Sundial of world news

A slow start. The English concept of "charity shop" landed in France in 2007 when the NGO Oxfam has opened a used bookstore in Lille. Since then, the association has invested Paris, where two "book stores" have settled in the 14th district and in the 11th. It intends to move to the next level, opening mid-December, its first thrift store in Lille. "In line with our three stores, this new store will offer second-hand clothes, good quality at a smart price," said Stephanie Dufour, Deputy Director General in charge of finance and the development of Oxfam France.

With only four stores in four years, the NGO hard to take off his "charity shops" in France. In comparison, there were 45 shops in Ireland in 2010, 36 in Germany (where it is installed since 1995), 42 in Belgium and 697 in Britain, where the phenomenon was born in the 1940s.Today there are nearly 9000 "charity shops" across the Channel, all groups combined. "The concept is relatively new in France. It takes time to make it known, "said Stephanie Dufour. The charge is, however, before encouraging figures. "Our bookshop in Lille will achieve a turnover of 120,000 euros in 2011, a very respectable performance and comparable to those of traditional libraries."

Stores "like the others"

Unlike other charity shops such as boutiques Emmaus 300 or nearly 800 "locker room" and "vestiboutiques" of the Red Cross, Oxfam outlets wants to blend into the landscape business. "We develop like other stores, as well stocked and equipped.

Three million voters to the polls Thursday. This is not the third round of the socialist primary elections but in the professional civil service and state hospital. This election is both new and crucial for trade unions. Unpublished, so far as officials voted on different dates, department by department. Under agreements signed in 2008 Bercy between the government and six of the eight federations officials, this group deadlines must solemnize the event and end a kind of permanent election administration

He still suffers to this first edition of exceptions.The officers decentralized government (prefectures) just voted in 2010 after the reorganization of their services; territorial officials will be "aligned" in 2014, which will match the designation of their representatives with election of municipal councils, general and regional officials finally France Telecom will vote Nov. 22 … as well as those of the Department of Justice, after a last minute postponement of the delivery of ballots and professions of faith having made the most complete mess. Also new: the hundreds of thousands of contractors have the right to participate. Finally, the electronic vote is for the million polio Education.

Crucial deadline

If the vote is also crucial is that it will not only unions to gauge.Now, only those organizations that received the most votes will negotiate and sign agreements, both local (with the hospital director, the prefect …) and national (with "their" or the Minister of Public Service for subjects common to all directors). In that game, the CFTC or the CFE-CGC will play their survival in many instances of 5700 to renew check cash advance. The "big" unions will also receive a premium on how they are granted. They are mostly human, that is to say agents paid by the state or the hospital, but devoting all or part of their time to unionism (our editions of September 29).

Difficult to anticipate the results.Of Education in Ecology, Interior Economy, workers speak out more on issues and candidates in their own department or at their service, as a national discourse – discourse on which organizations found it difficult to differentiate. Certainly, FP campaigned on the "case of the public service", the CFDT has focused on the working conditions of workers, Bernard Thibault has been calling for more political "use the ballot CGT" to "deliver signs to the government. " But these are all ways to approach the same themes: policy review (RGPP), elimination of 150,000 jobs during the five-year term in the state civil service, late general wage increases, stricter rules on pensions 2010. Many reasons for discontent that should benefit most unions 'hard', as Solidarity, the CGT and the FSU.

But the mobilization failed when the pension reform, and made to flop back against the rigors. The previous elections were successful in the CFDT and UNSA, reformists, who could also benefit from the arrival of the contract in the electorate. And some of the most disgruntled employees could wait for the presidential and legislative elections in 2012 to settle their accounts. Where the other unknown: participation, far closer than two-thirds, will continue she?

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It is half a relief to senior citizens out of work. Labour Minister Xavier Bertrand said Monday on RMC and BFM TV partial restoration of the retirement equivalent allowance (REA) abolished on 1 January. At a cost of 1000 euros per month maximum, this aid was a replacement income for the unemployed who have reached the required number of quarters, but not the legal age of retirement.

Established in 2002, the EAR allowed these people, who generally have started working very early, wait until they receive a full pension. Its removal has the financial difficulties some 40,000 people who benefited and who have seen their incomes for many fall by half.Most do in fact perceive more than the specific solidarity allowance, amounting to 467 euros maximum.

"Poor"

As the government had already hinted in September, the retirement allowance equivalent will be restored retroactively from July, but on narrower grounds. The device now called "transitional allowance of solidarity" will concern only those born between July 1951 and December 1953 or, as determined by the Department of Labor, about 11,000 people. It is designed primarily for senior citizens affected by the pension reform adopted last year, which pushes for four months a year the legal age of retirement, from 1 July.

The disbursements are therefore not the same: the retirement allowance equivalent relieve the coffers of more than 200 million euros a year according to the unions, when the new version should not cost more than 30 million. "This is clearly insufficient, responded on Monday the association against the removal of the AER. It ensured the precarious for more than 30,000 people. " "We find that inuspportable employees with a full career are found in social minimum," adds Laurent Berger, in charge of employment at the CFDT.

The decree establishing this recovery, however, should be published in the coming weeks. The issue is even more sensitive than the unemployment of older workers continues to widen, inflating the number of employees who would have been entitled to the allowance equivalent withdrawal before its reform.According to the latest figures released by the Dares, 560,300 people over age 50 were unemployed in August, a number up 13.5% year on year.

The tax increase mutual health has not finished making waves. The plan of the government plans to increase from 3.5% to 7% tax on contracts and supportive health officials said, 95% of the market for complementary health, has been much debated since it was finally adopted by parliament on 8 September.

Last response date, two UMP announced Friday their intention to table an amendment to Bill Financing Social Security (PLFSS) reserves to tax "excessive" for certain health insurance schemes. Their goal: to prevent a sharp rise in contract prices by encouraging individuals to use their mutual financial reserves rather than pass on the increase in the tax on membership fees.

Sébastien Huyghe, MP North, and Valérie Rosso-Debord, Meurthe-et-Moselle, advocated to establish "what could amount to a wealth tax" on the margins of solvency of each other located far beyond the legal limit. "The law requires unions to hold minimum reserves called legal reserves or solvency margins, which now account for 17% of the amount of annual dues. When this level is set aside, it is said that the solvency of the mutual is 100%, "they recall. In their amendments, MEPs are the players that has a line "located beyond 300%", a rate considered sufficient to ensure their development or deal with contingencies.

According Valérie Rosso-Debord, the reserves of each other is "five to six times beyond the level required."These organizations "a way of managing heritage, which is not in the interest of their contributors," lamented the member quoted by Reuters. For his part, Labour Minister, Xavier Bertrand, argued that no insurance company or mutual was in financial difficulties and were "not required to fully pass this increase" on their customers .

"No secret reserves"

These arguments will probably jump Caniard Etienne, the president of the National Federation of French Mutual, which represents 600 health insurance schemes instant credit reports. He said the tax increases will be reflected automatically on membership fees, mutuals have already seen their margins decline in recent years. In this context, it amounts to 3.5% increase "mechanical" contribution for 2012. "It is no secret reserves" into the coffers of these organizations, he assures.A view shared by Gerard Andreck, Chairman of mutual insurance companies (Gema), a trade association. "Maybe there are a number of which are in mutual capacity to absorb this increase, but not the general market," he said after the vote by the parliament of the text .

Yet, according to Le Parisien, the market would not be so tense. Based on the balance sheets and income sector, the paper shows that mutual health organizations are seated on a "gold mine hidden" gigantic. MGEN (Mutual of Education) would be the best endowed. In 2009, its reserves "excessive" reached 1 billion euros, representing a solvency margin of 667%, well above the standards. With reserves of 262 million euros, Malakoff Médéric benefit from a solvency margin of 779%.These financial reserves "would easily (these mutual, Ed) to support the additional tax under the government without making their customers suffer," the paper concludes.

According to a study released Wednesday by UFC-Que Choisir, the French spent 25.4 billion euros in additional contributions to health in 2010, an increase of 16.6% in five years, two times higher than the increase income. And raising taxes will bring to the state 100 million euros in 2011 and $ 1.1 billion in 2012, according to government calculations.

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Asian stock markets are in a bad mood on Thursday. Investors in the region are not reassured Wall Street that ended Wednesday in the balance after a volatile session. Fears of an economic slowdown in the world come to the fore.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange sets the tone with an opening in the red, down 0.42% for the Nikkei. The Japanese benchmark index widened its losses in the morning to show a decline of 1.24% to 8944 points at a time of closing. A new mixed indicators on the front disrupted operators: Japan reported in a July trade surplus, four months after the earthquake of March 11, but the surplus has shrunk by more than 90% because of lower exports and a surge in energy costs.The third largest economy last month generated a trading profit of 72.5 billion yen (650 million), confirming a recovery in economic activity, but its exports fell by 3.3%.

Tokyo is hit by a rise in the yen against the dollar, which traded below 77 yen again this morning values ​​exporters are under pressure, in the image of Mazda Motor (-5 fast cash without a hassle.65%), Fuji Heavy Industries (-5 , 16%), Nissan (-2.96%). The electronics sector is hit by the fall of Dell in the U.S. markets. Toshiba lost 4.45% and 2.34% Panasonic.

Hong Kong is the perfect balance while in Shanghai, the stock market unscrews from 0.34%. The Korean Kospi lost 2.95%, the S & P Australian loose 1.40% and the Indian Sensex was down 0.73%.

Oil off again down

Oil prices were down Thursday morning in electronic trading in Asia as investors await key U.S. economic indicators, the first consumer of black gold in the world. On the menu, including: the weekly jobless claims, the index of leading indicators and consumer prices.

In morning trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for September delivery lost 33 cents to 87.25 dollars. That of Brent North Sea crude for September delivery yielded 30 cents to 110.30 dollars.

As in Asia, the Paris Bourse tries to rebound on Tuesday. At the opening, the CAC 40 gained 0.16% to 3819.23 points. Same in the rest of Europe: the London Stock Exchange opened up 0.11% to 5931.99 points and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange up 0.34% to 7369.89 points.

But investors remain cautious as Barack Obama has not convinced the issue of debt. In a speech to the nation live from the White House, Bush denounced the attitude of the Republicans that led to an impasse "dangerous". The world's largest economy may end up in default within a week if no agreement is reached on raising the debt ceiling, an event "irresponsible" by the president. Facing him, the chairman of the House Republican John Boehner, remained inflexible. He accused Barack Obama face of intransigence solutions proposed by his party."The sad truth is that the president wants a blank check. This will not happen, "he said.

Faced with the growing nervousness of the markets, it has however promised to submit to the Senate and the president a bill to avoid a default. "If the president promulgates it, the atmosphere of crisis it has created will disappear of itself," he said. Barack Obama also wanted to be reassuring: "I told the leaders of both parties that they must reach a compromise in the coming days, which can be passed by both houses of Congress, a compromise that I can enact. And I'm sure we can seal this compromise. "

In addition to the markets, the United States are now under pressure from the IMF suggests that a "severe shock" if no agreement is reached on time.The institution has also damaged its projections for the U.S. national debt.

The dollar attacked

The dollar is suffering in this context. The dollar briefly fell below 78 yen Tuesday, its lowest level since March 17, when President Barack Obama spoke to Americans. The euro has also appreciated against the greenback at 1.4420 dollars against 1.4375 dollars late Monday. "The president's speech Obama has disappointed market expectations of progress hoping to break the deadlock," said Hideki Hayashi, an economist at the brokerage Mizuho Securities, quoted by Dow Jones Newswires.

Oil prices were, themselves, without direction in electronic trading in Asia, the market continued to worry about the lack of agreement. A barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in August took 15 cents to 99.35 dollars.That of Brent North Sea crude for September delivery lost 29 cents to 117.65 dollars.

Investors also will keep an eye on the indicators of the day:

– The morale of French households is somewhat back in July after months of stability, with a gain of 3 points in the index that measures at 86 points, according to data released Tuesday by INSEE. But that level remains low.

– The number of starts of new homes rose 13.4% year on year in France for the period April to June, said Tuesday the Department of Housing.

Coming to the United States: the index of house prices and new home sales. Also the program overseas indices of investor confidence and consumer.

Values ​​to follow

The banks are recovering from their fall the day before.Crédit Agricole (1.64% to 9.06 euros), BNP Paribas (1.48% to 47.39 euros), Société Générale (1.39% to 36.77 euros), Axa (1, 28% to 13.88 euros) and Natixis (1.26% to 3.29 euros) are the highest increases in the ACC.

Faurecia: -1.55% to 29.87 euros

The automotive supplier has revised up its forecasts Tuesday turnover for 2011 between 15.7 and 15.9 billion euros and operating margin, after a good first half. But the forecast annual cash flow is lowered.

Veolia: 0.67% to 18.16 euros

The city of Warsaw has chosen Dalkia, Veolia and controlled by EDF, to buy the operator of its district heating network, the company SPEC, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Orpea: 0.20% to 34.44 euros

The investment company said it had taken FFP 6% stake in Orpea, a company specializing in the treatment of addiction, for a total of 88 million euros.

TF1: 5.30% to 13.40 euros

The television group has published a net profit up 60% to 118.6 million euros, but a turnover in a very slight decline (-0.5%), 1.3 billion euros, for the first half of 2011.

STMicroelectronics: -6.53% to 53.97 euros

The group said Monday second-quarter sales in line with analysts' expectations, but said that they could fall during the current quarter.

LVMH: 0.15% to 130.75 euros

The group said on Monday maintained at 12.25 euros per share price of its tender offer to purchase the remaining shares of the Italian jeweler Bulgari and denied having purchased from the family part of the shares at a higher price. It will publish its results after market close the first half.

Klépierre: 0.55% to 27.56 euros

The group reported Monday, against all odds, a growth of almost 4% of its rental income, supported by the increase in rents in shopping centers in an economic context, however, marked by the slowdown in consumption in Europe.(See

Mercialys: -0.81% to 29.40 euros

The group identified Monday its growth target for this year after reporting a growth of over 9% of its rental income in the first half and its Board of Directors decided to distribute an interim dividend for 2011 .

SEB: -7.10% to 67.62 euros

The group released Monday interim results up, thanks to its good performance in emerging markets, and is confident for the full year.

Faiveley Transport: -3.99% to 62.50 euros

The group confirmed Monday forecast for 2011 a slight increase in sales, just over a month after a warning about shifts orders.

April Group: -2.13% to 17.03 euros

The group recorded an increase of 1.3% of its turnover to 377.8 million euros, a jump of 8.2% in brokerage on which the group has refocused more than offsetting the decline 9.6% in insurance premiums.

After market, Sopra Vinci and publish their turnover for the second quarter, Gascogne, Euler Hermes, Spir Communication, TV and Radio Next Icade unveil the results of the second quarter, M6 will report its results in the first half.

The wiretapping scandal that is the empire of the waver media magnate Rupert Murdoch could seriously undermine the financial health of News Corp.. The rating agency Standard & Poor's has placed under surveillance the note of media group, currently BBB +. Investors welcomed this decision: As News Corp, which lost 4.32% yesterday even on Wall Street rebounds on Tuesday morning at the Sydney Stock Exchange, gaining 2.75% in mid-session.

Standard & Poor's is concerned about "the increased risk associated with the activities and reputation (the group) while the legal extend." The financial consequences of the scandal is already heavy for News Corp, which had to abandon his flagship project of redemption of all of the satellite channel BSkyB.And the rating agency believes that a tarnished reputation "may scare off customers or future, to lose opportunities and divert attention from the leaders." Now that reputation has been affected by "the amplification of the legal proceedings in Britain and the pressure from U.S. lawmakers for an FBI investigation," said the rating agency before turning to the resignations and the convening of several leaders for a hearing by the British Parliament on July 19.

In addition, the group management may be altered. According to Bloomberg, the Board would discuss the replacement of Rupert Murdoch as head of the group, despite the support the manager confirmed yesterday by a director, Tom Perkins.The Wall Street Journal yesterday, the CEO and founder of News Corp is considering himself to let go of the reins of his company for more than a year, giving way to Chase Carey, the current chief operating officer of group. The departure of Rupert Murdoch has also become a struggle for the collective LulzSec hackers, who hijacked last night a page of the website of Sun, directing users to a hoax article-which announced the death of the boss of News Corp.

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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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Most renewed the attack on the RSA. On the eve of the opening of the convention on the theme of social justice organized by the presidential party tomorrow, Wednesday, June 8, Jean-Francois Cope, secretary general of the UMP, exhibited in an interview with the daily La Voix du North's proposals for certain recipients of income solidarité active (RSA) work "between five and ten hours per week serving the community of residence." In Le Parisien, Aujourd'hui en France, his deputy, Marc-Philippe Daubresse, which promotes these same proposals.

"About a third of the 1.15 million households that receive the old RMI are not able to work without heavy social support. But for the others we'll be offered a social utility paid five to ten hours per week, in communities or integration structures, "he says.In case of refusal, "the RSA may be reduced on a declining basis," said deputy general secretary.

Keeping the philosophy of law Hirsch

"Laurent Wauquiez has asked good questions," says he with reference to the controversy raised in mid-May by the Minister of European Affairs on the "excesses of the assistantship. Marc-Philippe Daubresse former Minister of Solidarity nevertheless believes that active-Laurent Wauquiez who wanted to impose hours of social service, did not provide "necessarily the right answers for those who know the complex workings of the RSA low interest personal loan.

He said the crisis has eased the innovative principle of active solidarity revenue, created to allow anyone who works to earn more than doing nothing, and he wants to add a second component.This new proposal he said the answers "to questions by Laurent Wauquiez, while keeping the philosophy of law Hirsch.

Create one-stop shops

Marc-Philippe Daubresse also wants to create one-stop and check that one department to another, that households whose situation is similar enjoy the same rights. The monthly business-RSA today paid quarterly, is also considered.In order to track social security fraud, the UMP also wants to implement a automatic reporting of income by Urssaf the family allowance funds.

These proposals were laborées at the request of President Chirac who, while saying that RSA is "a major social advance of this five-year", said it was perfect.

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The RSA is still too much to summarize for the assistantship. This is the opinion of the UMP on the social benefit created in late 2008 to replace the RMI. A member of the majority – Peter Lang – early April has filed a bill to require their recipients to perform twenty hours of community service per week. Right about the club's social ex-Secretary of State for Employment Laurent Wauquiez, he is preparing to request a return for five hours per week.

Recognizing this, the Head of State asked Marc-Philippe Daubresse, deputy secretary general of the UMP him "to make proposals to improve and upgrade the RSA, including its component insertion. That's why Martin Hirsch, the "father" of the RIAA, wrote to the former Minister for Active Solidarity letter – that Le Figaro was procured – to inform him of his "reform possibilities."He also said "available" to the convention that the UMP will devote to this subject in June and hopes to "be invited".

The former High Commissioner suggests to integrate RSA's earned income tax, "as expensive, ineffective, inequitable and diluted." One option discarded in 2008 that would "refocus budgetary resources on those who need it most." The president of the Civic Service Agency also proposes to revise the "slope" of the RSA (rate of income related to the resumption of employment that recipients are sure to keep). Set at 62%, he suggested the move to 70% for the RSA is "more incentive to work."This option was not selected in 2008 because of its cost ($ 3 billion, twice the budget approved) and the opposition of the Ministry of Employment.

"False good idea"

To increase the number of beneficiaries of the "RSA activity" (extra income for working poor) has reached in two years that 40% of its target (670,000 households), the former boss of Emmaus proposes to pay The RSA once a year. "A person would not file quarterly for 40 euros per month could ask the same time it made its return all the RSA which it could claim the title of the year, or 500 euros "says Martin Hirsch.

It encourages governments to "re-information campaigns, pointing that it is" rare and unusual "that a new benefit does not give rise to regular campaigns.And calls of "systematically provide a single integration contract" for recipients and above all to punish the double rejection. "This will help determine in what cases are the recipients who refuse a contract and helped when it comes to a lack of offers," he justified.

Martin Hirsch also reconsiders the "false good idea" to request a free exchange. "If we want to take five hours per week of activity to any recipient, then they must pay the minimum wage, or about 100 euros net gain", the only assumption that "do not turn your back to frontally work more to earn more .He blames the failure of the last RSA Young (8000 recipient, cons 16,000 expected) at Bercy, who made "a very inflated forecasts, for pushing the eligibility criteria strictest possible" and calls on the government to relax .

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