The military operations which took place at Muong-Sing and Nam-Tha, in the province of Laos bordering on Burma, China and Thailand, have led to a further influx of refugees into areas controlled by the Vientiane Government.

When the second World War broke out I was the humble possessor of one First Aid certificate, and had little knowledge of the Red Cross outside the London area.

The “Courrier” of the International Children's Centre, has recently published a work on a very topical subject, which is of special concern to Red Cross workers in various countries : an effective health education involves a conscientious awareness of their fundamental problems by those whom one wishes to help. How can this be achieved?

We have the honour to inform you of the official recognition, on November 1, 1962, of the Upper Volta Red Cross Society by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

This Society applied for recognition in a letter dated August 20, 1962. The application was accompanied by the Upper Volta Government's Decree of July 9, 1962, recognizing the Society, together with the text of the Society's Statutes, and a report of its activities.

In Algeria, the ICRC has to undertake increasing commitments and in addition to the assistance which it has given to prisoners and internees since the beginning of the conflict, it has intensified its relief action to the civilian population in the resettlement centres.

An account of the moving ceremonies which in many countries marked the awarding of the Florence Nightingale medal appeared in the May 1962 issue of the International Review. Since then news reached Geneva from the National Societies describing this event, which it had not therefore been possible to include in the article on that subject. We now have pleasure in including this information, since our readers will realize the importance of this event in the Red Cross world and will thus have a complete picture of the eighteenth award:

Mr. Pierre Gaillard, delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross, carried out a mission in Algeria during the first fortnight in May, in order to prepare the ICRC's future action. Together with Mr. Roger Vust, permanent delegate of the ICRC, he was received at Rocher-Noir by the French High Commissioner, Mr. Christian Fouchet.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has received from the Federal Political Department in Berne, duly certified copies of the instruments by which the Governments of Paraguay and Colombia have ratified the Geneva Conventions of 1949. These two ratifications will take effect on April 23, 1962 for Paraguay and on May 8, 1962 in the case of Colombia.

On October 5, 1962, Edouard de Bondeli met his death in a railway accident.

It was with deep regret that the International Committee of the Red Cross learnt of the tragic end of its financial and administrative Director.

On September 17, 1962, two representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mr. Jean-Jacques Muralti and Mr. Joseph Gasser, were authorised to visit the thirty-four Europeans detained in the Maison-Carrée prison near Algiers. They spoke freely and without witnesses with these prisoners, whose nominal roll was then transmitted to the French authorities by the ICRC. From their visit they brought messages destined for the families of the detainees.

Twenty Chinese fishermen from Hainan in the Tonkin Golf, reported missing and later found in Da Nang (formerly named Tourane, in the centre of Vietnam), are now on their way to their own country. The Chinese Red Cross in Peking had asked the ICRC to try and find the men. The ICRC delegate was given permission to visit them by the Government of the Republic of Vietnam. As their boat was no longer seaworthy when they reached the Vietnam coast, the ICRC delegate secured a junk for them. It is on board this craft that they are now going back to China.

The Geneva Conventions having been invoked in numerous requests for intervention received by the International Committee of the Red Cross concerning the recent trial of Cuban prisoners captured during the invasion attempt in April 1961, it is appropriate to make the following statement:

Whilst the Swedish Government and the United Nations were making their representations, the International Committee of the Red Cross actively contributed to the release of the fifteen members of the UNO forces (eleven Swedes, two Norwegians and two Irish) prisoners of the Katangans, who were exchanged for thirty-three Katanga troops. From the beginning of their detention, the ICRC, in accordance with its specific attributions, attempted to ensure that these prisoners benefited from its protection.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has formed its Presidential Council for 1962, consisting of the following : President: Mr. Léopold Boissier ; Vice-Presidents: Dr. Ernest Gloor and Mr. Frédéric Siordet ; Members : Messrs. Jacques Cheneviere, Martin Bodmer, Jacques Freymond and Samuel Gonard.

For the thirteenth year running, Radio-Gèneve organised the International Red Cross Broadcast, placed traditionally under the patronage of the ICRC, the League, the European Broadcasting Union and the International Radio and Television Organization. The broadcast took place on May 8 last, the anniversary of Henry Dunant's birth which is celebrated in a number of countries in memory of the founder of the Red Cross. It will be remembered that last year's programme was given by the Belgian Broadcasting corporation and included a cantata by Louis de Meester, on a poem of Karel Jonckheere's, entitled “ Here is my blood ”, which is a salute to the blood donors' gesture of human fellowship.

Last May, the President, Mr. L. Boissier, accompanied by Mr. G. H. Beckh, Delegate, paid a short visit to the Balkans. His first port of call was Belgrade where he stayed for two days only, since his visit to Yugoslavia was not of an official nature and was only the prelude to a stay of longer duration.

Dr. Jacques de Morsier who has just died in Paris, gave great service to the Red Cross. He performed outstanding work on behalf of the victims of war in circumstances which were often dramatic and in the midst of danger which never deterred him.