FACE A LA GUERRE DES GANGS BIENTOT L'INTERVENTION DE L'ARMEE DE SUEDE ?

Les autorités suédoises ne parviennent pas à endiguer une guerre des gangs qui dure depuis deux longues années et qui s’intensifie ces derniers jours. Le pays détient le taux d’homicide par arme à feu le plus élevé d’Europe.

Selon les décomptes de la chaîne de télévision publique SVT, 12 personnes sont mortes dans des fusillades et explosions en septembre, le mois le plus meurtrier des quatre dernières années

3 homicides en 24 heures

Le Premier ministre suédois a évoqué ce jeudi 28 septembre un renfort de l’armée pour venir à bout de l’escalade de violence entre des gangs qui a tué trois personnes en 24 heures et choqué le pays. « Je suis à vos côtés, nous pourchasserons les gangs et nous les vaincrons. Nous les traduirons en justice », a déclaré Ulf Kristersson lors d’une intervention télévisée dans la soirée.

Face à cet engrenage, le chef du gouvernement a estimé que "le droit suédois n’est pas conçu pour les guerres de gangs et les enfants soldats. Mais nous sommes en train de changer cela". Selon les décomptes de la chaîne de télévision publique SVT, 12 personnes sont mortes dans des fusillades et explosions en septembre, le mois le plus meurtrier des quatre dernières années.

Les vingt-quatre dernières heures ont été particulièrement meurtrières avec trois homicides, dont ceux d’un jeune de 18 ans et d’une femme de 25 ans.

Les Sociaux-démocrates (gauche) et les Démocrates de Suède (extrême droite) ont proposé de mobiliser l’armée pour soutenir la police dans son travail de terrain. "J’ai convoqué le chef de la police nationale et le commandant en chef demain pour voir comment les forces armées peuvent aider la police à lutter contre les gangs", a réagi le Premier ministre.

Une première fusillade a eu lieu dans une banlieue aisée au sud de Stockholm peu avant 19 heures mercredi soir : un jeune homme a été tué par balle près d’un terrain de sport où des enfants s’entraînaient au football, selon la police nationale. Une enquête pour homicide a été ouverte et le terrain a été fermé jusqu’à vendredi.

"Des personnes innocentes sans aucun lien avec la criminalité organisée, dont plusieurs enfants venus à leur entraînement, ont été contraintes d’assister encore une fois à une fusillade impitoyable pendant laquelle un homme a été abattu", avait réagi, à chaud, le Premier ministre dès mercredi soir.

Une deuxième fusillade a eu lieu quelques heures plus tard, vers minuit, dans une autre banlieue sud de Stockholm, blessant deux personnes dont l’une est décédée des suites de ses blessures, selon la police. Trois hommes ont été arrêtés.

"Échec de l’intégration"

Et dans la nuit de mercredi à jeudi, aux alentours de 4 heures du matin, un engin explosif a tué une jeune femme de 25 ans dans la banlieue d’Uppsala. Cinq maisons ont été endommagées, a précisé la police sur son site.

"La criminalité a atteint une ampleur que nous n’avions jamais vue auparavant. La situation est grave à Uppsala, et dans tout le pays", a déclaré Catarina Bowall, une responsable de la police de la ville universitaire située à 70 km au nord de Stockholm. "Il est probable que cet événement ait un lien avec le conflit national" entre bandes criminelles, a ajouté la responsable.

Cette série de violences sans précédent est liée à une vague de représailles entre deux bandes criminelles qui se disputent le contrôle du trafic de drogues. Elle ébranle depuis plusieurs semaines le pays, qui peine à endiguer ces fusillades meurtrières et ces explosions -visant le plus souvent à intimider les membres de gangs rivaux et leurs proches - quasi quotidiennes.

Le Premier ministre s’en est également pris jeudi à "la naïveté et l’inconscience qui nous ont amenés ici. C’est l’immigration irresponsable et l’échec de l’intégration qui nous ont conduits" à cette situation, a-t-il affirmé.

M. Kristersson, à la tête des Modérés, a été l’artisan l’an dernier d’un rapprochement sans précédent avec l’extrême droite qui lui a permis d’accéder au pouvoir. Il est allié au Parlement avec le parti anti-immigration des Démocrates de Suède, qui n’ont cependant pas de ministre au gouvernement.

Les auteurs de ces violences sont de plus en plus jeunes et ces attaques ont fait plusieurs victimes collatérales ces dernières semaines.

En 2022, la Suède a connu 391 fusillades, dont 62 mortelles.

Les chiffres datent de 2022, une année noire, où les Suédois n’ont passé qu’une petite trentaine de jours sans qu’une fusillade n'éclate dans le pays. Tout indique que la Suède est sur les mêmes bases pour l’année 2023. Les renseignements affirment que la situation n’a pas été aussi dangereuse depuis l’après-guerre en 1945. 

Une violence cantonnée aux grandes villes, Stockholm, Malmö, Göteborg, mais qui se répand désormais dans tous les centres urbains. La police constate même qu’une nouvelle série de règlement de comptes est en cours : sept personnes assassinées en trois semaines. Le 11 septembre, la victime était un garçon de 13 ans.

Le gang de Foxtrot, celui du "Renard kurde"

D’après la police ce jeune adolescent faisait partie des 30 000 personnes impliquées dans le crime organisé et le trafic de drogue en Suède. Il a été abattu dans la banlieue sud de Stockholm. Il est l’une des nombreuses victimes d’une guerre interne au gang de Foxtrot, celui du "Renard kurde", un chef de faction agissant désormais depuis la Turquie. 

D’origine irakienne, Rawa Majid, en conflit avec l’un de ses anciens complices, a récemment fait assassiner la mère de celui-ci, une femme de 70 ans. C'est ce crime qui donne lieu aujourd’hui à cette escalade de violence à travers le pays.

Seuls 25% des crimes commis sont résolus

De nombreux débats s’ouvrent en Suède sur la circulation des armes, 100% de celles utilisées par ces gangs sont illégales. 

Il y a aujourd’hui une importante filière d’armes, en provenance des Balkans, fabriquées en impression 3D et donc impossible à tracer. L'autre préoccupation, c'est l’influence grandissante des gangs sur les pouvoirs publics qui expliquerait que seuls 25% des crimes commis soient résolus.

Mais la grande préoccupation, selon Ardavan Khoshnood, professeur de criminologie à l’université de Lund, c’est l’âge de ceux qui sont en possession des armes, de plus en plus des mineurs. "Pour chaque mort en Suède, vous avez entre trois et quatre jeunes individus dans la file d’attente pour prendre le relais. 

La priorité, c’est de stopper la filière de recrutement des gangs. La plupart des nouvelles recrues sont des enfants, donc il faut mettre en place une meilleure collaboration entre les écoles, la police et les services sociaux si l’on souhaite inverser cette courbe mortifère", a déclaré le criminologue suédois. 

85% des délinquants impliqués dans ces affrontements entre gangs sont issus de l’immigration et des quartiers.   

LA TRAGEDIE ARMENNIENE DANS 

LE HAUT- KARABAGH OU LE NETTOYAGE ETHNIQUE ?

Le Haut-Karabagh s’est encore embrasé, dans une offensive qui a donné la haute main à l’Azerbaïdjan et laisse planer des incertitudes inquiétantes sur le sort des Arméniens dans cette zone.

La dissolution "de toutes les institutions gouvernementales et organisations"

La république séparatiste autoproclamée du Haut-Karabakh a annoncé, jeudi 28 septembre, la dissolution "de toutes les institutions gouvernementales et organisations (...) au 1er janvier 2024", une semaine après une offensive éclair de l'Azerbaïdjan au bout de 30 ans de conflit. Le décret du dirigeant de cette enclave, Samvel Chakhramanian, établit qu'en conséquence, "la République du Haut-Karabakh (Artsakh) cesse son existence".

Les séparatistes arméniens du Haut-Karabakh (Artsakh en arménien) ont subi en vingt-quatre heures la semaine dernière une défaite militaire qui les a forcés à capituler face à l'Azerbaïdjan, pays dont ils avaient fait sécession à la chute de l'URSS, en 1991. Cette offensive a déjà poussé 65 000 réfugiés à l'exode vers l'Arménie, soit plus de la moitié des habitants de cette région séparatiste, selon Erevan. Les Arméniens n’ont pas oublié le massacre de Soumgaït commis par les Azerbaïdjanais en 1988.

Le Premier ministre arménien a de son côté accusé jeudi l'Azerbaïdjan de "nettoyage ethnique" au Haut-Karabakh, estimant que tous les Arméniens de cette région sécessionniste l'auront quittée dans "les prochains jours".

L'Arménie a par ailleurs appelé la communauté internationale à "agir".

L'Arménie dit avoir recensé plus de 65 000 réfugiés sur son sol

Près de la moitié des habitants de la région ont fui depuis que l'enclave est passée sous contrôle de l'Azerbaïjan. Les autorités arméniennes font état, mercredi 27 septembre, de l'arrivée de 50 243 réfugiés en provenance de l'enclave du Haut-Karabakh. Près de la moitié de la population qui a ainsi déjà fui la région, quatre jours après l'accord de cessez-le-feu qui place la région sous contrôle azerbaïdjanais. La semaine dernière, l'offensive éclair de l'Azerbaïdjan a en effet brutalement mis fin aux rêves d'indépendance des séparatistes arméniens. L'Azerbaïdjan a ouvert dimanche la seule route reliant l'enclave à l'Arménie.

Sur cette route, un convoi de voiture incessant amène toujours plus de réfugiés de l'autre côté de la frontière. Première étape pour la plupart, la ville de Goris. Nombre de réfugiés, affamés, ont passé la nuit dans leurs véhicules dont ils émergent les yeux rougis de fatigue, beaucoup disant n'avoir aucun endroit où dormir ni lieu où aller en Arménie.

Pour ajouter aux tourments de l'enclave, plus de 100 personnes sont toujours portées disparues après l'explosion d'un dépôt de carburant pris d'assaut par les habitants en plein exode. Le drame a fait 68 morts et 290 blessés. De plus, l'ancien dirigeant du gouvernement séparatiste du Haut-Karabakh de novembre 2022 à février 2023, Ruben Vardanyan, a été arrêté mercredi par les autorités azerbaïdjanaises, alors qu'il tentait de rejoindre l'Arménie.

Rappel des faits depuis trois décennies

19 septembre 2023. Les Arméniens du Haut-Karabagh (aussi appelé Nagorny Karabakh) ont déposé les armes le 20 septembre 2023 devant l’avancée des troupes azéries.

L’offensive de l’Azerbaïdjan, il y a une semaine, est un nouvel épisode d’un conflit qui dure depuis trois décennies.

La guerre de 2020 au Haut-Karabagh est une guerre opposant la République du Haut-Karabagh , soutenue par l'Arménie, et l'Azerbaïdjan, soutenu par la Turquie, pour le contrôle du Haut-Karabagh.

L’Azerbaïdjan, pays turcophone à majorité chiite, réclame le retour sous son contrôle du Haut-Karabakh, province montagneuse peuplée majoritairement d’Arméniens, chrétiens, dont la sécession, en 1991, n’a pas été reconnue par la communauté internationale.

Cette province arménienne rattachée à l’Azerbaïdjan a proclamé son indépendance à la chute de l’URSS, en 1991 .Elle est désormais au centre d’un conflit régional.

Des combats meurtriers ont eu lieu entre les forces du Haut-Karabakh, soutenues par l’Arménie, et les troupes d’Azerbaïdjan, dans la région séparatiste du Haut-Karabakh, peuplée de 150 000 habitants, majoritairement arméniens.

Sachant que les musulmans d’Azerbaïdjan et les chrétiens d’Arménie ne s 'entendent pas, Staline, le dirigeant de l’URSS jusqu’en 1953, lui-même caucasien, avait créé une enclave azérie en Arménie. Et une enclave arménienne en Azerbaïdjan.C’est cette enclave, le Nagorny Karabakh, une zone de 4 400 kilomètres carrés, que les deux pays se disputent depuis 30 ans.

Montée des tensions et combats meurtriers en 2020

Après plusieurs mois de montée des tensions ponctuées d'escarmouches le long de la frontière, des combats éclatent le 27 septembre 2020, provoquant la mobilisation générale et l'instauration de la loi martiale dans ces pays.

Depuis plus de 30 jours, les forces de l’enclave séparatiste du Haut-Karabakh, soutenue politiquement, militairement et économiquement par l’Arménie, et celles de l’Azerbaïdjan s’affrontent dans les combats les plus meurtriers depuis 2016. Le bilan officiel s’établit à plus de 100 morts. Mais les deux camps affirment chacun avoir tué des centaines de militaires ennemis

Des cessez-le-feu non respectés

Le 10 octobre 2020, une médiation russe permet aux deux parties de s'entendre sur un cessez-le-feu et une reprise des négociations. Les hostilités reprennent cependant peu après. Le 18 octobre 2020, grâce à une médiation du groupe de Minsk, un second essai pour une mise en place du cessez-le-feu est lancé, sans succès. Un troisième cessez-le-feu humanitaire, négocié par les États-Unis, débutant le 26 octobre 2020, et également sans succès.

Le 9 novembre, le premier ministre arménien Nikol Pachinian signe un accord de fin des hostilités qui entre le 10 novembre en vigueur qualifié de « capitulation » par le président azéri Ilham Aliev .

Un accord signé le 9 novembre 2020

Selon l'accord, l'Azerbaïdjan garde les territoires reconquis incluant Choucha et sept districts. Les Arméniens conservent le corridor de Latchin et doivent mettre en place un corridor en Arménie entre l'Azerbaïdjan et le Nakhitchevan. L'accord prévoit également le déploiement de forces de paix russes dans la région et la création d'un centre d'observation russo-turc dans la région.

Le 10 novembre 2020, un cessez-le-feu signé sous les auspices de Vladimir Poutine avait mis un terme à ce qu’on a appelé la « guerre de 44 jours », qui était en réalité la seconde guerre du Karabakh. La première ayant été gagnée par le camp arménien au début des années 1990. La seconde, à l’automne 2020 donc, a été remportée de façon incontestable par l’Azerbaïdjan, qui a alors repris le périmètre autour de l’enclave, jusqu’alors contrôlé par les Arméniens, ainsi qu’environ les deux tiers de l’enclave elle-même.

Le cessez-le-feu prévoyait que des communications devaient être assurées entre, d’une part, l’Arménie et le Karabakh, via la route du corridor de Latchine, et d’autre part entre l’Azerbaïdjan et le Nakhitchevan, qui est une exclave de l’Azerbaïdjan située à l’ouest du territoire arménien et frontalière de la Turquie – c’est-à-dire que l’Azerbaïdjan et la Turquie bénéficieraient dans cette hypothèse, dès lors, d’une sorte de raccordement terrestre direct.

Après la chute de l'Urss en 1989-1991

Mais comment les politiques et réformes soviétiques, particulièrement celles initiées par Gorbatchev, ont influencé et ravivé les revendications territoriales historiques entre l'Arménie et l'Azerbaïdjan, et quelles répercussions ont-elles eues à long terme ?

À l'époque de l'Union soviétique, les questions nationales demeuraient un sujet tabou. Le régime socialiste soviétique promouvait l'unité entre les peuples et visait à une fusion des différentes nationalités. Tout était orchestré sous la direction du Parti communiste de l'Union soviétique. Les mouvements nationalistes n'étaient pas tolérés, bien qu'ils existaient en secret, car leur expression publique était sévèrement réprimée, leurs leaders risquant l'emprisonnement, voire l'exécution.

Lorsque le pouvoir central a commencé à s'affaiblir, ces mouvements nationalistes ont pris de l'ampleur, notamment à la suite des réformes de Gorbatchev. À partir de 1988, on a observé une montée significative des mouvements nationalistes dans chaque république soviétique. C'est également à cette époque que les questions des minorités ethniques ont commencé à se poser, particulièrement dans la région du Caucase. En Géorgie, les Abkhazes et les Ossètes étaient concernés, tandis qu'en Azerbaïdjan, les tensions étaient principalement entre les Arméniens et les autres minorités, surtout dans le Nord et le Sud du pays. Bien que l'Arménie fût relativement homogène à cette période, elle comptait néanmoins une minorité azerbaïdjanaise et des Kurdes.

C'est alors que d'anciennes revendications territoriales ont refait surface. Les Arméniens, en particulier, contestaient les décisions prises en 1920 par Staline, notamment l'attribution du Nakhitchevan et du Karabagh à l'Azerbaïdjan, malgré une forte majorité arménienne dans cette seconde région. Les Arméniens du Karabagh dénonçaient des discriminations, notamment dans le système éducatif, les médias et la vie politique, ce qui les a incités à réclamer leur rattachement à l'Arménie. Ces revendications, émergeant à la fin des années 1980, ont déclenché des affrontements violents entre les deux communautés, dont un pogrom anti-Arméniens à Bakou en 1988. La situation a tellement dégénéré que l'armée soviétique a dû intervenir à plusieurs reprises.

En somme, ce ne fut pas la dissolution de l'URSS qui a engendré ces tensions, mais elle les a libérées complètement. L'effondrement de l'URSS a eu pour conséquence de libérer ces tensions nationalistes, d'autant que l'armée soviétique n'existait plus pour mettre fin aux violences intercommunautaires. Le retrait des forces d'interposition décidé par Eltsine a marqué le début d'une véritable guerre qui a duré trois ans jusqu'à un cessez-le-feu en faveur des Arméniens en 1994. À cette époque, l'armée arménienne était mieux organisée et bénéficiait d'un soutien accru de sa diaspora. À la fin de ce conflit, elle contrôlait environ 13 % du territoire de l'Azerbaïdjan, incluant la région du Karabagh et les territoires adjacents.

Cette situation est corroborée par l'accord de 1994, accepté par les Arméniens mais toujours rejeté par Bakou. Les deux présidents successifs de l'Azerbaïdjan, Heydar Aliyev et son fils Ilham Aliyev, ont toujours insisté sur l'intégrité territoriale de l'Azerbaïdjan. Ils ont maintes fois déclaré que si la question ne pouvait être résolue par la diplomatie, elle devait l'être par la force, selon l'expert du Caucase Jean Radvanyi. " Les deux présidents successifs de l’Azerbaïdjan ont maintes fois déclaré que si la question ne pouvait pas être résolue par la diplomatie, elle devait l’être par la force. On voit qu’ils ont tenu parole. "

La non intervention internationale

La Russie montre de constants signes d'affaiblissement, surtout dans le Sud Caucase. Ce déclin est étroitement lié à l'échec majeur de sa politique envers ce que Moscou appelait "l'étranger proche", tant sous Eltsine que sous Poutine. Ils n'ont jamais réussi à établir une politique équilibrée envers leurs voisins, que ce soit au sein de la Communauté des États indépendants ou d'autres instances successivement créées.

Le principal problème pour les Russes est qu'ils ont négligé un élément crucial : ils ne sont plus les seuls acteurs influents dans la région. Depuis la dissolution de l'URSS, les autres États cherchent à établir des alliances ailleurs pour équilibrer la pression russe. C’est ce qui s’est passé en Ukraine, dans les États baltes, au Kazakhstan, en Asie centrale et dans le Caucase. Chaque État poursuit son propre agenda. Par exemple, l'Azerbaïdjan, en tant que nation turcophone, voit la Turquie comme un allié naturel, d’autant que depuis le début du XXe siècle, celle-ci souhaite établir une influence pan-turque dans la région, ce qui crée des tensions avec des pays comme l’Arménie. Chaque nation cherche donc de nouveaux alliés : la Géorgie vers l’Union européenne et les États-Unis ; les pays Baltes et l’Ukraine aussi, etc.

Quant à l’Arménie, elle est dans une position délicate. D’une part, la vision pan-turque d’Ankara et les aspirations géopolitiques de Bakou, notamment leur désir de créer un corridor terrestre traversant des territoires arméniens, alimentent cette animosité. De plus, l’enclavement géographique de l’Arménie accentue son isolement, la privant d’opportunités économiques et stratégiques et la rendant dépendante des routes de transit souvent sous contrôle hostile. D’autre part, bien que l’Arménie puisse compter sur le soutien de sa puissante diaspora, notamment en France et aux États-Unis, elle peine à trouver des alliés de poids sur la scène internationale. 

La majorité des acteurs mondiaux majeurs demeurent indifférents à sa situation, laissant l’Arménie dans une position de vulnérabilité. Et puis, ses relations avec la Russie, bien que potentiellement bénéfiques, sont teintées d’ambiguïté. Moscou, que ce soit sous Eltsine ou Poutine, a souvent monnayé son soutien, demandant en retour des concessions économiques, politiques ou militaires. Ce type de relation, où l’aide est conditionnée, met l’Arménie dans une position délicate, la forçant à jongler entre ses aspirations à la souveraineté et les demandes d’une grande puissance.

Ce que montre la séquence actuelle c’est qu’en plus de s’affaiblir, la Russie affaiblit ses alliés ce qui, en retour, fragilise encore sa position dans cet espace. Les conflits qui déchirent cet espace affectent directement le voisinage de l’Union européenne, mais celle-ci apparaît étonnamment discrète.

Historiquement, bien que la région ne soit pas très éloignée de l’Europe, les pays européens n’y ont pas été très présents. Bien sûr, il y a eu des interventions sporadiques, comme celles des Allemands et des Anglais pendant la Première Guerre mondiale. Cependant, la position des occidentaux, en particulier celle de l’Union européenne, a souvent été perçue comme hypocrite. Par exemple, peu après l’indépendance des pays du Caucase dans les années 1990, l’Union européenne a signé des accords mettant en avant des principes contradictoires : l’intégrité territoriale avec l’Azerbaïdjan et le droit des peuples à l’autodétermination avec l’Arménie.

Cette contradiction est manifeste dans la question du Haut-Karabakh. D’un côté, l’Azerbaïdjan souhaite reprendre le contrôle de cette région, de l’autre, l’Arménie veut l’intégrer. Malgré ses bonnes intentions, l’Union européenne est confrontée à une contradiction fondamentale dans sa politique. De plus, l’Azerbaïdjan étant un pays riche en pétrole et en gaz, les États membres de l’Union européenne sont réticents à l’offenser, préférant préserver leurs intérêts économiques.

Mais chaque conflit a ses propres spécificités...

Toutefois, de nombreuses questions demeurent en suspens.

C’est le jeu des puissances régionales.

C’est le jeu des puissances régionales. Et si l’Iran est hostile à l’Azerbaïdjan, en revanche Ankara le soutient pleinement et la Russie ne veut se fâcher ni avec l’Azerbaïdjan, ni avec la Turquie.

La situation semblait à peu près stabilisée, notamment du fait de la présence des forces russes de maintien de la paix stationnées le long de ce fameux corridor de Latchine

Il faudra suivre l' histoire de jonction de l’Azerbaïdjan et de la Turquie à travers le sud de l’Arménie. Si cela se matérialise, c’est une catastrophe de plus pour l’Arménie, qui risquerait d’être réduite territorialement.

"Mais c’est un scénario que l’Iran voudra absolument empêcher, car Téhéran tient beaucoup à conserver une frontière commune avec l’Arménie et un tel corridor reviendrait à l’en priver. Une déflagration généralisée ne serait alors pas à exclure.", selon Taline Ter Minassian, historienne, professeur des universités. Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales (Inalco).

HOLLYWOOD TREMBLE DEVANT LA SUPERSTAR TAYLOR SWIFT

Hollywood tremble sous la puissance de Taylor Swift. Alors que la date de sortie de son film-concert, "Taylor Swift: Eras Tour", est fixée au 13 octobre prochain, plusieurs autres productions ont décidé de faire machine arrière et de repousser leurs propres débuts.

La raison ? Dès le premier jour des préventes de billets dans les cinémas AMC, le phénomène qu'est le film de cette star américaine a confirmé sa popularité étonnante. Plus de 26 millions de dollars ont été générés, surpassant ainsi les 16 millions de dollars précédemment détenus par "Spider-Man: No Way Home" en 2021. Pour le premier week-end de sa sortie, les prévisions s'envolent vers plus de 70 millions de dollars de recettes, plaçant immédiatement le film de la chanteuse parmi les blockbusters les plus attendus de l'année.

Face à ce raz-de-marée, le réalisateur Jon Gunn a jugé sage de reporter la sortie de son film, "Ordinary Angels", avec Hilary Swank, prévue également pour le 13 octobre, au 23 février 2024. Jason Blum, le producteur du prochain film "L’Exorciste : Dévotion", lui aussi initialement prévu pour le 13 octobre, a préféré avancer sa date, craignant que la superpuissance artistique de Taylor Swift n'obscurcisse son propre chef-d'œuvre. Il a même plaisanté à ce sujet sur X, anciennement Twitter, en faisant une allusion à l'une des chansons de Taylor Swift, concluant par le hashtag "#TaylorWins".

L'Effet Phénoménal de Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift est sur tous les fronts. En juillet dernier, la superstar américaine de 33 ans a sorti son 12e album intitulé "Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)", qui a immédiatement pris la première place du Billboard. Avec cette nouvelle réalisation, elle est devenue la chanteuse ayant le plus grand nombre d'albums classés en tête des ventes de ce célèbre classement américain depuis sa création en 1963. Ainsi, elle a détrôné Barbra Streisand, une autre icône de la musique populaire américaine, qui détenait ce titre jusqu'alors.

En octobre 2022, la sortie de son dixième album avait même provoqué des pannes sur Spotify et Deezer. "L'effet Taylor Swift" a même fait son chemin jusqu'au président de la Fed de New York, qui affirme que la tournée de l'artiste de 33 ans a stimulé l'économie américaine au cours des derniers mois. 

Avec 147 stades remplis et près d'un milliard de recettes générées, Taylor Swift ressemble à un véritable géant qui semble intimider tout ce qui croise son chemin.

SPACEX DISAPPEARANCE OF 212 SATELLITES

Starlink, which has long been SpaceX's flagship, seeks to eliminate digital deserts by bringing good web connectivity to underserved areas. While the company launched its Starlink V2 satellites to great fanfare in March, others simply seem to evaporate into the skies.

A mysterious escape

For three years, SpaceX has regularly reported satellite losses, but this time the disappearance peaked between July 18 and September 18, 2023.

Some experts question the reliability of this data, particularly that accessible in real time on sites such as Satellite Map

However, figures from public sources like space-track.org support these statistics. For the moment, SpaceX has remained silent about these losses, leaving doubt as to their nature: are these losses planned as part of the Starlink project, or are they the result of technical failures?

Technology or natural phenomenon, who is the culprit ?

It is important to note that the satellites in the Starlink constellation are not intended to last indefinitely. SpaceX predicted a lifespan of approximately five years for these satellites, before their natural disintegration in the Earth's atmosphere. Since the inaugural launch in 2019, more than 5,000 satellites have been put into orbit, of which 4,500 are still operational.

Another factor, in addition to technical failures, must be taken into account: solar activity and its potential electromagnetic disturbances. Satellites are particularly vulnerable to these phenomena, and this summer the Sun has been particularly turbulent, generating intense solar storms.

This could provide part of the explanation for the mysterious disappearances.

Already last year, Starlink admitted the loss of 40 satellites due to violent solar winds. It is therefore possible that this new series of disappearances is attributable to the same causes. SpaceX will certainly have to provide clarification in the coming weeks, but for now, the mystery remains intact.

The situation that currently concerns SpaceX cannot be underestimated.

The eyes of the world are now on SpaceX, eagerly awaiting answers to these cosmic riddles.

AU ROYAUME-UNIS L'INFLATION GALOPANTE TUE

L' inflation au Royaume-Uni reste la plus élevée des pays du G7 et atteint "des niveaux qui n'avaient pas été vus depuis les années 70", selon les chercheurs. Elle se situait à 6,7% sur un an en août, en léger recul par rapport au mois précédant et au plus bas depuis février 2022. Cette inflation galopante met en danger les conditions de vie des Britanniques, en particulier les plus vulnérables. Selon une étude publiée le lundi 25 septembre 2023 dans la revue britannique médicale BMJ : " l'économie influence directement la santé de la population. "Selon cette étude, le nombre de décès précoces , c'est-à-dire avant 75 ans, pourrait augmenter de près de 6,5% en raison d'un coût de la vie de plus en plus élevé.

" 14% de la population britannique souffre de pauvreté alimentaire en 2023 ".

Cette crise "risque d'écourter des vies et de creuser considérablement les écarts de richesse et les écarts dans la santé" entre les riches et les pauvres au Royaume-Uni, selon les projections de cette étude. "Les ménages les plus pauvres en ont fait les frais, car ils consacrent une part plus importante de leurs revenus à l'énergie, dont le coût est monté en flèche", lit-on dans l'étude. Encore plus alarmant, l'étude de l'Université de Sussex indique que " 14% de la population britannique souffre de pauvreté alimentaire en 2023. L'accès à la nourriture au Royaume-Uni est très inégal ". Avoir faim est devenu la " nouvelle norme " pour des millions de ménages britanniques.

Une espérance de vie qui stagne au Royaume-Uni

Les chercheurs ont évalué l'impact de l'inflation sur les taux de mortalité en Écosse en 2022-2023 en évaluant différents scénarios, avec et sans les mesures prises par le gouvernement pour atténuer cette crise du coût de la vie, notamment pour aider les ménages face aux coûts de l'énergie. Sans aucune mesure d'atténuation, l'inflation pourrait augmenter les décès précoces de 5% dans les zones les moins défavorisées et de 23% dans les plus défavorisées, selon les projections des chercheurs. Avec les mesures du gouvernement, l'inflation entraîne une hausse des décès précoces respectivement de 2% et de 8%.

Les chercheurs ont travaillé sur l’Écosse, mais assurent que "des effets similaires sont probables" dans l'ensemble du Royaume-Uni, car ils ont "modélisé l'impact des mesures prises par le gouvernement britannique". "Notre analyse contribue à démontrer que l'économie a une incidence sur la santé de la population", concluent les chercheurs. "Depuis 2012, les conditions économiques au Royaume-Uni ont entraîné un tassement de l'espérance de vie et creusé les inégalités en matière de santé."

Loin d'être optimiste sur l'évolution de la situation, l'étude de la Resolution Foundation conclut en indiquant que si les Britanniques n'arrivent pas à endiguer l'inflation, les conditions de vie de leur population pourraient chuter à des niveaux comparables à ceux des années 50.

EUROPE AND UNITED STATES

IN THE PRE-ELECTION PERIOD

OR THE BRAKE ON AID TO UKRAINE ?

Cold snap between Ukraine and Poland ?

It all started with a decision by the conservative Polish government, which, a few weeks ago, refused to import Ukrainian cereals to favor Polish national production. On Monday, September 18, Ukrainian Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko then announced in a press release that Ukraine was launching a complaint procedure before the WTO against Poland, Hungary and Slovakia.

Recall of facts

Last spring, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania obtained authorization from the European Commission to block the marketing of a certain number of Ukrainian agricultural products on their soil. This protectionist measure was justified by the countries in question to protect their agricultural sectors against the influx of low-priced Ukrainian grain.

On Friday September 15, the Commission, which has jurisdiction in this matter, put an end to this exception. Warsaw, Budapest and Bratislava, however, decided to override this decision by imposing a unilateral embargo.

Hubris Volodymyr Zelensky at the UN podium ?

During his speech before the United Nations General Assembly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky violently criticized without naming the three countries against which Kiev announced it was launching proceedings before the WTO: “we are working hard to preserve land routes for grain exports. It is alarming to see how […] some of our friends in Europe, play solidarity in the political theater […] they are actually helping to prepare the ground for a Moscow actor. »

An attack that Poland took very badly, especially since the country has been helping Ukraine enormously since the start of the conflict. Taken together, the Warsaw government's bilateral support and the cost of hosting refugees represents 3.2% of Polish GDP, the highest level among all Ukraine's supports.

Result: summons of the Ukrainian ambassador to Warsaw, and announcement at the same time of the suspension of arms deliveries to kyiv.

The Polish Prime Minister spoke about stopping the supply of weapons to Ukraine. Furthermore, the same evening, the President of the Polish Republic Andrej Duda compared Ukraine to “a man who is drowning”.

Potentially serious consequences

In the long term, this diplomatic quarrel could have significant consequences for Ukraine, since Poland is one of the countries that have supplied the most weapons to Ukraine, along with the United States and the United Kingdom. One of the first to send tanks, more than 350, and combat planes.

Then, Poland, neighboring Ukraine, is the hub for all arms and ammunition deliveries from Western countries. Its operational center in Rzesów, in liaison with the United States, is an absolutely nodal point for the delivery of materials to Ukraine. Everything goes through there. The Polish government has nevertheless reassured the international community on this subject, ensuring that these logistics will continue to operate. In addition, Poland has massively supported Ukraine since 2022 while welcoming its refugees.

Polish domestic politics

On the evening of Thursday, September 21, Polish President Andrzej Duda returned to his Prime Minister's statements, affirming that they were "misinterpreted": "The words (of Mateusz Morawiecki) were interpreted in the worst way which either. (...) In my opinion, the Prime Minister meant that we will not transfer to Ukraine the new weapons that we are in the process of acquiring to modernize the Polish army", corrected the head of State on television, on the Polish channel TVN24.

Warsaw actually wants to build one of the most powerful armies in Europe with 30 billion euros in spending in 2024, or 4% of GDP, for its defense budget and a huge order book with the United States, including planes. F-35, nearly a thousand tanks and hundreds of guns. And Poland, in the midst of renewing its military capabilities, is probably at the end of what it could provide in “old generation” weapons to Ukraine.

Moreover, in the pre-election period in Poland, farmers being among the main voters of the PIS, the party currently in power in Poland, it was fashionable to sanction Ukraine which filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization against the Polish government does not allow its cereals to transit. The central strategy of the PiS is to regain this lost electorate, through on the one hand the deployment of generous social spending, but also by emphasizing questions linked to security and national sovereignty — hence the organization of a referendum on privatizations, the European pact on migration and asylum and the security of the border with Belarus.

Aid to Ukraine under threat of budgetary paralysis

The divisions within Europe on the aid to be given to Ukraine, which could "spread oil" with countries like Orban's Hungary, are also crystallizing in the United States.

The sense of urgency has indeed faded and the Republican opposition has taken control of one of the chambers of Parliament and this time. Volodymyr Zelensky was not received with great fanfare at the Capitol, the seat of Congress. . Visiting Washington, Volodymyr Zelensky certainly obtained guarantees on Thursday for “important” anti-aircraft defense assets against Russia, but he leaves without the long-range missiles that he insists on, and has to face Republicans – and a public opinion – skeptical about the need to provide more aid to his country.

While the White House has demanded that the finance law passed by elected officials include $24 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Kiev, a majority of House Republicans, elected in Trumpist districts, are radically opposed. “I will not vote to give a single cent for the war in Ukraine,” declared elected official Marjorie Taylor Greene, close to former President Donald Trump, on X (ex-Twitter) on Tuesday.

At the very moment when President Zelensky comes to the United States to justify the need to stand firm against Putin, the Republican leaders in the House are essentially telling him ''deal with it,'' denounced the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Chuck Schumer.

EXTREME SOLAR STORM

RISK OF BLACKOUT FOR SEVERAL DAYS

These storms, though rare, could wreak devastating havoc if our modern civilization is not prepared to face their fury.

Scientists are sounding the alarm as a solar storm of unprecedented magnitude, unseen in 200 years, threatens our interconnected world.

A joint study by the University of Reading and Apollo Academic Surveys found that 90% of 144 experts consulted believed that without an accurate space weather forecast, Earth would be exposed to massive damage in the event of a solar storm.

These events, as powerful as the historic Carrington storm in 1859, could occur with increasing frequency, surpassing even the largest storms of the past two centuries, with potentially disastrous consequences for our infrastructure and technologies.

The Carrington Event, a cataclysmic solar phenomenon, had plunged the world into darkness, massively disrupting telegraphy networks and illuminating the night sky with glorious auroras visible across the globe.

According to specialists, a similar scenario could repeat itself in the next 10 years, posing a serious threat to our civilization, which is highly dependent on electricity and communications.

The urgency of adequate preparation is undeniable, as a lack of appropriate measures would lead to widespread power cuts for several days.

Dr Luke Barnard, a space weather expert at the University of Reading and co-author of the survey, highlighted the potentially devastating consequences of such blackouts:

"Imagine without electricity for several days. Transport, communication, essential services would be paralyzed. Our modern way of life would be put to the test".

The consequences would not just be limited to terrestrial infrastructure, as solar storms can also cause critical malfunctions in space.

Satellites, which play a vital role in GPS navigation, telecommunications, weather forecasting, and other vital areas, could be damaged, causing major disruption to our communication and geolocation systems.

Scientists denounce the lack of precision of current space weather forecasts, which do not allow adequate anticipation of major solar storms.

To remedy this shortcoming, they recommend the deployment of constellations of satellites closer to the Sun, in order to obtain more precise measurements of the solar wind, responsible for storms.

Faced with this imminent threat, the researchers stress the importance of increased international collaboration in space surveillance and the establishment of emergency backup systems to deal with power outages.

Coordinated and effective preparation could prove vital to protect our connected world and avoid a prolonged blackout with potentially catastrophic consequences.

In a world where technology and communications are everywhere, such an extreme solar storm could shake our modern society, reminding us of our vulnerability to the powerful and unpredictable forces of the universe.

Preparing to face this eventuality therefore becomes an absolute priority to ensure the stability and resilience of our hyperconnected world.

VISIT OF CHARLES III TO FRANCE

STATE DINNER AT THE CHATEAU DE VERSAILLES

FOR THE ROYAL COUPLE

Royal banquet, blue lobster and Swedish violin. Here is the program for Charles III's dinner at the Palace of Versailles this Wednesday evening. The British monarch is visiting France for three days with Queen Camilla, six months after having had to postpone his visit in the midst of the movement against pension reform.

At the Palace of Versailles, Emmanuel Macron will pull out all the stops. The dinner will be given this Wednesday in the Hall of Mirrors, the most emblematic place of the castle, originally intended to celebrate the omnipotence of Louis XIV, the Sun King, and to dazzle its visitors.

The choice of Versailles responds above all to a wish of Charles III, “sensitive to the idea of ​​following in the footsteps of his mother”, and to a desire to “make France shine” through one of its most prestigious sites. , says the presidency. Elizabeth II was the most received foreign head of state at Versailles, in 1948 (then Crown Princess), in 1957, when a lunch was served in her honor in the same Hall of Mirrors, and in 1972. » At Versailles, it is centuries-old France that receives,” argues historian Fabien Oppermann.

Hugh Grant, Mick Jagger and Ken Follett

Among the 150 to 180 distinguished guests, we anticipate the notable presence of members of the government, powerful captains of industry and several public figures. Like Charlotte Gainsbourg, other Franco-British actresses are invited by the Macron couple. Kristin Scott Thomas, the illustrious actress, will also be there at Versailles, accompanied by Emma Mackey, a 27-year-old young actress propelled to the top thanks to the hit Netflix series, Sex Education.
The elite of the sports world will also be represented in force. Indeed, tennis champion Amélie Mauresmo, crowned at Wimbledon in 2006, as well as Arsène Wenger, the legendary Arsenal manager for 22 years, will honor with their presence at this sumptuous state dinner.

They will be accompanied by former football stars Patrick Vieira and Didier Drogba, and Tony Estanguet, president of the organizing committee for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Marie-Amélie Le Fur, president of the French Paralympic and Sports Committee, as well as Florian Grill , president of the French Rugby Federation, are also among the prestigious guests.

The big bosses are in the “party”

As for politicians, Emmanuel Macron invited the President of the Senate Gérard Larcher and the President of the National Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet to join him in celebrating Charles III. MPs and members of the government will be joined by former political leaders, such as Laurent Fabius, Jack Lang or Pierre Moscovici.

Large French companies will be strongly represented with Bernard Arnault (LVMH), Xavier Niel (Illiad), Leena Nair (Chanel), Catherine Macgregor (Engie), Jean-Dominique Sénard (Renault). The guest list also includes heads of Franco-British institutions as well as around fifteen politicians, including five members of the government.

Lobster, poultry and Isfahan

The menu was leaked to the press in recent days. Three great chefs will be in charge for the starter, main course and dessert. Three-star chef Anne-Sophie Pic is in charge of the entrance. She will concoct a “Carier crab and blue lobster, veil of fresh almonds”, she reveals to Le Point. This starter will be served with a dash of mint gel, confirms the Élysée.

The chef, also three stars, Yannick Alléno will offer a dish of poached Bresse poultry flavored with corn accompanied by a porcini gratin.

Master cheesemaker Bernard Antony will then offer a 30-month Comté and a Stichelton, a 100% English blue cheese.

BUSINESS COLLECTOR VEHICLES

A HEN WITH GOLDEN EGGS

Indeed, owning and driving a vintage car is a game-changer.

Let's take an example :

if you own a car of an old brand that still exists today, say a Ford, a beautiful Ford T which is an automobile manufactured from 1908 to 1927 by the Ford Motor Company and is the first car to be manufactured in series, no need to cross the doorstep of an agent (or dealer, or even branch) of the brand because they can't do anything for you !

Indeed, they will not do the maintenance for lack of competence, but also for lack of parts, etc...

For routine maintenance or a repair, you will either have to do it yourself or go to a specialist garage for classic vehicles.

And in terms of spare parts, here too, it is common, even often mandatory, to come to the garage with one or more spare parts, obtained through visits to shows, stock exchanges and certain suppliers of parts for vintage vehicles. .

You begin to understand!

No, it's not like driving a recent car.

We have learned that a passionate collector has an extraordinary stock of spare parts of all brands, but alas, taken by age (alas, no one is getting any younger) and health problems, he made the decision to part with his precious booty.

The parts are either new vintage or used and in very good condition with little or no wear, ready to be used for the maintenance and repair of classic cars.

Please note, this is a very large stock of parts (about 20 tons of parts), there is everything !

Platinum screws, 6v, 12v bulbs, lights, meters, engine parts, and many other things that we can't describe everything to you, that would take too long.

This is a rare opportunity, either for a collector or for anyone wishing to get into the very lucrative business of vintage car parts.

Yes, it's a very good plan, and even if it means repeating myself, the transferor is taken by age and complicated health.

Of course, you have to make him a reasonable financial offer, but if you are passionate or dream of getting started, to ensure continuity in all this, you will score one more point for closing the deal.

If you want to get started and you lack skills, the latter is even ready to accompany (coach) the lucky buyer to pass on his knowledge, for a very modest compensation, because it is also his passion that he can pass on .

If you are interested, do not hesitate to send me your details by email, as well as an offer, etc...

I will be happy to make the link, the interface to put you in direct contact with the transferor if you are French-speaking, or as an intermediary to help if you are English-speaking.

A meeting with a translator is of course possible with the transferor.

So go ! Because all this is an opportunity, but beware, the deal is good, it may go quickly.

For my email: tom.morgan@daynewsworld.com

See you soon !!

AN UNPRECEDENTED CYBER ATTACK IN CRIMEA

FROM UKRAINE

While Kiev is engaged in a difficult counter-offensive and the war is bogged down, the Ukrainian president continued his diplomatic offensive in Washington on Thursday, before arriving in Canada in the evening.

Ukraine claims 'successful strike' on Russian fleet HQ in Crimea

The Ukrainian army claimed Friday a "successful strike" on the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol in annexed Crimea, an attack which was already reported by Moscow a few hours earlier.

“The Defense Forces of Ukraine carried out a successful strike against the headquarters of the command of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the temporarily occupied city of Sevastopol,” the army's strategic communications directorate said on Telegram Ukrainian.

An “unprecedented” cyberattack in Crimea

Crimea is hit by an “unprecedented” cyberattack, announces a Russian official, a few hours after a Ukrainian strike which damaged the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in this Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Moscow. “Unprecedented cyberattack against internet service providers in Crimea. We are in the process of repairing the Internet outages on the peninsula,” said Oleg Krioutchko, an advisor to the leader installed by Russia on the peninsula, on Telegram.

At least one dead in the strike on Sevastopol

At least one Russian serviceman was killed in a Ukrainian missile strike that hit the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea fleet, located in Sevastopol, in Ukrainian Crimea. “Five missiles were shot down by the anti-aircraft defense. The historic Black Sea Fleet headquarters building was damaged in the attack. According to available information, a serviceman was killed,” the Russian Defense Ministry said on Telegram.

The EU has just paid 1.5 billion euros to Ukraine

“Today we have disbursed an additional 1.5 billion euros to Ukraine.

A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE

THE MAISON CARREE IN NIMES AND 

MONTAGNE PELEE IN MARTINIQUE

During the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, which runs until September 25, around fifty sites, combining culture, nature and diversity, are the subject of studies and applications.
France celebrates the registration of two new sites as UNESCO World Heritage sites. La Maison Carrée, a Roman temple dating from the 1st century AD located in Nîmes, becomes the 51st French site to join this prestigious list.

Nîmes had been hoping for this recognition for a long time. The city had missed the mark of recognition by UNESCO around forty years ago, unlike the Pont du Gard aqueduct or its neighbor Arles, which also has a Roman amphitheater as well as thermal baths and a ancient theater. In 2018, it applied for the inscription of all the monuments of the former Roman colony, an ancient commercial and cultural crossroads which reached its peak under the Roman emperor Augustus (63 BC). – 14 AD). The experts were not convinced of the exceptional character of the site, due to the immediate proximity of modern monuments. The southern city has refocused its application on the Maison Carrée, reopened to the public in 2022 after renovation. A winning bet for the mayor of Nîmes, Jean-Paul Fournier.

Preservation of biodiversity

The exceptional character of the volcanoes and forests of Mount Pelée and the peaks of northern Martinique also earned them classification by the World Heritage Committee. Their representation of volcanic elements and processes has been recognized as being of global importance by experts. . The eruptive episode of Montagne Pelée from 1902-1905 was particularly notable. Indeed, the fiery cloud of May 8, 1902 caused the death of 28,000 people in the minutes following the explosion. An extremely rare occurrence, during the eruptive episode of 1902, 7 successive explosions occurred causing the erection of a 350 m needle, the highest known of all dome eruptions.
Located in the “Caribbean Islands” biodiversity hotspot, this site constitutes a priority area for biodiversity conservation on a global scale, highlighting the importance of preserving flora and fauna. The French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs welcomes this recognition as a strong signal for the preservation of biodiversity, with the presence of globally threatened species, such as the Martinique allobate, the snake and the oriole. from Martinique.

FOR TRENDY BEAUTIFUL NAILS !

First get a manicure for this either you go to a nail bar or at home.

Remember grandmother's recipes:

they are effective and remarkable.

For yellow nails, there's nothing better than soaking the varnish-free nails in a bowl of warm, lemony water for a good 10 minutes.

Guaranteed effect.

Are your nails breaking ?

THEN dip them in olive oil otherwise buy hardener found in the supermarket or pharmacy (the best is the hardener from Mavala). Oh you bite your nails ?!

So go to the pharmacy where you can find the best tangy products but above all the best thing is to spot the moments when you compulsively chew them and analyze the cause of this nasty habit.

And think of the photos in our article with all the pretty nails that you would love to have. Otherwise in the nail bars that you find everywhere you even have a manicure for a bluff effect for thirty euros.

Already with sufficient length apply permanent varnish, you will have impeccable nails for three weeks. Adding a drawing sometimes. The only problem: you have to go back to their place to remove it. If you are short on length we can give you false nails which are capsules or gel which looks more natural.

And there for the spring-summer season we can have designs on French manicure nails in the nail bar.

Big news that we are starting to notice on American stars.

It's the Flip Manicure: one color on the back of your nails and another color on top.

Like for example glittery blue on top and red below it can be nice even for Valentine's Day in February !

WAR IN UKRAINE

THE MURDERER BOMBING OF A MARKET 

ATTRIBUTABLE TO A UKRAINIAN ERROR ?

This bombing hit a crowded market in this city located in eastern Ukraine, arousing the anger of President Volodimir Zelensky, who condemned a Russian attack on a “peaceful” city.

Among the victims was a child, and around thirty other people were hospitalized.
The New York Times calls the incident a “tragic mistake.”

According to the daily, the elements analyzed, such as missile fragments, satellite images, testimonies and messages on social networks, support the thesis according to which the bombing was the result of a faulty shot from a Ukrainian aerial missile, launched by a Bouk defense system.

No comments could be obtained from either Ukraine or Russia.

THE IT BAG OF SEPTEMBER OCTOBER

As we noticed in the windows the fashion is chic fashion sport wear.

Ladies, you can go to the office in a skirt suit and pants with your backpacks.

Indeed, Louis Vuitton made them in all colors, Gucci customized them, Mickaël Kors made a Regal in the colors red blue black studded etc...

Moschinos had a blast with sequins, at Zara they are more sober but at more affordable prices, quilted black and brown, even H & M released a backpack for nineteen dollards.

Little tip : go to the Zalando website and you will be able to choose yours. We even wear it with an evening dress.

To accessorize this fashion trend you can wear colored ankle boots, they are found everywhere at all prices Jonak, Zara, Sarenza, San Marina, Mango, Minnelli even in "haute couture" Dior, Chanel...

I'll leave you, I'll run to Zara to get my backpack.

See you.

HOW TO MANAGE THE MIGRATION SURGE

IN LAMPEDUSA ?

Almost double compared to 2022

The influx is considerable, with around 6,000 to 7,000 people arriving on the island in the space of twenty-four hours, spread across 120 different boats, according to various sources. The capacity of the island's reception center, established at 400 places, is largely exceeded. In fact, tensions have broken out. As hundreds of migrants wanted to leave the island's docks, police had to charge them in a law enforcement operation.

The situation has already caused one death: on the night of Tuesday September 12 to Wednesday September 13, a 5-month-old child died after falling into the water.
The Italian authorities aim above all to reduce overpopulation on the island by gradually transferring migrants to other Italian cities. Since the start of the year, nearly 118,500 migrants have arrived by boat in Italy, almost double compared to the same period in 2022.

Tension at European level

Once again, the situation on migration routes is creating tension at the European level, while the reform of the pact on immigration and asylum is still on the negotiating table in Brussels. On Wednesday September 13, Germany decided to suspend, until further notice, the voluntary reception of asylum seekers (the “voluntary European solidarity mechanism”) who come from Italy.

This decision, justified by the current strong migratory pressure and the persistent suspensions of "Dublin" transfers by certain Member States, also takes a political turn, as the far right gains ground in Germany in view of the next European elections in 2024 .

In France the subject is also on the agenda this fall. While the immigration bill should be presented to the French Parliament in the coming weeks, according to an Odoxa Backbone consulting study for Le Figaro, 74% of French people have a “poor opinion” of the Government's action on the subject. Concerning the actions to be applied on immigration, the French mainly favor more repressive measures.

Thus, 82% of respondents say they are in favor of "the registration of foreigners threatened with expulsion in the file of wanted persons", in view of allowing "Parliament to decide each year on immigration quotas" (81%), and “set a maximum deadline for the administration to grant asylum seekers an appointment at the prefecture” (81%).

“No Way” device ?

From the island of Lampedusa in Italy, Marion Maréchal strongly criticized migration policy, describing it as "unreasonable", and pleaded in favor of a responsible approach, citing the Australian model of the famous "No Way".
“No Way” is a campaign launched in 2014 by the Australian government with the aim of combating illegal immigration and deterring migrants from reaching Australian shores.

Posters and television spots were broadcast in the migrants' countries of origin such as Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. The signs hammered home the clear message: "No question. You will not make Australia your home."

The vice-president of Reconquest, also head of the party's list in the next European elections, expressed her support for Italy, which she considers abandoned by the European Union in the face of a massive influx of migrants, thus creating a situation of migratory submergence.

ACHIEVE HAPPINESS BY STIMULATING

WELL-BEING HORMONES

It 's already back to school with its shortened days, its autumnal temperatures, and its share of worries. But there is no question of losing morale. It is up to us to stimulate the hormones of happiness. They are nicknamed: Serotonin: good mood hormone Dopamine: pleasure hormone Endorphin: happiness hormone Oxytocin: tenderness hormone Cortisol: stress hormone Adrenaline: warrior hormone.

A good dose of serotonin, lots of endorphins, a few spoonfuls of dopamine and a hint of oxytocin... that's how to face this new school year.

1 Laugh

Laughter makes it possible to synthesize serotonin, the hormone that regulates our mood, but also endorphins, which reduce anxiety and stabilize mood. Some doctors even recommend using laughter therapy to treat stress and depression.

2. Drink green tea

Green tea has been cultivated for millennia for its medicinal properties. In addition to being packed with antioxidants, green tea contains L-theanine, an amino acid that both relaxes and uplifts. How? By raising levels of alpha wave activity in the brain. Its relaxing effect on the nervous system would also increase the concentration of serotonin and dopamine in the body.

3. Fill up on light

Those who suffer from seasonal depression will recognize themselves. Lack of sunlight can have adverse effects on mood. Research has shown that daylight, via the hypothalamus, increases the level of serotonin.

4. See his friends

The lower our serotonin level, the more depressed we become. To increase the production of the hormone of good humor, we do not hesitate to provoke encounters and maintain friendships. If we really love our friends, we welcome them with open arms: hugs are a formidable weapon against stress and depression. They allow the body to produce endorphin, oxytocin and dopamine in large quantities.

5. Be open to different activities

When it comes to well-being, Buddhists and yogis have something to inspire. Meditation and yoga lower cortisol levels, stimulating the secretion of serotonin and endorphins. These activities also promote the production of estrogen, the hormones that affect mood. Exercise too...

6. Eat carbohydrates

Several slimming diets want to avoid them at all costs, but carbohydrates influence our mood by promoting the production of serotonin. Bread, pasta, cereals, rice, slow-digesting carbohydrates are favored rather than those that are digested quickly, such as candies, cakes and cookies.

"It does not depend on you to be rich, but it depends on you to be happy." - Epictetus.

JOE BIDEN UNDER SHOT

OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO IMPEACHMENT

After the impeachment precedents of Trump and Clinton, the shadow of possible impeachment now hangs over the presidency of Joe Biden. This week, Kevin McCarthy, the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, announced the launch of an investigation into the activities of Joe Biden in connection with those of his son Hunter, thus marking the start of a possible impeachment procedure .

This development highlights the tense partisan atmosphere that continues to reign in Washington, as well as the gradual normalization of a constitutional measure once considered exceptional, reserved for desperate situations.

Republicans accuse Joe Biden of not only knowing about the controversial business activities of his son Hunter and his brother James Biden, but also of directly participating in them when he was vice president during the Obama administration. They accuse Joe Biden of having “deceived” the American people.

This investigation primarily stems from the affairs surrounding Hunter Biden, who allegedly entered into questionable deals in China and Ukraine between 2009 and 2017.

This is not the first time that a parliamentary investigation has targeted the sitting president, who is also a candidate for re-election. The White House spokesperson sharply criticized a previous Republican-led investigation, calling it a nine-month fruitless search devoid of any hard evidence of wrongdoing.

Joe Biden faces increasingly virulent opposition from Trumpist elected officials in Congress, and questions persist about his age and state of health, raising concerns even within his own party.

RETURNING YOUR HAIR

Maybe argan will make you a making off holiday.

Summer has dried out our hair and bleached it.

The blondes have become green with a curly surfer look, the browns have lightened up there however it's pretty it gives a bit of highlights.

So first you have to go to a hairdresser as quickly as possible to just have the ends cut; another cut will be done in November. Enjoy your longer hair a little longer.

Then you get down to business and with each wash I shout loud and clear, with each wash you are going to take a little time not for your lover but for your hair.

Let's not forget that Sissi, to maintain her silky hair, gave herself a hundred strokes of the hairbrush every morning and evening to dust it off and make it neat.

So an hour before washing your hair you must hydrate it as much as possible to give it tone and this will shape it at the same time.

Put argan oil on the ends then wash your hair with a keratin-based shampoo. If you don't have argan oil, olive oil can do the trick.

In addition, the day you have time you are going to cook for your hair no I'm kidding you are going to make yourself a homemade hair mask: for this put in a bowl an egg yolk two tablespoons of honey and four tablespoons argan oil soup mix well apply to your hair then leave for an hour, after shampooing gently.

Try using a conditioner or blow-dry mist to prevent hair from drying out.

For the color wait fifteen days.

With all this you will find the hair of a lioness.......!!

PROPERTY TAX EXPLOSIONS IN FRANCE

The economic press even speaks of an "explosion" of this tax, with double-digit increases which far exceed the inflation rate (+51.9% in Paris, +31.5% in Grenoble, +21.2 % in Troyes, +20.5% in Metz, +19.6% in Issy-les-Moulineaux, etc.).

Although the General Directorate of Public Finances stressed last August that these spectacular and publicized increases do not necessarily define a trend, it is undeniable that something is afoot in terms of property taxes. Let’s examine the reasons behind this potentially trending increase.

First, it is important to note that we are only talking here about the property tax on built properties,

In reality, other levies are associated with the TFPB, such as the household waste collection tax, the Gemapi tax for the management of aquatic environments and flood prevention, as well as certain special equipment taxes. These ancillary taxes follow their own dynamics and contribute to the total increase in the bill.

The property tax on built properties is calculated quite simply: it results from the product of a base, in this case the estimate of the value of your real estate, multiplied by a tax rate. The annual evolution of these two components is shared between several actors:

- The cadastral rental value, which fluctuates each year according to a revision index, previously determined by parliamentarians within the framework of the finance law.

- The tax rate, for its part, is the responsibility of the local authorities receiving the tax, such as the municipalities and intercommunities, which vote on it each year at the same time as their initial budget.

In 2023, the property tax base on built properties saw a record increase of 7.1%.

This exceptional increase follows an already notable increase of 3.4% in 2022. To put these figures in perspective, remember that between 2005 and 2015, the average annual increase was 1.6%. This is the main driver of the property tax increase.

So why such an increase, when we could expect parliamentarians to ensure that the purchasing power of their fellow citizens is preserved?

Since the 1980s, parliamentarians have adjusted the annual indexation of the base by officially taking into account the variation in rents, but in reality depending on the economic and social context. However, within the framework of the finance law for 2017, parliamentarians decided to depoliticize this increase by automating it, now based on the consumer price index.

Unfortunately, no one could have predicted the return of inflation that we are experiencing today, and parliamentarians have renounced a historic prerogative that was theirs.
As long as there is inflation, in accordance with the current framework, the property tax base will therefore continue to increase.

One might think that if the base increases at the rate of inflation, the property tax rate could remain stable. However, this is not the case, for several reasons:

On the one hand, the other sources of income of municipalities and their intermunicipalities are increasing less quickly than inflation. State allocations, which were traditionally adjusted according to inflation and part of growth,

On the other hand, we are currently in the first half of the local electoral cycle, with the mayors elected in 2020, re-elected in 2026, who naturally increased local tax rates in 2022 or 2023 to finance the implementation of their programs, thus avoiding having to do so in the run-up to the next elections.

Finally, the housing tax having been abolished, just like the professional tax a decade ago, no new tax tool has been put in place to fill this void.

As a result, when local governments need to increase their budgetary resources, they have virtually no choice but to increase property taxes.

These explanations only cover the main reasons for this increase.

Local elected officials also cite the need to invest in public projects in line with citizens' expectations, to restore budgetary balance after years of massive public spending, to absorb budgetary increases imposed by the State, such as the increase in salaries of civil servants, among other more or less legitimate justifications.

What about the future ?

In 2023, will it be a record year or simply an additional step in the continued increase in property taxes?

Forecasts are uncertain, even for the best analysts.

But it is unlikely that the bill will continue to increase in the years to come.

This is largely explained by the investments necessary to adapt our cities to the challenges of climate change, which municipalities and their intermunicipalities are facing as a priority.

FUN CAR !

HUMANITARIAN TRAGEDY IN LIBYA

WITH 10,000 MISSING

AFTER THE STORM DANIEL

Terrential rains and floods this weekend have given way to scenes of devastation in eastern Libya. The heavy human toll continues to rise as bad weather caused by storm Daniel caused the collapse of two dams during the night from Sunday to Monday, south of the coastal town of Derna, now partly engulfed by the waves. Damage was also reported in Benghazi, Sousse, El Beïda and Al Marj.

“We do not have final figures” at the moment, Tamer Ramadan, head of the Libyan delegation of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, declared Tuesday during a press briefing. “The number of missing is close to 10,000 ".

The town of Derna devastated

An eastern government employee who arrived in Derna on Tuesday says at least a quarter of the city is destroyed. Entire neighborhoods have disappeared, giving way to sticky orange mud. It was carried by the torrents of water which poured down before disappearing into the sea. The sea, which had turned the color of mud, was throwing up bodies.

“Entire neighborhoods” of Derna were swept away, Ahmed al-Mismari, a spokesman for the Syrian National Army, said Monday. More than 2,000 people were then presumed dead, a number “likely to increase massively”.

“The city of Derna is devastated and needs international intervention and the opening of a maritime corridor because all access roads to the city are cut,” Ahmed Amdourd, a member of the municipal council, called on Monday. , on social networks. Telephone and internet communications initially stopped working, before being partially restored.

Emergency help

Forty-eight hours after the tragedy, help arrived in trickles in Derna, a town which had some 100,000 inhabitants before the disaster. The stricken city is no longer totally isolated as in the first hours of the tragedy. But the aid, coming from Benghazi, must bypass the city by the southern road, which considerably lengthens the journey.

The support dispatch is slowly starting to come together. A plane carrying 14 tons of supplies, medicines, equipment, body bags and 87 members of medical and paramedical staff left Tripoli towards Benghazi, 300 km from Derna, the government of national unity led by Abdel Hamid announced on Tuesday Dbeibah.

The disinterest of international donors ?

General Khalifa Haftar, head of the army which controls the east of the country, supported by the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, also mentioned sending emergency aid. Libyan territory has been divided for several years between areas controlled by the internationally recognized government of Dbeibah, based in Tripoli, and the troops in the east of General Haftar

President Al-Sissi's Egypt announced the sending of humanitarian aid to Libya, but also to Morocco ravaged by an earthquake on Friday. Turkish rescue teams also arrived in the city on Tuesday, according to Libyan television channel Al-Masar.

“We hope to launch assistance operations as quickly as possible but our response will depend on the funds we manage to raise,” explains Ahmed Bayram, in charge of preparing the response to the crisis at the Norwegian Refugee Council. “Our main fear is the disinterest of international donors regarding the situation in Libya. »

This dramatic event is directly linked to storm Daniel. This subtropical Mediterranean cyclone hit Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria a week ago before moving towards Libya. This storm is the fault of an "omega blockage", due to the shape similar to the Greek letter Ω

A phenomenon that moves

It is characterized by an anticyclone in the center, with very high temperatures, those which plagued France for several days. On the extremities, we find significant rain and cool temperatures. The dynamics of the Iberian cold drop are impressive, explaining the torrential rains over Spain and the associated floods. The same goes for Turkey and Greece. The same phenomenon has since moved to Libya.

Libya's National Meteorological Center said the storm reached its peak in northeastern Libya on September 10, with strong winds gusting between 70 and 80 km/h at maximum. Torrential rains averaged 150 to 240mm per hour, with up to 414mm of precipitation locally, a record.

The collapse of the two water retention dams in Wadi Derna

In the stricken city, anger begins to rise. Photos are circulating showing the dilapidated condition of the two water retention dams in Wadi Derna – the wadi that runs through the town of Derna, on the east coast of the Mediterranean – which have failed. Powerful torrents then destroyed the bridges and swept away entire neighborhoods with their inhabitants on either side of the wadi, before pouring into the sea. More than the rain caused by storm Daniel, it was the water from these dams which is responsible for the destruction of part of the port city, according to specialists.

DEADLY EARTHQUAKE IN MOROCCO

MORE THAN 2900 DEATHS

Friday evening, the deadliest earthquake in the kingdom for more than sixty years left nearly 2,900 dead and devastated entire villages of earth or clay houses in a mountainous area of ​​the High Atlas, where the landslides further rendered difficult access to the affected villages. A race against time is still underway to find survivors. More than 72 hours after the tragedy, rescue operations will continue this Tuesday to try to save possible survivors, even if the chances of survival are diminishing day by day.

Tremors felt across Morocco

The earth shook in central Morocco, in the region of Marrakech, at a magnitude of 7 on the Richter scale, on the night of Friday 8 to Saturday 9 September. The epicenter of this earthquake is located southwest of the tourist city of Marrakech, 320 km south of the capital Rabat, according to the American Institute of Geophysics (USGS). The number of victims is constantly increasing, significant damage is reported. The latest report from the Moroccan authorities shows 2,862 deaths, according to the latest report from the Ministry of the Interior.

Relief diplomacy

Catherine Colonna, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced on Monday aid of 5 million euros to support NGOs, French or others, already on site. She especially denounced the "bad controversy" emerging after Morocco's choice to accept aid offered by four States (Spain, United Kingdom, Qatar, United Arab Emirates), but not that of France, nor others countries that have reached out.

Some see it as a snub inflicted on France for its very tense relations with Morocco, around questions of migration, freedom of speech, Western Sahara and Algeria. However, the kingdom has not officially refused any aid, present or future, from France, and the choice of countries called as a priority is intended to be dictated by pragmatism.

“For example, Qatar has the best dogs, the United Kingdom the best drones,” explains Abdelmalek Alaoui, president of the Moroccan Institute of Strategic Intelligence (Imis), in Rabat.

In fact, significant resources are being mobilized to come to the aid, particularly isolated villages in the High Atlas.

Because few villages were spared by the earthquake around Moulay Brahim and Taloudennt. The villages of Asni and Ouiargane are almost completely destroyed. Traditional houses, built of stone and clay, are particularly vulnerable.

Significant resources have been mobilized in these mountains to help the victims. The inhabitants had to, at first, fend for themselves, due to a lack of a passable road, then, during the night, the emergency services were finally able to access the affected area. Ouarzazate, Azilal, Chichaoua and Taroudant are the towns most most affected in the province, but the earthquake was felt as far away as Casablanca and Rabat.

Royal gendarmerie helicopters were sent to the most isolated villages. Moroccan rescuers, supported by foreign teams, are trying to speed up searches to find possible survivors and provide shelter to hundreds of families who have lost their homes.

The Moroccan Ministry of National Education announced on Monday that 530 schools and 55 boarding schools were damaged.

Seven teachers died and 39 others were injured, the minister also announced in a press release published on Instagram. Classes were suspended in 42 localities, including the provinces of Chichaoua, Taroudant and Al Haouz.

BACK TO SCHOOL FOR ALL

The husband returns to the office finally he is free of the mother-in-law's children and also of his wife. He will be able to return to his football games, poker games with friends and his business trip meetings. He is released and finally he will be able to take care of things below his belt.

The little one must regain function. So the husband quickly goes to the beautician to spruce up his gun which he will draw faster than lightning.

Finally he will find his secretary in privacy or his beloved mistress with whom he will finally let loose on everything.

The husband is drooling in advance thinking about the spanking he is going to receive, the other husband is looking forward to having a blowjob for at least an hour, he just hopes not to cum too quickly because he has the swollen balls it is certain that the mother-in-law on vacation does not make it easy to get together.

Single people also come to the sites to see if everything is working well. You have to try if Madame Foufoune still manages to trickle. If the stick will work again.

So welcome back to happn or tinder so we can have a flirtation with you, you and I can try our hand at somersaults.

So long live the school year, long live the freedom of sex !

A RAISED CONSCIOUSNESS

NEAR DEATH

"Conscious" experiences of imminent death therefore, quite incompatible with the biological reality of a dying brain. Is it possible that the human brain is activated by the process of death?

Recently, researchers have reported increased electrical activity in the brains of dying people. It could be associated with last-minute conscious experiences, a new vision of the role played by the brain in this final stage of life.

To find out for sure, researchers at the University of Michigan in the United States have decided to study, in "more detail than ever before", the biological mechanism at work in the brain in all last moments.

The study, led by Jimo Borjigin, associate professor in the Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology and the Department of Neurology, and his team, follows animal studies conducted nearly 10 years ago in collaboration with George Mashour, founding director from the Michigan Center for Consciousness Science.

A cerebral burst before a complete stop

The brain "on fire"

To do this, it was necessary to find dead patients, for the blow, of a cardiac arrest, but maintained under ventilatory assistance. And observe the signals of electrocardiogram and electroencephalography (EEG) before and after the withdrawal of the assistance, synonymous with brain death.

They studied the files of four people. When they were taken off their life support devices, two of them (a 24-year-old woman and a 77-year-old woman) saw their heart rates increase, and their brain activity also showed a spike in gamma waves. , at a frequency level usually associated… with consciousness.

In addition to confirming this stimulation, already observed in animals, these researchers have mainly identified the most stimulated part of the brain, the temporo-parieto-occipital junction, an area previously associated, among other things, with the memorization of dreams.

“A similar pattern was observed in healthy brains during wakefulness and dreaming, in patients experiencing visual hallucinations or out-of-body experiences,” the study describes.

Jimo Borjigin indicates, in support of these results obtained after observing a posterior area of ​​the brain associated with consciousness: If this part of the brain is stimulated, it means that the patient sees something, can hear something and can potentially feel sensations outside his body.

She specifies that this specific area was “on fire!”.

In the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), which published their work on Monday, the scientists however draw limits to their study: they first concede that they do not really know why these signs have not been observed. in the other two patients, a history of seizures may have had an impact, they said.

George Mashour explains in a press release:

"How living experience can emerge from a dysfunctional brain during the dying process is a neuroscientific paradox. Dr. Borjigin has conducted an important study that helps shed light on the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms."

The beginnings of a "secret" consciousness still misunderstood

Due to the small sample size, the authors caution against making overarching statements about the implications of the results. They also note that it is impossible to know in this study what the patients experienced (because they did not survive to testify).

Larger studies, including EEG-monitored intensive care patients who survive cardiac arrest, could provide much-needed data to determine whether these bursts of gamma activity are evidence of hidden consciousness, even when approaching the death.

Although the mechanisms and physiological significance of these findings remain to be explored, these data demonstrate that the dying brain may still be active. They also suggest the need to reassess the role of the brain during cardiac arrest.

This study then lays the groundwork for further research into covert consciousness during cardiac arrest, which could serve as a model system to explore the mechanisms of human consciousness.

DOUBLE TERRORIST ATTACK IN MALI

AT LEAST 64 DEAD

The attackers targeted a boat allowing civilians to connect the towns of Gao and Mopti across flooded plains during the rainy season. They also attacked a military camp in the Gao region.

An Islamist group behind this attack

These two attacks were claimed by the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM or JNIM), a jihadist alliance affiliated with Al-Qaeda. The Malian shipping company indicated that the boat had been targeted by "at least three rockets fired at the engine. Several passengers threw themselves into the water as soon as the first shots were fired. The boat, named "Timbuktu", can carry 300 passengers. Soldiers were also on board.

The GSIM had announced a few weeks earlier that it was imposing a blockade on Timbuktu.

The Malian government announces in a press release "a provisional death toll of 49 civilians and 15 soldiers" and assures that around fifty insurgents were killed by the security forces. The government reports numerous injuries. Three days of national mourning have been declared.

Major axis of the Sahelian situation, the jihadist insurgency

After the coup d'état in Mali, justified among other things by the country's insecurity in the face of jihadists, and the putschists' promise to restore security, deadly attacks continue in Mali as throughout the Sahel. In Niger, according to General Abdourahamane Tiani, the military overthrew President Bazoum "because of an imminent threat which would have affected not only the Republic of Niger, but also Nigeria."

The new strongman of Niger had justified the coup d'état by "the security deterioration" in the country, undermined by the violence of jihadist groups like neighboring Mali and Burkina, also led by soldiers and who displayed their solidarity with Niamey.

Whether the origin of these movements comes from outside, precisely from “Wahhabi” Islam coming from the Persian Gulf or whether these insurgencies are linked to local demands, the various jihadist movements are strengthening themselves largely on economic bases. but also by the exploitation of local conflicts and the loss of confidence in the central State.

Then, the establishment of “proto-States” or “parallel governances” mainly in rural areas allows these movements to survive and establish themselves over the long term. They impose control on markets and local chiefdoms, collect taxes, and open Koranic schools.

This domination of populations is paradoxical, because Islamist terrorists reign in ambient terror while restoring part of social services.

TEN YEARS OF THE SILK ROADS

A TITANIC CHINESE PROJECT

Historically, the Silk Roads were a network of trade linking the Chinese world to the Mediterranean basin, since Antiquity. Archaeological excavations have thus revealed the existence of monetary circulation over very long distances.

The New Silk Roads, a Chinese strategic project initiated in 2013, go far beyond their historical heritage. The aim is to economically connect China to Europe by integrating the regions of Central Asia through an extensive network of road and rail corridors. This program aims to establish a new generation of transnational trade platforms. In addition, in its maritime component, this network of trade routes includes the African coastal regions of the Indian Ocean.

In English, the expression Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) replaced from 2017, in official terminology, the expression “One Belt, One Road” (“one belt, one road”) or OBOR to erase the “predatory” image of the project.

tToday, these Silk Roads have become a much broader label than just "road" and "belt", extending as far as South America. They mainly bring together nations from the “Global South”, developing countries often dissatisfied with the world economic order dominated by the West and the United States. Not since the Marshall Plan has the world seen such a large-scale project, raising concerns in the West, where we see China building a powerful instrument of economic and political power on a global scale.

Chinese economic objectives

China's objectives in this initiative are multiple on the economic level. It seeks to increase its exports, sell off its industrial excess capacity, and find new markets for its construction and public works companies. Central Asia offers a growing market for these ambitions. In addition, these new trade routes allow China to diversify and secure its energy supplies, reducing its dependence on the Gulf countries and Russia. By establishing cooperation agreements with countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Burma, China is also strengthening the security of its new supply routes.

Political objectives

Politically, the objective is as much domestic as international. Internally, China must ensure the integrity of its territory. The province of Xinjiang, very rich in raw materials and at the crossroads of hydrocarbon routes, is regularly plagued by ethnic conflicts. Beijing wants development aid for neighboring countries (Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan) to reduce instability at the borders and inside the country. The internal objective is grafted onto a regional policy objective in Central Asia: to extend Chinese influence against the historic Russian actor, and to assert itself as a stabilizing actor in international relations.

The deployment of the Silk Roads

Initially, China's colossal projects impressed and attracted the desire of African governments. Many infrastructures have emerged on the African continent thanks to Chinese investments even if the tap has closed in recent years, faced with the weight of debts contracted and the slowdown of the Chinese economy.

In Mozambique, a suspension bridge, the longest in Africa, now spans Maputo Bay. Cost of this work: more than 750 million euros.

In Kenya, a railway line of some 500 kilometers has been linking the capital Nairobi and the port hub of Mombasa since 2017, costing $5 billion, one of the country's most expensive projects since its independence. Djibouti, which has a host of megaprojects and hosts Beijing's first external military base, has seen the development of the Doraleh terminal, for $590 million.

However, the Chinese offer is increasingly criticized, in particular for financing in exchange for contracts awarded to Chinese companies, to the detriment of other international or African players. The concept of “win-win partnership” touted by China is reaching its limits, generating debt, networks of influence, dependence and local environmental and social impacts. Its detractors today speak of debt trap diplomacy.

“Debt trap diplomacy”

Thus, the port of Hambantota in Sri Lanka is now under the control of a Chinese state enterprise for 99 years, in order to repay part of the debts. Many countries are realizing that these investments are really just loans at ever-increasing interest rates, creating financially unsustainable debt nationally. An Indian researcher crystallizes these criticisms in a catchy expression: “debt trap diplomacy”.

The same goes for Montenegro. A highway renamed the most expensive in the world, whose work was financed by Chinese loans, has literally plunged the public finances of this small country into the red, creating a dangerous allegiance to Beijing.

If Italy plans to leave the Belt and Road Initiative project, Berlin for its part is wondering. China is Germany's largest trading partner. It is through the port of Hamburg but also of Duisburg that the main goods pass. Duisburg, Europe's largest river port, in the Rhine Valley, has become one of the last stations for Chinese trains. Debates over dependence on China have put a stop to many projects.

Opening up access to strategic installations in Asia, Africa, the Persian Gulf, Europe and even the Americas, this seems to be Beijing's real objective.

Brussels therefore sought to regain control, in particular so as not to leave the field open to Beijing, particularly in Africa. The EU has launched its own infrastructure development project called “Global Gateway”.

A contrasting record in Africa

In Africa, however, the results are rather mixed. Indeed, China has managed to integrate the vast majority of African countries, with the exception of Mauritius and Eswatini - which recognizes Taiwan. China has increased its financing capacities, largely more than investment, also stamping all infrastructure projects as part of the new Silk Roads, and even for those launched before 2013. From this point of view, the project is relatively a success.

In addition, the Silk Roads are not only focused on the infrastructure sector, but also on other sectors linked to the development of cooperation in agriculture, health, education for example which correspond to local wishes. development of partner countries.

At a time of the war in Ukraine and the economic slowdown of Chinese power, it is difficult to assess the scale of the Belt and Road initiative, as it is called in English.

However, the project is far from representing a planned economic offensive by China.

The scattering of investments between very varied sectors (transport and energy, but also agriculture, real estate, finance, etc.) and on all continents makes the project lose its consistency and its readability, which internal critics denounce in China even within the CCP...

But the reality is there: Chinese companies display their logos on all continents, while the influence of Europeans is declining. They came to the aid of countries in dire need.

"HE’S THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS BALLS" !

ACCORDING TO DIMITRI MEDVEDEV 

ABOUT ELON MUSK THE UNDERSTANDINGS

 OF INTERRUPTIONS STARLING IN UKRAINE ?

In an authorized biography of the billionaire, written by Walter Isaacson, it is explained that Elon Musk personally thwarted an attempted Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian naval fleet in Crimea. He allegedly ordered SpaceX engineers to cut the Starlink signal, widely used by the Ukrainians for their communications, in order to jam drones carrying explosives aimed at their Russian targets. Although the precise date of this operation is not specified, it took place in 2022.

“He’s the only one who has balls”

"If what [journalist Walter] Isaacson wrote in his book is true, then it seems that Musk is the last sane mind in North America. Or, at the very least, in 'genderless' America, that's it. is the only one who has balls", writes on X Dmitri Medvedev.

According to the biographer, Elon Musk feared that Russia would respond to the drone attack with a nuclear response.

The billionaire had already taken a position on the conflict in Ukraine since its outbreak in February 2022, in particular by offering his help to the Ukrainians thanks to his Starlink satellite system. In October of the same year, he caused controversy by presenting a peace plan via his social networks. His plan was to reorganize the annexation referendums of Ukraine's eastern regions under UN supervision, while providing for Ukraine's neutrality and the permanent attachment of Crimea to Russia. This plan was widely criticized by kyiv. “My very diplomatic response is to show you off,” replied the Ukrainian ambassador to Germany Andriï Melnyk, for example.

"The cost for SpaceX (Starlink's parent company) to deploy Starlink in Ukraine is around $80 million, so far. Our support for Russia is $0. Obviously, we are pro-Ukraine." the billionaire was defended the next day

Curious interruptions

From the first months of the conflict, Starlink had in fact offered Ukraine hundreds of satellite receivers which according to Numerama, contrary to what Elon Musk claimed, these terminals had been financed by public funds and private donations. "Initially , Musk showed limitless support for the Ukrainian cause,” recalled the New Yorker journalist in his investigation.

Once access to the network on Ukrainian territory was opened willingly by Elon Musk, these antennas constituted a solid guarantee that the country's access to the Internet, for both its civilians and its military, could not be easily cut off. or jammed by Russia.

But things ended up getting complicated in the fall of 2022 with network outages observed in certain combat zones. Starlink had experienced service interruptions near the front lines between the Ukrainian army and Russian forces. Affected regions include Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk and Donetsk, all of which have strategic importance in the conflict.

These regions were the scene of contested referendums, organized under the aegis of Russia, claiming their attachment to this country. In this context, communications technologies, including Starlink, have acquired crucial importance for Ukrainian military forces.

Economic and political motivations

Ukrainian soldiers quickly indicated that these were geographic restrictions imposed by SpaceX on Starlink. The billionaire felt less and less comfortable with the military use being made of his satellite constellation.

In response, Musk almost admitted to these restrictions, indicating that he did not want to get too involved in Ukraine's war effort. The billionaire also highlights the fact that Starlink was “losing money” by offering its services to Ukrainian soldiers for free.

The situation was finally resolved by the signing of an agreement with the American Department of Defense. It took the intervention of the Pentagon and the signing of a $400 million contract to ensure that Elon Musk would no longer cut off access to Ukraine.

Was the financial issue the only one to falter Musk's initial full support for Ukraine?

It seems that the billionaire of South African origin was able to speak directly with Vladimir Putin, to whom he nevertheless proposed a single combat.

A little after this supposed discussion, the boss publicly proposed a "peace plan" very close to what the Kremlin or Donald Trump's line could be: that Ukraine officially agrees to abandon the territories already conquered by its invading neighbor. , notably Crimea, and the two countries can start talking.

The intermittent outages of Starlink's services in areas where Ukraine was on the offensive seemed to correspond quite precisely to this new alignment of Musk to a certain line more favorable to the Russian vision. Elon Musk reportedly discussed the war in Ukraine with Vladimir Putin, which he subsequently denied, before supporting, at the beginning of October, a “peace plan” rather favorable to the Kremlin.

And it was the same month when the malfunctions were noted. Network outages were reported from the front and the regions of Kherson, Zaporizhia, Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk, in the fall of 2022, by Ukrainian soldiers. In the midst of the autumn offensive against the Russian army, they suddenly found themselves plunged into informational darkness.

The influence of China?

If the interruptions of the Starlink network may have been motivated by these exchanges with Russia, the New Yorker explored a final hypothesis: that of the influence of China, an ally of Russia on which Musk heavily depends, particularly for Tesla. China is a colossal market for Tesla, and the brand's gigantic facilities in Shanghai produce half of the vehicles it sells worldwide. And China, a discreet ally of Russia, made it clear to Musk that it viewed his support for Ukraine with a very negative eye, undoubtedly having in mind what could happen in Taiwan if an invasion came. be decided.

ASSAULT OF THE CAPITOL

RECORD SENTENCE OF 22 YEARS IN PRISON

FOR ENRIQUE TARRIO EX-LEADER OF THE PROUD BOYS

On January 6, 2021, around 200 members of the Proud Boys stormed the Capitol, seat of the US Congress, in an attempt to prevent the certification of Democrat Joe Biden's victory over Republican President Donald Trump.

Last week, the four other members of the Proud Boys, convicted last May with Enrique Tarrio, were sentenced to terms ranging from 10 to 18 years in prison. Unlike the four other defendants, if Enrique Tarrio was not in Washington on this fateful date, the judge considered that he was the “ultimate leader of the conspiracy”.

President of the Proud Boys from 2018 to 2021, a far-right organization that promotes violence to achieve its political ends, Tarrio was convicted last May, like three other leaders, of “seditious conspiracy”. His sentence remained to be pronounced.

Even having been barred from traveling to Washington on January 6 due to an earlier court injunction, Tarrio played a central role in planning the Capitol riot, which aimed to prevent Congress from certifying Trump's victory. Joe Biden for president. Approximately 200 members of the Proud Boys participated in this attack on the headquarters of the United States Congress, which tragically took the lives of five people, including a police officer, and left more than 140 police officers injured.

Prosecutors described Enrique Tarrio, 39, as a "naturally charismatic leader" and a "clever propagandist" who used his influence over hundreds of the far-right group's supporters to coordinate the attack. At Tuesday's hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Conor Mulroe said:

“This defendant and his accomplices targeted our entire system of government” because they wanted to contest the result of the presidential election which gave victory to Joe Biden. He warned that clear consequences must be established to deter any discontent with the results of future elections, whether 2024, 2028, 2032 or beyond.

Equipped with a strategic plan against government buildings

The investigation showed that the former petty criminal, who resold stolen diabetic test strips, became a police informer and then the director of the association of "Latinos of the State of Florida for Trump", had organized the rallies of the small group in Washington before January 6 in an effort to stop the peaceful transition of power, that he monitored their movements and encouraged them during the assault, brimming with their actions in the days following the insurrection. A nine-page strategic plan to “storm” government buildings in Washington on January 6 was found in his possession after the riot.

Enrique Tarrio's lawyers argued that his only goal was to rally his supporters to confront demonstrators from the far-left Antifa movement. They insisted he was in Baltimore, in the neighboring state of Maryland, on January 6, 2021, and had no way of controlling his friends who had turned violent.

"My client is not a terrorist. My client is a misguided patriot. He was trying to protect this country, as misguided as it was," argued Sabino Jauregui, one of his lawyers.

The magistrate seemed little sensitive to the remorse expressed at the bar to the accused, a 39-year-old son of Cuban immigrants, originally from Florida, his voice at times strangled by sobs. Enrique Tarrio described January 6, 2021 as a “horrible day ", imploring his "clemency".

Wasted effort.

UKRAINE AGAINST CORRUPTION ZELENSKY REPLACES ITS DEFENSE MINISTER

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced, Sunday September 3, 2023, the upcoming replacement of his Defense Minister Oleksiï Reznikov by Roustem Oumerov. “Oleksiï Reznikov has lived through more than 550 days of war. I believe that the ministry needs new approaches and new ways of interacting with the army as well as with civil society at large,” said the Ukrainian president .

Ukraine's negotiator with Moscow

Roustem Umerov is a Crimean Tatar, head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine. If his appointment will have to be validated by Parliament this week, the choice of this eminent leader of the Crimean Tatar community is an important symbol, while the Ukrainian peninsula remains under Russian control since its annexation in 2014. At the
age 41-year-old Roustem Oumerov is an active member of the Tatar community, a Muslim minority which makes up between 12 and 15% of the population of Crimea.

The appointment of this man seems to be a strong gesture on the part of the Ukrainian government, signifying that they intend to embody resistance to Russian oppression. After the forced annexation of Crimea in 2014 by Russia, the latter attempted to legitimize its action by organizing a referendum largely boycotted by the Tatars.

In response, Moscow illegalized the Majlis, the traditional assembly of this Muslim minority, and imprisoned several of its members.
By appointing Roustem Oumerov, kyiv is also opting for a diplomat experienced in the complex area of ​​the war waged by Russia on its territory. He has played a negotiating role on several occasions on behalf of Ukraine, serving as co-chair of the Crimea Platform in the Ukrainian Parliament, coordinating international diplomatic efforts to reverse the 2014 annexation of the peninsula.

Additionally, he participated in talks with Moscow on topics such as prisoner exchanges, civilian evacuations, and even the creation of a maritime corridor to transport Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea.

Two recent scandals

This change at the head of the Ministry of Defense comes especially in the midst of the Ukrainian counter-offensive and while the Ukrainian head of state has promised to strengthen the fight against corruption, an endemic problem in Ukraine, in response in particular to the conditions posed by the European Union to leave Kiev its status as a candidate for membership.

The country has indeed been shaken by several recent corruption scandals, one of which involves the Ministry of Defense, accused by the Ukrainian media of having tripled the price of winter uniforms from a Turkish company after signing them. Defense Minister Oleksiï Reznikov defended these prices by asserting that they corresponded to the prices offered by Turkish manufacturers.
At the end of January, a series of senior Ukrainian officials were dismissed from their posts after the press revealed that a contract signed by the ministry and relating to the purchase of food products for soldiers showed amounts that were in fact overestimated. Oleksiï Reznikov, who then admitted that his ministry's anti-corruption services had "failed in their task", retained his post.

A figure with more integrity than his predecessor

Above all, the pedigree of this appreciated Ukrainian figure contrasts with that of his predecessor, Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov. In September 2022, Umerov was appointed head of the State Property Fund, the country's main privatization body.

It has since been praised in Ukraine for its exemplary management, while the body was once associated with corruption scandals. Volodymyr Zelensky therefore chose a man with a reputation as incorruptible to succeed the tainted mandate of Oleksii Reznikov.

A symbolic response to the conditions set by the European Union so that Ukraine, plagued by corruption, maintains its status as a candidate for membership.

THOUSANDS OF FESTIVAL-GOERS TRAPPED

BY THE RAIN IN THE NEVADA DESERT

Police in the US state of Nevada (West) were investigating a death on Saturday during the alternative Burning Man festival in the desert that heavy rains transformed into a field of mud.

Due to the heavy downpours, "la playa", a huge esplanade characteristic of the event, was made impassable. If the rains stopped during the day, they should return on Sunday, the last day of the festival, while the temperatures in the night from Saturday to Sunday should drop to around 10 degrees, again according to the organizers.

According to a White House official, President Joe Biden was even informed of the situation on Sunday.

"The gates and airport of Black Rock City (the name of the site, Editor's note) remain closed, any entry or exit is delayed until further notice", repeats at regular intervals since Saturday the X account (ex-Twitter) of the Burning Man.

“Do not travel to Black Rock City! Access to the city is closed for the duration of the event,” continued festival officials. This Saturday, the local Reno Gazette Journal reported that nearly 73,000 people were retained on site. The organizers also invited participants already on site to “conserve water, food and fuel and find warm and safe shelter”.

Burning Man not burned

Despite the difficulty of traveling, thousands of participants seek to flee the festival. Some chose to leave the scene by walking through eight kilometers of mud to reach the nearest paved road, from where several shuttles were deployed to transport festival-goers to Reno .

However, the festival is not officially over. The majority of planned activities have been suspended, including the lighting of the wooden giant installed in the center of “la playa”, which marks the end of the festival and gives it its name. It was postponed to this Monday, at 9 p.m.

Launched in 1986 in San Francisco, Burning Man aims to be an indefinable event, somewhere between a celebration of counterculture and a spiritual retreat. Initially organized on a beach in San Francisco, Burning Man has become a structured festival, with a budget of nearly $45 million (2018 figures) and more than 75,000 participants during the last edition.

It has been organized since the 1990s in the Black Rock Desert, a protected area in northwest Nevada, which the organizers are committed to preserving.

The festival faced an intense heat wave last year with strong winds which had already made the experience difficult for the "burners", as festival-goers are known.

PUTSCH IN GABON UNDERSTAND

THIS SERIES OF PUTSCHS IN AFRICA

According to their statement, the organization of the elections did not meet “the conditions for a transparent, credible and inclusive vote”. The putschists even speak of “truncated results”. They call on the populations for calm and serenity. Other measures announced: the dissolution of institutions, the closure of borders.

The military “coup” in Gabon against the just re-elected president, Ali Bongo, on Wednesday, brings back a worrying trend in Africa observed in recent years. West Africa is experiencing a veritable epidemic of putsches. Niger last month, Mali opened the ball in 2020 followed by Guinea in 2021 and Burkina Faso twice in 2022. Four elected presidents (Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, Alpha Condé, Roch Kaboré and Mohamed Bazoum) were dismissed by men in uniform. On a regional scale, an obvious link exists with the military and popular overthrows that occurred in five French-speaking African countries.

 The failure of postcolonial states or pseudo-democracies

The common thread that unites them is the manifest failure of postcolonial states, modeled under a marked influence of France, and having gone through two distinct historical phases: one authoritarian and another which wanted to be democratic, or more precisely, pseudo-democratic.

When the former French colonies gained independence in 1960, General de Gaulle and his "Mister Africa", Jacques Foccart, established regimes intended to maintain French influence behind the facade of sovereignty

Gabon is a caricature of this situation: Jacques Foccart personally chose Omar Bongo, the patriarch, when the first Gabonese president, Léon Mba, learned that he was suffering from cancer in 1965. At the age of 30 years, Bongo was the president's chief of staff: dubbed by Foccart, he led Gabon until his death in 2009, when his son succeeded him and retained undivided power until the recent coup . State.

France orchestrated the tricks of the authoritarian model. Subsequently, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, François Mitterrand conditioned French assistance on the democratization of regimes, but this subterfuge above all allowed yesterday's autocrats to prolong their reign. Figures such as the Bongo father and son, or Paul Biya, the irremovable president of Cameroon, illustrate these pseudo democracies. Democracies without alternation, without checks and balances, without curbs on corruption.

In the Sahel, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and now in Gabon the divorce from France or more broadly from Western supremacy. is well and truly consumed, with many influential African countries.

Internal conflicts...and populations in economic suffering

But these ongoing changes in this French-speaking part of Africa most of the time result from internal conflicts in these very nascent democracies, when they are not purely and simply confiscated at the same time as national resources by corrupt family clans. Throughout the region, there is a real discredit of the political class, a discredit largely driven by the tradition of profiteering and corruption between the influential political, commercial and military classes at the head of these states.

The case of Gabon and the Bongo dynasty is revealing. The way in which father Omar reigned for 42 years until his death in 2009, followed by the takeover of power by his son Ali with the support of France, shows to what extent the condemnations of Paris are of variable geometry. Each of Ali Bongo's elections was marred by massive fraud and bloody repression (in 2009 and 2016). Moreover, during the last elections, the Bongo government put the country under lockdown from August 26: internet and telephone communications were cut, borders closed, and a curfew imposed. The Gabonese were thus isolated and at the mercy of the government.

Another major axis of the Sahelian situation is the jihadist insurgency

In Niger, according to General Abdourahamane Tiani, quoted in the Nigerian mediation press release, the military overthrew President Bazoum "because of an imminent threat which would have affected not only the Republic of Niger, but also Nigeria". The new strongman of Niger had justified the coup d'état by "the security deterioration" in the country, undermined by the violence of jihadist groups like neighboring Mali and Burkina, also led by soldiers and who displayed their solidarity with Niamey.

Whether the origin of these movements comes from outside, precisely from “Wahhabi” Islam coming from the Persian Gulf or whether these insurgencies are linked to local demands, the various jihadist movements are strengthening themselves largely on economic bases. but also by the exploitation of local conflicts and the loss of confidence in the central State. Recruitment on the basis of theological indoctrination remains measured.

Then, the establishment of “proto-States” or “parallel governances” mainly in rural areas allows these movements to survive and establish themselves over the long term. They impose control on markets and local chiefdoms, collect taxes, and open Koranic schools. This domination of the populations is paradoxical, because they create an ambient terror while restoring part of the social services. :

“Clearance”

Each putsch of recent months has its specificities, from Mali to Niger, via Burkina and today Gabon. But there is one constant: the “dégagisme” at work which benefits the military and international powers and which makes France a collateral victim of these upheavals.

Gabonese local and national military forces then decided that it was time to take charge of their destiny and help shape the future of the country. For these new generations suffering economically, the military offers itself as saviors.

What the Gabonese people are celebrating in the streets is not the arrival of the army to power, but rather the end of a political regime which impoverished them. A country the size of Britain, with a small population, Gabon is an oil producer. But natural wealth benefits a small elite. More than 40% of residents live below the poverty line. Expectations are therefore high.

Under these conditions, observed the thinker of Cameroonian origin Achille Mbembe in Le Monde , "coups d'état appear to be the only way to bring about change, to ensure a form of alternation at the top of the State, and to accelerate the generational transition".

MAXIMUM ALERT FOR SUPER TYPHOON SAOLA IN CHINA AND HONG KONG

Some of the most violent winds the region has ever experienced. Super-typhoon Saola threatens to hit southern China on Friday, September 1. In mainland China, a maximum alert has been issued for the approach of the typhoon which, according to state media, will make landfall "in coastal areas stretching from Huilai to Hong Kong" on Friday afternoon or overnight. Friday to Saturday.

Guangdong province declared a level 1 wind emergency, reaching the highest alert level. To deal with the looming threat, China's Transport Ministry has mobilized an impressive fleet, including 16 rescue ships and nine rescue helicopters, deployed to areas potentially affected by this storm, as reported by the news agency New China.

“There could be serious flooding”

The metropolis of Shenzhen, home to 17.7 million inhabitants, took drastic measures by announcing the closure of offices, businesses and markets from 4 p.m., as well as the suspension of public transport from 7 p.m. The emergency management department warned that the typhoon would most likely cause a large-scale storm in the city and advised residents not to leave their homes, except for emergency response personnel and those responsible for protection of livelihoods. All city shelters will be open so the public can find shelter in complete safety.

For its part, Hong Kong, the neighboring city, is strongly impacted by the threat of the super typhoon. The authorities took the decision to close the Stock Exchange and schools for the day and to cancel all departing and arriving flights. The city's weather observatory has warned of the risk of a storm surge around Victoria Harbour, which could lead to severe flooding.

Gusts that can exceed 220 km/h

Typhoon Saola, looming on the horizon, could become the most powerful cyclone to hit the Pearl River Delta region since 1949, encompassing major cities like Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Macau, as warned the National Meteorological Center via the social network Weibo.

The situation in Hong Kong is worsening, with an increase in the alert level from T8 to T9, then to T10, the maximum level, an extremely rare measure, having been triggered only 16 times since the Second World War. Authorities are forecasting a significant increase in wind strength, with speeds exceeding 118 km/h and potential gusts of more than 220 km/h.
Although typhoons can temporarily disrupt urban life in metropolises such as Hong Kong and Macau, strict building standards and improved flood management systems have significantly reduced human and property losses during these devastating weather events.

THE NOCE CLOSES ON AFGHAN WOMEN

“Not content with depriving girls and women of education, employment and freedom of movement, the Taliban also want to take away parks and sports, and now even nature,” criticized Heather Barr, deputy director of women's rights for the NGO Human Rights Watch.

“Step by step, the walls are closing in on women, each home becoming a prison,” she denounced in a press release.

“It’s also about your ability to feel joy,” she insisted, describing this decision.

“Tourism is not obligatory.”

The Minister of Prevention of Vice and Promotion of Virtue, Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, justified the ban on Saturday during a visit to the province of Bamyan by the fact that the wearing of the hijab (clothing covering the body and the head) had not been respected over the past two years.

"We must take serious action today. We must prevent hijab disrespect," he said.

“Women and our sisters will no longer be able to go to Band-e-Amir until we establish guidelines […].

Tourism exists, they can do tourism, but tourism is not obligatory,” he added.

“This explanation about the fact that a woman does not wear a correct hijab does not make the slightest sense,” lamented the NGO.

Since their return to power in August 2021, the Taliban government, with its austere interpretation of Islam, has continued to reduce the rights of Afghan women.

In two years, secondary schools and then universities closed their doors to women.

Parks, gyms and hammams are also prohibited. Prevented from working for NGOs and excluded from most civil servant positions, Afghan women must also cover themselves fully when leaving their homes.

The main tourist spot in Afghanistan, the Bamyan valley located in the center of the country is famous for its niches dug into the cliff, now empty of giant Buddhas after their destruction in 2001 by the Taliban, but also for its network of turquoise and sapphire lakes. Nearby Band-e-Amir , listed as a UNESCO heritage site in 2003 .

A NEW TOOL THE PREFERENDUM 

FOR EMMANUEL MACRON ?

This approach would make it possible to “simultaneously submit several issues during a single vote,” he later detailed. However, several constitutional law experts question the legal validity of such consultation. Clarifications to follow.

A “significant political approach”, an initiative previously announced by the President of the Republic.

A scheduled summit between Emmanuel Macron and the main leaders of political parties, scheduled for Wednesday August 30, 2023.

And, to top it all off, a possible establishment of a “preferendum” intended to solicit the opinion of French citizens. This terminology, mentioned on Tuesday August 29 by the government spokesperson, Olivier Véran, would, according to him, consist of "evaluating several questions simultaneously during the same vote".

The government spokesperson, who is also in charge of "democratic reform", maintained a certain ambiguity as to the contours of this concept of "preferential voting". This would make it possible in particular to “ask various questions to French citizens”, a sort of questionnaire with multiple choices, covering several themes.

According to Olivier Véran, this approach would have the advantage of circumventing the main weakness of a classic referendum: that of being reduced to a binary choice in favor or against the actions of the President of the Republic. “By asking multiple questions, individuals may express themselves more freely on one topic, while still providing substantive answers regarding other questions,” he said.

A concept not provided for by the Constitution
However, a problem arises: the concept of preferendum is not explicitly provided for in the French legislative framework. "

Technically, a referendum can include several questions, provided that they are understandable and distinct from each other,” explains Lauréline Fontaine, professor of public and constitutional law. Otherwise, the process would not comply with article 11 of the Constitution, which governs the use of referendums in France.

In this case, the procedure would become more of a consultation, "devoid of any binding power towards the executive power", underlines the specialist in constitutional law. This would be somewhat similar to the citizen consultations, particularly those related to climate, whose proposals have only been partially integrated into the legal texts.

The holding of several referendums in a single day
Olivier Véran wanted to clarify his vision on Wednesday August 30, after the meeting of the Council of Ministers:

“It is possible to hold several referendums at different times.

You could opt to ask several questions to French citizens during the same day. What the Constitution provides is that several distinct questions cannot be merged in the same ballot.

However, the Constitution allows citizens to be questioned on various issues on the same day, through independent ballots. This is what we could call a preferential ballot,” he clarified.

He also mentioned the prospect of a "pre-referendum", described as "national consultation, not accompanied by legal force: that is to say that we would poll French citizens on questions which could not be resolved. subject to a referendum under the Constitution.

EMMANUEL MACRON MEETING

PARTY LEADERS

The famous “major political initiative” now has a name: the Saint-Denis Meetings. Between Emmanuel Macron and the political parties, the incompatibility is total. But yet the president chooses to lock himself away for several hours this Wednesday with party leaders to listen, exchange, and even expect from them ideas and support to nourish the rest of the five-year term.

Publicity stunt or real political progress? A government seminar will in any case meet on September 6 to follow up on Emmanuel Macron's "major political initiative", which brings together the heads of political parties in Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis) on Wednesday August 30. ), announced government spokesperson Olivier Véran.

Emmanuel Macron orchestrates this meeting within the educational establishment of the Legion of Honor, located in Saint-Denis to the north of the French capital. The declared objective remains the search for “paths” conducive to moving the country forward, transcending political divisions, given the absence of an uncontested majority. This approach could possibly open the door to the organization of referendums, as the presidential invitation suggests.

The summit, scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., will take place behind closed doors, bringing together the president and party leaders seated around a table. An “unprecedented” configuration, according to the head of state’s entourage. No staff members will be present,

Participants will take part in two discussion sessions around the international scene and institutional reforms. Subsequently, they will share a dinner focused on the multiple issues arising from the recent urban riots: education, authority, integration, disparities, according to declarations from the Élysée.

All invited parties will be represented. The leaders of all parties in Parliament have accepted the invitation, but each comes with distinct priorities.

The left insists on the need for a referendum on pension reform, while the right and the far right wish to submit to the French a question relating to immigration. For its part, the presidential majority intends to address the reform of institutions.

A form of confession away from the cameras. Emmanuel Macron's convictions towards his interlocutors remain generally unchanged, but by bypassing the National Assembly, he is going against all odds with the resources at his disposal.

“But what is this initiative launched in the middle of summer by the Head of State a sign of?

Of an executive power in search of oxygen, which is groping, desperately seeking a solution to its lack of majority, while striving to resuscitate democratic dialogue. », Analyzes a journalist from Le Figaro.

MYSTERY AROUND THE DEATH OF PRIGOZHIN

BOSS OF THE WAGNER GROUP

Three days after the accident, the facts are still uncertain.

Black smoke, the sound of an explosion and a plane falling. On Wednesday August 23, in the early evening, a private plane to connect Moscow to Saint Petersburg crashed near the village of Kujenkino, 200 km northwest of Moscow.

Ten people were on board and none survived. The leader of the Wagner paramilitary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was on the passenger list, reports Russian news agencies, Ria Novosti, TASS and Interfax.

Friday evening, the bodies of the ten people present in the plane were found according to the Russian investigators, as well as the flight recorders of the device.

“Molecular genetic analyzes are underway to establish their identity […], and a detailed examination of the premises,” the Russian Investigative Committee said on Telegram. On Wednesday, two hours after the plane crash, the private militia of which Prigojine was the boss, confirmed his death on Telegram.

“Too brutal and amateurish work”

Earlier in the day, the Kremlin had formally denied the suspicions that accuse Vladimir Putin for three days, two months after the aborted rebellion of Yevgeny Prigojine.

“Currently, around the air disaster and the tragic deaths of passengers, in particular Yevgeny Prigojine, there is a lot of speculation and we know well in which direction we are speculating in the West,” said Dmitri Peskov.

The Russian president's spokesman was asked about insinuations by Western leaders that the Kremlin had ordered Mr Prigozhin's assassination. He believes that the subject must be approached "on the basis of facts. There are not many of them yet, because they still have to be elucidated by the ongoing investigation. Yesterday, in this regard, the President [ Vladimir Putin] said he expects the results of the investigation in the near future,” he continued.

Asked about the confirmation of death and the identification of the body of Yevgeny Prigojine, Mr. Peskov replied:

"If you listened carefully to the statement made yesterday by the President of the Russian [Federation], he said that all necessary expertise will be carried out, including DNA analysis. As soon as the official conclusions are ready for publication, they will be published".

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko also refuted the accusations against Russia on Friday.

"I know Putin," said the statesman, quoted by the state news agency Belta.

"He's a thoughtful, very calm man […] So I can't imagine that it was he who did that," argued Vladimir Putin's loyal ally. According to him, the plane crash was "too brutal and amateurish work" to blame Putin.

But in Washington, Paris, Berlin or kyiv, senior officials do not seem to see things the same way. On Thursday, the United States deemed it likely that Vladimir Putin caused the death of Yevgeny Prigojine.

But the US military said it had "no information that a surface-to-air missile" was involved in Wednesday's crash, spokesman Pat Ryder said. In France, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna commented ironically on Thursday on "the death rate among Putin's relatives is particularly high".

What future for Wagner ?

Without a leader, does the Wagner empire have a chance of surviving, wonder many specialists and world leaders?

In any case, Moscow will not have waited very long to reframe the thousands of paramilitaries of the Wagner group. On Friday, the Russian president forced them by presidential decree to take an oath to Russia, as regular army soldiers do. In particular, they will have to swear “fidelity” and “loyalty” to Russia, “strictly follow the orders of commanders and superiors” and “sacredly respect the Russian Constitution”.

But it's still a very powerful "brand", which won't necessarily disappear, and thousands of fighters still identify with this patch, but the militia - as it existed in recent years - ceased to exist with the mutiny, and even more so with the death of its leader.

For Ruslan Trad, a researcher at the American think tank Atlantic Council, Moscow actually has no interest in dissolving the organization. According to him, Wagner "has a successful model - in several commercial, intelligence and military areas - which serves Russian foreign policy and the Kremlin's anti-sanctions efforts".

Wagner in the Central African Republic is more than men with Kalashnikovs – it is political consultants, controlled media, mining, internet trolls…

And each activity reinforces the other. Joana de Deus Pereira, researcher at the Royal United Services Institute, also believes that Moscow cannot do without Wagner, but in a new form, “probably under another name”.

"We must consider Wagner […] as a hydra with many heads", she underlines, questioned by the BBC.

A LIVING AND WRIGGING WORM

DISCOVERED IN THE BRAIN OF AN AUSTRALIAN WOMAN

A roundworm, which commonly parasitizes snakes, has been discovered for the first time on a human, extracted "alive and writhing" from the brain of an Australian woman during surgery, Australian doctors announced Tuesday.

It was neurosurgeon Hari Priya Band who detected and removed the 8-centimeter worm, alive, from the brain of one of her patients.

Originally from southeast Australia, she was admitted at the end of January 2021 after suffering from abdominal pain, diarrhea then a dry cough, night sweats and fever.

A year later, this 64-year-old woman developed new symptoms: memory loss and depression.

These will then push her to return to Canberra hospital. After an MRI of the brain, an “abnormality requiring intervention” was revealed.

It was an Ophidascaris robertsi which, according to researchers, is a parasite of kangaroos and pythons in Australia. It parasitizes animals in other parts of the world, but has never before been detected in a human being.

“This is the first ever human case of Ophidascaris described in the world,” said infectious diseases specialist Dr. Sanjaya Senanayake.

“To our knowledge, this is also the very first case involving the brain of a mammalian species, human or otherwise,” he said.

Contamination via snake excrement

But then, how could such a parasite have infiltrated this patient's brain?

Living near a lake where there are many pythons, the patient used to walk there and collect herbs and plants.

Scientists believe the Australian was parasitized by edible plants, probably contaminated by larvae present in snake droppings. The parasite, whose "thread-like structure" appeared on brain scans, was later identified through DNA testing.

“It is never easy or desirable to be the first to be sick with anything in the world,” added Dr. Senanayake. “I cannot express enough our admiration for this woman, who showed patience and courage throughout this process.

According to Dr Senanayake, it is “likely that more cases will be identified in the future”.

WHAT TO DRINK AND EAT DURING 

THE HEAT WEATHER ?

The hallmark of our species is its status as an “endotherm”, or the ability to regulate body temperature independently of the environment (sometimes called “warm blood”).

This is because of the constant heat generated by our body as a by-product of internal metabolic and biological processes, namely our metabolism.

How does this work in practice ?

Metabolism, essential to our functioning, includes the breakdown of nutrients in our food, their absorption and transport to cells, and their conversion into energy or "building blocks".
Every chemical reaction related to metabolism produces heat. This heat is beneficial in case of low temperatures, but when the degrees rise outside, we must prevent overheating...

The idea that a cold substance, such as ice cream, ingested in the stomach can help lower the temperature seems logical.

However, the initially cooling effect quickly gives way to the heat generated by the digestive processes required to break down nutrients. The digestion of high-calorie foods then causes a rise in body temperature. Therefore, ice cream is not the optimal solution for cooling down.

And what about cold drinks ?

The heat transfer between a cold drink and the digestive system can indeed influence the temperature, but this is only temporary and depends on the quantity and caloric content of the liquid ingested.

Small amounts of liquid quickly lose their cooling effect by warming the adjacent organs. In contrast, consuming large amounts of cold liquids slows blood circulation, thereby decreasing the efficiency of heat transport.
No wonder high-calorie drinks like sodas will induce a similar effect to ice cream by boosting metabolism soon after consumption.

However, the impression of refreshment remains !

The cooling effect of cold liquids is due more to their ability to rehydrate than to their temperature. However, this requires an ambient temperature lower than ours.

Otherwise, the opposite happens: the surrounding heat is transferred to our body, as when a summer day gives off heat radiated by the sun.
In such situations, sweating is the most effective way to release heat.

It is triggered when our brain detects an increase in internal temperature, thus stimulating the sweat glands which generate sweat and which are distributed over the entire surface of the skin.

When this sweat reaches the surface of the skin, it evaporates, causing local cooling (known as evaporative cooling).

At the same time, the blood near the surface of the skin cools, helping to lower body temperature.
On average, an adult can lose up to half a liter or even a liter of sweat per day.

However, in hot environments, this amount can rise to almost a liter and a half per hour. Therefore, in such conditions, maintaining adequate hydration is essential.

What about drink choices ?

Are there drinks capable of truly refreshing ?

What about alcoholic beverages ?

On a hot summer day, many succumb to the call of an ice-cold beer...but that's a bad idea, because alcohol is a diuretic. By encouraging the loss of water through urine, it decreases our ability to eliminate heat through perspiration...

Surprisingly, drinking hot drinks is an effective way to cool down: drinking a hot drink stimulates receptors in the mouth and throat, triggering sweating. This allows the body to cool down without requiring a large amount of hot liquid.

The ingredients in spicy foods have a similar effect: they also induce perspiration, thus contributing to body cooling. This is why these dishes are so popular in warm climates.

Rather than refreshing frozen pleasures at the time, let's opt for spicy dishes to sweat well and hydrate ourselves !

DONALD TRUMP BILL GATES JANE FONDA AL CAPONE

THESE MUGSHOTS MADE HISTORY

Donald Trump arrived at an Atlanta prison on Thursday to surrender to authorities in the US state of Georgia, who charged him with attempting to manipulate the 2020 presidential election.

Donald Trump has joined the cohort of American celebrities who have been the subject of a legal cliché, or "mugshot", an image often transformed to their advantage by the accused.

Frowning eyebrows, determined gaze staring straight in the eye: the judicial cliché of Donald Trump has barely begun to circulate in the media that it is already etched in history.

By becoming the first former US president to be criminally charged, he was also the first to be photographed by judicial authorities in a prison in Atlanta, Georgia.

He is now "on file" like any defendant prosecuted, with his detailed physical characteristics: 1m90, 98 kg, Venetian blond hair, number P01135809.

It is mainly in the United States that we find many photos of arrests.

And for good reason, in the country, the "mugshots" are part of the public domain, the Constitution requiring that the judicial process be as open and transparent as possible.

For this reason, photos are not classified as private information.

More importantly, anyone who tries to prevent their dissemination could be subject to legal action.

From Justin Bieber to Bill Gates, via Al Capone or OJ Simpson, this image joins a gallery of historical photographs.

Al Capone
Arrested in 1931, Al Capone, who dominated organized crime in Chicago in the 1920s, was convicted of tax evasion. This photograph taken by the Chicago (Illinois) police captured the notorious American gangster, sentenced to eleven years in prison and incarcerated in Alcatraz.

Jane Fonda
American actress Jane Fonda was arrested at Cleveland, Ohio airport in 1970 for drug trafficking, a charge eventually dropped when tests revealed her suitcase contained only vitamins.

Taking the opportunity, she struck a defiant pose at the police station, fist raised, in support of her activism against the Vietnam War. To this day, Jane Fonda sells clothes and coffee mugs featuring her arrest photo on her website. "I certainly benefited from this arrest," the activist actress told the Los Angeles Times in 2018.

Bill Gates
Aged 22 at the time, the young Bill Gates was arrested in 1977 by the police of Albuquerque (New Mexico) for driving without a license. From this arrest, there remains a famous "mugshot" showing the future Microsoft magnate displaying a broad smile in front of the police lens.

OJ Simpson
One of the most significant court photos in history: In 1994, former American football player OJ Simpson was arrested by Los Angeles police, charged with the murder of his ex-wife and her friend.

A week later, the "mugshot" made the front page of Time magazine with the headline "An American Tragedy." This image still adorns a multitude of merchandise today, from simple t-shirts to electric guitars.

Hugh Grant
In 1995, comedian Hugh Grant was arrested for "sexual exhibition". Caught in Los Angeles with a prostitute in a car, the British actor was in a relationship with Liz Hurley at the time. Accused of sexual exhibition, he was photographed by the police in Los Angeles (California), his embarrassed expression making the rounds of the tabloids.

Justin Bieber
Canadian pop-star Justin Bieber was first arrested in Miami in 2014, driving a Lamborghini convertible, drunk and recklessly driving. A few days later, he was arrested again in Canada for assaulting a limousine driver.

Rudy Giuliani
Former Donald Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani voluntarily surrendered to jail in Georgia last Wednesday before being released on bail. Like Donald Trump, he faces alleged charges of unlawful attempts to reverse the result of the 2020 election won in Georgia by Democratic President Joe Biden. It's a dizzying fall for the former mayor of New York, nicknamed the "mayor of America" ​​after the September 11 attacks.

And this legal cliché which could pass for infamy for a former president of the United States is brandished as a standard by Donald Trump: he immediately posted the photo on his account X (ex-Twitter). With his forensic photo, Donald Trump turns his charges into a cash machine.

UNDERSTANDING STAR RESTAURANTS

The word "passion" has its origins in the Latin "passio", meaning to bear, endure, and encompass both positive and negative suffering. In elite culinary chefs, this passion can manifest itself in intense enthusiasm or extreme perfectionism. We are far from the usual idealization of this form of passion.

The acceptance of excessive suffering

The world of high gastronomy is distinguished by demanding working methods, aimed at ensuring quality, discipline and compliance with the highest standards. This almost justifies the notion of suffering in the name of culinary art. Acceptance of excessive suffering without complaint becomes a hallmark.

Isolation, abuse and even violence.

For exceptional culinary excellence, working in the kitchen is implicitly synonymous with isolation, abuse and even violence.
It is essential to have a total and unwavering commitment on the part of the kitchen brigades. The chefs work between 12 and 20 hours a day. This conception of professional commitment translates into the image of a strong and resistant individual, having to choose between founding a family and devoting himself to a profession for which he is truly gifted.

“We dedicate our entire lives and sacrifice everything, absolutely everything, to put something we are passionate about on a plate,” as one sous chef with three Michelin stars put it in a study:

Furthermore, throughout their careers, leaders are confronted with acts of extreme violence, suffering attacks on their person, their dignity and their sense of worth. They submit themselves to many trials, thinking this is the path to enlightenment:

place yourself in arduous situations where you learn a lot in order to achieve a higher objective.

Serious and traumatic events involving repeated beatings, third-degree burns, sexual assaults, and even stabbings (such as with knives and temperature probes) can occur.

An impact on mental health

The mental state of star chefs is often altered by the mistreatment they endure, including humiliations during their training and career, and the impact this has on their psychological health.

Culinary chefs act almost as if they are going to war. Many chefs mentioned that they suffered from vomiting and/or diarrhea before starting their shift.

Difficult to be a rockstar and to be part of the ranking of the fifty favorite personalities of the French, like singers, actors or footballers. In 2023 Philippe Etchebest and Cyril Lignac appear respectively in 7th and 13th place.

KILLINGS OF HUNDREDS OF ETHIOPIAN MIGRANTS BY SAUDI BORDER GUARDS

ACCORDING TO AN NGO

Human Rights Watch has found that Saudi border guards have killed "hundreds" of Ethiopian migrants since last year trying to enter the wealthy Gulf monarchy through its border with Yemen, 21 August 2023 Human Rights Watch (HRW). Nadia Hardman, a migration expert at HRW, said in a statement that "Saudi authorities are carrying out these killings with impunity, hidden in this isolated border area, out of sight of the outside world."

The NGO relies on interviews with 38 migrants who tried to enter Saudi Arabia from Yemen. They refer to the presence of “explosive weapons”, point-blank fire from Saudi border guards who ask Ethiopians “what part of their body they would prefer to be shot at”.

Survivors tell how they were taken to detention camps, beaten with stones.

Satellite images, videos and photos published on social networks "or collected from other sources" support the testimonies of the Ethiopians. You can see people fleeing through the mountains, some are injured.

The "widespread and systematic" murder of Ethiopian migrants could even constitute a crime against humanity, HRW believes.
The billions of dollars allocated to sports and entertainment aimed at "improving the image of Saudi Arabia" must in no way relegate the attention paid to "these horrific crimes", she urged. underlines.

The government in Riyadh is frequently criticized by non-governmental organizations, which accuses it of diverting attention to major sporting events and cultural events, in order to hide the serious human rights violations as well as the humanitarian crisis prevailing in Yemen. , where the Saudi army is engaged.

The "widespread and systematic" murder of Ethiopian migrants could even constitute a crime against humanity, believes the NGO.

The Saudi authorities dispute the facts reported by the NGO.

Last year, the UN reported cross-border artillery fire and small arms fire by Saudi security forces killing 430 migrants in southern Saudi Arabia and northern Yemen during the four first months of 2022.

BRITNEY SPEARS BREAKS THE SILENCE ON HER DIVORCE WITH SAM ASGHARI

This Saturday August 19 on Instagram, the one who has recently reconnected with her children has also delivered with an open heart on this separation.

On Janet Jackson's song If, which describes the fantasies of a woman in love with a man who doesn't even know she exists, Britney Spears wanted to reassure her fans this Saturday August 19, 2023 after the announcement of her divorce with Sam Asghari.

“Actually, I’m doing pretty well!” she says.

"As everyone knows, Hesam [full first name of her future ex-husband, Editor's note] and I are no longer together... Six years is a long time to be with someone so I'm a little shocked but... I'm not here to explain why," she begins.

"But," she continues, "I honestly couldn't take the pain anymore!!!

I've been pretending like everything's fine for too long and my Instagram looks perfect, but that's far from reality and I think we all know that."

The day before, Sam Asghari also spoke on Instagram.

"After six years of commitment to each other, my wife and I have decided to end our affair together. We will keep the love and respect that we have for each other and I will wish the best forever“, he had written in story.

The rumor had notably swelled around a possible adultery of the star of the song as well as a tumultuous argument.

The couple, who met in 2016 on the set of the singer's Slumber Party clip, married in May 2022.

This union was the first for Sam Asghari, and the third for the 41-year-old singer.

This one was notably married less than three days in 2004 with a childhood friend, Jason Alexander, who had also tried to embed himself in his marriage with Sam Asghari. He was later convicted of felony trespass and assault.

Hollywood divorce lawyer Laura Wasser is expected to defend the Everytime singer in the case.

Britney Spears and Sam Asghari's divorce comes just a year after they lost their baby. A difficult ordeal which prevented them from having the child they so hoped for.

"It is with our greatest sadness that we have to announce that we have lost our miracle baby early in the pregnancy. It is a devastating moment for any parent", had revealed the star in May 2022 on her Instagram account .

WELL SLEEP BY HEAT WAVE

Turn back in one direction, then in another. Watch the ceiling sweat, get a little cool and see the hours passing by. When it's hot, getting sleep is sometimes complicated, but everyone has a little trick:

A shower to cool off

It is reasonable to take a shower about 2 or 3 degrees less than usual and to avoid drying out.

The fan is useful, but we must still be very careful because if we put the fan directly on his body, we will risk a hot-cold.

Air in the evening

Open as much as possible doors, windows, create a small draft at dusk, when the temperature of the day decreases

What works very well is a small mist of water that can be put on his bedside table to refresh his face just before going to sleep

For an ideal sleep, the temperature of your room should oscillate between 18 and 20 degrees.

Stay hydrated

The good news is that after a few days, the body will get used to the hot weather, but we must continue to hydrate well, drink a lot, day and night.

SALADE DE MELONS ET FRUITS FRAIS 

A LA MOZZARELLA DE CYRIL LIGNAC

Vite préparée, cette salade régalera les papilles de vos convives par sa fraicheur et son originalité.

Ingrédients :

Melon 2

Fraise(s) 250 g

Framboise(s) 125 g

Billes de mozzarella 250 g

Verveine Quelques feuilles

Vinaigre balsamique blanc 4 c. à soupe

Huile d'olive 12 c. à soupe

Fleur de sel

Poivre du moulin

Glace pilée 8 poignée(s)

Eau 20 cl

Sucre 50 g

Préparation :

Préparation 15 min

Cuisson 20 min

1° Dans un mixer, mélanger le sucre, l’eau et les feuilles de verveine pour réaliser le granité. Verser dans un saladier et le placer au congélateur.

2° Couper en 2 chaque melon et retirer les pépins au centre sans creuser. À l’aide d’une cuillère à pomme parisienne, réaliser des billes de melon sans aller trop sur les bords et sans trop creuser. À l’aide d’une cuillère à soupe, retirer extrémités coupées sans creuser le melon, les couper en petits cubes puis les déposer au creux du melon.

3°Équeuter les fraises puis les couper en quartiers. Si elles sont trop grosses, tailler les billes de mozzarella.

4°Dans un saladier, mélanger les fraises, la mozzarella, les framboises et les billes de melon. Dans un petit bol, mélanger le vinaigre avec l’huile d’olive. Assaisonner les fruits avec la vinaigrette, la fleur de sel et le poivre du moulin. Mélanger délicatement.

5°Dans des assiettes creuses, déposer une feuille de papier absorbant pliée et mouillée avec de l’eau, verser par-dessus la glace pilée. Déposer chaque demi-melon sur la glace et faire une jolie présentation en y disposant à l’intérieur le granité de verveine et la salade de fruits. Ajouter quelques feuilles de verveine et servir.

Servir avec un petit rosé de Provence.

CLAFOUTIS AUX ABRICOTS ET AMANDES

 DE CYRIL LIGNAC

Ingrédients

Abricot(s) 450 g

Œuf(s) 3

Crème liquide entière 20 cl

Sucre en poudre 130 g

Poudre de noisette 100 g

Amaretto 2 c. à soupe

Amandes effilées 1 poignée(s)

Beurre 10 g

Préparation :

Préparation 10 min

Cuisson 30 min

1°Préchauffer le four à 190°C. Découper la feuille de papier sulfurisé de la taille du moule. Beurrer le papier sulfurisé au pinceau et le déposer dans le moule. Dénoyauter et couper les abricots en deux.

2°Dans un saladier, mélanger les œufs, le sucre, la crème liquide, l’amaretto et la poudre de noisettes. Verser l’appareil dans le moule beurré, déposer les abricots harmonieusement et parsemer d’amandes effilées. Cuire 30 minutes. Laisser refroidir avant de démouler.

En dessert ou servi lors d'un teabrunch.

UNDERSTANDING THE DEADLIEST FIRE

IN HAWAII

"Total Devastation"

The former capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii was almost razed by fire and the damage is immeasurable so far. The city, which was home to 12,000 people, appears to have been bombed, with thousands of buildings reduced to piles of greyish ash. "To be completely honest, there's nothing to see except utter devastation," acknowledged Governor Green, who visited the scene last week.

As communication networks are gradually restored on the island, the number of missing is reduced: currently, according to the governor, it stands at 1,300 individuals, down from the 2,000 previously recorded. are going to shatter irreparably if it means so many deaths," he said. Authorities believe the toll won't be as heavy, but "we're preparing for many tragic stories," Green said.

The population tried to flee somehow, some residents or tourists diving into the ocean to escape the fire. And while she is today in shock at the devastated landscapes, she is also angry and demanding answers

The reaction of the authorities has indeed been singled out for several days. It is in particular the fact that the warning sirens were not turned on which raises questions. Especially since the network having been cut during the fires, many residents were also unable to receive a signal on their telephones, informing them of the situation and inviting them to leave their homes.

However, the warning system in Hawaii is one of the most sophisticated in the world. It has some 400 alarms spread across the state, making it the most comprehensive on the planet. On the island of Maui, the second largest in the Hawaiian archipelago, no less than 80 outdoor sirens are operational to warn residents in the event of a tsunami or other natural disasters. However, at the beginning of August, they remained strangely silent.

A thoughtful choice by the authorities

"No one in the state or county attempted to activate these sirens," admitted Adam Weintraub, spokesman for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. However, he explains that this decision depended greatly on the speed at which the flames progressed. The effort to coordinate relief operations on the ground simultaneously with the triggering of other warning systems also played a role.
On Wednesday, Herman Andaya, administrator of the Maui County Emergency Management Agency, tried in turn to justify the non-use of the alert system. He argued that the latter was mainly designed to alert the population to the risk of a tsunami. According to him,

Nevertheless, the causes of such a heavy toll are not attributable solely to human action.

Another factor that played a key role in the extent of the fires that devoured Hawaii was the abandonment of farmland in the 1990s.

The once well-maintained fields, which could have slowed the spread of the fire, were replaced by huge expanses of non-native vegetation, left abandoned. Clay Trauernicht, a fire expert at the University of Hawaii, explained on Twitter that over the past 30 years, invasive weeds such as guinea grass and fountain grass have been introduced. These have a double particularity: they grow back quickly after a fire, but also ignite more easily. In Lahaina, the closure of sugar cane farms in the 1990s also led to the shutdown of irrigation systems that could have stemmed the spread of fires.

Particularly unfavorable weather conditions also played a role in the disaster scenario that unfolded on the island of Maui. The flames were fanned by strong winds, which exceeded 100 km / h according to the US Weather Services (NWS). They were powered by a Category 4 hurricane dubbed Dora. To make matters worse, the year was much less rainy than usual in Hawaii: 16% of the territory was affected by a "severe" drought on Wednesday August 9th.

Another source of anger in Maui, the help which is struggling to arrive and the lack of reaction from Joe Biden, the American president. On Wednesday, he announced that he would be going there with his wife Jill next Monday. The couple must "meet rescue teams, survivors as well as official officials", announced their spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre.

"I remain committed to making sure the people of Hawaii have everything they need to recover from this disaster," the president wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

SEA SEX AND SUN

SEX AND  HEAT WAVE

Others know by against a drop in libido with the rise of mercury. And it's not for nothing!

And yes, heat influences our libido!

When we are too hot, we sweat, we feel moist.

Sweating does not always have the most pleasant smell, so for a body-to-body with your partner, do not count on it.

So it is necessary to pass under a good shower fresh so that our partner will want a body to body lovers!

And maybe also a little rest to do the "full of energy" sexual ... But then we talk about the work period when we come exhausted from the office.

Because if you are on vacation know everything changes: your libido can go crescendo like mercury, especially in this summer heatwave.

Idle atmosphere, longer days, idleness, friends partners that pleasant moments conducive to letting our desires come true. And our libido to free itself, even to let loose.

For desires also rhymes with libido.

And then in the summer, the relationship to the body changes, we wear less clothes, we pamper his body with sunscreen and sun, salt water, hot sand. A whole set that nourishes the sexual energy.

And then we make the meridian in the shade, in a place of freshness and calm.

Everything invites you to make love but slowly, in a more sensual way, to two or according to your mood.

HARRISON FORD GIVE HIS NAME

TO AN AMAZONIAN SNAKE

Laments the adventurer […] I hate snakes. »

In a nod to the hero of a famous saga, scientists have just named a whole new species of snake after Harrison Ford.Harrison

Every day, the 'Harrison Ford' snake makes its life in Otishi National Park, Peru.

A new species discovered at an altitude of more than 3,000 m bears. Unknown to any experts on this species, the "Harrison Ford" snake was discovered in May 2022 during an expedition led by German-American biologist Edgar Lehr, in the mountain pastures of Otishi National Park at an altitude over 3200m.

The area where this snake was discovered is only accessible by helicopter. A male was spotted basking in a swamp in Otishi National Park last May. It stands out from its congeners by its singular camouflage, sporting yellow to ocher colors, with black spots which make it difficult to spot on the ground. According to the BBC, Tachymenoides harrisonfordi poses no danger to humans. It feeds mainly on frogs and lizards.

“Scientists keep naming bugs after me”

But why did scientists want to name this snake Harrison Ford ?

The actor, himself, claims to "not understand" this practice, he who has already given his name to a Calponia harrisonfordi spider and to a Pheidole harrisonfordi ant.

"Scientists keep naming bugs my name, but they're always the ones that scare kids," he tweeted.

Behind this little touch of humor, the hero of the "Indiana Jones" saga has agreed to give his name to this species, he who is very committed "to the protection of the environment", according to the German-American biologist Edgar Lehr.

The 81-year-old actor is known for his actions for the NGO Conservation International, of which he is vice-president.

The actor, himself, claims to "not understand" this practice, he who has already given his name to a Calponia harrisonfordi spider and to a Pheidole harrisonfordi ant. "Scientists keep naming bugs my name, but they're always the ones that scare kids," he tweeted.

Behind this little touch of humor, the hero of the "Indiana Jones" saga has agreed to give his name to this species, he who is very committed "to the protection of the environment", according to the German-American biologist Edgar Lehr.

The 81-year-old actor is known for his actions for the NGO Conservation International, of which he is vice-president.

The NGO Conservation International, of which the actor is a prominent member of the board of directors, chose to name the species in his honor to salute his efforts in favor of environmental protection, from tropical forests to the seabed.

It is therefore "in homage to his work" that his name was used according to the journal Salamandra which published the scientific study.

The actor took the opportunity to deliver, again, the ecological message that is dear to him: “Seriously, this discovery is a lesson in humility. It's a reminder that there's still so much to learn about our wild world - and that humans are just a small part of an incredibly vast biosphere.

On this planet, all fates are linked, and at this moment, thousands of species are on the verge of oblivion. We have an existential mandate to mend our broken relationship with nature and protect the places that sustain life.

JOE BIDEN ELECTION

ALREADY LOST ?

This strategic reserve, which has intensified since the start of the summer season, not only reflects Joe Biden's usual reluctance to media interactions, but also reflects careful deliberation illustrating his acute perception of the stakes in the approach of the imminent presidential election.

Staying true to his presidential attitude, Joe Biden is focusing his attention on carefully crafted speeches around his major legislative initiatives, including the much-noticed "Inflation Reduction Act" (IRA), which he signed with conviction on August 16, 2022.

At the dawn of his 80th birthday, Joe Biden harbors the aspiration of a second term, an undertaking that requires skillful management given the crucial importance of each statement.

Guided by an acute conscience, Joe Biden exercises caution against any intervention likely to be interpreted as an attempt to politicize justice against his charismatic rival, Donald Trump.

The strategy of restraint adopted by the Democratic president since the first of four indictments against his opponent, which occurred in the spring in New York in the context of a case involving an actress of films for adults, perfectly illustrates the subtlety of modern politics.

Although appearances may suggest a calculated distance, careful analysis invites us to wonder whether the myriad disputes surrounding Donald Trump are really just an elaborate edifice by the Democrats to influence the 2024 election.

These seemingly independent cases could reveal a larger plot aimed at altering the prospects of success in the upcoming ballot, which does not appear to be in favor of Joe Biden.

Joe Biden faces a major challenge in terms of public trust.

His approval rating is currently singularly low, reflecting a divided and wary American public opinion.

Voters, in particular, remain unconvinced by Joe Biden's economic agenda and openly express reservations about his age, knowing that he would reach the age of 86 at the end of a hypothetical second term.

Nevertheless, the president masterfully sidesteps the political turbulence surrounding the recent appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate his youngest son, Hunter Biden.

The criticisms emanating from the Republicans, who evoke dubious transactions abroad, do not seem to shake the presidential cool.

In a context where communication and perception play a major role, Joe Biden faced a meeting with Democratic donors with resilience last week.

Although some signs of uncertainty were perceptible, even a slight palpable tension, he remains aware that the investigations into his son's affairs have only just begun.

In sum, the strategic silence observed by Joe Biden regarding his competitor's legal troubles, as well as his continued focus on key initiatives, reveal a calculated and considered approach.

This approach, while cautiously executed, does not fail to draw attention to the underlying political issues and raises intriguing questions as to the true intentions of these judicial inquiries.

In the political arena where every word and every gesture is scrutinized, Joe Biden navigates on sight, while Democratic donors seem to face significant wavering, even deep unease. This is all the more significant as it seems that we are only at the beginning of the multiple cases involving the son of Joe Biden.

MAKEUP

NATURAL BEAUTY FOR THIS SUMMER

But it is not really feasible because we are tired of the year the heat has killed our hair our legs are as white as our buttocks to the it is sure no trace of the shirt but rather the dark circles are out.

Let it be said even on awakening, the " top models " do not look like the pictures of the commercials that we see.

To arrive natural on the beach there is a little work.

Let's start with the head and the body we are going to make a good scrub it is necessary to exfoliate to remove the gray face dead skin to revive the circulation we advise you for the face exfoliating lotion P50 of Biologique Recherche.

And then hydrate a maximum for that argan oil is great.

We are going to finally give a little shape to our face by using hyaluronic acid serum on our forehead every day.

Finally final touch must put the tan on the face and body by spreading well.

We agree: you removed the planet effect of the monkeys and everything is shaved .....

For the nails the colors are forgotten a french manicure on the feet and natural beige on the hands if possible all in semi permanent that lasts a month without retouching.

For the hair a tour at the hairdresser locks or color more cut we will do we have always heard that it is in September that it is necessary to do all that but it is these summer holidays that we will find our prince charming or our real toy sex no ?

The reunion of lovers !

HUNTER BIDEN CASE COULD COST

THE RE-ELECTION TO THE PRESIDENCY OF JOE BIDEN

Would the Department of Justice take the investigation seriously and believe in a strong possibility of filing criminal charges?

“This appointment confirms my commitment to provide David Weiss with all the resources he requires.

It also reaffirms that he has the authority he needs to conduct a thorough investigation and to independently continue to move forward in the manner he deems appropriate, based solely on the facts and the law. US Attorney General Merrick Garland.

David Weiss, federal prosecutor in Delaware, had been investigating Hunter Biden for several years already.

The president's 53-year-old son is accused of tax evasion and acquiring a firearm while a drug addict.

With his new title, David Weiss will have broader powers. He was appointed to Delaware by ex-President Donald Trump, who lost the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden and aims to make a comeback to the White House.

This is a major blow for Hunter Biden but also for his father. The resounding and unexpected announcement comes as Joe Biden is campaigning for a second term.

The bad past of son Biden

In his book "Les Belles Choses" (2021), Hunter Biden recounts drinking vodka, night wanderings in search of crack around seedy convenience stores, failed attempts at detoxification, fleeting love with his brother's widow. ..

Of his father, he writes: "He never abandoned me, never ignored me, never judged me". "At times his perseverance drove me mad."

The Hunter Biden investigation also raises serious ethical questions. The right regularly accuses Hunter Biden of having used his father's reputation and influence, when the latter was Barack Obama's vice-president (2009-2017), with his business relations, particularly in Ukraine. I haven't done anything unethical," Hunter Biden said afterwards, adding, however:

"I wouldn't do it again."

Hunter Biden used his family's name and connections to land lucrative business deals in Ukraine and China. He also did not report these business transactions on his tax return. This raises questions about whether Hunter Biden used his father's position to enrich himself.

The attorney general's aim is to avoid any perception of political interference in the investigation, given the "exceptional circumstances" involving the son of the incumbent president. However, the appointment of a special adviser reinforces the perception of scandal and possible wrongdoing, even if the legal aspects of the case have not changed.

The 50-year-old claims to be now "clean". Remarried and father of a little boy named Beau like his late brother, he converted to painting.

Moreover, since the beginning of the year, Joe Biden had even given more visibility to his younger brother. Hunter Biden was omnipresent during an official trip by his father to Ireland in April, and he was seen, in a tuxedo, mingling with guests at the state dinner given in June in honor of the Indian Prime Minister.

But his past regularly catches up with him, and Joe Biden with it.

Recently, the Democratic president admitted that he has not six, but seven grandchildren, acknowledging the existence of a little girl born from an affair of Hunter Biden. The Republican opposition immediately denounced the contrast between Joe Biden's silence in the face of the small Navy and his public image as an affectionate patriarch.

Many challenges

How far will his son's past behavior harm the image of his father as president?

Republicans are using the Hunter Biden investigation to attack President Biden accusing him of using his position as vice president to enrich his son.

But the White House's concern is that special advisers and independent prosecutors from the Clinton to Trump administrations have often expanded their investigations beyond their original areas, and no one knows exactly how or when their investigations could end.

Joe Biden who is already facing several challenges, including the ongoing war in Ukraine, the rising cost of living and the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, must now manage this new twist in the Hunter Biden case.

In a likely close election, even against former President Donald Trump at the many. charges, this new twist in the Hunter Biden case could cost him his re-election.

The nomination of David Weiss did not silence Hunter Biden's critics, however.

"David Weiss can't be trusted and it's just another way to stifle corruption in the Biden family," said Russell Dye, spokesman for Republican Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan.

IN NIGER THE DEPOSITED PRESIDENT

COULD BE PROSECUTED FOR "HIGH TREASON"

“The Nigerien government has to date gathered” the “evidence to prosecute before the competent national and international authorities the deposed president and his local and foreign accomplices, for high treason and undermining the internal and external security of Niger”, declared the Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane, one of the members of the regime, in a press release read on national television.

Regarding the deposed president, the regime called for "questioning the sincerity of his claim to maintain that he is sequestered, even though the soldiers have never taken over his presidential residence and he still has all communication means".

The soldiers also ensure that Mohamed Bazoum "regularly receives visits from his doctor". According to an adviser to the overthrown president, a consultation took place on Saturday. "After this visit, the doctor did not raise any concerns about the state of health of the ousted president and his family members," the military added.

Mohamed Bazoum, held in his presidential residence since July 26 - the day of the coup - with his son and his wife, had declared in several media to be a "hostage", then deprived of electricity and forced to eat only rice and pasta.

Sanctions deemed "humiliating"

The regime resulting from the coup also criticizes the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS, deemed "illegal, inhuman and humiliating". These sanctions were formulated at a summit of the regional organization on July 30, accompanied by a seven-day ultimatum aimed at restoring constitutional order , under penalty of coercive action.

These restrictive measures directly affect Niger, which depends economically and energetically on foreign partners. Indeed, the sanctions go so far as to deprive the country of essential imports such as pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs and even electricity supply, the military deplored in their press release.

These statements come after the military regime welcomed a delegation of Nigerian Muslim religious leaders on Saturday, led with the agreement of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, also head of ECOWAS, to "ease the tensions created by the prospect of a military intervention" of the organization. The timetable and terms of a possible West African military intervention have not been disclosed.

But Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, whose country will contribute to this force, said Thursday that it should be able to intervene "as soon as possible". Several neighboring countries, including the giant Nigeria, Burkina and Mali, have however already rejected the principle of their participation in an armed intervention.

According to General Abdourahamane Tiani, quoted in the Nigerian mediation press release, the military overthrew President Bazoum "because of an imminent threat which would have affected not only the Republic of Niger, but also Nigeria". The new strongman of Niger had justified the coup d'etat by "the security deterioration" in the country, undermined by the violence of jihadist groups like Mali and neighboring Burkina, also led by soldiers and who showed their solidarity with Niamey.

Important anti-jihadist device

From Mauritania to Sudan, the jihadists have succeeded in scaring away all Westerners. However, Niger has so far been the pivot of the French anti-jihadist system in the Sahel, since the forced departure of the French soldiers from Mali in the summer of 2022. The French soldiers work regularly with the Nigerien army in the context of special operations .

The latest (communicated by the Ministry of the Armed Forces), was held in May 2023. An airborne operation to take control of a building near the Malian border, in the so-called "three borders" area, crucial and dangerous in the fight against jihadism. The United States also has security interests there, insisting, at all costs, on keeping its bases in the country.

In addition to security interests, France also has economic interests.

Niger has wealth in uranium, and it is precisely on these lands that the activity of Orano (formerly Areva), a mining group, owned by the French State, has been established over the years. In addition, Orano has been carrying out a large-scale project in the country for several years: the operation of the Imouraren site.

This large-scale project is based on meticulous studies and promises uranium reserves estimated at 174,000 tons, allowing a lifespan of this mining site of approximately 43 years. During the period extending from 2005 to 2020 , Niger occupied the rank of third supplier of uranium to France, contributing up to 19% of its supplies in this material, thus placing itself behind Kazakhstan and Australia, according to data from the Euratom technical committee.

In this political imbroglio, each country plays its part, the United States for their part trying to prevent the junta from getting too close to the Burkinabé and Malian juntas, but also to the Wagner society, and therefore to Russia...

TRIP FOR THE NIGHT OF THE STARS

First arrival at McClellan-Palomar airport (KCRQ) is 4:05 local time.

Here is our little team Luc our pilot, scientific expert and journalist, Joanne and me (Mia) journalists for our expedition to Mount Palomar almost arrived at their destination finally almost !

Problem the keys of the helicopter that Luc must then use are not there !

Whoever dropped off the Bell 206 left with it by mistake.

Satisfaction all the same because undoubtedly the Mont Palomar awaits us, to us the stars !

After a telephone contact we are authorized to land near the observatory to leave the standard landing zone (zone H) free in case another helicopter needs to come on site.

Before installing on board the Bell 206, Luc as a good Pilot weighs everything!, because there are three of us on board plus the equipment and in the event of overweight, safety would be engaged.

Yes hard for me because my wardrobes will stay in the jet, but that's the price of safety.

.

Takeoff and after a short flight here we are at Mount Palomar.

As soon as we arrived, at work, but what a joy to be there, what an unobstructed view of a cloudless blue sky that promises us success.

We have installed photo equipment outside to do astrophotography.

Night falls with it, the magic of the stars begins.

I I

 I attach  to this article some photos taken on the spot but, for technical reasons on our online newspaper it is not possible to deposit high resolution versions, part of our readers are with smartphones, others with a connection not top.....

However, I hope you will be amazed by the beauty of the sky and the stars, the images speak for themselves.

We would like to thank the whole team who received us and welcomed us so well and without whom our expedition would not have been the same.

I am composing this article on my laptop sitting in the back of the jet, hoping that this expedition carried out for you, our readers, will make you discover a starry sky which is too often invisible to citizens living in cities where observation is almost impossible.

ECUADOR THE DADDY GANG LOS CHONEROS

RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ASSASSINATION OF THE CANDIDATE TO PRESIDENTIAL

 FERNANDO VILLAVICENCIO ?

Six Colombians were arrested and a seventh died in an exchange of fire with the police.

The politician's assassination, which shocked the country, occurred ahead of general elections scheduled for August 20. This former journalist had denounced corruption and received death threats from the Los Choneros trafficking gang.

The investigation into the assassination of the candidate for the Ecuadorian presidential election, killed in the middle of the street on Wednesday in Quito, has only just begun, but the suspicions of the police are indeed focused on Adolfo "Fito" Macias, their leader .

Adolfo "Fito" Macias, their leader.

"Fito", leader of the fearsome "Los Choneros" gang, was transferred to a high security prison on Saturday. An operation carried out by 4,000 heavily armed soldiers and police, three days after the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.

"Fito", whose real name is Adolfo Macías, is today the only founding member of the "Choneros" still alive. Created in the 90s, the criminal organization is structured around drug trafficking, not hesitating to use violence to reign over the cocaine trafficking routes in the Pacific. In the country, many rival gangs have been fighting each other for years to maintain their influence and their networks of illegal trade.

The man is described as acting "under the radar" by the NGO Insight Crime, a foundation that analyzes the dynamics of armed gangs in Latin America.

"Fito" had since kept a low profile publicly, until a video appearance days before Villavicencio's death. He then announced a truce with rival armed groups, such as "Los Lobos" or "Los Tiguerones", two other gangs who sow terror in Ecuador.

"Extreme criminal violence"

The homicide rate linked to drug trafficking, of 26 per 100,000 inhabitants since the beginning of the year, has almost doubled compared to last year and marks a record. The victims of violence are mayors, judges, prosecutors and dozens of civilians without criminal records. Reminiscent of the methods of Mexican narcos, dismembered corpses began to appear in the streets of the country, bodies hanging from bridges and kidnappings for extortion multiplied, leaving in the best of cases, the victims amputated of a finger or with one ear.

26 gangs linked to drug trafficking.

President Guillermo Lasso, who fought against gangs but failed to stem crime, accused "organized crime" of having ordered the murder of Mr. Villavicencio.

According to Interior Minister Juan Zapata, more than 13 criminal organizations operate in Ecuador, including Los Choneros, the oldest and most powerful, now allied with Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel.

But military intelligence lists up to 26 gangs linked to drug trafficking. Los Lobos, the main rival gang to Los Choneros, is associated with the Mexican cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación.

The war on drugs in Mexico and Colombia has led cartels from these two countries, in addition to Albanian mafias, to settle in Ecuador, where to benefit from the porous borders, the "dollarized" economy, the State corruption and the lack of control over money laundering. For drug trafficking, the Pacific ports, the starting point for cocaine to Europe and the United States, are strategic.

The first round of the election is still scheduled for August 20. The current president, Guillermo Lasso, has declared a state of emergency to guarantee the smooth running of the ballot.

TOWARDS A FAILURE OF THE UKRAINIAN

 COUNTER-OFFENSIVE ?

Launched at the beginning of June, the latter seems, since, to skate. According to CNN on Tuesday, senior Western and especially American officials are describing "sobering" assessments of the Ukrainian army's ability to retake "important territories" from Russia during this counter-offensive.

"They will see over the next two weeks if there is a chance to make progress. But it is highly unlikely that they will make progress that would change the balance of the conflict," a senior Western official told CNN.

Mike Quigley, a Democratic U.S. Representative from Illinois who recently returned from Europe where he rubbed shoulders with U.S. commanders in charge of training Ukrainian soldiers, said the meetings "provide food for thought. We are reminded of the challenges they face. confronted. This is the most complicated period of the war".

Experts returning from Ukraine recognize the solidity of the Russian army. We are preparing for a long war.

The Russian army has indeed gained in efficiency and holds its positions firmly. The Russian army said on Thursday that it had advanced in northeastern Ukraine in the past few hours. In its daily report, the Russian Defense Ministry says its troops have "improved their position" in an area where they have regained the initiative for several weeks.

"In the direction of Kupyansk, the assault units of the Western combat groups have, during offensive actions, improved their positions in the front line," said the Russian Defense Ministry.

Faced with the advance of Russian troops, the Ukrainian authorities ordered the evacuation of 37 localities in the Kupyansk district on Thursday. The regional government indicated on Telegram recommending the population to leave the area for Kharkiv "in view of the constant shelling and the security situation in the territory", indicates Ukranian Pravda.

Back from the front, Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google and very involved in the development of a Ukrainian military drone industry, admitted on CNN on July 17 that the Russians had mastered the air and had become masters in the electronic jamming of the opponent. "Currently, they are intercepting or grounding the drones and planes that the Ukrainians are launching," he added.

In addition, the human losses are heavy on the Ukrainian side. Between twenty and thirty thousand deaths rolled in the Russian "meat grinder" in two months, according to the sources. The question of troop renewal is delicate for Ukraine, a country of 36 million inhabitants, ten million of whom have gone abroad.

The Kiev army is said to have more than 50,000 men in reserve as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Friday August 11 on Telegram that all heads of regional military registration and enlistment offices will be fired after reports of illegal enrichment (...) of illicit profits, illegal transport across the border of conscripts", detailed the head of state.

Russia, a country four times more populated, would have nearly 300,000 men ready to go to the front. And recruiting continues apace across Russia, with the goal of a million-strong army.

As for equipment, according to The New York Times, Ukraine had lost 20% of committed heavy equipment during the first two weeks of its offensive. The West does not have sufficient stockpiles of weapons to match Russian firepower over the long term. Unable to send the expected conventional shells, the United States had no other resource than to deliver the controversial cluster bombs, very deadly for civilians and banned by most Western countries.

 The current situation is undeniably unfavorable for Ukraine and NATO, engaged in a conflict that is getting bogged down. Something to make the United States think about what to do next...

UNDERSTANDING THE STRIKE AT ALL HOLLYWOOD

ACTORS AND SCREENPLAYS

“We had no choice. We are the victims. We are victims of a very greedy entity”, estimated the former star of the series “A nanny from hell”.

She also added that this strike movement is a necessity: "If we don't stand up now, […] we all risk being replaced by machines and big companies who care more about Wall Street than you. and your family”.

The movement was initiated by the screenwriters last May, and has now turned into a double social movement. This is the first actors' strike since 1980 in Hollywood. The last double social movement bringing together actors and screenwriters dates back to 1960. At the time, the future President of the United States Ronald Reagan led the actors' union and had built political stature by obtaining important concessions from the studios.

This strike, decided by SAG-AFTRA, the only actors' union, involves its 160,000 members, whether they are simple extras, stunt performers, occasional supporting roles or stars. Many celebrities, including Meryl Streep, Ben Stiller and Colin Farrell, have already publicly spoken out in favor of a strike. They will become an essential spokesperson. The social movement is crucial for the multitude of actors, paid far less than these stars."

Request for upgrade and fear of AI

At the origin of this social movement, a request for an increase in salaries and fees, which have decreased significantly with the arrival of streaming. Substantial for television because calculated according to the price of advertisements, these emoluments are much lower with streaming platforms, which do not communicate their audience figures and pay a flat rate, regardless of success.

Eric Edelstein, an actor who had a small role in Jurassic World, recently illustrated this dramatic erosion with the Los Angeles Times. Revenue from reruns of the film on cable channels brought him $1,400 in one quarter. For the same period, the comedian received $40 for streaming reruns.

In addition, the strikers ask to be protected from the use of artificial intelligence and thus prevent it from generating scripts, or even cloning their image and their voice. The actors indeed fear being replaced by artificial intelligence (AI). They demand safeguards against the cloning of their voice and image without consent.

'No life experience'

And yet for Steven Sonderbergh there is no need to be afraid of AI. The possibility that artificial intelligence could replace screenwriters and actors is not a subject that haunts his nights, he told Variety who asked him about it on the occasion of the upcoming release of his Full Circle mini-series "I may be the Neville Chamberlain of this subject, but I am not afraid of AI in this specific context. It has no experience of life", notes the American director.

"(The artificial intelligence) has never had a hangover. She has never cooked a meal for someone she loved. She has never been scared on her way home late at night. She never felt fragile because someone she was in high school with 20 years ago was incredibly successful. I'm not afraid of that. It's just another tool." And Steven Sonderbergh concludes: "If (this tool) helps you finish the first draft of a screenplay, great. But can it finish it and make it great on its own? Absolutely not. day, (all this) doesn't keep me awake at night".

For Christopher Nolan, the director of the film Oppenheimer the filmmaker, also remains more gifted than artificial intelligence, which he describes as "a very powerful tool for us". The filmmaker, who intends to take advantage of this technology in the exercise of his art, thus has his recipe for approaching it. "My position on technology, as it relates to my work, is that I want to use [it] for the best it has to offer," he sums up.

Because this intelligence is not human but only artificial...

THE INCREDIBLE TAYLOR SWIFT 

AN INFINITE MUSICAL PROMISE

Taylor Swift's Infinite Musical Saga: An Unending Promise to Art and Emotion.

Taylor Swift, like a shooting star in the musical firmament, continues to captivate and amaze the world with an unquenchable passion for artistic creation. 

Recently, she lit up SoFi Stadium in California with her dazzling presence, a spectacle that served as the backdrop for an astonishing and inspiring statement: 

the superstar has expressed his desire to produce "as many albums as humanly possible".

These words resonate like a vibrant echo of his love for music and his boundless devotion to his fervent admirers. 

When she speaks to her audience with her soft and warm voice, Taylor Swift reveals an intimate part of her soul, guiding us through the intricacies of her passion and her creative process.

She shares with us the very essence of her artistic evolution, dating back to the time when, at only 12 years old, she began to weave melodies and verses.

“Concerts, for me, are a form of adaptation, a way of dealing with the world. It is a process by which I transform my emotions into music, into words, into stories. 

I deliver these fragments of my being to you, and when I see you react, whether with a knowing nod, a look in the eye, or the singing of my own words, a unique connection is formed, a validation of our emotions. shared”, she expresses with touching depth. 

The global pandemic has shaken this sacred ritual, putting an abrupt end to these precious exchanges between the artist and his audience. 

Faced with this forced breakup, Taylor tapped into her creativity and her love for music to reinvent her commitment to her passion and her community. “Confronted with the impossibility of sharing these unique moments in concert, I felt the urgency to maintain this link in a different way. 

I made the decision to invest myself fully in creation, to give birth to new albums as often as my heart allows,” she says with radiant determination.

This is how Taylor Swift's musical horizon takes shape, an inexhaustible promise of creativity that transcends time and borders. With each album, she weaves a complex web of stories and melodies, an open window to the deepest recesses of her soul.

In this new era of dedication and authenticity, Taylor Swift sets herself up as a true guardian of human emotion, inviting her listeners to dive into an ocean of shared experiences.

This exquisite vision merges art with life, creating a timeless symbiosis between artist and audience.

Taylor Swift is committed to nurturing this intimate relationship with an abundance of albums, each release being a chapter in the story she writes with her audience, a story that blossoms with every note and every word. 

As we contemplate this inexhaustible musical promise, we witness the continued blossoming of an extraordinary artist, a creative force that will continue to shine brightly in the firmament of music and in the hearts of her admirers, for years to come. come. It's sort of my process of adapting in life and all of a sudden !

So I decided, she concludes, that to maintain this link, if I couldn't do concerts with you, I was going to do and release as many albums as it was humanly possible to do, "he said. she concluded, obviously to the delight of her fans !

THE STARLINER SHIP WILL BE READY

IN MARCH ANNOUNCEMENT BOEING

Although the road has been rocky, there is no denying that the determination and commitment of the Boeing team has paid off, offering a ray of hope for future space travel.

Indeed, several challenges emerged during the development of the capsule, but this series of trials only reinforced Boeing's determination to meet these challenges with flying colors.

Recent developments indicate that the Starliner spacecraft should be fully operational by March 2024, according to recent company statements in August.

Mark Nappi, the program manager at Boeing, cautiously pointed out that setting a precise lift-off date has yet to be determined, due to variable factors such as the opportunities offered by the United Launch Alliance (ULA) industry group for the launch of the rocket, as well as the availability of seats on board the International Space Station (ISS).

As an essential partner of NASA, Boeing aims to meet the ambitious mission of providing a second provider for the transport of astronauts to the ISS, in addition to the services of SpaceX which have been used successfully since 2020.

The importance of diversifying transportation options to the ISS is a priority for NASA, helping to ensure reliable and continuous access to this crucial space station.

After an unsuccessful test flight in 2019, Boeing's Starliner capsule finally successfully crossed the threshold of the ISS in May 2022, ushering in a new era of exploration and opportunity.

Although this flight was unmanned, it marked a crucial step towards the spacecraft's final certification for manned flight.

Boeing is about to perform a decisive manned test to obtain this certification, before diving into its long-awaited operational missions.

The inevitable delays experienced by Boeing have been a source of continuous learning and development for the team.

The most recent hurdle, announced last June, was twofold. On the one hand, it was to perfect the parachutes that play a vital role in slowing the capsule down on its return to Earth.

Boeing experts have shown ingenuity in modifying the design to ensure optimal robustness, and a crucial test is scheduled for November to validate these improvements.

Passing this test is essential for the progress of the program and to ensure the safety of the astronauts.

On the other hand, a challenge related to the capsule's internal electrical cables was also diligently met. The tape used for the cables was found to pose a flammability hazard, requiring careful re-evaluation.

Boeing experts responded quickly by removing a substantial amount of tape and putting in place appropriate protective measures. This move demonstrates Boeing's unwavering commitment to crew safety and the reliability of its spacecraft.

Joel Montalbano, NASA's program manager, emphasized the critical importance of the Starliner vehicle to the future of the space station.

This spacecraft represents a major step in NASA's space strategy, with ambitious plans for its first manned flight.

The Starliner's maiden voyage will carry astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams to the ISS, where they will settle for a week-long mission. Liftoff will take place from scenic Cape Canaveral in Florida, symbolizing a new and exciting chapter in the history of space exploration.

In sum, the challenges Boeing overcame in developing the Starliner spacecraft have carved a history of resilience, innovation and perseverance.

Lessons learned from each hurdle have reinforced Boeing's resolve to deliver a safe, reliable and innovative space transportation solution for years to come.

With continuous efforts and strong collaboration with its partners, Boeing is poised to write a new chapter of thrilling space adventures, leaving a lasting mark in the exploration of the infinite cosmos.

UNITED KINGDOM

"FLOATING HOTEL" OR "FLOATING PRISON"

TO WELCOME ASYLUM SEEKERS

A first group of asylum seekers settled on Monday August 7, 2023 aboard the Bibby Stockholm, a huge barge at the quay in the south-west of England. It is a project to fight against immigration.

With its 222 cabins, the "Bibby Stockholm" is supposed to accommodate up to 500 migrants Located in Portland in the south-west of England, this barge, 93 meters long and 27 wide, has become the emblem of politics carried out by the British government for several months.

In difficulty in the polls a year from the next legislative elections, the head of the conservative government Rishi Sunak has made the need to "stop the boats" illegally crossing the Channel a priority.

A way to save money in welcoming migrants while deterring potential asylum seekers...

Suella Braverman, Minister of the Interior, fully assumes her anti-migration policy.

More recently, it tripled fines for landlords and employers who allow illegal migrants to rent and work in the UK.

In Portland, the project has angered local residents, some fearing for their safety while others denounce a "floating prison" at the foot of their island of some 13,000 inhabitants.

The authorities refute this term and assure that asylum seekers will be able to enter and leave as they please.

JAPAN PREPARES TO DISCHARGE WATER FROM FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT INTO OCEAN

the discharge of these waters into the ocean!

According to information from government sources, this move could take shape between the end of August and the beginning of September, following a trilateral summit involving the United States and South Korea.

Although the exact date of this launch remains to be established, the Japanese authorities maintain their commitment to the announced period, located between spring and summer of this year.

At a press conference, Hirokazu Matsuno, the government spokesperson, stressed that the decision to release the treated water will be taken once all the safety measures have been thoroughly validated.