THE WORLD

Photo: Screenshot of gold medalist Dinesh Priyantha Herath with Sri Lankan flag

From War Hero to Sports Hero — Inspirational Story of Sri Lanka’s Paralympics Gold Medallist

By Mohan Srilal

COLOMBO (IDN) — Sri Lanka’s latest sporting hero Dinesh Priyantha Herath is expected to touch down in Sri Lanka to a red-carpet airport welcome on Tuesday. The life story of the F46 Javelin Throw gold medalist at the Tokyo Paralympics is an inspirational one of how to overcome disabilities both economic and physical.

When Dinesh Priyantha using his abled right arm threw the javelin a distance of 67.79 meters creating a world record and winning Sri Lanka’s first ever gold medal at a Paralympics event, it enlivened a depressed nation trying to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic.

: Asia Editor; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 06 September 2021

Photo: The end is Nile-International cooperation on Egypt’s water crisis, European Council on Foreign Relations. Credit: Justin Clements. CC BY 2.0

Avoiding Transboundary Waters Conflicts: A Tale of Two Treaties

Viewpoint by Robert Sandford

Robert Sandford is a Global Water Futures Fellow at the UN University's Canadian-based Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), which is supported by the Government of Canada and hosted at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario. The Institute marks its 25th anniversary in 2021.

HAMILTON, Canada (IDN) — The outdated treaties, compacts, bilateral agreements, acts, laws, policies and hardened institutions globally that stand in the way of effective, just and resilient 21st century transboundary water management likely number in the thousands.

: UN Bureau; SUSTAINABILITY; Clean Water & Sanitation; 05 September 2021

Photo: Covid testing queue. Source: CIDRAP | Michael Coghlan / Flickr cc

As Lockdown Fetish Fades, Australia Argues Over "Living With Covid"

By Kalinga Seneviratne

SYDNEY (IDN) — Last year, Australia was among the first countries to successfully battle the Covid-19 pandemic with lockdowns and efficient contact tracing, but, with the rapid transmission of the Delta variant, especially in Sydney and Melbourne, the politicians' fetish for lockdowns is now being questioned with Prime Minister Scott Morrison and some state leaders arguing for "opening up" after a certain threshold is reached in vaccinating the population.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 04 September 2021

Photo: Afghans in Germany protesting against Taliban violence, August 14, 2021. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

UN Experts Call for Protection of Journalists in Afghanistan

By Jaya Ramachandran

GENEVA (IDN) — "Journalists and media workers, in particular women, are facing heightened risks since the Taliban’s political takeover of Afghanistan," a group of UN human rights experts has warned and called on all States to provide urgent protection to Afghan journalists and media workers who fear for their lives and are seeking safety abroad.

: Jaya Ramachandran; SUSTAINABILITY; Peace & Justice; 04 September 2021

Photo: District councillors collaborated with shops supporting the Yellow Economic Circle to organise a Lunar New Year Fair in Sai Ying Pun on 18 January 2020. CC BY 2.0

The Population Exodus Threatens to Change Hong Kong Forever

By Vera Yuen

The writer is Lecturer in the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Hong Kong.

HONG KONG (IDN) — Hong Kong has experienced a series of unexpected political developments since 2019. The government proposed a new extradition law that would have allowed Hong Kong residents to be extradited to mainland China, which triggered months of protests and social unrest.

: Asia Editor; SUSTAINABILITY; Sustainable Cities & Communities; 04 September 2021

Photo: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Fijian Minister for Foreign Affairs Inia Seruiratu in Beijing, capital of China, June 11, 2019. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

Fiji Keen to Ease US-China Rivalry in the Pacific

By Denghua Zhang, ANU and Shivan, University of Fiji

While Denghua Zhang is a Research Fellow at the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, The Australian National University (ANU), Shivani is Lecturer in the School of Law at the University of Fiji.

CANBERRA | SUVA (IDN) — As strategic mistrust between the United States and China continues to deepen, Pacific Island countries have taken varying approaches. With the resurgence of COVID-19, Fiji once again sees itself at the centre of great power rivalry as assistance arrives from the two big donors.

: Asia Editor; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 03 September 2021

Photo: Dr. Babafemi A. Badejo, Professor of Political Science/International Relations at Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Nigeria and former Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia.

Russia Needs A Comprehensive African Agenda and Economic Diplomacy

Kester Kenn Klomegah* interviews Dr. Babafemi A. Badejo, former Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia.

MOSCOW (IDN) — The scramble for the multidimensional control of the African continent by global players is a geopolitical reality. In order to be part of this geopolitical arena, foreign players have been devising different mechanisms for revitalizing partnership and strengthening cooperation with Africa, says Dr. Babafemi A. Badejo, Professor of Political Science/International Relations at Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Nigeria and former Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia.

: Kester Kenn Klomegah; OPINION; 02 September 2021

Photo: ADB data show the impact of Covid-19 on government finance in developing Asia. Source: ADB

ADB Warns Covid-19 Threatens Asia’s Progress Towards Achieving Global Development Goals

By Kalinga Seneviratne

SYDNEY (IDN) — A new report released by the Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) says that an estimated 75 to 80 million people in the developing regions of Asia have been pushed back into poverty last year threatening to derail the region’s progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

: Kalinga Seneviratne; SUSTAINABILITY; Food security, nutrition & sustainable agriculture; 01 September 2021

Photo: Afghanistan civilians attempt on the airfield as a C-17 attempts to take off from the Kabul airport. Source: USNI News

Massive Intellectual Dishonesty Prevails Debate on Exodus from Afghanistan

Viewpoint by Jonathan Power

LUND, Sweden (IDN) — I like this. It’s from yesterday’s New York Times. Senator Christopher Murphy, a Democrat of Connecticut who supports President Joe Biden’s withdrawal, said those arguing to keep troops in Afghanistan were the ones who failed to win the war for two decades and perpetually pushed to stay even though “we have been losing for six to eight years.”

: Jonathan Power; OPINION; 31 August 2021

Photo: The fast-evolving conflict has reportedly reached, Kabul, the centre of Afghanistan’s social and political life. Credit: UNAMA/Fardin Waezi

China and Russia Abstain on UN Resolution Condemning Terrorist Attack in Kabul

By Thalif Deen

NEW YORK (IDN) — When the 15 member UN Security Council (UNSC) voted on a resolution August 30 condemning “in the strongest terms the deplorable attacks” at the Kabul airport on August 26, 13 countries voted in favour and none against.

But two countries abstained on the resolution—and both were permanent members of the UNSC—namely Russia and China, with the other three, the US France and UK, initiating the resolution.