INTERNET: Yahoo! ready to get their hands on Tumblr for $ 1.1 billion

 

The board of Yahoo has approved the friendly takeover of the platform microblogging Tumblr for $ 1.1 billion (€ 857 million), announces the Wall Street Journal Sunday, citing sources close to the folder.

It would be the largest acquisition in the Internet portal since the arrival at its head Marissa Meyer, a former Google in July 2012.

Citing sources close to the situation, AllThingsD said that Yahoo, one of the oldest Internet names, is interested in the excitement by Tumblr youth.

Yahoo overshadowed for many years by new internet giants Google or Facebook, and wants his image and dust halting its activities. 

This comes after the failure of his plan to acquire 75% of the French online video site, Dailymotion, France Telecom.

Tumblr is one of the two social networks with the rage in recent months. The company hosts 108 million blogs and boasts 50.7 billion messages exchanged between them.

The network is just beginning to garner revenue through advertising.

Yahoo, which has declined to comment, has issued an invitation to the press conference for Monday in Manhattan "something special", without saying more.

REUTERS

INTERNET: Refusal redemption of Dailymotion: "France does not need predator capital"

 

The Minister of Productive Recovery Arnaud Montebourg, announced Wednesday that it had thwarted the takeover of 75% of the video site Dailymotion, a subsidiary of France Telecom-Orange, the compa American ty Yahoo!. This interference by the minister raises many critics. Asked by the newspaper Les Echos, CEO of Orange, Stéphane Richard, regretted this decision because, according to him, Dailymotion needs a U.S. partner to continue to die develop and compete with its main rival YouTube. He also argues that the failure of the sale could damage the image of France to foreign investors.

Sterdyniak Henry, director of the Department of Economics at Sciences Po Paris globalization, believes instead that the intervention of Arnaud Montebourg is sound. In international economics specialist, France, in fact, all the capabilities to maintain its ground for innovative companies.

FRANCE 24: The Minister of Productive Recovery Arnaud Montebourg, opposed the redemption Dailymotion, a subsidiary of France Telecom-Orange, the U.S. giant Yahoo!. Is that such blocking is new government?

Henri Sterdyniak: It actually is exceptional. The logic usually prevails, the government does not interfere in the conduct of business, except in very special cases. So far, the government felt that these obstacles were not of a strategic nature, but now we are seeing a change in doctrine. We do not want to let a company go under foreign control. When this happened, France lost all means of action.

These companies have lost their substance and disappeared completely. We think of course Arcelor-Mittal and steel Florange in recent news. The minister and wanted to put a stop to these practices and make clear with Dailymotion, France has a well located in an area of ​​future business. It would be stupid to sell abroad. There is no reason to lose its future development for short-term profits. Especially Orange has money and that also has public Investment Bank.

According to you, Arnaud Montebourg was therefore right to oppose the takeover?

H. S. : It is a gesture that will, in fact, in the right direction, because France has the financial capacity to develop independent businesses on the Internet. This is a trend that seeks to promote the Minister Arnaud Montebourg. He wants to keep France in innovative companies. You can not call this protectionism, but it is necessary that the French companies keep on making up their centers and production, otherwise we will be completely disarmed.

The American media yet very critical with regard to the French government. Does this decision may degrade the image of France to foreign investors?

H. S. : It must be remembered that the United States often take protectionist measures, especially against China. This is not a purely French practice. Americans have a strategy that is not hard-liberalism. The fact that France clearly say it has the concern to maintain the productive sectors on its soil should not surprise them. It is legitimate that encourages foreign investment the type of Toyota, which has installed a plant and create jobs in France, but when an investment is to take control of & rsquo , a company that works and has a potential for the future is more problematic. France does not have a Yahoo! guarantee for the future development of Dailymotion. She did not know either if the hidden objective was to kill the business because it is ultimately a competitor.

This blockage can get chilly foreign investors, but France has an important savings rate and capital available. We have the means to choose foreign investment and support companies that want to grow. France did not need the contribution of capital predators, but rather companies that bring something. In this case, the government found that the acquisition would provide no guarantee.

BANKS: Suspected tax fraud: French raid on the headquarters of UBS

AFP

The French headquarters of Swiss bank UBS in Paris was raided Wednesday in the investigation for "laundering tax fraud", the bank was suspected , have introduced a double accounting and facilitated the opening of undeclared accounts in Switzerland.

A dozen investigators from the national judicial customs (SNDJ) entered Wednesday morning in the premises of the bank with the judge Daïeff Guillaume Paris, in charge of the investigation, AFP a source close to the matter.

Two people were indicted in this case, a former leader of the UBS office in Lille and a framework UBS employee in Strasbourg. Several searches have been conducted in the premises of the bank in Strasbourg, Lyon and Bordeaux since late June.

A spokesman for the bank in Paris confirmed Wednesday that the "judge has actually visited the headquarters of UBS in Paris France as part of its investigation."

"We are cooperating fully with the authorities. The search is part of searches in other subsidiaries of UBS in France since April 2012, "said his side a spokesman for UBS in Switzerland AFP.

"As a group, we have an internal regulation which requires that the laws of the country are met. If employees have violated these laws, then they will be punished, "he added.

The first Swiss bank is suspected of having set up a dual accounting, designed to hide certain capital movements between France and Switzerland, and have enabled its Swiss business to solicit clients on French territory, in violation of the law. Denunciations of former employees

These facts have been particularly criticized by former employees. 

An anonymous note sent to the Prudential Supervisory Authority (ACP), seen by AFP, outlines the existence of "books of milk" between 2002 and 2007, a system designed to register new accounts undeclared Swiss made by salespeople.

She described the alleged role of responsible business in Switzerland and France and executives of UBS in France this double counting.

This system allowed not to leave a trace in the official tools while allowing the bank to calculate business operations for their year-end bonuses, according to this note. 

The judicial practices of the Swiss bank in France was opened in April for "banking or financial by unauthorized persons and tax evasion and laundering of funds obtained through an illegal solicitation, committed by an organized gang. "

Initially, a preliminary investigation was opened by the Paris prosecutor's office in March 2011 after transmission by the ACP in charge of banking supervision, a note on the practices commercial bank.

Meanwhile, another judicial inquiry opened in Paris in April for "obstructing the functioning of the committee on health, safety and working conditions (HSC)" and "harass Lement moral "at UBS, told AFP judicial source. Several officers had denounced the conditions of their departure from UBS.

In 2009, an agreement was reached with the United States to UBS reveals the names of 4,450 American clients whom he had offered to conceal funds to the IRS. The first Swiss bank had also paid a sum of $ 780 million, including a fine and back taxes.

(AFP)

LIBYA: "Justice will be done in Libya," Obama promised

 

The death of the U.S. Ambassador in Libya, Christopher Stevens, and three U.S. officials in an attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Tuesday, Sept. 11, caused a shock wave , across the United States.

"The United States condemns in the strongest terms this outrageous attack and shocking," said Barack Obama, during a press conference on Wednesday, held alongside Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. "We strive to put our diplomats safe with the Libyan government. We work to ensure the safety of our diplomats. I also asked my administration to increase security around our embassies around the world. And make no mistake, we will work with the Libyan government to bring to justice the murderers who attacked our men, "he said.

Bilateral ties should not be "victims" of the attack on Benghazi

U.S. President during his speech, paid tribute to diplomat killed in the attack. "It is particularly tragic that Chris Stevens died in Benghazi, a city he helped save, lamented Barack Obama. At the height of the Libyan revolution, Chris held our diplomatic representation with any skill, the courage and determination that any characteristic. It has established partnerships with Libyan revolutionaries and helped them when they were building a new Libya ". Wednesday until Sunday, American flags of all public buildings were lowered to half mast in honor of the four Americans killed Tuesday.

Before him, Hillary Clinton was asked about the reasons for this tragedy "in a country we helped liberate in a city that we saved from destruction." She then urged Americans to "stay sighted despite the sorrow": "This is an attack by a small group of people senseless, and not by the people or Libyan government, "she insisted, ensuring that bilateral ties are not" victims "of the attack on Benghazi.

Mitt Romney, Obama's Republican rival the U.S. election on November 6, sharply criticized presidential intervention, ruling "shameful" response to the White House anti-American attacks in Egypt and Libya. 

Tuesday, shortly before the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, protesters stormed the U.S. embassy in Cairo, ripped and burned American flags to replace black flag – the flag frequently brandished by activists of Al-Qaeda. Originally the rampage: Internet broadcasting of excerpts from American film "The Innocence of Muslims," ​​judged insulting to the Prophet Muhammad .

FRANCE 24 with dispatch

EUROZONE: Eurozone suspended announcements of the ECB

 

Financial Markets and European politicians hold their breath. This Thursday, Sept. 6, the European Central Bank (ECB) should reveal the decisions it will take to help countries in the euro zone hit by the crisis and save the monetary union. The political and economic actors expect particularly whether the ECB will buy the sovereign debt of countries in the euro area.

"The ECB is willing to do whatever it takes to preserve the euro. And believe me, it will be enough, "said in July, in a speech scrutinized, the president of the institution, Mario Draghi, suggesting a se , series of strong measures.

This strength from a highly respected financial community had the immediate effect of calming the markets, at the same time borrowing rates in Spain and the & rsquo , Italy reached critical levels. The month of August, according to the predictions of many economic analysts, promised catastrophic market, finally took place without too much addicted.

Reassure the banks

Today, the Frankfurt institution should revise downward its growth forecasts for the euro area, there are many who wonder if the decisions of the ECB will be as strong as this that & rsquo , hope the markets. Among the measures foreshadowed: the acquisition of a number of debts incurred by the states in trouble, like what was done in May 2010 for Greece. The goal is to give banks assurance that their loans will be repaid and thus encourage them to lower borrowing rates they impose on states (more risky the loan is, the more expensive).

A quick fix? Not quite. Some countries, especially Germany, are strongly opposed to any buyback program sovereign bonds. She fears one hand, some countries in difficulty loosen fiscal and economic forces – although the ECB requires increased consolidation of public finances, in consideration for the redemption of debt – and, Moreover, this commitment causes of inflation across the euro area. The topic is so sensitive in Germany believe that the German newspaper "Bild", he almost caused the resignation of Jens Weidmann, the president of the very orthodox Bundesbank, the German central bank . Chancellor Angela Merkel was dissuaded, but tension remains high.

"Irrational Fears"

The outcry of Germany has also pushed Mario Draghi to leap to defend its policy through the press, which is unusual for him. Monetary policy "sometimes requires extraordinary measures," including "when markets are fragmented and influenced by irrational fears," he said in an article published August 29 in the German weekly "Die Zelt".

For now, markets and policy makers are forced to wait anxiously statements of the ECB. If they are below expectations, the most fragile countries in the euro zone could pay a high price. Italy and Spain, which has requested assistance from 100 billion euros to recapitalize its banks, are particularly vulnerable.

"Those who expect explicit details will be disappointed," said already Marco Valli, chief economist at UniCredit euro zone. The ECB may indeed not reveal the outline of a plan to buy back debt. She could wait before going into details, the German Constitutional Court to make its decisions on six complaints from members opposed to the ratification of the mechanism European stability (MES), two new European instruments to fight against the crisis. Its findings should be made public on September 12.

Holland receives Samaras and aligns with the position of Merkel

 

REUTERS – François Hollande Saturday confirmed the Greek Prime Minister's desire to see Greece keep the single currency, urging Athens to the "credibility" and European Union to "it must" maintain the integrity of the euro area. After a one-hour interview with the Head of State at the Elysee Palace, Antonis Samaras made the maintenance of the single currency a matter of "pride" for his country, where hope should return, he said, otherwise threaten social cohesion.

François Hollande has reiterated that Greece should remain in the euro area while focusing on the efforts that the country must make to consolidate its fiscal position.  "We must ensure that the issue of Greece in the euro area does not arise because for me, it does not arise: Greece is in the eurozone and Greece must remain in the euro zone, "said the French president in the courtyard of the Elysee. "It must demonstrate the credibility of the program and the commitment of its leaders to go through while making sure that it is bearable for its people," said François Hollande, scoring his concern for social risk in Greece.  Eve in Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel had also pleaded alongside Antonis Samaras for Greece in the euro, despite the doubts expressed by some of its citizens a year of elections in Germany. Facing its fifth year of recession, Greece would receive a reprieve to meet its budgetary commitments agreed under a second plan international aid of 130 billion euros. The eyes of François Hollande, the clock is ticking and Europe must move quickly after receiving the report on Greece by the troika – the European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund – expected in mid-September.  Athens creditors will then decide if they unlock new aid tranche in October and they give more time to Greece for its re ; forms. "GREECE Y HAPPEN" DIT SAMARAS called Questions to be discussed at the Eurogroup meeting on 8 October and Luxembourg, before the EU summit on 18 and 19 October in Brussels. Once the report is submitted and confirmed commitments Greek, "Europe will do what it needs," stressed François Hollande. "It's been two and a half years that the question is asked. There are no more time to lose. There are commitments to reaffirm both sides, to make decisions and the sooner the better. "

French Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance Laurent Fabius and Pierre Moscovici, attended the meeting between Francois Hollande and Antonis Samaras, who saw for the first time. In his statement, the new Greek Prime Minister, elected on June 17, said the European Union had everything to gain by keeping his country in the euro. "Greece will succeed, it will remain in the euro area," he said. "And that Greece will be successful European success. We will show that Europe is able to overcome its difficulties and problems, united. "  "We will fulfill our goals and commitments," he said while emphasizing growth, "if all these efforts will lead to a race to the bottom". "Greece, the Greek people are a proud nation: we do not like to depend on others and take," he said. "We must restore hope because without hope we will lose social cohesion." After a relative lull in the markets this summer, the crisis in the euro zone back on front of the stage with renewed concern Greece but also in Spain, Italy and Portugal.  François Hollande will be next Thursday in Madrid to meet with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and Italy in early September for a meeting with the chairman, Mario Monti. Agitated in Germany and in other countries such as Finland and the Netherlands, the possibility of an outflow of Athens remains outside the euro in Paris. The French authorities consider that it would be a disaster for the Greeks, not to mention the risk of lead others along this path. "The integrity of the euro zone is the basis of the action that we must lead," said a source in Paris

.

SPACE: The robot Curiosity passes his first laps on Mars

 

AFP – Wednesday robot Curiosity has made his first trip to Mars, the perimeter of the area where it landed early August, named by NASA "Bradbury Landing "in tribute to the legendary American author of science fiction Ray Bradbury, who died last June.

"In his honor, we named the place Curiosity landed + + Landing Bradbury (Bradbury The landing zone)," said Michael Meyer, chief scientist of the Mars Exploration Program at , NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory since (JPL) in Pasadena, near Los Angeles. 

The announcement coincided with the first movement – a few meters – Curiosity on Mars, Wednesday successfully conducted as a prelude to his departure for the area Glenelg in the coming days.

Ray Bradbury, who would have turned 92 years old on Wednesday, "had already achieved immortality with hundreds of new and nearly 50 novels. His books have inspired us, the Martian Chronicles + + inspired Curiosity and open our minds to the possibility of a form of life on Mars, "he said.

Prior to the announcement, the JPL has released a video of Ray Bradbury among NASA scientists gathered at the occasion of the arrival in orbit around Mars probe Mariner 9 in November 1971.

The author of "Fahrenheit 451" it says, before an audience laughing: "I was hoping that these days, as we neared Mars and the dust cleared, we would open Martians standing with large signs that could be read: + Bradubury was right! + ". 

Away from the full potential of the mission

Profilique The author died in Los Angeles in early June, helped to popularize science fiction to the general public, and invented a life on Mars has captured the imagination many researchers and scientists.

"It was also a friend of JPL," said Pete Theisinger responsible for Curiosity mission, stating that the writer had visited last time the premises of JPL in 2009.

The Curiosity mission team also confirmed that the robot had turned its wheels for the first time Wednesday.

"Curiosity drove for the first time on Mars today, with success. We have a mobility system in perfect working on our robot, "said Matt Heverly, head of displacement Curiosity.

The robot, which had not changed since his arrival in the Gale Crater on the night of 5 to 6 August, advanced about four meters forward before Rotate to the right 90 degrees, then backtrack a few meters.

"This places the robot at about 6 meters from the place where it landed 16 days ago," said NASA.  

A photo taken by Curiosity from its new position clearly shows the traces of its wheels on the Martian soil, and the circular marks left by the retros "overhead crane" who die placed on the Red Planet.

Pete Theisinger welcomed the success of the mission jsuqu'ici, while remaining cautious thereafter. "We are in the 16th day of a two-year mission, we have not yet put our arms (articulated) on the ground and we have not tested our ability to recover samples, which is a key element of the scientific mission, "he said.

"So even if everything went well so far, we have checked two boxes of our minimum requirements: take off time (the Earth) and land on Mars . We are still far from reaching the full potential of this mission, "he concluded.

Syria: Aleppo insurgent neighborhoods plagued by relentless fighting

 

AFP-The Syrian army and the rebels delivered Wednesday a fierce battle for control of Aleppo, the second largest city and a crucial challenge for the rest of the rebellion that shook from Syria sixteen months.

Backed by tanks and armored forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad launched before dawn a major ground offensive and entered the main area of ​​dissent ' Aleppo Salaheddin.

The offensive came a day after the promise of President Bashar al-Assad to "purge" the country "terrorists", a term used to describe his regime rebels.

At midday, the arméea claimed to have taken control of this neighborhood landmark, that the insurgents were immediately denied. 

"Our armed forces have taken full control of Salaheddin, inflicting heavy losses on terrorist groups," said an official source quoted by SANA.

The source said "dozens of terrorists were arrested, others went into giving up their weapons" and "large quantities of weapons used by the terrorists to terrify the people and commit murder against the police were seized. "

Colonel Abdel Jabar dissenting Oqeïdi confirmed "a barbaric and savage attack of the neighborhood," adding "it is wrong to say that the military regime took full control of the district" . 

The fighting "focus primarily Salaheddine since the neighborhood is of great symbolic value for us and the army of the regime," said the head of the Military Council for the region of Aleppo .

By mid afternoon, the Syrian rebels said they recovered some lost ground a few hours earlier after having been reinforced by 700 fighters from Sukkari (south), al Bustane -Qasr (center), and Hanano Chaar (is).

Cons-offensive

"We launched an offensive against-back and lost three of five streets," said Wassel Ayoub, the brigade commander Nur al-Haq Army Syrian free (ASL rebels).

Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (OSDH), has said the army had destroyed two schools as the basis for the rebels. 

"These are the fiercest fighting around the neighborhood" since the conflict started in Aleppo on July 20, according to OSDH.

The arméea sent 20,000 troops to carry out this crucial battle for the regime, facing mid-March 2011 in a revolt that has militarized over time against repression brutal. Nearly 17 months of conflict were 21,000 dead according to OSDH.

Amnesty International has denounced the violence of the shelling of the last days based on satellite images that show more than 600 craters formed by the impact of shrapnel in Aleppo and in the nearby town of Anadane.

Elsewhere in the country, the army continues to bomb the province of Homs (center), the town of Deir Ezzor (is), and Kurdish villages in the province of Latakia (northwest), according to OSDH that counts at least 82 people killed Wednesday (41 civilians, 15 rebels and 26 soldiers), including 34 in Aleppo.

According to this NGO based in Britain, who works with a network of activists and witnesses through Syria, 225 people were killed Tuesday on the whole territory. 

Meeting Thursday in Tehran

"The Syrian people and its government are determined to purge the country of terrorists," promised Tuesday Bashar al-Assad receives a messenger from his Iranian ally.

The envoy, Saeed Jalili, told him that "Iran will never allow the destruction of the axis of resistance which Syria is a key pillar".

Iran hosts a meeting Thursday with a dozen countries have "a realistic" about the crisis, according to Tehran.

Lebanon has already said he would not participate in its observance of "neutrality" in the conflict. No more than Kofi Annan, the mediator has resigned from the UN and the Arab League.

On its 48 nationals abducted on Saturday by the Syrian Army free (ASL) in the region of Damascus, Tehran called "cooperation" of the Secretary General General of the UN Ban Ki-moon to secure their release.

While the kidnappers accused the Iranians of being Revolutionary Guards, the elite corps of the Islamic regime, Tehran, which in turn ensures they are pilgrims, nevertheless stated that a number of them were "retired Revolutionary Guards and the army".

OJ – Canoe Slalom: Tony Estanguet: "It's great to finish the story like that"

 

Four years after his failure at the Beijing Olympics, Tony Estanguet has succeeded to win a third Olympic title in a canoe, in the artificial basin of Lee Valley.

At 34, the Pau coming off the apotheosis of his career by becoming the first French to glean three Olympic titles in the same disciple, better that the EPR ist Lamour and judoka David Douillet.

"It's not important to enter the legend. The important thing is to have done, "he said just out of the water.

The charismatic canoist finally outstrips the German Sideris Tasiadis and Olympic champion in Atlanta (1996) and Beijing (2008), Slovakia's Michal Martikan, who was also three in a row and finishes only third ; me.

Listen to his reaction to the micro RFI:

Tony Estanguet, triple Olympic, World and Europe has achieved nothing short of a feat on Tuesday 31 July in the stormy waters of the basin of Lee Valley.

Henceforth, the standard bearer of the delegation tricolor of 2008 aims to join the International Olympic Committee (IOC), through the Athletes' Commission, whose members will be elected during Games for a term of eight years.

SPAIN: The famous bullfights of Pamplona began

 

AFP – Dressed in white, red scarf around his neck, thousands of fans screamed and jumped for joy by sprinkling wine on the town hall square of Pamplona on Friday to mark the occasion of sending of San Fermin, most famous bullfighting festivals in Spain.

"It's crazy, amazing, I love it!", Enthused, hair and clothes dripping wine, Louise Haley, 28, from Australia to attend This medieval fair, that fascinated Ernest Hemingway in his time.

With cries of "Viva San Fermin!" And "Gora San Fermin" in Basque, followed by the "chupinazo", run it from the balcony of the mayor of a rocket, fireworks, new day celebrations punctuated by the very famous bull runs were officially opened at noon. 

Waving their red scarves in a charged atmosphere, thousands of revelers from around the world were sprayed with wine, transforming the immaculate white of their traditional clothing in an original pink gradient. Dancing, singing, they went to enormous balloons, others, many, watching from the balconies overlooking the square.

Early in the morning, already, some had begun the festivities, drinking beer and sangria sitting in class or while walking and singing through the narrow cobbled streets of the city, their huge plastic glasses containing as much as one liter of beverage.

Punctuated by religious processions, traditional dances, concerts, watered by streams of drinking in bars allowed to open until dawn, the holidays are primarily famou ; members for their running of the bulls. 

Every morning at eight o'clock, hundreds of intrepid riders will engage with six fighting bulls of half a ton each, trying to avoid their horns over a distance of 850 meters leading to the arena of the city.

The bravest, or perhaps the most reckless, will run as close to the horns, hoping not to be injured during the four minutes that lasts the race through the heart historic city.

The first release, one that traditionally attracts the most people, will be held Saturday.

"It's a great feeling, your heart starts to beat faster," Anderson testifies Goyoaga, unemployed plumber of 34 years came from Bilbao.

He has already participated in the bull runs and getting ready to try again experience. 

"Every time I tell myself that this is the last but I can not help but go back," he admits.

In 2011, 20,500 runners participated in the eight bull runs, mostly men 18 to 35 years with nearly half were from overseas, especially U.S., d Australia and the United Kingdom, according to the mayor of Pamplona.

This curious mediaeval tradition could have inspired the butchers, to run before the animals brought to the campaign for the festival of San Fermin.

Each year, dozens of runners are injured, often because of the rush that sometimes falls under the legs of bulls.

The race sometimes turns into tragedy. The most recent death date three years ago, when a bull gored a Spaniard was 27 years.

To avoid injury, the organizers are trying to ban drunken revelers to participate in the release and have sprayed the road of a chemical to prevent slipping.

Pamplona, ​​which has 200,000 inhabitants, is expecting a half million visitors this year and hope the holidays bring him in about 70 million euros.

"I saw the images on television and I had no choice but I had to come," enthuses David Higgins, a British man 25 years came with three friends.

"This is probably the craziest party in the world!"