Faced with Omicron, Biden refuses to "panic" when Europe tightens the screw

Europe is increasing restrictions and warnings, when the United States refuses to "panic": a proactive Joe Biden assured Tuesday that the world's leading power was "ready" in the face of the surge of the Omicron variant. Already dominant in the United States, the new variant is spreading at lightning speed across the world, leading to contamination records. In Europe, Spain has registered 49,823 cases of Covid-19 in 24 hours and the government is organizing an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday. Germany has already limited meetings for the end of the year celebrations to less than 10 people, decided to close clubs and discos, while all sports competitions will now take place behind closed doors. In the United Kingdom, which records more than 90,000 contaminations per day, the government has released a billion pounds for companies suffering the consequences of Omicron. The Netherlands has closed stores deemed non-essential, cinemas or restaurants. In Portugal, teleworking will become compulsory for two weeks and bars and nightclubs will be closed.

Chlordecone pesticide in France: prostate cancer recognized as an occupational disease (JO)

Prostate cancers linked to exposure to chlordecone, a pesticide widely used for decades in the West Indies, are now recognized as an occupational disease, according to a decree published Wednesday in the Official Journal. "The term + pesticides + refers to products for agricultural use and products intended for the maintenance of green spaces (plant protection products or plant protection products) as well as biocides and veterinary parasiticides, whether or not they are authorized at the time of the request", according to the decree. Work usually involving exposure to pesticides is carried out "when handling or using these products, by contact or by inhalation", "by contact with crops, surfaces, treated animals or during maintenance of machinery intended to the application of pesticides", specifies the text. This measure, intended to facilitate compensation for victims, is part of a series of actions carried out by the State in this extremely sensitive file for years in the West Indies and described as an "environmental scandal" by President Emmanuel Macron. Chlordecone was authorized between 1972 and 1993 in the banana plantations of the West Indies and has infiltrated the soil for hundreds of years, polluting water and agricultural production, while its toxicity and its persistent power in the environment have been known since the 1960s. .

IN SHORT

To reinforce the "braking" measures of the very contagious Omicron variant, teleworking could gain momentum in companies after the holidays, the government evoking a "relative consensus" on "the target" of 3 to 4 days a week.

Two union representatives mobilized against the vaccination obligation in Martinique, including the president of the federation of independent taxis of Martinique, Alain Decaille died of the consequences of the Covid, learned AFP Tuesday from the hospital services.

Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Ariana Grande are in the running for the Oscar for best song but France will not seek a golden statuette next year in Hollywood, its candidate "Titane" having not passed the preselections stage , the Academy of Oscars announced on Tuesday.

African football stays the course: despite insistent rumors of postponement or cancellation due to the Covid, the Confederation of African Football has confirmed that the African Cup of Nations will indeed be held in Cameroon from January 9 to February 6 .