International
‘The suffering is enormous’: WHO urges mental health action
AFP
The World Health Organization on Friday called on all nations to invest more in mental health, saying “the suffering is enormous” and has been made worse by the Covid pandemic.
Even before Covid-19 almost a billion people were living with a mental disorder, the UN agency said in its largest review of global mental health in two decades.
Then in the first year of the pandemic, rates of depression and anxiety went up by a quarter, even as scarce resources were deployed to fighting the virus.
Just two percent of national health budgets and less than one percent of all international health aid goes to mental health, the WHO’s report said.
“All these numbers are very, very low,” Mark Van Ommeren of the WHO’s mental health unit told a news conference.
“Interest in mental health right now is at an all time-high” due to the pandemic, he said.
“But the investment in mental health has not gone up. This report gives countries information on how to invest their mental health money better.”
He said the report highlighted how “the suffering is enormous” across the world.
About one in eight people globally live with a mental disorder, according to the report.
It is worse for those living in conflict zones, where one in five people are estimated to suffer from a mental health condition.
And young people, women and people already suffering mental health issues were harder hit by Covid and the following restrictions, Van Ommeren said.
“Where there is adversity, there are more mental health problems,” he added.
The WHO’s “World Mental Health Report” also highlighted vast gaps in access to mental healthcare between nations.
While more than 70 percent of people suffering psychosis receive treatment in high-income countries, the number drops to 12 percent in low-income nations, it said.
Central America
Mexico and Guatemala launch joint security operation after Agua Zarca border attack
The Government of Mexico announced on Tuesday that it has strengthened coordination with Guatemala following an armed confrontation in the community of Agua Zarca, in Guatemala’s Huehuetenango department, where a soldier was wounded in an attack attributed to organized-crime groups operating on both sides of the border.
The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, confirmed that Mexico is exchanging information with Guatemalan authorities and that Mexican Army units have been deployed along the border to reinforce surveillance and assist in reconnaissance operations.
The attack, Guatemala’s Defense Ministry stated, reflects the “criminal dynamics” dominating that border region, where different groups compete for drug and arms trafficking routes.
According to Guatemala’s Defense Ministry, the clash left a soldier wounded in the leg after suspected criminals crossed from Mexico and opened fire. The wounded soldier is reportedly in stable condition. Authorities also seized high-caliber weapons, explosives, tactical gear and drones, which were handed over for forensic analysis.
Mexican Defense Secretary General Ricardo Trevilla Trejo announced that a coordinated plan of operations will be launched involving both Mexican and Guatemalan forces along the border to counter these criminal networks.
Harfuch emphasized that the violence is not isolated but symptomatic of the ongoing struggle between criminal organizations for territorial control, and reiterated Mexico’s commitment to bilateral security cooperation and its intention to strengthen institutional presence in vulnerable border zones.
International
Zelensky meets Pope Leo XIV as review of U.S. peace plan continues
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met on Tuesday with Pope Leo XIV in Italy, after pledging to deliver a response to the United States regarding the proposed peace plan aimed at ending the war with Russia.
The meeting with the pontiff took place at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, where Leo XIV “reiterated the need to continue dialogue and renewed his urgent hope that the ongoing diplomatic initiatives may lead to a just and lasting peace,” the Vatican said in a statement.
His visit to Italy follows Monday’s meetings with European leaders in London and Brussels, amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to agree to a peace plan that Zelensky said he is still reviewing.
According to Zelensky, the plan presented by Washington—originally consisting of 28 points—was reduced to 20 after discussions between Ukrainian and U.S. representatives over the weekend. “We are going to work on those 20 points. We are not completely satisfied with the proposals from our partners,” Zelensky said during an online press conference on Monday.
International
Japan lifts tsunami alert after strong 7.6-magnitude earthquake hits northern coast
A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s northern coast on Monday, triggering several tsunami waves of up to 70 centimeters, authorities said. The tsunami alert was lifted in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the quake occurred at 11:15 p.m. local time (14:15 GMT) off the coast of Misawa, at a depth of 53 kilometers. Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) immediately issued a tsunami warning. The first wave reached a port in Aomori Prefecture at 11:43 p.m. (14:43 GMT), followed by others measuring up to 70 centimeters.
Public broadcaster NHK reported that an employee at a hotel in the city of Hachinohe confirmed that several people were injured. Live footage showed shattered glass scattered across roads, while many residents evacuated to the city hall seeking shelter.
The strong tremor was also felt in Sapporo, where emergency alerts were sent to residents’ mobile phones. A reporter in Hokkaido described a horizontal shaking that lasted around 30 seconds, making it difficult to stay standing.
Before the alert was lifted, the JMA had warned of the possibility of tsunami waves up to three meters high along Japan’s Pacific coast. Government spokesperson Minoru Kihara urged residents to remain in safe areas until the warning was officially lifted.
Mexico and Guatemala launch joint security operation after Agua Zarca border attack
Honduran University: Nullifying elections without proof of fraud undermines popular sovereignty
CNA director says Libre’s defeat stems from “lack of substance,” not messaging
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International5 days agoCatalonia’s president calls for greater ambition in defending democracy
-
International1 day agoJapan lifts tsunami alert after strong 7.6-magnitude earthquake hits northern coast
-
Central America3 days agoHonduras vote vount drags on as Asfura and Nasralla remain in technical tie
-
International3 days agoFive laboratories investigated in Spain over possible African Swine Fever leak
-
Central America1 day agoGuatemalan soldier wounded in clash with suspected mexican armed group near border
-
International5 days agoMaría Corina Machado says Venezuela’s political transition “must take place”
-
Central America1 day agoGuatemala reverses asset seizures after judge replacement, benefiting ex-president and former ministers
-
Central America9 hours agoMexico and Guatemala launch joint security operation after Agua Zarca border attack
-
International1 day agoInterior Dept. redefines 2026 Patriotic Days, sparking criticism over removed civil rights holidays
-
Central America9 hours agoHonduran University: Nullifying elections without proof of fraud undermines popular sovereignty
-
Central America9 hours agoCNA director says Libre’s defeat stems from “lack of substance,” not messaging
-
International9 hours agoZelensky meets Pope Leo XIV as review of U.S. peace plan continues