The Associated Press: Myanmar lashes out at cyclone response criticism

The Associated Press: Myanmar lashes out at cyclone response criticism: "Myanmar lashes out at cyclone response criticism

4 hours ago

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Myanmar's ruling generals on Friday accused foreign media of tarnishing the country's image by reporting that cyclone victims have not received any assistance.

The U.S. military, meanwhile, said it has received no response to an offer of 22 helicopters that could ferry relief to most survivors within three days."

Donation frenzy sweeps China - upiasiaonline.com

Donation frenzy sweeps China - upiasiaonline.com: "Taipei, Taiwan — Schoolchildren in China are being asked to join in the national flurry to donate to victims of the earthquake that hit Sichuan province on May 12. In fact, the size of one’s donation – even for a child – has become the latest measure of merit in this highly competitive society."

The Associated Press: US military extends aid offer to Myanmar

The Associated Press: US military extends aid offer to Myanmar: "US military extends aid offer to Myanmar

By JOCELYN GECKER – 1 hour ago

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — The U.S. military has offered Myanmar 22 helicopters that could ferry relief to the majority of hungry and homeless cyclone survivors within three days — but the junta hasn't responded yet, military officials said Friday.

U.S. Navy ships laden with helicopters and emergency supplies sailed away from the coast of Myanmar on Thursday after being ignored by the junta for three weeks,"

Burmese forced from relief camps | csmonitor.com

Burmese forced from relief camps | csmonitor.com: "Bangkok, Thailand - Aid agencies trying to help cyclone survivors in Burma (Myanmar) are increasingly bumping up against what appears to be a coordinated government drive to close temporary relief camps in towns and send villagers back home, sometimes by force, to fend for themselves."

Bloomberg.com: Asia

Bloomberg.com: Asia: "Myanmar Delays Aid Helicopters Flying, UN Relief Official Says

By Paul Tighe

June 5 (Bloomberg) -- Myanmar is preventing helicopters flying to areas of the southern Irrawaddy River Delta inundated when Cyclone Nargis struck a month ago leaving 2.4 million people needing aid, a United Nations relief official said."

Text to Save Lives: Mobile Giving Takes Off - ReadWriteWeb

Text to Save Lives: Mobile Giving Takes Off - ReadWriteWeb: "Last month, both China and Myanmar suffered natural disasters of such huge proportions that they received the attention of the world. The combination of the quake and the cyclone left a death toll that is today approaching 200,000, but has affected millions more. Many of us have read the news but have been so caught up in our day-to-day lives that we haven't been able to find time to give. However, new mobile 'text-to-give' services will help make charitable donations faster and easier to do."

The boom in private giving - International Herald Tribune

The boom in private giving - International Herald Tribune: "n the case of China, donations from American corporations alone totaled $90 million, compared to a modest $3.1 million in U.S. government aid."

Asia Times Online :: Southeast Asia news and business from Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam

Asia Times Online :: Southeast Asia news and business from Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam: "Second wave economic crisis in Myanmar
By Larry Jagan

BANGKOK - While Myanmar counts the cost of the Cyclone Nargis disaster and international aid agencies struggle to get relief supplies to an estimated 2.4 million homeless and desperate victims, time is running out for the country's rice farmers to plant new crops and help the country stave off famine."

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide: "- China Youth Development Foundation, the nation's largest charity, said 90 percent of its earthquake relief donations will be used to build schools destroyed by the May 12 temblor in Sichuan province."

Myanmar Rulers Still Impeding Access - NYTimes.com

Myanmar Rulers Still Impeding Access - NYTimes.com: "BANGKOK — One month after a powerful cyclone struck Myanmar and 10 days after the ruling junta’s leader promised full access to the hardest-hit areas, relief agencies said on Monday that they were still having difficulty reaching hundreds of thousands of survivors in urgent need of assistance."

Gates Accuses Myanmar of ‘Criminal Neglect’ - NYTimes.com

Gates Accuses Myanmar of ‘Criminal Neglect’ - NYTimes.com: "By ERIC SCHMITT
Published: June 2, 2008

BANGKOK — In the strongest remarks yet by a high-ranking American official, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said on Sunday that Myanmar was guilty of “criminal neglect” for blocking large-scale international aid to cyclone victims, and that more Burmese civilians would perish unless the military regime reversed its policy."

Keep charity clean

Keep charity clean: "The May 31 circular issued by the State Council on strengthening the management of donations for victims of the Wenchuan earthquake, therefore, is a worthy response to public concerns.

Among the guiding principles the document spelt out, there is a special emphasis on respecting donors' intentions, as well as on transparency and supervision. These, we believe, are particularly important at this point."

TheStar.com | Ideas | Tweet, tweet - there's been an earthquake

TheStar.com | Ideas | Tweet, tweet - there's been an earthquake: "Then, last month, Twitter's coming-out party: the magnitude-7.9 earthquake in Chengdu that buried thousands. Twitter users offered the first on-scene accounts. 'Slight ly dizzy after being shaken around by the Chengdu earthquake for several hours now,' tweeted one user, Casperodj.

Suddenly, Twitter's triviality was no longer its most notable feature. 'I saw three people in Chengdou giving reports on the ground long before traditional media could even get close,' said Fons Tuinstra, a media consultant in Shanghai and a fellow at the U.S. media nonprofit organization the Poynter Institute. 'On that first day, it was a very important tool – a great example of how it could work.'"

Giving even more

Giving even more: "KUNG fu star Jet Li (pic) has answered criticism that his One Foundation’s 1 million yuan (RM466,800) donation to Chinese earthquake relief is not generous enough.

Speaking in Shanghai on May 25, he said the sum was an immediate donation. “It doesn’t mean we will give only so little.”

He said his foundation has raised more than 60 million yuan (RM28mil) for the relief effort."