In the media

Japan marks second anniversary of tsunami

Published in Monday March 11th, 2013 In In the media

Japan has marked the second anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that claimed some 19,000 lives. Anti-nuclear activists protested to demand an end to atomic power in light of the Fukushima disaster.

Local Leaders Hold Consultation On Land Rights Policy in Liberia

Published in Monday March 4th, 2013 In In the media

The three-days regional consultation on Land Rights Policy which began at the Zwedru Multilateral High School which was climaxed at the Zwedru City Hall brought together Superintendents of Sinoe and Grand Gedeh Counties. The consultation was also attended by elders, chiefs, youth, and women from various districts and chiefdoms.

Unity State Returnees Given Land After Two Year Wait in Sudan

Published in Monday March 4th, 2013 In In the media

Nearly 900 returnees have been allocated land in Bentiu town for the first time after two years of being stranded in the state upon arrival from the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, ahead of South Sudan’s independence in July 2011. On Friday officials from the oil-rich state officially handed over four blocks of land to the returnees. For the past two years returnees have been stranded at Bentiu Port and Transit camp just eight kilometres from Bentiu town. The transit camp housed 400-500 people.

Homes in foreclosure process decline in January

Published in Friday March 1st, 2013 In In the media

The number of homes mired in the foreclosure process fell again last month, according to a new report, the 15th consecutive month of year-over-year declines. Irvine-based CoreLogic said Thursday that roughly 1.2 million homes nationwide, or 2.9% of all homes with a mortgage, were in some stage of foreclosure in January. That’s a 3.3% drop from December and a 21% decline from January 2012.

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Banks make progress on mortgage settlement

Published in Wednesday February 27th, 2013 In In the media

A year has passed since state and federal authorities reached a $25 billion settlement with five of the nation’s largest banks over fraudulent foreclosure practices that were commonplace after the housing bust.
On Thursday, the court-appointed monitor of the settlement issued a report showing that more than half a million homeowners have received about $46 billion worth of loan modifications, short sales, refinancings and forbearance. The activity spans from March through December and was self-reported by the banks involved in the agreement: Wells Fargo, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Ally Financial and Citigroup.

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Routed by Katrina, Stuck in Quagmire of Rules

Published in Friday February 22nd, 2013 In In the media

As people in the Northeast set off on the road back from Hurricane Sandy, there are those here who are keen to offer warnings that recovery can be far more difficult than they imagine. Mr. Joseph sees his own story as a cautionary tale, though he admits he is unsure what he would have, or should have, done differently.

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Despite Aid, Borrowers Still Face Foreclosure in the US

Published in Friday February 22nd, 2013 In In the media

A year after five of the nation’s biggest banks reached a pact with state and federal officials over claims of vast foreclosure abuses, the banks are taking credit for giving more than half a million struggling homeowners roughly $45.8 billion in relief.
But despite the banner numbers released on Thursday in a report by Joseph A. Smith, the independent overseer of the settlement, thousands of homeowners are still not getting the help they need to save their homes from foreclosure, according to interviews with housing advocates and homeowners facing foreclosure.

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In NY, Hoboken Mayor Seeks Storm Protection More Suitable for High-Rise Buildings

Published in Thursday February 14th, 2013 In In the media

Places long accustomed to the routine beatings of hurricanes have shaped this country’s traditional response to them: evacuate during the storm, then elevate the buildings or retreat inland to protect against the next onslaught.

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Land Grabs and Human Rights Violations Exposed in Liberia Ahead of Global Development Summit

Published in Monday February 4th, 2013 In In the media

Palm oil companies are grabbing more than 1.5 million acres of land in Liberia and are violating the human rights of local communities, warn Liberian NGOs including Friends of the Earth Liberia (SDI – Sustainable Development Institute), Save My Future Foundation (SAMFU) and Social Entrepreneurs for Sustainable Development (SESDev).

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Sand-mining threatens homes and livelihoods in Sierra Leone

Published in Saturday February 2nd, 2013 In In the media

In the village of Lakka whole stretches of coastline are littered with the remains of buildings whose foundations have been washed from underneath them as a result of sand-mining. Many coastal residents can only watch as the coastline draws ever-nearer to their homes.
Balu Kargbo lives just a few feet away from a cliff of loose sand at the edge of Hamilton Beach, 8 km from Freetown. She is very concerned about the threat to her home but, like her neighbours, she cannot afford to move. “The beach is getting shorter all the time,” she says.

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