Crucial Prayer Topics : Natural Disasters

Huge Blast, Fire Destroys Dozens of Homes Near San Francisco
Fox News - September 10, 2010

SAN BRUNO, Calif. -- Firefighters poured water on flaming and smoldering wreckage early Friday after a massive explosion sent blazes roaring through a neighborhood in the hills south of San Francisco, killing at least one person, destroying more than 50 homes and damaging dozens of others....[view article]

Colo. wildfire's toll of destroyed homes rises
AP - Associated Press - September 9, 2010

BOULDER, Colo. - Will Esposito describes an otherworldly scene after a wildfire tore through a canyon in the Colorado foothills: Some houses in his neighborhood burning while others stood intact, a propane tank shooting flames into the sky, and an eerie quiet interrupted only by firefighting helicopters and airplanes....[view article]

Tropical Storm Hermine grows and aims for Mexico border
Reuters - September 7, 2010

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Hermine strengthened in the Gulf of Mexico on Monday as it approached landfall near the U.S.-Mexico border, but oil and gas operations in the Gulf were unaffected....[view article]

Colorado wildfire destroys dozens of homes
AP - Associated Press - September 7, 2010

DENVER - A wind-whipped wildfire sent flames roaring through a rugged canyon in the Colorado foothills, forcing hundreds of people to flee and destroying dozens of homes - some that belonged to the firefighters themselves, authorities said early Tuesday....[view article]

New Zealand: Earth's surface 'lurches 11ft to the right'
Mail Online - September 6, 2010

The earthquake that devastated a city in New Zealand tore open a new 11ft faultine in the Earth's surface. The 7.1-magnitude quake which hit Christchurch, the country's second-largest city, destroyed about 500 buildings and caused an estimated £930million of damage. But hundreds of lives were saved by tough building rules, it was claimed. Only two injuries were reported....[view article]

Christian Aid: Flood Victims in Pakistan Crisis Still Need Our Help
Christian Newswire - September 3, 2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Sept. 2 /Christian Newswire/ -- Christian Aid Mission is increasing efforts to collect emergency help for the flood victims of the continuing crisis in Pakistan as worldwide interest from the news media wanes....[view article]

Pakistan says it's not aware of India's $20M offer for flood relief
CNN - August 31, 2010

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- India offered another $20 million in aid to its rival neighbor Pakistan on Tuesday, but an official in the flood-ravaged country says he has no knowledge of the aid....[view article]

South Korea offers millions in flood aid to North Korea
CNN - August 31, 2010

(CNN) -- South Korea's Red Cross has offered $8.4 million in flood aid to North Korea, the Yonhap news agency said Tuesday....[view article]

Volcano Quiet for 400 Years Erupts in Indonesia
AP - Associated Press - August 30, 2010

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -- A volcano in western Indonesia spewed hot lava and sand high into the sky early Sunday in its first eruption in 400 years....[view article]

Survivors of mine disasters say hope, Kenny Rogers kept them going
CNN - August 30, 2010

(CNN) -- As the two Australian miners lay trapped in a space less than 5 feet square and 3,000 feet below the surface, they discovered common ground in American country singer Kenny Rogers....[view article]

BP preps next step in effort to seal Gulf oil well
CNN - August 30, 2010

(CNN) -- More than three weeks after plugging its ruptured oil well with cement and mud from above, BP plans to start a procedure Monday that will pave the way for a permanent fix for the well....[view article]

U.N.: Niger flooding displaces nearly 200,000
CNN - August 30, 2010

(CNN) -- Heavy rains in Niger have displaced nearly 200,000 in recent weeks, the United Nations says, calling on donors and aid agencies to send shelter material, blankets and other supplies....[view article]

Rescuers Concerned About Weight of Trapped Chilean Miners
VOA News - August 27, 2010

Chilean officials organizing the rescue of 33 trapped miners say some of the miners may have to lose weight to fit through the rescue shaft being dug....[view article]

Hurricane Danielle Becomes a Category 4 Storm
AP - Associated Press - August 27, 2010

MIAMI (Aug. 27) -- Hurricane Danielle became a Category 4 storm early Friday far out over the Atlantic as it headed in Bermuda's direction and threatened to bring dangerous rip currents to the U.S. East Coast....[view article]

On Doomed Rig's Last Day, a Divisive Change of Plan
Wall Street Journal - August 26, 2010

On April 20 at 10:43 a.m., a young BP PLC engineer sent a 173-word email to colleagues aboard the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. The email spelled out a recent change to a key safety test that sparked confusion and debate aboard the rig....[view article]

Trapped Chile miners get supplies
BBC - August 24, 2010

Thirty-three miners trapped underground in Chile since 5 August have begun receiving glucose, rehydration tablets and medicine....[view article]

Rains batter China anew with 50,000 people evacuated from flooded city
Fox News - August 21, 2010

BEIJING (AP) - Swelled by torrential rains, the Yalu river that marks the Chinese-North Korean border breached its banks on both sides Saturday, inundating communities and forcing the evacuation of more than 50,000 people in China....[view article]

Pakistan reluctantly accepts $5 million in aid from India
The Jerusalem Post - August 20, 2010

Pakistan agreed to accept a $5 million aid donation from India Friday to combat floods that have left over 20 million people homeless. The donation had been on hold, allegedly for political reasons, but international and US pressure convinced Pakistan to accept....[view article]

In Haitian Camps, 'Clef' Is More a State of Mind
- August 20, 2010

PETIONVILLE, Haiti (Aug. 20) -- He's not Wyclef Jean. He's not Wyclef. In this camp, he's often just "Clef." Among the tents at Place St. Pierre,, everyone is wearing his T-shirts. Last month he stopped by here to promote his charity Yele Haiti's new cash-for-work program. Many saw him in person. Four weeks after the event, his reputation gets more saintly every day....[view article]

Why Is BP Delaying the Bottom Kill Operation Till September?
Fox News - August 20, 2010

(Aug. 20) -- National Incident Commander Thad Allen said Thursday that BP's unruly well won't be killed once and for all until September. Original estimates had planned for the bottom kill -- which will kill the well for good -- to take place this month. At several points, emergency crews were even said to be ahead of schedule on the project, but no longer....[view article]

Salmonella Outbreak: Illnesses linked to eggs will likely grow
The Washington Post - August 20, 2010

WASHINGTON -- A salmonella outbreak that sickened hundreds and led to the recall of hundreds of millions of eggs from one Iowa firm will likely grow, federal health officials said Thursday....[view article]

Two Christian girls raped in Punjab
Voice of the Martyrs - August 20, 2010

Two Christian girls in Pakistan's Punjab province were brutally raped in recent weeks. On July 22, a group of madrassa (Islamic school) students gang-raped a 12-year-old Christian girl in Gujar Khan, Rawalpindi district. A teacher who reportedly witnessed the rape stated: "Three or four Christian girls were washing dishes near a pond.... These guys ran towards them, and the girls started running...[view article]

Disastrous flooding in Pakistan creates dire conditions for surviving families
- August 19, 2010

(WORLD VISION eNews) -- Nasreen and her family were forced to flee their home and seek refuge at a crowded shelter, where World Vision first reached them with a distribution of food and water....[view article]

BP to stop handling most Gulf claims
CNN - August 18, 2010

Type the intro here if you are linking to another story, otherwise paste the entire story here and leave the url blank. The website will display a maximum of 80 words for the introduction. If you are pasting from Word use the word pasteboard icon....[view article]

Emergency Aid Lacking for Pakistan Flood Victims, UN Says
AP - Associated Press - August 17, 2010

Pakistan (AP) - The World Bank said Tuesday it will redirect $900 million of its existing loans to Pakistan to help in flood recovery, as the U.N. warned that many of the 20 million people affected by the disaster have yet to receive any emergency aid....[view article]

Disease Threatens Pakistan Flood Victims
VOA News - August 13, 2010

Officials overseeing relief efforts in Pakistan say an outbreak of disease is presenting a new threat to flood victims as they brace for more rain....[view article]

As BP, feds explore whether final plug is needed for Gulf gusher, locals fear being forgotten
Fox News - August 12, 2010

NEW ORLEANS - With the oil well that had been spewing into the Gulf of Mexico plugged from the top and BP PLC and federal officials pondering whether the final plug, or "bottom kill," is needed, local officials fear national disengagement from what remains a crisis of unknown proportions....[view article]

Fresh rains threaten China landslide rescue effort
BBC - August 11, 2010

More torrential rain is sweeping towards the region of north-west China hit by a massive landslide, forecasters warn. More than 700 people are now known to have died and more than 1,000 people are still missing in the remote mountainous area of Gansu province. The BBC's Chris Hogg in Gansu says three days of torrential rain are due....[view article]

Radiation, plague, and fires: foreign embassies urgently evacuate staff from Russia
- August 11, 2010

A hasty evacuation of diplomatic staff from foreign embassies, like a stampede, began in Moscow. Many embassies are trying to hide the evacuation for political reasons. Mass evacuation of the embassies of Canada and Poland was officially reported at night on August 7....[view article]

Pakistanis set for Ramadan fast amid flood misery
Reuters - August 11, 2010

SUKKUR, Pakistan, Aug 11 (Reuters) - They've been left homeless and hungry by the worst flooding in decades, but for many Pakistanis, their suffering is no reason to ignore the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan....[view article]

U.S., BP Near Deal on Fund
Wall Street Journal - August 10, 2010

WASHINGTON—The Obama administration and BP PLC are close to a deal to use future revenues from the oil giant's Gulf of Mexico operations to guarantee its $20 billion cleanup and compensation fund, a move that would give both sides an incentive to continue production in the Gulf, scene of the U.S.'s worst-ever offshore oil spill....[view article]

Poland: 7,000 pairs of shoes burnt at concentration camp
The Jerusalem Post - August 10, 2010

A fire broke out Monday night at the Majdanek concentration camp barracks in Poland, seriously damaging two-thirds of the wooden structure and seven thousand pairs of shoes belonging to former prisoners, a spokesman from the Lublin fire brigade reportedly said....[view article]

China landslide: More than 700 people confirmed dead
BBC - August 10, 2010

More than 700 people are now known to have died in a massive landslide in north-west China - making it one of the deadliest incidents so far in the country's worst flooding in a decade....[view article]

Moscow Death Rate Doubles as Many Flee Heat, Smog
AOL News - August 10, 2010

Moscow's death rate has doubled, a city health official said today, as a nearly unprecedented heat wave and acrid smog from wildfires grip the capital, causing tens of thousands to flee....[view article]

Gulf relief well crews watch for tropical weather
AP - Associated Press - August 10, 2010

NEW ORLEANS -Crews finishing work meant to forever stop oil from leaking from a blown-out undersea well into the Gulf may have one more hurdle to overcome: the weather....[view article]

BP well could be permanently sealed by end of week
CNN - August 10, 2010

(CNN) -- The disaster of epic proportions in the Gulf of Mexico still is on track to be resolved at the end of this week, according to the federal point man in the region....[view article]

Zardari returns to flood-stricken Pakistan
CNN - August 10, 2010

(CNN) -- Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari returned home Monday to face growing criticism of his actions following massive flooding in his country that has affected millions of people....[view article]

BP: Focus is on killing well, not future drilling in Gulf
CNN - August 7, 2010

(CNN) -- A BP official on Friday talked about the possibility of resuming drilling at the site of the Gulf oil disaster, but the company clarified his remarks....[view article]

Muscovites struggle to breathe as acrid smoke grips city
CNN - August 7, 2010

Moscow, Russia (CNN) -- The Moscow skyline of the Kremlin and St. Basil's Cathedral vanished Friday as a blanket of thick, noxious smoke shrouded the metropolis, leaving many of the city's 10 million residents with sore throats and burning eyes....[view article]

Crude still coats marshes and wetlands along Gulf
AOL News - August 6, 2010

Type the intro here if you are linking to another story, otherwise paste the entire story here and leave the url blank. The website will display a maximum of 80 words for the introduction. If you are pasting from Word use the word pasteboard icon....[view article]

Cementing of Well Completed
Wall Street Journal - August 6, 2010

BP PLC has finished pumping its rogue well in the Gulf of Mexico with cement, effectively sealing it for good. But the government insists it's still too early to start celebrating victory....[view article]

BP to pour cement into well in next phase of 'static kill'
CNN - August 5, 2010

(CNN) -- BP plans to start pouring cement into its crippled well in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday in the next phase of the well-killing operation known as a "static kill."...[view article]

Scorching heat prompts warnings in 18 states
CNN - August 5, 2010

(CNN) -- Forecasters have issued advisories for at least 18 states Thursday as dangerous heat continues to scorch parts of the South, Midwest and the North....[view article]

Forecasters to Update Atlantic Hurricane Outlook
The New York Times - August 5, 2010

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) -- The U.S. government is set to update its outlook for the Atlantic hurricane season. In May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted this could be the busiest hurricane season since 2005, when hurricanes Katrina and Rita ripped along the same part of the Gulf Coast now coping with one of the world's worst oil spills....[view article]

Oil Spill Cleanup Workers Include Many Very, Very Small Ones
The New York Times - August 5, 2010

Among the hidden stars of the gulf cleanup is an oil-hungry bacterium that Dr. Seuss could have named - Alcanivorax. It and fellow microbes are breaking down a significant amount of the oil that gushed into the environment from BP's runaway well, scientists say. The microbial feasting is known as biodegradation....[view article]

BP gears up to halt oil spill confirmed 'world's worst'
BBC - August 3, 2010

The US government has said the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is the biggest oil leak ever, as BP prepares its "static kill" operation to permanently seal its well. A new government estimate suggests BP's Macondo well leaked 4.9 million barrels of oil before being capped last month....[view article]

On Gulf, crews hope kill attempt will do the trick
AP - Associated Press - August 3, 2010

NEW ORLEANS - Crews hoped to begin pumping mud and perhaps cement down the throat of the blown-out oil well at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday in what BP officials said could be the method of attack that finally snuffs the spill....[view article]

Over 800 dead in Pakistani floods as rescuers struggle to reach the marooned, disease looms
Fox News - August 1, 2010

NOWSHERA, Pakistan (AP) - The death toll in the massive flooding in Pakistan surged past 800 as floodwaters receded Saturday in the hard-hit northwest, an official said. The damage to roads, bridges and communications networks hindered rescuers, while the threat of disease loomed as some evacuees arrived in camps with fever, diarrhea and skin problems....[view article]

Spike Lee screens film that includes Gulf oil spill; says 'nobody' from BP speaking to him
Fox News - August 1, 2010

SAN DIEGO - Spike Lee screened some of his new HBO documentary that includes a look at the massive BP Gulf oil spill and says no one from the oil giant is speaking to him....[view article]

Feds, parish presidents discuss cleanup at "contentious" meeting
CNN - July 30, 2010

New Orleans, Louisiana (CNN) -- What's next now that the oil stopped flowing, and what will happen when BP's crippled well in the Gulf of Mexico is finally, permanently sealed?...[view article]

Coast Guard may start redeploying cleanup resources once Gulf well is killed permanently
Fox News - July 29, 2010

The government's point man for the Gulf spill plans to meet with coastal parish officials Thursday to talk about what's next now that the oil has stopped flowing....[view article]

Oil from Gulf spill is no longer collecting on the surface, but where is it?
Fox News - July 28, 2010

NEW ORLEANS -- In the nearly two weeks since a temporary cap stopped BP's gusher at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, not much oil has been showing up on the surface of the water....[view article]

BP chief Tony Hayward 'set to stand down'
BBC - July 26, 2010

Mr Hayward has been widely criticised over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill....[view article]

Iowa's Lake Delhi Dam Breaks From Flooding
AOL News - July 25, 2010

CHICAGO (July 25) - Standing water on Chicago-area expressways turned what should have been an easy Saturday morning drive into a soggy, snarled mess after heavy rains across the Midwest closed roads, stranded residents and punched a hole through an Iowa dam....[view article]

Bad weather could hamper effort to seal oil well
CNN - July 22, 2010

New Orleans, Louisiana (CNN) -- Bad weather may impact BP's attempts to create a permanent fix to the oil disaster, a BP official said Thursday....[view article]

Tropical weather in Caribbean gaining steam
CNN - July 21, 2010

(CNN) -- A vigorous tropical weather system forming in the eastern Caribbean has a high chance of turning into a tropical depression or more serious tropical storm over the next two days, according to the National Hurricane Center....[view article]

Scientists weighing new option for shutting down oil well
CNN - July 20, 2010

Washington (CNN) -- As tests continue Tuesday on BP's ruptured oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, scientists are weighing a new option for permanently sealing it....[view article]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/19/probe-oil-rig-zeroes-final-hours/
Fox News - July 19, 2010

Federal authorities investigating BP PLC's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are zeroing in on bad decisions, missed warnings and worker disagreements in the hours before the April 20 inferno aboard the Deepwater Horizon that spawned one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history....[view article]

Cap Keeps Oil Out of Gulf for 3rd Day
AOL News - July 18, 2010

NEW ORLEANS (July 18) -- Scientists got an extra day to evaluate whether the giant cork bottling BP's busted well in the Gulf of Mexico will hold, while officials overseeing the disaster pondered their next step....[view article]

BP says capped Gulf of Mexico oil well not leaking
BBC - July 17, 2010

BP says there are no signs of leakage from its ruptured oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, a day after the flow was stopped for the first time since April. No oil has escaped from the new cap sealing the well and there was no sign of any breach under the sea floor, BP executive Kent Wells said....[view article]

The Gulf Waits: Another Day to Watch the Cap
Fox News - July 17, 2010

NEW ORLEANS -- An extended trial run of a cap blocking oil from streaming into the Gulf of Mexico from the Deepwater Horizon well is due to expire Sunday after the government's point man on the cleanup told BP to continue to monitor the cap for another 24 hours....[view article]

Gulf spill: BP prepares for key oil well test
BBC - July 15, 2010

Adm Thad Allen: "When BP is ready, we will start to increase the pressure in the capping stack" Oil firm BP is preparing to test the strength of its leaking well in the Gulf of Mexico, in its latest bid to stop the flow. BP began shutting valves linked to the new cap, but a "small leak" in a pipe has delayed the tests. The firm said it would take a "short while" to fix....[view article]

BP Installs Sealing Cap on Errant Well
Wall Street Journal - July 13, 2010

HOUSTON-BP PLC said Monday night it had installed a new sealing cap that could halt the oil spewing from its broken well in the Gulf of Mexico, raising the possibility that a nearly three-month long environmental crisis could soon be contained....[view article]

Coast Guard: Blimp will fly over oil slick, weather permitting
CNN - July 9, 2010

New Orleans, Louisiana (CNN) -- As people along the Gulf Coast deal with the "daunting challenges" posed by the oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico, federal responders are hoping to take advantage of a newly-poised aerial weapon in their arsenal Friday....[view article]

BP Sets New Spill Target
Wall Street Journal - July 8, 2010

BP PLC is pushing to fix its runaway Gulf oil well by July 27, possibly weeks before the deadline the company is discussing publicly, in a bid to show investors it has capped its ballooning financial liabilities, according to company officials....[view article]

Beach Cleaners Only Skimming Oil Off Surface
Fox News - July 8, 2010

GULF SHORES, Ala. -- A problem lurks under the sand on the Gulf Coast, but some argue the best thing to do is -- nothing. Walk to a seemingly pristine patch of sand, plop down in a chair and start digging with your bare feet and chances are you'll walk away with gooey tar between your toes. So far, workers hired by BP to clean oil off beaches have skimmed only the surface, using shovels or sifting machines....[view article]

Hundreds Of Fishermen Missing Checks From BP
WDSU - July 8, 2010

GRAND ISLE, La. --Hundreds of fishermen from Lake Charles to Moss Point, Miss., were supposed to get checks from BP on Wednesday but didn't....[view article]

This time it's oil trouble for Lake Pontchartrain
AP - Associated Press - July 7, 2010

NEW ORLEANS - Oil from the ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico is seeping into Lake Pontchartrain north of New Orleans, threatening another environmental disaster for the huge body of water that was rescued from pollution in 1990s....[view article]

'It's just too hot': East Coast scorched by heat
AP - Associated Press - July 7, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) -- It's just no fun in the sun.That was the conclusion in the streets of the Bronx as 14-year-old Miguel Pena and 13-year-old Vincent Quiles walked their bicycles up a hill on one of the hottest days in the past decade in the Northeast.    ...[view article]

Dangerous Eastern Heat Wave Could be a Record-Breaker
- July 5, 2010

A dangerous and record-challenging heat wave will affect much of the East this week as a once-delightful air mass turns ugly. In some locations this heat wave will rival many that have occurred in the past 20 years with the potential for up to a several-day stretch of temperatures in the upper 90s to low 100s from southern New England to the Carolinas....[view article]

Gulf oil spill likely to reach Florida Keys, Miami, report says
Los Angeles Times - July 4, 2010

Those shorelines will probably see tar balls in the months ahead, NOAA finds. Also, skimming boats prepare to go back to work, and efforts to help turtles and migrating birds are announced....[view article]

Hurricane could suspend oil capping for two weeks
CNN - July 2, 2010

(CNN) -- Oil could flow unrestricted for two weeks into the Gulf of Mexico if a hurricane moved toward the BP oil spill, according to a timeline from Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, who's managing the federal government's response to the disaster....[view article]

Kerry, the Sixth Generation Fisherman
CNN - July 2, 2010

On Wednesday, we toured a St. Bernard Parish community aid center for fishing families run by Catholic Charities of New Orleans. There we met several fishermen, including this gentleman named Kerry. He's a sixth generation fisherman, focusing primarily on crabbing....[view article]

BP Oil Spill Containment Efforts Threatened By Hurricane Alex
- June 29, 2010

Gulf of Mexico (Jun 29) - The Deepwater Horizon crisis has entered day 71 as the gusher pumps up to 60,000 barrels of crude a day into the Gulf. Containment efforts including drilling relief wells are now in threat of the season's first tropical storm predicted to turn hurricane strength later today....[view article]

Hurricane Alex to hamper BP's oil spill containment
Reuters - June 29, 2010

HOUSTON/LONDON, June 29 (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Alex is expected to reach hurricane strength on Tuesday, with high winds and vast waves set to hamper BP Plc's (BP.L) (BP.N) latest efforts to contain the largest oil spill in U.S. history. Shares in London-based energy giant BP fell a further 1.7 percent a day after sources said the New York Federal Reserve was probing potential systemic risks posed by the company, and after the company had to deny Russian government claims...[view article]

Tropical weather could exacerbate Gulf Coast woes
CNN - June 25, 2010

New Orleans, Louisiana (CNN) -- Downtrodden Gulf Coast residents may soon have something besides the oil spill to worry about. But it's not really a "new" threat -- it's what they fret about every summer: tropical weather. There is a 70 percent chance that a weather system in the western Caribbean will better organize and form at least a tropical depression in the next 48 hours, the National Hurricane Center said Friday morning....[view article]

Florida Closes Beach as Gobs of Oil Wash In
Fox News - June 25, 2010

NEW ORLEANS - More dirty evidence of the massive oil spill washed ashore along the Gulf Coast for residents who don't need anymore reminders of their frustration over failed efforts to stop the crude gushing from a blown-out undersea well....[view article]

Gulf Dealing With New Oil Spill Fear -- Hurricane
Fox News - June 25, 2010

The first hurricane of what experts fear will be a very severe season may be brewing in the Gulf of Mexico, and anxious workers struggling to cap the leaking oil well are watching and worrying. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned Friday morning of not one but two weather formations in the Gulf of Mexico, both with the potential to swell into more serious weather systems. Responders in the Gulf of Mexico are eyeing the storm system closely, to see...[view article]

Governors Declare Day of Prayer for Gulf Spill Read more: http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/news/28812-governors-declare-day-of-prayer-for-gulf-spill#ixzz0rtsV0f2m
Charisma - June 25, 2010

Leaders of the Gulf Coast states have designated Sunday a day of prayer for the regions affected by the oil spill that has sent millions of gallons of crude gushing into the Gulf of Mexico for the last 66 days....[view article]

Cap back after robot nudge stalls oil collection
AP - Associated Press - June 24, 2010

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A cap was back in place on BP's broken oil well in the Gulf of Mexico after a deep-sea blunder forced crews to temporarily remove what has been the most effective method so far for containing some of the massive spill....[view article]

Louisiana lawmakers propose prayer to stop oil disaster
CNN - June 24, 2010

(CNN) -- While cleanup crews and technical teams continue efforts to stop crude gushing into the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana lawmakers are proposing a different approach: prayer....[view article]

Obama seeks new drill ban as oil still spews
Reuters - June 23, 2010

WASHINGTON, June 23 (Reuters) - The White House was set on Wednesday to step up its legal battle to keep deepwater drilling on hold in the Gulf of Mexico following the worst oil spill in U.S. history....[view article]

Judge rules against Obama's deep-water drilling moratorium
LA Times - June 22, 2010

Reporting from Atlanta and Los Angeles -A federal judge on Tuesday struck down the Obama administration's six-month ban on deep-water drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, saying the federal government acted "arbitrarily and capriciously" in imposing the halt....[view article]

Overlooked Danger in Gulf Oil Spill: Methane
AOL News - June 18, 2010

NEW ORLEANS (June 18) -- It is an overlooked danger in oil spill crisis: The crude gushing from the well contains vast amounts of natural gas that could pose a serious threat to the Gulf of Mexico's fragile ecosystem....[view article]

Deadly Tornadoes Tear Through Minnesota
AOL News - June 18, 2010

WADENA, Minn. (June 18) -- When the storm came through, Jay Hotakainen huddled in the basement of his northwest Minnesota home with his 12-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter. The walls shook and everything in the house rattled....[view article]

Florida Panhandle County Takes Oil Matters Into Its Own Hands
Fox News - June 18, 2010

A Florida Panhandle community that's been victimized by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico says it can fight the destruction of its beaches and waterways better than the federal government -- but it's left with one problem: "Who will pay the bill?...[view article]

'I am not stonewalling,' BP chief tells House committee
CNN - June 17, 2010

(CNN) -- Lawmakers grilled BP chief executive officer Tony Hayward on Thursday, questioning him on whether the oil company saved time and money in seven areas of well design and operation that may have led to failure. In each case, Hayward answered that he did not recall or did not know....[view article]

Blast at Colombia coalmine kills 16 and traps dozens
BBC - June 17, 2010

A blast at a coalmine in Colombia has killed 16 miners and left about 70 trapped underground, officials say. The explosion happened late on Wednesday at the San Fernando mine in Amaga, Antioquia province....[view article]

Analysts: Relief Wells May Not Stop Spill Until Christmas
AOL News - June 17, 2010

(June 17) -- President Barack Obama promised in his speech Tuesday night that sometime in August, the Gulf oil spill will finally be tamed. The leak will be plugged. The live "spillcam" can be turned off....[view article]

After delays, U.S. begins to tap foreign aid for gulf oil spill
The Washington Post - June 14, 2010

Four weeks after the nation's worst environmental disaster, the Obama administration saw no need to accept offers of state-of-the-art skimmers, miles of boom or technical assistance from nations around the globe with experience fighting oil spills....[view article]

Sane Solution to Clean up the Oil: Suck It Up
The Huffington Post - June 14, 2010

These harrowing pictures of birds covered in oil are so totally depressing it's hard to imagine this spill is going to be our nation's wake up call. But that was an idea posited on KCRW's Which Way LA....[view article]

At Least 16 Campers Killed in Arkansas Flash Flood
ABC News - June 11, 2010

At least 16 people in a remote part of Arkansas were killed early Friday morning after flash floods swept through their campsites following a heavy rain, according to Gov. Mike Beebe....[view article]

With Drilling Stopped, La. Workers Fear Job Losses
NPR.org - June 7, 2010

During President Obama's visit to the Louisiana coast, he got an earful from local officials about his six-month moratorium on deep-water drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Many people - from work boat captains to offshore caterers - say shutting down the industry for that long could be a bigger economic blow to the region than the oil spill itself....[view article]

Don't Call The Guatemala Sinkhole a Sinkhole
Discover - June 7, 2010

The giant sinkhole that opened beneath downtown Guatemala City over the weekend is all the rage right now. There's just one problem: it isn't a sinkhole....[view article]

Ohio tornado kills 7, wrecks cop cars, graduation
AP - Associated Press - June 7, 2010

MILLBURY, Ohio - A community whose high school was destroyed the day before graduation by a tornado that killed seven people, including the valedictorian's father, rescheduled the ceremony as residents sifted through houses in many cases reduced to rubble....[view article]

Why the Oil Spill Won't End Gulf Drilling
Politics Daily - June 7, 2010

ORLANDO, Florida -- Suppose the United States did decrease drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, or discontinue it altogether. It's a tempting idea, but the question arises. Then what? What would be our alternatives?...[view article]

BP Spill Effort Rests in Hands of Underwater Pilots
AOL News - June 5, 2010

(June 5) -- Tito Collasius was working as a dishwasher aboard the research ship Knorr in 1985, when the team, using cameras mounted on underwater vehicles, made a mind-blowing discovery....[view article]

Florida warily watches as oil creeps up on coast
USA TODAY - June 4, 2010

NEW ORLEANS - The message from Florida tourism leaders has been optimistic: Come visit oil-free beaches....[view article]

BP's Latest Bid Stalls With Stuck Saw Blade
AOL News - June 2, 2010

(June 2) -- BP's latest attempt to contain the flow of oil gushing from an underwater well into the Gulf of Mexico stalled today when a saw blade got stuck in a pipe, the Coast Guard said....[view article]

22-mile oil plume under Gulf nears rich waters
AP - Associated Press - May 29, 2010

NEW ORLEANS - A thick, 22-mile plume of oil discovered by researchers off the BP spill site was nearing an underwater canyon, where it could poison the foodchain for sealife in the waters off Florida.Type the intro here if you are linking to another story, otherwise paste the entire story here and leave the url blank. The website will display a maximum of 80 words for the introduction....[view article]

BP Reveals 'Fundamental Mistake' on Oil Well
Wall Street Journal - May 26, 2010

BP told congressional investigators that a decision to continue work on an oil well in the Gulf of Mexico after a test warned that something was wrong may have been a "fundamental mistake," according to a memo....[view article]

'Top kill' a pivotal moment for BP in capping oil leak
CNN - May 26, 2010

Venice, Louisiana (CNN) -- As early as Wednesday morning, BP will try to stop the gushing oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico with a maneuver called "top kill."...[view article]

Anger, Questions Grow Along With Massive Gulf Spill
Fox News - May 24, 2010

With oil pushing at least 12 miles into Louisiana's marshes and two major pelican rookeries now coated in crude, Louisiana Gov. Jindal said the state has begun work on a chain of berms to skirt the state's coastline....[view article]

Hurricane season may make spill worse
USA TODAY - May 20, 2010

As hurricane season looms, forecasters, scientists and residents along the Gulf Coast worry that a major storm could make the oil spill worse....[view article]

Abduction of relief workers makes ministry proceed with caution
Mission Network News - May 19, 2010

Haiti (MNN) - Though Haiti is beginning to fade from the headlines, relief is an on-going effort, often slowed by lack of funds, weather conditions or unforeseen events....[view article]

5 dead, dozens injured as tornadoes hit Oklahoma
USA TODAY - May 11, 2010

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) - Violent storms that tore through the southern Plains killed five people and injured dozens more, leaving behind flattened homes, toppled semitrailers and downed power lines....[view article]

Some oil spill events from Friday, May 7, 2010
AP - Associated Press - May 7, 2010

Events May 7, Day 18 of a Gulf of Mexico oil spill that began with an explosion and fire on April 20 on the drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, owned by Transocean Ltd. and leased by BP PLC, which is in charge of cleanup and containment. The blast killed 11 workers. Since then, oil has been pouring into the Gulf from a blown-out undersea well at about 210,000 gallons per day. The slick threatens the U.S. coastline....[view article]

Fungal Disease Spreads Through Pacific Northwest
NPR.org - May 3, 2010

A rare and dangerous fungal infection named Cryptococcus gattii has been quietly spreading from British Columbia southward to the U.S. Pacific Northwest. And it's changing as it goes....[view article]

Tennessee Braces for More Flooding and Deaths
AOL News - May 3, 2010

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 3) -- Opryland's 1,500 guests were spending the night in a high school to escape rising floodwaters that threatened other areas of downtown hit by devastating thunderstorms that slammed Tennessee and northern Mississippi, killing at least 15 people....[view article]

White House Declares Halt on New Offshore Drilling
AOL News - April 30, 2010

(April 30) -- The White House said today it is halting all new offshore drilling in U.S. waters until there's an "adequate review" of a massive 600-mile wide oil slick that has begun to lap up on Louisiana's coast....[view article]

Weather hurts Gulf oil fight; new drilling on hold
AOL News - April 30, 2010

MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER -Oil from a massive spill in the Gulf of Mexico oozed into Louisiana's ecologically rich wetlands Friday as storms threatened to frustrate desperate protection efforts. The White House put a hold on any new offshore oil projects until the rig disaster that caused the spill is explained....[view article]

Death Toll in Violent Southern Storms Rises to 12
AOL News - April 26, 2010

YAZOO CITY, Miss. (April 26) -- Morgan Hayden and Joe Moton stepped carefully through nails, broken glass and pink tufts of insulation, the remnants of their home leveled by a tornado as severe storms killed at least 10 people in rural Mississippi and 2 in Alabama....[view article]

As Europe Reopens Skies, a New Cloud Looms
The New York Times - April 20, 2010

LONDON - European authorities began easing six days of severe flight restrictions on Tuesday, but a new ash cloud, reported to be spreading south from the erupting volcano in Iceland, threatened to thwart part of the effort to end the Continent's worst aviation crisis....[view article]

$5.3 billion pledged over 2 years at U.N. conference for Haiti reconstruction
The Washington Post - April 1, 2010

UNITED NATIONS -- The international community pledged $5.3 billion Wednesday for earthquake-shattered Haiti over the next two years, launching an ambitious effort not just to rebuild the hemisphere's poorest nation but also to transform it into a modern state....[view article]

World Vision Warns Haiti's Rural Communities Risk Chronic Food, Water Shortage as Burden to Care for Displaced Grows
Christian Newswire - March 2, 2010

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, March 2 /Christian Newswire/ -- World Vision warns Haiti's rural communities are at risk for chronic food and water shortages as the burden to care for the displaced grows. Families in these communities are struggling to cope with the influx of people seeking refuge from the destruction in the capital city. The aid agency is concerned that these communities are at risk of increased chronic food and water shortages and lack of adequate shelter as the...[view article]

Keynote Address at the 58th National Prayer Breakfast
State.gov - February 5, 2010

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you. Thank you very much. I have to begin by saying I'm not Bono. (Laughter.) Those of you who were here when he was, I apologize beforehand. (Laughter.) But it is a great pleasure to be with you and to be here with President and Mrs. Obama, to be with Vice President Biden, with Chairman Mullen, with certainly our host today, my former colleagues and friends, Senators Isakson and Amy Klobuchar. And to be with so many...[view article]

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AOL News - February 2, 2010

(Feb. 2) - The United States, China and dozens of other countries have submitted pledges to limit greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 - the first hurdle required in a voluntary pact set up at last year's U.N. climate change summit in Copenhagen....[view article]

Army of criminals threaten Haiti's quake survivors
The First Post - January 22, 2010

The United Nations has labelled Haiti's earthquake the worst disaster it has ever faced, as government officials in Port-au-Prince say they had already buried 40,000 victims, and expect a final death toll of between 100,000 and 200,000....[view article]

Aftershock Strikes Unstable Haiti, Shaking Buildings
AOL News - January 20, 2010

(Jan. 20) -- A 6.1-magnitude aftershock rattled Haiti early Wednesday morning, shaking already-unstable buildings and sparking panic among the many homeless survivors of last week's devastating quake....[view article]

Evacuations Ordered Ahead of 3rd California Storm
AOL News - January 20, 2010

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 20) - After two days of lightning, flooding and even a tornado, officials tried to get ahead of the next round of powerful storms that are pummeling Southern California by ordering evacuations in mudslide-prone foothill neighborhoods....[view article]

MAF Opens Critically Important Satellite Communications Center, Facilitating Work of Relief Agencies Hampered by Loss of Local Telecommunications Networks
Christian Newswire - January 19, 2010

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Jan. 19 /Christian Newswire/ -- MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) missionaries have set up a Port-au-Prince airport communications center connected to a GATR VSAT satellite system, supplying direly needed high-bandwidth communications to workers from at least 16 international aid groups that have arrived since the Jan. 12 Haiti earthquake....[view article]

Thousands of Americans Unaccounted For
AOL News - January 19, 2010

(Jan. 19) -- The death toll from last week's devastating earthquake in Haiti has reached 200,000, according to government figures cited by the European Commission. The U.S. State Department told NBC News up to 5,500 Americans could still be missing or trapped in the wreckage....[view article]

More Aid Reaches Haiti, but People Are Still Suffering
AOL News - January 18, 2010

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Jan. 18) - Troops, doctors and aid workers flowed into Haiti on Monday and officials said billions of dollars more will be needed following the quake that killed an estimated 200,000 people and left many still struggling to find a cup of water or a handful of food....[view article]

Haiti Desperate for Aid in Quake Aftermath
AOL News - January 13, 2010

(Jan. 13) -- Thousands are trapped, missing or feared dead a day after Haiti's devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake, prompting the U.N. chief to plead Wednesday for the world to "come to Haiti's aid in this hour of need."...[view article]

Saudi floods kill 77 while Muslims perform hajj
TownHall.com - November 27, 2009

Muslim pilgrims holding white umbrellas against the blazing sun clambered up a rocky desert hill for prayers Thursday during the annual hajj, a day after torrential rains that killed at least 77 people....[view article]

Ida's threat ebbs but U.S. Gulf energy output disrupted
Reuters - November 11, 2009

MOBILE, Alabama (Reuters) - A weakened Tropical Storm Ida drenched the U.S. Gulf Coast and oil installations on Monday, shutting down nearly 30 percent of Gulf energy production....[view article]

Emergency Prayer for El Salvadore
frangipane.org - November 10, 2009

Dear Friends, As many of you may know El Salvador needs our prayers. The country has been affected by floods, mudslides and heavy rains. Houses have been devastated, many people killed while many more are still missing. Severe destruction has been in the worst affected areas. At least six bridges have been swept away blocking also important roads and leaving communities without any means of communication, according to the news. The damage in San Salvador, capital city is highly visible. We are being...[view article]

Swine Flu Hits Ukraine
YWAM - November 10, 2009

The Ukrainian Health Ministry announced an outbreak of A(H1N1) (Swine flu) on 29 th October 2009...[view article]

Schools closed, residents of low-lying areas sought shelter and Florida's governor declared a state of emergency Monday as a late-season tropical storm churned toward the Gulf Coast
AOL News - November 9, 2009

PENSACOLA, Fla. (Nov. 9) - Schools closed, residents of low-lying areas sought shelter and Florida's governor declared a state of emergency Monday as a late-season tropical storm churned toward the Gulf Coast....[view article]

Cases of the H1N1 Virus on the Increase
CEN Christian Emergency Network - November 6, 2009

The Christian Emergency Network (CEN) encourages you to stay informed of the H1N1 virus epidemic. Know the difference between a cold and a flu virus. Take preventative measures...all while praying for protection from its influence and effects. CEN Chapters can help you accomplish this. Contact us to help lead a Chapter near you, or to benefit from one....[view article]

Swine flu prompts hundreds of schools to close
AP - Associated Press - October 30, 2009

CHICAGO - The number of students staying home sick with the flu is multiplying nationwide and normally quiet school nurses' offices suddenly look like big city emergency rooms, packed with students too ill to finish the day....[view article]

CDC shocker: Swine Flu killing young people at surprising rate
Examiner.com - October 20, 2009

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have confirmed what public health officials have been saying for some time. The Swine Flu, pandemic H1N1, is unusually deadly for young people in the United States....[view article]

2nd quake shakes Indonesia after temblor kills 777
AP - Associated Press - October 1, 2009

PADANG, Indonesia - Rescue workers used excavators Thursday to pull out victims, some screaming in pain, from the heavy rubble of buildings felled by a powerful earthquake that killed at least 700 people. The death toll was expected to rise....[view article]

'End of the World' Myths Dupe Millions
Christian Newswire - September 21, 2009

NEWPORT, Wash., Sept. 21 /Christian Newswire/ -- These are scary times. "Will the U.S. dollar collapse?" "Will there be a global economic meltdown?" "Will swine flu explode out of control?" "What about Iranian threats against Israel, terrorist nukes, and Al-Queda plots against the west?" These are only some of the questions causing inquiring minds to wonder whether this ancient Bible verse is now being fulfilled: "Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming...[view article]