lördag 31 oktober 2026

Young children hit hardest by Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Published 06.00

Anneli Eriksson, a nurse with Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières), is on the ground in the Congo. To the right, medical staff are speaking with patients. Photo: Doctors Without Borders

The mortality rate is high among children affected by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the fight against the infection, they are kept in isolation—away from their families.

"Young children, in particular, are extremely vulnerable," says nurse Anneli Eriksson, who is providing care to the youngest patients in Butembo.

One in four people infected with the virus in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a child. The mortality rate has also proven to be higher among the youngest; at an Ebola treatment center in the city of Butembo, 24 out of 30 children admitted between June and September of this year died.

Doctors Without Borders is now sounding the alarm, calling for better protection for children and for their inclusion in research regarding the virus.

"Young children do not have fully developed immune systems. They can go from feeling relatively well to becoming severely dehydrated very quickly—for instance, due to diarrhea, which is common with Ebola. It is more difficult to reverse serious symptoms," explains Anneli Eriksson, a nurse with Doctors Without Borders.

She is currently working at a transit center in Butembo, where people with suspected symptoms arrive. This is her fifth time working with Ebola patients. The risks are high; there is neither an approved vaccine nor a treatment for this specific strain of the virus. “This is different from the previous Ebola variant.”

“Terrifying”

Children arriving at the center with suspected Ebola are separated from their families to prevent the spread of the virus. Often, they are too young to even grasp their situation.

“It is, of course, terrifying to suddenly find yourself in a reality where you are alone in a bed, and the people caring for you enter wearing masks and large, yellow protective suits,” says Anneli Eriksson.

At the same time, she notes significant differences compared to the Ebola outbreak in Liberia twelve years ago. Now, there are individual rooms with plexiglass or plastic windows facing a “low-risk area.”

“Having a mother or father nearby—while they can’t lie in the same bed, they can be just a meter away—makes a huge difference. These are simple yet ingenious solutions.”

The children also have dedicated caregivers, who wear full protective gear.

Assisting health centers

It is not yet known why children are affected by the virus at a higher rate, but many of those infected had previously received care at other health centers. Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) is working to help local healthcare services limit the spread of the virus—despite limited resources—by implementing proper protocols and hygiene practices.

Anneli Eriksson herself has an “extremely high” level of respect for the virus.

“If you aren’t a little bit afraid all the time, you might become a danger to yourself.”

Amidst a difficult situation, the bright moments stand out to her—like when a little boy recently recovered and was able to hug his mother and father.

“It’s those moments that make it all so deeply meaningful.” It sounds grim—the mortality rate is high—but many of those we care for survive, especially if they receive treatment in time.

Facts

Ebola

The Ebola virus is an RNA virus that causes hemorrhagic fever. There are six variants of the Ebola virus; four of these cause disease in humans.

The Bundibugyo variant is responsible for the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There are no vaccines or specific treatments for this particular variant, though development is underway.

Ebola is transmitted between humans through bodily fluids. Sexual transmission can also occur. The onset of illness is rapid, characterized by flu-like symptoms such as high fever, headache, sore throat, gastrointestinal symptoms, and muscle pain. In the later stages, bleeding may occur on the skin and within internal organs.

During outbreaks in affected African countries, the mortality rate is often estimated to be as high as 50–90 percent. With access to adequate intensive care, the mortality rate is significantly lower.

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the ongoing outbreak has surpassed 10,000. According to the Ministry of Health in Kinshasa, approximately half of these individuals have died.

This makes it the deadliest Ebola outbreak in the country’s history, as well as the fastest-growing one.

Cases have also been confirmed in Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria.

Source: WHO, Public Health Agency of Sweden

Man död i Huthi-fängelse – FN kräver utredning

TT-AFP

Publicerad 19.14

Volker Türk. Arkivbild. Foto: Hassan Amma/AP/TT

En FN-anställd som fängslades av Huthirörelsen i Jemen har avlidit i fångenskapen. Nu kräver organisationens människorättschef Volker Türk att dödsfallet utreds.

Muhammed al-Shami, som arbetade vid FN:s människorättsavdelning i Jemen, hade hållits fången av Huthirörelsen sedan 2024, uppger FN i ett uttalande.

Dödsfallet uppges ha skett för över en månad sedan, men al-Shamis anhöriga fick inte reda på det förrän alldeles nyligen.

Türk säger i uttalandet att ingen förklaring lämnats gällande den ”hjärtskärande förlusten” och kräver ”full transparens från Huthi-kontrollerade myndigheter och en brådskande, oberoende och grundlig utredning” kring hur och varför Muhammed al-Shami dog.

Iranstödda Huthirörelsen, som befinner sig i krig mot Jemens internationellt erkända och Saudistödda regering, håller 71 FN-anställda fångna, uppgav FN-talespersonen Farhan Haq tidigare i oktober.

Move to segregate ballots from Alaska

TT-AP

Published 06.17

Alaska’s incumbent Senator Dan S. Sullivan speaks during a campaign rally earlier in October, flanked by President Donald Trump. Photo: Lindsey Wasson/AP/TT

The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking a court order to segregate certain ballots from Alaska in order to investigate potential voter confusion.

Meanwhile, a criminal investigation has been launched in the state concerning a Senate candidate who shares the same name as the incumbent Republican—Dan Sullivan.

The Department of Justice’s request concerns ballots on which the challenger, Dan J. Sullivan, has been selected. The goal is to ensure that no “confusion” occurred on the part of voters regarding Senator Dan S. Sullivan.

Earlier on Friday, it was reported that federal prosecutors are investigating election fraud. Democrats are being accused of orchestrating a scheme to seize a Senate seat from Alaska by fielding a candidate who happens to share the same name as the incumbent.

Trump’s multi-billion dollar lawsuit against newspaper dismissed again

Published 21:34

US President Donald Trump, on the left, in the White House in February 2025. On the far right sits *Wall Street Journal* owner Rupert Murdoch. US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick stands in the middle. Photo: Evan Vucci/AP/TT

A federal judge in the US state of Florida has dismissed Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the newspaper *The Wall Street Journal*. This is the second time this year that the case has been rejected.

The President sued the respected business newspaper and its owner, Rupert Murdoch, for $10 billion—equivalent to just over 90 billion Swedish kronor—following reports regarding his ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The article concerned a letter with an erotic theme that, according to the newspaper, Trump sent to Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003.

A judge dismissed the lawsuit in April of this year, after which it was refiled. This new filing has also been rejected—this time "with prejudice," meaning the case cannot be brought forward again. In the ruling, the judge writes that the Trump side was "grasping at straws" in an attempt to prove that the facts had been fabricated.

Elon Musk’s mockery amid crypto crisis

Agnès Ericson

Published 20:02

Elon Musk is mocking Binance following the largest crypto theft ever.

“Please, stop,” the company’s founder writes to the tech billionaire.

Overnight into Thursday, hacker groups managed to seize assets worth 62 billion kronor.

Bloomberg describes it as the crypto industry’s largest-ever theft, and analysis firms TRM Labs and Chainalysis have identified North Korean hackers as being responsible for the heist.

Since Thursday night, Binance has been working intensely to track and freeze the stolen assets.

Now, a new problem has emerged: Elon Musk.

On Friday, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao responded to a post on X claiming that the company’s total loss amounts to approximately one billion dollars.

“Please, stop”

Billionaire Elon Musk reacted to the post with a grimacing emoji.

Changpeng Zhao fired back.

“Elon, I have great respect for you, but this is the wrong time to troll. Please, stop.”

He continues:

“Our shares in SpaceX (from our $500 million investment in your acquisition of Twitter) are worth over a billion dollars. I would appreciate it if you showed some support. Thanks!”

Denies plans to sell shares

The response raised questions as to whether Binance intends to sell shares to cover the losses—a notion that co-founder Yi He has denied, Reuters reports.

So far, the company has managed to freeze assets worth approximately $30 billion, and on Saturday, it stated that it has covered 90 percent of the stolen funds out of its own pocket.

“Binance will bear the financial consequences of the theft—not our users,” the company wrote in an update.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are currently under investigation. Binance has indicated that the hackers likely gained access via a laptop belonging to one of the company’s software developers.

Steve Hanke: BREAKING: Marco Rubio Says U.S. Is Ready for Military Action Against Iran

Dialogue Works

Hussain Al-Bukhaiti: BREAKING: YEMEN HIT SAUDI NAJRAN, TAIZ TO FALL! YEMEN MOVING INTO SAUDI ARABIA

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Alastair Crooke: "The Wipeout Is Coming"—White House Rocked by Growing Mayhem

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Seyed M. Marandi: BREAKING: Iran's Supreme Leader Orders Military to Strike W/O Geographic Limits

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Scott Ritter: Scott Ritter Tears Into EU for Sanctioning Col. Jacques Baud

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Clashes during new protests in France

Malin Carlsson/TT

Published 11:42 | Updated 18:25

A police officer aims a blow at a protester in Paris. Photo: Aurelien Morissard/AP/TT

Barricaded shops, 70,000 police officers and gendarmes, and around 40 Paris metro stations closed.

Demonstrations have been held across France on Saturday, with police using tear gas in several locations to disperse protesters.

Initially, the situation was described as relatively calm. However, later on Saturday afternoon, an increasing number of reports emerged regarding clashes between police and protesters in many cities. Police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators in cities including Lyon, Marseille, and Nantes.

In Paris, tear gas was used to disperse protesters who refused to leave the area near Porte de Charenton, where the protest march concluded. According to BFMTV, police were attacked with fireworks. Some masked protesters used hammers to break up cobblestones, which they then threw at the police, AFP reports.

Hundreds of thousands demonstrate

According to the Ministry of the Interior, approximately 320,000 people across France are participating in demonstrations this Saturday, French media report. The Ministry states that 70,000 people have taken to the streets in Paris, while 15,000 and 10,000 have demonstrated in Marseille and Nantes, respectively.

The organizers, for their part, state that nearly half a million people took part in demonstrations on Saturday, including 200,000 in Paris. Trade unions, student organizations, and the "Yellow Vests" protest movement had urged the French public to turn out in force to express their discontent regarding the high cost of living and the neglect of schools.

The country’s Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez—echoing warnings from last week—cautioned of a high risk of unrest, prompting the deployment of approximately 70,000 police officers and gendarmes nationwide.

In Paris, around 40 metro stations have been closed for the day, and the protest march was forced to alter its route after permission to pass through a specific area in the city center was denied.

Across the country, shops have boarded up their storefronts with plywood to prevent them from being stormed or looted.

Blocking schools

Starting Tuesday, student organizations plan to carry out new blockades at secondary schools and universities.

Demonstrations over the past few weeks have brought hundreds of thousands of people out onto the streets. At times, the protests have turned violent, with clashes between demonstrators and police in several locations. Last Saturday, more than 1,300 people were arrested, and around 50 were injured.

Stone-throwing at German demonstrations

Published 18:11

In more than 30 German cities, people demonstrated for causes including better schools; pictured is a demonstration march in Frankfurt. Photo: Michael Probst/AP/TT

Nearly 200,000 people took part in demonstrations across Germany on Saturday—protests inspired by the recent demonstrations in France.

Demonstration marches were organized in around 30 German cities, with participants calling for lower living costs and better school environments.

In most locations, the protests reportedly remained peaceful, but unrest broke out in cities including Cologne and Hamburg.

Images from Hamburg show fires being lit in the streets, and according to the newspaper *Bild*, a large number of individuals threw firecrackers, bottles, and cobblestones at the police.

In Cologne, police used water cannons to disperse crowds. The situation was also volatile in Stuttgart, where demonstrators threw eggs and cobblestones at the police.

Poland expert on the chaos: “People are tired”

Linnea Blomberg

Published 17.44

Chaos erupted in the capital on Friday evening. Photo: WOJTEK RADWANSKI / AFP

Poland finds itself in the midst of a bitter political conflict.

And there appears to be no quick solution in sight, according to Poland expert Barbara Törnquist-Plewa.

“I believe the infighting will continue until the next election,” she says.

The political power struggle in Poland has once again reached a critical point.

At its core, the conflict concerns the country’s judicial system and the deep divide between President Karol Nawrocki and Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

According to Barbara Törnquist-Plewa, professor emerita at Lund University and an expert on Poland, the situation is serious—but far from new.

“I think ordinary Poles are very tired of this incessant bickering that is always going on.”

While she describes the situation as serious, she also suggests that it has received a disproportionate amount of attention.

“It is undoubtedly a legal and political issue, but it shouldn’t have escalated to this extent.”

Warning of riots

Meanwhile, there is concern that the protests could escalate.

Törnquist-Plewa points specifically to the involvement of the Polish far-right.

“I fear that because the Confederation—the far-right—is involved in these protests, they could incite riots.”

She also highlights the risk that unrest in other European countries could inspire further protests. – Political scientists often refer to this as the "demonstration effect." If some form of revolt or widespread protest is taking place in one country, it can easily spread to others.

Will it be possible to resolve the conflict?

– The only thing that could truly resolve the situation would be for Tusk and Nawrocki to sit down, talk to each other, and reach a solution, says Barbara Törnquist-Plewa.

However, she does not believe such an agreement is anywhere near happening.

– Unfortunately, I don’t think that will happen. I believe the conflict between them will continue until the next election.

Russia Attacks Ships In NATO Waters; Tightens Black Sea Blockade; Dnipro Railway Dnieper Bridge Hit

Alexander Mercouris

80 US Air Force Tankers AMASS as Iran Rains HELLFIRE on Hormuz | Mark Sleboda

Danny Haiphong

USA targets Brazil: Trump rejects Lula's victory in election, helps candidate flee

Geopolitical Economy Report

Bolsonaro left the country due to “persecution”

Agnès Ericson

Published 14:06

Flávio Bolsonaro, who faces money laundering allegations, fled the country in secret.

He now speaks about his decision—and his final visit with his scandal-plagued father.

Brazilian right-wing politician Flávio Bolsonaro, 45—son of imprisoned former president Jair Bolsonaro—left Brazil amid high drama after losing to leftist president Lula da Silva in the presidential runoff.

Together with his wife and two daughters, he fled on foot across the border into Argentina, then continued via Ecuador toward Miami in the United States.

In an Instagram live stream, Flávio Bolsonaro explains that he left Brazil due to what he describes as “persecution,” AFP reports.

“The persecution began even sooner than I had imagined,” says the defeated presidential candidate.

Met with his teary-eyed father

In the clip, Flávio recounts visiting his father, Jair Bolsonaro—who is under house arrest for an attempted coup—just as police informed him that they intended to seize his passport as part of a money laundering and corruption investigation.

“With tears in his eyes, he said to me, ‘You already understand what they’re trying to achieve with this, don’t you?’ I replied, ‘Dad, I already understand... Now I know what I have to do,’” he said.

The 45-year-old reveals no details regarding how the escape to the U.S. was carried out, but notes that he made the decision in consultation with his wife, “without anyone else knowing.” “I didn’t leave Brazil; I departed for the sake of Brazil.”

In a live broadcast, Flávio Bolsonaro recounts how he left the country.

Wants to run again

Bolsonaro has not acknowledged Lula da Silva as the winner. He has claimed that electoral fraud took place, without presenting any evidence.

He warns that Brazil’s economy will “go bankrupt” during Lula’s new term.

At the same time, he says he is prepared to run for the presidency again.

“I’m not talking about 2030. I’m talking about sooner than that.”

Burnham open to apology for the slave trade

Published 19.32

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, pictured here on Wednesday. Photo: Alastair Grant/AP/TT

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has indicated that the UK might apologize for its role in the slave trade—a practice that enriched the country over the course of centuries. However, he rules out financial compensation.

The UK must acknowledge its part in the slave trade, Burnham stated on Saturday, according to the BBC, describing it as a “brutal and barbaric atrocity.”

The country has never apologized for the slave trade, but Burnham says he is open to an apology. There will, however, be no question of compensation for the descendants of enslaved people.

That is not the right path to take, he writes in an op-ed for *The Guardian*. “I do not believe that today’s Britons can be held responsible for historical wrongs, however abhorrent they may have been,” he writes.

The British slave trade was abolished following the passage of anti-slavery legislation in 1833.

Reports of new attacks – Rubio: No decision made

Published 12:03 | Updated 18:11

Marco Rubio at the G20 meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. The photo was taken on October 30. Photo: Megan Varner/AP/TT

The United States could launch attacks against Iran as early as Wednesday, November 4—the day after the U.S. midterm elections—according to sources who have spoken with MS Now.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio states that no decision has been made on the matter.

The reports regarding potential strikes come from three anonymous, high-ranking officials from states in the Gulf region, who were informed by the U.S. that they should prepare for a new wave of attacks.

According to Rubio, President Donald Trump has not yet decided whether Washington should launch further attacks.

"We can achieve military objectives if we choose that path. He (Trump) has not made a decision. I have nothing to announce to you on that point today," Rubio told reporters at a press briefing held in conjunction with the G20 meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday.

Iran: No planned talks with the US

TT-AFP

Published 15.51

Abbas Araghchi. File photo. Photo: Vahid Salemi/AP/TT

Despite growing concerns that the war might resume, there are no plans for new talks between Tehran and Washington, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has announced.

“At present, there are no planned meetings with American representatives, and any speculation to the contrary is merely a media fabrication,” Araghchi said in an interview with the Qatar-based outlet Al Jazeera, adding that Iran sees no reason for new talks “under the current circumstances.”

The Foreign Minister confirmed that a letter had been received from US Vice President-elect JD Vance and that its contents had been discussed during high-level meetings.

“If Washington’s goal with the message was to sow division, it would mark yet another misstep,” Araghchi said—though he nonetheless welcomed Washington’s efforts to open a dialogue.

Poland Judiciary Coup? G20 Photo Debacle; Lavrov Blocks Europe

Alex Christoforou

Unconditional Acceptance: Putin’s New Terms Stun Europe

The Duran

Lavrov in Tehran; Vance Reaches Out to Iran Hardliners; Strike After Midterms

The Duran

Latest News

Middle East Crisis Iran War
Sources: Attacks on Iran planned for the day after the election

The US may launch a new attack on Iran as early as the day after the midterm elections on November 4. This is according to three high-ranking, anonymous officials from the Gulf states, who spoke to MS Now.

The US administration has reportedly informed representatives of the Gulf states to prepare for a short but intense strike against Iran in the middle of next week.

The US has not attacked Iran since September 1, and Donald Trump has promised that hostilities would not resume until after the midterm elections.

On Saturday, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, reportedly warned the US against launching new attacks, according to AFP.

“If the enemy once again initiates military or terrorist attacks, it is the armed forces of the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation who will determine the timing and the terms for bringing them to an end,” reads the statement attributed to Khamenei.

Protests in France
French authorities concerned ahead of the evening following new protests in Paris

Tens of thousands of Parisians took to the streets again on Saturday—the third consecutive weekend of protests against deteriorating living conditions—reports *Le Monde*.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez fears further violence this evening and has therefore banned demonstrations in specific areas of central Paris. Meanwhile, shops have been barricaded, and 70,000 police officers have been deployed to handle any potential rioting.

Further protests are also expected in the coming week. The student organizations participating in the protests have stated that they will block upper secondary schools and universities in the capital during the coming week.

The Climate Threat Threats to Biodiversity
200 countries pledge to do more to preserve biodiversity

Following a difficult process, the 200 nations participating in a UN meeting on biodiversity have reached an agreement that includes a commitment to "accelerate" efforts to preserve nature and the Earth's biodiversity, reports AFP.

The meeting, held in Yerevan—the capital of Armenia—concluded in overtime, much like many UN climate summits. As is often the case in such contexts, critics argued that the agreements reached were far from sufficient.

"Nature will not wait for our negotiations," says Monique Barbut, France’s Minister for Ecological Transition.

The next global summit on biodiversity will be held in Ecuador in 2028.

Global Public Health
Study: Meat better than plant-based food for human gut microbiome

A new Danish study has sent shockwaves through the scientific community, reports *Berlingske*. According to Professor Oluf Borbye Pedersen, those who consume meat have a health advantage over vegans: a more diverse gut microbiome.

"A huge surprise," Borbye Pedersen told the newspaper.

"At first, I thought there might be a systematic error."

The prevailing recommendation, by contrast, is to eat less meat and more plant-based foods. Research has shown that such a recommendation leads to lower blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and reduced inflammation—but there is one benefit that vegans miss out on: a greater diversity of bacteria in their gut flora.

To support his findings, Oluf Borbye Pedersen compared samples from 150 individuals. His theory is that the difference stems from the subjects' protein intake.