There has been progress towards malaria elimination in the last decade. In response, WHO launched the Global Technical Strategy (GTS), in which vector surveillance and control play important roles. Country experiences in the Eliminating Malaria Case Study Series were reviewed to identify success factors on the road to elimination using a cross-case study analytic approach.

Deaths from Plasmodium knowlesi malaria have been linked to delayed parenteral treatment. In Malaysia, early intravenous artesunate is now recommended for all severe malaria cases. Researchers describe P. knowlesi fatalities in Sabah, Malaysia, during 2012–2014 and report species-specific fatality rates based on 2010–2014 case notifications. Sixteen malaria-associated deaths (caused by PCR-confirmed P. knowlesi, P. falciparum, and P. vivax and microscopy-diagnosed “P. malariae” were reported during 2012–2014.

Mangrove forest ecosystems are threatened by direct impacts such as cutting and pollution due to agricultural, industrialization and urbanization activities. Mangrove forests are often regarded as unpleasant environments with little intrinsic value. Mangrove forests perform valued regional and site-specific functions. Mangrove species can take up excessive nutrients and also play a crucial role in creating a favourable environment for a variety of chemical, biological and physical processes that contribute to the inorganic removal and degradation of organic compounds.

The recent episode of an oppressive smog that blanketed Southeast Asia highlights an entirely new kind of problem in contemporary international relations, namely, the complexity of transnational governance when traditional remedies--from bombs and missiles at one extreme, to diplomatic démarches and summits on the more polite end--are of no use at all.