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
Meta Says Russia Seeks to Ban WhatsApp for Defending Secure Communication
U.S. tech giant Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, said that Russia is seeking to ban the messaging app because it “challenges government attempts to violate people’s right to secure communication.”
Russian authorities have encouraged citizens to switch to state-backed applications, and in August they already blocked WhatsApp’s calling feature.
On Friday, the communications regulator Roskomnadzor claimed that the platform was being used to “organize and carry out terrorist acts in the country, recruit perpetrators, and facilitate fraud and other crimes.”
“If the messaging service does not comply with Russian law, it will be completely blocked,” the regulator warned.
WhatsApp remains one of Russia’s most widely used messaging services, alongside Telegram.
Moscow is pressuring both platforms to grant authorities access to user data upon request for investigations into fraud and activities the government labels as “terrorist.”
Human rights advocates fear the demand could be used to target critics of the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin, or the war in Ukraine.
International
Archbishop Wenski criticizes Trump’s deportation policies, calls for stronger push for reform
The Archbishop of Miami, Thomas Wenski, has called for increased pressure on the U.S. Congress to advance comprehensive immigration reform and criticized President Donald Trump’s mass deportation policies, arguing that they “do nothing to help.”
“We need to apply more pressure on Congress so lawmakers can make the necessary changes. It is also important for the Administration to listen to our voice. We do not want to be anyone’s enemy—we are Americans,” Wenski said in an interview with EFE.
The religious leader, who heads one of the dioceses with the largest Latino and Haitian populations in the United States, issued a call to defend the rights of migrants. He also emphasized that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has maintained a strong and public stance in favor of migrants for decades.
International
Trump relaunches diplomatic push to finalize U.S.-Backed peace plan for Ukraine War
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that his diplomatic team will resume meetings with delegations from Russia and Ukraine in an effort to pressure both sides to accept the peace plan proposed by Washington to end the war in Ukraine.
As part of this new round of talks, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll will hold discussions with Ukrainian representatives to narrow differences on the remaining points of the agreement.
Trump also confirmed his intention to meet personally with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and with Putin, though he emphasized that such meetings will only take place “when the agreement is fully finalized or in its final stage.”
The president claimed that his administration has made “tremendous progress” toward resolving the conflict and reiterated that the war “never would have started” if he had been in the White House at the onset of the crisis.
The U.S.-backed peace plan consists of 28 points and has been revised following feedback from both sides. According to Trump, only “a few points of disagreement” remain under active discussion.
One of the most controversial aspects of the proposal is the suggestion that Ukraine cede parts of the Donbas region to Russia and limit the size of its armed forces. Kyiv is working closely with Washington to soften these clauses in search of an arrangement that does not compromise its sovereignty or security.
With this diplomatic push, Trump aims to solidify his role as the main mediator in the conflict and steer the war toward a political resolution after years of devastation, humanitarian crisis, and rising global geopolitical tensions.
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