NAIROBI, 31 May (IRIN) - The southwestern Somali town of Baidoa was reported calm on Tuesday, a day after fierce fighting between rival factions killed 12 people and wounded more than 20 others, a local source told IRIN on Tuesday.

The fighting between factions of the Rahanweyn Resistance Army (RRA), which controls much of Bay and Bakol regions in southwestern Somalia, erupted on Monday morning.

Forces loyal to former RRA chairman Hasan Muhammad Nur Shatigudud and former RRA first-deputy chairman Shaykh Adan

NAIROBI, 31 May (IRIN) - François Lonseny Fall, the newly appointed special representative of the UN Secretary-General to Somalia, met with interim President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed on Monday and assured him of the UN's commitment to helping consolidate the Somali peace process.

"Ambassador Fall assured President Yusuf of the commitment of the United Nations under his leadership to work strenuously for the consolidation of the achievements of the peace process

Somalia's transitional government is pursuing a peaceful solution to the conflict between militia loyal to a lawmaker opposing government plans to relocate to the major trading town and another supporting the move, presidential spokesperson Yusuf Mohamed Ismail said.

Ethiopian-backed Somali warlords -- now

This report is dedicated to the 226,000 men, women, and children believed to have lost their lives in one of history's most devastating natural disasters. It also is an expression of appreciation to the millions of Americans who responded so quickly to the plight of those requiring help to overcome the immediate and longer-term consequences of the catastrophe.

The American public showed its generosity

Effective Thursday, 26 May, UNICEF suspended its operations through its office in Bossaso, Northeast Somalia ('Puntland'). The decision was prompted by death threats that had been made against some UNICEF Bossaso-based international staff requiring their relocation to Nairobi. The most recent threats were issued earlier in May against one international staff member.

Following written and verbal guarantees from Puntland President, Mohamud Muse Hirsi "Adde," that the

Rainfall in the Ethiopian catchments of both Shabelle and Juba rivers has been light over the last week. In Somalia light rainfall has also been experienced. This pattern of low rainfall is forecast to continue over the forecast period. There still remains a risk of flooding due to high flood levels in Ethiopia being transferred downstream, particularly on the Shabelle from the Ethiopian border towards Jowhar. The Shabelle level at Belet Weyne has stabilised over the past week

A joint Government and UN assessment team arrived in Gode on 25 May, to begin re-assessment of flood affected areas of Somali Region. The team will re-examine the damage and outstanding needs of flood affected areas in Gode, Jijiga, Kebridehar and Degehabur zones and make recommendations for appropriate interventions. Poor access and security issues are restricting the movement of the team. Meanwhile there are reports of new flooding causing new displacements in an area stretching from Kelafo to Mustahil town, where original flood waters had

SUMMARY AND IMPLICATIONS

The majority of households in most GHA countries will be experiencing the hunger period in the coming 3-4 months. During this period, access to food from markets will be critical until the next major harvests between July and December. The food supply is currently weak, and prospects for the next harvest are poor, due to late and poorly distributed rainfall, causing food prices to rise in most pastoral, agropastoral and marginal agricultural livelihood zones of GHA. High prices have been observed in most urban markets in the region.

A lobby group wants refugees in Kenya to pay income tax.

The Refugee Consortium of Kenya said refugees, especially those in the urban areas, were engaged in gainful businesses for which they did not pay taxes because they were not properly registered. It urged the Government to address the anomaly.

"The more than 60,000 refugees in urban areas do not rely on any institution to maintain their upkeep. Instead, they rely on small and medium businesses worth millions of shillings as