International Headlines and Stories

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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Unsurprisingly, Georges Tron, accused of sexual assault by two former employees, resigned Sunday as Secretary of State for Public Service, announced earlier this afternoon in a statement the Prime Minister François Fillon who said "take note" of this decision. According to the Elysee is Baroin, minister of Budget and Appropriate Minister Georges Tron, who resumes his duties. A decision that provides the Elysee Palace to make a slight adjustment.

This decision was awaited. In the morning, Le Journal du Dimanche had reported that the resignation of Secretary of State would intervene in the day. According to the weekly, the decision was taken Saturday.It is François Fillon person who would be responsible for prescribing the manner of his departure.

He defends himself in his letter of resignation

"As a private citizen, I will make a personal matter to recognize my innocence while fighting the charges of vindictive two former employees, one was fired for embezzling public funds entrusted to him and the other resigned because of conduct unbecoming, "said Georges Tron in his resignation letter that was provided Lexpress.fr.

"Anyway, the press campaign that they have caused – before any intervention of the judiciary – has received such coverage in the media, that our citizens can consider myself as guilty before my rights have been begin to be implemented: think, Mr. President of the Republic, I have not even informed me that the complaint is, the procedure does not provide (presumably because it does not the public trial that I did), "said the now former Secretary of State for Public Service.

Alain Juppe pushes him towards the exit

In the columns of Le Parisien on Saturday, Georges Tron still seemed to want to believe. "I do not want to be annoying," he noted, while ensuring they do not feel "under siege". "I am extraordinarily serene," he explained in everyday life.Saturday afternoon, his lawyer indicated he would resign if the Head of State or Prime Minister asking him.

But on Sunday, the deal seemed to have changed. Alain Juppe including implicitly invited the secretary of state to resign, saying the government members must be "above reproach". "For now, he is presumed innocent," said Minister of Foreign Affairs on Canal +. "The rest is a matter of personal ethics. I have no lessons to give, but there are moments where he must learn to take responsibility themselves, "he said.

Secretary of State for Public Service is currently the target of complaints from two former employees of Municipal Common Draveil (Essonne), where he is mayor. The prosecution of Evry has given the police a preliminary investigation for sexual assault and rape.The two women have long been heard Thursday by the investigators, who have provided a list of witnesses, mostly city employees, may corroborate their versions.

A third complainant?

Sunday, JDD reveals that a third alleged victim would have emerged and should be heard in the week by investigators. He is a commissioner Draveil moved "on demand" by Georges Tron earlier this year. If we do not know yet the details of this story, a union officer told the weekly that the Secretary of State "was hard on her (the woman) for months. (…) I do not know exactly what happened between them, but I know she has lived all this very badly, "he said.

The lawyer Georges Tron, Mr. Olivier Schnerb, denounced Sunday the "media manipulation which has been subjected.""It is presented in the media as a culprit condemned already" while his two accusers' delight to show on television, "he said. "The defense of Georges Tron has not yet begun.

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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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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.

France and Ivory Coast are the two favored destinations of Africans who emigrate. The former colonial power in its home soil 2.754 million while the world's largest producer of cocoa welcomes 2.448 million. World Bank figures cited in the introduction of a groundbreaking study aimed to "increase the impact (economic) migration to Africa." This is a reminder that all Africans will live outside their country of origin does not necessarily leave the continent."Two thirds of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, especially the poorest, will relocate to other parts of the continent, while in the case of North Africa 90% have gone overseas," notes the report .

As Côte d'Ivoire has positioned itself as the main attraction is obviously surprising: the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has noted that over 150,000 Ivorians have fled to Liberia in recent weeks . But the fact is that since the time of French colonization, the country has continued to attract labor nearby. At that point in the 1970s, President Houphouet-Boigny had to launch the concept of ivoirité to reassure citizens worried about the influx of foreigners.

The ebb and flow demographic facing Côte d'Ivoire illustrate the ambivalence of inter-African migration.Although they mainly follow economic motivations for richer countries like Nigeria and South Africa. But sometimes they are "forced migration". UNHCR now counts 2.2 million refugees who have fled as a result of wars or natural disasters, not counting the 6.5 million people displaced within their own country.

Brain drain reaches alarming levels

It can not therefore underestimate the negative impact of migration on neglected regions. The chief economist of the World Bank for Africa, Shantayanan Devarajan, admits that "human capital flight" penalize "the small countries and low income" and "fragile countries emerging from conflict . More general phenomenon, the brain drain, brain drain, is reaching alarming proportions.The Bank notes that a graduate in eight African higher education living in OECD countries. It is a scourge in Ghana: 37.1% of physicians trained in its schools and 55.9% of practitioners were born on the land are working abroad. In total, 11% of nurses and 18% of doctors educated in the south of the Sahara are working in other lands, resulting in a shortage of medical personnel even more pronounced than the country's poor.

Despite these caveats, experts from the World Bank believe that "Africans living abroad are a vital resource." The main channel, it is the remittances, the remittances, as the English word, that expatriates send regularly to their families back in the motherland. This vector is now more important than official development assistance.He pumped $ 39.7 billion in 2010, with 21.5 billion for North Africa and 18.2 for sub-Saharan regions. These funds are also less volatile than foreign direct investment, which fell in 2009 with the crisis.

Introduce dual citizenship for their emigrants

It is possible to increase the impact of these funds that are within families across national borders, said Dilip Ratha, senior economist with the Bank on matters of migration. "Some countries, like Mexico and Turkey, have tried to direct their capital for collective investment, but it did not work. We must preserve their privacy, as is a personal decision to emigrate, "the former judge of Crédit Agricole Indosuez economist of Indian origin.He suggested, however, to tackle the endemic problem of transaction costs, totally excessive (you must pay $ 20 for sending $ 200). The solution would be to play the network of posts and mobile phone companies.

Beyond remittances, Dilip Ratha advocates to mobilize the entire savings of diasporas, which he estimated at $ 30.4 billion annually to sub-Saharan countries. The idea would be to issue savings bonds, similar to what Israel and India have long been, and that Greece seeks to establish with its own diaspora.These securities, issued off-market rates, for ratings from 100 to 10,000 dollars would be used to "finance infrastructure projects and health education."

Last but not least, Dilip Ratha urges African States to introduce dual citizenship for their emigrants (only accept 20 of 54) to strengthen their links with foreign communities. He had no doubt that these diasporas have a great future in view of demographic developments. By 2050, the population of working age will decline by 88 million in Western Europe, where sub-Saharan Africa will have increased his $ 699 million!

At the gentle slope succeeds collapse. France 3 now flirting with the 10% audience share, against 14% three years ago. Last Saturday in prime time, the public channel regions is even symbolically passed below a million viewers, with the spread of the play One foot in the crime from the theater of the Auction of Marseille. A hearing to sentence the youth level digital television channels which now flirt with the 2 million viewers.

The staff of the chain relies on its public service mission to justify such a rout. But the argument is over when France 3 collapses to 4.6% audience share at lunch with "Midi in France, led by renegade Laurent Boyer M6, or Saturday night in second part of the evening when the series of disappearances is not taking off 4.4% audience share.Even the film loses its shine on France 3 since The Last Gang did not exceed 6.2% audience share last week.With the cost of grid that is around that of 2-France around 800 million euros, and 4800 employees, the decline of hearing begins to be disturbing.

Faced with scores, Corteel Lawrence, director of France 3 antennas, spoke Tuesday at the convention of executives of France Televisions, "the necessary regional reconquest," one of "information" concerning ", closer to the lived audiences, and "Wealth of twenty-four regional offices."

However, France 3 Must begin his Copernican revolution and lack of hearing, stop being a national chain, like Radio France Bleu (Radio France), be primarily a network of local stations ? For Francis Guilbeau, general manager of the chain, "the economic balance of the television does not allow it.This would mean having to increase the budget of the chain 24, the number of our local offices. ARD Germany has a budget of 7 billion euros. Our mission is not to make room for the local audience. "And remember that" no private regional channel has been a success in France, very centralized country. " However, the boss of France 3 recognizes the need to play more cards proximity, "which does not mean that Britons do not speak only to Britons no faxing pay day loans." "For now, he admits, regional programs are inconspicuous and do not have the success we expected." The documentary Xynthia after the storm, made in the region, has received a share of hearing by 7.1%. François Guilbeau does however borrow France Bleu her art "programs and services of local interest such as employment, real estate."Similarly, a "club of the regional press" should be created in the fall.

The radio daily

Playing the local map has paid for France Bleu. For three years, its audience grew. In the last survey Médiamétrie, the second general of Radio France slipped to RMC with 7.5% of total audience. Successfully initiated by Christiane Chadal, Network Manager from January 2008 to March 2010, with an editorial in August 2008 embodied in the slogan "From here". "Our position" From here "is anchored on the premises, but does not see the current national or international law, says Anne Brucy, director of France Bleu network. For example, the news in Japan and the crisis in Fukushima have mobilized our local near nuclear power plants (The Hague, Pierrelatte Fessenheim …).We take a comprehensive look from where our listeners. "These are major contributors of France Bleu. "The role of the auditor is at the heart of the program. It is about the listeners share and enrich the program information. Our expertise can enhance their contribution, "says Anne Brucy. A supply that feeds the antenna at a lower cost but is difficult to reproduce in television.

Similarly, through a nationwide network with 43 local Consequently, France Bleu can also actively participate in local life. What strengthen its position as "the daily companion."

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No pay rise for the new strong man of L'Oreal. Jean-Paul Agon, CEO of the group, also holds the post of president since Friday but will retain the same salary this year than in 2010. "For 2011, the Council (…) stopped fixed at 2,100,000 euros gross a year earlier, unchanged from 2010," does it say in the management report 2010 of the Board of Directors , submitted to the AMF and made available on March 17.

Jean-Paul Agon has not received in 2010 his entire salary: part depended targets he has not fully met. It has affected 80% of the 2.1 million indicated, is 1.68 million euros. A salary cut in 2010, no increase in 2011: the future CEO of L'Oreal is so far not mistreated by his group. He was awarded $ 6.9 million stock options last year.Since 2006, the officer received a total of 1.25 million stock options. It will retain 50% of them while he remains in office.

As for Sir Lindsay Owen Jones, Jean-Paul Agon was replaced as president on Friday, it will benefit more now that its fees for participation in the boards. As each board member, he will receive as such a lump sum of 30,000 euros plus 5,000 euros per session. It has received 85,000 euros in 2010.

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The three executives involved in the alleged espionage case that shook Renault have little to burnish their slow response. Pounding their innocence in this obscure record that they provide not understand a word, Jean-Michel Balthazar, Executive Committee member, and Matthew Tenenbaum, Number 2 electric vehicle department, announced a complaint for "malicious prosecution".

Bertrand Rochette, director of advanced vehicle projects, has meanwhile cons-attacked earlier this week through a quotation in undisclosed libel. "Inspired by a true patriotism business, my client is a product of automobile manufacturer for which he has worked since the age of 19 years and who has paid his engineering before becoming a rising star, Figaro confessed Thursday to Mr. Thibault de Montbrial, the board of Matthew Tenenbaum.In this case without evidence, we are reduced to hypotheses: either Renault has been the target of a real spy would have liked to be covered by a diversion by wearing the hat to one or more scapegoats. Or, in a context of economic warfare, someone tried to convince leaders that some of their executives were compromised for Renault to lead to part to destabilize the company. "

System of bribes, kickbacks

"In this kind of espionage, one is obliged to observe the utmost restraint on the evidence available," said John Reinhart, the lawyer for Renault. He sweeps the other hand the thesis of a destabilization attempt by Renault that it could be "collateral damage" of a manipulation that is the manufacturer in order to disrupt a strategic project.Defender Renault evokes this "duplication of information in recent months." For his part, Pierre-Olivier Sur, one of two lawyers Michel Balthazar, said his client's discretion: "We remain silent, because for now, it's word against word fast cash loans. However, in a case like this, there must be evidence. "

Two weeks after the unearthing of the scandal that rocks the diamond brand, sources familiar with the matter questioned increasingly as the improbabilities peppering the back are many. Indeed, the bill for 50,000 euros required to conduct investigations sprawling seems ridiculously low in the eyes of professionals.Moreover, the private investigator should explain how he managed the feat of "dismantling" a few weeks an alleged system of bribes sophisticated organized from China, via a series of intermediaries, leading to accounts in Switzerland and Lichtenstein. On Thursday, the head of the pharmacy mystery expected to be heard by the Central Directorate of Internal Security (DCRI), as several officials of the Directorate of Protection of the board.

For its part, Renault does not change communication strategy. Carlos Ghosn, CEO of the manufacturer, "who has personally followed the case from the beginning," the group says, will certainly speak for the first time on this story Sunday night. But no new revelation is waiting for his intervention.It should reaffirm that the internal investigation "has brought together sufficient evidence to conclude that grave acts" committed by the three executives charged, which justified their dismissal. Carlos Ghosn also focus on the fact that now "we must let justice work," says one internally. The group says "being in permanent" with the secret services so that "the investigation forward as quickly as possible." A spokesman added that the group can not "legally" at this stage to submit evidence of the guilt of three executives because "it is for justice to do so" when the time comes.

After one year heckled, the bloc appears re-welded. France and Germany have pledged Friday to work to further convergence, including tax, from the beginning of 2011. But despite the promise of creating a permanent fund to help countries in bankruptcy, ambiguities remain in the short term on the strength of euro coinage.

The EU leaders have hammered in their conclusions: they will make "everything necessary" to maintain stability. The Lisbon Treaty will be amended to make it permanent in 2013, the safety net provisional Greek tense after the rout in the spring. A priori with 440 billion euros, it might be muscular. Staffing will be "convincing," promised Angela Merkel.The mechanism is "limitless," insists a senior European official.

On the issue of Eurobonds by contrast, Paris and Berlin have not strayed from their refusal, despite a growing clamor. This is "not the right way to express the solidarity between Europeans, says a French source: you can not pool the public debts in the absence of real convergence on revenue and expenditure budget.

Is the angle at which work Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel. "There is a fiscal convergence, a stability pact, there is the possibility of sanctions for states that do not respect their commitments, it should probably now go further," said the head of state. With a goal to reduce the competitiveness gap between the 16 euro countries.

The "culture of stability"

The two founding countries have to tackle quickly the mission of convergence."This is the work of the first weeks of next year," said Nicolas Sarkozy. Angela Merkel, 2011 must be the year of the "stability culture". In his view, the economic cooperation could be "on commitments to budget stability and a comparison of social systems." In the Chancellor's entourage, speaking openly of a step in the economic and political union.

These commitments be enough to convince the markets? Friday, analysts remained unsatisfied. For Carsten Brzeski bank ING, Twenty-Seven "did not resolve the crisis through which the euro, any more than the debt burden or a potential bankruptcy before 2013. The ideal would have been a preventive operation vis-à-vis Portugal and Spain, "said Shahin Vallee, economist at BNP Paribas. "Europeans seem unable to act in an emergency," he laments.We may no European solution as the day Lisbon or Madrid are on the brink. "

The moment of truth could also ring when the next series of stress tests on Banks (stress tests), scheduled for February. The exercise, which simulates the impact of a major financial shock, had not detected the imminent collapse of Irish banks this summer, when the last test. Brussels promises to tests "more rigorous and comprehensive".

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The new head of the UMP, Jean-Francois Cope, was accused in a head-to-head Monday at Matignon, "I'll guarantee, you will be acclaimed Wednesday!" The prime minister smiled . With or without such security, Francois Fillon knows that quick cash advance…