"Withdrawing funds from UNRWA is dangerous and would result in collapse of the humanitarian system in Gaza", the UN Permanent Coordination Committee said in a statement. — ground.news: 23 media reports — 31 January 2024 (LINK)

The population of Gaza is starving to death due to constraints imposed on humanitarian aid, the World Health Organization's emergencies director Michael Ryan said — ground.news: 39 media reports — 31 January 2024 (LINK)

Militants in eastern Congo kill 12 villagers as country's leader rules out talks with Rwanda — ground.news main source: AP, 15 media reports — 31 January 2024 (LINK)

Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan, wife sentenced to 14 years in state gifts case — ground.news: 145 media reports — 31 January 2024 (LINK)

— This is the third conviction for Khan since his ousting in 2022. He and his wife were accused of retaining and selling state gifts while Khan was in power. The court also disqualified Khan from holding any public office. Khan and his wife were earlier indicted on graft charges for retaining state gifts from Saudi Arabia's government.

Thai activist gets two-year suspended prison sentence for 2021 remarks about monarchy — ground.news main source: AP, 17 media reports — 31 January 2024 (LINK)

High Commissioner launches 2024 Annual Appeal, calling for 'deepened resolve' on human rights, asks for $500m — ohchr — 30 January 2024 (LINK)

— "In 2023, Member States and other funding partners generously donated 283.2 million USD in voluntary contributions to the work of my Office.

We received almost 800 pledges to take game-changing action on rights, including from Member States, civil society, UN entities, the private sector and others. Some 153 States — that's nearly 80% of the world's nations — made promises on women's rights and gender equality. On climate. On the rights of people with disabilities. Of children and young people. To eradicate extreme poverty. To ensure universal healthcare. To improve access to justice and to tackle impunity. And many more. Crucially, States made a total of 41 pledges to ratify core international human rights treaties, binding them to translate human rights into a legal reality.

In 2023, we saw the direct impact of the work of our 1,962 staff working in 91 countries. My Office's advocacy contributed to the release of some 13,476 detainees. Our staff undertook some 3,664 human rights monitoring missions, and monitored at least 1,088 trials. In total, they documented around 27,804 situations of human rights violations. With the support of our Slavery and Torture Funds, organizations provided direct support to 12,130 survivors of contemporary forms of slavery and their families, and assisted 59,389 survivors of torture and their families. My Office's advocacy around the world also strongly contributed to an estimated 43 countries significantly improving their legislation or policy in line with international human rights standards.

In 2023, at least 19 countries established National Human Rights Institutions — crucial bodies to oversee a nation's efforts to protect human rights — or increased their existing institutions' compliance with international standards.

Over the past five years, countries have made a total of 116 ratifications of international human rights treaties. And in line with the vision of a human rights economy, our staff have now implemented more than 65 country projects towards advancing social security, health, water, housing and other rights, while contributing to national development plans and strategies."

Three years after the military launched a coup, Myanmar's ever deteriorating human rights crisis is now in freefall, with insufficient world attention paid to the misery and pain of its people, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said today. — ohchr — 30 January 2024 (LINK)

— Since the end of October last year, their situation has deteriorated even further as a result of the long-established tactics of the military to target them," he said ahead of the anniversary of the coup on 1 February. "Pitched battles between the military and armed opposition groups have resulted in mass displacement and civilian casualties. As the military have suffered setback after setback on the battlefield, they have lashed out, launching waves of indiscriminate aerial bombardments and artillery strikes."

Sources have verified that over 554 people have died since October. Overall for 2023, the number of civilians reportedly killed by the military rose to over 1,600, an increase of some 300 from the previous year. As of 26 January, credible sources had documented the arrest of nearly 26,000 people on political grounds — of whom 19,973 remain in detention, some reportedly subjected to torture and abuses, and with no hope of a fair trial. Over the last three years, some 1,576 individuals have died while being held by the military.

Brazil's Lula sacks deputy intelligence chief amid spying probe — ground.news: 33 media reports — 30 January 2024 (LINK)

Argentinian court overturns Milei's labor rules making firing easier, in a blow to his reform plans — ground.news: media reports — 30 January 2024 (LINK)

Nevada-based owner of Budget Suites of America Robert Bigelow gives Trump $1 mln for legal fees, to donate $20 million more — ground.news main source: Reuters, 7 media reports — 30 January 2024 (LINK)

Document spells out allegations against 12 UN employees Israel says participated in Hamas attack: claiming seven stormed into Israeli territory, including two who participated in kidnappings — ground.news: 18 media reports — 29 January 2024 (LINK)

Expert critiques UN study on Bitcoin mining's energy use: "The report's reliance on outdated sources distorts its conclusions." — cointurk — 29 January 2024 (LINK)

CNN Philippines to close due to financial losses — ground.news: 11 media reports — 29 January 2024 (LINK)