The outdoor mask returns in several departments

Wearing a mask is again mandatory in public spaces in some communes of Meurthe-et-Moselle, Hérault and Vendée, the prefects of these departments have announced. They noted rapid increases in incidence rates and the alert threshold being exceeded. Throughout the France, to go to the cinema, the museum or sports establishments, the French must now present proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test, while the number of contaminations has jumped by 140% in a week.

Pegasus: Morocco wants to defend itself in court

The Moroccan government has said it wants to initiate legal proceedings against anyone who accuses Rabat of having used the Pegasus software, used on a large scale to spy on journalists, activists or political figures, denouncing a "mensong media campaign era, massive and malicious". Rejecting again "categorically these false and unfounded allegations", the Moroccan government said it was "opting for a judicial approach, in Morocco and internationally against any party taking up these false allegations". A senior official at Israeli cybersecurity giant NSO argued wednesday that French President Emmanuel Macron was not targeted by his controversial Pegasus software.

IN BRIEF

The riots and looting that occurred in South Africa left 276 people dead. Erupting in Kwazulu-Natal on July 9, the day after ex-President Jacob Zuma was jailed for contempt of court, they then expanded, against a backdrop of endemic unemployment and new health restrictions, reaching Johannesburg, to calm down earlier this week.

Lewis Hamilton's overtaking on the first lap of the British Grand Prix, which led to Max Verstappen's accident, was "totally in line with the overtaking rules", the Mercedes team maintained.