AFGHANISTAN LES FILLES PRIVEES DE RENTREE

 DANS LES COLLEGES ET LES LYCEES

La rentrée dans les établissements du secondaire s'est faite sans les écolières, samedi 18 septembre 2021.Une rentrée 100% masculine en Afghanistan : seuls les collégiens et lycéens ont été autorisés à reprendre le chemin de l'école dans le pays, samedi 18 septembre. Dix jours après la réouverture des universités privées du pays, le ministère de l'Education afghan a annoncé vendredi que « tous les professeurs hommes et les élèves » du secondaire allaient retrouver leur établissement, sans faire aucune mention des enseignantes ou des collégiennes et lycéennes. Ce flou risque d'alimenter un peu plus encore l'inquiétude d'une partie de la population afghane et de la communauté internationale qui redoutent de voir se reproduire le même scénario que lors du premier passage au pouvoir des fondamentalistes, entre 1996 et 2001.

En l'espace de vingt ans, le nombre d'écoles a triplé et le nombre d'enfants scolarisés est passé de 1 million à 9,5 millions, selon l'agence onusienne.

L'Unicef déplore la décision des talibans

« L'Unicef se félicite de la réouverture des écoles secondaires en Afghanistan, mais souligne que les filles ne doivent pas être laissées de côté », a réagi vendredi la directrice exécutive de l'agence onusienne, Henrietta Fore. « Il est essentiel que toutes, y compris les plus âgées, puissent reprendre leur éducation sans plus de retard, et que les enseignantes puissent elles aussi continuer à enseigner », a insisté l'Unicef dans un communiqué, rappelant les « progrès considérables dans le pays au cours des deux dernières décennies ».

Les femmes conservent certes le droit d'étudier à l'université, mais elles devront pour cela porter une abaya ainsi qu'un hijab et les cours se feront dans la mesure du possible en non-mixité. Aucune femme ne figure par ailleurs au sein du nouvel exécutif provisoire, présenté début septembre.

Depuis leur retour au pouvoir, les talibans ont tenté de rassurer la communauté internationale en assurant entre autres que les droits des femmes seraient respectés. Mais ces affirmations ont été fragilisées ces dernières semaines par plusieurs décisions prises par le nouvel exécutif afghan.Aucune femme ne figure par ailleurs au sein du nouvel exécutif provisoire présenté début septembre.

Et pas plus tard hier, vendredi 17 septembre2021, le ministère des Affaires féminines s'est vu remplacé par celui de la Promotion de la vertu et de la Prévention du vice, craint pour son fondamentalisme durant le premier épisode taliban.

SUCCESSFUL TAKEOFF FOR SPACEX'S FIRST TOURIST MISSION

The space tourism passes a new milestone. Elon Musk's company, SpaceX, sent four passengers for three days in space on Wednesday, September 15. At 2:02 am that night, the launch of SpaceX's fourth manned mission, the first entirely with civilian passengers, without any professional astronauts, went as planned. The four Americans aboard the Crew Dragon capsule will remain in orbit for three days.

Passengers took off from the legendary Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Center, Florida, where the Apollo missions took off to the moon, boarding a Falcon 9 rocket. Atop the Falcon 9 rocket, which measures 70 meters high, is perched the Dragon capsule, where the crew is located. This spacecraft has already taken 10 astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) on three separate missions.

The Dragon capsule (8m high, 4m in diameter) has been modified here: a huge glass dome has been installed to offer passengers a 360 ° view of the vacuum of space. It replaces the system normally intended to dock with the ISS. The Dragon capsule will then remain in space for three days. It will go further than the ISS, which rotates at an altitude of 400 km, aiming for an orbit of 575 km. It will then begin a vertiginous fall towards the Earth, and will land off the coast of Florida, slowed down by immense parachutes. This time, it is about going to fly further than the International Space Station. "The risk is not zero", recognizes Jared Isaacman in one of the episodes of the documentary broadcast by Netflix on the mission. “You are traveling in a vessel at 28,000 km / h around the globe.This kind of environment is associated with some risk. "

Called Inspiration4, this mission is to conclude a summer marked by the flight of billionaires over the final frontier: first Richard Branson on July 11, aboard the Virgin Galactic ship, then a few days later Jeff Bezos, with his company Blue Origin.

A crew of novices

This 100% tourist mission was chartered by billionaire Jared Isaacman, at his expense. This 38-year-old American, married with two daughters, is the CEO of the company Shift4 Payments, which offers a service for processing bank card transactions to stores and restaurants. He created it when he was 16, from the basement of the family home. Passionate about piloting, he holds a record for circumnavigating the world in a jet and is qualified to fly on military aircraft. He is a captain on board.

Three anonymous are on the trip, selected by the billionaire through an original process that began with an advertisement projected during the Super Bowl halftime. Each seat is meant to embody a value. Hayley Arceneaux, survivor of pediatric cancer, represents "hope". The 29-year-old was selected because she works as a medical assistant at St Jude's Pediatric Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. She is the youngest American to be sent into orbit around the Earth and the first person with a prosthesis to go to space, and she is the medical lead of the mission.

Chris Sembroski, 42, got the seat of “generosity”. He is a former US Air Force employee who now works in the aviation industry and was selected after making a donation as part of the fundraiser for St Jude's Hospital. Its role is to help manage cargo on board, and communications with Earth.

Finally, the last seat represents "prosperity", and was offered to Sian Proctor, a 51-year-old professor of earth sciences who, in 2009, almost became an astronaut for NASA. She took part in an experiment in Hawaii simulating life on Mars, and twice applied to NASA to become an astronaut. In 2009, she arrived among the finalists (a few dozen out of more than 3,500 candidates at the start). She is the fourth African American woman to go to space. She is the mission pilot, assisting the commander. It won its seat by creating an online sales site linked to the space, as part of an entrepreneurial competition organized by Jared Isaacman's company.

None are professional astronauts.

A training of several months

All four of them trained for just under six months, compared to years for astronauts. They experienced the g-force to which they will be exposed thanks to a centrifuge, a rapidly rotating arm of several meters. On board parabolic flights, they have already tasted a feeling of weightlessness. They also did a high altitude snow trek on Mount Rainier in the northwestern United States.

Finally, although the flight will normally be fully automated, the passengers have been trained by SpaceX to be able to take control in the event of an emergency.

Science

During the three days in orbit, their sleep, heart rate, blood and cognitive abilities will be analyzed. Tests will be carried out before and after the flight, to study the effect of the trip on their body.

A Netflix series to follow the adventure

Inspiration4 can be followed in a documentary series called Countdown on Netflix. Five episodes are planned in total on this mission. Four episodes of this series have already been put online on the platform presenting first the four members of the crew, then the training and the final preparations before the flight. The last, which will be broadcast at the end of September, "just a few days" after the end of the mission.

The start of space tourism on a larger scale

The stated goal of the mission is to open the doors of space to more people.

Several tourist mission projects are already underway. In January 2022, three businessmen will travel to the ISS alongside an experienced astronaut. SpaceX is also planning another trip to orbit for four private clients, organized by intermediary company Space Adventures. Finally, the Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa must also take a trip around the Moon, a priori in 2023, this time aboard the Starship rocket, still under development by SpaceX.

As for Virgin Galactic, the start of regular commercial operations is scheduled for 2022. Russia, for its part, will send an actress and a director to the ISS, aboard a Soyuz rocket. The goal: to shoot the first fiction film in orbit and in zero gravity.

CALIFORNIA REVOCATION REFERENDUM

VICTORY OF THE DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR

GAVIN NEWSOM

An unusually risky situation for Democrats, in a state that is usually theirs.

And the victory goes to the Democratic camp of Joe Biden. Voters in California, the most populous state in the Union, have in fact decided to retain their governor, Gavin Newsom, by voting overwhelmingly "no" in the referendum organized by his detractors to obtain his dismissal, according to officials. first estimates released Tuesday, September 14 by the American media.

After counting 59% of the ballots, the no to recall showed 67% of the votes (against 33%), according to CNN and NBC.

With such a lead, the two channels estimated that Democrat Gavin Newsom will remain governor of the most populous state in the United States and complete his term.

This vote "says 'yes'" to what is dear to us Californians, "Gavin Newsom launched in a voice tied with emotion at the announcement of these first results.

"As a State, we have said yes to science, yes to vaccines, yes to the end of the pandemic (...) yes to the right to vote without fear of false accusations of fraud", declared the governor.

Veteran politician, Democrat Gavin Newsom, 53, former mayor of San Francisco, was elected handily in 2018. His term ends next year.

High taxes and strict management of the health crisis criticized

Using a provision of the Californian Constitution, disgruntled citizens, very quickly rallied by the Republican Party, obtained this "recall ballot" allowing to dismiss a governor outside any electoral calendar, after having collected more than 1.5 million dollars. signatures.

Californians in favor of the referendum denounced excessive taxes, a democratic "elite" perceived as contemptuous and individual freedoms flouted by Gavin Newsom to stem the pandemic.

Eighteen years ago, a similar vote allowed Arnold Schwarzenegger to conquer California by bringing down the then Democratic governor..

KOREA ARMS RACE

BETWEEN PYONGYANG AND SEOUL WITH

BALLISTIC MISSILE SHOTS ON THE SAME DAY

Possession of an SLBM is "very significant in terms of deterring threats from multiple directions," Blue House said. "This should play a major role in self-reliant national defense and the establishment of peace in the Korean Peninsula in the future," she added. South Korea has strengthened its military capabilities to counter the threat posed by the nuclear-weaponized North, which has been firing more in recent weeks.

For its part, Pyongyang has long sought to develop the technology to launch a ballistic missile from a submarine. In January, during a military parade in Pyongyang, North Korea paraded four of these missiles, "the most powerful weapon in the world" according to the official North Korean agency KCNA.

Several United Nations Security Council resolutions prohibit North Korea from continuing its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. But, although hit by multiple international sanctions, this country has rapidly developed its military capabilities in recent years under the leadership of Kim Jong Un. North Korea has carried out several nuclear tests and successfully tested ballistic missiles capable of reach the United States.

Wednesday's fire from both North and South came as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is in Seoul for talks with his South Korean counterpart. Speaking before the announcement of the shootings, the minister said he hoped that all countries would contribute "to peace and stability on the Korean peninsula", according to the South Korean news agency Yonhap, urging them "all to work together to renew the dialogue ”.

For analysts, these shots are a signal intended for China, the North's main diplomatic ally and trade partner.

MARINE LE PEN ENTERS A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN UNDER THE SIGN OF "FREEDOMS"

"Marine Le Pen will be a detached candidate for the presidency of the RN to bring together beyond," argues the future number one of the party, who will be 26 on Monday, pleading that the presidential election is "the meeting between a man or a woman and the French people ”. Already at the beginning of July Marine Le Pen had urged his activists to “seek victory” by continuing to “open” the party. In this regard, she appointed as campaign director a former prefect, Christophe Bay, who did not come from the partisan seraglio, unlike David Rachline, mayor RN of Fréjus, who held this position in 2017.

Also the RN candidate launched her presidential campaign under the sign of "freedoms", to find this new lease of life.

“Freedoms, cherished freedoms! », An expression inspired by La Marseillaise (where it is written in the singular), will be his campaign slogan on posters without the name Le Pen or that of the party.

"The president of French freedoms"

Marine Le Pen presented herself as "the president of French freedoms". “In France, the French have the right to live like French people. The delinquents will be put out of harm's way, French delinquents in prison, foreigners on the plane, ”she promised. Taking part in “the deafening silence of so-called feminists” about certain practices imposed by communities, she promised to free the women concerned from the “obscurantist yoke (of the) Taliban from within”.

"A choice of civilization"

The candidate affirmed that the 2022 presidential election "will not only be a choice of society, as the previous polls have been able to be, it will be a choice of civilization". According to her, only two alternatives are presented to the French: "either the dilution of France by deconstruction and (migratory) submersion, or the salutary leap that will bring France into the third millennium around the idea of ​​Nation". An immigration bill is due in October, which she has promised would go to a referendum to be passed if she gains access to the Elysee Palace.

In addition to the questions of immigration and security, which obviously hold a very important place in the program, the candidate has added ecology to it, under the theme of "the protection of our place of life". Marine Le Pen also wants to boost the birth rate, with a loan to young parents that they would no longer need to repay after the birth of their third child.

She also detailed several prominent wills, such as the nationalization of highways. According to her, this measure should make it possible to reduce tolls by 10 to 15% and limit the "spoliation of the French", she described in Figaro. One and a half billion euros should also return to the state budget, to finance a policy of regional development. Another strong idea is to privatize the public audiovisual sector. What "return to the French" 2.8 billion royalty, according to her. The overseas canals, the INA or Arte would be preserved.

A third candidacy tarnished, however, by the signals sent by Eric Zemmour on a possible presidential candidacy...

UNITED STATES BRITNEY SPEAR ANNOUNCES

HIS ENGAGEMENT

The 39-year-old popstar announces her engagement to Sam Asghari by posting a short video of her diamond ring on her finger on Instagram, along with a caption:

"I can't believe it, p ***** !!!!!! ".

Beside her in the video is 27-year-old Sam Asghari, whom she turns to kiss him on the cheek.

"Look at this, do you like it? He asks her.

" Yes ! She exclaims with joy.

The marriage proposal was made at the star's home, according to Brandon Cohen (manager of Sam Asghari) to TMZ on the evening of Sunday, September 12, 2021.

Until then under the tutelage of her father, the 39-year-old singer could not formalize her relationship with her companion Sam Asghari.

But the father has finally officially asked the courts to question the very principle of the guardianship exercised over his daughter.

The two lovebirds first met in 2016, when they performed together in the music video for her hit "Slumber Party" and have lived together for more than five years.

And they have other plans like having a child.

This is what the American star had revealed to the judges during a hearing concerning his guardianship.

Justin Timberlake's ex already has two children from a previous marriage to rapper Kevin Federline..

AL-QAIDA LEADER AL-ZAWAHIRI REAPSES IN A VIDEO RELEASED ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2021 ANNIVERSARY DATE OF THE ATTACKS

Ayman al-Zawahiri, who was Osama Bin Laden's personal doctor for the co-founder of al-Qaida, succeeded in 2011 at the head of the jihadist organization after the latter's elimination by the American special forces. The Egyptian Ayman al-Zawahiri, born in 1951, has however been the subject for several months of insistent rumors about a possible natural death, following an illness.

In this video published under the title “Jerusalem will never be Judaized”, a formula he had already used in 2018 after the transfer of the American embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, decided by Donald Trump. that "it is vital for us to target America". Mentioning briefly the attacks of September 11, he evokes the American withdrawal from Afghanistan: "And let us not forget that nineteen mujahideen, the warriors of Islam, stabbed America in the heart ... A wound like the America had never known it before and today it is leaving Afghanistan, broken, defeated, after twenty years of war. "

The date this footage was shot has not yet been identified. At the end of 2020, rumors reported the death of Osama Bin Laden's successor. However, the jihadist leader evokes an attack in Syria in January 2021 therefore after the rumors of his death but makes no reference to the recent takeover of the Taliban in Afghanistan, who entered Kabul on August 15, 2021. He does mention the military withdrawal. American, but this has actually been recorded since the agreement reached in Doha in Qatar between the Taliban and the Americans in February 2020.

Still, from one press release to another, the jihadists keep emphasizing that the victory of the Afghan fundamentalists validates their theses and Al-Qaida hopes to profit from it.

COVID-19 THE GOVERNMENT OF BORIS JOHNSON WAIVER OF THE VACCINE PASSPORT

"I never liked the idea of ​​telling people to show their papers ... to do what is just a routine activity," said British Secretary of State for Health Sajid Javid, on the BBC.

"We have seen it as it should be, and while we wish to keep it in reserve as a potential option, I am happy to say that we are not going to add it with our vaccine passport project," he said. added.

This turnaround comes as the executive repeated this week its intention to introduce a vaccination certificate at the end of September to enter stadiums or nightclubs, attracting strong criticism from the nightlife sector and from members of the conservative majority. like opposition.

Sajid Javid estimated that such a measure was ultimately not necessary, despite a number of positive daily cases (around 40,000 in recent days), given a high rate of vaccination in the United Kingdom. In fact, nearly 81% of the population over 16 received two doses. With each constituent nation of Great Britain remaining competent for anti-Covid restrictions, Scotland has decided to introduce, as of October 1, a vaccination certificate to access nightclubs and certain events, in order to slow down the increase in cases attributed to the start of the school year.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson must detail, in the coming days, his battle plan in the fight against the coronavirus for the winter period. According to the British press, mass vaccination should remain the main focus, with the deployment of a booster program, and a decision on the possible administration of vaccines to young people aged 12 to 15 years.

Sajid Javid also announced his intention to remove “as soon as possible” the obligation for doubly vaccinated travelers from certain countries to undergo a PCR test no later than two days after their arrival in England.

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

A FIRE AND CRACKS IN THE RUSSIAN ZVEZDA MODULE

A fire is said to have started in the Zvezda service module, which is part of the Russian wing of the station. The kind of thing you don't like to see 400 kilometers above Earth, in a capsule stuffed with oxygen and therefore highly flammable.

This incident, which certainly did not damage anything, follows several other incidents on board the ISS in recent months. In 2019 and early 2021, the Zvezda module had notably experienced air leakage problems. On the Zvezda module which dates from 1998, the oldest, two cosmonauts spotted mini-cracks at the end of August. Vladimir Soloviev, chief engineer of RKK Energuia - a company responsible for maintaining the Russian part of the station -, also shared the cracks detected on the Zvezda cargo module.

"About 80% of flight systems are at the end of their service life, which means that once all the systems have exhausted their service life, the next day irreparable breakdowns could occur," he said. -he adds. What revive the question of the obsolescence of the Russian module on which cracks appear.

However, Roscosmos does not plan to do major works in the ISS. And for good reason: Russia is clearly thinking of withdrawing from the ISS (United States, Canada, Japan, European Space Agency) in order to launch its own space station, or even a lunar base with China.

Who will therefore take care of the maintenance of this part of the ISS? On the western side, we plan to use the station at least until 2024....

ANNIVERSARY OF THE ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11

TWENTY YEARS LATER

The United States paid tribute, Saturday, September 11, to some 3,000 dead from the attacks of Al-Qaeda, twenty years after September 11, 2001, in an atmosphere weighed down by the chaotic withdrawal of the American army from Afghanistan. , a war that was started in 2001 in retaliation for these terrorist attacks.

• Joe Biden visited each of the sites where hijacked planes crashed in 2001, to pay tribute to the victims. The US president delivered a speech to the nation ahead of the commemorations on Friday evening, where he said “unity is what makes us who we are, and we cannot forget it. "

• Six moments of silence were observed at 8:46 am, 9:03 am, 9:37 am, 9:59 am, 10:03 am and 10:28 am. They successively symbolize the moment when the planes struck the towers of the World Trade Center, then the Pentagon, the collapse of the South Tower, the crash in Pennsylvania and the collapse of the North Tower. Minutes of silence and musical tributes followed one another until 12:30 p.m. to mark the tragedies of this fatal morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001.

• Family members of the victims of the 9/11 attacks gathered on the Memorial plaza near Ground Zero to read the names of the victims aloud, accompanied by artists such as Bruce Springsteen and Chris Jackson.

• At 9.45 am, at the National Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville George W. Bush, who was ruling the country at the time of the attacks, gave a speech paying tribute to the passengers and crew who revolted against the terrorists. “I come without explanations or solutions. I can only tell you what I saw. On this day of America's trial and mourning, I have seen millions of people instinctively grab hold of their neighbor's hand and rally to each other's cause. This is the America I know, ”he said. The former president was in office during the 2001 attacks.

• Vice President Kamala Harris applauded the bravery of the passengers on Flight 93, all of whom lost their lives when the hijacked plane crashed near Shanksville. “Within minutes, under the most dire of circumstances, the 40 reacted as one man,” she said.

A memory of light

Huge vertical beams of light are already rising from the two huge black basins that have replaced the base of the towers. It is the “Tribute in lights”, a tribute in light to the World Trade Center.

UNITED STATES

THE DAY OF THE ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

the attacks of September 11, 2001.

In a matter of hours, the coordinated attacks carried out by Al Qaeda on American soil killed 2,977 people.

Nineteen terrorists hijacked four airliners: two crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon and the last in a wooded area thanks to passenger resistance.

Feedback on these events

7:59 am. American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767, departs Boston for Los Angeles. On board, 76 passengers, 11 crew members and five hijackers.

8:15 am. United Airlines Flight 175, also a Boeing 767 from Boston to Los Angeles, takes off with 65 people on board, including five pirates.

8:19 am. American Airlines Flight 11 crew members alert that the plane is being hijacked. One of the hijackers stabbed a passenger, ABC7 recalls, probably because he tried to oppose the terrorist.

8:20 am. Flight 77, a Boeing 757, takes off from Dulles near Washington for San Francisco, with 64 people on board, including five pirates.

8:42 am. United Airlines Flight 93 departs from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco. On board, 33 passengers, seven crew members and four terrorists.

First impacts

8:46 am. Flight 11 hits the north tower of the World Trade Center. It opens a gigantic breach in the upper floors, which ignite.

8:50 am. US President George W. Bush has been warned. The accident hypothesis is the first considered.

About fifteen minutes after the first impact, a plane hit the south tower of the World Trade Center.

9:03 am. United Airlines Flight 175 in turn crashes against the upper floors of the South Tower.

9:05 am. While in Florida, President George W. Bush begins reading a story to elementary school children. “A second plane hit the second tower. America is under attack, ”his chief of staff whispered in his ear.

At the same time, a passenger of flight 77 alerts her husband of the hijacking of the plane in which she is. He warns the federal authorities.

9:25 am. The civil aviation authorities, the FAA, announce the closure of American airspace and ban any takeoff.

"Apparent terrorist attack"

9:30 am. George W. Bush announces to schoolchildren that he is returning to Washington because of an "apparent terrorist attack".

9:36 am. The Secret Service evacuates Vice President Dick Cheney to the Presidential Emergency Operations Center under the White House.

9:37. American Airlines Flight 77, departing from Dulles Airport near Washington for San Francisco, crashes into the west facade of the Pentagon. The impact killed all passengers and 125 people on the ground.

The plane that crashed into the Pentagon killed 125 soldiers and civilians in addition to the passengers and crew in the hijacked aircraft.

The plane that crashed into the Pentagon killed 125 soldiers and civilians in addition to the passengers and crew in the hijacked aircraft .

9:42 am. The Federal Aviation Administration (the national air traffic control agency) orders all airplanes in flight to land as soon as possible.

9.45 a.m. The White House and the Capitol are evacuated.

9:59 am. After burning for nearly an hour, the South Tower collapsed within seconds in a deluge of fire, steel and dust. The violence is such that no trace of DNA has ever been found for hundreds of victims.

10:03 am. Flight 93 from Newark, New Jersey, crashes in Shanksville, a wooded area in western Pennsylvania. Some passengers, informed by cell phone of what was happening in New York, resisted the terrorists.

10:15 am. Part of the Pentagon collapses.

Bush promises to hunt down those responsible

10:28 am. The north tower collapsed, 102 minutes after being hit by the plane. The southern tip of Manhattan is covered in a cloud of ash and debris.

11:02 a.m. New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani orders the evacuation of southern Manhattan.

1:04 p.m. George W. Bush, who was evacuated from Barksdale air base (Louisiana), places the armed forces on "maximum alert" and promises to "track down and punish the cowards responsible" for the attacks. The president will then be transferred to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska (center) before returning to the White House in the evening.

13:27. Washington Mayor Anthony Williams declares a state of emergency in the federal capital.

5:20 p.m. After having burned for seven hours, building 7 of the World Trade Center collapsed in turn, without causing any victims.

8:30 p.m. George W. Bush addresses the Americans, denounces "deliberate terrorist acts". He promises to track down those responsible and warns that Washington will make "no distinction" between terrorists and those who harbor them. Days of research followed, in an attempt to find survivors or the remains of the victims. 40% of the missing still could not be identified.

11:02 a.m. New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani orders the evacuation of southern Manhattan.

1:04 p.m. George W. Bush, who was evacuated from Barksdale air base (Louisiana), places the armed forces on "maximum alert" and promises to "track down and punish the cowards responsible" for the attacks. The president will then be transferred to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska (center) before returning to the White House in the evening.

13:27. Washington Mayor Anthony Williams declares a state of emergency in the federal capital.

5:20 p.m. After having burned for seven hours, building 7 of the World Trade Center collapsed in turn, without causing any victims.

8:30 p.m. George W. Bush addresses the Americans, denounces "deliberate terrorist acts". He promises to track down those responsible and warns that Washington will make "no distinction" between terrorists and those who harbor them.

AGNES BUZYN EXAMINATION

TO ENDANGER THE LIFE OF OTHERS

Agnès Buzin was also placed under the status of assisted witness for "voluntary abstention from taking specific measures to combat a disaster".

Now representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), Agnès Buzyn, 58, was Minister of Solidarity and Health from 2017 to February 2020, when the pandemic worried the whole world, she left her post. to run for the City of Paris without success.

If this indictment for "endangering the lives of others" certainly created a dangerous precedent for the next ministers and testifies to a judicialization of the political, it also shows that "the political leaders are not au- above the laws ”, according to Jean-Philippe Derosier, professor of public law at the University of Lille in an interview with Les Echos.

COVID-19 JOE BIDEN MAKES VACCINATION MANDATORY

Vaccination thus becomes compulsory for two-thirds of employees in the public and private sectors.

This time, Joe Biden wants to give himself the means to raise a vaccination rate which is ceiling in the United States:

vaccination obligation for caregivers, civil servants and federal government contractors, and for the first time, obligation for companies with more than 100 employees to verify that their employees are doubly vaccinated or present a negative test at least once per week, under penalty of a fine of $ 14,000 per violation.

To date, nearly half of large companies have already announced mandatory vaccination rules for all or part of their staff. Among them are Walmart, the largest private American employer, but also United Airlines, Kraft Heinz, BlackRock, Citigroup, Comcast, Google and Microsoft. "The largest companies are already asking for it, United Airlines, Disney and even Fox New", pleaded Thursday, September 9 the American president

The president also plans to call on the organizers of major sporting or cultural events to make public entry conditional on proof of vaccination or a negative test. The goal is "to reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans (...), to reduce hospitalizations and deaths, to allow our children to go to school safe and to keep our economy strong," he said. explained the spokesperson for the presidency.

The White House also wants to facilitate screening tests and extend the wearing of masks (travel, federal buildings) to curb the epidemic. A national recall campaign for Covid-19 vaccines is also due to start from September 20.

A new wave of contamination

The Delta variant is inflicting in the United States a new wave of contaminations, which clutters hospitals and hinders economic recovery, while a quarter of the population has not received any vaccine injections. The daily toll has risen to 1,500 dead, up 30% over the past two weeks, and 100,000 people are hospitalized because of Covid-19. Concern is growing for children: around 20 of them die each week from Covid-19.

In terms of vaccination, America is cut in half, with rates ranging from just 40% in Mississippi, Alabama and Wyoming to over 70% in Washington DC, Rhode Island or Vermont. But only 53.3% of the population is fully vaccinated, according to health officials, and another 80 million Americans are not vaccinated, or 25% of the population, in this country with the most deaths linked to the new coronavirus. in the world, with more than 653,000 deaths.

"Your refusal has a cost for all of us"

So Joe Biden denounced the “identified minority” of Americans who “keep the country from turning the page” on the epidemic. “My message to unvaccinated Americans is this: what are you doing? wait for more? What more are you waiting for? We have made vaccination free, safe and convenient. The vaccine has had full approval from health authorities. Over 200 million Americans have had at least one dose. We have been patient, but our patience is running out. Your refusal comes at a cost to all of us. So please do what is right, ”he urged.

This change of method comes as Joe Biden suffered several setbacks this summer on the health, economic and political fronts, punctuated by an avalanche of criticism of his management of the evacuations of civilians from Afghanistan at the end of August, in the midst of chaos after the return to the country. power of the Taliban.

LEGISLATIVES AU MAROC

DEFAITE CINGLANTE DES ISLAMISTES AU POUVOIR

Les Marocains ont voté mercredi lors d’élections générales dont les principaux enjeux étaient d’une part l’avenir du parti islamiste PJD, à la tête du gouvernement depuis une décennie, et d’autre part la participation. Le parti islamiste à la tête du gouvernement au Maroc depuis une décennie a subi une véritable déroute au profit de partis considérés comme proches du palais royal lors des élections législatives, mercredi, selon des résultats provisoires annoncés jeudi 9 septembre 2021 au matin. Il est passé de 125 sièges dans l’assemblée sortante à 12, a indiqué le ministre de l’Intérieur Abdelouafi Laftit, durant un point presse.

Le Parti justice et développement sortant n'est même pas dans le trio de tête après les législatives d'hier, mercredi 8 septembre. Il arrive loin derrière ses principaux rivaux, le Rassemblement national des indépendants (RNI), le Parti Authenticité et modernité (PAM), tous deux de tendance libérale, et le Parti de l’Istiqlal (PI, centre droit), qui remportent respectivement 97, 82 et 78 sièges (sur 395). Les résultats définitifs devraient être connus jeudi. Aucun parti ne remporte à lui seul la majorité absolue au Parlement marocain. Il faudra donc des alliances et une coalition gouvernementale.

Le RNI vainqueur

C'est inévitablement une page qui se tourne au Maroc. Puisque du parti majoritaire aux législatives est issu le Premier ministre nommé par le roi. Le vainqueur, selon les chiffres annoncés par le ministère de l'Intérieur, c'est le RNI, parti du ministre de l'Agriculture, Aziz Akhannouche, l'une des plus grandes fortunes du Royaume et décrit comme proche du palais.

Le RNI appartient à la coalition gouvernementale. Il a pu ainsi défendre à la fois son bilan au gouvernement et notamment, la bonne gestion de la crise Covid par ses ministres . Et le PAM, principale formation de l’opposition, a été fondé par l’actuel conseiller royal Fouad Ali El Himma, en 2008, avant qu’il n’en démissionne en 2011. Plus ancien parti du Maroc, le parti de l’Istiqlal (Indépendance), de centre droit, fait un retour remarqué avec un gain de 32 sièges.

Pourquoi une telle défaite du PJD ?

L’ampleur de la défaite des islamistes est inattendue dans la mesure où, malgré l’absence de sondages, médias et analystes pensaient que le PJD jouerait encore les premières places. Longtemps cantonné dans l’opposition, le PJD espérait briguer un troisième mandat consécutif à la tête du gouvernement. Il avait remporté un succès électoral historique après les protestations du « Mouvement du 20 février » – version marocaine du Printemps arabe de 2011 – qui réclamait la fin de « la corruption et du despotisme ». Les commentateurs parlent d’un « séisme électoral », « d’un recul d’une ampleur inattendue » pour un PJD qui n’a pas réussi à défendre son bilan.

Le PJD avait obtenu la primature (le poste de premier ministre) à l’issue du scrutin de la fin 2011, tenu dans la foulée du « Mouvement du 20 février », la version marocaine des « printemps arabes » que la monarchie était parvenue à canaliser à travers une révision constitutionnelle d’inspiration libérale. Cinq ans plus tard, il maintenait son statut de premier parti du royaume sans pour autant obtenir de majorité absolue, contraint dès lors à négocier une nouvelle fois une coalition avec les formations soutenues par le palais...

Le premier ministre, Saad-Eddine Al-Othmanifut , issu du parti islamiste, avait dû cependant accepter non seulement la normalisation, en décembre 2020, des relations avec Israël, le Maroc devenant ainsi le quatrième pays arabe (après les Emirats arabes unis, Bahreïn et le Soudan) à reconnaître cette année-là l’Etat hébreu mais également l’adoption en 2019 d’une loi renforçant la place du français dans l’enseignement public, notamment dans les matières scientifiques, et ce à rebours des anciennes politiques d’arabisation.

Privé des ministères régaliens, confiés à des proches du roi, le parti n’a jamais pu réellement peser sur les orientations stratégiques du gouvernement. De plus le nouveau calcul du quotient électoral (désormais rapporté au nombre d’inscrits et non plus des votants) n'a pas joué en faveur du parti islamiste. Le PJD a donc souffert du désenchantement d’une frange de son électorat, même s’il conserve un socle historique hérité d’un vieil enracinement, notamment dans les villes

Participation en hausse et proportionnelle

C’est la première fois depuis la tenue des premières élections au Maroc en 1960 que la répartition des sièges à la Chambre des représentants est calculée sur la base du nombre d’électeurs inscrits et non des votants. Ce nouveau mode de calcul a fortement handicapé les grands partis, au profit des « petites » formations. Seul le PJD s’y est opposé, s’estimant « lésé ».

Même si les résultats définitifs doivent encore être confirmés ce jeudi, on sait déjà que la participation a fortement pesé, puisqu’elle a atteint 50,18 % au niveau national, selon le ministère de l’Intérieur. Le taux de participation avait plafonné à 43 % lors des précédentes législatives en 2016, mais c’est la première fois que les quelque 18 millions d’électeurs choisissaient leurs 395 députés le même jour que leurs représentants communaux et régionaux. Une première qui a contribué à réduire l’abstention.

Ce rendez-vous électoral survient dans un environnement régional sensible dominé par la rupture des relations diplomatiques avec l’Algérie, et des relations crispées avec certains pays européens (notamment l’Espagne et l’Allemagne) autour du dossier du Sahara occidental. Il s’inscrit aussi dans un contexte interne marqué par un tournant sécuritaire du régime, ainsi que l’illustrent les multiples procès intentés ces deux dernières années contre des journalistes et intellectuels critiques.

Des formations jugées proches du roi

Désormais, il revient au monarque de nommer un chef du gouvernement, issu du parti arrivé en tête du scrutin législatif, qui sera chargé de former un exécutif pour un mandat de cinq ans. Il succédera au secrétaire général du PJD, Saad-Eddine El Othmani. Le plus dur commencera alors pour les partis politiques, car ils devront négocier pour adopter « un pacte » afin de mettre en œuvre ce programme. En 2011, le Maroc avait adopté une nouvelle Constitution qui accordait de larges prérogatives au Parlement et au gouvernement.

Toutefois, les décisions et les orientations dans des secteurs clés continuent d’émaner d’initiatives du roi.

COVID-19 AGNES BUZYN CONVOQUEE

 PAR LA COUR DE JUSTICE DE LA REPUBLIQUE

EN VUE D'UNE MISE EN EXAMEN

Agnès Buzyn, l’ex-ministre de la santé de mai 2017 à février 2020, est convoquée, vendredi 10 septembre 2021, par les juges de la Cour de justice de la République. Elle risque une mise en examen pour « mise en danger de la vie d’autrui » dans le cadre de la gestion gouvernementale de la crise sanitaire.

Il s'agit d'un interrogatoire de première comparution à l'issue duquel Agnès Buzyn peut être mise en examen ou ressortir sous le statut plus favorable de témoin assisté, si elle parvient à convaincre les juges qu'il n'existe pas suffisamment d'indices graves ou concordants pouvant être retenus contre elle.

Agnès Buzyn avait démissionné de son poste de ministre de la Santé en février 2020 au tout début de l'épidémie de Covid-19, remplacée par Olivier Véran.

L’ex-ministre avait créé un tollé en qualifiant les élections municipales de « mascarade » et en déclarant qu’elle savait « que la vague du tsunami était devant nous » au moment de son départ du ministère, à la mi-février. Pourtant, en janvier, elle avait déclaré publiquement :

« Les risques de propagation du coronavirus dans la population sont très faibles », reconnaissant que cette analyse pouvait évoluer.

Devant la commission d’enquête de l’Assemblée nationale sur la gestion de la crise sanitaire, Agnès Buzyn avait indiqué fin juin 2020 avoir alerté l’Élysée et Matignon dès janvier de la même année sur le danger potentiel du coronavirus.

Cette convocation à la CJR intervient dans le cadre de l'enquête menée depuis juillet 2020 sur la manière dont le gouvernement a géré la pandémie.Outre Agnès Buzyn, l'instruction menée par la CJR vise également l'ancien Premier ministre Edouard Philippe ainsi qu'Olivier Véran. Des perquisitions avaient d'ailleurs été menées le 15 octobre dernier chez Edouard Philippe, Agnès Buzyn, Olivier Véran et chez le directeur général de la Santé Jérôme Salomon.

14 500 plaintes contre le gouvernement

L’enquête avait été ouverte en juillet 2020 après que la commission des requêtes de la CJR, composée de hauts magistrats, avait estimé que neuf plaintes visant l’exécutif étaient recevables. Depuis, d’autres plaintes ont été jugées recevables et jointes à l’enquête. Mercredi, le procureur général près la Cour de cassation François Molins, qui représente l’accusation à la CJR, a déclaré que « 14 500 plaintes » sur la gestion de la pandémie étaient arrivées à la CJR.

La CJR est la seule juridiction habilitée à poursuivre et juger les Premiers ministres, ministres et secrétaires d'Etat pour les crimes et délits commis « dans l'exercice de leurs fonctions ».

FRANCE LE PROCES HORS-NORME

DES ATTENTATS DU 13 NOVEMBRE 2015

Le procès des attentats du 13 novembre 2015 s'ouvre ce mercredi 8 septembre 2021 devant la cour d'assises spéciale de Paris. C' est la plus grande audience criminelle jamais organisée en France. Au moins 145 journées de procès sont prévues jusqu'au 25 mai 2022, le dossier d'instruction compte un million de pages, 330 avocats y figurent, et 1.765 personnes, d'une vingtaine de nationalités différentes, se sont constituées parties civiles. Huit caméras enregistreront les débats au titre des archives audiovisuelles de la justice.

Une salle d'audience de 700 m2

Dans le bâtiment historique du palais de justice de Paris, sur l'île de la Cité, une salle d'audience de 700 m2, la « plus grande jamais construite », a été bâtie, dans le respect du style du palais. Au moins 17 salles annexes pourront retransmettre les débats et une webradio sécurisée permettra aux victimes de suivre les audiences de chez elles, en léger différé.

Salah Abdeslam entendu en janvier.

Un des moments forts du procès sera l'audition de Salah Abdeslam, le seul membre du commando encore en vie. Son interrogatoire est prévu les 13 et 14 janvier 2022. Agé de 31 ans, ce proche d'Abdelhamid Abaaoud, le chef opérationnel des commandos, a abandonné sa ceinture d'explosifs dans la soirée du 13 novembre 2015 pour des raisons qui restent encore inconnues. Depuis, il a presque systématiquement gardé le silence face aux juges ou lors de son procès à Bruxelles en 2018, où il a été condamné à vingt ans de prison pour avoir tiré sur des policiers en 2016. Il risque la perpétuité.

Vingt personnes jugées.

En plus de Salah Abdeslam,  dix-neuf autres personnes seront jugées.

Quatorze seront présentes (onze sont détenues et prendront place dans le box des accusés, trois comparaîtront libres). Parmi elles, Mohamed Abrini (jugé pour avoir accompagné en région parisienne les commandos du 13-Novembre et participé à leur financement et à la fourniture de leurs armes, également impliqué dans les attentats de Bruxelles), Mohammed Amri (qui a reconnu être allé chercher Salah Abdeslam en voiture le soir des attentats pour le ramener en Belgique), Mohamed Bakkali (considéré comme un des logisticiens du commando) ou encore Osama Krayem (un compagnon de cavale de Salah Abdeslam à Bruxelles après les attentats de Paris).

Les autres sont absentes, certains présumés mortes. Il s'agit notamment des frères Fabien et Jean-Michel Clain, tous les deux identifiés dans le message audio revendiquant les attentats du 13-Novembre (ils auraient été tués en février ou mars 2019 dans une frappe aérienne en Syrie) ou encore d'Oussama Atar, considéré comme l'un des responsables de la branche renseignement du groupe Etat islamique et un ordonnateur des attentats parisiens (il aurait été tué dans une frappe occidentale en Syrie en 2017).

Olivia Ronen est l'avocate de Salah Abdeslam.

A 31 ans seulement, Olivia Ronen aura la délicate tâche d'assurer la défense de Salah Abdeslam. Profil bien éloigné du médiatique ténor du barreau de Lille Frank Berton, un temps l'avocat du dernier survivant du commando, elle a été officiellement désignée en novembre 2020. C'est Salah Abdeslam lui-même qui a pris contact avec elle, il y a trois ans, depuis la prison de Fleury-Mérogis où il est détenu sous très haute sécurité.Abdeslam avait officiellement désigné l'avocate en novembre 2020.

Mais Olivia Ronen ne dira rien sur cette rencontre et le moment où la décision a été prise. Pas davantage sur l'état d'esprit de son client ainsi que la manière dont il aborde son procès, alors qu'il est resté principalement mutique depuis plusieurs années. Une ligne de conduite pour ne pas « l'enfermer dans quelque chose de prédéfini », étaye l'avocate.

Reçue au concours de la Conférence du stage qu'elle avait préparé en 2015, elle avait dans ce cadre assuré la défense de l'ancien militaire Erwan Guillard, parti faire le djihad en Syrie et condamné à 11 ans de réclusion criminelle en appel en 2019.

Elle était aussi intervenue dans le dossier de l'attentat perpétré le 14 juillet 2016 à Nice. Une incursion qui s'était soldée par un « sentiment d'impuissance » après le suicide en prison de son client, en 2019.Dans le cadre du procès l'avocate, qui a prêté serment en 2016, sera aussi épaulée par Me Martin Vettes, âgé de 32 ans.

Jean-Louis Périès, un président expérimenté.

A l'inverse, le magistrat qui a été choisi pour présider le procès historique est très expérimenté. A 65 ans, Jean-Louis Périès vivra même son dernier procès avant la retraite. Il s'y prépare depuis près d'un an et demi. Jean-Louis Périès sera épaulé par deux autres présidents d'assises pour le procès : la première assesseure Frédérique Aline et la magistrate honoraire Xavière Siméoni.

Trois avocats généraux représenteront l'accusation, portée par le parquet national antiterroriste : Camille Hennetier, Nicolas Le Bris et Nicolas Braconnay

AFGHANISTAN LE GOUVERNEMENT DES TALIBANS

 CONSACRE LES CONSERVATEURS

Quelques heures après que le mouvement islamiste a repris la vallée du Panchir, les talibans ont annoncé, mardi, la composition d’un gouvernement qui n’a rien d’inclusif, contrairement à leurs engagements. En effet, tous les membres de ce gouvernement qui sera dirigé par Mohammad Hassan Akhund, un ancien proche collaborateur du fondateur du mouvement, le mollah Omar, mort en 2013, sont des talibans. L' équipe dirigeante est uniquement composée d’hommes. En outre, presque tous appartiennent à l’ethnie pachtoune.

Des ministres qui figurent sur des listes de sanction de l’ONU

Plusieurs des nouveaux ministres, dont certains étaient déjà très influents lors du précédent régime taliban, figurent sur des listes de sanction de l’Organisation des Nations unies (ONU). Quatre sont passés par la prison américaine de Guantanamo. Le premier ministre, M. Akhund, est connu pour avoir approuvé la destruction, en 2001, des bouddhas géants de Bamiyan, dans le centre du pays, selon Bill Roggio, rédacteur en chef du Long War Journal. Abdul Ghani Baradar, cofondateur du mouvement, devient vice-premier ministre et le mollah Mohammad Yaqoub, fils du mollah Omar, ministre de la défense. Le portefeuille de l’intérieur revient à Sirajuddin Haqqani, dirigeant du réseau du même nom, qualifié de terroriste par Washington et historiquement proche d’Al-Qaida.

En annonçant ce gouvernement, le porte-parole taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, a affirmé qu’il n’était « pas complet » et que le mouvement essaierait d’inclure par la suite « des gens venant d’autres régions du pays » . Le gouvernement , consacre les conservateurs ceux même qui avait imposé un régime islamiste brutal de 1996 à 2001.

Un gouvernement jugé ni « inclusif » ni « représentatif »

Les Etats-Unis ont relevé l’absence de femmes et se sont dits « préoccupés » par « les affiliations et les antécédents de certains de ces individus », même s’ils jugeront « sur les actes ».

Mercredi, l’Union européenne (UE) a critiqué le gouvernement, le jugeant ni « inclusif » ni « représentatif » de la diversité ethnique et religieuse du pays. C’était « l’une des cinq conditions posées » pour que puissent s’établir des relations entre le bloc européen et le nouveau pouvoir afghan, a rappelé un porte-parole de l’UE.

Pramila Patten, responsable d’ONU Femmes, l’agence créée pour promouvoir la parité et l’autonomisation des femmes, a ainsi estimé que leur absence de ce gouvernement « faisait douter du récent engagement à protéger et à respecter les droits » des Afghanes.

Respect de la charia

Lors de leur premier passage au pouvoir, les islamistes avaient bafoué les droits des femmes, qui étaient quasi exclues de l’espace public. Nombre d’Afghanes et la communauté internationale craignent qu’il en soit de même.

Depuis leur prise du pouvoir, les talibans n’ont cessé d’affirmer qu’ils avaient changé. Mais leurs promesses peinent à convaincre. Le retour du ministère pour la promotion de la vertu et la répression du vice, qui faisait régner la terreur dans les années 1990, devrait ainsi susciter bien des inquiétudes dans la population.« Tous les Afghans, sans distinction ni exception, auront le droit de vivre dans la dignité et la paix dans leur propre pays », a affirmé, mardi, le chef suprême des talibans, Haibatullah Akhundzada, resté silencieux jusque-là, sans toutefois jamais mentionner le mot « femmes ».

Il a invité le nouveau gouvernement à « faire respecter la charia » et à tout faire pour « éradiquer la pauvreté et le chômage ».

COVID-19 VERS UNE CINQUIEME VAGUE

CET AUTOMNE EN FRANCE ?

Dans une mise à jour publiée lundi 6 septembre 2021, portant sur son étude « Epidémiologie du Sars-Cov2 dans une population vaccinée et implications pour le contrôle d'un rebond automnal », l'Institut Pasteur a dévoilé ses prévisions pour l'automne à venir.

L’Institut a actualisé sa modélisation en tenant compte de la vaccination et de la transmissibilité plus importante du variant Delta.

L’épidémie de Covid-19 continuera cet automne à poser des problèmes au système de santé français, mais les raisons de se montrer optimistes existent.

Les prévisions tablent en effet sur une couverture vaccinale de 70 % chez les 12-17 ans, 80 % chez les 18-59 ans et 90 % chez les plus de 60 ans, contre 30 %-70 %-90 % dans l’analyse de juin.

La plus grande transmissibilité du variant Delta est soulignée : le taux de reproduction (nombre de personnes qu’un infecté contamine) passe de 4 à 5, et la vaccination ne réduit le risque d’infection que de 60 %, contre une estimation de 80 % en juin.

Les non-vaccinés contribuent fortement à la pression hospitalière

Sans surprise, les adultes non-vaccinés vont contribuer « de façon importante à la pression sur l’hôpital », estime l’Institut Pasteur. Le scénario prévoit que les « plus de 60 ans » non-vaccinés, soit « 3 % de la population », représentent « 43 % des hospitalisations. » Le risque d’hospitalisation augmente ainsi « de 50 % pour les personnes infectées par le variant Delta ». Ces non-vaccinés contribuent également « de façon disproportionnée à la transmission », poursuit l’étude, qui préconise des « mesures de contrôle ciblant cette population ». Un rôle que joue déjà le passe sanitaire.

Les personnes vaccinées sont moins bien protégées qu'avant

« Avec le variant Delta, les personnes vaccinées sont moins bien protégées contre l’infection, même si la protection reste très élevée contre les formes graves »,», alerte l’Institut, soulignant s’attendre « à ce qu’à peu près la moitié des infections aient lieu chez des personnes vaccinées[alors que ce groupe représente plus de 70% de la population] ». Un constat qui ne surprend pas l’immunologiste Frédéric Altare, directeur de recherche à l’Inserm : « Le taux d’anticorps […] diminue au bout de quelques mois, explique-t-il. Avec le variant Alpha, les quelques anticorps qui se baladaient toujours quelques mois après la vaccination suffisaient à le bloquer, donc il ne se répandait pas et on ne devenait même pas positif. »

En revanche, reprend-il, « il faut une grande quantité d’anticorps pour bloquer le variant Delta. Quelques anticorps ne suffisent pas et il a le temps de se répliquer, jusqu’à conférer une positivité à la personne. » Heureusement, quelque temps après l’infection, de nouveaux anticorps sont produits par les cellules mémoires du vacciné, permettant de lutter contre le virus et d’éviter à « 95 % » les formes graves. Les scientifiques considèrent donc qu'il est essentiel « que la couverture vaccinale chez les plus fragiles soit aussi haute que possible ».

Un tiers d’infections chez les jeunes

Les chercheurs s’attendent « à ce qu’un tiers des infections ait lieu chez les enfants et adolescents », contre « près de la moitié » dans les estimations de juin. Ceci tient à « la part relative plus importante des infections chez les adultes » et aux bons résultats de la vaccination chez les adolescents.

D'autant que, désormais largement dominant, le variant Delta « pourrait être 50% plus transmissible que le variant Alpha », qui était lui-même plus contagieux que la souche initiale du virus, observent les modélisateurs.

Les gestes barrières indispensables

Aussi les chercheurs jugent-ils important que les efforts actuels pour limiter la transmission soient maintenus, notamment « en appliquant les gestes barrières, le port du masque, un certain degré de distanciation physique, le tester-tracer-isoler et le pass sanitaire ».Avec le variant Delta, « l’arrêt de toutes mesures de contrôle pourrait conduire à un stress important sur le système de santé », préviennent les experts.

Ils insistent sur la poursuite de la vaccination, mais aussi le maintien des gestes barrières, même chez les vaccinés.

MORT DE JEAN-PAUL BELMONDO,

MONSTRE SACRE DU CINEMA

L'acteur français et icône du cinéma Jean-Paul Belmondo est mort ce lundi 6 septembre 2021 à l'âge de 88 ans, a annoncé son avocat.

« Il était très fatigué depuis quelque temps. Il s'est éteint tranquillement », a précisé ce dernier.

L’acteur restera à jamais le monstre sacré du cinéma français avec plus de 50 ans de carrière et 80 films.

Il est apparu aussi bien dans des films d’auteurs que dans des longs-métrages populaires.

« Vous ne réussirez jamais dans ce métier avec votre physique ! »

Jean-Paul Belmondo n'aurait pas pu faire mieux mentir ce jugement entendu à ses débuts.

Né le 9 avril 1933 à Neuilly-sur-Seine, le jeune Belmondo grandit dans une famille d'artistes.

Son père est un sculpteur, dont toute sa vie il défendra passionnément l’œuvre.

Elève turbulent, adolescent plus amateur de sport (la boxe, qu’il pratiquera longtemps, et le football) que d’études il aime faire le pitre et rêve de théâtre.

Jean-Paul Belmondo prend ses premiers cours de théâtre à l'âge de 15 ans.

Il passe par le Conservatoire national de Paris à partir de 1952, où il rencontre les acteurs Jean Rochefort, Jean-Pierre Marielle , Bruno Cremer, Pierre Vernier et Michel Beaune  la « bande du conservatoire » a ainsi joué sur les planches, essentiellement dans les années 1950, au début de sa carrière, et dans les années 1990.

Des personnages entrés dans la mémoire collective des Français

C'est À bout de souffle de Jean-Luc Godard et sorti en 1960 qui le révélera au grand public. Puis vient la rencontre qui scelle son destin, en la personne de Jean-Luc Godard :

« C'est lui qui m'a fait aimer le cinéma. Avant A bout de souffle, on m'avait tellement dit que je n'étais pas bon que je doutais », confiait-il en 2001.

Et Jean-Paul Belmondo en Michel Poiccard, voyou désinvolte et séduisant, tueur de flic amoureux d’une vendeuse du Herald qui finira les bras en croix au bout de la rue Campagne-Première, recueille à juste titre sa part de reconnaissance et d’éloges.

Godard devient alors l’une des figures de proue des réalisateurs de la Nouvelle Vague, Belmondo l’un des acteurs qui l’incarnent. Il joue devant la caméra de Godard toujours dans Pierrot Le Fou, Une femme est une femme, mais aussi de François Truffaut (La Sirène du Mississipi).

Mais l’essentiel de la trajectoire de Jean-Paul Belmondo se joue ailleurs.

C’est avec Cartouche, bandit d’honneur dans les Trois Mousquetaires ( Philippe de Broca en 1962) que naît le véritable personnage de Belmondo, celui que la France entière appellera bientôt « Bébel ».

Celui qui pourra être désormais indifféremment flic ou voyou, comique ou dramatique sans plus jamais se renier.

Week-end à Zuydcoote (Henri Verneuil, 1964), Ho ! (Robert Enrico, 1968), Les Mariés de l’an II (Jean-Paul Rappeneau, 1971), Le Magnifique (Philippe de Broca, 1973), L’Héritier (Philippe Labro, 1973), L’Animal (Claude Zidi, 1977), Le Guignolo (George Lautner, 1980), L’As des as (Gérard Oury, 1982) ou encore  L'Itinéraire d’un enfant gâté (Claude Lelouch, 1988 ) racontent certes des histoires complètement différente mais ces films se ressemblent d’incroyable façon, tous entièrement centrés sur un acteur-personnage unique, comme inamovible d’un film à l’autre.

Jean-Paul Belmondo a incarné des personnages entrés dans la mémoire collective des Français.

En 2001, alors qu'il passe ses vacances en Corse, Jean-Paul Belmondo est victime d'un AVC et met sa carrière en pause.

Il revient sur le grand écran en 2008 dans Un homme et son chien de Francis Huster. Il n'a pas joué depuis, mais a reçu quelques-unes des plus grandes distinctions de la nation.

Fait commandeur de la Légion d’honneur en 2007, grand officier de l’ordre national du Mérite en 2017 et commandeur de l’ordre national des Arts et des Lettres, Jean-Paul Belmondo a également reçu une Palme d'honneur au Festival de Cannes en 2011 et la 42ème cérémonie des César lui était consacrée en février 2017.

« Je n’ai pas peur de la fin. J’ai eu une vie si heureuse », avait-il déclaré à Corse-Matin à l’été 2018. 

Il demeurera à jamais Le Magnifique.

LE PROJET DES REPUBLICAINS

POUR LA PRESIDENTIELLE 2022

Les Républicains ont mis l'accent sur leur projet pour la présidentielle 2022 ce samedi 4 septembre 202 avec des universités d’été des jeunes LR au Parc floral à Paris. « Nous sommes de retour », a lancé le président de LR Christian Jacob après dix ans passé dans l'opposition. Plus de 1 500 personnes étaient inscrites pour ces universités d’été, deuxième édition pour le mouvement des jeunes de LR qui revendique plus de 10 000 membres.

Trois candidats Michel Barnier, Éric Ciotti et Philippe Juvin étaient invités aux tables rondes alors que la présidente de l’Île-de-France Valérie Pécresse, qui a quitté LR en 2019, s'est invitée suscitant un attroupement. Et de montrer qu'elle joue « collectif ». « Nous allons gagner car nos idées sont majoritaires et sont attendues par les les Français », a-t-elle insisté.

Contrairement à Xavier Bertrand, grand absent qui compte se lancer dans la course à l’Elysée sans passer par une éventuelle primaire. Il est pour l'instant le mieux placé dans les sondages.

Leur « projet pour la France » en vue de la présidentielle de 2022 présente trente propositions articulées autour des thématiques phares « protéger, libérer, rassembler ».

En matière de police, le projet s’attaque au cas des récidivistes avec la suspension des allocations familiales pour les parents de mineurs délinquants récidivistes et l’instauration de peines minimales pour les récidivistes et/ou quand la victime est force de l’ordre. Il prévoit aussi de lancer un plan de 25 milliards d’euros sur cinq ans pour les forces de l’ordre et la création de 20 000 places de prison. En plus, ce programme porte à 3 milliards d’euros le budget de la justice.

Concernant les retraites, le parti veut notamment porter progressivement l’âge de départ à 65 ans et mettre fin aux régimes spéciaux.

De nombreuses mesures en termes de fiscalité sont abordées dans ce plan : diviser par deux les impôts de production, permettre aux entreprises de fixer le temps de travail, exonérer de charges sociales pendant six mois le premier emploi d’un jeune, exiger le remboursement des aides publiques aux entreprises qui délocalisent…

Sur l’environnement, c’est un retour en arrière avec l’arrêt des fermetures des centrales nucléaires, le prolongement de la durée de vie des réacteurs jusqu’à 60 ans, ainsi que l’arrêt des subventions des secteurs éolien et solaire. LR souhaite lancer un plan hydrogène de 11 milliards d’euros (d’ici 2040) pour faire de la France le leader mondial.

Afin d’« éradiquer l’islamisme », les Républicains veulent fermer les mosquées radicalisées et inscrire dans la Constitution un « état de nécessité antiterroriste ». Un plafond annuel d’immigration serait également inscrit dans la Constitution. En outre, leur programme en matière d’immigration interdit les régularisations en cas d’entrée irrégulière et conditionne les aides sociales à cinq années de cotisations.

Autre investissement majeur annoncé (sur la santé) : le lancement d’un plan Alzheimer de 1,6 milliard d’euros sur 5 ans. Le programme de LR compte aussi mettre fin au collège unique et permettre l’apprentissage dès 14 ans, mais aussi instaurer un service à la nation obligatoire d’au moins quatre mois.

En quête d’un candidat

La droite se cherche toujours un candidat pour la prochaine présidentielle et les deux favoris ont quitté LR (ils ne se sentent donc guère liés par le projet de leur ancienne famille politique). « Chaque candidat a la liberté de présenter son projet. Mais il est bien évident que Les Républicains se tourneront vers celui qui reprendra le plus [le nôtre]», a assuré Christian Jacob. « La préoccupation des Français est de savoir notre capacité à gagner l’élection. ».

Reste à savoir si les LR vont organiser une primaire ...Rendez-vous pour le congrès prévu le 25 septembre 2021.

CHINE LES HOMMES JUGES EFFEMINES

 BANNIS DE LA TELEVISION

Difficile de s'affranchir de la tutelle moralisatrice du Parti communiste chinois (PCC) dans l'empire du Milieu : désormais les hommes jugés «efféminés» sont bannis de la télévision chinoise, suspectés qu'ils sont de « corrompre la jeunesse » en promouvant le consumérisme et la déviation.

L’apparence des hommes à la télévision avait déjà fait l’objet de désapprobations en 2019. Certaines célébrités avaient par exemple vu leurs boucles d’oreilles, leurs tatouages ou encore leurs queues de cheval floutés à l'écran. Selon le PCC, le look féminin de ces hommes médiatisés serait également une cause de la baisse du taux de natalité. Il n’inciterait pas les jeunes hommes chinois à devenir «plus masculins».

Pour ce faire les émissions de divertissement, influencée en partie par la culture pop sud-coréenne deviennent interdites . Des critères de sélection des acteurs seront à privilégier, comme la bonne conduite politique et morale. Certains formats d'émissions et des concours de talents ont également été arrêté, l'Administration nationale de la radio et de la télévision ayant décidé que les chaînes de télévision et les plateformes en ligne «ne diffuseraient plus de programmes qui développent l'idolâtrie ou des émissions de variétés et de téléréalité».

Promouvoir la culture traditionnelle chinoise

Pour expliquer sa décision, l’administration chinoise de la télévision et de la radio a indiqué dans un communiqué, qu'elle souhaitait «promouvoir vigoureusement l’excellence de la culture traditionnelle chinoise (…) et la culture socialiste avancée.» Le régulateur de l’audiovisuel chinois a par ailleurs imposé une redéfinition plus correcte des critères de beauté des célébrités.

Il s'agirait de recentrer la jeunesse sur la vision du Parti communiste...

ALORS QUE LES COMBATS DANS LE PANCHIR CONTINUENT, L'ANNONCE DU GOUVERNEMENT TALIBAN EST ENCORE DIFFERE

Les talibans ont à nouveau différé samedi 4 septembre l’annonce de leur gouvernement, dont la composition pourrait donner le ton des années à venir en Afghanistan, où le nouveau régime reste confronté à une poche de résistance armée dans la vallée du Panchir .

La situation dans le Panchir, l’un des derniers foyers d’opposition armée au nouveau régime, pourrait expliquer le retard pris pour présenter le nouvel exécutif, initialement pressenti pour être dévoilé vendredi.

Bastion antitaliban de longue date, cette vallée, enclavée et difficile d’accès située à environ 80 kilomètres au nord de la capitale, est le théâtre depuis lundi et le départ des dernières troupes américaines du pays de combats entre les forces talibanes et le Front national de résistance (FNR).

« La résistance continue »

Réfugié dans la vallée du Panchir, l’ancien vice-président Amrullah Saleh a évoqué une « situation très difficile » dans un message vidéo diffusé vendredi soir, tout en assurant que la « résistance continu[ait] et continue[rait] ».

Selon Ahmad Massoud, qui mène la résistance dans la vallée, les talibans auraient proposé d’attribuer deux sièges au FNR dans le gouvernement qu’ils veulent créer.

Et ce « alors que nous demandions un meilleur avenir pour l’Afghanistan. Nous n’avons même pas considéré » leur offre, a ajouté mercredi le fils du commandant Ahmed Shah Massoud assassiné en 2001 par Al-Qaïda, estimant que les talibans avaient « choisi le chemin de la guerre ».

Vers un gouvernement « inclusif » ?

Depuis leur retour au pouvoir à l’issue d’une offensive militaire éclair qui a pris de court le gouvernement en place et la communauté internationale, les talibans se sont efforcés de montrer un visage modéré et ont multiplié les gestes d’ouverture.

Ils ont notamment promis un gouvernement « inclusif » et ont noué des contacts ces dernières semaines avec des personnalités afghanes qui leur sont opposées, comme l’ex-président Hamid Karzaï, ou l’ancien vice-président Abdullah Abdullah,

Mais rien n’a filtré à ce stade sur leurs véritables intentions ni sur la place qu’ils entendent accorder à des représentants de l’opposition ou aux minorités. Plusieurs pays ont répété vendredi que le nouveau régime serait jugé sur ses actes. Le président russe Vladimir Poutine a espéré que les talibans de comporteront de manière « civilisée » et Pékin les a appelés à « rompre » définitivement avec les groupes terroristes.

Le secrétaire d’Etat américain Antony Blinken, qui sera de lundi à mercredi au Qatar, a de son côté espéré que le gouvernement mis en place par les talibans serait « réellement inclusif », avec « des non-talibans qui seraient « représentatifs des différentes communautés et des différents intérêts en Afghanistan. »

La composition de leur exécutif fera donc figure de test sur leur réelle volonté de changement.

Cependant selon les analystes , le gouvernement, dont on évoque qu’il comprendrait 25 ministres, devrait être composé principalement de talibans. Les analystes misent depuis des semaines sur un triumvirat composé du mollah Abdul Ghani Baradar, l’un des fondateurs du mouvement, de Mohammad Yaqoob (le fils du mollah Omar, l’autre fondateur), ainsi que de Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, un autre membre originel de l’organisation, qui assurera le poste de chef de la diplomatie. Sur le modèle iranien, ce gouvernement pourrait être placé sous l’autorité d’un guide spirituel, Haibatullah Akhundzada, mollah, lui aussi. Et les talibans ont laissé entendre qu’il pourrait n’y avoir aucune femme ministre, leur présence relevant plutôt des échelons inférieurs. Une perspective contre laquelle se sont élevées plusieurs militantes qui ont manifesté jeudi à Hérat puis vendredi à Kaboul.

Ahmad Nader Nadery, membre de la délégation afghane qui négocie avec les islamistes, interrogé par un journaliste du Point, déplore le blocage des pourparlers depuis la chute de Kaboul et fait le triste constat que « les discussions avec les talibans n’ont plus de sens ».

.«S’ils mettent du temps à rendre public leur gouvernement, cela ne veut pas du tout dire qu’ils négociaient avec qui que ce soit, note Kate Clark, codirectrice à l’Afghanistan Analysts Network . C’est simplement parce qu’ils veulent être sûrs auparavant qu’ils tiennent bien le pays et qu’aucune émeute ne viendra troubler la fête.»

 FRANCE LES POLICIERS POURRONT PRENDRE LE  TRAIN GRATUITEMENT 

La promesse de Gérald Darmanin, formulée fin mars lors d’un déplacement à Thionville, va devenir réalité. La gratuité des transports sur le réseau SNCF pour les policiers en service actif relevant de la Direction Générale de la Police Nationale a été actée ce vendredi et sera appliquée dès 2022.

« Gratuité des transports : conformément à la demande de l’Unsa Police avant l’ouverture du Beauvau de la sécurité, le ministre de l’Intérieur confirme la mise en place du dispositif au 1er janvier 2022 », a tweeté vendredi ce syndicat.

Le ministre de l’Intérieur en fera l’annonce officielle lundi aux syndicats de policiers.

En contrepartie de la sécurisation des trains

Mais pour bénéficier de la gratuité de leurs trajets quotidiens domicile- travail, ils devront se signaler au personnel à bord et porter leur arme pour participer à la « sécurisation des trains ».

Le ministre s’est félicité sur Twitter d’un « partenariat gagnant / gagnant permettant de mieux sécuriser les trains et faciliter la vie de nos policiers ».

Le prix du billet sera pris en charge par le ministère, a-t-on poursuivi de même source.

En contrepartie de la sécurisation, Gérald Darmanin s’est également engagé à dédommager à hauteur de 75% les trajets de loisirs des policiers sur le modèle de la convention qui existe entre la SNCF et le ministère des Armées. Le reste à charge de 25% sera progressivement pris en charge par un système de bon d’achat puis totalement au 1er janvier 2023.

Une mesure sociale aussi

«Enfin une mesure sociale digne de ce nom», salue sur Europe 1 Fabien Vanhemelryck, secrétaire général du syndicat Alliance. «C’était acté depuis 2016 mais il a fallu attendre ce ministre de l’Intérieur pour qu’il le mette en application. C’est une avancée historique que nous attendions depuis des décennies», précise le policier. Le ministre de l'Intérieur fait d'une pierre deux coups...

A sept mois de l’élection présidentielle la sécurité de la population deviendrait-elle une priorité pour le gouvernement d'Emmanuel Macron ?

ATTAQUE TERRORISTE DANS UN SUPERMARCHE

 EN NOUVELLE-ZELANDE

Un homme a été abattu après avoir blessé six personnes avec un couteau lors d'une attaque « terroriste » dans un supermarché d'Auckland, en Nouvelle-Zélande. 

L'assaillant abattu était placé sous étroite surveillance en raison de ses convictions extrémistes, « inspirées du groupe État islamique ».

Un homme proche du groupe jihadiste État islamique a poignardé vendredi six personnes dans un supermarché d'Auckland, en Nouvelle-Zélande, avant d'être tué par la police, qui l'avait placé sous surveillance, a annoncé la Première ministre Jacinda Ardern lors d'une conférence de presse peu après l'attaque.

Sous surveillance depuis 2016

L'homme, un Sri-Lankais arrivé en Nouvelle-Zélande en 2011 et qui figurait sur une liste antiterroriste des personnes à surveiller, est entré dans un centre commercial de la banlieue d'Auckland, s'est emparé d'un couteau sur un présentoir et a commencé à poignarder des passants, a relaté Jacinda Ardern.

Selon la Première ministre, six personnes ont été blessées, dont trois grièvement, avant que des policiers qui le surveillaient n'ouvrent le feu, dans la minute qui a suivi le début de l'attaque.

« Idéologie violente et inspirée du groupe jihadiste État islamique »

« Ce qui s'est passé aujourd'hui est ignoble, détestable », a déclaré Jacinda Ardern, ajoutant que cet acte n'était représentatif d'aucune religion ni d'aucune communauté : « Cela a été mené par un individu, pas par une foi, pas par une culture, pas par une ethnie, mais un individu mué par une idéologie qui n'est soutenue ici par personne ».

Interrogée sur les motivations de l'agresseur, la Première ministre a expliqué : « c'est une idéologie violente et inspirée du groupe État islamique », a t-elle ajouté, assurant ne pas pouvoir tout dire publiquement sur cet homme qui était surveillé depuis 2016 après une décision de justice.

Les autorités estiment que l'homme a agi seul et que la population ne court plus de risque, a assuré le commissaire de police Andrew Coster.

La Nouvelle-Zélande a connu sa pire attaque terroriste en mars 2019 à Christchurch, lorsqu'un suprémaciste blanc a ouvert le feu dans deux mosquées, tuant 51 personnes et en blessant 40 autres.

UN TIERS DES ESPECES D'ARBRES MENACES D'EXTINCTION DANS LE MONDE

Les écosystèmes sont mis à mal et, dans cette crise de la biodiversité, les arbres ne sont pas épargnés, selon une étude publiée mercredi 1er septembre par l’association Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). L'étude qui dresse un inventaire complet de la biosphère révèle que 17.510 espèces d'arbres sont menacées sur les 58 497 espèces d’arbres étudiées.

Cela équivaut au double du nombre de mammifères, d'oiseaux, d'amphibiens et de reptiles en voie d'extinction réunis. Plus de 440 espèces d'arbres sont sur le point de disparaître. Même des arbres communs, tels les magnolias, seraient en voie de disparition, mais aussi les chênes, les érables et les ébènes.

Le Brésil, qui abrite une large part de la forêt tropicale amazonienne, et près de 9 000 espèces d’arbres, est le pays le plus touché par cette extinction de masse. Au total, 1 788 espèces d’arbres y sont menacées, principalement par l’agriculture intensive.

Parmi les zones où les arbres sont le plus menacés, le Brésil se classe en haut du podium. La forêt amazonienne compte en effet plus de 8847 espèces d'arbres dont 1788 sont menacées.

Mais la plus forte proportion d’espèces menacées se trouve dans les régions tropicales d’Afrique, en particulier à Madagascar et sur l’île Maurice, où respectivement 59 % et 57 % des espèces sont en danger.

Alors que les écosystèmes forestiers jouent un rôle clé dans la nature en abritant et en fournissant des vivres à de nombreuses espèces animales et végétales, en absorbant du CO2 ou encore en fournissant les ingrédients nécessaires à l'élaboration de certains médicaments, la déforestation et l'exploitation forestière continuent.

En tête des principales menaces pour les arbres, le rapport pointe l’agriculture, qui contribue à l’extinction des arbres à hauteur de 29 % pour les cultures et 14 % pour l’élevage du bétail. Puis vient l’exploitation forestière, responsable de 27 % des extinctions, et l’habitat humain qui fait perdre 13 % des arbres. Au total, l’activité humaine durant les trois cents dernières années aura entraîné une diminution de la superficie forestière mondiale d’environ 40 %.

En outre, le changement et les événements climatiques extrêmes –provoqués par l'activité humaine selon le rapport du GIEC– menacent la survie des arbres à travers le monde. «Au moins 180 espèces d'arbres sont directement menacées par l'élévation du niveau de la mer et les phénomènes météorologiques violents. Cette menace est la plus grave pour les espèces insulaires, y compris les magnolias dans les Caraïbes», alerte le BGCI.

L'équipe du BGCI appelle à une mobilisation urgente afin de préserver les arbres à travers le globe. Son principal argument repose sur les bienfaits de ces êtres vivants. «Ils stockent 50% du carbone terrestre du monde [...], fournissent l'habitat et la nourriture à des millions d'autres espèces d'oiseaux, de mammifères, d'amphibiens, de reptiles, d'insectes et de micro-organismes.»

Le rapport préconise cinq actions clés que les responsables politiques et spécialistes peuvent mettre en place pour protéger et faire fructifier les espèces protégées :

étendre les zones de protection des espèces menacées; assurer la conservation de toutes les espèces menacées dans les jardins botaniques ou banques de semences; augmenter le budget alloué à la conservation des espèces d'arbres menacées; multiplier les programmes de plantation et privilégier les espèces menacées et indigènes. Et enfin, promouvoir la collaboration mondiale pour lutter contre l'extinction des arbres.

COVID-19  LE VARIANT MU CLASSE

COMME  VARIANT A SUIVRE

Après Alpha, Delta et Beta, c’est le nouveau variant du coronavirus, B.1.621, baptisé « Mu » et identifié pour la première fois en Colombie en janvier, qui a été classé comme « variant à suivre » par l’OMS ce mercredi.

Il est désormais considéré comme « d'intérêt » par l'OMS, qui le suit donc de très près.

Un variant considéré comme d'intérêt par l'OMS ne signifie pas qu'il deviendra forcément préoccupant plus tard, seulement qu'il demande une vigilance renforcée, notamment pour déterminer plus précisément ses caractéristiques. Si la plupart des mutations des virus n'ont que peu d'effets sur leurs propriétés, certaines peuvent affecter la transmissibilité et la gravité des symptômes, ou influer sur l'efficacité des vaccins.

En l'occurrence, le variant Mu est encore bien mystérieux. Détecté pour la première fois en janvier dernier en Colombie, il y représente aujourd'hui 40% des cas. Depuis sa première apparition en Colombie, le variant Mu a circulé dans plusieurs pays d'Amérique du Sud, et notamment au Mexique, en Equateur et au Chili. Sa présence a également été relevée dans une quarantaine de pays, mais plus sporadiquement. À l'échelle mondiale, il ne représente ainsi qu'un cas positif pour 1 000.

Début août, sa possible dangerosité avait déjà évoquée lorsque sept résidents d'un Ehpad belge sont morts du Covid-19 en l'espace de deux semaines, après avoir été contaminés par le variant Mu. Au 7 août, 20 personnes avaient été contaminées. Toutes étaient vaccinées.

Dans son bulletin épidémiologique hebdomadaire sur l'évolution de la pandémie publié mardi (PDF en anglais), l'agence onusienne précise que le variant dispose « d'une constellation de mutations qui soulignent de possibles propriétés d'évasion immunitaire ». Selon l'OMS, une étude préliminaire montre « une réduction de la capacité à neutraliser » le variant grâce aux vaccins, similaire à ce qui est observé avec le variant Bêta (identifié en Afrique du Sud).

Encore beaucoup de questions autour de Mu

En dehors de sa rapide progression en Amérique centrale, Mu reste ainsi bien obscur. Quelques études indiquent une transmissibilité similaire à celle du variant Alpha, moindre donc que celle de Delta aujourd’hui majoritaire sur la planète.

Sa résistance serait, elle, comparable à celle de Beta, anciennement nommé variant sud-africain, c'est-à-dire que la vaccination resterait toujours efficace pour prévenir les formes graves.

LE GROUPE ABBA REVIENT

 QUARANTE ANS APRES LEUR SEPARATION

Cette fois c’est officiel.

Ce jeudi 2 septembre 2021, le légendaire groupe de pop suédois ABBA proposent « Voyage », leur nouveau single, premier titre original depuis trente-huit ans !

40 ans après sa séparation, Björn, Benny, Agnetha et Frida devraient annoncer dans la foulée un album, prévu pour novembre.

Le groupe culte ABBA pourrait se reformer avec de nouvelles chansons et une tournée de leurs hologrammes en prévision , des « ABBA-tars ».

En avril 2018, l’ex-groupe avait annoncé être retourné en studio pour la première fois depuis près de quatre décennies.

Deux chansons avaient été enregistrées :

l’une baptisée « I Still Have Faith in You » («Je crois toujours en toi ») et l’autre « Don’t Shut Me Down » («Ne m’arrête pas »).

Mais la promesse de sortir ces nouveaux titres - les membres d’ABBA ont depuis évoqué cinq chansons dans des interviews - n’a cessé d’être repoussée, puis le Covid est venu jouer les trouble-fêtes.

Sur Twitter, les quatre membres d’ABBA - anagramme de leurs prénoms - Anni-Frid Lyngstad 75 ans, Agnetha Fältskog 71 ans, Björn Ulvaeus 76 ans, et Benny Andersson 74 ans ont remercié leur public d’avoir « patienté » si longtemps.

Rendez-vous est donné à leurs fans pour une annonce « spéciale » sur YouTube à 16 h 45 GMT !

LE LANCEMENT DE ROQUETTES

CONTRE L'AEROPORT DE KABOUL

REVENDIQUE PAR L'EI EN AFGHANISTAN

Les États-Unis ont mené plusieurs frappes au cours du week-end contre des cibles de l’EI. Dimanche, ils ont détruit un de ses véhicules chargé d’explosifs qui menaçait l’aéroport. Au lendemain de ces frappes, des roquettes ont été tirées, lundi matin, vers l’aéroport de Kaboul, a confirmé la Maison Blanche. Cette attaque survient à la veille du départ prévu de l’armée américaine en Afghanistan qui procède à ses dernières évacuations dans un climat extrêmement tendu.

Selon les médias afghans, ces roquettes auraient été tirées depuis un véhicule. L’agence de presse Pajhwok a évoqué plusieurs roquettes ayant frappé différents quartiers de la capitale afghane.Un responsable taliban sur les lieux a déclaré que cinq roquettes avaient été tirées et qu’elles avaient été arrêtées par le système de défense antimissiles de l’aéroport. Un autre drone américain a ensuite, selon lui, visé une voiture qui avait servi à lancer les roquettes, à près de 2 kilomètres de l’aéroport.

L’EI-K a revendiqué, dans l’après-midi, cette nouvelle attaque.

« Les soldats du califat ont ciblé l’aéroport international de Kaboul, avec six roquettes », a déclaré le groupe dans un communiqué. L’État islamique au Khorasan (EI-K) a déjà revendiqué l’attentat meurtrier de jeudi aux abords de l’aéroport de la capitale afghane qui a fait une centaine de morts, dont 13 militaires américains et deux Britanniques.

Des frappes qui agacent les talibans.

Les attaques contre l'aéroport de Kaboul tant des Etas-Unis que celles de l' EI sont dénoncées par les talibans. Les frappes américaines sont mal vues par les talibans.« Ils n’ont pas la permission de mener de telles opérations [..]. Notre indépendance doit être respectée » ​, a averti Zabihullah Mujahid.

Les attaques commises par l’État islamique en Afghanistan devraient cesser avec le départ des troupes américaines du pays, faute de quoi le nouveau gouvernement réprimera ce groupe, a assuré un porte-parole des talibans.« Nous espérons que les Afghans qui sont sous l’influence de l’EI […] abandonneront leurs opérations en voyant la mise en place d’un gouvernement islamique en l’absence de puissances étrangères », a déclaré le principal porte-parole des talibans, Zabihullah Mujahid,

« S’ils créent une situation de guerre et continuent leurs opérations, le gouvernement islamique […] s’occupera d’eux », a prévenu Zabihullah Mujahid dont le mouvement a promis la paix à son arrivée au pouvoir, deux décennies après en avoir été chassé.

Branche locale de l’EI, l’EI-K a mené une série d’attaques sanglantes ces dernières années en Afghanistan et au Pakistan, n’hésitant pas à massacrer des civils dans des mosquées, des écoles et des hôpitaux.

CLARA MORGANE A DU COEUR

LADY GAGA

"Je me suis engagée pour la cause des sans-abri, qui, alors que nous nous apprêtons à passer un Noël chaleureux aux côtés de nos proches, font face au froid glacial des pavés.

J'aimerais que nous puissions les aider tous ensemble. cette cagnotte.

Ainsi nourriture, vêtements et couvertures pourront être achetées."

Suite ......

LE STRESS POST-TRAUMATIQUE DE LA CHANTEUSE

" Quand je sors de chez moi et qu'un étranger me touche ou veut simplement me faire part de son enthousiasme concernant ma musique",dit-elle sur le site de sa fondation Born This Way.

MORT DE CHARLIE WATTS

LE BATTEUR MYTHIQUE DES ROLLING STONES

Charlie Watts, le batteur du groupe mythique Rolling Stones, est décédé ce mardi à l'âge de 80 ans a-t-on appris dans un communiqué de son agent, précisant qu'il était « décédé paisiblement dans un hôpital de Londres plus tôt dans la journée, entouré de sa famille ».

Celui qui avait fêté ses 80 ans en juin, était membre des Rolling Stones depuis 1963. Avec le leader Mick Jagger et le guitariste Keith Richards, Charlie Watts faisait partie des plus anciens membres du célèbre groupe de rock. Début août, le groupe annonçait que Watts ne participerait pas à la nouvelle tournée des Stones, pour des raisons médicales. « Pour une fois, mon timing a été un peu mauvais » avait-il déclaré dans un communiqué.

Né le 2 juin 1941 dans la banlieue nord de Londres, à Wembley, Charlie Watts fait des études d’art, et travaille comme graphiste dans une grosse agence de publicité. Parallèlement il joue, sur cachet, avec une kyrielle de groupes de jazz à Copenhague, puis à Londres.

Il finit par se laisser convaincre en 1963 de rejoindre les Rolling Stones, alors une petite formation balbutiante, remplaçant Mick Avory qui deviendra par la suite membre des Kinks.

Passionné de jazz

Plutôt passionné par le jazz - c'était un fan de de Charlie Parker et Duke Ellington - que par le rock, Charlie Watts apprendra la batterie en autodidacte, en regardant ses musiciens préférés performer dans des clubs londoniens.« Je ne suis jamais allé dans une école pour apprendre à jouer du jazz. Ce n’est pas ce que j’aime. Ce que j’aime dans le jazz, c’est l’émotion. »

Le batteur ne s'est d'ailleurs jamais trop éloigné de son premier amour, continuant de se produire avec de nombreux ensembles de jazz, dont un quintet, le Charlie Watts Quintet, puis un dixtuor, le Charlie and the tentet Watts. Son style, inimitable, restera grandement influencé par le jazz, même chez les Stones, durant 59 ans.

Modeste et impassible

« Avec son visage impassible et son talent unanimement reconnu en matière de rythmique binaire, il offrait sur scène le parfait contrepoint aux déhanchements frénétiques de Mick Jagger et aux pitreries électriques des guitaristes Keith Richards et Ronnie Wood », écrit un journaliste.

Et pendant que ses amis multipliaient « les divorces, les addictions, les arrestations et les folles engueulades », selon un inventaire dressé par le « Mirror », Charlie Watts passait une vie sereine aux côtés de Shirley Shepherd, sa femme depuis cinquante ans, et leur fille Seraphina, dans leur haras pour pur-sang arabes du Devon, en Angleterre.« Pendant cinquante années de chaos, le batteur Charlie Watts a représenté le calme au milieu de la tempête Rolling Stones, aussi bien sur la scène qu’en dehors », estimait le tabloïd britannique en 2012.

D'un naturel plutôt discret et un brin dandy, Charlie Watts brillait par sa modestie.

Pour lui, « jouer dans un quartette de jazz intimiste et dans des stades avec les Rolling Stones n'est pas si différent ». « Impassible, avec un sourire en coin, par rapport à tout le cirque qui l'entourait » rappelle le producteur de Very Good Trip Michka Assayas. Ce dernier évoque également cette « autorité tranquille » qui émanait de Charlie Watts durant les concerts :

« On sentait que c'était quand même lui qui tenait la baraque. »

Keith Richards avait dit « le seul but des Stones c'est de rester tous vivants jusqu'à 2022 pour fêter les 60 ans du groupe ! » rappelle Philippe Manœuvre.

Le groupe devra malheureusement souffler ses 60 bougies sans lui en 2022.

FANTASMES DES HOMMES

A VOUS MONSIEUR !

QU'EST-CE QU'ELLE A MA PETITE POITRINE ?

NABILLA CREE

L'EMEUTE AU SALON DU LIVRE !

Refoulés ou non vous en avez.Des jeux coquins que l'on adore. Après enquête auprès de vous et de la pratique perso.....

Tu affiches un plantureux 75A !

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Un rendez-vous incontournable de la littérature que le Salon du livre de Paris :

Trois mille auteurs pendant quatre jours avec d'immenses auteurs, de grands poètes ........

VICTORIA'S SECRET OU LE DEFILE LE PLUS HOT DE LA

LE CALENDRIER PIRELLI OU L'HOMMAGE AUX FEMMES

PARADIS  FISCAUX contre

ÉTATS GLOUTONS

C'est Lady Gaga qui animera avec Bruno Mars et The Weeknd le grand show de Victoria's Secret et ses anges dans la Ville lumière.

L'événement se tient demain, au Grand Palais, pour être retransmis à la télévision américaine ..........

Jamais les paradis fiscaux ne se sont aussi bien portés malgré la croisade lancée en 2009 par les dirigeants des pays développés.

Si l'on regarde l'origine géographique des investissements directs .....

LES ANNONCES DES TALIBANS

 CONCERNANT LES FEMMES AFGHANES

Depuis la chute de Kaboul, dimanche 15 août 2021, l’Afghanistan est de nouveau aux mains des talibans, vingt ans après qu’ils ont été chassés du pouvoir. Les insurgés cherchent à rassurer, en multipliant les gestes d’apaisement à l’égard de la population et surtout des femmes.

Manifestation de quelques femmes

D'ailleurs plusieurs femmes afghanes ont manifesté mardi dans les rues de Kaboul, devant des talibans, deux jours après leur prise du pouvoir, pour défendre leurs droits

Les images ont été largement relayées sur les réseaux sociaux. Elles montrent quatre femmes afghanes qui manifestent, brandissant des affichettes, devant des talibans en armes. C'est le correspondant d'Al Jazeera en Afghanistan qui a filmé cette manifestation à Kaboul, mardi, soit deux jours après la prise de pouvoir des talibans dans la capitale du pays. Selon Le Parisien, ces femmes se seraient brièvement rassemblées devant l'entrée de la zone verte - le quartier international et diplomatique - pour demander le droit de revenir y travailler comme cuisinières ou femmes de ménage. Des talibans auraient dans un premier temps tenté de les disperser sans succès. Des civils les auraient ensuite convaincues de partir.

Les femmes « nécessaires pour la société »

Pour l'instant, les talibans tentent de rassurer. Un porte-parole a ainsi assuré lors d'une conférence de presse qui s'est tenue mardi que les femmes ne seraient pas obligées de porter la burqa. Le port de la burqa, un voile intégral, ne sera pas obligatoire pour les femmes car « il existe différents types de voile », a annoncé ce mardi 17 août un porte-parole des talibans qui ont pris le pouvoir en Afghanistan. « La burqa n’est pas le seul hijab [voile] qui peut être porté, il existe différents types de hijab qui ne se limitent pas à la burqa », a déclaré Suhail Shaheen, porte-parole du bureau politique du groupe à Doha, à la chaîne britannique Sky News.Suhail Shaheen n’a pas précisé quels sont les autres types de hijab qui seraient jugés acceptables par les talibans.

Scolarisées du primaire à l’université

Avec le retour au pouvoir des talibans, qui ont appliqué une version ultra-rigoriste de la loi islamique, de nombreux pays et organisations de défense des droits humains se sont dits préoccupés du sort des filles et femmes en Afghanistan.Le porte-parole a également déclaré que les femmes étaient « nécessaires pour la société », « on a besoin d'elles pour la médecine, l'éducation, la police, la justice ». Des images montrant des fillettes allant à l'école ont également été diffusées.

« Elles peuvent recevoir une éducation du primaire à l’université. Nous avons annoncé cette politique lors de conférences internationales, à la conférence de Moscou et ici à la conférence de Doha [sur l’Afghanistan] », a expliqué Suhail Shaheen. Des milliers d’écoles dans les zones contrôlées par les talibans sont toujours ouvertes, a-t-il précisé.

Des inquiétudes tout de même

Si les talibans ont déclaré que les droits des femmes seraient respectés, qu'elles seraient autorisés à travailler et étudier - dans le respect de la loi islamique - les inquiétudes demeurent. Lorsque les talibans dirigeaient l'Afghanistan entre 1996 et 2001, les écoles de filles étaient fermées, les femmes ne pouvaient ni voyager ni travailler et étaient obligées de porter en public une burqa - un voile intégral qui recouvre le corps et le visage avec une grille en tissu au niveau des yeux. Les femmes ne pouvaient quitter leur domicile qu'accompagnées d'un « mahram », un chaperon masculin de leur famille.

Et  les flagellations et les exécutions, y compris les lapidations pour adultère, étaient pratiquées sur les places des villes et dans les stades.

EMMA STONE REMPILE DANS LE COSTUME DE CRUELLA

C'est officiel, Emma Stone va rempiler dans le costume de Cruella pour un second volet qui devrait sortir en 2023.

Disney prépare donc déjà la suite des aventures de la cruelle diablesse.

Derrière la caméra, c’est à nouveau Craig Gillespie qui œuvrera.

Le réalisateur de Moi, Tonya semble apprécier les anti-héros et va donc offrir de nouvelles aventures à la mythique tueuse de chiots.

Sorti le 18 mai aux USA et le 23 juin en France, le long-métrage a rapporté 222 millions de dollars de recettes mondiales.

Dans l'Hexagone, il a attiré 1,4 million de spectateurs. Diffusé à la fois sur Disney+ et dans les salles obscures, il a redonné quelques couleurs au 7e art en perdition depuis le début de la pandémie.

Après l'affaire Scarlett Johansson contre Disney, qui n'aurait pas respecté son contrat en sortant Black Widow en salles et sur Disney+, des rumeurs circulaient sur une possible plainte d'Emma Stone, qui était dans le même cas avec Cruella. Selon Deadline, la comédienne a trouvé un accord avec Disney pour reprendre le rôle de la méchante mythique des 101 Dalmatiens.

"Cet accord démontre qu'il peut y avoir une voie à suivre qui s'avère équitable, qui protège les artistes et harmonise les intérêts des studios avec les talents."

Nous sommes fiers de travailler aux côtés d'Emma Stone et Disney et apprécions la volonté du studio de reconnaître la contribution de l'actrice en tant que partenaire créatif », a déclaré le président d'Endeavour, Patrick Whitesell, qui représente la comédienne.

COVID RETICENCES TO A MORATORIUM ON THE THIRD DOSE REQUESTED BY WHO

This is to serve a holistic approach not of new injections in rich countries until the first ones have been distributed in poor countries. "We urgently need to turn things around: from a majority of vaccines going to rich countries to a the majority going to poor countries, ”he said during a press briefing in Geneva.

So far, of the roughly 4 billion doses injected around the world, 80% have gone to middle-income and higher-income countries ... which represent less than 50% of the world's population. The UN Secretary General had pledged to achieve a minimum immunization coverage of 10% in every country in the world in September, and the count is not there.

Only 1.5% of the population in low-income countries is vaccinated, the ratio being close to zero in large parts of the world. Concretely, the WHO calls on rich countries, such as vaccine producers, to turn to the Covax international redistribution system, still largely under-resourced, to restore the balance.

The Israeli government has not commented directly on the WHO request, but continued to administer third doses of the anti-Covid vaccine on Thursday, mainly from Pfizer / BioNtech laboratories. Under the watchful eye of the cameras, President Isaac Herzog, opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu and Prime Minister Nafatli Bennett's mother received this third dose.

This booster shot aims to strengthen the immune system in the face of the spread of the Delta variant, which is more contagious than others. “Those aged 60 and over and who have not yet received a third dose are six times more likely to be seriously ill or even to die, ”Bennett said.

"I ask that in the next two to three weeks, by the time you get vaccinated and wait five days after your third dose, to take care of yourself," he added. Germany has already announced a campaign for a "third dose". In France, the executive should arbitrate next week on the issue of vaccination of the most fragile in September.

The United States, for its part, immediately declared its opposition to such a moratorium, denouncing moreover "a false alternative", even if the United States has not yet formally planned a recall campaign.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, "We think we can do both, we don't need to choose" between booster doses for Americans who have already been vaccinated, and underprivileged countries. 'we must support .....

US WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN

TOWARDS A SPECTACULAR RETURN OF THE TALIBAN

Sharp increase in attacks

The security situation has deteriorated sharply in Afghanistan.

The “attacks initiated by the enemy”, attributed mainly to the Taliban, in fact increased from 9,651 at the end of 2019 to 13,242 at the end of 2020, indicates the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Reconstruction of Afghanistan (Sigar, which depends on Congress), based on data from the NATO mission in Afghanistan.

This is the first time since December 2019 that the latter has published detailed figures of these attacks. Between March 1 and May 31, the date of the latest data collected by the NATO mission in Afghanistan, Resolute Support, before the withdrawal of most of the coalition forces, 1,383 attacks were recorded, including 3,268 were fatal, according to the Sigar's office.

At the request of the government in Kabul, the Inspector General does not publish the number of casualties of the Afghan army, which numbers some 300,000 men and women. Violence against civilians reached record levels in April and May, according to the NATO mission, with 705 civilians killed and 1,330 injured - almost as many as the previous three months combined.

Resolute Support attributes 93% of civilian casualties in recent months to anti-government forces (40% to the Taliban, 38% to unidentified insurgents, 14% to the Islamic State group and less than 1% to the Haqqani network, close to the Taliban).

A spectacular return of the Taliban

The report also notes that the Taliban have taken control of a significant number of districts in the rural areas, although they do not control the major cities.

"What is most worrying is the speed and ease with which the Taliban have apparently taken control of districts in the north of the country, a former stronghold of opposition to the Taliban," John Sopko observes. The Taliban are bringing down one district after another. To date, they control more than half of the territory. As of August 31, no more foreign troops will be present in the country.

Driven from power at the start of the American offensive, the Taliban, these fundamentalists who protected Osama bin Laden, are therefore making a spectacular comeback in many districts of the country as the foreign forces leave the territory. Their progress since the United States completed its military withdrawal on July 3, stuns experts.

Towards a resumption of power by the Taliban ?

The recent lightning advance of the Taliban thus raises fears that they will seize power again, 20 years after being driven out at the end of 2001 by an international coalition led by the United States, after their refusal to hand over the leader of Al-Qaeda Osama bin Laden in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

"The overall trend is clearly unfavorable to the Afghan government, which could face an existential crisis if it does not reverse it," said Inspector General John Sopko in the report. The hypothesis of a government of national unity in Kabul, made up of the current regime and the Taliban, seems less and less feasible.

Warnings against the Taliban

Afghanistan now appears to be on the brink of chaos and the fear of civil war breaking out is growing day by day. Faced with the routed security forces, the population took up arms in several provinces, supporting the Afghan army and police in their fight against the Taliban, sometimes even fighting alone against the expansion of religious fundamentalists.

Sunday in Kabul, the head of US operations in Afghanistan, General Kenneth McKenzie, warned that the United States would continue its airstrikes against the Taliban, if the latter continued their offensive..

FAMINE OF CHILDREN IN MADAGASCAR

Half a million children under five will suffer from acute malnutrition in exceptionally drought-stricken southern Madagascar, the World Food Program (WFP) and Unicef warned on Monday, July 26, 2021.

Children suffering from acute malnutrition will be four times more numerous, compared to the previous assessment in October 2020, warn these UN agencies in a statement, with "irreversible consequences for their growth and development"

“What is currently happening in southern Madagascar is heartbreaking, we cannot turn our backs on these children,” said Moumini Ouedraogo, WFP representative in Madagascar, calling for “redouble efforts” to raise the necessary funds. .

More than a million Malagasy affected

More than 1.14 million Malagasy people, in a vast area like Bulgaria or Cuba (111,200 km2), suffer from hunger.

Some 14,000 Malagasy have already reached level five, the “disaster phase, when people have nothing to eat” and this number could double by October.

The hardest hit region, around Ambovombe-Androy, where global acute malnutrition reaches 27%, "risks experiencing famine if urgent measures are not taken," the statement further warns. However, it is impossible to give a quantified assessment of the number of victims, the authorities not communicating on the subject.

Leather as food

When begging and food waste are no longer enough, many residents are reduced to eating scraps of leather donated by sandal makers

A video by Gail Borgia, a Madagascan journalist, showing a family feeding on zebu skin touched the web. “Message to our dear and handsome president: do you know that some inhabitants eat the soles of zebu leather sandals (yes you read that correctly) because they are starving? They collect the waste from the shoemakers and cook them in water and salt. Or grill them, but it's very, very hard to swallow. I thought I had hit rock bottom but here we are still digging. It is real and it is in 2021. I go from astonishment to astonishment… ”, she wrote on Facebook.

Immediately these images which were broadcast in the newspapers of France24 and TV5Monde were contested by the executive. The governor of the region of Androy, like the former director of communication of the Presidency, Rinah Rakotomanga, denounced a rude manipulation, writes Madagascar-Tribune.

Devastation linked to global warming

The main cause of famine and food problems affecting Madagascar is linked to local climatic conditions. The scarcity of rains for four years has made farming almost impossible. In addition, sandstorms have turned large areas of exploitable land into wasteland. This devastation, linked to global warming according to the UN, is causing the worst drought in 40 years, deplores Amnesty International.

"Three consecutive years of drought have seriously damaged harvests and access to food, in a context today marked by the Covid-19 pandemic", also underlines the organization Doctors Without Borders, which intervenes in the country. "Drastic drops in production of the order of 40 to 60% compared to the average of the last five years" have affected the main crops of the island such as rice, maize or cassava, recalled on April 30 the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The scarcity of staple foods in the markets is also causing prices to soar, UN agencies point out, recalling that they have been working with the government since last year to deal with this famine.

The lack of infrastructure involved

This human catastrophe is aggravated by "weak health structures and limited access to water". Particularly serious this year, the famine phenomenon is indeed not new in Madagascar. The Big Island has known at least 16 food crises since 1896. Beyond the climatic conditions, it is also the isolation of many villages in the south of the country that worsens the situation. Some hamlets are "a day's walk" from the nearest health center, denounces in particular Doctors of the World. A large plan of "141 major projects"was presented by the President of the Republic, Andry Rajoelina, and includes work in the sectors of agriculture and access to water. He also announced on Twitter on July 21 the signing of four agreements with the World Bank. Among the funds allocated to the island, nearly 170 million euros are dedicated to the development of road infrastructure to get the villages out of isolation.

CYBER WARFARE

THE PEGASUS THESE SPY SOFTWARE

MAKE LEGIONS

This scandal questions the way in which leaders protect themselves from cyberattacks.

President Macron is said to be one of 50,000 phone numbers monitored by Israeli software Pegasus. Information denied by the Israeli cybersecurity giant NSO.

French President Emmanuel Macron, King Mohammed VI of Morocco and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan are on Pegasus' list of potential targets, as are more than 180 journalists around the world who have allegedly been spied on by different states having gained access to the software from NSO.

A senior official at Israeli cybersecurity giant NSO, however, argued on Wednesday July 21 that French President Emmanuel Macron had not been targeted by his controversial Pegasus software. Chaïm Gelfand indeed declared to the I24 news channel, based in Tel Aviv: "I can tell you with certainty that President Macron was not a target [...] There are certain cases that have come to light, that bother us ”.

The NSO group based in Herzliya, a green city north of Tel Aviv, said it was the victim of a "vicious and slanderous" campaign, and announced in a statement that it "was no longer going to answer questions from the media. On the Pegasus case. “NSO is a technology company. We do not operate the systems, nor have access to the data of our customers, but they are nevertheless obliged to provide us this information in the event of investigations ”, added the group saying that the fact that a name appears on the 50,000 list "does not necessarily mean that he was the target of Pegasus."

NSO denies outright

NSO Group had cert 're constantly affirm it has no access to customer data. However, NSO very quickly obtained information from its Moroccan client leading it to assert that these three people had not been targeted. He did not specify what data he obtained and how he made sure that this data was genuine.

And NSO also denied that François de Rugy was targeted, even though computer traces collected by Amnesty International's analysis no doubt show that a phase prior to an attack by Pegasus was launched against his phone. These traces also show that it is Pegasus' client within the security services.

The countries accused of using Pegasus also deny outright.

The countries accused of using Pegasus have also all dismissed the accusations. In a statement released on Monday, Morocco denounced "false" information that the kingdom's security services "infiltrated the phones of several public figures.national and foreign nationals and officials of international organizations through computer software ”. Even denial on the part of Hungary: "The director general [of the secret services] informed me that no cooperation has been established with the Israeli intelligence services", reacted Monday the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs in conference of hurry. Mexico, accused of having spied on 25 journalists, assured through the voice of its president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, that "no one is being spied on, freedoms are guaranteed".

Exploitation of security vulnerabilities by "Pegasus"

The Pegasus software uses a device security vulnerability to take control of the phone for a short period of time to install spyware remotely. The latter can come from hardware, for example an electronic chip, or software via the iOS or Android operating systems. NSO customers, usually states, don't have to look for the loopholes themselves, they just need the target's phone number and Pegasus takes care of the hacking and data exfiltration. For each target targeted, the customer pays a license to NSO of a few tens of thousands of euros.

An elite tool, a cat and mouse game to unmask him

Pegasus is indeed an elite tool capable of taking full control of a mobile phone and extracting any data: e-mails, directory, location, documents, photographs…, including messages exchanged by through encrypted messaging. It can, moreover, and always in a completely stealth way, activate the microphone and the camera.

This elite tool infects a very small number of users (compared to other types of spyware). The traces it leaves are therefore very rare, especially since they are left on operating systems (iOS, Android) that are difficult to analyze because they are very “closed”. Finally, Pegasus is designed precisely to escape any form of detection and to adapt constantly; it is therefore a game of the cat and the mouse to understand and study it.

A booming sector in Israel

Faced with these well-founded accusations of cyberespionage, it seems, the office of Naftali Bennett, did not communicate. A former defense minister who made his fortune in high technology before entering politics, the latter defended this booming sector in Israel on Wednesday without commenting on the NSO file. "For every $ 100 invested in cyber defense around the world, $ 41 is invested in Israeli firms," ​​he said, attributing the local prosperity of the sector to elite army units that serve as incubator for local start-ups.

The State of Israel implicated ?

“Software developed by Israeli firms like NSO's Pegasus clearly implicates the State of Israel. Even if the Israeli authorities only played an indirect role, they cannot escape their responsibility, ” Reporters Without Borders said in a statement. "We call on (Israeli) Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to immediately impose a moratorium on exports of surveillance technologies until a protective regulatory framework has been established," said Christophe Deloire, his secretary general.

Faced with this cyber espionage scandal, the NGO Reporters Without Borders called for a moratorium on its sales.

A moratorium on Pegasus sales ?

The press freedom organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Wednesday (July 21) called on the Israeli government to immediately impose a moratorium on the sale of this spyware. Not allowing to protect computer systems, but to infiltrate them, Pegasus is considered an offensive cybersecurity product and must therefore obtain the green light from the Israeli Ministry of Defense to be sold to third countries, just like a armed.

UN calls for new rules

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said on Monday that the revelations "confirm the urgent need to better regulate the sale, transfer and use" of these surveillance technologies "and 'ensure strict control and authorization'. "Without a regulatory framework that respects human rights, there is simply too much risk that these tools will be misused to intimidate critics and silence those who challenge," she added.

TRAGEDY IN GERMANY

MORE THAN 100 DEAD IN FLOODS

HUNDREDS OF WANTED PEOPLE

The number of deaths is rising in Germany. At least 81 have died in the bad weather that hit the country hard. This toll jumped, after the announcement on Friday of 50 deaths, against 28 the day before in the only region of Rhineland-Palatinate, in the west of the country, one of the most affected by the floods.

In the municipality of Erftstadt-Blessem, “the houses were largely washed away and some collapsed. Several people are missing, ”according to a tweet from the Cologne community of municipalities.

In addition, hundreds of people remain missing in the west of the country. "I fear that we do not see the full extent of the disaster in the next few days," Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Thursday evening from Washington, where she is visiting.

"We must fear the worst"

In Rhineland-Palatinate alone, the authorities said Thursday evening they still had no news of 1,300 people in the worst hit canton, that of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler. However, a spokesperson quoted by Bild put this figure on the account of disruptions to the telephone network which prevents many residents from being able to be reached. Concretely, "we are still counting on 40, 50 or 60 missing persons and when you have people who have not given any sign of life for so long (...) we must fear the worst", declared his Minister of the Interior. Roger Lewentz on SWR TV.

Help is trying to evacuate the victims, many of whom have taken refuge on the roofs of houses. But many accesses are blocked, complicating operations. Authorities called on residents to stay at home if possible and "take refuge on the upper floors if necessary". The German army will deploy 300 soldiers in the two most affected Länder to participate in the rescue operations.

In the municipality of Schuld, south of Bonn, which was devastated by the flooding of a river (which also washed away six houses), the police report dozens of missing persons. Residents have been asked to send police videos and photos that could provide clues about their missing loved ones. In the town of Mayen, in In the town of Mayen, in Rhineland-Palatinate, the streets were completely flooded.

At least 9 dead in Belgium, Liège partly evacuated

Belgium, where bad weather left 9 dead and 4 missing according to information from the authorities reported by the Belga agency, also suffered significant damage, as did Luxembourg and the Netherlands. the authorities of Liège (200,000 inhabitants) had asked residents of the Meuse to evacuate their homes. The towns of Theux, Pepinster and Spa, located near Verviers, were also affected. "Bad weather" plan launched in Luxembourg

For its part, Luxembourg has launched the “bad weather” plan. Many homes are flooded across the country, and their residents have been evacuated, authorities said.

In the Netherlands, the province of Limburg, bordered by Germany and Belgium, also deplored significant damage. Rising waters threaten to isolate the small town of Valkenburg, west of Maastricht. Several axes, including a very busy motorway, have been closed due to the risk of flooding from rivers and streams.

"It's a catastrophe, a tragedy"

"It's a disaster, a tragedy," Angela Merkel reacted from Washington, where she began an official visit on Thursday. The Chancellor promised that the State "would do everything" to help the victims.

"We have never seen such a disaster, it's really devastating," lamented the Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer. Armin Laschet, leader of North Rhine-Westphalia and favorite for succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel in the fall, hastily canceled a meeting of her party in Bavaria, in the south of the country, to monitor the situation in her state, the most populous in Germany. "The situation is alarming", declared to the daily Bild M. Laschet, who visited, wearing rubber boots, flooded localities.

The leader of the Greens in the Bundestag, Katrin Göring-Eckardt, said to see in this drama "the effects of the climatic catastrophe". These bad weather are a "call to realism": "It is already there, it is already there with us", she regretted, calling for an "urgent change".

The Minister of Finance, Olaf Scholz, Social Democratic candidate for the chancellery, also went on the spot to estimate the damage as well as the aid to be brought to the population. Two and a half months before the elections, the environmental candidate, Annalena Baerbock, intends to interrupt her vacation. These bad weather occur in the midst of the electoral campaign and when the climate issue plays a central role.

These floods are reminiscent of others, which occurred in the summer of 2002, and which the then Chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, had been able to face, before being re-elected against the Conservatives.

RETURN OF THE WIFE OF THE MURDERED PRESIDENT IN HAITI FOR THE FUNERAL

The wife of Haitian president assassinated last week, Martine Moïse, injured in the attack that killed her husband, Jovenel Moïse, returned to Port-au-Prince on Saturday July 17 after being treated in Miami, United States , announced the Haitian Secretary of State for Communication.

"The 1st lady @martinejmoise has just arrived in Haiti as part of the preparations for the national funeral" of her husband, scheduled for July 23, tweeted Frantz Exantus.

Arm in a sling, bulletproof vest over her black clothes, Martine Moïse, 47, was greeted by the interim Prime Minister, Claude Joseph. The latter promised to do justice to her husband, whose death aggravated the chaos in this country of the Antilles plagued by violence and misery.

Gray areas in the investigation

Ten days after the tragedy, the investigation has advanced but many gray areas remain. The Haitian police arrested around twenty people, including several former Colombian soldiers accused of having been part of the commando that came to kill Jovenel Moïse.

The apparent ease with which the assailants managed to kill him raised suspicions, four officials of the president's security team were also jailed and 24 officers subject to precautionary measures.

The director general of the Haitian national police, Léon Charles, assured Friday he was working with international investigators, in particular agents of the American federal police, to identify those behind the assassination.

Haitian police have already arrested a 63-year-old Haitian doctor long established in Florida, Christian Emmanuel Sanon, whom they suspect to be one of the masterminds of the crime. Colombian police, who are also investigating, have said that A former Haitian official of the Ministry of Justice, Joseph Felix Badio, had ordered the Colombian mercenaries to assassinate the president.

The Haitian authorities have launched a wanted notice against him, as well as against former Senator John Joel Joseph, both being described as "dangerous and armed" individuals"

MIRACLE IN SIBERIA

SURVIVORS IN A MISSING AIRCRAFT

The successful emergency landing put an end to several hours of dread. Helpers found alive the 18 people aboard an AN-28 which had disappeared hours earlier from radars in Siberia, then had been located after an emergency landing, the Russian aviation agency said on Friday. . “The 15 passengers and three crew members were found. All the people who were on board are alive, ”Rosaviatsia said in a statement, adding that the survivors were being transported to the city of Tomsk.

The aircraft, an Antonov operated by the company "Siberian Light Aviation" (SiLA), was connecting the small town of Kedrovy to Tomsk when it stopped broadcasting. For a few hours, the plane could not be found. From then on, the authorities expected the worst. And for good reason: the disappearance of the plane comes barely more than a week after another accident involving an Antonov. On July 6, an An-26 crashed while landing in the Kamchatka Peninsula (Far East), killing all 28 people on board. The authorities and the population therefore fear the worst for this distressed Antonov. But a few hours later, the news is good: the regional Ministry of Emergency Situations indicated that the An-28 had been located and appeared to have carried out a "Emergency landing",adding that survivors had been seen by the emergency services from the air.

"We all believed in a miracle"

“We all believed in a miracle. And thanks to the professionalism of the pilots, it took place and everyone is alive, ”greeted the governor of the Tomsk region, Sergei Zhvachkin, quoted in the press release.

An outcome all the more miraculous when we see the very damaged device placed on its back in the taiga. Images published by Russian media show dirt inside his cabin. Six of the plane's passengers refused to be airlifted to Tomsk, according to Interfax, after being evacuated from the landing site by helicopter. "They will be taken to Tomsk with a minibus," said a local official, Alexey Sevostianov. Initial sources had reported 17, then 19 passengers and crew aboard the Antonov. Citing aviation sources, TASS said the plane had passed all technical checks, but a SiLA executive told TASS that the plane had been delayed ten hours due to bad weather conditions.

Back to the story of this unexpected "miracle".

Essentially made in Soviet times, Antonovs are still used throughout the former USSR in civil and military aviation. They have been involved in several fatal accidents in recent years. Russia has significantly improved its aviation safety since the 2000s as the country's major airlines shifted from Soviet aircraft to more modern aircraft.

Maintenance problems and sometimes lax compliance with safety rules are still a problem, however, especially in remote areas of the country where planes or helicopters are preferred to connect isolated localities.

FINALLY A HOPE FOR FREEDOM

FOR BRITNEY SPEARS

Three weeks after the princess of pop's passionate plea, a Los Angeles court on Wednesday authorized Britney Spears to choose her own lawyer to represent her at the next hearings concerning her guardianship, report several American media, such as the New York Times and the Huffington Post.

The popstar also spoke, for the second time, in court, saying she wanted to attack her father for "guardianship abuse," according to CNN and Sky News.

Mathew S. Rosengart new lawyer for the popstar

The latter also approved the request made by Mathew S. Rosengart, a famous Hollywood lawyer and former federal prosecutor, to represent the popstar. According to a source familiar with the matter at the New York Times, he should adopt a “more aggressive strategy” and “put pressure to end the supervision”.

He announced on Wednesday that he planned to ask a Los Angeles court that the tutelage of the singer, which deprives her of a large part of her autonomy, be withdrawn from her father "as soon as possible". "We will file a request as soon as possible to remove Jamie Spears" from this role, as implored by his daughter, said Mathew S. Rosengart.

The 39-year-old singer was placed under guardianship in 2008, after a highly publicized descent into hell at the time. The conditions are very strict and stipulate that the decisions concerning her are taken in particular by her father Jamie Spears with whom she has long had difficult relations.

"P ***** cruelty"

“I would like to attack my father for guardianship abuse. I want to sue my father today. I want an investigation to be opened about him, ”she said, bursting into tears between several of her sentences.

The Gimme More interpreter then listed all the abuse she suffered, assuring that she was prohibited from taking hair vitamins or drinking coffee. "Ma'am, if it's not abuse, it's just fucking cruelty," she said, in tears, to Judge Brenda Penny, before s' excuse "for his language". “But it's the truth,” she added. “I thought they wanted to kill me (...). If it's not being abused, I don't know what it takes, ”she continued, despairing of the“ fucking cruelty ”of this procedure.

The Mississippi native explained that she wanted the guardianship to stop without having to pass a medical exam. However, she explained that her priority was to oust her father from his role by allowing Jodi Montgomery, her co-tutor, to stay until the tutorship ends.

The singer has also received massive support in the pop world, from her ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake, to Christina Aguilera or Madonna. The #FreeBritney movement has seen a resurgence in popularity with the release of the documentary Framing Britney Spears, which traces the life of the icon. Will Britney Spears ever regain control of her personal and professional life?

FRANCE

THE PROMOTION OF JULY 14, 2021

OF THE LEGION OF HONOR

This promotion distinguished 467 people, equally: 393 knights, 53 officers, 17 commanders, 2 grand officers and 2 grandcross.

The philosopher Edgar Morin, the skipper Jean Le Cam, the prefect Didier Lallement or the choreographer Carolyn Carlson are part of the promotion of July 14 of the Legion of Honor which was published this Wednesday in the Official Journal.

This promotion distinguished 467 people, on an equal basis: 393 knights, 53 officers, 17 commanders, 2 grand officers and 2 grandcross, including Edgar Morin, who celebrated his 100th birthday on July 8. He was elevated to the dignity of Grand Cross, the highest distinction of the Legion of Honor, like Alain Mérieux, founder of the institute of the same name (industrial biology). Former director of the WTO, Pascal Lamy, Honorary President of the Jacques Delors Institute, was promoted to Grand Officer. The Paris police chief Didier Lallement becomes a commander, among the 30% of public sector actors (excluding health and education) promoted.

Jean-Pierre Pernaut, Harry Roselmack ...

In the cultural sector, the Franco-American choreographer Carolyn Carlson and the lawyer, writer and member of the French Academy, François Sureau received the same rank.

Actress Laetitia Casta and journalists Jean-Pierre Pernaut and Harry Roselmack, two figures from TF1, were named knights. The winner of the Vendée Globe 2020/2021, Yannick Bestaven, was appointed to the same rank, as well as the skipper Jean Le Cam.

Among the health professionals, Marcel Lascar, founder of SOS Médecins, also received the knight's decoration.

A list of 467 personalities, honored on this Wednesday of national holiday, was published in the Official Journal

The Legion of Honor is the highest French distinction and one of the best known in the world. The promotion of July 14 is one of the two annual civil promotions of the Legion of Honor, along with that of January 1.

COVID A NEW TURN OF THE SCREW

IN MEASURES IN FRANCE

Emmanuel Macron announced several radical measures, to push the French to be vaccinated against Covid-19. From the extension of the health pass to the waiver of screening tests, through the compulsory vaccination of caregivers.

July 13: return of the state of emergency in Réunion and Martinique

Reunion and Martinique will go into a state of health emergency as of Tuesday, July 13. The President of the Republic announced that the curfew will be reinstated in these two French overseas territories due to the increased circulation of the coronavirus.

In metropolitan France, faced with the increase in the incidence rate in most departments, the Head of State has indicated that braking measures could again be triggered in consultation with the prefects. "In the departments which would exceed an incidence rate of 200 and would see their hospitalizations increase, braking measures could be taken by the prefect", he affirmed.

July 21: the health pass extended to places of leisure and culture

In order to put pressure on the unvaccinated, the health pass will be extended during the summer. This will take place in two phases. From July 21, it will come into force in places of leisure and culture of more than 50 people for all people aged 12 and over.

This pass is used to confirm that you are either immunized, or vaccinated, or that you have performed a negative RT-PCR (or antigen) test of less than 48 hours.

Beginning of August: the health pass extended to restaurants, bars, shopping centers, etc.

Act 2 of the expansion of the health pass will take place in early August. It will become compulsory in other establishments such as "restaurants, shopping centers as well as in hospitals, retirement homes, medico-social establishments, but also in planes, trains and coaches for long journeys", detailed Emmanuel Macron. The lapse of time between these two phases must allow the government to "vote on a text of law and to promulgate it", specified the president who hinted that a third phase of enlargement was possible: "We ask ourselves the question. extending the health pass to other activities this fall ”.

September 15: compulsory vaccination of caregivers

The government has taken the decision to make vaccination compulsory for all staff in health facilities. The caregivers have until September 15 to be injected the serum otherwise they will be subject to sanctions. "From September 15, if you are a caregiver and you are not vaccinated, you will no longer be able to work and you will no longer be paid", warned the Minister of Health Olivier Véran.

In the fall: reimbursement of “comfort” PCR and antigen tests

Unless a medical prescription or contact case, Covid-19 detection tests will no longer be reimbursed in the fall. Emmanuel Macron has confirmed the end of the free use of so-called “comfort” PCR tests, to attend a concert or travel for example, which had until then been reimbursed by Health Insurance. Gabriel Attal specified that antigenic tests were also affected by this measure.

Announcements that made the political class react.

Unsurprisingly, the oppositions were quick to ridicule the presidential announcements. "Serious decline in individual freedoms", "the world from before and to worse": the oppositions react to Macron's announcements on the Covid-19 and the reforms

Eric Coquerel, deputy La France insoumise, castigates the obligation of vaccination for caregivers and the generalization of the health pass, believing that "Emmanuel Macron draws a society of generalized control and discrimination". As for Marine Le Pen, president of the National Rally and candidate for the Elysee Palace, she denounced a "serious decline in individual freedoms, [the] deconstruction of the State [and the] liquidation of our social protection system":

RAMBO BY QUENTIN TARANTINO ?

Guest of The Big Picture podcast, Tarantino reveals the name of the film he would like to remake:

"If I had to just make a good film (bypassing his author's desires), I would direct Rambo."

Another remake with Stalone?

No, it's not about that. The filmmaker would like to make an alternative version of David Morrell's book released in 1972, from which the first Rambo was inspired.

In addition, Quentin Tarantino already knows which actors he wants to see to play the main characters.

“I would love to film the novel. Kurt Russell would play sheriff and Adam Driver Rambo. Every time I read the book, I tell myself that the dialogues are incredible ... This film would be so good ”. Released in 1982, Rambo, which traces the story of a soldier who returned from Vietnam, has become a movie classic, and has been the subject of four other adaptations, the last of which was released in 2019.

The soldier, John Rambo, stupefied as much by the ill-treatment inflicted on him by his torturers as by the indifference of his fellow citizens, is a former elite commandos. While wandering around the small town of Madison, he is arrested by Sheriff, Will Teasle, for vagrancy, when the former soldier simply wanted to eat. The sheriff puts him behind bars and lets his deputy brutalize the veteran.

Sylvester Stallone and director Ted Kotcheff had opted for a more raw and stingy Rambo in dialogue unlike that of the novel. Sly had demanded that the character speak as little as possible. QT's approach would inevitably be much more talkative and talkative.

There is, however, almost no chance that Tarantino will actually revisit Rambo as he has decided to quit his career as a filmmaker after his 10th film. The director of Kill Bill and Boulevard de la Mort, confirmed his ambitions for his tenth film, which he confirmed would be his last, no matter what. The director decided to stop his career after his 10th film, in the firmament.

CUBA UNIQUE EVENTS

AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT

Widely broadcast on social networks, the parades began spontaneously in the morning, an extremely rare event in this country ruled by the Communist Party, where the only authorized gatherings are usually those of the party. About 40 anti-government protests took place across the island, which remained cut off Monday morning. The streets of Havana were still crisscrossed by the police and the army, journalists noted, but calm returned after the clashes the day before which led to dozens of arrests.

In Havana, clashes broke out between demonstrators and the police who used tear gas. At least ten people were arrested and several police officers used plastic pipes to beat protesters. While he acknowledged the “dissatisfaction” that some Cubans may feel, Miguel Diaz-Canel also gave the revolutionaries “the order to fight” these gatherings in the street.

Cuba is going through a serious health and economic crisis

It is overwhelmed by the economic crisis that these thousands of Cubans came out with cries of "We are hungry", "Freedom" and "Down with the dictatorship". “Cuba is not yours! Cried in particular a crowd gathered in front of the offices of the Communist Party (PCC), the only political formation authorized in Cuba.

The Covid-19 pandemic has indeed plunged Cuba into a serious economic crisis. Cubans have to wait long hours for food supplies every day and also face a shortage of medicines. The decline in tourism, stopped because of the pandemic, has deprived the country of a significant share of its resources. The Cuban economy fell 11% in 2020, the lowest in almost 30 years, and these economic difficulties have led authorities to cut electricity for several hours a day in much of the territory. Mobile internet, which arrived in Cuba at the end of 2018, remained cut off on Monday morning.

This crisis is not linked only to the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Janette Habel, “the first problem is the sanctions” imposed on Cuba. “Above all else, this country has been the victim for 62 years of absolutely appalling economic sanctions,” observes the lecturer at the Institute for Higher Studies in Latin America (IHEAL).

The protests also occurred on the day Cuba recorded a new daily record of contamination and deaths due to the coronavirus, with 6,923 cases recorded (for 238,491 cases in total) and 47 deaths in 24 hours (for 1,537 deaths in total). Faced with this situation, calls for help have multiplied on social networks under the keywords #SOSCuba or #SOSMatanzas (named after the most affected province) and a group of opponents demanded the establishment of a “Humanitarian corridor”. The initiative was dismissed by the government.

Cuba accuses the United States of complicity

In the aftermath of these protests, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel accused the US government of carrying out "a policy of economic suffocation to provoke social unrest" on the island. After a brief reconciliation between 2014 and 2016, diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States are at their lowest since the tenure of Donald Trump. The former Republican president has tightened the embargo in force since 1962, denouncing human rights violations and Havana's support for the government of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.

Miguel Diaz-Canel accused the US government of being behind the protests. "There is a group of people, counterrevolutionaries, mercenaries, paid by the US government, indirectly through US government agencies, to organize these kinds of protests," he said.

In a speech broadcast on television and radio, the Communist leader, surrounded by several of his ministers, assured that his government is trying to "face and overcome" the difficulties facing the American sanctions, reinforced since the mandate of the president American Donald Trump (2017-20 "What are they looking for? To provoke social unrest, to cause misunderstandings" among Cubans, but also "the famous change of regime", denounced the Cuban president. "If you want the people get better, first lift the embargo ", he added. Those behind these demonstrations" have obtained the response they deserve and they will continue to have it, as in Venezuela ", Cuba's great ally , he added.

Washington and Brussels support the demonstrators

As of Sunday, the American government reacted by warning the Cuban authorities against any use of violence against "peaceful demonstrators". "The United States supports freedom of speech and assembly in Cuba," tweeted US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

In a statement released Monday, US President Joe Biden called on "the Cuban regime to listen to its people and meet their needs." “We stand with the Cuban people and their vibrant call for freedom. "

For its part, the European Union has announced its support for the “right of peoples to express themselves”. "We ask the authorities to authorize these demonstrations and to listen to the dissatisfaction of the demonstrators", declared the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell, after a meeting of European foreign ministers in Brussels.

Russia warns of "foreign interference"

Great support of the Cuban authorities since Soviet times, Russia has warned against any "foreign interference" in this crisis. "We are convinced that the Cuban authorities are taking all necessary measures to restore public order in the interest of the citizens of the country," assured the Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement.

Mexico offers help

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador rejected any “interventionist” approach to the situation in Cuba and offered to send humanitarian aid.

Mexico can "help by providing medicines, vaccines, whatever is needed, as well as food, because health and food are basic human rights" which do not require "interventionist political management," said the leader of the left.

BRITNEY SPEARS FORCED TO STAY

UNDER THE TUTORSHIP OF HIS FATHER

A moving testimony

A little over a week ago, Britney Spears broke the silence as she spoke in court to explain to the world how the tutelage she has been under for thirteen years was a nightmare.

Trapped, the star explained in fact that she could not make any decision, neither professional nor personal.

She therefore wished that this would stop, and that her father was no longer her legal guardian. To do this, Britney Spears proposed that a wealth management company take charge of its supervision.

"I just want to take back control of my life, it's been thirteen years and that's enough", launched the pop star who spoke, at her express request, during a hearing conducted via the Internet. "I really think that this guardianship is abusive, ”she said.

"I told the world that I am happy and that I am doing well" but "I am traumatized", added the artist of 39 years. “I'm not happy, I can't sleep. I'm so angry, ”she insisted, ensuring“ cry every day ”.

"I want to be able to get married and have a child"

"I want to be able to get married and have a (third) child", she continued, assuring that she had not been authorized to have her IUD removed, implying that it was to force her to continue. to work.

Her guardianship covers both the management of her wealth and her career, which her father, Jamie Spears, and a financial institution now co-manage, but also her personal life, under the control of a professional guardian, in particular responsible for liaising between Britney Spears and the doctors who follow her.

Another hard blow

Despite this shocking testimony that moved the whole world, justice decided to leave Britney Spears under the tutelage of her father who, for his part, assured to do everything possible on his daughter and leave her complete freedom regarding her personal life. However, the Bessemer Trust asset management company was to be involved in the management of this supervision. Unfortunately, that won't be the case. Singer Iggy Azalea, who collaborated with the Toxic singer on the track Pretty Girls, in 2015, claimed that she had personally witnessed the actions of her father and the hold he had over the popstar.

"It is basic human decency that at least one person is taken out of one's life whom Britney has identified as abusive."

Not normal

Britney Spears testified clearly during her hearing of the abuse she claims to be a victim of, including an IUD that she is forced to wear to prevent her from becoming pregnant, when she wants to have a child. She also accused her father of making her sign contracts under threat and at the last minute, including to renew her residence in Las Vegas, which was submitted to her as she left the stage. "Jamie Spears is used to having documents signed under duress, it seems, and Britney Spears should not be forced to coexist with this man when she has made it clear that this is having a negative impact on his sanity. This is not normal at all, ”concluded Iggy Azalea.

The next hearing about Britney Spears' guardianship will take place on July 14 and could change everything.

RUSSIA OF VLADIMIR POUTINE

APPROPRIATES THE CHAMPAGNE APPELLATION

Champagne deliveries to Russia stopped dead by Moët Hennessy (Ruinart, Moët et Chandon, Veuve Cliquot, Krug, Mercier, Dom Perignon…) for a weekend. Before the announcement of a resumption of supplies "as soon as possible" this Sunday, July 4. What happened ?

The champagne appellation for Russian sparkling wines

For thirty years, champagne producers have waged a merciless war against the sparkling wines that use their appellation throughout the world. But they lost an important battle in Russia, where Vladimir Putin agreed, on July 2, 2021, to an amendment to the law on the regulation of alcoholic beverages.

This text provides in particular that only Russian sparkling wines can be labeled as “champagne” while genuine French champagne must be content with “sparkling wine”. This amendment clearly indicates that Russian legislation will not take into account the protection of the French appellation “Champagne AOC”.

And yet not the same method

Not exactly the same beverage, as the Union de Reims daily reports. While real champagne undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle (the “Champagne method”) and is produced in a year and a half, Russian grape juice circulates for three weeks in a series of vats filled with wood chips seeded with yeast. . Question taste, the journalist Emmanuel Grynszpan had qualified this "champanskoye" as "frightfully sweet, adulterated and devoid of aroma, but present absolutely everywhere" Because the production, equivalent in volume to that of champagne, is mainly consumed in Russia.

A thorny case from a legal point of view

"Scandalized", the French producers, gathered within the Champagne Committee, stepped up to the plate on Monday by calling on the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European authorities.

However, the case promises to be thorny from a legal point of view. According to international regulations, the wines of Champagne do have the exclusive right to use the name "Champagne" ... but in Latin characters. However, Russian legislation prohibits French producers from using the word champagne in Cyrillic, the writing used for the Russian language. "These regulations do not provide Russian consumers with clear and transparent information on the origin and characteristics of wines", assures the Champagne Committee, regretting that this law "calls into question more than twenty years of bilateral discussions between the European Union and Russia on the protection of appellations of origin. "

French leader LVMH bends over to the Russian market

This showdown, however, turned to Moscow's advantage, as LVMH's about-face showed. The powerful French luxury group notably owns Moët Hennessy, one of the largest producers of champagne. The day after the law was signed, LVMH first suspended its deliveries. But Sunday evening, its subsidiary Moët Hennessy finally indicated that it will resume deliveries "as soon as possible".

"The Champagne Houses of Moët Hennessy have always complied with the legislation in force wherever they operate and will resume deliveries as soon as possible while making these adjustments," the producer said in a statement. In a letter intended for its Russian customers and to which the business daily Vedomosti had access,the French company has announced that it will have to re-certify its products, which is expected to cost several million rubles. Having agreed, Sunday, July 4, to comply with Russian requests, it must change its labeling and rename its products in accordance with the new legislation.

The Russian daily recalls that 13% of the 50 million liters of sparkling wine and champagne imported each year into Russia come from France. Russia ranks 9th among wine consuming countries with 890 million liters sold in 2017.

The Russian daily recalls that 13% of the 50 million liters of sparkling wine and champagne imported each year into Russia come from France. Russia ranks 9th among wine consuming countries with 890 million liters sold in 2017.The Russian daily recalls that 13% of the 50 million liters of sparkling wine and champagne imported each year into Russia come from France. Russia ranks 9th among wine consuming countries with 890 million liters sold in 2017.

An AOC threatened all over the world

In Russia, the term “champagne” has been used without complex and for all kinds of sparkling wines for a long time. With this amendment, the Russian authorities certainly wish to promote local sparkling wine producers.

At the end of the 1930s, Stalin had a mass-produced “Soviet champagne” created, with the aim of making it accessible to all, low-end, but still popular on special occasions.

Abrau-Durso is a Russian “champagne” which captured the hearts of the tsars and which is still served in the Kremlin today. Produced on the shores of Lake Abrau, in the Krasnodar region (southern Russia), it has won several awards and titles in international competitions

Crimean sparkling wines with their ancestral producers experienced a second youth following the annexation of the peninsula in 2014 and their full opening to the Russian market. The country's flagship brand, Crimean wine Novy Svet, is owned by a friend of the Russian president, Yuri Kovaltchouk.

In France, two appellations of equivalent prestige to that of champagne are jealously guarded: bordeaux and cognac. "In Bordeaux, appellations such as Margaux or Saint-Emilion, but also mentions of classifications of grands crus, are regularly copied and usurped", details Jean-Baptiste Thial de Bordenave, director of the law firm specializing in wine law and DLLP Wine spirits. Cognac, for its part, succeeded in prohibiting Armenia from using its name to designate the quality brandy it has produced and exported on a large scale since ... the Soviet era.

MALESE RATS GIVE BIRTH TO SMALL

A CHINESE EXPERIENCE  LIKE FRANKENSTEIN

Chinese scientists forced male rats to give birth to young through Frankenstein-style experiments. This "feat" is attributed to a team from Shanghai Naval Medicine University. She succeeded in reproducing a model of pregnancy in a male rat.

A turning point in research on male reproduction

The team from the Shanghai Naval Medicine University has in fact constructed a model of pregnancy in the male rat in four stages.

The first step was to match a male rat with a female at the skin level. The two specimens then shared their blood. In the next step, the researchers transplanted the uterus of another female into the male. Then the embryos were implanted in the male and the female.

The research team allowed the embryos to develop for 21 and a half days before performing a cesarean section. The fourth and final step was to separate the rats.

The male specimens were able to survive three months after the operation. The mice resulting from the experiment managed to reach adulthood without any health problems.

However, not all of the embryos survived. The prepublication mentions abnormally dead fetuses. Their morphology and colors distinguished them from normal fetuses. According to the report, the deaths were caused by swelling or atrophy of the placenta.

“For the first time, we have built a model of pregnancy in a male mammal. Our study reveals the possibility of normal embryonic development in male mammals, and this may have a profound impact on research in reproductive biology, ”conclude the researchers in the paper.

A Frankenstein experience

If Victor Frankenstein indulges in a foul practice to bring his creature to life in the famous novel Frankenstein or Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley, it remains fiction. The mad scientist manages to bring an artificial creature to life by assembling different pieces of corpses.

The Chinese study, on the other hand, is very real. And she can only question.

The association For an Ethics in the Treatment of Animals (PETA) reacted immediately. His advisor Emily McIvor talks about a despicable study only "to establish if they could have cubs" after torturing the rats. "Surgically assembling two sensitive rats - which have endured mutilations and weeks of prolonged suffering - is unethical and is Frankenstein's science," McIvor told the Daily Mail . She told Mail Online: “In this despicable study, after being castrated and forcibly married to a female rat, male rats were cut and implanted with a uterus and embryos were inserted into it - all to establish s 'they could "successfully" produce young people.

"These shocking experiences are driven solely by curiosity and do nothing to deepen our understanding of the human reproductive system. "

TERRIBLE FIRE IN THE WATERS

OF THE GULF OF MEXICO

A vortex of fire in the midst of the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Friday at approximately 5 a.m. local time, a fire broke out on the surface of the ocean, west of the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula, forming a spectacular "eye of fire ". The state-owned oil company Pemex says it started from a gas leak from an undersea pipeline, a few hundred meters from its oil platform named Ku Maloob Zaap. The spectacular images of this scene, shot from the sky, were posted on Twitter by Mexican journalist Manuel Lopez San Martin.

A rupture of an underwater gas pipeline

The fire was caused by the rupture of an underwater gas pipeline, less than a meter below the surface, shortly after 5 a.m., said the Pemex company, which operates it (in Spanish). The pipeline is part of the Ku Maloob Zaap oil and gas complex, operated by Pemex.

The gas exfiltrated through the damaged pipe and ignited on the surface. The company, which has several major industrial accidents to its credit, said it had closed the pipeline valves. She added that she would investigate the cause of the fire. According to a Pemex incident report shared by Reuters, the platform's production facilities were hit by a thunderstorm. Angel Carrizales, executive director of the Agency for Safety, Energy and the Environment for the Hydrocarbons Sector in Mexico, also indicated on Twitter that the incident “did not generate any spills.” Ku Maloob Zaap is Pemex's largest crude oil producer site, accounting for over 40% of its daily production: nearly 1.7 million barrels.

A fire extinguished with nitrogen

Several boats were dispatched to put out the fire. More than five hours were needed to contain it. It was extinguished at 10:45 a.m., the company said. The fire was stopped thanks to the intervention of "fire-fighting vessels located nearby, such as Isla Santa Cruz, Bahía de Campeche and Bourbon Alienor", which spilled nitrogen on the flames. The production platform which was a few tens of meters away was not affected, the company said. No one was injured or evacuated and production was able to resume.

One of the most polluting companies in the world.

Still, the incident is far from insignificant. The name of Pemex is infamous. To his credit, several environmental scandals such as the explosion of the Tlahuelilpan pipeline (Mexico) in January 2019 which killed more than 100 people. The company had been accused of having taken a long time to cut power to the pipeline, after having detected the leak for several hours.

In addition, the public company responsible for the exploitation of oil is known to be one of the most polluting in the world.

CORONAVIRUS THE DELTA VARIANT AT 90% OF NEW CASES AT THE END OF AUGUST IN EUROPE

European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) models predict that the Delta variant, initially detected in India, will account for 70% of new infections in the EU by early August and 90% by end August, indicates the center in a note.

Three new countries, Russia, Namibia and Seychelles, have been placed on the "red list" of countries whose travelers must observe a mandatory quarantine on arrival in France to fight against the circulation of variants of the coronavirus, announced government spokesman Gabriel Attal on Wednesday

.Red List Countries

"I am announcing to you that the Defense Council decided this morning to add three countries to the red list, Namibia, Seychelles and Russia, which are therefore joining the red list," said Mr. Attal afterwards. of the Council of Ministers.

"We have set up a red list for countries which are particularly at risk of variant disease and which limits coming to France almost exclusively to French citizens, with compelling reasons and a mandatory quarantine in place on arrival, which makes the object of an intransigent control by the police, ”recalled the spokesperson.

The so-called “red” countries are countries where the circulation of the virus is considered active and where variants of concern are present. The first mandatory quarantines were put in place from April 24 for India, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, South Africa, before being extended to seven other countries on May 8, then to Colombia, Bahrain, Costa Rica and Uruguay on May 14.

To date, 21 countries are now on this red list, according to France Diplomatie.

EXTREME AND KILLING TEMPERATURES

IN CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES

Several hundred sudden deaths, hospitalizations on the rise and the increase in forest fires: western Canada and the United States are suffocating under the effect of unbearable temperatures.

The heat wave, which triggered heatwave warnings in areas where millions of people live, has claimed nearly 500 lives in Canada and at least 16 in the United States, putting pressure on emergency services, so that freshness is not expected until next week.

Lytton wiped off the map

Several fires were underway in Canada on Wednesday, including one near the village of Lytton, in British Columbia, some 250 km northeast of Vancouver: this is where a new all-time record for heat was recorded on Tuesday. the whole country, at 49.6 degrees Celsius.

Lytton, this small town in British Columbia, Canada, made the headlines this Friday, July 2, 2021. Its mayor, Jan Polderman, told the local press: he would have liked it to make the big names titles for its quality of life. But after breaking the heat record for Canada, as well as the heat record for a town located beyond 45 ° north latitude, flirting with 50 ° C, Lytton may have been, Thursday, July 1 , wiped off the map.

The 250 inhabitants had to evacuate because “the whole village is on fire. It took about 15 minutes between the appearance of the first smoke and the moment the fire started everywhere, ”Lytton Mayor Jan Polderman told CBC News. Video footage showed the fire ravaging the hills surrounding the village, which residents left under clouds of smoke. Residents of 241 other homes in the area also fled the flames.

“The historic heatwave continues to break records” and is expected to last until the end of the week, wrote the Canadian weather services, listing a long list of temperatures never before seen in Canada, which sometimes break records set in the 19th century.

Western Canada and the United States were already breaking new “historic” temperature records on Tuesday, June 29, caused by a “heat dome” of extremely rare intensity.

THE EUROPEAN HEALTH PASS

The European health certificate comes into force Thursday to facilitate travel and relaunch tourism within the European Union this summer, however, under the threat of new disruptions linked to the Delta variant.

How does it work ?

“The European Covid digital certificate”, the official name of this health pass, is free and must be recognized in the 27 EU countries, plus Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway.

According to the Commission, all member states should be able to issue or accept them on Thursday, with the exception of Ireland, which, affected by cyber attacks, could take a little delay.

On the evening of Wednesday 1 July 2021, 21 EU countries had already logged in to the system's common portal and the other six were technically ready.

This “pass” applies to three situations: it certifies that a person has been vaccinated against Covid-19, that they have passed a negative test, or that they are immune after contracting the disease.

It is up to the destination country to decide whether to accept the tests. It is up to the destination country to decide whether it accepts rapid antigenic tests in addition to PCRs. The EU recommends accepting both and harmonizing their period of validity (no more than 72 hours before arrival for PCRs and no more than 48 hours for antigens).

To prove that they have been immunized after infection, a person must provide a positive PCR test proving their infection. The validity period of this positive test is set at a maximum of 180 days, but states can decide to reduce it. Serological tests are not yet considered reliable enough to attest to this immunity.

What duration ?

This regulation is valid for twelve months.

A period of "gradual application" is planned, with a grace period until August 12 for countries that are not ready by July 1 to issue certificates according to the European model. During this period, the other states must accept national documents on condition that they contain the data required at European level.

The vaccines accepted ?

Countries are required to accept on their soil travelers vaccinated with the four products authorized at European level: those of Pfizer / BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.

Member States may - but are not obliged - also to admit people vaccinated with serums authorized in certain EU countries (such as the Russian Sputnik used in Hungary), or with products approved by the WHO ( like Chinese Sinopharm).

More than quarantine ?

The certificate is supposed to exempt its holder from an additional test or quarantine on arrival, but it is still possible for a Member State to introduce restrictions if the situation of the country or region of origin of the traveler is deteriorated. In this case the State must inform the Commission and the other countries if possible 48 hours before the introduction of these restrictions.

The Delta variant has already led Germany to add Portugal - where this variant has become predominant - to its list of countries at risk, which prohibits practically all arrivals from this state.

Travelers can consult the “Re-open EU” site which lists the conditions applicable in the various European countries.

The main organizations in the aviation sector deplored on Tuesday the mosaic of "disparate" national health certificate implementation strategies ", listing ten application solutions across the EU, at the risk of" significant malfunctions "and long queues for travelers at airports.

Digital or paper medium ?

The certificate contains a QR code and a digital signature attesting to its authenticity, which can be read by all EU countries. It can be presented to the authorities responsible for controlling it in digital form on a smartphone, or printed on paper.

It is up to the Member States to decide whether they integrate this certificate into their national tracing application, or whether they use a separate application.

What about personal data ?

The text provides that the certificate must contain only "strictly necessary" personal data, in compliance with European regulations (GDPR).

These data are not exchanged between countries, only the key allowing to verify the authenticity of the certificate needing to be transmitted. The possession of such data by the country of destination or transit is prohibited.

What use ?

European regulations concern free movement, but Member States can decide to use this European certificate for other purposes (concerts, festivals, etc.) within the framework of their national law.

What about third countries ?

The EU is in discussions with a number of third countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States, for mutual recognition and interoperability of documents.

In addition, Member States have the possibility of accepting any proof of vaccination of travelers from third countries, with a vaccine recognized by the EU or approved by the WHO.

DONALD TRUMP ON THE ROAD TO THE ELECTIONS

OF MID-TERM 2002 AND ... 2024

Donald Trump officially launched the campaign for the US mid-term elections on Saturday, June 26, finding in Ohio the electric atmosphere of the meetings he loves, with an eye already fixed on the next presidential election in three years.

It was the "very first meeting of the 2022 election," he said in the introduction, the event having been organized in support of a Republican candidate for Congress, also a former adviser to billionaire Max Miller

"We are going to take over the House [of Representatives], we are going to take over the Senate," hammered the former president.

"We won the election twice"

He reiterated his allegations of a 'stolen' election by the Democrats in 2020. "We have won the election twice, and there is a possibility that we will have to win it a third time," he said, triggering them. cheers from the thousands of supporters gathered for his coming to Wellington, near the industrial city of Cleveland.

"False Republican"

Donald Trump supports Max Miller, who is running against a Republican in the House of Representatives, Anthony Gonzalez. The latter, who represents Ohio, was one of ten Republicans in the lower house, out of 211, to vote in favor of impeachment of Donald Trump during his impeachment trial for "incitement to insurgency" after the events of the Capitol on January 6. "Anthony Gonzales is a false Republican and a disgrace for your state," said Donald Trump, on the contrary praising the talents of Max Miller. “Max will be tough on immigration (…) he will protect Ohio jobs just like I did. "

"Trump 2024"

Some supporters had camped for several days there to be sure to see the billionaire.

And we could see in the crowd of T-shirts "Trump 2024", intended to motivate the former president, which leaves the prospect of a new presidential candidacy.

COVID TOTAL RECONFINATION OF SYDNEY IN

AUSTRALIA DUE TO THE DELTA VARIANT

Total containment for the people of Sydney. The streets of Sydney and its suburbs were nearly empty on Saturday, June 26, at the start of a two-week lockdown aimed at containing the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Australia's largest city. decided, Saturday, June 26, to put the city of Sydney under a bell, to face an outbreak of new cases of Covid-19 which worries all over the world even if several European countries continue to ease their restriction measures.

The confinement, which had already been in force since midnight Friday in four districts of the city, begins to apply Saturday from 6 p.m. (8 a.m. GMT) to the whole of the metropolis, announced the Prime Minister of the New South Wales State Gladys Berejiklian.e 6 p.m. (8 a.m. GMT) metropolitan-wide, New South Wales State Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced.

More than 80 people have tested positive this week, all linked to a driver who drove airline crews from Sydney Airport to quarantine hotels.

"The Delta variant is proving to be a particularly formidable enemy," State Health Minister Brad Hazzard told reporters. "Whatever defensive measures are taken, the virus seems to know how to counterattack," he added.

Delta an “Indian” variant classified as “worrying”

Delta is an “Indian” variant classified as “special concern” by the WHO (while Kappa, its close cousin, is only qualified as “of interest”). This category includes variants likely to worsen the epidemiological situation, which turn out to be more virulent, or which modify the clinical picture of the infection by the new coronavirus, or which reduce the effect of public health measures, including vaccination. . In a note released on June 23, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) writes that Delta could be associated with a greater risk of hospitalization, i.e. severe form of Covid-19 . Study published by the journal Cell on June 16 suggests that Delta is stronger than certains antibodies. Clearly, having already contracted Covid-19 would not always constitute a guarantee against reinfection by this variant.

Concerns focus mainly on the contagiousness of Delta. In its note of June 23, the ECDC specifies that, at this stage of knowledge, it turns out to be 40% to 60% more contagious than the so-called “British” variant, which played a major role in the third wave of the epidemic. in France. Delta should therefore represent 90% of new cases of Covid-19 in the European Union, by the end of August. "It is very likely that the Delta variant circulates widely during the summer, especially among young people who are not targeted for vaccination," warned Andrea Ammon, the director of the European disease agency. vaccine therefore seems necessary to fight against the Delta variant, this will probably not be sufficient. In fact, the more contagious a virus,the higher the level of vaccination necessary to achieve group immunity (the threshold beyond which it can no longer circulate), explained Samuel Alizon to Agence France-Presse.

However, with regard to the Delta variant, scientists agree that it would take more than 80% of the vaccinated population, especially since it partly escapes the immunity developed by people who have already contracted the vaccine. Covid-19.

Present in at least 85 countries

The discovery of these new cases came as a shock to Australia's largest metropolis with more than five million inhabitants, where life had almost returned to normal. When you have a variant as contagious as the Delta virus, a three-day lockdown doesn't work, ”said Gladys Berejiklian, defending the decision to impose a two-week lockdown. "The transmissibility is at least double of the previous variants, so we must prepare for a potentially high number of cases in the days to come," she added.

The variant is now present in at least 85 countries, according to the WHO, in varying proportions. In India, it quickly prevailed over its two cousins, while in the United Kingdom it took a few weeks for it to take precedence over the local variant. In the United States, it went from around 10% of positive samples sequenced on June 5, to 35% last week. A comparable proportion is observed in Israel.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, it is responsible for around 77% and 97% of diagnosed cases, respectively, and in France, it accounts for more than 74% of positive tests carried out from June 14 to 20 in the Landes, according to the Regional Health Agency (ARS) Nouvelle-Aquitaine, against 12.1% in the Pyrénées-Orientales and Gironde, and 9.5% nationally.

THE SAMARITAINE THE BIG STORE

MYTHIC OF PARIS

Epicenter of the store, the Art Nouveau building opened in 1910 has been completely renovated in its original spirit and offers, from -1 to the fabulous level 5 located under the glass roof, everything one expects from a store of this kind: beauty, luxury, accessories, women's and men's fashion, watches and jewelry, shoes, restaurants and bars ...

The Parisian spirit, open to the world

The Parisian spirit infuses the entire store, like this Veuve Cliquot counter reminiscent of the famous Guimard metro entrances.

A floor dedicated to gastronomic experiences

Under the breathtaking Peacock Fresco, restored to the state of the art, the fifth level is dedicated to high-end gastronomic experiences, including the Voyage restaurant. La Samaritaine has nothing less than a dozen food outlets, from coffee roasted by La Brûlerie de Paris to baguette with caviar from Street Caviar or even healthy recipes from the Source bar, located on the ground floor. road side rue de Rivoli. And even from its own bakery for all you need from pastries out of the oven at breakfast time ...

From luxury to streetwear

On the Rivoli side, a fashion space with a resolutely cool mood offers an urban space in a concept-store style. Where to find creative and cutting-edge fashion brands (JWAnrdeson, Casablanca, Ambush ...), a space signed by Galerie Perrotin, but also the Devialet Soundbox and upstairs the best of streetwear brands, which he These are the very Parisians APC, Maison Kitsuné, or even the ethical Shinzo sneakers. And, of course, Comme Des Garçons.

The largest beauty area in Europe

The beauty area is the largest in Europe: nothing less than 3,400 m2 dedicated to the top of skincare, make-up, and accessories, with for example the first point of sale of the perfumer Fragonard in a department store, but also the Clé de Peau Beauté lines, the Korean brand Sulwhasoo, the Japanese SK-II and the Italian range of Dolce & Gabbana, in a space designed by the architect Hubert de Malherbe.A concept store within the department store

Loulou is the concept store in the department store.

From the designer bike to the pretty birthday card, from the book that will please the latest jewel to shine (without necessarily breaking the bank), this 200 m2 lifestyle space combines stationery, high-tech, design, through more than 1,500 references including jewels lacquered in the color of the Samaritan woman by Elise Tsikis or a jam from the Confiture Parisienne which is obviously unique and very limited. A new modernity.

FRENCH REGIONAL ELECTIONS

RECORD ABSTAIN

A DANGER FOR DEMOCRACY ?

A few days before the second round of the regional elections, the Ifop participation indicator for the JDD confirms the abstention cycle that France is experiencing. Only 36% of the French say they intend to vote on Sunday, June 27 for the second round regional elections. 64% of voters do not plan to vote next Sunday, or 30.5 million French people registered on the electoral lists. Compared to the historic abstention measured on Sunday, June 20 in the first round, we observe a slight recovery of barely three points, much lower than the increase in participation of the order of eight points recorded between the two rounds of the previous regional election. .

No "shock" in public opinion

The abysmal abstention observed last Sunday, and the political and media comments associated with it, does not seem to have produced an "electric shock" in public opinion. In the details of the responses, we also find the same divisions observed in the first round: only 13% of those under 25 plan to vote against 50% of those over 65. Regarding the presidential electorates, the electorate of François Fillon (61% of voters) seems, as on June 20, much more mobilized than that of Marine Le Pen (39%).

Among the supporters of the left, 38% say they intend to vote (50% for supporters of the PS, 40% for those of EELV, 23% for those of LFI). In addition, 39% of those close to the presidential majority intend to vote, as do 59% of Republicans sympathizers and 43% of those of the National Rally.

French democracy in danger?

The record abstention from the first round of regional (66.72%) puts "French democracy more than ever at risk", according to a study published Friday by the Jean Jaurès Institute, which suggests ways to deal with it, such as the postal vote or a reform of the electoral calendar.

The debate on a possible compulsory vote in France is therefore back in the news. The thorny question divides opinion and the political class.

If the French are 80% in favor of the idea of ​​counting the blank vote, 59% of those questioned say they are against compulsory voting with a fine. In 2017, during the presidential campaign, the proposal was on the program of the leader of France Insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who wanted to introduce it from the age of 16. More recently, the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron opposed it, in April 2019, at the end of the great national debate during which he had met the French. “I do not believe that we are responding to the democratic crisis by coercion. I do not believe that when there is disaffection and disinterest in an election, one responds to it by making it compulsory ”, then explained the Head of State.

"It should be mandatory"

Faced with the wave of abstention from the regional, the National Rally, in particular, shaken by disappointing scores despite favorable polls, is part of it “People complain about everything and constantly. And often they are right. But there is only one solution to change things - apart from the Revolution - and that is the ballot box. And I think it should be mandatory. If there is no vote, there is no democracy ”, declared Louis Aliot, RN mayor of Perpignan, while Marine Le Pen calls on his voters to“ jump ”for the second round. If the supporters of compulsory voting rightly rely on the decline in abstention as the main argument, others fear a potential rise in extremes as a consequence of the measure.

Very contrasted European examples in the results

In Europe, five countries have introduced compulsory voting, plus a Swiss canton, with very mixed results. The most cited example is that of Belgium, which introduced the measure in 1893, and where, at each election, the participation rate is around 90%. Offenders, without a valid excuse, risk a fine of 5 to 10 euros, or even 10 to 25 euros in the event of a repeat offense. If the voter abstains four times in a period of 15 years, he is removed from the electoral roll for 10 years.

Like their Belgian neighbors, the turnout for each election in Luxembourg is close to 90%. In the event of abstention, Luxembourgers risk up to 250 euros in fines for the first time, up to 1,000 euros if they repeat the offense. Another country where compulsory voting reduces abstention: Liechtenstein, with around 80% of voters in each ballot.

Difficult to impose compulsory voting

In Greece and Bulgaria, where the same measure is in force, since 1975 and 2016 respectively, participation rates are much lower. In the Hellenic Republic, the share of voters continues to fall. In the 2019 regional elections, only 40% of voters turned out to vote.

In Bulgaria, where the Constitutional Court removed the sanctions related to abstention in 2017, the turnout rate does not reach 50%.

In the long term, abstention is "a gangrene which directly undermines the legitimacy of political representatives", affirm the two authors of the study, Antoine Bristielle and Tristan Guerra, director and member of the Observatory of the opinion of this foundation close to the PS. They suggest "avenues for citizens to return to the ballot box". “This may involve providing for additional voting mechanisms” such as postal voting.

Rethinking the system

Political representatives should "become aware of the limits of the current political system" and tackle a reform of the electoral calendar (for example, to twin the legislative and the presidential one), of the voting system, or "to decentralize even more", with " the regular organization of referendums ”

"However, we must be aware that these mechanisms are absolutely not a miracle cure for mass abstention."

AFTER ISRAEL THE DELTA VARIANT

WORRIES EUROPE

Previously referred to as the Indian variant, it is considered more contagious than the Alpha variant detected in the UK, and has already become predominant in some parts of the world. It is in particular in the Portuguese capital and its great suburbs, where it represents more than 60% of the new cases detected, indicated Sunday the National Institute of Health (Insa). But also in England where the lifting of the last restrictions was postponed for four weeks, until July 19, in the face of a rise in infections caused by the Delta variant. Is such a situation inevitable in France ?

"A sword of Damocles"

The epidemic is not over, recently warned epidemiologist Martin Blachier on LCI. According to him, "what happens this summer is absolutely not what will happen in the fall". And he's not the only one to think so. Epidemiologist Pascal Crépey abounds: "We must not think we are totally out of the woods, because the virus is still there, and the Delta variant could have some surprises in store for us".

Currently listed in 85 countries, the Delta variant is of growing concern in Europe. Better known under the name of "Indian" variant, in reference to the country in which it was discovered, the latter would be 40 to 60% more contagious than the British variant, today called alpha and which is already itself much more contagious than the historical strain of Sar-CoV-2. To understand the Delta variant, two examples of countries are interesting: the United Kingdom and Israel.

The United Kingdom and Israel confronted with the Delta variant

Currently, across the Channel, 90% of new contaminations come from the Indian variant. To understand the Delta variant, two country examples are interesting: the United Kingdom and Israel. Gabriel Attal warned the day before yesterday, the British were "a few weeks ago to a few hundred cases", they are now around 11,000 new infections per day, while 63% of their population is first-vaccinated, and 46% have received a full vaccination schedule. English Prime Minister Boris Johnson has therefore postponed for four weeks the deconfinement of the country, initially scheduled for June 21. Israel too, yet exemplary in terms of vaccination, is affected by the variant and observes cases of contamination. 40% of new cases are people vaccinated, "which means that the variant is very contagious",Gabi Barbash, former director general of the Israeli Ministry of Health, said Monday evening. With 60% of the population vaccinated, Israel has yet to achieve collective immunity and has been at a glass ceiling since mid-March. It is the life-size laboratory for vaccination against the coronavirus. Israel has now immunized its population with Pfizer, according to the latest data seen Thursday, June 24.after the last data consulted this Thursday, June 24.after the last data consulted this Thursday, June 24.

The interest is therefore to observe what will unfold in these two countries, which have reached an advanced stage of vaccination with two different strategies.

Where is it located in France ?

For the moment in France, it would be the cause of 9 to 10% of new contaminations in France, and 70% in the Landes department. We see some isolated clusters appear in France, like last week in a college in Essonne.

Should we be worried about a possible epidemic resumption ?

All scientists say, we are currently in a frantic race between vaccination and variants. The goal is to vaccinate as many people as possible, in order to achieve collective immunity -80% of the vaccinated population, the only way to effectively fight against these variants. Currently, 32 million French people have received an injection of vaccine, and 17 million a complete vaccination schedule.

The vaccine prevents severe forms

The health authorities are indeed noting a very slight epidemic resumption. And among these contaminations, "40% of new cases are vaccinated people", as Professor Gabi Barbash, former director general of the Israeli Ministry of Health, actually noted in local media.

If the figure is authentic, however, it does not prove the ineffectiveness of vaccines against the coronavirus. To understand why, it is important to remember the initial objective of the vaccination. What is sought as a priority is to prevent serious forms, hospitalizations and deaths.

THE REDNECK RAVE COMES TO CHAOS IN KENTUCKY

In Kentucky, a rally escalated last weekend, with 14 people arrested and 48 charged.

But luckily everyone survived, and the organizer minimizes the spillovers

Thousands of people, some waving 'Fuck Biden' flags and others just with sunburnt skin, descended on Blue Holler Offroad Park in Edmonson County, Ky., Last week for the festival that promised five days of "MUD, MUSIC & MAYHEM".

"Music, mud and chaos".

There was chaos: the authorities announced on Tuesday that 14 people had been arrested and 48 indicted. In particular, a man strangled a woman, a festival-goer had his throat partially slit and another impaled himself on a pole. “He hasn't had a death this year,” philosopher the Edmonton County Sheriff's Office after a man died last year in an ATV crash.

The festival, hosted by country rapper Justin Time, kicked off last Wednesday. Since then, 48 people have been charged and 14 people have been arrested for everything from criminal assault to drug trafficking.

The first check at a checkpoint set the tone "The first vehicle that passed, we found methamphetamine, marijuana and an open can of alcohol." Edmonson County Sheriff Shane Doyle told the Lexington Herald Leader. “And then one of the occupants had two active arrest warrants… We were like 'well, that doesn't bode well for the weekend.'

Doyle told the outlet he wanted 24/7 coverage of the event because he knew how insane it was going to get and it looks like he was right.

While most of the charges relate to drug possessions, the festival was marked by serious incidents. A man has been charged with "strangling a woman until she loses consciousness" apparently over a blanket dispute. An altercation between two friends ended with a partially cut throat and a suspect still at large.

At one point, a participant driving an all-terrain vehicle struck a log that went under the four-wheeler and impaled it in the abdomen, according to the Lexington Herald Leader. The log was still in the man's intestine as he was flown to a nearby hospital.

In its press release, the sheriff's office lists, in addition to the “strangulation and impaling of the abdomen”, multiple “severed or dislocated fingers”. The organizers did not have to apply for a permit, but that will "probably" change next year.

"Disneyworld for the rednecks"

On the phone, the organizer of this Redneck Rave, the “country rapper” who calls himself Justin Time, did not ask so much: “There is no bad publicity, we are talking about the festival all over the world! He smiles. According to him, the “newspaper headlines are a bit exaggerated”.

He assures us that the two friends whose altercation ended with a "cut throat" did not leave angry, and that in the end, there was only one arrest within the very grounds of the rally. . What the authorities confirm: all the other people were arrested at the multiple checkpoints set up. "But it was the only event in the area, most indicated they were going to the festival," said the sheriff's office.

What is this “Redneck rave” ?

“It's a bit like the Disneyworld of the rednecks,” replies the organizer, proudly claiming this pejorative qualifier which generally designates the “bumpers” of the American South, a borderline racist conservative tendency, immortalized by the reality show Duck Dynasty. Justin Time swears that despite the many Confederate flags, this rave is apolitical:

"There are Republicans and Democrats, gays and straight people, it's a big party with music, mud, a wet t-shirt contest and a demolition derby", a race where cars finish crumbled.

“It was the biggest event we've ever had and with so many people and random things popping up unexpectedly, I feel like we've all handled it really well,” the post said. .

“We have something awesome going on and I can't wait to see where this train leads!

REDNECK RAVE SHXT! "

A certain idea of ​​America !

BRITNEY SPEARS TRAUMATISEE BEGINS CALIFORNIAN JUDGE FOR "ABUSIVE" TUTORSHIP

She waited 13 years to speak out !

On Wednesday, singer Britney Spears begged a judge to lift the guardianship that has been imposed on her since 2008 following psychological disorders, and which deprives her of her decision-making power and her autonomy.

Driven by requests to log in from reporters and fans of the #FreeBritney movement, the Los Angeles superior court website, which offered an audio stream of the audience, could not resist.

"I just want to take back control of my life"

"I just want to take back control of my life, it's been thirteen years and that's enough,"

said the pop star, speaking, at her direct request, in an internet hearing.

Her guardianship covers both the management of her wealth and her career, which her father, Jamie Spears, and a financial institution now co-manage, but also her personal life, under the control of a professional guardian, in particular responsible for liaising between Britney Spears and the doctors who follow her.

Britney Spears spoke uninterruptedly for more than twenty minutes, with an extremely fast flow and by chaining the arguments to ask the judge Brenda Penny to lift this judicial measure which does her, according to her, "more harm than good ".

"I really think that this supervision is abusive", she launched. "I told the world that I am happy and that I am doing well" but "I am traumatized," added the 39-year-old artist. “I'm not happy, I can't sleep. I'm so angry, ”she insisted, ensuring“ cry every day ”.

"I want to be able to get married and have a child" "I want to be able to get married and have a (third) child", she continued, assuring that she had not been authorized to have her IUD removed, implying that it was to force her to continue. to work.

"IRREVERSIBLE" CONSEQUENCES

OF GLOBAL WARMING

Life on Earth as we know it will inevitably be transformed by climate change when children born in 2021 will be 30 years old, or even earlier, warns a draft report by UN climate experts.

"Humanity cannot"

Whatever the rate of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the devastating impacts of warming on nature and the humanity that depends on it will accelerate, assures the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC), and become painfully palpable well before 2050. “Life on Earth can recover from major climate change by evolving into new species and creating new ecosystems,” notes the 137-page technical summary. “Humanity cannot”.

Inform political decisions

The draft report drafted by hundreds of scientists attached to the IPCC, which is authoritative in the field, oscillates between an apocalyptic tone and the hope offered to men to change their destiny by immediate and drastic measures. The comprehensive 4,000-page evaluation report, much more alarmist than the previous one in 2014, aims to inform political decisions. Although its main findings will not change, it will not be officially released until February 2022, after its approval by consensus by all 195 member states. Too late, however, for the crucial international meetings on climate and biodiversity scheduled for the end of 2021, note some scientists.

Among its most important conclusions is a lowering of the threshold beyond which warming can be considered acceptable. By signing the agreement in Paris in 2015, the world has pledged to limit global warming to 2 ° C compared to pre-industrial times, if possible + 1.5 ° C . From now on, the IPCC estimates that exceeding + 1.5 ° C could already lead "gradually, to serious consequences, for centuries, and sometimes irreversible".

The lives of our children and grandchildren

And according to the World Meteorological Organization, the probability that this threshold of + 1.5 ° C over one year will be exceeded by 2025 is already 40%. "The worst is yet to come, with implications for the lives of our children and our grandchildren far more than ours", insists the IPCC, while awareness of the climate crisis has never been so extensive .

Even at + 1.5 ° C, living conditions will change beyond the ability of some organisms to adapt.

The climate has already changed. While the rise in average temperatures since the middle of the 19th century has reached 1.1 ° C, the effects are already severe and will be increasingly violent, even if CO2 emissions are curbed. And the living things - human or not - least to blame for these shows are, ironically, those who will suffer the most. For some animals and varieties of plants, it may even be too late: "Even at + 1.5 ° C, living conditions will change beyond the ability of certain organisms to adapt", emphasizes the report, citing the coral reefs on which half a billion people depend. Among the species on borrowed time are the animals of the Arctic, a territory that is warming three times faster than average. On site, ancestral ways of life,people living in close connection with the ice could also disappear.

Agriculture, breeding, fishing, aquaculture ....

"In all food production systems, sudden losses increase", also observes the report, pointing to climatic hazards as "the main driver". However, humanity is at this stage not armed to face the certain deterioration of the situation. "The current levels of adaptation will be insufficient to respond to future climate risks", warns the IPCC. Even limiting the increase to 2 ° C, up to 80 million more people will go hungry by 2050 and 130 million could fall into extreme poverty within ten years.

Cascading effects

In 2050, hundreds of millions of inhabitants of coastal cities will be threatened by more frequent wave-submersion, caused by rising sea levels, which in turn will lead to significant migrations. At + 1.5 ° C, in cities, 350 million additional inhabitants will be exposed to water shortages, 400 million at + 2 ° C. And with that extra half-degree, 420 million more people will be at risk from extreme heatwaves. “The costs of adaptation for Africa are expected to increase by tens of billions of dollars per year above + 2 ° C,” the report predicts. We still have to find this money.

The danger of cascading effects

The text also underlines the danger of cascading effects. Some regions (eastern Brazil, Southeast Asia, central China) and almost all coastal areas could be hit by three or four simultaneous weather disasters, or even more: heatwave, drought, cyclone, fires, floods, diseases carried by people. mosquitoes ... And we must also take into account the amplifying effects of other human activities harmful to the planet, notes the report: destruction of habitats, overexploitation of resources, pollution, spread of diseases ...

The "tipping points"

Without forgetting the uncertainties around the “tipping points”, key elements whose substantial modification could lead the climate system towards a violent and irremediable change. Above + 2 ° C, the melting of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice caps (which contain enough water to cause the sea level to rise by 13 meters) could for example cause a point of no return, according to recent work. This is why "every fraction of a degree counts", insists the IPCC, while another breaking point could see the Amazon - one of the lungs of the planet with the oceans - transformed into a savannah.

A note of hope

Faced with these systemic problems, there is no single miracle cure. In contrast, a single action can have positive cascading effects. For example, the conservation and restoration of mangroves and submarine kelp forests, referred to as “blue carbon” sinks, increase carbon storage, but also protect against flooding, while providing habitat for many species. and food for coastal populations.

Despite its alarming conclusions, the report thus offers a note of hope. Humanity can still orient its destiny towards a better future by taking strong measures today to slow down the runaway of the second half of the century. “We need a radical transformation of processes and behaviors at all levels: individuals, communities, companies, institutions and government,” argues the report. “We need to redefine our way of life and consumption.”

For her part, the young activist in the fight against climate change, Greta Thunberg, welcomed Wednesday, June 23, 2021 the draft UN report on the climate which allows the world to see "reality in the face".

THE RECORDS OF ASTRONAUT

THOMAS PESQUET IN SPACE

A record spacewalk

Thomas Pesquet returned to the interior of the International Space Station without incident on Sunday, June 20, 2021, after another spacewalk lasting more than six hours. On this occasion, the French astronaut broke a record.

Never has a French astronaut spent so much time in space! Thomas Pesquet is since Sunday the tricolor record holder of duration in terms of spacewalk, with a total of 26 hours and 15 minutes accumulated on the clock.

A 19-year-old record that was until now held by French astronaut Philippe Perrin, during his only mission in 2002 aboard the International Space Station (ISS). He had then donned his spacesuit three times for a cumulative duration of 19 hours and 31 minutes, in the company of the American astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz.

Thomas Pesquet carried out this Sunday the fourth extra-vehicular outing (EVA) of his career, the second after that of Wednesday which could only be partially accomplished due to a series of technical incidents.

Installation of a solar panel

For 6 hours and 28 minutes, the tricolor astronaut and his American teammate Shane Kimbrough completed the installation of a first latest generation solar panel, attached by two cables to the Space Station running 400 kilometers above the Earth....

The two "mechanics" then began to install a second. Six in total, these solar panels, called iROSA, are supposed to increase the power generation capacities of the ISS.