Thursday, February 17, 2011

What In The World, Wednesday!


Welcome to What In The World, Wednesday! In which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...
ITALY: The Italian Red Cross is responding to an influx of thousands of Tunisian migrants - providing healthcare and basic necessities such as clothing, food and first aid kits.

MALAYSIA: When the worst floods in four years forced thousands from their homes, Malaysian Red Crescent staff and volunteers responded - providing search and rescue assistance, food, and basic necessities.

THAILAND/CAMBODIA: Armed clashes between Thailand and Cambodia recently displaced some 30,000 people. Red Cross workers responded - providing food, tarpaulins, blankets, clothes, mosquito nets, bottled water, buckets, and sending health personnel and water engineers to both countries.

OCCUPIED GOLAN: The ICRC is conducting its annual transfer of apples from occupied Golan to Syria proper. A record-setting 12 tons of apples this year! (See more ways the ICRC is helping in occupied Golan.)

SAUDI ARABIA: The ICRC and the Saudi Red Crescent Society have set up way for families to video-teleconference with relatives held at the US facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

VANATU: In a period of two weeks, Vanuatu has been hit by two successive tropical cyclones, Vania and Yasi, impacting the lives of over 32,000 people. On the island of Erromango, some Red Cross volunteers are delivering relief supplies on foot - walking for up to five days to reach remote areas.

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