Sundial of world news

The egg becomes a scarce commodity. Since the entry into force on 1 January of a European directive amending the conditions for laying hens, egg production in France fell 18% in mid-March, after falling 10% in 2011 . "About 5% of farmers have failed to comply with standards on time and no longer have the right to produce," says the National Committee for the Promotion of the egg (CNPO). At the abeyance of some poultry houses, plus the time needed for hens, very prone to stress, to adapt to their new environment and get back to spawn, the producers note. Other countries are affected, such as Spain, Italy, Germany or the UK. In total, Europe suffers from a deficit of 200 million eggs a week.

Faced with this shortage, manufacturers of biscuits, cakes and pasta are worried. They are now buying their eggs at prices 66 to 100% higher than a year ago. "Supply is a real problem," said Romain Nouffert, Managing Director of Lesieur, the French number one edible oil, which provides an increase of 5 to 6% of the price of mayonnaise. A fear shared by Philippe Godard, responsible for the development of the Business Federation of French baking and pastry (FEBPF). "The proportion of eggs in the total composition of revenues may represent 15 to 30% of the total, depending on the product," he says. "The cost may no longer be acceptable or even tolerable, if the rise continues, especially as it adds to the high price of durum wheat," is alarmed, for his part, Christine Petit, Secretary General Union of Industrial Pasta Manufacturers of France (SIFPAF), who represents Lustucru Pastacorp.  

Denouncing "the inertia of the European authorities," the industry is calling for urgent action, particularly for the import of egg products. "If the situation continues, some companies at risk of bankruptcy in four to six months," warns the FEBPF and SIFPAF, associated with the manufacturers of Biscuits and Cakes France, the Union of Bakery crispy and chewy and the Association of food companies developed (ADEPALE) poor credit personal loans. This sector includes more than 104,000 direct jobs in France for a turnover exceeding € 18.3 billion.

The French could pay the bill

The equation is further complicated for manufacturers that they can not pass on the soaring prices of the egg on the shelves, being bound by contracts with the annual distribution. "When you know that 90% of cookies are sold in supermarkets and hypermarkets, we measure the challenges of this situation," says Philippe Godard. Distribution, however, considers that this crisis is temporary. "Our goal is to preserve the purchasing power of consumers and ultimately for the entire industry, sales volumes of these products in store," says Mathieu Pecqueur, agriculture and quality director of the Federation of Commercial and distribution (FCD). "Manufacturers have certainly been integrated into the negotiations completed in late February the rising cost of egg production, we see that since the end of 2011," he adds. From last year, in fact, farmers were already experiencing an increase in wheat and corn used to feed chickens.

One day or another, however, the French should bear the brunt of this crisis of the egg. "The impact on the labels will, in theory, since the momentary during the egg will soon recede," said Charles Pernin, head of nutrition and health issues at the consumer organization CLCV. "Unfortunately, the shelf prices rarely return to normal," he adds. Ultimately, the French can always follow the latest fashion: invest in a hen to produce their own eggs and thus continue to make cakes.

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It would have been a shame to keep the good news to yourself! With two months ahead of the traditional Accounts Committee of Social Security, the government announced Tuesday that the results "still provisional" general scheme for 2011. The deficit reached 17.4 billion euros, 3.5 billion less than budgeted and $ 600 million better than expected in the fall. This "hole" remains the third highest in the history of Social Security, according to records from 2009 and 2010 mainly due to the crisis. The improvement should continue in 2012.

The relatively good surprise of 2011 comes from the health insurance. Its revenues were higher than expected and expenditures lower. "This is essentially care city," said its director for Voices. For Frederic Van Roekeghem although welfare is "slightly under-funded," balance the books "is within reach, without embarking on reforms brutal." A whiff of optimism that the two favorites for the presidential does not contradict probably because of brutal reform, there is no question in their programs.

A tax on CO2 emissions

Logically, Nicolas Sarkozy proposes the continuation of actions taken. Down drug prices and volumes consumed, rationalization of the hospital with the development of ambulatory care homes nearby emergencies to relieve these …: these measures should help contain rising health care costs in rates historically low of 2.5% per year. Faced with medical deserts, the president candidate wants to multiply nursing homes and assist in the installation in rural areas or the suburbs – an ineffective way to date – without seeing the freedom of settlement. Against the excess fees excessive, he put on the new system of government (voluntary physicians to limit the excess and reimbursement by complementary), which does not yet meet the main question.

Nothing fundamental about the pension reform after Woerth – only promise to pay the basic pension from the first of the month, instead of 8. Finally, funding side, social VAT will alleviate employers' contributions, so the cost of labor.

Francois Hollande,, cancel account this increase in VAT if it comes at the Elysee. He announced an increase of one billion euros per year pension contributions to fund its only specific promise in retirement: the possibility of retiring at 60 for employees who worked continuously for 41 years. But he also outlined on Tuesday lexpress.fr other avenues for funding Social Security is no longer based "solely on the work", "go further" in the financing of Medicare by the CSG in particular. This time it would reduce employee contributions – a measure of purchasing power rather than competitiveness, without maturity displayed. The socialist candidate also evokes a tax on CO2 emissions it would be at the European level, said his entourage. Responsible for the "social hub" of the Holland team, Marisol Touraine also promises to abolish social niches, beginning with the overtime.

What Safely restore the balance "on the five-year", with an increase in health spending of 3% per year. This envelope would enable hospitals to escape the alignment of their tariffs with those clinics, lower. Holland is also focusing on third-party payer in town doctors to limit the use of hospital emergency rooms. And to reduce the amounts paid out of pocket by patients, without increasing spending Safely, Marisol Touraine threat to frame the excess fees by law in the fall, except that physicians accept by there limits through negotiation. As for medical deserts, it envisages the partial transposition of the device begins to bear fruit among nurses: ban fees for doctors free to settle where they are already numerous.

The 45 employees of Air France in Corsica term employees who were protesting for months to be appointed permanently to a permanent contract (CDI) will not be reintegrated into the company which already employs 500 people in Corsica.

The Court of Appeal of Bastia has indeed delivered Wednesday for compensation ranging from 9,000 to 14,000 euros for each of the plaintiffs, holding that the CSD were "illegal". But she did not follow the decisions of industrial tribunals which included, besides their tenure, payment of 5 million euros in fines. "In December, we proposed to pay more than five times the amount fixed by the court today. The 45 employees had declined the transaction and offers of reassignment to have us come on the Continent, "says an executive of Air France.  

The CGT, one union representative at Air France in Corsica, caused them to go "to the end." Wednesday after the judgment, Albert Malausse, CGT Air France, stayed on the line: "If we do a cold summer, we will. It is necessary that those responsible for this judgment are paying the consequences. We are ready to fight a flawless, probably illegal, and radical as this decision is absurd. "

A posture that will not facilitate the task of Air France, which seeks to reduce the 25 million loss recorded by the company on the Island of Beauty. The Corsican authorities concluded there ten days an increase of 11 million grant awarded to Air France (41.5 million) as part of the public service delegation. It now remains to make peace.

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The gas leak that caused the evacuation of 238 people on the platform of Total Elgin in the North Sea, 240 km east of Aberdeen in Scotland, still has a risk of explosion.

The BBC said that the flare used to burn non-exploitable gas was left burning on the Elgin platform, despite the risks involved with all the gas that is brought to the surface. A surprising situation, considering that the oil company has yet taken every precaution to avoid an explosion, especially by cutting the current on the farm. A spokesman for Total, quoted by the BBC, ensures that risks are limited, since the flare is 90 m high and the winds are favorable, causing the gas cloud in the right direction.

Preston Martin, an expert in marine pollution at the University of Liverpool, in turn ensures the BBC that the explosion risks persist and that "nobody will be able to approach the platform as the flare is lit . As it burns, they will have to find a plan B, "he said.

The director of health, safety and environment at Total, David Hainsworth, also acknowledged that a risk of explosion existed.

The flare is not supplied with gas, and had decreased in size Tuesday night. It can not be turned off remotely, but should eventually go out of itself, according to the spokesman for Total television quoted British public.

The evacuation of the platform Elgin has avoided a repeat of the worst disaster in the history of oil, the explosion of the Piper Alpha platform, which had 167 deaths in July 1988 after a gas leak on a similar offshore operations.

According to the British magazine New Scientist, quoting a source at Total, the leak did not come from the main geological reservoir in which natural gas is extracted, but an intermediate layer, closest to the surface. The gas goes back to the surface by the casing surrounding the drill pipe.

This would explain why all the efforts of staff the platform to plug the leaks found Sunday were unsuccessful. Only positive, the amount of gas in the intermediate tank should be smaller, and lower pressure than the main tank, which in turn, was secured.

Total would not confirm or deny this information, providing only that "studies are underway to analyze the causes of the leak." Industry experts estimate it will take several days to positively identify its origin, which is made very complicated by the fact that nobody left on the site.

The French beheaded their king. Do they want to behead the richest of them? One might think that it is in the order of things and words. "King" in Latin rex, and "rich" that just in Gallic rix (as Vercingetorix), share the same etymological family. Both mean "powerful". To cut down?

Francois Hollande and plans to impose 75% income in excess of one million euros, at the risk of appearing confiscatory and unconstitutional. Nicolas Sarkozy wants to tax the tax exiles, threatening implication of deprivation of nationality, and is also limited vis-à-vis the Constitution. The both are attacking a minority that is the envy. Paradoxically, the rich more concerned about public opinion that the poor in the Hexagon. Poor little rich girl, sang Claude François.

Who do we speak? In the U.S., the debate on the "1%" has become a dominant theme of the 2012 presidential campaign. It was launched by the movement Occupy Wall Street ("Wall Street deal"), with the slogan "We are the 99%" ("we are the 99%"). It is stigmatizing growing inequality. Today, 1% of the population accounts for 17% of national income, according to statistics from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), IRS. This proportion more than doubled since the early 1980s throughout the country. It even reaches 44% in the city of New York, according to the Fiscal Policy Institute, an independent body to observe the living conditions of the city.

To be part of the "top 1%" across the Atlantic, he had declared to the tax authorities .927 343 dollars of income in 2009 (before various exemptions, ie "tax loopholes"), about 265, 000 euros. In France, the club's ticket is much more modest. According to INSEE, it was enough for a single person to have a "stated income" of 88 200 euros in 2008 (latest figures available) to be among the 602 most successful French .500 (1% of the 60.250 million population metropolitan France which reports income). Paradoxically, the threshold is proportionately much lower for a couple (132 euros exactly .300), as INSEE reason in what he calls "consumption units". Example, a two-person household accounts for only 1.5 units of consumption: statisticians feel they have less to spend, if only because they share the same roof

. The rich must prove they are effective and useful

The "rich French", the "very high income" in the language of INSEE (at least 7 .350 euros per month for a single), are three times less than Americans. The main reason is that in France the club "of 1%" focuses 7% of national income annually, instead of 17% across the Atlantic, where the overall wealth of the country is also higher (by about a quarter capita) low fee payday advance. Another major difference from both sides of the Atlantic, nine-tenths of the French who are part of the "top 1%", ie 540, 000, with annual sales revenue of less than 239, 000 euros, according to INSEE. This does not allow them to figure in the American Club!

More and more observers believe the criterion of 1% insufficiently selective and that the group is too heterogeneous. It would be more appropriate to focus on the cream of the crop, "one thousandth" of the highest incomes, we believe more in the United States. We are 99.9%, "headlined last fall Paul Krugman, columnist featured in The New York Times, also Nobel Prize in Economics in 2008.

In doing so, it intends to develop two arguments. First of all this "super-elite" – whose annual revenues are on average 5.3 to 7.5 million – has seen its resources after tax increase by 400% since 1979 (increase in real terms, net of inflation and after taxes). But for the average American, who is in the exact middle of the income distribution, purchasing power has increased by just 21%.

Paul Krugman denounces especially the claim of "super-elite" to justify its gains by descréations job. "Very few of them are innovative type of Steve Jobs," he said. He noted that 18% are from finance, 12% are lawyers or real estate industry, "professions where there is no evidence of a clear link between income and contribution to the economy." The rich must prove they are effective and useful. Today more than ever when growth just to leave.

The debate is as old as time. "What the rich have they more than others?", Asked in the 1920 F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby. "Money," replied his friend Ernest Hemingway. As if the wealthy had neither merit nor talent. The opposite attitude is that of the famous parable of the talents: "The master gave five talents to one of his servants, who knew them for profit and is rewarded, while those who did not receive that one hastens to bury in the earth … "This is the origin of the word" talent ". He pointed coins, it became "the gift that is made fruitful." The ability to create jobs for example.

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The French are increasingly choosing to sustainable consumption. With the crisis, their new creed is "eat less but eat better." The year 2012 starts elsewhere in the gloom on the front of the consumer. The French have reduced their spending by 0.4% in January, INSEE announced Tuesday. This is despite the sales. A recent survey * Ifop, higher wages and purchasing power is a priority concern for 58% of French people (+ 7 points from August 2011) in the context of the presidential election. In addition to these concerns, the ideals of consumption in ecological hints are an echo in these times of crisis. A brief overview of the latest trends in cutting waste.

• Donations from individuals, to stop throwing

"Donation after donation, we change the world." Is the slogan of Freecycle.org, a global network of gifts between individuals born in the United States in 2003, which now has 7 million members in 95 countries. In France, it boasts just over 44,000 members. The principle is simple: users register for free on the site to enter into relationships with other individuals and to make donations and recovery of objects. With over 345,000 members, the site Donnons.org created in 2006 has never experienced the crisis. In February, over 9,000 people registered on the site, after more than 11,000 new members in January. "With the decline in purchasing power, our members are looking for an alternative way to consume, and want to give new life to objects instead of flooding the waste dumps," said Isabella Geist, moderating Donnons.org. For the poorest, this site allows free access to certain equipment. "Unlike associations, we function as a social network. Some people stay in touch after making a donation. "

The "comeback" the most spectacular remains of the knitting. Photo credits: Karine Image / Flickr

Rarely have there been a fear of unemployment too high (one third of the French fear of being unemployed in the coming months) coincide with proposals also limited in terms of job candidates in the presidential election.

Apart from generation contracts (with uncertain effects) of Francois Hollande, antidélocalisation VAT (which will particularly benefit the jobs are not exposed to international competition) by Nicolas Sarkozy, or the prohibition of redundancies (fantastic in a global economy ) by Jean-Luc Melenchon, the impétrants at the Elysee do not shine with the inventiveness of their proposals. Everything happens as if in fact the only social issue of this campaign was beginning to worry about the plight of factory workers in difficulty: Lejaby, Petroplus, Photowatt, ArcelorMittal … to name those "lucky" to one of the 20 hours. So much so that outgoing President announced that a buyer or a command Unexpected unexpected, the Socialist candidate responds by passing a law requiring an industrial facility to the closing yield. Syndrome Jospin, powerless anger of employees in 2002 by Lu who accused him of doing nothing to save them, has been there

.

These employees are far from being the most deprived. From large groups who fulfill their obligations reclassification or revitalization (and often sign large checks start), they are part of the iceberg. Registration for employment center after a redundancy no longer represent each month that 2.9% of input patterns. Contrary to popular belief, their numbers fell 3.4% in 2011 to 14,000 per month. All also receive a contract security professional (CSP), ensuring a strengthened support and 100% of their net salary for a year.

This double "deluxe treatment" (media and procedural) for the CSD and interim would like to also benefit. First variable adjustment of the workforce in the companies they represent one third of entries each month at employment center (or 150,000 people) and are not entitled to a CSP in 15 experimental and employment areas. And, in an envelope limited to less than 20,000 contracts this year. 5 times less than for retrenched when they are 10 times more each month to bear the brunt of the crisis. In factories or elsewhere

.

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Wednesday, Euro Disney action collapsed. The stock lost 8.32% to 4.13 euros. The valuation of the group is more than 160 million euros. Deficits accumulate in Euro Disney, despite a record attendance.

During the 2010-2011 fiscal year (ending September), the first amusement park in Europe has widened by almost 40% of its net loss group share to 55.6 million euros (-39.9 million against euros in 2009-2010) cash advance america. His last was in 2001 profits.

However, the number of visitors peaked at 15.6 million, 600,000 more than last year. With the exception of the Dutch, all nationalities have contributed to this increase. The French (49% of visitors), Belgians and Italians have never been numerous.

Even the British (13%), whose attendance was down for two and a half years, returned this year with Mickey.

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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Having long raged about the punctures of the State Budget, Action Housing, the former 1% housing, just go on the offensive. Reportedly, the joint body attacked last Friday before the Paris Administrative Court of the State's decision to withdraw 3.7 billion euros between 2009 and 2011. These funds are used to finance the Anah (National Housing) and ANRU (National Renewal). "We made an informal appeal with the government against the decree fixing the puncture but we never received a reply, said Jean-Pierre Guillon, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Action Housing. We decided to attack the government for abuse of power. "

If Action Housing is the case in court today is with an idea behind the head.Last July, the government has said that he would collect 3.25 billion euros over the period 2012-2014 no fax payday advances. To sweeten the pill, the Secretary of State for Housing, Benoist Appeared, has committed to implement clever financial engineering to boost the cash flow of Action Housing. "But we have no documents indicating that commitment forward Jean-Pierre Guillon. If the minister changed, the following may not feel bound by that promise. "More generally, Action Housing, which collects 0.45% of payroll companies, believes that this aspiration will prevent it from fulfilling its mission . For example, he does not see how it could fund 45,000 homes for young people as he had promised a few months ago.

With this lawsuit, it seeks to pressure the state to be released in the coming weeks the decree laying down the drain of 3.25 billion between 2012 and 2014.