Largely Alone, Pioneers Reclaim New Orleans - New York Times

Largely Alone, Pioneers Reclaim New Orleans - New York Times
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News & Broadcast - Global Gathering Seeks to Reduce Disaster Risk

News & Broadcast - Global Gathering Seeks to Reduce Disaster Risk: "The Indian Ocean tsunami catastrophe, with its 270,000 deaths and high damage costs, stirred new interest around the world in responding to and preparing for natural disasters, especially in countries where large numbers of people live in threatened areas."

First docudrama about Hurricane Katrina released | HOUSTON METRO | KHOU.com | News for Houston, Texas

First docudrama about Hurricane Katrina released | HOUSTON METRO | KHOU.com | News for Houston, Texas: "A struggle to survive the streets of New Orleans and then Hurricane Katrina; survival came via Houston in the first docudrama released about Katrina.

Among its targets, the largest housing project in America - desire.

“Waters Rising” is a violent docudrama about gangsters who unexpectedly get a second chance."

Channelnewsasia.com

Channelnewsasia.com: "SINGAPORE: A big housing project in tsunami-hit Aceh is almost complete.

Habitat for Humanity, the group behind the massive effort, outlined the challenges faced, in a news conference in Singapore on Friday.

The non-governmental organisation (NGO) helped build 1,500 homes with a budget of S$18 million"

Bloomberg.com: Australia & New Zealand

Bloomberg.com: Australia & New Zealand: "Labor will also establish an Asian counter-disaster organization in Australia to monitor and warn about tsunamis, cyclones and earthquakes. An earthquake and tsunami in southern Asia in 2005, killed an estimated 170,000 people and left 5 million homeless in 12 countries."

NPR : Millions Worth of Katrina Aid Forfeited by U.S.

NPR : Millions Worth of Katrina Aid Forfeited by U.S.: "Millions Worth of Katrina Aid Forfeited by U.S."

Most Katrina Aid From Overseas Went Unclaimed - washingtonpost.com

Most Katrina Aid From Overseas Went Unclaimed - washingtonpost.com: "Most Katrina Aid From Overseas Went Unclaimed

By John Solomon and Spencer S. Hsu
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, April 29, 2007; Page A01

As the winds and water of Hurricane Katrina were receding, presidential confidante Karen Hughes sent a cable from her State Department office to U.S. ambassadors worldwide.

Titled 'Echo-Chamber Message' -- a public relations term for talking points designed to be repeated again and again -- the Sept. 7, 2005, directive was unmistakable: Assure the scores of countries that had pledged or donated aid at the height of the disaster that their largesse had provided Americans 'practical help and moral support' and 'highlight the concrete benefits hurricane victims are receiving.'"

Australia pledges $2m in help, more if needed - World - Home

Australia pledges $2m in help, more if needed - World - Home: "AUSTRALIA will give an initial $2 million to help the Solomon Islands deal with the tsunami which has killed at least 15 people.

The Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer, said the Government had made an initial offer of up to $2 million in emergency assistance to the Solomon Islands Government. 'The Australian Government is particularly concerned by reports of possible loss of life in Solomon Islands,' he said."

The World Today - Recovery efforts underway in the Solomons

The World Today - Recovery efforts underway in the Solomons: "Recovery efforts underway in the Solomons
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The World Today - Tuesday, 3 April , 2007 12:10:00
Reporter: Barbara Miller
ELEANOR HALL: But first today to the Solomons, where locals trying to deal with the devastation of yesterday's disaster have been hit by another earthquake.

Initial reports indicate that today's quake measured 6.2 on the Richter scale. But it hasn't triggered a tsunami warning.

A more powerful earthquake and tsunami yesterday is thought to have killed at least 20 people and left thousands without shelter."

Philanthropy Today: Sudan Suspends Aid Groups in Darfur

Philanthropy Today: Sudan Suspends Aid Groups in Darfur: "Sudan Suspends Aid Groups in Darfur

Sudan has temporarily suspended 52 local nonprofit groups working in South Darfur that did not comply with regulations, a government official told Reuters.

“Some of these NGOs are only present in name—they don’t have offices, no vehicles, they have nothing, just their bags and papers and a stamp,” Jamal Youssef Idriss, from the government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission, told the wire service. About 100 Sudanese nonprofit groups are working in Darfur."

Tags: NPDisasterRelief

Northwest native helps youth help hurricane victims in the South

Northwest native helps youth help hurricane victims in the South: "“We are taking our high school youth on a trip that replaces our summer camps, and we are working on Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. This is a sort of service camp for the youth and it ends up being a great opportunity for them, as well as a really great thing for all the people down in the area that was hit by the hurricane. There is still so much to do and we can really help and make a difference,” she explained."

Inside Bay Area - Network of nonprofits vital to disaster response

Inside Bay Area - Network of nonprofits vital to disaster response: "Network of nonprofits vital to disaster response
Article Last Updated: 03/01/2007 05:20:50 AM PST

WE'VE learned a lot since the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the calamitous response to Hurricane Katrina. Whether the disaster is manmade or natural, being prepared makes all the difference. In the Bay Area, where we live with the certainty of a major earthquake, the lessons are all the more relevant.

One of the lessons is the crucial role of nonprofit organizations as the major sources of shelter, food and other necessities during disasters. A new collective has formed to improve the preparation, cooperation and coordination of such organizations. A coordinated approach is not only smart, it's a must."

Microsoft CEO, Ballmer, Visits New Orleans With Katrina Gift

Microsoft CEO, Ballmer, Visits New Orleans With Katrina Gift: "Microsoft’s CEO, Steve Ballmer, came to New Orleans area to an economic revitalization package that will assist victims of Hurricane Katrina by a donation of $1.7 million in donations of cash, software and specialized curriculum to several nonprofit partners in Louisiana and Texas. Microsoft is supporting existing local government, academic and nonprofit organizations as they rebuild and establish community infrastructure, technology and work-force training centers. These centers support displaced residents in accessing the technology skills training they need to succeed in today’s technology-driven economy."

Volunteer Group Lags in Replacing Gulf Houses - New York Times

Volunteer Group Lags in Replacing Gulf Houses - New York Times: "Correction Appended

BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. — In the two years following the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean, Habitat for Humanity International, the nondenominational Christian ministry, built or repaired 8,500 houses in Indonesia, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka."

ESPN.com - NCAA - UCF students spur national effort to help New Orleans

ESPN.com - NCAA - UCF students spur national effort to help New Orleans: "A group of sports business management students at the University of Central Florida on Wednesday announced the creation of a new foundation and a national student-led effort to help Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in New Orleans.

Students from the DeVos Sport Business Management Graduate Program at UCF, with the National Consortium for Academics and Sport and the DeVos Program, started the Hope for Stanley Foundation [www.HopeforStanley.org] to organize students from more than 150 other sport business management programs and student-athletes from among the 220 NCAS-member colleges and universities. The New Orleans City Council is helping."

Reuters AlertNet - WITNESS-Rolling up my sleeves after the tsunami

Reuters AlertNet - WITNESS-Rolling up my sleeves after the tsunami: "ADAPAKKAM, India, Feb 15 (Reuters) - A laptop, notebook and pens are my usual travelling tools. I never expected to be packing a hard hat, steel-capped boots and a pile of dust masks.

But they were on the 'must bring' list for 20 Reuters employees who had volunteered to spend a week building houses for a community devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami."

Money on the way for flood victims in Indonesia - New Europe News: #1 The European News Source

Money on the way for flood victims in Indonesia - New Europe News: #1 The European News Source: "The European Commission on February 7 said it was sending some 600,000 Euro in emergency aid to help the victims of ongoing floods in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta. EU funds will be used to provide some 340,000 most affected people with food, clean water, emergency shelter and health services."

Fla. storm victims complain of red tape - Yahoo! News

Fla. storm victims complain of red tape - Yahoo! News: "Some victims of the severe storms that hit Florida complained of delays and red tape Monday as they sought disaster aid, despite assurances from federal officials that the government had learned from its response to Hurricane Katrina."

FEMA wants over $300M in Katrina aid back - Yahoo! News

FEMA wants over $300M in Katrina aid back - Yahoo! News: "n the neighborhood
President Bush visited right after Hurricane Katrina, the U.S. government gave $84.5 million to more than 10,000 households. But Census figures show fewer than 8,000 homes existed there at the time.
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Now the government wants back a lot of the money it disbursed across the region.

The Federal Emergency Management Administration has determined nearly 70,000 Louisiana households improperly received $309.1 million in grants, and officials acknowledge those numbers are likely to grow."

Tampa Bay Newspapers : Front Page

Tampa Bay Newspapers : Front Page : "Cash donations needed
Killer tornadoes leave path of destruction
PINELLAS COUNTY – The death count rose to as many as 20 on Sunday, as officials continued to assess the damage from three killer tornadoes that tore through central Florida early Friday morning.

As of Saturday night, the state medical examiners office had confirmed 15 deaths, and the National Weather Service’s preliminary damage surveys reported 20 known deaths attributable to at least three separate tornadoes.

Gov. Charlie Crist declared a state of emergency on Friday for Lake, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia counties due to the massive destruction caused by the storms. President George Bush on Sunday signed a federal declaration of emergency for the same counties."