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Menez ruled out of France friendlies: Jeremy Menez will miss France's two friendlies in June due a back injury...

Atari Inc., the US branch of French parent company Atari S.A., filed for court approval this week to auction its assets in July. Those assets include the Atari logo, as well as the Test Drive, Rollercoaster Tycoon, Asteroids, and Pong franchises among others. As Reuters and the Wall Street Journal reports, Atari Inc., who filed for bankruptcy earlier this year in a bid to sell its assets and separate itself from Atari S.A., has failed to secure a "stalking horse" or lead bidder since then. Atari Inc. approached more than 180 parties about purchasing assets, but only 15 came back with preliminary bids. Atari Inc. didn't deem a single bid acceptable to set the minimum price for the division's clearout. As it is, Atari Inc.'s own listed minimum bids for the July auction total "nearly $22.2 million." They include $15 million for the Atari brand, $3.5 million for the Rollercoaster Tycoon franchise, $1.5 million for Test Drive, and RTS franchise Total Annihilation at just $250,000. Atari Inc. has already secured $5 million through debtor-in-possession financing. While the auction is still pending court approval, Atari Inc aims to hold it between July 16 and July 19. While the Atari name is synonymous with the arcade's pioneering years, Atari Inc. traces its roots to a company called GT Interactive, founded in 1993. GT Interactive was eventually acquired by French company Infogrames Entertainment, and in 2001 Infogrames seized Atari Corporation and its Atari properties through the purchase of Hasbro Interactive. In 2009, Infrogrames renamed itself as Atari S.A., with what was GT Interactive by then renamed as Atari Inc. After some forty or so years that have seen the Atari brand transfer across several entities, if things go to plan then in two months time it'll find itself at a new home once more. What the ramifications of that sale would be for Atari S.A., financially and nominally, are unclear. In a financial statement published on May 15, Atari S.A. said, "Faced with the uncertainties relating to the proceedings that are underway in the US, where the Group's strategic assets and most of its business are located, the outcome of the Chapter 11 proceedings in the US will be decisive for all the stakeholders." The statement also reveals Atari S.A. recently sold the ownership of its Outcast franchise for a "nominal amount," and negotiations are underway at similar prices for its Desperados and Silver franchises.Atari Inc. seeks to generate $22M by auctioning assets in July originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 May 2013 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Europe is not particularly known as a major hub of the semiconductor world, but – if the European Commission gets its way – it will be. The Commission has launched a major seven-year drive to stimulate investment in the microelectronics and nanoelectronics manufacturing sector, aiming to ramp up to a fifth of global production by the end of the decade. The news of the new EU industrial strategy came just a couple of days after the Geneva-headquartered, French-Italian manufacturer STMicroelectronics launched its own three-year project, worth €360 million ($463 million), aimed at creating a European microelectronics design ecosystem based around its fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) manufacturing process. Some in the industry, such as chipmaker GlobalFoundries, have previously urged European authorities to back electronics manufacturing on the continent in order to counteract the vast influence of Asia and the U.S. in this field. Cheaper, faster, smarter The European Commission’s strategy, announced on Thursday, is intended to make chips cheaper, faster and smarter. It will concentrate on shoring up three existing electronics clusters, namely those in Dresden (Germany), Eindhoven (Netherlands) and Leuven (Belgium), and Grenoble (France). Connections will also be made with other clusters such as that in Cambridge (UK), which is big in the wireless sector. “I want to double our chip production to around 20 percent of global production,” Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes said in a statement. “I want Europe to produce more chips in Europe than the United States produces domestically. It’s a realistic goal if we channel our investments properly.” As per usual, this isn’t a simple public cash splurge. €5 billion in public funds – 30 percent from the EU with the rest coming from national and regional funds – will go to R&D, in order to help stimulate the sector. Overall, the Commission says, industry has indicated it will stump up €100 billion over the seven years: €15 billion in capital expenditure and €85 billion in operational costs. The kind of electronics we’re talking about could be used in desktop and handheld computers, but the main thrust is for embedded systems and “internet of things” devices, from sensors and smart grids to new healthcare technologies. As Kroes said in a speech, “this isn’t about computers.” Targeting these areas plays to Europe’s strengths. According to the Commission, Europe already pumps out half of global automotive electronics, 40 percent of electronics used in energy applications, and 35 percent of those used for industrial automation – this will be a reference to the output of companies such as Bosch, which are hugely active despite often being somewhat under-the-radar. Then we also have smaller manufacturers working in high-growth niches, such as health implants and sensors. And jobs? The purpose of all this is to make Europe less reliant on manufacturers outside the continent, but job creation is also a major factor. The Commission reckons the European electronics industry already employs 200,000 people directly and supports a further million jobs indirectly. That said, the Commission also pointed out in its statement that demand for skilled workers in these fields is higher than supply – if this whole strategy is to work, the implication runs, Europe will need to attract more skilled workers. The statement talks of coordinating public efforts across Europe. Perhaps that will mean tweaking immigration rules: something the U.S. tech sector is also heavily vocal about these days. Meanwhile, STMicro’s push – called, incredibly, “Pilot Lines for Advanced CMOS Enhanced by SOI in 2x nodes, Built in Europe” (Places2Be) – also takes place in the context of a wider European project, the nanoelectronics-focused ENIAC. In a briefing note accompanying Thursday’s announcement, the C

Good morning. Here's what you need to know. Markets in Asia were thrashed in overnight trading. The Japanese Nikkei 225 plummeted a staggering 7.3% (and the dollar is 1.7% lower against the yen), the Hang Seng dropped 2.5%, and the Shanghai Composite shed 1.1%. European markets are deep in the red as well, with Italy and Germany leading the way, both down 2.7%. In the United States, futures point to a negative open. The main catalyst for the ugly sell-off today appears to be the ugly flash PMI number out of China, which unexpectedly fell to 49.6 in May from 50.4 in April. Any number below 50 on the PMI indicates contraction, so the reading suggests that China's manufacturing sector is now contracting. Eurozone flash PMIs also indicated a continuing (but decelerating) contraction in Germany, where the index rose to 49.0 in May from 48.1; in France, where it rose to 45.4 from 44.4; and across the eurozone as a whole, where it rose to 47.7 from 46.9. The second estimate for U.K. first-quarter GDP suggested that the economy grew 0.3%, matching the initial estimate released on May 25. Consumer spending added only 0.1% to GDP, marking the weakest consumer reading since the third quarter of 2011. Shares of Hewlett-Packard are up 11 percent in pre-market trading after the company beat market expectations on first quarter earnings. The company reported earnings per share of $0.87, $0.06 better than expected, but revenues came in light at $27.6 billion versus the consensus estimate for $28.12 billion. Weekly jobless claims data are out in the U.S. at 8:30 AM ET. Economists predict initial claims fell to 345,000 in the week ended May 18 after spiking to 360,000 the week before. Following the jobless claims release is U.S. flash PMI, due out at 8:58 AM ET. Economists expect the index to fall to 51.2 in May from 52.1, indicating a continued, but slowing pace of expansion in American manufacturing. At 9 AM, FHFA house price index data for the month of March are released. Economists predict the index rose 0.8% in March after posting a 0.7% advance in February. Out at 10 are April new home sales data. Economists predict sales growth accelerated to 1.9% in April from 1.5% in March. Finally, at 11 AM, the Kansas City Fed releases its monthly survey of regional manufacturing conditions. Economists predict the headline index will rise to -4 in May from -5 last month, indicating a continued worsening of conditions, but at a slower pace than previously. Follow all of the data LIVE on Business Insider > Please follow Money Game on Twitter and Facebook.Join the conversation about this story »

IMF chief Lagarde appears in court in French fraud probe over arbitration deal PARIS (AP) — International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde is facing questions at a special Paris court Thursday over a controversial financial deal that she oversaw as French finance minister. The 2008 arbitrage deal handed about 400 million euros ($520 million) to magnate Bernard Tapie to settle a dispute with state-owned bank Credit Lyonnais over the botched sale of Adidas in the 1990s. Tapie was close to then-French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who was Lagarde's boss. Critics have said the deal was too generous to Tapie at the expense of the French state, and that the Adidas case shouldn't have gone to a private arbitration authority because it involved a state-owned bank. More broadly, the deal was seen by many as an example of the cozy relationship between big money and big power in France. And the case threatens to sully the reputation of Lagarde, who has earned praise for her negotiating skills through Europe's debt crisis and is seen as a trailblazer for women leaders. Lagarde, smiling at reporters, left her Paris apartment Thursday morning and appeared at a special court that handles cases involving government ministers. She has denied wrongdoing. Investigators opened an inquiry in 2011 into possible charges of "complicity to embezzlement of public funds" and "complicity to forgery." The probe may not result in a trial. If it does, and if Lagarde were to be convicted, she could face up to 10 years in prison, according to prosecutors. She and the Washington-based IMF were aware of the probe when she took over as managing director of the fund from Dominique Strauss-Kahn in 2011. The IMF has expressed its confidence in Lagarde throughout the investigation. In March, French investigators searched Lagarde's Paris home. Her lawyer said at the time that Lagarde welcomed the search as a step toward proving her innocence. French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici told Le Monde newspaper this week that the government may seek to annul the arbitration deal if enough evidence emerges of wrongdoing. Tapie — a flashy tycoon and former football club owner who has served as an actor, singer and government minister — insists that he deserved the settlement. He says the investigation into the deal is "bogus," a politically motivated hunt by the governing Socialists against Sarkozy's conservatives. "Lagarde's fate doesn't concern me," Tapie said on Europe-1 radio Thursday. "When evidence is discovered, then we'll talk." Tapie himself may be targeted in a separate probe. Copyright (2013) Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use. Users may not download or reproduce a substantial portion of the AP material found on this web site. AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. Please follow Clusterstock on Twitter and Facebook.Join the conversation about this story »

Georges Moustaki is gone. He was 79. I tried to record him two years ago for a documentary about Barbara, whose lover he had been, but he sent messages back to say he was not well enough. He turned a little shy with the passing of years. Egyptian born, to Greek-Jewish parents, Sarah and Nessim Moustaki, [...]

Amazon will be putting its Kindle Fire tablets on sale in 170 more countries next month, and has also expanded its Appstore to operate in nearly 200 countries. Pre-orders for the 7-inch and 8.9-inch models of the Kindle Fire HD through Amazon.com, its UK site, France, and Amazon Germany have commenced, with shipments to customers due to start on June 13th....

Atari Inc., the US branch of French parent company Atari S.A., filed for court approval this week to auction its assets in July. Those assets include the Atari logo, as well as the Test Drive, Rollercoaster Tycoon, Asteroids, and Pong franchises among others. As Reuters and the Wall Street Journal reports, Atari Inc., who filed for bankruptcy earlier this year in a bid to sell its assets and separate itself from Atari S.A., has failed to secure a "stalking horse" or lead bidder since then. Atari Inc. approached more than 180 parties about purchasing assets, but only 15 came back with preliminary bids. Atari Inc. didn't deem a single bid acceptable to set the minimum price for the division's clearout. As it is, Atari Inc.'s own listed minimum bids for the July auction total "nearly $22.2 million." They include $15 million for the Atari brand, $3.5 million for the Rollercoaster Tycoon franchise, $1.5 million for Test Drive, and RTS franchise Total Annihilation at just $250,000. Atari Inc. has already secured $5 million through debtor-in-possession financing. While the auction is still pending court approval, Atari Inc aims to hold it between July 16 and July 19. While the Atari name is synonymous with the arcade's pioneering years, Atari Inc. traces its roots to a company called GT Interactive, founded in 1993. GT Interactive was eventually acquired by French company Infogrames Entertainment, and in 2001 Infogrames seized Atari Corporation and its Atari properties through the purchase of Hasbro Interactive. In 2009, Infrogrames renamed itself as Atari S.A., with what was GT Interactive by then renamed as Atari Inc. After some forty or so years that have seen the Atari brand transfer across several entities, if things go to plan then in two months time it'll find itself at a new home once more. What the ramifications of that sale would be for Atari S.A., financially and nominally, are unclear. In a financial statement published on May 15, Atari S.A. said, "Faced with the uncertainties relating to the proceedings that are underway in the US, where the Group's strategic assets and most of its business are located, the outcome of the Chapter 11 proceedings in the US will be decisive for all the stakeholders." The statement also reveals Atari S.A. recently sold the ownership of its Outcast franchise for a "nominal amount," and negotiations are underway at similar prices for its Desperados and Silver franchises.Atari Inc. seeks to generate $22M by auctioning assets in July originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 May 2013 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments More...

Good news for World Tour surf fans came this past Wednesday, with the announcement by the ASP of the inclusion of the EDP Cascais Girls Pro to the 2013 ASP Women’s WCT. Prior to the announcement there were only two more events remaining on the 2013 tour – the Roxy Pro Biarritz in France and the US Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach. Carcavelos offers square barrels when it’s firing. The event will be held at Carcavelos, a beachbreak just outside the city of Lisbon, Portugal that offers quality barrels when the elements align – which is not very often, sadly. But hey, Lady Luck might just be kind to Bianca and the rest of the Top 17 when they roll into town, and it’s definitely a better place to crown a World Champ than the mushy peaks of Surf City, USA. Either way, another event is both great for fans, and of course great for competitors, who’ll get another crack at earning some prizemoney, but more importantly, another shot at grabbing some late season ratings points, or even clinching the World Title. A strong finish by the Southern Cape’s Bianca Buitendag, currently sitting at 8th in the world rankings, will be a fantastic end to an already strong rookie season for the stylish goofyfoot. Check out the official Press Release below. ********************* ASP ANNOUNCES ADDITION OF EDP CASCAIS GIRLS PRO TO 2013 ASP WOMEN’S WORLD TOUR The EDP Cascais Girls Pro will culminate the 2013 ASP Women’s World Championship Tour season. CASCAIS, Portugal (Wednesday, May 22, 2013) - ASP International is pleased to confirm the addition of the EDP Cascais Girls Pro to the 2013 ASP Women’s World Championship Tour schedule, operating as the eighth and final event of the season from October 3 – 7 in Portugal. “We’re excited to confirm the addition of Portugal to this year’s women’s WCT schedule,” Jessi Miley-Dyer, ASP Women’s World Tour Manager, said. “The ASP Top 17 were informed about the possibility of this addition at the start of the season and have been well prepared for it. Portugal is a great country and Cascais have been big supporters of women’s surfing as a qualifying event in the past. We’re happy to bring the world’s best female surfers there this season.” The 2013 ASP Women’s World Title race has been hotly-contested thus far this season with youngsters Tyler Wright (AUS), 19, and Carissa Moore (HAW), 20, each collecting two wins of the opening five events with Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), 22, and Courtney Conlogue (USA), 20, following closely behind. “We were told about the possibility of a Portugal event at the start of the year and it’s great to have it confirmed as part of the tour,” Tyler Wright, current ASP Women’s WCT No. 1, said. The EDP Cascais Girls Pro will take place from October 3 – 7, 2013 in Carcavelos, Portugal. For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com 2013 ASP WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR SCHEDULE - Roxy Pro Gold Coast: Tyler Wright (AUS) Drug Aware Margaret River Pro: Carissa Moore (HAW) Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: Carissa Moore (HAW) TSB Bank NZ Surf Festival: Courtney Conlogue (USA) Colgate Plax Girls Rio Pro: Tyler Wright Roxy Pro Biarritz: TBD US Open of Surfing: TBD EDP Cascais Girls Pro: TBD

A round-up of Thursday's biggest transfer stories. Check in to Transfer Window: Done Deal Alerts French giants PSG are readying a bid of £40million for unsettled Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney. Full story: Daily Mirror. Former Real Madrid president Roman Calderon believes Cristiano Ronaldo could follow Jose Mourinho to Chelsea this summer. Full story: talkSPORT. Chelsea veteran midfielder Frank Lampard has hinted he could stay at Chelsea for a further three years. Full story: London Evening Standard. Arsenal are willing to listen to offers for their captain Thomas Vermaelen, and may accept as little as £5million for the unsettled defender. Full story: The Sun. Liverpool want to sell Stewart Downing on a permanent deal, and won't listen to loan offers for the winger. Fulham are said to be interested. Full story: Daily Mirror. Darren Bent has reportedly been told that he can leave Aston Villa this summer after being frozen out by manager Paul Lambert. Full story: Daily Mail. West Ham are leading the chase to land young Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku on loan next season after an impressive spell with West Brom this year. Full story: The Metro. Arsenal target Remy Cabella has had a huge price tag of £85million stamped on his head by current club Montpellier. Full story: talkSPORT. Chelsea duo Rafael Benitez and Fernando Torres are both targets for Serie A side Napoli this summer. Full story: Daily Mirror. Tottenham are planning an ambitious £36million double move for strikers Roberto Soldado of Valencia and Leandro Damiao of Internacional. Full story: Daily Express. Reports in Italy say Arsenal look like missing out on Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain to Italian giants Juventus. Full story: La Repubblica. Chelsea have enquired about free-scoring Galatasaray striker Burak Yilmaz, who has also been watched by Arsenal and Liverpool. Full story: The Guardian. Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper Rob Green wants to stay at the club and fight for his place in the Championship next season. Full story: London Evening Standard. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers admits Luis Suarez has his price, but that he does not want to sell the striker this summer. Full story: The Metro. However, Bayern Munich are big fans of the Uruguayan striker, and may hand new manager Pep Guardiola the funds to sign him. Full story: Daily Mirror. Newcastle are not interested in making a bid to bring Liverpool striker Andy Carroll back to St James' Park. Full story: The Telegraph.