Hantavirus: How to Not Give in to Panic?

With a name reminiscent of a mysterious bacterium, was the MV Hondius destined to become a hantavirus hotspot? After the evacuation of 125 passengers and crew members, the cursed cruise ship is sailing towards the Netherlands, still carrying the body of a deceased German woman. The ship is expected to arrive in Rotterdam Sunday night. All passengers have been repatriated. However, monitoring and quarantine protocols are not standardized. This situation is critical, especially as the first signs of disease among rats aboard the cruise ship are reminiscent of the hesitations and contradictions during the early stages of Covid-19. Nevertheless, there is no indication at this stage that this alert could turn into a global pandemic. Yet, there is a certain amount of alarmism circulating online and on social media, particularly from conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxxers.

One of the questions raised by this new alert is whether the world has learned anything from the Covid pandemic. Are we collectively better prepared to face phenomena that epidemiologists now consider inevitable in a globalized world? The editorial guest, Patrice Bourdelais, a historian and demographer, director emeritus at EHESS, and author of the book “Resisting the Breath of the Epidemic: From the Black Death to Covid” published by CNRS Editions, sheds light on these issues.

A 300-page report has plunged the Israeli state back into the horrors of the barbaric attacks of October 7. An Israeli inquiry commission published its findings today documenting the extent of violence committed by Hamas terrorists on that day, including extreme sexual crimes. The report is based on numerous survivor testimonies and thousands of visual documents, concluding without ambiguity on the systematic sexual violence on a large scale.

Currently, Mali is facing uncertainty after coordinated jihadist attacks allied with Al-Qaeda targeted strategic positions controlled by the junta. Since April 30, Islamist terrorists have imposed a road blockade of Bamako by burning vehicles and blocking essential routes to the capital, which is heavily dependent on road imports.

As the first day of the appeal trial of Nicolas Sarkozy concludes, the prosecution has requested that the former president be found guilty of involvement in a criminal association to receive clandestine Libyan funds for his victorious 2007 campaign. This morning, the prosecution was expected to announce its charges concerning three other offenses for which Sarkozy had been acquitted in the first instance, including corruption, illegal electoral campaign financing, and misappropriation of public Libyan funds.

Laurent Wauquiez aims to unite the right. The Les Républicains group president in the Assembly is concerned about the high number of presidential candidates, fearing a runoff between La France Insoumise and Rassemblement National. This morning, Wauquiez acknowledged Bruno Retailleau as the legitimate candidate for his party in 2027, despite remaining in favor of a primary election.