Bacteria grow in one of three mutually exclusive ways: Depending on the species, they either grow by dividing
Researchers observe never-before-seen bacterial growth behaviour
‘Deadly floods’ displace over 100,000 in South Sudan
In recent weeks, widespread flooding has engulfed large parts of Jonglei, Upper Nile and Unity states in the north of the country.
The agency’s representative in South Sudan, Marie-Helene Verney, said that “if the flooding continues, up to 400,000 people are likely to be displaced by the end of the year, exceeding flood displacement levels seen in 2024.”
The situation is expected to be at its worst between September and October and threatens to “cut off entire communities, exacerbate hunger and heighten protection risks, particularly for women and girls,” Ms. Verney added.
For several years, South Sudan has faced an ongoing humanitarian crisis due to underdevelopment, disasters and conflict that has displaced many communities. Recurrent floods have exacerbated this displacement, destroyed homes, and threatened livelihoods across the nation.
“Homes, schools, health facilities, farmlands, and pastures have been flooded,” said the UNHCR representative, “devastating livestock and inundating safe water sources and latrines, which have worsened sanitation and heightened health risks.”
Stagnant water, combined with limited access to safe drinking water, is raising the threat of further disease outbreaks on top of the ongoing cholera crisis, which had already affected over 12,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 3,100 refugees by the end of August.
UN continues providing aid
In 2025, UNHCR, in collaboration with the South Sudanese authorities and UN partners, has continued to provide life-saving aid, including cash, emergency shelters, and plastic sheeting to 150,000 of the most vulnerable flood-affected individuals.
Over the past five years work has been carried out to mitigate flood impacts by reinforcing dykes, prepositioning supplies, supporting livelihoods, and assisting displaced communities, including IDPs.
UNHCR has appealed for more funds to carry out its life-saving work. As of 31 July, it had only received a third of the nearly $300 million required to protect and assist displaced people and local host communities in the country.
In Unity state, which is 70 per cent underwater, UNHCR has significantly scaled down operations due to the funding shortfall, leaving thousands of people in a more precarious situation.
Supporting climate resilience
To mitigate the ongoing crisis in South Sudan, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) recently signed a $9.9 million Climate Resilience Project in South Sudan with the Ministry of Water Resources.
UNOPS continues to support efforts to strengthen climate resilience and assist flood-affected and refugee-hosting communities in South Sudan.
Russia: Statement by the Spokesperson on regional elections and their non-applicability to Ukrainian territories
Russia: Statement by the Spokesperson on regional elections and their non-applicability to Ukrainian territories
Even a few mutated cells can significantly impact how blood cancers develop, study finds
New findings about the effect of certain mutated cells on the entire blood-forming system and its environment could
Gaza: International community must ‘match words with action’ now
Olga Cherevko, Spokesperson in Gaza for the UN aid coordination office OCHA, warned that history will not judge the international community “based on the speeches that we made” but rather on actions.
Speaking from Deir Al-Balah, she delivered a blunt message: “When Gaza burned, and children starved, and hospitals collapsed – did you act?”
Gaza City ‘death sentence’
She said this past Tuesday, Gaza City “was handed a death sentence”, with hundreds of thousands of battered civilians ordered to flee to an already overcrowded area where “even small animals have to search for spaces to squeeze between to move around.”
Across the Strip, the situation is dire. A friend texted her on Thursday saying that they tried to find space in the south, but there was none.
“His 8-year-old cousin was killed instantly in an Israeli strike together with several other children last week while waiting for some bread to be baked,” she told journalists at UN Headquarters.
The friend’s daughter, who recently turned two, has known nothing but war, she added.
Death, despair and destruction
“The unmistakable smell of death is everywhere – a grisly reminder that the ruins lining the streets hide the remains of mothers, fathers, children,” Ms. Cherevko continued.
“Humans who used to laugh, cry, dream. Their lives cut short by the war’s killing machines, many to never be found again.”
As humanitarians drove back into Gaza on Thursday, distraught people crowded around their convoy “pleading for this horror to stop,” she said.
“Dignity and hope have been stripped away, with every killing of a loved one, with every strike on a civilian lifeline, with every denial of access.”
She said that “the race against time, against death, against the spread of famine, feels as if we as humanitarians are running through quicksand. Even more so as humanitarian convoys are too often denied, delayed or obstructed by the Israeli authorities.”
Humanity shines through
She noted that even amid hardship “humanity shines”, pointing to “the Palestinian doctors, nurses and paramedics working around the clock, often without pay, medicine or electricity.”
This also includes aid workers from UN agencies, the Red Crescent and other organizations “delivering food, medicine and clean water under fire”, as well as ordinary people who share the little they have with strangers.
“In every act of care – a refusal to let cruelty define the future. Proof that even in the darkest times, the human spirit endures,” she said.
Hope and action
Ms. Cherevko shared that she is often asked if she has any hope left.
“Hope may be all we have left, so we must nurture it,” she said. “But hope alone won’t keep people alive. Urgent decisions are needed that must pave the way to a lasting peace before it’s too late.”
She stressed that “the people of Gaza are not asking for charity. They are asking for their right to live in safety, in dignity, in peace,” adding that “our humanity – yours, mine, all of ours – demands that we act now.”
She concluded her remarks by insisting that “today, and every day, is a new chance for the international community to match words with action. Don’t miss it as it might be the last.”
António Costa's 'Tour des Capitales': preview for week 3
The President of the European Council, António Costa, is visiting the EU leaders in their member states in the first three weeks of September.
The `mortal floods ” moved more than 100,000 in South Sudan
In recent weeks, the widespread floods have engulfed large parts of the States of Jonglei, from the Haut du Nile and Unit in the north of the country.
The agency representative in South Sudan, Marie-Helene Verney, said that “if the floods continue, up to 400,000 people are likely to be moved by the end of the year, exceeding the levels of movement of the floods observed in 2024.”
The situation should be at its worst between September and October and threatens to “cut entire communities, exacerbate hunger and increase the risks of protection, especially for women and girls,” added Verney.
For several years, South Sudan has faced an ongoing humanitarian crisis due to underdevelopment, disasters and conflicts that have moved many communities. Recurrent floods have exacerbated this displacement, destroys houses and threatened with subsistence across the country.
“Houses, schools, health establishments, agricultural land and pastures have been flooded,” said the Hcr Representative, “devastating cattle and the flood of water sources and safe latrines, which have aggravated sanitation and increased risks for health”.
Stagnant water, combined with limited access to drinking water, increases the threat of new epidemics of diseases in addition to the current cholera crisis, which had already affected more than 12,000 internal people (PDI) and 3,100 refugees by the end of August.
The UN continues to provide help
In 2025, UNHCR, in collaboration with the South Sudanese authorities and the United Nations partners, continued to provide vital aid, especially in cash, emergency shelters and plastic sheets to 150,000 of the most vulnerable people affected by floods.
Over the past five years, work has been carried out to alleviate the impacts of the floods by strengthening the dikes, by attending supplies, supporting livelihoods and helping the displaced communities, including PDI.
The UNHCR has used more funds to do its rescue work. As of July 31, he had only received a third of the nearly $ 300 million needed to protect and help inappropriate people and local reception communities in the country.
In Unity State, which is 70%underwater, UNHCR has considerably reduced operations due to the financing deficit, leaving thousands of people in a more precarious situation.
Support climate resilience
To alleviate the current crisis in South Sudan, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) recently signed $ 9.9 millionClimate resilience projectin South Sudan with the Ministry of Water Resources.
UNOPS continues to support efforts to strengthen climate resilience and help communities affected by floods and refugee helicoptaries in South Sudan.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
Gaza: The international community must “match the words with the action” now
Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for Gaza for the United Nations Coordination Office Ochhawarned that history will not judge the international community “on the basis of the speeches we have given” but rather on actions.
Speaking of Deir al-Balah, she delivered a blunt message: “When Gaza burned and the children hurt and the hospitals collapsed-did you work?”
Gaza City “Death restraint”
She said that last Tuesday, Gaza City “had been sentenced to death”, with hundreds of thousands of beaten civilians ordered to flee in an already overcrowded area where “even small animals have to look for spaces to move between moving. »»
Through the strip, the situation is disastrous. A friend sent him a text saying that he had tried to find space in the south, but there was none.
“Her 8-year-old cousin was instantly killed in an Israeli strike with several other children last week while waiting for bread,” she told journalists at the UN headquarters.
The friend’s daughter, who recently had two years, only knew war, she added.
Death, despair and destruction
“” The unmistakable smell of death is everywhere – a macabre reminder that the ruins bordering the streets hide the remains of mothers, fathers, children“Continued Ms. Cherevko.
“The humans who laughed, cried, dreamed. Their lives rushed through war on war machines, many never to be found. ”
While the humanitarian workers returned to Gaza on Thursday, the distraught people crowded around their convoy “pleading for this horror to stop,” she said.
“Dignity and hope have been removed, with each murder of a loved one, with each strike on a civil life buoy, with each denial of access.”
She said that “The race against time, against death, against the propagation of famine, has the impression that we, as humanitarians, cross the moving sands. Even more than humanitarian convoys are too often refused, delayed or obstructed by the Israeli authorities. »»
Humanity crosses
She noted that even in the midst of the difficulties “humanity shines”, pointing out “Palestinian doctors, nurses and paramedical paramedics working on the counter, often without salary, medication or electricity”.
This also includes humanitarian workers in the United Nations agencies, the Red Crescent and other organizations “offering food, drugs and clean waters under fire”, as well as ordinary people who share the little they have with foreigners.
“In all acts of care – a refusal to let cruelty define the future. Proof that even in the darkest moments, the human mind continues, “she said.
Hope and action
Ms. Cherevko shared that he was often asked if she had hope.
“Hope is perhaps everything we have left, so we have to feed it,” she said. “But hope alone will not keep people alive. Urgent decisions are necessary which must open the way to lasting peace before it is too late. “”
She stressed that “the inhabitants of Gaza do not ask for charity. They ask for their right to live in security, in dignity, in peace “, adding that” our humanity – yours, mine, ours – demands that we are acting now “.
She concluded her remarks by insisting that “today, and every day, is a new chance for the international community to match the words with action. Do not miss it as it could be the last. ”
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
“Peace is the most powerful force for a better future”: guterres
António Guterres launched the appeal during the annual ceremony on the land of the UN headquarters in New York to ring the bell of peace.
The pursuit of the cause of peace is “the beating heart” of the organization, “but today, peace is besieged”, it said.
“Conflicts are increasing. Civilians suffer.
Peace requires action
The ceremony becomes before International Peace Day On September 21, and the theme of this year is “Act now for a peaceful world”.
“We know that peace does not occur by accident,” said the secretary general. “It is forged – by courage, compromise and especially action.”
He called for action “to silence arms”, amplify diplomacy, protect civilians and maintain the Charter of the United Nations.
“We must act – to fight against the deep causes of the conflict – of inequality and exclusion, the speech of hatred and climate chaos. We must act-to invest in prevention, dialogue and confidence, “he continued.
“And we must act to support the manufacturers of peace – especially women and young people – who are on the front line of hope.”
Do not give up: President of the General Assembly
The president of the United Nations General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, also discussed the rally.
In the midst of numerous conflicts in the world, she wondered if there would be less war without the United Nations, who firmly replied that “certainly not”.
“Now is not the time to give up,” she said. “It’s a moment to try even stronger. »»
‘Let peace ring’
The secretary general said that “peace is the most powerful force for a better future”, insisting that “he is within our reach – if we choose it”.
This is the message of The Peace Bell, he added, thrown in 1952 from coins and medals given by people from everyone, “united in their desire for peace”.
“This peace bell reminds us that even the smallest contributions can forge something lasting,” he said.
“Even in a fractured world, we can come together to let peace ring. Let us answer this call. »»
About the Bell of Peace
Japanese bell of peace has been presented as A gift to the United Nations of the United Nations Association of Japan on June 8, 1954.
For its part are eight Japanese characters who say “the absolute peace of the world in lively”.
It is housed in a wooden structure resembling a traditional Shinto sanctuary.
The bell sounded twice a year on the first day of spring, at the Vernal equinox, and to commemorate International Peace Day.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
