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Louisiana teachers' union concerned about educators' future; Supreme Court hears arguments in Trump immunity case; court issues restraining order against fracking waste-storage facility; landmark NE agreement takes a proactive approach to CO2 pipeline risks.

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Speaker Johnson accuses demonstrating students of getting support from Hamas. TikTok says it'll challenge the ban. And the Supreme Court dives into the gray area between abortion and pregnancy healthcare, and into former President Trump's broad immunity claims.

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The urban-rural death divide is widening for working-age Americans, many home internet connections established for rural students during COVID have been broken, and a new federal rule aims to put the "public" back in public lands.

West Coast Aid Group Responds To Dual Emergencies

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Friday, October 31, 2008   

A West Coast relief agency is rushing to provide humanitarian aid to two parts of the world: in Pakistan, where thousands are homeless after two powerful earthquakes this week; and in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where families are fleeing advancing rebel forces.

Mercy Corps' Emergency Program Manager, Richard Jacquot, recently returned from the DRC, where he prepared security plans for the staff when it became clear the situation was worsening. It's the latest round in a civil war between the government and rebel warlords that has been going on for years. Even before the most recent flare-up of violence, says Jacquot, resources were stretched thin in the area around the city of Goma, with a population of more than 800,000 - many of whom already were refugees.

"You're dealing with a population, which is severely undernourished and with very limited access to water. They are now in a panic mode and it's not a very good prospect."

If security becomes a problem, even the aid workers will have to be evacuated, according to Jacquot. He believes serious action from the United Nations is needed to improve the situation. In the meantime, he says, most of the refugees are heading for Rwanda, where it is unclear how they will be received.

"If Goma is evacuated, there will be huge need for providing shelter, water, sanitation, food and primary healthcare to this population that will be gathering inside Rwanda."

In Pakistan, where earthquakes measuring 6.4 and 6.2 on the Richter scale have killed almost 300 people, more Mercy Corps aid teams have arrived this week. Their first task was to set up medical clinics for survivors. Thousands of people are now homeless and there is a critical need for blankets, warm clothing and tents. Mercy Corps will post updates on both crises on its Web site, www.mercycorps.org.



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