Libération

Bayrou décolle

Selon un sondage CSA- i-Télé- Le Parisien, Bayrou atteint 24 % d?intentions de vote (+7), et talonne Royal 25 % (-4) et Nicolas Sarkozy 26 % (-3). Au second tour, Sarkozy obtient 53 % (+1) contre 47 % (-1) pour Royal. Selon une enquête BVA (2) publiée par la presse quotidienne régionale, le leader de l?UDF obtient 21 % (+4) contre 24 % (-1) à Royal et 29 % (-2) à Sarkozy. Bayrou garde toutefoisla tête froide. «Depuis une quinzaine de jours, il y a quelque chose qui a changé», confie un photographe de l?agence Gamma qui suit la campagne du candidat du centre. Les journalistes étrangers sont de plus en plus nombreux. Au fils des déplacements, la population lui réserve un accueil enthousiaste. L?homme veut bousculer les équilibres politiques, déplacer les lignes de partage, mais il refuse de s?en attribuer la paternité : «Ce n?est pas un mouvement provoqué par moi, c?est un mouvement provoqué par les Français». François Bayrou se dit «porté par une vague». Il sait que ses deux principaux rivaux ne vont pas lui faire de cadeaux dans les prochaines semaines. Et de pronostiquer: «Le plus dur est à venir. Il va y avoir des attaques. On va enrôler le banc et l?arrière banc du système pour essayer de me stopper». Le ralliement de Simone Veil, une personnalité politique issue du centre, à Nicolas Sarkozy ressemble à un premier croche-patte. L?intéressé ne s?en émeut pas. Depuis 2002, le blindage s?est épaissi. «Ce n?est pas important. Ce n?est pas ma façon de faire de la politique. Je n?ai d?ailleurs pas souhaité avoir un comité de soutien. Je suis sûr d?une chose, les gens veulent que cela change»

The sun

Ulster?s historic opprtunity

Northern Ireland?s political parties must not miss an «opportunity of historic proportions» to resume power-sharing, the British and Irish governments said today. Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said the results of yesterday?s elections had showed a «clear» message that the people wanted a return to devolved government. In a joint statement, they said: «The message of the electorate is clear: after so many years of frustration and disappointment, they want Northern Ireland to move on to build a better future together through the devolved institutions.

«Restoration of the devolved institutions represents an opportunity of historic proportions. It must not be missed».

The Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein built up a considerable lead over unionist and nationalist rivals in the battle for Stormont seats after the first day of counting. And the Reverend Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams? parties were expected to make further gains when counting resumed today in nine of the 18 constituencies. The parties have been given until March 26 to agree a new power-sharing deal.

Aceh post

Indonesia again hit by tragedy

Rescuers dug through piles of mud searching for an 8-year-old boy who was buried when a powerful earthquake killed up to 74 people this week, collapsing homes, splitting roads and triggering landslides in western Indonesia. Elsewhere, markets reopened in towns on Sumatra island hit by the magnitude 6.3 quake and a strong aftershock. Many people remained too traumatized to return home while others complained of receiving no emergency aid.

Rescuers searching for the missing boy were using spades because mechanical diggers were not able to access the location of the landslide, which occurred in a steep-sided valley seconds after the quake struck. The boy?s mother, Rina, said she had little hope her son would still be alive «The important thing is I can see him,» said Rina, who gave a single name. Rina was also hit by the landslide, but managed to dig herself out. Agencies gave conflicting tolls on the number killed, as is common in disasters here. Indonesia, which straddles one of the world?s most seismically violent zones, was hardest hit by the Asian tsunami that killed 160,000 people on Sumatra?s northern tip. Since then, two other deadly quakes have occurred, as well as landslides, floods and volcanic eruptions.