Editorials – PIVOT

THE WORLD NEEDS IT | THE CASE FOR TOKYO 2020

As the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics commenced last night, protests throughout the Japanese capital opposed what many considered to be a risky imposition during a global pandemic. This comes as Japan records over 5,000 new COVID-19 cases per day, a spike which saw spectators banned from Olympic events. This begs the question whether it was wise for the Japanese Government and the International Olympic Committee to continue with the Games. The simple answer is not one based on logic. It has its roots in the romanticism of sports as a uniting force and the need to distract billions from the devastation and gloom they are suffering. … Continue readingTHE WORLD NEEDS IT | THE CASE FOR TOKYO 2020

STATE OF THE UNION | UNITED KINGDOM SET FOR CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS

Last Saturday evening, Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote to Nicola Sturgeon with congratulations on her anticipated re-appointment as Scottish First Minister. He also asked Sturgeon to meet with him in an effort to resolve COVID-19-related issues throughout the United Kingdom (UK). Johnson’s letter highlights fear at Westminster for an impending constitutional crisis over the Scottish Parliament’s power to hold another independence referendum, with recent polls suggesting a close result. … Continue readingSTATE OF THE UNION | UNITED KINGDOM SET FOR CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS

ANOTHER INTIFADA? THE LATEST ESCALATION IN THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT

In the past week, images of rockets, airstrikes and street clashes have dominated international news coverage. The latest fighting is the culmination of long standing tensions, with the status of Jerusalem at the centre of the ongoing territorial struggle. … Continue readingANOTHER INTIFADA? THE LATEST ESCALATION IN THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT

BALD EAGLE WOUNDED | AMERICA’S DEMOCRACY UNDER TRUMP

EDITORIAL – Donald John Trump will join the club of one-term presidents when he leaves office at midday on 20 January. He has become the 14th man to lose a re-election bid (10 if you do not count those presidents who also lost their party … Continue readingBALD EAGLE WOUNDED | AMERICA’S DEMOCRACY UNDER TRUMP

2020 IN REVIEW – STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

*Note: The C-Word (the Virus) and the U.S. President Election will not be mentioned in this article. 2020 has been a year of highs and lows. One new story dominated headlines. This year-in-review is a reflection on those stories which were not covered in mainstream … Continue reading2020 IN REVIEW – STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

2019 IN REVIEW – HARD WORK AWAITS

2019 has set the stage for the next decade. Just as the 2000s acted as a prologue for events of the 2010s, we now are about to enter the next chapter of the story we call the twenty-first century. Before we end this year, it … Continue reading2019 IN REVIEW – HARD WORK AWAITS

TOLERANCE & RESPECT | WE MUST DO BETTER IN THE 2020s

EDITORIAL – The 2010s began with a renewed sense of hope. It seemed that after the turmoils of the first decade of the twenty-first century we could only be on an upward trajectory. However, we enter the 2020s more divided than ever, with our differences … Continue readingTOLERANCE & RESPECT | WE MUST DO BETTER IN THE 2020s

GOODBYE, AU REVOIR, AUF WIEDERSEHEN, ADIOS | LEADERS BIDDING FAREWELL IN 2019

EDITORIAL – As we come to the end of 2019, it is time to reminisce on those events that shaped our year. Over the past twelve months, many leaders left the political arena through electoral defeat, coups and peaceful transitions of power. Let’s say goodbye … Continue readingGOODBYE, AU REVOIR, AUF WIEDERSEHEN, ADIOS | LEADERS BIDDING FAREWELL IN 2019

IN NEED OF GREATER PRAGMATISM AND OPEN DIALOGUE: INTERVIEW WITH BOB CARR

When interviewing Bob Carr via telephone from his office in Sydney, he kept citing his book Run For Your Life. Published in 2018, I had not heard of it. However, before even reading it I was taken aback by this former foreign minister who was … Continue readingIN NEED OF GREATER PRAGMATISM AND OPEN DIALOGUE: INTERVIEW WITH BOB CARR

NUCLEAR WEAPONS, THE VATICAN AND THE FUTURE: ONE ON ONE WITH THE HON. MICHAEL KIRBY

Known for his term as a Justice of the High Court of Australia, Michael Kirby has immense experience in practicing international law. Serving in positions such as the UN Special Representative for Human Rights in Cambodia (1993-96) and Chair of the UN Commission of Inquiry … Continue readingNUCLEAR WEAPONS, THE VATICAN AND THE FUTURE: ONE ON ONE WITH THE HON. MICHAEL KIRBY

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Category: Editorials