Sundial of world news

It is not far from the "loss of face." The misfortunes of the new high speed train from Beijing to Shanghai are doing good laugh from all over China, while the press is unleashed and the authorities are trying to limit the damage. It must be said that it was promoted as a symbol of the Chinese railway resounding success, ready to go to conquer the world. But the beginnings are disastrous.

Last week, the train fell down several times. Internet forums and newspapers are full of stories telling outraged passengers have found in open country, stranded in trains closed and sweating profusely in the searing heat of summer. The Ministry of Railways had promised Friday that these problems would be "resolved" expeditiously. His spokesman, Wang Yongping, presented "excuses".And recognized that the line had seen "dozens of power outages" and a host of other "problems". The summer storms are largely responsible.

This iconic TGV line was opened with great fanfare on June 30, very proudly with "a year ahead" and, just as symbolically, the day before the 90th anniversary of the Communist Party. It was presented as the flagship of the newly high-tech controlled by China, and one of his arms out to conquer the world. Premier Wen Jiabao, said the line "operational" in Beijing before boarding for the first trip to the South. This train will link the two major Chinese cities 1300 km apart in less than five hours. The construction of the line has cost 23 billion euros.In March, the audit office of the state showed that 187 million yuan (20 million) had been diverted from the site by individuals or companies.

Massive rail projects

Chinese railway projects are enormous bad credit payday loans. In 2009, it was announced that 42 high-speed lines were planned for 2012, for an investment of 210 billion euros. China has the network of its kind in the world's largest, with more than 8000 km of track, and she wants to extend it to 25,000 kilometers by 2015 and 50,000 km in 2020. This year, like last year, Beijing is expected to invest 70 billion euros. Since the end of 2009, the "fastest train in the world" flows 350 km / h between Guangzhou and Wuhan. And last December, China announced proudly beating the world speed record with an oar unchanged at 486.1 km / h.But many voices cast doubt on the economic viability of some lines, less strategic than between Beijing and Shanghai. In February, the authorities decided to reduce the speed of TGV Chinese, for purposes of economy and to improve their safety. And the dramatic dismissal for corruption of the Minister of Railways Liu Zhijun, also in February, has revived speculation about a slowdown in rail projects.

Meanwhile, it is the airlines are rubbing their hands. They were sentenced say – almost – on the route from Beijing to Shanghai. The price of a one-way train range from 410 yuan (44 euros) and 1,750 yuan (190 euros), according to three classes, against about 1,300 yuan (140 euros) for a plane ticket in economy class.The airlines had already begun to lower their prices, with discounts up to 65% in response to the competition ground. They should slow down the movement …

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A dozen days after an employee is killed at the site of the nuclear reactor of the third generation EPR under construction at Flamanville, the newspaper L'Humanité reveals that the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) denounced a "deliberate process" of non- -reporting of accidents on the site, particularly on the part of Bouygues. In a report dated June 6, Constable nuclear lists 112 accidents occurred in 2010 on the site of the EPR with 38 accidents "to report has not been the subject of a declaration." Thus, about one accident in four has not been under declared.

ASN emphasizes the responsibility of employers, including Bouygues, which controls the civil works on site and Elco Construct. "In many cases (at least 11 examples for the group Bouygues and 8 Elco), these employers were informed of the accident.They also had knowledge of the regulatory requirement to report any accident, "wrote the Authority, adding that this proves" intent to evade the information of the inspector's work and thus to divert the surveillance "of it.

Bouygues denies responsibility

In January, when another worker, 37, died after falling from 13 to 15 meters that the CGT Bouygues accused of being responsible for the accident, and claimed to have provided the Justice documents showing that the giant construction labor law trampled on the site of Flamanville cheapest personal loan rates. A spot investigation for "manslaughter" was opened by the prosecutor of Cherbourg. And last April, ASN insiqué it was beginning an investigation of "under-reporting of accidents at the site of the EPR."

At EDF, prime contractor for the project is ensured then "make every effort" to improve the situation. The site manager was replaced a few months ago. But according to Bouygues, which controls the civil engineering of this project over 3000 workers, non-reporting of accidents "are personal initiatives." Twenty people-safety recall "regular" instructions. According to the unions, a dozen subcontractors are involved in these accidents.

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With one of the highest birth rate in the European Union, the French threw every year a million diapers that end up buried or incinerated. Further pollution to which a pilot project, called "Happy Nappy" ("happy coat" in English), seeks to end. Conducted by SITA, a subsidiary of Suez Environnement, the program has evaluated the recyclability of liners for babies and adults. Conclusion: they can be recycled to 90%.

This program of 340,000 euros, 40% funded by the Agency for Environment and Energy Management (ADEME), spread over more than two years. After grinding the layers and their separate components, the program evaluated the energy recovery potential of each subject.Based on the work of the team, which make up plastics from 10 to 20% of the layers are recyclable, as are the fibers (10-20%) and feces and urine (50-70%). Only superabsorbent polymers (5-10%) remain unresolved recycling. Upon arrival, a "triple value" with energy production, compost and recycled materials. Research is being conducted in other countries but "the idea of ​​the triple value is unique," says Laurent Galtier, project manager.

Final stage of the program: a solution to the residual organic matter from anaerobic digestion: they could be valued in agriculture. "It remains to perform tests on the agricultural sector in line with the Ecole Nationale Superieure Agronomique de Toulouse (ENSAT)," says Laurent Galtier.

"In a nursery, the act of sorting is done"

How to collect, then the used diapers? "Initially, we are interested in nurseries and nursing homes," said Laurent Galtier who visited both types of institutions and who claims to have met an "immediate acceptance" of his project. "In the nursery, the act of sorting is done," says he: the babies are, in fact, changed in the same place and layer thrown into the same bin.

The recycling plant layers could settle near a water treatment plant, to use the treated water discharged by the station and to enjoy the digester already present. "These are two very important points of synergy that could cause the project's success," said Laurent Galtier.

Concerned, diaper manufacturers have contacted the team.According to Laurent Galtier, a possible collaboration could include the development of plastic components and superabsorbent polymers. They "could be a future pilot project," says Laurent Galtier elsewhere.

The economic viability of the project "Happy Nappy" will be evaluated by the end of the year. Its director, however, provides that there is "no industrial process before 2013 at best."

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They lied. This is a strange admission by Clement and Alec, the founders of La Chanson du Dimanche, the duo since 2007 Sunday night awakens the evil of Internet users in social and crazy song. Yes, they lied to their customers is a confession in the form of heartfelt cry that emerges from this interview.

Consultant bombed out of school, both graduates of the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Telecom are two mathematicians lost time in the land of recce missions and project management. It's hard to imagine a mission, wearing, clean-shaven, explaining to a client redesign of a master plan or the establishment of a new information system … Yet they did.

They retain a bittersweet feeling, a form of disenfranchisement that tells and sings with humor generation in their thirties they belong.On the one hand a job the temptation of food and the gentrification of bohemian and the other the desire to achieve otherwise. From this point of view, Alec and his anxiety to quit pretty much sums up the feeling of all those who want to move on but do not have the courage or the opportunity to go through. Clement has not experienced these feelings. It is the most relaxed of the two and gives math class today until the next season of the Song of Sunday.

Background music, soft lighting, warm colors (brown and fuchsia), wooden floor and comfortable temperature: it is almost like a trendy bar. Yet although a supermarket of 550 square meters, opened two weeks ago in the heart of Marseille and named a new sign, "Unlike our competitors, with their sizes or City Express, we want to customers to spend time in store, "says Jean-Pierre Lanzetti, CEO Casino Near (Petit Casino, Vival Spar, Via Italia).

Casino Shopping and smaller version, Casino Shop (for stores with less than 350 square meters), may well flourish everywhere, if the group is satisfied with its test stores. After Marseille, a second will open in early July in Saint-Etienne, home of Casino, and eight small casino (in Lyon and Toulouse in particular) will be processed before the end of the year.The identity of the 1,800 stores, including "the grocer is a great guy" is fourteen years old and needed to be brought up to date.

Casino would react. Most of his competitors in fact lead the last two years an unprecedented drive to win in the city center, where the band Saint Etienne, which also owns Franprix and Monoprix, is in a strong position. Carrefour (City Express), Auchan (City and A 2 Step), Intermarché (Express) and Système U (Express) are all involved in a renovation or repositioning their format.

Deployment in 2012

"We take the time needed, the possible deployment of Shopping Shop and intervene only next year, wants to warn Jean-Pierre Lanzetti free business cards. The company decided to change many parameters at once.Employees are identified by their first names, the furniture is curved, the loyalty card enters and fresh produce, other than fruit and vegetables, are behind the doors are transparent, allowing the passage to reduce the energy bill of a quarter.

"We mainly worked on the set," says Jean-Pierre Lanzetti. Ranges and frozen drinks have been reduced in favor of fruits and vegetables and a large beauty department, which was missing in the Casino supermarkets. Creams, mascara and brushes already represent 15% of revenues Shopping Marseille. Of the 9000 references proposed products snacking Chez Jean (another sign of the group being tested since early 2009), and decorative packaging items from many parts of France. One can even order his coffee machine via a touch screen.Ultimately, this approach to extend the offer could affect other products.

To combat the image of dearth of supermarkets in the city center, prices have been reduced "from 15% to 18% compared to an equivalent Petit Casino," says the general manager of the branch nearby, betting on higher volumes .

The company has another trick: it forms partnerships with its suppliers to its customers enjoy benefits fidelity on Kronenbourg beer or cookies BN: "We have 100 partners to date that offer our clients 10 to 25 % discount, by September we will have 400, "says Jean-Pierre Lanzetti.

Once is not custom, the Cac 40 owes its salvation to Greece. While preparing to end the week on a third consecutive decline, after the publication of unemployment figures very disappointing for the month of May that highlight the fragility of the recovery in U.S. stock index has closed unchanged at 3890.68 points.

The Footsie-100 from the London Stock Exchange closed up 0.12% to 5855.01 points. The Dax-30 from the Frankfurt Stock Exchange finished up 0.49% at 7109.03 points.

A wave of optimism has swept over the financial markets in the late afternoon after Greece and the "troika" has released details of an upcoming fiscal tightening.And especially that the country has reached agreement with its creditors to pay him a new financial assistance.

The service sector slows in Europe

In France, growth in services sector activity slowed slightly in May but remains close to the peak of nearly 11 years hit the previous month, final results showed on Friday of the monthly survey from the Markit Purchasing Managers . PMI Segment income $ 62.5 after hitting 62.9 in April, its highest level since September 2000. An initial flash estimate of 62.8 gave the May 23

This same index slowed sharply in Germany last month to 56.1, its lowest level since October against a flash estimate of 54.9 and a figure of 56.8 in April.However, it is accelerating in the U.S., the index of purchasing managers in the sector has emerged up from from April to 54.6.

Also overseas, only 54,000 net jobs were created in May, according to figures from the Labor Department. That is three times less than economists' forecasts.

As for currencies, the euro, which climbed to over $ 1.45 yesterday, continues its recovery. It traded at 1.4567 dollars this morning.

Oil prices fell Friday in New York after the release of employment figures far worse than expected in the United States, showing a sharp slowdown in hiring in May in the country no faxing payday loan.

Late afternoon in Paris, on the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), a barrel of light sweet crude for July delivery traded at 99.46 dollars, down 0.94% compared to the day before.

Banks in good shape

The banking sector shows the largest gains among CAC 40 after Greece and the "Troika" (European Union, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank) unveiled the budget plan for Greece and Athens has confirmed that Agreement was reached with its creditors to pay him a new financial assistance. BNP Paribas (2.18% to 53.55 euros), Societe Generale (1.95% to 40.98 euros), Credit Agricole (2.17% to 10.58 euros) move.

TF1: +0.40% at 12.48 euros

Media rights to Roland Garros on Europe, formerly held by Eurosport (TF1), will change the diffuser to be allocated to the agency MP & Silva from 2012.

Vivendi: 0.63% to 19.07 euros

SFR announce next week an overhaul of its mobile offerings and partnership with the broadcast site Spotify music on the internet, writes La Tribune. The telecom operator will hold a press conference Tuesday, June 7

Thales: 1.16% to 29.28 euros, Safran: 0.59% to 27.94 euros

Discussions between the two groups regarding an exchange of assets will be using a mediator, Aldo Cardoso, former head of Andersen's consulting firm, said Friday the newspaper Les Echos.

Renault: 0.70% to 38.16 euros

The manufacturer believes that the shortage of diesel that has weighed on its registrations in the month of May in France will be eliminated in the second half, especially against the backdrop of the expected slowdown of the market, told The Tribune on Commerce Director of the French subsidiary.

Note that his main competitor, Peugeot, the fastest rising Cac 40 and the closure of the Paris stock exchange, rising 2.19% to 28.20 euros.

It is an open secret. Bercy is seriously considering reducing the tax benefits for 2012 related Scellier.

So far, it was expected that next year, the buyer of a property to rent commitment over nine years has a tax reduction equal to 18% of the value of the property. This would already be less favorable than this year, where the tax reduction amounts to 22%. And still less in 2010, when she was 25%. But in times of fiscal restraint, the Budget Ministry believes that this tax shelter is too expensive and would like to reduce again. For now, nothing is fixed about the contours of this consolidation. Trade-offs are expected in late August.

But this project is already causing an outcry on the part of developers."During the first quarter, with sales support Scellier decreased by 35%, mainly because of lower tax benefit, argues Marc Pigeon, president of the REIT (real estate developers Federation). If an additional movement of the plane Scellier is made in 2012, we may descend to 80 000 new home sales next year, against 115,000 in 2010. "

"Any reform which will reduce the tax benefits will reduce the market," says echoing Bertière Francis, CEO of Bouygues Immobilier. A real threat when the housing shortage is still going strong. And the real danger that prices will rise again, even in the older building, due to insufficient supply.

A cost of 3.6 billion euros last year

Another argument for professionals: reducing the Scellier, the government will lower savings than they expect facially."It will be much less VAT, besides the loss of sales will raise unemployment in the construction," said Marc Pigeon.

Proponents also believe that substantial savings have already been made. "Last year, 60,000 homes were sold with this law, which represents a commitment by the State to the tune of 3.6 billion euros, says Guy Nafilyan, CEO of Kaufman & Broad France. This year, the profession is just to sell some 40 000, a limited spending to $ 2.4 billion. Finally, in a time when the contours of the new scheme are still under study, proponents navigate view. "Unaware of the tax benefits for 2012, we are very careful when buying land," illustrates Alain Dinin, Nexity CEO.

Remains an even more fundamental question. The Scellier is supposed to expire December 31, 2012.Aware that such a decision would be dramatic for the construction sector, members of the Finance Committee are working on a replacement device. "The goal is to lower the cost to the state, so that it is more than about 1.2 billion. However, the tax cut should be at least 15% incentive to stay, "said Gilles Carrez, UMP general rapporteur of the commission. MPs want the measure to be passed this autumn, under Budget 2012, "to give time to prepare for the sector," said Francis Scellier, UMP housing specialist, who gave his name to famous device. For once, developers find there is nothing wrong.

The NYSE playing yoyo on Thursday. After starting down (-0.20% for the Dow Jones), the indices reflected the upward path. About 20 hours in Paris, the Dow Jones gained 0.48% at 12,691 points, the Nasdaq is 0.56% at 2861 points and the S & P advance of 0.51% to 1349 points.

This return is in the green at the same time as the rise in oil prices. The latter, who had also opened lower at 96.96 dollars, recovered after a sharp color correction yesterday. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, the price rises to $ 99.

Caution remains formatting: "Concerns about Europe and the debt crisis with the International Monetary Fund warning of a risk of contagion from the situation in Greece, indicators Chinese earlier this week, The warning from the International Energy Agency on oil demand, it all comes out at once and shower market, "said Phil Flynn of PFG Best Research.

Greece worries

The fiscal situation in Greece still disturbs the meeting. Thousands of Greeks have shown Wednesday, the day of general strike against austerity measures and privatizations decided by the government that seeks new international aid to avoid a debt restructuring of the country.

In the wake of these events, the euro fell sharply against the greenback, falling below $ 1.42 Wednesday. But about 20 hours, the single currency rises.The euro bought 1.4266 dollars at that time against 1.4193 dollars late Wednesday.

Retail sales and producer prices

On the macroeconomic front, retail sales rose slightly less than expected in April in the U.S. (+0.5% against 0.6%), posting their smallest increase in nine months as rising prices Food and fuel accounts for household spending.The producer prices have increased them by 0.8% in April according to figures released Thursday by the Labor Department, more than expected by analysts who had forecast 0.5%.

New jobless claims fell to 434,000 during the first week of May, according to figures released Thursday by the Labor Department, down nearly equal to the unexpected increase in the previous week.

Finally, business inventories rose more than expected in March, while sales posted their largest gain in a year, suggesting that first-quarter GDP will be revised upward, said Thursday the Commerce Department.Inventories rose 1.0% to 1.476 billion dollars, its highest level since November 2008, while economists polled by Reuters had waited an increase of 0.8%.

The side of values

The oil companies, heavyweights rating penalized yesterday by falling prices, contributing to their rise on Thursday. Thus, Chevron gained 0.66% to 102.936 dollars and ExxonMobil up from 0.38% to 81.43 dollars.

Cisco has unveiled for the fourth quarter of 2010/2011 a turnover of 1.67 billion, up 9% and net profits tax of 168 million dollars against 184 million last year. For the current quarter, the software company believes that business prospects are mixed and the current quarter will be "low" according to the leaders. The title loses 6.02% to 16.72 dollars.

The publisher of security software and antivirus software, Symantec (3.40 to 20.07 dollars) has announced earnings per share of 38 cents against 36 cents expected by analysts, and a turnover of 1 , 67 billion also exceeded expectations of analysts who had forecast $ 1.6 billion.

Google Internet group (-0.80% to 531.15 U.S. dollars) will launch next month the first computers using its new operating system chrome, representing a total challenge to the business model of Microsoft with its Windows system.These computers manufactured by Acer and Samsung, will have the distinction of having the browser Chrome only software preinstalled.

The U.S. internet group Yahoo! (-1.51% To 16.95 dolars) is still buffeted stock exchange after revealing that a subsidiary of the Chinese payment service online Alibaba Group, where he has a major stake, was passed under the control of boss Jack Ma of Alibaba

The rating agency Standard and Poor's said Wednesday evening that she fell a notch to "BBB", the note of U.S. chemicals group Dow Chemical (-1.23% to 38.52 U.S. dollars) with a stable outlook, due to the progress of its results and its prospects for debt reduction.

Also note, the leaders of telecom operators AT & T and T-Mobile (+0.13% to 31.42 dollars) clashed Wednesday night on U.S. lawmakers skeptical of their merger at $ 39 billion, announced in March . "Now four companies control nearly 90% of the national market of mobile telephony," said Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy. He called the competition authorities and Communications to conduct an extensive review of the transaction.

With the boom in smartphones, iPhone in mind, insurers are facing a surge of claims. "All insurance plans for mobile phone are deficient because of the iPhone," said one trader. "We are facing both an increase in claims frequency and higher average cost of claims. All this weighs on the technical results, "says Catherine Lanson, communications director of SPB, broker manager at France's leading insurance mobile and handheld products.

On smartphones losses reach 35% against 20% on standard phones. As the average cost, it has doubled from 300 to 600 euros. "Besides the iPhone is over-represented in the portfolio of insurers with respect to its actual weight on the market as it is expensive, it is more fragile and he steals, consumers are more likely to sure, "says Catherine Lanson."Currently, 80 to 90% of claims relate to smartphones," says Anne-Laure Commault, director of mobile offerings from Orange.

Fragile

The case is the main source of complaints: it represents two thirds of claims against a third flight. All operators, claims related to breakage cost 400,000 euros and 200,000 euros for the flight. More fragile than previous generations of mobile clamshell or slider, smartphones with their large touch screen does not forgive the fall or landing in the toilet. This is the case of the iPhone 3 and the iPhone 3G, whose screen break if dropped on the pavement without protection payday loan lenders.Apple has taken this into account on the iPhone 4, where he worked the robustness of the screen.

Today, 6 million French people have provided their mobile phones: 4 million have taken insurance directly from their operator, 500 000 are insured through their bank, and $ 1.5 million through specialized distribution or retail. The rate of insured, reduced to 60 million mobile users, remains low but is rising sharply.

30 to 130 euros per year

Insuring your smartphone costs from 30 to 130 euros per year. Operators and insurers all offer forms for 3 euros, 6 euros or 9 euros per month, depending on the reimbursement ceiling. Despite the explosion of claims, they do not include higher insurance premiums. They rely instead on technological advances that help block mobile in case of theft, making it useless.On breaks, they play a tougher enforcement of the contract. Mostly, they try to stop fraud, which, estimated between 20% and 25% is huge. "Coincidentally, we note the real peaks of claims before the release of a new generation of iPhone," says Catherine Lanson. Insurers are now replacing broken or stolen laptops with identical phones reconditioned. One way to deter misrepresentation!

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They are the must of French hospitality. Starting this Thursday, they will formally be part of the club of "palaces"! The board responsible for establishing the first official list of hotels embody "excellence in the French" offialisera mileu in its selection of the day.

The challenge is to distinguish among institutions except the 130 5-star hotels that already exist. Fourteen candidates have filed for candidacy. But according to a source familiar with the matter, not everyone will be withheld. In the capital, Bristol, George V, Meurice, Plaza-Athenee, Ritz and Park Hyatt would be in the running. In the provinces, the Negresco in Nice, and Cheval Blanc in Courchevel Cranberries, and the Hotel du Palais in Biarritz, have also postulated.

Conversely, some very prestigious hotels have chosen to duck the first round due to work, like the Eden Roc in Antibes.5 stars like the Fouquet's in Paris did not submit a dossier explaining that appear as a palace might scare away business customers. The Crillon, which has just been sold by the U.S. investment fund Starwood Capital, has not applied, since it requires a heavy renovation.

As newcomers to Paris, starting with the Shangri-La and the Royal Monceau Mandarin Oriental pending this year and the Peninsula in 2012, they did not have access to the competition, requiring more eligibility conditons of … 30 months old.

Applicants under the palace had until December to apply.Have completed two phases of instruction, one led by France Trump to see if they met the "objective" criteria such as size of room, activity for 24 months minimum in case of complete refurbishment of the facility, 30 in case opening, multilingual staff, spa etc..

The second was conducted by a jury of ten members, headed by academician Dominique Fernandez, who was judging criteria "subjective" as the exceptional character of the institution in its history or architecture, speed and permanence of its service, its excellent food and comfort …