Com' 1 Blog - le blog officiel des étudiants de l'ECS et de l'IEJ

France

Jail: possible end of crisis

Even if a draft agreement seems to have been reached yesterday evening, between the Minister of Justice and the trade unions of prison warders, the situation on the ground remains ambiguous. Some demonstrators refuse to leave the blockade.

After three days of crisis and confrontations the conflict which opposes the prison warders to the Ministry of Justice seems to be drawing toward a conclusion. Last night, two main prison trade unions ended in a new draft agreement with the Ministry on the improvement of the warders' working conditions.
The text, which was proposed this morning, is not accepted in the same manner by different penitentiaries. While the unions Ufap-Unsa and FO-pénitentiaire asked the warders to suspend the blockade, on the ground, the situation remains uncertain. If the movement of blocking was suspended in the detention center of Fleury-Mérogis and in the prisons of Midi-Pyrénées in particular, the movement was maintained in Dijon as well as in several western establishments.
About 8 hours of discussions will be needed to conclude a new draft agreement between the unions and the Minister of Justice, Rachida Dati. At their exit, the representatives of the Ufap-Unsa and FO-Pénitentiaire spoke about " real headways" and about " sensitive progress ". The CGT union on the other hand, had left the meeting at the beginning of the negotiation which they qualified as unfruitful.

Manon Raccah IEJ2AFree at last

The French Journalist and photograph Jean Paul Ney, imprisoned in Ivory Coast since January 2008 has been set free on Wednesday evening. Last year he had been accused of attack and plot against the State authority. Since his imprisonment, the journalist hasn't stopped claiming his innocence. After a difficult diplomatic battle, the French government has finally obtained his liberation. Jean Paul Ney is expected to arrive in Paris this afternoon.

Arthur Attal, IEJ 2A

Dangerous escape in southern France

Two dangerous detenees escaped on Wednesday from their mental institution-prison in Nice, in the south of France. The two escapees, use the occasion of a door left open, while the rest of the prisoners were watching a football match in a common room. One of the two middle aged men, is a very dangerous criminal, accused of a hold up and a murder attemp.

Arthur Attal IEJ 2A

A Continental factory blocked in the Rhône

Employees of Contitech-Anoflex (subsidiary of the German Continental group) have been blocking the access to their factory of Caluire situated in the suburb of Lyon since Wednesday. They demonstrate their anger further to the defeat of a negotiation concerning 157 job losses. In March, the management had announced its intention to supress 177 jobs in the region of Lyon, in Rillieux-la-Pape, Caluire and Villeurbanne. The three of them employ between 500 and 600 people.

Laura Flu, IEJ 2A

An employee of TF1 dismissed for criticizing the law Hadopi

An employee of TF1 was dismissed for criticizing by email the law Hadopi. Jérome Bourreau-Gugghenheim (31), was a Unit Director of Web innovation at TF1. He was dismissed further to a denunciation of the Ministry of Culture. On February 19th he sent personal e-mail to his representative, Françoise de Panafieu to announce his doubts about the bill against the illegal download. One and a half month later, he was summoned by his superior, Arnaud Bosom who dismissed him from his post. 

Laura Flu, IEJ 2A

International

California on fire again

2,000 houses have been evacuated and some have been destroyed by the bush fire in Santa Barbara. No victim has been reported for the moment. The fire propagated on several hundred hectares. The firemen asked for reinforcements, 400 firemen and a hundred of trucks have arrived from nearby counties. The governor of California ordered the state of emergency for Santa Barbara. An investigation has been opened to determine the causes of the fire.

Jade Marcuzzi, IEJ 2A

The Pakistani army relaunched an offensive against the Talibans

It is almost without surprise, on the day following the meeting between Barack Obama, Hamid Karzai the Aghan President and his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari. The governement chose the symbolic Valley of Swat to destabilize the rebels.
40,000 people have already left the region to find refuge near Peshawar. The governement announced yesterday 35 taliban casualties. For the moment, the Pakistani army continues its operations to the satisfaction of the United States.

Jade Marcuzzi, IEJ 2A

Medvedv's first birthday.

Dmitry Medvedev, third President of Russia is celebrating his first year at the head of the country today after taking the succession of Vladimir Putin.

An anniversary that makes wonder about the real place of the new president often considered as the shadow of Putin. In a recent survey only 12% of Russians consider Medvedev as the leader of the country.  

Even if he has to deal with critics regarding his international policy, Medvedev distinguishes himself from his predecessor in his approach to democracy, allowing the citizens more liberty.

 

Marie Bresson IEJ2A

Mexico rises from its aches

After seven days of " quarantine" the Mexican capital restarts its economic life.

Public places reopened today and schools will welcome their pupils again next week.

Even if life seems to be back to normal, the shadow of the swine flu is still present.

Furthermore, a first step to an antidote has been made in Canada with the first genome sequencing of the virus.

To prevent any resurgence of the infection the WHO is warning "to maintain the state of alert" on the virus.

Marie Bresson IEJ2A

Economy

Canada is against European Union's decision about the seal's hunting

The European Union decided to close its markets to the imports of pelts and seal products on Tuesday, thanks to a vote of the European Parliament to prostest against a crual hunting methods. This decision comes one day before a summit meeting in Prague between Canada and the EU representatives. Canada, the most important exporter of these products, announced that it would contest this decision in front of the World Trade Organization. Canada, Greenland and Namibia kill 60% of 900,000 seals shot every year. This ban will be effective for the next round of commercial hunting in 2010.

The measure which had been demanded by a large section of European public opinion and animal right organizations, was approved by 550 MPs, against 49 votes. The prohibition "will have an economic impact for Canada, but it should'nt have any consequences on relations between Canada and the EU" estimated Arlène McCarthy, the British Socialist member of Parliament.

The embargo provides two exceptions : the traditional hunting practice by Inuit and the hunting practice on a small scale, regulated by national laws, especially in Sweden, Finland and the United Kingdom to enable a sustainable management of fish stocks, of which pinnipeds are major consumers. It added to embargoes by the United States and Mexico, Canada's two major trading partners.

"The economic relations between Canada and the European Union account for 25 billion euros and the trade in products derived from seals only 4.2 million euros", said Arlène McCarthy.
Nine European countries - Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Austria, Germany, France, Slovenia and the Czech Republic - had already forbidden or announced their intention to prohibit the importation and marketing of pelts and seal products.

The other hunting countries are Norway, Iceland, Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Finland. The embargo will be effective 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU.

Marion Dauvilliers et Vanessa Biague, IEJ 2A

 

Société Générale : net loss of 278 million

Whereas SocGen counted on a benefit of 381 million euros, for the first half of the year the bank records a net loss of 278 million euros. A deficit “to relativize” according to Frederic Ouéda, who was appointed on Wednesday President and managing director of the bank. In this position he replaced Daniel Bouton, constrained to resign last week. Ouéda also affirms that in the case of failure “he will not receive any severance pay”. This precision comes to be added to the debate already going on about Daniel Bouton and the stock-options.

Myriam Hachemi, IEJ 2A

Delay for A380

Airbus, the subsidiary of group EADS and manufacturer of A380 Airbus announced on Wednesday that the deliveries of the biggest transport aircraft planned for 2009 would be delayed. The airframe manufacturer specified that this delay is due “to the economic crisis”. The company is now planning to deliver 14 machines, instead of the 18 initially envisaged. However, the airframe manufacturer confirmed its intention to deliver approximately the same number of planes as in 2008 (483), which was a record year for the manufacturer.

Myriam Hachemi, IEJ 2A

Sport and Culture

Ferrari is slowing down

Before the last ranking, the Italian team is experiencing the worst season since its inception. In the first four rounds of the World Championship, the Scuderia has totaled up only three points. "From now on, we have to do much better", said the Finnish driver of the team, Kimi Räikkönen, after this poor results. He will have to convince, next Sunday at the Spanish Grand Prix, the first race of the season on European soil.
           
                                                                                                                        Antoine Daire, IEJ 2A

Barça will meet Manchester in final

FC Barcelona will face Manchester United on 27 May in Rome. Barcelona beat Chelsea 1-1 last night, after a controversial meeting. All along the match, the Blues dominated the Catalans. The first goal was included in the 9th minute by Essien, the midfielder of Chelsea. With Iniesta at the 93rd minute, Barcelona was able to return to score and snatch the Champion's League final. According to Chelsea's fans and players, many penalties were not whistled reflecting a non-rigourous arbitration.

                                                                                                                        Antoine Daire, IEJ 2A

“Wolverine” on illegal download

Wolverine has supposedly recorded more than 4 million downloads, according to 20th Century Fox, the producer of the movie. The illegal internet copying one month before the official film release would represent a loss of 28.7 million dollars for the studios. These downloads are just an estimate of the producers who don’t explain how they came to this result. Nevertheless, the film is a blockbuster which recorded the best beginning of the year in the United-States and in Canada. This controversy brings back the debate about illegal downloading, particularly in France with the controversial law bill Hadopi.

Iza Zmirli, IEJ 2A

Influenza A influences the artists

The English singer of The Streets, Mike Skinner, broadcast a song about the epidemy. The musical parody “He’s behind you, He’s got Swine Flu”, has been on the web since Tuesday on Twitter, and it is not the only one on the web. A lot of clips with pigs, zombies… are mushrooming on the web, and they all criticize with humour the paranoiac mediatic cover of the epidemy.

Iza Zmirli, IEJ 2A

France

Prison warders of Fleury Mérogis suspend their movement

The blockade movement of prison warders, who protest against their working conditions has been suspended today at Fleury Mérogis prison. The opinions of the guards «differed», according to Marcel Duredon, the secretary of the trade unions, adding that the movement «is suspended but not ended and it will be taken up again in September» if the protocol is not respect. The resumption of the strike will not consist in a simple blockade but in « a radical action. »

 

Ingrid Rocha, IEJ 2A

 

 

 

Candia withdraws 30,000 cartons of milk

The Candia company, number one of milk production in France, has announced in a press release on Wednesday a withdawal of 30,000 cartons of milk Viva and Grandlait. This problem is due to a problem of sterility of the machine which pours milk to the bottles. The product has « a smell and an abnormal taste». 30 French departments are concerned like l’Ain, Haute-Garonne, Jura, and Isère. For more information, a free phone number is made available for consumers.

 

Ingrid Rocha, IEJ2A

 

Two remand prisoners escaped from a psychiatric hospital in Nice

The two remand prisoners availed from an open door, yesterday evening to escape from the hospital. One of them is considered as dangerous, he was accused of robbery and a murder attemp. Police researches have been launched. 

Anne-Charlotte Macé IEJ 2A 

 

 

Call for strike at RFI

Four trade unions have called for a strike at “Radio France Internationale” (RFI), today. This strike will start on Tuesday, May 12^th for a undetermined period. This strike’s aim is the removal of the social plan aimed at laying off of 206 employees. 

Anne-Charlotte Macé IEJ 2A

International

UN puts pressure on Israel

Accused for the death of tens of people during the operation in Gaza, Israel is required by the UN to pay 11 billion dollars. Indeed, in January, the Israeli army invaded Gaza in order to respond to the rocket attacks. Israel's President, Shimon Peres, squarely refuses the UN report about his country's responsability for the mortal incidents. He judges this inquest "outrageaous" and "one-sided"." We don't thing we have to apologize because we have the right to defend the lives of our children and women" said Shimon Peres to the General Secretary of UN, Ban Ki Moon. Israel's President mentions that the report does not talk about the guilt of the Hamas. He adds " If Hamas didn't shoot, there wouldn't be a single problem."
Decision of the report
Communicated on Tuesday to the security board, the report affirms that the responsability of Israël is engaged in six of nine mortal incidents and probalbly includes one Palestinian group. The UN requires from Israel to restore the truth by recognizing that Hamas did not operate from the walls surrounding the UN. Ban Ki-moon wants the Jewish State to pay the compensations in particular to investigate into the use of ammunitions containing the white phosphor by the Israeli army.

Sarah Gozlan & Léa Maman, IEJ 2A

Jacob Zuma elected president of South Africa

At the age of 67, Jacob Zuma will become the fourth post-apartheid President of South Africa. He obtains 277 voices against 47 for his opponent Mvume Dandala. The new President who will take oath Saturday in Pretoria, will have to struggle against poverty, criminality and the plague of AIDS which invades South Africa.

Léa Maman, IEJ 2A

The commercial agreement between EU and Canada

Despite a deep disagreement about merchandising from seals products, Canada and European Union have negotiated a commercial agreement.The two parties have expressed a satisfaction about the result of their negotiations. The President of the European Commission judged it “very important that in global crisis, the EU and Canada, resist to protectionism et commit in favor of open economies. “

Samia Stambouli IEJ 2A

Two new law charges after the bloodshed in Turkey

A Turkish tribunal pronounced two new law charges yesterday after the death of 44 people during a wedding in a Kurdish town in South East of Turkey. For the time being, 10 people have been accused. According to a witness, this drama was caused by a debt between two families.

Samia Stambouli IEJ 2A

Economy

A more than ecological car
The car manufacturer Renault presented its prototype of a new Kangoo. The novelty: this Kangoo is an electric car and its name was “Kangoo be bop Z.E”. This car has a new motor which has a small power: 44 kW. The new Kangoo will have the autonomy of 160 km. Its presentation took place during the General Assembly of Renault’s shareholders on Wednesday. The new car will be released in 2011. However, the Europeans will have the chance to test it as early as this summer, as Renault is organizing a tour of Europe in July.

The problem of meat in hormones adjusting
A preliminary accord was signed on Wednesday, between The United States and the European Union, to adjust the conflict on meats in hormones. This treaty plans two principal points: The United States can increase its exportations of meat not hormonal, from 11.000 tons to 20.000tons. In exchange, Washington will delete taxes on 68% European’s product. For France this treaty concerns tomatoes, canned food, chicory, onions and mustard. However the Roquefort taxed on 100%, while its price will increase on 300%.

Marina Merschardt IEJ 2 A

Porsche expend

Porsche, one of the biggest  cars companies annouced its union with Volkswagen. The crisis has increased the company’s debt, therefore the merger is the only solution to survive.
The German group explains that they expect to work together to define new structures in about four weeks. Its project is to gather ten trademarks which will keep their independance.
This plan could bring a financial increase equal to five billion euros.

Atika Nasri IEJ 2A

Société générale in deficit

Société générale annouced, on 7th May a loss ratio of 278 million euros for the first semester. It is less than the money market expected, because they have hoped for a profit of more than 300 million euros. The company has known heavy deprecations and an increase of risk costs.In the difficult economic context, the banking sector is the most affected by the crisis. Therefore, Société generale accepts the support plan of the government.

Atika Nasri IEJ 2A

Sports & Culture

Barça in finale

FC Barcelona snatched a victory against Chelsea yesterday and is now qualified for the final of the Champions' League.
After a draw (1-1) obtained just before the end of the match by, Andres Iniesta, the Spanish press has not stopped praising him. The national daily El Pais entitled its current issue "Iniesta, a heavenly goal". 

Anaïs Korkut

 

Johnny Hallyday prolongs his tour

The farewell tour of Johnny Hallyday which was supposed to end on November 22nd in Clermont-Ferrand will finally last until the end of January, 2010. More than 70 concerts are planned for this tour that the artist, who celebrated his 66th birthday last month, chose to entitle "Tour 66 - I stop here".
Anais Korkut.

Game over for Laurence Ferrari

Laurence Ferrari, the newscaster who has succeeded to Patrick Poivre D’Arvor at the controls of the news on TF1, has accomplished yesterday her worst result. With 28.2% of audience, the news presented live from the USA has not attracted people, who preferred to watch the news program on France 3.

Anne Krispil

 

France

5th case of influenza A

Roselyne Bachelot announced this morning on channel LCI the existence of a 5th case of influenza A. This is a young man of 23 years, who returned from Mexico. The Minister of Health indicated that there was "no concern for the patient who has already been discharged from hospital." For the epidemiologist, there is no reason to panic concerning the increase in cases of influenza A. With warm weather arriving and temperatures rising the spreading of the virus is expected to diminish.

Antoine Daire, IEJ 2A

Hadopi law divides the Socialist Party

French artists have written a petition against the Socialist Party to criticize its position toward the Hadopi law. The left representatives have blocked the adoption of the law about illegal downloading from  the web. The socialist director, Martine Aubry tried yesterday, to contact the signatories of the petition:  The actors Pierre Arditi and Michel Piccoli, the singers Juliette Greco and Maxime le Forestier who did not responsed to her proposition of meeting. 

Iza Zmirli, IEJ 2A

The State Council is opposed to surrogate mothers

The State Council issued today a notice against the legalization of surrogate motherhood in France. This decision follows a review of the law on bioethics of 2004, requested by the Prime Minister, François Fillon. "Taking into account the interests of the child and the surrogate mother, fundamental principles that underline the current ban, lead us to recommend not legalize gestation for others," says the Council of State.

Hugo Lambert, IEJ 2A

International

Afghan civilians killed by the American bullets

At least a dozen people, including women and children, were killed on Monday in the U.S. bombing in western Afghanistan, announced the Afghan police on Wednesday. They indicated that "there were significant civilian casualties during the operation in the Bala Buluk district of the Farah province". The clashes started when several insurgents attacked two villages, in which they had killed three policemen and three civilians accused of working for the government, provoking the intervention of the U.S. and the Afghan forces. While Obama receives today the Afghan president Hamid Karzai, in Washington, this incident causes the wrath of the Afghan population and authorities. The U.S. military announced on Tuesday the opening of a joint investigation with the Afghanistan.

Vanessa Biague, IEJ 2A

Boris Johnson is "horrified" by his own statue

Boris Johnson, London's mayor, said he had been "horrified" when he discovered on Tuesday his wax statue in the famous Madame Tussauds museum. His statue had not been exhibited so far, but Boris Johnson said "when you see yourself in three dimensions, you realize how big you are! I have to be more often outside to jog" before adding "they did a beautiful job". Represented in a usual posture: suit tie, hands in his jacket pocket, Boris Johnson has simply been surprised by the extent of his stoutness. The conservative mayor of the British capital keeps his humour and only hopes that his statue "will not scare off" the visitors of the museum.

Marion Dauvilliers, IEJ 2A

The journalist Iranian Roxana Saberi interrupts her hunger strike

Roxana Saberi, condamned by Iran for being a spy for the Americans was on hunger strike since April 21. Condemned to 8 years of prison, the young woman, denounced the unfair conditions of her lawsuit. “She started to eat again on Monday” said her father who is worried for her health. The journalist is from now waiting for her appeal jugement which is supposed to be held next week.

Myriam Hachemi