Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)
Deputy Minister Dr. David Masondo & Deputy Minister Nonceba Mhlauli – release of the Q3 progress report on Operation Vulindlela, JSE #govzaupdates
South Africa: The National Commissioner of Correctional Services, briefs members of the media. #govzaupdates
Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)
The National Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale, briefs members of the media on the outcomes of the Department’s Festive Season Security Operations, as well as provide an update on investigations conducted in the Western Cape Region relating to security incidents. #govzaupdates
South Africa Government: President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses Afreximbank Accession Ceremony
Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)
President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the signing of the Instrument of Accession by South Africa to the Establishment Agreement of the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank)
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Palestine: the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People ‘Must Be Realized’ – UN Chief | UN
Source: United Nations (video statements)
UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people “must be realized.”
At the at the 426th Meeting of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Guterres said, “Any sustainable solution in Gaza must be consistent with international law, and result in Gaza and the West Bank – including East Jerusalem – being governed by a unified, legitimate, and internationally recognized Palestinian Government. Gaza is and must remain an integral part of a Palestinian State.”
He also said, “The recently published tender by Israel for 3,401 housing units in the E1 area – alongside continued demolitions – is profoundly alarming. If carried forward, it would sever the northern and southern West Bank, undermine territorial contiguity, and strike a severe blow to the viability of a two-State solution.”
He reaffirmed his full support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and condemned the adoption by the Israeli parliament of laws that “further impede the Agency’s ability to operate and carry out its mandate activities. I also condemn in the strongest terms actions by Israeli authorities to demolish the UNRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound in occupied East Jerusalem. Let me be clear: UNRWA premises are United Nations premises. They are inviolable and immune from any form of interference. Public threats by officials of Israel against the staff of UNRWA are utterly abhorrent and must be met with unequivocal repudiation.”
Guterres concluded, “The occupation must end, as affirmed by the International Court of Justice. The inalienable rights of the Palestinian people must be realized. The inalienable rights of the Palestinian people must be realized.”
Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour, said, “The ceasefire has to be permanent. It should not be fragile. Israel should not continue to go and to kill our people as they wish in the Gaza Strip and in other parts of the occupied Palestinian territory.”
He also said, “Gaza is not a piece of land that is hanging in the air for anyone to grab it. It belongs to its people. It belongs to the Palestinian people. The West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, constitute a single territorial unit. Their unity, integrity and status must be preserved, and they must be unified under the Palestinian Authority, as affirmed by the Security Council and GA resolution.”
Michael Contet, Director of the UNRWA Representative Office in New York said, “In Gaza, UNRWA remains the largest and most comprehensive service provider, effectively acting as the public sector for more than half the population.”
He highlighted, “The operational constraints imposed by Israel on UNRWA, compounded by an unprecedented financial shortfall, severely undermine our GA mandate, which has just been renewed for another three years, and pose an existential threat to our work in the occupied Palestinian territory. They are taking place in utter disregard for international law and the UN Charter.”
He stressed, “The actions against UNRWA include a large-scale dis- and mis-information campaign. The repeating of allegations that have already been proven wrong or unsubstantiated, including by the world’s highest court, or have been addressed, continues to form the backdrop for reduced or increasingly conditioned financial contributions. This reduction, combined with a suspension of funding by two major donors, has left a gaping hole in the finances of the Agency to this day.”
He reported, “The estimated shortfall for 2026 is 220 million USD – amounting to 40 percent of the funds required for basic operations, including paying our local staff, who directly deliver UNRWA’s services to beneficiaries. As a result, the Commissioner-General was compelled to take the difficult decision to implement as of this month a reduction of UNRWA’s service-delivery working hours by 20 percent, in all five fields, with salaries of Area staff adjusted accordingly. This was taken as a measure of last resort, to preserve the Agency and its mandate.”
Full remarks [as delivered]: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statements/2026-02-03/secretary-generals-remarks-the-2026-opening-session-of-the-committee-the-exercise-of-the-inalienable-rights-of-the-palestinian-people
Palestine, Lebanon, Sudan & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (03 February 2026) | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Palestinian People
Occupied Palestinian Territory
UNIFIL
Sudan
South Sudan
Ukraine
Senior Personnel Appointment
Police Week
Honour Roll
Belarus
————————–
PALESTINIAN PEOPLE
The Secretary-General spoke this morning at the opening session of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. He said that the New York Declaration and its annexes, endorsed by the General Assembly last year, provide a clear, actionable path toward a two-State solution.
But what matters, he added, is durable change on the ground, and, as we sadly know all too well, the situation is perilously fragile. Since the October agreement, the Secretary-General said, more than 500 Palestinians have been killed.
He urged all parties to implement the agreement in full, exercise maximum restraint, and comply with international law and UN resolutions. And he also called for the facilitation of rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief at scale, including through the Rafah crossing.
Mr. Guterres noted that more than 37,000 Palestinians were displaced in the West Bank in 2025 alone, a year that also saw record-high levels of Israeli settler violence.
He also condemned once more in the strongest terms actions by Israeli authorities to demolish the UNRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound in occupied East Jerusalem. Public threats by officials of Israel against the staff of UNRWA are utterly abhorrent and must be met with unequivocal repudiation, he said.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the Gaza Strip, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, yesterday welcomed the partial reopening of Rafah crossing for people to leave and return to Gaza. He stressed, however, that this is not enough and that Rafah must function as a real humanitarian corridor so we can have a surge in aid deliveries.
And our partners working in education continue their efforts to increase enrolment capacity through setting up new learning spaces, expanding existing ones, and supporting community-led initiatives. Supplies are arriving gradually, which will help with this effort.
UNIFIL
Moving to southern Lebanon, and in answer to some of the questions the Spokesperson received on the substance that was dropped by the Israel Defense Forces over areas near the Blue Line yesterday, UNIFIL peacekeeping colleagues confirmed that they supported the Lebanese authorities to collect samples north of the Blue Line, to be tested for toxicity. The Lebanese authorities will test the samples and UNIFIL remains in contact with the Lebanese authorities as they work to obtain results as quickly as possible.
Separately, this morning peacekeepers on patrol observed two drones hovering above them near Kafr Kela in Sector East. One drone carrying an unidentified object entered a range assessed as an immediate threat.
Peacekeepers took defensive action, after which the drone dropped a stun grenade about 50 metres away before flying toward Israeli territory. No injuries were reported, and the patrol continued.
UNIFIL informed both the Israeli and Lebanese armies, as it does for all activities in sensitive areas near the Blue Line. The use of armed drones is unacceptable. We reiterate the obligation of all parties to respect the Blue Line, ensure the safety of peacekeepers and avoid actions that endanger them.
Full Highlight: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-02-03
World Health Organization Launches Appeal to Help Millions #who
Source: United Nations (video statements)
The World Health Organization (WHO) today launched its 2026 global appeal to ensure that millions of people living in humanitarian crises and conflicts can access health care.
Artists in #gaza find materials to create expression and generate hope
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Palestinian artists in the Gaza Strip draw on ingenuity to salvage artistic materials from cardboard and cooking soot. They explain how artistic expression can help to inspire hope.
Occupied Palestinian Territory, UNIFIL, Sudan & other topics – Daily Press Briefing
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Palestinian People
Occupied Palestinian Territory
UNIFIL
Sudan
South Sudan
Ukraine
Senior Personnel Appointment
Police Week
Honour Roll
Belarus
————————–
PALESTINIAN PEOPLE
The Secretary-General spoke this morning at the opening session of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. He said that the New York Declaration and its annexes, endorsed by the General Assembly last year, provide a clear, actionable path toward a two-State solution.
But what matters, he added, is durable change on the ground, and, as we sadly know all too well, the situation is perilously fragile. Since the October agreement, the Secretary-General said, more than 500 Palestinians have been killed.
He urged all parties to implement the agreement in full, exercise maximum restraint, and comply with international law and UN resolutions. And he also called for the facilitation of rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief at scale, including through the Rafah crossing.
Mr. Guterres noted that more than 37,000 Palestinians were displaced in the West Bank in 2025 alone, a year that also saw record-high levels of Israeli settler violence.
He also condemned once more in the strongest terms actions by Israeli authorities to demolish the UNRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound in occupied East Jerusalem. Public threats by officials of Israel against the staff of UNRWA are utterly abhorrent and must be met with unequivocal repudiation, he said.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the Gaza Strip, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, yesterday welcomed the partial reopening of Rafah crossing for people to leave and return to Gaza. He stressed, however, that this is not enough and that Rafah must function as a real humanitarian corridor so we can have a surge in aid deliveries.
And our partners working in education continue their efforts to increase enrolment capacity through setting up new learning spaces, expanding existing ones, and supporting community-led initiatives. Supplies are arriving gradually, which will help with this effort.
UNIFIL
Moving to southern Lebanon, and in answer to some of the questions the Spokesperson received on the substance that was dropped by the Israel Defense Forces over areas near the Blue Line yesterday, UNIFIL peacekeeping colleagues confirmed that they supported the Lebanese authorities to collect samples north of the Blue Line, to be tested for toxicity. The Lebanese authorities will test the samples and UNIFIL remains in contact with the Lebanese authorities as they work to obtain results as quickly as possible.
Separately, this morning peacekeepers on patrol observed two drones hovering above them near Kafr Kela in Sector East. One drone carrying an unidentified object entered a range assessed as an immediate threat.
Peacekeepers took defensive action, after which the drone dropped a stun grenade about 50 metres away before flying toward Israeli territory. No injuries were reported, and the patrol continued.
UNIFIL informed both the Israeli and Lebanese armies, as it does for all activities in sensitive areas near the Blue Line. The use of armed drones is unacceptable. We reiterate the obligation of all parties to respect the Blue Line, ensure the safety of peacekeepers and avoid actions that endanger them.
Full Highlight: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-02-03
Psychological Survival in a Violent Career – Follow Up
Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)
Dr. David Christiansen discusses some of the relevant issues which affect law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders. These concepts also apply to those who are affected by secondary traumatization such as crime scene investigators, attorneys and others who are in frequent contact with images or information regarding gruesome acts of violence. Dr. Christiansen hopes to help those who have been exposed to such information by providing ideas to prevent or inoculate psychological trauma such as post-traumatic stress disorder and a plethora of other negative consequences which can result from multiple exposure to crime scenes either directly or through the collection of data for the judicial process.
This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence in August 2019.
(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.)
Digital and Multimedia Forensics: The Impact of Disturbing Media
Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)
This webinar will discuss the impact of disturbing media on the psychological well-being (e.g., depression, secondary traumatic stress) of digital and multimedia forensic analysts.
This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on August 28, 2019.
(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.)