Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)
In March 2017, the National Institute of Justice, Charleston Southern University, the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence, and the Shaken Baby Alliance worked together to create and host “From Cradle to Cane: Investigation of Crimes Against Vulnerable Victims.” This two-day conference, held in Charleston, SC, focused on violent crimes against our most vulnerable populations – children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
This video is one of twenty-three in that series.
(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)
In 2017, the National Institute of Justice, Charleston Southern University, the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence, and the Shaken Baby Alliance worked together to create and host “From Cradle to Cane: Investigation of Crimes Against Vulnerable Victims.” This two-day conference, held in Charleston, SC, focused on violent crimes against our most vulnerable populations – children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
This video is one of twenty-three in that series.
(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.)
Press conference by James Kariuki, Chargé d’Affaires at the United Kingdom Mission to the United Nations, and President of the Security Council in February 2026, on the programme of work during the month of February.
Bintou Keita knows instinctively that some moments call for a more human response than words alone can offer. Once, at a ceremony to mark the end of the devastating Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone, she found herself hesitating to deliver her pre-prepared statement to a grief-stricken crowd.
“I have my statement, but I can’t deliver [it] because there’s something else I have to do before. And in that moment, what came to me was humming, so I did it. And at that moment, the tears – my own, the tears in the audience – came out. These people were grieving, were still mourning.”
Bintou Keita has retired after 36 years with the UN, most recently the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and head of the peacekeeping mission there. In this episode, she reflects on times when peacekeepers saved thousands of lives, on hopes for a people reeling from decades of violence, and shares why she learned to never say never again.
[00:00] Introduction
[01:57] Conflict in the DRC and the fluctuating will for peace
[05:23] When violence becomes normalized
[07:49] Empowering communities to use their own voice
[12:52] Making the case for peacekeeping
[16:18] The UN family in action during crisis
[20:33] Unprecedented funding cuts and their human cost
[23:03] Pride and hope for the DRC’s future
[24:36] The Ebola crisis and taming fear
[29:18] The power of human connection over protocol
[32:36] Bringing humanity into work
[36:24] From a military family to peacekeeping
[39:57] What keeps Bintou awake at night
[42:44] Looking to the future
[45:14] Closing remarks
Listen to more Awake at Night episodes: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoDFQJEq_0b6hu1e8oxsch9W0D7vkNqt
#podcast #UnitedNations #AwakeAtNight #Peacekeeping
About Awake at Night
Hosted by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the podcast ‘Awake at Night’ is an in-depth interview series focusing on remarkable United Nations staff members who dedicate their career to helping people in parts of the world where they have the hardest lives – from war zones and displacement camps to areas hit by disasters and the devastation of climate change
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Syria/Humanitarian
Syria
Lebanon/Israel
Somalia
Ethiopia
Madagascar
Ukraine
New Resident Coordinators – Nepal and Iran
World Wetlands Day
Honour Roll
Briefing
Turning to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, we welcome the re-opening of the Rafah crossing. As we have said before, civilians must be allowed to leave and return voluntarily and safely, as international law requires. Ultimately, essential humanitarian supplies must enter in sufficient quantities and with fewer restrictions through Rafah and all other crossings.
Also today, WHO supported medical evacuation efforts from Gaza. The limited re-opening of the Rafah crossing allowed some patients and companions to exit directly to Egypt, while others transited through the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom/ Kerem Abu Salem crossing.
The World Health Organization tells us that the last medical evacuation through Rafah crossing dates back to May 2024.
Over the weekend, the UN system, including our colleagues from OCHA, UNDP and the Department of Safety and Security, undertook an advance mission to assess road conditions, and the World Health Organization carried out a technical mission to examine the compound area and access roads, to ensure appropriate and dignified conditions.
OCHA – together with several UN entities and NGO partners – has set up a reception area at the Nassar hospital in Khan Younis.
We also saw the reports of violence over the weekend and we are very concerned about the killing of civilians and Israeli airstrikes. Again, we condemn all killings of civilians.
And just a note on the reception centre at the Nassar centre. It is staffed with psychologists and protection specialists and equipped with food, information materials and internet access to provide returning people with support. Our colleagues from the World Food Programme and the UN Human Rights Office are among those operating the reception.
SYRIA/HUMANITARIAN
The UN and its humanitarian partners continue to reach thousands of people in the northeast with critical assistance.
Today, a convoy consisting of two dozen trucks and one mobile clinic arrived in Ain Al Arab/Kobani in Aleppo Governorate, delivering ready-to-eat food, health supplies and fuel. This is the second convoy to reach the area in a week, as the city continues to face shortages of water, communications, medical supplies and food, among other basic services, with communities relying on bakeries as the primary source of sustenance.
Since the fighting broke out in Aleppo in December, more than 150,000 people have received humanitarian assistance. Yesterday, a 50-truck UN convoy carrying humanitarian aid from Damascus reached the city of Qamishli in Hasakeh Governorate.
That is the third such convoy in a week.
As of 25 January, more than 170,000 people have been forced to flee their homes across 178 communities across the northeast of Syria, mostly in Al-Hasakeh governorate. The vast majority of these people are women and children, who face heightened risks of violence and abuse.
Nearly three quarters of displaced families are living with host communities, putting additional strain on housing, water, basic services, and livelihoods in already challenging situations for the hosts.
While some have returned home, many remain displaced due to explosive ordnance, infrastructure that is damaged, winter conditions, and limited access to the most basic of essential services.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-02-02
The UN Spokesperson addresses recent reports of IDF activity along the Blue Line, reiterating calls for restraint, respect for international law, and the importance of maintaining stability.
