Statement by the President on the Earthquake in New Zealand

Wednesday, 23 February 2011, 11:46 am
Press Release: The White House

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
February 22, 2011

Statement by the President on the Earthquake in New Zealand

On behalf of the American people, Michelle and I extend our deepest condolences to the people of New Zealand and to the families and friends of the victims in Christchurch, which has suffered its second major earthquake in just six months. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those whose lives have been touched by this tragedy, especially as they search for their loved ones and work to recover from this disaster. The United States is a close friend and partner of New Zealand, as evidenced by the meeting of the U.S.-New Zealand Partnership Forum that was underway in Christchurch when the earthquake struck. To assist in the rescue and recovery efforts, we have agreed to deploy a U.S. Agency for International Development Disaster Assistance Response Team, including an Urban Search and Rescue Team, and we stand ready to provide more assistance as needed. As our New Zealand friends move forward, may they find some comfort and strength in knowing that they will have the enduring friendship and support of many partners around the world, including the United States.

ENDS

World Headlines

WORLD > >

USA: FEMA, Federal Partners Support Response To Severe Storms

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its federal partners, including the National Weather Service, continue to closely monitor the effects of severe weather that impacted Oklahoma and other areas within the Central United States, and at the President’s direction, are already providing resources to support the response. More>>

ALSO:

The White House - Readout of Obama's Call to Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin
National Weather Service - Oklahoma Weather Forecast: Storms Expected
American Red Cross - Red Cross Helping Tornado Victims Across the Midwest
National Weather Service - Pre-Tornado Severe Weather Warning

Syria: Number Of Syrian Refugees Tops 1.5 Million Mark

The United Nations refugee agency announced today that the number of Syrian civilians who have fled their country to escape conflict has passed the 1.5 million mark, while warning that the widening gap between the needs and resources available is becoming a huge challenge. More>>

Bangladesh: New Safety Agreement between Garment Industry and Workers

The United Nations labour agency today welcomed an agreement signed by international fashion brands and retailers, and trade unions to prevent workplace disasters. “The need for urgent improvement in workplace safety requires the industry to work together to implement a scalable and transparent plan of action... More>>

Pakistan: UN Secretary-General Hails Successful Elections In Pakistan

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has congratulated the Government and people of Pakistan on the successful conduct of national and provincial elections, hailing the polls, for which millions of voters turned out, as a major democratic step. More>>

United States: Monsanto Wins U.S. Supreme Court Case Over GM Soybean

Agricultural biotechnology company Monsanto won a patent infringement claim in the U.S. Supreme Court on 13 May 2013 against an Indiana farmer who planted genetically modified soybean seeds in violation of his agreement with Missouri-based multinational. More>>

Egypt: Risks Drifting Further Away From Human Rights Ideals

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Thursday urged the Egyptian Government to take steps to ensure that the current version of a draft law on civil society organizations is laid open to careful examination by Egyptian and international human rights experts, and, based on their advice, is brought into line with international standards, before it is adopted by the Shura Council. More>>

Fiji Military Government Unnerved By Union Info Campaign

Fiji's Military rulers have reacted angrily to an international union campaign to raise awareness over the stripping away of workers' rights in the Pacific nation. More>>

ALSO:

Image Martin Doyle - Martin Doyle Cartoon: Fiji Worth A Bash

West Papua: U.S. Must Condemn Indonesian Attacks On Papua Protesters

The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) and West Papua Advocacy Team (WPAT) strongly urge the U.S. government to condemn the unwarranted assault by Indonesian government security forces on peaceful May 1 demonstrations in West Papua. They called for U.S. security assistance to be curtailed... More>>