The UN Security Council has formally welcomed Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland, who took up the two-year seats they won in June.
The ambassadors of the five countries installed their flags alongside those of other council members outside the chambers of the powerful body on Tuesday, continuing a tradition started by Kazakhstan in 2018.
The representatives of Mozambique and Switzerland called it a “historic date” and said they felt a “deep sense of humility and responsibility”.
This is the second time Malta is joining the council, and the fourth and record 12th for Ecuador and Japan, respectively.
The Security Council has 15 members and China, France, Russia, the UK and the US are permanent veto-wielding members.
The other 10 are elected by the 193-nation General Assembly to serve for only two years. They are selected by region in a move designed to include all continents.
To many, winning a seat on the council is considered a diplomatic accomplishment that can raise a nation's profile globally and afford small countries a bigger voice than they might otherwise have in major peace and security matters around the world.
The council can authorise peacekeeping missions, approve sanctions and speak out on conflicts and flashpoints, while also looking into matters such as terrorism and arms control.
Council members also can use the platform to highlight emerging concerns or topics of particular interest to them.
Countries often campaign for a seat on the Security Council for years. However, about 60 nations have never sat on the UN body since it was formed in 1946.
The five newest members replace India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico and Norway, whose terms ended on December 31.
The other members whose terms have yet to expire are Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and the UAE.
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Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
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The dominant group of refugees in Poland are citizens of Ukraine, but among the people checked by the Border Guard are also citizens of the USA, Nigeria, India, Georgia and other countries.
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