world events & geopolitics press review of week 02 13/01/10 the cedar team 1
TRANSCRIPT
WORLD EVENTS & GEOPOLITICS PRESS REVIEW OF WEEK 02
13/01/10 THE CEDAR TEAM
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Some news of the Week
o Security concerns in the USo Body Scanners in many airports o The bug of the bank cards o Bernard Kouchner visits Africa o Automotive : Detroit
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OBAMA GETS ANGRY
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Security concerns in the US3
Flashback :
December 25th, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab intending to attack the flight from Amsterdam to Detroit
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Security concerns in the US4
NY Daily News, january 1st
« Delta CEO says don't blame attack on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 - blame the feds »
« The airline has complied with every government security rule since 9/11 to keep passengers safe.»
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Security concerns in the US5
State Department failed to confirm terror suspect's visa CNN, 08/01
STORY HIGHLIGHTS State Department says it was unaware terror suspect had visa
before attempted bombing. Terrorist’s father warned on November 19th
Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab's misspelled name led to visa snafu.
AbdulMutallab never made it to a no-fly list, says State Department
« US Official failed to connect the dots »
Security concerns in the US
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Obama needs to avoid Bush's Katrina error and fire someone now for airline terror debacle NYDN 01/08
« Yet not a single head has rolled. Not one midlevel bureaucrat. No a deputy secretary of antyhing »
« Someday soon, Obama has to show the same cold willingness to kick people to the curb he exhibited when he campaigned for President. […] Now, the stakes are higher. He doesn't just have a campaign to win. He has a nation to protect. »
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Deputy National Security Adviser John
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Security concerns in the US7
President Obama must recognize the very real threat of terrorism (The Bluefield Daily Telegraph (01/11)
How far down the following list do you have to read before you realize that a terrorist attack has been attempted?
1.A passenger on a flight into Detroit tried unsuccessfully to blow up the plane with a bomb in his underwear
2.The passenger bought his one-way ticket to the U.S. in Amsterdam with cash, and had no luggage
3.His father had contacted authorities to warn them that he believed his son was dangerous
4.He is a young Nigerian Muslim
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Security concerns in the US8
Abdulmutallab pleads not guilty in Plane Attack (The Business Week 08/01)
Barack Obama’s orders to federal agencies :
to set clearer lines of responsibility for following up on leads on terrorist threats,
to streamline criteria for adding names to watch lists
to tighten airport security measures.
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Security concerns in the US9
Body Scanners in many airports Allow to see under passengers clothes
Raises many questions Security question, violation of privacy Health question : radiations Cost question : 150 000 € each
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Sources : Le Figaro, Euronews, 20Minutes, Swissinfo
Body Scanners in many airports Already used in many countries
Netherlands / United Kingdom : tested over the past year
Italy / Germany / Switzerland : favorable United States : 150 in 2010 France : first scanners in Roissy
Benjamin Franklin (1775) : Those who would give up Essential Liberty to
purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
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Sources : Le Figaro, Euronews, 20Minutes, Swissinfo
The bug of the bank cards Bug of the 2000’ delayed 30 million of cards over 119 million affected
Become mute during the transition in 2010 No way to withdraw money No way to pay by Credit Card
Failure comes from a faulty software : Gemalto
Solution : update all the distributors “System D”
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Sources : Le NouvelObs, Le Monde, L’Express, Tagesspiegel, Handelsblatt, Boursier.com
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Bernard Kouchner visits Africa The French Foreign Affairs Ministry did a 3-
days trip in Africa.
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Automotive : Detroit 2010 (1/2)
« Detroit 2010 : Hopes of manufacturers »
Situation : - Crisis : in 2009 sales fell of 21 %
- US market is now lead by Asian Manufacturers due to the dramatic situation of GM and Chrysler
In Detroit 2010 : only 100 % electric cars are really welcomed (no concept cars…)
Some manufacturers have been gathered in the « Electrical Avenue » of the saloon since they do not have enough money
« Center for Automotive Research » anticipate the sales of 2010 around 12,4 million cars in the US
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Source : Les Echos
Automotive : Detroit 2010 (2/2) “The internal-combustion engine seemed almost passé.”
This year : really open to electric Thomas Weber (the head of R&D at Mercedes-Benz) : “Green technologies are
the master key to the future of the automobile”
BUT : “The idea that people are going to immediately accept electric vehicles when hybrids are such a small part of the market is sort of dangerous” said Rebecca Lindland, an analyst of the research firm IHS Global Insight.
Real Issue : find the good combination between the
necessity of producing green energies and convincing
the market with those new technologies.
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Source : The New York Times
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION !
QUESTION ?
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