International Headlines and Stories

Session auspicious for ArcelorMittal. Around 10:20, the title of the fastest rising Cac 40: 1.87% to 22.59 euros in a market down 0.78%. Investors welcomed the quarterly results of the world's number one steel.

Despite a 10% drop in net profit in the second quarter over one year to $ 1.5 billion, ArcelorMittal has been a further improvement in operating performance. The gross operating income has increased by 21.5% year on year to $ 3.4 billion (2.3 billion euros). Moreover, the turnover has won 24.7% to $ 25.1 billion (17.3 billion euros)."As we anticipated, the company reported a strong performance in the second quarter of 2011, driven by higher selling prices of steel," said CEO Lakshmi Mittal said in the statement.

But these indicators should weaken in the third quarter, the steel industry was experiencing a generally soft, due to plant closures for holidays in Europe and a slowdown in demand. ArcelorMittal anticipates a gross operating profit (EBITDA) of between 2.4 and 2.8 billion (1.6 to 1.9 billion euros).

However, the group expects strong demand from China and the automotive sector, which should prevent it from experiencing the same quarter in 2010."Although the third quarter should be somewhat affected by seasonal factors, they should not be as pronounced as last year and the performance of the group the second half of 2011 should be compared favorably with that the second half of 2010, "assured Lakshmi Mittal.

The Minister of Finance of Japan, Yoshihiko Noda, confirmed the government's desire to Naoto Kan to resign by the end of the summer. Asked this morning on the casting vote of a law allowing Tokyo to issue bonds to cover the budget deficit, the Treasury official said the Japanese team in place "take responsibility". The day before, Minister of Commerce Banri Kaieda had entrusted his intention to retire after the adoption of the famous law by the Parliament met until the end of August, adding that other ministers "may have the same intentions." The current government believes that the next budget will not be held if the law does not low fee pay day loans.

Finance Minister this morning held a press conference to present the trade figures. Japan's current account surplus fell 51.7% in May to 7.3 billion, compared to the previous year.A drop weaker than economists' forecasts, which expect a recovery in the economy, hard hit by the earthquake of March 11, faster than expected. Many Japanese factories have been forced to suspend production due to damaged sites and disruptions in electricity supplies. But exports could rebound in the coming months.

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Co-leader of drones, unmanned aircraft, with the United States, Israel has come into force at the Paris Air Show. Under the leadership of "Israel Export & International Cooperation Institute" and the commercial department of the Israeli Embassy in Paris, fifteen companies representing the flagship of the aerospace industry, display their latest creations. By visiting the house of Israel, visitors can "touch" the latest innovations.

Among them, a strange machine to look worthy of Star Wars called AirMule. Urban Aeronautics presents a model of the UAV helicopter whose rotor is not visible because housed in the body of the device. AirMule has already made several test flights. It is intended to convey the property or to perform medical evacuations in theaters of operation in urban environments or in complex natural sites difficult to access.Its specifications in fact enable it to obtain dual certification (civil and military). It concerns the Israeli Ministry of Defense and NATO.

Another original concept developed by Aeronautics Defense Systems, the transformation of a civilian aircraft into existing UAV MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance). "UAVs often have reliability problems because of their platform that can also be certified to fit into the civil air traffic," said a company representative. Aeronautics Defense Systems has decided to work from an Australian aircraft, the Diamond DA 42, the cell tested. And he turned into MALE UAV called Dominator.The company that specializes in unmanned air, land and sea, began production in February Dominator.

Partnership with EADS and Thales

Israel is a major player in the defense market with a global market share estimated at 7 payday loans.5%. In 2010, according to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, the export sales of armaments have reached $ 10 billion, twice more than in 2008. The industry occupies 150 companies whose leaders are the group Rafael, Elbit and IAI, which employ some 44,000 employees. Israel has often been a pioneer in the field of defense. His army was the first to use drones, manned aircraft from the ground station, on a massive scale in 1982 in the Bekaa Valley during the war in Lebanon.

These leading companies have, for years the card partnerships with U.S. and European manufacturers.The group thus provides the platform IAI Heron which is the basis for the Snowy, the MALE UAV militarized by EADS, which is used by the French Air Force in Afghanistan. In Britain, Thales has set up a joint venture with Elbit group to make the platform's tactical UAV Wachtkeeper which has a technology transfer platform Hermes 450. Wachtkeeper was developed for the British Army who ordered 60 copies. It will enter service in late 2011.

In all, Israel has developed a range of UAVs double duty (civilian and military) that goes from the micro-craft to the general observation drone high altitude long endurance (HALE).The fleet in service on five continents has accumulated 700,000 hours of flight, a world record.

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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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It's a heavyweight who joined the circuit on Tuesday from the Banque Populaire Group in sailing. Loick Peyron (5 league titles on the circuit Orma, winner of the 2nd edition of the Barcelona World Race with Jean-Pierre Dyck, twice winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre) became the new skipper Maxi Banque Populaire V. In Focus a single objective: toppling the Jules Verne Trophy record held since March 2010 by Franck Cammas on Groupama (48 days 7 hours and 344 minutes). A world tour tried – and failed – by the Banque Populaire Group in early 2011, with its iconic skipper Pascal Bidégorry.

"Loïck Peyron is someone who has an aura in sport," said Olivier Klein, CEO of commercial banking and insurance BPCE. The arrival condition of the sailor of 52 years are clear."He joins us for the period 2011-2012 in particular for the record attempt the Jules Verne Trophy," he says. Our goal was to find someone whose legitimacy was denied on the circuit and whose track record enabled him to succeed this season. We have an appetite for victories and high standards, "he adds. The Jules Verne Trophy is also a family affair for the Peyron. Bruno Peyron in a three-time holder with two ships, Commodore Explorer, and especially Orange 2.

Tight schedule

The timing of Loïck Peyron and his crew are more than busy, with a break-in period that may be very minimal entry into the heart of the matter will soon June 17, SNSM with the trophy (won by Loïck Peyron in 2008), followed by 13 to 15 August it will be time for the Fastnet, before positioning itself for a new record attempt the Jules Verne Trophy this winter.

Present in sailing for 22 years, Banque Populaire bet on the "giants of the seas." The group was one of the pillars of the circuit Orma, and has developed no less than 5 multihull ocean. In 2006, the bank of the sail is the choice of major records. "We found an alternative to these big races, but with the demise of this circuit, we had to get into the big record," says Chantal Petrachi, communications director of Banque Populaire. That's when we started the construction of the maxi-trimaran 40 meters. Cost of operation: 11 million euros.

With the arrival of Loïck Peyron, the Banque Populaire loop device sail for its 2012 edition, year of the next Vendée Globe. The Team has established race team, led by Ronan Lucas and no fewer than three major projects.Besides the Jules Verne Trophy, the bank is engaged in the Imoca circuit. In April, former skipper of Brit'Air, Armel Le Cléac'h, joined the team to retrieve the bar of the old monohull Foncia, bought late 2010 and refurbished by the bank in anticipation of the next Jacques Vabre and the Vendée Globe. Jeanne Gregory, the group is also engaged in the Figaro circuit.

"Three in four French people know Banque Populaire bank as sailing. We therefore had to have a comprehensive approach on the sector, for example, from clubs and sailing schools. The veil is a very high surface exposure for a brand because we give our name to a boat or a team, "says Olivier Klein.The Banque Populaire Group is also a partner of the French Sailing Federation for 11 years, it maintains the history of the Pen Duick alongside Eric Tabarly association and supports teams of France's Olympic sailing next pure OJ London.

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.

From 1 August 2011, the parking fine will increase to 17 euros. This is stipulated in a government decree that will appear shortly.

Today, a motorist who does not pay parking fine pay a flat rate of only 11 euros. Either the same amount as in 1986 (75 francs). For years, local officials demanded an increase of the fine, arguing that it was no longer a deterrent cash advance. So they finally succeed.

Indeed, Baroin, the budget minister, had announced in February that the parking fine be raised from 11 to 17 euros. But the date of application was not known. This is now done. According to the costings of Bercy, the increase of the fine report 24 to 36 million euros per year to local authorities.

Diabetes closer Sanofi-Aventis and Qatar. The laboratory lights and the Qatar Foundation signed a few weeks ago a research agreement on the use of stem cells in treating diabetes. Tens of millions of euros and twenty scientists will be assigned to such work on the new pandemic of the 21st century. Diabetes is among the main centers of development of Sanofi, which aims to become world leader in this market. The sixth world laboratory has also concluded, on March 24, yet another partnership on this issue with the Medical Center Columbia University in New York. "Diabetes is also a fundamental issue for Qatar," said Dr. Abdelali Haoud, vice-president in charge of the Research Division of the Qatar Foundation.The disease already affects more than 12% of the population in the Gulf, which is a hold twice as high as in the rest of the world.

Each partner is innovating with this agreement. Sanofi signs its first research project in the Middle East and the Qatar Foundation's first agreement with a major pharmaceutical company same day payday loans. But health is far from being a new world for this small state of 1.8 million inhabitants, who intends to use the windfall from natural gas and oil to turn into a society based on knowledge ("knowledge based society ").

Qatar affects 2.8% of GDP, 3.5 billion dollars last year, training and research in three main areas: information technology, energy, and especially health. The Qatar Foundation has already put $ 7.9 billion available to the academic hospital and a pole Sidra Home biotech began in late 2009.The Qatar National Research Fund, another offshoot of the foundation of the small emirate has invested 230 million dollars over three years to fund approximately 80 centers and institutes and private research worldwide. Finally, the first biobank of the region, that is to say a central storage of biological samples, just to see the day in Doha.

Consumers do not win, but dentists can rejoice. The senators voted Wednesday for the removal of the requirement for practitioners to mention the purchase price of prostheses they provide to their patients. This indication was made mandatory since the implementation of the "hospital, patient, health, territory" (HPST) in March 2010 and aimed to introduce more transparency in the prices charged by dentists.

For the price of hearing varies almost by a factor of two firms, analyzed the organization last February mutuelle.com. Rates that depend on several factors: the quality of the prosthesis, the reputation of the dentist, the neighborhood where he practices, but also the level of medical coverage for the patient."It is almost a rule that the physician inquires about it, so that the topping facto contributes to drive prices up and enjoy in good part to the care provider," noted the Court of Auditors A report published last year.

No effect on import prices

Disparate rates are also particularly high. Citing a 2005 report published in Belgium, the Court of Auditors noted that the price of a prosthesis in France is 2.5 times that of a prosthesis in Germany, itself 25% more expensive that 'in the Netherlands.

Aggravating factor for the French practitioners: the growing share of imported models (about 15% in 2010 according to the French Dental Association) has never passed on the average price charged by dentists.Yet the cost of dentures made in China, Madagascar and North Africa is three times lower (40 euros against 120 euros) than models manufactured in France.

Competition poor '

Accordingly, it is 10% of the French population is forced to give dental care because of cost, says the Institute for Research and Documentation in Health Economics (Irdes). Generally, dental costs alone constitute more than half of medical benefits to which patients give up that ground.

It is under these facts that the Court of Auditors argued last year that the quotation offered to patients include the purchase price of the prosthesis. "Improving transparency would help to remedy a lack of competition today," thought the institution.

"Intensive lobbying"

The senators, however, have decided otherwise Wednesday. Gilbert Barbier, behind the amendment removing this requirement, explains: "The text was virtually unenforceable. If you want to calculate the cost of a prosthesis, we must delve a lot of ancillary costs, "he explains. Furthermore, why impose this requirement only to dentists, not the garage for example? "He asks. "Dentists have had the feeling of being stigmatized. Let us keep right, "came Wednesday in support of meeting the Minister of Health Xavier Bertrand.

Another argument advanced by Senators: prices of acts called "conservatives" (scaling, treatment of caries, decay …) would be undervalued by social security. "For ten years they have not been adjusted.This explains that dentists sometimes compensate by increasing their margin on prostheses, "suggests Gilbert Barbier. Yet, according to the ECA, some of these rates were revalued by 30% in 2006. Meanwhile, prices of prostheses continued to grow at an annual rate of more than 3% …

For UFC-Que Choisir, the situation is clear. "The intensive lobbying professionals was correct in the interest of patients," said Cedric Musso Thursday, director of institutional relations within the association, in the columns of "Paris-Today in France. "The dentists are not commercial professions. As health professionals, they do not make a profit on hardware sales. "

The net is closing around the football clubs. By last weekend, the president of the Professional Football League (LFP), Frederic Thiriez confirmed the loss of 114.1 million euros for the Ligue 1 clubs in 2009-2010. The report of the National Monitoring Directorate and management has not yet been validated by the union of professional football clubs (UCPF). "The clubs have been affected by the global crisis and the slowdown in the transfer market," he says.

Nevertheless, the president of the LFP is aware that the explanation goes beyond the mere "fact crisis." Revenue transfers fell sharply (-41% in 2009-2010), wages that are consistent, in equity base (-28.8% in 2009-2010) are all reasons for the economic difficulties of football French."Success" of the tender on the television rights to be held between April 30 and May 15 is more than ever sought by clubs in Ligue 1. In other words, they hope that Canal + will raise its offer or another broadcaster will file his candidacy. In an exclusive interview figaro.fr, president of Olympique Lyonnais, Jean-Michel Aulas has admitted that in case of falling revenue from TV rights, it will sell two or three players at the end of the season and reduce the wage bill of around ten million euros.

In addition to increasing revenue, including sponsorship and ticket sales, the long-term goal for the elite of French football is to significantly reduce its expenses. Involved soaring player salaries. "For at least three years, wages have been higher by at least 20% on budget," said Richard Oliver, president of the DNCG free credit score online.While the practice of financial fair play must be established at European level in three years, the DNCG intends to strengthen its supervision of accounts of football clubs.

"Addressing the hazards athletes"

From the 2011-2012 season, the supervisor will compare the funds' own clubs with bigger operating loss, excluding transfers recorded in the last three years. If it was higher than the equity, off-recurring items, the club's transfers in question are framed over a period of three to five years. "The goal is to allow clubs to deal with uncertainties sports, not as a qualification for a European Cup or relegation to a lower division," said Richard Oliver.

At first glance, the clubs would be on the same wavelength as the DNCG.The average salary of new contracts signed in Ligue 1 when last winter transfer window is actually down 7% from the summer of 2010. Yet the annual report of the supervisory authority on the accounts of French clubs for the 2009-2010 season which was published last Friday was postponed. The reason? League 1 expressed pessimism annoyed by the DNCG. "The concerns are not in France when there are foreign clubs, and big clubs, who would not qualify if the financial fair play were applied today," said Jean-Pierre Louvel, president of the 'UCPF.

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