During the heat of last summer, readers may remember “Think Snow!” presenting a collage of the snowy Alps. Now as many of us are enduring actual snow and freezing temperatures, I thought a look towards spring with colorful flowers might be welcomed! **********************************************************************************
Sunday, 22 February 2026 Today in Focus — Displacement, Cholera, and Conflict The DRC - WHO data released this week shows cholera cases in the DRC surged 39% in January alone, with deaths up 66% from the previous month. Cholera is endemic in the DRC, which regularly accounts for 30 to 40% of the global total. However, this year the war in the east has made the situation worse than ever, and the geographic spread is growing — cases are now appearing as far west as Kinshasa. In the east, the M23/AFC offensive has driven massive displacement, forcing communities onto contaminated water sources and overwhelming already fragile health systems. The central irony is, as UNICEF's John Agbor noted , "Congolese children should not be so gravely affected by what is a wholly preventable disease." The DRC is not suffering from a lack of knowledge or a lack of planning. It is suffering from three compounding failures: conflict that destroys water infrastructure and drives mass dis...