International News

This is the kind of evening that annoys the purists. Last June, the Becca Cason Thrash wealthy Texan, Vice President of "Friends of the Louvre" U.S. and international, organized a charity gala in the largest museum in the world. The guests – celebrities such as Albert of Monaco and actress Fanny Ardant – were welcomed with a cocktail in the apartments of Napoleon III, before dinner – a sacrilege to some – among the sculptures in the Cour Marly. All these people then went under the Pyramid, transformed into a nightclub for a private concert by Janet Jackson. Fee, the event has raised 700,000 euros to restore the decorative arts galleries of the eighteenth century.

Henri Loyrette, the Louvre for ten years, of course, attended the festivities. The Conservative education devotes much of his time raising private money.It is, apparently, difficult to resist the charm of this man of culture nearly 2 meters. A boss of a U.S. real estate company said that the French, he was invited to spend a weekend at his home in Cincinnati, has enchanted by the couple's conversation about opera and architecture of the city, and has even cracked a speech to the local art museum. "At the end of the weekend, I gave him a check for $ 50,000," says the boss at the magazine Business Week.

Henri Loyrette unashamedly claims this fundraiser activity. And for good reason. The state reduced its funding by 5% in 2009 and again from 5% in 2011. Governments subsidize just over half the budget of the Louvre, against 70% in 2001."To finance its activities with a cultural, but also – more than in the past – educational and social, in a context of declining public subsidies, the Louvre has no other choice but to increase its own resources," he assures, noting that the establishment is not intended to generate profits. His office does not resemble that of an entrepreneur. In the room with ocher walls adorned with classical paintings, with windows overlooking the Pont du Carrousel, every corner is occupied by piles of files and books.

Thirty fundraisers

The Louvre, however, is not complaining. With 230 million euros last year (against 80 million in 2001), the institution has resources comparable to the Metropolitan in New York. Another reason for satisfaction, ticketing, clean source of income, has good prospects.The 8.5 million admissions in 2010, 5 million charge, reported 41 million euros. Attendance, up 70% since 2001, should continue to increase. The Louvre, which has raised interest rates from 9.50 to 10 euros in early 2011, taking advantage of the influx of tourists from emerging countries. If France makes a third of visitors, including foreigners, Brazilians ranked third last year behind the Americans and Italians.

Despite their popularity, the former royal palace could not offer a program as rich without its sponsors. The latter brought him 25 million euros last year, more than a quarter of own income. To attract them, the Louvre was created in 2003 a commando no equivalent in France: a team of thirty people dedicated to raising funds. They offer companies to fund projects until end 2013.This may include, for example, to affix its logo on the poster exhibition. Cost: between 100,000 and 400,000 euros for one of the Forbidden City, scheduled in September. Other possibilities, the redesign of the website or with the acquisition of a work of German Romantic painter Friedrich. The Department of Islamic Art, which opened in 2012, it should be 75% funded by the private sector. Saudi Prince al-Walid brings 17 million euros 100 million.

Tax benefits

Fundraisers of the prestigious institution have a strong argument: a tax system that allows the 2003 tax cuts equivalent to 60% of the expenses of artistic patronage, and even 90% for the purchase of a work art classified national treasure. However, they must scrap more than before the crisis.Main challenge, competition of social projects, popular with company employees. As a result, "we propose projects crossing artistic and social dimensions," says Hervé Barbaretta, deputy head of the Louvre. For the exhibition of ancient Macedonia in the fall, Total organize and discovery tours of the museum for troubled youth. To "preserve the scientific credibility," Henri Loyrette ensures that sponsors are funding projects already "tied". This applies to the exhibition "Paper Work", which indicates that the poster is presented by "the Louvre Museum and Canson." Exposure of the watchmaker Breguet in 2009 was cringe, with texts considered too partisan.

In exchange for their support, businesses are entitled to privileges such as the availability of spaces.Other firms pay dearly for these benefits: 100,000 euros for a night under the Pyramid. Unlike donors, they do not have their name engraved for eternity on the "wall of patrons" in the lobby.

In full the debt crisis, Joe Biden is timely in its largest creditor. The U.S. vice president hopes to strengthen ties with China, where he now starts an Asian tour that will take him then in Mongolia and Japan. This is the first official visit to Beijing the number two in the Obama administration since taking office. It is particularly meet the new generation of leaders, particularly Xi Jinping, tipped to succeed Hu Jintao in 2013, and will seek to reassure his counterparts about the destiny of the world's leading power.

Despite the rants of some official media who had called the United States to "live within their means" and the thrust carried by the rating agency Dagong Chinese, who, too, degraded the U.S. sovereign rating, the central seems to keep his confidence in the economy of the United States, it continues to bear. Between April and June, far from giving his titles like other countries, China has not slowed the pace of its purchases of Treasury bills. And in late June, Beijing held 1.17 trillion dollars of U.S. debt.

Investor confidence in Asia

Despite these reassurances, it is clear that the Middle Kingdom has more top in its bilateral relations with Washington us fast cash. As the world worries about the future U.S. investors place their trust in contrast to Asia, particularly China.Foreign direct investment (FDI) have increased by 19.83% in July compared to the same period in 2010. During the first seven months of the year, the People's Republic attracted 69.19 billion dollars in FDI. The business seems to rely in part on sustained growth, despite the weight on the economy of the tightening of Chinese monetary policy, and partly on a strong yuan. For the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, Beijing enjoys the disaffection of investors in Europe and the United States.

As for U.S. criticism that Joe Biden will take over on the low level of the Chinese currency, they may be blank. The yuan, also considered undervalued Washington, hit record highs Tuesday.The central bank, which sets every morning during a pivot around which the yuan can fluctuate by 0.5% above or below, identified Tuesday as the low point, the level of one dollar for 6.3925. In other words, the Chinese currency has appreciated by 7% since dropping the dollar in June 2010. But some investors are betting on the inflationary pressure to force Beijing to let its currency move more.

Buoyed by the announcement of a burst of mergers and acquisitions, Wall Street on Monday confirmed the rebound that started in last weekend. In limited volumes, it will erase all its losses from last week. All indices end in green: the Dow ends up sharply from 1.87% to 11,479.65 points. The index had opened up 0.48% to 11,323.44 points and continued to grow during the session. The Nasdaq index also closed with a gain of 1.87% to 2554.79 points.

Markets reacted to a volley of announcements of mergers and acquisitions. First, Google (-1.16% to 557.23 dollars) has announced the acquisition of the mobile phone manufacturer Motorola Mobility (55.78% to 38.12 dollars) to $ 12.5 billion in cash.Time Warner (-0.81% to 64.98 dollars), meanwhile, reached an agreement to buy the cable operator Insight Communications to Carlyle for $ 3 billion. Finally, Cargill will acquire the French specialist in animal feed Provimi to 1.5 billion euros.

As in Europe, investors are upbeat on the eve of an important meeting between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the reform of the governance of the euro area. They should discuss ways to implement to prevent contagion problems of sovereign debt to the rest of the region.

But Germany has already warned investors: this meeting will lead to "nothing spectacular"."It will be a working meeting on the governance of the euro area in line with European decisions taken in late July," said the spokesman of the Ministry of Finance. The latter also confirmed the skepticism German, joined by France, in respect of Eurobonds. These ads have already resulted in demoralizing the European investors.

In Asia, the announcement of a contraction much weaker than expected Japanese GDP has also reassured the markets.

Morale builders stable

The statistics published on Monday in the U.S. are, however, bleak. Manufacturing activity in the New York area declined for the third consecutive month at -7.7, 3.9 points lower than in July.

In real estate, the NAHB index released on Monday shows that the morale of the manufacturers was unchanged in August, close to its lowest historical levels.

Note that the currency market, the euro strengthened against the greenback at 1.444 dollar. Oil markets, oil prices closed up in New York. A barrel of "light sweet crude" for September delivery was trading at 87.88 dollars, up 2.50 dollar. Prices had fallen during the European trading, erasing their gains made in Asian trade in a market nervous and still haunted by persistent concerns about global growth and the debt crisis in the eurozone.A barrel of Brent North Sea crude for September delivery was trading at 107.56 dollars on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) in London, down 47 cents from Friday's close.

Google swallows Motorola Mobility

On the corporate side, Bank of America (7.93% to 7.76 dollars) has announced the sale of its activities in the international credit cards in Britain, Ireland or Canada.

The food distributor Sysco (-3.93% to 28.11 dollars) announced earnings per share (EPS), diluted to 57 cents under its fourth quarter, diluted EPS of $ 1.96 for all of its financial year, while its quarterly sales reached $ 10.4 billion.

Estee Lauder fell 6.64% to 94.15 dollars.Despite the publication of a net income group share record of $ 700.8 million, up 46.5%, the cosmetics group announced its annual results would be below Wall Street expectations.

Lowe (0.82% to 19.58 dollars) has already reported sales below expectations in the second quarter of its fiscal year and lowered its annual targets for the second time in three months, consumers pushing their development projects until later because of sluggish growth.

Boeing (1.54% to 62.70 dollars) announced it had completed with Air Lease Corp. an order valued at $ 2.5 billion on 14 737-800 aircraft and five 777-300ER.

Pfizer (2.69% to 18.34 dollars) announced Monday it had won before a U.S. court case against Teva Pharmaceutical Industries of Israel, preventing the global generics to produce a copy of Viagra before 2019 .

Transocean (2.97% to 57.26 dollars), listed in New York, wants to buy the Norwegian group Aker Drilling, for a total of 1.1 billion Swiss francs (1 billion), according to a statement Monday. Several large shareholders, representing 65% of the capital, have agreed to the deal, said the Swiss.

The American specialist craft materials Grainger (2.01% to 138.57 dollars) on Monday announced the acquisition of the Dutch distributor of fasteners Fabory Group for $ 344 million (242 million).

• Krys up big on Sun's

With Ray-Ban sunglasses, Sonia Rykiel or Armani 20% to 25% cheaper than the competition, the optician's Mon has seduced those who care about their spending, not to mention fashion. The group teaches Krys, an industry leader, was mostly created in 2009 to "anticipate the future perspective" with the rise of Internet players, the price will weigh more in the choice of this product . Fifteen stores Mon's, which also offer own branded glasses, are open this year, bringing the total to 30, while Krys already provides 200 points of sale in 2015.

• Total station experiences cheap

For over a year, the oil company is testing stations at low prices: 35 sites at baseline and 45 today – a fleet of approximately 2,000 outlets in total teaching, both in that city rural areas.Prices are likely to compete with supermarkets. For now, the group has not yet decided whether to extend the scheme. It will decide by the end of the year. The stations are scratched Total test, but it is not excluded that the group, he continues the adventure, is launching a new brand.

• Banks and insurers are betting on the Internet

They reject the term "low cost", but apply much revenue. In recent years, banks and insurance companies through subsidiaries disclaim Internet offerings of financial services at bargain prices and a la carte. ING Direct, the subsidiary of Dutch bank insurer, launched in 1997 this model of online banking. In France, Societe Generale offers a comprehensive range of services via Boursorama. Crédit Agricole target customers for its part with its private banking heritage online BforBank.As for the insurers, Groupama reserves its offer car insurance "Pay as you drive" customers of its subsidiary Amaguiz.

• Renault continues to expand the range of the Logan

Since its launch in 2004, the success of low-cost car for Renault, the only Western manufacturer to attempt the challenge, continues to grow. The group passed last year 685,000 low-cost vehicles, or 26% of its sales. Best of all, they bring him an operating margin above 6%. Logan began with the rustic to 7600 euros, the range now includes six models, the Sandero and the small 4 × 4 Duster. Originally designed for emerging countries, it paradoxically creates a strong demand in Europe, where it is marketed under the Dacia brand, produced in Romania. Tanger Factory (opening in 2012) will manufacture two new variations.Internationally, the range, made locally, is sold under the Renault brand. It is the spearhead of the group's expansion in Russia and Latin America.

• With Transavia, Air France attempting a takeoff in the low-cost

No way to leave Ryanair and easyJet monopoly on flights at bargain prices. Air France launched in spring 2007 its own low-cost airline, called Transavia, which carried 1.3 million passengers last year. From Orly-Sud, Lyon, Nantes and Marseille, eight Boeing 737-800 provide scheduled and unscheduled, mainly to the Mediterranean countries. These destinations are not served by Air France. The group does not wish to organize their own competition in order to avoid any risk of cannibalization. A draft Domestic Transavia has been abandoned.

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Two world champions, yet two totally separate financial realities. This is the observation made on Tuesday after Camille Lacourt Stravius ​​and Jeremy have jointly won the gold medal in 100 meter backstroke in Shanghai (China).

The first saw its revenues increased more than sixteen in less than a year with new advertising contracts. 42,000 euros per year in August 2010, Camille Lacourt thus rose to 700,000 euros, much of which end of advertising contracts. Jeremy Stravius, it has at present still no agent and a single sponsor, Tyr, obtained through the French Federation of Swimming.

Thanks to a physique, Camille Lacourt has attracted luxury brands like Clarins and beauty, and earns 200,000 euros a year for six years, and Chanel, which pays 70,000 euros a year to wear its watches. But not only.These three gold medals taken down on three different disciplines at the European Championships in 2010 convinced the sponsors to leverage the rising value of swimming. This choice is paying now. "We have no logic, because the muse is the star product, it says Clarins. Such a partnership is a new and unusual practice for us. It's Camille Lacourt who came to us. President Christian Courtin had a crush on the athlete who shared our family values. It has in fact explained that her grandmother was attached to our products payday advance low fees. It has become our first ambassador. What we do not regret today. "

Banking on new talent to one year of the Olympics 2012

A speech that could also take Tyre, the last date of the associate sponsor of the club swimmers Marseille.Last June, the U.S. supplier has signed with him a three-year contract for a minimum of 80,000 euros per year. This amount could go up to 150,000 euros.

The gap is large with Jeremy Stravius ​​which according to our information, does not own advertising contract. But in the basin of Shanghai, the swimmer's club has yet matched the Amiens time Camille Lacourt, which is considered as one of the specialists in the discipline. Jeremy Stravius ​​therefore affect the same amount as for this fellow gold medal.

Amiens and the swimmer is reassuring: the current situation is reminiscent of Camille Lacourt a year ago, before it exploded and sports media to the general public.As long as Jeremy Stravius ​​this week confirmed its performance on other distances, it is not inconceivable that a brand can be associated with his image, in just one year of London Olympics in 2012.

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Tenders for the smart grid and waste recovery, today announced the first six institutes of technology and equipment of the first wave of excellence, creation of national fund boot which will have 400 million to invest in young innovative companies … Just in recent days, the operations related to the investment program for the future have not failed! And it lasts for eighteen months …

The program, which must prepare "the France of tomorrow" will be the subject of the press conference of head of state this morning. "Nicolas Sarkozy is that this topic is important and can not talk enough about this initiative should restore the competitiveness of France," said his entourage. Yet René Ricol leads to the rod.Appointed commissioner-general for investment to drive the program, the former ombudsman of credit has one goal in mind: to create wealth and employment in France over time.

In December 2009, Nicolas Sarkozy set the priorities for the future supported by the large loan. Following the recommendations of the report Rocard-Juppe, he announced 35 billion euros of investment and ultimately rejected the idea of ​​a popular loan – a form of financing too costly at a time when the debt of France is under the eye markets. Five priorities were identified: higher education and training, research, industry and SME development and finally digital. Today, all 35 billion euros is in the hands of the public operators (ADEME, OSEO, the CDC …) that are responsible for distributing the money.

SNCF would she yielded to the temptation of quotas? A belief in Le Parisien, Aujourd'hui en France, SNCF controllers have actually quantified targets to be achieved. A confidential memo was sent in April to all employees of a commercial Train (ECT) in Paris to show them to achieve "four cases per day, with 41% of the amount of PV cashed directly for a minimum of 50 euros per day, the newspaper said.

A bonus system also encourages officers to be zealous by directly targeting travelers who can pay right away, writes the daily. On each transaction, the agents receive a percentage of the total amount, the newspaper said, noting that this system is much more advantageous for controllers if passengers pay on the spot.And that can pay big dividends: The Parisian-Today in France indicates that controllers can receive monthly bonus of up to 700 euros, depending on the zeal and grade. But often, these bonuses, paid from the thirtieth euros harvested, have little impact on total compensation for officers, the newspaper said.

"It will help you be muted

Better performance would also facilitate subsequent ascension of hierarchical controllers. "Everyone knows that if you're a good little soldier, you will have more incentive and it will help you be transferred to the TGV, where you will be better paid," says Sebastian Tarbes, Controller and activist South Rail at Paris- Today in France. Conversely, agents that do not quite verbalize would be punished, according to the newspaper, which cites the case of three officers who received a layoff of five days.They would not have achieved their objectives.

In an interview with Le Parisien, Aujourd'hui en France, Patricia Lacoste, director of operations at the station, says "there is no political figure but a political fight against fraud." The ruling added that "the objectives are defined in terms of rate control and non-regularization. "The number of adjustments made by a skipper is measured and observed by the average of its capital," says Patricia Lacoste. It also states that "controllers have four objectives: safety, security and backup service."

"Contrary to company policy"

Contacted by lefigaro.fr, CFDT Railwaymen also stresses that "controllers are primarily responsible for sales agents Security and welcoming travelers.In addition, the organization said they had not been aware of the note and "if such guidelines were handed down to us, we would have intervened with management," said a spokesman. The union added that this type of instructions is "contrary to company policy which is not in a logic of repression but rather in a desire to preserve revenue. As for the Advancement of supervisors, the union says they are based on passing examinations, seniority and rating agents.

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Nicolas Sarkozy has opened Tuesday morning the first edition of "e-G8 in Paris. Faced with a thousand decision makers and observers of the Internet – including Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of social networking site Facebook and Eric Schmidt, Google CEO, who made the trip – the president has invited the giants of the Internet to form a delegation to attend Thursday and Friday at the G8 summit in Deauville. Because, for Nicolas Sarkozy, "think the Internet is a historical responsibility to be shared between you (the Internet players, Ed) and we, the Heads of State" have the duty to "recognize the role (the web) in the course of history (…).States wishing to initiate a dialogue with you for a balanced approach might one day be found between your interests, those users who plébiscitent you every day and finally those of the citizens and taxpayers of each nation who also have rights, " the president said. "There is much to do together," he held, inviting them to renew the holding of an e-G8 annually.

The head of state welcomed these Internet giants that have revolutionized the world. Revolution "that belongs to nobody, which has no flag, no slogan, which is a common good," which took place in an "historic" registered "in pacifism." Nicolas Sarkozy also praised the Internet to be a few years become the vector of "unprecedented power of freedom of expression," referring to the revolutions that challenge the Arab region since the beginning of the year.For the head of the state, Internet giants, who have "changed the world just as Galileo, Columbus and Newton, have shaken the foundations of the global economy (they are) become major players" .

Introduce rules on the Web

Still, he stressed the need to control the Internet. "The technology must remain neutral, but the uses are not," he said, arguing that actors do not let it web "convey evil, without hindrance, or restraint" and for the respect of a minimum values ​​and rules on the Web."Full transparency, one that never leaves the man in peace, sooner or later faces the very principle of individual freedom," stressed the French president, arguing that the Internet can not escape "of minimum values, minimum of rules. "

He returned to the issue of intellectual property rights: "I know that the French conception of this principle is different from that of other countries, but nobody should be expropriated with impunity the proceeds of his ideas, his work, his imagination, his intellectual property. "

The Chair recalled that by virtue of that right as creator of those who draw the contours of the Internet have been able to build empires."The writer, director, musician, performer must have the same rights and a fair return for their ideas and their talents."

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It was the next level to reach for gold. The 1500 dollars, a level ever recorded for the yellow metal, have been hit on Wednesday in Asian trading. At the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong specifically, an ounce of gold reached 1,500.70 dollars in the afternoon. This performance was predictable when reached 1,499.32 dollars an ounce the previous day in London. The pace of growth is dazzling but in less than a month, gold has made close to $ 53. March 24, the yellow metal was trading at 1447.82 dollars yet.

This acceleration reflects a broad movement of deferral of investors in risky assets to what they see as the ultimate safe haven. Gold is indeed a physical asset with intrinsic value is backed by any issuer. He is considered an effective barrier to escape threats currently facing inflationary in most economies.China announced last Friday that inflation rose to 5.4% in March. In Europe, inflation rises to 2.4% while in the U.S., it reached 0.5%.

Alert on debt

The surge in gold can also be explained by rising concerns over the sovereign debt of countries in the euro area. Rumors of the restructuring of debt of Greece sow confusion in the markets. In parallel, operators wonder if Portugal, which will launch an austerity measures, will overcome its difficulties. The degradation of the sovereign rating of Ireland only complicated the situation. Very worried investors finding more than in Finland, nationalists opposed to helping fragile countries, became the third force in the country.

More ominously, investors realize that even the world's largest economy is not immune.For the first time in its history, S & P has downgraded the debt of the United States. Monday, the day the ad crashing, gold has gained almost 10 dollars to 1496.50 dollars. The purchases were supported by a bout of dollar weakness which makes it even more attractive purchases of commodities, including gold.

For the rest, the next goal is the threshold of $ 1600. According to experts from research firm specializing in the GFMS gold, it will be reached and even exceeded by the end of the year.

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"SPECIAL – Now the race record

Nintendo 3DS landed Friday in the French shops. This portable game console that lets you play in relief, without needing to wear special glasses, is a boon for video game publishers. They swung their great success in 3D. It's a way to recycle old titles and launch new ones. Prices are driven up. The games will be sold between 45 and 50 euros. 5 to 10 euros more than the price of those of the previous generation.

During the presentation of the console, Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's CEO, indicated that a large number of publishers have decided to design specific titles for this console that render stereoscopic images. It is clear that the omen of the CEO is found.Alongside Nintendo (with three games Nintendogs), publishers Capcom (Street Fighter IV), Electronic Arts (Sims 3), Namco Bandai (Ridge Racer), Konami (PES 3D), LucasArts (Lego Star Wars III, The Clone Wars ), Sega (Super Monkey), Tecmo Koei (Samurai Warriors) and Ubisoft offering specific titles.

Among these actors, the French publisher is betting on a successful series of the 3DS. "The public, already extended by Nintendo with the DS, is expected to increase. The boot should be two times faster than the DS in the early years, "said Yves Guillemot, CEO of Ubisoft. Today, the French publisher will offer four of the fifteen titles available at launch for the handheld. Three of the four games have been developed at Ubisoft's fourth and its sister company, Gameloft, specializing in adaptations of games for smartphones and internet tablets.It was she who designed the race cars Asphalt 3D.

The French had also focused on the adaptations of Tom Clancy's universe, which has exclusive rights, with the stealth game Splinter Cell 3D and especially the strategy game Ghost Recon Shadow Wars, developed specifically for 3DS in studio Ubisoft Montreal.

A stronger anti-piracy

These songs contain small videos to stunning 3D graphics effects. In addition, the Rayman character, developed by the team of French Michel Ancel, gains in depth, with its version in relief. During the second phase of launch, which could happen in June, Ubisoft will also be the most prolific alongside Nintendo, especially with The Raving Rabbids.

This commitment to his backhand. A quarter of Ubisoft's revenue in 2008 was linked to games for the DS, the ancestor of 3DS, sold 130 million units worldwide.When sales fell because of piracy, the French publisher has suffered severely. With 3DS, "the anti-piracy mechanism was strengthened," says an editor who will not be more specific. The manufacturer is no more eloquent.

Anyway, the 3DS contains new communication features (challenges, blindly, in the street) or augmented reality games (using the camera to generate images in relief).