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  • Emergency alert system now reaches cell phones

    The Federal Communications Commission is working with cell phone providers to expand its emergency alert system to include mobile phones; under the new program, dubbed the Personal Localized Alerting Network (PLAN), individuals will receive cell phone alerts from the government about emergencies occurring where they live; subscribers will receive alerts even when cell towers are jammed with traffic; the program will first be rolled out in New York City by the end of the year and officials expect to have nationwide coverage in 2012

  • Missouri Governor pledges $25 million for flood relief

    On Tuesday, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon pledged $25 million in state aid to help cities and counties rebuild following crippling floods throughout the southern half of the state; it is unclear whether the state will be forced to make budget cuts in order to afford the disaster spending; on Monday President Obama issued a major disaster declaration for five Missouri counties; under the declaration residents of the five counties are eligible to apply for federal assistance for the costs of temporary housing, home repairs, and loans to cover uninsured losses

  • Australian floods and cyclone cost economy $6.6 billion

    The devastating floods and cyclone that ravaged Australia last summer has cost the country’s economy more than $6.6 billion dollars; as the country begins to rebuild, the economy must deal with the loss of nearly $9 billion dollars, half a percentage point of real GDP, in production revenues, primarily from the coal and agriculture industry; the government plans to spend nearly $7 billion over the next six years to help communities rebuild, despite an expected loss in tax revenues of $1.75 billion