Afrique

La correspondante du Courrier des Balkans à Belgrade, Milica Čubrilo Filipović, qui travaillait aussi pour Le Figaro, a été abruptement licenciée de ce journal en janvier. En cause, des articles qui seraient « trop critiques » à l'égard du régime d'Aleksandar Vučić.

- Le fil de l'Info / Gratuit, Serbie, Vucic, Médias indépendants, Médias, Courrier des Balkans

Two fishermen in their boat in Rincao, Cabo Verde. Credit: UN Photo/Mark Garten

By Oritro Karim
UNITED NATIONS, Jan 22 2026 (IPS)

In 2025, global ocean temperatures rose to some of the highest levels ever recorded, signaling a continued accumulation of heat within the Earth’s climate system and raising deep concern among climate scientists. The economic toll of ocean-related impacts—including collapsing fisheries, widespread coral reef degradation, and mounting damage to coastal infrastructure—is now estimated to be nearly double the global cost of carbon emissions, placing immense strain on economies and endangering millions of lives.

On January 14, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that global temperatures have reached record highs over the past 11 years, with ocean heating continuing at an alarming pace. Despite the cooling influence of La Niña, 2025 became the third hottest year ever recorded. In just the past year, ocean temperatures increased by an estimated ∼23 ± 8 zettajoules—an amount of heat roughly equivalent to 200 times the world’s total electricity generation in 2024.

With an estimated 90 percent of excess heat from global warming absorbed by the world’s oceans, rising ocean temperatures have become one of the clearest indicators of the accelerating climate crisis—carrying profound risks for ecosystems and human life. The ocean is central to global prosperity, supporting livelihoods, market economies, and overall human well-being.

“Global warming is ocean warming,” said John Abraham, a professor of thermal science at the University of St. Thomas. “If you want to know how much the Earth has warmed or how fast we will warm into the future, the answer is in the oceans.”

Zeke Hausfather, a climatologist and research scientist at University of California, Berkeley, described the ocean as the “most reliable thermostat of the planet.”

According to figures from WMO, roughly 33 percent of the Earth’s total ocean area ranked among the top three warmest conditions for ocean ecosystems in history, with roughly 57 percent falling within the top five, such as the tropical and South Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, North Indian Ocean, and Southern Oceans.

The primary impact of human-generated carbon dioxide emissions on the ocean is the rapid warming of ocean waters, which significantly reduces the ocean’s capacity to hold oxygen—a critical lifeline for species survival. Rising temperatures also drive ocean acidification—weakening marine organisms, disrupting ecosystems, altering the physiology of numerous species, and triggering mass die-offs.

These effects have catastrophic consequences for biodiversity, fueling widespread coral reef bleaching, the collapse of seagrass beds, and the decline of kelp forests—all of which directly harm the benefits that humans yield from healthy marine environments. Rising ocean temperatures also intensify extreme weather events and accelerate sea-level rise, which in turn increase coastal flooding, erosion, and displacement, placing millions of people, particularly those in low-lying coastal communities, at heightened risk.

While some ocean-based benefits—such as seafood and maritime transport—are reflected in market prices, many others, including coastal protection, recreation, and marine biodiversity, remain overlooked, becoming part of the invisible social “blue cost” of carbon emissions, despite being essential to the deeply interconnected relationship between oceans, people, and economic systems.

“If we don’t put a price tag on the harm that climate change causes to the ocean, it will be invisible to key decision makers,” said environmental economist Bernardo Bastien-Olvera, who led a Scripps Institution of Oceanography study at the University of California San Diego, examining the social cost of carbon emissions and the economic toll of ocean degradation.

“Until now, many of these variables in the ocean haven’t had a market value, so they have been absent from calculations. This study is the first to assign monetary-equivalent values to these overlooked ocean impacts,” added Bastien-Olvera.

According to findings from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography study, accounting for the social impacts of ocean-related carbon emissions nearly doubles the estimated global cost—showing that ocean degradation is a major driver of climate-related economic losses. Researchers found that without ocean impacts included in their model, the average cost per ton of carbon dioxide was roughly USD 51. When accounting for ocean losses, the total costs increased by USD 41.6 per ton, reaching a total of USD 97.2, marking a 91 percent rise.

With the WMO Global Carbon Budget estimating global carbon dioxide emissions at roughly 41.6 billion tons in 2024, this translates to nearly $2 trillion in ocean-related losses in a single year—which is currently absent from standard climate cost assessments. Furthermore, the study found that market damages as a result of ocean degradation account for the largest costs to society and could reach global annual losses of $1.66 trillion in the year 2100.

Furthermore, damages in non-use values—such as recreational benefits provided by ocean ecosystems—now amount to an estimated USD 224 billion annually, while non-market values, including nutritional losses from collapsing fisheries, contribute an additional USD 182 billion in yearly damages. Bastien-Olvera stressed that many of these losses are not traditional market losses but cultural and societal losses, which carry different and often deeper forms of significance for affected communities.

“When an industry emits a ton of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, as a society we are paying a cost. A company can use this number to inform cost-benefit analysis — what is the damage they will be causing society through increasing their emissions?”, asked Bastien-Olvera.

In response to the rapid warming of the Earth’s oceans, governments, scientific institutions, and international organizations are mobilizing new strategies to reduce carbon emissions and protect marine ecosystems, including expanding green energy infrastructure and advancing large-scale ecosystem restoration efforts.

The United Nations (UN) has renewed pressure on member states to meet their Paris Agreement commitments, while initiatives like the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) and the High Seas Treaty work to strengthen ocean monitoring and protect marine biodiversity.

Scientists are also testing emerging methods to counteract climate-driven changes in the ocean. In late 2025, marine scientist Adam Subhas and his team released 16,200 gallons of sodium hydroxide into the ocean in an effort to neutralize rising acidity levels. Though controversial and still in early development, the experiment reflects a growing interest in exploring non-traditional tools that could stabilize marine ecosystems.

“As long as the Earth’s heat continues to increase, ocean heat content will continue to rise and records will continue to fall. The biggest climate uncertainty is what humans decide to do. Together, we can reduce emissions and help safeguard a future climate where humans can thrive,” said Abraham.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Les bureaux de l'Agence nationale de gestion des marchés (ANaGeM), sont désormais logés sur le site du Pôle Commercial Général Mathieu Kérékou, sis au quartier Kouhounou à Cotonou. L'annonce a été faite par la direction générale à travers un communiqué en date du lundi 19 janvier 2026.

L'ANaGeM acte sa politique de proximité avec les acteurs économiques et les marchands. Elle occupe désormais ses nouveaux locaux sur le Pôle Commercial Général Mathieu Kérékou. L'annonce a été faite lundi 19 janvier 2026, à travers un communiqué. « En s'installant au cœur de ce centre d'échanges, ANaGeM souhaite être au plus près des acteurs économiques pour mieux répondre à vos besoins et offrir un service public plus accessible et réactif », lit-on dans le communiqué qui souligne par ailleurs que l'accueil des usagers et le traitement des dossiers administratifs s'effectuent désormais exclusivement sur ce nouveau site, aux horaires habituels.
– Matin : 08 heures 00 à 12 heures 30,
– Après-midi : 14 heures 00 à 16 heures 00.

F. A. A.

Cette année 2026, le Ramadan pourrait démarrer le mardi 17 février, avec un premier jour de jeûne, le lendemain 18 février. Ces prévisions qui restent toutefois conditionnées à l'observation du croissant lunaire, seront confirmées lors de la « Nuit du doute ».

Le jeûne de Ramadan en 2026 couvre la période du 18 février au 19 mars, avec la célébration de l'Aïd al-Fitr, annoncée pour le vendredi 20 mars ou jeudi 19 mars. Cette variabilité s'explique par le calendrier hégirien, basé sur les cycles lunaires, plus court que le calendrier solaire.
La confirmation officielle interviendra lors de la « Nuit du doute », organisée par une commission religieuse.
Le Ramadan, l'un des cinq piliers de l'islam, est un moment de privation, de spiritualité, de discipline et de réflexion au cours duquel les fidèles intensifient la prière, la lecture du Coran et les actes de solidarité et d'attention envers les personnes démunies.
Le jeûne quotidien est rompu chaque soir lors de l'iftar, un moment central de partage familial et communautaire.

F. A. A.

US-Präsident Donald Trump ist ausgesprochen erfolgreich darin, neue Maßstäbe zu setzen. Einen kleinen Vorgeschmack gab der 20. Januar 2025. Die 26 präsidentiellen Dekrete am ersten Tag seiner zweiten Amtszeit sind für sich genommen schon ein Rekord und zeigen: Eines der Hauptprobleme für Beobachter besteht darin, überhaupt einen Überblick zu behalten – darüber, was derzeit geschieht, was relevant sein könnte und was lediglich Nebelkerzen sind.

US-Präsident Donald Trump ist ausgesprochen erfolgreich darin, neue Maßstäbe zu setzen. Einen kleinen Vorgeschmack gab der 20. Januar 2025. Die 26 präsidentiellen Dekrete am ersten Tag seiner zweiten Amtszeit sind für sich genommen schon ein Rekord und zeigen: Eines der Hauptprobleme für Beobachter besteht darin, überhaupt einen Überblick zu behalten – darüber, was derzeit geschieht, was relevant sein könnte und was lediglich Nebelkerzen sind.

US-Präsident Donald Trump ist ausgesprochen erfolgreich darin, neue Maßstäbe zu setzen. Einen kleinen Vorgeschmack gab der 20. Januar 2025. Die 26 präsidentiellen Dekrete am ersten Tag seiner zweiten Amtszeit sind für sich genommen schon ein Rekord und zeigen: Eines der Hauptprobleme für Beobachter besteht darin, überhaupt einen Überblick zu behalten – darüber, was derzeit geschieht, was relevant sein könnte und was lediglich Nebelkerzen sind.

The country faces a challenging transition, but it can progress if the people work together.

By Krishna Srinivasan and Sarwat Jahan
WASHINGTON DC, Jan 22 2026 (IPS)

Nepal has a unique opportunity for transformation. The recent youth-led protests underscored aspirations for greater transparency, governance and a more equal distribution of economic opportunities and resources. This yearning resonated in Nepal and beyond.

Now, Nepal must find a balance in setting prudent political, economic and financial policies to steer a difficult transition in an orderly manner. Adding to the complex domestic situation is the lingering uncertainty in the global economy. The transition process in this challenging environment should ensure an inclusive future for Nepal’s people.

Economic challenges

History shows that more equal societies tend to be associated with greater economic stability and more sustained growth. This will be a helpful guiding strategy as Nepal charts its own path to change. Indeed, a solid strategy needs to be founded on two key pillars: economic stability and inclusive growth.

In 2022, stability was among the top priorities when the country’s leaders approached the IMF for support. The collapse of tourism in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic took a heavy toll on Nepal’s economy, including on its job market.

The IMF’s financing package assisted the authorities’ Covid-19 response in mitigating the pandemic’s impact on economic activity, protecting vulnerable groups and laying the groundwork for sustained growth. The program also supported reforms to foster durable growth and reduce poverty over the medium term, including by implementing cross-cutting institutional reforms to improve governance and reduce corruption vulnerability.

In October, Nepal completed the sixth of seven program reviews, showing tangible improvement in the economy. Indeed, Nepal has been seeing the green shoots of recovery with real GDP growth rising from a mere 2 percent in FY 2023, to 3.7 percent in FY 2024, to an estimated 4.3 percent in FY 2025—more than double the pace in just a few years.

In FY 2026, we still expect the country’s economic recovery to continue, though at a more moderate pace amid a complex domestic environment and global uncertainty.

Nepal has also been very successful in rebuilding policy buffers. Foreign exchange reserves have risen to nearly $20 billion, enough to cover almost a full year of imports. Fiscal discipline has helped stabilise public debt. Inflation remains well below the Nepal Rastra Bank’s target.

This hard-won economic stability should be safeguarded. At the same time, the economy hasn’t fully recovered. Domestic demand remains subdued, investor confidence is waning, and more efforts are needed to protect vulnerable people.

Nepal has achieved significant milestones on structural reforms, in part with support from the IMF capacity development. On the fiscal front, frameworks for increasing government revenue and fiscal transparency have improved with the publication of the domestic revenue mobilization strategy, fiscal risk statement and the tax expenditure report. The National Planning Commission has issued revised guidelines for the National Project Bank, which will strengthen capital project selection and execution.

Likewise, in the financial sector, bank supervision has improved through the Supervisory Information System. The Nepal Rastra Bank has also recently launched a loan portfolio review of 10 large commercial banks, which is expected to provide deep insights into the health of the banking sector.

Measures have been taken to improve governance and transparency, including by improving the anti-money laundering framework, though further efforts are needed to enhance implementation.

As part of the program, four priority nonfinancial public enterprises had their financial statements audited. Work is underway to amend the Nepal Rastra Bank Act to strengthen its autonomy and governance.

Yet, unresolved structural issues and emerging headwinds are testing these gains. Policymakers must ensure that the fruits of macroeconomic stability and growth are broadly shared. Continued reforms will help. In the near term, this implies accelerating budget execution and improving project readiness—particularly in areas such as hydropower and trade-related infrastructure—and reducing logistics frictions, which will crowd-in private investment.

This will also lay the foundation for a more diversified, higher value-added growth model that creates more domestic jobs.

Unlocking private sector growth to deliver more jobs and better livelihoods is critical. This can only be accomplished when the basic building blocks of private enterprise are in place: Strong institutions, free and fair markets and a stable macroeconomic environment.

Over the medium term, strengthening governance and anti-corruption institutions, improving the investment climate, enhancing financial oversight, trade integration and expanding targeted social protection will be key to unlocking inclusive and sustainable growth.

Reason for hope

Let us conclude by expressing our deep sympathy for the profound loss during the recent social unrest. We are deeply saddened by the loss, but also heartened by the resilience of the Nepali people striving for a better future.

While global economic prospects remain dim amid uncertainty, Nepal gives reason for hope—a nation reimagined with greater equality and good governance. The country faces a challenging transition, but it can make the most progress if the people work together. For policymakers, this implies steering the economy on the course of continued reforms that safeguard macroeconomic and financial stability while laying strong foundations for durable and inclusive growth, coupled with good governance.

This is a unique moment in the country’s long history, and a time to set a new standard for the future. The IMF is ready to support Nepal in its journey.

Krishna Srinivasan is the head of the Asia and Pacific Department at the IMF. Sarwat Jahan is the mission chief for Nepal and a deputy division chief in the Asia and Pacific Department.

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Trump’s MAGA is undermining the free world and turning friends into enemies. But Poles, Estonians and other former subjects know that the alternatives to the EU look much, much worse

The Arctic is at the center of Europe’s agenda after renewed US demands for "immediate negotiations" to take Greenland

The US president has invited leaders including Vladimir Putin, Benjamin Netanyahu and Viktor Orbán to join

The internet was shut during the general election, leaving many people without any income - or entertainment.

Lawmakers warn that without binding obligations and funding, the CMA risks falling short of delivering real security of supply across the EU

“All news looks the same,” says the Reuters Institute’s Nic Newman, with AI systems weakening the link between journalistic brands and accountability

Un temps résolument hivernal continue de s’imposer sur l’ensemble du pays en cette fin de semaine. Les prévisions météorologiques pour ce jeudi 22 janvier annoncent […]

L’article Météo Algérie : pluies soutenues et vents violents sous un temps hivernal ce jeudi 22 janvier est apparu en premier sur .

Une sensation de lourdeur, des crampes lancinantes ou des brûlures désagréables : les maux d’estomac touchent une grande partie de la population mondiale. Souvent qualifié […]

L’article Mal à l’estomac : décryptez vos douleurs et adoptez les bons réflexes pour les calmer est apparu en premier sur .

The development of European Defence Projects of Common Interest (EDPCIs) represents a decisive step towards strengthening the EU’s crisis response, economic competitiveness and strategic autonomy. EDPCIs aim to overcome fragmented national defence efforts by promoting joint development, production and procurement of key military capabilities, enhancing the EU’s governance structure for defence investment. While earlier frameworks like the EDF, PESCO and CARD have achieved limited integration, EDPCIs could enable large-scale collaboration by pooling demand, streamlining supply chains and reinforcing the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base. Proposed flagship projects such as the Drone Initiative, Eastern Flank Watch, Air Shield, and Space Shield address urgent needs but face challenges of funding, technology gaps and diverging national planning cycles. Other potential EDPCIs, such as a Cyber Defence Shield, a Combat Cloud, Military Mobility Network or EU Command and Control could expand into critical enabler domains but also depend on balancing EU-level regulation and intergovernmental ownership and ensuring sustained financial and political backing. This study recommends a coherent governance framework, harmonised standards and inclusive industrial participation to sustain innovation. Ultimately, success will hinge on EDPCIs’ capacity to deliver credible capabilities and advance Europe’s goal of a resilient, autonomous and integrated defence posture.
Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

La Direction générale des impôts (DGI) a annoncé une mesure importante pour tous les contribuables soumis au régime du bénéfice réel et au bénéfice réel […]

L’article Impôts 2026 : le dépôt en ligne devient obligatoire pour cette catégorie de contribuables est apparu en premier sur .

US president had earlier ruled out an invasion of the world's largest island

La Cour constitutionnelle a proclamé lundi 19 janvier 2026, les résultats définitifs des élections législatives. A l'issue du scrutin, 28 femmes sont appelées à siéger à l'Assemblée nationale au titre de la 10e mandature.

La liste des députés devant siéger pour cette nouvelle mandature est désormais connue. Seuls deux partis politiques, le Bloc Républicain (BR) et l'Union Progressiste – Le Renouveau (UP-R), ont franchi le seuil légal de 20 % des suffrages dans chacune des circonscriptions électorales. L'UP-R obtient 60 sièges et le BR en totalise 49.

Sur les 109 députés élus, 28 sont des femmes soit un taux de représentation féminie de 25,69 %. Ce chiffre traduit une légère baisse par rapport à la 9e mandature au cours de laquelle 29 femmes avaient été élues sur 109 députés, soit 26,61 %. La représentation des femmes connaît ainsi une régression de 0,92 % traduisant une stagnation, voire un léger recul de la participation des femmes à la vie parlementaire.
Depuis les élections législatives de 2023, l'article 144 du Code électoral est appliqué. Il dispose que « le nombre de députés à l'Assemblée nationale est de 109 dont 24 sièges exclusivement réservés aux femmes ». Cette mesure vise à promouvoir le genre et à renforcer la participation des femmes à la vie politique nationale.

En dehors du quota légal, le BR a positionné 12 femmes supplémentaires, dont 4 en position de titulaires et l'UP-R 10 femmes dont une seule en position de titulaire. Ces chiffres montrent que si les partis respectent la loi, ils restent encore timides dans la promotion volontaire des femmes en dehors des sièges réservés. La majorité des femmes candidates continuent d'être confinées aux positions imposées par le quota légal.

Les autres partis politiques tels que ‘'Les Démocrates'', la FCBE et Moele-Bénin ont également positionné des femmes sur leurs listes. Faute d'avoir franchi le seuil de 20 % dans les circonscriptions, ils n'ont obtenu aucun siège pour cette mandature, ce qui a mécaniquement réduit les chances d'augmenter la représentation féminine au Parlement.

Malgré l'existence d'un dispositif juridique favorable, la 10e législature illustre les limites d'une politique reposant essentiellement sur le quota. La promotion du genre en politique ne peut donc pas se limiter au strict respect des exigences légales. La légère baisse observée entre la 9e et la 10e mandature rappelle qu'il reste encore beaucoup à faire pour garantir une participation pleine, équitable et durable des femmes à la gouvernance politique du Bénin.

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