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With continued elevated levels of H1N1 flu in a number of countries, it remains too early to say that the pandemic is over, a top United Nations health official said today in the first major assessment of the new year.

At 4:53 p.m. on Tuesday David Wimhurst, United Nations Communications Director in Haiti, was working on the third floor of the Christopher Hotel, headquarters for the world body’s mission in the capital, Port-au-Prince, when the massive 7.0 magnitude quake struck.

The Government of Somalia has made significant progress, despite repeated armed assaults to overthrow it by externally funded extremists, and deserves greater commitment as well as material and financial assistance from the United Nations and international partners, a top envoy said today.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today issued an urgent call to the international community to assist Haiti following yesterday’s catastrophic earthquake that has devastated the impoverished Caribbean nation’s capital.

The United Nations is mobilizing its resources in the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti yesterday, sending its experts and supplies to the Caribbean nation, while stressing the urgent need for food, water, search-and-rescue teams and medical help.

A further relief flight of United Nations aid comprising 100 winter tents, stoves and 600 blankets arrived in Tajikistan today for the victims of an earthquake earlier this month which destroyed over 140 houses and partially damaged more than 950 others, affecting some 7,000 people.

New statistics released by the United Nations today showed that 2009 was the deadliest year yet for civilians in Afghanistan, with 2,412 casualties recorded – an increase of 14 per cent over the previous year – prompting the world body to call for greater efforts to ensure their protection.

Underscoring the strong ties between the United Nations and Timor-Leste, the world body’s new top envoy to the fledgling nation today expressed her commitment to continuing with the deep relationship.

Properly managed grasslands – even more than forests – could fight climate change by absorbing and storing carbon dioxide, according to a newly released report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The peace process that ended a 10-year civil war in Nepal has remained largely stalled over the past three months, with tensions and mistrust between Maoists, the Government and army threatening its very survival, according to a new United Nations report issued today.