Canada: Police clear access to strategic bridge

Canadian police on Sunday dislodged the last demonstrators blocking the Ambassador Bridge, a key border axis between Canada and the United States, but protesters remained mobilized across the country, particularly in the capital Ottawa where the movement entered its third week.

The road leading to the bridge was cleared, but traffic had not been restored by late morning.

Brussels prepares for the arrival of anti-pass convoys

The Belgian authorities reminded the participants of the anti-vaccination pass convoys on Sunday that it was forbidden to demonstrate on Monday in the capital, while multiplying the warnings to the inhabitants about the difficulties of access to hospitals and the airport.

Some of the French demonstrators of the movement called "freedom convoys", like the convoys in Canada which paralyze Ottawa and have been emulated in several other countries, left the Paris region on Sunday to reach Brussels after coming to the French capital to denounce the vaccination pass.

Opponents of the vaccine pass greet a convoy of vehicles in Chartres, in Eure-et-Loire, on February 12, 2022 JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER AFP

Some participants of a similar demonstration organized in The Hague also announced their intention to go to Belgium.

New Zealand: anti-vaccines camp despite a cyclone

Cyclone Dovi, which caused power cuts, landslides and evacuations across New Zealand on Sunday, did not deter anti-vaccine protesters who have been camped outside parliament in Wellington for six days.

More than 5.8 million dead

The pandemic has officially killed more than 5,807,938 people worldwide since the end of December 2019, according to a report established by AFP on Sunday at 11:00 GMT.

The United States is the country with the most deaths (919,255), ahead of Brazil (638,048) and India (508,665).

The world facing the coronavirus Simon MALFATTO AFP

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 officially established.

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© 2022 AFP