Mun-Keat Looi's Page

SciDev.Net marks International Day for Disaster Reduction with a spotlight on tropical cyclone mitigation

Tropical cyclones give developing countries much needed rain for agriculture. But as the earth warms, they are set to become more intense and strong cyclones can cause great loss of life and property. This is especially true in South Asia, where the Bay of Bengal's shallow coastal waters, high tides and densely populated low-lying areas make cyclones particularly deadly.

Toda… Continue

Chronic, non-communicable diseases are the biggest killers in the developing world. Yet they are still being overlooked by the global health community, which tends to focus on infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria.

To draw attention to this global crisis, SciDev.Net publishes a set of articles providing vital information for policymakers, researchers and international donors about the need to prioritise the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases affecting millions in developing… Continue

Thought some of you might be interested in this, which just arrived in my inbox:

Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to announce that nominations are now open for the 2008 CGIAR Science Awards.

This year's award categories are as follows:
The CGIAR King Baudouin Award
The CGIAR Science Award for Promising Young Scientist
The CGIAR Science Award for Outstanding Scientist
The CGIAR Science Award for Outstanding Scientific Support Team
The CGIAR Science Award for Outstanding Partnership
The CGIAR… Continue

The progress of a promising herbal-based drug for sickle cell anaemia could be under threat as the companies involved are surrounded by allegations of corruption. SciDev.Net reports in a special news article.

Though still in its infancy, the digital audio medium of podcasting is giving the people of developing nations a voice. Katherine Nightingale reports in this SciDev.Net feature.