Reuniting of families.—In the programme for the reuniting of families, organized and directed by the delegates of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Egypt and Israel, three further operations took place at El Kantara. The first on July 30 concerned about 180 Palestinian families returning to Gaza and 200 Egyptian families going back to their homes in the United Arab Republic.

On April 4, 1968, H. M. Olav V, King of Norway, honoured the International Committee of the Red Cross with a visit. He was welcomed by the institution's President, Mr. S. A. Gonard, who conducted His Majesty to the assembly room and there presented the ICRC's Vice-Presidents, members and senior staff, as well as the Secretary-General and Assistant Secretary-General of the League.

With the death of Professor Adolphe Franceschetti, on March 8, 1968, the International Committee has lost one of its most dedicated members. Moreover, as a scientist who made a valuable contribution to medicine, ophthalmology and genetics, the Red Cross benefited by his world-wide reputation.

Release of Prisoners. — As a result of various representations made by the ICRC to obtain the right of visiting and talking without witnesses with El Fatah prisoners captured during the operations at Karameh on 21 March, 80 detainees have been released and repatriated by the Israeli authorities. The latter have, moreover, informed the ICRC that 66 detainees are still held in Jenin prison on Jordan West Bank territory.

Reuniting of families.—In the programme for the reuniting of families, organized and controlled by the ICRC delegations in Egypt and Israel, a further operation took place on November 14 at El Qantara.

Relief to civilian population.—During an interview which he granted to ICRC delegate general for Africa Georg Hoffmann, towards the end of June, General Gowon, Nigerian Head of State, said that the Federal Military Government was prepared to give the ICRC facilities to deliver to Biafra large quantities of relief supplies for the half a million destitute refugees. The Federal Government insisted that the supplies must go through the blockade by road and stated that the Enugu and Calabar landing strips would be available to the ICRC for the transport of relief goods to the place where they would be allowed through the blockade. In addition, measures would be taken to protect the lorries. General Gowon added that action on such a scale should be approved by the Biafran authorities and given corresponding facilities by them.

The International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva is constantly being questioned about press news describing inhuman acts committed during the fighting now taking place in Vietnam.

The Commission of neutral experts appointed by the International Committee of the Red Cross to examine cases of victims of pseudo-medical experiments practised in concentration camps under the Nazi regime, to whom the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany is prepared to pay indemnities, again met at ICRC headquarters in Geneva on November 8 and 9. The Chairman was Mr. William Lenoir, Judge at the Geneva Court of Justice. He was assisted by Professor Pierre Magnenat, assistant doctor at the University Clinic of the Nestlé Hospital in Lausanne and by Dr. Sylvain Mutrux, Deputy Medical Director of the University Psychiatric Clinic of Bel-Air in Geneva. The Hungarian Red Cross was represented by Mrs. Sandor Böde, Dr. Pal Bacs and Mr. Imre Pasztor, whilst Dr. E. Gotz had been sent by the Red Cross of the German Federal Republic.

The International Committee of the Red Cross contacted the Czechoslovak Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva on August 23, requesting him to convey to the President of the Czechoslovak Red Cross an invitation to come to Geneva or to delegate the National Society's Head of External Affairs. The purpose of the invitation, extended in agreement with the League of Red Cross Societies, was both to enquire whether the Czechoslovak Red Cross had need of any assistance as a result of current events, and to enable one of its leading members to take part in the meetings of National Red Cross Societies which have been scheduled to take place in Geneva for months past.

A delegation of the Alliance of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies of the USSR consisting of Dr. Fiodor Zakharov, Vice-President and Mrs. Lilia Tcherkasskaya, Head of Foreign Relations, visited the ICRC in March 1968 to discuss questions of mutual interest.

636.—Règlement sur l'usage de l'emblème de la croix rouge, du croissant rouge et du lion-et-soleil rouge par les Sociétés nationales; adopté par la 20e Conférence internationale de la Croix-Rouge, Vienne, 1965. 1966; 8vo, 10 p. Fr. 1,50.

The President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mr. Samuel Gonard, was received on 8 July by U.N. Secretary-General U. Thant. With him were Mr. Jean Pictet, ICRC Director-General and Mr. Pierre Basset, Assistant Director.

From September 17–21, 1968 more than thirty ICRC delegates and former delegates—some of whom had served the Red Cross during World War II—met at the International Committee's headquarters.

Miss A. Pfirter, head of the ICRC Nursing Personnel Service, has written a series of articles intended for nurses. She comments on those provisions of the Geneva Conventions which concern particularly military and civilian medical services and their personnel and also on those which regulate the use of the red cross sign.

At its plenary meeting on November 1, 1967, the International Committee of the Red Cross elected Mr. Roger Gallopin, Mr. Jean Pictet and Mr. Waldemar Jucker, as new members.

On 10th June H.R.H. the Prince of Liège, President of the Belgian Red Cross, accompanied by Mr. Raymond Lemaire, Vice-President, visited the International Committee.