International News

Football, video games, magazines, sofas on which to lie down to watch football matches, all swallowing hot dogs and chips at will. The best place of all men … at least according to Ikea. It was at Sydney in the local store's Swedish distributor, that this "Mansland" was born. The logic is the same as for "Smaland" space for day care children present in all the Ikea stores around the world.

Already cleared of toddlers, women will finally be totally alone to shop. Only problem: after half an hour of bliss, a buzzer reminds the ladies half their existence, if they would have already forgotten. Mr. Mrs. So join to challenge his choice of linens, glass and lighting … and why not to pay at checkout.

No planned deployment in France

This solution to rally the spouses who shun Ikea citing another "Stockholm Syndrome" (birthplace of the group) is currently an isolated initiative. The operation took place over four days on the occasion of Father's Day in Australia. "A deployment of this kind of space for men is not in French stores," says Are there Ikea France. The French will have to still support their husbands and vice versa!

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It was twenty years commissions on credit card transactions had not fallen and that the regulator two years campaigning for change that. Following a lengthy litigation, the Competition Authority announced Thursday that French banks got a discount on fees so that they in turn require merchants and consumers for a withdrawal to the distributor or a card payment. This payment remains the most widely used in France and has grown steadily since its introduction, mainly to the detriment of the check.

According to the Competition Authority, which accused the banks to agree to the detriment of consumers, the main interchange fees should drop by 20% to 50%. The agreement will take effect from 1 October and will be valid for four years, with an estimated loss of revenue for banks to 600 million euros a year.

Effect on customers' bills

In detail, the interchange fees for payment, paid by the merchant's bank to the consumer, are expected to decline by 36%. These costs were strongly disputed by the traders, who thought a large majority "penalizing" according to a survey by the Professional Union scale (UPA). The Federation of Enterprises in trade and distribution was also the source of the complaint filed with the Competition Authority no fax cash advance.

More sensitive to the consumer, the fees charged for each withdrawal by the bank's ATM to that of the cardholder to fall by more than 20%. Currently, most institutions charge a euro each withdrawal at another bank in more than a few transactions. Only the Postal Bank currently fails to puncture such fees."The decline of this commission, now passed to the holders of a majority of banks will most likely be a direct down" on consumers' bills, welcomed the Competition Authority in a statement.

Commissions on levies on the Seletti

In this case, the fear of financial penalty penalizing banks convinced the 130 stakeholders to negotiate with the Competition Authority. In September 2010, the institution has indeed sanctioned eleven banks to the tune of 384.9 million euros for imposing fees on abusive transactions by check.

But the sector is regularly singled out by consumer associations to impose unfair tariffs, has not finished accountable.The Competition Authority also announced Thursday that it will address in the coming months to commissions established by other types of credit cards such as Visa or Mastercard, and those imposed for withdrawals.

LE FIGARO. Why launch this new brand, B & You?

Olivier ROUSSAT .- Today, with the success of smartphones and mobile Internet, a whole segment of customers has become an expert. They can do many things for themselves via the Internet without the need for assistance. For them we run B & You. It's very innovative. Five years ago, this kind of customer did not exist.

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In recent months, the market has sharply segmented into two blocks, with one side clients who are willing to pay for expensive packages smartphones with many services and, on the other clients are doing by them themselves but want less expensive packages.They are equally distributed among all operators.

How is it innovative?

B & You is a new concept: a revolutionary price, a non-binding offer, all in full on the Internet. All this together, it had never been done. We are entering a new era of data, and we are only in infancy. We are in the early history of digital homes.

You offer no phone packages included. Is this the end of the model based on the grant, which strike the costs of operators?

For the operator, in terms of value is almost equivalent: either we subsidize the phone, and packages are more expensive, or we make the economy of the phone, and we are making this economy the customer by lowering the price of his crime.In the same vein, the fact that everything happens on the Internet can not charge the cost of distribution in stores, and the customer relations center.

On the issue of commitment, is a way to get ahead of the bill presented by Frédéric Lefebvre?

The government's plan does not prohibit the engagement. What is important is that the customer has a choice. The commitment is absolute evil. Some customers ask for formulas without commitment, others with a commitment sooner or later.

You feel that the TV will be blurred in 20% of households in future 4G mobile. Will you still at the tender 4G?

Yes, because the frequencies are necessary for our business. But such interference will have a major impact: TVs will not work, it will be black screen. TV makers should take into account now.That the State to determine precisely the measures to be taken.

Are not you exaggerating the problem?

The financial impact can be heavy, everyone knows it. In addition, I note that much interference on all frequency blocks, not one.

Why fiber optic only does much to take off?

For our purposes, we are making very good recruiting subscribers and Bbox fiber meets the needs of our customers who expect very high speed. It is true however, that in very dense area, the operators had to deploy four networks in parallel, which is a non-economic sense. We should not repeat this mistake in the medium density areas. Bouygues Telecom hopes that the facilities are pooled as possible between the different operators. This should facilitate investment, therefore the deployment.

There are 140 operators in Europe, against five in China and three in the United States. The concentration is inevitable?

For Bouygues Telecom, there would be no incentive to merge with another operator. On purchases of infrastructure, we are well positioned. And terminals, exclusive agreements are reduced to a very short period.

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"The project of the PS does not the road." The essayist Alain Minc does not beat around the bush to try the program of the Socialist Party should he win the presidential election in 2012.

In addition to his friendship with Martine Aubry, Alain Minc believes that this project is "totally unsuited to the economic situation." "This is a project that was modern in 1981!, Says in an interview with the daily Le Parisien / Today in France. Youth employment is the world of yesterday. We can not, with the blade of the debt so close to our neck, having a Keynesian program. " The essayist and remember that "debt represents 80% of our gross domestic product. 20% is what he had to do to end the crisis. The remaining 60% are the result of thirty years of accumulated cowardice, left and right wing. "

Alain Minc goes even further in his indictment.He said a victory for the Socialist Party in 2012 would be penalized by financial markets. "The application of the socialist project would lose to France's 'AAA'," says Alain Minc. If for now the rating agencies have confirmed the rating of the country, it could be questioned if France did not take more drastic measures to reduce its deficit.

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Among the various proposals of the PS, Alain Minc attacks the merger of the income tax and social contribution. It considers the measure "extremely devastating for the middle class. I have long been convinced that all European countries should increase VAT by 2%. It will not escape, "said he.

Another topic discussed: compensation of top managers.While Nicolas Sarkozy and François Fillon supported the measure to overtax Xavier Bertrand and Jean-Francois Cope was cautious, Alain Minc "tearing his hair" when he sees the boss of Renault, Carlos Ghosn, will reach 10 million euros for fiscal 2010. "The selfishness of the ruling classes should encourage them to be more moderate in terms of pay. I persist and sign: we must know to practice self-regulation, "says he.

On the euro, Alain Minc said the German attitude to save Greece "intelligently selfish." "If Germany was up to the Deutschmark, it would be in recession," said he.

Finally, he welcomed the appointment of Christine Lagarde to head the International Monetary Fund."It's miraculous! Obviously there was a decisive push to Sarkozy, "he enthuses.

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The race started Wednesday in the Greek Parliament for the adoption of the new austerity plan was completed Thursday. After an initial victory yesterday leading to the adoption of the text by 155 votes against 138, the Socialist government of George Papandreou has successfully overcome the last step: the passage of the legislation implementing the new master plan. The bill received 155 votes against 136, or an absolute majority in parliament, which comprises 300 members.

On Thursday, all the Socialist deputies, more Conservative MP Elsa Papadimitriou, who had made the day before his voice to the government to adopt the master plan of austerity, approved the text "on principle".The 136 deputies present to the opposition of left and right voted against, while five dissidents centrist conservative opposition voted white.

The second text, submitted to MPs, concerned the procedure for implementing conservation measures for 28 billion euros over five years free credit score online. Its adoption was imposed by the eurozone in return for the payment of a new tranche of aid to 110 billion euros developed with the EU and the IMF. A meeting of finance ministers from the euro area, scheduled July 3, will be devoted to the continuation of aid to Greece.

The Greek Parliament has fulfilled the necessary conditions for release of money to Athens to avoid bankruptcy, estimated Thursday the permanent EU president, Herman Van Rompuy, and the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso."The conditions are now in place for a decision on the payment of the next tranche of financial assistance for Greece and for rapid progress on the second bailout", they tried in a joint statement.

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William Multrier, the CEO of Aegis Media France, leaves office. Present since 2005 in the first group of consulting and media buying in France, he was appointed head of the French subsidiary of British group Aegis in 2009. However, the leader, now forty years old, opted to develop its own projects. Indeed, it is the majority shareholder of Webedia group he founded in 2007 and home to sites like Purepeople.com, Puretrend.com, Purefans.com, but Puremedias formerly Ozap.com bought a few months ago M6. This group should post a turnover of nearly 15 million euros in 2011 and "several million" statement business cards design.Guillaume Multrier, "it became indeed difficult to be both at the head of a media agency and several activities in the media."

However, William Multrier should remain in the group until the end of the year. "I want to help customers but also help the group Aegis to organize my estate and to find my successor," he told Le Figaro.

Aegis Media France is the first French media agency, shoulder to shoulder with Havas (Havas Media). It is also one of Aegis Group's main subsidiaries, which totaled in 2010 a total turnover of 1.68 billion euros.

Bibendum does not despair of one day impose a puncture-proof tire. After the failure of PAX, which allowed run flat, but had not convinced the manufacturers, Michelin expects to sell within three years for a tire which sets itself in the event of a puncture.

This innovation, introduced yesterday, is equipped with an inner membrane that comes to fill the holes if needed. The system is effective in cases of perforations of less than 6 millimeters in diameter, or 98% of the holes, according to the manufacturer payday loan lenders.

For manufacturers looking to lighten vehicles, this solution would "remove the spare tire." The group believes that a European driver die on average every 70,000 to 100,000 kilometers in China and India, this happens every 5000-6000 miles.

The false Renault spy case comes to an end for Matthew Tenenbaum. The youngest of three executives dismissed earlier this year accepted its reintegration into the group, according to the agreement reached with management on Monday. "I can confirm that it is reinstated. It remains to determine what functions, it is being discussed these days, "said Thibault de Montbrial, his lawyer. The other two concerned Balthazard Michel Rochette and Bertrand, they have decided not to return.

The other part is returned Philippe Clogenson. The latter had been dismissed for corruption in 2009, also on the basis of anonymous accusations that proved unfounded. Renault reinstate it next month as director of "business development" Renault Consulting, the consulting division of the group.

Back to the wall

The return of Matthew Tenenbaum Renault may have a bitter taste.A new audio document, published by L'Express on Tuesday, makes indeed account for the severity of the direction towards him during the meeting on 3 January with Christian Husson, legal director of the company. That day, part learned with amazement accusations of industrial espionage and the dismissal proceedings against him.

Confident Christian Husson Matthieu Tenenbaum launches: "We know that you have committed serious acts, unethical at Renault, and constitute criminal offenses. You'll leave here earlier with a layoff conservatory. The latter seems stunned: "I do not see at all what you mean." Then follows a real game of ping-pong between the two men Proceedings:

– "I think you know very well," said Christian Husson.

– "No! "Replies Matthew Tenenbaum.

– "Yes, yes Matthew …"

– "We know each other!"

– "Of course we know each other. But here, we know "

– "But you know what?"

– "We know."

– "But you kidding! It's not going head! "

– "It's going very well," said Christian Husson, which states in part that his "cronies" are examined in the offices nearby no fax payday loans.

Confession or resignation discrete

Despite the pressure and lack of explanations, Matthieu Tenenbaum continues to blanket denial: "To be escorted by hounds and finish it tells me that I have two choices, either confess or I am made walk for eight days, excuse me fall out of the closet like that, but what you speak? "

Tired, legal director offered him a "deal": "Either you cheek me, Commissioner Mills and the suspect who denies any ', or you end up in more discrimination (…) If you deny everything, that's what will happen .It will trigger a cumbersome procedure, criminal, and certainly with the key to serious consequences for you (…) Let you have more discernment, and it leads to resignation (…) that is to say that you hand your resignation with some details on what information you passed to the Chinese. And it stops there. "

Christian Husson Tenebaum then invites Matthew to "think carefully" to the maintenance of 11 January with Jean-Yves Coudriou, the chief executives. "Stop saying that you did nothing. We know, "he says.

"My hands are clean"

At this stage, the choice of frame is yet done: "If the only way to restore the truth is the hard way, I will take the hard way. But I do not see anything else I can do, "says Matthew Tenenbaum. "You can check all my accounts, my emails, my stuff, digging my home search …but never in my life I would have given any thing outside of the company! "he protested. "I have clean hands so you can do anything you want. I never turned a penny of this company. "

Despite the determination displayed frame, Christian Husson does not bend. "You'll go to your office seeking your business quietly without wishing the wishes to your colleagues. Hello Matthew! "Says he at the end of the interview.

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The International Monetary Seminar, which opens Thursday morning in Nanjing to the Chinese seems in some embarrassment. President Nicolas Sarkozy inaugurated in the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister Wang Qingshan, the Minister of Economy Christine Lagarde, finance ministers and central bank governors of the G20 countries.

While the Elysee this meeting as "an important symbol," "a unique event," which "enshrines the weight of China in the global economy", Beijing sees an "informal seminar, and academic "according to Jiang Yu, spokesperson of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The official news agency Xinhua pretended to discover, there ten days, the presence of the French head of state by saying he would meet with Chinese officials, without specifying which ones.As for the Chinese embassy in Paris, who knew where the meeting was held in Nanjing, it stated that the seminar was "entirely organized by France" and that the Chinese were content to "make available the infrastructure is everything. "

In fact, Nicolas Sarkozy, who arrives Wednesday afternoon in Beijing, will meet Chinese President Hu Jintao at the Great Hall of the People, for bilateral talks followed by a dinner on the G20 and international diplomatic issues, including Libya and Japan, where the French president is scheduled to visit Friday.

Pressure on the yuan

"The Chinese will reserve a special welcome to Nicolas Sarkozy, to commemorate the visit of Hu Jintao to Paris and Nice," we are assured at the Elysee.But China, which the press is unleashed strikes against Libya, did not seem to want to advertise around this movement, hard won by France.

Although the seminar does Nanjing officially "no money in particular", and emphasizes the "structural reform of the international monetary system", Beijing knows that its monetary policy will be at the center of discussions. For Westerners, the Chinese currency, the yuan, which traded at 6.56 yuan to the dollar is undervalued by 20% to 30%.

If the Chinese authorities have made the fight against inflation their priority of economic policy, Beijing does not intend to dictate the way forward.A revaluation of the yuan would most frank yet to effectively fight against inflation, Washington insists.

Unlike the U.S., France does not address the issue of the yuan so front, preferring to advocate a stronger role of the Chinese currency in the international monetary system, a step sought by Beijing, which will require ultimately, the yuan's convertibility and liberalization of its exchange rate regime. "The purpose of this seminar is to reach a common diagnosis on the strengths and weaknesses of the current international monetary system and develop possible reforms for the G20," said the French presidency.

The dollar, global reserve currency risk is in the sights of Paris and Beijing.First holder of U.S. debt, China's central bank estimates that the dollar will continue to weaken this year because of "low interest rates and deficits."

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The call for EU aid is no longer a taboo subject for the Portuguese Government, as the tense political crisis in Lisbon. Finance Minister Fernando Teixeira dos Santos has clearly mentioned on the sidelines of the Eurogroup meeting on Monday in Brussels. "If we trigger a political crisis right now, it will create great difficulties for the country to enter the financial market and I think it poses a risk to our financial capacity," he warned.This crisis, he added, "actually helps to push the country into the arms of foreign aid."

Although this is surely a final attempt to pressure the opposition, accused of causing the crisis before a crucial vote on new austerity measures Wednesday in Parliament, the Portuguese government may have to accept the financial rescue plan that seeks to avoid for months.

In this standoff, the Socialist Prime Minister Jose Socrates, will all play their politics. To save his head, he is seeking the approval of members to its savings plan, the fourth in less than a year. The plan, which includes tax increases and cuts in social benefits, is highly unpopular, even if it saves time and the markets.

By national pride, Jose Socrates resists the offer of financial assistance from the EU and the IMF for weeks."It's politically very costly to surrender its sovereignty, we have seen with Ireland," says Jacques Cailloux, chief economist at Royal Bank of Scotland. Knowing that the government is facing a social discontent increasingly marked. On Saturday, thousands of Portuguese officials and private sector employees, beat the pavement against the policy of austerity, rising unemployment and job insecurity.

"Socially unjust"

Jose Socrates was tried on Monday, throughout the day to rally the party leaders to his cause. But he struck again with the adamant opposition leader Pedro Passos Coelho right center, which rejected "any negotiation with the government, denouncing a" socially unjust program "that affects" the most members vulnerable in society. "The leader of the PSD had abstained from previous votes austerity, saving twice as Socrates motions of censure tabled by the anti-liberal left.

But this time, "it's over," urged Pedro Passos Coelho, who has said this weekend in favor of outside help. Faced with political stalemate, the scenario of a European rescue, like that of Greece and Ireland, appears imminent. And more so that the financing conditions in the markets remain very difficult. The rates of ten-year bond rose again yesterday, against 7.262% 7.212% Friday. By June 15, Portugal must face debt maturities of over 9 billion euros.

"The problem is that the appetite for the Portuguese debt is gone. Investors have lost confidence, "added the economist.Anxious to reassure the markets and the European Commission, Pedro Passos Coelho particular favorite in the event of early legislative, reiterated his "unwavering support to a structural reform program aimed at fiscal consolidation, reducing debt and economic growth." Lisbon is committed to bringing the deficit to 4.6% of GDP in 2011, 3% in 2012 and 2% in 2013.

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