Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
Spokesperson Tammy Bruce leads the Department Press Briefing, at the Department of State, on April 17, 2025.
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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.
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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
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#USArmy #Soldiers #Military
ECB President Christine Lagarde explains the Governing Council’s monetary policy decisions and will answer questions from journalists at the Governing Council press conference to be held on 17 April 2025 at 14:45 CET in Frankfurt am Main.
Noon briefing by Stephanie Tremblay, Associate Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Deputy Secretary-General
– Security Council
– Pandemic Agreement
– Sudan
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Democratic Republic of the Congo
– Iraq
– Global Economy
– Briefings tomorrow
– Financial Contribution
**Deputy Secretary-General
The Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed is in Hanoi, Viet Nam today, to participate in the Partnership for Growth Summit and to chair the annual retreat of UN Resident Coordinators from Asia and the Pacific.
In her remarks at the opening session of the Summit, Ms. Mohammed underlined the need to strengthen partnerships and to scale up investments in climate solutions as a key entry point to advance countries’ Sustainable Development Goals transitions.
Ms. Mohammed also met with the Minister of Agriculture and Environment Mr. Đỗ Đức Duy. They discussed Viet Nam’s transition to a low-carbon energy system and progress on its food system pathways.
On the margins of the Summit, she also met with Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia.
And at the Green One UN House in Hanoi, Ms. Mohammed met the UN Country Team to discuss how to further strengthen the UN’s impact in Viet Nam and to sustain momentum on the SDGs. She also met with youth.
** Security Council
This morning, the Security Council members met for a briefing on South Sudan. The Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Nicholas Haysom, told the Council members that the Revitalized Peace Agreement remains the only viable framework to break the cycle of violence in South Sudan.
He added that UNMISS is engaged in intensive diplomatic efforts to broker a peaceful solution to the current crisis alongside many stakeholders, including the African Union and the Security Council itself.
For her part, the Director of Operations and Advocacy at OCHA, Edem Wosornu, focused on the rapidly escalating violence and its impact on men, women and children. She added that this year, 9.3 million South Sudanese – that’s three-quarters of the population – require some form of humanitarian assistance, adding that children make up half of this total.
For South Sudan, this year’s Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan requires $1.7 billion to support close to 5.4 million people. Their full remarks were shared with you.
The Security Council will reconvene at 3:00 pm this afternoon for a session on the Great Lakes region. The Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, Huang Xia, as well as UNICEF’s Executive Director, Catherine Russell, are scheduled to brief. We will share their remarks as soon as we get them.
**Pandemic Agreement
And we wanted to welcome the consensus on a draft pandemic agreement reached in Geneva after more than three years of intensive negotiations. Member States of the World Health Organization took a major step forward in efforts to make the world safer from pandemics, by forging the draft agreement for consideration at the upcoming World Health Assembly in May. The proposal aims to strengthen global collaboration on prevention, preparedness and response to future pandemic threats.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=16%20April%202025
Joint media stakeout by the Security Council members that have joined the Joint Pledges on Climate, Peace and Security (Denmark, France, Greece, Guyana, Panama, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom) on Climate, Peace, and Security in the Great Lakes Region.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
How would humanity respond if we discovered an asteroid headed for Earth? NASA’s “Planetary Defenders” is a gripping documentary that delves into the high-stakes world of asteroid detection and planetary defense.
Journey alongside a dedicated team of astronomers and scientists working tirelessly to track and monitor near-Earth asteroids, aiming to protect our planet from potential impacts. This documentary captures the intricate and collaborative efforts of these unsung heroes, blending cutting-edge science with personal stories to reveal the human spirit behind this critical global endeavor. Witness the drama, the challenges and the triumphs of those on the front lines of planetary defense.
Learn more about NASA’s efforts to find, track and monitor near-Earth asteroids: https://science.nasa.gov/planetary-defense/
Directors: Scott Bednar, Jessie Wilde
Executive Producers: Emily Furfaro, Josh Handal
Producers: Scott Bednar, Caleb Stern, Jessie Wilde
Editor: Jessie Wilde
Motion Graphics Editor: Matt Schara
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
The North Anna Power Station is located on Lake Anna in central Virginia. The state’s two nuclear reactors generate enough reliable electricity to power more than 450,000 homes.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
U.S. Marines, assigned to Task Force Sapper, are reinforcing the southern border by applying concertina wire near San Ysidro, Calif., on March 1, 2025. U.S. Northern Command is working together with the Department of Homeland Security to augment U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) along the southern border with additional military forces.
Source: International Monetary Fund – IMF (video statements)
The Data for Decisions Fund—or D4D—is the IMF’s main multi-partner vehicle for providing statistics training and technical assistance to developing economies, especially low- and lower middle-income countries as well as fragile and conflict-affected states. The 2025 Spring Meetings mark the launch of phase II of the fund, with potentially additional contributions. This high-level event, featuring IMF’s Deputy Managing Director Bo Li, showcases the success and impact of capacity development under D4D phase I and highlights the new areas and innovative approaches to be introduced under phase II. Speakers will include high-level representatives of the beneficiary and donor countries.
Briefing by Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director, on the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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The significant escalation of conflict in the eastern region of the DRC has reached levels not seen in the last three decades. The intensifying violence has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, leaving millions of children at risk.
Since January, more than one million people – including an estimated 400,000 children – have been displaced by violence in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu. This new wave of displacement comes in addition to the more than 5 million people in the region who were already living in displacement camps … where crowded and unsanitary conditions make the spread of diseases like mpox, cholera and measles much more likely.
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Excellencies … the most defining, and horrifying, feature of this conflict is the rampant violence being committed against children and women.
Scores have been killed or injured. There has been a 100 per cent increase in verified grave violations in the first quarter of this year, as compared to the first quarter of 2024. These include indiscriminate attacks, large-scale recruitment and use of children, collective abductions of children, as well as widespread sexual violence.
The rate of sexual violence against children has reached shockingly high levels. Reports from child protection partners show that children make up more than 40 per cent of the nearly 10,000 cases of rape and sexual violence reported in January and February alone. UNICEF estimates that during the most intense phase of this year’s conflict in eastern DRC, a child was raped every half an hour.
Briefing by Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), on the situation in South Sudan.
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The Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Nicholas Haysom, said, “there has been a sharp deterioration in the political and security situation,” in the country, “which threatens to unravel the peace gains made in recent years.”
Presenting the Report of the Secretary-General on South Sudan to the Security Council, Haysom said, “all our efforts are now focused on preventing a relapse into widespread conflict and refocusing attention on the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement.”
He told the Council that there are reports “of further mobilisation, respectively, of the White Army and SSPDF in Upper Nile, allegedly including the forced recruitment of children into the respective ranks of the armed formations.”
The deployment of Ugandan foreign forces at the request of the South Sudanese government, Haysom pointed out, “has further stoked public anxiety.”
The UNMISS Chief said, “South Sudan faces one of the worst humanitarian outlooks since independence – driven by escalating subnational violence, the spillover from the Sudan conflict, deepening economic collapse, extreme weather and a sharp decline in international aid.”
He said, “round 9.3 million people – three quarters of the population – need assistance and 7.7 million are suffering
Source: United States Department of Defense (video statements)
Nearly 150 fighters from across the @usarmy participated in the 2025 Lacerda Cup at Fort Benning, Ga. The competition, named in honor of the late Staff Sgt. Pedro Lacerda of the @The_75th_Ranger_Regiment tests the hand-to-hand fighting skills learned under the U.S. Army Combatives Program.
#army #military #usa
For more on the Department of Defense, visit: http://www.defense.gov
Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)
Today, Attorney General Bondi and Education Secretary McMahon announced enforcement actions against the State of Maine for failing to protect women and girls in sports. This follows a federal investigation into Maine’s noncompliance with Title IX – a civil rights law that guarantees women and girls equal protection in education and athletics.
In the early hours of Wednesday morning in Geneva, countries finalized a draft global agreement aimed at improving how the world prepares for and responds to pandemics. Developed after over three years of intergovernmental negotiations under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO), the draft outlines a framework for strengthening international collaboration, equity and resilience in the face of future global health threats.
UN News article: https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162301
WHO Press release: https://www.who.int/news/item/16-04-2025-who-member-states-conclude-negotiations-and-make-significant-progress-on-draft-pandemic-agreement
Tens of thousands of people who fled violence during the brutal civil war that raged across South Sudan in 2013 found sanctuary in a camp next to the United Nations peacekeeping base in Juba. Twelve years later, many remain. They feel unable to return safely to their homes. UN peacekeepers continue to engage with the communities through patrolling and being present in the area in an aim to help people feel safer.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Last week, we reopened our VOICE Office to help victims of crimes linked to immigration. One of the services will help victims write impact statements.
Victim impact statements: Are submitted to the court for sentencing consideration Describe the physical, emotional or financial impact the victim suffered as a result of the crime
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
On May 7, TSA will no longer accept state-issued identifications that are not REAL ID compliant at TSA security checkpoints. All airline passengers 18 years and older, including TSA PreCheck® members, must present REAL ID-compliant identification or another acceptable ID, such as a passport, at TSA security checkpoints. Noncitizens illegally present in the U.S. who are voluntarily self-deporting on international flights will not be denied boarding under this requirement.
Passengers who present a state-issued identification that is not REAL ID compliant and who do not have another acceptable alternative (e.g., passport) can expect to face delays, additional screening and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint.
Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint | Transportation Security Administration
The TSA Identification Requirements page outlines acceptable forms of ID for travelers at airport security checkpoints.
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
Secretary of State Marco A. Rubio’s live conversation with @MikeBenzCyber on dismantling the censorship bureaucracy at the State Department, on April 16, 2025.
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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 – Department of State (video statements)
Secretary of State Marco A. Rubio meets Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono at the Department of State, on April 16, 2025.
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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
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Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
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Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
Secretary of State Marco A. Rubio’s live conversation with @MikeBenzCyber on dismantling the censorship bureaucracy at the State Department, on April 16, 2025.
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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
X: https://x.com/StateDept
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All products entering our homes must be safe. This is a priority for the European Commission, that has strengthened and modernised its tools to ensure that products placed in the single market have to be and have to remain safe, even when not covered by a product specific regulation.
The Safety Gate Rapid Alert System enables national market surveillance authorities from the EU and European Economic Area (EEA) to report and take action against dangerous non-food products, warning other authorities to take swift action.
Commissioner for consumer protection Michael McGrath presents the Safety Gate 2024 report, highlighting alert results and products recently labelled as unsafe
Over 4000 alerts were notified last year – the highest ever recorded amount of alerts since the launch of the system in 2003.
Source: United States Department of Defense (video statements)
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Hear from one of the @sgdragon372 Rogers Scholars as they reflect upon the words of Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell.
Mr. Parnell shared his experiences and motivations to serve our country while challenging the students to tell their own story. #beyondthebattlefield
#military #students #usa
For more on the Department of Defense, visit: http://www.defense.gov
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Keep up with the Department of Defense on social media!
Like the DoD on Facebook: http://facebook.com/DeptofDefense
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Source: World Trade Organization – WTO (video statements)
The volume of world merchandise trade is expected to decline by 0.2% in 2025 under current conditions, nearly three percentage points lower than what would have been expected under a “low tariff” baseline scenario, according to the WTO Secretariat’s latest Global Trade Outlook and Statistics report released on 16 April. This is premised on the tariff situation as of 14 April. Trade could shrink even further, to -1.5% in 2025, if the situation deteriorates.
Download this video from the WTO website:
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/webcas_e/webcas_e.htm