联合国叙利亚问题特使盖尔·佩德森（Geir Pedersen）周三在这里表示，以美国为首的西方国家对叙利亚的制裁不应阻碍人道主义援助。佩德森强调，90%的叙利亚人生活在贫困中，他告诉记者，一天前，他向联合国安理会重申了对叙利亚实施的制裁不应影响人道主义援助的要求。“联合国没有对叙利亚实施制裁。美国和欧盟也有制裁，当然，所有这些都属于制裁。”

Thirteen years ago, a deadly strain of avian flu known as H5N1 was tearing through Asia's bird populations. In January 2004, Chinese scientists reported that pigs too had become infected with the virus—an alarming development, since pigs a