DR Congo Searches for 6-Year-Old Ebola Patient Kidnapped by Knife-Wielding Attackers
DR Congo Searches for 6-Year-Old Ebola Patient Kidnapped by Knife-Wielding Attackers
Officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) confirmed on Tuesday that unknown knife-wielding attackers abducted two people, a woman and her six-year-old child, from an Ebola treatment center. Both victims are believed to have tested positive for the disease.
The incident occurred in North Kivu, eastern DRC, one of three provinces experiencing the highest number of Ebola cases during the current outbreak. Neighboring Ituri province is believed to have been the origin of the first case of Ebola since the outbreak began this year. Authorities are unsure when the outbreak began; the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) declared a public health emergency on May 17, but W.H.O. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus told reporters this month that the outbreak could have begun as early as in January.
The chaotic gang violence consuming eastern DRC is a major factor in the delay in public health experts and humanitarian aid workers identifying the outbreak of the disease, as well as a lack of funding, community hostility towards humanitarian aid workers, and the strain of Ebola involved in the situation. Experts ultimately identified the pathogen causing the outbreak as Ebola Bundibugyo, a less common strain of the virus which the tests for other strains, such as the more common Zaire strain, were reportedly not able to identify.
As of Wednesday, the W.H.O. and affected governments have confirmed 856 cases of Ebola Bundibugyo associated with the current outbreak and 198 confirmed deaths within those. Most of these were identified in DRC, with the exception of 19 confirmed cases in Uganda. Authorities have identified another 235 suspected cases of Ebola in DRC but have not confirmed if these individuals are suffering from Ebola or another disease.
Reuters confirmed the story of the missing six-year-old Ebola patient on Tuesday. The girl and her mother were reportedly abducted at gunpoint from the Wanamahika Hospital in Butembo. There were no other reported victims and the attackers apparently did not injure or target anyone else, suggesting that they intended to abduct the two specific people they took rather than generally spread terror or engage in a mass abduction for ransom, as with similar cases elsewhere in Africa.
“The attackers, armed with bladed weapons, stormed a clinic near Butembo, North Kivu province, late on Monday and took the pair away, according to a provincial notice seen by Reuters.,” Reuters reported. “The notice did not identify the assailants or give their motives.”
Local official Dr. Lubambo Maboko Gaston told Reuters that authorities are concerned for the fate of the two victims and about the possibility that extracting Ebola patients from isolation would result in further spread of the disease.
“We are making a solemn appeal for them to go as soon as possible to an Ebola treatment centre, as their return to the community risks worsening their health and, above all, infecting their relatives,” he was quoted as saying.
Eastern DRC is home to a large number armed paramilitaries who often fight for control of mineral-rich territory and force local children to mine for hazardous but lucrative substances under dangerous conditions. Among the most dangerous is the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a radical Islamist terrorist paramilitary linked to the Islamic State. The ADF’s attacks have continued unabated throughout the Ebola outbreak, disrupting humanitarian efforts. In early June, for example, an attack attributed to ADF terrorists targeted North Kivu, killing 16 people and displacing entire communities as the terrorists burned down homes in three villages near the city of Beni.
The Congolese outlet Radio Okapi reported on Monday that ADF attacks have escalated since March in Ituri province. The outlet found, citing locals in the communities, that over 20 villages in Ituri had been targeted in ADF attacks in the past three months. These attacks resulted in “loss of human life, massive displacement of populations, and the paralysis of socio-economic activities in this area.”
Ebola patients and health workers in DRC must also contend with the widespread belief in the region that Ebola is not real, but rather an excuse for international organizations to kill large numbers of Africans. This belief that the disease is a “population control” measure fuels attacks on isolation wards, including by relatives of Ebola patients seeking to help their loved ones “escape” a death they believe will come at the hands of healthcare workers.
“Some people say Ebola is a story invented by doctors,” Jean Assumani, a worker in Ituri, DRC, told UNICEF. “Others claim that humanitarians created this disease to make money. But those who have seen people die of Ebola completely change their minds and start protecting themselves. They then understand that this disease is real.”
In May, Ituri and North Kivu experienced a wave of mob attacks in which locals attempted to set isolation centers on fire, steal the bodies of Ebola victims, and help living patients flee.
Ebola spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of those already infected, particularly their blood. Traditional burial rituals in much of Africa require close contact with the dead, facilitating the spread of the disease. Mob attacks to seize control of the bodies of Ebola victims thus greatly jeopardize the health of those participating in them.
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
