News Briefs (April 7)

Wall Street Journal - China on Tuesday repeated its call for calm after North Korea's latest test of a multistage rocket, attempting to defuse anger in the U.S. and elsewhere at a time when its own economic interest in the neighboring state is soaring.

Since North Korea's test of a rocket similar to a long-range missile on Sunday, Chinese diplomats have refused to criticize Pyongyang and forestalled penalties against it in the U.N. Security Council, where China is a permanent member with veto power.

In Tuesday's daily briefing at the China Foreign Ministry in Beijing, spokeswoman Jiang Yu advised calm and caution over the rocket launch. While other countries that tracked the launch say North Korea's rocket fell into the Pacific Ocean, Ms. Yu appeared to suggest that China accepts North Korea's story that it succeeded in its stated goal of putting a satellite in space.

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L'AQUILA, Italy (CNN) -- An emergency worker fought back tears amid the rubble of Italy's deadliest earthquake in decades. Helicopters buzzed overhead, and sirens echoed across the region.

"It's my people. It's really hard to deal with," said Dr. Emanuela Troiani Sevi, who has been working around the clock at makeshift hospitals in her hometown of L'Aquila ever since the quake struck.

"There are a lot of dead and seriously wounded."

Across town, parents anxiously awaited any word on their children buried amid a mountain of twisted concrete at a student dormitory.

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CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — President Hugo Chavez railed against Venezuela's Roman Catholic leaders on Tuesday for condemning a law that has weakened his political opponents.

Chavez took issue with the Venezuelan Bishops' Conference for accusing him of sidelining adversaries with a new law that let him take control of airports and seaports previously under the administration of opposition politicians.

"This group of bishops is shameless," Chavez told state television from China, where he is wrapping up a tour that also included visits to Japan, Iran and Qatar. "They side with all those who attack the government."

Quoting the Bible, Chavez added: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Flood Threat Rises Along Red River

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Officials here and in Minnesota pleaded for volunteers to help with sandbagging after a storm on Sunday increased the threat of flooding in an area already expected to be swamped by a record river crest.

The National Weather Service said the Red River, which is on the border between North Dakota and Minnesota, was about 3 feet above its flood stage of 18 feet in Fargo on Sunday. The river was expected to crest between 39 feet and 41 feet in the Fargo-Moorhead area by Friday, a day earlier and a foot higher than projected.

City officials originally planned to fill more than 1 million sandbags, but now they believe they need nearly 1.9 million bags.

Volcano Erupts in Tonga

NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga (March 18) - An undersea volcano erupted off the coast of Tonga shooting clouds of smoke, steam and ash thousands of feet into the sky above the South Pacific ocean, officials said Wednesday.

Spectacular columns spewed out of the sea about 6 miles from the southwest coast off the main island of Tongatapu — an area where up to 36 undersea volcanoes are clustered, said Tonga's geological service head, Keleti Mafi.

"It's a very significant eruption, on quite a large scale," he told The Associated Press. - AP

Puck naw...

Aussie Wildfires

The Kilmore East-Murrindindi South Complex has been beaten down after threatening the towns of Warburton, Healesville and many other communities in the Yarra Valley since the February 7 inferno which claimed at least 210 lives.

The efforts of firefighters to put in containment lines combined with rain overnight and throughout today enabled the CFA to finally list the fire, which had burnt out 86,000 hectares, as contained.

"It's a really significant step and a great morale booster for firefighters and the community," CFA spokesman Mike Goode said. - News.com.au

Puckin' eh, miss.

Better Evacuate in Louisiana

NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 31 -- Emergency officials prepared Sunday for massive traffic backups as thousands of residents of New Orleans and coastal areas continued to follow mandatory evacuations ahead of Hurricane Gustav, which swelled from an already deadly tropical storm into a monster depression that was packing winds of more than 120 mph. - The Washington Post

Ray Nagin, mayor of New Orleans, called Gustav the "mother of all storms."

Louisiana Hurricane Emergency

(CNN) -- Tropical Storm Gustav's impending arrival in the Gulf of Mexico, potentially as a major hurricane, has prompted Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal to declare an emergency for the state.

"We are going to hope for the best, but we're preparing for the worst," Jindal said Wednesday.

The move puts Louisiana in position to receive federal disaster assistance. Jindal also said 3,000 National Guard members will be deployed to vulnerable areas in Louisiana on Thursday to assist with securing shelters and preparing for possible evacuations.

Jindal cited forecasts that Gustav, which killed 22 people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic this week, could become a Category 3 hurricane in the coming days and hit the Gulf Coast by late Monday morning.

Let's pray that this is not Katrina Part Deux.

Dolly reaches Category 2

BROWNSVILLE, Texas—Hurricane Dolly churned into a Category 2 storm as its eye neared the Texas-Mexico border Wednesday, bringing fierce winds and heavy rains that blew down signs, damaged an apartment complex and knocked out electricity to thousands.

Forecasters warned of up to 15 inches of rain that could produce flooding and breach levees in the heavily populated Rio Grande Valley.

Hear that, people? Dolly could do as much damage as Katrina. Don't screw THIS one up, local, state, and federal governments!

Bush Says He's Listening

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) - President Bush, surveying the aftermath of devastating floods during a lightning-quick tour of the Midwest on Thursday, assured residents and rescuers alike that he is listening to their concerns and understands their exhaustion.

"Obviously, to the extent we can help immediately, we will help," said Bush, still mindful of criticism that the government reacted slowly to Hurricane Katrina three years ago.
"You'll come back better," the president said while being briefed by state and local officials at a cinderblock emergency operations center set up at a community college here, part of a three-hour tour. "Sometimes it's hard to see it." - MyWay

But is he really?

Myanmar update

More than six weeks have passed since Cyclone Nargis swept through the Irrawaddy Delta in southern Myanmar, leaving a trail of flattened villages and broken lives and arousing international sympathy that turned to anguish as the military government obstructed foreign aid.

Now doctors and aid workers who have gained access to remote areas of the delta are returning with a less pessimistic picture of the human cost of the delay in reaching survivors.

Good to know that these people are doing better, though their government still deserves more than a slap on the wrist.

Floods In Iowa

The streets in Cedar Rapids, Iowa - all 400 blocks of them - were filled with floodwaters and other strange sights: floating Dumpsters and utility poles and sandbags piled in vain.

The cresting Cedar River wreaked widespread havoc Friday on Iowa's second-largest city, forcing the evacuation of 3,000 homes and a downtown hospital while collapsing a railroad bridge.

Houseboats were swept away as the fast-rising river created a lake in downtown Cedar Rapids, where a breach in the levee turned roadways into waterways.

It was the worst Midwest flooding in 15 years, when the Cedar River crested at just over 19 feet - compared with a crest of more than 31 feet yesterday. - New York Daily News

Ouch.

Boy Scouts help tornado victims

BLENCOE, Iowa—Boy Scouts who came to each others' aid after a tornado that killed four of their comrades and injured 48 people were hailed as heroes Thursday for helping to administer first aid and search for victims buried in their flattened campsite.

Good to hear about people helping each other.

Myanmar update

YANGON (AFP) — Myanmar insisted Wednesday that visas were being granted to aid workers and no food shortages were imminent in an apparent bid to deflect criticism that it has not done enough after Cyclone Nargis.

Myanmar gets a cookie after weeks of misbehavior.

Myanmar update

YANGON, Myanmar: The U.S. military ordered its navy ships away from the coast of Myanmar on Wednesday, after the country's ruling junta refused to give them permission to help survivors of the cyclone that devastated the country more than a month ago.

This junta really needs to stop pretending that there's no world outside of Myanmar.

Myanmar update

June 2 (Reuters) - A month after Cyclone Nargis struck army-ruled Myanmar, up to 2.4 million people are struggling to rebuild their lives.

No thanks to their psychotic government...

Myanmar update

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Myanmar's ruling junta lashed out Thursday at aid donors who promised millions of dollars for cyclone relief, saying survivors didn't need "bars of chocolate."

At least they got some food.

Myanmar update

KYAUKTAN, Myanmar--A woman whose village was devastated by Cyclone Nargis early this month whispered about food shortages out of earshot of a government official.

Way to go, junta.

Myanmar update

Aid agencies are pushing to see whether Myanmar's military leaders will open up the country to a much larger relief effort aimed at stemming the humanitarian crisis after foreign governments and top United Nations officials over the weekend appeared to reach agreement with Myanmar to allow more emergency aid into the cyclone-ravaged nation.

We're just trying to help out, guys.

Myanmar update

The UN secretary general has been stepping up the pressure on Myanmar's secretive military leaders, to open the country's doors to international aid for the two-and-a-half million cyclone survivors.

After visiting the Shwedagon pagoda in Yangon, regarded as Myanmar's spiritual heart, Ban Ki-moon signed the book of condolence at the Foreign Ministry.

Cyclone Nargis has left 134, 000 people dead or missing, and millions more homeless, hungry and vulnerable to disease.

Ban's aim is to convince the generals to accept more foreign expertise and aid. The regime says the situation is under control.

He spent an hour and a half with Prime Minister Thein Sein, telling him, according to a UN official at the meeting, that the crisis had gone beyond what Myanmar could handle.

Maybe this junta will finally open up to interaction with other nations. Maybe.

Rescuers find more quake survivors

Natural disasters suck.

Rescuers continue to pull people out of the rubble, alive, more than one week
after a massive earthquake struck southwestern China's Sichuan Province.
The latest government figures confirm more than 40,000 people have died and more
than 247,000 people have been injured. Meanwhile, as Stephanie Ho reports
from Beijing, the disaster left in the quake's wake has sparked a massive
outpouring of donations and contributions from around the country.

Myanmar update

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — After weeks of international pressure, Myanmar agreed to let in medical teams from neighboring countries and give the Association of Southeast Asian Nations some oversight of foreign aid distribution, the regional bloc announced Monday.

THANK you!