Sundial of world news

One was 37, he is a mason, tiler. The other is 53 years old, it is mover. Gunseli and Michel worked in the Paris region. And both consider "poor" taking into account the hardship, as proposed by the government: the ability to stop working at age 60, provided they have been recognized inability to at least 20%. An advanced course, but also points to the pension reform the most debated by MPs, part of the majority joining the left to request a more broad.

"Now I have to retire at age 62. This is not fair. After 60 years, it is too difficult physically, gunseli regrets. In construction, it is hard all the time.But hey, there's nothing to do, the government chooses. "Considering that life expectancy is lower than" people who work in offices, gunseli legitimate judge to keep a starting retirement at age 60.

"Tired and decreased"

An argument that includes Michael. But the latter, well aware of the contents of the bill, is more nuanced. "We are always obliged to take examinations. The 20%, it will remain an exceptional measure for people who have major injuries, "he laments. The measure should be more flexible. Special schemes and benefit from generous, all we have to work longer. "But then he admits:" Even if you do the same job, it's normal that leave those who are injured early retirement."

Between trips to the doctor, prosthetics and rehabilitation, Michel, as gunseli, admits however, "tired and down." "Clearly I can not do the same work that 20 years!" Jokes the mover, who, despite a slight limp, does not meet the criterion of 20% disability.

And this is probably the real problem: lack of prevention and management of workstations, to avoid the burnout. "It does not exist in the world of work! You're there to produce "wryly Michel. Accustomed to carrying heavy loads and repetitive work and stressful, the fifties suffers from chronic back pain and a persistent knee pain."Every time I go see the doctor, it relieves me of the time, he says, but once you have an injury, no turning back is possible."

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The crisis has cost France dear. No less than 6 percentage points of GDP between 2008 and 2010 and 3 points of tax revenue and social, as estimated by INSEE. "The growth restarts quite normally, but it remains the scar," said Thursday its chief executive, Jean-Philippe Cotis.

The U.S. stock market continues its recovery. Contrary to the meeting on Tuesday where they were fenced in a disorganized, Wednesday's session saw the U.S. markets move all in green. At mid-session, the Dow Jones gained 0.96% at 10,040 points, the Nasdaq advance of 1.32% to 2199 points and the S & P 500 rose 1.06% to 1073 points. Tuesday already, after long hesitation which direction to take, the NYSE has done piecemeal. The Dow Jones gained 1.26%, but the Nasdaq has yielded 0.16%.

USA: growth "robust" in 2010 and 2011

On the foreign exchange market, the euro relapsing slightly in the morning against the greenback, hit by new fears over a deepening crisis in Europe.The European currency was worth 1.1942 dollars, against 1.1967 dollars the previous day.

Unsurprisingly, Ben Bernanke has confirmed the speech he gave Monday saying that the economic recovery appeared to be "solid" in the United States.

Heavy oil stocks decline

U.S. inventories of crude oil dropped more than expected last week, said Wednesday the U.S. Agency for Energy Information (EIA). Crude inventories fell 1.8 million barrels to 361.4 million. Economists on average had expected a decline of 900,000 barrels.

Today on Wall Street investors expect the Beige Book Federal Reserve, a report on economic conditions in the United States.Analysts said the report should confirm an increase in economic activity, but no sign of inflation, reinforcing the idea that the Fed is in no hurry to raise interest rates immediately.

After the disappointment of last Friday on the job figures, investors should pay particular attention to weekly figures for unemployment benefits to be published tomorrow payday loan.Among the major events of the week macroeconomic Friday, the market will face a survey about the mood of consumers.

On the side of values, the fast food giant McDonald's (+0.18% to 68.50 dollars) and the diverse group 3M U.S. (0.56% to 75.34 U.S. dollars) has warned that the collapse of the euro against the dollar would have a negative impact on their results.

Texas Instruments announced that its earnings and its turnover in the second quarter would be in the top end of its previous estimates.

The first U.S. carmaker, General Motors (GM) announced Tuesday the recall of 1.5 million vehicles worldwide, the vast majority in the U.S., for Fire Risk washer.

The U.S. giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) (-0.17% to 45.80 U.S. dollars) has launched a new series of printers capable of drawing paper from a mobile phone or other multi-function devices connected to the Internet.

Also note, the U.S. stock Constable, the SEC announced yesterday after the close that he could approve this week the creation of circuit breakers on trading platforms to avoid the repetition of "crash blitz last month on Wall Street, reported Tuesday the Wall Street Journal. For their part, the elected U.S. Congress to negotiate a version of the reform of financial regulation common to both chambers said Tuesday that those talks could be completed by the June 26 Bank stocks may react to this set of measures.

The big annual event in the automotive industry held in Beijing until Sunday confirmed that the style and technology of Chinese cars are progressing well. The Citroen ZX for hire, Volkswagen Santana and other pale copies of Japanese sedans certainly live their last years of existence.

Great Wall, a great inspiration – Haval Under the label, the mark this year an unprecedented range of 4 ? 4 leisure. It is recognized in the models exhibited the features of the Volvo XC60, VW's Tiguan and the Mazda CX-7 or the Hyundai Tucson. The latter, renamed H6, is equipped with a 2-liter common rail turbo diesel and a 6-speed automatic transmission, like the original.

The troubles continue for Goldman Sachs. After the civil action last week by the SEC, the policeman of the American Stock Exchange, the leaders of the institution are subject to a complaint by two shareholders, Robert and Morton Rosinek Spiegel, the Supreme Court of State of New York. They accuse the leadership of the bank to have breached its obligations by conducting a series of transactions involving CDOs (collateralized debt obligations) linked to subprime mortgages.

The bank's CEO, Lloyd Blankfein was named, along with all members of its board of directors. The French trader Fabrice Tourre is also part of those involved.

Both complaints put forward the "systematic failures" of the bank for three and a half years has not reviewed the Abacus-risk investments, in the heart of the case quick cash.The losses amount to one billion dollars.

These criticisms follow those of the SEC has accused Goldman Sachs of fraud accusing him of having misled investors during the marketing of complex financial product issuing CDOs. According to the SEC, Goldman Sachs has committed fraud rules governing the banking institutions do not publish everything she knew about these titles based on guarantees fragile.

Ed Canaday, a spokesman for the bank, declined to comment immediately, saying the bank had not yet seen the complaint.

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"We see the gentleman behind the great communicator." Thus did Laurence Parisot commented on Monday, the first decision of the boss of Publicis Group, the new President of the French Association of Private Enterprise (Afep, which includes hundreds of large companies including those listed on the CAC 40). Maurice Levy has proposed to his counterpart Medef code to complete their common governance, to promote parity. The text now recommends that boards of directors (or supervisory) have at least 20% of women within three years and 40% by six years, these deadlines will act over the arrival due mandates.Some recommendations that match the proposal passed earlier this year by the Assembly at the initiative of the UMP MP Marie-Jo Zimmermann, with the support group president Jean-Francois Cope, who must still pass the Senate .

But the draft law provides for sanctions, including revocation of appointments of directors who flout the rule. Nothing like it in the code AFEP-MEDEF: all the betting is that firms will not dent their image. This is the principle of "comply or explain" ("comply or explain"), which Maurice Levy thinks it will be very effective: "If the rule is not applied, it should explain why in its annual report and before his shareholders.This is the strongest thing that can be imposed on a board of directors. "This idea of self-regulation had given birth to the code AFEP-MEDEF, allowing companies to avoid legislation on executive compensation (parachutes gilded, stock options …). Similarly, Maurice Levy believes that "the law is no longer necessary" on women directors. Marie-Jo Zimmermann replied "very pleased that companies show their willingness to move forward" but hopes that his bill "continue its path. He took this sword of Damocles that things start to move, we'll see in two or three years if we can remove it.In addition, continued its elected Moselle, my text provides a resolution of the board annually on equality across the company: hiring, pay, career development … ".

Bernadette Chirac at LVMH

"We may not like quotas, but there are circumstances where a little help can ease the situation," said Laurence Parisot, who "companies are at the forefront. We never talk about discrimination suffered by women in top management. The subject is still in the agenda of the "Social Agenda 2010" of Public Service."And we talk enough about the risk of decline with future territorial advisors," says the boss of bosses, the voting could be first past the post, whereas the regional advisers are currently elected on joint lists.

According Afep, women accounted for 10.4% of the directors of the CAC 40 in late 2009, and is expected to rise to 15.7% this year. Carole Lewiner will be ushered to the board of Bouygues, Laurence Dors at Capgemini, Meglena Kuneva at BNP Paribas in Fatine Layt Imeri … Without forgetting Bernadette Chirac at LVMH.

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For sure, the case of reminders stuck with Toyota. The Japanese manufacturer, which is already subject to a sixty complaints from consumers in the United States must now respond to accusations of a U.S. attorney. Tony Rackauckas, Attorney of Orange County, south of Los Angeles has filed suit against Toyota on Friday night.

Toyota was aware

"We affirm the court on behalf of residents of Orange County, that Toyota has knowingly sold cars and trucks with defects responsible for sudden and uncontrollable acceleration of certain vehicles," he said. For the record, Toyota has recalled nearly nine million vehicles worldwide, including six million in the United States because of problems of uncontrolled acceleration and to a lesser extent, defective brakes.

The Prius, the hybrid model, which was the pride of Toyota, has been implicated.A case that forced the group's CEO, Akio Toyoda, to begin a round of apologies, first in the United States and then China. "I fear that the pace at which we developed could be too fast," he admitted before the Commission to monitor and reform the U.S. Congress last February 24.

On behalf of the "consumer protection"

For Tony Rackauckas, the California attorney, the meteoric rise of giant Nagoya is not the underlying problem. He said the acceleration defects affect "hundreds of thousands of vehicles sold in California in recent years." In addition, "Toyota knew these defects but intentionally concealed California consumers."Affirming that his complaint was "first brought to Toyota in the name of protecting consumers' Tony Rackauckas calls for a fine of $ 2,500 for" each violation of the law on unfair trade practices. "

For its part, Toyota has responded quickly. In a terse statement, the manufacturer provides "not having received the complaint" and therefore "not be able to comment on pending litigation." Despite these twists cascade, a survey published Friday by the marketing firm Corporate Research International (CRI) should reassure Toyota.

Customers, however faithful

Indeed, it appears that the group's U.S. customers remain loyal to him. "Only 6.5% of Toyota's current customers surveyed said they no longer buy Toyota because of reminders," concludes the study, conducted among 1640 people between February 19 and March 2.Same observation in Japan, where Toyota cartonne forever. The brand saw its sales increase in Japan in February from 47.9% a year to 146,145 vehicles, according to the Japan Auto Dealers (Jada).

This time it's official: the Dutch Spyker has concluded an agreement with U.S. giant General Motors (GM) to her resume its Swedish subsidiary Saab.

Until this agreement, the case n Saab has stopped bouncing. While the U.S. giant General Motors said in December that it simply shut its Swedish subsidiary Saab lack of buyer, the Dutch Spyker Cars was returned to office with an offer the last chance. Rumors surrounding the conclusion of this agreement have been numerous throughout the day. Spyker very careful not wanting to comment on reports that circulated in financial markets.

Spyker Trading suspended

Despite this caution, speculation quickly swelled Tuesday.So much so that the Netherlands Authority for Financial Markets (AFM) has decided to suspend trading in the Spyker action on the exchanges of Amsterdam at 12:45 GMT and that "until further notice" creditreport . The title of the Dutch manufacturer had gained 2.8%, to 3.90 euros before the intervention of the regulator. The AFM said it was awaiting the publication of a statement by Spyker, to clarify the situation.

Spyker is the only candidate for the acquisition of Saab. The group would put 400 million dollars on the table in cash (74 million) and shares (326 million) of the new company that emerged from the sale, according to sources familiar with the matter. Take it or leave it. Leaders from General Motors and Spyker met last Friday in Stockholm to address the remaining points of detail, reports U.S. magazine BusinessWeek.In particular, future production plans for this "new Saab.

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Proponents maintain flirtation with the mystery on its exact size, but with over 800 meters high, the Burj Dubai will have no trouble to climb to the summit since it exceeds by at least 300 meters above the current building in the world, Taipei 101 Taiwan (508 meters). The question is whether this will be the last great Pharaonic site long before the emirate in the Middle East crisis.

The story goes that the emir of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum, had returned to its initial project promoters with poor 90 floors. "We thought little of beating the record held by the Taipei 101 tower. But the client asked us each to go higher, but we set limits, "says architect Bill Baker, the firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill of Chicago, developer of the skyscraper.

Click on thumbnail for larger graphic

Coup de th??tre to the Constitutional Council. Tuesday night is no less a pillar of the 2010 budget that the Sages retoque in deciding to cancel the carbon tax in its entirety. In their decision, the constitutional judges – seized last week by the Parliamentary Socialists – have ruled that the law created too many exemptions, which is "contrary to the objective of fighting against global warming" and creates an inequality in tax."Less than half the emissions of greenhouse gas emissions would have been subject to contributions to carbon, because many of these exemptions, they argued.

In detail, the Constitutional Council has stressed that "were totally exempt contribution of carbon emissions from power plants generating electricity, emissions from industrial sites in 1018 the most polluting (refineries, cement, coke …) "emissions from aviation" or "those of the public transport of passengers by road. "These exemptions have led to only 93% of emissions from industrial sources, excluding fuel, are exempt from carbon contribution," according to the text.The tax would have "focused on fuel and heating products that are only one source of emission of carbon dioxide.

An alternative is proposed by Fillon January 20

Shortly after the publication of the decision of the Elders, Matignon has announced that Francois Fillon presented January 20 in Council of Ministers a new scheme taking "full account of the observations of the Constitutional Council. The prime minister maintains, however, that this contribution is needed to guide the behavior of firms and households in terms of energy consumption and reduce emissions of greenhouse gas emissions. "The cabinet of Jean-Louis Borloo for its part indicated that the Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development Wednesday react to this defeat.

For its part, the Socialist Party – through its National Secretary for the Environment, Laurence Rossignol – did not expect to qualify the decision of the constitutional judges of "heavy defeat for the president. It is both the sanction of a working method that is to do everything in a hurry and a series of announcement effects. For the federation France Nature Environment (FNE), a cancellation is "catastrophic." "The carbon tax is clearly in agony.Copenhagen has shown that political will was not enough in the fight against climate change and today is the leverage that tax is lowered, "lamented spokesman FNE, Arnaud Gosse.

A measure dear to the Head of State

Wanted by Nicolas Sarkozy, the tax, renamed "carbon contribution" by the Senate, was a key measure of the proposed 2010 budget. In total, it would have resulted in 4.1 billion euros in tax revenue next year, including 2.2 billion paid by households. The Head of State himself had described as a "revolutionary tax" and a "major shift" to "lasting change" behavior of the French. The tax was aimed at encouraging individuals to reduce their CO2 emissions by applying the energy consumption of households and businesses, with compensation to individuals.For businesses, the carbon tax would replace the business tax, which was abandoned, however, been validated by the Constitutional Council.

According to calculations by INSEE, the entry into force – scheduled for 1 January – would be to effect a general price increase of 0.3% in first quarter 2010, an increase of about 4 cents per liter gasoline pump. Set at 17 euros per tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2), but she had raised important challenges left, but right where some denounced the introduction of a new tax.

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