Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
Spokesperson Matthew Miller leads the Department Press Briefing, at the Department of State, onnOctober 29, 2024.
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Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
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Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)
President Biden delivers remarks on how his Investing in America agenda is rebuilding our infrastructure, tackling the climate crisis, and creating good paying union jobs.
Crews from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka, Coast Guard Cutter Bailey Barco (WPC 1122), Sitka Mountain Rescue, and Air Force 210th, 211th, and 212th Rescue Squadrons conducted a week-long search and rescue exercise in Sitka, Alaska, April 30 through May 2, 2024. Crews tackled a series of mini scenarios ranging from lost hikers to an avalanche scenario. The exercise culminated with a mass-casualty event involving multiple agencies responding in concert to a scene with 28 survivors in distress. (U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer Second Class Ian Gray)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
-Secretary-General travel /Colombia
-Sudan
-Sudan/humanitarian
-Middle East
-Deputy Secretary-General
-Lebanon/Israel
-Lebanon/humanitarian
-Occupied Palestinian territory
-Gaza
-Ukraine
-Philippines
-Abyei
-Sahel and Lake Chad region
-Briefings today and tomorrow
Secretary-General travel /Colombia
The Secretary-General will travel to Cali, in Colombia, to attend the high-level segment of the16th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16). And he is heading out this afternoon.
On Tuesday, in Cali, he will deliver remarks at the opening of the plenary session of the COP. In his remarks, he is expected to highlight that nature is life, and yet we are waging a war against it – a war where there can be no winner. He is expected to stress that biodiversity is humanity’s ally, and that we must move from plundering to preserving. He will also call for the promises made at the Framework adopted two years ago in Montreal to be turned into actions.
While attending COP16, the Secretary-General will also meet and engage in discussions with Indigenous people and local communities, as well as other representatives of society, including youth groups and women’s groups. He will also meet with President Gustavo Petro of Colombia.
On the sidelines of the COP, the Secretary-General will speak at an event on plastic pollution organized by the UN Environment Programme.
And we expect the Secretary-General back in New York on Wednesday evening.
Sudan
In an open session this morning, the Secretary-General briefed the Security Council on the situation in Sudan. As you know, Security Council resolution 2736 that was adopted in June requested that the Secretary-General make recommendations to protect civilians in Sudan. He submitted that to the Security Council last week.
In his remarks, Mr. Guterres outlined three key priorities from his recommendations: First, both sides must immediately agree to a cessation of hostilities; secondly, that civilians must be protected, and his third priority is related to the flow of humanitarian aid.
Mr. Guterres added that at present, the conditions do not exist for the successful deployment of a UN force to protect civilians in Sudan.
However, he said, he stands ready to engage with the Council and others on the range of operational modalities that can meaningfully contribute to the reduction in violence and the protection of civilians.
Moreover, he urged the Council to continue supporting his Special Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra in his diplomatic efforts.
Mr. Guterres spoke at length about the humanitarian situation and the suffering in Sudan, which is growing by the day. He also spoke of the shocking reports of mass killings and sexual violence in villages in Aj Jazirah State in the eastern part of the country.
Sudan/Humanitarian
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance is expressing concerns at escalating armed violence in Aj Jazirah State.
Joyce Msuya, our Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs says that we received horrific reports of entire villages being attacked, with civilians killed, detained and displaced in huge numbers, and those reports talk about actions between October 20th and 25th. During that time, the Rapid Support Forces reportedly launched a major assault across 30 towns and villages and towns in Aj Jazirah State.
An estimated 47,000 people have fled the fighting, including to other parts of Aj Jazirah State. We and our partners are continuing to provide assistance to nearly 40,000 people who have sought shelter in Gedaref and Kassala states.
Those displaced by the violence urgently need food, shelter, health care and protection support. Many of the wounded also need medical attention.
We and our partners are concerned about civilians who remain trapped in those areas and are unable to escape due to insecurity and fear of abduction, as well as those on the move in search of safety, protection and urgent assistance.
Also, to flag that the Director General of the International Migration agency, Amy Pope, began today a three-day visit to assess the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation and the increasing displacement crisis. The visit in Sudan will focus on rallying international support for the humanitarian response, ensuring that the ongoing crisis in Sudan remains at the forefront of global attention. The Director General will visit various displacement sites to engage directly with impacted communities.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=28%20October%202024
Briefing by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on Sudan and South Sudan – Security Council, 9761st meeting
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“Madam President, Excellencies,
I thank the Council for the opportunity to discuss the utter humanitarian catastrophe engulfing Sudan.
Eighteen months have passed since brutal fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.
The suffering is growing by the day, with almost 25 million people now requiring assistance.
The people of Sudan are living through a nightmare of violence — with thousands of civilians killed, and countless others facing unspeakable atrocities, including widespread rape and sexual assaults.
In recent days, we have heard shocking reports of mass killings and sexual violence in villages in Aj Jazirah State in the east of the country.
They are also enduring a nightmare of hunger — as more than 750,000 people face catastrophic food insecurity and famine conditions take hold in displacement sites in North Darfur, while millions struggle to feed themselves every day.
They are confronting a nightmare of disease — with cholera, malaria, dengue fever, measles and rubella spreading fast.
A nightmare of collapsed infrastructure — with vital health systems, transportation networks, water and sanitation systems, supply routes and agricultural production grinding to a halt.
A nightmare of displacement — the largest displacement crisis in the world, with more than 11 million people fleeing since April last year, including nearly 3 million who have crossed into neighbouring countries.
A nightmare of extreme weather — with nearly 600,000 people affected by heavy rains and floods this summer.
And Sudan is, once again, rapidly becoming a nightmare of mass ethnic violence, in particular with the dramatic escalation of fighting in El Fasher.
Madam President,
We have consistently appealed to both sides to end the fighting and come to the negotiating table.
But instead of lowering tensions, they are escalating military action.
Meanwhile, outside powers are fuelling the fire.
We face the serious possibility of the conflict igniting regional instability from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa to the Red Sea.
Resolution 2736 adopted earlier this year sent a strong signal.
But we need action on the ground.
The resolution requested me to make recommendations to protect civilians in Sudan, which I submitted to this Council last week.
Allow me to outline three key priorities.
First — both sides must immediately agree to a cessation of hostilities.
Such an agreement should be translated into local ceasefires and humanitarian pauses — creating new avenues of dialogue, and laying the ground for a comprehensive ceasefire.
At the same time, diplomatic efforts must be intensified to finally bring an end to the conflict — including support to implement the commitments in the Jeddah Declaration.
My Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, is working around the clock with that objective.
He convened the parties in Geneva to enhance humanitarian access and strengthen the protection of civilians in Sudan.
And he supported the coordination of mediation initiatives, in collaboration with regional partners — in particular, the African Union’s High-Level Panel.
I urge this Council to continue supporting his efforts, and encourage effective engagement with regional partners like the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the League of Arab States, and other key ones.
And I salute the efforts of the African Union and IGAD towards an inclusive Sudanese political dialogue, which would provide an important platform for civilians — including women — to speak out about the importance of ending the war and lend their voices towards a peaceful and democratic future.
Which brings me to my second point — civilians must be protected.
We need this Council’s support to help protect civilians in line with human rights and international humanitarian law — including the parties’ own commitments in the Jeddah Declaration.
The parties to the conflict bear the primary responsibility to ensure the protection of civilians and come to the negotiation table.
I am horrified by the Rapid Support Forces’ continued attacks against civilians in El Fasher and surrounding areas, which include displacement sites where famine conditions have been confirmed.
And I am also horrified by reports of attacks against civilians perpetrated by forces affiliated with the Sudanese Armed Forces in Khartoum, and by continuing mass civilian casualties due to apparently indiscriminate airstrikes in populated areas.
The perpetrators of serious violations of international humanitarian law must be held accountable” [Excerpt].
Full remarks [as delivered]: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-10-28/secretary-generals-remarks-the-security-council-sudan-bilingual-delivered-scroll-down-for-all-english-and-all-french
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Hear from the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as hospital and group purchasing organization industry leaders, for an informational briefing on strategies to conserve intravenous fluid (IV) products that are in shortage and may be further impacted until Baxter’s North Cove, NC facility is operational.
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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) | http://www.hhs.gov
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
A Hurricane Helene survivor discusses the support she received from FEMA in the aftermath of the storm at a Disaster Relief Center (DRC) in Asheville, North Carolina. She shares her experiences and the impact of FEMA’s assistance on her journey to recovery.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
During the meeting on October 21, 2024, the Advisory Council will hear updates from federal agencies on activities during the last quarter and from panels organized by the clinical care and risk reduction subcommittees. Presenters will discuss dementia care from different perspectives, including those of providers, people with lived experience, and CMMI GUIDE Model participants, as well as how to bridge gaps in service delivery.
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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) | http://www.hhs.gov | HHS Privacy Policy | http://www.hhs.gov/Privacy.html
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
Spokesperson Matthew Miller leads the Department Press Briefing, at the Department of State, on October 28, 2024
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Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StateDept
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Subscribe to the State Department Blog: https://www.state.gov/blogs
Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: http://ow.ly/diiN30ro7Cw
State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
Careers website: https://careers.state.gov/
White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
Terms of Use: https://state.gov/tou
The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.
Interested in joining the U.S. Army?
Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L
Connect with the U.S. Army online:
Web: https://www.army.mil
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
X: https://www.twitter.com/USArmy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usarmy/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-army
#USArmy #Soldiers #Military #Shorts #AH64 #Apache #TankKiller
Title: Enlargement will remain a top priority in the Commission’s next mandate
Description:
Enlargement will remain a top priority in the European Commission’s next mandate.
President Ursula von der Leyen has reaffirmed the EU’s commitments to the European future of our six Western Balkan partners during this year’s edition of the Western Balkans tour.
Did you know: The Sgt Stout is a mobile air-defense platform based on the Stryker A1, and was named for Sgt. Mitchell W. Stout, who served with C Battery, 1st Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery in Vietnam when his searchlight crew position came under heavy enemy mortar fire and ground attack.
As the mortar attack subsided, a hand grenade landed in their bunker. Displaying great courage, Stout grabbed the grenade and ran to the door, but it exploded before he made it out. By holding the grenade close to his body and shielding its blast, he protected his fellow Soldiers in the bunker from further injury or death.
About the U.S. Army:
The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.
Interested in joining the U.S. Army?
Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L
Connect with the U.S. Army online:
Web: https://www.army.mil
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
X: https://www.twitter.com/USArmy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usarmy/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-army
#USArmy #Soldiers #Military #SgtStout
Happy 360th birthday to our friends across the pond, the Royal Marines!
The Royal Marines have been a lethal, capable, and trusted ally of the U.S. Marine Corps for over a century and we have no doubt their professionalism, proficiency, and esprit de corps will continue on well into the future.
Source: United Kingdom UK House of Lords (video statements)
Forty years ago this month, Robin Butler – Principle Private Secretary to Margaret Thatcher – was in the room with the prime minister when the Brighton bomb exploded nearby in their hotel.
Hear from Lord Butler of Brockwell as he talks to the Lord Speaker about the experience, plus working with five prime ministers, in the latest Lord Speaker’s Corner.
Watch or listen now – search ‘House of Lords’ on YouTube or visit https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/lord-butler-of-brockwell–lord-speakers-corner/
#LordSpeakersCorner #HouseOfLords
Catch-up on House of Lords business:
Watch live events: https://parliamentlive.tv/Lords
Read the latest news: https://www.parliament.uk/lords/
Stay up to date with the House of Lords on social media:
Workouts, paint classes, and karaoke! The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy crew and their attached friendly neighborhood scientists participate in a wide range of activities and morale events to keep their spirits up during their Arctic deployments!
In addition to taking time out for morale activities, the crew assists in specialized scientific missions, providing scientists and researchers access to the most remote reaches of the Arctic Ocean. Their most recent deployment included members from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ship Fairweather, and the University of New Hampshire.
This year peacekeeping missions in Kosovo, Cyprus, Abyei and the Democratic Republic of the Congo harnessed the power of street art to promote social change.
Local artists and peacekeepers collaborated to create murals addressing issues such as youth engagement, misinformation, and gender-based violence.
Learn more about the power of artivism: https://bit.ly/3YB1LIq