Egypt: The Egyptian al-Arabi replaces Nabil Amr Moussa at the head of the Arab League

AFP - Egyptian Foreign Minister, Nabil al-Arabi, called Sunday at the head of the Arab League, has emerged since the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak as the architect of the new Egyptian diplomacy.

Appointed March 6, in a few weeks he felt his mark in the Israeli-Palestinian relations with Iran or the thorny issue of sharing the Nile waters.

Aged 75, he took over from Ahmad Aboul Gheit, a baron of the team's deposed president.

Familiar arcane diplomatic, he is shortly to take the records in hand, to the point that commentators in the media have hailed the new diplomacy acquired one of the safest in the regime change, in contrast to political uncertainties and economic stagnation.

Unknown to the general public, but his name was on a list of people deemed able to lead the transition, proposed by a coalition of youth groups that launched the uprising in January and February.

Former UN ambassador, a respected diplomat and international lawyer, he worked in 2001 to the International Court of Justice.

Nabil al-Arabi was also part of the Egyptian team that negotiated peace with Israel in 1978-1979.Egypt and Jordan are the only Arab country to sign peace with Israel.

Supporter of maintaining the peace treaty with Israel in 1979, he believes this should not prevent Cairo to take more distance with the Jewish state that under Mr.Mubarak, including the controversial blockade of the Gaza Strip.

He was also involved in the recent reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas Palestinian side of the Egyptian intelligence chief Murad Mouafi.

The Minister has also repeatedly expressed a desire for rapprochement with Iran, but did not reveal to this day a formal restoration of diplomatic relations.

He also worked for a more open and active vis-à-vis the African upstream Nile Basin, in rivalry with Egypt for use quotas of the river water.

At his retirement, Mr.Arabi was established in Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration, a nonprofit organization that operates nationally and internationally.

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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".

Libya: The leader of the Arab League supports the no-fly zone

AFP - UN Secretary-General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, called for a no-fly zone in Libya and the Arab League hopes that "role" in its implementation, in an interview with German weekly Der Spiegel released before publication on Saturday.

"I do not know how or will impose this area, we will see that. The Arab League may also play a role, that's what I would advocate," said Amr Moussa in the interview to be published Monday.

"I speak of humanitarian action. It is with a no-fly zone, to support the Libyan people in their struggle for freedom and against a regime increasingly disdainful," Moussa said.

As to who should assume the leadership of such a zone, Mr.Moussa believes that "it depends on the decision of the Security Council (UN).The UN, the Arab League, African Union, Europeans - everybody should participate. "

The Arab foreign ministers would hold an emergency meeting in Cairo on Saturday on the subject.

The Arab League said it was opposed to military action against Libya but could support the establishment of a no-fly zone.

Establishing an air exclusion zone amounts to a ban on aerial survey of a specific area in order to prevent the Libyan planes to suppress civilians.

Friday, EU leaders have increased the pressure on the Libyan regime by agreeing to talk with the opposition and the military option cautiously referring to protect civilians, which does however not unanimous.

They decided at a meeting in Brussels that "security of the population (Libya) must be guaranteed by all means necessary" and that we must consider "all options" available, in an allusion to a possible military intervention but specifying that it should be "a demonstrated need, a clear legal basis and support of the region" - which means primarily the Arab League.

Germany, in particular, fears that Europe embarks on "a war" interminable.France and Britain pushing it the other way and try to obtain the agreement of the Security Council of the UN.

Amr Moussa, "Gaddafi lacks awareness that President Ben Ali in Tunisia and Egyptian ruler Mubarak demonstrated by resigning."

Moussa believes in a "domino effect" in the Arab world and the fall of other autocratic rulers: "It is only the beginning," he said, including finding "extremely tense" situation in Yemen.

"The region (Middle East) is about to change radically in a short time. What we live is the discovery by the Arab world of true democracy," Mr. Moussa held, "c is a unique opportunity. "

UNITED KINGDOM: A suspected accomplice of the terrorist attacks of Stockholm arrested in Scotland

Reuters - The Scottish police announced Tuesday the arrest in Glasgow of a foreign national aged 30, in connection with the investigation into the suicide bombing last December 11 in Stockholm.

Taymour Abdoulwahab, a Swede of Middle Eastern background, had been killed by the explosion of the explosive belt he was wearing. The man apparently tried to commit an attack in a busy public place - the central station or department store Ahlens - but his bomb exploded prematurely.

The man arrested in Glasgow is suspected of having provided assistance to terrorist activities outside of Scotland, said a spokesman for the police.His identity was not revealed, nor his nationality.

In January, the director of Iraqi terrorism had claimed qu'Abdoulwahab, which was installed in Sweden in the 1990s before going to study some time in Britain, had received explosives training in Mosul, in northern Iraq.

December 11, a first explosion occurred in a car at 17:00 (16:00 GMT), while the crowd was at its height in central Stockholm. A second explosion took place a quarter of an hour later, 300 meters from the first.This is where the body of the suicide bomber was discovered and two wounded slightly affected.

These explosions were preceded by sending a threatening letter about the Swedish presence in Afghanistan and a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad in a Swedish designer.

Taymour Abdoulwahab had settled in Sweden in 1992 and had acquired Swedish citizenship six years later.

The University of Bedfordshire, Luton, said it had registered in 2001 and had won three years later a diploma in sports therapy. The English university is attended by many Muslims, according to the American organization that tracks SITE Islamist activists on the Internet.

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.