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The hosts were visibly in the starting blocks. Barely mentioned by the new Minister of Education, Vincent Peillon, a return to the week of 5 days in primary sparked an outcry from the hotel professionals.

A return to school on Saturday morning "no longer reflects the will of the French" ensures not without ulterior motives Thierry Grégoire, an official of the Union of Trade and Industry Hospitality (Umih). "The important thing is to preserve the weekend" went further Didier Chenet, president of the National Union of hotel, restaurant, bar and catering (Synhorcat).

If lifestyle is important for the French hotel industry professionals, financial concerns are not absent from their thoughts. A study by the firm Protourisme figure to 60 million per year the number of nights lost upon return to school on Saturday morning. Which is still 3 billion euros.

The hosts were on edge, not hesitating to protest the appointment of the new government Wednesday night. Didier Chenet was moved that "tourism has still not fully-fledged ministry." Sylvia Pinel is in charge of Tourism, but also of Craft and Commerce. Obviously this is not enough for industry professionals

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Jamie Dimon is a unique pattern in the world of finance. Sometimes called the "King of Wall Street," he seeks to understand all the various trades practiced in the banking group. 56 years old, this little-son of Greek immigrant who grew up in the borough of Queens continues to personally analyze weekly piles of numbers. His direct involvement in risk management has served throughout his career. For sooner than the others sensed the danger coming, and insisted on lending policies and investment more conservative than his rivals, he is credited with the fact that JPMorgan Chase has not experienced a single quarter in the red for the subprime crisis.

If he knows all areas of finance, is that this son of a broker was to mentor Sandy Weill, a legend on Wall Street. After graduating from Harvard Business School in 1982, Jamie Dimon declines an offer from Goldman Sachs and prefer to become assistant Sandy Weill, then at American Express. It will be at the forefront when Weill will lead an obscure finance company, Commercial Credit Company in 1986. Weill will use it to build an empire by a series of acquisitions. Primerica, Smith Barney, Salomon Brothers, where many firms Dimon has made his mark under the control of Sandy Weill.

But it will tire of the ego of his protégé in 1998. He dismisses rather than make his heir as head of Citigroup, the new and the first universal bank in the United States. Jamie Dimon immersed himself in reading, takes boxing classes in the spring of 2000 and accept the direction of Bank One in Chicago. He reorganized the large regional bank and merged with JPMorgan Chase in 2003, at a time when the giant New York is weakened, among other things related to Enron pay day loan lenders. Jamie Dimon savors revenge on Sandy Weill: it accesses the management of a large universal bank at a time when his former mentor was ousted from the leadership of "Citi".

In the first line

His smile and his habit of interrupting his interlocutors annoy many people. But Jamie Dimon is respected because it handles the best financial institution in the United States, present in all areas of finance, banded with solid capital, and often more profitable than its peers. Both internally to the press, analysts, regulators or politicians, he preaches transparency and do not hide behind circumlocutions. A relative who followed him from one bank to another for years said: "It's stronger than him, he can not help telling the truth." …… ..

While banks are unpopular and accused of all evils by senior politicians, Jamie Dimon takes a stand to defend his profession. He personally leads and the fight against re-regulation of many activities: how it will oversee consumer lending limitations taxable deposit banks that invest in the market, Jamie Dimon speaks publicly, while his colleagues let their lobbyists in the first line.

Democratic voters have always had supported Barack Obama in 2008. He preached at the time, for a pragmatic modernization of financial regulation. But the virulent rhetoric of the White House against Wall Street now seems to him unjust and angry.

The attack came on the weekend of Xavier Bertrand, in retaliation for the call to vote against Nicolas Sarkozy and make May 1st a meeting very political, with the support of the Left Front. "The CGT had better put its own house, slammed the Minister of Labour. Bernard Thibault should take care of his estate rather than the presidential election. "

Never be the next head of the CGT will have caused much turmoil. War leaders, changing the rules, slingshot on every floor … The replacement in March 2013 by Bernard Thibault turns the fratricidal struggle. And seriously concerned about the entourage of Francois Hollande, including some serious contenders at Matignon that matter – if their candidate is elected Sunday – on the support of the CGT to support future reforms. "He said that increasingly it will be complicated as the crisis is deep," says a close associate of Socialist candidate. "It is not certain that the CGT may reassemble, confirms an expert. The war of succession will leave traces for a long time. "

Persuaded by his family early on not to re-enlist for a fifth term, Bernard Thibault opened in December 2011 the race to succeed him by launching a wide consultation within the organization. Convinced that a woman should succeed him, he pushed the candidacy of two close, Nadine Prigent (54 years, patron of the Federation of Health) and Agnes Naton (50 years old, retired CEO of France Telecom and the body propaganda house). In vain. A third contender is out of the hat, an overwhelming majority: Eric Aubin (50 years, head of the federation of construction and "Mr free credit score. Retreats" of the plant).

A woman at all costs

But Bernard Thibault does not want Eric Aubin succeeded him. "His only handicap is not to be a woman," said one frame. "Thibault did not like Eric to campaign while it is traditionally out that dictates who will succeed him. He does everything to block his way as to create a serious crisis in house, "another abounds. As the current owner should indicate that April 17 was the fittest to succeed him, he changed the procedure he had established himself by pushing the May 25 – five days before the national confederal committee, " Parliament "of the CGT, not to accept one name – his preference. Until then, it will be launched Wednesday a tour of France and held nine meetings to try to impose interregional Nadine Prigent, which is unanimously against it.

"Nobody understands why he does so," says an expert in social relations. "We will not let Bernard impose a person whom does not" prevent multiple frames pro-Aubin. "In a structure like the CGT, one does not belong: it is not a candidate, we are led by organizations," said the favorite, backed by the largest federations and persuaded to be designated May 30 If this is the case, then it will have nine months to rally around him. A more difficult challenge ahead as the cement of antisarkozysme may disintegrate very quickly if Francois Hollande was elected Sunday

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"Labor Day has rarely been an apolitical day

Fears of mad cow resurface. But everything seemed to return gradually to normal. In the wake of reassuring messages issued by the United States, one of two South Korean brands, which had suspended sales of American meat, finally decided Thursday morning to end the embargo.

Moreover, no country had so far taken any restrictive measure: neither Europe nor the U.S. beef importing countries like Japan, Taiwan or Mexico. This is no longer the case. Indonesia on Thursday became the first country to suspend part of purchases of U.S. beef, after a new case of mad cow disease was discovered Tuesday in the U.S.. "We decided to stop importing the meat on the bones and offal from the United States, but imports of meat devoid of bones are kept," said AFP the Deputy Minister Indonesian Agriculture, Rusman Heriawan. He added: "The suspension starts today and we do not know how long it will last," he said, adding that deliveries were not being affected high quality business cards.

Less than a third of Indonesian imports

The U.S. Department of Agriculture had yet assured yesterday that there was no risk to consumers. The U.S. Trade Representative has called Jakarta to lift its partial ban.

U.S. meat represents only a small share of imports of meat in Indonesia, unlike those from New Zealand or Australia. In 2011, the U.S. exported 18,000 tonnes of beef and various pieces to Indonesia, amounting to some $ 28.2 million, according to the American Federation of export of meat, less than a thirds of Indonesian imports.

But the announcement could bring back some tensions especially if one importer of beef, such as Mexico, decreed an embargo. On the livestock market in Chicago, futures are up slightly from 0.13% to 112.425 dollars.

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It should be added Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger to the list of millionaires under 30 years in Silicon Valley. Instagram, a company they founded in 2010, employs a dozen people. It does not make a profit. Its turnover is unknown. It is "worth" $ 1 billion, however. In any case the price paid by Facebook Monday to acquire the entity behind one of the most popular applications for smartphone users: Instagram can take pictures with his cell phone, color them and modify them to change the "look", and share them instantly with friends. A week ago, Sequoia Capital, a prestigious venture capital firm in Menlo Park (California), had invested $ 50 million in Instagram and valued the company at 500 million.

"Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger never doubted that they ran a company that would be billions," said Chris Sacca, an early investor in Instagram, also known for throwing Twitter. Kevin Systrom was released in 2006 from Stanford University, nursery designer of high-tech companies. With his double degree in engineering and management, he went at first to do an internship in a startup called Odeo. This company specializes in podcasting was moderated by the team which was subsequently launch Twitter. The native of Boston has always been passionate about photography. He always wanted to make sending pictures via email. He eventually joining Google, where for two years, he worked on the development of new products like Gmail and Google Reader. At night and during the weekends, Kevin Systrom develops its own project guaranteed personal loan approval. Burbn baptized (because he likes bourbon), it is a social network for the exchange of photos and comments.

IPhone and Android

It is through this network that meets Kevin Systrom Mike Krieger, graduated from Stanford in 2008, he had never before attended. In early 2010, they team up and launch Instagram, a simplified version of Burbn. Of Brazilian origin and even younger than Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger is described as a brilliant mind. "It is more technical than Kevin Systrom," said Rob Abbott, a former adviser to both partners.

Corporate venture capital Andreessen Horowitz and Baseline Ventures initially gave them $ 500,000 to develop their product. Seven months later, the "app" was available. 200,000 people have installed on their iPhone the first week. Last December, 15 million iPhone users played with Instagram.

Today there are over 30 million. And the number will continue to explode because the application is also available for several days on phones using the Android platform. By noon, a million people have already installed the program. This hearing is considered promising according to the model of social networks which first want to seduce millions of subscribers before then to develop a revenue stream based on the advertisements they may present to their users. Facebook wanted to buy this application to better integrate its supply and enhance exchanges between subscribers.

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After the Millers last week, it was the turn of the manufacturers of dry dog ​​and cat to be sanctioned by the Competition Authority. In a country of 8 million dogs and 10 million cats, groups Nestle (Purina), March (Royal Canin) and Colgate-Palmolive (Hill's Pet Nutrition) were sentenced to pay 35.3 million euros for cartel with their wholesalers.

According to the sages of the Rue de l'Echelle, Nestle and Mars agreed for five years (2004-2008) with their wholesalers, who then sold their stores croquettes (BHV Jardiland, Leroy Merlin, Truffaut …).

The two market leaders have imposed their resale prices, exclusive territorial or customer, thus limiting competition between them. Royal Canin had already been convicted in 2005 by Constable competition.

As for the subsidiary of Colgate-Palmolive, she has arranged with its veterinary wholesalers to ban the export of its products outside the Hexagon.

If Nestlé and Mars are the most heavily penalized (19 and 11.6 million fine), they nevertheless benefited from reductions of approximately 20% penalty for not contesting the facts. They also set up compliance programs to competition rules. Finally, they reorganized their distribution system and p

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The European Union will not allow itself to do. In the aftermath of retaliation by China against the European carbon tax, which came into force on 1 January, the Danish Minister of Climate, Lidegaard Martin, said Friday that Brussels does not intend to reconsider the measure. "The EU will continue to ETS (the European carbon market fee, ed) and I feel we have a Council of Twenty-Seven united on this subject," he said on the sidelines of a meeting Brussels with his counterparts. "Europe and other countries want a solution within the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)," he added. To date, 26 of 36 ICAO member, including China, the United States and Russia, opposed the measure.

China took the lead from the dispute by freezing orders for Airbus aircraft placed by its airlines. "The decision of Beijing has an industrial impact: it hits 45 Airbus long-haul, 10 and 35 A 380 A 330," Louis said Thursday Welsh, CEO of EADS, when presenting the results of the 2011 group . "In 2013, 6 A 330 deliveries in 2014 and another 19 are endangered," he added, asking the EU not to insist on applying a unilateral measure. "We promote an agreed solution on a global scale. The European tax is not the appropriate solution. It distorts and puts us at odds with the rest of the world, "insisted Louis Welsh.

Trade war

The carbon tax applies to all airlines flying over European airspace. They will, however, forced to perform in the spring of 2013. Carriers must pay 15% of their emissions in the year 2012, 32 million tons, according to the price of a tonne of CO2. Otherwise, Brussels has set two types of penalty: a fine of 100 euros per tonne, more radical, the flight ban over European airspace.

China has calculated that the bill will amount to nearly 100 million euros for his companies and four times in 2020. In total, the carbon tax would cost 705 million euros for 2012 to stakeholders worldwide. Unacceptable for the Chinese, who are ready to tussle with Europe, even start a trade war with disastrous consequences for Airbus. Beijing is far from isolated. The rejectionist front also includes the U.S., India and Russia.

The threat is real for Airbus, which is fighting against Boeing, in all these regions to sell planes. It affects not only future orders, but also on its order books and production rates, thus on employment. EADS could stop wearing the monthly production of the A 330 to 11 copies, against 7 currently, from the second quarter of 2014. The future of the A350 XWB long-haul next-generation, could be thwarted.

China's strategy of Airbus is shaken

China, the fastest growing market in the world, is strategic for Airbus, which has sold 15 A 380, 2 of which were delivered to China Southern ordered five of them. Hong Kong Airlines, a subsidiary of China Hainan Airlines, has already threatened to cancel its order for 10 super-jumbos. If the case escalates, how Airbus can hope to convince other Chinese players? All its China strategy, whose cornerstone is the introduction of an assembly plant in exchange for A 320 commands, is shaken.

Other measures of retaliation are not excluded. What would happen if Russia, where the A380 has achieved a commercial breakthrough with Transaero last summer (4 A 380), or India decide to follow suit in Beijing? According to Airbus estimates, India and China account for 40% of global demand for aircraft in the next twenty years, or 10,320 units. Something to think about European bodies!

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In a few days, the management of Air Méditerranée know the number of candidates to voluntary redundancy scheme and the number of those who wish to be reclassified from Hermes Airlines, a Greek subsidiary conveniently created in August 2011 by Anthony Ferretti, the president and largest shareholder Air Méditerranée.

The new company proposes to take Greek pilots and stewardesses its parent, provided they opt for a Greek status and pay accordingly – lower by at least 30% to those in force in France.

Affected by the Arab Spring

Outwardly, nothing appears. The three aircraft in the fleet of Hermes Airlines registered in Greece wear the shoe Air Méditerranée. Flights operated by these aircraft are also consistent with those made by the parent. Hermes is it then a ghost airline intended to lower costs to manage the activities of its parent company in trouble? "It's ten years as the president of Air Mediterranean dream to relocate, says a captain of the company. At first he did not dare use the word. Today, it frightens him more. He says it is for our good and it will help revive the company's business. "

Mediterranean air, which mainly works with tour operators and individuals by selling low-cost flights on the Internet, has been hard hit by the crisis Tunisian and Egyptian. In 2011, it achieved a turnover of 220 million euros and would have recorded a small loss.

Unions, convinced that the "relocation" was illegal, responded: "We met with leaders of the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on numerous occasions, said Denis Roumier, the SNPL. But they told us that there was nothing illegal in this montage. Nothing prevents an employer to operate equipment by registering in another country. ". Hermes Airlines has recruited crew members from different nationalities in Greek status to ensure the flights of the three devices with operating licenses Greek.

The salary of a hostess who received 1200 euros net per month in France rose to 900 euros in Greek status. That of a captain of 5000 euros to 3700 euros a copilot from 3500 to 2600 euros.

By summer, the Greek subsidiary should operate six aircraft, as declared by the president of Air Mediterranean in council.

Faced with this "misuse" of their flights, the 450 employees of Air Mediterranean – including 85 in CDI will leave the company under the plan to safeguard employment – wrote an open letter to President: "In the process things are going, we expect, if nothing is done, not only to pursue the relocation of six ten but had to start our whole fleet, the disappearance of our company and, worse , that the method is spreading to other French airlines … "

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Wolfgang Schäuble has opened the way for the adoption, on Monday, a second plan with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, amounting to 130 billion euros. But it is not private to lecture on the Greek government, while ensuring the Greek people of his compassion for the conservation measures that strike.

According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the idea of ​​establishing an escrow account for the interest payments on Greek debt, which was the German Government, should be held tonight in Brussels by the finance ministers of the euro area. Unlike that of a commissioner to oversee the implementation of rigor, to which Germany has given up against the outcry. However, in an internal report, the German Ministry of Economy casts a very negative effect on the progress of reforms in Greece and openly doubt it will be able to avoid bankruptcy. This will certainly complicate the ratification of the new aid plan by the Bundestag, scheduled for February 27.

Critical or pessimistic statements of German officials on the situation of the country have moved the Greeks and sharpened their sense of being imposed a European tutelage. Greek President Karolos Papoulias has himself condemned what he thought of "teasing" the German finance minister's struggle to stay in Athens for the euro area no fax payday loans.

"In front of aid, there is always someone who wants to get help, found Wolfgang Schäuble. We remain available for some time to help the Ministry of Finance officials to build a Greek tax system efficient. So far the offer has not been entered. "

"Compassion"

The German minister, who had been strongly criticized in Athens after claiming he had "serious doubts" about the validity of elections in April in Greece, he assured "sympathize" with the Greeks. "The vast majority of those affected by the reforms and austerity measures – and let me express once more my great respect for them – are nothing to do with the slow pace of reforms, the loss of competitiveness or inefficient use of budgets in the past, "he says.

And remember that the Greek minimum wage will be at the future "at about the same level as in Spain."

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Organic products seem immunized against the crisis. Last year, sales were nearly $ 4 billion euros, an increase of at least 10%, as estimated by the Bio Agency. A sacred performance. Over the same period, sales of consumer products (food and hygiene products) have indeed stagnated in volume, and increased by only 3% in value.

Despite prices 20% to 50% higher, organic products, which represent less than 2% of the food market, continue to attract consumers. However, they are less likely to try the bio. In 2011, 40% of French reported consuming at least once a month for organic products, when they were 43% in 2010 and 46% in 2009, according to a survey by the CSA institute. "In a crisis, the curiosity of consumers is less, recognizes Elizabeth Mercier, Director of the Agency Bio. But market growth in 2008, the year of crisis, was 25% and 19% by volume. " In contrast, 18% of those who consume at least one organic product a week they intend to increase their intake this year. "This allows us to expect a further growth of organic products in 2012," said Elisabeth Mercier.

More visibility on the shelf

"The potential of new consumer stays there, half the French having no problem purchasing power," said Didier Perreol, group president Ekibio (Priméal, Bisson, My life without gluten?), Which states that Organic consumers are mostly from the wealthier classes.

"The market continues to grow as a supply effect contributes mechanically to increased purchases," says Isabelle Senand, author of a study on the bio for Xerfi. This is the result of the number of openings specialized brands (Naturalia Biocoop, La Vie Claire?), Pioneer of organic and enlargement of the assortment in supermarkets and hypermarkets. Today, 10% of milk sales are conducted in organic section, over 15% of sales? Eggs but only 6% of sales of fruits and vegetables. Last year, innovations in the organic section have increased among the national brands, ham Fleury Michon Pom'Potes Materne to Mont Blanc.

"The distributors have established themselves in this market with their brands and national brands, explains Isabelle Senand. All signs now have their own organic brand, which is largely the democratization of the market. "

The price gap has in fact reduced in grocery, fruit and vegetables or dairy products. "In five years, our prices are down 15% due to higher volumes, which allowed us to increase productivity," says Daniel Tirat, CEO of two cows, the brand of organic yogurt from Danone, the second mark market.

In three years, the market for organic fresh dairy products has doubled to 100 million euros. "We are in a logical recruitment of consumers, two thirds of our buyers who have never eaten organic yogurt, adds Daniel Tirat, which will test next month at Monoprix sales of butter and cream The two cows. We need the bio is even more visible rays. "

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