France: Back to school under tension, facing the Omicron wave

Students return to school on Monday for a return to school marked by uncertainty and the challenges that the Omicron variant poses to teaching, between the risk of Covid contamination, class closures and potential explosion of "absenteeism " teachers. In terms of health protocol, no big change to be expected for this back to school at risk: level 3 (out of 4) is maintained in elementary schools, as is level 2 in colleges and high schools, in order to reduce mixing. between classes and levels. The only development: the Minister of National Education Jean-Michel Blanquer has decided to strengthen the “contact tracing” policy, which will subject students to three tests in four days if there is a positive in the class. "What changes is that now, when the family takes the first test, they will receive two free self-tests in the pharmacy, so that the students can test themselves again at home on D + 2 and D + 4", added indicated the minister, in an interview with Parisian Sunday evening.

A year after the assault on the Capitol, Americans worried about their democracy

A year after the violent assault on the Capitol, Americans remain concerned for their democracy and nearly a third consider that the use of force can sometimes be justified to defend their ideas, according to two polls published Sunday. The attack carried out by supporters of Donald Trump against the headquarters of Congress on January 6, 2021, was "a sign of growing political violence" and American democracy is today still "threatened", say two thirds of people surveyed by CBS News. As for the "pride" of Americans for their democracy, it fell to 54% against 90% in 2002, according to a study by the daily Washington Post with the University of Maryland. And the two surveys provide concrete grounds for concern: in the first, 28% of respondents believe that force can be used to defend the result of an election; in the second, 34% believe that violent action against the government can sometimes be justified. These polls also illustrate the persistence of deep divisions within American society, which the new President Joe Biden had nevertheless promised to "reconcile". Mr Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will speak on Thursday to mark the anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, assault.

IN SHORT

The European flag, which flew under the Arc de Triomphe for the start of the French presidency of the EU, was removed overnight from Saturday to Sunday, "in accordance with the planned timing", assured the Elysee to the AFP, while the far right claimed a "patriotic victory".

The time limit for taking a booster dose of vaccine against Covid-19 will be reduced, from February 15, to a maximum of four months instead of seven in order to be able to keep a valid health pass, announced the Minister of Health Olivier Véran .

Duo of surprises in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France: Rennes fell on penalties on the lawn of Nancy (1-1, 4 pens to 3), the red lantern of Ligue 2 and imitated Clermont, the other team of the elite beaten by a Ligue 2 club, Bastia (2-0).