International

Climate change will fuel diseases, warns Global Fund

Illustrative image

| By AFP |

Climate change will end up killing people by fuelling infectious diseases, the head of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria said Tuesday.

Executive director Peter Sands said that in 2022, the fund had witnessed the “escalating impact” of climate change on health.

While upsurges in malaria had hitherto been seen due to the increasing frequency and devastation of tropical storms, “with the flooding in Pakistan it was taken to a completely different scale”, he said.

“What we are seeing is that the mechanism by which climate change will end up killing people is through its impact on infectious disease.”

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

Sands said that parts of Africa which previously were unaffected by malaria are now becoming at risk as temperatures rise and allow mosquitos to thrive, notably at higher altitudes.

However, the population in such areas will not have immunity, with the resulting risk of a higher mortality rate.

“It’s quite alarming,” Sands told a briefing with the UN correspondents’ association.

Other threats include tuberculosis spreading among the increasing number of displaced people around the world.

“TB is a disease that thrives on having concentrations of highly-stressed people in close confines with inadequate food and shelter,” he said.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

“The more that we see climate change-driven displacement of people, the more I think that will translate into the conditions that will at least make it more likely.”

Sands also said food insecurity would make people more vulnerable to disease.

As for whether the world was better prepared for the next pandemic than it was for Covid-19, Sands said it was, but added: “That doesn’t mean we are well prepared: we’re just not as badly prepared as we were before.”

By the end of 2022, Sands said the Global Fund will have invested around $5.4 billion, which is significantly more than it has ever done before.

The Geneva-based organisation’s largest donors are G7 governments, led by the United States and France.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

“For the people we serve in the poorest, most marginalised, most vulnerable communities in the world, 2022 was a brutal year,” said Sands.

“In the poorest communities in the world, HIV, TB and malaria are killing many more people than Covid-19.”

Related Topics:Climate change Diseases Global Found

Up Next

Top figures in Covid fight leaving in WHO shake-up

Don't Miss

Walmart employee kills six in US mass shooting

20260224_estafa_mh_300x250

International

Iran rejects negotiations as tensions escalate with United States

Iran has no intention of entering negotiations and will continue to resist, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday night, dismissing recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump about possible talks.

Speaking to state television, Araghchi argued that Washington’s call for negotiations reflects a position of weakness. He added that the Islamic Republic seeks to end the war on its own terms, ensuring that such a conflict does not recur in the future.

Meanwhile, the White House issued a stark warning, stating that Trump would “unleash hell” on Iran if it refuses to accept a deal to end the conflict. Despite Tehran’s rejection, U.S. officials maintained that discussions remain ongoing.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt reinforced the administration’s position, warning that failure to acknowledge what she described as Iran’s military defeat would result in even stronger action from Washington.

The increasingly aggressive rhetoric from both sides has diminished hopes for a near-term de-escalation in the conflict, which began following U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

As tensions continue to rise, the prospect of a diplomatic resolution remains uncertain amid conflicting narratives and escalating threats from both governments.

International

Maduro appears again in New York court amid drug trafficking charges

Ousted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro appeared in a New York federal court on Thursday for the second time since his capture on January 3 during a U.S. military operation in Caracas.

Maduro, 63, and his wife, Cilia Flores, 69, have been held in a detention facility in Brooklyn for nearly three months. Their only previous court appearance took place on January 5, when Maduro declared himself a “prisoner of war” and pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges.

A large police convoy departed the detention center early in the morning, heading toward the federal courthouse in Manhattan, where the hearing was scheduled. Security around the building was reinforced as both supporters and opponents gathered outside.

Among those present was Venezuelan educator Carlos Egana, who expressed frustration and called for justice, reflecting the polarized reactions surrounding the case. At the same time, left-wing activists displayed banners demanding Maduro’s release and criticizing U.S. foreign policy.

Maduro governed Venezuela from 2013 until his removal from power earlier this year. Following his ouster, Delcy Rodríguez assumed the interim presidency, initiating a shift in relations with the United States.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

The former leader faces multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation, and illegal possession of weapons.

During Thursday’s hearing, scheduled for 11:00 a.m. local time, Maduro’s legal team was expected to push for the dismissal of the case, while also addressing disputes over how his legal defense will be financed amid ongoing U.S. sanctions.

His lawyer, Barry Pollack, has argued that restrictions on accessing Venezuelan state funds could affect Maduro’s right to legal representation, adding another layer of complexity to a case with significant political and international implications.

International

German president says trust in U.S. leadership is ‘lost’ amid global tensions

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Tuesday that trust between the United States and its Western allies has been “lost,” warning that the damage could persist beyond the presidency of Donald Trump.

“The rupture is very deep, and the loss of trust in U.S. great power policy is significant—not only among its allies, but also, as I observe, globally,” Steinmeier said during a speech in Berlin marking the 75th anniversary of Germany’s Foreign Ministry.

Referring to the future of transatlantic relations, he stated that “there is no return to the situation before January 20, 2025,” the date marking the start of Trump’s second term in the White House.

“Even a future U.S. administration will no longer be able to resume the role of a benevolent hegemon guaranteeing a liberal international order,” added Steinmeier, who previously served as Germany’s foreign minister.

He also criticized the war against Iran, describing it as “contrary to international law” and calling it “a political mistake with serious consequences.”

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

“This war is avoidable and unnecessary,” he said.

Although the German presidency is largely ceremonial, Steinmeier’s remarks reflect a broader concern within Germany, aligning with the government’s cautious stance while going further in tone.