Maldives pro-China ruling party tipped to win election
Male, Maldives Reuters The Maldives’ ruling party is set to win a two-thirds majority in Sunday’s parliamentary election, local media said, a result likely to push the Indian Ocean island nation further towards China and away from its longtime ally India. President Mohamed Muizzu’s People’s National Congress (PNC) is expected to win at least 62 […]
After Sri Lankan President flees to Maldives, protesters storm Prime Minister’s office
Colombo, Sri LankaReuters Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives on Wednesday, driven out after an economic collapse unleashed a popular uprising that appeared to end his family’s near two-decade dominance of the country. His decision to leave his ally Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in charge as acting President triggered more demonstrations, with […]
Updated: Sri Lankan President flees to Maldives as protests end clan dominance
Updated: 3:15pm (AEST)Colombo, Sri LankaReuters Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country early on Wednesday, two sources told Reuters, hours before he was due to step down amid widespread protests over his handling of a devastating economic crisis. Rajapaksa, his wife and two bodyguards left aboard a Sri Lankan Air Force plane, an immigration […]
“Death sentence”: low-lying nations implore faster action on climate at UN
United NationsReuters Faced with what they see as an existential threat, leaders from low-lying and island nations implored rich countries at the United Nations General Assembly this week to act more forcefully against a warming planet. The failure by developed economies to effectively curb their greenhouse gas emissions contributes to rising sea levels and especially […]
Maldives leader: Blast that hurt Nasheed attacked democracy
Male, MaldivesAP The Maldives President said Friday an explosion that wounded former leader Mohamed Nasheed was an attack on the country’s democracy and economy, and announced that Australian police would assist the investigation. Nasheed, 53, was wounded in the blast Thursday night outside his home and was being treated in a hospital in the capital, […]
South Asia surpasses grim milestone of 15 million COVID-19 cases: Reuters tally
Reuters Coronavirus infections in the South Asia sub-region surpassed the grim milestone of 15 million on Saturday, a Reuters tally shows, led by India’s record daily infections and vaccine shortages. South Asia – India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, and Sri Lanka – accounts for 11 per cent of global cases and almost six per […]
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Religious freedom violations in Asia increasing – UN Rapporteur
World Watch Monitor Religious freedoms in Asia are “eroding”, with an increase in religious fundamentalism across much of the continent, according to UN Religious Freedom rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed. Shaheed spoke during an event, hosted by the Foreign Correspondents Club in Thailand’s capital Bangkok, on the back of the 4th Southeast Asia Freedom of Religion or Belief Conference. “Freedom of religion […]
More than 80 countries ‘favour’ one religion over others, says Pew report
World Watch Monitor More than 80 countries favour a specific religion, either officially as a state religion or tacitly through special treatment, according to a new report by the US-based Pew Research Center. Islam is the most common state religion – 27 countries have it as their official religion, including 16 of the 20 countries in the […]
New Maldives law a “direct attack” on free speech with religious element “particularly worrying”, says un human rights expert
A new law introduced in the Maldives is a “direct attack” on free speech and the use of religion as grounds for doing so was “particularly worrying”, according to a UN human rights expert. The Muslim-majority Indian Ocean nation’s parliament adopted the Protection of Reputation and Good Name and Freedom of Expression Bill on 9th August. […]