Aid groups that work in Iraq have warned of a severe relief crisis if bombing damages Iraq's cities.
The fact that the United Nations and private relief groups are contemplating expensive and risky airlift ventures indicates new worries about a deepening relief crisis.
United Nations officials have warned that Basra is running low on water and food, and that there could be a relief crisis if the city does not fall quickly.
A licensed disaster relief crisis counselor will be available by appointment until April, and a series of meetings for caregivers helping children work through the storm's aftermath will also run through April.
As the relief crisis continues -- with food and aid operations bogged down because of poor security on roads throughout Afghanistan -- American forces conducted an engineering assessment of the Friendship Bridge linking Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.
Secretary Powell said that he and the delegation have also discussed the growing relief crisis in Palestinian areas, where high unemployment, restricted movement and lack of access to sanitation and supplies have reached severe levels.
Israeli officials said they had made the decision after reviewing the situation in Gaza, which they had insisted they would not allow to become a relief crisis, and after seeing a reduction in rocket fire.
Amid fears of a relief crisis in Basra, where normal water supplies have been cut by 60percentthethe British Seventh Armored Brigade, known as the Desert Rats, took up positions on the outskirts for a possible dash into the center to destroy Iraqi irregulars estimated to number 1,000.
When I volunteered at a rape relief crisis center and women's shelter, a sex worker called our crisis line saying that her client refused to use a condom.
The symposium will bring together senior leaders of amphibious forces from 23 nations around the Asia-Pacific region - from Australia all the way around to Chile - plus countries like France and the UK, to address the challenges of working multilaterally in disaster relief, crisis response, and other contingencies.
