By Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY (IDN) – Voters in the South Pacific Islands French colony of New Caledonia have narrowly voted to remain with French rule, but indigenous Kanaks have been celebrating the outcome of October 5 vote as taking a step closer to independence. A third referendum needs to be held in two years’ time […]
Colonialism Is Not Dead, it has Acquired A New Face
Sri Lankan Author of a New Book Warns By Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY (IDN) – In the 19th century, European powers came to Asia and used gunboats and gunpowder along with doublespeak to intimidate and coerce local rulers to accede their land for the European mercantile elites to establish plantations. Sri Lankan born American sociology professor […]
Ladakh Buddhist Monk Leads A Campaign for Peaceful Resolution of Border Conflict
By Kalinga Seneviratne This article is the 43rd in a series of joint productions of Lotus News Features and IDN-InDepthNews, flagship agency of the Non-profit International Press Syndicate. Click here for previous reports. SINGAPORE (IDN) – When India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi met on the sidelines of the Shanghai […]
Distinguished Diplomat Kohona Tipped to be Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to China
By Radwan Jakeem NEW YORK | COLOMBO (IDN) – A major overhaul of the heads of Sri Lankan diplomatic missions abroad will come into effect in the next 30 days and new ambassadors have already been handpicked to key embassies abroad. These include New Delhi, Washington DC, Chennai, Tokyo, Beijing and Ottawa, reports Sunday Times. […]
One Nation, Six Governments – COVID-19 Battle Uncovers Australian Federalism
By Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY (IDN) – China may have one nation and two systems, but in Australia, it looks like there is one nation and six systems. As the second wave of coronavirus spreads across the continent, the State Premiers have taken unilateral decisions to close borders to travellers from other states to the dismay […]
Powerful Rajapaksa Brothers’ Landslide in Sri Lanka Election Should Get “Liberals” Thinking
By Kalinga Seneviratne SINGAPORE (IDN) – The landslide victory of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP – Sri Lanka Peoples’ Front) led by the Rajapaksa brothers throws a challenge to so-called “liberals” everywhere whose ideology may not be in sync when a huge portion of the electorate vote for a “strong” government rather than a […]
Australia’s COVID-19 Second Wave Blamed on Insecure Jobs
By Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY (IDN) – As a serious second wave of COVID-19 with higher daily rates of infections than in March has infected Australia, where some five million people in Melbourne are under lockdown, the Premier of the worst affected Victoria State, Daniel Andrews, has blamed the situation on insecure jobs. Andrews told a […]
China’s Disappointing Ways: From Mao to Present
Viewpoint by L. S. Herdenia This article is the 11th in a series of joint productions of South Asian Outlook and IDN-InDepthNews, flagship of the International Press Syndicate. NEW DELHI (IDN) – During the Chinese revolution, progressive forces of the world lent every possible support to it. At that time, it was widely believed that […]
The Thai Tourist Industry Wrecked, Despite Success in Controlling COVID-19
By Pattama Vilailert * BANGKOK (IDN) – On New Year’s Eve of 2020 when the Chinese authorities alerted the World Health Organization (WHO) of strange pneumonia cases in Wuhan City, Thailand’s tourism industry, the country’s primary gross domestic product (GDP) driver, was facing an unprecedented boom. But, six months later, the industry is on its […]
Australian Prime Minister and State Premier Battle Over Joining China’s BRI
By Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY (IDN) – A battle is brewing up between Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Victorian State Premier Daniel Andrews over an agreement the latter has signed with China to link his state with the joint infrastructure development to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added […]