International Headlines and Stories

A calm and a return was less loud than last year, that's what forecasters expect Havas Media between July and September on the French advertising market: according to figures from the Fast MPG indicator, released today, growth net investments in the media will reach 1.3% in the third quarter.

"The figure is not large in absolute terms but remains positive, and the base effect, as compared to the same period last year, will not be favorable," said Regine Tournier, Deputy Director in charge of purchasing Havas Media. The market should remain on trends in April and May, a slowdown after successive quarters of rebound recorded since January 2010."There are a lot of attention from advertisers, or the advertising market is closely linked to GDP," says Regine Tournier, underlining at the same time that one is not present provided a turnaround. "The market is fairly soft, but in digital."

In the detailed forecasts by media, Internet is the best advertising medium oriented in the third quarter, with an anticipated growth of 9.7%. "The video format is continuing to win and extend more the speeches on television, notes Valerie Ghezail, design manager at Havas Media.Advertisers of food, which were pretty far back, or those of health and beauty and luxury become familiar with the formats premium. "A dynamic that will eventually rub off on mobile investments, say specialist media agency, which noted however that the strategies "multiscreen" advertisers do not yet support this, despite the existence of audience measurement of mobile users Médiamétrie for nine months cash advance no faxing.

In comparison, the third quarter should be subdued for television (1.4%), the beginning of September does not counterbalance the traditional quiet months of July and August. The telecom sector could still surprise, departing earlier than expected from the operator which will launch its offer Free mobile and could force its competitors to defend their positions.

The display should change in the market (+1.3%).Important sector, the distribution has now become accustomed to very local campaigns, while the car tends to divest this medium.

World Cup effect

In radio, after a positive start to the year from its family of traditional advertisers (retail, automobile), the trend looks rather stable (+1.8%). Such as television and the Web, the media should take effect in September's World Cup rugby in New Zealand, with the spread of matches in the morning.

As for the press, the trend will be even negative (-2.9%), despite the proliferation of new forms in magazines and some interesting initiatives, such as the launch of e-GIE Press Premium, which brings together since June 30 eight daily headlines and news magazine.

Europe is gaining time, but did not extinguish the fire in Greece. Following a conference call Saturday, finance ministers of the euro area have given the green light to release "by July 15" 8.7 billion euros in loans that should add 3.3 billion paid out by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This decision was expected after the adoption this week by the Greek Parliament of the austerity program imposed by his European creditors. "It (the decision) strengthens the international credibility of Greece", immediately congratulated the Greek finance minister, Evangelos Venizelos.

As the new Executive Director of the IMF, Christine Lagarde, to take office Tuesday, the organization welcomed the developments."We welcome the commitment of the Eurogroup to a funding strategy that ensures that the Greek economic program is fully insured," said the spokesman for the IMF, Caroline Atkinson. No details however were given about a possible date on which the Board could meet to release the funds.

Berlin puts pressure

If these 12 billion euros to Greece should avoid going bankrupt in the short term, it is not enough to save the country permanently and fully reassure the financial markets. For this, the country has called for a second bailout International 110 billion euros. Finance ministers of the euro zone have promised yesterday decisions "in the coming weeks." For its part, the German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, more prudent, spoke of an agreement by the fall only.Berlin looks indeed to be certain that Greece implement austerity measures quickly that the country has promised. "After the release of the fifth installment of the countries of the euro area and the IMF, the next step must be addressed decisively: the measures passed in Athens should be implemented quickly. Privatization, for example, must be launched without delay, "responded the German Minister of Finance. Response of Athens: the austerity plan of 28.4 billion euros will be implemented before mid-September.

Ireland, Portugal, Italy and Spain could knock on the door

These two months of rest should also help to advance on a second rescue plan 110 billion euros. Finance ministers of the euro area have not spoken on this subject last night.They expect to clarify the private sector, banks and other creditors, imposed by Berlin to a new plan to help decide. "The details and extent of the involvement of private and official sources of additional funding will be determined in the coming weeks," they said.

Time is running out: Ireland and Portugal may need a new international aid. As for Spain and Italy, both countries are under pressure from rating agencies. "The failure of European political leaders to resolve the crisis quickly and decisively hits the rest of the euro area," says Ben May, economist at Capital Economics. The United States pressed more in Europe to solve its debt problems to avoid a global impact."If Greece fell deeper into recession following the new austerity measures, it could reduce the willingness of governments to implement additional fiscal measures," says Ben May.

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Before the arrival of a new generation of video game consoles, the market declined sharply. This prediction is reflected in the figures. The French market was down 9% over the first five months of the year to 758 million euros, according to figures released Tuesday by research firm GfK distributors.

But on the whole of 2011, physical sales are expected to decline by 4% to 8% to 2.44 billion euros. The video game market is expected to be saved by the digital distribution of programs, for consoles, smartphones, Internet tablets and games for social networks. "The dematerialization of video games as an opportunity than a threat," says Pierre Cuilleret, the President of Micromania, in the bosom of the distributor Gamestop.In April, Gamestop said that $ 290 million were realized by the sale of games dematerialized, up 61% year on year credit score.

Improvement expected by year-end

For two and a half months, Micromania advises its customers to purchase in its stores codes for games on the Xbox Live network. This prevents users to leave their credit card details online. This reassures them after the theft of bank details of millions of users of Sony network.

The video games industry should see an upturn later this year, between October and November, with the launch of many games. In addition, the market should be supported by the arrival of the handheld console Sony PlayStation Vita around Christmas and a catalog provided more games for the Nintendo 3DS.Microsoft should continue to score points with its accessory Kinect.

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A year after the liberalization of gambling on the Internet, which some had as a jackpot is not insured the success expected.

While the law was intended to fight against an illegal offer bloated Regulatory Authority of online games (Arjel) has granted 49 licenses to 35 operators (25 in poker, 16 and 8 in paris sports paris horse) but some players – among the largest – continue to go on unauthorized sites. "One of the major objectives was to ensure that the French are all on sites approved by the Arjel, has not been reached," said Nicolas Beraud, president BetClick Everest Group and the French Association of Online Game (Afjel), which paints a mixed picture of the opening. Since June 2010, the French have wagered 1.5 billion euros in Paris and equestrian sports, according Arjel.In poker, the stakes are higher than 6 billion euros, plus 800 million in entrance fees to tournaments.

Newcomers complain about not earning money. They are also worried about the lack of appetite for players for their offer. "On sports paris, the number of active players accounts is down from the 7th month of the opening," says Christophe Blot, CEO Sajoo site.

Tax debate

In this context, the perspective of a possible change in the law, in November, is the subject of intense lobbying, pure Internet players (BetClick, Bwin …) are penalized by the judging rules. "We demand a change in the tax base," said Emmanuel de Rohan Chabot, CEO of ZEturf. Opinions differ."We stand for maintaining the cap are paid back to players, along with a set of taxation," says one to the PMU, while in the French game (FDJ), it is estimated that "the current tax helps contain the addiction and the risk of money ". "There is no need to change the balance of the law, thinks Bélinguier Bertrand, president of the Ffejel, which represents casino Barrière, Joa, Sharp, the FDJ and PMU. But we can simplify the formalities for opening accounts, expanding the supply of paris sports and strengthen the fight against illegality by giving more powers to Arjel. "

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Bulky Bin Hamman and Warner
Except turnaround unlikely, Sepp Blatter was re-elected for the third time as President of FIFA in Zurich Wednesday. It is not difficult to predict because the Swiss, who directs the proceedings since 1998, is the only candidate since the withdrawal this weekend in his last opponent, Qatari Mohamed bin Hammam. A forced withdrawal and the scent of scandal. President of the Asian Confederation, Ben Hamman has indeed been provisionally suspended by the Ethics Committee of FIFA because of suspicions of corruption against him. Jack Warner, CONCACAF President, Vice-President of FIFA, and support shown by Ben Hamman was also temporarily suspended for the same reasons. The two men are suspected of attempting to buy the votes of the Caribbean Confederation (CFU), which they strongly refute."I deny the allegations that I made statements to the CFU on donations from Mr. Bin Hammam," asserted Jack Warner in a statement while saying, however that "in Miami, the Congress of the Concacaf May 3, Mr Blatter had donated one million dollars to our federation, "without the consent of the finance committee of FIFA.

A gift for which an investigation had been opened before it was quickly closed by the money outright Blatter any accusation of corruption by the Ethics Commission. A past president quickly cleared and a final opponent suspended, the unfolding of events may leave pensive and may suggest that FIFA is the realm of small arrangements. Especially when the case comes just weeks after revelations of the British weekly Sunday Times about the allocation of World Cup 2022 in Qatar.Especially so when a vice-president of FIFA accredits these revelations by making public the contents of an email sent by Jerome Valcke, FIFA general secretary and confidant of Blatter. "For MBH (Editor's note: Mohamed Bin Hamman), I've never understood why he was entering the race. Or so he thought that one can buy FIFA as the Qataris have purchased the World Cup, "Valcke reportedly wrote in an email sent to Warner!

Blatter on the royal road
A blow to Blatter camp when the Swiss campaigned on a zero tolerance towards corruption.But Jerome Valcke has justified his writings stating that "it can happen to employ a less formal tone when I use this medium which by its nature, encourages exchanges" lighter "than other forms correspondence "and that" in referring to the FIFA World Cup 2022 in this e-mail, I wanted to highlight that the future host country had used its financial strength to rally much support (…) I n 'I at no time refers to the buying of votes or any behavior inconsistent with the rules of ethics. "Sepp Blatter, he is right in his boots remained Monday at a press conference in emergency to try to extinguish the many fires in the house FIFA.

"We must fight the demons, there's a bad situation, but there will be an elective congress on Wednesday and the family of football, if it wants to restore the credibility of FIFA, can do with me," Blatter said, refusing to evoke the decisions of the Commission on Ethics ("I'm not allowed to comment") and denying the existence of a crisis within the federation he heads ("football is not crisis when we see the final of the Champions League, he just some difficulty "). So everything is for the best in the best of worlds for Blatter whose reelection is no longer any doubt.Because on the eve of polling, it is unclear how the appeal of Bin Hamman, the request for postponement of the FA made on Tuesday or calls for reform from places like Australia (Editor's note: England and Australia respectively were candidates to host the World Cups 2018 and 2022), could prevent the Swiss to begin a fourth term. Starting what happens under the sign of the scandal …

Not yet a candidate, Christine Lagarde was already the favorite to succeed Dominique Strauss-Kahn to IMF management, but two rivals have already expressed. Mexico will formally nominate Agustin Carstens, Governor of the Mexican central bank, said Sunday the Minister of Finance of Mexico. He "has the capabilities and qualifications to lead an institution of the importance of the International Monetary Fund," he said. Governor of the Bank of Mexico since January 2010, Agustin Carstens has been deputy director general of the IMF from 2003 to 2006.

Moreover, the Belgian Finance Minister, in office since 1999, Didier Reynders, said Sunday also be "of course" interested in the job. "These are functions that do not refuse," he added. But Europeans seem more a united front around the candidacy of the French Minister of Finance.This weekend, his candidacy has received the support of Germany and the United Kingdom. The Congo would also like to see take the job.

In France, Martine Aubry said yesterday that the appointment of Christine Lagarde at the head of the IMF "would be a very good thing for our country and for Europe." However, Francois Bayrou is against, saying "do not approve economic policy which was followed by France" and lamenting that "Ms. Lagarde was the main actor of the case Tapie.

In a joint statement, Australia and South Africa have called Sunday a nomination on merit, not nationality.A position shared by the representative of Switzerland to the IMF.

After the resignation of IMF Managing Director, accused of attempted rape by the American courts, nominations for his successor will be officially opened on Monday, and until June 10

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The French Finance Ministry responded late, but with great detail, the controversy launched by MEP in Europe Ecology Canfin Pascal, on the bonuses of bankers and traders French.In Libération, 7 May, he thought the amounts paid by banks not complying with EU rules.

The MEP said that France would not accurately transposed the directive on variable compensation, which would allow certain bankers, including Baudouin Prot (Chief Executive Officer of BNP Paribas) and Frederic Oudéa (CEO of Societe Generale) to receive bonus of several million euros, four to five times larger than their fixed salaries, under the year 2010.

"It's unfair to single out France!" Says it does at Bercy, where we recall that the decree implementing the EU directive was sent to Brussels in March 2011, without comment, to To date, the European Commission, while "warnings" have yet been sent to 12 Member States in March …

Variable part, fixed part

G20 first to denounce the perverse bonuses, France is presented as a model student for the application of new rules on the matter. To demonstrate that the volume of bonuses paid in 2011 for the year 2010 is declining, Bercy dotted with numbers: the ratio of net income bonus on the Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) would be increased from 125% 2007 to 100% in 2009 and 30% in 2010.According to references of the two great Parisian institutions BNP and Societe Generale, the average bonus would have decreased from 303 000 in 2009 to 290 000 euros in 2010 and 231 000 in 2009 to 198 000 euros in 2010.

Moreover, the share of bonuses in total compensation would have increased by over 75% in 2009 to 60% in 2010. An average does not represent the variable portion of 62% of the remuneration of Baudouin Prot in 2010 and 73% of that of Frederick Oudéa."In the spirit of French and European legislation, it was a 50/50 balance the ratio between the fixed and variable pay," recalls in Paris say, "there is that the European Parliament who wanted the 50/50, but that would inevitably lead to a wage explosion … "

Finally, Bercy said that more than 60% of the bonuses awarded in 2010 were deferred for three years at least, and that banks resort more to guaranteed bonuses over several years.

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The Governing Council of the European Central Bank moves Thursday in Helsinki, according to a well-established ritual of holding its twice yearly conclave off the walls. A deliberate manner to meet the "true European". If market economists are virtually unanimous in excluding any change in interest rates on Thursday they expect the president of the ECB provides specific guidance, at its monthly press conference on the strategy it intends to .

He speaks of "extreme vigilance" on inflation, "would signal a rate hike in June," Jonathan Loynes believes, the chief economist of Capital Economics. Jean-Claude Trichet had used the term encoded on March 3. The markets had immediately concluded that the ECB would raise the following month's rate remained unchanged at 1% since May 2009.The promise was actually held on April 7, despite the disasters that had struck the meantime Japan.

A new security crackdown in June is not the assumption of the majority of experts. They recall that during the two previous phases of monetary tightening experienced since its inception in January 1999, the ECB waited three months before continuing its march forward. However, there is no doubt that central bankers in Frankfurt will launch a second strike in the summer, probably in July. "If Trichet had expressed its" extreme vigilance "on March 3, he had risen to 2.3% while its inflation projections for 2011. But the consumer price already showing an increase of 2.8% over the last twelve months and now we are heading towards a figure of 3% over the year.The ECB will have no mood to continue the cylce of rising interest rates, analysis Bruno Cavalier, an economist at Oddo Securities.

Besides the issue of interest rates, Jean-Claude Trichet, speaking on behalf of 23 members of the Governing Council will be asked about the pursuit of so-called "unconventional" monetary policy and purchases of securities State set up in pain May 9, 2010. "President Trichet will continue to indicate without any doubt that the program continues. But since there were no purchases during the past four weeks, it is clear that the ECB is increasingly reluctant to maintain such measures in place when it hardens its conventional political " according to Capital Economics.

The ECB president is sure to renew his opposition to any restructuring of the Greek debt, including the ECB holds a substantial share."Of the 75 billion euro government securities bought, more than half of the paper focuses on Greek, whose market price is currently trading at 57% of their face value (of the 10-year bonds), calculates Bruno Cavalier. This shows the potential magnitude of losses to the ECB about these operations, although its purchases have been made at prices already discounted.

Ghent, in northern Belgium, hopes to lead by example. Alderman (elected) of Finance of the city, the Liberal Christophe Peeters, announced the withdrawal next 30 to 35 million euros were deposited in the accounts of banks Dexia and KBC in the name of the fight against the "bonus comfortable granted to bosses, "he said.

Dexia has announced the beginning of the payment to its managing director Pierre Mariani variable compensation of 600,000 euros for the year 2010. KBC for its part stated its intention to resume the payment of bonuses to its executives. These two institutions had to be helped by the government during the financial crisis. "When things were going badly, the taxpayers' money has helped the banks. Now that the situation improves, the banks start bonus of the same culture.We are not saying that this is not only ethical, but we act with the language of money, "protested Christophe Peeters.

Compensation "in accordance with legal provisions"

The amount that will remove the city corresponds to short-term investments. Christophe Peeters Dexia and KBC now threatens to turn to banks that do not grant bonuses "unreasonable" for the money to pay his wages and new investments in the long term cash till payday.

Following this decision, KBC announced its regret while stressing that the city was within its rights. For its part, Dexia said that its compensation policy was consistent with legal and regulatory European, Belgian and French.

Tougher legislation to

Although legal, these decisions go wrong with Brussels.European Commissioner for Financial Services, Michel Barnier, said that calls for moderation "were not heard." It now threatens to tighten the law of the European Union. In Belgium, the new Governor of National Bank, Luc Coene, also deemed "indecent" that banks that have benefited from government support grant bonuses to their executives.

The movement seems well underway across Europe. At the same time, Dexia and KBC, the BPCE (People's Bank – Savings Bank) announced the grant to the President Perol a bonus of one million euros in the year 2010. Like his colleagues in Belgium, the French bank had received a boost of 7.1 billion euros in state aid to help head out of water during the crisis.

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"French companies are literally looting!" Provides cybercriminologue Laurence Ifrah. They suffer all computer attacks. But these cases generally stifled so as not to alter their image. "Overall, worldwide, the flight data company has harmed more than one trillion dollars according to a study by McAfee, a company specializing in security computer. "France is among the most affected countries," said the specialist Symantec Norton Antivirus editor.

Strategic sectors like defense, aerospace, nuclear and all technology companies are particularly targeted. "Once an international tender was launched, espionage is taking place. Everyone tries to know the competitors' proposals, to adjust his own, "explains Laurence Ifrah.These flights also allow a "transfer" of technology at low cost.

All countries benefit

The Chinese are chronically designated as sponsors of these raids computer. According to the English equivalent of the DGSE, the MI6 contingent of engineers trained in the offensive would do well for three "Silicon Valley" of China. They carry out massive attacks and did not fear reprisals. Because it is always difficult to prove the origin of these intrusions.

They are not the only ones to steal data. All countries benefit from this golden age of intelligence information, while companies or sometimes even government services have yet to take drastic measures to protect. Because computer security is extremely restrictive. Should stop using their iPhone or BlackBerry, easily tapped.Or reduce the use of the Internet dedicated rooms within companies! It is also necessary to correct any faults computer. But maintaining the traffic slows, sometimes crippling computers. Many companies compare the cost and the risks putting off repairs.

"Anyone can copy the information in five minutes"

Thus, the pirates come from the world's most easily identified by holes. It should also be encrypted. "If the hard disk of a laptop is not encrypted, anyone can copy the information into five minutes and come away with without anyone noticing," says Bashir Mana, General Manager Europe, Middle East and Africa at Kroll, a specialist in risk management payday loans for self employed.Which concludes: "If a technology group spends less than 1% of its turnover to security, there is danger." But this is common.

Moreover, the computer circuits are not sufficiently "segmented" according to security experts. Just like the secret recipe for Coca-Cola, "we must never deliver the orders in full system to a single person." Even confidence! The data are too widely accessible to employees. The Wikileaks case and its diplomatic cables probably recovered without difficulty by a disgruntled soldier showed he does not build walls around a site to protect it, that threats also come from within. "At least 20% of information theft are caused by employees," according to computer security company Verizon.Some start with, it judging owners.

"The human is the weak link"

Others are in dispute with the company to disclose and seek revenge. Researchers at the International Centre for Comparative Criminology, Audrey Asseman and Benoît Dupont, have also started work modeling of risk factors among employees. Because "the human remains the weakest link."

Most employees become unwitting accomplices, however. Bribe or convince remains difficult, costly and risky. The new spies prefer "social engineering" to approach a target, know your Facebook friends, sign an email with a credible name known to the employee opens the unsuspecting and the book business to a Trojan ."The most effective attacks are those that are lighter and technologically the most discreet as an industry program extends over many months," says Nicolas Arpagian, scientific director of digital security ring at the National Institute of Studies of security and justice. Spies split files and schedule their departure in the day, while masses of messages flow.

These threats of espionage are now known. But in general, after a computer attack scale, the companies are reviewing their security arrangements.

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