International

Brazil beats its historical record of dengue cases with more than 1.88 million infections

Brazil broke the historical record of dengue cases on Monday, with more than 1.88 million infections in just over two and a half months compared to 1.68 in all of 2015, the year that held the maximum number of records to date.

The country already exceeds the total reported in the previous record year by 200,000 cases, according to data released by the Ministry of Health, which is a new milestone for a rising disease due to climate change.

In the first decade of 2000, Brazil recorded an average of just over 400,000 cases per year, but in the period from 2011 to 2023 this figure rose above one million.

Brazil had already surpassed the total number of cases in 2023 last week, when the effects of the El Niño climate phenomenon and high temperatures began to be felt more, factors to which specialists attribute the increase in infections.

The disease, which is transmitted by a mosquito and causes a high fever, has caused 561 deaths, with another 1,020 under investigation.

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In this context of alert, the city of São Paulo, the largest in South America, decreed a state of emergency on Monday after having reached an incidence of 414 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

The City Council announced last week that it was going to reinforce the teams in charge of making home visits, as well as extend health care hours.

Meanwhile, the federal government estimates that 4.2 million cases can be reached at the end of 2024, and has asked the population to take the necessary measures to prevent the spread of the disease, such as avoiding the accumulation of stagnant water in houses and gardens.

In February, Brazil became the first country in the world to offer the dengue vaccine through the public health system, although the low number of doses available has limited its application to children and adolescents only.

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International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”