News Briefing: Plane Carrying Humanitarian Workers Crashes in Guatemala

• The Peace Corps prepares to cut back on new volunteers.  [Washington Post]

• Developers and landlords in New York City may spend tens of millions of dollars renovating over 100,000 apartments to comply with federal housing laws.  [New York Times]

• A small plane carrying humanitarian workers crashes in eastern Guatemala, killing ten people.  [Associated Press]

News Briefing: Bloomberg’s Next Battle: Revamping Senior Centers

• Bloomberg seeks to bring his business-minded, results-based approach to the city's senior centers.  [New York Times]

• Chairman of the Smithsonian donates $15 million to the National Museum of Natural History.  [Washington Post]

News Briefing: New York Loses Consummate A-List Philanthropist

• The Ford Foundation names Luis Ubinas, director at McKinsey & Company, as its new President.  [Associated Press]

• The Boy Scouts look to recruit the nation's largest and fastest growing minority:  Latinos.  [Boston Globe]

• A movement grows to make neighborhoods comfortable places for the elderly to grow older.  [New York Times]

• Brooke Astor, "one of the great philanthropists of our time," passes away at 105.  [New York Times]

News Briefing: Foundations Find Benefits in Facing Up to Failures

• Foundations are increasingly disclosing their failures in an effort to avoid repetition of mistakes.  [New York Times]

• Western Fairfax Christian Ministries faces dire uncertainties and problems with Fairfax county.  [Washington Post]

• Advocates for the elderly seek more options and less institutionalization of care.  [Washington Post]

Tax Break to Encourage Giving Is Creating Confusion Instead

New York Times:  Charities are working hard to take advantage of a temporary tax break that Congress gave donors in August, but experts say confusion over what is allowed has slowed contributions.

Bronx Charity to Repay the City $625,000 Given to Radio Network as a Loan

New York Times:  A Bronx charity will pay the city back $625,000 that had been intended for children and the elderly but was improperly lent to Air America Radio, a network known for its liberal programming and hosts like Al Franken.

New Law Changes Charitable Contributions

Associated Press:  Americans are going to have to keep better records of their charitable contributions if they want to claim them as tax deductions in coming years. Older Americans, meanwhile, will get a break on taxes when they make donations from their Individual Retirement Accounts.

Tax Break for Charitable Retirees

Reuters:  Here's another limited-time offer from the U.S. government: For the next two years, some older taxpayers will be able to donate money to charity directly from their individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

New Legislation Makes it Easier to Donate Money to Charity from IRAs

USA Today:  Leaving money to charity when you die is a noble and selfless act. But giving money away while you're still alive is a lot more satisfying.  A provision in the pension reform legislation President Bush signed last week will make it easier for older people to donate money in their individual retirement accounts to charity.

Nonprofit Nursing Homes Provide Better Care, Says Consumer Reports

Where Most Needed: Consumer Reports publishes a major study of nursing homes in its current issue (web portal here). The study found that care overall was not great, but nonprofit organizations (and government entities) were much better than for-profit firms, particularly chains.