The United States launched Tuesday a global health bureau to help improve global health and counter infectious diseases. “Today the State Department is officially launching a new Bureau of Global Heath Security and Diplomacy,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced in a press release. “The Bureau’s overarching mission is to fortify the global health security architecture to effectively prevent, detect, control, and respond to infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS. By leveraging and coordinating US foreign assistance.” Blinken noted that the Bureau aims to foster robust international cooperation, enhancing protection for the United States and the global community against health threats through strengthened systems and policies. “The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the vital role the United States must play in addressing global health and health security issues, “To ensure US leadership is sustained moving forward, the Bureau will provide a unified voice of leadership on global health security and diplomacy, combining strengths, functions, personnel, and resources from various offices,” the US top diplomat clarified. Ambassador-at-Large Dr. John N. Nkengasong, will lead the bureau, serving as Ambassador-at-Large, US Global AIDS Coordinator, and Senior Bureau Official for Global Health Security and Diplomacy, and reporting directly to me. “This new Bureau will seamlessly integrate global health security as a core component of US national security and foreign policy, underscoring the Department of State’s commitment to advancing human health worldwide,” Blinken said. Source: Kuwait News Agency

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Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah cautioned against the tempering with holy books and any provocative acts that could offend Muslims.

In a phone conversation he received from his Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen on Tuesday, Prince Faisal demanded the government of Denmark to adopt urgent measures against the acts of extremism, according to a press release from the Saudi Foreign Ministry.

Extremists use the freedom of expression as a ploy to incite hatred and slander the Muslim communities, he told Rasmussen, adding that such acts can by no means serve the interests of Denmark.

On his part, the Danish minister regretted the attempts to burn copies of the Holy Quran, affirming that the Danish government denounces such malpractices, according to the statement.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

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