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Cotton prices are in turmoil. While climatic factors threaten stocks, discussions on future crops are launched. Between two discussions, one word keeps coming: Bollgard. This is the full name of Bt cotton, the genetically modified cotton, marketed by Monsanto since 1996. This includes bacteria that produce toxins against the deadly caterpillar moths and weevils capsules.

Bt specifically eliminates these insects that attack plant capsules. It thus reduces the losses on a plantation. Coupled with lower production costs due to lower pesticide use, the argument has already won nine countries: the United States, Argentina, South Africa, Australia, Mexico, Colombia, India, Brazil and China.The cultivation of Bt cotton in 2009 and accounted for nearly half of the 33 million hectares dedicated to this crop in the world.

In the U.S., for 88% of the cotton area is devoted to him. The Chinese world's top producer, he provided 70% of its acreage. In India, cotton occupies 90% of the area as in Pakistan. In Africa as the "Bt" is gaining ground. In Burkina Faso, one quarter of the 115,000 hectares sown allocated to it and the country intends to expand production to 475,000 hectares with an expected gain of 100 million dollars this year.

Perverse

During the first years of its use, Bt cotton generated much enthusiasm on the part of observers. INRA in 2001 suggested an increase in yield of up to 80% for a 70% reduction of pesticide application.United States, a study by the National Cotton, dating back to 2000, reported an economic benefit of $ 50 per acre for the cultivation of Bt cotton

Ten years later publications show more distrust. "The effectiveness of Bt cotton is no longer sufficient," says Michel Fok, a CIRAD researcher, in a study published last July. Bt has had the perverse effect of open fields to new generations of insects more resistant. Caterpillars, spiders, bugs are multiplying and the sophistication of GM seeds to deal with these threats no fax payday loan dramatically raised prices.

The seeds have become four times more expensive than conventional seeds, $ 85 per acre in 2009 against $ 20 in 2005. The market was flooded by Monsanto, does not offer many choices for farmers. 'Bt is a short term solution.Its use becomes a vicious circle of indebtedness for the farmer, "says Jeremy Tager, GM campaigner for Greenpeace.

The issue is environmental. The products used to treat these threats are accused of depleting the soil. "The change was not clearly anticipated but it now operates in China and the United States to such an extent that the need to chemically control may threaten the continued production," concluded researchers at a conference on GMOs in Australia in 2009.

New GM at the horizon

Last March, for the first time in its history, Monsanto recognized a failure to meet these larvae. Having offered to farmers to use Bollguard 2, the firm will soon market the third generation, Bollguard 3. Other companies are following suit in the image of Bayer TwinLink with cotton or Syngenta."These new GM does not guarantee higher returns. They accelerate the vicious cycle. This system supports a model of intensive agriculture instead of a subsidized farming. The situation is extremely worrying, "says Greenpeace advocates finding a" balance "in research on crop improvement.

"With all of this, the appropriateness of a return to the cultivation of conventional cotton, to a degree not explained, is mentioned. There is already a reality in 2009, there have been 400,000 acres (a total area of 8.9 million cotton acres) and an area of 1.5 million acres is predicted 2010, "concludes Michel Fok for his part, CIRAD.

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A Chinese owner of the club from Liverpool? The fund China Investiment Corporation (CIC), led by the wealthy Kenny Huang, would in any case confirmed its interest in the Reds. More than just a word, CIC has already reached the cash to afford the football club. And, by selling 9% of share capital the fund held in Morgan Stanley. Amount generated: 558 million (the équivelant 351.4 million pounds). Either the decimal point, the debt of British club, reports the Guardian.

Another businessman claiming close discussions with the club to five European Cup victories. He called and said Yahya Kirdi be supported by a group of Canadian investors and Saudi Arabia. "Our group is in advanced negotiations with Tom Hicks and George Gillett, current owners of Liverpool Football Club, to purchase 100% of the club.An agreement was reached on the major terms, including purchase price, repayment of debt (approximately 300 million euros, ie) banks RBS and Wells Fargo to finance a new stadium Stanley Park. The formal contract of sale is in its final stages of negotiation, "he announced.

Statements to be taken lightly. For the sale of the club is orchestrated by Martin Broughton, Chairman of the club, with the support of the British bank Barclays. But Yahya Kirdi does not seem to have negotiated with them directly.

But whether or Yahya Kirdi Kenny Huang, sale of Liverpool seems on track. The leaders of the Reds have more alerted the Premier League, as want new rules on sale of a club, a club takeover was imminent.

The club Liverpool is not the only shine in financial difficulty.Since the beginning of the crisis, fifteen of the twenty clubs that make up the Premier League are looking for investors. According to the audit firm Deloitte, the overall debt of the elite of British football came to 3.6 billion euros in 2009. Manchesteur United, Arsenal and Chelsea, the other three clubs in the "Big Four" are also on trial.

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Having finished sharply higher Monday, the U.S. markets followed their European counterparts in the red. On Tuesday, the Dow Jones coward 0.36% 10,636 points at closing. The Nasdaq and the S & P retreating respectively 0.52% to 2284 points and 0.48% to 1120 points.

Markets were waiting for signs of solid U.S. recovery now but they were not reassured. The Commerce Department announced that consumer spending of U.S. households remained unchanged in June In addition, the consumption figures in May were revised downward: they no longer show a rise of 0.1%, against 0.2% previously announced. Economists had forecast an average increase of 0.1% of consumer spending in June

Household income is also unchanged in June at 0.1%, while economists had estimated the increase at 0.1%.The savings rate has reached 6.4%, up a tenth of a point, its highest level since June 2009.

Prices are down 0.1% in June and inflation falls to 1.4% a year.

Furthermore, he promises the sales on the U.S. housing market suffered an unexpected drop in June The index of the federation of Realtors NAR is thus fell to a new record low 75.7. He had fallen from 29.9% in May after the expiration of a tax credit for first-time buyers. In one year, the show promises to sell a drop in June from 18.6%.

In addition, industrial orders fell 1.2% in June, while the market was expecting a decline of 0.5% only. In May, these orders had fallen 1.8% (revised from -1.4%), posting a second consecutive month of decline.

Dow Chemical and Procter fall

On the corporate side, Dow Chemical (-10.06% to 25.48 dollars) and Procter & Gamble (-3.50% to 59.89 dollars) derive the score down. Both companies have disappointed the markets by their results published before the market opens. The first was reported earnings below expectations in the second quarter to $ 566 million, or 50 cents per share, after posting a loss of $ 486 million (47 cents per share) the previous year. Excluding items, earnings totaled 54 cents per share against 56 cents expected by analysts. The second has announced a profit drop of 12% in the fourth quarter of its fiscal year lagged below expectations at 2.185 billion dollars. The turnover is also lower than expected, growing by 5% to 18.926 billion dollars against 19.1 billion dollars expected.

In contrast, Pfizer (5.56% to 16.34 dollars) flies. The pharmaceutical giant reported earnings up 9% year on year to 2.475 billion dollars against 2.261 billion a year earlier. Earnings per share excluding exceptional items stood at 62 cents while analysts expected 52 cents on average.

RIM (-2.54% to 55.53 dollars) on Tuesday introduced its new BlackBerry. No officer of MDR was available after the presentation of the Torch, a touch screen device and slider to evoke the "discussions" going on with the authorities in countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia worry about the barriers to safety that arise messaging services on the BlackBerry.

Morgan Stanley (-0.72% to 27.48 U.S. dollars) has decided to split the fund FrontPoint risk investments, acquired in 2006 by U.S. TV network CNBC that the transaction would be completed within three months. This split would allow Morgan Stanley to comply with new requirements of the Dodd-Frank legislation on financial regulation, which limits the bank's own brokerage and speculative positions.

Sanofi-Aventis has sent the U.S. biotech group Genzyme (-0.23% to 70.20 dollars) a letter citing his interest in American society, said Monday a source close to the deal, adding that both companies were discussing supply.

The automotive sector also changed on Tuesday after the publication of sales of major manufacturers for the month of July.Ford (-1.75% at 12.93 dollars) despite rising sales of 5% as its competitors, disappoints. Toyota is doing well (1.07% to 72.81 dollars) after avoirqui has reported a 6.8% decline in shipments in July.

The results fell on the strength of major European banks, is to know the verdict of the markets. Since Sunday morning, the stress tests are found in the test and the final verdict remains suspended from financial operators who often weigh heavier than the official figures and insurance.

Only 7 of the 91 banks have failed this test of strength, five Spanish, one Greek and one German. Their capital needs are estimated at 3.5 billion euros. We must add three who crossed the barrier but the recapitalization seems inevitable: the Italian Monte dei Paschi, Allied Irish Banks, Irish and German PostBank.Finally, the majority of European banks, the British and French in particular-seem to have redressed the balance.

The question now is whether the test can, as desired by the European authorities to lift the remaining mortgage, reboot, and finally the pump in credit to promote growth. By Friday, the European Union had welcomed the exercise as a vote of confidence. From Washington, the Treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner, hailed "a major effort towards greater transparency" on the health of the banks of the Old Continent. In markets, the euro rebounded to finish just below $ 1.29 after the close of European markets. Wall Street ended higher.

Consolidating banks at fault

Yet many continue to doubt the severity of the European round or its completeness.Unlike other countries, Germany has refused on Friday to force its banks to publish the figures on a main line of their balance sheets: assets in government securities, ie their exposure to the European budget crisis. In the coming days, a first return to the trust will be the willingness to consolidate the banks at fault.

Weighing his words, the IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn described the stress tests as "the promise of a considerable strengthening of the European financial system. It remains to implement. Greece and Spain have promised for the end of the year. Germany, she announced a major restructuring. This is the interbank market which will provide the second element of discretion. The situation has eased since the beginning of the summer.But lack of confidence, many institutions do not always manage to borrow in the interbank lending market, considered one of the keys to sustainable economic recovery in Europe.

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The fireworks on July 14, is sacred in many municipalities, but not Mennecy. This town of Essonne is indeed one of the few to have made the choice to give up for budgetary reasons. "This is the third consecutive year that we do not celebrate the national holiday, says Elizabeth Vasseur, deputy mayor. It is a decision we made when we arrived responsibilities. Given the state of public finances, we have chosen to focus on building maintenance, or renovation of two schools being. Because we do not want to raise taxes, "she argues. The savings amounted to ten thousand euros. If people have stayed up Mennecy perhaps no worse the other 364 days of the year, few cities, however, he followed suit.

For the celebrations of July 14 remains a symbolic moment for which the municipalities continue to invest in broadly stable, despite the severity of wind hovering at the national level. In Paris, the budget devoted to one of the biggest fireworks of the Hexagon is constant since 2001. An investment of € 500,000 by July 14 to 30 tons of powder and 30 minute show. "In the current economic climate, we did not want that expense increases, say to the City of Paris. But it seems important to properly celebrate this national event. " Same story in a smaller city, Chalon-sur-Saone (71), where the budget for fireworks is roughly the same from year to year, despite a desire for renewal: "Our budget is constant for 5-6 years, explains Cédric Sementi, responsible for the event.But we chose this year to remove the sound of fire to prolong the duration of the show. " In total, 14 July festivities will be spread over five days in Chalon whole through the operation "Summer Sonatas" paydayloan.

The fireworks, creator of the social bond

Jacques Couturier Organization, which has won this year's market fireworks in the city of Paris, his explanation for this relative constancy: "The fireworks created a social bond that we all need in times crisis, analyzes its founder. Increasingly, we are asked to create fireworks outside the July 14, for example recently at the Championnat de France cyclist Vendee. Especially since the resources allocated to the festivities usually remain small relative to the overall budget of Commons.In Sceaux (92) – which does more than fireworks on July 14 for 10 years, preferring the fires of St. John – the various festivities cost about 200,000 euros to the municipality, with a total budget of 30 million. "This costs in a city hall, which is most likely to suffer from the crisis, are the social or educational expenses," said Philip Lawrence, Mayor of Sceaux.

Among Europe's leading fireworks, Lacroix-Ruggieri, there is however a slight decline in budgets. The amounts invested were stable in 2009, but budgets have contracted by about 5% this year. "All budgets ranges from 2000 euros to 500,000 euros, have been involved," says Jean-Michel Dambielle, Director General Operational Group. And if the national holiday of July 14 is still with us, removal of business tax still worried the bomb."The fiscal autonomy of municipalities will decrease their budgets might be affected, analysis Picard, CEO of Group F, creator of the fireworks in Paris in 2008. Will we still saved? We'll see next year. "

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Fiercely negotiated three days in Toronto, the draft statement of the G20 should offend anyone. If it includes the rigorous growth strategy, it also warns against excessive austerity. Still as unpopular worldwide, the tax credit is mentioned by the G20 as a means available to states to pass through to the banks of the crisis mess. The 28 pages of draft final declaration, which obtained a copy of Figaro, operate a subtle synthesis between European and American positions.

Angela Merkel can boast of having imposed the virtues of fiscal discipline at the highest level. But to the relief of Barack Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy, she has not transformed the G20 summit of austerity."Recent events show the importance of sustainable public finances and the need for our countries to implement measures to consolidate budget spread over time, conducive to growth, and differentiated according to country and national circumstances," says the One of the phrases most discussed compromise.

Determined to make growth "priority" of the G20, the United States got to place the term "recovery" prominently in the declaration, a challenge, says a trader. "We need to let it work through our plans to consolidate fiscal stimulus recovery," said the G20 as well. "Adjustments in simultaneous biggest countries could undermine the recovery," it added.

Disagreement over the top on bank charges

Canada has not really managed to impose a stability pact worldwide."Advanced economies have pledged to take measures to consolidate budgetary decline by at least half the deficit by 2013, and stabilize or reduce the debt / GDP ratio by 2016, said the G20. Nothing that does very afraid of the euro area, or even France, which has promised to reduce its deficit to 3% in 2013. The White House, meanwhile, did not wait for the G20 to commit to reducing the U.S. budget deficit by half in 2013 to return to deficits of 3% in 2015.

If the disagreement at the summit endorsed the tax credit, due to strong opposition from Canada to Australia, but also emerging countries (China, India, Russia), the G20 mention the tax as an option for countries seeking to save public money in any future banking crisis.Defended by the Fund, this fee would be modulated according to risk profile of financial institutions.

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The rating agency Fitch announced Monday after the close of stock markets in Europe, it lowered the ratings of BNP Paribas. The first French bank by market value was previously the club closed their highly rated by Fitch, AA sharing a favorite with the British HSBC and Spain's Santander. But the rating agency, BNP Paribas can not be "comfortable" among this circle of elected officials. The bank is degraded to AA – with a stable outlook.

The share "fairly important" for investment banking activities, deteriorating asset quality in 2009 and capital ratios slightly below the others behind this disgrace. Santander and HSBC show, in turn, limited contributions from their market activities."BNP Paribas continues to demonstrate its ability to cope with the pressures that affect the financial sector, especially European banks, and diversification is good," says Fitch, however.

At Microsoft, we talk of "strategic shift". Twenty years after the onset of the first version of Office, its main software, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint, become free on the Internet. "We have incorporated new uses coming from the Web, in a business model funded by advertising," Jean-Christophe defends Pity, director of the division office in France.

The software, in their declination Web are accessible from any computer with Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari or Chrome. There is no need to install any software or plugin, even if the extension Silverlight competitor to Flash, is recommended.However, it is essential to have a Windows Live at Microsoft, to create and edit documents, stored on a virtual disk with a capacity of 25 GB

The online tools do not support all functions of the Office suite but a light mode. In Word, for example, inserting tables and images work, like changing font, text alignment and the spellchecker. But the footnotes page can not be changed. Similarly, in PowerPoint, changing graphics is skimpy. And from a mobile or a shelf, only consultation is proposed.

A response to Google

For Microsoft, it was not any way to match the capabilities of traditional software, which will sold from 99 euros payday advance.The more complete versions, installed on the hard drive and connected to the Web for collaborative work, to manage the effects and 3D animation video, editing, and the contour images, make layouts. The Outlook e-mail, intended for professionals, now includes the major social networks including Facebook and LinkedIn.

The free software on the Internet should rather discourage users to migrate to the online office suite from Google, Google Docs, and if possible refer to the charges. Office remains one of the main sources of income for Microsoft. For years now, contributed almost half of its profits last year.If Office totaling half a billion users worldwide, Google has recently surpassed 25 million customers, and gaining ground in enterprises.

Without giving specific numbers, Microsoft expects to France, despite the competition from free, on a "double-digit growth" in sales of Office, says Jean-Christophe Mercy. By the end of the year, "between 80 and 90%" of PC will be sold with the suite preinstalled. An activation key must be purchased to access the software. The early indicators are encouraging. The beta version of Office has been downloaded over 600,000 times in France. Behind the United States, but ahead of all other countries.

After the deep recession that marked the years 2009, 2010 should be the rebound. But "the recovery continues." In these terms as Head of the conditions of INSEE, Sandrine Duch?ne, talks about the situation of the French economy.

And these are not figures of household consumption published Thursday that will contradict that finding. Spending by French manufactured goods suffered a second consecutive decline in February, down 1.2% from the previous month. Nobody expected such poor performance.

More broadly, the economic climate could be worse than anticipated earlier this year.In the update of its forecast released Thursday, the Institute of Statistics has just downgraded the growth of the first part of 2010.

In the first quarter, GDP should grow and not more than 0.2% and 0.3% in the second quarter. To reach the forecasted growth of government, namely 1.4% – should be that activity in France rose 0.5% to 0.6% over the last two quarters. Ambitious!

The beginning of the year was marked by a recovery in the euro zone, both "tentative and mixed, according to Insee. Then it would open in Germany, Spain was left behind.In the wake of world trade, the demand addressed to France should slow down on the horizon in mid-2010.

Employment adjustment

For their part, companies are hesitant to implement new investment projects, "despite improvements in their conditions of funding" payday loans . And this, especially as production capacities are still underutilized.

Among households, nothing euphoric either. In the first half, the purchasing power will continue to slow down (+0.1% in the first quarter, 0.3% in the second), due to a slight rise in inflation and an acceleration of tax burden. Thus, while consumption has resisted during the crisis, it fell in the first half.

The aftermath of the scrapping bonus there is not nothing.End of 2009, auto sales had jumped into effect, households with their anticipated purchases to take full advantage of the generosity of the measure.

As for employment, finally, he would continue to adjust, albeit at a more modest pace. The private sector will lose 80,000 more jobs by mid-2010, after destroying 100au second half of 2009 and around 260000au first. Unemployment would reach in France and 9.8% of the workforce in June. At the end of last year, it was 9.6%.

The French Prime Minister Francois Fillon reiterated on Thursday before the Senate that the unemployment curve "should be reversed in the second half of 2010.

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Employees of the Total refinery at Dunkirk, under threat of closure, blocked Friday tanks containing 500,000 tons of crude oil, by removing the pumping mechanisms, three days of a meeting to decide their future.

"We want to refine. We do not want this (oil) crude go away from here, "said Philippe Wullens, Steward South (majority site), evoking a" war chest ". He said Total has made a profit of 200 million euros from the time of purchase of this oil in the fall and today, due to the increase in prices. The employees also say they have learned that the management of Total planned to ensure that oil can be loaded on ships to other refineries."This oil should not leave the tank so that things do not stop," he said, estimating that 400 million euros worth of stock.

Several dozen employees from the site of Flanders, in the case since September, traveled Friday to dawn on the storage area of crude oil located at Gravelines, and disassembled electronic components essential to the operation of pumps used to extract the contents of the tanks. Some components will be given to state services, another in the region and a third in the urban community of Dunkirk, knowing that all equipment is necessary to restart the pumps, said Marcel Croquefer, secretary of the cluster Chemistry CGT Dunkirk cheap payday advance .

A radicalization of the movement evoked

Employees are then symbolically held a lock port of Dunkirk.They wanted to question management port, 18% of turnover depends on the refinery. "This refinery can and must restart now", even if a mutation of the site must be decided for the future, said Croquefer, suggesting a possible "radicalization" of the movement.

If farmers spread manure or milk to express their discontent, "in the refinery there are petroleum products," he warned.

Proposals for the future of the Flanders refinery, which employs 380 employees and 400 people from sub-contractors, should be announced Monday at a central works council (CEC). Employees are expected to travel to many in La D?fense on Monday to be heard.

The threat of closure had resulted in late February several days of strikes in all French refineries group.Unions had set an end after the guarantees provided by Total on the future of refining activity in France. Since then, employees of Dunkirk only continue their strike began January 12.