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ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 2, 2009 – A physician assistant from the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Wing provided his unit at Hickam Air Force Base with a first-hand account from tsunami-torn American Samoa. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Carissa Maxson of the Hawaii Air National Guard studies the shorelines of Pago Pago, American Samoa, Oct. 1, 2009, while conducting assessments of the area after a tsunami stuck there Sept. 29. Maxson is with the 154th Medical Group's Chemical, Biological, Radiological/Nuclear and Explosives Enhanced Response Force Package. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Cohen A. Young  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2009 – The medical support situation in American Samoa has stabilized amid ongoing U.S. relief efforts after a massive tsunami devastated the area this week, a Defense Department official said today. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kimo McKee, Hawaii Air National Guard loadmaster, directs the loading of humanitarian aid supplies into a C-17 Globemaster III bound for American Samoa to assist in relief efforts in the wake of tsunamis triggered by Sept. 29, 2009, undersea earthquake. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Meares  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Medical triage, casualty care, shelter and bedding...

Cuba's foreign minister on Wednesday lashed out at US President Barack Obama for keeping in place a crushing, 47-year-old trade embargo against the communist island, despite having recently eased travel and money transfer restrictions. "The economic blockade policy remains in place," complained Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, as he unveiled a report to be presented to the United Nations General Assembly on the negative impact of the embargo. "The arrival of a new US president has not meant any change at all" for Cuba Rodriguez said.

Stacy Porter, 29, can’t remember a time when she didn’t suffer from crippling, relentless migraines before having the surgery that changed her life eight years ago.“I was diagnosed with migraines when I was 2 years old,” the New Philadelphia, Ohio, marketing executive tells WebMD. “I had about 15 days a month of severe migraine pain.” Her symptoms included throbbing pain in her temples, nausea, and sensitivity to light so severe she remembers wearing sunglasses to more than one final exam in high school and college. None of the drugs used to prevent migraines helped, so her only relief came from...

Illegal aliens can apply for mortgage relief under the Obama administration's $275 billion plan, according to immigration experts and a group the government will use to help homeowners modify....

Reporting from Washington -- As the $819-billion economic recovery bill approved by the House on Wednesday makes its way through Congress, officials 3,000 miles away have their eyes on a Santa Monica Pier upgrade and other projects that have been awaiting funding. A $5-million plan to replace 78 wood piles that support the pier is among the hundreds of California projects that stand to benefit from the federal stimulus measure. In fact, the first major initiative of the Obama administration could deliver as much as $63 billion to the state. * House passes $819-billion stimulus bill * Californians give thumbs-up...

Exerpt: Over the weekend, members of my Administration and congressional leaders worked on legislation to address the crisis in our Nation’s financial markets. They made good headway toward a bill that can pass the House and Senate in a timely manner, and the American people appreciate their efforts. ...

At the direction of Governor Haley Barbour, MississippiRelief.com has been established. Our friend, Josh Gregory of the Magnolia Report was the key guy in getting this done. Most of the events of the Mississippi delegation at the Republican National Convention will turn into fundraisers with MississippiRelief.com as one of the primary beneficiaries.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2008 – Russia continues to defy international calls for the country to pull its forces out of Georgia, and humanitarian operations continue, a Pentagon official said here today. Russian troops continue to occupy the breakaway region of South Ossetia, and Russian troops continue to maintain troops in Gori, a Georgian city that is the gateway to South Ossetia, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said. “It is fair to say they are still not living up to the terms of the cease-fire agreement,” Whitman said during a meeting with reporters. The terms of the cease-fire include monitoring by military...

CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. — Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit began to aid local and state civil authorities yesterday after storms dumped more than 10 inches of rain on southern central Indiana in less than 24 hours. At the local agencies’ request, the Marines began their assistance around 4 p.m. by providing video and photographs from CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters to the Morgan County Department of Emergency Management. Marines also liaised with Federal Emergency Management Agency representatives for an initial assessment of the damage in the area. Later that night, Marines dispatched two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters carrying 50...

WASHINGTON, May 29, 2008 – About 175 Iowa National Guard soldiers and airmen are serving on state active duty in support of tornado-relief and -recovery missions for northeastern Iowa. The servicemembers were activated the evening of May 26 and the next morning following tornadoes and severe storms in the Butler County area May 25. It is estimated the soldiers and airmen will remain on duty for the next several days. With numerous power lines down, leakage from damaged vehicles, severed natural gas lines, debris, rubble and unstable structures, about 160 soldiers from 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry, are providing security and...

A slow-moving storm churning across California is expected to drop several feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada and bring much-needed relief to depleted reservoirs. It also prompted flash-flood warnings in fire-scarred parts of Southern California and was hindering efforts to find a father and his three children, who disappeared over the weekend in a Northern California forest. The downpour that started Monday is part of a storm wave that is expected to bring rain and snow to California into the new year. "It's actually a pretty active pattern," Kyle Mozley, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Reno, Nev.,...

The Bush administration and major financial institutions are close to agreeing on a plan that would temporarily freeze interest rates on certain troubled subprime home loans... The plan is being negotiated between regulators including the Treasury Department and a coalition of mortgage-related companies including Citigroup Inc., Wells Fargo & Co., Washington Mutual Inc. and Countrywide Financial Corp. People familiar with the talks say the individual members have agreed to follow any agreement reached by the coalition, which is called the Hope Now Alliance. Details of the plan, which could be announced as early as next week, are still being worked...

Sweet Potato Promises Hunger Relief In Developing Countries ScienceDaily (Nov. 21, 2007) — Sweetpotatoes, often misunderstood and underrated, are receiving new attention as a life-saving food crop in developing countries. According to the International Potato Center, more than 95 percent of the global sweetpotato crop is grown in developing countries, where it is the fifth most important food crop. Despite its name, the sweetpotato is not related to the potato. Potatoes are tubers (referring to their thickened stems) and members of the Solanaceae family, which also includes tomatoes, red peppers, and eggplant. Sweetpotatoes are classified as "storage roots" and belong...

DARFUR, Sudan, OCT. 12, 2007 ( Zenit.org).- Caritas Internationalis and Action by Churches Together aid agencies are relocating staff as insecurity in the region heightens. The organizations announced today that they are moving a number of the Darfur Emergency Response Operation program staff in Sudan's South Darfur. The joint faith-based operation, operating sine 2004, has channeled the resources of over 60 Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox organizations into one of the largest humanitarian programs in South and West Darfur. John Distefano, the director of the ACT-Caritas operation said, "This is a precautionary measure in line with standard procedures and we hope...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - American motorists will have to wait for weeks before they get relief from record high pump prices, the government's top energy forecaster said Tuesday. The national average price for regular unleaded gasoline hit a record $3.10 per gallon this week amid strong demand and dwindling stockpiles after a stretch of refinery breakdowns and a slump in imports, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retail prices will go even higher heading into the summer vacation season because not all of the recent rise in wholesale fuel costs has been reflected in what consumers pay at the pump,...

Washington relief at Sarkozy win By Matt Frei BBC News, Washington Mr Sarkozy was invited to the White House last year Privately, White House officials had been praying for a Sarkozy victory for months. Publicly, they have not been this pleased and relieved by a European election result in years. President George W Bush has already phoned to say well done and both Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill have welcomed his victory. But in France, Nicolas Sarkozy has been described as "Sarko the American" by his opponents. In the US, the insult becomes a badge of honour, which the...

1st Lt. Marc Miller, 2nd Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, talks with locals in the Baghdad neighborhood of Bakriyah during an operation to rid the area of illegal weapons and terrorist activity. Department of Defense photo by Sgt. Raul Montano. BAGHDAD -- Iraqi and Coalition forces this week continued their efforts to secure the capital city as part of Operation Together Forward.On Sept. 4, Iraqi security forces, working closely with Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers, conducted Operation South Sword Search in the Baghdad neighborhood of Bakriyah.Policemen with the 2nd Iraqi National Police Division and Soldiers from the 6th...

Baltimore, Aug. 11, 2006 (CNA) - Officials from the Maryland-based Catholic Relief Services announced last week that they, along with their oversees partner Caritas Lebanon, are leading a massive effort to provide aid to the hundreds of thousands of Lebanese displaced or cut off by the ongoing battle between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah group. While many are calling the humanitarian situation in Lebanon dire, CRS stressed that their efforts are continuing to move at full power. The group announced that they have provided aid to over 85,000 so far and hope to be able to help 130,000-140,000 more in...

Dear Freeper Community: if you might be interested in helping Israel but ask yourself "How? Who can I help? What can I do?" Please visit the link to my Freeper profile page. There you will find links to reputable and 501c (tax deductable organizations which provide aid to Israeli victims of the rocket war. All of these organizations are equipped to take internet donations via secure server. The organizations are separated by categories: food banksmedical reliefdirect aid Please consider a gift of any size. The Jewish people need your help. G-d will bless those who bless Israel. (Genesis 12:3)

Israel La'ad To Provide Humanitarian Aid To Northern Towns By Joel Leyden Israel News Agency Tel Aviv----August 3......Since the war in Lebanon began three weeks ago with the Hezbollah terror organization, the Israel civilian populations of Haifa, Kiryat Shmona, Nahariya, Metulla, Rosh Pina, Nazareth and Tiberius have suffered numerous casualties, hundreds of injuries, emotional trauma and economic devastation. According to the Israel police over 2,000 rockets and Hezbollah missiles have slammed into Israel from Lebanon as a result of terror rocket attacks. Over 70 Israelis, including babies and children, have died with more than 1,700 Israelis injured. Lebanon has totally...

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2006 – Five members of the Major League Baseball's Houston Astros bullpen will collectively contribute to 'Strikeouts for Troops' this season. Strikeouts for Troops a national project created by Oakland Athletics pitcher Barry Zito, benefiting servicemembers injured in battle and rehabilitating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, in Washington, D.C; the National Medical Center, in Bethesda, Md.; and other military hospitals. Brad Lidge, Trever Miller, Chad Qualls, Russ Springer and Dan Wheeler join the current efforts of 16 Major League pitchers and four minor league pitchers, including Triple A Round Rock pitcher Jason Hirsh, in providing...

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Blood supplies across the state are at critically low levels, the BloodCenter of Wisconsin said while urging donors to step forward. The summer and holidays are traditionally slow periods for donations, but supplies of blood are about a third of the supply normally stocked at this time, said Jerry Gottschall, the center's vice president of medical services. "It's been a while since we've had an appeal because of shortages at this level," he said Wednesday. The center typically collects at least 800 units a day, six days a week. The shortage means for at least a week,...

Conservative comic book publisher of Liberality For All, (which features bio-mechanically altered Sean Hannity, G. Gordon Liddy and Oliver North fighting oppressive Liberals in an alternate U.N. dominated reality), is donating all proceeds from their website to victims in Bantul, Indonesia.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Please be seated. Good afternoon, and welcome to the White House. It's nice to see so many members of Congress at this end of Pennsylvania Avenue. (Laughter.) And you've come for a really good reason. This is a good day for American workers and families and businesses. You have passed a bill that will keep our taxes low and keep our economy growing. And I'm really pleased to be able to sign this vital piece of legislation. Thank you for your leadership. (Applause.) I'm glad you're here, and so is the Vice President. I'm proud...

3/28/2006 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- In a turbulent world, with natural disasters striking at random and conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan surging with a tide of violence, one thing has remained constant – U.S. States Air Force humanitarian relief operations. These operations, planned out of the Combined Air Operations Center, or CAOC, located here, have answered the call of those in need, from the bitter-cold Mountains of Afghanistan to the devastation left in the wake of the earthquake in Pakistan. “The bottom line is -- we’re here to help people,” said Brig. Gen. Darren McDew, director of mobility forces...

Sales in February drop more than expected, as median price falls and supply grows. Is the real estate bubble bursting? NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - New home sales fell more sharply than expected in February -- and along with them, the price of a new house -- in the latest signs of a slowdown in what had been a white-hot housing market. Sales sank 10.5 percent to an annual rate of 1.08 million homes in February, from the revised rate of 1.21 million in January, the Census Bureau reported. The report also showed a drop in the median price of a...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2006 – Karen Stark never liked to sew. But thanks to her efforts, deployed servicemembers throughout the world are getting handmade "cool ties." Hazel Houck uses a donated sewing machine to make a cooling tie in Edmond, Okla. Houck volunteers with "The Hugs Project," sending polymer gel neck scarves and helmet inserts to deployed troops. Courtesy photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The Oklahoma woman has found her mission organizing groups through "The Hugs Project," a nonprofit organization manufacturing reusable neck scarves and helmet liners with polymer gel inserts that keep cold for hours at...

Military to plan for larger role in disaster relief: Pentagon WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US military will plan to assume a larger role in domestic disaster relief, including taking the lead in major catastrophes like Hurricane Katrina, a Pentagon spokesman said. A White House report on the lessons of Katrina said the military and the coast guard proved to be the only federal entities capable of turning the president's orders into prompt action on the ground. A key recommendation of the report was for the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security to plan for "those extraordinary circumstances when it is...

Villagers await the distribution of humanitarian aid by the 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division. (U.S. Army photo) • Printer-friendly version • Soldiers provide relief for Iraqi flood February 9, 2006 JEMURIA ULA, Iraq (Army News Servce, Feb. 9, 2006) – An Iraqi Army-led operation provided more than 300 displaced residents aid they desperately needed after flood waters swept through the small village of Jemuria Ula last weekend in northern Iraq. Heavy rains and strong winds, which lasted for nearly three straight days, caused about 30 homes to collapse. To make matters worse, the village’s two main...

2/2/2006 - EASTERN AFGHANISTAN (AFPN) -- The sounds of cargo aircraft echo through the Afghan hillside. Families huddle against their makeshift homes, watching air-dropped bundles glide to the ground. These deliveries contain blankets, firewood, medical supplies and food -- a gesture of compassion and a foundation to build on. Since October 2004, the men and women of the air mobility division at the Combined Air Operation Center in Southwest Asia have planned and executed missions, airdropping more than 2.1 million pounds of humanitarian aid throughout Afghanistan. “The Afghan people see things dropping out of our aircraft, and they know these...

<p>The former number two official in Saddam Hussein's Iraqi air force claims the former Iraqi dictator moved weapons of mass destruction from Iraq to Syria in the months preceding the current Iraq war.</p>

1/12/2006 - KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (AFPN) -- Keesler is at the forefront of the battle to restore the Mississippi Gulf Coast of Hurricane Katrina’s wake. After the storm devastated the base and surrounding communities Aug. 29, Keesler’s training mission temporarily stopped as it recovered and began humanitarian relief operations, or HUMRO. The base began documenting HUMRO efforts after the hurricane. As of mid-December, the database reflects: -- 291 total missions involving 10 or more people. -- 122,736 meals ready-to-eat issued. -- 187,660 pounds of food and clothing distributed. -- 239,227 gallons of water passed out. -- 20,256 work...

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO (Jan. 6, 2006) -- Sixteen members of Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team 91109 deployed to New Orleans to assist in provide assistance and security in recovery missions from Sept. 6 to Sept. 21 While very few depot Marines see opportunities to deploy, Coast Guard security teams were called upon to assist in searches for survivors of the hurricane. This past year, the 175 mile-per-hour winds of Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. A storm surge broke through the levee system that protected the city from Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River, resulting in...

The article is linked above, with a link to a larger version of this image: Here are a couple of other images of Karthala (these may load slow; they're from the April 2005 eruption): Karthala apparently dominates Grand Comore like Haleakala dominates Maui:

Louisiana residents gave churches higher marks than government agencies in responding to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and most prefer that the federal government control rebuilding funds rather than local officials, according to a Louisiana State University study. On a scale of one (not effective) to 10 (very effective), residents gave churches the highest mark of 8.1, and New Orleans city agencies and state agencies received the lowest rating of 4.6. "Louisiana residents were not particularly charitable when it came to evaluating government response ... but were considerably more favorable of the efforts of faith-based organizations and nonprofits, including local community...

La. Lawmakers Hold Session on Storm Relief By DOUG SIMPSON Associated Press Writer The Associated Press BATON ROUGE, La. Louisiana lawmakers have just over two weeks to chart their hurricane-ravaged state's future, from rewriting building codes to weighing tax breaks to changing how employment benefits are calculated, and then answering the big question: how to pay for it all. Gov. Kathleen Blanco called the special session starting Sunday for the Legislature to address 77 hurricane-related issues. It has to end by Nov. 22, two days before Thanksgiving. "Frankly, I think it's too much to do in 16 days, but we'll...

In late August, Gen. John Abizaid and Rear Adm. Michael LeFever discussed the next assignment for LeFever and his men. Abizaid oversees the U.S. Central Command, while LeFever leads the San Diego-based Expeditionary Strike Group 1. The strike group had left San Diego in July for a six-month deployment and worked its way through Japan, the Philippines, Egypt and Australia as it headed toward the Persian Gulf to guard Iraqi oil. LeFever recalled Abizaid as saying: "I suspect you are going to find yourself some place you never thought you'd be." A few days after a large earthquake struck the...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have been working together to provide relief to the victims of Hurricane Wilma. Navy personnel have been working feverishly to provide FEMA with food, shelter and security in an effort to streamline the delivery of relief supplies. FEMA's partnership with NAS Jacksonville has resulted in the delivery of more than 1,492 truckloads of relief supplies to hurricane-ravaged portions of South Florida since relief efforts began Oct. 21. Trucks have trickled in from around the country with much needed relief supplies since the beginning of...

Florida governor Bush admits Wilma relief effort weak Wed Oct 26, 7:20 PM ET MIAMI (AFP) - Victims of Hurricane Wilma's wrath in Florida pressured officials for relief as they suffered a third day without electricity and scant basic supplies, while Governor Jeb Bush admitted the emergency relief effort "didn't work as it should."AFP/Getty Images Photo: A mother and daughter leave with relief supplies at the Orange Bowl Stadium after Hurricane... The White House, meanwhile, announced that President George W. Bush, the governor's brother, would visit the hurricane-damaged region Thursday. In Mexico, officials estimated damage from the ferocious storm was...

Authorities raised Florida's death toll from Hurricane Wilma (search) from five to 10 Wednesday and urged the storm's survivors to have patience as they endured long waits for food, water and other necessities.

SRINAGAR: The Indian army stopped work on a footbridge that would allow Pakistani earthquake victims to cross over into Indian Kashmir for relief after Pakistani soldiers objected, an army spokesman said on Wednesday. "We have stopped work on the footbridge after objections from Pakistani soldiers," Indian army spokesman Vijay Batra said. He said the bridge was being laid across the Kishan Ganga river in the northern Teetwal sector of Indian Kashmir to facilitate the passage of people from the Pakistani zone to one of three relief points being set up by India on the Line of Control (LoC), which divides...

This guy All Kinds of Wristbands seems to make a compelling argument for these wristbands. You can check out the site for yourself, but his message seems to be that humanity in general (cancer patients, troops, hurricane survivors) can all be helped by this. This includes poor Chinese people who need a job because of their crappy government. Thoughts?

CHAKLALA AIR BASE, Pakistan -- High in a remote valley, the U.S. Army transport helicopter settled Thursday with a bump on the dry riverbed, and the earthquake survivors came running. Jostling and shoving for space, they crowded around the rear cargo hatch as the soldiers on board began tossing out tents, blankets and biscuits until they had no more to give. As the helicopter revved its engines for takeoff, a balding man with a beard leaned across the edge of the lowered cargo ramp and, smiling his gratitude, extended his hand toward Brandon Chasteen, a 21-year-old Army medic from Chattanooga,...

NEW DELHI, Oct 17: India on Monday conveyed its inability to Pakistan to provide its armed forces’ helicopters for relief operations in Azad Kashmir without Indian pilots. An Indian foreign ministry spokesman said Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammed Khan called his Indian counterpart Shyam Saran conveying Islamabad’s willingness to have Indian helicopters but without Indian pilots and crews. “In his reply, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran conveyed to his Pakistani counterpart that it would not be possible for India to provide helicopters which are in service with its armed forces without pilots and crews,” the spokesman was quoted by Press Trust...

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) made a brief port stop in Bahrain Oct. 14, where Sailors loaded 13 pieces of heavy equipment bound for Pakistan. The machinery will be used to assist the victims of the worst earthquake in that country’s history. Pearl Harbor, a dock landing ship, usually transports Marines and their combat equipment to areas worldwide. The crew of approximately 425 is on a regularly-scheduled deployment to the North Persian Gulf as part of maritime security operations (MSO), and it received orders to change course in order to load dump trucks, front-end loaders, backhoes,...

AMID shocking howling, emanating from quack-stricken vicinities of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, the US President George W. Bush has proved himself as a true friend of Pakistan by all perceptions as he is the first apex leader of the world who has extended an all-out help and assistance to provide instant relief to the ill-fated populous—which is still being counted—and the digit of the affected-ones may step-up close to a million. Not only that President Bush has dispatched a number of helicopters to Pakistan for emergency rescue operations in remote devastated areas, he has also announced initial monetary help to...

The devastating South Asia earthquake underscores the need for a new worldwide relief fund that would disburse cash to get aid to the neediest victims within hours, a U.N. official said Wednesday. That need has become especially pressing because a spike in natural disasters in recent years, including more hurricanes, has strained the international relief system, said Hansjoerg Strohmeyer, chief of staff to Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland. "Quick money is lifesaving money," Strohmeyer said. "The system is stretched." Such a fund already exists within the United Nations, but has less than $100 million and isn't set up to...

NEW DELHI - Pakistan said Monday it will accept relief aid for earthquake victims from its longtime rival India, a move that carries immense political implications for the neighbors who have fought three wars. India's Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran said his country would send tents, food, blankets and medicine to the hard-hit Pakistani portion of Kashmir. The announcement came after Pakistani Foreign Ministry said Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh telephoned Pakistan's high commissioner in New Delhi and "reiterated his offer to send relief aid to us for earthquake victims." High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan met Singh and then contacted the...

<p>Nine months before Hurricane Katrina made landfall, three emergency-preparedness officials from Louisiana were indicted, accused of obstruction and lying in connection with the mishandling of $30.4 million in disaster-relief money. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has tried unsuccessfully to recover the money following an investigation of a program to buy out homeowners in flood-prone areas.</p>