In The News

Counting Sheep?

Seema Sirohi January 28, 2005
Christian missionaries are no strangers to the lands surrounding the Indian Ocean. Europeans traveled to the region throughout the 19th century in an effort to spread their belief in the "one true God." Even today, missionaries work tirelessly in South and Southeast Asia to draw converts from local Hindu and Muslim populations. Yet their zeal has irked the ire of many in the region...

How to Help Africa Escape Poverty Trap

Martin Wolf January 12, 2005
With rampant disease and widespread poverty, sub-Saharan Africa is truly in crisis. The region is in a bind, as several reports indicate a troubling pattern: Poverty begets poverty. And despite critics' claims to the contrary, writes Martin Wolf, those outside the beleaguered continent can and must help. Beyond a moral obligation to end the strife of others, the rest of the world has...

For Honduras and Iran, World's Aid Evaporated

Ginger Thompson January 11, 2005
As international relief agencies rush to tsunami-devastated areas and the UN prepares to coordinate rebuilding efforts, many observers can't help but wonder how long the outpouring of goodwill will last. Six years ago, the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch seemed remarkably similar: World leaders pledged long-term relief, and aid workers populated storm-ravaged areas of Honduras. But now,...

Rethinking Science Aid

Keith Bezanson January 10, 2005
As the UN prepares to revisit its Millennium Development Goals in September, the topic of international development is on the minds of many. According to this SciDev.Net opinion piece, science and technology aid can play a crucial role in economic development - if used wisely. The authors push for an approach that encourages public-private partnerships that foster innovation, tailoring aid...

When Tragedy Trumps Borders

Ramesh Thakur January 10, 2005
The United Nations, throughout its 60 years, has never seen a tragedy on par with the South Asian tsunami. This astonishing display of nature's furor rendered political borders insignificant, and the overwhelmingly sympathetic international response has revealed the strength of global interconnectedness. At the January 6 Jakarta summit, the UN officially assumed the helm of relief effort...

Wave of Ignorance

Robin Harger January 7, 2005
As relief efforts begin and tsunami-ravaged areas embark on the long road to rebuilding, the international finger-pointing has already begun. Contrary to popular belief, UN official Robin Harger writes, a large number of casualties could have been avoided. According to Harger, the absence of technological infrastructures for early warning stems from a number of factors, particularly the manner...

A Global Age Catastrophe

W. Scott Thompson January 6, 2005
The South Asian tsunami has captivated headlines and hearts around the world. Is the fascination with this recent catastrophe due to more than the staggering size of the death toll? Perhaps, suggests this Los Angeles Times commentary. The large number of tourists in affected areas magnified the international scope of the disaster. Further, as global news giants rushed correspondents to the...