North Carolina passes lottery The Daily Tar Heel
It was an anxious scene as 48 NC Senators and a standing room only crowd awaited the final tally. Nearly two hours of debate and procedural protests in the Senate had finally come to a head.
Strike it rich! Charlotte Observer
Is state up to task of running lottery? Jacksonville Daily News
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Bush nominates new Air Force Academy leader Reuters
President Bush on Tuesday nominated Lt. Gen. John Regni to become superintendent of the Air Force Academy, which has been rocked by sexual abuse and religious insensitivity scandals in recent years.
Air Force Sets Rules Limiting Religious Expression Washington Post
Interim guidelines concerning free exercise of religion in the Air ... Macon Telegraph
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US to Seek Terror Charges Los Angeles Times
Federal grand jury will be asked to indict at least three men in connection with an alleged plot to attack Southland sites. By Greg Krikorian, Times Staff Writer.
FBI will do 'threat assessment' of nation's prison inmates Malayala Manorama
Terror suspects will be indicted Daily Breeze
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Louisianna governor calls for evacuation of New Orleans MSN Money
Kathleen Blanco, governor of Louisianna, called on the city of New Orleans to evacuate as waters continued to rise. "We absolutely must evacuate the people in the dome and other shelters in the city,'' said on CNN. "It's a logistical nightmare."
Katrina's Wake of Destruction Spiegel Online
Flood refugees quit rescue camps as waters rise in New Orleans Scotsman
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New Orleans chaotic, Texas to get Katrina refugees Reuters
By Rick Wilking. NEW ORLEANS, Aug 31 (Reuters) - About 23,000 refugees stuck at the New Orleans Superdome arena after Hurricane Katrina flooded the city will be evacuated to Houston under plans announced on Wednesday, as looters and high water sowed chaos. A fleet of buses was to begin ferrying some 23,000 refugees from the storm-battered Superdome to shelter in the Houston Astrodome 350 miles (550 km) away. In New Orleans, engineers tried to plug a leaking levee that allowed lake water to flood into the city after Katrina struck the U.S. Gulf Coast. Stranded people were running out of food and water and growing desperate as authorities sought ways to get them out.
Refugees Still Showing Up at Superdome San Francisco Chronicle
Buses prepared to bring Superdome refugees to Astrodome Houston Chronicle
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?.../a094834D77.DTLAmericans Contribute Millions for Relief San Francisco Chronicle
Americans are pouring in millions of dollars in donations for disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, rescue organizations said Wednesday. The Red Cross said it had so far raised $21 million, a figure comparable to the response for tsunami victims following the devastation in Asia earlier this year. Nearly $15 million of that has come from individual donations through its Web site, with the rest representing corporate contributions.
Victor Valley Red Cross volunteers race to scene Victorville Daily Press
Local volunteers just hope to help Lowell Sun
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Anti-War Protests Near Bush Ranch End Washington Post
As anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan's protest outside President Bush's ranch comes to an end, her supporters are embarking on a three-week bus tour of the country to continue rallying people against the war in Iraq.
Anti-war mom glad she didn’t meet Bush MSNBC
Bush rallies troops in Coronado speech North County Times
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How to help with hurricane relief effort Lancaster Newspapers
It’s hard to read the paper or watch the news and not feel the tug on your heart. So it’s not surprising that everyone seems to want to help New Orleans and the Gulf Coast areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina and its ugly aftermath.
Opportunities to help people abound in disaster’s wake Daily Mississippian
Celebrity auction set for hurricane relief Miami Herald
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Bush commemorates VJ Day KHON2
President Bush on Tuesday commemorated the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II by stressing the importance of winning the War on Terror and drawing similarities between the wars then and now.
Bush Likens Democracy Effort in Iraq to That in Postwar Japan Los Angeles Times
Bush: US Must Protect Iraq From Terror San Francisco Chronicle
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New Orleans evacuation under way BBC News
The total evacuation of New Orleans is under way as conditions in the city battered by Hurricane Katrina worsen. Buses have been taking the most vulnerable to the Louisiana capital - others are being moved to Texas.
New Orleans going under Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (subscription)
Thousands feared dead in New Orleans Independent Online
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Israeli, Pakistani Foreign Ministers Meet Guardian Unlimited
The foreign ministers of Israel and Pakistan, a Muslim country that has long taken a hard line against the Jewish state, met publicly for the first time Thursday, a diplomatic breakthrough that follows Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. The meeting in Istanbul was at the initiative of Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, and was expected to be followed by confidence building measures, such as a relaxation of Pakistan's ban against travel to the Jewish state, an Israeli official said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject.
Israel and Pakistan Hold Talks New York Times
Pakistan says ready to "engage" with Israel Reuters AlertNet
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Mourners flock to funerals of victims of Iraq's deadliest disaster Mainichi Daily News
Thousands of people in Baghdad and its surroundings flocked on Thursday to the funerals of the nearly 1,000 Shiite pilgrims killed in a mass stampede during a religious procession. Iraq's Ministry of Interior announced Thursday that a total of 953 people had died and 815 were injured in the crush on a bridge in north Baghdad. But Health Ministry spokesman Qassim Yahya said 843 had been killed and 439 were injured. It was not immediately possible to reconcile the two tallies. Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari visited Kadhimiya hospital where many of the victims were taken. He was accompanied by the ministers of defense and health.
A thousand pilgrims crushed and drowned in 'bomb' panic Scotsman
Shiite reaction to tragedy could be bloody National Post
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New Orleans going under Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (subscription)
Editor’s note: Reporter CS Murphy prepared this report with information from Katherine Marks in Gulfport, Miss., The Associated Press and Bloomberg News Services.
Thousands feared dead from storm; residents relocating Boston Globe
New Orleans Mayor Stays Cool in Crisis Washington Post
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Despair grips New Orleans Houston Chronicle
As a tired, hungry and frustrated crowd chanted "Help us! Help us! Help us!'' in front of the New Orleans Convention Center this morning, someone pulled back a filthy blanket to reveal a gray-haired man slumped dead in a lawn chair. All around, the 8,000 or so refugees in this uninhabitable city stretched in a long line across down Convention Center Boulelvard, demanding help from police and military who kept moving past.
Survivors evacuate New Orleans as looting rages Reuters.uk
Major developments in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath San Diego Union Tribune
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First evacuees arrive at Astrodome San Jose Mercury News
The first busloads of weary refugees from New Orleans arrived early today at Houston's Astrodome, where air conditioning, cots, food and showers awaited them.
Thousands feared dead in New Orleans FOX11AZ.com (subscription)
New Orleans cleared as 'thousands' dead Scotsman
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Louisiana School Shutdown Forces Students to Catch Bus to Texas Bloomberg
Schools in New Orleans and other storm-devastated areas are facing a shutdown that may last months. For some of the hundreds of thousands of stranded students, classes may soon resume more than 300 miles to the west.
25,000 La. refugees head to San Antonio Seattle Post Intelligencer
Flood refugees ferried to safety Chicago Tribune
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Our immediate assistance is required to help the VFPTourBus as they render aid in New Orleans!

The VeteransForPeace Tour Bus is Heading in to Louisiana to

• render aid,
• provide medics,
• cook food,
• provide shelter.

They will have 3 camps set up. And they need 3 of everything below. We need to get these items to a rest stop on the South Side of I-10 anywhere from the Louisiana border east to New Orleans.

If you can drive supplies to this area, please contact Brendan at human_generic@yahoo.com or 518 279-3912 I'll relay your location and time of arrival to the Bus/Caravan.

List:

• Work Gloves
• t-shirts
• underwear
• bottled water
• cooking units with propane cartridges
• tarps
• shovels
• rakes
• saws
• canned goods
• dried goods
• baby formula
• first aid kits
• gatorade
• cups
• plates
• papertowels
• handwipes
• toilet paper
• lights
• generators
• battery cables
• batteries
• flashlights
• phone cards
• and pretty much anything else you can think of

The VeteransForPeace Tour Bus has a huge Uhaul Truck Begging to be filled by Liberal Donations.

Bush Poll Ratings Decline Over Iraq and Rising Gas Prices Voice of America
Several recent public opinion polls suggest that the violence in Iraq and rising fuel prices at home are taking a toll on President Bush's political approval ratings.
'We will stay on offensive' in Iraq, Bush tells troops San Diego Union Tribune
Bush invokes World War II in pressing role in Iraq International Herald Tribune
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US poverty rate rises to 12.7%: Census Xinhua
The US poverty rate rose to 12.7 percent of the population last year, the country's Census Bureau reported Tuesday. Overall, 37 million people were living in poverty, 1.1 million people more than in 2003.
US study finds rise in state's uninsured Boston Globe
US Poverty Rate Was Up Last Year New York Times
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Littwin: An overwhelming dome-coming Rocky Mountain News
Every story is different. And every story is the same. Maybe that's what it means to be a refugee. They've come by the thousands here to the Astrodome - most taking with them little more than tales ...
Astrodome a Step Up From the New Orleans Chaos New York Times
Evacuees find refuge in Houston stadium Boston Globe
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Al-Qaeda's Zawahiri and London Bomber Praise Attack Bloomberg
Ayman al-Zawahiri, top lieutenant to al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, praised the July 7 attacks on London's transport system in a videotape that also featured a farewell message from one of the four suicide bombers.
Suicide bomber's video confession blames Iraq war Times Online
"London bomber" makes bomb threat on Arab TV Xinhua
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Explosions rock hurricane-hit city Scotsman
Massive explosions have rocked part of New Orleans, where recovery efforts are continuing after the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Katrina. At about 4.35am local time a series of explosions were reported along the riverfront a few miles south of the city's French Quarter. The cause of the blasts, and the extent of any possible damage, was not immediately known.
Explosions rock flooded New Orleans Mail & Guardian Online
Explosions and fires rock New Orleans Sydney Morning Herald (subscription)
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Military due to move in to New Orleans CNN
A fearful Friday has arrived in lawless New Orleans, with police snipers stationed on the roof of their precinct, trying to protect it from the armed thugs roaming seemingly at will through the flood-ravaged city. The surreal scene comes amid wretched chaos, with incredible scenes of desperation for those people still marooned in the city more than three days after Hurricane Katrina struck a deadly and devastating blow.
Explosions Fill New Orleans Sky With Smoke Washington Post
'It's awful down here' Miami Herald
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Hurricane Evacuations Continue, Ahead of Bush Tour Voice of America
By Greg Flakus. Desperation is turning to anger in New Orleans as tens of thousands of people left homeless by flooding from hurricane Katrina wait for rescue and relief teams to reach them. Help is on the way, but many people think it is coming far too slowly.
Houston opens its arms to refugees San Diego Union Tribune
America responds to disaster with compassion DetNews.com
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World leaders offer sympathy, aid CNN International
LONDON, England (CNN) -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair pledged Friday to help hurricane-stricken areas of the US "in any way we can.". "The whole of this country feels for the people of the Gulf Coast of America" who have been hit "by what is a terrible, terrible natural tragedy," he said.
Unable to Just Stand By, Thousands Sign Up to Help Los Angeles Times
Fayette woman lends a hand Uniontown Herald Standard
OregonLive.com -