WASHINGTON, April 4 -- The White House issued the following news on April 2, 2026: * * * First Lady Melania Trump Advances Efforts in Fourth Ukraine - Russia Child Reunification For the fourth time, U.S. First Lady Melania Trump has expedited the return of children to their families after being separated because of the war between Russia and Ukraine. Specifically, six Ukrainian minors currently domiciled in the Russian Federation will return to their families in their homeland nation, Ukraine  more

NEW YORK, April 4 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news: * * * Mine Ban Treaty Achieves Progress amid Challenges * Since the 1990s conflicts in the Balkans, Croatia suffered from the scourge of landmines, with hundreds of civilians killed and thousands of acres of land inaccessible due to contamination. In March, the country celebrated becoming mine-free, following a US$1.38 billion, 30-year clearance campaign. Croatia's story underscores the value of th  more

SILVER SPRING, Maryland, April 4 [Category: Health Care] -- Humanity and Inclusion issued the following news release: * * * Protecting Borders, Not Endangering Generations: The Case Against Mines * As the world marks the International Day for Mine Awareness on April 4, 2026, HI highlights that antipersonnel mines are militarily outdated. Despite their resurgence in Europe, driven by states abandoning the Ottawa Treaty, conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Balkans, and Ukraine demonstrate th  more

WASHINGTON, April 3 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: * * * Reed Opposes Trump's Unjustified Defense Budget Increase * WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the Trump Administration proposed raising the fiscal year 2027 defense budget by 50 percent, to $1.5 trillion, a figure that includes some $350 billion that Trump wants Republicans to pass on a party-line vote outside the annual defense authorization and appropriation process, which means less oversight and fewer st  more

WASHINGTON, April 4 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following readout by Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott on Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau's call on April 2, 2026, with Icelandic Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir: * * * Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau spoke today with Icelandic Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir to discuss the situation in the Persian Gulf, Ukraine, and other areas of mutual concern, as well as expanding bilater  more