A boat of migrants ran aground off Lampedusa

AFP - A boat carrying 300 migrants ran aground as it approached the Italian port of Lampedusa and many passengers, including women and children were thrown overboard, said Sunday the Italian agency Ansa, quoting official sources.

Coast Guard launched a rescue operation and have recovered dozens of passengers who had jumped into the sea after the boat had hit rocks, they added the same source.

The ship was apparently going to Malta but was escorted by Coast Guard Malta to Lampedusa, it was still indicated.

Sunday, another boat with 800 migrants on board also arrived in Lampedusa.

Thousands of refugees coming from Libya and Tunisia in recent weeks have arrived in Lampedusa.Migrants from Libya were mostly workers from Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.

A minority is made up of Tunisians.

The day before, Saturday, hundreds of refugees traveling to Libya and two boats had already landed on the island of Lampedusa.

655 people, including 82 women and 21 children were aboard the first boat and 187, including 19 women and one child on board the second boat fishing rusty and overloaded.

Libya: The Libyan regime changes tactics in Misrata

Soldiers loyal to Muammar Gaddafi captured by insurgents in Misrata said Saturday that the army had received orders to withdraw from this port city in western Libya, besieged for nearly two months by government forces.

A rebel spokesman said the soldiers before fleeing, trapped corpses and buildings.

"We were told yesterday to withdraw," one soldier told Reuters, Khaled Dorman, transported with eleven others injured at the hospital in Misrata, 200 km east of Tripoli.

Another soldier, asked whether the government had lost control of Misrata, replied in the affirmative.

Contacted Misrata, Gemal Salem, spokesman of the insurgents, said by telephone that the forces of Muammar Gaddafi had left the city but stayed outside and be in position to bombard.

"Misrata is free, the Rebels have won.Some forces soldiers were killed Qaddafi and others are fleeing, "he said.

He added that the goal of insurgents Misrata was now come to the aid of other outbreaks of rebellion in Tripoli.

First attack drone "Predator"

The Libyan government admitted on Friday evening that the siege had been broken during the capture of the port by insurgents and that the airstrikes had contributed.

"The strategy of the Libyan army is to conduct surgery, but with air strikes, it does not work," said Vice-Foreign Minister Khalid Kaim.

"The situation will be alleviated in Misrata, tribes around Misrata and the rest of the inhabitants of Misrata take care of it, and the Libyan army," he told reporters in Tripoli.

Another spokesman for the rebels to Misrata, Abdelsalam, said that Gaddafi supporting tribes were a minority in the region.

"There are two small towns near Gaddafi Misrata. They represent less than one percent of the population in and around Misrata," he said.

"They know that when the Gaddafi regime fall, they fall with him," he added, saying that fear the government pays for them mercenaries posing as members of tribes.

Salem said that the rebels now raking Misrata and clear the streets.Before leaving, he said, forces Gaddafi trapped corpses, homes and cars.

"A man opened his refrigerator on his way home this morning after the departure of forces Gaddafi, and it exploded in his face. Same with the corpses. When the rebels are trying to raise a body, he explodes.Three people were killed because of this, and we deplore 15 wounded.

The Pentagon also announced that the U.S. had Libya on Saturday launched their first attack drone "Predator".

Conducted last month by the West under a UN mandate, the conventional air raids have not helped insurgents to take sufficient advantage and Admiral Mike Mullen, Chief of Staff Inter-American weapons, said Friday that the conflict threatens to enter a deadlock.

Strikes by HQ Gaddafi

On the night of Friday to Saturday, NATO conducted air strikes near Bab al Azizia, fortified headquarters of Gaddafi in Tripoli.

Moussa Ibrahim, spokesman for the government, said three people had been killed by a "powerful explosion" in a parking lot.

Reuters journalists have reported that the place was surrounded by walls and watchtowers occupied by soldiers. NATO strikes have left two large holes. The bombs have crossed the floor and a layer of reinforced concrete, reaching what appears to be an underground shelter.

Smoke was still one of the craters, with boxes of ammunition nearby.Ibrahim Moussa said that the place was no longer used and that the ammunition boxes were empty.

In addition, the agency Jana reported that the Libyan Prime Minister Al Baghdadi Al Mahmoudi, had Saturday with his Greek counterpart George Papandreou a telephone interview during which he reaffirmed Libya's commitment to UN resolutions.

He added that Libya was committed to the peace initiative of the African Union.

"The colonial aggression of the crusaders" - apparently referring to military operations against NATO forces Gaddafi - violate these resolutions, "said Mahmoud quoted by Jana.

"There was talk during the exchange of the role of Greece to stop these excesses," the agency said.

NIGERIA: Three attacks threatens to disrupt the long-awaited legislative

AFP - Nigerians voted Saturday in connection with legislative and postponed twice already tainted by the deadly explosion of a bomb on Friday in a polling station at the beginning of a marathon before the presidential election on April 16.

Polling stations have opened in some areas as scheduled at 08:00 local time (0700 GMT) but in others, voting had not begun, noted journalists from AFP.

These elections take place in almost all districts of the country, had been postponed last Saturday April 4 and April 9, due to the absence of electoral materials and personnel in a large number of polling stations.The president was also postponed for a week to 16 April.

"I think today will be different. (Electoral Commission) is ready," said Fatai Awofolaju, an official election in Lagos.

In Lagos, the economic capital, Abuja, the administrative capital and Kano (North), the second city of the country, polls opened at 8:00 or shortly thereafter.In Bayelsa State which is from the President Goodluck Jonathan, they opened with 90 minutes delay.

A bombing and an armed attack put the ballot in danger

This election that is expected to test the ability of the country's most populous country with 160 million people to hold free elections, have already been disrupted by a bomb blast Friday at Suleija, some 45 km Abuja (center) in a polling station who was preparing the elections.

The initial assessment of 8 dead and 26 injured Saturday has risen to 11 killed and wounded and 38. The attack was not claimed. The vote in this constituency has been postponed.

Gunmen also attacked Friday in Shani, Borno state in north-east, a police station where election officials were responsible for the supervision of election materials, killing four people.

The previous elections in Nigeria were marred by fraud and violence.The NGO Human Rights Watch has already recorded 85 deaths in pre-election violence since November 2010.

President Goodluck Jonathan, presidential candidate, denounced a "heinous terrorist bombing" in Suleija and ordered increased security at the premises of the Electoral Commission throughout the country.

The borders were closed, traffic restrictions were imposed on vehicles and soldiers patrolled the strategic points.

The impact of the bombing was difficult to measure."What bomb?" We have no problem here, "commented Bode Oshowole Saturday, a printer 61, in a polling station in Lagos.

"They're trying to scare us but it does not," responded the head of another polling station. "Nigeria can not be turned into another Afghanistan or Iraq," said Nnamdi Ekweogu.

Dysfunctions delay the vote in 10% of precincts

In a little over 10% of precincts where the ballots could not be printed in time, the legislation will be held April 26, the date of elections of governors and assemblies of the 36 states of the federation.The postponement affects 15 out of 109 senatorial districts and 48 constituencies which elect the 360 ​​members in the House of Representatives.

"Several countries in Africa have been able to hold successful elections, and if we fail, we can not claim a leadership role or to discipline anyone for failure," he said Thursday Jonathan to a delegation of the National Democratic Institute (NDI), based in Washington, which supports democratic institutions and practices worldwide.

The NGO in Nigeria has sent more than 50 observers from more than 23 countries, working with 1700 Nigerian observers.

LIBYA: According to Alain Juppe, the situation in Misrata "can not continue"

The situation in Misrata in Libya, a city subject for several days at the firing forces of Muammar Gaddafi, "can not last," said Wednesday the French foreign minister, Alain Juppe, stating that he would inform the Secretary General of NATO.

"Misrata is in a situation that can not last and I'll talk in a few hours with the Secretary General of NATO," Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the minister to France Info radio.

The Libyan military leader of the rebels on Tuesday accused NATO of "letting people die of Misrata (west) under fire from forces of Muammar Gaddafi.

Recognizing that in Libya, "the risk of getting bogged down there," Alain Juppe said he did not return to the international coalition "to start reclaiming the land."

"We have formally requested that there be no collateral damage on civilians, it makes intervention more difficult because of Qaddafi's troops have understood things and tend to be closer to civilian populations," said he said.

"We support all our strength the National Transitional Council (opposition), it must also be organized. Finally the field all depend on them.We're here to protect civilians, not to start from the reconquest of the territory, "insisted the minister.

He reaffirmed that Libya was moving towards a political solution, implicitly recognizing that international military action is not sufficient to reach a departure from office of Muammar Gaddafi.

The latter regime is the target since February 15 of a popular uprising that turned into a civil war between insurgents and forces loyal to the leader.

COTE D'IVOIRE: Calm in a precarious Abidjan delivered to insecurity and looting

AFP - The battle of Abidjan was experiencing a lull on Sunday morning around the last bastions defended by followers of Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo out, holding their positions for more than three days, residents said, and AFP journalists.

In the Plateau (center), the Presidential Palace district, only a few sporadic shots of heavy weapons were heard off in the morning, while during part of Friday afternoon the firing had been very intense, it was found.

In the Cocody district (north), in a wide area including the presidential residence and state television RTI, "during the night by pulling it here and there, heavy and light weapons", reported a capita."But there was no real fighting, only sporadic gunfire.

Since their arrival in Abidjan on Thursday evening after a lightning offensive that has allowed them to conquer nearly all of the country, the forces of Alassane Ouattara, President recognized by the international community, attempting unsuccessfully to drive the pro-Gbagbo of their strongholds while Abidjan comes to violence and looting.

BURMA: The new strong man of civilian authority remains under the control of the military junta

The Burmese junta is dead, long live the Burmese junta? Few people are indeed stupid. While the military has handed over the keys to power Wednesday in Thein Sein, outgoing Prime Minister and now President of Parliament. He heads the new civilian government, supposedly the result of "7 Steps to a disciplined democracy". A program decided by the military junta shortly after the adoption of the new constitution in 2008 and peaked with disputed elections in November 2010.

Parliament, which is derived largely composed of retired military.But according to that constitution, the Association for Development and Solidarity, headed by Than Shwe, the junta leader since 1992, which controls the main levers of the country.

"There is no cause for celebration, the military junta turns into a dictatorship just civil," says FRANCE 24 Anna Roberts, director of Burma Campaign UK charity. The ceremony is only a "communication operation," said Anne Roberts, for giving a facelift to a dictatorship that has lasted nearly 50 years.

In 1962 the military took power following a coup. General Ne Win becomes the strongman of the junta that installed at all levels of public life.Nationalization of the economy and mass media, persecution of minorities and widespread corruption mark his twenty years of reign. 300 000 Indians fled the country during this period.

An authoritarian regime, a corrupt country

It is also the one who invented the little facelift midterm. Indeed, in 1974, Ne Win decided to resign ... to head a new civilian government largely modeled on the single party in the former USSR.

Than Shwe, who succeeded Ne Win in 1992, so which to keep. "In fact, it's one of those examples where the new dictator is worse than its predecessor," said Anna Roberts.General Than Shwe, which reinstates a military regime, appears to be a kind of paranoid despot as some call crazy influenced by his advisors, astrologers and others, like Anna Roberts, take "a great manipulator."

One thing is for sure. Than Shwe years have exacerbated the regime's authoritarian tendencies. In the late 1990s, the International Monetary Fund has described the country bankrupt state. Burma, along with Somalia, most corrupt country in the world by Transparency International and the International Organization estimates that nearly 800,000 people are subjected to forced labor.

The power cuts also definitely the people.Than Shwe moved in 2005, the capital 300 kilometers from Rangoon, where he built a city called Naypyidaw ("seat of kings"). The master of the junta also refused to speak to the foreign press and not meet with officials from other countries only on rare occasions. This life in an ivory tower became public during the flooding caused by a deadly cyclone in 2008. Than Shwe not only makes no public appearances but he refuses even to international aid. Like North Korea, the country is now officially cut off from the world.

Boundless hatred

Politically, the military junta does not want to hear about democracy, except in its sauce.Than Shwe is known, according to a biography of journalist and human rights Benedict Rogers ("Than Shwe: Burma unmask the tyrant", Ed), devote a boundless hatred for Aung San Suu Kyi. The very name of the opponent and Nobel peace in 1991 would rage. Since 1990 and the cancellation of elections won by the party of Aung San Suu Kyi, the power harasses his most famous opponent. It is officially free in his movements since July 2010 after years under house arrest and prison.

In 2007, the junta has also faced another test of democracy. A series of events in September, led by monks, demand more freedom.The military then crush these uprisings.

It was after this move that the authority has begun the process that culminated on Wednesday, the transfer of power to civilian authorities. "They hope that this gesture will push the international community to lift some economic sanctions," said Anna Roberts.

LIBYA: The insurgency took over the city of Brega and continues its westward offensive

The rebels have resumed Saturday Ajdabiya strategic towns in eastern and Brega in Libya, their first major victories since the start of the international military intervention against the forces of the regime of Muammar Gaddafi a week ago.

Strong military support international air cons pro-Qaddafi, the insurgents took control in quick lock Strategic Ajdabiya, 160 km south of Benghazi, a stronghold of the opposition, then the oil city of Brega 80 km further west, according to local journalists.

The forces of Colonel Qaddafi faced since February 15 in an insurgency that has unprecedented attempt to suppress the blood, have deserted their positions under cover of darkness, leaving the Rebels celebrate their reconquest Ajdabiyah drawing in the air and honking.

"The clashes were continuing Friday and then everything stopped around 23:30. And at midnight, the men went to Gaddafi," said one resident, Omar Bashi. "The rebels entered the city shortly after.It was time, we had only rice to eat for several days. "

The fighting, according to the rebellion, nine dead and nine wounded, while outside the city, the bodies of at least 21 fighters pro-Gaddafi were collected, according to medical sources. Other bodies, some charred or dismembered by bombs, still lay in the desert.

"Ajdabiya is 100% under the control of our forces and our forces go after Gaddafi Brega on the road," he said Saturday morning, a spokesman for the insurgents in Benghazi, Chamsiddin Abdoulmolah.

Late afternoon, the rebels claimed to have taken Brega, according to a reporter traveling with them.

"We are in the center of Brega.Gaddafi's forces have retreated and are now al-Bicher (30 km further west) and we move into this area, "said one rebel fighters, Abdelsalam al-Maadani.

Hitherto disorganized and inefficient, the insurgents took advantage of the coalition air support to resume the offensive.

The raids have "prepared the battlefield", and experienced officers and soldiers who joined the rebellion played a major role, "said Abdoulmolah.These soldiers have coordinated their attacks with the coalition, which came into action between the air strikes.

Asked about a Washington Post article claiming that the coalition was planning to send arms to the insurgents, one of their spokesman, Ahmed Khalifa, said that no deliveries had taken place at the moment but that these weapons would be welcome.

Meanwhile, the coalition has not released its pressure. It launched raids Friday night and into the night on the town of Zliten (west) and the Al-Wati (west).It also bombed a military site at Tajura, a suburb east of Tripoli, a target area on a daily basis.

President Barack Obama welcomed the developments, saying that the international mission in Libya was "targeted and being successful.""A humanitarian catastrophe has been averted and the lives of countless innocent civilians, men, women and children, were rescued."

According to an official of the Libyan Ministry of Health, the coalition raids killed at least 114 dead and 445 wounded from Sunday to Wednesday, mainly in Tripoli and its suburbs.

Despite his combative tone returns, the Gaddafi regime was willing to accept an African plan providing for the cessation of fighting and a dialogue for a "transition" democratic.

But at the same time, his forces are still trying to recapture the town of Misrata, rebel stronghold in the west, continuing their bombardment, according to a witness.Since Benghazi, the rebels have asked the international community to come to the aid of Misrata.

And the rebels have rejected the African initiative. "The only way to resolve this conflict is that Gaddafi and his son are brought to justice for crimes against humanity," said Khalifa. Mr.Gaddafi, in power for 42 years, maintains a defiant and refuses to go away.

Military intervention by the international coalition also wants policy, while the leader of the National Transitional Council reaffirmed the opposition grouping does not want to "foreign forces" on Libyan soil.

With the approach of a first meeting of the Contact Group in London on Tuesday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced "a Franco-British initiative" for a political solution. Italy has also announced it would present a plan during the summit.

The conduct of operations, NATO countries agreed to take immediate relay of the Coalition for the no-fly zone, but not for ground strikes.Negotiations should continue on Sunday that Nato will soon take all the operations in hand.

The Russian ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, whose country criticized the international response, said a ground invasion would be tantamount to occupation.

Find the events of Saturday, March 26 in Libya, Syria and elsewhere in the Arab world with our Liveblogging here.

UGANDA: The outgoing President Yoweri Museveni about to be reelected

President Yoweri Museveni arrived Saturday at the head of the first official results of presidential and parliamentary elections in Uganda where the opposition accusing the government of having rigged.

Early Saturday afternoon, the outgoing head of state was credited with a very comfortable lead over his seven opponents, according to partial results of the election commission on a quarter of some 14 million subscribers.

Mr.Museveni got 2,432,864 votes or 71.38% of the votes cast, against 781,353 votes (22.92%) for Kizza Besigye, his main rival.

Both candidates eclipsed the other contenders, who share the crumbs (about 6%).

The election commission released as and when the results of the presidential election, since the counting center installed in a conference room at the National Stadium Namboole.

In the room, the brown uniforms of policemen on duty, assault rifles slung, white polo competed with agents of the electoral commission.

Meanwhile, in a secret location in Kampala, youth activists from the Coalition of Mr.Besigye also were busy compiling the votes under the leadership of party cadres, the candidate Besigye who still intends to announce its own results by the end of the day.

Fear of arrest, party activists slept in the building in recent days to avoid attracting attention.

Kizza Besigye, a former personal physician to Museveni during the years of rebellion (1981-1986) and a candidate for the third consecutive election, accused even before the election his former mentor and the party in power have swelled with voter lists ghosts or minors.

Mr.Museveni, 66 years including 25 as head of state of Uganda, has predicted a landslide victory Friday at "84%".

Building on the return of peace in the whole country - with the departure of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in northern countries - on a robust economic growth and the expected oil wealth with the Operating from 2012 major oil reserves, Mr.Museveni and his camp envisage anything other than victory in the first round.

His main rival has continued to denounce the regime's corruption and lack of economic opportunities for youth, explaining his view the "discouragement" of the population and make possible a popular uprising in Egypt.

At odds with the regime since 1999, Besigye, 54, has renounced publicly challenge the results in court, that judge beholden to power and has called on Ugandans to take to the streets to denounce the fraud, without however, launch a word of precise order so far.

The situation could be radicalized if Mr.Besigye put his plan into action, the announcement of results other than the election commission or organizing a demonstration without police permission to arrest the exhibitor.

As of Wednesday, Museveni threatened bluntly arrest and trial would challenge anyone in the street to the official results.

The electoral commission must announce the final results by Sunday 1400 GMT.

Without giving an estimate, its chairman Badru Kiggundu said to AFP that the participation rate "has increased since 2006" (69%), information that contrasts with the lack of enthusiasm shown by voters in many polling Voting in the capital and the provinces.

Meanwhile, Kampala was the second consecutive day patrolled by numerous military and crisscrossed by police in riot gear.

ALGERIA: The Algerians will march to "change the system"

Follow the day's events in Algeria and Egypt on liveblogging from FRANCE 24.

AFP - Major security forces were deployed in Algeria in anticipation of events "to change the system" Saturday at 11:00 am (1000 GMT), the call of the National Coordination for Democracy and Change (CNDC) and could be encouraged by the departure of President Hosni Mubarak.

Several marches and rallies are planned across the country, but in Algiers, police, came in number-between 25,000 and 30,000 according to the press, were visible as early as Friday.

Police roadblocks set up at entrances to the capital since suicide bombings in April and December 2007, claimed by Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), were also strengthened.

A demonstration organized apparently it at the last minute to salute the fall of President Hosni Mubarak, before the head of the Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD opposition) Friday in Algiers was stopped by a cordon of police activists who pushed in and made a dozen arrests.

The march of Algiers has not been authorized under a ban in force since 2001. The demonstrators nevertheless go to the Place de la Concorde (better known under its former name Place May 1st) at 11:00 to get to Martyrs' Square at the foot of the Casbah and the entrance of Bab el Oued , traditional theater of revolt.

In Oran, 430 km from Algiers, Wilaya denied permission to demonstrate. But the NCCD maintains its watchword, and calls for a gathering place November 1st in front of City Hall Thursday she was distributing leaflets still in this great city in western Algeria.

Other cities also intend to answer the call which, on the east coast, Boumerdes, Bejaia, then south-east of Algiers, Tizi Ouzou, the main town of Kabylie, and west, Tipaza, among others.

Finally, in the main town in eastern Algeria, Annaba, leaflets calling on citizens to participate in the march were intercepted by police in recent days. A police source described them as "demoralizing" and a threat to the safety of goods and people.

The CNDC was created on January 21 by opposition parties, civil society and autonomous unions in the wake of riots earlier this year that have killed 5 people and injured over 800.

ALGERIA: Rome confirmed the abduction of an Italian tourist in the south

The Italian Foreign Ministry confirmed Friday in a statement, the kidnapping of an Italian tourist in southern Algeria and the Algerian authorities sought "not to take initiatives" that endanger its security.

"He was asked relevant Algerian counterparts do not take action (...) which can endanger the safety of the Italian citizen," said the Farnesina.

The ministry, "as in all cases of kidnapping of Italian citizens, will keep the reserve required on this matter so as not to interfere with research activities," he specified.

According to the ministry, citing the Algerian police, "February 2 at 18.30 south of the town of Djanet, 90 km from the border with Niger, an Italian tourist was allegedly abducted while she was with three Algerian making an excursion organized by a travel agency. "

"The kidnappers have released the suspected leaders and would away with an Italian citizen," he said.

According to the Algerian APS agency, the kidnappers have allowed their hostages to warn using their cell phone (Thuraya), head of the travel agent who arranged his trip to Djanet.This immediately raised the alarm.

In late September, after the kidnapping of seven hostages in northern Niger, Algeria, Mauritania, Niger and Mali had agreed to create a common information center in Algiers in the wake of the establishment a committee of staff common operational in Tamanrasset (southern Algeria).

But no information has ever been published on the activities of the military group Sahel.

Egypt: Hosni Mubarak dismissed the government under pressure from the street

At a brief speech broadcast on the night of Friday to Saturday by the Egyptian national television, President Hosni Mubarak announced the sacking of the government of Ahmed Nazif and announced the formation of a new cabinet on Saturday.

While the day was chaotic for power, the Head of State also dropped ballast and promised "further measures" to democracy, without giving further details.Hosni Mubarak has finally reaffirmed its determination to ensure the stability of the country, noting that the boundary between democracy and chaos was thin and that the difficulties should not be solved by violence.

Deadliest day in the Egyptian streets

The statements by Egyptian President intervene after a day of demonstrations - violently repressed - unprecedented in the country. The latest assessment shows that at least twenty dead in the different cities of Egypt, on Friday.Five people were killed and hundreds injured in Cairo to Suez, clashes with police left 13 dead and 75 wounded when six people and Alexandria regrets Mansoura two.

"The streets are delivered to the protesters. (...) It all civil society that manifests here in Cairo," says Karim Hakiki, a FRANCE 24 special correspondents in the Egyptian capital. On Friday, the fourth day of protests, hundreds of thousands of people were in the streets. The police used tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets to try to disperse the protesters.

Protesters set fire to the headquarters of the National Democratic Party (NDP in power).Earlier in the day, two police stations in the capital were torched. In the evening, demonstrators and security forces continued to clash in the main streets of Cairo transformed into a battlefield, despite the introduction of a curfew in the evening. Young or old, protesters demanding the departure of President Hosni Mubarak.

The army in the streets of Cairo

The authority has appealed to the army to support police, overwhelmed by the protesters. Yigal Saadoun, also special envoy FRANCE 24 in Cairo, confirms "having seen the units in the Egyptian army at a short distance from Tahrir Square, where the movement began.""We saw military armored vehicles enter Cairo," he added.

The curfew was imposed in three major cities of Egypt: Cairo, Alexandria and Suez.

The opponent Mohamed ElBaradei, former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), took part in demonstrations. He said he was prepared to ensure the political transition in the event of departure of Hosni Mubarak. Since Thursday, it was forbidden to leave Cairo.Some sources report that it would be under house arrest.

Internet and telephone connections were still cut on Friday evening, while the international community, including the European Union and the United States, called Cairo to show "restraint" and respect the rights of Egyptians.

Find below the liveblogging by FRANCE24.com insisted Friday.