Anthéa Bourhis, an AI and plankton imaging analyst, collects plankton from the depths of the Mediterranean Sea and brings the samples back to the Villefranche Oceanography Lab (LOV) for storage and imaging.
Plankton sustain life on Earth: phytoplankton have produced more than half the oxygen we breathe, and zooplankton form the foundation of the marine food chain. Climate change threatens this fragile world, making research on plankton more important than ever.
Today, February 11 marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix stated, “The trends we are currently observing are clear: the presence of UNMISS continues to matter a lot.”
Addressing the Security Council about South Sudan, Lacroix said, “Political deadlock among the main signatories to the Revitalized Peace Agreement continues to drive heightened tensions, manifesting in armed confrontations in many parts of the country. In recent weeks, we have witnessed a sharp escalation of violence, particularly in Jonglei, with clashes between Government and opposition forces. Both sides claim to be acting in self-defense, while at the same time preparing for the possibility of large-scale hostilities.”
He continued, “The reports of aerial bombardments, inflammatory rhetoric, mass displacements and severe restrictions on humanitarian access observed in Jonglei are of great concern. Communities that remember all too well the violence of 2013 and 2016 are again on the move – over 280.000 people displaced from fighting in Jonglei alone as per government sources.”
He highlighted, “South Sudan remains one of the most dangerous places in the world for humanitarian workers. In 2025, 350 attacks on humanitarian staff and facilities were recorded, up from 255 the previous year. Despite government assurances, partners report persistent access constraints, particularly to opposition-held areas. These constraints are unfolding amid the country’s worst cholera outbreak, with over 98,000 reported cases since the outbreak began in September 2024.”
He said, “Amid these rising needs, the cost reduction measures have already resulted in significant operational capacity constraints to deliver fully on mandated tasks. For example, protection patrols have been reduced by up to 40 per cent where Force deployment is decreasing and by up to 70 per cent in areas where bases have closed. Long-duration ground patrols have dropped from three or four per month to one or two. Around 40 human rights monitoring missions have been cancelled. Areas where bases have closed are seeing increased tensions and clashes.”
He stressed, “Today, the situation in Akobo shows the difficult balance we face. Although the base is scheduled for closure by March under the reduction plan, escalating fighting in Jonglei required the Mission to send reinforcements instead.”
He concluded, “The trends we are currently observing are clear: the presence of UNMISS continues to matter a lot. It matters to the people that we protect, it matters to our humanitarian partners that we assist, and it matters to the peace process that we actively support and engage in.”
Briefing ambassadors in the Security Council on Tuesday, UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix said instability had risen sharply in recent weeks, driven by political deadlock among signatories to the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement.
Fighting has intensified most dramatically in Jonglei state, where clashes between Government forces and opposition elements displaced more than 280,000 people, according to government sources.
Reports of aerial bombardments, inflammatory rhetoric and severe restrictions on humanitarian access have raised fears of a return to the widespread violence seen in 2013 and 2016.
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Deputy Secretary-General
South Sudan/Security Council
South Sudan/Humanitarian
Syria
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Mozambique
Ethiopia
Venezuela
International Days
Briefing Tomorrow
Financial Contributions
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, will travel to Abuja tonight, where she will deliver a keynote address at the 18th Annual Leadership Conference and Awards Ceremony and meet with senior Government officials.
From Abuja, she will proceed to Addis Ababa to attend the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government. During her time there, she will co-chair the 6th High-Level Strategic Dialogue on Sustainable Development, together with the Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission.
She will return to New York next Tuesday.
SOUTH SUDAN/SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, briefed Security Council members on South Sudan via VTC from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He noted that political deadlock among the main signatories to the Revitalized Peace Agreement is driving tensions and fueling armed clashes, particularly in Jonglei.
Mr. Lacroix emphasized that the Mission continues to engage political leaders at all levels, conducts patrols and remains actively deployed to protect civilians. He called on the International Community, including the Security Council, to urge South Sudanese political actors to engage in dialogue and seek consensus on the way forward.
SOUTH SUDAN/HUMANITARIAN
The humanitarian situation in South Sudan continues to deteriorate. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that families fleeing their homes in Jonglei State urgently need food, safe water, healthcare and emergency shelter.
As previously mentioned, since late December, renewed violence and airstrikes have uprooted an estimated 280,000 people, according to the authorities.
Aid delivery continues to be disrupted by insecurity, and essential services are shutting down. Road and river traffic is blocked, and humanitarian flights have not been allowed to take place.
The displacements are driving up the risk of cholera spreading: 55 cases and seven deaths reported in a week in Ayod and Duk counties.
Since 28 September of 2024, South Sudan has recorded more than 98,000 cholera cases and 1,612 deaths across nine states. OCHA warnsthat transmission of cholera is likely to intensify ahead of the rainy season if humanitarian teams and supplies continue to be restricted.
SYRIA
This week, an assessment mission led by our UN teams entered Ain Al Arab/Kobani in Aleppo Governorate in northern Syria. And that was for the first time since clashes there began in January.
Yesterday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the UN Department of Safety and Security carried out anassessment mission to the city. Local humanitarian teams on the ground say the situation remains relatively calm.
The UN and its partners have previously delivered two convoys to the city carrying 52 trucks of aid and one mobile clinic. Goods and fuel are entering through limited commercial routes, though not at the scale that is needed. Basic services are continuing to be severely disrupted. Water systems are only partially functioning using diesel, and hospitals and bakeries are operating with limited fuel.
UN partners on the ground have reported that public electricity was restored yesterday evening.Water, sanitation and hygiene conditions continue to be a great concern, with some families relying on unsafe water sources, which as you can imagine, is increasing the risk of any water-borne diseases. More assessment missions are planned to identify people’s most needs.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-02-10
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Deputy Secretary-General
South Sudan/Security Council
South Sudan/Humanitarian
Syria
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Mozambique
Ethiopia
Venezuela
International Days
Briefing Tomorrow
Financial Contributions
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, will travel to Abuja tonight, where she will deliver a keynote address at the 18th Annual Leadership Conference and Awards Ceremony and meet with senior Government officials.
From Abuja, she will proceed to Addis Ababa to attend the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government. During her time there, she will co-chair the 6th High-Level Strategic Dialogue on Sustainable Development, together with the Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission.
She will return to New York next Tuesday.
SOUTH SUDAN/SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, briefed Security Council members on South Sudan via VTC from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He noted that political deadlock among the main signatories to the Revitalized Peace Agreement is driving tensions and fueling armed clashes, particularly in Jonglei.
Mr. Lacroix emphasized that the Mission continues to engage political leaders at all levels, conducts patrols and remains actively deployed to protect civilians. He called on the International Community, including the Security Council, to urge South Sudanese political actors to engage in dialogue and seek consensus on the way forward.
SOUTH SUDAN/HUMANITARIAN
The humanitarian situation in South Sudan continues to deteriorate. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that families fleeing their homes in Jonglei State urgently need food, safe water, healthcare and emergency shelter.
As previously mentioned, since late December, renewed violence and airstrikes have uprooted an estimated 280,000 people, according to the authorities.
Aid delivery continues to be disrupted by insecurity, and essential services are shutting down. Road and river traffic is blocked, and humanitarian flights have not been allowed to take place.
The displacements are driving up the risk of cholera spreading: 55 cases and seven deaths reported in a week in Ayod and Duk counties.
Since 28 September of 2024, South Sudan has recorded more than 98,000 cholera cases and 1,612 deaths across nine states. OCHA warnsthat transmission of cholera is likely to intensify ahead of the rainy season if humanitarian teams and supplies continue to be restricted.
SYRIA
This week, an assessment mission led by our UN teams entered Ain Al Arab/Kobani in Aleppo Governorate in northern Syria. And that was for the first time since clashes there began in January.
Yesterday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the UN Department of Safety and Security carried out anassessment mission to the city. Local humanitarian teams on the ground say the situation remains relatively calm.
The UN and its partners have previously delivered two convoys to the city carrying 52 trucks of aid and one mobile clinic. Goods and fuel are entering through limited commercial routes, though not at the scale that is needed. Basic services are continuing to be severely disrupted. Water systems are only partially functioning using diesel, and hospitals and bakeries are operating with limited fuel.
UN partners on the ground have reported that public electricity was restored yesterday evening.Water, sanitation and hygiene conditions continue to be a great concern, with some families relying on unsafe water sources, which as you can imagine, is increasing the risk of any water-borne diseases. More assessment missions are planned to identify people’s most needs.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-02-10
Watch the conversation with award-winning journalist and author Lyse Doucet about her acclaimed book The Finest Hotel in Kabul.
Moderated by Annemarie Hou, Executive Director of the UN Office for Partnerships, this one-on-one dialogue explores themes of hope, resilience, and the deeply human stories behind global headlines.
The Finest Hotel in Kabul, longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction, offers a rare and nuanced perspective on Afghanistan’s history through the lens of one of its most iconic landmarks. Rather than focusing solely on conflict, the book highlights endurance, community, and the everyday lives that intersect with extraordinary events.
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear insights from one of the most respected voices in international reporting and storytelling.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming our world by providing unique opportunities for advancement, while at the same time presenting new challenges for humankind.
Across United Nations system, AI is helping to improve efficiency and advance the Sustainable Development Goals by:
➡️ Anticipating food insecurity before crises emerge
➡️ Enabling faster, more effective humanitarian responses
➡️ Protecting our oceans
➡️ Creating opportunities for fairer work
The health situation of women and children in the Gaza Strip continues to deteriorate amid the ongoing collapse of the healthcare system and the worsening mass displacement. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) is supporting maternal and newborn health services and providing essential supplies.
“United Nations Police advisers and mentors are critical to the planning of public order management during electoral cycles,” UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations said.
Addressing the Security Council about the police components of UN peace operations, Lacroix said, “United Nations Police play a crucial role in supporting political processes, strengthening host-State police and other law enforcement institutions, and helping increase trust between communities and the host State.”
Also addressing the Council, UN Police Adviser Faisal Shahkar, said, “Mis and disinformation campaigns have increasingly targeted our missions, complicating our engagement with communities and eroding trust with host State institutions. In response, the United Nations Police has expanded its community outreach mechanisms, enhanced cooperation with mission strategic communications teams, and strengthened local dialogue platforms to reinforce confidence in our presence.”
Police Commissioner of United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Mamouna Ouédraogo said, “Protection of civilians remains central to our mandate. Through daily engagement with communities, traditional leaders, civil society, and police counterparts, UNPOL contributes to enhancing early warning, preventing violence, and strengthening community trust in security institutions. Special emphasis is placed on displacement-affected areas, where insecurity exposes civilians, especially women and children.”
Police Commissioner with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan Meinolf Schlotmann said, “The political and security environment remains volatile underscoring the importance of an agile, integrated Peacekeeping Mission with unrestricted freedom of movement under the Status of Forces Agreement. Within this context, UNPOL’s approach is to protect today, while helping build a police service that can protect tomorrow.”
