By Kalinga Seneviratne SINGAPORE (IDN) – The emphatic win by former Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential elections held in Sri Lanka on November 16 could herald in a new era for the strategically-placed South Asian island that could be modeled on the successful economic path of the Asian Tigers such as Singapore.
Chinese President Xi Urges an End to Violence in Hong Kong
By Global Times* BRASILIA (IDN-INPS) – Chinese President Xi Jinping on November 14 night urged an end to violence and chaos in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), which he said is the most pressing task for the city, in his latest remarks that have been seen as a strong support for tougher actions […]
Gambia Sues Myanmar at UN Court with Rohingya Genocide
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – Few countries are standing up to Myanmar, formerly Burma, for its mistreatment of the Muslim community known as Rohingya. On November 11, Gambia – the smallest nation in mainland Africa – came to the defense of the persecuted minority, filing a lawsuit with the Hague-based […]
Military Attack Striking Students at Famed Ugandan University
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – As shocking images were viewed around the world of Ugandan police and soldiers beating and gassing students at the renowned Makerere University, President Yoweri Museveni was forced to acknowledge that his security forces were out of control. “The military is not trained to quell demonstrations,” […]
Growing Market in Africa for Spyware Targeting Journalists and Activists
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – If you’re worried about robocalls offering a dubious sale of bitcoins, a new technology aimed at political dissidents will chill you to the bone. Pegasus, an all-seeing spyware, worms its way into phones and starts transmitting the owner’s location, encrypted chats, travel plans – and […]
Mega Development Project at Buddha’s Birthplace
Might Become Dalai Lama’s New Home By Kalinga Seneviratne This article is the 36th in a series of joint productions of Lotus News Features and IDN-InDepthNews, flagship of the International Press Syndicate. Click here for previous articles. LUMBINI, Nepal (IDN) – Tens of thousands of Buddhist pilgrims from Asian countries, especially Sri Lanka, Thailand and […]
Trump’s Absence at ASEAN Summit Shifts the Focus to Asian Giants
By Kalinga Seneviratne SINGAPORE (IDN) – Ever since the U.S. was invited to join the East Asia summit that is held in conjunction with the annual ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit, media and conference attention has been focused on what the President of the U.S. says. But this year, President Trump boycotting the […]
Far-Right European Parliamentarians Visit Kashmir
By Countercurrents Collective This article is the 9th in a series of joint productions of South Asian Outlook and IDN-InDepthNews, flagship of the International Press Syndicate. NEW DELHI (IDN) – The 27-member delegation of European Parliament members visited the troubled region of Jammu and Kashmir. It’s the first foreign delegation allowed to visit Kashmir after […]
Frelimo, Renamo Tear Up Peace Pact After Elections ‘Tarnished by Fraud’
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – Hopes for a lasting peace between longtime rivals Frelimo and Renamo are fading fast as a recent vote for president of the southern African nation of Mozambique has been muddied by claims of fraud, unjustified use of state resources, as well as sporadic violence including […]
UN’s Chemical Watchdog Bashed for Report on Alleged Chemical Attack in Syria
By Reinhard Jacobsen BRUSSELS (IDN) – A panel of experts has bashed the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for “unacceptable practices” in the investigation of the alleged chemical attack in Douma in Syrian civil war on April 7, 2018. The panel was convened on October 15, 2019 in Brussels by the Courage […]