FOOTBALL: Lille is France champion

AFP - Lille was champion of France of football after Saturday's draw at the Parc des Princes against Paris Saint-Germain (2-2) at the 37th day of the Championship of France.

With 6 points ahead of Marseille (2nd), LOSC can not be caught since there remains only one day to play on Sunday, 29.

Already winners of the Coupe de France a week ago, against Paris SG (1-0), the players of coach Rudi Garcia's second drop doubled the club's history after that achieved in 1946. This is the third championship won by Lille in France after the 1946 and 1954.

As in the Cup final in France, midfielder Ludovic Obraniak who scored the first goal Lille, from the 5th minute.Then it was shown that Mickaël Landreau, pushing many shots of Paris.

Lille goalkeeper could do nothing, however, just before halftime on a goal by Hoarau, following a free kick on which two players were Parisian offside.

After an early second period very stormy, marked in particular by the evictions Guillaume Hoarau and Antoine Kombouare, Moussa Sow is the best scorer (22 goals), who restored the advantage in Lille (59).

Mathieu Bodmer then reduced the height of a PSG magnificent strike (73), but the point made at the park just to Lille.

The reception of Rennes at the 38th day will be nothing at stake for Lille, who will find the Champions League next season after a last appearance in the 2006-2007 season.

IMF: Discussions have begun for the succession of DSK

AFP - IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who was accused of sexual crime and remanded in custody in New York, faced increasing pressure Wednesday after the statements by the U.S. Treasury Secretary doubting his ability to lead the institution.

"It is obviously not able to run the IMF," said Timothy Geithner at a conference Tuesday night, while the head of British diplomacy William Hague said Wednesday he "will take a decision on his future ".

"I think that Dominique Strauss-Kahn will take a decision on his future, but it is obviously in a very, very difficult," saidHague on Irish radio RTE.

This question should be "resolved in the coming days," added Wednesday the chief of the majority party UMP in France, Jean-Francois Cope.

Japan, however, felt it was too early to discuss replacing the IMF's managing director. "On this point, I think it's premature to even consider" the issue of replacing Mr. Strauss-Kahn said the government spokesman, Yukio Edano.

"We are aware that there is much speculation around the status of director general. We do not comment on these speculations," he said Tuesday night a spokesman for the IMF, William Murray, who said that the Fund has not "had contact" with him since his arrest.

Mr.Strauss-Kahn was arrested Saturday in New York and is accused of attempted rape of a maid in a Manhattan hotel.

He was imprisoned at Rikers Island prison in New York, pending his next court appearance Friday before a judge in New York.

According to NBC, quoting an unidentified source, he was placed under surveillance as a precaution against suicide.

Asked by AFP about it, a spokesman for the Prison Service of New York said in a statement that "the health of a prisoner is confidential."

"The prison administration of the City of New York observes the same rules of safety and health for all detainees," the document said, without commenting on the psychological state of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, whose photos in handcuffs have been around the world.

An indictment (grand jury) from 16 to 23 jurors popular due to meet in secret and in the absence of a judge to hear evidence from the prosecution and decide on a formal indictment or not.

To date, Mr.Strauss-Kahn denies the charges against him, according to his lawyers, which also appeal the decision to detain him and deny him bail.

The IMF chief was taken Monday night in the huge prison Rikers Island, an island in the East River, where it benefits from a single cell, according to a spokesman for the Prison Service.

"It is not in contact with other prisoners," he told AFP spokesman.

Mr.Strauss-Kahn, who was arrested Saturday, was detained by the decision of Judge Melissa Jackson on Monday, which has refused to release him on bail of one million dollars, two days after his arrest at Kennedy Airport in New York.

The judge cited a flight risk.

The defense of the former French minister suggested in vain that he surrender his passport to justice and a commitment to reside in New York with her daughter.

The wife of Mr.Strauss-Kahn, the former journalist Anne Sinclair, arrived Monday in New York, according to one of the DSK lawyers, Benjamin Brafman.

The case has rocked the French political class to one year's presidential, where "DSK" was a favorite, as part of a possible socialist candidate.

DSK is covered by seven charges, including criminal sexual act, attempted rape and kidnapping, after accusations of a maid of 32 years, employee of the Sofitel New York. The criminal sexual act, which includes forced oral sex in American law, French law corresponds to a rape.The term of rape under U.S. law that covers only forced vaginal penetration.

Out of his silence, the alleged victim's lawyer, Jeff Shapiro, told CNN that his client lived a trauma "extraordinary".

"The world is upside down for her," said Mr. Shapiro. "Since it happened, she could not go home. She can not return to work and she has no idea what the future holds," he said.

The alleged victim "would not stop crying" after the fact, acted on his side Tuesday at a restaurant AFP posing as his brother.The man from Guinea who runs a small restaurant in Harlem, said his sister called him by phone Saturday afternoon while she was with doctors and policemen.

"She said it just happened something bad, '" he said.

The defense has organized around particular time use the boss of the IMF. Its lawyers provide such that it would not escape, but he calmly lunched with a person whose identity is not yet known, before heading to the airport where his flight to Paris was already booked.

They also said he forgot at the hotel one of its mobile phones and called for the Sofitel we make him wear that would not have done if he was a fugitive.

Another possible line of defense, according to the New York press, is the thesis of consensual sex. The New York Post and The New York Times quoted a source "close to the defense" claiming that "the report may have been made." "The forensic evidence, we believe, does not coincide with forced intercourse," he said Monday before the court Mr Brafman.

Additional DNA samples were made Sunday on Mr.Strauss-Kahn, to detect any traces of violence.

Should he be convicted, the IMF chief risk 15 to 74 years in prison for all counts on which it is subject.

FRANCE: The DSK case undermines the French political scene

The arrest and prosecution of sexual assault, attempted rape and kidnapping of Dominique Strauss-Kahn on Sunday by the prosecutor of New York, has been a bombshell in France. The reactions were quick to share fuser and others of the French political scene, especially, the former Socialist minister was seen as the favorite of the latest polls for the 2012 presidential election.

Prudence left

On the left, despite the shock, caution is the rendezvous. Martine Aubry, the Socialist Party first secretary, said she was "totally stunned" by the DSK case she described as "thunderbolt".

She called for "respect the presumption of innocence and decency to keep the required" before a few reporters in Lille, where she was mayor. Also very conservative, Segolene Royal, Socialist candidate in the primary, spoke of "an upsetting news about all that remains to be seen." The unfortunate rival Nicolas Sarkozy in the 2007 presidential election said on Europe 1 that "this man must be respected, his family must be respected." François Hollande, also a candidate for the primary, spoke of "restraint", citing a "terrible news".Finally, the member-strauss kahnien Pierre Moscovici recommended Sunday "prudence and decency," describing the new "shock that overwhelms us," in an interview with AFP.

"Expect the DSK version of events. I've known him for 30 years, it does not look like I know him. My thoughts are with his family and himself in this ordeal," he added.

For his part, Jean-Luc Melenchon, co-chairman of the Left Party, told AFP he was "appalled". "I hope this is false because rape is a crime.There would be a victim, "he continued, saying" it's enough of the humiliation that this information among his causes. "" I call for restraint. Do not judge until you know, "he said.

"A president who would have looked like Berlusconi"

Unsurprisingly, the DSK affair has caused reactions more sharply toward the right and the extreme right. Bernard Debré, UMP deputy from Paris, has blasted the IMF chief. "This is humiliating for France, is disastrous. Like it or not, DSK represented our country," he said on air on FRANCE 24.While acknowledging that the Socialist was presumed innocent, he nevertheless stated that "the facts argue against this man" whose "known propensities."

Asked about the future president of DSK, the deputy of Paris responds bluntly. "My God, you realize, we would have a president who would have looked like Berlusconi who made orgies over here and there", he said. "If the facts are proven, it must be treated to avoid uncontrolled impulses and impure, it is pathological," he said.

Only member of the government to react to the moment, the Secretary of State for International Trade, Pierre Lellouche, said on ITélé need to "give Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the presumption of innocence and let the process unfold. "If all this were proved, it would be devastating," he added.

Chairman of the modem, François Bayrou, saw something "confusing, sad and extremely disturbing." He also argues that if the facts were "verified", it would be "degrading behavior towards a young woman and women in general."

For Marine Le Pen, president of the National Front, the IMF chief is "permanently discredited as a candidate for the highest office of the state" while it believes "all Paris, the Paris newspaper, the Paris political noise since months slightly pathological reports that Mr. Strauss-Kahn appears to maintain against women. "

JUSTICE: France is reluctant to allow the ex-wife of Marc Dutroux

The Minister of Justice Michel Mercier said he had "no intention of saying yes to the home in a French convent Michelle Martin, the ex-wife and accomplice of the murderer pedophile Marc Dutroux, Wednesday leaving the Council of Ministers.

"We have not been seized by Belgium" in a formal request for this welcome, "said Mercier.

If that were the case, "we will implement the agreement between Belgium and France, we look at things," he added.

But "I'm not going to say yes, for my part," said the Keeper of the Seals.

Belgium Tuesday lifted the last obstacle to the liberation of the former wife of Marc Dutroux, who still has to wait for the green light from Paris to visit a French convent, which has agreed to host it.

This former teacher of 51 years was sentenced in 2004 by the Assize Court of Arlon (south-east) to 30 years in prison for his involvement in the crimes committed in the mid-1990s by her ex-husband, convicted his hand to life without possibility of early release.

COTE D'IVOIRE: the pro-Ouattara control the last bastion of pro-Gbagbo in Abidjan

AFP - Yopougon in the west of Abidjan, the last stronghold of militiamen loyal to ousted President Laurent Gbagbo, is now entirely under the control of the forces of the new leader Alassane Ouattara of State, announced late Wednesday authorities Ivorian.

"This is the only sector that remains (to be conquered, Ed) and the whole area is now permanently occupied by us," said the Ivorian television TCI commander Cherif Ousmane, operations officer in the military republican Coast Ivory (FRCI).

Yopougon was the last neighborhood that escaped the control of the forces of the new power.Militiamen loyal to Laurent Gbagbo made it their stronghold and fought again in the morning in the area of ​​the naval base in southeastern district, bordering the lagoon.

Guillaume Soro on site

Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Guillaume Soro, visited the premises in the afternoon.

"I saw the streets littered with corpses. Militiamen At HQ, we saw a makeshift cemetery. I guess all the abuses that have occurred. I'm still in shock from all the dead, all dead," he said on the TCI.

"The militiamen executed civilians, if you had a name that was not correct. I find this unacceptable," he said.

"Everything Yopougon throughout Abidjan must be secure.I count on you, "Guillaume Soro launched his troops.

AFP journalists accompanying a team from the Ivorian Red Cross noted Wednesday that dozens of bodies, riddled with bullets and burned or reduced to skeletons, littered the streets of several areas of this vast neighborhood of more than one million inhabitants.

Corpses and mass graves

Mass graves contained the bodies of residents killed by militiamen, according to testimony gathered by residents told AFP.Of half-naked body lying on the ground: the militia for some residents, neighborhood youth killed by FRCI according to others.

In two days, the bodies of more than 60 people killed in recent violence have been recovered by the team of the Red Cross.

The area was Wednesday unrecognizable stalls that have not been looted and burned retain their iron curtain fell, garbage are collected over a long time. Yopougon has nothing to do with Abidjan, where life has returned to normal and it brings back even with the morning traffic jams.

"The mercenaries and pro-Gbagbo militias have been taken out of harm's way (...).Yopougon just been released, "said the captain on the TCI Alla Kouakou Leon, spokesman for the MoD, calling the area" from which fortress had desperately caciques Gbagbo camp.

He also warned against "criminals and bandits" armed and in uniform, who claim to belong to FRCI, ensuring that steps were taken to "neutralize".

President Ouattara, in power since April 11 arrest of Mr.Gbagbo, had threatened on April 22 to "disarm by force" the last remaining armed groups, must not file a "fast" guns.

Three independent international experts, commissioned by the UN to investigate serious violations of human rights allegedly committed in Côte d'Ivoire since the presidential election on Nov. 28, arrived Wednesday in Abidjan and remain in the country until the end of May.

LIBYA: A son of Gadhafi killed by NATO airstrikes, according to Tripoli

The youngest son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Saif al-Arab al-Gaddafi, and three of her grandchildren, were killed overnight Saturday to Sunday during a NATO air strike, which the Libyan leader had narrowly escaped, said a spokesman for the regime in Tripoli.

"The house of Saif al-Gaddafi Arab (...), the youngest child of the Guide (Ed.: Muammar Gaddafi), was attacked with powerful means.The Guide and his wife were in the house with friends and relatives "and is" safe, "said government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim, during a press conference.

"The attack caused the death of a martyr brother Saif al-Arab (...) and the three grandchildren of the Guide," added the spokesman.

Saif al-Arab was aged 29 years, "he added. He was the youngest of six and son of Libyan leader did not occupy official position known. Muammar Gaddafi had already lost an adopted daughter in 1986 during a U.S. bombing in Tripoli.

"The guide itself is in good health. He was not injured.His wife is also in good health and has not been injured, but others have been, "he said.

"It was an operation to assassinate the leader directly to this country," he accused.

The spokesman had previously accompanied the press at the scene of a house bombed Tripoli.Given the scale of destruction, it seemed unlikely that there could have been any survivors.

In Brussels, NATO confirmed shortly after he led strikes in the area of ​​Tripoli, but not death by Gaddafi's son, ensuring not to target individuals.

"NATO has continued its precision strikes against military installations of the Gaddafi regime in Tripoli last night, including strikes on a building command and control known in the area of ​​Bab al-Aziziyah, shortly after 1800 GMT on Saturday "said in a statement General Charles Bouchard, Commander of the operation.

"We regret any loss of life, especially that of innocent civilians," he added, stressing that "all targets of NATO is a military nature."

Saturday night, three explosions were heard in Tripoli from the area of ​​Bab al-Aziziyah, home to the complex M.Gaddafi, after an overview of NATO planes.

In Benghazi, Libyan stronghold of the insurgency, shots of joy rang out shortly after the announcement in Tripoli death of the youngest son of Muammar Gaddafi, said a journalist from AFP.

On the waterfront boulevard, cars drove by honking their horns while the sky was lit up by tracer bullets and the firing of rockets, anti-aircraft guns and assault rifles.

Muammar Gaddafi was repeated on Saturday in the day that he would not give up power, while NATO has rejected his call for negotiations to end the bloody conflict in Libya for almost three months.

At the same time, the rebellion has mentioned a possible "new front" in the south-east, after a second attack against regime forces a city in this desert region that left 10 dead, six civilians and four rebels.

In a first public appearance since April 9, Gaddafi, the oldest Arab leader in power since 1969, reiterated he would not leave despite the military pressure from NATO, the international financial sanctions, the embargo on weapons and freeze its assets.

"NATO should abandon all hope of a departure of Muammar Gaddafi.I will not leave my country and I shall defend to the death, "he said on television, calling the rebels" terrorists. "

"We are ready to negotiate with France and the United States but unconditionally (...). We are not going to give, but I'm calling to negotiate. We can solve our problems without fighting between Libyans, remove your fleets and your aircraft, "Mr Gaddafi launched at the NATO.

NATO has rejected that call, stressing that it was prior to Mr Gaddafi to stop its attacks against civilians.

The NLC has also rejected any negotiations with Mr.Gaddafi, saying that he had no role to play in the future.

The regime has nevertheless called rebels Misrata, 200 km east of Tripoli, "to disarm in exchange for amnesty," after warning that any ship trying to enter the port of Misrata would "hit with force. "

In the evening, 13 powerful explosions rocked Misrata, when NATO aircraft flew over the city. During the day, near the airport, intense fighting continued.Rockets and mortar shells also began to fall on the city.

According to several sources, the fighting left 10 dead and 20 injured Saturday.

NATO said it had neutralized several mines in the harbor, where a humanitarian ship was still blocked and three others waiting offshore.

In the west, insurgents still held the post-Tunisian-Libyan border Dehiba.NATO said it had destroyed 13 ammunition depots in the mountain area mainly supported the rebellion.

In south-eastern desert, 70 vehicles attacked pro-Gaddafi Jalo oasis (300 km south of Benghazi), killing six civilians and four rebels, according to the rebellion.

In Tripoli, more than 400 representatives of tribes loyal to the regime said in a statement to prepare to go to Benghazi to meet with tribal rebels in order to "reconciliation".

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: With Messi, Barca is a great step towards the final

This Act III of the series of "clasicos" which pitted FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, was expected by all Europe football. Even if Barca, winning 2-0 at the Bernabeu, made a big step towards the final of the Champions League, the summit has finally given birth to a mouse.

In his den the Santiago-Bernabeu, Real Madrid, Mourinho has opted expected to refuse the game and wait for his opponent to trap it against the best. The strategy of "Soft" does not work. Worse, it has sealed his team and especially given the "clasico" a bitter taste, where the physical commitment took precedence over the talents of 22 actors.

On the ground, the tactical duel between Mourinho and Guardiola has materialized into open warfare.By the half, the goalkeeper of Barcelona, ​​Pinto was sent off after an altercation with Arbeloa in the corridor leading to the locker room.

At the hour mark, defender Pepe also distinguished himself by engaging in an actual attack on Dani Alves and won a red turn. Mourinho exceeded, then went after the refereeing corps and was expelled in the wake.

Three "facts of the game" finally culmination of a meeting that never gave way to the beautiful game it promised on paper.And that would almost double from Messi anecdotal, although it will obviously be a determining factor in sporting terms.

2-0 away winners, the Catalans have a foot and a half in the final. And Real will have to show something in the return match in a week if he wants to double its eternal rival in the race for the final of the Champions League.

Clashes in series

Faced with Madrid encamped in defense, Barca took the game very logically to his account from the start. Xavi reserved the first chance of the game by clearing a heavy strike from 30 meters in the axis.Casillas, well placed, capturing the carefree leather (5th).

In the aftermath, Real managed to react, but the attempt of Cristiano Ronaldo, eccentric left, fleeing through the Catalans (6e).

The quarter-hour mark, the match had already significantly muscular. In this flood of rough action, David Villa was trying to turn realize the dominance of Blaugrana. Upon receipt of a beautiful opening signed Xavi, former Valencian transplanted into the shaft and arming a curling shot that passed within inches of cage Madrid (12th).

As we approach the half-hour mark, Barça had clearly taken an advantage over his rival (82% of possession), but was always vague in the area of ​​truth.Xavi, again served by Messi was on the verge of scoring the right but his shot from 6 meters was easily repelled by Casillas (26th).

Paradoxically, the Real, curled up until then was close to making a difference in stoppage time of the first period. Cristiano fired in a sublime strike that difficult Valdes repelled along the axis. Ozil, receiving, striking turn toward the goal, but Valdes was able finally to deflect the ball of the right foot (45 '+1).

Messi savior

In the second half, the match resumed on the same pace, with a wait-Real who was content to proceed against and block offensive Catalan.

The expulsion of Pepe in the 61st minute, would tilt the game.Seven minutes after the attack on Madrid's Dani Alves, Pedro, head repeated a deflected shot from Villa but missed the target. And from the start of the last quarter of an hour, hello Barca's Messi would eventually come.

Afellay on center, the Argentine prodigy managed to deflect the ball and catapult into the nets of Casillas in the silence of Bernabeu (76th). And the nightmare would continue even for Madrid.Ten minutes later, Messi, party of 45 feet, dribbling four defenders and arming a superb diagonal shot along the ground which had deceived Casillas (87th).

The end game in an atmosphere poisonous, at least had the merit of taking place in relative calm.

Remains with only two goals conceded at home, Real now has every chance to leave the Champions League next week at Camp Nou. If he wants to reverse the trend, he will make a copy much more successful and find the arguments that have allowed the weekend, to blaze in Valencia (6-3).