Telegram CEO arrested in France

Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of social media app Telegram, has been arrested in France for not removing user content from the platform when ordered to by the authorities.  

The outrageous arrest of Telegram’s Pavel Durov | Spiked | Fraser Myers: 

26th August 26, 2024 - "In 2013, the Russian authorities searched the home and offices of social-media magnate Pavel Durov.... [T]he raid was widely believed to be in retaliation for his platform’s persistent refusal to censor critics of the government. VK, Durov’s Russian-language competitor to Facebook, had consistently rejected the Kremlin’s demands to block the accounts of Putin’s domestic opponents and to hand over data belonging to protesters in Ukraine. In 2014, he sold his stake in VK, resigned as CEO, and fled his home country. Durov, a self-described libertarian, says he was not prepared to do the state’s bidding. Since he left, VK is now more or less controlled by the Kremlin.

"More than a decade later and Durov is in trouble with the law again. His newer app, Telegram, is in the firing line this time. He was arrested and detained on Saturday and charged with 12 crimes, seemingly all in connection with Telegram’s failure to comply with the authorities’ requests to remove certain content. But Durov was not arrested in Russia this time. He was apprehended as his private jet touched down in France.

Pavel Durov in 2013. TechCrunch / Wikimedia Commons.

"The 12 charges include ‘complicity’ in alleged crimes as diverse as child exploitation, fraud, drug trafficking, money laundering and terrorism. As despicable as such crimes may be, it is unprecedented for the authorities in a Western liberal democracy to hold a social-media platform and its founder criminally liable for content shared by others.... The commonsense principle that social-media firms are not directly responsible for their users’ content had held firm until relatively recently in Europe. 

"Yet, in the past few years, Europe’s illiberal elites have been gripped by hysteria about the supposedly malign influence of major tech platforms.... [A]lmost every societal problem is now pinned on an excess of online freedom. This has prompted a series of laws, from the EU’s Digital Services Act to the UK’s Online Safety Act, which effectively treat platforms as publishers of user-generated content, threatening them with fines if they fail to remove posts that contravene their rules.

"Telegram has over 900 million users worldwide and is well known for its laissez-faire approach to content and its fierce protection of its users’ privacy. It hosts both private conversations and ‘channels’, which allow a single user to disseminate messages directly to large numbers of followers. But its terms of service do prohibit terrorist content, scams, illegal pornography and incitement to violence. Notably it has removed ISIS-linked channels and white-supremacist groups involved with the ‘January 6’ storming of the US Capitol.

"Durov, the sole owner, insists his platform is neutral and ‘not a player in geopolitics’. Nevertheless, Telegram is especially notorious for hosting pro-war Russian bloggers.... This has led to suspicions that the Kremlin has more control or influence over Telegram than Durov lets on. The Russian government’s call for his release over the weekend has only compounded these fears.... Yet, on the other hand, there is no evidence that Telegram has censored, say, critics of Putin. Notably, it is also highly popular in Ukraine. It remains one of the few platforms to allow Russians to access information about the war that isn’t filtered by the Kremlin. Telegram also proved essential for those organising pro-democracy protests against the CCP in Hong Kong in 2019. To characterise the app purely as a propaganda tool for authoritarians like the Russian government, as many observers in the West are keen to do, is to miss the bigger picture. Durov’s own past run-ins with the Kremlin also suggest he is sincere in his libertarian beliefs.

"Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, was quick to defend Durov in the wake of his arrest. Musk, himself persona non grata among the Western liberal establishment, thanks to X’s more liberal speech policies, claims there is a political vendetta against Telegram and Durov. Musk argues that Instagram, owned by Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, ‘has a massive child-exploitation problem, but no arrest for Zuck, as he censors free speech and gives governments backdoor access to user data… He already caved into censorship pressure.’ In other words, while all platforms have unwittingly hosted illegal content, just as Telegram is alleged to have done, the European authorities are primarily interested in targeting those platforms that refuse to accede to their demands to censor political dissent.

"Certainly, some of those defending Durov’s arrest are not making any effort to dispel this impression. A piece in the Guardian has hailed it as a ‘smart move’ that could panic tech executives like Musk into censoring more content at governments’ behest. That ‘nagging fear [of arrest] is no bad thing’, it said. (Earlier this month, a former Twitter exec wrote another piece in the Guardian calling explicitly for Musk’s arrest.) It is hard not to suspect that allowing unfettered political speech is Telegram’s real crime in the eyes of the elites....

"The criminalisation of Pavel Durov sets a deeply troubling precedent. If social-media execs are to be held liable for posts on their platforms, then a ramping up of pre-emptive censorship seems inevitable. Europeans must stand up to this now, lest they lose their online freedoms for good."

Read more: https://www.spiked-online.com/2024/08/26/the-outrageous-arrest-of-telegrams-pavel-durov/

French court orders wind farm demolished

Wind farm, Cormainville, Francem 2008. Public domain, Wikimedia Commons.

French court orders demolition of wind farm due to bird deaths | Western Standard | Shaun Polczer:

December 18, 2023 - "[A] French court ... has ordered the wholesale demolition of a wind farm in the southern Languedoc region of the country after it was implicated in the deaths of thousands of birds and bats, including endangered Golden eagles. Moreover, it ordered the German-based operator to restore the land to its original state within 15 months or face stiff penalties of €3,000 — CAD$4,400 — for every day of non-compliance.

"The onshore facility was commissioned in 2016 and is located near the southern town of Lunas.  It has been the subject of a series of legal proceedings brought by residents and conservation groups alike, with the latter arguing it was directly harmful to wildlife in the area, including Golden eagles.  The developer was originally ordered to dismantle the wind farm by a court in Montpellier in 2021 but won on appeal. It had been previously rejected — and overturned — in 2006 and again [in] 2017.

"Those challenges became more urgent after French media reported that the body of a golden eagle deemed to have been killed by a wind turbine blade was found at the foot of a turbine in January of this year. A subsequent study had found the wind farm had led to the deaths of more than 1,000 birds and bats.

"In its latest ruling the court found an environmental impact assessment submitted in 2013 during the approval process was 'insufficient' because it allowed construction in an area where golden eagles were nesting. In 2019, more than 1,099 dead birds were found; it is a real cemetery at the foot of wind turbines,' said Nicolas Gallon, a lawyer for the environment groups.... 

"The German operator, EnBW said its French subsidiary — Energies Renouvelables du Languedoc-Valeco — would be appealing the decision with France's Supreme Court."

Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/alberta/french-court-orders-demolition-of-wind-farm-due-to-bird-deaths/51151

French gov't bans cash payments over €1,000

Macron bans cash payments of more than €1,000 between citizens in France | Rio Times: 

April 11, 2023 - "The French government declared illegal cash payments above a ceiling of €1,000 [approximately $1,500 CDN] per transaction for individuals resident in the country, affecting volumes of commercial payments (linked to professional activities) and the collection of taxes by the tax authorities.... [T]he limit for non-residents (mainly tourists) increases to €15,000. Outside the ... cash limit, users are forced to resort to alternative means of payment such as bank cards and checks. 

"Non-business transactions between consumers are not subject to cash regulation. Still, when payments of more than €1,500 are recorded, the parties must issue an invoice certifying to the State that a transaction has occurred.

"The new measures are in addition to others that already exist regarding the use of cash. For example, paying taxes or fees in local jurisdictions maintains a cash limit of up to €300 per transaction, beyond which other non-cash means of payment are required to be used. This limit operates to settle income tax, VAT, municipal fees, audiovisual license fees, etc....

"Macron’s administration is preparing to strengthen state monitoring of transactions, which is extremely difficult for cash payments. The restrictions will come into effect as of next September.

"The ruling party defended the measures as part of the 'fight against terrorism and the laundering of illicit capital'. However, many of these illegal operations (the vast majority) manage much larger funds than the limits to which the measure refers.

"Focusing on retail transactions has led many to believe that the real intentions are to strengthen tax collection (the control of small amounts of tax evasion) and to pave the way for implementing an eventual state digital currency in the future.

"On the other hand, although inflation in France eased slightly in March 2023 and fell to 5.6% year-on-year, it remains the highest in 37 years and will ... push commercial and fiscal transactions toward the use of bank cards or checks from September onwards. The deterioration of the purchasing power of money at the most drastic pace in the last four decades will lead to the progressive erosion of the limits imposed by Macron if no adjustment clauses are added."

Read more:https://www.riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/modern-day-censorship/macron-bans-cash-payments-of-more-than-e1000-between-citizens-in-france/

"Cashless Society and the End of Freedom," The Hated One, August 18, 2019:

French Assembly votes down new vaccine pass

Macron’s government suffers first defeat in parliament after election setback | France 24:

July 13, 2022 - "France's government has suffered its first defeat in parliament after President Emmanuel Macron's ruling party lost its majority in elections last month. The National Assembly rejected a proposal on Tuesday night to give the government powers to demand travellers show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test when entering France. The defeat by 219 votes to 195 saw all the major opposition parties -- the far-right National Rally (RN), the hard left LFI, and rightwing Republicans (LR) -- unite against the minority government....

"Despite the setback on the border controls, a wider bill to tackle the seventh wave of Covid-19 infections passed the assembly with 221 votes in favour and 187 against."
Read more: https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20220713-macron-s-government-suffers-first-defeat-in-parliament-after-election-setback

The French are fed up with Macron’s Covid tyranny | Spiked - Charles Devellenes:

July 15, 2022 - "French president Emmanuel Macron has suffered his first parliamentary defeat of the new term. A bill intended to reinforce Covid restrictions ahead of the autumn was rejected by the three main opposition parties. This is a major setback for a president who has grown all too used to getting his way.

Macron in 2017. CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

"Macron was re-elected as president back in April. But just months later in June’s parliamentary elections, he failed to secure a majority.... The election results changed nothing in Macron’s eyes.... He is as determined as ever to push through his unpopular agenda.... In parliament, he can ally himself with the far-right Rassemblement National or the conservative Républicains on certain votes. And if parliament disagrees with him, he may try to turn to the anti-democratic Article 49.3 of the French constitution, which allows presidents to pass a bill through parliament without a vote. He can also issue presidential decrees.... 

"The defeated bill proposed reinstating certain Covid restrictions, particularly at the French border. Its main aim was to reintroduce the deeply unpopular ‘health pass’ (or vaccine passport) for travellers entering the country. Earlier in the pandemic, a health pass was required to enter cafés and public spaces.

"Macron, ever the ‘authoritarian liberal’, enacted some of the harshest Covid restrictions in the world during the pandemic. At times, all citizens were required to fill in a form every time they left the home. Medical professionals who refused the vaccination were fired. And an army of police officers was deployed to issue fines and enforce lockdowns. The opposition parties are right to recognise that the French are fed up with Covid rules, especially now that vaccines have been widely available for well over a year.

"Yet Macron has made a habit of turning ‘temporary’ infringements on civil liberties into permanent features of French life. When he took office in 2017, France was still under a state of emergency following the Paris terror attacks in November 2015. Although he officially brought the state of emergency to an end, he only did so after passing some of its restrictions on civil liberties into law.... A state of permanent emergency, administrative controls over everyday life and restricted liberties have defined the Macron regime since its inception. The heavy-handed Covid response was an outgrowth of this existing authoritarianism. But the defeat of the Covid bill in parliament this week shows that opposition to Macron’s rule is mounting. And he will find it increasingly difficult to impose his will....

"For five years, Macron has ruled France with impunity. This period is now officially over. Parliamentarians have shown that they can now defeat the president, derail his agenda and scrutinise his government. Macron may now have to call for new parliamentary elections, but the risks are high. Given his sinking popularity, he may well find himself with even less support after a new vote. Whatever happens next, Macron has finally been humbled."
Read more: https://www.spiked-online.com/2022/07/15/the-french-are-fed-up-with-macrons-covid-tyranny/

Freedom Convoy protests spread around world

‘Snowball effect’: Canada’s trucker convoy sparks anti-mandate protests globally | Global News - Saba Aziz [stress added]:

February 9, 2022 - "Since Jan. 28, a convoy of vehicles, mostly trucks, has been parked around [Canada's] Parliament Hill.... Many in the hundreds of vehicles have vowed to stay until all COVID-19 restrictions, including mask and vaccination mandates, are lifted. As the Canadian truckers — many with families and children — continue to clog Ottawa’s streets, anti-vaccine mandate protests in several other countries have also picked up steam....

"Inspired by the Canadian truckers, French protesters set out from southern France on Wednesday in what they call a 'freedom convoy' that will converge on Paris and Brussels — headquarters of the European Union — to demand an end to COVID-19 restrictions. About 200 protesters assembled in a parking lot in Nice, on France’s Mediterranean coast, with many displaying Canadian flags in a nod to the truckers in Canada. The protesters in Nice said they are demanding, among other things, the scrapping of rules barring people from public venues if they do not have a COVID-19 vaccination. Not all of the people setting out from Nice planned to travel all the way to Paris or Brussels. The convoy was made up of motorcycles and private cars, but no trucks.

"In the city of Perpignan, near France’s border with Spain, around 200 people gathered to set off towards Paris as part of the 'freedom convoy' movement. Their convoy was made up of cars, some camper vans, and one heavy-goods vehicle.

"In the Australian capital, the 'Convoy to Canberra' rally against mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations has attracted protesters from across the country. Over the past week, hundreds of cars and trucks have blocked roads and targeted businesses in the city.

"Meanwhile, in Wellington, New Zealand, more than 1,000 people driving cars and trucks from around the country converged on Parliament Tuesday to protest against COVID-19 mandates. Among the protesters’ grievances is the requirement in New Zealand that certain workers get vaccinated against COVID-19, including teachers, doctors, nurses, police and military personnel.... New Zealand police said in a statement they have arrested more than 50 people who face charges including trespassing and obstruction, and will be bailed to appear in court.

"Across the border in the United States, an American version of Canada’s trucker convoy is planning a similar demonstration against COVID-19 mandates. Organizers of the 'The People’s Convoy' plan to kickstart their protest from Coachella Valley in Indio, Cali., on Mar. 4 and head towards Washington, D.C. 'Our brothers and sisters of the highway succeeded in opening Canadian’s eyes about the unconstitutional mandates and hardships forced onto their people and now it’s time for the citizens of the United States of America to unite and demand restoration of our constitutional right,' a statement posted on the group’s Facebook page said on Wednesday."

Read more: https://globalnews.ca/news/8608477/freedom-convoy-worldwide-covid-protests/  

Covid protests continuing throughout Europe

Vaccine passport protests in Europe draw thousands of people | CTV News - Associated Press (stress added):

January 22, 2022 - "Thousands of people gathered in European capitals Saturday to protest vaccine passports and other requirements governments have imposed in hopes of ending the coronavirus pandemic. Demonstrations took place in Athens, Helsinki, London, Paris and Stockholm.

Marches in Paris drew hundreds of demonstrators protesting the introduction from Monday of a new COVID-19 pass. It will severely restrict the lives of those who refuse to get vaccinated by banning them from domestic flights, sports events, bars, cinemas and other leisure venues. French media reported that demonstrators also marched by the hundreds in other cities.

"In Sweden, where vaccine certificates are required to attend indoor events with more than 50 people, some 3,000 demonstrators marched though central Stockholm and assembled in a main square for a protest organized by the Frihetsrorelsen - or Freedom Movement.... No major incidents or clashes were reported by late afternoon. A similar demonstration with some 1,000 participants was held also in Goteborg, Sweden's second-largest city.

"The Finnish government authorized local and regional authorities just before Christmas to introduce 'extensive and full measures' in response to rising virus cases involving the omicron variant. The restrictions included limiting or prohibiting events, moving university classes online, limiting restaurant service and closing venues where people have a higher risk of exposure. Restaurants and events are allowed to require vaccine passports. Police said some 4,000 people marched Saturday through the streets of central Helsinki to protest."

Read more: https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/vaccine-passport-protests-in-europe-draw-thousands-of-people-1.5750784

Violence erupts at Brussels Covid protest | The Times - Bruno Waterfield (stress added):

January 24 2022 - "There were violent clashes with police as more than 50,000 demonstrators from across Europe met in Brussels [on Sunday] to protest against lockdown measures, particularly vaccine passes. Police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse marchers, including peaceful protesters, at the end of a rally in Parc du Cinquantenaire, near the EU quarter of the city."

Read more: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/violence-erupts-at-brussels-covid-protest-q0v2q8hz3

Thousands protest Covid controls in Europe

Thousands protest against France COVID vaccine pass | Al Jazeera:

January 15, 2022 - "Protesters have taken to the streets in cities across France to reject a law that would see the implementation of tighter restrictions on people not vaccinated against COVID-19, as Parliament continues to debate the draft bill. Thousands took part in demonstrations on Saturday.... In the capital, Paris, where the largest single gathering set off from near the Eiffel Tower, the protest was called by anti-EU presidential candidate Florian Philippot. Other protests harked back to the 'yellow vests' movement of 2018-19 ... and there were further gatherings in big cities including Bordeaux, Toulouse and Lille.

"In Paris, demonstrators bore French and regional flags, with banners bearing messages like 'it’s not the virus they want to control, it’s you'.... Demonstrators were hoping to outstrip the 105,000 who hit the streets last weekend, some possibly mobilised by Macron’s declaration in a newspaper interview that he wanted to “p**s off” the unvaccinated with new restrictions"
Read more: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/15/covid-france-thuosands-protest-against-vaccine-pass

Thousands protest against Dutch COVID restrictions | Al Jazeera: 

January 16, 2022 - "Thousands of protesters have packed Amsterdam’s streets in opposition to the government-imposed COVID-19 restrictions and vaccination campaign as virus infections hit a new record. Authorities were granted stop and search powers at several locations across the city and scores of riot police vans patrolled neighbourhoods where the demonstrators marched with banners and yellow umbrellas.

"Regular protests against COVID measures are held across the country and Sunday’s large gathering was joined by farmers who drove to the capital and parked tractors along the central Museum Square. The crowd played music, chanted anti-government slogans and then marched along thoroughfares, blocking traffic. Al Jazeera’s Step Vassen said while the mood at the rally was 'quite heated', the protests were peaceful. 'There’s a wide range of people against government measures and a general distrust of politics,' she said. 'A lot of people are now not obeying the rules and are violating many of the rules that are still in place'....

"The Netherlands had one of Europe’s toughest lockdowns for a month through the end-of-year holidays.... Rutte’s government ordered the lockdown in mid-December as a wave of the Delta variant forced the health system to cancel all but the most urgent care...."Non-essential stores, hairdressers, beauty salons and other service providers were allowed to reopen on Saturday under strict conditions. Bars, restaurants and cultural venues have been instructed to remain closed until at least January 25."
Read more: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/16/thousands-protest-dutch-covid-19-lockdown-measures

Covid cases, restrictions roil western Europe

Europe faces its second covid Christmas with lockdowns, cancellations and rising cases | Washington Post - Perry Stein & Rick Noack: 

December 23, 2021 - "[W]ith the Netherlands in a national lockdown once more, ... [t]he mood in much of Europe reflects hopes briefly glimpsed — and then dashed. As in the United States, new cases of the omicron variant are quickly overtaking previously dominant delta variant. But many European governments have gone further than the United States in reimposing curfews, closures and travel restrictions. Ireland is shutting pubs at 8 p.m. Greece, Italy and Spain have reintroduced outdoor mask mandates. In Austria, people without proof of vaccination or covid-19 recovery can leave home only for essential reasons....

"Britain’s National Health Service reported Thursday that staff absences due to covid were up 50 percent from the previous week. Transport for London announced it was closing a Tube line until the end of the year over a lack of drivers. And the education secretary is calling for former teachers to return to classrooms, in anticipation of omicron-related staff shortages in January....

"Covid health passes — documenting vaccination, recovery or a recent negative test — have become routine in much of Europe and helped boost vaccination rates. Some countries are now tightening the rules: adding a booster requirement, dropping testing as an alternative. Italy on Thursday said unvaccinated people would no longer be able to partake in the ritual of having an espresso at a cafe counter. 

"Announcing that the French government intends to add more restrictions for the unvaccinated, Prime Minister Jean Castex lamented that hospital intensive care units 'are filled for the most part with unvaccinated people.' France has seen a problem with fake vaccination cards, too. Carole Ichai, a senior official at a hospital in Nice in southern France, said about 30 percent of patients in her hospital’s intensive care unit last week had counterfeit vaccination certificates....

"The Netherlands has the most all-encompassing restrictions at this point, with all but essential shops shut until at least Jan. 14. The sense that the worst of the pandemic is back may be most acute here.... In Amsterdam, the canalboats are docked. Dam Square is empty. Stores that were counting on strong Christmas sales are instead sending products back to their wholesalers, knowing they stand no chance of selling them now.... Some tourists, stuck with nonrefundable tickets, arrived in the city anyway this week but were disappointed they could no longer go to museums, restaurants or the famed Christmas markets....

"The restrictions across Europe have ruined yet another much-needed tourism season, said French travel agency operator Marie Vendroux-Deppe, who works with U.S. travelers. Most of her clients canceled their trips in the past few days, and now she doesn’t expect a return to normal until 2023."

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/12/23/covid-europe-lockdown-netherlands/

Redefining "fully vaccinated"

 COVID boosters: Is the definition of 'fully vaccinated' about to change to 3 vaccine doses? | Euronews - Julie Gaubert: 

November 21, 2021 - "Across Europe, the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of abating with several countries announcing further restrictions in recent days to contain a surge in new cases. As well as a new lockdown, Austria announced this week that vaccination will be made compulsory from February 1, making it the first EU country to issue such a mandate. But ... it is now becoming apparent that a third dose, or booster, will now be needed to keep COVID-19 cases numbers down. 

"On Monday, British prime minister Boris Johnson admitted that to be fully vaccinated no longer meant having two COVID jabs but rather three doses in order to prevent pandemic restrictions from being reinforced in the UK.... In the UK, the third dose has already been authorised for the over-50s and frail people since the beginning of September, with the goal of administering '10 million booster doses before Christmas,' Johnson said.

"Many European countries have launched their booster campaigns in recent weeks, but only 3.7 per cent of the continent's population has received a third injection, according to AFP.... Iceland is leading the way. Nearly 1 in 5 people have already received a booster dose in a population that is already 90 per cent vaccinated. Faced with the resurgence of cases, the Icelandic government announced last Friday new health measures for its citizens, including the wearing of masks and the third dose for all those over 16.

"Further to the east, Hungary and Serbia are in second place with 14 and 16 out of every 100 inhabitants respectively being triple vaccinated, according to data compiled by the OurWorldinData website.

"The United States announced on Friday health authorities have given the green light for a third dose of COVID vaccine for all adults who were fully vaccinated at least six months ago.

"In France, the over-65s have been called upon since September to receive a third jab or risk having their ‘passe sanitaire’, or COVID health pass, suspended in mid-December.... Is making a third dose a condition for obtaining a health pass becoming widespread? In France, the Academy of Medicine rejected the idea. The organisation said on October 29, that it was opposed to the possibility, which it said 'goes beyond' the objective of the document. This measure 'transgresses the role of the health pass, which was to limit the risk of transmission of the virus and to encourage the population to be vaccinated', the institution said in a statement.

"In Israel, on the other hand, unless you received your second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine within the last six months, you will now need a third dose to become eligible for a green pass, which allows entry to gyms, restaurants, and other venues.

"World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was 'a scandal' that six times more booster shots are being administered around the world daily than primary doses in low-income countries, adding that 'it must stop now'. 'It makes no sense to give boosters to healthy adults, or to vaccinate children, when health workers, older people and other high-risk groups around the world are still waiting for their first dose,' the WHO chief warned at a media briefing on November 12.

"For Dr David Nabarro, the WHO's special envoy on COVID-19, relying only on a full vaccination strategy is a gamble for rich countries. 'It has never been done before and it would really be an inappropriate public health strategy to do so,' he told the UK parliament’s All-Party Group on vaccines. The main threat is the reliance on existing vaccines, Nabarro warned." [stress added]

Read more: https://www.euronews.com/next/2021/11/21/covid-boosters-is-the-definition-of-fully-vaccinated-about-to-change-to-mean-3-vaccine-dos

We may soon need a fourth COVID vaccine dose because of the Omicron outbreak, says Pfizer CEO | Euronews - Pascale Davies: 

December 10, 2021 - "People may need a fourth COVID-19 shot sooner than expected, Pfizer’s CEO said on Wednesday. Albert Bourla told CNBC that preliminary research shows the new Omicron variant can undermine protective antibodies generated by the vaccine developed with BioNTech. The comments come after the company released the results from an initial lab study on Wednesday that showed a three-shot course of their COVID-19 vaccine could significantly protect against the new variant and said they could deliver an upgraded vaccine in March 2022 if needed.

"'When we see real-world data, it will determine if the omicron is well covered by the third dose and for how long. And the second point, I think we will need a fourth dose,' Bourla told CNBC, adding, it was still unclear when a fourth dose would be needed....

"As countries scramble to rollout COVID-19 vaccine boosters, a World Health Organization (WHO) advisory group on Thursday decided against endorsing a broad-based rollout of booster shots. The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) said poor countries are subject to vaccine inequality and that the first dose should be the priority. The WHO has endorsed third vaccines or booster shots for those who are immunocompromised or received an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine. But WHO experts have said there is not enough data on the Omicron variant to demonstrate that boosters are necessary."

Read more: https://www.euronews.com/next/2021/12/10/we-may-soon-need-a-fourth-covid-vaccine-dose-because-of-the-omicron-outbreak-says-pfizer-c

Covid restrictions tightened across Europe

COVID in Europe: Austria extends lockdown as Portugal tightens restrictions | Euronews with AP:

Map courtesy New York Times

December 1, 2021 - "COVID-19 cases are sweeping Europe once again.... Measures vary across the continent.... Here is a run-down of the latest situation in some of the European countries.

• "Austria's lockdown has officially been extended until December 11.... Essential shops that were allowed to open until 9 pm, however, will have to close by 7 pm starting on ... December 2.... Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg has also said that vaccination will become compulsory from February 1. Authorities in Austria said on November 17 that travellers would need to show a negative PCR test upon entering the country.
• "Portugal reintroduced tighter pandemic restrictions on Wednesday.... Face masks have once again become mandatory and the country tightened control of its borders. A digital certificate proving vaccination or recovery from COVID-19 is required to access restaurants, cinemas and hotels.... 
• "Belgium has closed nightclubs and requires people to work from home as part of an effort to curb COVID-19 cases. The government issued new measures on Friday (November 26) including shutting bars and restaurants from 11 pm. Events held indoors must be seated and private meetings, besides weddings and funerals, are banned.... 
• "Netherlands ... restrictions entered into force over the weekend includ[e] the closure of all non-essential shops including bars and restaurants from 17:00 to 05:00.... Hospitality and cultural venues have to ensure people are seated 1.5m apart.... Amateurs sporting events are also not permitted between 17:00 and 05:00 with professional sports events allowed to proceed but with no spectator.
• "A 30-day state of emergency came into effect on Friday (November 26) as the Czech Republic sees record-high COVID-19 cases.... Christmas markets across the country are banned and people will not be allowed to drink alcohol in public places.... Bars, restaurants, nightclubs, discotheques and casinos have to close at 10 p.m. The number of people at culture and sports events will be limited to 1,000 who are vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 All other public gatherings can be attended by up to 100 visitors, down from 1,000.
• "Slovakia declared a 90-day state of emergency and a two-week lockdown.... The ... measures ... include closing all non-essential stores, as well as bars and restaurants....
• [In] France ... From 15 January, all adults will need a booster jab at least seven months after being fully vaccinated in order to keep their health passes. From mid-December, people over the age of 65 will need one to have their health passes extended....
• "The Italian government on Wednesday (November 24) decided to exclude unvaccinated people from certain leisure activities.... Starting December 6, only people with proof of vaccination or of having recovered from COVID-19 can eat at indoor restaurants, go to the movies or attend sporting events. Having just a negative test result is no longer acceptable.... A new government decree also made vaccinations mandatory for law enforcement, military, and all school employees, among others.... Twenty towns in Italy's South Tyrol province face harsher COVID-19 restrictions from Wednesday (November 24) with an 8 pm curfew.... On public transport, passengers must wear an FFP2 mask or equivalent....
• "Sweden ... has announced that from December 1 a health pass will be required to attend any event of more than 100 people. The COVID pass — attesting that the holder has either been fully vaccinated, tested negative over the previous 72 hours or recovered from the disease over the preceding six months — has so far only been used in Sweden for travel purposes....
• "New COVID-19 restrictions came into force in Ireland on Thursday (November 18).... People were told to work from home unless attending the workplace is 'absolutely necessary'. A requirement for COVID-19 passes (based on vaccination or recovery) is extended to cinemas and theatres, while closing times for all on-licensed premises, including in hotels, will move to midnight.
• "[In] Ukraine From December 9, unvaccinated civil servants and social workers will be fired, the government said.... 
• [In] Latvia From 15 December, people must present a COVID-19 vaccination or recovery certificate in order to show up to work.
• "On November 12, Denmark reintroduced its digital pass.... For the next month, a valid pass is mandatory in order to enter nightclubs or cafes or to be seated indoors in restaurants." [stress added]

Read more: https://www.euronews.com/2021/12/01/covid-19-spike-felt-across-europe-as-vaccination-remains-stagnant

First traditional Covid vaccine approved in Europe

French firm Valneva wins approval from European Commission to supply Covid-19 vaccines | France 24:

November 10, 2020 - "French vaccine company Valneva on Nov. 10, 2021, said it won EU approval to supply up to 60 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine VLA2001.... The announcement came as the EU attempts to speed up its fight against rising Covid-19 cases.  'The Valneva vaccine adds another option to our broad portfolio, once it is proven to be safe and effective by the European Medicines Agency,' EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides said.... 

"Valneva is hoping its candidate, which uses more traditional technology than the mRNA vaccines, could be a more reassuring option for Europeans still reluctant to be immunised. While mRNA vaccines induce an immune response that targets just the spike protein of the coronavirus, the Valneva vaccine aims to stimulate an immune response to the entire virus, which could give it an edge in the fight.

"On October 18, Valneva said its vaccine demonstrated efficacy [performed] 'at least as good, if not better' than AstraZeneca's shot in a late-stage trial comparing the two, with significantly fewer adverse side effects. Valneva's trial was conducted while the highly-transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus was already circulating widely. The study also showed that Valneva's vaccine, given in two shots 28 days apart, prompted significantly fewer adverse reactions than the AstraZeneca vaccine, such as arm pain and fever, the company said."

Read more: https://www.france24.com/en/france/20211110-french-firm-valneva-wins-approval-from-european-commission-to-supply-covid-19-vaccines

The Valneva COVID-19 vaccine: Why it might be a game-changer | Al Jazeera - Amir Khan:

November 9, 2021 - "French pharmaceutical company Valneva ... has a vaccine with a difference.... It is different in that it uses the tried and tested method of taking the whole of the coronavirus and inactivating it so that it can no longer cause illness. It then combines with an adjuvant, a substance that helps it enter human cells effectively. A similar technique is used to make flu and polio vaccines. The idea is that by introducing a whole coronavirus into the human body, albeit one which has been inactivated and cannot cause illness, the immune system will recognise the whole virus as foreign and not just the spike proteins. This will give a much broader immune response and increase the memory cells that can recognise different parts of the virus should the vaccinated individual become infected with the real coronavirus.

"The company say[s] the advantage to this is that should any mutations arise on the spike protein that render it unrecognisable to the vaccine, the Valenva-induced immune response is broad enough to be able to recognise other parts of the virus so the immune reaction will still be effective. With the shapeshifting nature of the virus, it is worth investing in vaccines that do not rely on just one part of its structure to generate protection.

"Phase-three trials for the Valneva vaccine were carried out on more than 4,000 patients aged 18 years and older across 26 sites in the United Kingdom. The trials compared the immune response rates with those vaccinated with the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines and results showed that VLA2001 generated a stronger immune response than the AstraZeneca vaccine – with higher levels of neutralising COVID-19 antibodies in the blood. Researchers also found no severe cases of COVID-19 among participants receiving the Valneva vaccine, despite the Delta variant being in circulation during the trial....

"The UK, which initially put in an order for 100 million doses, recently cancelled that order over allegations of breach of contract, something the pharmaceutical company strongly denies. The contract Valneva has with the UK government lists a broad range of potential breaches and it is unclear which one the government is referring to, but 'supply issues' have been mentioned. Despite this, the manufacturers have applied to the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for approval, and expect to receive it by the end of the year."

Read more: https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2021/11/9/valneva-covid-19-vaccine-why-it-might-be-a-game-changer

1,000s protest vaccine mandates in Europe & NA

Thousands march in Montreal against mandatory vaccines for health workers, vaccination passport | CBC News - Sabrina Jones:
August 28, 2021 - "Thousands of people marched in Montreal Saturday in protest of Quebec's public health measures, including the upcoming vaccination passport and mandatory vaccines for health-care workers. Protestors gathered at Maisonneuve Park around 1 p.m. and marched along Sherbrooke Street to end in front of the Quebec Order of Nurses (OIIQ) building on Molson Street. Signs reading, 'Choice, not mandate' and 'No to mandatory vaccinations,' in French could be seen among the crowd.... 

"Organizers behind Saturday's protest, the Canadian Frontline Nurses and Réinfo Covid Québec, say this latest demonstration, called "Professionals United", is significant. According to the groups, professionals from health-care, education and policing sectors took part in it and spoke out, despite the repercussions they may face at work."
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-protest-mandatory-vaccines-vaccination-passport-1.6157031

Over 1,000 people protested against the vaccine mandate on Saturday in New York City | Daily Mail - Christopher Eberhart:
August 28, 2021 - "Over 1,000 people flooded New York City streets again to protest the COVID-19 vaccine mandate and then gathered in Columbus Circle where speakers fired up the crowd. One woman said, 'This is a war call. This is a fight. Leave here and do something ... Fight for your rights'.... The protest is in reaction to the new requirement for people ages 12 and older to show proof they've received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to get into restaurants or bars, gyms and indoor entertainment such as movies and theaters. 

"Demonstrators chanted sayings like, 'My body, my choice,' on their way to Columbus Circle Saturday afternoon. They held signs saying 'Stop the medical tyranny', 'I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery' and 'Coercion is not consent', among dozens of others.... 

"Similar protests took place across the pond in the UK, where thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of central London in protest as they continue their campaign against mandated vaccines and COVID-19 passports. Demonstrators purportedly from The Save Our Rights UK group, armed with St George's flags, placards, banners and megaphones, spent the afternoon marching through the capital.... Pictures from the scene show crowds armed with placards bearing slogans including 'my body my choice' and 'hands off our children' as they made their way through the capital on Saturday." 
Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9936429/Its-war-call-Thousands-flood-New-York-City-streets-protest-vaccine-mandate.html

Seventh consecutive weekly protest against France's Covid-19 health pass | France 24:
August 29, 2021 - "A total of 160,000 people protested across France on Saturday, the interior ministry said, angered at the country's Covid-19 health pass system which they say unfairly restricts the unvaccinated. By early evening the authorities had logged 222 separate protest actions, including 14,500 people who turned out in Paris.... 

"Saturday's overall figure was slightly down on the 175,000 protesters who turned out the previous weekend. Around 200,000 people have marched on previous weekends, according to interior ministry figures. Organisers claim the real numbers were double the estimates announced by police."
Read more: https://www.france24.com/en/france/20210829-seventh-consecutive-weekly-protest-against-france-s-covid-19-health-pass

Thousands march in Berlin in second day of anti-vaccination protests | Globe & Mail - Reuters:
August 29, 2021 - "Several thousand people marched through the streets of Berlin on Sunday for a second day of unauthorized protest against coronavirus vaccinations and restrictions.... Dozens of police dressed in riot gear sought to control the march through residential streets in eastern Berlin. Berlin police said on Twitter they had detained about 80 people at the demonstration, with a focus on violent people or those calling for violations of coronavirus regulations. On Saturday, police detained more than 100 people at a similar demonstration after the marchers tried to get through barricades to the government quarter in central Berlin."
Read more: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-berlin-protest-against-covid-19-health-regulations-vaccines-attracts/

Italian teachers protest against Covid pass for schools | La Prensa Latina:
August 30, 2021 - "Italian union members demonstrated Monday in front of Italy’s ministry of education in Rome against the requirement for a Covid health passport to enter schools. According to representatives of the Italian teachers union, the health pass imposed on citizens is an 'illegal, illegitimate, discriminatory and inadmissible instrument of blackmail, control and social exclusion.' Some 300 teachers, union representatives and anti-vaccine protesters took to the streets to demand the government to annul the new rule.... that will come into effect on 1 September."
Read more: https://www.laprensalatina.com/italian-teachers-protest-against-covid-pass-for-schools/

Protest Against Mandatory Vaccination Turns Violent in Greece | Greek Reporter - Tasos Kokkinidis:
August 30, 2021 - "Thousands took part in protests against mandatory vaccination in Greece on Sunday, the largest being held in Athens and Thessaloniki. In the Greek capital, police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse a group of demonstrators who threw flares and other objects at Syntagma Square opposite the Parliament building. Many demonstrators were waving Greek flags, chanting slogans and demanding the plan to make vaccinations mandatory for all health professionals starting September 1 be reversed. Dozens of people have been detained, as tensions were running high. This was the third major demonstration against compulsory vaccination in Athens in the last couple of months."
Read more: https://greekreporter.com/2021/08/30/protest-mandatory-vaccination-turns-violent-greece/

Vaccine passes and protests come to Canada

Thousands in Canada and France Protest Vaccine Passports | Voice of America:

August 14, 2021 - Thousands marched in Montreal and across France on Saturday to protest vaccine passports. Starting next month, in Canada’s Quebec province, proof of vaccination against COVID-19 will be needed to go to a restaurant, bar, gym or festival. The vaccination rate in Quebec is high: 84% of adults have received one dose, and 70% have received two. And yet protesters, often with their families, marched peacefully Saturday through the streets of Montreal. 

"'It should be the choice of each person whether to be vaccinated. With the passports it is a means of forcing us' to get vaccinated, said Veronique Whalen, a 31-year-old who came with her family and said she doesn't normally attend protests.

"In France, fewer people marched this Saturday, the fifth in a row, in opposition to a COVID-19 health pass that is needed to enter restaurants and travel on long-distance trains. The health pass took effect last week as new infections rose, thanks to the highly transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus. In the past week, France has reported more than 146,000 new cases and 358 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center."
Read more: https://www.voanews.com/covid-19-pandemic/thousands-canada-and-france-protest-vaccine-passports

Thousands gather in Montreal to voice displeasure at Quebec's impending COVID-19 vaccine passport CTV News - Daniel J. Rowe:

August 14, 2021 - "Organizers from Québec Debout say the 'Non a la passe sanitaire!' (No to the health pass) demonstration is to show the discriminatory aspect of the passport.....'The planned implementation of the health pass (proof of vaccination for restaurants, cinemas, sports teams, educational institutions, etc...) is an unprecedented prejudice for the population and is highly discriminatory,' the event page reads. 'We must say no together'....

"Starting at 2 p.m., marchers headed down Rene-Levesque Blvd. to the Place des Festivals, where several speakers addressed the crowd. Co-organizer Jonathan Hamelin said the protests will continue until a real debate on vaccine passports is held. 

"Quebec's opposition parties said the provincial government's refusal to hold a debate in the legislature on its plan to impose a vaccine passport system reflects a larger problem with its use of emergency powers. Premier François Legault responded by saying a debate isn't needed."
Read more: https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/thousands-gather-in-montreal-to-voice-displeasure-at-quebec-s-impending-covid-19-vaccine-passport-1.5547266

Vaccine pass protests continue in Europe

France, Italy see mass protests against COVID health pass - Deutsche Welle [stress added]:

August 8, 2020 -"Protesters took to the streets in France and Italy on Saturday in opposition to COVID rules that they say infringe on their civil liberties but which officials argue are needed to curb the coronavirus pandemic.... Demonstrations against France's health pass and mandatory vaccines for health care workers entered their fourth weekend, with Saturday seeing the largest rally yet. An estimated 237,000 people turned out nationwide, according to the Interior Ministry. The figure exceeds the attendance a week ago [of] 204,000 protesters.

"While 17,000 people turned out in Paris, much of the focus was in southern France — where between 10,000 and 20,000 people marched in Nice alone. In contrast to prior weekends, the demonstrations were largely peaceful. The more major scuffles broke out between protesters and police in Lyon, France's third-largest city. The city of Bayonne and other areas of southern France saw larger numbers of protesters... "The protests come on the heels of a Constructional Council ruling on Thursday [that] approved the government's plan for the health pass and vaccine requirements for workers in hospitals in nursing homes....

"Italy also saw thousands turn out against the implementation of the country's Green Pass, which is now required for teachers and for people to attend indoor events. News agency ANSA reported that 'thousands' marched in the city of Milan at an unauthorized protest.... Another 1,500 people gathered in Rome, posters reading: 'No Green Pass!' while in Naples, around 100 anti-vax protesters demonstrated against vaccinations for children....

"The health pass in France and the Green Pass in Italy are both digital certificates that provide proof of a person's coronavirus status.... The pass is already required in France for those who want to go to the movie theater or attend other major events. Starting on Monday, it will also be required for those who want to visit bars and restaurants, or for those traveling on long-distance trains or on airplanes. In Italy, the Green Pass is required to enter museums, sports venues, cinemas and for indoor dining. School teachers, university staff and university students are also required to show the pass."

Read more: https://www.dw.com/en/france-italy-see-mass-protests-against-covid-health-pass/a-58794976

Growing protest in France against vaccine passes

Macron’s vaccine passport is uniting French anti-fascists and nationalists | The Spectator - Gavin Mortimer, Coffee House:

August 2, 2021 - "For the third consecutive Saturday, thousands of people marched to protest against the introduction of the government's Covid passport. Almost a quarter of a million people took to the streets in 180 demonstrations, according to the government. These numbers are disputed by the organisers, who claim they are wildly conservative. But whatever the exact figure, it was a phenomenal number of demonstrators for the final weekend of July. A fortnight ago, according to the government, approximately 114,000 marched; and last week it was 161,000. To break the 200,000 mark is an indication of how the protest movement is growing.

"The demonstrators come from all cross-sections of society, and are overwhelmingly passive. The march I witnessed in Paris on Saturday featured an impressive array of fancy dress, dozens of children, a lot of dancing, and scores of placards relaying various messages, none of which were complimentary to president Macron. What was also notable was the low-key police presence. I saw none of the riot squad, only the regular Paris police, some of whom chatted happily to the demonstrators as they filed past.... According to the Minister of the Interior there were 19 arrests at Saturday's nationwide protests, ten of which were in Paris....

"The coverage in the Daily Mail and the Sunday Times was ... reductive. 'Thousands of anti-vaxxers march through Paris,' was the headline in the former, while the latter went with: 'Far right and gilets jaunes find common cause in France's antivax carnival.' The rallies across France were indeed marked by a carnival atmosphere, but the majority of those in attendance were not from the far right or the Yellow Vest movement and nor were they opposed to the vaccine. A minority are – or they oppose the vaccination of children – but most gave up their Saturday to defend the principles of Liberté, égalité, fraternité.

"The French media made the same mistake when the protest movement began. Most have now toned down their hostile coverage, acknowledging that the principle motivation for demonstrators is opposition to the introduction of a Covid passport that they claim is discriminatory.... According to political analyst Vincent Tournier, anti-fascists and nationalists have joined forces to resist what he described as 'the inception of a form of privilege: in creating two categories of citizens, one calls into question the civic culture that's founded on a deep-rooted attachment to equality'....

"[B]oth the grassroots left and right believe they have been abandoned by their political masters, few of whom have kicked up a fuss at the imposition of the passport. The muteness of most Unions has also been noted. As a consequence there is a perception among the people of a growing ideological chasm between themselves and a privileged elite....

"Macron's Covid passport is currently being scrutinised by the constitutional council, which has the power to order the government to make changes. It will announce its ruling on Thursday. If the council raises no objections, the passport will be implemented in its entirety on 9 August. Macron insists it's all in a good cause, but more and more of his people disagree."

Read more: https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/macron-s-vaccine-passport-is-uniting-french-anti-fascists-and-nationalists

Tens of thousands protest vaccine pass in France

Tens of thousands protest against health pass in France | Euronews - with AFP:

July 25, 2021 - "Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in the streets of France on Saturday afternoon against the extension of the health pass and compulsory vaccination for certain professions. It was the second weekend in a row to see thousands rally on the streets against the government’s decision to make it compulsory to have a health pass in order to access restaurants, bars and other cultural establishments. The pass attests that the holder has either been fully vaccinated, has tested negative over the previous 24 hours or has recovered from COVID during the previous six months. The new measure was announced last week by President Emmanuel Macron in a bid to boost vaccinations....

"Several thousand people, divided into at least three rallies, began demonstrating in the early afternoon in Paris. Mostly made up of ‘yellow vest’ protesters, a first procession set off shortly after 2pm from the Place de la Bastille, bound for the Porte de Champerret. In the Trocadero square several thousand people, rarely masked, gathered at the call of Florian Philippot. 'You are thousands,' said the President of the Patriots and former RN No. 2, between two 'Marseillaise'.... Finally, a third procession, made up of several hundred people, left the area around the Conseil d'Etat, bound for the Place des Invalides.

"These demonstrations come as a very large majority of French people (76%) approve of President Emmanuel Macron's decision to make vaccination compulsory for health care workers and other professions, with penalties attached, according to an Elabe poll for BFMTV on 13 July.... 

"Outside Paris, rallies are taking place in dozens of cities and towns in France. In Marseilles, thousands of people of all generations marched in a good-natured atmosphere to cries of 'Freedom, Freedom' or 'Macron, your pass, we don't want it', AFP noted.... At least a dozen rallies are taking place in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Demonstrations are taking place in Valence where there are several thousand people, in Lyon, in Auxerre where several hundred people are marching, in Bourg-en-Bresse, in Grenoble. In the Grand Est region, some 4,000 people are demonstrating, according to the police.

"Last Saturday, more than 110,000 people demonstrated throughout France against vaccination, "dictatorship" or the health pass, including 18,000 in Paris divided into several processions and 96,000 in the rest of the country, according to the Interior Ministry.

"A source of debate and the subject of numerous amendments in the National Assembly, the presentation of a health pass came partially into force on Wednesday. Already applied in cultural and leisure venues, its extension to cafés, restaurants and trains is planned for the beginning of August....

"A provision of the new text, currently being examined by the Senate after a first reading in the National Assembly, opens the way to dismissal for workers in establishments receiving the public who refuse to obtain a health pass. The bill also provides for compulsory vaccination for health care workers, firefighters and those working with the elderly."

Read more: https://www.euronews.com/2021/07/24/tens-of-thousands-protest-against-health-pass-in-franc

Ivermectin reduces severity of Covid infection, Pasteur Institute finds

Ivermectin reduces 'the severity of infection' with Covid-19, according to the Pasteur Institute - RT France (Google translated):

July 14, 2020 - "The Pasteur Institute is fueling the debate on ivermectin. The research center unveiled on July 12 a study on the effects of this antiparasitic treatment against Covid-19, which concludes that 'taking this drug at standard doses makes it possible to reduce in an animal model the symptoms and the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection'. The work of the scientists of the institute, published in the journal of the European Organization of Molecular Biology, thus underline that the ivermectin molecule causes 'a limitation of the inflammation of the respiratory tract and the symptoms which result from it' and 'protection against loss of smell'. 

"[T]he treatment does not seem to act on viral replication: 'The treated and untreated models had similar amounts of viral load in the nasal cavity and in the lungs. Our results show that ivermectin has an immunomodulatory and not an antiviral effect,' explained Guilherme Dias de Melo, epidemiologist and co-author of the study. Hervé Bourhy, head of unit at the Institut Pasteur who also took part in the work, nevertheless believes that these 'results provide significant progress and [...] pave the way for development axes for better treatments against Covid -19 in humans'. 

"Ivermectin is an antiparasitic commonly used against parasites such as scabies, onchocerciasis (river blindness) or lice. The drug is the subject of a promotional campaign on the networks, in particular since an Australian study published in the spring of 2020 had observed an in vitro efficacy of the ivermectin molecule on Sars-CoV-2. 

"But on March 31, a WHO [World Health Organization] clinical team said that the data from studies to measure their effectiveness against Covid-19 had not provided convincing results.... In addition, the manufacturer of the drug, Merck, assured on February 4 that the idea of ​​a 'potential therapeutic effect against Covid-19 has no scientific basis'.... 

"'Most often carried out in emerging countries, these clinical trials did not meet the conditions required for the testing of drugs in our country. This has led to criticism both within the World Health Organization and within the Directorate-General for Health' explained ... Jean-Pierre Changeux, famous neurobiologist co-signatory of the French study. Another factor, 'the controversy around hydroxychloroquine [another antiparasitic] has greatly affected the objective evaluation of ivermectin', argued the researcher. 

"[T]he institute's team followed a path developed over the past year by Jean-Pierre Changeux with Zahir Amoura, from Pitié-Salpêtrière. In March 2020, one of the latter's interns wondered about Chinese studies showing a low number of smokers among the sick. They then worked on the protection potential of nicotine against Covid-19. The two scientists started from the idea that the virus enters the body through the nicotinic receptor, a protein contained in neurons that Jean-Pierre Changeux himself had discovered and isolated in 1970. 'Our hypothesis is that the coronavirus would block directly or indirectly this receptor and that ivermectin could reactivate it' explained the neurobiologist.... 

"Despite the disavowal of the WHO, the drug has already met with success in several countries such as Brazil, Lebanon and South Africa. In Indonesia, AFP reports that pharmacies are facing a rush on ivermectin. Also in India, where a collective of lawyers from Bombay has announced that it is launching a lawsuit against Soumya Swaminathan, a pediatrician specializing in tuberculosis and scientific director of the WHO. Indian lawyers accuse him of dismissing evidence in favor of ivermectin, of having tweeted advising against its use (which they liken to disinformation leading to deaths), and of promoting laboratories that produce vaccines."

Read more: https://francais.rt.com/france/88707-ivermectine-reduit-gravite-infection-covid-19-selon-institut-pasteur

Read study: https://www.pasteur.fr/fr/espace-presse/documents-presse/ivermectine-attenue-symptomes-covid-19-modele-animal

Europeans protest Covid vaccine mandates

Protests hit Athens and Paris over new coronavirus restrictions, vaccine mandates | Washington Post - Erin Cunningham & Isabelle Khurshudyan:

July 15, 2021 - "Protests flared in France and Greece on Wednesday as residents angry over coronavirus curbs and vaccine mandates in both countries marched against new, stricter regulations that they say discriminate against people unwilling to be inoculated.

"In Paris, demonstrators clashed with police after French President Emmanuel Macron ... mandated vaccinations for all health-care workers and said new rules would require unvaccinated people to show negative coronavirus tests before entering bars, restaurants and other entertainment venues.

"Also this week, Greek authorities said all medical workers would need to be immunized or face penalties, and only vaccinated individuals would be allowed to use public indoor spaces until Aug. 31, through the height of Greece’s tourism season. The policies prompted demonstrations in Athens, where thousands gathered outside parliament Wednesday under heavy police presence."
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/15/coronavirus-latest-updates/

France protests: clashes with police on Bastille Day amid anger at tighter Covid rules | The Guardian - Agence France-Presse:

July 14, 2021 -  "Protests began in the French capital on Wednesday morning as the annual military parade for the traditional Bastille Day parade was taking place along the famous Champs-Élysées watched by president Emmanuel Macron. The demonstrators are unhappy at the decision announced on Monday to oblige health workers to get vaccinated and bring in a vaccine health pass for most public places. Unvaccinated people would require, for example, a negative test result to enter restaurants.

"In one area of the French capital police fired teargas to disperse the crowd. The declared route was not respected, the prefecture of police said in a tweet, condemning the 'throwing of projectiles' and lighting of fires by the protesters. 

"Throughout Paris some 2,250 people protested, while other demonstrations took place in Toulouse, Bordeaux, Montpelier, Nantes and elsewhere. The French authorities put the total number of protesters at 19,000."
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/15/france-protests-clashes-with-police-on-bastille-day-amid-anger-at-tighter-covid-rules

In Athens, thousands rally against COVID-19 vaccinations | Reuters:

July 14, 2021 - "More than 5,000 anti-vaccine protesters, some them waving Greek flags and wooden crosses, rallied in Athens on Wednesday to oppose Greece’s coronavirus vaccinations programme. Shouting 'take your vaccines and get out of here!' and calling on Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to resign, the protesters gathered outside parliament under heavy police presence....

"On Monday, the government ordered the mandatory vaccination of healthcare workers and nursing home staff following a steep rise in new COVID-19 infections in the middle of the vital tourism season."
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-greece-vaccines-pr/in-athens-thousands-rally-against-covid-19-vaccinations-idUSKBN2EK2FL

Hundreds of people protest Government response to pandemic | Irish Times - Sarah Burns & Marie O'Halloran:

July 15, 2021 - "Hundreds of people gathered outside the Convention Centre in Dublin on Wednesday night to protest against the Government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Protestors, which included some anti-mask and anti-vaccination demonstrators, congregated outside the Docklands venue at 9pm and had dispersed by around 1am....

"TDs [members of the lower house of parliament] on Wednesday passed Government legislation to allow for the reopening of indoor dining. The Health (Amendment No.2) Bill 2021 will allow pubs and restaurants to resume indoor service for those who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or who have recovered from the disease in the last six months....

"Waving flags and shouting various slogans including 'shame on you' the crowd crossed all age groups but included a large number of young people and those who said they had never previously attended a demonstration before but were angry at what they perceived as a division of society between the vaccinated and unvaccinated, which they said was discriminatory."
Read more: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/hundreds-of-people-protest-government-response-to-pandemic-1.4621261

2nd lockdown in Netherlands, 3rd in Czechia

Netherlands and Czech Republic to enforce strict Christmas lockdowns | The Guardian - 

December 14, 2020 - "The Netherlands and the Czech Republic have said they will follow Germany into strict second lockdowns over the holiday period, with Italy weighing similar measures to avoid a fresh surge in coronavirus infections over Christmas and new year.

"In a rare television address, the Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, said non-essential shops and businesses, gyms, museums, cinemas and theatres would close for five weeks.... Bars and restaurants in the Netherlands have been closed since mid-October but the partial lockdown has not slowed the spread of the virus enough, Rutte said, as anti-lockdown protesters booed and whistled outside his office. 

"'The Netherlands will close for five weeks,' Rutte said... People were advised to stay at home and could have only a maximum of two guests a day, Rutte said, except for 24-26 December when the limit would be raised to three, excluding children under 13. Schools will close from Wednesday, he added, and the measures would last until 19 January.

"Restaurants, hotels and indoor sports venues in the Czech Republic, which reopened barely a fortnight ago, will also close again from Friday, said the prime minister, Andrej Babiš, as cases began to rise again after dipping earlier this month. Public gatherings will be limited to six people indoors and out, instead of the current 10 and 50, with a nationwide curfew from 11pm until 5am and an early start to Christmas school holidays, although shops will remain open....

"Italian media reported the government was considering placing the whole country under 'red-zone' lockdown from Christmas Eve until at least 2 January amid mounting fears of infections over the festive period. The measures could include extending night curfews, banning non-essential movement, shutting all except for non-essential shops and closing all bars and restaurants on weekends and holidays.... Earlier this month the government banned travel during the holiday period except for work, health or emergency reasons, barring Italians from leaving their home towns on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day....

"Italy’s expected move follows a similar step by Germany, which on Sunday said it would close all except essential shops such as supermarkets and pharmacies, as well as hair and beauty salons, from Wednesday until at least 10 January as it battles “exponential growth” in infections.... German president] Merkel had hoped a 'lockdown lite' imposed in November would bring infection levels down so Germans could celebrate Christmas and new year almost normally, but the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases reported more than 16,000 new cases on Monday, 4,000 more than seven days ago.

"Britain is expected to maintain its rules around Christmas despite scientists and government advisers urging people to rethink their plans and ignore the easing of Covid rules amid fears over rising cases and hospitalisations in parts of the UK. 'Christmas bubbles' allow three households to mix between 23 and 27 December." 

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/14/italy-likely-to-follow-germany-with-covid-christmas-lockdown 

More national lockdowns, in France and Germany

Covid: Merkel warns of 'long, hard winter' as lockdowns return | BBC News:

October 29, 2020 - "German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned of a long, hard winter ahead as she defended the reinstatement of a national lockdown.Mrs Merkel was heckled by right-wing MPs as she outlined the new measures in parliament. Rising coronavirus infections and deaths are triggering tougher restrictions across Europe.

"France restores a lockdown on Friday, ordering people to stay at home unless for essential work or medical reasons..... Germany's new measures, which come into force on Monday, are not as far-reaching as in France, but they include the closure of restaurants, bars, gyms and theatres, Mrs Merkel said.

"Addressing parliament on Thursday Mrs Merkel said that 'winter will be hard - four long, difficult months - but it will come to an end'. During her speech, Mrs Merkel was heckled by members of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party who oppose the restrictions. Leader Alexander Gauland accused the government of 'corona dictatorship'.... Germany, like other countries, has seen protests by people claiming restrictions are unwarranted.

"Germany's partial lockdown will last until 30 November under terms agreed by Mrs Merkel and the 16 state premiers. Bars and restaurants will close except for takeaway, but schools and kindergartens will remain open. Social contacts will be limited to two households with a maximum of 10 people and tourism will be halted.... 

"Meanwhile in France, Mr Macron said that under the new rules, people would need to fill in a form to justify leaving their homes, as had been required in the initial lockdown in March. Social gatherings are banned. But he made clear that public services and factories would remain open, adding that the economy 'must not stop or collapse'.... Prime Minister Jean Castex told parliament on Thursday that all students aged six and over would have to wear face masks in class.... He said companies would be strongly urged to have their employees work from home 'five days a week'....

"[E]lsewhere in Europe ... Poland ... has imposed a nationwide 'red zone' lockdown that includes the partial closure of primary schools and restaurants. Italy ... has already introduced new restrictions which will be in place for a month. All bars and restaurants across the country have to close by 18:00, although they can provide takeaways later. Gyms, swimming pools, theatres and cinemas have to close, but museums can remain open. Gatherings for weddings, baptisms and funerals are banned.

"Spain began its nationwide curfew on 25 October after the government declared a new state of emergency. People in all regions, with the exception of the Canary Islands, have to stay at home between 23:00 and 06:00....

"The Republic of Ireland went into a second national lockdown earlier this month for a six-week period."

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54728893