Source: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) (Video Release)
‘If you allow it to happen to Palestinian journalists today, then it will happen to you tomorrow’ – Youmna El Sayed, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Gaza
It’s been one year since the start of the war in Gaza and practicing journalism has become nearly impossible in the Palestinian enclave. Only a handful of men and women continue to do so, risking their lives even after their fellow journalists have been forced into exile or killed by the Israeli army. In this brand new documentary, three Gazan refugee journalists tell RSF about their experiences.
In just one year, over 130 Palestinian journalists have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza. This violence has been met with widespread impunity.
Press conference by Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, and Imran Riza, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, briefing reporters on the country.
The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, today (9 Oct) said, “Lebanon finds itself facing a conflict and a humanitarian crisis of catastrophic proportions,” and called for a “realistic roadmap for the implementation by both sides of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.”
Briefing from Beirut together with the Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza, Hennis-Plasschaert said, “unrelenting bombardment is now part and parcel of daily life in Lebanon, with the latest blasts not even 30 minutes ago. Far too many people are paying an unimaginable price with over 2,000 killed, many more wounded and hundreds of thousands displaced.”
Meanwhile, she continued, Hezbollah, “continues to launch rockets and missiles into Israel, preventing tens of thousands of Israelis from returning home.”
The Special Coordinator said it was “clear that 7th October changed everything, including the threat perception in Israel,” but stressed that “a continuation of the death and destruction we have seen so far will not, cannot bring about safety or security.”
At the end of the day, she said, “it is the lack or non-implementation even of Resolution 1701 over the past 18 years that led to today’s harsh reality.”
Riza for his part said, “healthcare and frontline workers have come under attack, as have civil defence centres and water supply systems, pushing essential services to the brink of collapse. The killing of over 100 paramedics, healthcare workers, and public servants impairs Lebanon’s emergency response capacity.”
He said, “this must stop. Even wars have rules.”
Responding to a journalist’s question, the Humanitarian Coordinator said, “the trauma, the fear, the anxiety here is very much about Gaza, whether we go on that route, whether that’s where it’s going right now,” adding that “the lessons are to have member states really exert everything they can, on the one hand towards the ceasefire,” but in the meantime, “respecting international humanitarian law, respecting protection of civilians, respecting that, protecting humanitarian workers, frontline workers and the like. And that is what we really need at this time.”
Asked about whether 1701 was still relevant, Hennis-Plasschaert said, “the question is not whether 1701 is still relevant. The question is how to implement it and how come it was not implemented in the past 18 years. And therefore, I am pushing, or hinting, or suggesting that a serious discussion on the implementation and enforcement mechanisms will take place.”
“What we would like to avoid,” she continued, is “a period of relatively calm or return to the cessation of hostilities, and then after ten, 15, 18 years, we have a similar situation as we are facing today.”
More than 2,000 people have been killed in Lebanon in the past year, including at least 100 children and 300 women. At least 1 million people have been directly affected, many of them displaced – often multiple times — enduring the loss of loved ones, homes, livelihoods and their sense of security.
More than 600,000 people are internally displaced across the country – over half of them women and girls. At least 350,000 children have been displaced in total. Most children remain out of school, with the start of the new year postponed to 4 November as 75 percent of the country’s public schools have been converted into shelters.
At least 185,000 people have sought refuge in 1,000 shelters – 80 percent of which are already at capacity.
And over 300,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries, such as Syria, and many of them are also moving to Iraq and Türkiye as well.
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 9, 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.
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
Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)
President Biden and Vice President Harris receive a briefing on the Administration’s life-saving preparations for Hurricane Milton, as well as the latest updates on the forecast and expected impacts for the State of Florida. The President and Vice President will also receive an update on the ongoing response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene across the Southeast.
Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements-2)
President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the Electricity Regulation Amendment Act which sets out far-reaching reforms of South Africa’s electricity sector, including the establishment of a competitive electricity market.
The Bill assented to by the President amends the Electricity Regulation Act of 2006 to respond to current realities in the electricity sector and open up pathways to greater competition and reduced energy costs; increase investment in new generation capacity to achieve energy security; establish an independent transmission company as the custodian of the national grid; and impose severe penalties for damage to and sabotage of infrastructure.
Joseph Maraba breaks down this act and its implications.
The 25th ID was activated on October 1, 1941 at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Its mission: to deter adversaries by building, sustaining and forward-posturing ready forces alongside allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility. On order, 25th Infantry Division fights & wins in large scale combat operations.
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
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (video statements)
This video b-roll shows a work by French Impressionist Claude Monet. The piece, which was looted during World War II, was recently returned to the heirs of its original owners with the help of the FBI and our partners.
Session 2
Monetary policy, credit and banking
Chair: Carlo Altavilla, European Central Bank
The long-run effects of monetary policy
Òscar Jordà*, University of California, Davis
Co-Authors: Sanjay R. Singh and Alan M. Taylor
Discussant: Margherita Bottero, Banca d’ Italia
Collateral Heterogeneity and Monetary Policy Transmission: Evidence from Loans to SMEs and Large Firms
Şebnem Kalemli-Özcan*, Brown University
Co-Authors: Cecilia R. Caglio and R. Matthew Darst
Discussant: Katharina Bergant, International Monetary Fund
Session 1
Monetary policy and financial markets
Chair: Wolfgang Lemke, European Central Bank
Bond Market Views of the Fed
Luigi Bocola*, Stanford University
Co-Authors: Alessandro Dovis, Kasper Jørgensen and Rishabh Kirpalani
Discussant: Klodiana Istrefi, Banque de France
Deciphering Monetary Policy Shocks
Christian Wagner*, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business
Co-Authors: Phillipp Gnan, Maximilian Schleritzko and Maik Schmeling
Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)
(Opinions or points of view expressed represent the speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Any product or manufacturer discussed is presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice.)
Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)
(Opinions or points of view expressed represent the speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Any product or manufacturer discussed is presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice.)
Source: World Trade Organization – WTO (video statements)
Ecuador deposited its instrument of acceptance of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on 9 October. Ambassador José Valencia presented Ecuador’s instrument of acceptance to Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The National Museum of the Marine Corps officially opened two new galleries in Triangle, VA, Oct 6, 2024.
Featuring a vast array of artifacts and immersive experiences, the National Museum of the Marine Corps highlights the enduring legacy of the Marine Corps’ core values of honor, courage, commitment, and sacrifice.
While more than 5,100 Guardsmen prepare for Hurricane Milton’s landfall in Florida, more than 5,500 National Guard members from 17 states remain on duty supporting Hurricane Helene response efforts across the Southeast. (Video by Sgt. 1st Class Whitney Hughes)
Tuesday, a U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Miami aircrew flew over the #TampaBay area to assess Florida’s west coast before the arrival of Hurricane Milton.
Storm surge is destructive. Do not risk your life by trying to ride out the storm. Leave immediately if you are in Milton’s path.
Find evacuation orders for Florida counties: https://www.floridadisaster.org/evacuation-orders/
(U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicholas Strasburg)
The US Coast Guard Cutter Resolute traveling through 7-8 ft. seas, northwest of St. Petersburg, Fl. en route to Pensacola, Fl. before Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall. (U.S. Coast Guard courtesy of Ensign Rylee Burton)
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.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Nonprofits and schools often dedicate so much time and money to serving their communities that Investing in essential building improvements can feel impossible. To support organizations with energy upgrades which boost efficiency and save money, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) hosted a webinar in an ongoing series called, “Funding Strategies for Nonprofits.”
The webinar covers the value of utility rebates and incentives and how they can be part of an organization’s capital stack for infrastructure projects. Speakers highlight resources available to identify local rebate and incentive programs and demonstrated the tangible first step to accessing this funding.
The Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, Ms. Reem Alsalem, will brief the press following the presentation of her report to the General Assembly’s Third Committee on 8 October.
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Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls Reem Alsalem said, “Violence against women and girls in sport is a serious, systemic and systematic human rights issue that demands immediate attention at all levels.”
Addressing reporters today (8 Oct) on Violence against Women and Girls in sport, Alsalem explored the forms, causes and consequences of violence against women and girls in sports, including sexual violence, coercion, gender pay gap, gender stereotypes, patriarchal structures, abusive coaches, and the general absence of robust policies and mechanisms to address abuses and protect victims.
She said, “Women and girls in sport face multiple forms of violence – and I outlined them in the report – economic forms of violence, physical, psychological, coercive control, online violence and also for children, girls, they face neglect, particularly in some sports such as gymnastics.”
She also said, “The report also describes the most common perpetrators of violence and their accomplices, which include state and non-state actors. So, I speak about coaches, professional colleagues, family members, managers, spectators, policy makers. And I assert within that conversation that states can also be considered complicit when they fail to prevent, prosecute and sanction acts of violence against women and girls in sport.”
She continued, “Their ability to play sports in condition of safety, dignity and fairness has been further eroded by the intrusion of males who identify as female in female only sports categories and spaces.”
She concluded, “Impunity fosters the culture of silence and injustice, and that is brought about in part by the autonomous regulatory frameworks of sports organizations that we have, which non sufficiently incorporated human rights lens or framework in the work, and they tend to prioritize reputation and winning over justice and accountability to victims.”
The Special Rapporteurs of the Human Rights Council are independent human rights experts with mandates to report and advise on human rights from a thematic or country-specific perspective.
One year after the war in Gaza, violence persists, and the humanitarian crisis continues. Over the past year, UN officials have condemned Hamas’s attacks, called for the immediate release of all hostages, and urged for ceasefires. Gaza remains sealed off, leaving no safe areas for civilians. The UN is fully committed to staying and delivering aid to the people of Gaza.
Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)
The Biden-Harris Administration has deployed thousands of federal personnel to join National Guard in supporting communities impacted by Hurricane Helene, including active duty troops to get commodities to isolated communities and FEMA personnel to register survivors for Federal assistance. We’ll be with these communities for as long as it takes.
Day 8 involved night operations, with competitors conducting an air assault into a remote location to conduct squad tactics through difficult terrain and engage all their team fighting, communication, and movement capabilities.
: AMVID
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
Petty Officer Santiago Ponce, a Machinery Technician 3rd class at Coast Guard Station Yankeetown, FL, describes the clean-up effort after Hurricane Helene. Coast Guard crews along the Gulf Coast are working hard to stay ready to help those in need.
Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)
Today the House of Commons sits from 11.30am, starting with Questions to the Minister for Women and Equalities, Bridget Phillipson before #PMQs at 12pm.
The House of Lords sits from 3pm, questioning the Government and debating topics such as regulation of water companies, the Strategic Defence Review and migration.