UN envoy calls for “serious” action on Somalia….

UN NEWS

29/07/2009

While Somalia “is indeed a difficult case,” the challenges presented by the country should not be cause for inaction, the head of the UN Office for Somalia told the Security Council on Wednesday.

Ahmedou Ould Abdallah

Ahmedou Ould Abdallah, who is based in neighbouring Kenya, said past failures should not discourage future action in support of Somalia’s stability.

“ The time has come for the United Nations to show it is serious about moving to Somalia. Our temporary presence in Nairobi has lasted far too long-15 years. We can only work effectively for peace with the Somalis and address pressing humanitarian needs if we are close to the victims of famine, violence and other different abuses.”

Mr. Ould Abdallah stated that his office, together with leading UN agencies, concerned diplomats and non-governmental organizations, should be moved to Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu. And he suggested the establishment of a “Green Zone” would facilitate this process.

He said Somalia is at a turning point, with the population and traditional leaders rejecting violence and those behind it. This makes support from the international community all the more crucial right now.

Dianne Penn, United Nations Radio.

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Swine flu ‘hits pregnant harder’…

BBC NEWS

29/07/09

Pregnant women are four times more likely than the general population to need hospital treatment for H1N1 swine flu, data from the US suggests.

The findings suggest pregnancy does increase the risk of complications without speedy anti-viral treatment.

It also underlines the need to ensure pregnant women are made a top priority when a vaccine becomes available.

The study, by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, appears in The Lancet medical journal.

Scientists studied 34 confirmed or probable cases of swine flu infection among pregnant women.

We must remember that most pregnant women who catch the disease are likely to make an uncomplicated recovery Department of Health

They found 11 were admitted to hospital – a rate four times higher than that seen in the general population.

The women covered a broad range of ages and races and were in various stages of pregnancy. Six subsequently died after developing pneumonia.

None of the women who died had been given anti-viral drugs promptly, within the first 48 hours of symptoms occurring.

Five of these women underwent caesarean deliveries. Four of the babies have now left hospital, and the fifth, born very prematurely, is doing well. None of the babies showed any sign of swine flu infection.

Historical echoes

The researchers accepted that doctors might be more likely to admit pregnant women to hospital than other patients – but said this was unlikely to be the only explanation for the higher rate of hospital admissions.

It may be that pregnancy weakens the immune system, making complications more likely.

Writing in The Lancet, the researchers, led by Dr Denise Jamieson, said: “On the basis of our investigation, pregnant women seem to be at increased risk for complications from pandemic H1N1 virus infection, with a higher estimated rate of hospital admission than in the general population.

“Although the decision to admit a pregnant woman is complex and might include considerations beyond simply the severity of disease, that a high proportion of influenza-related deaths in the US have been in pregnant women is concerning.”

A similar pattern was seen in the flu pandemics of 1918 and 1957, when death rates for pregnant women were higher than for non-pregnant women.

A spokesman for the Department of Health said: “This study is a reminder that pregnant women can be at increased risk from swine flu, but we must remember that most pregnant women who catch the disease are likely to make an uncomplicated recovery.

“Pregnant women should make early contact with their GP if they have flu-like symptoms.”

The spokesman said the anti-viral drug Relenza was available in an inhaled form which would not reach the foetus, and so pose no risk to it at all.

Pregnant Sharon Pentleton, from Saltcoats, Ayrshire, had to be flown to Sweden for specialist care last week after developing a rare complication following infection with swine flu.

Ms Pentleton, who is having her blood circulated through a machine, is described as “stable, but critical”.

Eritrea has only a short time to stop undermining security in Somalia….

WASHINGTON, July 29 (Reuters) – Eritrea has only a short time to stop undermining security in Somalia or face possible U.N. sanctions, Washington’s ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said on Wednesday.

Rice told a congressional committee the United States was “deeply concerned and very frustrated” with Eritrea’s behavior in Somalia, including arming and funding Islamist insurgents

“It is unacceptable, and we will not tolerate it, and nor will other members of the Security Council,” she told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The U.N. Security Council warned Eritrea this month it would consider action against anyone undermining peace in Somalia.

“We will continue to discuss with colleagues in the Security Council, appropriate measures including potentially sanctions, against Eritrea for its actions in Somalia,” Rice told the committee.

“There is a very short window for Eritrea to signal through its actions that it wishes a better relationship with the United States and indeed the wider international community.

“If we do not see signs of that signal in short order, I can assure you that we will be taking appropriate steps with partners in Africa and the Security Council,” she said.

Somalia’s government and others have accused Eritrea of supplying arms to insurgents in breach of a U.N. embargo that allows such shipments only to the government.

The African Union, which has a force of 4,300 peacekeepers in Somalia, has called on the United Nations to impose sanctions on Eritrea for backing the rebels.

Eritrean officials deny the charges of arms supplies.

Al Qaeda-linked fighters belonging to the al Shabaab insurgent group control much of southern and central Somalia and most of the capital Mogadishu.

Rice said the Eritreans had rebuffed repeated U.N. attempts to discuss the situation. She said that Eritrea had essentially “stiffed and stonewalled” the U.N. (Editing by Alan Elsner)