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.

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".

Egypt: Hosni Mubarak broke his silence to denounce an "unjust campaign"

AFP - Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said the victim of "smear campaigns" and denies owning property abroad, in an audio message broadcast Sunday on Al-Arabiya, his first speech since his fall.

"I can not remain silent against the smear campaigns and attempts to harm my reputation and my integrity and the reputation and integrity of my family," says the former president, who has resigned February 11 under pressure from the street.

It also evokes "unjust campaign" which he said had "suffered greatly".

Mr.Mubarak assures that neither he nor his wife Suzanne have "property or accounts abroad," while new Egyptian authorities announced the creation of a commission to investigate his assets and those of his relatives.

COTE D'IVOIRE: Four killed at a checkpoint pro-Gbagbo in Abidjan neighborhood

Gunmen killed four people Tuesday near a roadblock manned by young supporters of Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo out in Abidjan district of Deux Plateaux, several witnesses reported.

"I'm not sure what happened but we heard a series of gunshots near the roadblock young Sococe behind the supermarket," said Marco Abad, a resident of a residential area north of economic capital.

"We heard screaming and there were four bodies of young people on the road," said Abad could not confirm if the dead were members of the pro-Gbagbo Young Patriots, who set up roadblocks across the city.

Fighting between supporters and those of Gabgbo of Alassane Ouattara, former Prime Minister regarded by the international community as the winner of the presidential election of November 28, raged for three weeks in the neighborhood
pro-Ouattara Abobo, further north, and this week moved closer to downtown.

Clashes also erupted in western countries, on both sides of the demarcation line established since the end of the civil war in 2003.

A spokesman for the government led by Alassane Ouattara said Monday that neither party insurgents to attack several areas of Abidjan, the rebels nor the north outside the scope of his authority.Patrick Achi added that there were apparently a lot of defectors from the army in their ranks.

General Mangou "ready for war '

The Chief of Staff of the Army, General Philippe Mangou, told the newspaper Notre Voie pro-Gbagbo on Tuesday that his troops were ready if necessary to the war.

"If it pushes us to war, we will," he said.

On Monday, pro-Ouattara fighters moved into the neighborhood of Adjame near the business center, where fighting has killed one person.They also launched two simultaneous attacks in Yopougon, a stronghold of Gbagbo.

"It was total war, with grenades and gunfire everywhere," said one resident told Reuters TV that the store was destroyed by the fighting.

Smoke escaped again Tuesday with several buildings of Williamsville, part of Adjame.The corpse of a civilian lying on the road to this neighborhood.

A team from Reuters was unable to go further due to a roadblock set up by young supporters of the president.

Met Tuesday in Paris, the foreign ministers of the G8 have supported Ouattara and Gbagbo threatened new sanctions if it refused to relinquish power.

Sunday, Pascal Affi N'Guessan, a close Laurent Gbagbo rejected a proposal Friday in Addis Ababa by a group of heads of state mandated by the African Union (AU) and of forming a unity government National
directed by Ouattara.

Laurent Gbagbo had declined the invitation to visit the Ethiopian capital to defend his record.Noting the failure of mediation attempts by the Heads of State, the AU finally demanded that Alassane Ouattara is installed in his functions as head of the Ivorian state.

Laurent Gbagbo, in power since 2000, refuses to give his presidential chair on the grounds that his victory in the second round of the presidential election was confirmed by a Constitutional Council which was granted.

The UN, however, certified the victory of his rival, also recognized by the AU and the Economic Community of West African States and the West by
Western powers like the United States and France, the former colonial power.

EGYPT: The irreducible Tahrir Square are not about to sleep

A few hours after the end of the event that brought together nearly one million Egyptians in Cairo, nearly ten of thousands of protesters are still present on Tahrir Square towards which all eyes converge.

Armed with tents and sleeping bags, hundreds of them, including women and young children, are sleeping on the ground. "I come every day protest last week on this site. Tonight I will sleep here in the middle of my countrymen because it is a memorable day," said Hamdy, an unemployed 49 year old .He said the movement might take a more violent turn on Friday, after prayers, if the will of the people is not heard.

A strong smell of burning from several areas of the vast square, where fires were lit to protect against the cold. But the atmosphere gradually warms to the announcement of the impending speech by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Mubarak's voice echoing in the square

It is almost 23 o'clock, when the voice of rai finally resonates through speakers instead and radios made by protesters. In a painful hiss, the voice of rai, so unpopular in those places, however, has been listened gravely.Unsurprisingly, just concluded, the statement raises a very strong backlash.

Some Cairenes, frustrated by the reaction of President Mubarak, kneel and take his head with both hands. Others hide their faces with their flags. Hosni Mubarak, who has held power for 30 years, has announced he will not abandon the presidency before the next presidential election scheduled for September 2011.

Instead, bit busy until then because of the late hour, suddenly caught fire. Spontaneously, protesters come alive to form more compact groups, to better block against the regime. "He does not want to leave, but he will leave. We are left," they cry, unanimous.Later, a group led by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood slogan chanted demanding that Mubarak is "tried and sentenced to death." Alerted by the commotion visible from several kilometers Tahrir, foreign journalists who had deserted the flock up, cameras in hand, to gather initial reactions.

"He does not understand"

Came from Alexandria, to live a "historic day", Rawan, a young student in international business, is struggling to hide his disappointment. "We were millions in the streets today across Egypt to tell him to go, but Mubarak did not understand, he does not listen to the people," she laments.

For his part, Omar despair.This philosophy student fears the effects of the status quo. "If Mubarak persists, demonstrations continue. Our economy and our future will be so threatened," he says. He said the president must withdraw and leave a transitional government amend the constitution and hold a presidential election.

Tomorrow we will be even more

Already, a call for new events is launched. "We'll come back tomorrow, we will remain a week if necessary, or even a year. Mubarak is 30 years remained in power," quips Karim, a hairdresser at home aged 21. His forehead still bears the scars of the violent demonstration on 28 January during which a policeman hit him with a wooden club."I do not want a step backwards, says he visibly upset by the speech. We suffer, we, the poor Egyptians, and we can not get out until this corrupt regime will remain in place. "

Reconstructed as a seller of cigarettes on the sly Tahrir Square, like many Cairenes, Karim invites you to its customers for the next day. "You see, tomorrow we will be even more than today," he said before vanishing into the crowd of demonstrators. Around 3 am, the voices of the protesters were still ringing in the neighborhood of Tahrir Square, which is aptly named because it is the place of the "Liberation".