Claims extracted
19
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 19 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
withheld
no quote in the article backed the model's score
Publisher signals
66/100
The Straits Times's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Health
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Wiping out measles impossible due to vaccine hesitancy in rich countries
asserted
Wiping → wipe → countries
, says Bill Gates
AI
asserted
Gates → say → ?
LONDON - Vaccine hesitancy in rich countries means ending measles as a global public health threat is not currently possible
asserted
ending → mean → threat
, Bill Gates told Reuters in an interview.
asserted
Gates → tell → interview
The Microsoft co-founder turned billionaire philanthropist said wiping out the killer childhood disease had previously been a potential goal for his eponymous foundation, which focuses on global health and the world’s poorest people.
asserted
which → turn → health
But it was now off the table due to increased vaccine hesitancy in wealthier nations, part of a wave of scepticism championed for decades by the now health secretary in the United States under President Donald Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“At one point, the foundation wanted to eradicate measles, but the vaccine hesitancy in rich countries has meant that’s not on our list of goals,” Gates said.
asserted
Gates → increase → goals
“I think that’s kind of tragic.”
asserted
that → think → ?
Measles, among the world’s most contagious diseases, causes a high fever, a cough and a tell-tale rash.
asserted
Measles → cause → fever
The virus killed around 2 million children every year before the introduction of a vaccine in the 1960s.
asserted
virus → kill → 1960s
Nowadays, around 100,000 children die annually, largely in countries where conflict or logistics make immunisation difficult.
asserted
immunisation → die → countries
The WHO says vaccination rates need to be above 95 per cent to prevent outbreaks.
But recent years have also seen a surge in cases in countries where the disease was almost forgotten, including in the United States and Europe, as vaccination rates have fallen.
asserted
rates → say → States
Gates said that vaccine hesitancy had at least not spread to lower-income countries, where measles can be much deadlier than in richer countries due to malnutrition and healthcare gaps.
asserted
measles → say → malnutrition
“There’s always that concern that if you have doubters in the US, that becomes a global thing,” he said.
asserted
he → ’ → US
“But we haven’t seen an increase in vaccine hesitancy in the countries the foundation works in.”
asserted
foundation → see → countries
Aid cuts
Gates was speaking ahead of the foundation’s annual Goalkeepers event, which looks at progress towards the United Nations global development goals set for 2030, including on improving health.
asserted
which → speak → health
In 2025’s report, Gates warned of the impact of aid cuts led by Trump’s administration, and followed by other wealthy countries like Britain and Germany, on the health of the world’s poorest.
asserted
Gates → warn → world
For 2026, he said the cuts had likely caused many deaths, but the restoration of some money had prevented the worst-case scenario.
asserted
restoration → say → scenario
Efforts from impacted countries and other health groups also held off disaster, as Reuters has reported.
“The most dire predictions, which went above 10 million deaths, we don’t see that taking place,” Gates said, adding that he continued to urge governments to restore aid or at least not cut it further.
asserted
he → impact → it
“It’s still a very tragic situation.”
asserted
It → ’ → ?