On Dec. 4 the head of FEMA, Craig Fugate, told the House Transportation Committee that his agency had enough cash on hand to disburse aid until spring.

WSJ: Henninger: Hurricane Christie

The spring rains might help, but aid workers say it could take a generation to rebuild the livelihood that have been wiped out here.

NPR: Somalia Struggles to Cope with Drought

To its south, officials say, Europe has leveraged its domestic buying power, trade policy and aid to offer help to post-Arab Spring countries like Tunisia, Jordan and Egypt.

WSJ: Syria Debate Illustrates EU's Foreign-Policy Weakness