-west of Benghazi, a stronghold of the rebellion, was the basis for a week rebel advance in eastern Canada.But the insurgents had to abandon it, after intense bombardment Thursday of the pro-Gaddafi.

"Their supremacy was complete. They shot from boats, and they control the air," said a doctor at Brega, a city further east.

According to medical sources, the fighting on Thursday in Ras Lanuf made more than 10 dead and dozens wounded insurgents.Friday, an AFP reporter also saw at least five bodies evacuated from the city.

The intense bombardment that hit Lanouf Ras blocked the progression of the insurgents left Benghazi to conquer the coastal cities to Tripoli.

Last Saturday, the rebels had advanced to Ben Jawad, a town a few dozen miles west of Ras Lanuf, but had been expelled the next day by pro-Gaddafi, whose strikes have continued s intensified since.

A Zawiyah, 40 km from Tripoli, the regime's forces were celebrating their victory Friday in the rebel stronghold officially dropped Wednesday after more than two weeks of fierce resistance, according to an AFP journalist.

According to rescue workers at the border between Tunisia and Libya, a man arrived on the night of Zawiyah told that the situation was "catastrophic" and that "there were dead bodies everywhere."

Elsewhere, the rebels still controlled Misrata (150 km east of Tripoli) and several cities in the Northwest, especially in the mountainous region of Jabal Al-Gharbi, witnesses said.

In Benghazi, the rebels remained committed to fighting men of Kadhafi, despite setbacks recorded in recent days.

"We are not afraid of the army composed of mercenaries to 90%.We can beat them, "says Khaled, Fathi Ali's uncle, a 21-year insurgent killed Thursday in Ras Lanuf and buried Friday.

More than 10,000 people have also gathered in this city to demand the departure of Colonel Gaddafi.

At a summit in Brussels, the Heads of State and Government of the 27 EU countries have agreed to dialogue with the Libyan opposition and discussed a military option carefully to protect civilians, although they remain sharply divided to this prospect.

They decided to consider "all options" available, in an allusion to a possible military intervention, but specifying that it should be "a demonstrated need, a clear legal basis and support of the region."

For this purpose, a tripartite summit to be held soon between the EU, the African Union and Arab League, which meets on his side on Saturday in Cairo that the emissaries of the Libyan regime will not be allowed to participate.

"The current leadership (of Libya) must relinquish power immediately," he also said EU President Herman Van Rompuy after the summit.

United States President Barack Obama, "concerned" about the ability of Muammar Gaddafi to stay in power, said he was determined to "tighten the noose" on the Libyan regime, and made solemn warning against the risk of a large-scale massacre in Libya.

"The United States and the international community have an obligation to do what they can to prevent a repetition of what happened in the Balkans in the 90s, what happened in Rwanda", he said.

More isolated every day on the international level, Colonel Gaddafi has threatened Europe to stop supporting the fight against international terrorism and illegal immigration.

If "Europe does not and ignores the active role of Libya in the fight against immigration (...) Libya will be required (...) To withdraw from efforts against terrorism and to completely change its policy toward al-Qaida, "he said, quoted by state news agency Jana.

On the humanitarian front, Ras Lanuf, doctors called the International Red Cross for help.The International Organization for Migration said in turn negotiate with the Libyan authorities to send a humanitarian mission in Libya, where thousands of immigrants awaiting repatriation.

Since mid-February, more than 250,000 people have fled to neighboring Libya, according to the UN, and the bloody suppression of the uprising has claimed hundreds of lives.

A UN humanitarian mission is expected Saturday in Libya to assess humanitarian needs, announced in the evening the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Libya, Khaled Kaaim.

ITALY - Feature: Lampedusa, step on a long journey to Europe

They land boat patched up, soaked to the bone. Trembling, exhausted by long hours and grueling journey, but the smile from ear to ear. On Lampedusa, a small piece of land lost to the Italian middle of the Mediterranean, Tunisian immigrants, Egyptian and Libyan pile up, forcing the Europeans to look differently, probably a bit less exalted, the revolts that shake all plans up across the Mediterranean.

In recent weeks, more than 7000 Tunisian illegal migrants - men between 20 and 30 years, mostly - have crossed the narrow strip of sea between Lampedusa their country, this parcel of Europe located 400 km south of Sicily and 200 km from the Maghreb.

The mayor of Lampedusa has ordered their placement in detention centers. Most of them do not spend their days locked up yet.Every day, they span the barriers surrounding the center to sit in one of the cafes of the Via Roma, main street of Lampedusa.

No work, no hope

Walid, a young 22 year old Tunisian native of Tatooine, a few miles of Djerba, landed three days ago after a journey of twenty hours in the choppy waters of the Mediterranean. His trip was rather short: the boats are sometimes three days to reach the coast of the island.

Throughout the trip, the boat was battered, buffeted by gusts of wind. Last week, the same swell prevented the crossings."The water kept from splashing into the hull and we have used our shirts to plug the holes in the boat," says Walid.

Like most Tunisians of Lampedusa, the young man does not plan to stay long in the area. His goal: Pantin, outside Paris. There, parents are waiting.

When asked if the departure of Ben Ali gave him hope, Walid shrugs and replies: "Not for me." The answer is the same for the dozens of migrants sipping a coffee bar outside Rome. All speak fluent French and a few words of Italian. "These are all the same", for his part said Scandar, referring to the new Tunisian authorities."They got rid of the boss, but not thugs."

As Scandar, Salim comes from the coastal town of Zarzis in eastern Tunisia. One of his neighbors had been killed during the recent riots that rocked the country. "You feel less safe there. And there is no work for people like us", he said. Unemployment and job insecurity that may be encountered in Europe do not scare him. Because it "can not be worse than in Tunisia," he swears.

Salim and his fellow travelers seeking to learn how to reach France and that the trip may cost them. They are confident.According to them, the Italian authorities will get them on the mainland, then let them go.

Objective: To reach the mainland

Indeed, flights to the north resumed. For, once again, the Lampedusa holding center is saturated. Its director, Cono Callipo, says 250 migrants are currently en route to the mainland, where the Italian authorities will determine if they are applying for political asylum or not. "If they are simply looking for work, they will eventually be returned to their country," he says.

The Italian authorities are assisted by a host of humanitarian workers, omnipresent in Lampedusa. Emiliano Cadeddu is one of them.A native of Sardinia, he strives to provide first aid to migrants aboard Coast Guard vessels. He does not eat a lot of hope when the ambitions of young men he sees scroll. "I wash, I feed, I look after them, but in the end I got them back," cried he.

In Lampedusa, all Tunisians do not fit the country against their will. A small boat flanked by the Tunisian flag is part of the port this morning. On board, six fishermen who had found refuge on the Italian coast of the island after suffering a storm three days ago.

"We go home now," says Mohamed, the master, by swallowing a share of Panettone. "There are hopeful now that Ben is gone.Nobody is afraid to talk. "

Mohammed and his men do not understand why so many of their countrymen fleeing Tunisia. When he utters these words, a new boat is looming on the horizon, its board, dozens of immigrants determined to stay at any price this side of the Mediterranean.

IRELAND: Prime Minister Brian Cowen leaves the head of the ruling party

AFP - very pugnacious Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen has ended up giving his resignation Saturday of the head of his party, facing a rebellion by activists and ministers convinced of the need for a new leader to face elections at high risk of March.

This 51 year old wrestler, physically massive and legendary banter has battled to the end to remain leader of Fianna Fail (center), he led since May 2008.

But he had to give up after a week that saw political face a rebellion within the party, led by its Foreign Minister, then win a vote of confidence Tuesday at the origin of a short respite as not least six ministers resigned in the wake.

The Prime Minister announced Saturday it had decided to resign "from his own" to foster unity of the centrist party in the campaign for parliamentary elections due next March 11.

Four contenders for the office of Cowen

He leaves the formation in a sorry state: Fianna Fail, which has dominated political life in Ireland since independence, is credited with only 14% of the vote and will probably give way.

The choice of new leader could take place on Wednesday, said the Fianna Fail nomination race is already open.

Among the contenders are primarily former Foreign Minister Michael Martin, principal leader of the rebellion has been brewing for several weeks, and Finance Minister Brian Lenihan.

Mary Hanafin (Tourism, Trade, Innovation) and Eamon O Cuív (Protection and Welfare) may also engage in the race to succeed.

Brian Cowen is in any event the Prime Minister, but his government faces a no confidence motion filed by the Labour Party for the next sitting of Parliament on Tuesday.

"I think we'll win this vote," Mr Cowen said Saturday, just as combative.

An atmosphere of the end of reign

His position as head of government is nonetheless become very fragile.The Prime Minister, once very popular with his penchant for Guinness and jokes, is the lowest in the polls since the financial crisis and the Irish sacrifices imposed on the population decline of unemployment benefits, minimum wages, allowances Family, refunds of drugs etc. ..

Several opposition parties have called for the immediate organization of elections. "Maintaining M.Cowen as prime minister is simply untenable, whereas his colleagues in Fianna Fail are fighting the remnants of his party, "said the leader of Labour (left) Eamon Gilmore.

Gerry Adams, president of Sinn Fein (left nationalist) has also called for immediate elections, saying "the government and Fianna Fail in chaos."

Brian Cowen, however, reiterated Saturday that he intended to remain at his post as prime minister until elections in March next year and "focus on government work and the implementation of the reorganization plan."

The Irish budget for 2011 represents a rigorous effort of 6 billion euros, the highest in the country's history, and is the main consideration for the bailout of 85 billion dollars developed with the European Union and International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The Finance Bill, the final part of drastic budget was released Friday and must be passed by Parliament before the elections, a task difficult in this atmosphere of late reign.

The ruling coalition, which brings together the Fianna Fail (center) and the Greens, after the polls may be overwhelmingly defeated by the two main opposition parties, Fine Gael (also centrist orientation) and tillage (left), which should be allies to lead the country.