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Liverpool - Real Madrid: Confidence, talent, luck... But why do Real always win in the end?

FOOTBALL Buoyed by Thibaut Courtois in the final and Karim Benzema in the previous rounds, Real Madrid have carried the success of the Champions League all season long.

Without an extraordinary Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid would never have beaten Liverpool 1-0 at the Stade de France on Saturday.
The term resilience seems to have been invented for these Merengues, so often tossed about this season in the Champions League, and finally victorious.
Real added a 14th Champions League title to their trophy cabinet, twice as many as second-placed AC Milan.

At the Stade de France

The Liverpool fans, some of whom had had such a hard time getting in, preferred to leave rather than see this after the Reds' 1-0 defeat. So it was to a Stade de France virtually devoid of its red component that Marcelo, Real Madrid's soul on the bench on Saturday evening, held up the Champions League trophy. It was the Spanish club's 14th victory in Europe's most prestigious competition, a record that has now been bettered.

But it is undoubtedly the most incredible, given that the Merengues have often looked fragile this season, and sometimes even inferior to their opponents in the final stages of the Champions League. And yet they have managed to pull off a series of turnarounds that not even the boldest of scriptwriters would have dared suggest to a producer. Behind a smile that seemed forced for once, Jürgen Klopp was clearly wondering how his Reds had failed to beat the Real side they had so badly beaten.

"We took 23 shots, nine of which were on target," explained "OptaJürgen" to the press, before turning his attention to his opponents, whom he was naturally keen to congratulate: "Real only had one shot on target. But it was the right one, from a missed Valverde shot that was tapped in at the far post by Vinicius just before the hour mark...

Courtois, the guardian angel

As is often the case this season, "Saint Thibaut" Courtois dominated the match. The Belgian goalkeeper made a monstrous nine saves to disgust Mohamed Salah, who is cursed to face Real in the final (even when Ramos is no longer there to injure him, as he did in 2018). Courtois, whose ego is as solid as it is assertive, also pulled off a Martian-like save in the 20th minute, deflecting a clever little gem from Sadio Mané onto the post. The 2018 FIFA World Cup semi-finalist finally has the victory he has so longed for, at least since he stumbled on the last step with Atlético in 2014 against... Real.

Speaking to BT Sport, the most agile of double-metre players went for the grandiloquent (but accurate): "Yesterday [Friday], in the press conference, I said that when Madrid played finals, they won them. I was on the right side of history. The White House has only lost three finals, in 1962, 1964 and 1981. Since that last defeat to Liverpool at the Parc des Princes (1-0) at the dawn of the Mitterrand era, they have won eight finals, sometimes easily, sometimes by the skin of their teeth. But won nonetheless...

Ancelotti, a man of records

It's easier to win the Champions League with Real than with any other team," says Carlo Ancelotti. The particular passion of the supporters, the history, the structure of the club... All that makes the club special." The Italian is himself a winner at heart, despite some less brilliant recent seasons at Everton and Napoli: having previously won the title twice as a player, this Saturday he set a new record of four Champions Leagues as a coach, with Milan (2003 and 2007) and Real (2014 and 2022), with just one defeat to Liverpool (2005).

"This team is easy to coach," continues the Mister. The dressing room was calm as we prepared for this match. The players have incredible confidence. That confidence comes with the history of this club. That's rare in football. And even unique. So much so, in fact, that we are more inclined to subscribe to the theory of the winner's DNA than to the 'Carlo's pussy' theory, which is easily defensible this season: not to mention the final, Madrid lost the first leg of the last 16 to PSG, the quarter-final second leg to Chelsea and the semi-final first leg to Manchester City.

"There's no such thing as luck", says Karim Benzema

Each time, Real came close to taking the lead, and each time they slipped through the window to the next round, buoyed by future Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema, scorer of 15 C1 goals this season, including 10 in the knockout phase. Benzema's 16th was disallowed late in the first half on Saturday for an offside flag that was confirmed after an interminable VAR call. There's no such thing as luck," the captain of five European Cups, one of the guarantors along with Modric and Marcelo of the group's balance, told Canal+. You can be lucky once, but not every time. We deserve our victory. We made an effort, we came back every time, we never gave up.

Wearing a T-shirt bearing the "14" logo that was as eloquent as it was unattractive, Ancelotti added another layer of praise in the Stade de France press room: "At the start of the season, nobody thought we could win this competition. We deserved it. We suffered a lot along the way, but we never lost heart. Even when Kylian Mbappé opted to stay at PSG after a whirlwind telenovela? "Today, Mbappé doesn't exist, there's the Real Madrid party," said president Florentino Perez on Spanish channel Movistar, with the insolence of people who succeed in everything.

Text by Nicolas Stival 20Minutes.fr

Johnny Depp in the court of public opinion

Unlike Amber Heard, the actor enjoys massive support, whether on social networks or outside the courtroom.

The defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard comes to a close at Fairfax Magistrates' Court on Friday, and its outcome remains uncertain, but the "Pirate of the Caribbean" can count on widespread support in the street and on social networks.

The mutual accusations are heavy, however. Johnny Depp claims that his ex-wife ruined his reputation by claiming, in a column published in 2018, that he had been a victim of domestic violence two years earlier. He rejects these allegations and is claiming 50 million in damages.

Amber Heard, 36, has counter-attacked and is demanding double the amount, claiming she suffered years of violence, including a rape in 2015, and accusing her ex-husband of wanting to "ruin her career".

The public for Johnny

Every morning, several hundred people greet the actor outside the courthouse in this small Virginia town near Washington, compared to a handful of placards in favour of Amber Heard. On social networks, the advantage is also clearly in favour of the 58-year-old actor. Passions are running high on Twitter and TikTok, where with 15.3 billion "views" on Tuesday, the hashtag "Justice for Johnny Depp" far outstripped "I'm with Amber Heard" (8.4 million).

"Nothing surprises me about social networks and celebrities", and this case concerns "two major celebrities", Jason Mollica, professor of communications at American University, told AFP. According to Mollica, Johnny Depp is a world-famous actor who has always shunned the mundane and retained the "mysterious side" that fans love.

Amber Heard, on the other hand, is much less well known. Since the beginning of the trial, she has tried to appear "more normal and close to people", according to Mr Mollica, but her former assistant, Kate James, described her personality as "aggressive" and "theatrical".

Internet users "express their opinions without being experts in justice", says the former journalist. This trial has revealed "the flashiest sides of the case, but we may never get to the truth, buried in the muddy waters of social networks".

Hostility towards Amber

Hostility towards Amber Heard, the civil rights organisation ACLU's domestic violence ambassador, has a long history. The actress' career "was on the verge of a meteoric rise" after the global success of "Aquaman" released at the end of 2018, entertainment industry expert Kathryn Arnold said on Monday. But she suffered "a lot of negative publicity" after the op-ed published in the "Washington Post", she added.

The cyberstalking campaigns generally followed statements made by one of Johnny Depp's lawyers and surrounded the actor's first defamation lawsuit in London in 2020, according to Ron Schnell, an expert in social network analysis.

However, a Warner Bros studio executive pointed to the "lack of chemistry" between her and actor Jason Momoa during "Aquaman" to explain her limited appearances in the second opus, filmed in 2021. And in Hollywood, few stars have shown their support for Amber Heard, unlike Johnny Depp.

The future of #MeToo

In an opinion piece, the "New York Times" recently feared that the outcome of the trial, if the jurors did not find in favour of Amber Heard, could mean the "death" of the #MeToo movement against violence against women. "I don't think it will influence victims in their willingness or otherwise to report abuse", says Shana Maier, Professor of Criminal Justice at Widener University.

Similarly, she dismisses the risk of "backlash against victims or women's associations". She stresses that this trial has the merit of "highlighting the issue of domestic violence". "There will always be people who will say of Amber Heard: "Why did she say that if it didn't happen?" agrees Jason Mollica.

A precedent?

However, Mr Mollica believes that this case could influence other celebrity defamation cases, such as the one brought by singer Marilyn Manson, a friend of Johnny Depp, against his ex-girlfriend Evan Rachel Wood.

Jury selection could thus be complicated if one of the rocker's lawyers believes that "the jurors may not know all the facts, but they know the names Depp, Heard and Manson, and that alone prevents them from being impartial", says Jason Mollica. For Shana Maier, on the other hand, the Marilyn Manson trial "will be judged on its own merits".

Text by Le Matin.ch (AFP)

"Partygate: Boris Johnson under fire despite new apology

The British Prime Minister made an "unreserved" apology to Parliament, without convincing the opposition.

UNITED KINGDOM - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologised "unreservedly" to Parliament on Tuesday 19 April after being fined for breaching anti-Covid restrictions, without convincing the opposition, which has once again called for his resignation.

Boris Johnson said it "did not occur to him at the time or subsequently" that his attendance at a brief birthday rally in Downing Street in June 2020 "might constitute a breach of the rules" then in force. "That was my mistake and I apologise unreservedly".

Boris Johnson is the first serving British head of government to be fined for breaking the law, and he faces further fines as part of the investigation into "partygate", the name of the scandal surrounding the parties organised in the circles of power during the confinements put in place to combat the pandemic.

The Conservative leader was addressing MPs for the first time since being fined £50 (€60) a week ago for attending the surprise birthday party for his 56th birthday on 19 June 2020. An event lasting "less than 10 minutes", according to him, which also earned his wife Carrie and his finance minister Rishi Sunak a fine.

"I respect the conclusions of the police investigation, which is still ongoing", added the Prime Minister.

On Tuesday, however, he tried to play down the scandal that is infuriating the British people by spending a few minutes talking about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"I know many people are angry and disappointed and I feel an even greater obligation to respect British priorities and respond to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's barbaric attack on Ukraine.

A second wind

For a time on an ejector seat, "BoJo" got his second wind by highlighting his role in the front line of Western sanctions against Russia after the invasion of Ukraine. Many MPs who had called for him to step down now see little point in ousting him from Downing Street in this context.

However, Labour opposition leader Keir Starmer said on Tuesday that the Conservative leader was "dishonest and incapable of change". Boris Johnson is "a man without shame", he said, urging the Conservatives to get rid of their leader and restore "decency, honesty and integrity" to British politics.

The head of government also came in for sharp criticism from within his own camp, with Conservative MP Mark Harper saying he was no longer "fit" to be Prime Minister.

The soap opera seems far from over. The London police, who have already handed out 50 fines, are continuing their investigations and British MPs will be debating on Thursday whether Boris Johnson knowingly misled Parliament - synonymous with resignation under the ministerial code of conduct - by repeating that all the rules had been respected.

The Prime Minister will also have to face up to the conclusions of senior civil servant Sue Gray, who has already criticised "errors of leadership and judgement" in a pre-report. He must also face the verdict of the ballot box in local elections on 5 May.

According to the press, Boris Johnson faces further fines for at least five other festive events.

Downing Street was keen to deny this after new details emerged in the Sunday Timeswho described him serving drinks and giving a speech to mark the departure of his head of communications on 13 November 2020.

According to a survey published on Monday, 72% of those polled had a negative view of the Prime Minister, with the most common term being "liar".

Text by AFP huffingtonpost.fr

Emmanuel Macron is unlikely to visit Kiev before the second round

Volodymyr Zelensky has invited Emmanuel Macron to visit Ukraine. It won't be for a while yet," moderates Clément Beaune.

UKRAINE - Will Emmanuel Macron travel to Ukraine like British Prime Minister Boris Johnson or European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen? "Not in the next few days", replied Clément Beaune on Sud Radio on Monday 18 April.

Although the Head of State has had numerous telephone conversations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, he has not visited Ukraine, unlike some of his European counterparts. But for the Secretary of State for European Affairs, a visit before the second round of the presidential election on Sunday 24 April "would no doubt be misinterpreted".

But Emmanuel Macron is expected to be there. In an interview broadcast on Sunday by CNN, Volodymyr Zelensky said that he had invited his French counterpart to meet him in Ukraine. This invitation follows Emmanuel Macron's reluctance to describe what has been happening in the country since the Russian invasion on 24 February as "genocide".

Emmanuel Macron in Ukraine "if it's useful".

"I told him that I wanted him to understand that this is not a war, that this is nothing other than genocide. I invited him to come when he had the chance," said Volodymyr Zelensky. "He will come, and he will see, and I am sure he will understand."

For his part, Clément Beaune stated that "the President of the Republic, as President of the Republic, has always been very clear: he may go, if it is useful (...) We cannot make a visit that is merely symbolic, it must be a visit that has an impact". In the meantime," says Clément Beaune, "our support is very, very clear, and involves military and humanitarian aid.

Speaking to CNN, the Ukrainian president also said that he would like US President Joe Biden to come to Ukraine, after his surprise claim that Russian forces were committing "genocide". "The decision is his, of course, it depends on the security situation. But I think he is the leader of the United States and for that he should come and see."

Text by Le HuffPost

Meta threatens to shut down Facebook and Instagram in Europe

The social networking giant has reiterated the possibility of shutting down its most important services on the Old Continent if it cannot transfer its users' data to its servers in the United States.

The Meta group is trying to put pressure on Europe. In its annual report to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Facebook's parent company warned once again that it could "probably" no longer offer its "most important products and services", such as Facebook and Instagram, in Europe if a new framework to regulate the transfer of data from users of its services to its servers in the United States is not adopted or if the company is no longer authorised to use the current agreements "or alternatives", reports the City A.M. media.

"Sharing data between countries or regions of the world is crucial to offering our services and targeted advertising", the company insists. It wishes to process users' personal data on US soil, outside the protection framework provided by the EU with the stricter RGPD.

The group previously used the transatlantic transfer framework known as Privacy Shield, but this treaty was annulled by the Court of Justice of the European Union in 2020, due to data protection violations. The EU, which believes that people's data is less protected across the Atlantic, and the US have since been working on a new version of the treaty. Facebook, whose revenues and users are in decline, is currently under investigation by the Irish data protection regulator.

Text by 20minutes.ch (man)

Rafael Nadal beats Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final

The Spaniard won his 21st Grand Slam tournament, one more than Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

TENNIS - Has he become the famous "GOAT", the greatest tennis player of all time? In any case, it will be increasingly difficult to deny Rafael Nadal this symbolic title. Because on Sunday 30 January, the Spaniard wrote a new page in his legend and in that of the sport.

Trailing two sets to nil, the current world number 6 finally toppled Daniil Medvedev to win in five sets and over five hours (2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5) in the final of the Australian Open.

This second title in Melbourne (he won the first in 2009) is not just another victory for Rafa. Above all, at 35, it is his 21st Grand Slam title. That's no mean feat, as it's one more than Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, both of whom rival him for the famous nickname of GOAT. Both reacted to their rival's victory. On Instagram, the Swiss praised the "incredible work ethic, commitment and fighting spirit" of his "friend", while on Twitter the Serb hailed his rival's "impressive fighting spirit".

Impossible is not Nadal

Having arrived in Australia after several months' absence through injury, Rafael Nadal also contracted Covid just before his departure for Melbourne. This relieved him of the pressure that had gripped Djokovic in the final of the US Open last September, when he had the chance to win the Grand Slam.

After two easy opening rounds, the Mallorca native gradually came into his own in the tournament. But we were still wondering how he would react in long five-set matches. He provided the first clue in the quarter-finals, getting the better of Denis Shapovalov. However, in this final, when he was 2-0 down and had three break points to save in the 3rd set, it was hard to imagine him reversing the situation.

But impossible is definitely not in his vocabulary. And in a breathtaking end to the match, Rafael Nadal concluded on his first match point to become the greatest (at least in the Grand Slam).

Text by Alexandre Boudet huffingtonpost.fr

The James Webb Space Telescope is on its way to the edge of the universe

Hubble's successor took off on Saturday on an Ariane 5 rocket. It is due to reach its final observation position 1.5 million km from Earth in a month's time.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), awaited for thirty years by astronomers around the world to examine the Universe with unequalled resources, took off on an Ariane 5 rocket on Saturday to reach its observation station. It was successfully injected into its final orbit, announced the director of launch operations at the Guiana Space Centre.

"Good separation Webb telescope, Go Webb", announced Jean-Luc Boyer from the control centre in Kourou. After 27 minutes of flight, the upper stage of the Ariane rocket released the telescope, which will now take around a month to reach its observation post 1.5 million km from Earth.

His ambition: to shed light on the creation of the universe

The JWST will become the most advanced instrument ever sent into space to observe the cosmos. Its ambition is to shed more light on the two questions that plague humanity: "Where do we come from? and "Are we alone in the universe? And to catch a glimpse of the "cosmic dawn", when the first galaxies began to illuminate the universe from the Big Bang, 13.8 billion years ago.

It will enable us to better understand the formation of stars and galaxies, and to observe exoplanets, of which astronomers are discovering more and more specimens, with a view to perhaps one day identifying other Earths.

In the footsteps of Hubble

The James Webb will follow in the footsteps of the Hubble telescope, which revolutionised observation of the universe: it was thanks to the telescope that scientists discovered the existence of a galactic black hole at the centre of all galaxies, or water vapour around exoplanets.

Conceived by NASA when Hubble was launched in 1990, and built from 2004 onwards in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the JWST is different in more ways than one.

The size of its mirror, with a span of 6.5 metres, gives it a surface area and therefore a sensitivity seven times greater, sufficient to detect the thermal signature of a bumblebee on the Moon. Another difference is the way it is observed. Whereas Hubble observes space mainly in the visible light range, James Webb ventures into a wavelength that the eye cannot see: the near- and mid-infrared. This radiation is emitted naturally by all bodies, stars, humans and flowers.

This light will be studied by four instruments, equipped with imagers and spectrographs to better dissect it. Their development has mobilised a plethora of engineers and scientists, under the leadership of American and European laboratories and manufacturers.

Need cold to see clearly

The imperative condition for the JWST to function properly is an ambient temperature so low that it does not interfere with the examination of the light. Hubble is in orbit some 600 km above the Earth. At this distance, the JWST would be unusable, heated by the Sun and its reflection off the Earth and Moon. It will therefore be placed 1.5 million km away. And it will be protected from solar radiation by a heat shield made up of five flexible sails that will dissipate the heat, lowering the temperature (which is 80°C) to -233 degrees on the telescope side.

But before that could happen, the machine and its designers had to achieve a real feat: its flawless deployment, with a series of operations involving, for example, 140 opening mechanisms, 400 pulleys and almost 400 metres of cable for the shield alone. The observatory, 12 metres high and with a shield the size of a tennis court, had to be folded to fit inside the Ariane 5 fairing. The "encapsulation" was carried out using laser guidance to avoid any damage to the instrument, which cost some ten billion dollars to develop.

Absolutely clean

For these manoeuvres, NASA has also imposed draconian cleanliness measures to avoid any contamination of the telescope's mirror by particles or even contaminated breath. Finally, Arianespace has installed a customised fairing depressurisation system to ensure that no sudden change in pressure will damage the beast when it separates from the launcher at an altitude of 120 km. "An ESA official in Kourou explained on Thursday that "exceptional 'customers' require exceptional measures".

It will be several weeks before we know whether the telescope is ready for operation. Official commissioning is scheduled for June.

Text by Le Matin.ch (AFP)

Fifth wave of Covid-19: how our European neighbours are reacting to the spread of the Omicron variant

Shop closures, curfews for bars, the return of confinement: the countries of Europe are each fighting the new outbreak of the epidemic in their own way.

One variant, several responses. At a time when Europe is facing a resurgence of the Covid-19 epidemic, due in particular to the appearance of the Omicron variant, which the WHO considers to be "worrying", Our neighbours are implementing very different policies to break the chains of contamination and avoid overloading their hospitals.

Franceinfo brings you an overview of the new health measures in Europe.

Reconfinement in the Netherlands

For the time being, this is the most restrictive measure in Europe. On Saturday 18 December, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced a national lockdown from 19 December to 14 January. This means that all non-essential shops, restaurants, bars, cinemas, museums and theatres will be closed for four weeks. Schools, which were closed a week early, will remain closed until 9 January.

The Dutch government is particularly concerned about the Omicron variant. "This forces us to reduce our contacts as quickly as possible, and as much as possible.explained Mark Rutte during his speech. Although leaving the house is not regulated, it is still forbidden to have more than two guests at home. This rule will only be relaxed for the Christmas weekend and the New Year period, when the maximum number of guests will be four.

In Portugal, caution and vaccination for children

Portugal is Europe's leading country in terms of vaccination rates, with 88.9% of its population of 10.3 million vaccinated. The country strictly controls travellers entering its territory, even if they come from European Union countries. Since December 1, all travellers to Portugal must present a negative PCR test less than 72 hours old, or a negative antigen test less than 48 hours old. This measure is accompanied by a form for tracing passengers in order to trace the chain of contamination. As the French embassy in Portugal points out on its website, the isolation of people identified as contact cases can go from "up to 14 days or more in certain situations"..

On Saturday, Portugal also extended its vaccination campaign to children aged between 5 and 11, using the Pfizer paediatric vaccine. The move was justified by the sharp rise in the epidemic among this age group, explained Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa. The government's stated aim is to limit as far as possible the spread of the Omicron variant, which should still account for 80% of new infections between now and the end of the year, according to the country's health authorities.

To reduce contact after the Christmas and New Year rallies, the Socialist executive has also decided to extend the school holidays and make teleworking compulsory during the first week of January.

Mandatory teleworking and holiday restrictions in Switzerland

The Swiss Federal Council has announced that teleworking will once again be compulsory in the country from 20 December. "We're trying to avoid an explosion of cases and the situation going off the rails. The alternative, closures, is what we don't want".Federal Health Councillor Alain Berset explained to RTS. Additional measures have also been taken in certain cantons.

From 20 December, access to restaurants, cultural establishments, sports and leisure facilities and indoor events will be restricted to people who have been fully vaccinated or cured of Covid-19. This tightening of the ban has long been called for by health experts, in order to counter the fifth wave of the epidemic already being felt in the country. Private gatherings are now limited to 30 people indoors or 50 outdoors, including children. But if one of the guests (aged 16 or over) is neither vaccinated nor cured, the limit is reduced to 10 people.

Tighter controls on travellers in Italy, Greece and Germany

Vaccination alone is no longer enough to travel to certain European countries. Since 16 December, Italy has required a negative Covid test for all travellers, regardless of their vaccination history. As for those who have not been vaccinated, they must observe a compulsory five-day quarantine. From Sunday, the same applies to entry into Greece. This rule should remain in force for at least "for the holidays Mina Gaga, the Greek deputy health minister, explained on the RFI website.

In Germany, a quarantine is now imposed on unvaccinated travellers from certain countries classified as "high-risk". Since Sunday, France has been on this red list, alongside Denmark, Norway, Lebanon and Andorra. The German authorities specify that this is a self-quarantine that must last a minimum of 5 days, and can only be terminated by a negative PCR test. Failure to comply with this requirement can result in a fine of up to €25,000.

In Ireland, lights out at 8 p.m. for many establishments

From Monday, it will no longer be possible to go to the cinema, the theatre, pubs or restaurants after 8pm in Ireland. Once again, this drastic measure is justified by the spread of the Omicron variant, described by the Irish Prime Minister, Micheál Martin, as an "epidemic". "serious threat which already accounts for a third of new infections in Ireland.

Gatherings will now be subject to restrictions. Weddings are limited to 100 people, and indoor events must not exceed 50% of their capacity, up to 1,000 people. The same rule applies to outdoor events, with a maximum capacity of 5,000 people.

Denmark closes cultural and social venues for a month

The curtains will remain down for a long time in Denmark, which is witnessing a historic surge in the number of cases of Covid-19, largely attributable to the Omicron variant. In the week from 13 to 18 December, the average number of new infections was 8,666 per day, twice as many as in the last epidemic wave, according to the OurWorldInData website.

Faced with this explosion in the number of cases, the Danish government has ordered the closure of cinemas, theatres and concert halls from Sunday, for a period of one month. Museums, swimming pools, zoos and amusement parks are also affected by this decision. Restaurants and bars will remain open for the time being, but will be required to limit their capacity and close at 11pm.

Text:
Pierre-Louis Caron
France Télévisions

The Taliban ask television channels to stop broadcasting series with women in them

The Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has issued "religious directives" to television channels and journalists.

The Taliban Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has called on Afghan television stations to stop broadcasting series featuring women, as part of new "religious directives" broadcast on Sunday. "Television stations must avoid showing soap operas and soap operas in which women have appeared", says a document issued by the ministry to the media.

It also asks them to ensure that female journalists wear "the Islamic veil" on screen, without specifying whether this means a simple headscarf, already usually worn on Afghan television, or a more covering veil. "These are not rules, but religious directives", ministry spokesman Hakif Mohajir told AFP. Afghan television stations are also being urged to avoid programmes "opposed to Islamic and Afghan values", as well as those that insult religion or "show the prophet and his companions". This is the first time the ministry has attempted to regulate Afghan television since the Taliban seized power in mid-August.

Respect for "Islamic values

During their first reign, from 1996 to 2001, the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, responsible for ensuring that the population respected "Islamic values" on a daily basis, was feared for its fundamentalism and the punishments it entailed. The Taliban had banned television, cinema and all forms of entertainment deemed immoral. People caught watching television were punished and their equipment destroyed; possession of a video recorder was punishable by public flogging. For a time, television sets could even be seen hanging from lampposts.

Overthrown in 2001, the Taliban returned to power last August in a country with a transformed media landscape after 20 years of Western-backed government. Over these two decades, the media sector has exploded, with dozens of private radio stations and television channels springing up. They offered new opportunities to women, who were not allowed to work or study under the Taliban in the 1990s. Today, although the Taliban are showing a more moderate face, they have still not allowed many women to return to work in the public services.

Classes for girls in secondary schools and public universities have not yet reopened in most of the country. At private universities, the Taliban have demanded that female students wear veils. Taliban fighters have also on several occasions beaten up journalists accused of covering "unauthorised" demonstrations by women.

Text Le Matin.ch (AFP)

ARCROBAR ACTU X 3

Xavi
Thomas Pesquet
Cop26

Xavi
Former midfielder Xavi Hernandez officially became Barcelona's new coach on Monday. At his official presentation at the Camp Nou, Hernandez said he wanted to lead the club out of a "difficult situation".

Thomas Pesquet
And so ends the second mission in space of his career: Frenchman Thomas Pesquet returned to Earth on Monday night, after a six-month stay in orbit on the International Space Station that ended with a successful water landing off the coast of Florida.

Cop26
Even if we kept the new promises made at Cop26, we would still be a long way off the mark.
Commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 will not be enough.
The first week of the Cop26 climate conference saw a series of announcements from countries promising to do more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but it is difficult at this stage to assess their impact on future warming.