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A lawyer defending Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari,  the Hindu priest arrested and accused of sedition in Bangladesh, has been attacked, the ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) has said. A court in Bangladesh is expected to hear the case on December 3. 

In a post on X, Radharaman Das, the spokesperson for ISKCON, said, "Please pray for Advocate Ramen Roy. His only 'fault' was defending Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu in court. Islamists ransacked his home and brutally attacked him, leaving him in the ICU, fighting for his life".

Many lawyers in Bangladesh, however, have denied any such event.

Last month too, there were claims on social media and a few news outlets that a lawyer defending Chinmoy Krishna Das was killed. But investigations revealed that the murdered lawyer, Saiful Islam, was an assistant public prosecutor and he was not defending Chinmoy Das.

The post from Radharaman Das read: 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Please pray for Advocate Ramen Roy. His only 'fault' was defending Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu in court. 
 
Islamists ransacked his home and brutally attacked him, leaving him in the ICU, fighting for his life.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SaveBangladeshiHindus?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SaveBangladeshiHindus</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FreeChinmoyKrishnaPrabhu?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FreeChinmoyKrishnaPrabhu</a> <a href="https://t.co/uudpC10bpN">pic.twitter.com/uudpC10bpN</a>
— Radharamn Das राधारमण दास (@RadharamnDas) <a href="https://twitter.com/RadharamnDas/status/1863593503609303469?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2024</a></blockquote>

Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a prominent former leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Bangladesh, was arrested in Dhaka last month after protests by the Hindu community in Rangpur, demanding stronger legal protections for minority groups. He has been accused of sedition and was denied bail by a Dhaka court on Tuesday.

Bangladesh has seen widespread political violence and protests over minority rights since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Amid attacks on minority Hindus in the neighbouring coutry, Radharaman Das had earlier posted on X that two disciples of Chinmoy Krishna Das have gone missing in Chattogram after a second Hindu monk, Shyam Das Prabhu, was arrested.

India has condemned the arrest and urged Bangladeshi authorities to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and other minorities. 

The arrest has also been strongly criticised by Indian religious leaders and members of the civil society.

Protest rallies have been held in West Bengal and several other staes that share border with Bangladesh.

In Tripura, the criticism has taken the form of boycott. Hotels and restaurants have decided not to accept bookings from tourists from Bangladesh, the top association of the travel sector has said.

Earlier today, more than 50 protesters allegedly entered the premises of the Bangladeshi mission in Tripura capital Agartala, leading to panic among the officials and staff at the complex. India has described the incident as "deeply regrettable".

Advocate Defending Hindu Priest In Bangladesh Attacked, Says ISKCON

Scientists have been left amused after spotting an octopus hitchhiking during its journey, albeit with an unlikely marine friend. In a <a class="sp_lnk2" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cYlBarkmDY&t=1s" rel="noindex,nofollow">video </a>posted on social media, researchers captured the orange-hued Maori octopus clinging to the back of a large shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus), regarded as one of the fastest sharks in the world.

The footage captured in December 2023 but released this week shows the "sharktopus", casually strolling around in the Hauraki Gulf off the northern coast of New Zealand's North Island.

"At first, I was like: 'Is it a buoy? Is it entangled in fishing gear or had a big bite?'" Rochelle Constantin, marine ecologist at the University of Auckland told the <a class="sp_lnk2" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/science/octopus-riding-shark-new-zealand.html" rel="noindex,nofollow">New York Times.</a>

Afterwards, one of the technicians set up a drone for a closer look which managed to capture the stunning footage. As per the researchers, what made the incident unusual was the fact that octopuses are usually found on the seabed where shortfin mako sharks rarely pay a visit.

"We moved on after 10 minutes, so I can't tell you what happened next. The octopus may have been in for quite the experience, though, since the world's fastest shark species can reach 50 km per hour," said Ms Constantin.

"The 'sharktopus' encounter is a reminder of the wonders of the ocean. One of the best things about being a marine scientist is that you never know what you might see next in the sea. By supporting conservation initiatives, we can help to ensure that such extraordinary moments keep happening."



<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Octopus spotted riding on top of world's fastest shark <a href="https://t.co/631gtGK5eg">pic.twitter.com/631gtGK5eg</a>
— Nature is Amazing ☘️ (@AMAZlNGNATURE) <a href="https://twitter.com/AMAZlNGNATURE/status/1903172171410678242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<h3>Social media reacts</h3>

As the video went viral, social media users reacted in astonishment with many calling the octopus smart for utilising the ocean resources for its commute.

"This octopus is a genius. Work smart, not hard," said one user while another added: 'Bro got himself an Uber."

A third commented: "You know humanity is doomed when the alien octopi start domesticating the sharks to ride into battle."



<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Bro got himself an Uber ? <a href="https://t.co/GbNHd1XH9V">https://t.co/GbNHd1XH9V</a>
— John Mark Bucsit (@JMBucss) <a href="https://twitter.com/JMBucss/status/1903299400488894786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The researchers said it is possible that the octopus may have fallen with the shark quickly devouring it but it is equally likely that the eight-armed commuter may have slid to the seabed safely, owing to the shallow waters.

Octopus Caught Hitchhiking On Shark's Back In Viral Video: "Bro Got An Uber"

<div id=":r8" class="Am aiL Al editable LW-avf tS-tW tS-tY" tabindex="1" role="textbox" spellcheck="false" aria-label="Message Body" aria-multiline="true" aria-owns=":11b" aria-controls=":11b" aria-expanded="false">
Indian passengers At Kuwait Airport: कुवैत एयरपोर्ट पर भारतीय यात्री फंसे हुए हैं. मुंबई से मैनचेस्टर जा रही गल्फ एयर की फ्लाइट को तकनीकी खराबी के कारण कुवैत इंटरनेशनल एयरपोर्ट पर इमरजेंसी लैंडिंग करनी पड़ी. फ्लाइट के इंजन से धुआं निकलने की सूचना के बाद यह कदम उठाया गया. हालांकि, यात्रियों को वहां कोई मदद नहीं मिल रही है, जिससे वे 23 घंटे से ज्यादा समय से बिना &nbsp;खाना-पानी &nbsp;के एयरपोर्ट पर फंसे हुए हैं. दरअसल, मुंबई से मैनचेस्टर जा रही फ्लाइट के इंजन में खराबी के कारण कुवैत एयरपोर्ट पर इमरजेंसी लैंडिंग की गई. फ्लाइट में धुआं देखने के बाद यह निर्णय लिया. 60 भारतीय यात्री 23 घंटे से एयरपोर्ट पर इंतजार कर रहे हैं. उन्हें न तो बैठने की पर्याप्त जगह दी गई है और न ही भोजन-पानी उपलब्ध कराया गया है. सोशल मीडिया पर यात्रियों की शिकायतें
सोशल मीडिया पर वायरल हो रहे वीडियो में यात्री कुवैत एयरपोर्ट अधिकारियों के साथ बहस करते दिख रहे हैं. यात्रियों ने आरोप लगाया है कि भारतीय यात्रियों के साथ जानबूझकर गलत व्यवहार किया जा रहा है. वहीं, अब तक गल्फ एयर की ओर से यात्रियों की मदद या समस्या के समाधान को लेकर कोई ठोस बयान नहीं आया है.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Embassy has been informed by Gulf Air that the flight for stranded passengers from Kuwait to Manchester is tentatively scheduled at 3.30 am on 2 Dec. This is being conveyed to all passengers by the Embassy team at the airport. <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrSJaishankar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PMOIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MEAIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KVSinghMPGonda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KVSinghMPGonda</a>
&mdash; India in Kuwait (@indembkwt) <a href="https://twitter.com/indembkwt/status/1863258309878267989?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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दूतावास ने लाउंज में किया ठहराने की व्यवस्था
कुवैत में भारतीय वीजा ऑन अराइवल (VoA) के लिए पात्र नहीं हैं, इसलिए वे एयरपोर्ट से बाहर नहीं निकल पा रहे हैं हालांकि वहां भारतीय दूतावास उनकी सहायता करने की कोशिश कर रहा है. फंसे हुए भारतीयों की परेशानी और बढ़ गई है क्योंकि कुवैत में खाड़ी सहयोग परिषद (GCC) की बैठक के कारण एयरपोर्ट होटल उपलब्ध नहीं है. दूतावास ने उन्हें एयरपोर्ट लाउंज में ठहराने का प्रबंध किया है.
भारतीय दूतावास की प्रतिक्रिया
कुवैत में भारतीय दूतावास ने रविवार रात को एक्स पर कहा "दूतावास को गल्फ एयर की ओर से बताया गया है कि कुवैत से मैनचेस्टर के लिए फंसे हुए यात्रियों के लिए उड़ान 2 दिसंबर को सुबह 3.30 बजे निर्धारित है. हवाई अड्डे पर दूतावास की टीम &nbsp;सभी यात्रियों को यह जानकारी दे रही है. लाउंज में फंसे यात्रियों के लिए भोजन और पानी उपलब्ध है"
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Reading WHY BHARAT MATTERS while getting stuck in Kuwait without any help All British Passport holders got their hotels sorted with On-arrival visa while <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianPassport?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianPassport</a> holders have been left stranded without any info, food, or any kind of help. <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrSJaishankar</a><a href="https://twitter.com/GulfAir?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GulfAir</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GF5?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GF5</a> <a href="https://t.co/5qUNEP8rMO">pic.twitter.com/5qUNEP8rMO</a>
&mdash; Shivansh (@shiv4nsh) <a href="https://twitter.com/shiv4nsh/status/1863117612411994509?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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फंसे हुए यात्रियों में से एक सॉफ्टवेयर इंजीनियर शिवांश ने एक्स हैंडल @shiv4nsh से लिखा &ldquo;बिना किसी मदद के कुवैत में फंसे रहने के दौरान (विदेश मंत्री एस जयशंकर की) Why Bharat Matters पढ़ रहा हूं. सभी ब्रिटिश पासपोर्ट धारकों को VoA के साथ अपने होटल की व्यवस्था कर दी गई, जबकि भारतीय पासपोर्ट धारक बिना किसी जानकारी, भोजन या किसी भी तरह की मदद के फंसे रह गए.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
01.12.2024 at 2.50 - I was traveling on a Gulf Air flight with other 268 passengers last night when the left engine caught fire mid air when we are cruising at 15000 meters attitude, leading to an emergency landing in Kuwait City. 💤💤<a href="https://twitter.com/GulfAir?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gulfair</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/thankyou?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#thankyou</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/flight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#flight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fire?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#fire</a> <a href="https://t.co/KnA3h4Z6c1">pic.twitter.com/KnA3h4Z6c1</a>
&mdash; Sai Samrat Anandapu (@SamratChintu) <a href="https://twitter.com/SamratChintu/status/1863229575431332048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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एक अन्य यात्री साई सम्राट आनंदपु ने अपने हैंडल @SamratChintu से ट्वीट किया "मैं बहरीन में ट्रांजिट के साथ हैदराबाद से मैनचेस्टर जा रहा था. हमारी उड़ान सुबह 2.10 बजे शुरू हुई, लेकिन 1.5 घंटे बाद बाएं इंजन में आग लग गई, जिससे कुवैत सिटी में आपातकालीन लैंडिंग हुई. हम 6 घंटे से अधिक समय से मदद का इंतजार कर रहे हैं, लेकिन केवल ब्रिटिश नागरिकों और जीसीसी निवासियों को ही जगह दी गई है, जिससे हम भारतीयों को मदद नहीं मिल पा रही है. हमारे बीच बच्चे और बुजुर्ग भी हैं, जिन्हें मैनचेस्टर के लिए हमारी उड़ान के बारे में कुछ नहीं बताया गया है. कृपया हमें ठहरने के लिएआवास प्रदान करें, क्योंकि हमें फ्रेश होने हैं."
</div>
ये भी पढ़ें:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.abplive.com/states/delhi-ncr/arvind-kejriwal-said-delhi-is-captured-by-gangsters-in-press-conference-after-arrest-of-aap-mla-naresh-balyan-2834058">'नरेश बाल्यान खुद पीड़ित, उन्हें मिल रही धमकी', AAP विधायक की गिरफ्तारी पर बोले अरविंद केजरीवाल</a>

कुवैत में करानी पड़ी फ्लाइट की इमरजेंसी लैंडिंग, 23 घंटों से एयरपोर्ट पर ही फंसे कई भारतीय

Vodafone Idea is in exploratory talks with various satellite communication providers, including Starlink, the company said on Wednesday, a week after the Indian telecom firm's rivals signed deals with Elon Musk's company.

The mobile operator made the disclosure after Indian stock exchanges sought a clarification on its stock move and a report by local financial news website Moneycontrol earlier in the day.

Shares of Vodafone Idea rose nearly 5% on Wednesday.

"Our strategy is to provide services -- whether fixed or mobile -- in uncovered areas, where satellite makes perfect sense," Vodafone Idea Chief Technology Officer Jagbir Singh told Moneycontrol, as per the report.

"The other (strategy) is to provide fixed wireless broadband in rural areas and smaller towns, where it is expensive to roll out such services."

Last week, Elon Musk's SpaceX signed deals with Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio to bring Starlink's internet services to India.

As part of the deals, the Indian operators will stock Starlink's equipment in their retail stores, giving the US-based satellite communication firm a direct distribution point in thousands of such outlets across the country.

The deals will be conditional on Starlink obtaining government approval to begin operations in the country.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Vodafone Idea In Talks With Elon Musk's Starlink, Other Satcom Providers

Eight years before the Boeing Starliner suffered glitches, ensuring an extended stay on the International Space Station for nine months, NDTV had spoken to Sunita Williams and asked whether she thought flying on a privately built spacecraft could be risky. The Indian-origin astronaut, who had already begun collaborating with Boeing at the time, had said that while there were bumps and even a few heated discussions, she was confident that the spacecraft would be safe when people flew in it.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV during a visit to India in 2016, Ms Williams also spoke about being the first astronaut to have samosas on the International Space Station (ISS) and how she intended to carry an idol of Lord Ganesh, whom she called her "good-luck charm", on her next spaceflight. <a class="sp_lnk2" href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/sunita-williams-butch-wilmore-elon-musk-spacex-crew-9-earth-international-space-station-nasa-stranded-astronauts-return-journey-to-begin-shortly-7948251" target="_blank">Follow Sunita Williams Homecoming Live Updates Here</a>

Responding to a question on whether she thought she was taking a big risk by being one of the first astronauts on a private sector spacecraft, Ms Williams, who is vastly experienced and also held the record for the maximum hours of spacewalks by a woman, said the collaboration with Boeing and SpaceX had been really good and the companies had allowed them to participate in the development of the craft.

"We are working hand in hand with our commercial partners. And I think it's a really good collaboration, a really good partnership where, particularly the first four of us who are going to more than likely fly on their spacecraft, they have allowed us into their companies to take a look at what their engineers are doing and understand from the grassroots part of development of the spacecraft, how it is being made. What's interesting and nice about that, I think they are open to that because both of these companies only have a limited number of people who have flown in space," she had said.

Ms Williams said the companies understood that the astronauts were trying to ensure they would be successful and their expertise would help them.

"At the same time, we are not doing things the way we have always done them. We are letting the companies come up with new ideas. And so we are having this dialogue back and forth, a little bit of a debate, like, how come you think this process is correct? And then they have to defend it a little bit. We have to defend our ideas of why we think things should go a (certain) way. And then we could come to the best solution," she said.

"So, of course, we are going to run into bumps and have a little heated discussion on some of these things. But I think we will iron it all out and we will figure it all out. And I think by the time we put the people on the spacecraft, we will have a very safe spacecraft," she asserted.

Ms Williams was assigned to the Starliner project in 2018 and played a key role in the development of the spacecraft, which carried her and fellow NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore to the International Space Station in June last year.

Indian Connection

Sunita Williams' father, Deepak Pandya, is from Jhulasan village in Gujarat's Mehsana and left for the United States in 1957. The Indian connection was clearly very much on her mind when NDTV asked her why she ate samosas at the ISS and said she had asked for some "special things that reminded her of home".

"I think my answer to a lot of things is, why not? If you have the opportunity, take it. I love samosas. I had asked for some special things that reminded me of home, and one of those things was samosas. And so my family was somehow able to work with NASA - we get some care packages when we are up in space for a long time, and so they put the samosas in there, and it was a nice surprise," she said.

The astronaut had carried the Gita into space in an earlier mission and to a question on what she intended to take with her next, she said it would probably be a Ganesh idol.

"Something for my niece and nephew, who are both Indian. I will probably bring something for them, some Indian toys as well as probably another Ganesh, because Ganesh is my good luck charm... I'm more of a just a spiritual person. I just know he's there with me, guiding (me)," she said.

Ms Williams also said she had been good friends with fellow Indian-origin astronaut Kalpana Chawla since she had met her after joining NASA.

"We did a lot of things together. Did a lot of nature walks, went bike riding quite a bit, just talked a lot. She's just the type of person that you would automatically connect with. And probably our similar backgrounds, just having Indian parents, you know, lent itself to that," she said.

Calculated Risks

When she was asked whether Ms Chawla's death - when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into the Earth's atmosphere in 2003 - worried her sometimes, Ms Williams said, "Yes and no. I mean, we understood, I knew we would come to the conclusion and understand exactly what happened to Space Shuttle Columbia. And we would fix that problem. And moving on from there, I think all of the Columbia crew, all the members there, were all good friends of ours in the astronaut office. And I think what their dream, their vision, was just to continue and to explore.

"And, so, it worries us all. I think every time we or any of our friends from the office get on a rocket, it's a big explosion essentially that you're sitting on. But those are calculated risks," she asserted.

Samosas And The Risk Of Private Spacecraft: What Sunita Williams Had Told NDTV

Europe has had the highest number of measles cases since 1997, according to a <a href="https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/13-03-2025-european-region-reports-highest-number-of-measles-cases-in-more-than-25-years---unicef--who-europe">new report</a> from the World Health Organization (WHO). There were 127,350 cases in 2024 - about double the number from 2023.

"Measles is back, and it's a wake-up call," says Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe. "Without high vaccination rates, there is no health security." Last year, there were 38 deaths from measles.

<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/hcp/index.html">Transmission</a> is similar to COVID, with respiratory droplets and aerosols (airborne transmission) spreading the virus between people. The infection produces a rash and fever in mild cases, and encephalitis (brain swelling), pneumonia and blindness in <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/measles/">severe cases</a>.

Hospitalisation and deaths are overwhelmingly in unvaccinated people, with <a href="https://vk.ovg.ox.ac.uk/vk/measles#:%7E:text=In%20high%20income%20regions%20of,children%20in%20resource%2Dpoor%20countries.">mortality rates</a> in developed countries around one in 1,000 to one in 5,000 measles cases.

Each person infected with measles will, <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(17)30307-9/fulltext">on average</a>, spread the virus to between 12 and 18 other people. This is more infectious than COVID. For example, someone with the omicron variant would spread the virus to <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992231/">around eight others</a>.

In 2022 the <a href="https://theconversation.com/measles-why-the-world-health-organization-has-declared-it-an-imminent-global-threat-195499">WHO had described measles</a> as an "imminent threat in every region of the world". The widespread impact of COVID made it harder for people to access healthcare, reducing the ability of regular health services, like vaccinations, to function properly.

These new stark figures from WHO Europe are an inevitable consequence of lower vaccination rates. Measles is almost entirely vaccine-preventable, with two doses <a href="https://vaccineknowledge.ox.ac.uk/mmr-vaccine#:%7E:text=After%20two%20doses%20of%20MMR,will%20be%20protected%20against%20rubella.">providing</a> greater than 99% protection against infection. The vaccine has an <a href="https://www.unicef.org/eca/stories/yes-mmr-vaccine-safe">excellent</a> safety record, with severe harm being extremely rare.

The proportion of the population that needs to be vaccinated to keep local transmission low and prevent outbreaks (so-called "herd immunity") is <a href="https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/herd-immunity#:%7E:text=Measles%2C%20for%20example%2C%20spreads%20so,the%20threshold%20is%20about%2080%25.">around 95%</a>.

WHO Europe <a href="https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/13-03-2025-european-region-reports-highest-number-of-measles-cases-in-more-than-25-years---unicef--who-europe">highlighted</a> some examples of where there are clear gaps in vaccine coverage. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Romania, fewer than 80% of eligible children were vaccinated in 2023, with rates below 50% for the past five or more years. Romania had the highest number of measles cases in Europe in 2024 - an estimated 30,692 cases.

<h2>Misinformation is the driver</h2>

Misinformation is an important factor that reduces vaccine uptake. For example, in the UK, former physician Andrew Wakefield <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.c7452">presented falsified data</a> in 2002 claiming the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine caused autism. He somehow got these claims <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673697110960/fulltext">published in The Lancet</a> - although the paper was later retracted.

This fake scare received <a href="https://infectologia.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Miniconferencia.-Del-mito-del-autismo-al-brote-de-sarampi%C3%B3n-David-Salisbury.pdf">sustained media coverage</a>, which resulted in lower uptake in young children at the time and was then a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-vaccine-uptake-during-the-2023-to-2024-mmr-catch-up-campaigns-in-england/evaluating-the-impact-of-national-and-regional-measles-catch-up-activity-on-mmr-vaccine-coverage-in-england-2023-to-2024#main-messages">key factor</a> a large measles outbreak among teenagers in England in 2012.

The claims have spread internationally. In 2020, a <a href="https://misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/users-of-social-media-more-likely-to-be-misinformed-about-vaccines/">US population survey</a> found that "18% of our respondents mistakenly state that it is very or somewhat accurate to say that vaccines cause autism".

Sadly, misinformation about health can even be found at the highest levels of government. US President Donald Trump repeatedly <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-versus-truth-most-outrageous-falsehoods-his-presidency-n1252580">made false claims</a> during the COVID pandemic, including the suggestion that <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/it-s-irresponsible-it-s-dangerous-experts-rip-trump-s-n1191246">injecting disinfectant</a> might cure COVID. In 2025, he <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c626eezr76wo">appointed</a> Robert F. Kennedy as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Kennedy has long <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)02603-5/fulltext">espoused</a> anti-vaccine viewpoints, including being required to <a href="https://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-robert-kennedy-jr-apologizes-for-likening-vaccine-impacts-to-holocaust-20150413-story.html">apologise in 2015</a> for comparing vaccination programmes to the Holocaust.

In a recent interview with Fox's Sean Hannity, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6369907937112">Kennedy said</a> of the MMR vaccine: "It does cause deaths every year. It causes - it causes all the illnesses that measles itself causes, encephalitis and blindness, et cetera."

This is untrue. The <a href="https://www.idsociety.org/public-health/measles/know-the-facts/">Infectious Disease Society of America</a> points out that there have been "no deaths related to the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in healthy individuals". This is amid <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2nzyjgrwxo">two measles deaths</a> in unvaccinated people in the US, the first such deaths since 2003. There are estimates that the <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)00850-X/fulltext">measles vaccine prevented</a> 94 million deaths globally between 1974 to 2024.

The US National Institute for Health, one of the world's biggest funders of health research, announced on March 10 2025 that it was <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/nih-ax-grants-vaccine-hesitancy-mrna-vaccines">axing research</a> that aimed to understand and address vaccine hesitancy.

This goes alongside the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) apparently <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/07/cdc-study-vaccines-autism">planning a large study</a> into potential associations between vaccines and autism, despite <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5789217/">dozens of studies indicating</a> there being no such link.

This volatility coming from the US and elsewhere matters for Europe. Trump and the US have political <a href="https://www.euronews.com/2024/09/04/who-are-donald-trumps-key-allies-in-europe">supporters in Europe</a>, so their messaging carries weight and could do harm. Anti-vaccine sentiment promoted on Facebook from within the US <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0264410X19303032?via%3Dihub">resulted in comments</a> on the posts from multiple countries. The use of social media has been observed to spread misinformation internationally, for example, <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10547076/">within Europe</a>. Russian trolls are also involved in creating <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landig/article/PIIS2589-7500(19)30136-0/fulltext">arguments about vaccines</a>.

There is an urgent need for outbreaks to be brought back under control and for accurate information about vaccines to be the key message in public discussions. As Dr Kluge <a href="https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/13-03-2025-european-region-reports-highest-number-of-measles-cases-in-more-than-25-years---unicef--who-europe">highlights</a>: "The measles virus never rests - and neither can we."<img alt="The Conversation" height="1" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/252327/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important" width="1" />

(Author: Michael Head, Senior Research Fellow in Global Health, University of Southampton)

Disclosure statement: Michael Head has previously received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Research England and the UK Department for International Development, and currently receives funding from the UK Medical Research Foundation

This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/europe-had-worst-measles-outbreak-since-1997-new-data-252327">original article</a>.

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