In the spotlight: the battle for vaccines intensifies
Audio 04:49
The battle for the vaccine rages on.
REUTERS / Tatyana Makeyeva
By: Véronique Rigolet Follow
10 mins
Publicity
On the front page of the international press, “
the battle for vaccines
” while the Covid variants raise fears of an accelerated spread of the virus.
Europe is now "
in the clutches of variants
", headlines the
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
, and the "
battle for vaccines intensifies
" in the face of threats of shortage, notes for its part the
Financial Times
, which tells of the great anger of Brussels yesterday after the British group AstraZeneca announced that it could deliver to Europeans "
only half of the doses planned for the first quarter
".
"
Unacceptable
", for the European Union which has put AstraZeneca on notice to respect the deliveries planned, and has also decided to "
strengthen the rules and controls on exports of all vaccines outside the European Union
".
Concerns across the Channel
"
The British vaccine supply is in danger
", warns the
Daily Telegraph,
which explains that because of its dispute with AstraZeneca, "
the EU threatens to block exports of Pfizer vaccines made in Belgium
".
The very serious
Times
of London continues in the same vein, stating that "
the European Union has told Pfizer and other pharmaceutical companies that they must obtain its authorization to export doses of vaccine to the United Kingdom
" .
Between London and Brussels, the war for access to vaccines is therefore declared.
Comment from the columnist of the German daily
Schwäbishe Zeitung
: “
We must now hope that pharmaceutical producers will calm down before Brussels has to impose export restrictions.
This crisis can only be managed peacefully if the vaccine is distributed fairly and in accordance with past contracts.
"
Donald Trump impeachment trial in Senate begins
It's front
pages
of The
Wall Street Journal
, The
New York Times
and The
Washington Post
.
This very solemn photo of the nine representatives, all masked, who make the way from the chamber to the Senate under the gold of Congress, to transmit the article of impeachment of Donald Trump.
The former US president accused of inciting the murderous insurgency in early January on Capitol Hill.
It is a historic moment, which marks "
the launch of his second indictment trial in the Senate
",
explains the
Washington Post
which points out that the Democrats of the House of Representatives are preparing to use "
his own words as evidence against him
»
, During his trial which should open on February 9.
To do so, "
they are putting together the main video clips of the assault on Capitol Hill,
" to show how the rioters acted after Trump's speech encouraging them to go to Congress.
The former president, for his part, is actively preparing his response from his residence in Florida.
According to the
Washington Post
, he plans in particular to broadcast new polls in the coming days in order to "
warn Republican senators of the political consequences of a vote aimed at condemning him
".
A 20 dollar bill bearing the image of former slave Harriet Tubman
The idea had been launched under Obama's tenure, Trump then rejected it.
And today, the Biden administration is therefore resuming the project, touting the need "
for American banknotes to reflect the history and diversity of the country
."
"
Harriet Tubman is certainly part of this story",
notes the
Wall Street Journal
, recalling how "the
one who was born a slave around 1822 in Maryland
", after fleeing, became one of the "
principal abolitionists of the States. -United
”.
After spending "
a decade helping friends and family escape slavery on the infamous Underground Railroad
," the
Wall Street Journal
explains
, "
that network of people and places that helped slaves escape to all safety towards the North
”.
A future 20 dollar bill bearing the effigy of Harriet Tubman, adds the daily, would replace the current note which features Andrew Jackson, seventh president of the United States and above all slave owner.
Defection of a senior North Korean diplomat
A defection which would have taken place in September 2019, but which the South Korean press only reveals now.
According to the
Washington Post,
which takes up the information, the acting ambassador of North Korea to Kuwait, Mr. Ryu, would have defected with his whole family nearly two years ago to take refuge in South Korea.
He is "
one of the highest officials of the regime to have defected in recent years,
notes the American daily, which underlines"
that the revelation of this defection could complicate the already difficult relations between Seoul and Pyongyang and the efforts to resume disarmament negotiations
”.
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