The lead
Haiti. In a Note to Correspondents dated 2 November, New York time, the UN said it has received a letter bearing the signature of Wilson Joseph of Gwoup Rebel 400 and that receipt of such a letter is not recognition. It also said the vast majority of additional Salvadoran military personnel reported in Haiti are not deployed under the Gang Suppression Force, so they fall outside the UN Support Office's mandate and reporting.
The second post
Cyber Essentials. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport announced on 3 November a 75% discount on certification for micro, small and medium businesses, from £80 to £125 plus VAT, funded with £2.4m until March 2027 or until the money runs out. The release does not mention the security sector. Our post sets out who qualifies on its own terms.
Journalist safety
A UN News report on UNESCO's report for 2 November says 189 journalists and other media workers were killed in 2024 and 2025, 127 of them in conflict zones, and that impunity reached 86 per cent in 2024 and 2025. UN News describes this as the highest number since 2014-2015. The report identifies what UNESCO called "a disturbing new threat", the use of drones: UN News reports that "drone strikes killed 50 journalists, or 40 per cent of all those killed in conflict zones". The Secretary-General's message says "In conflict settings, the rate of impunity is close to 100 per cent". The report as summarised gives no victim names and does not define a drone strike.
Yemen
OCHA's update of 2 November says: "All roads into the city are now closed due to the fighting, and no commercial supplies are getting through" in Ta'iz. It says "Nearly a quarter of a million people have lost access to essential healthcare", including more than 186,000 children under five and 23,000 pregnant women. It says "Twelve hospitals are at risk of closing or have had to reduce services due to a lack of fuel and critical supplies", and that OCHA and health partners are coordinating a "90-day emergency plan". Neither OCHA nor UN News says who is fighting or who controls the roads.
Afghanistan
UN News reports that UN aid teams are warning health centres are being forced to scale back or close because of funding cuts to humanitarian services. It says: "Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with nearly 22 million people needing assistance." This is a funding and access story, and UN News reports no security incident.
Western Sahara
This adds closure detail to our report of 1 November. UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Monday that the liquidation includes the repatriation of "approximately 160 Military Observers", the drawdown of 180 civilian and affiliated personnel and the closure and handover of 13 mission facilities and team sites. He repeated the Secretary-General's message that MINURSO's departure "does not abrogate" the right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination. The briefing gave no security incident, no named successor arrangement and no dates for each phase.
