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Please note that for all the preorder period, which runs until the actual release in our country June 15, 2016, version 3 GB / 32 GB is priced at € 199 and, according to Meizu France without limiting controls. The company should be expected to honor an almost all pre-orders waves on the highest version.
the rating agency Standard & amp; Poor’s (S & amp; P) withdrew Tuesday to oil giant ExxonMobil its triple-a rating, a first since the 30′s, citing the plunge of over 60% in oil prices which affects profitability
the rating agency Standard & amp;. Poor’s (S & amp; P) withdrew Tuesday to oil giant ExxonMobil its triple-a rating, a first since the 30′s, citing the diving more than 60% of oil prices affecting its profitability
Microsoft IT groups and pharmaceutical Johnson & amp;. Johnson are now the only two major US companies still have the triple A from S & amp; P told AFP a spokesman.
ExxonMobil is now rated “AA +”, the second best score in the evaluation scale of the first global rating agency.
This note is accompanied by a “stable” outlook, suggesting that it will not be affected in the short term.
This is a blow for ExxonMobil, which has always served this “triple a” as a marketing argument in trade negotiations and to become a privileged partner of major oil exporters.
in addition to the symbolic aspect, this lowering of rating should increase costs ExxonMobil loan.
“Nothing has changed in terms of prudent financial management philosophy of our balance sheet,” responded Scott Silvestri, a spokesman. ExxonMobil “remains focused on long term value creation for shareholders despite the short market volatility,” adds Mr. Silvestri in an email.
On Wall Street, the ExxonMobil title continued evolve in the green in mid-session, gaining 0.56% to 87.82 dollars around 4:05 p.m. GMT
– Big dividends –
S & amp;. P explains its historic decision by the ExxonMobil is confronted with a low oil price environment but must simultaneously reinvest significantly in any project by paying big dividends to its shareholders.
This equation is, according to rating agency, difficult as oil prices are expected to remain low for some time.
“despite low service costs and an improvement in productivity, we believe that maintaining its level of production and replace reserves will eventually require large investments, “says S & amp;. P
in addition,” the company will choose to dip into its cash to pay its shareholders rather than raise money (pending a better tomorrow) or to reduce its debt. “
ExxonMobil must publish its first quarter results on 29 April. In 2015, the profits of the Texas group were halved to 16.15 billion dollars. He even recorded in the fourth quarter its smallest profit since 2002, to $ 2.78 billion, the fifth consecutive quarterly decline in profits.
To withstand this challenging environment, ExxonMobil, considered the oil company with the most solid financial shoulders, plans this year to reduce by 25% the envelope for development drilling, platforms, terminals and oil and gas fields, after a decline of 20% in 2015
S & amp;. P had warned in February that it was considering lowering the rating mainly because of the increase of the group’s debt
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New episode in the soap around the note of the Scientific Committee (SC) of the High Council of Biotechnology (HCB) on new techniques of genetic modification: HCB has still not published comments Yves Bertheau, who has resigned, on that note handed to the government in early February. A note however rich scientific considerations. Inf’OGM has decided to publish on its website [1] .
Interviewed by the newspaper Le Monde Christine Noiville, President of HCB, explained 12 April 2016 that “ in a gesture of peace, [it] proposed to Yves Bertheau finally publish its views differ, but he refused . ” Yves Bertheau, contacted by Inf’OGM says refusing that his comment be published in January as “ a divergent position ” but he did ask to HCB published as “ review ” an updated note. A shade that can look very formal but that is respectful of the internal regulations to HCB with which the direction of HCB took too much latitude, the researcher believes. Moreover, Yves Bertheau stresses that HCB has offered to publish her text March 30, 2016 when he was no longer a member of the HCB. And meantime, HCB had recognized that the text of the Scientific Committee of the HCB was no longer officially an “opinion” on the repatriation in the “Publications” under the title of Interim Report on NPBT [2] [3] . To date, comments Yves Bertheau have anyway not been published by the HCB …
Inf’OGM publish comments Yves Bertheau himself wishes to make public, so that everyone – including the French government -. can finally access this critical interim report of the CS HCB
Yves Bertheau clear from the outset that his comment could not be a “ comprehensive assessment of the note “CS on new biotechnologies because” the little time that [it] is granted “: the formal request was received March 30, 2016 to a response before April 6. Yves Bertheau has chosen “ to emphasize that [it] seems most criticism: some gaps, and through a priori.” And the picture is the height of fears … First, the working group [who worked from 2013 to 2016] “ only discusses some of the techniques or changes (…) [and] begs some techniques such meganucleases “and reverse the basis of the definition of GMOs by EU legislation which is based on the only method of obtaining and not on the composition of the final product. Then Yves Bertheau considers certain definitions used in the note of CS are “ imprecise and partially incorrect ,” opening the door to fuzzy concepts scientifically. But this vagueness or confusion as Appoints Yves Bertheau, finds “ in the data sheets ” appended to the note of the CS that the resigning researcher had already denounced the end of 2015 [4] .
But more fundamentally, Yves Bertheau believes that this discussion paper raises fundamental issues and scientific legitimacy.
It considers, first, the off-target effects (unwanted changes that may appear elsewhere in the genome) were treated too lightly since addressed “ indirectly through ” technical progress “ current . ” These effects may, however, be generated as by the modification technique itself only by the further steps of the entire process. Intracellular penetration of the reactants, selection of transformed cells and proliferation of cells for regeneration of plants
Second, it points out that techniques such as grafting, agro-infiltration and cisgenesis have not been fully addressed. For the transplant, it disputes the contention that the fruits (of non-transgenic scion) will not carry modification (s) gene (s) or epigenetic (s) induced (s) by the rootstock if it has genetically modified. Indeed, it has been demonstrated that microRNAs circulate between the rootstock and scion and can induce epimutations, says the researcher. Similarly, about the agroinfiltration, the SC would have avoided addressing the risks associated with “ handling errors and [to] escape possibilities in the environment ” saying in his note this technique only concerned the confined environment. Or, said Yves Bertheau, “ operators have provided many applications of agro-infiltration techniques disseminated terms .” Finally, cisgenesis / intragenics, which must “ be examined case by case ,” do not, in fact, “ clear recommendations ” from the CS as the “ under suitable examination ” a complete record of such GMOs should it be provided? Otherwise, that will define for each case that the file should be or not GMO type?
Third critic, Yves Bertheau evokes the thorny issue of detection, traceability and identification of genetic changes . Note CS affirms the impossibility to trace the products of these new techniques and identify the techniques which they originated. But Yves Bertheau is precisely a French specialist on detection issues. And stresses that these traceability issues were however “ already investigated [...] in other areas such as GMOs .” Echoed the work of the European Network of GMO detection laboratories (ENGL) that addresses this issue for many years. Yves Bertheau regrets that the SC working group did not wish to get in touch with this official network of the European Commission. And to suspect that the reason is not scientific but rather the fact of an initial bias that wants the opportunity to detect and trace the changes are ignored: “ if the lack of consideration of sophisticated detection techniques and identification techniques is referred to as “logic” in [CS], we might as well see a bias “
in the end, Yves Bertheau stresses paradox arising from the integration of economic and legal considerations, which is more “ Some incongruous and ” in a scientific grade “ which looks at the techniques applied to the vegetable ” . He concluded his comment by personal opinion: “ ease of use and low cost of some of these techniques should lead to a very strict framework for their use, to prevent their misuse by some ‘biohackeurs “. He also points out that “ is not innocent that a number of these genome editing techniques were recently classified as ” WMD “ US federal services . “
The US rating agency Standard and Poor’s (SP) maintained Friday long-term debt rating to AA from France , while continuing to consider lowering it. “Despite the improved fiscal performance in 2015, we believe that the risks continue to weigh on the stabilization of the public debt, given the fragility of the recovery , the weak inflation and the prospect of further fiscal slippages, “the agency said in a statement.
“The outlook remains negative, reflecting the risks that continue to weigh on us as the trajectory of the public debt and the economic outlook,” she said, adding that a negative outlook indicates the probability that it lowers the long-term rating of the country this year “is at least one in three.”
SP matches the long-term credit rating of AA France a negative outlook since October 2014 . it is likely to lower the rating if “the budget deficit did not shrink as we currently expect, either because of fiscal slippages in pre-election period, if the economic recovery is not confirmed as we expect” , she explains.
Another factor that could lead it to revise downward the rating of France: if “we perceived that the train of measures to support the competitiveness of the government was not enough to increase potential growth” , she adds. The agency traditionally tougher with regard to France as its counterparts Moody’s and Fitch, had been the first to deprive the country of its “triple A”, in January 2012.
New rumors just emerged on the web about the Galaxy Note 6. According to information from a Dutch site, Samsung is currently testing several prototypes with screen 5.8-inch curved or and not different processors.
According to the GSM Helpdesk site, Samsung is in a phase of questioning regarding his next Galaxy Note 6. Samsung would indeed produced two prototypes of the Galaxy Note 6, one equipped with a curved screen on both sides and the other with a flat screen. According to sources of the Dutch site, Samsung would not sell a single copy, which would serve both the successor to the Galaxy Note and the Galaxy S6 5 + edge.
Anyway these two devices would have the same technical characteristics. Both embark a qHD 5.8-inch screen. Under the hood will also find 6 GB of RAM – after all, Vivo and Zuk paved the way – and an Exynos SoC or new generation of Snapdragon. It would issue either a Exynos 8890 with a higher frequency or a Snapdragon 823 (which has heard). Little surprise, both devices would be installed Android N. Finally, GSM Helpdesk had no precise figures on the battery capacity, but argues that a 4000 mAh battery would probably be integrated into the Galaxy Note 6.
These rumors coincide more or less with the first echoes that we heard about the Galaxy Note 6. Remember, it is expected that the next Samsung PHABLET has a scanner iris, is water resistant and it is indeed marketed in Europe in the summer.
No real surprise, Standard & amp rating agency; Poors confirmed today the AA rating of France and its negative outlook.
Despite lower public deficits in 2015, risks remain for the stabilization of the debt of France, in an uncertain economic recovery environment, low inflation and possible fiscal slippages at the approach of the presidential election justified S & amp; P in a statement. The rating agency said that the “negative” outlook means there is a risk three to the long-term rating of France is lowered this year.
This outlook reflects the risk that the budget deficit does not shrink as much as expected “either because of dérapagesbudgétaires in pre-election period, if the economic recovery is not confirmed, as we expect, particularly in the case of external conditions less favorable (inatendue rise in oil prices and appreciation of the euro stronger than expected) or sagging investor confidence due to the persistence of the risks of emerging or the possibility of a Brexit “.
S & amp; had P downgraded last note of France in November 2013, making the move from AA + to AA and had revised its outlook from “stable” to “negative” in October 2014.
Les FARDC patrol in the eastern DRC. MONUC Photo / Marie Frechon
The commander of the third zone defense of the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC), Major General Leo Mushale, is pleased with the results of the military operations army against the Ugandan rebels of the ADF in Beni. Major General Leo Mushale has declared Wednesday, April 20 in the territory of North Kivu, where he began an inspection tour of the area.
Currently, the security situation s’ improved in Beni territory following the hunt for ADF, said Major General Leo Mushale.
“ I think in my opinion that the hunt against armed groups progressing very well . For ADF in Beni territory, you’ll see that even when a change. This is the work that is being done that allowed the situation improves , “he said.
He said the villages were emptied their populations are repopulated again. People, who were afraid to go to the fields, normally engage in their activities.
The ADF rebel appearances are more frequent as in the past in this part of North Kivu, noted the Major General Leo Mushale.
“ This is already an achievement. But, do not cross your fingers and say it’s over. There is one way to go: we must get to the eradication of the phenomenon [ADF] , “he continued
According to civil society, several hundred people. killed in Beni territory in the past two years. Ugandan ADF rebels are singled out.
A thousand FDLR “neutralized”
Major General Leo Mushale also raised the issue of Rwandan FDLR rebels who still hold sway in the provinces of North and South Kivu.
hundreds of FDLR rebels were neutralized in disarmament operations in those two provinces, he said.
“ Until March 30, 1129 we have neutralized FDLR (…) Today, they are wandering in nature. But we are behind, we’re tracking down , “said the commander of the third FARDC zone defense.