Top secret Obama briefing found by Cannes restaurateur  nicematin.com 17 Feb 12 On the eve of the G20 summit in Cannes last November, a Lebanese caterer found a top secret brief for U.S. President Barack Obama in front of his cash register. It had been left by a forgetful FBI agent who went into the Lebanese deli to buy a sandwich. "It was an ordinary workbook. I opened it and I understood immediately that this was a crazy thing," said Bilal Herche, restaurant manager of Al Charq in rue Rouaze, Cannes. After two hours deliberation, Herche called the FBI in the USA and two agents arrived at his store within five minutes. Bilal was given an FBI medal as award and the agents ate lunch at his restaurant three days in a row. Delphine Parra.

Sarkozy told Obama he 'can't bear' Netanyahu the 'liar'  haaretz.com 08 Nov 11 French President Nicolas Sarkozy told U.S. President Barack Obama that he was fed up with dealing with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and considered him a liar. Sarkozy made the comment during a private conversation with Obama during the G20 summit in Cannes last week and the remarks were overheard by a small number of journalists but not initially reported. "I cannot bear Netanyahu, he's a liar," Sarkozy told Obama during a frank exchange where the U.S. president took him to task for backing a Palestinian request for membership of the UN cultural heritage agency UNESCO. Obama said he had to deal regularly with Netanyahu. Natasha Mozgovaya / Reuters.

G20 benefits tourism: Cannes hotels delighted  tourmag.com 07 Nov 11  If the Cannois were disappointed because of security constraints and low commercial benefits of the event, hotels in the city are exhibiting a broad smile. The balance of the G20 is even considered 'very positive', according to Michel Chevillon, President of the Union of Hotels in Cannes. The event generated 36,000 overnight stays (journalists, delegations...) of which more than 8,000 were for security personnel. Knowing that the budget of the organisation poured €20 million into the local economy, the economic impact can be estimated at more than double that. In addition, the image of Cannes, despite the rain on the Croisette, was of value and should benefit tourism for several months. Michel Bovas.

Obama and Sarkozy make joint French TV appearance  france24.com 04 Nov 11 French President Nicolas Sarkozy pulled off one notable coup as the host of an otherwise messy G20 summit Friday, securing a joint televised interview with US President Barack Obama. The pair have had a reportedly testy relationship in the past, but put all differences behind them in the show, broadcast simultaneously on France's main private and state networks and denounced by the opposition as a stunt. Both leaders praised the other's role in efforts to resolve the current financial crisis, and Obama praised Sarkozy for his role in NATO's successful campaign against Libyan strongman Moamer Kadhafi. Sarkozy also thanked Obama for his leadership and said the pair are friends. AFP.

G20 summit was a lesson in disunity – and the markets passed judgment  guardian.co.uk 04 Nov 11 It was a fiasco from start to finish. Ambushed by Greece, dogged by the threat of looming disaster in Italy, overshadowed by the rapid deterioration in the global economy, this was the bleakest global meeting since the World Trade Organisation talks broke down in riot-torn Seattle in 1999. The best that could be said for the G20 gathering was that it allowed world leaders to unbutton and give vent to their frustration and anger. But nothing of substance was agreed. For two days members of the G20 gave an object lesson in how to put on a show of disunity. They ganged up on each other; they argued and they haggled right up until the death. Larry Elliott.

G20 governments sign anti-tax evasion agreement  cbsnews.com 04 Nov 11 G20 members have pledged to fight cross-border tax evasion under an agreement approved Friday, which supporters say could raise tens of billions of dollars at a time when indebted European nations are scrambling for more revenue. As part of a week of protests around the G-20 summit in Cannes, a small group of activists protested Thursday at the border with nearby Monaco to call for an end to tax havens. Tiny, opulent Monaco has long attracted the rich and famous — and those seeking a quiet place to park their millions — but has worked to improve transparency under OECD pressure and was removed in 2009 from its black list of uncooperative tax havens. AP.

Anti-G20 demonstration: Eva Joly in Cap d'Ail  nicematin 03 Nov 11 About 320 demonstrators gathered at the border between France and Monaco in Cap d'Ail. Aim of the event, to highlight "the hypocrisy of the G20 on tax havens," said Renaud Fossard, activist CCFD (Catholic Committee against Hunger and for Development). Among them Europe Ecologie presidential candidate Eva Joly (pic) who said, "Monaco has 35,000 residents and 340,000 bank accounts. It is a tax haven! Just because they signed an agreement a few years ago doesn’t mean than it is not one." Regarding the Greek debt, Joly believes that "if the commitments on tax havens were upheld, Greece would not be in this situation. An estimated €120 billion of assets of the rich Greek are held abroad including Switzerland."

Bill Nighy takes Robin Hood tax to the G20  guardian.co.uk 03 Nov 11 Oxfam's global ambassador Bill Nighy is not your usual film star. The man who played the dissolute rock star in Love Actually has arrived in the glamorous Cote d'Azur town to lobby the G20 community on the virtues of a financial transactions tax – the so-called Robin Hood tax. To his surprise the Robin Hood brand has gone global. Oxfam had been concerned that Robin Hood tax as a metaphor about income maldistribution might not travel, but it has been happily embraced. Three hundred French protestors wearing Robin Hood outfits paraded in Nice this week. More importantly the issue is now seriously on the agenda of the G20, and has the powerful support of the French and the Germans. Patrick Wintour & Larry Elliott.

Anti-G20: 5 French in custody  lefigaro.fr 02 Nov 11 Five French were placed in police custody Tuesday morning after being arrested in Saint-Laurent-du-Var "in possession of chains and pipes," while five Spaniards arrested shortly before for similar offenses have been released. The five were arrested by French police in the parking lot of the Cap 3000 shopping center, in the aftermath of anti-globalization protests in Nice. Five Spaniards in possession of masks, gloves and gas cylinders, arrested before dawn Wednesday in Nice, were released during the day. In addition, three other young Spaniards arrested Tuesday morning in Nice in possession of axes, screws and hoods, were sentenced Wednesday in Nice to four months in prison, three suspended. AFP.

Bill Gates gives backing for Robin Hood tax in order to tackle global poverty  thisismoney.co.uk 02 Nov 11 Microsoft founder Bill Gates will today throw his weight behind a ‘Robin Hood tax’  on bankers in order to tackle global poverty. The billionaire philanthropist – still the world’s second-richest man, even after giving away a third of his fortune – will call for a financial transactions tax to aid development in poor countries. He will also press leaders at the G20 summit in Cannes to introduce new levies on tobacco and shipping and  aviation fuels. The proposals will be contained in a report commissioned by French president Nicolas Sarkozy to examine ways the world’s 20 leading economies can raise money for the poor. Hugo Duncan.

A pro-Tibet happening took place at Cannes railway station Wednesday morning to coincide with the arrival of Chinese leader Hu Jintao who was due to arrive in Cannes at 11.00 for the start of the G20 on Thursday. Pro-Tibet campaigners organised a special welcoming committee. Two pro-Tibet activists suspended themselves on the front of the station in Cannes holding banners "Free Tibet" and "Assassin Hu Jintao." Police intervened to untie and remove the militants.

Six policymakers who will direct outcome of G20 in Cannes  guardian.co.uk 01 Nov 11 Profiles of policymakers from Britain, the EU, US, Brazil and China who will set the tone of the G20 meeting in Cannes. Sir John Cunliffe: Cunliffe has been Britain's go-to man for the G20 and G8 summits under Gordon Brown and David Cameron, and probably more than anyone was responsible for the $1tn London G20 Summit in April 2009. Mario Draghi: Already dubbed Super Mario, the former boss of the Italian central bank is only days away from taking charge of the European equivalent. As the man in charge of monetary policy for the eurozone's 17 member states, his views will be crucial at the Cannes summit. Phillip Inman, Patrick Wintour, and Tania Branigan.

Video Security check for Cannes  euronews.net 31 Oct 11 The French city of Cannes is preparing to receive the world’s most powerful leaders by tightening up security. Leaving nothing to chance, police have scoured the area before the G20 summit gets underway later this week. Everything from sniffer dogs to high-tech gadgets have been used by police looking for any potential threat.

G20: Controls in place at the Italian border  nicematin.com 26 Oct 11 French Gendarmes re-established border controls at the Italian frontier in Menton overnight Monday/Tuesday. The controls will remain in place until 05 Nov 11 to try and prevent public disorder in the run-up and during the G20 summit in Cannes 03-04 Nov 11. Three hundred men are on the ground to monitor 164 km of border. Agents are equipped with automatic number plate readers and are checking identity documents and inspecting cars. The authorities are concerned that members of the "black bloc” will try to enter French territory in order to mingle with protests scheduled in Nice and Cap-d Ail next week.

Anti-Cannes G20 summit prepares its case  istockanalyst.com 27 Oct 11 Cannes will be under tight police security 31 Oct - 04 Nov 11, and the People's Forum has negotiated permission from local authorities to meet in Nice. The Forum will gather organisations from Attac to Oxfam France. With their slogan 'People first, not Finance!' they are determined to generate strong mobilisation against the G20 and its policy of financial supremacy. 'With strong mobilisation, we can overthrow the strength ratio,' Valerie Brulant, member of Attac, told IPS. Commending Spain's indignados movement in May and the Occupy Wall Street, she believes that people are eventually realising that 'the crisis was produced by the banks, but that people are paying the bill.' Cleo Fatoorehchi.

Bill Gates invited to the G20 in Cannes  nicematin.com 23 Oct 11 Microsoft founder Bill Gates will be in Cannes for the G20 summit on 03 and 04 Nov 11. He will be attending at the request of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. "At my request, Bill Gates will present proposals in Cannes on the subject of innovative financing, following the mission that we have entrusted to him," Nicolas Sarkozy said Friday in a speech devoted to development. Among the possible avenues for innovative financing, France and Germany are exploring a tax on financial transactions. The proceeds of this tax would be dedicated to the development of the poorest countries. AFP.

G20 protesters plan major demonstration in Cannes  guardian.co.uk 17 Oct 11 Anti-capitalist protesters are planning demonstrations around the G20 summit in Cannes next month. Protesters hope to defy attempts by French authorities to lock down a swath of the Côte d'Azur, including plans to close France's border with Italy to block protesters from crossing into the country. Residents have been warned to expect major disruption and told that nobody, including those living locally, will be allowed into Cannes without official badges. Several anti-summit organisations have called on protesters to mobilise in Nice two days before the opening of the 48-hour summit. The groups said they are planning an action at the Monaco border to demonstrate against tax havens. Kim Willsher.

RivieraLife.tv The G20 and Cannes

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