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Growing food shortages may represent the same health threat to the world as the Covid-19 pandemic, a leading global health figure has warned, Reuters reported.

Rising food and energy prices, in part sparked by the war in Ukraine, could kill millions both directly and indirectly, Mr Peter Sands, the executive director of the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday (June 7).

"Food shortages work in two ways. One is you have the tragedy of people actually starving to death. But second is you have the fact that often much larger numbers of people are poorly nourished, and that makes them more vulnerable to existing diseases," he said.

He said efforts to improve pandemic preparedness should not make the "classic" mistake of concerning themselves only with crises that resemble the most recent threat the world has faced.

"It's not as well-defined as some brand new pathogen appearing with distinctive new symptoms. But it could well be just as deadly," he said, according to Reuters.

The World Health Organisation estimates that 15 million people may have died as a result of Covid-19.

Mr Sands said investment was needed to strengthen health systems to help prepare for the repercussions of food shortages, which is part of the Global Fund's remit.

The Geneva, Switzerland-based fund is aiming to raise US$18 billion (S$24.7 billion) to boost health systems, fight the three core diseases in its title, and reverse setbacks caused by the pandemic. It has raised just over a third of its target for 2024-26, Reuters reported.

A passenger train partially derailed in eastern Iran early Wednesday, killing at least 10 passengers and injuring 50 more, some critically, state TV said, Associated Press reported.

Four of the seven cars in the train derailed in the early morning darkness near the desert city of Tabas, the report said.

Rescue teams on ambulances and three helicopters were arriving in the remote area where communication is poor.

The derailment happened some 50 kilometers (30 miles) to Tabas, about 550 kilometers (340 miles) southeast of the capital Tehran, on the rail that links the town to the central city of Yazd.

The report said the crash is under investigation but reports say train crashed into an excavator, according to Associated Press.

Another train crash in 2016 killed dozens and injuries of scores of people. Iran also has some 17,000 annual deaths on its highways, one of the world's worst traffic safety records. The high toll is blamed on wide disregard for traffic laws, unsafe vehicles and inadequate emergency services.

Tibetan refugees in Kathmandu elected their local leaders from Bauddha.

Jorpati is a populated locality and is located in Bagmati Zone, Central Region, while Bauddha is situated nearby to Phubari, and close to Gumba in Nepal.

Although they are living in Nepal as refugees, they have elected Babu Kalsang as their leader by holding local-level elections.

Babu Kalsang was elected as the chief of the Tibetan refugee camps in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-6, Bauddha, and Khampa camps in Jorpati.

In the election, Babu Kalsang got 577 votes and Furbu Tansi got 476 votes. In the election, 1028 votes were cast.

The Nepal government has allowed Tibetan refugees to hold internal elections for the sake of democracy and human rights, reported EPARDAFAS.

Earlier, the government of Nepal had not allowed the election. In this regard, organizations active in the field of refugees were urging the government to hold elections for the Tibetan refugees.

Tibet has been occupied and ruled over by China and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) since 1951 in “a calculated and systematic strategy aimed at the destruction of their national and cultural identities” according to the 14th Dalai Lama.

This has often been described by the Tibetan people as cultural genocide. (ANI)

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) unanimously elected Nepal as one of the Vice Presidents of the 77th UN General Assembly to represent the Asia-Pacific region.