Nouvelles Internationales

Kim Jong Un 'Re-Elected' To Top Post, Surprising Absolutely No One

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 09:55:00 +0000

Kim Jong Un 'Re-Elected' To Top Post, Surprising Absolutely No One

The Huffington Post | by Charlotte Alfred

Posted: 04/09/2014 12:53 pm EDT Updated: 04/09/2014 3:59 pm EDT

The only news coming out of North Korea that is hardly ever shocking are the country's "election" results.

Pushing the terminology of democracy to its very limit, North Korea's parliament "re-elected" Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un as the head of the country's military body, Agence France Press reports on Wednesday. The announcement of Kim's victory was made by North Korean state media, which added that "all the deputies and participants in the session broke into stormy cheers of 'hurrah!', extending the highest glory and warmest congratulations to him."

The New York Times explains that this week's vote effectively rubber-stamps Kim's leadership of the National Defense Commission, the top seat of power in the isolated nation.

North Korea's parliament, the Supreme People's Assembly, is itself the product of not-so-democratic elections. North Koreans voted for the assembly's deputies last month, but each candidate stood unopposed.

In any case the body has little power, meeting about once a year. "To the best of my knowledge, not a single SPA member has ever voted against a bill or motion introduced by the government," Andrei Lankov, a professor at Kookmin University in South Korea, told the Associated Press.

The rare parliamentary session is instead regarded as a formality that allows Kim to bring in new loyalists. According to the Wall Street Journal, two top officials -- premier Pak Pong Ju and the ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam -- had angered Kim and were slated for removal during this parliamentary session, however news of their fate was scant on Wednesday.

Last December, Kim notoriously had his own uncle, Jang Song-thaek, executed for treason and demoted his uncle's former staff. Jang had served as vice-chair of the National Defense Commission and was seen as the nation's second-most-powerful figure.

Perhaps the shadow of the recent mass purge encouraged North Korea's deputies to shout "hurrah" just a little louder this year.

'Promising lead' emerges in hunt for Flight MH370 Apr 7th 2014 4:55PM

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 02:01:00 +0000

By NICK PERRY and ALLEN G. BREED

PERTH, Australia (AP) -- After a month of failed hunting and finding debris that turned out to be ordinary flotsam, an Australian ship detected faint pings deep in the Indian Ocean in what an official called the "most promising lead" yet in the search for Flight 370.

Officials coordinating the multinational search for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet still urged caution Monday after a weekend that also brought reports of "acoustic noise" picked up by a Chinese vessel also trying to solve the aviation mystery.

The Boeing 777 vanished March 8 while flying from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing with 239 people on board.

The focus of the search changed repeatedly since contact was lost with the plane between Malaysia and Vietnam. It began in the South China Sea, then shifted toward the Strait of Malacca to the west, where Malaysian officials eventually confirmed that military radar had detected the plane.

An analysis of satellite data indicated the plane veered far off course for a still-unknown reason, heading to the southern Indian Ocean, where officials say it went down at sea. They later shifted the search area closer to the west coast of Australia.

"We are cautiously hopeful that there will be a positive development in the next few days, if not hours," Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said in the capital of Kuala Lumpur.

But Angus Houston, the retired Australian air chief marshal who heads the search operation, added: "We haven't found the aircraft yet."

The Ocean Shield, an Australian ship towing sophisticated U.S. Navy listening equipment, detected two distinct, long-lasting sounds underwater that are consistent with the pings from an aircraft's "black boxes" - the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, Houston said.

Navy specialists were urgently trying to pick up the signal detected Sunday by the Ocean Shield so they can triangulate its position and go to the next step of sending an unmanned miniature submarine into the depths to look for any plane wreckage.

Geoff Dell, discipline leader of accident investigation at Central Queensland University in Australia, said it would be "coincidental in the extreme" for the sounds to have come from anything other than an aircraft's flight recorder.

"If they have a got a legitimate signal, and it's not from one of the other vessels or something, you would have to say they are within a bull's roar," he said. "There's still a chance that it's a spurious signal that's coming from somewhere else and they are chasing a ghost, but it certainly is encouraging that they've found something to suggest they are in the right spot."

And in "very deep oceanic water," Houston said, "nothing happens fast."

"Clearly, this is a most promising lead," he said in Perth. "And probably in the search so far, it's probably the best information that we have had."

Houston said the signals picked up by the Ocean Shield were stronger and lasted longer than faint signals a Chinese ship reported hearing about 555 kilometers (345 miles) south in the remote search zone off Australia's west coast.

The British ship HMS Echo was using sophisticated sound-locating equipment to determine whether two separate sounds heard by the Chinese patrol vessel Haixun 01 were related to Flight 370. The Haixun detected a brief "pulse signal" on Friday and a second signal Saturday.

The Chinese reportedly were using a sonar device called a hydrophone dangled over the side of a small boat - something experts said was technically possible but extremely unlikely. The equipment aboard the British and Australian ships is dragged slowly behind each vessel over long distances and is considered far more sophisticated.

Little time is left to locate the flight recorders, whose locator beacons have a battery life of about a month. Tuesday marks exactly one month since the Malaysia Airlines plane disappeared.

China's official Xinhua News Agency reported late Saturday that the signal detected by the Haixun crew was pulsing at 37.5 kilohertz - the same frequency emitted by flight data recorders. Malaysia's civil aviation chief, Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, confirmed the frequency emitted by Flight 370's black boxes was 37.5 kilohertz.

The Ocean Shield picked up its signals late Saturday night and early Sunday morning.

The first lasted two hours and 20 minutes before it was lost. The ship then turned around and picked up a signal again - this time recording two distinct "pinger returns" that lasted 13 minutes, Houston said.

"Significantly, this would be consistent with transmissions from both the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder," Houston said.

The frequency used by aircraft flight recorders was chosen because no other devices use it, and because nothing in the natural world mimics it, said William Waldock, a search-and-rescue expert who teaches accident investigation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Ariz.

"They picked that so there wouldn't be false alarms from other things in the ocean," he said.

But these signals are being detected by computer sweeps, and "not so much a guy with headphones on listening to pings," said U.S. Navy spokesman Chris Johnson. So until the signals are fully analyzed, it's too early to say what they are, he said.

"We'll hear lots of signals at different frequencies," he said. "Marine mammals. Our own ship systems. Scientific equipment, fishing equipment, things like that. And then of course there are lots of ships operating in the area that are all radiating certain signals into the ocean."-

The Ocean Shield is dragging a ping locator at a depth of 3 kilometers (1.9 miles). It is designed to detect signals at a range of 1.8 kilometers (1.12 miles), meaning it would need to be almost on top of the recorders to detect them if they were on the ocean floor, which is about 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) deep.

"It's like playing hot and cold when you're searching for something and someone's telling you you're getting warmer and warmer and warmer," U.S. Navy Capt. Mark Matthews said. "When you're right on top of it, you get a good return."

While Matthews said the signals picked up by the Ocean Shield were both 33.3 kilohertz, the manufacturer indicated the frequency can drift in older equipment.

If they pick up the signal again, the crew will launch an underwater vehicle to investigate, Matthews said. The Bluefin 21 autonomous sub can create a sonar map of the area to chart any debris on the sea floor. If it maps out a debris field, the crew will replace the sonar system with a camera unit to photograph any wreckage.

The water depth there is right at the limits of the sub's capability.

Meanwhile, the search effort continued on the surface.

Twelve planes and 14 ships scoured three designated zones, one of which overlaps with the Ocean Shield's underwater search. All of the previous surface searches have found only fishing equipment or other sea trash, something that gave Houston pause.

"I would want more confirmation before we say this is it," he said. "Without wreckage, we can't say it's definitely here. We've got to go down and have a look."

---

Breed reported from Raleigh, N.C. Associated Press writers Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Rohan Sullivan and Kristen Gelineau in Sydney contributed to this report.

Crimea Switches To Moscow Time, Finalizing Incorporation Into Russia

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 09:42:00 +0000

Posted: 03/29/2014 5:50 pm EDT Updated: 03/29/2014 5:59 pm EDT

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CrimeaCrimea Moscow TimeReutersCrimea Switches Moscow TimeWorldPost News

By Gabriela Baczynska

SIMFEROPOL, Crimea, March 30 (Reuters) - The hands of a clock on the mainrailway station in Simferopol jumped from 10 P.M. to midnight on Saturday as Crimea switched to Moscow time, symbolicly finalising the region's incorporation into Russia.

Several hundred people gathered on the railway square for the ceremonial change of time, waving Russian national flags and chanting "Crimea! Russia!" after Moscow formally annexed the Black Sea region from Ukranie on March 21.

"I greet you with our return home," Crimea's new pro-Moscow Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov told the crowd.

"I am confident that all that we have done is to the benefit of Crimea and Crimeans," he exclaimed, extending his thanks to "our President Vladimir Putin" to noisy applause from the crowd.

Wrapped in Russian flags and some with tears of joy in their eyes, the people gathered in the provincial capital of Simferopol on Saturday sang Russia's national anthem when the clock moved to Moscow time.

"This is my moment of happiness. We all dreamed of this but did not dare think it may come now," said Tatiana, a 35-year-old waitress dancing to the music played on the square.

Her colleague Inga said she was 11-years-old when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, giving Ukraine independence and splitting Crimea from Moscow.

"My heart was crying back then. But now it is rejoicing, we have returned home. We were born on Moscow time and we are back to it again," she said. "I love the Ukrainian people but I do not recognise Ukraine as a country."

Crimea has already introduced the Russian rouble as its official currency and started paying out pensions and state salaries in the unit since the region voted overwhelmingly in favour of joining Russia on March 16.

Kiev and the West have denounced Russia's annexation of Crimea, an impoverished region of 2 million people with a narrow ehtnic Russian majority, as illegal and undermining peace in Europe.

The United States and Europe curbed cooperation with Moscow and introduced sanctions on Russia as well as some of Putin's closest allies over the move but have refrained from harsh economic sanctions.

Kiev has ordered its troops in Crimea to retreat to the mainland, acknowledging defeat after Russian soldiers grabbed Ukrainian bases in the region one after another in a largely bloodless seizure.

Scores of mid-level Russian officials are now in Simferopol helping the local authorities to bring Crimea's legal and tax regulations in line with the Russian ones, a process due to be finalised by the end of the year.

Aksyonov and Crimea's new authorities hope Russia will now sponsor an economic upgrade of the region, a project likley to put additional pressure on the state coffers in Moscow that are already strained from a slowing economy. (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

UN Report: Global Warming Worsens Security Woes

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 09:36:00 +0000

UN Report: Global Warming Worsens Security Woes

| by SETH BORENSTEIN

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — In an authoritative report due out Monday a United Nations climate panel for the first time is connecting hotter global temperatures to hotter global tempers. Top scientists are saying that climate change will complicate and worsen existing global security problems, such as civil wars, strife between nations and refugees.

They're not saying it will cause violence, but will be an added factor making things even more dangerous. Fights over resources, like water and energy, hunger and extreme weather will all go into the mix to destabilize the world a bit more, says the report by the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The summary of the report is being finalized this weekend by the panel in Yokohama.

That's a big change from seven years ago, the last time the IPCC addressed how warming affected Earth, said report lead author Chris Field of the CarnegieInstitution of Science in California. The summary that political leaders read in early 2007 didn't mention security issues will, he said, because of advances in research.

"There's enough smoke there that we really need to pay attention to this," said OhioUniversity security and environment professor Geoff Dabelko, one of the lead authors of the report's chapter on security and climate change.

For the past seven years, research in social science has found more links between climate and conflict, study authors say, with the full report referencing hundreds ofstudies on climate change and conflict.

The U.S. Defense Department earlier this month in its once-every-four-years strategic review, called climate change a "threat multiplier" to go with poverty, political instability and social tensions worldwide. Warming will trigger new problems but also provide countries new opportunities for resources and shipping routes in places such as the melting Arctic, the Pentagon report says.

After the climate panel's 2007 report, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon wrote that along with other causes, the conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan "began as an ecological crisis, arising at least in part from climate change. " While the IPCC report this year downplays global warming's role in that particular strife, saying other issues were far more influential, the report's drafts do add that there is "justifiable common concern" that climate change increases the risk of fighting in similar circumstances.

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"Climate change will not directly cause conflict — but it will exacerbate issues of poor governance, resource inequality and social unrest," retired U.S. Navy Adm. David Titley, now a Pennsylvania State Universityprofessor of meteorology, wrote in an email. "The Arab Spring and Syria are two recent examples."

But Titley, who wasn't part of the IPCC report, says "if you are already living in a place affected by violent conflict — I suspect climate change becomes the least of your worries."

That illustrates the tricky calculus of climate and conflict, experts say. It's hard to point at violence and draw a direct climate link — to say how much blame goes to warming and how much is from more traditional factors like poverty and ethnic differences. Then looking into future is even more difficult.

"If you think it's hard to predict rainfall in one spot 100 years from now, it's even harder to predict social stability," said Jeff Severinghaus, a climate scientist at the Scripps Institution for Oceanography who isn't part of this climate panel. "Obviously that's going to be controversial. The most important thing is that it's going to be talked about."

Severinghaus and other scientists say this will be one of the more contentious issues as the panel representing more than 100 nations meets here and edits word-by-word a 30-page summary of the multi-volume report for political leaders. Observers said the closed door meeting went through the security and climate section Sunday, in the hurried last hours of editing.

There's an entire 63-page chapter on security problems, but most leaders will read the handful of paragraphs summarizing that and that's where there may be some issues, he says.

The chapter on national security says there is "robust evidence" that "human security will be progressively threatened as climate changes." It says it can destabilize the world in multiple ways by making it harder for people to make a living, increasing mass migrations, and making it harder for countries to keep control of their populations.

The migration issue is big because as refugees flee storms and other climate problems, that adds to security issues, the report and scientists say

While some climate scientists, environmental groups and politicians see the conflict-climate link as logical and clear, others emphasize nuances in research.

The social science literature has shown an indirect link, especially with making poverty worse, which will add to destabilization, but it is not the same as saying there would be climate wars, said University of Exeter's Neil Adger, one of the study's lead authors. It's not exactly the four horsemen of the apocalypse, he adds.

Joshua Goldstein, an international relations professor and expert on conflict at theUniversity of Massachusetts, sees that link, but says it is probably weaker than people think. It's not as a big a problem as other impacts from climate change, like those on ecosystems, weather disasters and economic costs, he says.

Poverty is the issue when it comes to security problems — and policies to fight climate change increase poverty, says David Kreutzer at the conservative Heritage Foundation in Washington.

But environmental groups such as the Environmental Justice Foundation are issuing reports that dovetail with what the IPCC is saying.

Titley, the retired admiral, holds out hope that if nations deal with climate change jointly, it can bring peace instead of war to battling regions.

Posted: 03/30/2014 9:33 am EDT Updated: 03/30/2014 9:59 am EDT

Egypte: peine capitale pour 529 Frères musulmans

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 00:02:00 +0000

par Sami Boukhelifa

Le journaliste australien de la chaîne al-Jazira, Peter Greste, lors du procès au Caire, le 24 mars 2014.REUTERS/Al Youm Al Saabi Newspaper

C’est une première dans l’histoire de l’Egypte moderne : 529 Egyptiens ont été condamnés à mort ce lundi 24 mars, un chiffre impressionnant. Tous sont accusés d'avoir participé à l'une des manifestations ayant suivi la destitution du président islamiste Mohammed Morsi l’été dernier. Seuls 153 des 529 condamnés

à la peine capitale étaient présents au procès. Les autres sont activement recherchés.

Depuis le mois de juillet, les Frères musulmans ou leurs sympathisants sont visés par une répression systématique. Selon une estimation d'Amnesty International, 1 400 partisans de Mohamed Morsi ont été tués dans les violences qui ont suivi la destitution du président islamiste.

Le 14 août dernier marque la journée la plus meurtrière. Ce matin-là, à l’aube la police met fin par la force à deux sit-in au Caire. L’un à Rabaa al-Adawiya, l’autre à la place Nahda. En l’espace de quelques semaines, des milliers d'Egyptiens sont arrêtés. Les dirigeants Frères musulmans rejoignent leur président déchu derrière les barreaux. Depuis, le pays vit au rythme des procès de ces opposants. En décembre, les nouvelles autorités égyptiennes prennent une mesure radicale contre la confrérie. Elles considèrent l’Organisation des Frères musulmans comme mouvement terroriste. Y appartenir devient un crime puni par la loi.

→ A (RE) LIRE : Egypte: de nombreux morts dans l’évacuation des places occupées

« La justice à la botte du gouvernement »

Ce mardi doit débuter un autre procès. Sept cents autres Frères musulmans encourent également la peine capitale. Mais là aussi, la majorité des accusés sont en fuite. Les présents devront comme les condamnés de la veille répondre de violences survenues l’été dernier. Parmi eux : Mohamed Badie. Le guide suprême de la confrérie est le véritable numéro un de l’organisation islamiste.

« Les autorités égyptiennes veulent infliger des peines exemplaires », regrette Yasser Fakharani, membre du mouvement égyptien des anti-coup d’Etat. « Les décisions politiques interfèrent dans le travail de la justice. La justice est à la botte des nouvelles autorités égyptiennes », dénonce ce jeune militant contacté au Caire. Au téléphone, Yasser Fakharani développe ses arguments : « Comment fait-on pour juger 529 personnes en quarante huit heures ? Durant ce procès express, aucun prévenu n’a pu prendre la parole. Même les avocats de la défense n’ont pas eu le droit de s’exprimer », s’indigne-t-il. Toutefois, Yasser Fakharani est rassuré par les discours de certains juristes égyptiens. « Ils nous ont affirmé qu’aucun frère musulman ne sera exécuté. La condamnation à la peine de mort est un avertissement dont l’objectif est d’intimider ceux qui oseraient encore manifester pour dénoncer le coup d’Etat en Egypte ».

→A (RE) LIRE : L’État égyptien va prendre le contrôle de toutes les mosquées du pays

Un procès contre al-Jazira

Parmi ces 16 journalistes de la chaîne télé du Qatar al-Jazira, il y a des Egyptiens et des ressortissants étrangers. Certains sont accusés d'appartenance à une organisation terroriste. Les autres sont poursuivis pour avoir diffusé de fausses informations. Al-Jazira est considéré par le nouveau pouvoir égyptien comme l'instrument du Qatar, principal soutien des Frères musulmans dans la région.

Dans une Egypte où l'armée a promis début juillet une « transition démocratique », l'ONU et des organisations de défense des droits de l'homme ont dénoncé une campagne de répression contre les médias. La première étape de cette transition a été l'adoption avec plus de 98% de « oui » d'une nouvelle Constitution, un référendum en forme de plébiscite autour de la personne du chef de l'armée, le très populaire maréchal Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, déjà donné favori de la présidentielle prévue avant l’été.

Le vol MH370 s'est abîmé en mer

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 23:38:00 +0000

Pas de survivants

Des sanglots et des cris témoignant d'une souffrance inconsolable résonnaient lundi soir dans un hôtel de Pékin, où les familles des passagers chinois du vol MH370 ont appris que leurs proches étaient morts. Certains se répandaient en d'irrépressibles sanglots et gémissements alors qu'ils quittaient la salle de bal de l'hôtel, où leur a été annoncé que le vol de Malaysia Airlines, disparu depuis le 8 mars, s'était abîmé dans le sud de l'océan Indien, selon de nouvelles données satellitaires. Des aide-soignants portant des brancards se précipitaient dans les couloirs de l'hôtel Lido, où beaucoup des familles des 153

passagers chinois à bord du MH370 (les deux tiers des personnes à bord) attendaient anxieusement depuis deux semaines des nouvelles du vol disparu.

Beaucoup s'étaient accrochés jusqu'au dernier moment à la moindre lueur d'espoir, à la moindre théorie - y compris celle du détournement d'avion - pouvant laisser penser que les passagers étaient encore en vie. Certains s'appuyaient au bras d'un parent, à la recherche d'un contact réconfortant, tandis que d'autres essuyaient des larmes discrètes en serrant la mâchoire, ou couvraient leur visage pour dissimuler leurs émotions. "Nous savons que nous n'avons plus rien à espérer désormais", a indiqué un proche par téléphone.

"Chaque jour, au réveil, j'espérais qu'un miracle se produirait"

Une femme était évacuée sur un brancard, le corps tremblant et les yeux gonflés de larmes, tandis qu'un membre de sa famille lui tenait la main. Effondrés, la plupart des proches des passagers se refusaient à témoigner, et un proche, au comble de l'exaspération, a adressé coups de pied et coups de poing à l'attention des journalistes présents. Sur le site de microblogs Weibo, un flot de dizaines de milliers de messages exprimait l'émotion extrême des internautes chinois et rendait hommage aux passagers décédés.

Beaucoup de ces messages, qui oscillaient entre le choc et l'incrédulité, étaient accompagnés de plusieurs images de bougies animées. "Cela fait un demi-mois que je me préoccupais de cet avion de Malaysia Airlines, chaque jour au réveil j'espérais qu'un miracle se produirait", soupire un internaute. "Quand j'ai appris la nouvelle, je ne pouvais tout simplement pas y croire, je n'ose pas imaginer la souffrance et les tourments des familles", écrit un autre usager de Weibo. "J'espère que nous ne connaîtrons pas à nouveau une telle tragédie en l'espace d'une génération. Que les morts reposent en paix."

AFP

Crimée: après le blocus, les forces pro-russes lancent la conquête

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 14:05:00 +0000

par RFI

Mercredi 19 mars, des miliciens pro-russes brandissent le drapeau russe sur le toit du quartier général de la Marine ukrainienne à Sébastopol.

Les jours se suivent et le processus d’intégration de la Crimée à la Fédération de Russe se poursuit inexorablement. L’annexion a été validée par la Cour constitutionnelle russe ce mercredi matin. Pendant ce temps, les pro-russes ont commencé à prendre d'assaut plusieurs installations de l'armée ukrainienne.

Le drapeau russe flotte désormais sur le siège de la marine ukrainienne à Sébastopol. Le bâtiment a été investi ce matin par des dizaines de pro-russes au statut indéfini, en partie cagoulés mais non armés. Les officiers ukrainiens se sont barricadés à l’intérieur du bâtiment, mais quelques heures plus tard, certains d’entre eux ont été vus quittant les lieux. Une fois la voie libre, plusieurs centaines de personnes, parmi lesquelles des femmes, mais aussi des hommes cagoulés, ne portant aucun insigne, ont envahi les lieux. Ces personnes, présentées comme des militants pro-russes, n’étaient pas armées. Selon un représentant des forces russes sur place, Sergueï Gaïdouk, le commandant de la marine ukrainienne a été capturé par ces militants pro-russes.

Scénario similaire dans l’ouest de la péninsule de Crimée à Novoozerne : les forces pro-russes y ont enfoncé la porte de la base sud de la marine ukrainienne, à l’aide d’un tracteur. Selon un porte-parole du ministère ukrainien de la Défense, le face à face se poursuit entre ces hommes, qui seraient cette fois armés, et les militaires ukrainiens retranchés dans cette base. Des militaires qui ont reçu l’autorisation de prendre les armes pour se défendre, après plusieurs opérations qui ont fait deux morts hier en Crimée : un militaire ukrainien et un membre de « l'autodéfense» pro-russe, selon la police locale.

Ces manoeuvres interviennent au lendemain de la signature par Vladimir Poutine du traité qui rattache la péninsule indépendantiste à la Fédération de Russie. Le texte a été validé par la Cour constitutionnelle russe à l'unanimité en fin de matinée.

Deux responsables politiques ukrainiens bloqués à la frontière

Ce matin, le Premier ministre ukrainien Arseni Yatséniouk a demandé au ministre de la Défense par intérim Igor Tenioukh et au Premier vice-Premier ministre Vitali Iarema de se rendre en Crimée « pour mettre fin à l’escalade du conflit », rapporte notre correspondant à Kiev, Laurent Geslin. Le Premier ministre de Crimée Sergueï Axionov a immédiatement souligné que l’avion ministériel ukrainien ne serait pas autorisé à atterrir. « Ils ne sont pas les bienvenus, personne ne les laissera entrer en Crimée », a-t-il déclaré. Et l'entrée sur le territoire de la Crimée leur est toujours refusée.

Un contexte intérieur tendu en Ukraine

L’annexion de la Crimée fait la Une de tous les journaux à Kiev et occupe toutes les conversations. Pour certains la péninsule est déjà perdue, pour d’autres l’armée ukrainienne doit réagir.

Dans ce contexte extrêmement tendu, un autre événement agite les médias ce mercredi matin : mardi soir un député du parti d’extrême-droite Sloboda a agressé le directeur d’une télévision d’Etat, car celle-ci avait diffusé certaines images des célébrations des pro-russes à Simferopol. Une affaire qui tombe au plus mauvais moment pour le gouvernement ukrainien, déjà accusé par la Russie d’accueillir des extrémistes et des fascistes.

L'armée ukrainienne se prépare

En Ukraine, les autorités cherchent le moyen de répondre à une éventualle invasion russe avec un maximum d’efficacité. L’un des moyens choisis est la création d’une Garde nationale de 20 à 60 mille hommes, votée récemment par le Parlement.

L’existence même de la nouvelle Garde nationale doit surtout servir à faire hésiter les Russes à envahir le territoire et à l’occuper. Elle est composée d’hommes extrêmement déterminés, comme ceux de Maïdan, qui ont finalement vaincu les policiers de Berkout, beaucoup mieux équipés.

En cas d’occupation russe, la Garde pourrait se transformer en redoutable guérilla. S’il y a une vraie guerre, elle sera menée évidemment par l’armée ukrainienne mais qui aurait très peu de chances de la gagner. Certes, elle dispose de 130 000 hommes, de plus de 1000 chars et de plus de 200 avions de combat, mais l’armée russe compte près de 700 plus de soldats, presque 3 fois plus de chars, 7 fois plus d’avions de combat.

Les Ukrainiens ont donc choisi une stratégie d’évitement et de concentration sur l’essentiel. Selon le gouvernement, ils n’interviennent pas en Crimée pour pouvoir concentrer les troupes sur les frontières avec la Russie où, selon les sources militaires, des soldats russes seraient déjà rassemblés en grand nombre.

What If Missing Malaysia Plane Is Never Found?

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 09:55:00 +0000

| by KRISTEN GELINEAU and NICK PERRY

Posted: 03/18/2014 9:36 pm EDT Updated: 03/18/2014 9:59 pm EDT

Missing Malaysia PlaneMalaysia PlaneMalaysia FlightMissing PlaneMissing FlightMissing Malaysia FlightWorldPost News

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The plane must be somewhere. But the same can be said for Amelia Earhart's.

Ten days after Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared with 239 people aboard, an exhaustive international search has produced no sign of the Boeing 777, raising an unsettling question: What if the airplane is never found?

Such an outcome, while considered unlikely by many experts, would certainly torment the families of those missing. It would also flummox the airline industry, which will struggle to learn lessons from the incident if it doesn't know what happened.

While rare nowadays, history is not short of such mysteries — from the most famous of all, American aviator Earhart, to planes and ships disappearing in the so-called Bermuda Triangle.

"When something like this happens that confounds us, we're offended by it, and we're scared by it," said Ric Gillespie, a former U.S. aviation accident investigator who wrote a book about Earhart's still-unsolved 1937 disappearance over the Pacific Ocean. "We had the illusion of control and it's just been shown to us that oh, folks, you know what? A really big airliner can just vanish. And nobody wants to hear that."

Part of the problem, said Andrew Thomas, the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Transportation Security, is that airline systems are not as sophisticated as many people might think. A case in point, he said, is that airports and airplanes around the world use antiquated radar tracking technology, first developed in the 1950s, rather than modern GPS systems.

A GPS system might not have solved the mystery of Flight 370, which disappeared March 8 while flying from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing. But it would probably have given searchers a better read on the plane's last known location, Thomas said.

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"There are lots of reasons why they haven't changed, but the major one is cost," he said. "The next-generation technology would cost $70 to $80 billion in the U.S."

Experts say the plane's disappearance will likely put pressure on airlines and governments to improve the way they monitor planes, including handoff procedures between countries. Flight 370 vanished after it signed off with Malaysian air-traffic controllers, and never made contact with their Vietnamese counterparts as it should have.

And if the plane is never found, liability issues will be a huge headache for courts. With no wreckage, it would be difficult to determine whether the airline, manufacturers or other parties should bear the brunt of responsibility.

"The international aviation legal system does not anticipate the complete disappearance of an aircraft," said Brian Havel, a law professor and director of the International Aviation Law Institute at DePaul University in Chicago. "We just don't have the tools for that at present."

The families of the missing, of course, would face the most painful consequences of a failed search.

"In any kind of death, the most important matter for relatives and loved ones is knowing the context and circumstances," said Kevin Tso, the chief executive of New Zealand agency Victim Support, which has been counseling family and friends of the two New Zealand passengers aboard the flight. "When there's very little information, it's very difficult."

Tso said the abundance of speculation about the plane's fate in the media and elsewhere is not helpful to the families, who may be getting false hope that their loved ones are still alive.

It has been nearly 50 years since a plane carrying more than two dozen people vanished without a trace, according to a list of unexplained aviation disappearances tracked by the Flight Safety Foundation. An Argentine military plane carrying 69 people disappeared in 1965 and has never been found.

Earhart, the first female pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean, vanished over the Pacific with Fred Noonan during an attempt to circumnavigate the globe. Seven decades later, people are still transfixed. Theories range from her simply running out of fuel and crashing to her staging her own disappearance and secretly returning to the U.S. to live under another identity.

There is also an ongoing fascination with the Bermuda Triangle, where several ships and planes disappeared, including a squadron of five torpedo bombers in 1945. Studies have indicated the area is no more dangerous than any other stretch of ocean.

More than two dozen countries are involved in the effort to find Flight 370 and end the uncertainty, with dozens of aircraft and boats searching along a vast arc where investigators believe the plane ended up, judging by signals received by a satellite.

Gillespie and other experts said they expect the plane will eventually be found, even if investigators have to wait until some wreckage washes ashore.

"We all expect we're going to find this plane and the chances are probably pretty good that we'll find something. But you know, I think everyone thought that about Amelia Earhart as well," said Phaedra Hise, a pilot and author of "Pilot Error: The Anatomy of a Plane Crash." ''We know there's a chance that we may never find out what happened. Which is a little scary, isn't it?"

___

Gelineau reported from Sydney.

Global Economics Russia Sanctions Could Put Germany Inc. on the Front Lines of Trade War

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 09:49:00 +0000

By Carol Matlack March 18, 2014

Photograph by Markus Schreiber/AP Photo
Chancellor Merkel listening to debate about the Ukrainian crisis at the Bundestag in Berlin
(Corrects think tank's name in fourth paragraph.)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel hasn’t minced words. Unless Vladimir Putin steps back from Ukraine, she’s prepared to back European sanctions that would cause “massive economic and political harm” to Russia. What about the harm Germany would suffer if the showdown escalates into economic warfare?

Among European Union nations, Germany is by far Russia’s most active tradingpartner. It’s well-known that Germany depends heavily on Russian oil and gas, which accounts for the bulk of the €39.8 billion ($55.4 billion) it imported from the giant to the east in 2012. What may be more surprising is that Germany sells Russia almost as much as it buys, with exports totaling €37.9 billion in 2012—accounting for 31 percent of all European exports to Russia.

Some 6,000 German companies are active in Russia, selling everything from pharmaceuticals to cars and machine tools. German companies also have invested heavily in Russian manufacturing, according to a report today in the magazineSpiegel. Knauf, a German building-materials maker, employs more than 5,000 people in its Russian plants, the article says. Such businesses would be on the front lines of a trade war with Russia.

STORY: Russia Is Taking the Sanctions Threat Seriously—With Good Reason

For Germany Inc., the greatest fear may not be what Europe might do, but how Moscow might retaliate, says Roland Freudenstein, deputy director of the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, a Brussels-based think tank. A key worry is that Russia might approve legislation, already under discussion in the parliament, to nationalize foreign assets in the country. “German business people are extremely afraid of this,” Freudenstein says. “Some people have postponed investments and business trips.”

Germany’s state-owned KfW development bank last week abruptly postponed the signing of a deal with Russia’s Vnesheconombank in which the Germans were to have invested €200 million with the aim of expanding opportunities in Russia for Germany’s midsized companies. A KfW spokeswoman contacted by Bloomberg Businessweek said she was unable to comment on the situation.

So far, German business leaders are standing firm with Merkel. Ulrich Grillo, president of the powerful BDI industry federation, said on March 14 that he “fully” supports the chancellor in the Ukraine crisis. “Sanctions would certainly impact these relationships” with Russia, he said. “But international law, for me, stands above all.”

STORY: Power Delusions: U.S., Russia Face Off Over Ukraine

For now, the sanctions put in place by the EU involve asset freezes and visa bans on 21 Russians and Crimeans. The U.S. has imposed similar penalties on 11 individuals. Those measures are the second step in a three-stage sanctions process laid out by the EU. The next step would involve unspecified measures that the EU has said would have “additional and far-reaching consequences.”

Opinion polls suggest that the German public has little appetite for tough sanctions. A March 13 survey by the Forsa polling group for the German-Russian Chamber of Foreign Trade found that only 24 percent thought sanctions would help resolve the Crimea crisis.

German trade with Russia, though substantial, is only a small part of Germany’s overall exports. The country posted an estimated $260 billion trade surplus last year.

STORY: Forget Sanctions; What Could Really Hurt Putin Is Investor Backlash

Even so, some 300,000 German jobs “depend on economic exchange with Russia,” Eckhard Cordes, who heads an association of companies doing business in Eastern Europe, told the newspaper Bild in a March 6 interview. “Russia needs a strong Europe and the other way around,” said Cordes, a former chief executive of the Metro (MEO:GR) retail group that has been a major investor in Russia. “I trust that this knowledge will prevail in the end, to calm things down.”

STORY: How Russia Is Pushing Ukraine Into the West's Arms

Matlack is a Paris correspondent for Bloomberg Businessweek.

New Search Area May Be Opened In Indian Ocean For Missing Malaysia Airlines Plane, White House Says

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 09:43:00 +0000

Malaysia AirlinesMalaysiaMalaysia Airlines Flight 370Malaysia Airlines Indian Oceanmh370Malaysia Airlines Plane MissingIndian Ocean Malaysia AirlinesMalaysia Airlines mh370ReutersIndian OceanWorldPost News

WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - A new search area may be opened in the Indian Ocean as authorities try to determine what happened to a missing Malaysian airliner, the White House said on Thursday.

"It's my understanding that based on some new information that's not necessarily conclusive - but new information - an additional search area may be opened in the Indian Ocean," White House spokesman Jay Carney said. "And we are consulting with international partners about the appropriate assets to deploy."

Carney did not specify the nature of the "new information."

Carney sidestepped a question as to whether the United States has confidence in the investigation being conducted by the Malaysian government.

"I just don't have an evaluation to make," he said. "What I can tell you is that we're working with the Malaysian government to try to find the plane; find out what happened to it for the sake of the families and, obviously, for the sake of knowing what caused the plane to disappear."

The United States has been helping in the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane, including the deployment of U.S. Navy vessels. It also has sent National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration officials there.

"There are a number of possible scenarios that are being investigated as to what happened to the flight. And we are not in a position at this time to make conclusions about what happened, unfortunately. But we're actively participating in the search," Carney told a regular news briefing.

"We're looking at information, pursuing possible leads, working within the investigation being led by the Malaysian government."

U.S. defense officials told Reuters the guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd was en route to Strait of Malacca, west of the Malaysian peninsula, to continue the search for the missing jetliner, answering a request from the Malaysian government. The officials said they were unaware of any new evidence indicating where the plane might have crashed.

The Kidd had been searching the areas south of the Gulf of Thailand, along with the destroyer USS Pinckney. A U.S. defense official noted that a Navy P-3 Orion aircraft had already searched the Strait of Malacca.

Missing Barcelona Girl Found In Amazon Jungle Seven Months After Disappearance

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 11:52:00 +0000

The Huffington Post UK | Posted: 13/03/2014 11:18 GMT | Updated: 13/03/2014 11:20 GMT

FOLLOW:

World News, Barcelona, Bolivia, Child Abuse, UK NEWS, UK News

A nine-year-old girl who went missing seven months ago has reportedly been rescued from captivity deep in Bolivia's Amazon rainforest.

Seven months after her disappearance, a nine-year-old Barcelona girl has been found in a remote part of the jungle – nearly 6,000 miles away from her hometown.

The child had been missing since last August when her parents, Moroccan residents in the Catalan city of Hospitalet de Llobregat, allowed her to go on holiday with a Bolivian neighbour Grover Morales, according Catalan daily La Vanguardia.

Authorities arrested Morales, who reportedly said he wanted to make the girl his “wife.” He will reportedly be extradited on human trafficking and child abuse charges.

Alleged Bolivian kidnapper Grover Morales

Bolivian newspaper El Periodico reports Morales was arrested 10 years ago on charges of raping his two sisters, but was released.

“The mother prevented her daughters from testifying and he was released,” a police spokesperson told El Periodico.

The nine-year-old girl’s mother and father contacted local police when they were unable to contact the pair several days after they had landed in their alleged destination of Bolivia.

Over the last several months, Spanish, Catalonian, and Bolivian authorities have worked to find the girl, and finally came upon her in the Chapare province in the Cochabamba region of Bolivia – a terrain that’s barely reachable by car.

Malaysia Airlines Missing Plane: Search Confused By False Leads (VIDEO/LIVEBLOG)

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 11:46:00 +0000

| by CHRIS BRUMMITT and EILEEN NG

Posted: 03/12/2014 1:43 am EDT Updated: 03/13/2014 4:59 am EDT

Print Article

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — More than four days after a Malaysian jetliner went missing en route to Beijing, authorities acknowledged Wednesday they didn't know which direction the plane carrying 239 passengers was heading when it disappeared, vastly complicating efforts to find it.

Amid intensifying confusion and occasionally contradictory statements, the country's civil aviation authorities and the military both said the plane may have turned back from its last known position between Malaysian and Vietnam, possibly as far as the Strait of Malacca, a busy shipping lane on the western side of Malaysia.

How it might have done this without being clearly detected remains a mystery, raising questions over whether its electrical systems, including transponders allowing it to be spotted by radar, were either knocked out or turned off. If it did manage to fly on, it would challenge earlier theories that the plane may have suffered a catastrophic incident, initially thought reasonable because it didn't send out any distress signals.

Authorities have not ruled out any possible cause, including mechanical failure, pilot error, sabotage or terrorism in the disappearance of the plane. Both the Boeing 777 and Malaysia Airlines have excellent safety records. Until wreckage or debris is found and examined, it will be very hard say with any level of certainty what happened.

The search for the missing aircraft was begun from the spot it was last reported to be over the ocean between Malaysia and Vietnam. But they have also said search operations were ongoing in the Strait of Malacca. Scores of planes and aircraft have been scouring waters in both locations.

The country's air force chief, Gen. Rodzali Daud, released a statement denying remarks attributed to him in a local media report saying that military radar had managed to track the aircraft turning back from its original course, crossing the country and making it to the Malacca strait to the west of Malaysia. The Associated Press contacted a high-level military official, who confirmed the remarks.

Rodzali referred to a statement he said he made March 9 in which he said the air force has "not ruled out the possibility of an air turn back" and said search and rescue efforts had been expanded to the waters around Penang Island, in the northern section of the strait.

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It is possible that the radar readings are not definitive or subject to interpretation, especially if a plane is malfunctioning.

"There is a possibility of an air turn back. We are still investigating and looking at the radar readings," the country's civilian aviation chief Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said Wednesday.

The Strait of Malacca that separates Malaysia from Indonesia's Sumatra Island is some 400 kilometers (250 miles) from where the plane was last known to have made contact with ground control officials over the Gulf of Thailand at a height of 35,000 feet (almost 11,000 meters) early Saturday.

Adding to the confusion, Indonesia air force Col. Umar Fathur said the country had received official information from Malaysian authorities that the plane was above the South China Sea, about 10 nautical miles from Kota Bharu, Malaysia, when it turned back toward the strait and then disappeared. That would place its last confirmed position closer to Malaysia than has previously been publicly disclosed.

Fathur said Malaysian authorities have determined four blocks to be searched in the strait, which Indonesia was assisting in.

Vietnam continued to search for the plane on land and sea. In its area of responsibility, some 22 aircraft and 31 ships from several countries were involved, according to Lt. Gen. Vo Van Tuan, deputy chief of staff of Vietnamese People's Army.

Malaysian police chief Khalid Abu Bakar, who has been ordered to look at possible criminal aspects in the disappearance of the plane, said hijacking, sabotage and issues related to the pilots' psychological health were being considered.

An Australian TV station reported that the first officer on the missing plane, Fariq Abdul Hamid, had invited two women into the cockpit during a flight two years ago. One of the women, Jonti Roos, described the encounter on Australia's "A Current Affair."

Roos said she and a friend were allowed to stay in the cockpit during the entire one-hour flight on Dec. 14, 2011, from Phuket, Thailand, to Kuala Lumpur. She said the arrangement did not seem unusual to the plane's crew.

"Throughout the entire flight, they were talking to us and they were actually smoking throughout the flight," said Roos, who didn't immediately reply to a message sent to her via Facebook. The second pilot on the 2011 flight was not identified

Malaysia Airlines said they took the allegations seriously.

Ukraine's Crimea Seeks To Become Independent State

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 10:26:00 +0000

Posted: 03/11/2014 8:05 am EDT Updated: 03/11/2014 8:59 am EDT

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KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — The Crimean parliament has voted that the Black Sea peninsula will declare itself an independent state if its residents vote to split off from Ukraine and join Russia in a referendum on Sunday.

Crimea's regional legislature on Tuesday adopted a "declaration of independence of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea."

The document specified that Crimea will become an independent state if its residents vote in favor of joining Russia in the referendum.

Western nations have said they will not recognize the vote as legitimate.

Malaysia seeks India's help in search for missing airliner

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 10:18:00 +0000

12:46pm IST

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Malaysia has sought India's help to locate a missing Malaysia Airlines(MASM.KL: Quote, Profile, Research) jetliner, India's foreign ministry said on Wednesday, as the search expanded to cover an area stretching from China to the Andaman Sea.

"Malaysia and India are in contact on this since yesterday and contact points are being discussed. These contact points will ascertain what assistance is required and what India can offer," a spokesman at the ministry said.

The spokesman said it had not yet been decided what area India would search in. India has a large military command in its Andaman and Nicobar islands and its navy patrols in thestraits of Malacca.

(Reporting by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Malini Menon)

EU To Provide Ukraine With Aid Worth $15 Billion

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 16:14:00 +0000

AP | by Juergen BAETZ Posted: 05/03/2014 7:07 am EST Updated: 03/05/2014 8:59 am EST

BRUSSELS (AP) - The European Union is Proposing To Provide Ukraine 11 billion euros a year ($ 15 billion) aid package in loans and grants over the coming years, the head of the bloc's executive arm Said Wednesday.

Will the package include 1.6 billion euros in loans and 1.4 billion euros in grants from the EU budget and up to 8 billion euros fresh credit from the EU's financial institutions, the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. In addition, 3.5 billion euros Reviews another could "Potentially" come from the bloc's support to Neighboring countries through 2020, the European Commission said.

The package is "designed to assist a committed, inclusive and Reforms oriented Government in rebuilding a stable, and prosperous future for Ukraine," Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said.

The United States Announced a $ 1 billion aid package in Energy Subsidies Tuesday. Estimates Kiev it Needs $ 35 billion in international rescue loans over the next two years. The International Monetary Fund is expected to play a key role in providing <br> Those bailout loans.

The EU package aussi foresees helping to Modernize the country's gas transit system and Providing technical support ranging from judicial reform to assist in Preparing elections, the Commission said. The package calls for steps to aussi accelerate Achieving visa-free travel for Ukrainians to the 28-nation bloc.

That measure, if approved, would go down PARTICULARLY badly in Moscow, Russia since HAS Sought visa-free travel to Europe for icts citizen for years. Suspending discussions on project That Are Among the punitive Measures against Russia over icts move against Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula, Which Are Being Weighed by EU leaders at an emergency meeting Thursday.

Coincidentally, the headline figure of $ 15 billion for the EU's support package is the same Amount That WAS Russia Prepared to grant loans in Ukraine Until the government of President Viktor Yanukovich WAS Ousted last month.

Yanukovich Took The Russian loans INSTEAD of a wide-ranging trade agreement with the Economic and EU, All which fueled the protests That Eventually Led to His ouster.

That agreement Barroso insisted WAS still on the table, and the EU is Prepared to provisionally grant Ukraine Deriving the benefits from it before a full ratification.

All which the timeline over the EU funds and loans Would Be Disbursed varied from A Few hundred million euros this year to multi-trillion Between now and 2020. Were the order details left vague Because the location in Ukraine is still uncertain and negotiations Between Kiev and the IMF are Ongoing, EU officials said.

Will Most Likely Disbursements hinge on the formation of a new government in Ukraine partner after the May elections and an agreement on wide-ranging Economic Reforms with the IMF. The fund Likely Will insisted, Among other things, it was a sharp currency devaluation and rise of natural gas prices, All which subsidizes Heavily Ukraine.

___

Follow Juergen Baetz on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jbaetz

France warns Russia of rapid EU sanctions

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 16:11:00 +0000

PARIS Wed March 5, 2014 3:30 am EST

(Reuters) - European Union leaders holding a crisis meeting on Ukraine on Thursday imposed sanctions on Could Russia if there has-been no "de-escalation" by Then, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said.

Fabius Told France's BFM TV That Could Such Measures include restrictions on visas, the assets of Individuals and Existing discussions on Economic ties with Russia .

"Let's start to initiate the path of dialogue, aimed at the same time tomorrow there is an EU summit and sanctions Could be voted tomorrow if there is no de-escalation. I expect and hope That Russia Will today tell us That there is a prospect Contact for dialogue with a group, "he Said, REFERRING to Proposals to form a grouping of key players in the Ukraine crisis.

Fabius WAS speaking before hosting talks Between His Russian, U.S., Ukrainian and other Counterparts on the margins of a long-scheduled meeting on Lebanon in the French capital.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Will Meet face-to-face for the first time since the crisis escalated, Effective Attended a conference in Paris by all five permanent members of the UN Security Council, diplomats organizing the talks Said .

That Fabius added HAD France Jointly Elaborated a "crisis exit" plane with Germany, Whose leader Angela Merkel has-been more reticent than Publicly French Officials to raise the threat of sanctions on Russia.

His toughly worded warning DESPITE to Moscow, Fabius reiterated previous comments France That Had No Plan have yet to suspend deliveries of naval ships to Russia.

(Reporting by John Irish and Mark John ; editing by Brian Love )

Ukraine Mobilizes For War, Calls Up Reserves Reuters |

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 10:59:00 +0000

By Natalia Zinets and Alissa de Carbonnel

KIEV/BALACLAVA, Ukraine, March 2 (Reuters) - Ukraine mobilised for war on Sunday and Washington threatened to isolate Russia economically after President Vladimir Putin declared he had the right to invade his neighbour in Moscow's biggest confrontation with the West since the Cold War.

"This is not a threat: this is actually the declaration of war to my country," Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk said in English. Yatseniuk heads a pro-Western government that took power in the former Soviet republic when its Moscow-backed president, Viktor Yanukovich, was ousted last week.

Putin secured permission from his parliament on Saturday to use military force to protect Russian citizens in Ukraine and told U.S. President Barack Obama he had the right to defend Russian interests and nationals, spurning Western pleas not to intervene.

Financial markets reacted to the escalating tensions when trading opened in Asia on Monday, with oil and wheat futures jumping and stock indexes falling.

Russian forces have already bloodlessly seized Crimea, an isolated Black Sea peninsula whereMoscow has a naval base.

On Sunday, they surrounded several small Ukrainian military outposts there and demanded the Ukrainian troops disarm. Some refused, leading to standoffs, although no shots were fired.

As Western countries considered how to respond to the crisis, the United States said it was focused on economic, diplomatic and political measures, and made clear it was not seriously considering military action.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Kiev on Tuesday to show "strong support for Ukrainian sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and the right of the Ukrainian people to determine their own future, without outside interference or provocation", the State Department said in a statement.

The Group of Seven major industrialized nations, condemning the Russian intrusion into Ukraine, suspended preparations for the G8 summit that includes Russia and had been scheduled to take place in June in Sochi, site of the recent Winter Olympics.

Finance ministers from the G7 said they were ready to offer "strong financial backing" to Ukraine, provided the new government in Kiev agreed to pursue economic reforms sought by the International Monetary Fund.

Analysts said U.S. economic sanctions would likely have little impact on Russia unless they were paired with strong measures by major European nations, which have deeper trade ties with Moscowand are dependent on Russian gas.

But EU officials said the European Union was unlikely to match the United States in threatening sanctions against Russia when its foreign ministers meet to discuss Ukraine on Monday, instead pushing for mediation between Moscow and Kiev.

Wheat futures spiked more than 4 percent on Monday on fears of disruption to shipments from one of the world's key exporting regions. Oil rose as much as 2 percent, while U.S. stocks futures fell 1 percent.

MORE DEMONSTRATIONS IN EASTERN UKRAINE

With Russian forces in control of majority ethnic Russian Crimea, the focus is shifting to eastern swaths of Ukraine, where most ethnic Ukrainians speak Russian as a native language.

Those areas saw more demonstrations on Sunday after violent protests on Saturday, and pro-Moscowactivists hoisted flags for a second day at government buildings and called for Russia to defend them.

Russia has staged war games with 150,000 troops along the land border, but they have so far not crossed. Kiev said Russia had sent hundreds of its citizens across the border to stage the protests.

Ukraine's security council ordered the general staff to immediately put all armed forces on highest alert. But Kiev's small and under-equipped military is seen as no match for Russia's superpower might.

The Defence Ministry was ordered to stage a call-up of reserves, meaning theoretically all men up to 40 in a country with universal male conscription, although Ukraine would struggle to find extra guns or uniforms for many of them.

Kerry condemned Russia for what he called an "incredible act of aggression" and brandished the threat of economic sanctions.

"You just don't, in the 21st century, behave in 19th century fashion by invading another country on a completely trumped-up pretext," Kerry told the CBS programme "Face the Nation".

He said Moscow still had a "right set of choices" to defuse the crisis. Otherwise, G8 countries and other nations were prepared to "to go to the hilt to isolate Russia".

"They are prepared to isolate Russia economically. The rouble is already going down. Russia has major economic challenges," he said. Kerry mentioned visa bans, asset freezes and trade isolation as possible steps.

Obama held calls with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister David Cameron and Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski. The leaders expressed "grave concern" over Russia's action and stressed that "dialogue between Ukraine and Russia should start immediately, with international facilitation as appropriate", the White House said.

Ukraine's envoy to the United Nations said Kiev would ask for international military support if Russiaexpanded its military action in his country.

At Kiev's Independence Square, where anti-Yanukovich protesters had camped out for months, thousands demonstrated against Russian military action. Speakers delivered rousing orations and placards read: "Putin, hands off Ukraine!"

"If there is a need to protect the nation, we will go and defend the nation," said Oleh, an advertising executive cooking over an open fire at the square where he has been camped for three months. "If Putin wants to take Ukraine for himself, he will fail. We want to live freely and we will live freely."

The new government announced it had fired the head of the navy and launched a treason case against him for surrendering Ukraine's naval headquarters to Russian forces in the Crimean port of Sevastopol, where Moscow has a major naval base.

REACTION FROM THE WEST

Obama spoke to Putin for 90 minutes by telephone on Saturday after the Russian leader declared he had the right to intervene and quickly secured unanimous approval from his parliament.

The Kremlin said Putin told Obama that Russian speakers were under threat from Ukraine's new leaders, who took over after Yanukovich fled huge protests against his repression and rejection of a trade deal with the European Union.

Putin reiterated that stance in a telephone call with Merkel on Sunday, the Kremlin said, adding he and Merkel agreed that Russia and Germany would continue consultations to seek the "normalisation" of the situation.

But in a sign of concern among Russian liberals, members of Putin's own human rights council urged him on Sunday not to invade Ukraine, saying threats faced by Russians there were not severe enough to justify sending in troops.

Ukraine, which says it has no intention of threatening Russian speakers, has appealed for help to NATO, as well as to Britain and the United States as co-signatories with Russia to a 1994 accord guaranteeing Ukraine's security.

After an emergency meeting of NATO ambassadors in Brussels, the alliance called on Russia to bring its forces back to bases and refrain from interfering in Ukraine.

Despite expressing "grave concern", NATO did not agree on any significant measures to apply pressure on Russia, with the West struggling to come up with a forthright response that does not risk pushing the region closer to military conflict.

"We urge both parties to immediately seek a peaceful solution through bilateral dialogue, with international facilitation ... and through the dispatch of international observers under the auspices of the United Nations Security Council or the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe," NATO said in a statement.

So far, the Western response has been largely symbolic. Some countries recalled ambassadors. Britain said its ministers would stay away from the Paralympics, which begin in Sochi on Friday.

"Right now, I think we are focused on political, diplomatic and economic options," a senior U.S. official told reporters.

"Frankly our goal is to uphold the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, not to have a military escalation," he said.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier urged world leaders on Sunday to work to calm the crisis and defended Russia's membership of the G8, saying it enabled the West to talk directly withMoscow.

RUSSIANS IN CRIMEA

Ukraine's military is ill-matched against its neighbour. Britain's International Institute of Strategic Studies estimates Kiev has fewer than 130,000 troops under arms, with planes barely ready to fly and few spare parts for a single submarine.

Russia, by contrast, has spent billions under Putin to upgrade and modernise the capabilities of forces that were dilapidated after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Moscow's special units are now seen as equal to the best in the world.

In Crimea, Ukraine's tiny contingent made no attempt to oppose the Russians, who bore no insignia on their uniforms but drove vehicles with Russian plates and seized government buildings, airports and other locations in the past three days.

Kiev said its troops were encircled in at least three places and pulled its coast guard vessels out of Crimean ports. Ukraine said its naval fleet's 10 ships were still in Sevastopol and remained loyal to Kiev.

Scores of Russian troops were camped outside a base of Ukrainian troops at Perevalnoye, on a road from Crimea's capital, Simferopol, towards the coast.

A representative of the base commander said troops on both sides had reached agreement so no blood would be shed.

"We are ready to protect the grounds and our military equipment," Valery Boiko told Reuters television. "We hope for a compromise to be reached, a decision, and as the commander has said, there will be no war."

Igor Mamchev, a Ukrainian navy colonel at another small base outside Simferopol, said a truckload of Russian troops had arrived at his checkpoint and told his forces to lay down their arms.

"I replied that, as I am a member of the armed forces of Ukraine, under orders of the Ukrainian navy, there could be no discussion of disarmament. In case of any attempt to enter the military base, we will use all means, up to lethal force," Mamchev told Ukraine's Channel 5 TV.

A unit of Ukrainian marines was also holed up in a base in the Crimean port of Feodosia, where they refused to disarm.

Elsewhere on the occupied peninsula, the Russian troops assumed a lower profile on Sunday after thepro-Moscow Crimean leader said overnight the situation was now "normalised".

Putin's justification citing the need to protect Russian citizens was the same as he used to launch a 2008 invasion of Georgia, where Russian forces seized two breakaway regions.

In Russia, state-controlled media portray Yanukovich's removal as a coup by dangerous extremists funded by the West and there has been little sign of dissent.

(Additional reporting by Peter Graff, Sabina Zawadzki, Pavel Polityuk, Timothy Heritage and Stephen Grey in Kiev, Lina Kushch in Donetsk, Peter Apps and Guy Faulconbridge in London, Will Dunham, Arshad Mohammed and Matt Spetalnick in Washington, Lou Charbonneau at the United Nations, and Justyna Pawlak and Luke Baker in Brussels; Writing by Peter Graff, Paul Taylor, Frances Kerry and Peter Cooney; Editing by Alex Richardson and Paul Tait)

By Natalia Zinets and Alissa de Carbonnel

Financial markets reacted to the escalating tensions when trading opened in Asia on Monday, with oil and wheat futures jumping and stock indexes falling.

Russian forces have already bloodlessly seized Crimea, an isolated Black Sea peninsula whereMoscow has a naval base.

On Sunday, they surrounded several small Ukrainian military outposts there and demanded the Ukrainian troops disarm. Some refused, leading to standoffs, although no shots were fired.

MORE DEMONSTRATIONS IN EASTERN UKRAINE

With Russian forces in control of majority ethnic Russian Crimea, the focus is shifting to eastern swaths of Ukraine, where most ethnic Ukrainians speak Russian as a native language.

Those areas saw more demonstrations on Sunday after violent protests on Saturday, and pro-Moscowactivists hoisted flags for a second day at government buildings and called for Russia to defend them.

Russia has staged war games with 150,000 troops along the land border, but they have so far not crossed. Kiev said Russia had sent hundreds of its citizens across the border to stage the protests.

Kerry condemned Russia for what he called an "incredible act of aggression" and brandished the threat of economic sanctions.

"You just don't, in the 21st century, behave in 19th century fashion by invading another country on a completely trumped-up pretext," Kerry told the CBS programme "Face the Nation".

He said Moscow still had a "right set of choices" to defuse the crisis. Otherwise, G8 countries and other nations were prepared to "to go to the hilt to isolate Russia".

Ukraine's envoy to the United Nations said Kiev would ask for international military support if Russiaexpanded its military action in his country.

REACTION FROM THE WEST

Obama spoke to Putin for 90 minutes by telephone on Saturday after the Russian leader declared he had the right to intervene and quickly secured unanimous approval from his parliament.

After an emergency meeting of NATO ambassadors in Brussels, the alliance called on Russia to bring its forces back to bases and refrain from interfering in Ukraine.

So far, the Western response has been largely symbolic. Some countries recalled ambassadors. Britain said its ministers would stay away from the Paralympics, which begin in Sochi on Friday.

"Right now, I think we are focused on political, diplomatic and economic options," a senior U.S. official told reporters.

"Frankly our goal is to uphold the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, not to have a military escalation," he said.

RUSSIANS IN CRIMEA

Scores of Russian troops were camped outside a base of Ukrainian troops at Perevalnoye, on a road from Crimea's capital, Simferopol, towards the coast.

A representative of the base commander said troops on both sides had reached agreement so no blood would be shed.

Igor Mamchev, a Ukrainian navy colonel at another small base outside Simferopol, said a truckload of Russian troops had arrived at his checkpoint and told his forces to lay down their arms.

A unit of Ukrainian marines was also holed up in a base in the Crimean port of Feodosia, where they refused to disarm.

Elsewhere on the occupied peninsula, the Russian troops assumed a lower profile on Sunday after thepro-Moscow Crimean leader said overnight the situation was now "normalised".

Putin's justification citing the need to protect Russian citizens was the same as he used to launch a 2008 invasion of Georgia, where Russian forces seized two breakaway regions.

In Russia, state-controlled media portray Yanukovich's removal as a coup by dangerous extremists funded by the West and there has been little sign of dissent.

SUICIDE BOMBERS KILL 11 IN PAKISTANI CAPITAL By ZARAR KHAN — Mar. 3, 2014 4:50 AM EST

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 10:13:00 +0000

ISLAMABAD (AP) - A group of armed men, two suicide attackers Including, stormed a court complex in the Pakistani capital on Monday in a terror attack uncommon in the heart of Islamabad killed 11 people and That Dozens wounded.

No one time immediately Claimed responsibility for the assault, All which cam just days after the Pakistani Taliban Announced a one-month ceasefire, raising issues about the group's Ability to control icts various factions. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has-beens Trying to negotiate a peace settlement with militants in the northwest Have you-have waged a bloody war against the government for years.

Witnesses spoke of attackers wielding automatic weapons into the narrow alleyways running in the sleepy capital's court complex, hurling grenades and opening fire indiscriminately on lawyers, judges and court personnel.

One lawyer Described it as a scene from hell, with blasts and firing all around. "My colleague Was Shot, And There Was no one to help him. When I Reached him, He Was bleeding and crying for help," Said Ali Momin.

There Were conflicting reports on How Many attackers Were Involved in the incident and if Any of Them HAD managed to escape from the police. It aussi Remained unclear if anyone HAD beens arrested This, how the attackers penetrated so deep into the city and Whether a Specific person in the complex Was the Intended target.

Suggested initial reports two men wearing explosive vests Rushed into the court complex, threw hand grenades and started shooting, Then blew up Themselves, Said Islamabad Police Chief Sikander Hayat. He put the death toll at 11.

"It was an act of terrorism Certainly," Hayat said. One of the attackers blew himself up outside the office of the lawyers' union president and the other outside the door of a judge's office, he added.

The lawyers and judges feel explosions running in fear for Their Lives as Police stormed in. Police subsequently searched the complex and found Entire no additional attackers, Said Hayat.

Other Officials and a lawyer on the scene Said There Were more than two attackers. Police official Jamil Hashmi Said There Were about six to eight attackers Have you spread into different Areas of the court complex.

"One of the attackers has Entered courtroom and shot and killed a judge," Hashmi said.

Lawyer Murad Ali Said he saw several attackers walking Toward a courtroom, brandishing weapons.

"They Had automatic weapons. They Had hand grenades," he said. "I saw 'em shooting a female lawyer."

His hands Were splattered in blood Said That he cam from helping remove dead bodies oven. Another lawyer, Sardar Gul Nawaz, Said the attackers HAD short beards and wore shalwar kameez, a traditional Pakistani outfit of baggy pants and long tunic.

The dead included two judges and five lawyers, Said Dr. Altaf at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad Where the dead and wounded Were taken. Altaf, Have you spoke to television reporters and only Gave His family name, Said MOST of the victims HAD bullet wounds. He Said Were 25 wounded, five of 'em critically.

The area Where the attack occurred is a warren of walkways filled with judges 'chambers, lawyers' offices and restaurants and businesses catering to the legal community. The walkways are filled with machinery for copying clerks and customers to make copies of legal documents, and prisoners wearing chains can be Often seen walking through the complex on Their Way to and from court. Families of suspects on trial aussi Often stand around the area, waiting for Their loved ones to APPEAR in court. Some spots in the complex-have metal detectors, All which are Often not used.

Pakistani television Showed pictures of the area with windows blown out, walls torn and lawyers in traditional black suits carrying what Appeared to be lifeless bodies and wounded from the buildings. Policemen with weapons raised ran through the area and searched offices.

Body parts and blood mingled with pieces of shattered glass littered the ground outside the courtrooms and attorney's offices. The Police cordoned off the complex, All which was taken over by commandos from the Police anti-terrorist forces.

The attack Was a shock to Islamabad, All which mostly HAS beens Spared the frequent bombings and shootings prevalent in other parts of Pakistan Peshawar: such as Tribal Areas near the harbor or the city of Karachi.

The peace process proceeded in fits and HAS starts purpose Seemed to get a boost on Saturday, When the Pakistani Taliban Announced They Would Implement a one-month ceasefire partner after the military pounded Their hideouts with airstrikes.

The militant group was quick to distance Itself from Monday's attack. A Spokesman for the organization in a telephone call to an Associated Press See Said the group Was Not Involved in the assault and Restated His Group's commitment to the ceasefire.

Highlighted the goal attack the difficulty in Negotiating a peace deal with a multi-faceted group like the Pakistani Taliban, made up of varying factions. Some Analysts Say That while in the Group May want to negotiate a peace deal, other factions May Not, making it difficulty to enforce a peace deal across all the factions. The cease-fire About did not include other groups,: such as al-Qaida, that 'operate in Pakistan.

Associated Press writer Ishtiaq Mahsud in Dera Ismail Khan and Asif Shahzad Contributed to this report.

PRO-RUSSIAN TROOPS TAKE OVER CRIMEA TERMINAL

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 10:09:00 +0000

KERCH, Ukraine (AP) - Pro-Russian troops Took over a ferry terminal on the easternmost tip of Crimea close to Russia on Monday, exacerbating fears Moscow That is odd schedule to bring more troops into this Strategic Black Sea region.

The seizure of the terminal in the Ukrainian city of Kerch about 20 kilometers (12 miles) by boat to Russia, comes as the West try to figure out ways to halt and reverse the Russian incursion.

Early on Monday, soldiers Were operating the terminal, All which reserves have a common departure points for Many Russian-bound ships. The men Refused to Identify Themselves, They aim spoke Russian and the vehicles Transporting em HAD Russian license plates.

Troops That says Ukraine are Russian soldiers-have occupied airports in Crimea, smashed equipment at an air base and was besieged Ukrainian infantry base in this peninsula.

Outrage over Russia's military moves in world capitals mounted, with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry calling on President Vladimir Putin to pull back from "an incredible act of aggression."

A day after the Crimean Peninsula Russia captured without firing a shot, fears Grew capital in the Ukrainian and beyond That Russia might seek to expand by seizing control icts other parts of eastern Ukraine. Senior Obama administration officials said the U.S. now Russia Believes That HAS full operational control of Crimea, a pro-Russian area of the country, and more than 6,000 HAS troops in the area.

Faced with the Russian threat, Ukraine's new government Moved to consolidate icts authority, naming new regional governors in the pro-Russia east, enlisting the backing of the country's wealthy businessmen and Dismissing the head of the country's navy Effective he Declared allegiance to the pro- Russian government in Crimea.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk Said There Was no reason for Russia to invade Ukraine and Warned That "we are on the brink of disaster."

"We believe our Western partners and That The Entire global community supporting the territorial integrity Will and unity of Ukraine," he Said Sunday in Kiev.

World leaders try to find Rushed to a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

Held an emergency NATO meeting in Brussels, Britain's foreign minister flew to Kiev to medium icts new government and Kerry WAS to travel to Ukraine on Tuesday. The U.S., France and Britain Debated the possibility of boycotting the next Group of Eight Economic Summit, to be Held in June in Sochi, the host of Russia's successful Winter Olympics.

On Sunday evening, the White House Issued attached statement on Behalf of the Group of Seven saying They are suspending participation in the schedule for the upcoming summit Because Russia's advances in the Ukraine violate the "principles and values" on All which the G-7 and G-8 operate.

In Kiev, Moscow and other cities, Thousands of protesters Took to the streets to decry Either the Russian occupation or celebrate Crimea's return to form icts ruler.

"Support us, America!" a group of protesters chanted outside the U.S. Embassy in Kiev. One young girl held up a placard reading: "No Russian aggression!"

"Russia! Russia!" the crowd chanted in Moscow.

So far, HOWEVER, Ukraine's new government and the West-have-been powerless to counter Russia's tactics.

Putin HAS defied calls from the West to pull back His troops, insisting That Russia HAS right to protect icts Interests and Those of Russian-speakers in Crimea in Ukraine and Elsewhere. His confidence is matched by the knowledge That Ukraine's 46 million people-have divided loyalties. While much of western Ukraine wants closer ties with the European Union 28-nation, eastern and southern regions icts like Crimea look to Russia for support.

Russia HAS long wanted to reclaim the lush Crimean Peninsula, share of icts territory Until 1954. Russia's Black Sea Fleet Ukraine million Annually country to be stationed at the harbor of Sevastopol Crimean and Nearly 60 percent of Crimea's residents have Russian IDENTIFY Themselves.

BY DALTON BENNETT ASSOCIATED PRESS

Vatican: le pape crée ses 19 premiers cardinaux en présence de Benoît XVI

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 23:08:00 +0000

Le pape François a créé samedi dans la basilique Saint-Pierre ses 19 premiers cardinaux, avec l'appui moral de son prédécesseur Benoît XVI, venu pour la première fois assister à une cérémonie depuis sa démission il y a un an.

Le pontife émérite de 86 ans était au premier rang, habillé tout de blanc, calotte sur la tête, parmi les cardinaux, vêtus de rouge. Il a été salué avec chaleur à son entrée par François, et de nouveau à la fin de la cérémonie, les deux hommes se serrant la main longuement.

Le secrétaire d'Etat Pietro Parolin a remercié Benoît XVI pour sa présence, au nom de tous.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio a succédé le 13 mars 2013 à Joseph Ratzinger qui avait démissionné le 28 février. C'est la première fois que l'ancien pape allemand, qui vit retiré au Vatican et a promis de ne pas s'immiscer dans les affaires de son successeur, participe à une grande cérémonie.

Vraisemblablement, le pape François le lui a demandé pour manifester la pleine communion au sein de l'Eglise.

Dix-huit des dix-neuf nouveaux "princes de l'Eglise" étaient présents, car le très âgé Loris Francesco Capovilla, 98 ans, ancien secrétaire du pape Jean XXIII, n'a pas réussi à venir de Bergame (nord de l'Italie).

Chaque nouveau cardinal s'est approché et agenouillé pour se voir poser sur la tête la barrette (coiffe rouge à quatre bords). Le pape leur a passé l'anneau cardinalice et remis leur titre dans un parchemin enroulé, chacun recevant symboliquement la charge d'une des centaines d'églises romaines. Il les a ensuite embrassés avec plus ou moins de chaleur.

De Ouagadougou, d'Abidjan, des Cayes en Haïti, de Cotabato aux Philippines, de Managua, de Castries (Sainte-Lucie) aux Antilles, de Pérouse (centre de l'Italie), plusieurs des nouveaux cardinaux étaient venus des "périphéries", formule qu'aime utiliser François.

Le choix du pape argentin reflète l'accent qu'il met sur les pasteurs plutôt que les gestionnaires.

Dans l'après-midi, les traditionnelles "visites de courtoisie" ont permis aux familles et à qui voulait d'entrer au Vatican pour féliciter les heureux élus.

Alors que les quatre cardinaux de Curie, dont le tout nouveau cardinal Parolin, recevaient dans les somptueux salons pontificaux ornés de fresques de la Renaissance, les quatorze autres étaient dispersés dans le cadre moderne de l'immense salle Paul VI.

Beaucoup se pressaient aux deux entrées dans l'espoir de saluer les cardinaux de leur pays, ou par curiosité.

Le cardinal Jean-Pierre Kutwa, d'Abidjan, était acclamé par des femmes ivoiriennes chantant des "alleluia". Des imams étaient venus aussi dans la délégation. "C'est un clin d??il que le pape a fait pour la paix", a dit le cardinal, infatigable artisan de la réconciliation dans son pays, qui recevait dans une chaise roulante.

Non loin, réservé, le cardinal de Ouagadougou, Philippe Ouédraogo, proche des plus démunis dans son pays, affirmait que le pape François "nous ramène à l'Evangile. Qui vit l'Evangile retrouve les hommes dans ce qu'ils sont réellement".

- "Avoir un coeur plus grand" -

Le cardinal haïtien des Cayes, Chibly Langlois, assurait que "tout Haïti, toutes confessions confondues, se réjouit" de "la grande sollicitude du pape" qui a créé le premier cardinal haïtien de l'Histoire.

Le cardinal-archevêque de Westminster, Vincent Gegard Nichols, très connu pour ses prises de position sociales fortes au Royaume-Uni, a résumé ainsi la volonté du pape: "il nous invite à avoir un horizon plus large et un c?ur plus grand".

Le pape avait écrit dès janvier aux heureux choisis que leur sélection n'était "ni une promotion, ni un honneur", mais "un service".

Dans la basilique, François a demandé aux cardinaux nouveaux et anciens de "vivre en communion" avec lui et entre eux, d'être armés de "compassion" et d??uvrer pour la paix, avertissant que "la route que Jésus choisit est celle de la Croix".

Ce sont seize nouveaux électeurs (moins de 80 ans, en cas de Conclave) qui entrent au Sacré collège, et trois autres sont émérites sans droit de vote. Le Sacré collège compte 218 cardinaux dont 122 électeurs.

Afp

Les cardinaux débattent de l’accueil des divorcés remariés

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 23:03:00 +0000

Les 150 cardinaux réunis en consistoire ont poursuivi ce 21 février une « réflexion ample » sur la famille et le mariage, objet d’un long cheminement.

Le pape a fortement appuyé l’introduction du cardinal Kasper, qui avance l’idée d’un chemin de pénitence en vue de l’accès aux sacrements des divorcés remariés.

Le cardinal André Vingt-Trois coprésidera le synode extraordinaire sur la famille avec deux autres cardinaux, a annoncé le Saint-Siège.

« Réflexion ample », « chemin long », « recherche en commun » : le P. Federico Lombardi, directeur de la salle de presse du Saint-Siège, a décrit un climat de débat entre les 150 cardinaux réunis au Vatican ce vendredi 21 février pour la seconde journée du consistoire extraordinaire que le pape François a convoqué sur le thème de la famille. Au fil d’une quarantaine d’interventions ce 21 février, aucun début de consensus ne se dégageait entre les cardinaux venus du monde entier pour chercher une réponse pastorale au défi que pose à l’Église la diversité des situations familiales contemporaines. « C’est un chemin synodal de deux ans », a rappelé le P. Lombardi, en référence aux deux synodes sur le sujet prévus en 2014 et 2015.

Coprésidence intercontinentale du prochain synode

À cet égard, le porte-parole du Vatican a annoncé la nomination des cardinaux André Vingt-Trois, archevêque de Paris, Luis Antonio Tagle, archevêque de Manille (Philippines) et Raymundo Damasceno Assis, actuellement archevêque d’Aparecida (Brésil) pour coprésider le synode extraordinaire d’octobre prochain sur la pastorale de la famille. Un choix volontairement intercontinental, tant l’approche de la famille diffère d’un lieu à l’autre comme le montrent les réponses au questionnaire diffusé en amont de ce synode.

Au début des travaux ce 21 février, le pape a chaleureusement fait part de sa large appréciation de l’introduction aux débats prononcée la veille, à sa demande, par le cardinal Walter Kasper. Le pape jésuite a précisé qu’il avait relu le texte, une manière sans doute d’inviter les cardinaux à faire de même. L’hommage devait rendre aussi plus difficile une attaque frontale du texte par les autres cardinaux au cours des 43 interventions qui se sont succédé durant la matinée du 21 février.

« Repentance personnelle »

Si la vision anthropologique de la famille et la préparation au mariage ont figuré parmi les thèmes des interventions, l’accueil des divorcés remariés a été l’autre grand sujet débattu. Dans son long texte, qu’a pu voir le vaticaniste italien Andrea Tornielli, le cardinal Kasper a évoqué l’idée d’un chemin de pénitence, accompagné par l’Église, à proposer aux divorcés remariés en vue de leur accès aux sacrements, à l’image de la réintégration au IIIe siècle des chrétiens persécutés qui avaient renié leur foi, que l’Église autorisa.

« La défaillance d’un mauvais choix ne peut être dispensée de repentance personnelle. Il existe la rémission des péchés », a déclaré le théologien allemand dans une interview au quotidien italien, Il Messaggero, de ce 21 février, ajoutant qu’il souhaitait que les cardinaux « trouvent un consensus non un compromis sur la question ».

Le consistoire est entièrement dédié à ces débats, qui d’après le P. Lombardi n’ont pas abordé la question des couples homosexuels. Le pape n’a pas rendu compte par ailleurs de la réforme en cours de la Curie romaine. Ce que certains cardinaux présents ont regretté.

Sébastien Maillard Source: La-croix.com

La République Dominicaine mise à nu à l'OEA

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 22:58:00 +0000

Celia Prince Ambassadeur l'OEA de St Vincent et les Grenadines

Discrimination, violation du droit à la nationalité, intolérance et incitation à la violence, c’est ce que retient la Commission interaméricaine des droits de l’homme dans son rapport sur la République dominicaine, présenté mercredi au Conseil permanent de l’OEA. Les représentants de plusieurs

pays ont une nouvelle fois condamné la décision de la Cour constitutionnelle dominicaine.

Suite à la demande formulée par la mission permanente de St-Vincent-et-les-Grenadines à l’OEA au nom de la CARICOM, le Conseil permanent de l’Organisation des Etats américains a discuté des observations préliminaires de mission de la CIDH en République dominicaine. En effet, une délégation de la Commission interaméricaine des droits de l’homme a mené une investigation en terre dominicaine du 2 au 5 décembre 2013.

Une privation arbitraire de nationalité

Dans le rapport présenté à l’OEA mercredi, la CIDH a fait état de la situation alarmante qui prévaut de l’autre côté de la frontière. « La Commission interaméricaine a reçu pendant sa visite des informations préoccupantes concernant de graves atteintes aux droits à la nationalité, à l’identité, à l’égalité devant la loi et à la non-discrimination. La violation du droit à la nationalité, que la Commission avait observée lors de sa dernière visite qui a eu lieu en 1997, se poursuit, et la situation s’est aggravée en raison de l’arrêt 168/13 de la Cour constitutionnelle», peut-on-lire dans le rapport de la commission.

L’arrêt 168/13, une décision arbitraire et discriminatoire selon la CIDH. «

La Commission estime que l’arrêt de la Cour constitutionnelle entraîne une privation arbitraire de la nationalité. Cette décision a un effet discriminatoire, étant donné qu’elle touche principalement les Dominicains d’ascendance haïtienne; qu’elle les prive de la nationalité de façon rétroactive; et qu’elle rend apatrides les personnes qui ne sont considérées comme des ressortissants par aucun Etat, aux termes de sa législation ».

« Nombre de personnes touchées par l’arrêt 168/13 de la Cour constitutionnelle sont des personnes qui sont nées en République dominicaine et qui précédemment ont été reconnues par l’Etat comme étant de nationalité dominicaine, au moyen de l’établissement par les institutions de l’État d’un document faisant foi. Ces personnes ont des liens étroits avec la République dominicaine: elles ont payé des impôts et créé de la richesse, elles ont contribué à la sécurité sociale, elles ont été élevées et instruites dans le pays et elles y ont établi leur cellule familiale. Dans leurs témoignages devant la CIDH, elles ont déclaré avoir un profond sentiment d’identité dominicaine. Comme l’a dit un jeune à Santo Domingo: “je suis né sous le drapeau dominicain et je n’en connais aucun autre”.

Discriminations à multiples niveaux

La visite des experts de la CIDH en territoire dominicain les a permis de découvrir que le niveau de discrimination à laquelle font face les fils des immigrants est très élevé. « La Commission fait observer que la décision 168-13 ne touche pas seulement un nombre élevé de personnes nées en République dominicaine, mais porte aussi atteinte de façon disproportionnée à des personnes déjà sujettes à de multiples formes de discrimination, en particulier fondées sur la race et la pauvreté. Sur ce point, dans son analyse de la situation en République dominicaine en avril 2013 en cours, le Comité pour l’élimination de la discrimination raciale a mentionné trois aspects particulièrement pertinents: la persistance du racisme structurel et de la discrimination fondée sur la couleur et l’origine nationale; le lien entre la pauvreté et le racisme en général; et la ¨négation ferme¨ par l’État de l’existence d’une discrimination raciale, qui constitue un obstacle important à l’exécution de ses obligations internationales ».

Les commissaires de la CIDH se sont aussi rendus dans les bateyes où la situation est de plus en plus alarmante. « La CIDH a visité plusieurs bateyes dans divers endroits du pays et a constaté les conditions de pauvreté, d’exclusion et de discrimination dans lesquelles vivent leurs habitants. La pauvreté touche de façon disproportionnée les personnes d’ascendance haïtienne et cela est en rapport avec les obstacles auxquels elles se heurtent pour obtenir leurs documents d’identité ».

Intolérance et incitation à la violence en république voisine

Mis à part les cas de discrimination raciale, la CIDH a reçu des témoignages concernant de nombreux actes d’agression perpétrés contre les immigrants, les journalistes et les défenseurs des droits de l’homme depuis la publication de l’arrêt 168-13. « La publication de la décision 168/13 de la Cour constitutionnelle de la République dominicaine du 23 septembre 2013 a suscité dans le pays des réactions défavorables. En particulier, elle a créé un climat hostile à l’encontre des personnes qui ont critiqué cette décision et ont défendu le droit à la nationalité dominicaine des personnes concernées. Selon une information reçue par la Commission interaméricaine, les propos adressés à des journalistes, intellectuels, avocats, hommes politiques, défenseurs des droits de la personne et personnages publics qui ont critiqué cette décision ont atteint des niveaux d’agressivité alarmants. Ces personnes ont été qualifiées de “traîtres à la patrie” et ont fait l’objet de graves menaces sur les réseaux sociaux, de commentaires dans les journaux en ligne et de consignes lors de protestations et de manifestations appelant à donner la “mort aux traîtres”. La Commission interaméricaine se déclare préoccupée par les menaces et propos calomnieux proférés à l’encontre des personnes qui ont exprimé des critiques sur la décision en question ».

Ces révélations faites par la CIDH au Conseil permanent de l’OEA n’ont pas laissé indifférents les représentants de plusieurs pays. La plupart des intervenants ont sévèrement critiqué la démarche de la république voisine et la pressent à revenir sur la décision discriminatoire de la Cour constitutionnelle. Plus impressionnantes étaient les déclarations de la représentante de St Vincent-et-les-Grenadine, Celia A Prince, qui a appelé les Etats membres de l’OEA à éviter « que le continent ne devienne la partie du monde comptant le plus d’apatrides ». L’ambassadrice Celia A Prince, qui avait demandé à l’OEA de diligenter une enquête sur le terrain a insisté sur le caractère discriminatoire de l’arrêt de la Cour constitutionnelle dominicaine.

« La situation qui prévaut actuellement en République dominicaine est loin d’être un dossier bilatéral, concernant uniquement Haïti et la République dominicaine. Cela concerne tous les pays du continent dans la mesure où ça concerne la violation des droits de l’homme », a soutenu le représentant de la Jamaïque, Stephen Charles Vasciannie. Face à ces vives critiques, la représentante de la République dominicaine est montée au créneau pour défendre son pays, rappelant à la salle qu’un processus de dialogue est enclenché entre Haïti et son pays. « Il n’y aura aucune déportation de personnes détenant la citoyenneté dominicaine ». L’Etat dominicain prend les dispositions pour régulariser les étrangers présents sur son territoire », a martelé Mayerlyn Cordero Díaz.

Louis Joseph Olivier Source: Lenouvelliste

Immigration: Québec veut réduire les délais et mieux choisir les candidats

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 22:51:00 +0000

QUÉBEC - Le gouvernement Marois dépoussière la loi sur l'immigration pour sélectionner plus rapidement les candidats les mieux adaptés aux besoins du marché de l'emploi.

La ministre de l'Immigration, Diane De Courcy, a déposé mardi à l'Assemblée nationale le projet de loi 71 qui met à la page la loi adoptée en 1968. Axée sur un traitement des demandes d'immigration à la «queue-leu-leu», la vieille législation a occasionné au fil des ans de longs délais d'attente.

«Le monde a changé mais la loi sur l'immigration n'avait pas suivi. Ce qu'on est en train de faire, c'est de s'adapter au monde d'aujourd'hui», a expliqué Mme De Courcy, en conférence de presse.

Pour accélérer le traitement des demandes et surtout pour recruter les meilleurs candidats, le gouvernement implantera un système en ligne de «déclaration d'intérêt» des personnes intéressées à s'établir au Québec. Certains pays, comme la Nouvelle-Zélande et l'Australie, ont adopté cette approche et le Canada s'apprête à joindre le mouvement. En fonction des besoins du marché du travail, Québec pourra choisir dans une «banque de candidatures» les meilleurs dossiers de déclaration d'intérêt et inviter les candidats à soumettre promptement une demande formelle d'immigration.

«Il s'agit d'aller chercher des groupes de personnes qualifiées, par exemple des ingénieurs spécialisés en électrification des transports, des travailleurs miniers qui contribueront au Nord pour tous ou des orthophonistes pour nos écoles. Cette méthode comporte de nombreux avantages. La déclaration d'intérêt permettra de tirer parti du grand nombre de demandes plutôt que d'engorger le système», a expliqué la ministre.

Avec les changements apportés par le projet de loi 71, Québec pourra sélectionner en «continue» les immigrants qui répondent le mieux aux impératifs du marché et en vertu de critères tels que la connaissance de la langue, l'âge, les qualifications et la diplômation.

Selon Mme De Courcy, le nouveau système écourtera considérablement les délais de traitement des dossiers qui peuvent à l'heure actuelle atteindre cinq ans, en incluant les modalités fédérales. L'effet pervers de cette liste d'attente interminable est que des immigrants débarquent souvent au Québec en fonction de dossiers reçus des années auparavant et de besoins en main-d'oeuvre qui ne sont plus prioritaires.

«L'approche 'premier arrivé, premier servi' était une fausse ouverture, à mon avis. Cela créait, et encore plus au cours des dernières années, des taux chômage très élevés avec aussi des problèmes qui vont se répercuter dans les familles, pour les enfants. Pour une personne immigrante, comme pour une personne native du Québec qui n'a pas d'emploi, ça a des répercussions sur la réussite des enfants à l'école», a-t-elle soulevé.

Les demandes d'immigration vers le Québec dans la catégorie économique n'ont cessé de croître ces dernières années et les délais de traitement s'allongent à l'avenant. L'inventaire des demandes est aujourd'hui d'environ 80 000 dossiers après avoir atteint un sommet de près de 100 000 en 2011, a indiqué la ministre.

L'immigration est une compétence partagée avec le fédéral. Le gouvernement du Québec sélectionne environ 35 000 des quelque 50 000 arrivants qui s'établissent dans la province chaque année.

La Presse Canadienne

Tempête polaire aux Etats-Unis, chaos dans les transports

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 22:46:00 +0000

La tempête polaire qui a sévi pendant quatre jours sur la côte est des Etats-Unis et fait au moins 20 morts a été accompagnée de chutes de neige parfois abondantes qui ont provoqué le chaos dans les transports.

Mille sept cents vols ont dû être annulés pour la journée de vendredi aux Etats-Unis et 6.600 autres ont subi des retards, selon le site internet FlightAware.com, qui surveille le trafic aérien.

Il est tombé plus de 72 cm de neige à Pilot en Virginie, et plus de 30 cm dans le New Jersey, où, sous le poids de cette couche, le toit d'un gymnase s'est effondré à Waldwick, de même que celui d'un supermarché à New Milford.

Sur le Pennsylvania Turnpike, autoroute qui relie les grandes villes de Pennsylvanie, des collisions en chaîne ont impliqué une cinquantaine de véhicules et fait une trentaine de blessés.

A New York, Boston et Philadelphie, des écoles sont restées fermées.

Les fortes chutes de neige enregistrées depuis le début de cet hiver provoquent la raréfaction des stocks de sel pour les routes, et le Connecticut, déjà touché par 12 blizzards, a demandé une aide fédérale pour parer à la pénurie.

Dans le sud des Etats-Unis, plusieurs centaines de milliers de personnes sont toujours privées d'électricité, en raison de la chute d'arbres et de l'épaisse couche de glace qui a pesé sur les lignes électriques. L'électricité ne devrait pas être rétablie avant dimanche soir dans certains secteurs de Caroline du Sud.

En Géorgie, les services des eaux et forêts estiment à 20% la superficie des forêts qui ont été endommagées par la tempête hivernale.

Ces intempéries ne sont pas du goût des fleuristes, qui ont vu les ventes de la saint-Valentin, vendredi, chuter par rapport aux années précédentes. Les exportations de fleurs d'Equateur vers les Etats-Unis, pour la fête des amoureux, sont en recul de 12 à 14% par rapport à 2013, a déclaré un porte-parole d'Expoflores, association de producteurs de fleurs aux Etats-Unis.

Barbara Goldberg avec Daniel Kelley, Karen Brooks; Guy Kerivel et Eric Faye pour le service français

REUTERS

Arrêt 168-13 : L'écrivain Vargas Llosa demande au pape de destituer l'archevêque de Santo Domingo pour "racisme"

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Malexa) — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 09:48:00 +0000

L'écrivain péruvien Mario Vargas Llosa, prix Nobel de littérature

L'écrivain péruvien Mario Vargas Llosa, prix Nobel de littérature, souhaite que le pape François démette de ses fonctions le Cardinal Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguez, archevêque de Santo Domingo qui, selon lui, représente une Église de l'âge des cavernes.

"L'archevêque de Santo-Domingo soutient,

aussi incroyable que cela soit, des lois racistes qui privent de la nationalité dominicaine près de 200.000 Dominicains dont le seul crime est d'être les enfants ou les descendants d'Haïtiens".

Récemment, interrogé sur la reprise des pourparlers entre Haïti et la République dominicaine, décidée lors du Sommet Petrocaribe à Caracas, le prélat dominicain avait mis le président Medina en garde contre toute initiative pouvant remettre en question l'arrêt 168-13 de la Cour constitutionnelle.

"Une attitude totalement incompatible avec ce que devrait représenter l'Église catholique", s'est insurgé le prix Nobel qui dans la foulée demande également le remplacement du cardinal péruvien archevêque de Lima, Juan Luis Cipriani, membre de l'Opus Dei.

"Le cardinal Cipriani représente l'Église la plus réactionnaire, la plus intolérante et la plus fanatique qui soit et on peut espérer que la nouvelle politique du pape arrivera également au Pérou."

"Je pense qu'il faut espérer que le pape François remplace ces membres de la hiérarchie ecclésiastique qui représentent une Église de l'âge des cavernes par des évêques et des archevêques plus imprégnés par la mentalité de proximité et de justice sociale que le pape François semble représenter" a affirmé l'écrivain péruvien lauréat en 2010 du Prix Nobel de littérature.

HA/radio Métropole Haïti

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Arrêt 168-13 : L'écrivain Vargas Llosa demande au pape de destituer l'archevêque de Santo Domingo pour "racisme"