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Le recours de la chroniqueuse prorusse Xenia Fedorova contre son expulsion du territoire a été rejeté lundi matin. Cette dernière se trouve déjà à l'étranger et assure qu'elle ne reviendra pas en France tant que cette décision "n'a pas été suspendue."

The program, which launched as a pilot in August 2025, is now permanent and at present affects the citizens of 50 countries.

À Ceuta, le plus fort de la crise migratoire est passé. Après l’arrivée de 60 000 migrants dans l’enclave espagnole, la quasi-totalité d’entre eux est reparti vers le Maroc. Selon Madrid, au moins 72 personnes sont mortes en tentant de rejoindre Ceuta, tandis que Rabat en compte 11 morts. Qu’est-ce qui a poussé autant de personnes à rejoindre le territoire espagnol en si peu de temps ? Pourquoi le Premier ministre espagnol Pedro Sánchez a-t-il condamné le comportement « impardonnable » de certains dirigeants européens ? 

Le dépôt de gerbe au Monument aux Dévoués par le Président de la République Romuald Wadagni et le défilé militaire ont marqué ce samedi 1er août 2026, les festivités du 66e anniversaire de l'accession du Bénin à la souveraineté nationale et internationale. Des membres du gouvernement, présidents des institutions, personnalités, ex-présidents ont pris part à l'évènement. Cette édition de la fête nationale est placée sous le thème « Les Forces de Défense et de Sécurité, ensemble avec le peuple, en marche vers la propriété ».

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Les obsèques de Denis Hodonou, promoteur du journal Tam-Tam Express et figure de la presse privée béninoise, se dérouleront du 5 au 8 août 2026 à Cotonou et à Porto-Novo. Le journaliste sera inhumé le jeudi 6 août au cimetière Danto de Porto-Novo, après une messe d'enterrement célébrée à l'église Sainte-Geneviève.

Les hommages débuteront le mercredi 5 août avec des veillées de prière prévues à 20 heures à l'église Saint-Michel de Cotonou et à la maison Hodonou à Porto-Novo. L'inhumation interviendra le jeudi 6 août, à l'issue de la célébration eucharistique à l'église Sainte-Geneviève de Porto-Novo.

Les cérémonies prendront fin le samedi 8 août avec une messe d'action de grâce prévue à 9 heures à l'aumônerie de l'église Sainte-Geneviève de Porto-Novo.
Denis Hodonou s'est éteint le 21 juin 2026. Promoteur de Tam-Tam Express, il est considéré comme l'un des pionniers de la presse privée au Bénin.

Le conseiller communal à Allada, Edmond Zinsou a été interpellé le samedi 1er août 2026 et placé en garde à vue.

Il n'est plus libre de ses mouvements. Edmond Zinsou est désormais aux mains de la police républicaine. Le conseiller communal à Allada serait impliqué dans une affaire portant sur un véhicule immatriculé au Nigéria. La police aurait déjà interpellé plusieurs personnes dans cette affaire. Edmond Zinsou avait été déjà condamné à deux ans de prison dans une affaire de fraude douanière.

Le ministère de l'enseignement supérieur et de la recherche scientifique en charge de la formation technique, a lancé le concours d'entrée dans les écoles et instituts des universités publiques (INMeS, IFSIO, ENSPD, ENSTIC, ENEAM, INSPEI, INJEPS, IUEP-MA, de Djougou, ENS de Porto-Novo, ENS de Natitingou, et ENSET). L'information est rendue publique à travers un communiqué en date du vendredi 31 juillet 2026. Les personnes concernées doivent être titulaires du Baccalauréat ou d'un diplôme équivalent obtenu en 2026, et avoir la mention « Assez bien » au moins. Elles devront selon le communiqué, être âgées de 21 ans au plus au 31 décembre de l'année d'obtention du diplôme.

Ci-dessous le communiqué

À l'occasion de la célébration du 66ᵉ anniversaire de l'indépendance du Bénin, les États-Unis ont adressé leurs félicitations au peuple béninois. Dans une déclaration rendue publique, le Secrétaire d'État américain Marco Rubio a salué le parcours du Bénin en tant que nation souveraine et réaffirmé l'engagement de Washington à approfondir la coopération bilatérale.

« Les États-Unis sont fiers de s'associer au peuple béninois à l'occasion de la célébration des 66 années d'existence du Bénin en tant que nation souveraine », a déclaré Marco Rubio. Pour le chef de la diplomatie américaine, cet anniversaire constitue « une étape importante qui témoigne de sa résilience et de la force durable de son esprit national ».

Le Secrétaire d'État américain a également formulé des vœux de réussite au Bénin dans cette nouvelle phase politique. « Alors que votre pays poursuit sa marche en avant sous une nouvelle direction présidentielle, nous lui adressons nos vœux les plus sincères pour une année fructueuse et couronnée de succès », a-t-il indiqué.

Au-delà des félicitations, Washington entend consolider les relations avec Cotonou. « Nous réaffirmons avec fierté la richesse des relations qui unissent nos gouvernements et nos peuples », a souligné Marco Rubio.

Le partenariat américano-béninois devrait ainsi continuer à s'articuler autour de plusieurs domaines d'intérêt commun, notamment les opportunités économiques, la stabilité et la sécurité. « Nous demeurons résolus à renforcer davantage notre partenariat et à œuvrer côte à côte à la réalisation de nos ambitions communes », a précisé le Secrétaire d'État américain. Marco Rubio a appelé à poursuivre cette dynamique de coopération.

Alors que l’épidémie d’Ebola continue de progresser au Nord-Kivu, les équipes de riposte font face à une recrudescence des actes de résistance dans les villes de Butembo et Beni. Refus d’évacuation des patients, opposition aux enterrements sécurisés et attaques contre des structures sanitaires compliquent les efforts de contrôle de la maladie, selon plusieurs sources concordantes. 

L'Iran pourrait penser qu'il est en mesure de gérer ce conflit avec suffisamment de prudence pour maintenir la pression sur les États-Unis tout en évitant une guerre totale.

En Grèce, depuis quatre jours un gigantesque incendie brûle au nord-ouest d’Athènes. Ce lundi 3 août, le feu est encore intense à une quarantaine de kilomètres de la capitale et, au total, une quinzaine de localités ont été évacuées. Ce week-end, les pompiers éprouvaient les plus grandes difficultés à contrôler les flammes, à cause des vents violents qui soufflaient à plus de 100 km/h. Aujourd’hui, grâce à une accalmie, les appareils bombardiers d’eau peuvent fonctionner plus normalement.

ENTRETIEN - La catastrophe que nous vivons est en partie le résultat de l’influence pernicieuse de l’écologisme sur l’action publique, estime le directeur de la Fondation pour l’innovation politique.

Dominica's geothermal power plant. As Caribbean countries seek to reduce their dependence on imported fossil fuels, renewable energy remains a key pillar of the regional resilience agenda advanced by CARICOM leaders. Credit: Alison Kentish/IPS

By Alison Kentish
GROS ISLET, Saint Lucia , Aug 3 2026 (IPS)

From wars that drive up fuel prices to supply chain disruptions, inflation and increasingly frequent climate disasters, Caribbean leaders say many of the forces shaping the region’s future lie beyond their control.

Their response, however, is not resignation.

Instead, leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the region’s largest economic grouping, are pursuing a strategy built on strengthening the systems they believe they can influence, hoping to make one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions more resilient to external shocks. These include food and energy security, transportation, healthcare, artificial intelligence and regional trade.

At their recent summit in Saint Lucia, the leaders argued that CARICOM must be judged less by declarations than by whether regional cooperation improves people’s daily lives.

“Our discussions have been guided by one central objective, ensuring that CARICOM delivers results that people can see and feel in their everyday lives,” CARICOM Chairman and Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre said as he outlined the meeting’s outcomes.

“Heads of government focused on the issues that matter most to the people of the region.”

Those priorities included the rising cost of living, food security, affordable transportation, disaster resilience and the challenge of building stronger economies in an uncertain global environment.

Leaders acknowledged that inflation in food, fuel, freight and electricity has largely been driven by global conflicts, supply chain disruptions and commodity price shocks, which small island economies have little ability to influence. While several governments have introduced temporary measures to cushion households, they argued that lasting relief will require deeper regional cooperation on transportation, consumer protection and trade.

“We will work together,” said Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, who leads CARICOM’s work on the Caribbean Single Market and Economy. “None of us is omniscient, none of us has all the answers, and none of us are omnipotent as well.”

One of the summit’s most tangible initiatives was renewed work toward an affordable intra-regional ferry service, long viewed as critical to reducing freight costs, improving travel and strengthening food security. Leaders said the proposal would begin with a proof of concept using existing ferry capacity while governments harmonise regulations governing licensing, insurance and vehicle movement across borders.

The initiative complements CARICOM’s “25 by 2025 Plus Five” programme, which aims to reduce the region’s food import bill by expanding agricultural production and strengthening regional supply chains. Leaders argued that producing and transporting more food within the Caribbean would make the region less vulnerable to global disruptions.

Energy security emerged as another defining theme.

Prime Minister Terrance Drew of St Kitts and Nevis said that the Caribbean’s greatest vulnerability is not a lack of energy resources but its continued dependence on imported fossil fuels.

“We don’t have an energy issue,” Drew said. “We have an energy-harnessing issue.”

Pointing to the region’s abundant solar, geothermal, wind and wave resources, Drew said renewable energy offers perhaps the greatest long-term opportunity to stabilise Caribbean economies, reduce electricity costs and improve living standards.

“There’s nothing that can really stabilise our economy, or transform our economy, or deal with this constant up and down, like stabilising our energy sources,” he said.

Recognising that technological change will also reshape the region’s future, CARICOM agreed to establish a regional Blue Ribbon Commission on Artificial Intelligence. Leaders said the commission will develop regional guidance on AI, helping member states capitalise on its benefits while managing risks around jobs, privacy and ethics.

Climate resilience also remained central to the discussions.

Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius while continuing to advocate internationally for the special circumstances of Small Island Developing States. They also advanced work on a regional insurance and reinsurance strategy aimed at improving financial protection for governments, businesses and households, as climate-related disasters become more frequent and more costly.

Historical justice remained firmly on the regional agenda. Leaders endorsed renewed efforts to advance CARICOM’s Ten-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice through closer engagement with the African Union, upcoming Commonwealth meetings and other international forums.

The agenda set in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, has effectively set CARICOM’s agenda for the months ahead. From advancing ferry connectivity and renewable energy to strengthening food security, disaster resilience and artificial intelligence governance, the challenge now is implementation.

For Caribbean citizens, the measure of success will not be the number of declarations adopted but whether regional cooperation delivers tangible improvements in everyday life.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Excerpt:

Unable to influence wars, global fuel prices or supply chain disruptions, Caribbean leaders are focusing on strengthening the systems that will make the region more resilient.

Von hohen Aktienkursen profitieren Reiche besonders stark. Ärmere hingegen werden durch steigende Preise und Mieten zunehmend abgehängt. Das ist politisch gefährlich., Als Elon Musk Anfang Juni 2026 mit dem geplanten Börsengang von SpaceX offiziell zum ersten Billionär der Menschheitsgeschichte aufstieg, war das Medienecho gewaltig. Kaum Aufmerksamkeit hingegen erhielt die Tatsache, dass dies kein Ausreißer, sondern Symptom einer strukturellen Verschiebung ist, ...

By Daud Khan and Thomas McMahon
ROME / RICCIONE, Italy, Aug 3 2026 (IPS)

For the last few years, Artificial intelligence has been making increasingly intrusive demands for our attention.

It burst onto the scene like a child prodigy, enthralling us with feats of brilliance. With consummate ease, it removed drudgery from our tasks and began helping us achieve our personal and workplace objectives.

Daud Khan

But AI has now grown into an unruly adolescent. It is disrupting how we work and think; it is demanding constant attention; and it is distracting us from other important activities and tasks.

As is the case with adolescents, there have been calls to set rules and regulations on AI, applying appropriate limits on what AI can and cannot do. The aim being to allow us time to deal with its immediate impacts on, for example, the jobs market, on media and communication, and on its military use.

But would government imposed regulations solve the problem? The answer is no for several reasons.

Firstly, there is the siren call of easier access to vast stores of knowledge, top quality writing skills and polished images and infographics. It is hard to resist the temptation to delegate boring tasks to AI, such as drafting emails that respond to routine messages. From there it is a slippery slope towards AI writing our university or job applications, office memos, or manuals and instructional content. However, these are tasks that define who we are and how others perceive us. And this reliance on AI kills creativity, individuality and human relations – there is no longer a turn of phrase or a spelling mistake that makes the message special.

Thomas McMahon

Just ask yourself: would you rather get a handwritten note of appreciation from someone who works for you or who you supervise, where some words are illegible and the paper is smudged; or an email with perfect grammar that you know they are not capable of authoring?

Secondly, AI Psychosis is becoming a pervasive disruptor of social relations. AI models are purposely designed for “engagement farming” – a fancy term for hooking people into an ever-increasing reliance on these services. It achieves this through sycophantic responses that feed one’s ego or anxieties, releasing endorphins and creating a craving for more.

We can now access gratifying, yet wholly synthetic, social interactions at our fingertips via chatbots. Consequently, we risk crafting individualised reality bubbles that are unchecked by the social norms we experience in the real world. Will it become easier and more pleasurable to interact with an intelligent machine to fulfill our need to talk, to discuss books, or for emotional engagement without fear of rejection – at any time of day or night?

Thirdly, if we allow machines to shape our thoughts and emotions, we risk destroying diversity of opinion, crushing creativity and resulting in a unified, monolithic narrative that is controlled by the megacorporations providing these AI services.

Pope Leo XIV expressed this concern in his recent encyclical where he warned of “the idolatry of profit that sacrifices the weak, a uniformity that neutralizes differences, and the pretense that a single language — even a digital one — can translate everything, including the mystery of the person, into data and performance”.

Lastly, it is essential to consider how the mismanagement of AI has the potential to drive a further wedge between rich and poor populations. The Pope cautions us of being misled by “a technology that promises to free us from all weakness, and models of wellbeing that leave behind entire populations”.

Increased focus is being placed on the impact of data centers within local communities, given their inordinate usage of electricity and water and the constant noise pollution these facilities generate. At full capacity, processing a daily 10 billion Gigabytes of data, a 100 MW data center consumes up to 2.4 million KWh of electricity and 2 million litres of water per day – more than a small city.

The human brain can process 74 Gigabytes of data while sipping a tiny 0.3 KWh of electricity (260 calories or 12% of total daily energy intake). Our bodies require a daily ration of 2.5 litres of water to function normally. Contrast this with preparing a 100-word email using ChatGPT, where each prompt-and-response interaction consumes the water in a standard 500 ml bottle. Even from a strictly environmentally-conscious viewpoint, surely it would be better to use our brains for this instead?

However, whatever our concerns, the genie is out of the bottle and there is no going back – we must learn to use AI properly. We need to better understand its limitations and where it delivers greatest impact, given the resources required.

AI should not be seen as a substitute for human expertise but instead complementary to it. Indeed, the more expertise one has in any given field, the more valuable a contribution AI makes. Experts can better formulate more pertinent questions and redirect the conversation should the AI meander off course. Experts also detect errors more easily in what may appear to be perfectly valid responses.

It is essential that we encourage people, particularly our young people, to continue learning and perfecting their chosen crafts, ignoring the wild marketing claims that various professions have been largely solved by AI already. The more knowledge and expertise the younger generation can build, the more judiciously and selectively they can deploy AI in their work and for society’s future benefit.

Daud Khan is a retired UN staff based in Rome. He has degrees in economics from LSE and Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar; and a degree in Environmental Management from Imperial College London.

Thomas McMahon is a Data Engineer who specialises in developing bespoke AI systems for UN agencies.

IPS UN Bureau

 

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