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Europe|President François Hollande of France Won't Seek Re-election - New York Times - 03 Dec 2016 15:49

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[[html]]The announcement issued by the lyse Palace, the seat of the presidency was greeted across the political spectrum as a courageous and dignified decision that, as Mr. Hollande himself made clear, was intended to place the interests of the country above his own.<br><br>Continue reading the main storyAs a Socialist, because that is my lifes commitment, I cannot accept, I cannot come to terms with the dispersion of the left, with its splitting up, Mr. Hollande said in a somber statement. Because that would remove all hope of winning in the face of conservatism and, worse yet, of extremism.<br><br>So low had his ratings fallen Mr. Hollande plumbed historic depths in some surveys, going as low as 4 percent that many of his own Socialist colleagues had warned publicly that he was headed for certain defeat if he chose to run.<br><br>More than that, hanging on to the mantle of standard-bearer for the Socialists threatened to bring the party down with him, rendering it all but irrelevant in elections next spring.<br><br>That prospect had split his own political grouping wide open. He was even forced to submit to a humiliating primary election also without precedent to decide who would be the partys candidate. Several of his former cabinet ministers had already announced they would run against him.<br><br>Now, with Mr. Hollande out, the Socialists are thought to have improved their chances, even if only slightly. His law-and-order prime minister, Manuel Valls, is likely to step up as a leading contender in the primary.<br><br>Mr. Valls is associated with a kind of toughness that analysts and citizens found lacking in Mr. Hollande, and that could help him compete in the general election against candidates from the right.<br><br>Those now include a former prime minister, Franois Fillon, who was chosen on Sunday by the center-right Republican Partys voters, and the far-right National Fronts Marine Le Pen.<br><br>Both have ridden a wave of nationalist fervor, anger over immigration and worries about Islamist terrorism, and Mr. Valls has sounded similarly hard-line themes.<br><br>Continue reading the main storyAt the same time, Mr. Valls could be tainted by his association with Mr. Hollandes administration, which has been a study in the slow slipping away of authority.<br><br>For years an unremarkable Socialist functionary who rose slowly through the ranks, waiting for his turn, Mr. Hollande owed his narrow election in 2012 more to disgust with the incumbent, Nicolas Sarkozy, than to any personal appeal he exerted. Still, the French left was delighted that after years in the political wilderness, it finally had an apparent champion in Mr. Hollande.<br><br>But he never settled on a clear line of policy. First he campaigned as an old-fashioned Socialist, with threats against finance. Once in office, he quickly veered to giving tax breaks to companies. Finally, he tried to push through a labor-market overhaul, but largely backed down after huge street protests.<br><br>Personal scandals did not help. His image as a leader was severely weakened early on when he was photographed on the back of a motorcycle going to a clandestine tryst with an actress. A high-profile separation from his live-in partner followed, as well as a tell-all book by her.<br><br>He then dealt himself a final, perhaps fatal, blow by spending hours confiding the inner workings of his presidency to a pair of journalists.<br><br>Their book of his confessions, published this fall, was greeted with outrage by members of his party, who were baffled that the man who held the countrys highest office would commit such an act of political suicide. It also made clear that he held basic doubts about socialism, enraging what was left of the partys rank and file.<br><br>Analysts have long pointed to Mr. Hollandes ideological fuzziness dangerous for a politician faced with a French electorate that has historically demanded clarity and authority from its top leader.<br><br>But it was his failure to make a dent in Frances unemployment rate much higher than the national figure of 10 percent among youth in some immigrant suburbs, where it approaches 40 percent that was perhaps the most decisive blow to his presidency.<br><br>Continue reading the main storyMonths ago, Mr. Hollande suggested that he would not run again if he could not bring it down. He made good on that promise Thursday night.<br><br>The major commitment I made to you was to lower the unemployment rate, a melancholy Mr. Hollande said on national television from the lyse Palace on Thursday night. And I devoted to that, with my government, all of my energy, took all of the risks.<br><br>I lowered taxes on companies, because thats what is needed to create more jobs. I worked to boost hiring, making worker training a top priority, Mr. Hollande said. And I took the responsibility to reform the labor market. The results are there later than I had said that would be, I admit, but they are there.<br><br>Actually, though, unemployment has not budged significantly during Mr. Hollandes term.<br><br>Otherwise, his short speech was a dutiful laundry list of the things he said he had accomplished: legalizing same-sex marriage, the Paris climate accord, help for schools, reorganizing Frances local governments. It all lacked a defining stamp, as Mr. Hollande himself appeared to recognize.<br><br>There was a sense of relief in the immediate reactions of his Socialist colleagues.<br><br>This was a difficult choice, reflective and serious, Mr. Valls said.<br><br>I want to express to Franois Hollande my emotion, my respect, my loyalty and my affection, Mr. Valls added. He did not announce his own candidacy, but he has been suggesting that he might do so soon.<br><br>The National Front reacted with glee and mockery to Mr. Hollandes decision, even though it is now likely to face a much tougher Socialist opponent next year.<br><br>It was smart, smart of Franois Hollande, said Florian Philippot, a top National Front official. Its a good thing for France and the French. It says much about the sense of weariness, the deliquescence, of this term.<br><br>Correction: December 1, 2016 <br><br>Because of an editing error, an earlier version of this article referred incorrectly to a primary election scheduled for January in France. It is an open primary for the political left, not a Socialist party primary.<br><br>Continue reading the main story[[/html]] - Comments: 0

Ghana's Eurobond Loosens IMF Straitjacket Ahead of Elections - Bloomberg - 13 Sep 2016 16:43

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[[html]]Ghana will have more fiscal room to maneuver ahead of elections as a fifth Eurobond gives the nation funds to pay debt and implement projects amid spending restrictions imposed by the International Monetary Fund.<br><br>West Africas second-largest economy raised $750 million at a yield of 9.25 percent last week in an auction that was more than four times oversubscribed. About $400 million of the bond proceeds will be used to refinance the nations first 10-year bond which matures in 2017 while the rest will be used for capital projects, Finance Minister Seth Terkper, said in an interview in the capital, Accra, on Sept. 7.<br><br>President John Dramani Mahama, who will in December run for a second term in office, last year agreed to almost $1 billion in loans from the IMF to help rein in the budget deficit and arrest declines in the cedi. During negotiations that ended earlier this month the Washington-based lender sought assurance that the country wont use funding from the Bank of Ghana before releasing a fourth portion of $115 million under an extended credit-facility deal. Last weeks bond issuance means Ghana will probably not call on the next tranche of the IMF bailout this year, Landesbank said.<br><br>They wont give in to IMF demands as long as theres enough demand for cedi bonds, Lutz Roehmeyer,a money manager at Landesbank Berlin Investment, which oversees about $12 billion of assets, said by phone from Berlin. When the next crisis is there and Ghana has no choice, theyll do it. But for now, theyll avoid it.<br><br>Constructive Discussions<br><br>Ghanaian lawmakers passed legislation last month that allows the government to borrow as much as 5 percent of the previous years revenue from the central bank, contrary to the IMFs demand for zero financing from the Bank of Ghana. Terkper said the government will continue to implement the IMF program and has not made use of central bank financing in the year to date.<br><br>The IMF concluded a staff visit to Ghana on Sept. 2 and said it held constructive discussions on the credit facility. It also wanted to make sure financial pressure faced by state-owned companies in the energy industry will not pose additional risks to the governments budget, the lender said in a statement on its website.<br><br>Ghanas Eurobonds have returned 5.8 percent since the beginning of August, compared with the average of 4.3 percent for dollar debt of 17 sub-Saharan African nations, Bloomberg indexes show. Yields on the nations 2023 notes have dropped 102 basis points in the period.<br><br>Yields on the 2023 notes dropped 2 basis points on Monday to 9.52 percent. The cedi lost 0.6 percent to 3.97 per dollar by 11:41 a.m. in Accra.<br><br>Investors continue to price in the risk that the government will embark on a pre-election spending spree, but we expect that while there will be some slippage, a repeat of the ramp-up in spending which took place prior to the 2012 vote will not happen, analysts at BMI Research said in an e-mailed note to clients on Monday. Yields will fall further next year.<br><br>Ghanas budget deficit in its previous election in 2012 was 12.1 percent of gross domestic product. The gap narrowed to 6.5 percent of GDP last year from 10.2 percent in 2014. The fiscal shortfall in the first five months of 2016 was 2.5 percent of GDP against a target of 2.2 percent, Terkper told lawmakers in July.<br><br>The Ghanaian economy expanded 3.9 percent in 2015, the slowest pace in 15 years, according to IMF data. The finance ministry said in July growth will probably accelerate to between 4.1 percent and 4.3 percent this year as new oil projects start contributing to output.<br><br>The bond gives Ghana some comfort, Michael Cobblah, a director at C-nergy Ghana Ltd., an advisory and investment banking services company, said by phone from Accra. The IMF program aided in the success of this bond soI expect the consolidation to continue, he said.<br><br>Before it's here, it's on the Bloomberg Terminal. LEARN MORE[[/html]] - Comments: 0

Live Streaming Breaks Through, and Cable News Has Much to Fear - New York Times - 13 Jul 2016 18:47

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[[html]]I think we saw last week that Facebook Live could become the most intelligent cable news network ever built, said Jonathan Klein, a former president of CNN, who now runs a digital media company called Tapp. With more than 1.65 billion users, he said, Facebook effectively has one and a half billion news bureaus to capture news, and theyre capable of doing things that a cable news network could only dream of doing.<br><br>Yes, Mr. Klein is speculating about Facebooks potential path. At this point, neither Facebook nor Twitter is anything close to a TV news network. Facebook Live was started just a few months ago in partnership with several news organizations (including The New York Times, which receives payments from Facebook for producing Live videos). Until last week, it was best known for gonzo journalism involving weird tricks with food. Twitters live service, Periscope, is older, but it too is better thought of as a series of one-off clips than a comprehensive source of news.<br><br>But you can bet both services will expand their horizons. Twitter announced this week that it was streaming the Democratic and Republican conventions in partnership with CBS News. It also announced a plan to stream Bloombergs TV shows, and it has a deal to show National Football League games later this year.<br><br>Its not clear yet what shape Facebooks plans for Live will take, especially since the company has been reluctant to think of itself as a news company. Yet it wouldnt take many deals and product changes to turn Facebook into a worthy substitute for one of the cable news networks.<br><br>Soon you might log on to Facebook and see, right at the top of your feed, a collection of videos produced by professionals and amateurs and tailored to your interests breaking news and analysis related to topics you like, all of which load instantly in your feed, ad-free, and without any of the constant, interminable waiting for stuff to happen that characterizes traditional cable news.<br><br>As a business matter, this might be a danger for TV. As Matt Rosoff explained last week in Business Insider, live coverage was supposed to be the industrys steadiest bulwark against the internet. Thanks to online networks like Netflix, people are dropping cable subscriptions as if they were toxic; one of the few remaining reasons to keep paying a monthly fee is to watch live news and sports, which are both difficult to get online.<br><br>Continue reading the main storyNow that rampart is disappearing. If you turned on one of the cable news networks last week, you would have most likely seen videos lifted straight from streaming apps playing in endless televised loops. If you watched for more than a few minutes, you would have been forgiven for wondering, Wait, if all this video is coming from Facebook, why am I watching TV?<br><br>Then theres TV newss demographic cliff. People who regularly watch cable news are old. According to statistics compiled at the end of last year, CNNs prime-time audience was the youngest in cable news with a median age of 59. The median age of Fox Newss prime-time audience is 68. (TV news isnt alone here. The median age of a subscriber to The New York Timess digital edition is 54; for print subscribers, its 60. But of course, we all know that with age comes sophistication.)<br><br>In the past, an aged audience might not have raised red flags, because it was generally the case that younger people grew into their parents news habits. But as online alternatives improve, the less likely that is to happen.<br><br>The next generation just doesnt ever intend to watch the 6 oclock or 11 oclock or any other newscast, said Andrew Heyward, a former president of CBS News who is now a visiting researcher at the MIT Media Lab.<br><br>Its possible to make too much of the threat that live streaming poses to TV news. Citizen journalism has gotten a lot of attention from techno-optimists in the last decade, but blogging, tweeting, podcasting and everything else havent replaced traditional journalism so much as they have expanded its tone and range. Thats likely to happen on TV too; streaming apps wont kill CNN, MSNBC and Fox News, but as the apps become more popular, they will force TV news providers to shift their approach to coverage.<br><br>The more chaotic and unstructured the world of online live video becomes, the more important the curator, analyst or honest broker of information can be, Mr. Heyward said.<br><br>In the best situation, TV news could become just such an honest broker: Instead of showing you only the news of the day and the most superficial hot-take debates surrounding it, TV networks could respond to the internet by pumping more resources into in-depth reporting, analysis and explanation, cultivating a wider range of perspectives.<br><br>As Mr. Klein put it, Maybe all these years, the importance of scintillating video has been overblown, and the mission for news outlets could be to help viewers understand what all that video really means.<br><br>Continue reading the main story[[/html]] - Comments: 0

Andrea Leadsom 'motherhood' comments spark row - BBC News - 09 Jul 2016 17:06

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[[html]]Media captionLeadsom says being mum gives her a 'stake in future of UK'A row has erupted after Conservative leadership candidate Andrea Leadsom was accused of suggesting that having children made her a better choice to be prime minister.<br><br>The Times quoted the mother of three as saying having children meant she had "a very real stake" in Britain's future. <br><br>She later said she was "disgusted" with the interview's presentation.<br><br>Times journalist Rachel Sylvester defended her article, saying she was "baffled" by Mrs Leadsom's reaction. <br><br>Mrs May, who has no children, has launched a "clean campaign" pledge and invited Mrs Leadsom "to join me in signing it". Her campaign team has declined to comment on the Times story.<br><br>David Cameron also refused to comment on the row saying he was "playing no part" in the election and would say "absolutely nothing" but would welcome the new leader "whoever she may be".<br><br>'Did not want this to feature'<br><br>The Times headlined its front-page lead story: "Being a mother gives me edge on May - Leadsom."<br><br>It quoted the energy minister as saying Mrs May "possibly has nieces, nephews, lots of people. But I have children who are going to have children who will directly be part of what happens next". <br><br>Speaking outside her home in Northamptonshire, Mrs Leadsom said she was "disgusted about how this has been presented".<br><br>"In the course of a lengthy interview yesterday, I was repeatedly asked about my children and I repeatedly made it clear that I did not want this in any way a feature of the campaign," she added. <br><br>Analysis Image copyright PA <br><br>By BBC political correspondent Eleanor Garnier<br><br>We won't know the true impact of this row until the result of the leadership race is announced in September. <br><br>It is the Conservative Party membership that votes on who should be leader and there may well be some who would like their next leader and prime minister to be a mother. <br><br>But many others will say it doesn't matter at all and it shouldn't be used in any way to try to get ahead in the campaign.<br><br>That is why there has been such a huge reaction to Andrea Leadsom's comments - with senior Tories calling her remarks vile and demanding an apology. <br><br>Mrs Leadsom's team have told me they are putting in an official complaint to the Times and have asked the paper to print it. <br><br>It's clear she wasn't trying to be cruel to Theresa May but it has shown her inexperience and some say a lack of judgment so crucial if you want to be PM.<br><br>Mrs Leadsom said: "I want to be crystal clear that everyone has an equal state in our society and in the future of our country. That is what I believe and it is what I have always believed… this campaign must at all times be principled and honourable."<br><br>In an earlier statement, she had said the reporting had been "beneath contempt".<br><br>Image copyright Twitter Image copyright Twitter <br><br>But Ms Sylvester told the BBC the article was "fairly written up" and she was "baffled" by Mrs Leadsom's "rather aggressive reaction". <br><br>"I asked her a very straight forward question… She raised Theresa May and the fact that she doesn't have children," she said.<br><br>"I asked her directly 'what are the differences between you and Theresa May?'. She said 'economic competence and family'… she clearly thinks that is a big selling point with her."<br><br>Ms Sylvester added that it was "accurate journalism" and she thought Mrs Leadsom was "nave to make that comparison and not think it would become an issue". <br><br>The Times, which backed Remain in the EU referendum, has previously backed Mrs May to become the next Conservative leader.<br><br>What Mrs Leadsom said:<br><br>Rachel Sylvester: "Do you feel like a mum in politics?"<br><br>Andrea Leadsom: "Yes. So…<br><br>RS: "Why and how?" <br><br>AL: "So really carefully because I am sure, I don't really know Theresa very well but I am sure she will be really really sad she doesn't have children so I don't want this to be 'Andrea has children, Theresa hasn't' because I think that would be really horrible.<br><br>"But genuinely I feel being a mum means you have a very real stake in the future of our country, a tangible stake. <br><br>"She possibly has nieces, nephews, lots of people, but I have children, who are going to have children, who will directly be a part of what happens next. <br><br>"So it really keeps you focused on 'what are you really saying?'. Because what it means is you don't want a downturn but 'never mind, let's look ahead to the ten years', hence it will all be fine. My children will be starting their lives in that next ten years so I have a real stake in the next year, the next two."<br><br>Image copyright The Times Image caption Saturday's Times front page (Unrelated front page story altered for legal reasons) <br><br>Antoinette Sandbach, Conservative MP for Eddisbury, who is supporting Mrs May, said Mrs Leadsom had shown "a lack of judgement".<br><br>Treasury minister David Gauke - who supports Mrs May - said "an apology is due". He tweeted: "I'd like to think this is a case of verbal clumsiness, not calculation. If the latter, yuk."<br><br>But former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe said: "Even the most experienced politicians, even prime ministers themselves can be misquoted, misinterpreted, misunderstood, make some careless phraseology. It happens all the time."<br><br>Image copyright PA Image caption Theresa May won the support of 199 Tory MPs to secure her place in the final two of the ballot <br><br>The row comes after Mrs May challenged her rival in the race to Downing Street to sign up to a "clean campaign pledge".<br><br>Mrs May said both candidates should ensure the campaign stays within "the acceptable limits of political debate".<br><br>Media captionTheresa May: We need proven leadership to negotiate the best deal Media captionAndrea Leadsom calls for 'honourable' campaigning<br><br>The pair will battle it out to become the next Conservative leader after two rounds of voting reduced the contenders to two.<br><br>After the second MPs' ballot, Home Secretary Mrs May finished with 199 votes and Energy Minister Mrs Leadsom 84.<br><br>Conservative party members will now decide the winning candidate, with the result due on 9 September. <br><br>Conservative leadership electionBallot papers sent out mid-AugustBallot closes noon on 9 September. Votes will be counted electronicallyMembers can vote by postal ballot or online"Qualifying party members" of more than three months' standing can vote (anyone who joined the party by 9 June)Spending limit set by Conservative 1922 Committee is 135,000Hustings to be organised across UK<br><br>Contest guide<br><br>[[/html]] - Comments: 0

The 8 Most Successful Plumbers Companies In Region - 01 Jul 2016 21:33

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[[html]]This article briefly analyzes the certifications a person need to have in order to become a plumber in the united kingdom. It therefore follows there is a requirement to possess relevant credentials for a greater opportunity to secure these jobs. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fkGXoy-Pb04" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>The working conditions can change from task to job and with varying rates of experience and certifications, but usually the higher part of conditions are going to be within somebody else's personal environment. Unfortunately, lately, there's been a sharp development in rogue training organisations providing fast-track courses. Besides these ability, companies are going to wish to see a well established history of great communication skills that will assist in public relations with the potential customers. A certification can also be identified overseas.
<br><br>Attaining your credentials and possible tasks you may carry out. Some apprentice programs can help you work to this goal too, and you ought to contact possible companies in concerns to what credentials you'll have to pass these tests. Additionally, You will have to talk to your very own state to recognize the accurate qualifications before taking these tests. When again there are some training centres who'll integrate this in their training bundles, just make sure you know if it's before enrolling for your program. Although, you are going to be making a long-lasting income when you are training, which is why great deals of people opt to select the apprenticeship programs. To do the Certificate III you will have to find an apprenticeship.
<br><br>Plumbing professional is becoming an outstanding and satisfying profession choice. Plumbing is an interesting and satisfying profession with remarkable potential customers for advancement.
<br><br>Pipes incorporates a huge choice of tasks and jobs. You need to be highly personable too as you'll be dealing with clients on a daily basis. If you consider to use personnel, additionally, you will need employers liability insurance coverage.
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<br><br><img style="float:right;margin:10px;border:none;" src="http://www.smartstateplumbing.com.au/images/insinkerator-food-waste-disposer.jpg" width="282" /><br><br>The Level 2 certification was developed specifically for those who are simply going into the pipes industry they'll be offered with each of the fundamental skills and experience required within the trade. Many of these credentials can frequently be finished at your own area vocational college. If you're a person that has actually been working within the industry for five years or more carrying out the basic kind of work that plumbing professionals do, subsequently you might handle to sign up for direct entry into the NVQ and get the credentials by making a portfolio of website based evidence as well as on website assessment.<br><br>[[/html]] - Comments: 0

Interest: Plumbers. - 30 Jun 2016 13:22

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[[html]]This short article briefly analyzes the credentials an individual ought to have in order to become a plumbing professional in the unified kingdom. It for that reason follows there is a requirement to have relevant certifications for a higher chance to secure these jobs. The working conditions can alter from task to task and with varying rates of experience and certifications, however generally the higher part of conditions are going to be within somebody else's private environment. Sadly, lately, there's been a sharp development in rogue training organisations offering fast-track courses. These ability sets, companies are going to desire to see a well established history of great interaction abilities that will help in public relations with the prospective clients. A credentials can likewise be acknowledged overseas.
<br><br>Achieving your certifications and possible jobs you might perform. Some apprentice programs can help you work towards this goal too, and you should contact possible companies in concerns to what certifications you'll require to pass these tests. You will need to check with your own state to recognize the accurate certifications prior to taking these tests. As soon as again there are some training centres who'll integrate this in their training plans, just ensure you understand if it's prior to registering for your program. Although, you are going to be making an enduring income when you are training, which is why great deals of people pick to select the apprenticeship programs. To do the Certificate III you will need to locate an apprenticeship.
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<br><br>Plumbing integrates a big choice of tasks and responsibilities. You need to be highly personable too as you'll be dealing with clients <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkGXoy-Pb04">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkGXoy-Pb04</a> on an everyday basis. If you plan to utilize staff, in addition, you will need companies liability insurance.
<br><br><img style="float:right;margin:10px;border:none;" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2114/2209615981_7357ac5dd2.jpg" width="269" /><br><br>Absolutely, must you be targeting the local areas, it might produce more sense to really have a regional telephone number. The disadvantage is that candidate is not going to get site experience unless they can be able to arrange their certain work experience or they're dealing with website in a different task. These numbers could be set-up very easily for hardly any expense yet they give an impression to your very own potential consumers which you are established, expert along with a big trusted company.
<br><br>The Level 2 qualification was designed particularly for those who are simply going into the plumbing market they'll be supplied with each of the standard abilities and experience needed within the trade. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fkGXoy-Pb04" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Numerous of these credentials can regularly be finished at your own area occupation college. If you're a person that has actually been working within the market for 5 years or more carrying out the standard kind of work that plumbings do, consequently you may manage to register for direct entry into the NVQ and get the certification by making a portfolio of website based evidence as well as on website evaluation.<br><br>[[/html]] - Comments: 0


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