.Air France says it received a bomb threat about a flight from Buenos Aires to Paris just days before one of its planes crashed into the Atlantic with 228 people on board.
Argentine police received an anonymous telephone warning on May 27 and searched the plane before passengers boarded but found nothing and it was allowed to take off with a delay of 32 minutes, a spokesman said.
There appeared to be no link between the alert and the crash on Monday of the Air France flight between Rio de Janeiro and Paris, he said.
A long fuel slick found in an zone where debris was spotted “means that it is improbable that there was a fire or explosion, but that is just a hypothesis,” he said. .
For all that though, “there is still no possibility” of determining what caused the crash, Mr Jobim said.
He was inferring that the high-octane jet fuel would have ignited if a blast or fire had occurred.
Searches were going on in a 200-kilometre radius north of a tiny Atlantic atoll belonging to Brazil called the Sao Pedro and Sao Paulo archipelago where the Air France plane came down, he said.
More debris from the Air France jet that came down in the Atlantic has been spotted, but investigators said they were pessimistic about finding the black boxes that could explain the tragedy.
The search zone was about 1,000 kilometres from the north-east coast of mainland Brazil, and its proximity to the atoll meant it was in Brazilian waters, Mr Jobim said.
Officials say there was no indication of problems with the plane before it left Rio de Janerio.
The head of France’s accident investigation agency, Paul-Louis Arslanian, said it was unclear whether the chief pilot was at the controls of the Airbus A330 when the aircraft plunged into the Atlantic Ocean.
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On Tuesday the Brazilian air force spotted debris that could belong to the Air France Airbus A330. The plane disappeared over the Atlantic with 228 people on board on Monday. The tragedy has prompted large-scale mobilisation online. On Facebook, dozens of support groups have been created.
The priority for Net users was to pay homage to the passengers&rsquo families. It invites users to leave condolence messages. On Tuesday, the largest had over 6,000 members. Over 200 net users have already done so.facebook.
The Air France profile on the social network has also been assailed.php?sid=b8d74a193c6854be2500d6becf9026a8&gid=105411606059&ref=search#/group.
http://www. Several Web users, including employees from other airlines, express their support for the French carrier.com/group.facebook. The Weather Graphics website looked into the weather conditions at the time the plane disappeared.php?sid=4ccb0131423c0a2ca396117d17b23c8b&gid=2219304407&ref=search
And incomprehension remains as to the conditions of the accident. The in-depth study has been largely applauded by Net users. The in-depth study has been largely applauded by Net users. This Swedish pilot welcomes the analysis.
http://www.weathergraphics.com/tim/af447/
On his blog, this US pilot evokes 2 possible scenarios. The hypothesis of lightning, possibly resulting in electrical failure. Another possibility according to him is violent turbulence, alone being responsible for the damage that lead to loss of pressure and then electrical failure.
Finally this Net user attempted a very approximate video reconstitution based on information known on Tuesday.
THE PIRATE PARTY
Vote Pirate! Here is a video to the glory of the party bearing the same name. The Swedish Pirate Party campaigns for legal file sharing on the Internet and has managed a spectacular breakthrough in Sweden, thanks to the debate on piracy.
On the occasion of the European elections, the party is leading an active campaign on the Web and according to the polls, should enter the European Parliament on June 7. The party is credited with 5-8% of votes.
http://www.piratpartiet.se
A popularity which grew in the aftermath of the sentencing of Swedish download site Pirate Bay. Thousands of members joined the party, while mobilisation in favour of the site grew online. Today, with its 45,000 members the Pirate Party has become the country 3rd largest political force.
http://thepiratebay.org/
And for its campaign, the Web is of course a vital tool. Videos posted on Youtube are widely available on the Swedish Web. In particular those showing the list number 2. Aged 21, she is compared by Net users to the &lsquohacker&rsquo in the film, Millenium inspired by Stieg Larssen famous novel.
Other videos highlight the campaign led by supporters and many events organised around the country. Here in the small town of Umea, or here at Stockholm train station, where Rick Falkving, Pirate Party leader distributes pamphlets.
Finally the Pirate Party is not limiting its influence to Sweden. It has declensions in 20 countries and will also present lists in Poland and Germany on June 7.
http://www.partiapiratow.org.pl/
http://www.piratenpartei.de/
BING
Bing. A simple and easy word to remember. This is the name of Microsoft new search engine. The proclaimed aim is to snatch the number one spot away from Google. Bing will offer answers organised by theme. &lsquoDecision-making tools&rsquo will also be included. Similar to price comparers, they will allow users to reserve a plane ticket or shop more easily. The complete version is only available in the States for now.
http://www.bing.com/
WIKIFILM
A participative film. This is the idea hatched by a Spanish beer company. Directing, production & casting. Each stage of short film making has been decided upon by the community of net users, registered on the film site, prior to being applied by 2 Spanish directors. . Here the directors explain that the choice of a grey limousine could not be respected as they could only find a white one. The film is currently being edited. The final stage will be to choose a title.
http://www.lawikipeli.com/wikipeli/pregunta-edad
DAILY VIDEO
Here is the headless man. A star video that is developing. The I-phone version of this film, directed by 2 French artists & widely broadcast on the Net is now available. A collection of original faces. The ID photos and fingers appear in real size on your mobile phone screen.
.French fashion house Christian Lacroix has been placed under administration after filing for bankruptcy protection last week because of the global financial crisis.
“A period of observation of six months has been decided and an administrator has been nominated,” the company’s lawyer, Simon Tahar, said. It was held behind closed doors.
The fashion house’s US owners, Simon and Leon Falic, were at the hearing in a commercial court in Paris. .
Christian Lacroix, which employs 125 people, declared insolvency last Thursday.2 million euros ($2 million).”
He said he had been designing without payment in recent months and that Christian Lacroix SNC owed him 1.”
Acquired from the world’s leading luxury giant LVMH in 2005 by US duty free giant Falic, Christian Lacroix SNC said it had been forced to declare insolvency due to “the sharp downturn of the luxury market.
He also said that shareholder management at the company had been “catastrophic.”
Celebrated for his exuberant swathes of lace and embroidery and fabrics in vibrant colours, Lacroix hit the catwalks more than 20 years ago with dramatic designs inspired by the costumes of his native Arles in southern France.”
The company said it intends “to present a continuation plan” and “to maintain its business operations throughout the proceedings.
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.A Chinese bidder snapped up an 18th-century Qing Dynasty seal for 1.68 million euros ($3 million) at a Paris auction held despite protests from Beijing.
It was acquired by a Chinese national who refused to give his name, telling reporters he was acting on behalf of an art collector in France.
Beijing says the white jade imperial seal was looted from the Summer Palace in 1860.
Earlier, the authorities that manage Beijing’s Summer Palace – former home to China’s Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) emperors – issued a sharp protest over the sale, saying the seal was looted by British and French forces in 1860.
Sold as part of a collection of Asian art, the seal went for more than five times its estimated price of 300,000 euros.
“We once again express strong indignation at this sort of repeated action that hurts the Chinese people’s feelings, harms their cultural interests and violates relevant international pacts.
“Such relics should all be repatriated to China and returned to their place of origin,” the Beijing palace authority said in a statement.
Mounted with two carved dragons back to back, the seal comes from the personal collection of a descendant of Elie Jean de Vassoigne – a French general who commanded some of the invading troops.”
China’s Government did not immediately comment.
Thierry Portier, auctioneer at Beaussant-Lefevre which organised the sale, said there was no reason not to go ahead.
The 10-centimetre piece bears an inscription reading “peace and tranquility to the nation”.
“We know he was in Takov at the time,” he said, adding that it was not known how the seal came to be in his possession. .
Christie’s decision to sell the looted bronzes sparked a firestorm of criticism in China and further strained Sino-French relations already hurt by a December meeting between President Nicolas Sarkozy and the Dalai Lama.
The auction comes two months after the contested sale of two bronze animal heads, drawn from the collection of late French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge.
A Chinese art collector later said he was the bidder, but refused to pay the 31.
Authorities in Beijing repeatedly called for the sale of the Saint Laurent bronzes to be halted and the relics returned to China.
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.4 million euro sale price for the pair, leaving the auction in limbo
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AFP – France’s jobless total went up by 63,400 people in March, a smaller increase than in January and February, government statistics released on Monday showed.
The latest data brought the total number of unemployed to 2.44 million, with 243,400 losing their jobs since January as the economic crisis forces factories and businesses to close.
» 2009 Crisis : Stories from the newly unemployed
Economy Minister Christine Lagarde said at the weekend that the latest jobless figures were not catastrophic but not good news either.
The figure for March was lower than in February when France registered 79,900 new job seekers and in January when 90,200 people joined the ranks of the jobless.
The French government expects the economy to shrink by 2.
We have to expect bad figures for some time, she said, adding that even if the economy recovers, it will take a while for the positive effects to be felt in the job market.5 percent this year but is banking on a turnaround in 2010.2 percent. .2 percent at the end of last year.
French youth are the hardest hit, with unemployment among the under-25 age group hitting 21.
financial crisis – France – French economy – layoffs – unemployment
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Employment Minister Laurent Wauquiez said France was showing more resilience than its European neighbours, especially Spain which is on track to hit 20 percent unemployment next year
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AFP – French police have searched the headquarters of BNP Paribas bank as part of a probe linked to Wall Street fraudster Bernard Madoff, a judicial official said Thursday.
Investigators from the financial police seized documents during the search on March 26 at the Paris offices, said the official.
Three preliminary investigations have been opened in France following complaints from investors who say they were conned by Madoff, who has been jailed for fraud, money laundering, perjury and theft in the United States.
French prosecutors the previous month opened a preliminary inquiry into BNP Paribas after a suit was filed against the French bank for forgery and use of forged documents. .
An accountantwho brought a private prosecution against former Cabinet minister Trevor Mallard has been ordered to serve six months' home detention for tax fraud involving almost $50,000.
Graham Edward McCready, 64, of Miramar, Wellington, was already facing the charges when he brought the prosecution against Mr Mallard for assaulting National MP Tau Henare outside Parliament's debating chamber in 2007.
Mr Mallard ended up pleading guilty to fighting in a public place and paying a $500 donation to the Salvation Army. He had originally pleaded "absolutely, positively not guilty" to a larger number of charges, changing his plea on the first day of trial the previous month.
McCready pleaded guilty to 12 charges of filing false income and GST returns and filing a false income tax return to evade payment.
Judge Behrens ordered him to serve six months' home detention but declined to order payment of $49,000 in reparation.
Wellington District Court judge Mike Behrens, QC, told McCready yesterday that he did not think he was as remorseful as he had portrayed and did not really take responsibility for what he had done.
He said McCready deliberately overstated business activities to generate refunds, when there was no evidence of activity. The money was paid into McCready's bank account and used to pay his personal bills. The work he did was for people who had no knowledge of tax law and relied on what McCready told them.
Lawyer Noel Sainsbury said that, though it might be true McCready did not leave his home much, detention still was a barrier to his liberty. . He said McCready had tried to do something without the full set of skills but had been motivated by a genuine willingness to help. He would not be able to go to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings that he had been attending for 18 years.
Inland Revenue acting group assurance manager Graham Tubb said McCready abused his position and betrayed the trust of his clients.
Inland Revenue acting group assurance manager Graham Tubb said McCready abused his position and betrayed the trust of his clients. GST refunds totalled $90,835.
Income tax refunds claimed, and other tax evaded by McCready through other taxpayers, amounted to $92,320.
More paroled criminals are in Christchurch than anywhere else in the country, Corrections Department figures show.
The figures followed a scathing report by Auditor-General Kevin Brady into the parole system, which found Corrections had failed to follow its own procedures in most of the 100 cases he had audited.
Christchurch was one of four regions where the Auditor-General examined the handling of parole cases.
Of those cases, 52 were high-risk criminals.
"That there is a high level of people on parole here, that in itself is not a problem, but the deepest issue for me is that the handling of these cases has been shown up to be significantly less than satisfactory.
Mayor Bob Parker said Brady's report was deeply concerning.
Of that 3071, 264 were on parole and 87 of those were on the offender warning register requiring Corrections to advise their victims of their release."
As at January 31, 3071 criminals were serving community-based sentences [such as home detention, supervision and community work] in Christchurch, which ranked fifth behind Manukau, Waiariki [Bay of Plenty], Wellington and Hamilton.
Parker said if the parole system was operating as badly as the Auditor-General's report suggested, the high number of offenders on parole in Christchurch gave people no reassurance for their safety.
The Auditor-General's audit found three cases where victims had not been properly notified about an offender's release, or the proximity of the parolee's proposed address to their victim had not been checked.
That created a transient population of people with no links to the city who were more inclined to commit crime, he said.
He said there was anecdotal evidence that prisoners transferred to Christchurch to serve their sentences were often followed by friends and family."
A Corrections spokeswoman said geographic location was not instrumental in deciding where an offender was placed on parole. ."
The Auditor-General's report acknowledged that Corrections suffered serious staffing issues, particularly in recruiting and retaining parole officers. "Offenders provide a proposed address to the Parole Board as part of a release plan to assist the board's decision. "However, in my view recruiting more probation officers will not fix all the problems my staff found. He also noted Corrections said it had about 10 per cent fewer probation officers than it needed in keeping with parole requirements."
The Corrections spokeswoman said there were 102.
The department also needs to identify and address the reasons for the recurring non-compliance with important requirements for managing offenders.
The department did not use average offender caseloads as a tool for allocating resources as they did not reflect the complexity and variety of sentences.4 fulltime-equivalent parole officers in Christchurch, which did not equate to a shortage of staff.
Corrections Minister Judith Collins had emphasised her displeasure with Corrections' performance in managing a parole system it vowed to improve after paroled convicted murderer Graeme Burton killed Wainuiomata man Karl Kuchenbecker in 2007.
Parker said the fact Christchurch did not have a shortage of parole officers was a small comfort.
Collins said she would not pre-judge who might be accountable, and hinted at a more wide-ranging shake-up in Corrections.
Collins said she would not pre-judge who might be accountable, and hinted at a more wide-ranging shake-up in Corrections.
"It is very important that the probation service is properly resourced … The Auditor-General stated that recruiting more probation officers will not fix all the problems."
Sunday Star-Times
HEROES: John Whittaker with his daughter Alix. The pair are fighting to retain the 35-hours a week home help John relies on for meals, cleaning and social contact, after his community services card expired and they discovered he wasn’t eligable for a new one.
Alix Whittaker's hero can't talk; can barely walk. When he cries, it's silent until he presses an electronic larynx to his throat: "Sorry," he says to his 19-year-old daughter.
One of his big toes has been amputated, he needs kidney dialysis three times a week and he is blind in his left eye.
His daughter Alix was preparing to quit work to care for him.
Last Thursday, Aucklander John Whittaker, 52, was a desperate man, fighting to keep the 35-hours-a-week home help he relies on for meals, cleaning and social contact. Now, following inquiries from the Sunday Star-Times, the pair have been told they will be visited by Work and Income New Zealand and Ministry of Health officials who will conduct financial and support needs assessments.
Stephanie Julian, lead media adviser for ACC, said, "we are extremely mindful of the situation and are wanting to make sure he gets the care he needs and is eligible for".
"All parties are working together to ensure Mr Whittaker receives the appropriate support he is eligible for," said Harvey Steffans, acting deputy director general, health and disability national services. "No one knows where to place me," says John.
But the Whittakers have lost faith.
"He's just asking for a continuation of the services he's been provided with for the last six to seven years. And Alix is tired of dealing with bureaucracy. We just want him to maintain the quality of life that he has already. We just want him to maintain the quality of life that he has already. Last month, she penned more than 20 letters to politicians, government departments and the media, seeking help for her father after his community services card expired and they discovered they weren't eligible for a new one. She is the stage manager for an upcoming outdoor Shakespeare production. Because he's so strong. She did it she says "because he's awesome."
Alix, an only child, was 11 years old when her diabetic father slipped into a coma. Because he's my hero. "It was all I knew how to cook. She had just made eggs and toast for tea. Her father had fallen out of bed and the nightmare had begun." Later, she heard a thump. Accident Compensation Corporation pays John $30,000 annually following the tracheostomy that saved his life but froze his voice. Accident Compensation Corporation pays John $30,000 annually following the tracheostomy that saved his life but froze his voice. The payment puts him $7634 above the income threshold for the community services card that qualifies him for $18,000 a year worth of home help. .
"Winz don't want to take responsibility for me because I get ACC," says John. "ACC don't want to take responsibility because I have other health problems outside the ACC claim."
What's it like to literally have no voice? John raises the nine-volt battery-powered wand to his throat. "It's the thoughts that make you who you are. It's what you think. So you've just got to think positively, basically."
The man who was once active in community theatre, who used to play rugby, cricket, badminton and tennis, now spends his day watching sport on television. He can stand up for just a few minutes at a time. He has a heart condition, and the diabetes he was diagnosed with, aged four, has damaged his kidneys and left him with little feeling in his legs.
"My life exists from TV to hospital, from TV to hospital. It's not much of a life."
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AFP – French President Nicolas Sarkozy Thursday confirmed press reports that a second state-of-the-art nuclear reactor would be built in Penly in the country’s north.
The Penly nuclear power station is located northeast of Dieppe.
The EPR is a third generation pressurised water reactor design. .
energy – France – nuclear power
. It has been designed and developed mainly by Framatome, now Areva, and EDF in France, and Siemens AG in Germany