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WHO appeals for $1.5 billion to address crises from Gaza to Afghanistan

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The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday appealed for $1.5 billion in funding to respond to the health needs of millions of people caught up in dozens of humanitarian crises around the globe, from Ukraine and Gaza to Afghanistan.

"We aim to reach some 87 million people with life-saving humanitarian assistance this year," said WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

"To do this, we need support totalling $1.5 billion, and we need this funding to arrive as early as possible and with as much flexibility as possible... A reactive approach is not enough."

Tedros said an estimated 166 million people would require health assistance around the world this year, including in the occupied Palestinian territories, Ukraine, Haiti and Sudan.

The health emergency requiring the most is taking place in the occupied Palestinian Territories - and Gaza in particular - where Israeli forces have carried out a relentless assault against the enclave in response to a deadly rampage by Hamas gunmen in southern Israel on Oct. 7.

WHO said it required $219 million to meet critical needs there for a period of three to six months, depending on the evolution of the conflict.

The other two global health emergencies requiring the most funding are COVID and the situation in Afghanistan, where 23.7 million people urgently need access to clean water and sanitation, WHO said.

The resurgence of cholera around the globe, which Tedros said was "especially concerning", requires funding of nearly $50 million, while WHO's health response in Ukraine needs $77 million.

"The cost of inaction is one the world cannot afford," Tedros said.

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Khalilzad: If countries want new page in relations with US, they should release hostages

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If leaders of countries want to turn a new page with the United States, a good first step is to release American hostages they are holding and return the remains of those who have died, former US special envoy for Afghan peace, Zalmay Khalilzad, said on Saturday.

Khalilzad in a post on X welcomed the release of six US citizens from Venezuelan prisons, calling it a "smart move."

He added that the leaders of the Islamic Emirate, Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and Russian President Vladimir Putin should also release the American hostages.

The Islamic Emirate recently released two American prisoners in exchange for an Afghan citizen.

But the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was hearing that the Islamic Emirate held more American hostages than previously reported.

He warned that if this was true, the US may place a "very big bounty" on the top leaders of the Islamic Emirate.

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Kabul Serena Hotel handed over to Hotel State Owned Corporation

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Kabul Serena Hotel announced on Friday that it was closing its operations in the Afghan capital on Feb. 1, with the Hotel State Owned Corporation taking over.

A statement from the Serena, a brand owned by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, said it had trained thousands of Afghan nationals, hosted large numbers of foreign guests and delegations, and set high international benchmarks in hospitality standards.

It asked people to direct their queries to the Hotel State Owned Corporation. 

The statement said that Serena hotels continue to operate in 33 other destinations in nine countries.

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German Bundestag: No option but to engage in dialogue with IEA

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German Bundestag says there is no alternative but to engage in dialogue with the caretaker government of Afghanistan. In a report, the committee emphasized that although reopening the German embassy in Kabul is not necessary, it is important for Berlin to stay informed about the current situation in Afghanistan.

Michael Müller, the head of the committee, stated: "There is no way to avoid dialogue with the Taliban (Islamic Emirate). However, of course, we do not want to become complicit with this regime."

The Islamic Emirate, however, recognizes the need for interaction with other countries and has stated that Afghanistan seeks positive relations with all countries, including Germany.

IEA’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated that Germany is one of the countries that has had historical and trustworthy relations with Afghanistan, and there is a need to revive these relations.

"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan wants good relations with all countries, including Germany. Germany is a country that has had long-standing and trustworthy relations with Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate wishes to restore these relations and for the two countries, as independent states, to have positive interactions,” said Mujahid.

Meanwhile, some experts have stated that if IEA accepts the demands of the international community, Afghanistan’s rightful place in the region and the world will be restored.

The establishment of an inclusive government, respect for human rights, especially women's rights, the fight against terrorist groups, and ensuring that Afghan soil shouldn’t be used to launch attacks on other countries are among the key conditions set by the international community for the recognition of the current government of Afghanistan. According to the international community, these are issues that have not yet been fully addressed by the caretaker government.

IEA, however, has consistently asserted that it has upheld the rights of Afghan women in accordance with Islamic law and has pledged that Afghan soil will never be used to harm other countries.

While Afghanistan maintains diplomatic relations with 38 countries, none of these countries has yet recognized the political structure of the Islamic Emirate.

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