INTERNET: A Chinese man opens the waltz of IPOs social media

It moves to the front of social media in China. While Facebook negotiate its presence in the former Middle Kingdom, a local actor made a great leap forward stock. RenRen, the main social network made in China with 140 million users, arrived on Wall Street Wednesday. This "Chinese Facebook" even became the first player in the social web in the world to put both feet on the financial markets.

And the operation looks juicy. The IPO, which will be sealed off Thursday, RenRen must value to nearly $ 5 billion, or 67 times the real income of the company (77 million in 2010). A large gap which must be the envy of the little world of social media. Even Facebook can not generate such enthusiasm.The market value of the king of this universe 2.0 is estimated at nearly $ 70 billion or "only" 25 times its revenues. What then explains the success of RenRen? It is in three words: Facebook, Social Media and China.

The comparison with the American big brother does not stop only at the social network dimension. Like Facebook, the Chinese site was created in December 2005 as a portal for students. Subsequently, he conquered a wider audience, led by its CEO Joe Chen who copied each feature of Facebook (Connect, Places, Groups etc..).

Still, differences exist. First, the site must comply with the state censorship and will probably never be a vehicle for revolution as Facebook could be in Arab countries.RenRen but is also much less dependent on advertising, which represents only 40% of its revenues against 70% for Facebook. The rest comes home games that are a hit among users of the site.

The first in a long series

And RenRen is Chinese. "The company may be overvalued, but people will buy shares whatever happens [because it is Chinese]," said Darren Fabric, the director of an investment fund in Chicago on Tuesday Bloomberg . The dozen Chinese companies new technologies that have an IPO in recent months have all passed their time.The course of some companies - such as the Chinese equivalent of Dangdang Amazon - even won 50% in a few days after their initial quotes.

Investors are also attracted by the growth potential of RenRen. The social network has won 19% of new entrants in a year. And with a population of 400 million Chinese Internet users, has yet RenRen margin.

Finally, everything related to social media seems to hold gold in the eyes of investors. So much so that a true bubble seems to have formed the Silicon Valley (American mecca of new technologies).RenRen as a leading player in this sector to do its IPO, carries the hopes of all those who bet on social media.

After RenRen, other groups known to Western audiences more, must soon pass not turn the stock market. The professional social network LinkedIn, the giant video game on Facebook's site Zynga and bulk purchase Groupon are expected on Wall Street this year. The head honcho of the sector, Facebook, has hinted that he contemplated an IPO until next year

YEMEN: The ruling party accepts the plan to end the crisis in the Gulf monarchies

AFP - The ruling party in Yemen has accepted the plan to end the crisis presented by the Gulf monarchies to provide a starting within weeks of President Ali Abdallah Saleh, to whom the United States immediately asked to begin "immediately" political transition.

"The General People's Congress (GPC, in power) and its allies have accepted the initiative of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in its entirety," he told AFP Sultan al-Barakani, Deputy General Secretary of the GPC and Head of the parliamentary bloc of the party.

To overcome the crisis, the GCC has proposed forming a national unity government, then a transfer of powers by the Head of State in Vice-President and stop the demonstrations.

The President should then submit his resignation within 30 days, and a presidential election would take place 60 days later.

On Friday, Mr. Saleh, whose term runs until 2013, had said he welcomed the plan but reiterated that it would sell the power in an orderly and constitutional.

The United States, which have been implicated along with European countries in the negotiations for a settlement of the crisis, have pressed Mr.Saleh, their ally in the fight against terrorism, to begin "immediately" the political transition.

"President Saleh has publicly expressed its willingness to engage in peaceful political transition," assured Mark Toner, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, adding that "the timing and form of this transition must be determined so concerted and start immediately. "

"All parties need to really participate, including young people, in a transparent process that addresses the legitimate concerns of the Yemeni people, their political and economic aspirations and their calls to bring to justice those who quickly suppress the demonstrations by the violence," Mark Toner yet assured.

The parliamentary opposition, the Common Front, agreed on Saturday plan to end the crisis in the Gulf Arab countries, apart from one point to provide for the formation of a unity government with the participation of Mr. Saleh .

"The initiative is positive and we accept it, except the formation of a unity government because we refuse to serve under the authority of Ali Abdullah Saleh and take oath before him", told AFP spokesman of the opposition, Mohammad Qahtani, before the announcement of the plan is accepted by the CPG.

He had urged Saleh to agree to cede power in a "30 days" as required in terms of the GCC monarchies, saying the opposition was ready to form a national unity cabinet with Vice- which Mr. PresidentSaleh has transferred its powers.

So far, the opposition demanded the immediate departure of Mr. Saleh, like committees of protesters surround the protesters. The latter, however, clearly reject the plan of the Gulf monarchies.

Strongly contested in the streets since January, Mr. Saleh faces a broad popular protest movement that organizes demonstrations almost daily to demand his immediate departure. The repression of this movement has done more than 130 deaths.

Saturday, calling for a general strike was well attended especially in the south.

LIBYA: The "contact group" will provide funds for the rebels Libyan

AFP - An international conference on Libya in Qatar announced Wednesday the creation of a fund to help Libyan rebellion and reiterated the need for a departure of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi to resolve the crisis.

The first meeting of the Contact Group on Libya, in Doha, stressed the need to provide the rebels who hold the Eastern countries the means to defend himself, while refusing to explicitly include in the aid of military equipment.

The meeting, under the joint chairmanship of Great Britain and Qatar, was attended by twenty countries and organizations for nearly four weeks after March 19 of a multinational force under UN mandate to protect civilians.

The final statement, the Contact Group has decided "the establishment of a temporary financial mechanism" to provide the Transitional National Council, the political arm of the rebellion, "ways to manage aid and meet the needs urgent "areas controlled by rebels.

The Group also stressed "the need for (Colonel) Gaddafi to relinquish power" to encourage settlement of the crisis, the statement said.

The Gaddafi regime "must relinquish power," withdraw its forces from the cities and "put an immediate end to violence against civilians," said today's statement.

The text stresses the need to provide "material support" to people under rebel control. "The Libyan people need medicine and other means to resist," Sheikh Hamad assured, not to indicate clearly if weapons fell into this category.

The Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini told the press that Rome, which will host the second meeting of the Contact Group, considered as non-offensive military equipment could be delivered to the rebellion.

European ministers showed differences on this issue.The Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vanackere, who represented his country and the Netherlands in Doha, countered that "the resolutions of the UN plan to protect civilians, but not the arm."

The head of French diplomacy Alain Juppe has excluded its share to help the Libyan rebels to arm themselves.It is planned to "help them obtain financing, to strengthen, but there was no question of arms supplies," he said.

In opening the meeting, UN chief Ban Ki-moon urged the international community to remain united, to prevent a humanitarian tragedy in that country in North Africa than six million people, nearly 3.6 million could need aid.

The military standoff between the rebels holding the Benghazi region (east) and forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi in Tripoli that entrenched in (West) created within NATO, which leads NATO operations, the spectrum of a stalemate.

Two major partners of the coalition, France and Great Britain have called for stronger action by NATO, which took command on March 31.

CNT, who attended the meeting in Doha, has claimed an increase in NATO strikes.

"We want more air strikes against tanks and missile launch sites" from the army loyal to Colonel Qaddafi, told AFP in charge of External Relations of the National Transition Council, Ali al-Issawi.

A meeting of the Alliance is scheduled for Thursday in Berlin to discuss operations in Libya, which must involve the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton defended the role of the transatlantic organization.

The United States who had taken command of the coalition as a first step, before announcing the withdrawal of their ground attack aircraft, revealed Wednesday that U.S. fighter jets bombed air defense always Jamahiriya.

On the ground, the rebel forces have retaken the town of Ajdabiya (east) to 160 km south of Benghazi, a stronghold of the insurgents-knot strategic road theater deadly fighting in recent days, but the units pro-Qadhafi maintained there their pressure by sporadic gunfire.

Two big explosions were heard Wednesday in Tripoli, whose origin was not immediately known, were seen AFP journalists.

Earlier, the official Libyan Jana stated that NATO forces have conducted raids on Wednesday and Al-Aziziyah Misrata (west) and at Sirte, the hometown of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, 600 km east of Tripoli.

The new Libyan Foreign Minister Abdelati Laabidi, named after the recent defection of his predecessor, came to his side to Cyprus where he will meet Thursday his Cypriot counterpart Marcos Kyprianou.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Chelsea-Manchester United, a duel between English clubs showing shifts

The game 100% English between Chelsea and Manchester United as a poster of the quarterfinals of the Champions League, which the draw took place Friday at UEFA headquarters in Nyon (Switzerland).

The Red Devils, who won the Blues on penalties in the final of the 2008 edition, will have to find the heart of Londoners after their last league match on 1 March. The Red Devils were so inclined on the pitch at Stamford Bridge (2-1) on a penalty issue, triggering the wrath of Alex Ferguson, coach of MU.Result: The main person was handed a five-game suspension and 35,000 euro fine for attacking the referee.

Real Madrid - Barcelona in the semi-finals?

Those who attended the draw will not failed to notice the hypothetical encounter between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona looming in the semifinals of the event.

Indeed, if Madrid beat the Londoners Tottenham in the quarter and if Barcelona do not fall into the trap of Shaktar Donetsk, the two Spanish giants could well play their fourth face-to-face for the season. Because the two clubs will meet in the final of the King's Cup, scheduled April 20, after the two Clasico of the season - the first of which was won 5-0 by Barca, while the second is scheduled April 17.A week later, on 25 or 26 April, the two clubs could therefore still compete in the Champions League ... What a little stoke the rivalry between the two clubs.

The other match of these quarters will pit the defending champions, Inter Milan, Schalke 04 of Spanish striker Raul. A meeting also doubtful for the team from the Ruhr for the Lombards, who defeated another German team in the knockout finals: Bayern Munich. But with the worst difficulties ...

The draw:

Real Madrid - FC Tottenham

Chelsea - Manchester United

FC Barcelona - Shaktar Donetsk

Inter Milan - Schalke 04

Matches go on 5 and 6 April, leg matches on 12 and 13 April.

BAHRAIN: The Shiite opposition suspends participation in parliament

AFP - Two protesters were killed Shiites in Bahrain in quelling anti-government protests, which continued Tuesday in this small Gulf kingdom ruled by a Sunni dynasty.

The protests erupted Monday in the Shiite villages on the initiative of surfers who have called on Facebook to protest to demand political and social reforms in the wake of riots in Tunisia and Egypt.

Bahrain, Shiite-majority country, made short shrift next to the other oil monarchies of the region, its oil reserves had virtually dried up.

Customers have called on Facebook to continue the demonstrations on Tuesday, including a high turnout at the funeral of the victims.

The Shiite bloc in parliament, al-Wefaq which has 18 seats elected on 40, said it had suspended its participation in the meeting because of the repression "wild" demonstrators calling including that the government solve the unemployment problem and increases wages.

A young protester, Ali Mcheimeh, succumbed to his injuries on Monday night received during the dispersal of a demonstration in the Shiite village of Diya, east of Manama, said the interior ministry by announcing an inquiry whether the police had "had an unwarranted use of weapons."

The police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters in several Shiite villages, which Darraz, west of Manama, Sitra (east), Balad Al-Qadim and Jed Hafs (center), witnesses said.

A second Shiite protester was killed by a "bullet fragmentation" when dispersing a rally Tuesday at a hospital in Manama prior to the funeral of Mcheimeh, according to an Opposition MP Shiite Ibrahim al-Khalil Marzooq, which was also reported injured.

"Fadel Salman Matrouk was killed by bullets in front of the hospital Suleimania fragmentation in Manama where people had gathered for the funeral of the first martyr," he told AFP.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement on the Twitter site a "clash pitted some people attending a funeral at a patrol of security forces", which caused the death of Matrouk. An investigation is underway to determine the circumstances of his death.

Mr.Marzooq further explained that the movement al-Wefaq had suspended its participation in parliament "because of the reaction to the wild events that left two dead."

Besides the House, which has limited powers, Parliament has a consultative council whose 40 members are appointed by the king and can block any initiative from the elected assembly.

Between 1994 and 1999, Bahrain was the scene of violence led by Shiites who had been forty deaths. The Shiites feel discriminated against in employment, social services like housing and public services provided to their villages.

CYCLING: Alberto Contador is appealing his suspension for doping

AFP - The cyclist Alberto Contador said Friday he had "never doped" and would "appeal" and fight to the end to prove his innocence at his first press conference after announcement of his suspension for one year.

"I'm going to appeal, where it will be necessary to defend my innocence to the end," Contador said at a news conference in Puigpunyent, near Palma de Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain).

"During these ten days I'll work up with my lawyers to see justice done," said Tour de France 2010.

"I never doped myself, I am an example of cleanliness," he said.

Contador, 28, underwent 21 July 2010 in Pau, at a rest day of the Tour de France, a positive drug test that revealed trace amounts of clenbuterol, a product that stimulates lung function and also has anabolic effects.

The three-time winner of the Tour de France has always defended by claiming to have been a victim of food contamination.

He faces a one-year suspension, sanction proposed by the Spanish Cycling Federation, and the loss of his Tour victory in 2010.

The final sanction, subject to appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is to be known until mid-February.

"Baby Doc" indicted for theft and corruption in Port-au-Prince

Two days after his return to Haiti, Jean-Claude Duvalier was convicted Tuesday of conspiracy, embezzlement and corruption in public administration during his years in power (1971-1986).

The former dictator nicknamed "Baby Doc", left Tuesday's late on the courthouse in Port-au-Prince, where he was questioned by a prosecutor. "He is free but is available to justice" said one of his lawyers.

Earlier in the day, the judge and prosecutor Gabriel Ambroise Auguste Aristides, accompanied by a dozen policemen had gone ask Jean-Claude Duvalier in the hotel where the former dictator was installed since his surprise return to country on Sunday after 25 years of exile in France.He had then taken under police escort to the courthouse.

Outside the hotel, then the palace, dozens of his supporters had gathered to demand the release of the former president "for life". "A few hundred demonstrators pro-Duvalier sing songs to his glory and chanting slogans against René Préval [the current head of state of Haiti, ed]," said Alexandra Fox, special correspondent for FRANCE 24 in Port-au-Prince . There were burning tires and throwing stones.The UN Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) protects the entrance with tanks. "

In the sights of the defenders of human rights

The son of Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier, who had transferred power in 1971 when he was only 19 years old, yet embodies, like his father, one of the darkest pages of history Haiti, marked by torture and murder committed by opponents of the secret police, the "Tonton Macoutes". But today, "Baby Doc" nevertheless enjoys the support of some of the Haitians.As for the young, who make up the majority of the population, they have not experienced the dark days of his presidency.

Several international human rights, such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, also demanding the arrest and trial of former dictator for crimes against humanity committed during his presidency (1971-1986 ).

The former dictator has still not explained the reason for his return. According to his longtime girlfriend, Veronique Roy, he has planned to stay only three days.Its reappearance in Haiti is still resurface "all questions concerning" and "impunity and accountability around him," said Monday the spokesman of the High Commissioner for Human Rights based in Geneva, Rupert Colville , during a press briefing.

Experts on Human Rights UN review, meanwhile, now, the opportunities for Haitian authorities to prosecute."It is not yet clear that Haiti is in position to arrest and prosecute Jean-Claude Duvalier for anything right now," said Rupert Colville, stressing that no one knew yet s it existed or not warrants of arrest of Jean-Claude Duvalier in Haiti courses.

Photo: Amelia Baron / RFI correspondent in Port-au-Prince (Haiti)