FirstUp: UN expert on human rights to visit South Korea and other big headlines

It's a big day for news.

Elizabeth Salmon, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in North Korea, will make an official visit to South Korea starting today (February 2).

Also, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi will join the Andhra Pradesh Congress protest against the Centre replacing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Read this and more news updates from across the world for today.

UN expert on human rights to visit North Korea

Salmón will be visiting South Korea from today until February 6. She is slated to meet government officials, civil society organisations, victims, and their families, according to the United Nations' official website.

A press conference will be held on Friday (February 6) by the Special Rapporteur at Seoul Global Centre, 9F, 38 Jongro, Jongro-gu, Seoul. The expert's annual report will be presented to the Human Rights Council in March 2026.

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Grammy Awards 

Indian viewers can watch the 2026 Grammy Awards live today. The ceremony will stream in the early hours of the day due to the time difference with America.

The awards are taking place at at the Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena and will be available to watch in India via JioHotstar, which will stream the event live. The ceremony has notable award presentations, tributes to music icons, and live performances of emerging artists.

RaGa to join MGNREGA replacement protest in AP

Senior Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi will visit Andhra Pradesh today to take part in a state-wide protest against the replacement of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) said Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president YS Sharmila.

Rahul Gandhi to join MGNREGA replacement protest in Andhra Pradesh today. File Image: Reuters

While speaking to the media last week, Sharmila said that Gandhi responded positively to her request to visit the state and participate in the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee protest. She also accused the BJP-led Union government of weakening the programme.

Social media addiction trial opens in New Mexico

A landmark social media addiction trail is set to open in New Mexico today. Earlier in January, a New Mexico district judge denied Meta’s attempt to dismiss a state lawsuit alleging the company enabled child exploitation across its sites.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez first brought the civil suit in December 2023. He argued in the complaint that Meta “failed to stem the tide of damaging sexual material and sexual propositions delivered to children," as reported by Source NM.

New Mexico v. Meta's civil trial over child exploitation is slated for today. File Image

Meta denied the allegations, saying, “We strongly disagree with these allegations and are confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people. For over a decade, we’ve listened to parents, worked with experts and law enforcement, and conducted in-depth research to understand the issues that matter most."

"We use these insights to make meaningful changes like introducing Teen Accounts with built-in protections and providing parents with tools to manage their teens’ experiences. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, and we’re always working to do better," it added, the media outlet reported.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is set to meet in Italy's Milan today. Italian President Sergio Mattarella will attend the proceedings. This event marks the beginning of meetings leading into the 2026 Winter Games, according to reports.

With inputs from agencies