Two prominent Communist dissidents in Cuba delivered a letter to the US Interests Section in Havana yesterday, addressed to President Bush. Marta Beatriz Roque and Vladimiro Roca
pleaded with Bush to ease the American ban on travel and money transfers to Cuba, after Hurricane Gustav left the country's buildings and electricity infrastructure damaged and many people homeless.
The letter explained:
Knowing how intransigent the Cuban government is about accepting help from your country .
One of the most devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina three years ago was the fact that pets were not allowed on evacuation buses or boats – so thousands of people were forced to leave their furry loved ones behind if they had no other way out of the hurricane's path. Thankfully, we have since then not only learned how to better prepare ourselves for a natural disaster, but lawmakers have come to realize that pets are part of your family, too.
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In May of 2006, the
Pet Evacuation Bill was approved by the House of Representatives in response to the unfortunate treatment of animals during Katrina's evacuation.
Obama To Mobilize Supporters For Hurricane Aid Obama said Sunday that his campaign would mobilize its giant email list of supporters — to volunteer or send contributions — as soon as the impact of Hurricane Gustav becomes known in the Gulf Coast. Obama said, "We can activate an e-mail list of a couple million people who want to give back." Obama has made no plans to travel to the Gulf Coast, saying he does not want to get in the way of emergency efforts there.
With a Hurricane of a damper cast on the convention and the
first day's schedule scrapped, the buzz here now is how the best way to handle the convention in the midst of a pending national disaster. Sounding awfully presidential, McCain
said, I pledge that tomorrow night and, if necessary, throughout our convention, we will act as Americans and not as Republicans, because America needs us now. No matter what we are — Republican or Democratic — America needs us to do what all Americans have always done in times of disaster and challenge.
Track Hurricane Gustav Live The Washington Post has an interactive map that let's you track the progress of Hurricane Gustav.
New Orleans Orders Mandatory Evacuation Ahead Of Gustav Spooked by predictions that Hurricane Gustav could grow into a Category 5 monster, an estimated 1 million people fled the Gulf Coast Saturday — even before the official order came for New Orleans residents to get out of the way of a storm taking dead aim at Louisiana. Mayor Ray Nagin gave the mandatory order late Saturday, but all day residents took to buses, trains, planes and cars — clogging roadways leading away from New Orleans.
Lines For Evacuation Buses Grow in New Orleans Lines of people waiting for buses to take them out of the city grew longer Saturday and traffic grew heavier on main highways as Hurricane Gustav strengthened into a dangerous storm on track for the Gulf Coast. The city had yet to call for a mandatory evacuation, but began ushering out the sick, elderly and those without their own transportation on Saturday. The state has a $7 million contract for more than 700 buses to carry an estimated 30,000 people to shelters.
