Sydney, Feb 26: The number of deaths from a disease linked to heavy rainfall and flooding in northeast of Australia’s state of Queensland has more than doubled to 12, local health authorities said.

Health authorities in the tropical north coast region of Queensland confirmed that the death toll from melioidosis in the current wet season has risen to 12, up from five deaths that had been reported as of February 21.

Of the 12 deaths, nine occurred in and around Cairns, the largest city in the region, and three in the city of Townsville, almost 300 km south.

Melioidosis is a rare tropical disease caused by bacteria commonly found in soil and water in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. After heavy rainfall it becomes airborne.

Queensland’s tropical northern coast was hit by widespread flooding earlier in February, with many towns getting record rainfall for the month in a matter of days.

There have been 53 confirmed cases of melioidosis in Carins and 34 cases in Townsville since the start of 2025, Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported, citing Jacqueline Murdoch, director of the Tropical Public Health Services.

“It absolutely is a record-breaking year. Certainly we haven’t seen anything like this and the numbers are very alarming,” said Murdoch on Tuesday.

“It’s a very severe disease and it has a reasonably high fatality rate, so we do have a large number of deaths now, which is reflecting the large number of cases.”

She said that most of the patients were older people and that the majority had contracted the disease through the air.

Murdoch urged people to be careful about being outside in heavy rain, being in contact with soil and to wear a mask when using a high-pressure hose.

Anyone with a cough or difficulty breathing has been advised to visit their doctor or nearest emergency department.

Tehran, Feb 26: Iran will not negotiate over its nuclear program while facing external pressure or sanctions, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi declared during a joint press conference with his visiting Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in Tehran.

Araghchi on Tuesday reiterated Iran’s refusal to hold direct talks with the US unless Washington ends its “maximum pressure” sanctions campaign.

The US reimposed sanctions after abandoning the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in 2018, prompting Tehran to scale back its nuclear commitments under the accord.

“Negotiations under pressure, threats, and sanctions are meaningless,” Araghchi said, emphasising that Iran had engaged in “close consultations” with Moscow on reviving the JCPOA. Efforts to restore the pact commenced in 2021 but resulted in no substantial progress.

For his part, Lavrov reaffirmed Russia’s backing for diplomatic measures to salvage the agreement, stating, “We believe the diplomatic capacity still exists to revive the deal without threats or coercion.”

He pledged Moscow’s support for solutions and asserted that “the crisis had not been created by Iran.”

The ministers also addressed regional conflicts, including in Gaza and Syria, with Iran voicing support for Syria’s territorial integrity.

Lavrov described talks with Araghchi as “comprehensive, fruitful, and constructive,” noting progress in cooperation between the two countries by highlighting a 13-per cent surge in bilateral trade in 2024.

He also criticised unilateral sanctions on Tehran as “unacceptable,” according to Russian state media. Both sides agreed to expand cooperation to counter the sanctions’ effects.

Lavrov visited Tehran earlier Tuesday for talks spanning energy, trade, and regional security. He then headed to Qatar to continue his working visit in the Middle East.

Amman, Feb 24: Jordan and the Arab League reaffirmed their firm stance against the displacement of Palestinians from their land or within it.

During a meeting on Sunday in Amman between Jordan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the two sides stressed that Gaza can be rebuilt without displacing its residents, according to a statement by the Jordanian Foreign Ministry.

They also highlighted Egypt’s role in developing a plan to achieve this with Arab support.

Safadi and Aboul Gheit also discussed ways to enhance joint Arab action, reviewed the latest regional developments, and talked about preparations for the emergency Arab summit scheduled for early next month.

They emphasised the importance of strengthening joint Arab efforts, deepening cooperation and coordination to address shared challenges, and serving Arab interests and causes.

The two officials stressed the need to consolidate the ceasefire in Gaza and ensure the adequate and sustainable delivery of humanitarian aid to the Strip.

Safadi and Aboul Gheit underscored the necessity of preventing further deterioration in the occupied West Bank and called for an end to Israel’s illegal measures that risk escalating tensions.

They reiterated that the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the two-state solution, is the only path to achieving security, stability, and a just and comprehensive peace in the region.

They also discussed the latest developments in Syria, affirming the need to support the Syrian people in rebuilding their country on a foundation that ensures unity, security, and stability, eliminates terrorism, and safeguards the rights of all its components.