International
WHO warns of additional problems for the Ukrainian health system in the face of a difficult winter
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that Ukraine is perhaps facing its most complicated winter after the massive Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure, which have caused additional problems for the health system, hit by almost 2,000 attacks since the Russian invasion in 2022.
“Ukraine is approaching its third winter in the middle of war, probably the most difficult,” said the WHO regional director for Europe, Hans Kluge, who has carried out a week-old mission through Ukraine, at a press conference in Kiev.
2,000 attacks on medical infrastructures
The Belgian doctor recalled that to date the WHO has confirmed almost 2,000 attacks on Ukrainian health, including hospitals, health workers and patients, to which are added the Russian bombings of the last six months against the country’s energy network, which have caused massive power cuts.
“The frequent power outages in summer are already causing havoc with signs of danger for the winter,” Kluge warned, who said that, by endangering the storage and distribution of vaccines, Ukraine could experience an increase in preventable diseases.
Increase in waterborne infections
“Or water systems could be compromised, since water distribution sites depend on an uninterrupted power supply,” he added, which in turn could lead to an increase in diseases transmitted by water and food.
In turn, the lack of heating and ventilation systems in winter could contribute to an increase in respiratory infections, from the flu to COVID-19.
Antibiotic resistance
Kluge also drew attention to the threat of antimicrobial resistance.
“We have cases of injuries that simply do not heal as a result of antibiotic resistance, which is a situation with possible consequences far beyond Ukraine if medicines become useless,” he explained.
Supply of generators and heating equipment
The WHO regional director stressed that, in response to concerns about the power supply, the organization and health authorities are accelerating efforts to install generators and other crucial equipment in health facilities.
A total of 15 heating units are being installed in eight Ukrainian regions, he said.
In turn, in order to face the danger of antimicrobial resistance in the short term, Ukraine now has one hundred laboratories that carry out the surveillance of drug-resistant bacteria, compared to only three in 2017.
Kluge pointed out that another cause for concern during the winter is the risk of increased mental health problems.
Millions of people at risk
“It is estimated that about 10 million people are already at risk of suffering from mild to serious mental health problems. With the war about to be three years old, these problems only increase, and the realities of the winter season could worsen the situation,” he warned.
All this when more than 80% of households say they have problems getting the medicines they need. 6% say they don’t have access to essential medicines and a third don’t have enough money to buy medicines, he explained.
Kluge stressed that primary care is being given priority for the winter.
“Until the end of the year, when winter has really arrived, we will have installed about 40 modular primary care clinics in six regions,” he said.
“I reiterate how vital it is for the Ukrainian health system to resist and overcome the challenges of the war and the imminent winter, including attacks on health that constitute a clear violation of international humanitarian law,” he concluded.
International
Former South Korean President Yoon sentenced to five years in prison
Former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol was sentenced on Friday to five years in prison for obstruction of justice and other charges, concluding the first in a series of trials stemming from his failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024.
The sentence is shorter than the 10-year prison term sought by prosecutors against the 65-year-old conservative former leader, whose move against Parliament triggered a major political crisis that ultimately led to his removal from office.
Yoon, a former prosecutor, is still facing seven additional trials. One of them, on charges of insurrection, could potentially result in the death penalty.
On Friday, the Seoul Central District Court ruled on one of the multiple secondary cases linked to the affair, which plunged the country into months of mass protests and political instability.
International
U.S. deportation flight returns venezuelans to Caracas after Maduro’s ouster
A new flight carrying 231 Venezuelans deported from the United States arrived on Friday at the airport serving Caracas, marking the first such arrival since the military operation that ousted and captured President Nicolás Maduro.
On January 3, U.S. forces bombed the Venezuelan capital during an incursion in which Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured. Both are now facing narcotrafficking charges in New York.
This was the first U.S.-flagged aircraft transporting migrants to land in Venezuela since the military action ordered by President Donald Trump, who has stated that he is now in charge of the country.
The aircraft departed from Phoenix, Arizona, and landed at Maiquetía International Airport, which serves the Venezuelan capital, at around 10:30 a.m. local time (14:30 GMT), according to AFP reporters on the ground.
The deportees arrived in Venezuela under a repatriation program that remained in place even during the height of the crisis between the two countries, when Maduro was still in power. U.S. planes carrying undocumented Venezuelan migrants continued to arrive throughout last year, despite the military deployment ordered by Trump.
International
Sheinbaum highlights anti-drug gains after U.S. says challenges remain
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday highlighted her government’s achievements in the fight against drug trafficking, after the United States said challenges remain in combating organized crime.
On Thursday, Mexican Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente held talks with his U.S. counterpart, Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Following the meeting, the U.S. State Department said in a statement that “despite progress, challenges still exist” in addressing organized crime.
“There are very strong results from joint cooperation and from the work Mexico is doing: first, a 50% reduction in fentanyl seizures at the U.S. border,” Sheinbaum said during her regular morning press conference.
The president also said that authorities have seized nearly 320 tons of drugs and that there has been a “40% decrease in intentional homicides in Mexico” since the start of her administration on October 1, 2024.
Sheinbaum added that the United States should implement campaigns to reduce drug consumption within its territory and curb the flow of weapons into Mexico.
“There are many results and there will be more, but there must be mutual respect and shared responsibility, as well as respect for our sovereignties,” she said.
On Monday, Sheinbaum held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss security issues. She said she once again ruled out the presence of U.S. troops in Mexico to fight drug cartels.
Security has been a recurring issue used by Trump to threaten tariffs on Mexico and to pressure negotiations over the USMCA (T-MEC) free trade agreement, which are scheduled for 2026.
The agreement is crucial for Mexico’s economy, as about 80% of the country’s exports are destined for the United States.
Former South Korean President Yoon sentenced to five years in prison
U.S. deportation flight returns venezuelans to Caracas after Maduro’s ouster
Sheinbaum highlights anti-drug gains after U.S. says challenges remain
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
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