Areva hopes sell 2 nuclear reactor to India

The french multinational group Areva hopes sell for 20 billions of euros 2 EPR to India until 15 years. The agreement will be signed tomorrow between India and France for the civil nuclear installation in India. They will sell in the first time 2 reactor and nuclear fuel. The indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh, arrived today for an Indian-European Union submit in Marseille. It is a plus for Areva which have already distribution and transmission activities and 3500 employees.

This article shows us that India is progressively turning its mind to an "ecologique" source of energy. This is a bit ambigus because the nuclear waste contaminate the environment. But it counter the global warming.
Is nuclear a "new" energy for replace the petrole ?
Maybe yes ...

Exhibition of moden art at the Tate Modren in London

From the 28th of September to the 1st of February, Mark Rothko, a modern painter born in Russia in 1903, elevated in New York an dead in his appartement after swallowed barbiturates in 1970. His paintings are rather ambigus. In fact, he represents squares af different colours. It is rather simple. However, it creates a kind of a mood, as if we wer ein a church, where silence is living.we are focused on this simple paintings, which are the reflects of Rothko's depression, thoughts and fellings...
It isn't from the everyone's tastes. People would rather say that there aren't any interest of selling a single paiting more than millions of dollars (the costest reached $73 millions).

We are in a case of social tastes. Everyone might not like that style which is understandable. But the price mightg be because the painter is dead...

North Korea new policy

North Korea has broken all the agreements with the United Nations about its nuclear activities. It said that it would soon begin nuclear programme again. They kicked "UN nuclear watchdog inspectors" out of the country and they're demanding the removal of IAEA (international atomic energy agency) seals on "the thousands of plutonium fuel rods removed from the plant last year".Last week, Pyongyang threated to abandon the Six Party Talks (a series of prickly negociations between North Korea, South Korea, the US, Japan, China and Russia). This event reinforced the tensions between North Korea and the world. A major contribution to this action from North Korea is the designation of North Korea by the US as "a sponsor of terorism". With the resart of the nuclear plant, North Korea might expect to win further aid as it has massive food and energy shortgages. Analysts are wondering if the change in North Korea policy isn't a consequence of the slight change of chief...



This shows that history and agreements between countries are short-lived. The action taken by North Korea also shows that the UN isn't , maybe, not so powerfull. A dictatorship can decide to start nuclear programme and deny agreements it took a year earlier, and the UN doesn't have a real power to stop that. This makes me think about the same kind of problems with Iran. Till now, we don't really know what's going on and the UN doesn't seem to have muche power to stop them. Then it asks the question : Does the UN have a real power towards these problems ? Let me know your opinion.
This also shows us the functioning of dictatorship : the lack of information about the chief 's health and we can notice that in the articles about North Korea we only talk about the "governement" and not about the citizens.

A new take-off

Alitalia's pilots have finally accepted the “relaunch plan” proposed by Italians buyers regrouped in the Italian Air Company (CAI). The two rivals Air France-KLM and Lufthansa are now in competition to become minority shareholder of the italian airline.

After this news, Berlusconi's government (who played an important part in negotiations) immediately broke the news of his “satisfaction” and his “gratitude” towards the buyers. A bankruptcy of Alitalia (held by the Italian State at 49.9%) or its selling to a foreign company would be a defeat for Berlusconi, who promised to find an Italian buyer after being opposed to the repurchase of the company by Air France-KLM during the elections, to protect the “national identity”. Air France-KLM and Lufthansa want to enter in the capital of the company.

Lufthansa is the favorite company for north Italians thanks to its organisation in many hubs. This organization seduced Italians because they want to relaunch air traffic also from Milan-Malpensa airport, whereas Air France-KLM plans to use only Rome-Fiumicino airport as a hub.

The preservation of the “independence" of Alitalia is a success for Berlusconi, but it's an exception in Europe. Indeed, since a year and the rise of petrol prices, we can observe in Europe a lot of alliance of European airlines companies (like Iberia, Austrian Airline and Brussels Airline) with the Big Three (British Airways, Air France-KLM and Lufthansa). But, even if Alitalia is an exception, one of these Big Three will be a minority shareholder of it. It proves that even the fourth European company is obliged to become dependent of one of these three, and predicts the future total reign in Europe of BA, AF-KLM and Lufthansa.

NOTE : Air France a finalement pris une participation de 25% dans le capital de la nouvelle Alitalia, débarassée de ses dettes grâce à la CAI (alliance de grandes entreprises italiennes qui ont renfloués Alitalia) et désormais fusionnée avec Air One, son ancienne concurrente Italienne. Air France renforce sa place de première compagnie aérienne européenne face a Lufthansa !

After the rain, the sun

Friday, the "saving plan" of the public powers in the USA, has convinced European investors. All European stock exchanges, after Asians, have strongly increased.

In Paris, whereas it has strongly fallen next week ( - 8.75% in 4 sessions , since Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy), the CAC 40 has railed in an historical rise : 9.27 % (4 324.87 points)

In Frankfurt, the DAX finished friday night with a rise of 5,56% (6 189.53 points)

In London, the stock exchange won 431 points with an historical rise of 8.84% (5311.3 points).

The Bank' bonds won between 30 and 60%.

In Russia, stock exchanges has incredibly risen after an appalling week (RTS : 22.39% and the

Micex 28.69%)

All these rises of European stock exchanges friday show that , firstly, the market is so stressed that an only thing can make it crazy. Then, it shows that in spite of the point of view of some economists who say that the subprimes crisis make the USA less powerful in the world (economically speaking) , what happened in the USA still influenced all the rest of the world. A good news for the USA is a good news for the entire world.

Will Gordon Brown be a good prime minister in period of crisis ?

In fact, the British prime minister had some problems with the members of the Parliament. Some of them accused his policy to be timorous, this means that almost nothing has moved since Tony Blair went away... Thus he had to dismiss the accusers who were within his governement, like Barry Gardiner, two others from junior government and a Labour official.
The most unhappy of Brown's policy are the workers, who are wondering if something will dare move... and if he will be enough strong to face a crisis...
His popularity had thus went down, as his international credibility.

But, the question is, will he be good to face the recession, or will it be necessary to change the governement ?

For Gordon Brown, who is prime minister for only 15 months, the situation is tensed...

The controversy about the Edvige file ...

Edvige is a file creates in order to abate the rise of terrorism, with trailing the french population and to take a concensus of people who are more then 13 years old . There is nearly everything about you : where you live, with who, your social security number etc ... But the thing that makes so much nose is that they noticed your sexuallity, if your are a big part of an association or a polical party, etc ... In order to show their discontent, peoples could sign a petition . And the petition was signed by 130 000 peoples and 300 associations ...
Because of this discontent, the president is obliged to arranged Edvige .

But does Hedvige detract civil liberties ? Is it democratic ?
That the question that everyone ask ...

EU and NATO actions about the Georgian conflict

I'm sorry but I don't find the article I read, the first link seems to be the nearest article in relation with the one I read.

A little remember about Georgia : after a series of clashes, Georgia tried to retake South Ossetia by force. This led to a Russian counter attack. A cease-fire has now been signed but problems remain into the area.

- The EU gives a help of €500m (it will conern displaced people, rehabilitation, economic recovery and new infrastructures) and settles 200 ceasefire monitors into the buffer zones.

- NATO refuses the Georgian membership until the conflict is resolved.


- Russia recognised South Ossetia and Abkhazia independence but troops remain into the buffer zones. This situation isn't accepted by NATO who supends its meetings with Russia until it withdraw from South Ossetia and Abkhazia.


-NATO also criticises the EU ceasefire which allowed, according to NATO, Russia to stay in the buffer zones. The EU ceasefire is told to be in contradiction with the earlier plan of "status quo" (come back to the situation which existed before the fighting).



The Georgian conflict shows us that it is more about than an independence war from South Ossetia and Abkhezia. It seems that tensions from the cold war still remain. Indeed, Georgia has received help from the US and that as well as its want to be part of NATO has created tensiosn between Moscow and Tiblissi. The US economic and political influence has been a source of concern for Russia and the fact that Moscow has peacekeeping toops into the independentist areas has been a source of concern for Georgia. Another implicit (it's not told as a possible origin of the conflict) possible origin to the conflict is oil. The US has invested heavily in a oil pipeline which goes through Georgia and so has important interest into the country. Another pickly point between Moscou and Tbilissi about petrol is the Bakou-Tbilissi-Ceyhan pipeline which takes the petrol from the caspienne sea to Turkey, in avoiding Ruia territory. When it is completed in 2009, it will transport one million barrel per day. Moscou doesn't like it because a part of the petrol from the Caspien sea is taken in skirting its terrytory ( Le Monde n°19764, Tuesday 12/08/08 ; cf photo beneath). Therefore, we can see that a conflict has many different origines but that they're all linked with possession of richess.
The conflict also shows us mondialisation. Indeed, the conflict eventually involve the EU and NATO. These two are also "fighting" because they disagree. This conflict shows how problems can add to each other and then involve many people with many different interests.

LINKS :

nearest article
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7616576.stm

to know more about Georgia http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/1102477.stm

Rescue of the mortgage giants Fannie Mae&Freddie Mac

As known, America has suffred from a prices decreasing of the the property business. The problem was that, people who loaned money to banks before the crisis, had to pay back the same amount the borrowed, but, as the prices went down, it was useless for them to give money back to banks. Then, they lost money, but when all banks are losing money, as big mortgages companies like Fannie Mae&Fredddie Mac, it makes a big problem... And that's why the government, to resolve that problem, has done something that is not in the American policy credo.
It is the Treasury Secretary, Mr Henry M. PAULSON Jr, who was named on June 19, 2006, who had the idea to reinject money from the state to rescue the mortgages companies. It was a hard desicion to choose, because we all know that the United States of America are not used to take charge of private matters. It wasn't chosen because of will, but because it was necessary, as the White House secretary, Dane M.PERINO explained :"This is not action that we wanteed to take; it was action that Secretary Paulson and others, working with the president, determined that we needed to take."
This desicion was out of principles, but it was necessary to save the mortgage market, and a big part of the american economy...

Libellés (4)

The Barrel, briefly under 100 dollars

Whereas the barrel established new records, with a barrel at 120 dollars, from the beggining of the spring, it came down under a 100 dollars in London. In the northern see it came down at 97,58.

So, why at the stations the prices are always the same ?

Because, when the members of the "OPEP" (organisation des pays exportateurs de petrole) knew that the prices fell down, they immediatly reduced their production. In order to not lose money.
And the prices are going to grow up rapidly with the arriving of the tempest calls Ike near Texas. The americain industry of oil in the mexicain's golf will be suspended during its passing.

Libellés (3)

Libellés (2)

Libellés (1)

The New migrant worker rule

Ministers of the UK asked experts to work out which jobs had shortages and it turned out to be english and maths teachers, skilled nurses, consultants, engineering jobs, vets..
But the Tories basically said it was pointless without an annual cap on the number of immigrants entering the UK.
The Uk governement wants to stop the number of workers coming to Britain from outside the Eu.The new rules will certainly be applied after the governement have studied all the recommandations, so in November and it will be harder to employ skilled workers from outside the EU. The citizens of the European Union exept Bulgaria and Romania are already allowed to work into the Uk without any restrictions.Other unskilled workers from other parts of the world are banned, only highly qualified migrants or those with substantial sums to invest are allowed to live and work in the Uk.
The Mac ( Migrant Advisory committee) list refers to "skilled workers"; people with the equivalent of two A levels or NVQ level 3, they must speek good english, and enough money to support themselves.

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Britain 'to fall into recession'

Eurozone is going into recession in 2008 because of the high prices of food and fuel prices as well as the credit crunch (+ructions on the market) : slowdown in export and consumer spending.

UK, Germany and Spain are the most concerned, according to the European Comission forecast. It's the first decline of the block since its creation. According to a Treasury spokesman UK could well deal with these challenges (thanks to a high level of employment, low interest rates and rising incomes + many job creations).

The financial crisis in America had repercussions in Europe because of our tight links (especially the UK) in economy. This can have many consequences on the economic growth and so, on the citizens'lives themselves. Indeed, if the economic growth goes down, then, that means that the country or area is less rich and so people's lives are less confortable than before. That means a lakes of confidence, so people buy less, therefore the demand is going down. It seems to be a circle (without being pessimistic) because to relaunch economy, the European Central Bank needs to put interest rates down, and so, demand will go up. But, with the inflation, they have to keep interest rates high to not make inflation more important. However, UK could well deal with the recession because it has good circumstances (high level of employment, low interest rates, rising incomes and many job creations) to make people produce and spend, this will relaunch economic growth.

The fall of the 5th Wall Street 's Bank

The business bank, Lehman Brothers, still suffers the consequences of the "subprimes crisis" . The share has lost seventy five percent of its value in one week at Wall Street and continues to drop. The priority for Richard Fule (the CEO of the bank) is to forget his will to save the independance of the bank and to find a controlling stockholder.
According to the "Washington Post" and the "Wall Street Journal", the Central Bank conducts negociations with private investors, such as the second american bank , "Bank Of America", ( who is, according to the WSJ, "the white hope" of Lehman Brothers), or the english Barclays. Some hedge funds could be interested in , but this solution could disturb the Federel Reserve (according to the " New York Times").
When the Federal Reserve had organized the takeover of Bear Stearns by JPMorgan Chase, the Central Bank had accepted to finance the operation (30 billions dollars). The candidates of the takeover of Lehman Brothers would like to benefit of the same aid from authorities. However , those are not really willing to do it. Above all after the engagement to pay to safeguard the functioning of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac ( 200 billions dollars) .

 15th September 2008 :      Finally, after the decision of the Barclays and the Bank Of America ( who has announced today his take over of  the business bank Merryl Lynch for 50 billions dollars) to don't takeover Lehman Brothers, the 5th Wall Street's Bank becomes bankruptcy. Today , the world of finance is shell-shocked (CAC 40 : -3.78% , FSTE 100 : -3.92%, Dow Jones : -2.92%).

Links :

This link describes the stages of the Subprimes Crisis' developement until the 15th September (FRENCH)

CLICK HERE

This one represents a list of the principal banks who suffered of the Subprimes Crisis (French)

CLICK HERE