John Paul II beatified before 1 million faithful gathered in Rome

Follow live the Mass of beatification of John Paul II here.

More than a million pilgrims gathered in Rome to attend the ceremony. Throughout the city, are displayed portraits of John Paul II. This Sunday, the charismatic leader of the Catholic Church between 1978 and 2005, was beatified at the Vatican. The Mass was presided by Benedict XVI on the Place Saint-Pierre. A tapestry bearing an effigy of Pope John Paul II was held on the facade of the basilica and a reliquary containing a vial of his blood presented to the faithful.After Mass, the faithful will file past the coffin containing the remains of the former pope, placed before the main altar of the basilica.

"We welcome the desire of our brother, many other brothers in the episcopate and many faithful, after receiving notice of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints (...), accept that the venerable servant of God John Paul II, pope, to be declared blessed, "said Benedict XVI.

For the occasion, giant screens were erected on the main square in the Vatican as well as several surrounding plazas - so that the faithful could follow the ceremony.Some 86 official delegations, including 22 Heads of State and Government attending the event. The head of the French government, Francois Fillon, as Interior Minister, Claude Gueant, also made the trip.

The miracle of Sister Marie Simon-Pierre

To recap, the process of beatification of John Paul II was opened by his successor, Pope Benedict XVI in June 2005, two months after his death. It ended in January 2011. This procedure did not place too quickly. Her beatification - not to be confused with canonization (see box) - was made possible through the recognition of a miracle.This miracle was experienced by a French nun, Sister Marie Simon-Pierre, two months after the death of the pontiff.

Severely affected Parkinson's disease - also suffered by the deceased pope - for several years, the religious of the Congregation of Little Sisters of Catholic motherhood was miraculously healed after praying to John Paul II. The night after the prayer, the nun got up. His steps are then more confident, she feels no more pain, for the first time in several months. "I felt completely transformed.I was not the same inside, "she confided in 2007.

On the eve of the beatification, Sister Marie Simon-Pierre gave his testimony during a vigil in the Circus Maximus, a vast green area located in central Rome. Some 200,000 people attended. "Thanks to all young people, John Paul II, who sees you from up there is happy," said the French sister, who told how she was miraculously cured of Parkinson's disease through the intercession of Pope died ."A pastor after God's heart, near the lowest of the patient, the smallest," she said. "A political act"

Marco Tosatti, Vatican expert for the processions of the faithful who flocked to Rome for the beatification are an expression of the exceptional popularity of John Paul II. Polish origin, he was in turn actor, poet, laborer. "John Paul II was a secular priest now. Under his pontificate, the laity were finally recognized," says the Vatican.

But his ideology was far removed from the concerns of society and religious views (more liberal) many Catholics - especially on the issue of divorce and homosexuality.On the merits, not much has changed in the Church post-John Paul II. The beatification of Pope so popular is an opportunity for the Catholic Church, to say the same inflexibility. "This is a political act", says Frederic Lenoir, philosopher, sociologist and historian of religions, in "The World of Religions".

The Conservatives narrowly won the Nationalists are making inroads

AFP - The Conservative members of the alliance outgoing government won a narrow victory in Sunday's parliamentary Finland, where nationalists have achieved a historic breakthrough by becoming the third political force.

Of the 200 parliamentary seats, the Election Commission has granted 44 to the National Coalition (Conservative), 42 Social Democratic party (SDP) which was in opposition and 39 to right-wing nationalist True Finns who are much better though what they had been led to expect the polls.

In terms of votes, the National Coalition won 20.4%, 19.1% before the SDP and the True Finns 19.0%, according to the electoral commission has registered a high turnout of 70.4% against 67.9 % during the 2007 legislative elections.

The fourth largest party, the Center led by outgoing Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi, won 35 seats with 15.8% of votes.

"My dear friends, we wrote the story!" Ignited the head of the National Coalition Jyrki Katainen, which should become the next prime minister.

The True Finns won them 34 seats compared to the outgoing Parliament. From the smallest parliamentary party, they become the third largest.

This result is a personal victory for their charismatic leader Timo Soini has proposed a populist, eurosceptic who has managed the controversial debate on immigration.

"Sometimes it pays to keep his conviction, even if it runs into an obstacle and if it is mocked," he told Mr.Soini his supporters.

"The True Finns have now a deputy in every riding!", He was welcomed.

The True Finns are the only party to have improved over the last legislative elections.

The decline most cooking is the center becomes the fourth political force in the new Parliament, losing 16 seats.

"Of course it's a disappointment, but people have told us what they wanted and we must listen," said Ms Kiviniemi."The conclusion is obvious, with such results, we find ourselves in the opposition," she lamented on air on national television YLE.

She will probably leave the head of government to his Minister of Finance Jyrki Katainen because "traditionally, training agree that the leader of the party best represented in terms of seats forms the government," he told AFP political analyst Ilkka Ruostetsaari , University of Tampere.

The National Coalition has been at the helm of several governments in Finland, but until then she has never represented the first force in Parliament.

Mr.Katainen focused during the campaign a very pro-European, particularly on financial aid to members of the EU hit by the crisis. However, the True Finns have made this topic an impassable barrier, insisting that "everything else was negotiable," but not this.

If he becomes Prime Minister, Mr Katainen must therefore be a coalition government, including the SDP would be for business.

For the Socialist leader Jutta Urpilainen, which was so disparaged because of a lack of image and difficulty to appear natural and sincere in public, this result also constitutes a victory.She had been instructed to straighten a party losing ground after he slipped into opposition in 2007.

"I am pleased that our message on employment and justice has been heard by the voters," she said.

"Let's all have fun tonight because tomorrow we go back to work, Finland needs of the Social Democrats!", She proposed to his followers.

The new government should be formed before the end of May.

AUTOMOTIVE: The scrapping benefits still to French carmakers

AFP - New car registrations in France jumped 8.9% in the first quarter, taking advantage of the latest effects of scrapping, but new orders began to decline in March, said Friday the Committee of French Automobile (CCFA).

"We have generally done better than expected first quarter, welcomed the President of the CCFA Patrick Blain at a press conference.

In the single month of March, new car registrations rose 6.1% unadjusted.

French carmakers have seen this month on very different trajectories.PSA Peugeot Citroen has reported a 13.5% jump in registrations, especially from his Citroen, while the Renault group fell 12.4% due to supply problems on models of its brand low-cost Dacia.

In the first quarter, registrations yet benefited from the boost from the scrapping. Initially set at 1,000 euros and then gradually reduced to 500 euros last July, this premium ended December 31, but manufacturers had until March to deliver the ordered vehicles.

The market has also benefited from "the good performance of orders" in January and February, "said Blain, but started to weaken in March.

Silvio Berlusconi appears in court for the first time in 8 years

The Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi appeared Monday in court in Milan for the first time in eight years, for a preliminary hearing for a possible trial, according to an AFP journalist.

He went directly to car inside the courthouse with his escort to visit the offices of a judge for preliminary hearings on the seventh floor of the imposing Palace of Justice in Milan.

This preliminary hearing, the first of a series of four or five, must be used to decide whether to be tried or not to tax evasion and breach of trust on the alleged overbilling of TV rights bought by Mediatrade-RTI, a company his empire, the Paramount and other U.S. majors.

Mr. Berlusconi made a hand sign to the many cameras waiting outside the entrance.Thirty activists from his party, the People of Freedom (PDL), also were waiting outside with banners proclaiming: "politics at the ballot box not in the courts," "Justice does not exist where there is no freedom "or" Silvio you must resist, resist, resist. "

The hearing scheduled at 08:00 GMT will be held in camera. However, Mr.Berlusconi might make a statement at its output.

Before going into court, the chief government complained in a telephone call to one of its private channels, the charges are "ridiculous and baseless."

He also lashed out at opponents of the leftist opposition, saying that "Italy, communism has never changed, there are still people who use the penal code as an instrument of ideological struggle."

Liveblogging: Follow live events in Libya and Syria

LIBYA

- On the sixth day of his speech, the international coalition has maintained Thursday the pressure on Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, with new air strikes in and around Tripoli and intensive raids over Sabha (South), the stronghold of the tribe of Libyan leader. State television confirmed that "military and civilian sites in the region Tajoura near Tripoli, continue to be the target of raids" of the cross and colonialist aggressor. "

- A French fighter shot down a Libyan military plane do not respect the exclusion zone over Misrata third Libyan city, reports the U.S. military.The French General Staff did not confirm this information. Moreover, the French Air Force has led an attack against an "air base" Jamahiriya "250 kilometers south of Odds" on the night of Wednesday to Thursday.

- Side diplomacy, ambassadors of NATO countries were to continue on Thursday, negotiations have been ongoing for several days to try to finalize the role of the Atlantic Alliance in the operation in Libya.

SYRIA

- Thousands of Syrians were again demonstrated on Thursday at Deraa, home to protest in the south. Wednesday, at least one hundred people fell under the bullets of police in Dera, witnesses and activists of human rights cited by AFP.The scheme will make "important decisions" to meet the aspirations of the people, told the press Boussaïna Shaaban, Advisor to President Bashar al-Assad.

YEMEN

- In Yemen, new clashes erupted between the presidential guard and soldiers who joined the insurgency.

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INTERNET: An online magazine published in Arabic, trying to blend foundation and Jihad ...

What's in common between beauty tips and a Kalashnikov? Not much a priori, but the first issue of Al-Shamika (Woman majestic). This new magazine from the radical Islamist movement, presents itself as a kind of "Cosmopolitan" or "She" for aspiring jihadist wife. Al-Shamika and tries to make jihad a lifestyle.

Released these days, and discovered on Monday by the British daily The Independent, he suggested, in Arabic, an explosive mix between practical advice for the modern Muslim woman and more traditional calls for jihad.The term "jihad", with multiple definitions through the ages, has been hijacked by radical movements to legitimize the armed struggle against fellow Muslims or non-Muslims.

On its front, Al-Shamika shows a submachine gun on purple background with two pictures of women covered by a niqab. The magazine mentions and, throughout its 31 pages, cosmetics (foundation ...) and practical advice (interior design ...).

"Good" raising children

In addition to these subjects "light", the magazine is very clear on his message: "The Nation of Islam requires women who know the truth about their religion and who understand what we expect of them," Can reads the editorial in the first issue.They are asked "to raise children in the tradition of jihad" or develop "a stable home for their husbands can devote itself fully to the Jihad."

"The message of Al-Shamika nothing innovative in the sense that Islamist radicals have always given a very important role to support women as men engaged in jihad," said Gilbert Ramsay, an expert on Islamist networks and Internet Center for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence at the University of St. Andrews (England).Al-Shamika also does not call for violent action.

The magazine follows the example of the ephemeral "Little Girls Khansa" newspaper also for Muslim women who disappeared after two issues.

Jihad everywhere

In terms of women's magazines of this type, the true reference would rather "Inspire", which caused a sensation in 2010. This magazine, promoted by the American preacher of Yemeni origin, Anwar al-Awlaki, became the first online publication written entirely in English, hoping to attract potential recruits in Western countries. He is currently in its fourth edition.Unlike "Inspire", Al-Shamika has not been formally identified as a publication from Al-Qaeda nebula.

"These two magazines convey the same idea: that the precepts of jihad can be applied even in occupations most routine of daily life," Gilbert Ramsay analysis.

He said jihad has led, over the Internet, the emergence of a genuine subculture that is not dominated by calls to violence. "The movements that advocate jihad will give trouble on forums and blogs to explain that support the jihad by small daily gestures, but also to participate," he says.In order to open the mind to these new converts to the next opportunity to participate in violent acts?

COTE D'IVOIRE: UN concerned about the alleged supply of weapons from Belarus

AFP - The tension rose Monday between the camp of Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo and the outgoing United Nations about an alleged case of delivery of weapons, while the humanitarian situation was deteriorating in Abidjan after fighting between government forces and pro-Gbagbo insurgents.

At the request of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the Security Council of the UN was discussing a possible meeting after information on the current delivery of three attack helicopters from Belarus and support material in Yamoussoukro (center) for the forces loyal to Mr.Gbagbo.

But Belarus has denied any violation of the arms embargo imposed in 2004 and denounced a "possible destructive campaign" against him.

The Gbagbo government has condemned a "conspiracy" and a "lie to justify an attack" from the UN.

He accused the UN mission in the country, UNOCI, which he calls the start of being complicit in the 'rebel' Forces Nouvelles (FN), combined with Alassane Ouattara - head of state recognized by the international community - which he believed to have infiltrated Abidjan.

The climate was still heavy in the economic capital with sporadic gunfire reported in several districts since Sunday, including in areas hitherto preserved as the plush Cocody district (east).

Fief of Mr.Gbagbo, the popular Yopougon (west) is now dotted with checkpoints "young patriots", his ardent supporters.Sometimes armed with machetes and clubs, they demand to search vehicles.

Their leader Charles Ble Goude called last week young people to "organize themselves into committees" to prevent "by all means" to move UNOCI.

Gbagbo's camp is over "harassment" against the UN "the act of direct hostility," he said Monday in Dakar Choi Young-jin, the head of UNOCI.

He said that three peacekeepers were injured by pro-Gbagbo forces this weekend in Abobo, a district pro-Ouattara in the north of Abidjan.

Abobo last week became the scene of clashes involving heavy weaponry between the pro-Gbagbo and rebels.

At Abobo, but also in the neighboring Anyama, the humanitarian situation was becoming increasingly worrisome background of the population exodus.

Some 3,000 people have already sought refuge in two Catholic missions, "in a crowded indescribable," he told AFP Abbe Augustin Obrou, spokesman for the archdiocese of Abidjan.

HAITI: Mirlande Manigat and Michel Martelly the second round of presidential

Reuters - The second round of presidential elections in Haiti will oppose Mirlande Manigat Michel Martelly March 20, according to members of the Provisional Council election which partially reversed the provisional results of the first round.

Organized as the country is still recovering from the earthquake a year ago, the first round was held in the utmost confusion on Nov. 28 last. Charges of fraud and street protests following the consultation.

According to preliminary results, the second round should oppose the government candidate, Jude Celestin, the former first lady, Mirlande Manigat.

But these results were criticized by the international community, and an expert mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) had held that Jude Celestin had to be discarded in favor of the second round of Michel Martelly, popular singer originally given in third place with less than 7,000 votes behind the candidate backed by outgoing President, Rene Preval.