Foot: décès à 53 ans de l’ancien international portugais Jorge Costa
L’ancien international portugais Jorge Costa est décédé mardi à l’âge de 53 ans des suites d’un arrêt cardiaque, a annoncé le FC Porto, rendant hommage “à une figure incontournable de l’histoire du club”.”Le légendaire capitaine du FC Porto et actuel directeur du football professionnel (du club), est décédé ce mardi des suites d’un arrêt cardiorespiratoire”, a annoncé le club dans un communiqué.L’ex-défenseur international a été victime d’un malaise mardi matin au centre d’entraînement du FC Porto. Hospitalisé en urgence, il est décédé peu après son arrivée à l’hopital, rapportent les médias locaux. Jorge Costa avait effectué l’essentiel de sa carrière au FC Porto, club avec lequel il avait remporté la Ligue des champions en 2004 et avait été sacré huit fois champion du Portugal, et dont il fut le capitaine pendant plusieurs saisons.Celui qui fut 50 fois international appartient à la génération dorée des champions du monde des moins de 20 ans en 1991, avec notamment Luis Figo.”C’est un choc”, a écrit le Premier ministre Luis Montenegro sur le réseau social X, saluant un “exemple de dévouement et d’engagement”.Les deux autres géants du football portugais, le Benfica Lisbonne et le Sporting Portugal, lui ont également rendu hommage.”Le football portugais est plus pauvre”, a ainsi regretté le Benfica dans un communiqué publié sur son site internet, saluant “une figure incontournable du football et du sport national, d’abord comme joueur, ensuite comme entraîneur et plus récemment comme dirigeant”.
UK-France migrant returns deal takes effectTue, 05 Aug 2025 14:52:46 GMT
A “one-in, one-out” deal in which Britain can return some migrants who cross the English Channel in small boats back to France came into force on Tuesday, as the UK government battles people smuggling gangs.The interior ministry said British authorities were “operationally ready” and that migrant detentions were expected to begin “within days” following the …
UK-France migrant returns deal takes effectTue, 05 Aug 2025 14:52:46 GMT Read More »
La sieste-flash sur la route des vacances, remède contre la somnolence au volant
“Parfaitement reposé”, Philippe Luquet, 76 ans, relève la toile de son transat couvert installé vendredi sur l’espace sieste de l’aire de Limours-Janvry (Essonne), sur l’autoroute A10. En plein week-end de chassé-croisé de l’été, le moment est au calme et à la sérénité pour ce vacancier en transit.Il y a quelques secondes, les mocassins bleus du retraité dépassaient encore de son “cocon”, au milieu de poufs mis à disposition par la Fondation Vinci autoroutes. “C’est l’objectif, si vous pouvez faire une petite pause et repartir plus apaisé”, lui adresse Chloé Baffray, 22 ans, animatrice, tablette sous le bras avec le podcast de méditation proposé au conducteur pour ses quinze minutes de repos. Ces espaces destinés à la sieste dite “flash”, de vingt minutes maximum, existent depuis 2011 sur les espaces de Vinci autoroutes, les vendredis et samedis estivaux. “L’été, (…) c’est aussi un temps où les conducteurs font des trajets plus longs”, corrélés à de “mauvaises habitudes”, soulève Maxence Berthon, chargé de projet de la fondation.Se coucher tard pour finir ses préparatifs, mal dormir à cause du stress induit par le voyage, sont “des facteurs qui vont, peut-être, faire survenir la somnolence au volant”, rappelle M. Berthon. Le 15e baromètre de la conduite responsable de la Fondation Vinci autoroutes estime le temps de conduite moyen sans pause des Français à 2H48, bien au-dessus des deux heures préconisées par la Sécurité routière. Pour ce week-end qui voit se cotoyer “juilletistes” et “aoûtiens”, Bison Fûté a annoncé une circulation très dense, avec une journée noire samedi. L’autoroute A10, qui relie l’Ile-de-France à la Nouvelle-Aquitaine en passant par le Centre Val-de-Loire, est particulièrement concernée.Julien Lambert, 45 ans, a 1.100 km à parcourir, de Lens (Pas-de-Calais) au Barcarès (Pyrénées-Orientales). Installé sur un coussin, il fait une pause après le déjeuner avec sa femme et ses enfants. “La somnolence au volant, je connais, parce que comme je commence très tôt le travail, ça m’est déjà arrivé de m’endormir une fois. (…) j’ai failli brûler un feu rouge”, raconte le père de famille. Cette fois, ils sont donc partis un jour plus tôt, pour passer une nuit à Clermont-Ferrand et pouvoir faire plus de pauses sur leur trajet.La somnolence au volant a été à l’origine de 19% des accidents mortels sur autoroute en 2024, derrière la prise d’alcool, drogues ou médicaments (35%), la vitesse excessive (20%) et la présence de piétons (20%), selon l’Association des sociétés françaises d’autoroutes.- “Rester concentré” -Cette année, les utilisateurs des espaces de sieste sont aussi invités à répondre à un questionnaire d’auto-évaluation permettant de prédire le risque d’accidents liés à la somnolence, fruit d’une étude sur la conduite et les comportements de sommeil de plus de 33.000 usagers de péages autoroutiers.”Les gens se mettent en dette de sommeil de manière chronique tout au long de l’année”, explique Pierre Philip, chef du service universitaire de médecine du sommeil au CHU de Bordeaux et responsable de l’étude financée par la fondation Vinci autoroutes. Environ “20% des Français dorment moins de six heures” par nuit, augmentant ainsi grandement leur risque d’accident, précise-t-il.En cas de somnolence, la sieste est prioritaire, mais le professeur préconise “sept heures de sommeil, sept nuits par semaine, avec un horaire de lever régulier. Et si, malgré cela, on reste quand même somnolent, il faut aller consulter”.Sur la route, “le message essentiel, c’est de rester concentré”, appuie Florence Guillaume, déléguée interministérielle à la Sécurité routière. Car si la somnolence n’est plus la cause principale de mortalité sur l’autoroute, c’est parce que d’autres facteurs d’inattention augmentent, comme l’utilisation du téléphone portable au volant, indique-t-elle. A la fin d’une sieste, les usagers sont invités à se dégourdir les jambes avant de reprendre la route. “Très bonne idée, à généraliser dans toute la France”, lance Philippe Luquet en se levant avec difficulté de son transat.
UN experts call for GHF to be dismantled
United Nations special rapporteurs called Tuesday for the Israel- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to be immediately dismantled, saying aid was being “exploited for covert military and geopolitical agendas”.An exceptionally-large group of the UN-mandated experts voiced grave concerns over the GHF’s operations.The private organisation began distributing food in Gaza Strip in May as Israel began easing a more than two-month aid blockade on the Palestinian territory that had exacerbated existing shortages.”The GHF … is an utterly disturbing example of how humanitarian relief can be exploited for covert military and geopolitical agendas in serious breach of international law,” the experts said in a joint statement.”The entanglement of Israeli intelligence, US contractors and ambiguous non-governmental entities underlines the urgent need for robust international oversight and action under UN auspices.”Calling it ‘humanitarian’ adds on to Israel’s humanitarian camouflage and is an insult to the humanitarian enterprise and standards.”On July 22, the UN rights office said Israeli forces had killed more than 1,000 Palestinians trying to get food aid in Gaza since the GHF started operations — nearly three-quarters of them in the vicinity of GHF sites.”Without clear accountability, the very idea of humanitarian relief may ultimately become a casualty of modern hybrid warfare,” the special rapporteurs said.”The credibility and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance must be restored by dismantling the GHF, holding it and its executives accountable, and allowing experienced and humanitarian actors from the UN and civil society alike to take back the reins of managing and distributing lifesaving aid.”The joint statement was signed by Francesca Albanese, the UN’s special rapporteur on the rights situation in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967.Israel accuses her of having an “obsessive, hate-driven agenda to delegitimise the state of Israel”.The statement was also signed by 18 other special rapporteurs, plus other UN experts and members of UN working groups — a notably large number for such statements.Special rapporteurs are independent experts mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to report their findings. They do not, therefore, speak for the United Nations itself.More than two million people live in the Gaza Strip.GHF says it has distributed more than 1.76 million boxes of foodstuffs to date.”We continue to improve our operations,” GHF executive director John Acree said Monday.”We urge the international humanitarian community to join us — we have the scale and capacity to deliver more aid to the people of Gaza.”
Swiss president rushes to US to avert steep tariffs
Switzerland’s president and economy minister flew to Washington on Tuesday in a last-minute push to stop steep new tariffs that have blindsided the Alpine country.Switzerland faces a 39-percent duty, one of the highest among the dozens of economies that will be hit by new tariffs expected to come into force from Thursday.President Karin Keller-Sutter and Economy Minister Guy Parmelin were heading to Washington “to facilitate meetings with the US authorities at short notice and hold talks with a view to improving the tariff situation for Switzerland”, the government said in a statement.”The aim is to present a more attractive offer to the United States in a bid to lower the level of reciprocal tariffs for Swiss exports, taking US concerns into account.”US President Donald Trump had originally threatened in April to slap a 31-percent tariff on Switzerland.But he surprised the export-driven country last week when he decided to hike the rate to 39 percent despite numerous discussions between Swiss and US officials aimed at reaching a deal.The Swiss government noted that the country will be hit by much higher tariffs than what other wealthy economies, such as Britain, Japan or the European Union, are facing.During an extraordinary meeting on Monday, the government “reaffirmed that it was keen to pursue talks with the United States on the tariff situation”, Tuesday’s statement said.”For this reason,” the president and the economy minister “are to travel to Washington on Tuesday”.US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, however, told CBS television on Sunday that the tariffs on global trading partners, which are coming into force this week, “are pretty much set”.And as Keller-Sutter headed to Washington, Trump signalled that a separate “small” tariff on imports of pharmaceuticals from around the world — a key sector for Switzerland — could come “within the next week”.But the sector-specific tariff could rise to 150 percent in a year and eventually be as high as 250 percent, he added.Pharmaceuticals represented 60 percent of Swiss goods exports to the United States last year.- Swiss surplus -Keller-Sutter and Parmelin took off on Tuesday morning, a Swiss government official said.They were accompanied by a small delegation, including the heads of the economy and international finance departments, but the official declined to give details about the potential meetings.The government said it will “issue a statement as soon as there are any relevant developments for the public”.The United States is a key trading partner for Switzerland, taking 18.6 percent of its total exports last year, according to Swiss customs data.Keller-Sutter has said Trump believes that Switzerland “steals” from the United States by enjoying a trade surplus of 40 billion Swiss francs ($50 billion).Swiss companies have urged the government to negotiate a lower tariff.”I am convinced that Donald Trump wants to make a deal and show it to his US voters,” Nik Hayek, the head of watch firm Swatch, told Le Temps newspaper in an interview published late Monday.But, Hayek added, “President Karin Keller-Sutter has to react and find a solution in person there.”
Stocks higher on US Fed rate cuts bets
Global stock markets rose Tuesday as investors grew increasingly confident that the US Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next month.The gains, helped also by some strong earnings and generally easing concerns about tariffs, followed strong advances on Monday.The dollar jumped against the euro and yen.Oil prices retreated after US President Donald Trump renewed his threat to raise tariffs on India over its purchases of Russian crude.Wall Street was steady at the opening bell, with the Dow flat and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite edging up. However they quickly pushed higher.”While sentiment towards equity markets continues to remain positive for the time being, that’s not to say things will remain rosy in the coming weeks,” said City Index and FOREX.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada, pointing to high stock valuations amid a weakening economy.Briefing.com analyst Patrick O’Hare said “expectations of lower interest rates in the months ahead” were providing support for equities.Data released on Friday showing weakness in the US jobs market caused stock markets to slump as they raised concerns that the world’s biggest economy is in worse shape than expected.Stocks rebounded on Monday, however, as those worries fanned bets that the Fed will cut interest rates in September.According to CME Group’s FedWatch tool, investors have priced in two interest rate cuts — in September and October — and see another one as possible in the third and final meeting in December.Some analysts remained sceptical, however.”I continue to believe the Fed will not reduce rates at all this year given rising inflation caused by tariffs and a relatively stable unemployment rate,” said Lazard chief market strategist Ronald Temple.European markets were solidly higher in afternoon trading.”European markets continue to wave off any concerns around the direction of travel for the US economy and Thursday’s looming tariff day,” noted Joshua Mahony, chief market analyst at Rostro trading group.Trump’s fresh tariffs on dozens of US trade partners are set to kick in on August 7, almost one week later than planned.The European Union on Tuesday announced the suspension of its retaliatory tariffs on US goods worth 93 billion euros ($107 billion) after Brussels struck a deal with Washington last month.”The commission has today adopted the necessary legal procedures to suspend the implementation of our EU countermeasures, which were due to kick in on August 7,” EU trade spokesman Olof Gill said.Trump on Tuesday renewed his threat to impose tariffs on imported pharmaceuticals of up to 250 percent, although he said the tariff amounts would start small.Investors shrugged off the threat, with share prices of European pharmaceutical firms, which have announced major investments to build manufacturing sites in the United States as Trump has demanded, mostly higher.Ahead of the new deadline, Mahony said traders were focused “on the continued strength seen in second-quarter earnings season and the new dovish outlook for the Federal Reserve”.On the corporate front, shares in BP climbed 2.5 percent in London midday deals after the British energy giant surprised with better-than-expected earnings in the second quarter.- Key figures at around 1330 GMT -New York – Dow: FLAT at 44,168.17 pointsNew York – S&P 500: UP less than 0.1 percent at 6,334.05 New York – Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 21,075.81London – FTSE 100: UP 0.4 percent at 9,168.87 Paris – CAC 40: UP 0.3 percent at 7,651.60 Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.8 percent at 23,941.01Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.6 percent at 40,549.54 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.7 percent at 24,902.53 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 1.0 percent at 3,617.60 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1551 from $1.1573 on MondayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3293 from $1.3285Dollar/yen: UP at 147.53 yen from 147.08 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 86.90 pence from 87.11 penceWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 1.5 percent at $65.29 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 1.3 percent at $67.84 per barrelburs-rl/rlp