Aid workers fear impending disaster in Basra

Genetically Modified Food: The Impending Disaster

Southeast Asian biodiversity: an impending disaster.

Southeast Asia has the highest relative rate of deforestation of any major tropical region, and could lose three quarters of its original forests by 2100 and up to 42% of its biodiversity. Here, we report on the current state of its biota and highlight the primary drivers of the threat of extinction now faced by much of the unique and rich fauna and flora of the region. Furthermore, the known i...

Second Evidence Aid Conference: prioritizing evidence in disaster aid.

The Second Evidence Aid Conference took place in Brussels, Belgium, in October 2012, jointly organized by Evidence Aid and the Belgian Red Cross-Flanders. It provided an opportunity to build on the discussions from the 2011 First Evidence Aid Conference in Oxford, England, and prioritize the future work of Evidence Aid. Within the plenary presentations, discussions, and small work groups, the m...

Language technology in humanitarian aid and disaster response

Every year, the U.S. military expends significant amounts of money and manpower providing humanitarian aid and disaster response (HA/DR) assistance to the developing world. While interpreters are usually available for programs such as the Medical Civic Action Program (MEDCAP), there rarely are enough to provide the level of doctor-patient interaction those of us in the developed world have come...

Disasters, Donors, and Democracy: Matching Donor Types and Aid Channels in Post-Disaster Humanitarian Aid Giving

Research into the determinants of foreign aid giving suggests different predictions for the effect of recipient country democratic institutions on the probability and amount of aid given by donor countries. While some suggest that better governance in recipient countries may increase the amount of aid provided by donors, others adhere to the notion that less democratic recipient governments may...