Paris (AFP)

New measures, new reports and highlights: an update on the latest developments in the Covid-19 pandemic around the world.

- Travelers from Morocco and Algeria on the red list in France -

Travelers from Morocco and Algeria who have not been vaccinated will have to justify a compelling reason, present a negative test and self-isolate 10 days on their arrival in France, after the placement of these two countries on the red list of the circulation of the Covid.

- Pfizer and AstraZeneca against the Delta variant -

Pfizer / BioNtech's vaccine is more effective in fighting infections linked to the Delta variant of the coronavirus than that of Oxford / AstraZeneca, but its effectiveness is declining faster, according to a British study.

Two vials of AstraZeneca, on the left, and Pfizer on the right, in a vaccination center in Ramallah, in the occupied Palestinian territories on August 19, 2021 ABBAS MOMANI AFP

After four to five months, the level of protection offered by the two vaccines becomes similar, according to this study by researchers at the University of Oxford, which has not yet been validated by peers.

- The Ivorian president resumes his activities -

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara came out of a two-week isolation, during which he tested positive for Covid-19, then negative.

"The tests carried out during this confinement revealed a Covid-19 infection which was monitored by the medical teams", according to the presidency.

"The control test carried out" Wednesday "turned out to be negative (...), the President of the Republic resumes his activities".

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara at the presidential palace in Abidjan on July 27, 2021 Issouf SANOGO AFP

- Prison for refusal of the mask in Singapore -

A Briton was sentenced to six weeks in prison in Singapore for failing to wear a mask and assaulting police officers, authorities in the Southeast Asian country said on Thursday.

A video that went viral showed the forty-something man without a mask on a Singaporean train.

He assaulted police officers who came to arrest him and again refused to wear a mask during a court hearing last month.

- Preferential treatment for Nicole Kidman in Hong Kong -

Hong Kong's decision to grant Hollywood star Nicole Kidman a quarantine exemption so that she could shoot a series about the lives of wealthy expats for Amazon has aroused public anger.

Australian actress Nicole Kidman arriving at the Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hill, California on January 5, 2020 VALERIE MACON AFP / Archive

People arriving from countries considered to be at high risk, including the United States, France and Great Britain, are normally required to complete a 21-day quarantine in a hotel.

- Motorcycle Endurance: the Suzuka 8 Hours canceled -

The Suzuka 8 Hours, which was to be the final event of the Motorcycle Endurance World Championship (EWC) on November 7, has been canceled "due to the health crisis which has worsened in Japan in recent weeks", announced the organizers.

- 1st case at the Paralympic Village -

A first case of Covid-19 has been identified at the Paralympic Village, organizers of the Tokyo Paralympic Games announced Thursday, five days before the opening of the event, as Japan faces record numbers of infections .

The person concerned is a member of staff related to the Games and does not reside in Japan.

- Almost 4.4 million dead -

The Covid-19 pandemic has killed at least 4,392,364 around the world, according to a report established by AFP from official sources, Thursday at 10:00 GMT.

The United States is the most affected country with 624,253 deaths, ahead of Brazil (571,662 deaths), India (433,049), Mexico (250,469) and Peru (197,659).

The world facing the coronavirus Simon MALFATTO AFP

Iran crossed the 100,000 dead mark on Thursday.

The WHO estimates, taking into account the excess mortality directly and indirectly linked to Covid-19, that the toll of the pandemic could be two to three times higher than that calculated from official figures.

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© 2021 AFP