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.

FRENCH LEGISLATION: The stakes of the second round of legislative

 

Last round. In the second round of parliamentary elections Sunday, June 17, the French have to decide between the last candidates. For the parliamentary left (Socialist Party, the Greens Europe-Ecology and the Left Front), which received 46.77% of votes in the first round, the challenge now is to win at least 289 cen ; management of 577 to command a majority in the National Assembly.

Comforted by their score of 10 June, 29.22%, the Socialists hope to achieve on their own absolute majority, thus avoiding having to deal with their allies. For opponents of the UMP, beset by internal divisions, it is to keep the damage.

The poll began on Saturday in Guyana and the Caribbean, closing a week between the two towers marked, right, by the strategy of "neither-nor" ( or National Front, or republican front) and adopted by the UMP, left, by the case "tweetweiler" which has embarrassed the Socialist Party and the Elysee.

Duels in suspense

Besides the expected score of abstention – June 10, it reached 42.77%, a record for legislative – this election is different issues. Within hours of the results, including the eyes are pointed at La Rochelle, where the Socialist candidate supported by the government, Segolene Royal, the dissident faces Olivier Falorni, who was sent a tweet encouragement by Valérie Trierweiler, wife of the President of the Republic. An electoral battle on which the ambitions of the former Socialist candidate for president in 2007, eyeing the perch of the National Assembly.

Side of the Modem, Francois Bayrou, who plays his political survival, attacking a triangular face risky Nathalie Chabanne (PS) and Eric Saubatte (UMP) in the second district of Pyrenees-Atlantiques, it represents over 25 years. The centrist candidate could be punished by voters swayed by his vote in favor of Francis Holland in the second round of the presidential election.

In the UMP – who won 27.12% of votes in the first round – it is especially in the fourth district of Essonne that one of the battles over media should play: the outgoing member Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet faces the PS candidate Olivier Thomas. Calling the candidate to beat UMP, the National Front (FN) has supported the controversial socialist.

The FN hope, for his part, win up to five districts, starting with that of Henin-Beaumont, in the Pas de Calais, where Le Pen got 42% of the votes June 10 The return on the benches of the Assembly would be a first for the party since 1998.

Finally, among the Ministers-government candidates Ayrault is on Carlotti concern that weighs most. Faced with the UMP Muselier in the 5th district of Bouches-du-Rhône, home to the right, the Minister for disabled people should, as provided for under rule announced by the prime minister, quit his post in case of defeat.

EURO AREA: Madrid calls for EU support for its banks

 

AFP – Spain's fourth largest economy in the euro area, has resigned Saturday to call for EU support for its banks, which could reach one hundred billion euros, a scenario long departed from Madrid, but now face the inevitable worsening of the debt crisis.

This support plan will be the fourth for a country of the euro area since the crisis began in late 2009, after Greece, Ireland and Portugal.

It will be this time to bail out the banking sector in Spain, asphyxiated by its exposure to real estate, for an amount estimated by the Eurogroup to one hundred billion at most. 

Spain will seek "a European financial aid" to restore its banking sector, announced in Madrid the Minister of Economy Luis de Guindos, after a telephone conference Finance Ministers of 17 countries in the euro area.

He said that in exchange, there will be no conditions of economic reforms "outside the scope of the financial sector".

"The conditions will be imposed on banks, not Spanish society," added the minister, trying to reassure the country, the record unemployment rate of 24.44% and already ; subjected to a harsh austerity measures to reduce its public deficit to 8.9% in 2011 to 5.3% this year.

"This has nothing to do with a rescue," insisted Mr. of Guindos, adding that the assistance will be restricted to "30% (banks) that have the most difficulty," and identified as such in the report of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday evening.

"This announcement is good for the Spanish economy and the future of the euro area", "this is a very positive signal about the political will of the whole euro area," said de clared the Minister, who has strongly denied having undergone any pressure from its European partners.

Mr. of Guindos explained that such aid is considered a "debt" Spanish, which will therefore increase, and "absolutely must be repaid."

It will be injected into the Spanish public funds to assist the sector (Frob), which will award the money to the "banks that request," he said.

The IMF will participate in the plan help, but will have a supervisory role, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Hours earlier, the finance ministers of the euro area had a video conference to draw the outlines of this plan.

"It will in fact one of the largest bailouts in recent history," stressed the Prime Minister of Sweden Fredrik Reinfeldt, whose country is not part of the monetary Union silent. 

Fourth largest economy in the euro area, Spain is in fact 12% of GDP in the euro area, against only 6% for Ireland, Portugal and Greece combined. The rescue of the three countries respectively have cost 85 billion, 78 billion and 292 billion euros.

So far, Madrid had refused to issue a call for help for fear of being imposed, such as Greece, a program that would be associated with strict conditions dictated by its international donors.

But the Spanish government had to bend under pressure and extreme markets of Europe, probably anxious to resolve the issue before the elections in Greece June 17, fear of contagion. 

Just this week, the government remained adamant: "I'll wait for the IMF and independent experts may give their opinion on the recapitalization needs of the Spanish financial system and ; from there, I will give my number and tell the government what needs to recapitalize the system ", said Thursday the head of government couservateur, Mariano Rajoy.

The IMF report has estimated the industry needs at least 40 billion euros, the euro area but it was prepared to "respond positively to a request for assistance" of the Spain in favor of its banking sector and to lend up to 100 billion euros. 

"It's a sum up," said Luis de Guindos, and, "very clearly, there is a margin of safety" in this figure.

To make a specific request, Madrid expected, in addition to the IMF report, the results of the audit conducted by the German firm Roland Berger and American Oliver Wyman. They will be known "in a few days," said the minister.

The German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, for its part, quickly welcomed the agreement reached with Spain, he considers the "track".

"I greet, as with other colleagues of the Eurogroup, the Spanish government's determination to proceed with the recapitalization (banks) and through this program to use to fund European aid (EFSF) or of the bailout (MES) with the corresponding conditions, "he said.

The nationalist Tomislav Nikolic win the presidential election

 

The populist nationalist candidate Tomislav Nikolic is ahead of incumbent President Boris Tadic in the second round of presidential elections Sunday in Serbia, according to estimates released in the evening.

Nikolic won 49.4% against 47.4% for Mr Tadic, according to partial results on a nationally representative sample considered by the CESID, an independent body responsible for monitoring the poll.

"If this trend continues, Mr. Nikolic wins the presidential election," said an official of CESID.

Shortly before the announcement of these results, the Progress Party of Serbia (SNS) of M. Nikolic claimed that its candidate had won the election.

"Serbia has a new president, Tomislav Nikolic," he told reporters Aleksandar Vucic, the number two in the SNS.

Nikolic lost twice, in 2004 and 2008 presidential elections against Tadic.

More than 6.7 million voters were eligible to vote. Open at 0500 GMT,

polling stations closed at 1800 GMT. An hour before the vote, turnout was 41.5%, significantly lower than that recorded in the first round two weeks ago.

Fervent pro-European, M. Tadic, 54 – who led Serbia, politically and economically isolated in the 1990s, the EU threshold – called the vote "referendum for European Union ".

After voting, he called his countrymen to fulfill their electoral duty "large numbers" to "confirm once again the democratic nature of our society" ;. He did not hide his "optimistic" about his re-election.

In power for eight years, Mr. Tadic calls for an accelerated rapprochement with the EU and provides be able to complete the process of accession negotiations during its new mandate.

Serbia was granted candidate status in March to integration in the EU and expects to get a date for starting negotiations.

To do so, he delivered at the International Criminal Tribunal for former political and military leaders of the Bosnian Serbs, Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, indicted for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He also improved relations with Kosovo in Belgrade, as demanded by Brussels, but did not recognize the independence proclaimed in 2008 by the Albanian majority in that territory.

Mr. Nikolic, 60, converted into a populist pro-European after long disputed such an option for his country, had relied in particular on the growing discontent of the population due to the poor economic situation in Serbia, where unemployment is 24% of the population.

Once allied to the former Serbian strongman, Slobodan Milosevic, he went up to promise to restore the economy by building "a canal linking the Danube to the sea Ege e ", without explaining how it intended to implement such a huge project about 600 km long and crossing, Serbia addition, two other countries. 

His alliance before the second round with a party hostile to the EU has been used by his opponents who have questioned the seriousness of his commitment to the accession sion of the block 27.

The election campaign was marked by accusations of fraud during the general elections of May 6, from the camp of Mr. Nikolic at Tadic , swept by a claims investigation and prosecution by the findings of international observers who monitored the ballot.

TECHNOLOGY: Listed on the Stock Exchange, Facebook promises to hit the jackpot

 

The largest IPO in recent years in the U.S. is imminent. The Nasdaq index of technology stocks on Wall Street, will host Facebook May 18 A newcomer to weight: The California company, which dominates the world of social networking with some 900 million subscribers worldwide, hopes to raise $ 16 billion on the market s.

To transform this trial stock, the group, its investors and partners in the first hour (employees, business angels and banks such as Goldman Sachs) will auction more than 400 million shares ; a minimum price of 34 dollars each. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO and founder of Facebook itself should sell tens of millions of its own shares, while retaining control of the company, with 57% participation.

If the site was founded in 2004 on the campus of American University of Harvard, reached its target, it will be worth $ 103 billion in stock. He will represent the highest value of the Nasdaq in its first trading day. With a goal of $ 16 million to raise, the star of Silicon Valley will be the third largest IPO in Wall Street after General Motors in November 2010 (the automaker was then lifted $ 20 billion) and Visa ($ 17.9 billion raised in March 2008).

Objective: To dethrone Google

For the group's market capitalization is an essential step to dethrone Google, now dominant in the web market, says Philippe Torres, director of the Workshop, the cell technological monitoring of BNP Paribas, in a phone interview with FRANCE 24. This specialist digital strategies, if the search engine Google reigns on the Internet since its IPO in 2004, Facebook has everything to take its place.  

According to the expert, the number one social network has in fact the hearing and growth needed to achieve this goal [60 million new subscribers per quarter according to figures provided by facebook]. The age 2.0 in fact goes in favor of the site of Mark Zuckerberg, which symbolizes like no other the social web, while Google looks more like a time when Internet was that of static sites .

To achieve this goal, nothing like a successful IPO. Once in the big leagues, Facebook should peep promising start-ups. The site has already embarked on this path by buying last April Instagram, photography service on smartphone, for a billion dollars. Such repurchases are expected to multiply, Facebook has reached a size where innovation is now more internally but through small acquired firms, said Philippe Torres. A typical strategy for the web giants, epitomized by Google, which acquired 24 companies in 2011.

For the specialist digital strategies, Facebook should also use its new nest egg to invest the labor market by recruiting new talent. These recruitments needed to strengthen its own teams now limited (Facebook has 3,000 employees, almost 10 times less than Google or Microsoft), will surely detriment of competitors, on whose land the Facebook will not hesitate to go hunting … The potential profits sufficient?

This new agenda seems likely to be less exciting than the work on site, but the resolution of these issues of industrial strategy is essential if the social network released a line of sufficient scope to continue to grow.

Because the IPO is also synonymous with new shareholders, very demanding in terms of profits. In an article entitled "Can not Touch Facebook actions," the U.S. business magazine Forbes is skeptical about the potential benefits of social networking giant, listing its major flaws: growth, smartphones and advertising. Facebook has increased only 45% of its turnover in 2011 against an increase of 145% of that of Google in the year before its IPO. In addition, half of users access their Facebook page on their smartphones, where the group does not make money.

According to Philippe Torres, Forbes critics are unfounded: it gives a simplistic analysis of the economic model. "The games or selling online on Facebook already provide 12% of company revenues," he says, noting that if advertising has been a market at 60 billion dollars worldwide, e-commerce has reported 680 billion. The challenge of this IPO will be whether Facebook will remain dependent upon advertising or evolve, to become a true platform for digital distribution.

LEAGUE 1: Montpellier is close to the title, PSG maintains the suspense

 

AFP – Montpellier, snatching victory against Lille (1-0), has retained its three-point lead over the runner, PSG (winner of Rennes 3-0), and thus a major step towards its first championship of France, Sunday at the penultimate day that saw Auxerre drop in the second division.

The 38th and final day will determine the identity of the champion, the team qualified for the Europa League via the fifth place and the two clubs Auxerre accompany the lower floor Interior, on the occasion of a struggle to maintain extremely tight and for another eight clubs. 

In the top three highlights two lessons: Montpellier and PSG are directly qualified for the Champions League, while Lille is blocked at third place, synonymous with dam end of August and may not succeed himself in the charts.

For the title, while still playing, even if his fate will Montpellier still in hand, since a victory would crown the Auxerre for the first time in its history. PSG on his side must win at Lorient and hope a new leader of missteps.

Issuing Héraultais arrived in the very last moment, when Giroud has issued an assist for Ait Fana. A goal that came after a match that has seen the guardians Jourdren Landreau and shine at the expense of celebrities such as expected Giroud and Hazard, just in sight.

It was more dramatic at the Parc des Princes, where Nene caught Giroud leading scorer (21 goals) with a hat-trick: a goal in the game, a free kick and a penalty. Menez was another great man, with an assist and a penalty provoked, and very active in all. But he will be suspended next Sunday (for accumulation of yellow cards) …

Gignac mark

And whipped, Rennes loses big, since he sees him steal his Bordeaux fifth place and its corresponding European sesame. A penalty of Gouffran in injury time against Lorient (1-0) allowed the Girondins to sign a fifth consecutive victory and a glimpse of Europe, a horizon that seemed completely incongruous last fall, when they were crawling in the depths of the rankings.

The other candidates have seized their chance. Saint-Etienne (6th) sold to Nancy (3-2) despite the 15th goal of Aubameyang. But the match Bordeaux-Saint-Etienne next Sunday could be likened to a small final for little Europe. Rennes is also back, facing Dijon.

Dijon precisely neutralized Toulouse (1-1), virtually eliminated from the race to C3 with the fifth straight game without a win. Dijon remains mired in the red zone, two points of Ajaccio, which is also slipped after its draw (1-1) against Lyon, which had nothing to play. Gourcuff, who was returning well, saw its momentum halted by a red card early in the second period for a gesture of annoyance.

It's Brest who performed the right operation, beating Valenciennes (1-0) on a free kick from Grougi, the specialist for set pieces.

Auxerre, however, has been the awakening of Marseille (3-0), including the first goal of the season in France Championship Gignac, to return in the second division he had not attended since in 1980.

In the match of misfiled, Sochaux win went to Caen (3-1). Both clubs however, remain under the threat of relegation.

Nice has only one point ahead of the red zone. Pejcinovic defender scored both goals against Evian (1-1), then against his side for his family.

SYRIA: Double bombing in Damascus, state television denounced a "terror attack"

 

AFP-The two attacks in Damascus Thursday were "dozens of dead and wounded," mostly civilians, reported the Syrian state television.

The station broadcast the first images showing the charred bodies on board dozens of smoldering hulks, stating that "terrorist" attacks had taken place on the fast track South, "when people went to their work and pupils at school."

Emergency services, helped by the inhabitants withdrew charred bodies. 

A man shouted: "That's the freedom you want? Students from their schools and their employees to work are dead, "referring to the popular anti-regime protest novel gripping the country for 14 months.

The images broadcast by television also showed human remains, fallen trees along the road, rutted pavement and deep craters.

The last fatal attack in Damascus dates back to April 27. Eleven people were then killed in suicide attack in front of a mosque.

The regime of Bashar al-Assad has been facing for nearly 14 months in a popular revolt that refuses to recognize and repress in the blood. He accused "terrorists" to be the cause of violence in the country and commit these attacks.

The Syrian opposition accuses the regime of his part of "manufacture" these attacks.

Repression by the regime of the popular revolt that has militarized over the months and fighting between soldiers and insurgents killed nearly 12,000 people since March 2011, mostly ; civilians killed by government troops.

Top 14: Toulouse reinforces its leadership position after his victory against the French stage

 

The Toulouse strengthened its leading position in the Top 14 and lost valuable points in the French stage in the race for the finals by winning (22-18) including seventeen points Lionel Beauxis its opener Saturday at the Stade de France, at the 22nd day.

One week before their quarter-final of European Cup in Edinburgh, Toulouse have managed to get out of a hotly contested match against the Parisians catchy. They are four points ahead of Clermont, beaten to Biarritz (15-14). The Parisians are found, them out of the first six qualifying places for dams and must battle against their main rivals Montpellier and Racing Metro, both winners on this day.

Solid and realistic, the champions of France made a difference through the boot of Lionel Beauxis (17 points, 6 of 7) and their conquest generally reliable. A powerful melee output Gillian Galan relayed by Thierry Dusautoir notably led the only test given to Florian Fritz despite a slump of David Martin Rodriguez (26).

Patients and assisted by their scorers Felipe Contepomi and Julien Dupuy (100% both), the Parisians have returned to a point ten minutes from the end of a penalty from scrumhalf after watching a trial refused to Sergio Parisse quarter of an hour earlier for a slump of a Parisian center of Beauxis near the line (55).

But after missing two "match points", a penalty from 55 meters (74) and one drop (78), Beauxis has confirmed the victory of a new penalty the last minute. 

The Parisians will erase their regrets at the last four days, including three trips to Clermont (23rd day) against the rival Racing Metro (25th day) and Biarritz (26th day).

Latvians reject Russian as second official language

 

AFP – The Latvians Saturday overwhelmingly rejected the possibility of introducing Russian as a second official language of their country in a national referendum reflecting the unease of the Russian-speaking minority in this ex- Soviet republic.

According to results released by the electoral commission and on 95% of polling stations, 74.62% of voters were against the introduction of Russian as second official language, only 25.06% of voters who voted in favor.

Supporters of the "yes" wanted to end what they see as discrimination against Russian speakers. 

Composed mostly of former Russian immigrants from the Soviet era, Russian-speaking minority is about one third of the 2 million inhabitants of the Baltic country.

Telltale sign of the importance that Latvians have attached to this referendum, the turnout was very high (69.23%).

"It's a question of national identity, which is why most people did not consider the referendum as a mere political game, and also participated massively," he Ivars told AFP Ijabs, political analyst at the University of Latvia. 

The turnout was particularly high in the capital Riga (77%) and in the regions of Vidzeme (northern, 72%) and Kurzeme (western, 70%) considered es as bastions of national sentiment.

During the campaign, supporters of the "no" recalled that thousands of ethnic Latvians were sent by the Soviets in camps in Siberia and the Russian language was ; imposed in public life while the country was dominated by Moscow for five decades.

The national consultation was organized in response to a petition of the pro-Russian "native language", signed by 10% of voters. 

"Our main objective was to initiate dialogue and that dialogue has just begun," said public television LTV1 the leader of this movement, Vladimirs Lindermans, after publication partial results.

"This has sometimes been rather emotional and hysterical, but the hysteria is even better than the silence of the past 20 years," he said.

Latvia regained its independence from Moscow in 1991, after 50 years of Soviet domination, and in 2004 joined the European Union and NATO.

After independence, the Russian immigrants who settled in the country had to seek Latvian citizenship by submitting to a language test to avoid becoming stateless. 

For Aleksei Vessoli, former star of skating Latvian of Russian origin who represented Latvia at international level, "yes" vote was a signal to the power.

"I voted for, hoping that the government realizes that many people feel abandoned, and to say that Russian is not a foreign language in Latvia" ;, he told AFP.

In the parliamentary elections of September, an opposition pro-Russian Centre of Harmony won a historic success with nearly a third of parliamentary seats. 

Supported by the Russian-speaking minority, the party has yet been able to fit into the government coalition, because it suffers from a low opinion with other political parties, particularly because of its cooperation agreement with the United Russia party of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

"This referendum is not the end, this is only the beginning … Of course, we will enforce the law, but we will take further action, "warned Mr. Lindermans.

DIPLOMACY: UN adopts resolution condemning repression in Syria

 

AFP – The UN General Assembly on Thursday approved by a large majority despite opposition from China and Russia, a resolution condemning the repression in Syria, a few days after blocking by Moscow and Beijing with a similar text to the Security Council.

The resolution, adopted by 137 votes in favor, 12 against and 17 abstentions, requires the Syrian government to end its attacks against the civilian population, supports the efforts of the Arab League to make the transition dice Democratic Damascus and recommends the appointment of a Special Envoy of the UN in Syria.

Besides Moscow and Beijing, Cuba, Iran, Venezuela and North Korea and voted against the text. Unlike the Security Council, there is no veto in the Assembly.  

The filing of the resolution was supported by more than 70 countries on 193 in the Assembly, including many Western and Arab countries that sought to emphasize the isolation of the regime of pre ; President Bashar Assad.

The text will be essentially symbolic, the General Assembly is a consultative body.

The Security Council, which has still not expressed since the crisis began in Syria in March 2011, was blocked for the second time on February 4 by a dual Russian and Chinese veto. The resolution adopted Thursday is similar to text blocked in Council.

The Assembly adopted on December 19 a previous resolution denouncing the situation of human rights in Syria, also by a large majority (133, 11 against, 43 abstentions, including Russia and China) but the text voted Thursday to a more political content.