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WHO chief's dire warning: Disease X outbreak 'a matter of when, not if'

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WHO chief's dire warning: Disease X outbreak 'a matter of when, not if'

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World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus has issued a new warning about the likelihood of Disease X breaking out, telling global world leaders it is “a matter of when, not if” a new pathogen and pandemic will strike.

Tedros, who goes by his first name, told attendees at the World Government Summit in Dubai earlier his week he gave a similar warning in 2018 that a pandemic was likely to hit, and he was proven right with the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus. 

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Complaining that the world is still ill-prepared for a new pandemic, Tedros once again touted the urgent need for a global treaty to be agreed upon by May and dismissed suspicions of it being a WHO power grab as outlandish.

He called the treaty “mission critical for humanity.”

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus has issued a new warning about the likelihood of Disease X breaking out, telling global leaders it is a matter of when not if a new pathogen and pandemic will strike. (Ryan Lim/AFP via Getty Images)

WHO DIRECTOR CALLS FOR WORLD PANDEMIC TREATY TO PREPARE FOR DISEASE X

“Today I stand before you in the aftermath of COVID-19 with millions of people dead, with social, economic and political shocks that reverberate to this day,” Tedros said.

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“Although some progress has been made, like improvements in surveillance, the Pandemic Fund, building capacities in vaccine production … the world is not prepared for a pandemic.

“The painful lessons we learned are in danger of being forgotten as attention turns to the many other crises confronting our world.”

Tedros said that if the world fails to learn those lessons, “we will pay dearly next time, and there will be a next time.

“History teaches us that the next pandemic is a matter of when, not if,” Tedros added. 

“It may be caused by an influenza virus, or a new coronavirus or a new pathogen we don’t even know about yet — what we call Disease X.”

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Disease X is a hypothetical “placeholder” virus that has not yet formed, but scientists say it could be 20 times deadlier than COVID-19. About eight years ago, it was added to the WHO’s short list of pathogens for research that could cause a “serious international epidemic,” according to a 2022 WHO press release.

The World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. (Reuters/Denis Balibouse)

“As things stand, the world remains unprepared for the next Disease X, and the next pandemic,” he said. 

Tedros said there has been a lot of attention on Disease X lately but insisted it’s not a new thing. 

“We first used the term Disease X in 2018, the same time as I spoke here at this World Governments Summit, as a placeholder for a disease we don’t even know about yet, but for which we can nonetheless prepare.”

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“COVID-19 was a Disease X, a new pathogen causing a new disease. But there will be another Disease X, or a Disease Y or a Disease Z.”

WHO DIRECTOR CALLS FOR WORLD PANDEMIC TREATY TO PREPARE FOR DISEASE X

In preparation for the next outbreak, he said the clock is ticking on nations to come together and sign an international agreement on pandemic preparedness, with just 15 weeks left on the timeline agreed upon in 2021. Tedros said the treaty, which the Biden administration has been involved in negotiating, is a set of commitments by countries to strengthen the world’s defense with a “one health” approach.

It would involve cooperation in research and development, access to vaccines and other products and sharing of information, technology and biological samples.

He cited two reasons why a consensus has not been reached. The first is nations have some differences, but he was confident they would be worked through.

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President Biden receives a COVID-19 booster Oct. 25, 2022. (Tom Brenner for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The second major barrier, he said, is the “litany of lies and conspiracy theories about the agreement.”

“That it’s a power grab by the World Health Organization. That it will cede sovereignty to WHO. That it will give WHO power to impose lockdowns or vaccine mandates on countries. That it’s an ‘attack on freedom.’ That WHO will not allow people to travel, and that WHO wants to control people’s lives.

“These are some of the lies that are being spread. If they weren’t so dangerous, these lies would be funny. But they put the health of the world’s people at risk. And that is no laughing matter.

WHO DROPS INVESTIGATION INTO WHETHER COVID-19 VIRUS LEAKED FROM WUHAN LAB, CALLING THEORY UNLIKELY

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“These claims are utterly, completely, categorically false. … Anyone who says it will is either uninformed or lying.”

Critics, including Advancing American Freedom (AAF), argue the legally binding treaty would cede sovereignty to a global organization and that it amounts to a power grab. The AAF is a nonprofit advocacy group founded by former Vice President Mike Pence.

Tedros said there is a draft copy of the agreement on the WHO website and urged people to read it for themselves. 

In pitching the treaty, he absolved the WHO of imposing lockdowns and vaccine mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This aerial view shows the P4 laboratory, center, on the campus of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, where many believe the COVID-19 virus emanated. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

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“We cannot allow this historic agreement, this milestone in global health, to be sabotaged by those who spread lies, either deliberately or unknowingly.

“Let me be clear: WHO did not impose anything on anyone during the COVID-19 pandemic. Not lockdowns, not mask mandates, not vaccine mandates.

“We don’t have the power to do that, we don’t want it and we’re not trying to get it.”

The WHO faced strong criticism from around the world over its slow response to investigating China for the COVID outbreak. A WHO team investigating the origins of the coronavirus pandemic also downplayed the possibility that the virus leaked from a lab near Wuhan, China.  

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Neon Closing in on Luca Guadagnino’s Sam Altman Open AI Movie ‘Artificial’ After Amazon Drops Controversial Film

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Neon Closing in on Luca Guadagnino’s Sam Altman Open AI Movie ‘Artificial’ After Amazon Drops Controversial Film

“Artificial,” Luca Guadagnino‘s movie about Sam Altman and OpenAI, is about to get a new home.

Neon is closing in on a deal to acquire the nearly-completed $40 million film — set during the tumultuous time when Altman (played by Andrew Garfield) was fired and then rehired by the AI giant — after Amazon MGM Studios announced that it believed it would “be better served if it were released by a different studio.”

Variety reported that, of those who had seen the movie in screenings put on by CAA Media Finance — which is handling sales — Netflix, A24 and Focus chose not to pursue it. Mubi was also in the mix for the distribution rights.

Amazon’s decision came just months after the company signed a major partnership with OpenAI, including a $50 billion investment, and less than a year Altman’s relationship with Jeff Bezos was underlined by his appearance at the Amazon boss’s wedding. Variety heard that test screenings had been positive, but the studio still chose to exit, raising eyebrows about its motivations.

According to various people who have seen the film and read the script, “Artificial” portrays Altman as deeply untrustworthy and Elon Musk (played by Ike Barinholtz) as highly dislikable.

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Alongside Garfield and Barinholtz, “Artificial” has a starry cast including Monica Barbaro as former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati and Yura Borisov as former OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever. Cooper Hoffman, Jason Schwartzman, Cooper Koch, Billie Lourd, Zosia Mamet, Angus Imrie, Chris O’Dowd and Mark Rylance also feature. The film was written by “SNL” alum Simon Rich.

Currently in the final stages of post-production, “Artificial” had been eyeing a festival launch at SXSW before Amazon’s departure. Given the latest acquisition, the movie could now potentially be in play for a slot at the Venice Film Festival, where Guadagnino’s previous films debuted.

Spokespeople for Amazon and CAA declined to comment, and a spokesperson from Neon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Puck first reported Neon’s pole position in the dealmaking.

Angelique Jackson contributed to this report.

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Trump admin backs Bolivia state of emergency as leftist ex-leader’s loyalists fracture nation

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Trump admin backs Bolivia state of emergency as leftist ex-leader’s loyalists fracture nation

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The conservative, pro-U.S. government of President Rogrigo Paz is being challenged in the streets by radical elements led by a former socialist president recently forcing the new Bolivian government to introduce a state of emergency.

The landlocked mineral-rich nation is facing one of its deepest political crises in decades as economic turmoil, nationwide protests and a battle over the country’s future threaten to reshape the balance of power in South America.

The unrest comes after years of political divisions following the tenure of socialist President Evo Morales, whose Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) dominated Bolivian politics for nearly two decades. Internal fractures, economic decline and public frustration have weakened the movement and opened a new chapter of uncertainty.

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Bolivia’s President Rodrigo Paz delivers a speech in La Paz on June 3, 2026, after naming Ernesto Justiniano as defense minister following the resignation of Marcelo Salinas amid protests. (Claudia Morales/Reuters)

The Trump administration recently signaled strong backing for the Paz government while condemning efforts to destabilize the country.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States “Will not allow criminals and drug traffickers to overthrow democratically elected leaders in our hemisphere” and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to Bolivia’s “stability, security, and a better future for all Bolivians.”

Speaking on background, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that, “The United States strongly supports President Rodrigo Paz’s decision on June 20 to declare a State of Exception to restore order and ensure the free flow of food, medicine, and essential supplies to the Bolivian people.  We are glad that the blockades in Bolivia have ended and the government has restored order.”

Bolivia’s crisis has been driven by Morales and his supporters furious at the Paz reforms. Protests and road blockades have disrupted transportation, caused shortages and increased pressure on the Paz government.

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José Luis Lupo, chief of staff and minister of the presidency of Bolivia told Fox News Digital: “After more than 50 days of blockades that severely disrupted the supply of food, fuel, and medicines, paralyzing much of the country’s economic activity and straining its democratic stability, I am convinced that Bolivia now faces a unique opportunity to transform a deep crisis into the starting point for a new phase of national reconstruction.”

26 June 2024, Bolivia, La Paz: Military police stand amid tear gas fired in front of the presidential palace on Plaza Murillo.  (Photo by Radoslaw Czajkowski/picture alliance via Getty Images)

He noted that “for weeks, we sought agreements with various sectors because we believe that, in a democracy, every avenue for mutual understanding must be exhausted before resorting to extraordinary measures.”

He said the state of emergency [state of exception] “was the constitutional last resort to restore freedom of movement, protect critical infrastructure and ensure that Bolivians could once again access essential goods. It was not a measure intended to restrict rights, but rather to protect lives, preserve democracy and restore freedom of movement to millions of citizens.”

PETE HEGSETH WARNS NARCO-TERRORISTS AS US BACKS BOLIVIA’S GOVERNMENT AMID COUP WARNINGS

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The turmoil has also had consequences beyond Bolivia’s borders. The country holds some of the world’s largest lithium resources, a key mineral for electric vehicles, batteries and advanced technology supply chains. Competition for influence in resource-rich Latin America has become increasingly important for Washington as China and other global powers expand their presence in the region.

Bolivia’s political crisis reflects a broader trend across Latin America, where voters in the last few election cycles have elected conservatives who challenged the left’s business-as-usual politics and in doing so have taken the continent in a rightward direction.

The socialist Morales remains an influential figure and continues to command support among rural and indigenous groups, keeping Bolivia’s political divisions alive even as the country searches for a path out of the crisis.

Mauricio Ríos García, manager of Crusoe Research and editor of FRACTAL Index in Bolivia, told Fox News Digital, “The 50-day blockades have caused estimated losses of $2.5 billion and the closure of around 13,000 companies. Once the blockades end, a rebound in demand combined with excess liquidity is expected to drive inflation higher.”

A police convoy clears one of the main highways after Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency following 50 days of blockades, in El Alto, Bolivia, on June 20, 2026.  (Jorge Mateo Romay Salinas/Anadolu via Getty Images)

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Ríos said, “The government is nearing an IMF agreement that would likely include a new devaluation (exchange rate unification) and other adjustments in exchange for financing of around $3.3–5 billion. This marks growing dependence on the IMF and the United States, while the gradualist approach has left the economy with very little room for maneuver and risks further instability.

“Expectations for Bolivia’s economy in the second half of the year have been revised downward. Blockades and deeper structural problems rooted in the government’s gradualist fiscal and monetary policies have worsened the difficult inheritance from the previous administration,” he concluded.

COLOMBIA’S ‘EL TIGRE’ SECURES PRESIDENCY AS LEFTIST RIVAL FINALLY CONCEDES DEFEAT

For Washington, Bolivia’s future represents more than a domestic political dispute. The outcome could influence America’s strategic position in the Western Hemisphere, the future of critical minerals, and whether Latin America’s recent political shift continues moving away from the left-wing movements that dominated parts of the region during the last two decades.

“I am convinced that stability will only endure if it is accompanied by inclusion. There can be no peace where neglect and inequality persist. That is why we are driving a development agenda for historically marginalized regions, particularly the provinces of La Paz, focused on infrastructure, basic services, productive development and the participation of the communities themselves,” Lupo said.

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And as the barricades have lessened, Lupo, chief of staff and minister of the presidency of Bolivia, says, “A different phase is now beginning. I believe the country needs a broad political and social agreement involving the government, parliamentary forces, the regions, the productive sector, and civil society. Bolivia needs to pass reforms that provide legal certainty, promote investment, and modernize strategic sectors such as hydrocarbons, mining, lithium, renewable energy and the justice system. Such consensus is essential to restoring confidence, stabilizing the economy and generating sustainable growth.

“I hope to see Bolivia definitively replace confrontation with dialogue, strengthen its institutions, and build a more robust economy characterized by clear rules, democratic stability and greater opportunities for all,” Lupo concluded.

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The Trump administration had increased emergency humanitarian assistance to help address food and medical shortages caused by weeks of unrest, underscoring U.S. concerns that prolonged instability could have broader implications for regional security and democracy.

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‘No MiGs for Ukraine’: Polish defence minister claims Kyiv backed out of deal with Warsaw

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As relations between Ukraine and Poland remain at their worst state in years, the Polish defence minister claimed that Kyiv backed out of the two countries’ “MiGs in exchange for drones” deal and threatened to veto Ukraine’s EU accession.

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