Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

‘Sri Lanka open for Yameen'

THE defeated strongman of the Maldives, Abdulla Yameen, is welcome in neighbouring Sri Lanka, Colombo said on Tuesday (25), two days after his surprise defeat in presidential elections.

Sri Lanka has long been a haven for dissidents from the nearby Maldives over years


of political upheaval, including for hundreds of opponents of Yameen since he became president in 2013.

In a phone call on Monday (24), Sri Lanka’s prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe “informed Mr Yameen that he is welcome in Colombo at any time,” Wickremesinghe’s office

said. He made the call after hosting Yameen’s rival and former Maldives president

Mohamed Nasheed at a luncheon meeting.

Nasheed, the atoll nation’s first democratically elected leader, was sentenced to 13 years in jail after narrowly losing the 2013 elections to Yameen.

He fled to London where he sought refuge and now lives in Sri Lanka.

Last Sunday’s (23) election was held with all key opposition leaders behind bars

or in exile, leaving the little known Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to challenge Yameen.

In a major upset, Solih won with 58 per cent of the vote.

Solih’s victory was greeted warmly by India as Yameen had drifted closer to China, borrowing heavily from New Delhi’s regional rival to invest in infrastructure.

Declaring victory, Solih demanded Yameen immediately release all political prisoners in the country. A Maldivian court freed five of them on Monday night.

More For You

Pushkar Singh Dhami

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the law promotes 'equality.' (Photo: X/@pushkardhami)

India's Uttarakhand implements common civil code

THE INDIAN state of Uttarakhand has begun implementing a common civil code to replace religious laws, a move that has raised concerns among minority Muslims about a possible nationwide rollout by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s BJP has long advocated for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to standardise laws on marriage, divorce, and inheritance across India. On Monday, Uttarakhand became the second Indian state to enact such a law.

Keep ReadingShow less
Yunus dismisses Bangladesh’s growth boom as ‘false narrative’

Muhammad Yunus

Yunus dismisses Bangladesh’s growth boom as ‘false narrative’

BANGLADESH’S interim leader, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, said last Thursday (23) that the country's high growth under ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina was “fake” and criticised the world for failing to question her alleged corruption.

Yunus, 84, an economist and 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner, assumed leadership of the south Asian country’s interim government in August after Hasina fled to India following weeks of violent protests.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asian bishop in Liverpool quits after sexual assault claims

Right Reverend Dr John Perumbalath (Photo: Church of England)

Asian bishop in Liverpool quits after sexual assault claims

THE Bishop of Liverpool said on Thursday (30) he was stepping down from his post after a British broadcaster aired allegations of sexual assault and harassment against him.

His resignation comes just weeks after Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, leader of the world's Anglicans, also stepped down over failures in the Church of England's handling of a serial abuse case.

Keep ReadingShow less
washington-crash-reuters

Debris is seen at the site of the crash, after American Eagle flight 5342 collided with a Black Hawk helicopter while approaching Reagan Washington National Airport and crashed into the Potomac River. (Photo: Reuters)

Scores feared dead after jet and helicopter collision in Washington

AN AMERICAN Airlines regional passenger jet carrying 64 people and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter collided midair and crashed into the Potomac River near Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night.

Officials have not confirmed the number of casualties, but many are feared dead.

Keep ReadingShow less
kumbh-satellite-reuters

A satellite image shows a crowd of people along banks of Yamuna river, following a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela on January 29. (Photo: Maxar Technologies/Handout via REUTERS)

Massive crowds return to Maha Kumbh festival day after deadly stampede

MILLIONS of Hindu devotees gathered in Prayagraj, northern India, on Thursday for the Maha Kumbh festival, a day after a stampede killed dozens during the event’s most significant bathing day.

Despite the large turnout, some participants remained cautious following the incident.

Keep ReadingShow less