COVID
European governments keep innovating in dispersed order. France sets up a health passport when Russia and Norway abandon it.
Being vaccinated is more or less everywhere in Europe. And, surprisingly, such obligation includes pregnant women and children over the age of twelve.
The latest variant of the virus (“Delta”) appears to be a challenge for policymakers and doctors. Far from moving away, the pandemic is redoubling – but it seems to be less dangerous.
This is therefore the 4th wave of the Covid, even if it ultimately seems much less fatal. Are there dangerous (and numerous) side-effect of the vaccine? The pro-vax are convinced of it, the anti-vax strongly doubt it. To be continued (alas …)
Forest fires
As usual, the summer season is always a time for major forest fires. This year, Greece seems to have suffered the most in Europe. Portugal, Spain, Russia and France (to a lesser extent) are also heavily affected. Overall, summer is extremely hot in Europe this year.
Afghanistan
It’s 2021 summer drama. The Afghan National Army (ANA) collapsed in no time. While serious analysts (but not US Intelligence, apparently) had no doubts about the final victory of the Taliban fighters, such a rapid collapse was rather surprising. Including for the Talibans themselves who were forced to close all their Koranic schools during August to put their students at crossroads and abandonned administrations.
The Europeans had broadly foreseen a more or less imminent collapse and their nationals had (always “globally”) already been exfiltrated from this country.
This evacuation cruelly raises the question of European participation (among others French and German) in this invasion in 2001 and the establishment of a government tht was seen by locals as artificial, corrupt and a Westerners puppet.
Fighter jets: Croatia buys Rafales, Switzerland goes for F35.
At the beginning of June, Croatia confirms the purchase of a dozen bursts from Dassault for the sum of 999 million euros. The aircraft had been in competition for several months with the American F-18 and F35, the Israeli F-16 and the Swedish Gripen.
However, many people have raised the inconsistency of such a purchase in times of crisis. Croatian Defense Minister Mario Banozic retorted that this purchase was by no means “a fad” or the purchase of “new toys” but that “These planes are simply the basis of our security”. The first planes will be delivered from 2023-2024.
Conversely, the Swiss Confederation made the surprising choice of the American F35. Surprising because this plane is above all a stealth fighter-bomber, while Switzerland aims to renew its “hunt” to monitor the territory. Moreover, the F35 seems extremely expensive (which does not frighten the Swiss, of course) and not quite to the point (which is not customary in the country, the birthplace of watchmaking precision.)
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