PHILIPPINES: Typhoon Bopha survivors face bleak holiday season

Family seen living under tarp at the side of the road. photo: ana santos/IRIN

(IRIN) BAGANGA, December 21, 2012  -  Survivors of Typhoon Bopha  which struck the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on 4 December face a bleak Christmas more than two weeks on.   

“My parents and my one-year-old baby died when our house collapsed on them and they were buried under the debris,” Richee Antulan said outside the remains of her home in Banganga, a municipality now viewed by many as “ground zero”.

She is among 6.2 million people affected by the typhoon, the most powerful to hit the country in 2012. On 7 December President Benigno Aquino declared a state of national calamity.
 
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction andManagement Council (NDRRMC), 1,050 people were killed, over 2,000 were injured, and more than 800 are missing.

Of the 168,227 homes damaged, over 65,500 were totally destroyed. The estimated value of property damage is over US$839 million.

Close to 12,000 people are still in 43 evacuation centres.

“The devastation was total,” NDRRMC head Benito Ramos told IRIN.

Many public buildings which were designated areas for evacuation centres were severely damaged, mostly with roofs blown away.


Richee Antulan (blue shirt) just buried her family. photo: ana santos/IRIN

“We urgently need tents and tarpaulins. We have gone as far as gathering tarpaulins from old advertising billboards in Manila to bring down to the affected areas. We want the survivors to have some kind of shelter before Christmas,” said Ramos.

In Baganga, where the storm first made landfall, not a single public building is usable.
“We have no evacuation centres. In Baganga, all 31 schools were damaged, all the churches, too. We estimate that 95 percent of the 18 villages [in this municipality] have been totally destroyed,” said Rowena Abayon, a second lieutenant in the Philippine Army who was manning the incident command post in Baganga.

“The most immediate need now is shelter. The people need tarpaulins to at least give them shade or protect them from the rain,” said Wilson Mondal, a field delegate from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

“[Without temporary shelter], the food distributions they receive will get wet. Tarps will also keep their kids from getting wet and getting sick,” Mondal said.

ICRC has started distributing two tarpaulins (measuring 4 x 6 feet) as well as food and non-food items to each family in the three most affected municipalities of Baganga, Cateel and Boston. An estimated 90 percent of affected people in the area are in need of additional assistance, he said.

“The people here are resilient, but will require support for quite some time to get back on their feet,” David Carden, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said from the affected area.

On 10 December, the government and the UN Humanitarian Country Team launched the six-month Bopha Action Plan for Response and Recovery, requesting $65 million to assist nearly 500,000 of the most affected people.

“Emergency shelter support is a priority, as is water and hygiene kits, along with debris removal,” Carden said.

Meanwhile, the local Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) says it has begun the first phase of establishing temporary shelters for 3-6 months for those in the worst affected area. 

Sixty bunkhouses are now slated to be built in the three worst affected municipalities (20 in each). Another 21 bunkhouses will be constructed in the other affected areas of eastern Mindanao, in Compostella Valley.

“Each bunkhouse structure, which measures about 178 square metres, will have 10 rooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and a washroom. One room, can fit one family,” said DSWD coordinator Varnell Dagansan.

The target date for completion of the bunkhouses is 30 December, though Dagansan doubts this deadline will be met: The nearest source of construction materials is the city of Davao, which is a 5-8 hour drive away.

Nearly half of the 225m-long Manorigao Bridge, one of area's main bridges, was damaged, hampering road transport in the Baganga-Cateel-Boston area.

“The hardest part is getting construction materials to the construction sites. It takes 2-3 days for them to get here,” said Dagansan.

The government reports at least nine bridges and one road remain impassable in the region as of 21 December, with many areas still experiencing power outages.
 

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There is a pending Inspector General investigation involving Undersecretary Vickers

(BMLTV) WASHINGTON, December 19, 2012 - Pentagon Press Secretary George Little released a statement yesterday stating that there is a pending Inspector General investigation involving Undersecretary Vickers, and the IG will and should reach her own conclusions. 

But because yesterday's press reports on Mr. Vickers are unwarranted, unfounded, and unfair, we are obliged to correct the record. He deserves better. "In July 2011, Mr. Vickers was asked by the Department's Office of Public Affairs to provide background information to filmmakers working on a movie about the successful raid that killed Osama bin Laden. 

 The Office of Public Affairs arranges these types of meetings on a routine basis. The interview was a coordinated response to questions, just as we handle questions daily from journalists, writers, and media producers. The Office of Public Affairs was present for the unclassified interview and transcribed it. "The Department's Office of Security Review reviewed the transcript and concluded that it is unclassified in its entirety. 

It was then released publicly by the Department of Defense in May 2012. Senior special operations officers approved in advance the offer Mr. Vickers made to arrange a potential discussion with a special operations planner -- someone who was not part of the Bin Laden raid team -- but such a meeting never occurred. 

Where there are redactions in the transcript, it is for privacy reasons only, not because the redacted material is classified. "The secretary has full confidence in Mr. Vickers and believes he is doing an outstanding job. Mr. Vickers is a national security professional with a long career spanning multiple administrations, including distinguished service in Special Forces, the CIA, and at the Pentagon."

Army Officials are investigating Fort Myer Child Development Center for abuse

(BMLTV) WASHINGTON, December 18, 2012 - Officials from the U.S. Army announced today they have begun an investigation of personnel procedures at the Army's Child Development Centers after a review of personnel records at the Fort Myer CDC found "derogatory information" contained in the background of a number of its employees.

 "The safety of the children under our care is our most important responsibility," said Col. Fern Sumpter, garrison commander at Fort Myer. "The quality of their care and safety has been and will continue to be our most important priority.

" In October, the Army's Installation Management Command replaced the CDC's management team following concerns received about facility leadership. A subsequent review found background issues with a number of employees. Not all the workers were directly responsible for child care. "Out of an abundance of caution, we removed those employees and temporarily closed the facility, moving students to the Cody CDC (also located on Fort Myer),

" Sumpter said. "An investigation was ordered to determine whether background checks were properly done at the time these employees were hired, and whether required procedures were followed. That investigation has just begun.

" Fort Myer officials also empanelled a Program Review Board to review the background files of about two dozen employees to determine whether they should be terminated. The Center's Child Youth Coordinator and deputy were both reassigned while those investigations and reviews are underway. Following the initial findings at Fort Myer, Secretary of the Army John McHugh directed an Army-wide review of management and procedures at child care centers, and review of compliance with those policies and procedures.

 "It's a fundamental responsibility to ensure the highest quality of care for the children of our men and women in uniform, many of whom rely on us to care for their children while deployed," he said. "These initial findings are not only troubling, they are unacceptable, and we will make certain that adequate policies and procedures are in place, and that they are strictly followed and fully enforced."

SRI LANKA: Learning from Nepal's search for the missing

Pictured here is 70-year-old Adhri Rajbanshi's, her son disappeared in 2002.
© Amantha Perera/ IRIN 

(IRIN) JALTHAL/KILINOCHICHI, December 5, 2012 - Nepal and Sri Lanka share few similarities in their post-conflict experiences. The former has a peace deal, a government ministry overseeing post-war reconstruction, a national programme to trace missing persons and an NGO to advocate for their families - none of which exist in Sri Lanka. But the two do have something essential in common: grieving relatives of the missing who are now searching for answers.

In her village of Jalthal, 550km southeast of Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, 35-year-old Reena Mecha had for years avoided talking about her husband’s 2004 disappearance during Nepal’s civil conflict.

“At the beginning, there was no one to talk to, no one to understand what I was going through,” Mecha told IRIN. The 2006 peace agreement that ended the decade-long conflict did little to ease her burden. It was only in November 2011 that she found comfort after joining a support group for families of the missing, coordinated by Women’s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC), a local rights group.

Some 1,500km away, in northern Sri Lanka, 23-year-old Maheswari has embarked on a similar journey. Her brother has been missing since May 2009, when the entire family fled Kilinochchi to escape fighting between government forces and separatist rebels from the Tamil ethnic group. Some 40,000 civilians died in the final months of fighting, according to the UN.

She and her parents have since returned. “Life is hard, I am trying my best to look for him, but I don’t know where to start or whom to ask [for] information. There are thousands of others like me here [in the former war zone],” said Maheswari, who provided only her first name.

There are thousands still unaccounted for in both these South Asian countries. In Nepal, the tracing unit of the Nepal Red Cross, which helps reunite family members by tracking down the missing, is trying to locate 1,401 missing persons.

Sri Lankan government data from 2011 estimated 2,635 people in the country’s former conflict zone, Northern Province, are “untraceable” (missing). Other estimates are much higher.

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has recorded 5,671 reported cases of wartime-related disappearance, not counting people who went missing in Sri Lanka in the final stages of fighting from 2008 to 2009. At the end of 2011, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Sri Lanka had compiled a database of 15,780 cases of missing persons, some of which dated back to 1990. 

Mecha in Nepal had one piece of advice for those like Maheswari: It will be a grim and lonely search, and your only solace will be the company of others like you.

Frustrated by lack of answers following his father’s disappearance in 2001, Ram Kumar Bhandari formed a regional group of missing families in the country’s west in December 2007. “Someone need[ed] to take the initiative and get the voice [of the families] heard and the trauma they undergo recognized,” Bhandari said.

By 2009 the group became the National Network of Families of Disappeared and Missing (NEFAD) in Nepal and now counts more than 800 families among its membership.

Aside from peer support and a forum for discussion, the activist said associations like NEFAD provide political leverage. “Politicians will listen to a collective voice,” he said.


The Nepali Red Cross is tracing those missing by conducting periodic interviews with their families. Red Cross staff follow up on new leads with government and other officials.

By contrast, in Sri Lanka, there is no national tracing programme thus far, though a local government unit in the northern Vavuniya District carries out local searches. Piencia Charles, who was instrumental in setting up this Family Tracing Unit in December 2009 (but who no longer serves in the north), told IRIN she was responding to the women she encountered daily who cried in her office. The unit’s main task is to find children, though it receives complaints about missing adults as well.

“One of their [families’] main expectations is [to find out] what happened to their loved ones, and after repeated [home visits from us and] no new information, they can get very emotional,” Shubhadra Devkota, a tracing officer with the Nepal Red Cross told IRIN. She said families frequently question whether to continue searching.

Back in Kilinochchi, in Sri Lanka, a church-based counsellor who requested anonymity told IRIN that families of the missing were only now coming out to seek counsel.

She said due to how contentious the issue of disappearances still is – the number of persons missing is disputed – there are few efforts to expand or institutionalize tracing.

“There is a long way to go here. A very long way,” the counsellor concluded.

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Norfolk offers free Aids Testing in worldwide unity fight against HIV

Toni Hawes, Dr. Latonya Lonnise Ricks,Pagan Hawes are three professional women committed to worldwide unity to end HIV. photo: abhi ahmadadeen/BMLTV©

(BMLTV) Norfolk, VA, December 4, 2012 -  The Norfolk Department of Recreation, Parks & Open Space together with Access AIDS Care will offer free AIDS testing in recognition of World AIDS Day. Testing will take place Tuesday, December 4th from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the East Ocean View Community Center, 9520 20th Bay Street, and is open to ages 16 and older. Test results will be available within 20 minutes.
 

World Aids Day is held on annually December 1st as an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. The first World AIDS Day was held in 1988 and was the first ever global health day. 

The Norfolk Department of Recreation, Parks & Open Space (RPOS) enriches the quality of life for Norfolk residents by providing a full spectrum of recreational programming for youth, adults and special populations. RPOS maintains over 100 City parks, 18 recreation centers, four computer resource centers, three neighborhood service centers, five specialty centers, six pools, eight cemeteries, over seven miles of beaches, and a number of playgrounds and athletic facilities.

For more information, visit www.norfolk.gov/rpos, like the RPOS Facebook page at /NorfolkRPOS, or pick up the latest Good Times magazine at a Norfolk recreation center near you.

The Statstraad Lehmkul one of the world's largest Sailing ships docks at Norfolk Berth

The Statstraad Lehmkul at Otter Berth, Norfolk VA.
photo: abhi ahmadadeen/BMLTV©


The Flag of Norway and the U.S. Flag side by side on the Statstraad Lehmkul, Norfolk VA.
photo: abhi ahmadadeen/BMLTV©


The Statstraad Lehmkul at Otter Berth, Norfolk VA.
photo: abhi ahmadadeen/BMLTV©
 

Crew member giving the Statstraad Lehmkul a wipe down.
 photo: abhi ahmadadeen/BMLTV©


Cook prepping vegetables and fruit for an evening event on the Statstraad Lehmkul.
 photo: abhi ahmadadeen/BMLTV©


Cook getting fish prepared for an evening event on the Statstraad Lehmkul.
photo: abhi ahmadadeen/BMLTV©


Galley help aboard the Statstraad Lehmkul.
Photo: abhi ahmadadeen/BMLTV©  

The Statsraad Lehmkuhl one of the world’s largest and tallest sailing ships arrived in Norfolk Virginia and was docked at the Otter Berth adjacent to Waterside. The 98-year old Norwegian ship is based in Bergen, Norway 

(BMLTV) NORFOLK VA, November 5, 2012 - Statsraad Lehmkuhl, a 3-masted steel barque, was built in 1914 as a training Ship for the German Merchant Marine. 

During most of World War I Statsraad Lehmkuhl was used as a stationary training Ship in Germany, and after the war was seized as a war prize by England. 

The Norwegian government purchased the Ship from England in 1921 and she was put into service as a sail training vessel until 1967 ex¬cept for the period 1940 - 1945, when the Germans confiscated the Ship during World War II. 

The Statsraad Lehmkuhl is sailed by the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy's first year officer cadets who are participating in leadership training and teambuilding during the trip. The cadets also get a strong foundation of basic seamanship during their weeks onboard. 

Stripped of modern communication technology, the students are ordered to work together to overcome the timeless challenges and dangers of travelling the seas by sail. Statsraad Lehmkuhl has been part of the basic training program since 2002, whereby the Royal Norwegian Navy leases the ship for several months every year. 

Norfolk has become a favorite port of call for the ship and her crew; this will be the 8th consecutive year that the ship has called on Norfolk as part of their sail-training schedule. Norfolk has become a favorite port of call for the ship and her crew; this will be the 8th consecutive year that the ship has called on Norfolk as part of their sail-training schedule. The port visit is sponsored by Norfolk Festevents, Ltd. 

raa

Australia’s Prime Minister honors Afghanistan war hero Corporal Daniel Keighran

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard (L) and Quentin Bryce (R), Governor-General of Australia with Corporal Daniel Keighran at an Investiture Ceremony at Government House in Canberra. photo: australia's DOD
 
(BMLTV) AUSTRALIA - On November 1, 2012, Australia’s Prime Minister, Julia  Gillard gave  a statement at an awards ceremony which honored  Corporal Daniel Keighran for the most conspicuous acts of gallantry and extreme devotion to duty in action in circumstances of great peril at Derapet, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan as part of the Mentoring Task Force One on Operation SLIPPER.  The Corporal recieved Australia’s 99th Victoria Cross.

Prme Minister Gillard said the following. “It's with a tremendous sense of pride that I am here today to honour Corporal Daniel Keighran.

I join with Her Excellency and with every distinguished guest here in paying tribute to you and to your courage.

Daniel, Kathryn, if I can say something personally to you.

We had the opportunity to meet yesterday but it was only for a brief time.

But I've left that meeting with a very clear impression of the two of you.

And I'm very clear in my impression that pomp and circumstance is not your natural home and that there are aspects of today that you have probably thought about a great deal and maybe even lived a little bit in trepidation of. 

I've also left with a very clear impression about your modesty, about the amazing acts of valour that you performed. 

And so to you, Corporal Keighran, here today despite your modesty, we acknowledge those acts of valour.

We acknowledge them because it is always important to accurately record the history of our nation and what makes our nation.

And these acts of courage speak to who we are as Australians.

You don't need to be a religious person to understand the force of the words that greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his friends.

You showed your preparedness to lay down your life for your mates.

We are so glad that your spectacular acts of bravery still saw you returned home to us safe and to your family and friends safe.

But they were spectacular acts of bravery, where in the moment you did not put your personal safety first but you put that Anzac tradition of mateship first. 

That's why we are honouring you today; that's why it will be another moment in our history where we can say that this is the best of who we are and the best of what Australians can do.

Thank you for proving that once again for our nation.

I trust in the days to come that apart from the whirlwind, there are some quiet moments for you to reflect with your family and friends on what this means.

You can tell some remarkable stories.

You told me some yesterday about the difference in sound a bullet makes depending on how close it is to your head and that you were conscious of that in the moment.

A remarkable story.

Kathryn told me that perhaps she didn't really know why you were getting the VC until it was clear that you were getting the Victoria Cross because you hadn't come home to share that.

That was something that you had kept to yourself and to your mates.

All of that speaks of a tremendously Australian character.

That's who you are and we honored you today.

Corporal Keighran is only the third recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia, which in 1991 replaced the British or Imperial Victoria Cross awarded to 96 Australians. He is the first member of the Royal Australian Regiment to receive the country’s highest military honour.

raa

 

City offices and public schools to experience two hour delay

(BMLTV) NORFOLK VA. October 29, 2012 – All Norfolk City offices will open on a two-hour delay at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, October 30, 2012.  The Norfolk Treasurer and Commissioner of Revenue offices will also open on two hour delay at 10:15 a.m.  Essential employees may be required to report for normal working hours or as directed.  All three Norfolk courts and the Commonwealth’s Attorney Office will open on time.

All Recreation, Parks and Open Space programs and facilities will be open to the public tomorrow.  All Before-School programming is cancelled. After-School programs will go on as scheduled.

Norfolk Public Schools will open on a two-hour delay Tuesday, except two schools - Ruffner Academy and Tidewater Park Elementary - will be closed to students all day due to standing water around the buildings. Ruffner Academy staff members should report to Ruffner following the two-hour delay; Tidewater Park Elementary staff members are excused for the day.

 All other NPS staff members may observe a two-hour delay, except essential personnel who should report as needed or directed by their supervisors.

City updates are available at www.norfolk.gov

www.facebook.com/norfolkVA

www.twitter.com/CityofNorfolkVA, Cox cable channel 48. 

 Norfolk Public Schools staff members and families can receive school updates at www.npsk12.com

www.facebook.com/NorfolkPublicSchools

www.twitter.com/npschools, Cox cable channel 47 and the Edulink phone messaging system.

200 Jewish Communities act against global hunger

AJWS gathers American Jews for Educational Program on hunger, encourages congressional action on stalled farm bill 

(PRN/USN) NEW YORK, October. 29, 2012  - More than 200 synagogues, college groups and households across the U.S. will participate in American Jewish World Service's 3^rd annual Global Hunger Shabbat on November 2-3. During Global Hunger Shabbat, participants will examine the root causes of global hunger and commit to advocate for passage of U.S. food aid policy that would support people in the developing world growing their own food to feed themselves and their communities.

American Jewish World Service (AJWS), the only Jewish organization focused on empowering people in the developing world to end poverty and realize their human rights, anchors this weekend of learning and action in the Jewish Sabbath, a period traditionally centered on worship, study and rest.

"Global Hunger Shabbat is about ensuring that people in developing countries are able to grow their own food and feed themselves with dignity," said AJWS president Ruth Messinger. "Our responsibility as Americans and Jews is to change ineffective U.S. policies that contribute systemically to global hunger, especially in the developing world. We must urge Congress to reauthorize the Farm Bill with new reforms that empower local communities to grow and consume their own food."

Global Hunger Shabbat is a key component of AJWS's Reverse Hunger campaign, an initiative to rally the American Jewish community to change U.S. food and agriculture policies which the organization believes are major contributors to global hunger. Global Hunger Shabbat provides participants with resources about the U.S. Farm Bill and its impact on food prices and the livelihoods of small-scale farmers in developing countries.

Over the past year, AJWS has mobilized thousands of American Jews around hunger and Farm Bill reform. In June, AJWS and its partners in the Jewish Farm Bill Working Group delivered a petition with over 18,000 signatures to the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives and officials of the Obama Administration demanding a food system that pursues long-term, sustainable approaches to eradicating hunger. AJWS also organized hundreds of Jewish activists throughout the country to meet with their representatives to talk about global hunger and the Farm Bill.

"Our community has made tremendous strides in the battle for international food aid reform that could save millions more lives," said Messinger. "Let's tap into the power of our community and keep the pressure on our government to enact policies that make economic and moral sense."

To help individuals, congregations and communities host Global Hunger Shabbat events, AJWS created an online toolkit available here, which includes:

• A sample sermon on ending global hunger
• Readings about communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America that are developing innovative solutions to hunger
• Activities and discussion guides for various audiences and ages
• Jewish text studies related to global hunger
• A prayer for the world's hungry
• Talking points about food insecurity and aid, along with a reading list on these topics
• Suggestions for ways that American Jews can take action to end hunger

To view a map of Global Hunger Shabbat events throughout the country please, visit www.ajws.org/hunger/ghs.


Inspired by Judaism's commitment to justice, American Jewish World Service works to realize human rights and end poverty in the developing world. www.ajws.org

Be in the know with real time Norfolk storm related events

(BMLTV) NORFOLK VA., October 28, 2012 - If you want to get real time Norfolk storm related events go to www.norfolk.gov and click on the IView link on the front page. http://iview.norfolk.gov/#/Map

Once there, click on storm data and select “all features”.  It will show you what reports we received so far.

IView uses information from STORM; a program created in-house which won the Governor’s Award for Technology.

Red Cross gearing up for Sandy; urges everyone to get ready now for massive storm

Common flooding at Freeman and Bainbridge, South Norfolk VA[FILE]. photo: abhi ahmadadeen/BMLTV©


This is a well known flood area, at Freeman and Bainbridge[FILE]. South Norfolk VA. photo: abhi ahmadadeen/BMLTV©

(PRN/USN) WASHINGTON, October 28, 2012 -  Hurricane Sandy is barreling toward the East Coast and the American Red Cross is launching a multi-state response to help the millions of people who may be in the path of the storm.

The Red Cross urges everyone to make their final storm preparations today. Important information about how to get ready is available on the Red Cross web site.

Weather experts predict the massive storm could affect residents up and down the eastern region of the United States for several days and the Red Cross is working with government officials and community partners to coordinate a wide-ranging response. Sandy is expected to have a huge impact in Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia. Some areas are already under state of emergencies.

"This is a dangerous storm that should be taken seriously, and people should get ready now," said Charley Shimanski, senior vice president of Disaster Services for the Red Cross. "Sandy could affect people all along the East Coast and the Red Cross is preparing to open shelters and is moving workers, vehicles and relief supplies into place."

Sandy is expected to bring as much as ten inches of rain and flooding in some areas, winds gusting up to 80 miles per hour, extended power outages and even several feet of snow in the higher elevations.

Red Cross chapters throughout the potentially affected areas are mobilizing hundreds of disaster workers, readying shelters and coordinating response efforts with community partners. Red Cross workers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware are finalizing preparations in advance of opening shelters as early as Sunday afternoon if needed. Relief supplies like cots, blankets, ready-to-eat meals and snacks are being moved into place to support sheltering efforts.

In Delaware and Maryland, the Red Cross is coordinating with the Southern Baptist Convention to serve meals in shelters. Meanwhile in West Virginia, the Red Cross is preparing for significant snowfall and coordinating response planning with state and county emergency management agencies.

GET READY The Red Cross has information on its website about how to get prepared for the storm, including steps for hurricane and power outage emergencies. Videos are also available to help get prepared, including information on severe weather preparedness and how to get ready for winter weather.

RED CROSS APPS People should download the free Red Cross Hurricane and First Aid apps for mobile devices to have emergency information at their fingertips. The Hurricane App provides real-time hurricane safety information such as weather alerts and where Red Cross shelters are located. The app also features a toolkit with a flashlight, strobe light and alarm, and the one-touch "I'm Safe" button lets someone use social media sites to tell family and friends they are okay.

The Hurricane App can be downloaded in Spanish by changing the language setting on someone's smart phone to Spanish before downloading.  The First Aid app puts expert advice for everyday emergencies in someone's hand. The apps can be found in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross.

HOW TO HELP  To help people affected by disasters like this, as well as countless crises at home and around the world, make a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. Visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

PLEASE GIVE BLOOD The Red Cross is moving shipments of blood products to hospitals along the coast in advance of the storm as patients will still need blood and platelets despite the weather. Sandy could affect the turn-out at Red Cross blood drives. If anyone is eligible, especially in places not affected by the storm, they are asked to please schedule a blood donation now.

To schedule a donation time or get more information about giving blood, people can visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). To give blood, someone must be at least 17 years of age, meet weight and height requirements and be in general good health.  Donors should bring their Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID with them.  Some states allow 16-year-olds to give with parental consent.

NASA to host Oct. 30 Teleconference about Mars Curiosity Rover progress

(PRN/USN) PASADENA, Calif., October 26, 2012 - NASA will host a media teleconference at 11:30 a.m. PDT (2:30 p.m. EDT) on Tuesday, Oct. 30, to provide an update about the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.

The Mars Science Laboratory Project and its Curiosity rover are almost three months into a two-year prime mission to investigate whether conditions may have been favorable for microbial life.

Audio and visuals of the event will be streamed live online at:
www.nasa.gov/newsaudio and
www.ustream.tv/nasajpl 
Visuals will be available at the start of the event at: CLICK HERE
For information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: www.nasa.gov/mars

Two time Olympian LaTasha Colander Clark to be inducted into the Hampton Roads African American Sports Hall of Fame

LaTasha Colander(Clark) of USA competes in the women's 4 x 100 metre relay on August 26, 2004 during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games at the Olympic Olympic Stadium in the Sports Complex in Athens, Greece. photo: michael steele/Getty Images

(BMLTV) NORFOLK VA., October 25, 2012 - The Hampton Roads African American Sports Hall of Fame will celebrate their sixteeth year anniversary at the Waterside Marriott in Downtown Norfolk this coming Saturday October 27, 2012 at 7:00 PM.

One of the big highlights of the evening will the induction of  two time Olympian LaTasha Colander-Clark.

Colander-Clark, a native of Portsmouth, began her track career by winning 12 Virginia State titles while at Manor now named Woodrow Wilson High School. Colander-Clark won the 1994 USA Junior title in the 100-meter hurdles and was second at the World Junior Championships. Rarely challenged in high school, she won three championships at the National Scholastic Outdoor meet before earning a scholarship to the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Colander-Clark completed her outstanding career at the University of North Carolina. She led the Tar Heels to 14 Atlantic Coast Conference titles and was a three-time ACC champion in the 100-meter hurdles. Colander-Clark also was a seventeen time All-American.

After college, she reinvented herself as a 400 runner and won the event at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2000. At the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, Colander-Clark ran the anchor leg on the triumphant U.S. 4 X 400-meter relay team winning a gold medal. She also ran the second leg on the 4 X 200m relay team that set a world record at the 2000 Penn Relays. Colander-Clark won the U.S. championship in the 400 in 2001. She changed gears again to specialize in the 100, and won the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2004 and finishing eighth in the Summer Games in Athens.

Colander-Clark was the 2004 Olympic 400m Champion. In the 2005 season, Colander qualified to be a part of Team USA for the World Outdoor Championships in Helsinki where she made it to the 200m finals in which she placed fifth in the world. Colander-Clark retired from track and field in 2006.

For more information regarding The African American Sports Hall of Fame  Celebration and Banquet, please! contact Yvette Todd at 757-404-1755

by abhi ahmadadeen

MYANMAR: UN calls for urgent action on Rakhine

Conditions inside camps remain extremely poor. photo: contributor/IRIN

(IRIN) BANGKOK, October 2012, 2012 - The UN is calling for urgent action in Myanmar’s troubled Rakhine State as levels of communal violence worsen.

"The needs of the displaced people in Rakhine are urgent,” UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Ashok Nigam told IRIN from Yangon. “Significantly more resources are needed to sustain the humanitarian efforts. I would urge all partners to help us meet these challenges in Rakhine State immediately."

The call comes amid a fresh wave of communal violence between Rohingya Muslims and ethnic (mainly Buddhist) Rakhine this week which has already left at least four people dead and over 1,000 homes burned.

According to the state-run New Light of Myanmar on 23 October, 531 houses in six villages in Minbya Township and 508 houses in two villages in Mrauk-U Township were burnt down. Many say the real number of casualties could be much higher.

The Rohingya, a persecuted Muslim minority of 800,000, unrecognized as citizens by the Burmese government, have long faced persecution and discrimination in Myanmar.

Ethnic and religious tensions have prompted thousands to flee, mostly to neighbouring Bangladesh.

This week’s violence follows major troubles in June when more than 90,000 residents, mostly Rohingya Muslims, were displaced after the alleged rape and murder of a Rakhine woman by a group of Muslim men in May. At least 78 people were killed and more than 4,800 homes and buildings were destroyed in the May violence.

Currently some 75,000 are displaced in Rakhine. They are living in 40 camps and temporary locations in Sittwe (capital of Rakhine State) and Kyauktaw. Most are Rohingya in nine overcrowded camps in Sittwe, separated from the rest of the community due to security concerns.

Camp conditions are poor, with many not meeting international Sphere standards (best practice in food aid, nutrition, health, water and sanitation and emergency shelter provision), say aid workers on the ground.

There are indications that some displacement may also be taking place between villages. However, only a few affected villages can be reached at the moment, said the latest humanitarian bulletin from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Humanitarian partners are currently working with the authorities to identify individuals in need, and are doing their utmost to provide assistance.

More than 20 UN agencies and international NGOs are currently working in Sittwe. Food, non-food, health, education, water and sanitation are urgent needs, they say.

Humanitarian and development assistance programmes in the area were interrupted from June to September during the monsoon. The area sees the highest incidence of malnutrition and health problems - a critical issue that needs addressing beyond the needs of existing camps, say aid workers.

In late September, some partners, including the World Food Programme, the UN Refugee Agency and some NGOs managed to resume some of their activities, but it is unclear how the latest violence will affect operations.

Residents describe the current situation as “fluid” with police deploying reinforcements in the townships of Minbya and Mrauk-U where curfews are in effect.

Aid workers have been issuing warnings: “It’s just going from bad to worse,” said one aid worker on the ground, who asked not to be identified. “I just don’t think people know what is happening here. The message is just not getting out.”

Under the Rakhine Response Plan - an inter-agency strategy launched in July to provide assistance for some 80,000 people affected by the crisis until the end of the year - just US$14.9 million of the $32.5 million requested has been disbursed or pledged.

Of this, $4.8 million came from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), set up in 2005 to provide more timely humanitarian assistance to those affected by natural disaster and armed conflict.

“I really don’t think donors know how serious the issue is… The reality of donors not doing enough is just making the suffering of these people worse. The humanitarian imperative to deliver life-saving assistance has never been greater. The time to act is now,” the aid worker said.

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Leon Panette becomes the first Secretary of Defense to visit Hampton Roads

Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta, sworn in as Secretary of Defense on July 1, 2011. photo: abhi ahmadadeen/BMLTV©

U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner,servers on the Senate Banking Budget, Commerce and Intelligence committees. photo: abhi ahmadadeen/BMLTV©


Amongst the many were military commanders, elected officials, and members of the Hampton Roads business community. photo: abhi ahmadadeen/BMLTV©

“I am honored to be here because of the entire Hampton Roads community, you have provided unflinching support to thousands of men and women in uniform who are stationed here”

(BMLTV) NORFOLK VA., October 22, 2012 - On his very first visit to Hampton roads Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta gave an Inaugural State of the Military Address at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott before a huge audience. Amongst the many were military commanders, elected officials, and members of the Hampton Roads business community. 

Guest speaker U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner spoke of the significance of Leon Panetta’s visit. “We are very lucky to have the First Inaugural State of the Military Address with the Secretary of Defense. I’ve known Secretary Panetta for about twenty years; sense my early involvement in politics. He has served with distinction for our country in a variety of ways. Leon Panetta served in Congress, he was Chairman of the Budget Committee, he served as President Clintons Chief of Staff, has served with enormous distinction as head of the CIA, and most recently he has taken on what is clearly the most important Cabinet position for our nation, Secretary of Defense. 

"There is no one who serves our country with more commitment, more dedication and more willingness to lay out the straight truth than the Secretary of Defense.” 

Panetta opened up by expressing that he was honored to have a chance to be in Hampton Roads, to come down to this great place that is so important to our National Security and important to our effort to everything we can do to protect our country.

 “I admire also by the presence of so many civic leaders and elected officials, Republicans and Democrats and Senior Military Leaders, to a lot of my friends in the Military from installations from across the region. I am also honored to be here with you members of this chamber as Congressman I had the opportunity to speak honestly to the chambers in my District on a regular basis, and the reason I did that is because the chamber represents the heart and soul of communities. 

"You’re the business, the business heart beat of our Global Economy’s. And your willingness to be engaged, to be involved in what ever business you are a part of, to work hard, try to serve the public, that is what keeps our communities going. I pay tribute to you; my dad ran a restaurant back in Monterey. I know what the sacrifices are, I know how hard he had to work and really dedicate himself to the day to day job of serving the public."

So I commend you for your leadership, the spirit that you represent is what frankly keeps our country strong, and I thank you for that.” “I am honored to be here because of the entire Hampton Roads community, you have provided unflinching support to thousands of men and women in uniform who are stationed here and I thank you for that, whether it is at Norfolk Naval Station, whether it is at the Joint Base Langley Eustis, whether its at Naval Air Station Oceana where the more than two dozen other military facilities that are located throughout this region.”

 "Hampton Roads is a powerful testament, powerful testament to the unrivaled strength of America’s Armed Forces. Simply put this region houses perhaps the greatest concentration of Military mite in the world. Support offered by this community to its service members, its veteran, to their families is an incredibly important part of what makes this area the strategic national asset that it is.

Your dedication, your commitment, your service, your patriotism is critical to the Military and very greatly critical to our National Security. Let me be clear as Secretary of Defense I want to everything that I can to keep this community strong in terms of its Military for the future. 

This is special to me as Secretary of Defense to have communities like this that are dedicated to insuring that they’ll do everything possible to keep United States of America safe and keep our military strong. I know what it means, believe me I know what it means to have a community this devoted to the military". “Believe me, I know the importance of the military to the local economy and I also know the impact when a facility is lost.” 

Panetta warned of the threat of defense reductions because of automatic budget cuts of $1 trillion over 10 years that are set to start in January. Half the reductions, known as sequestration, would be in defense and half in discretionary domestic programs. 

Inaugural State of the Military Address which was founded by Hampton Roads Chamber Commerce, was two years in the making, sought to explore defense strategy, current and future Department of Defense spending, and the economic impact of the Federal presence in Hampton Roads.

 by abhi ahmadadeen

Defense Secretary Panetta travels to Norfolk for a "State of the Military" forum

U.S.Navy contract work on Defense ships along the Elizabeth river, Norfolk.
photo: abhi ahmadadeen/BMLTV©

(BMLTV) NORFOLK VA.,October 17, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta will travel to Norfolk, Va., Friday, October 19, to address the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce at a "State of the Military" forum.  Sec. Panetta's remarks will focus on the defense strategy and the important role communities like Hampton Roads play in supporting the Department of Defense. The event will take place at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott.

 by abhi ahmadadeen

American Teve dominates the lead in political coverage

(PRN) MIAMI, October12, 2012  - Considered by viewers in South Florida as the preferred channel for politics, America Teve continues to deliver the most comprehensive coverage of the presidential election.  This Thursday, October 11 ^th, America Teve aired the debate between Vice President Joe Biden and the Republican candidate for Vice President, Paul Ryan.

The format of the coverage featured the driving initiative of the renowned journalist Oscar Haza and, the after debate, by presenter and Emmy ® award-winning journalist Pedro Sevcec, who analyzed the results of the debate along with a forum of undecided voters.

 The audience enjoyed the impeccable simultaneous translation implemented by Cesar Cardoza in addition to the excellent dubbing of Marcela Lopez.  America Teve once again positions the interest of it's audience as it's priority becoming the absolute leader in the strip from 8: 30 to 11: 00 PM at the hearing of adults 25 +, beating Channel 51 Telemundo and Univision 23, according to Nielsen ratings.

In the same time slot but in the demographic of men 50 +, America TeVe achievement triple the audience of Telemundo 51 and exceeded, with an impressive 400% above, a Univision's Channel  23, with 16 against a 3.2.

Once again this is irrefutable evidence that South Floridians rely on the high quality of America Teve's news coverage.  America Teve is proud to announce the transmissions of the next presidential debate, which will be conducted on Tuesday, October 16 ^th, culminating with the final transmission of the presidential day election on Tuesday, November 6th. These transmissions can be seen on two live platforms, screen and Internet through www.americateve.com worldwide.
If you missed the transmission of the vice-presidential debate Thursday, October 11 ^th, on America Teve please tune to www.americateve.com on the web.  

The European Union is Awarded the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize

(PRN/USN) WASHINGTON, October. 12, 2012  The Norwegian Nobel Committee has today awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2012 to the European Union, noting that the Union and its forerunners have for over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe. 
 
"It is a tremendous honour for the European Union to be awarded the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize," said President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy and President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso in a joint statement. 

"This Prize is the strongest possible recognition of the deep political motives behind our Union: the unique effort by ever more European states to overcome war and divisions and to jointly shape a continent of peace and prosperity. It is a Prize not just for the project and the institutions embodying a common interest, but for the 500 million citizens living in our Union.

"At its origins the European Union brought together nations emerging from the ruins of devastating World Wars – which originated on this continent – and united them in a project for peace. Over the last sixty years, the European Union has reunified a continent split by the Cold War around values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights.

"These are also the values that the European Union promotes in order to make the world a better place for all. The European Union will continue to promote peace and security in the countries close to us and in the world at large. We are proud that the European Union is the world's largest provider of development assistance and humanitarian aid and is at the forefront of global efforts to fight climate change and promote global public goods.

"This Nobel Peace Prize shows that in these difficult times the European Union remains an inspiration for leaders and citizens all over the world."
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton said: "I am delighted at the news that the European Union has been awarded the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of its work on reconciliation, democracy, promotion of human rights and in enlarging the area of peace and stability across the continent.

"In the countries of the EU, historic enemies have become close partners and friends. I am proud to be part of continuing this work. The creation of the European External Action Service has enabled us to develop a comprehensive approach to better promote Europe's core values throughout the world.
"I will continue to work tirelessly to drive this process forward."

European Union Ambassador to the United States Joao Vale de Almeida said: "The Nobel Peace Prize recognizes the great achievements the EU has made in regional integration for peace. What started with six countries forming a Coal and Steel Community following World War II to help secure peace and stability has grown into a Union of 27 -- soon to be 28 countries -- working together. We are grateful for the indispensable support we have received from the United States over the years, and together with my fellow EU Member States Ambassadors here in Washington, D.C., I will continue to work closely with our American partners to promote peace, democracy, and prosperity around the World."

FreedomWorks for America activists to protest outside President Barack Obama's Doylestown headquarters

(PRN/USN) DOYLESTOWN, Pa., October. 12, 2012 -  FreedomWorks for America and approximately 100 devoted Tea Party activists plan to rally in front of President Barack Obama's headquarters on Saturday October 13, 10-11am ET, followed by door-to-door canvassing from 11am- 1pm ET. in Doylestown, PA.

The protest will be followed by a "Get out the Vote" door-to-door canvassing effort with fellow conservatives and Tea Party activists from local and surrounding parts of the Commonwealth.
FreedomWorks for America believes that the only sure path to responsible spending reform and pro-growth economic policy is to regain a Senate majority of fiscally conservative Republicans, and to retire President Obama in November.
For more information, visit
www.FreedomWorksforAmerica.org.

TWP Plants roots at The Vivian C. Mason Arts & Technology Center for Teens

Shayna "Simba" Castano, Hampton Roads Youth Poet  represented Hampton Roads in the 2012 Brave New Voices Youth Poetry Festival in San Francisco. Photo: abhi ahmadadeen/BMLTV©

(BMLTV) NORFOLK, VA. October 10, 2012 - Teens With a Purpose (TWP) - The Youth Movement is proud to announce their move into the Vivian C. Mason Arts & Technology Center for Teens, a City of Norfolk owned facility.

TWP partners with the City of Norfolk Department of Recreation, Parks and Open Space (RPOS) on various teen programs and events that empower Youth to use their voices for positive change in their communities and now extends its partnership with this lease agreement.

When TWP became a community based organization in 2007, TWP had membership of almost a dozen young people. They met in a small room in Blyden Branch Library with the mission to empower young people to use their voices, their energy and their talent to effect positive change in their lives, the lives of others and throughout their community.

With a focus on building self esteem, connectedness and knowledge to help young people address pressing issues in today's society while creating a safe, non-judgmental space for self expression they forged on. Over these few short years more and more teens joined and became trained peer leaders. They all wanted to be a part of this cool eclectic group of trend-setters who were forming a terrific support network for one another.

They were eager to engage and to give back. They looked forward to rehearsals so that they could perfect their talent and aspired to help change the world one teen at a time. Today, with more than 40 youth members, TWP impacts thousands yearly during community events, workshops, teen summer camp and ongoing teen peer-led events.

"Moving our program from one day a week at the Crispus Attucks Cultural Art Center to five days a week at VCM has lifted time constraints and removed space barriers. Our growth and development seems boundless," says Deirdre Love, Founder and Executive Director of Teens With a Purpose. TWP's youth leader, Robert Johnson, shared this pointed quote by Shirley Chisholm, during the September 11th Council Hearing that confirmed the new tenants: "Service is the rent we pay for the privilege to live on this earth."

TWP vows to make this rent payment, on time, every time! The Vivian C. Mason Arts & Technology Center for Teens is located at 700 E. Olney Road in Norfolk Virginia.

Southeast Asia wasting too much food

Farmers in Myanmar are often unaware of the risks of using pesticides on their fruits and vegetables. Contributor/IRIN©

(IRN) BANGKOK,  October 9, 2012 - As cities expand in Southeast Asia, more and more food is going to waste and governments are ill-prepared to stem the loss, according experts recently convened by the Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies in Singapore.

“It is likely that the region wastes approximately 33 percent of food, but accurate estimates are not available due to a dearth of quantitative information,” they said.

Regional food loss stemming from natural disasters and improper crop storage, packing and delivery will worsen as more goods travel farther. Urbanites are expected to outnumber rural residents here by 2028. 

Governments need to better fund the tracking of food waste (especially fish, vegetables and rice). Possible solutions include redistributing edible wasted food to people; turning it into energy and agriculture inputs; and developing new technology to separate food waste from other rubbish. Policymakers need to take a “total supply chain approach” or else risk breaking Southeast Asia’s fragile food system, said the experts.

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