L1: Jean-Bouin apprend à jongler entre Paris FC et Stade français
Du rose au bleu marine en quelques jours, en gardant la tour Eiffel: le Paris FC prend ses marques à Jean-Bouin, qu’il partage avec le Stade français, avant son deuxième match de Ligue 1 à domicile contre Strasbourg, dimanche (15h00).”Je veux que ça devienne une forteresse”, lance l’entraîneur Stéphane Gilli. Lors du baptême victorieux contre Metz (3-2) le 31 août il a vu “un vrai stade de foot” et aimé “la proximité” des supporters. “On s’est sentis tout de suite chez nous”, ajoute le technicien.Cette première “s’est très bien passée d’un point de vue organisationnel”, estime pour l’AFP le secrétaire général du PFC Arnaud Campanella. “Le stade était quasiment plein et la belle victoire a ajouté à la joie d’arriver dans ce très bel écrin.”Le directeur général du Stade français, Thomas Lombard, présent à PFC-Metz, a aussi apprécié l’ambiance. “Pendant les 90 minutes, je n’ai pas entendu une seule invective, pas de sifflet. De bon augure”, raconte-t-il à l’AFP.Pour cette première en L1, on a vu quelques spectateurs un peu perdus, mais “on apprend, on va améliorer la signalétique pour que les gens comprennent bien où ils doivent se rendre”, poursuit Campanella.- “Escamotable” -Lors de PFC-Strasbourg, le club prévoit pour l’accueil “une vingtaine de personnes en plus”, pour un total de 500 personnes dont 350 stadiers, explique-t-il. Le club va notamment installer “des lignes de palpation supplémentaires, faire en sorte que tout soit le plus fluide possible.”Le défi pour les deux clubs est aussi de déshabiller et rhabiller assez vite l’enceinte qui jouxte le Parc des Princes.”C’est escamotable, le travail pour les équipes de changement de configuration n’est pas énorme, tempère Lombard. On a la chance d’avoir une couleur en commun, le bleu, et puis la tour Eiffel figure sur le maillot du PFC et celui du Stade français.” La tenue de la pelouse n’inquiète pas les deux clubs. “C’est un gazon naturel hybride, note Lombard, avec un ancrage au sol plus solide qu’une pelouse traditionnelle, qui résiste mieux et peut être soumis à un usage un peu plus intensif.”Le plus délicat reste le traçage des lignes pour le foot puis le rugby. “Quand on avait un terrain synthétique, on nettoyait les lignes au karcher, ça allait plus vite”, rigole le dirigeant stadiste, dont l’équipe reçoit Bordeaux-Bègles le 27 septembre.Il faudra faire diligence entre les 24 et 25 octobre, le vendredi le PFC reçoit Nantes et le samedi le Stade français accueille Montpellier.- “Un stade, il faut que ça vive” -“Ça va être un test, mais ça peut se faire en une journée, estime Campanella. Les sociétés avec lesquelles on travaille sont dimensionnées pour aussi bien retracer la pelouse, mettre tout en mode rugby, comme pour +rebrander+ (relooker, ndlr) entièrement le stade, qui reste celui du Stade français.”Ce manège plaît en tout cas à Lombard. “Un stade, il faut que ça vive, lance-t-il. Il vivait pour 15 matches par saison, maintenant il va vivre au moins pour 40 occurrences. C’est formidable. Ça va contribuer à faire découvrir Jean-Bouin à d’autres publics, peut-être que ça leur donnera envie de revenir.”Pour l’heure, le PFC “a un public familial qui nous suivait déjà à Charléty, qui s’est développé en venant à Jean-Bouin, note Campanella. Mais on a quand même plus de 1.000 ultras. Les Ultras Lutetia sont passés de 200 à 900 et les Old Clan d’une cinquantaine à 200. Ce sont des ultras avec qui on peut discuter et qui se comportent très bien”. Le PFC compte 7.000 abonnés cette saison et “plus de 90% de taux de remplissage pour les loges et hospitalités”, précise le secrétaire général.Contre Metz, “le stade poussait avec nous, on l’a bien ressenti, note le capitaine Maxime Lopez. A Charléty, on arrivait par moments à créer des trucs, mais c’était un peu compliqué en raison de la distance avec les supporters.”Désormais Gilli “espère une deuxième victoire à domicile pour encore plus d’engouement”.
Trump to lead tributes at memorial for US conservative leader Kirk
US President Donald Trump and top officials in his administration will lead tributes to Charlie Kirk on Sunday at a stadium gathering in Arizona, after the influential conservative activist was gunned down last week.Kirk, 31, was fatally shot in the neck on September 10 while speaking at a Utah university as part of his popular public debate series.Authorities arrested a suspect after a 33-hour manhunt, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty in the case.The killing of the young conservative leader, founder of the Turning Point USA right-wing youth action campaign, has further deepened acrimonious political divisions in the United States.Authorities say the suspected 22-year-old gunman cited the “hatred” he believed was stoked by Kirk — who was a vitriolic critic of transgender people, Muslims and others.Kirk used his millions of social media followers, the massive audience of his podcast and appearances at universities to bolster Trump with young voters and fight for a nationalist, Christian-centric political ideology.Even before the alleged killer was identified or arrested, Trump called Kirk “a martyr for truth and freedom” and blamed the rhetoric of the “radical left.”The US president has lauded Kirk’s role in helping him get re-elected in November last year.In Phoenix, outside Turning Point USA’s headquarters, hundreds marched on Saturday to lay flowers, American flags, and red, white and blue balloons.The sidewalk was filled with tributes to Kirk, depicted in photos with the slogan “Faith, Family, Freedom.””He was an amazing young man, who was taken away from us much too soon,” said Patti Peteque, 53.- Crackdown on liberal ‘terrorism’ -Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will all speak at the memorial on Sunday.Also speaking will be Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., conservative commentator Tucker Carlson and other prominent Trump administration officials.Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, who is taking over the reins of Turning Point USA, will also address the audience at the 63,000-seat State Farm Stadium in Glendale. In response to the killing, the White House last week declared it would crack down on what it terms “domestic terrorism” by the political left. Trump said he would designate “Antifa” — a shorthand term for “anti-fascist” used to describe diffuse far-left groups — as “a major terrorist organization,” a move he threatened in his first term.Prominent late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was yanked off the air Wednesday, hours after the government threatened to cancel broadcasting licenses because of comments he made about Kirk’s killing.The moves have sparked alarm among Trump’s critics who warn of possible steps to silence dissent of his divisive right-wing White House tenure, marked by a rolling back of social justice policies and an immigration crackdown that has seen widespread complaints of rights abuses.”All over the world, Amnesty International has worked for decades to expose and document the silencing of dissent through a range of tactics, and we are deeply concerned such efforts are becoming normalized here,” said the rights group’s Executive Director Paul O’Brien on Friday.Many on the right-wing in the United States, however, see things differently.”The left is just getting a taste of their own medicine. Who stood up when we felt censored, when we felt canceled?” said Peteque, the mourner in Phoenix.
India’s school of maharajas now educating new elite
Stepping through the gates of India’s Mayo College is like journeying back 150 years. Yet, the school that was once reserved for princes now educates a new elite.Its history echoes with grandeur. The first student, the son of the Maharajah of Alwar, arrived in 1875 with pomp, seated in a palanquin and accompanied by 300 servants.”We try to preserve a certain tradition of the past,” said Saurav Sinha, principal of the school in Rajasthan’s Ajmer.”But only to the extent it enriches our culture, and lets our students remember who they are, and where they come from.”Nicknamed the “Eton of the East” and modelled after England’s elite boarding schools, Mayo was founded by the British viceroy, the Earl of Mayo, with the aim of fostering relations between Indian royalty and London.Today, among its 850 students aged nine to 18, only a few are descendants of royalty.They have been succeeded by the scions of ministers, business magnates, diplomats and senior army officers.Tuition fees run to around $11,500 a year — a fortune in a country where annual per capita income is about $2,300.This places Mayo among a rarefied dozen elite boarding schools in India — a stark contrast to the nearly 1.5 million other educational institutions in the world’s most populous nation, where more than two-fifths lack computers.For many families, the cost is justified.”It was clear to me to send my two sons here, because it prepares you for anything,” said Abhishek Singh Tak, who runs an events company in Jodhpur and is himself a Mayo alumnus.Standing before the school’s majestic main building, built of marble reminiscent of the Taj Mahal, he stated: “Everything I am today started from here.”- Military discipline -His sons Nirbhay, 10, and Viren, 17, now live in this luxurious cocoon for nine months a year.The younger dreams of Oxford; the elder aims for the University of Delhi or Sciences Po in France, hoping to become a diplomat.Although the strict military discipline that built Mayo’s reputation still prevails, recent years have seen greater emphasis on student well-being and self-confidence.Headmaster Sinha balances “immense respect for the heritage” with a resolve to keep the school “resolutely forward-looking and adapted to a rapidly changing world.”The 76-hectare campus is an oasis of ancient trees and lush lawns — a striking sight in Rajasthan’s desert.But students have little respite between rising at dawn and lights out at 9:30 pm.”We’re so busy that I don’t have time to think about my family,” joked Arrin, provoking laughter from his classmates.A year after leaving Mumbai, the 11-year-old seems content and at ease.”What I miss most is home-cooked food,” he said, standing straight with hands behind his back, as required.Rajesh Soni, head of the junior school, admitted the first months can be challenging. Mayo has therefore recruited psychologists and increased the number of female teachers and support staff.”The priority is to make it a place where happiness reigns, so they can explore and achieve their goals,” he said, adding that “everything is done to awaken their intellectual curiosity”.- Launchpad for ambition -Parents say the results speak for themselves.”My son has gained enormous self-confidence; he has become very independent,” said Daakshi Bhide, 38, a Mayo English teacher whose 10-year-old son boards at the school.Before classes begin, students wearing white shirts and navy blazers gather for morning assembly, where they say prayers and discuss current events.The curriculum, taught in English, is broad: science, foreign languages, literature, international relations, art and music.Afternoons are reserved for sports.Mayo offers around 20 disciplines — from polo and golf to swimming, shooting and tennis.Football has recently overtaken cricket as the campus favourite.The facilities are exceptional: an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a nine-hole golf course, and stables housing 60 horses.Arrin, whose parents are a doctor and a businessman, hopes to become a professional footballer.A die-hard Ronaldo fan, he sees Mayo as the first step.A third of students plan to study abroad — in Britain, Australia or the United States.Many want to contribute to India’s prosperity. Advaya Sidharth Bhatia, 17, hopes to launch a business at home and “help his country.”Sinha reiterated: “I have immense respect for this heritage, but Mayo must always look to the future.”For many, that future is exactly why they are here.
Sri Lanka: un concours de pêche pour limiter le nombre d’espèces invasives
Un concours de pêche a été organisé samedi par le gouvernement srilankais afin de capturer des espèces invasives de poissons telles que les têtes de serpent (ophiocéphales) ou les piranhas, qui menacent les écosystèmes locaux.Le ministère de la Pêche a lancé une campagne nationale en organisant ce concours dans un réservoir du district central de Kurunegala, où plus de 1.000 pêcheurs ont été invités à capturer uniquement les prédateurs introduits par l’homme et qui menacent les espèces autochtones.”Ce n’est pas facile de les attraper avec un filet, car ils sont très agressifs et leurs dents sont très acérées”, a souligné Kolitha Kamal Jinadasa, un représentant du ministère, en s’adressant à des centaines de pêcheurs lors de la compétition ciblant les têtes de serpent au réservoir de Deduru Oya.”En une journée, nous pouvons retirer un grand nombre de poissons du réservoir, puis nous pouvons contrôler leur population,” a-t-il ajouté.Le représentant a qualifié la journée de succès, bien que seulement 22 têtes de serpents entre deux et quatre kilogrammes aient été capturés lors de la compétitionN.A.V Sandaruwan, un pêcheur amateur de 37 ans, a remporté le premier prix de 200.000 roupies (56 euros) ainsi qu’une canne à pêche et un moulinet.”J’ai failli attraper un autre gros tête de serpent, mais il a réussi à s’échapper”, a-t-il rapporté.Les responsables ont également encouragé les pêcheurs à ramener leurs prises à la maison et à les cuisiner, bien qu’il ne s’agisse pas d’espèces habituellement consommées par les habitants.L’importation, la vente et le transport de quatre espèces — têtes de serpent, poissons-couteaux, garpiques alligators et piranhas — des espèces importées, sont interdits depuis samedi.Les personnes possédant dans leurs aquariums une des ces quatre espèces ont été invitées à les remettre aux autorités qui les confineront dans des aquariums gérés par l’Etat.Kolitha Kamal Jinadasa espère que la campagne aura des retombées positives sur le tourisme.Selon lui, les poissons-serpents, qui peuvent mesurer plus d’un mètre et se multiplient rapidement dans le réservoir de Deduru Oya, menacent les espèces endémiques de plus petite taille.
Guinea to vote in constitutional referendum boycotted by oppositionSun, 21 Sep 2025 03:02:13 GMT
Four years after the military seized power, Guineans will finally vote Sunday on a new draft constitution that would pave the way for elections but also permit the country’s junta leader to run for president, in a referendum boycotted by the opposition.The vote, which Guineans and the international community have been awaiting for years, opens …
Floating wind power sets sail in Japan’s energy shift
Close to a small fishing port in southwestern Japan, the slim white turbines of the country’s first commercial-scale floating wind farm glimmer offshore, months before a key project in Tokyo’s green-energy strategy begins.Still heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels, Japan has declared offshore wind energy a “trump card” in its drive to make renewables its top power source by 2040, and reach carbon neutrality a decade later.That’s despite rising project costs and fears over inadequate infrastructure to produce turbines en masse. Floating turbines are particularly well suited to Japan as its deep coastal waters make fixing them to seabeds tricky, while the country is also prone to natural disasters.”Floating structures are relatively stable even in the case of earthquakes or typhoons,” said Kei Ushigami, head of marine renewable energy for construction company Toda, a key player in the project. The eight turbines — sitting five kilometres (three miles) off the coast of the Goto Islands in waters up to 140 metres deep — will officially start turning in January.It’s hoped they’ll aid the archipelago in reaching ambitious new targets laid out this year that should see wind’s contribution to the energy mix soar to between four and eight percent by 2040 — up from around one percent today.But it’s a long, hard road ahead for resource-scarce Japan — the world’s fifth-largest carbon dioxide emitter — to wean itself off fossil fuels.In 2024, 65 percent of its electricity needs were met by coal and hydrocarbon-powered thermal plants, while just over a quarter came from renewables, according to Japan’s Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies.- Herculean task -Costs are also rising sharply, and at the end of August Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi pulled out of three key wind power projects deemed no longer profitable. Other project operators have asked for better support from the government.”It is important for the government to address shortcomings in the current bidding system, which failed to anticipate rapid global inflation after bids were awarded,” said Yoko Mulholland from the think tank E3G.The streamlining of regulatory processes and easing construction restrictions would “shorten lead times and also lower capital expenditure”, she told AFP.Hidenori Yonekura, from the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, sees the nascent floating wind energy as a path to eventually lower costs, by installing more turbines in Japan’s vast Exclusive Economic Zone of 4.5 million square kilometres.The task, however, appears Herculean: to meet the 2040 wind target, around 200 15-megawatt turbines a year need to go up.But “the infrastructure is not yet in place”, warned Yonekura. “Japan lacks turbine manufacturers and large production sites.” – Fishers’ livelihoods -Construction companies also face technical challenges with these still-novel systems: defects discovered in the floating structure of a wind turbine at Goto meant Toda had to make replacements, delaying the project by two years. Coexistence with local industries, especially fishing, is also crucial. Toda said it had conducted an environmental assessment and found a pilot project had “no negative impact on fish”. Fishermen also receive part of the revenue from electricity sales and some of the property taxes generated by the project, while some have been hired to monitor the construction site with their vessels. But according to Takuya Eashiro, head of the Fukue fishing cooperative in Goto, the wind project was imposed “from the top” and presented as “a done deal”. Nevertheless, “fishermen understand the importance of such a project for Japan”, he said.The National Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Associations protested to the government after Mitsubishi withdrew, reminding them that fishermen had worked with these projects, hoping for positive economic impacts. As fishing becomes less viable owing to warming sea temperatures, “some hope their children or grandchildren will find jobs in wind turbine maintenance”, said Eashiro.