In the spotlight: the world is alarmed by the threat of the Delta variant

Audio 05:18

The Delta variant leads Europe to modify its reopening plans.

In the photo, doctors transport a patient suspected of having coronavirus on a stretcher to a hospital in Kommunarka, outside Moscow, Russia, Saturday, June 26, 2021. AP - Alexander Zemlianichenko

By: Véronique Rigolet Follow

10 mins

Publicity

The alert is now global, while the Delta variant, formerly called the Indian variant, has been detected in " 

at least 92 countries 

", reports the

Guardian

, an extremely contagious variant which is therefore at the origin of a new outbreak of infections, in South Africa, in Israel, in Russia, in particular " 

in Moscow which recorded the greatest number of daily deaths of all the Russian cities 

", underlines the British daily newspaper but also in almost all the countries of the region Asia -Pacific; the Delta variant continues its global development and could even " 

become the dominant variant by the end of the summer in Europe 

", notes the German press for its part.

The soaring of the Delta variant puts Australia on its teeth 

", headlines

The Age,

the Melbourne daily, which reports the new Sydney shutdown for at least 15 days and the closing of the borders between the Australian states. Heightened concern says the

New York Times

as India announces the appearance of an even more contagious version of the Delta variant 

"; " 

Delta + 

", which according to the

Indian Express

has a greater affinity for lung tissue than other strains 

". "

 Unless countries step up their vaccination campaign and exercise caution,

" warns the

Guardian

, citing a scientific report, " 

the race between vaccination and the virus could tip in favor of the latter 

".

Japan to tighten controls for arrivals of foreign athletes

Athletes from India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan or even Afghanistan 

", severely affected by the Delta variant epidemic, will in particular be the subject of reinforced control measures, indicates

South China Morning Post

. “

They will be asked to undergo daily screening tests for 7 days before leaving for the Games, 

” reveals the

Japan Times,

which indicates that these new rules should come into force on July 1. The Japanese press is still worried that the Games will trigger " 

a new wave of infections in the country 

", but which like the

Yomiuri Shimbun

recalls the " 

Support Biden US President for the holding of the Olympics despite the pandemic 

, "and notes that" 

É

the United States shall arrange for the first lady Jill Biden will visit Japan for the Games 

, "even if the US president should not accompany him.

Also announced at the opening ceremony of the Olympics, still according to the

Yomiuri

French President Emmanuel Macron 

", whose country says the Japanese daily "will 

host the Summer Olympics in 2024 in Paris 

".

The defeat of Macron and Le Pen in the regional could be a game-changer in the presidential elections of 2022

An international press unanimous to note the double defeat of " 

Macron and Le Pen both beaten in the regional elections 

", headlines the

New York Times

, " 

an inability to win a single region which deals a serious blow to the presidential party and to the party of the 'French extreme right 

', comments the

Wall Street Journal

for its part

. " 

The presidential election of next year could (then) be more open than it seems 

", analyzes the

New York Times

which puts before that the duel announced between Macron and Le Pen could not take place; for the benefit of the " 

big winner of the regional, Xavier Bertrand 

", Says the American daily newspaper for which" 

the former minister of Sarkozy is widely regarded as an effective politician and with devouring ambition 

". Analysis shared by

El Pais

which foresees difficult times for Marine Le Pen " 

after this misstep of the regional 

", which sows, says the Spanish daily, " 

the doubt about its leadership and its strategy on the eve of the RN congress 

". " 

A weakness of the boss of the RN

,

which could also give grounds for hope to Emmanuel Macron 

", further underlines

El Pais

who notes that the French president " 

remains at a high level of popularity in France 

".

Beijing publicly salutes the work of its spies

On the eve of celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party next Thursday, Beijing is honoring its spies.

A " 

very rare statement from the Ministry of State Security 

," explains the

South China Morning Post,

which therefore indicated that it had" decorated Party members last week who served on "the hidden front lines 

."

In short, the spies, and for the first time, the ministry even revealed the names of some of its veterans of the espionage who operated during the war against Japan.

Like " 

Hua, son of a Chinese communist spy couple and decorated for having served for 11 years in Tokyo, under cover as a typist in the 1930s. 

".

Nothing is said of course about the spies currently in office, but the daily recalls Beijing's mantra that "the Chinese system is" 

the cat that catches the most rats 

".

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  • Coronavirus

  • 2020 Olympics

  • Japan

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Marine Le Pen

  • China

  • Newspaper

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