Factum LK – Page 6

Factum Perspective: America first, Asia divided: How Trump’s trade push is splintering ASEAN

Health and Economic Cooperation, Regional GeopoliticsNovember 9, 2025613Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Jayson Cainglet When U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the world stage at the 47th ASEAN Summit in October, his message was loud and clear: America is open for business—but only on his terms. While headlines focused on the spectacle of Trump’s renewed bravado and China’s call for free trade, the real action happened behind closed doors. In…

Factum Perspective: A Nod to the Past, A Look To The Future: WHO Chief’s Review of Sri Lanka’s Public Health Legacy and the Road Ahead

Health and Economic CooperationNovember 2, 2025721Views 1Like 0Comments

By Gerard Dinith Mendis “With rare exceptions, all of the most important achievements will come from working with others, or, in better words, in service to others.” — Paul Farmer Few nations have embodied that conviction more fully than Sri Lanka. Long before global health equity became the language of conferences and frameworks, the…

Factum Perspective: The Clash of Civilisations and New Identity Conflicts in Global Politics

History and Culture, Peace and ConflictOctober 26, 20251KViews 0Likes 0Comments

Written By M.Kasun Sankalpa The current world is marked by a series of long-standing and destructive conflicts that threaten to reshape the global balance of power. Examples include the Israel–Palestine conflict in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine in Eastern Europe, and the border tensions between India and Pakistan in South Asia. Each of…

Factum Perspective: How a Colonial Scar Is Driving Afghanistan and Pakistan to War

History and Culture, International Development, Peace and ConflictOctober 19, 20251KViews 3Likes 0Comments

By Uthpala Wijesooriya The night sky over Kabul on October 9, 2025, was torn apart by explosions. The unacknowledged airstrikes, which Islamabad later framed as a counter-terrorism operation targeting the leader of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), were a shocking escalation. For the first time, a regional power had struck the Afghan capital. The Taliban’s response…

Factum Perspective: France’s Political Meltdown: A Nation on the Edge of Ungovernability

International DevelopmentOctober 12, 2025969Views 5Likes 0Comments

By Deveen Balasuriya France, once viewed as a cornerstone of European political stability, is currently enduring one of the most chaotic times in its recent democratic history. In less than two years, the country has cycled through five prime ministers, each falling due to the same persistent issue; a divided parliament and a fragmented electorate…

Factum Perspective: The Bait-and-Switch of Palestinian Statehood

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsOctober 5, 2025658Views 0Likes 0Comments

by Saritha Irugalbandara On 21 September, 108 years since the United Kingdom (UK) issued the Balfour Declaration in support of establishing a Jewish ‘homeland’ within Palestine, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the UK officially recognises the State of Palestine. The announcement came ahead of the 88th session of the United Nations General Assembly and…

Factum Perspective: Algorithms, Deep fakes and the Erosion of Truth: AI’s Assault on Democracy

International Development, Science and TechnologySeptember 28, 2025946Views 2Likes 0Comments

By Sarala Hapugalle In 2022, a video of Ukrainian President Zelensky was shared, urging troops to lay down their arms and surrender to Russia. In the 2024 US election, another video was circulated - this time of President Joe Biden - seemingly encouraging democrats not to vote in the presidential primary elections and to instead…

Factum Perspective: Nepal’s Uprising, Another Sri Lanka in the Making?

Regional GeopoliticsSeptember 21, 2025954Views 1Like 0Comments

By Omar Rajarathnam Centuries under the rule of a King, a Maoist overthrow, decades under corrupt civilian rule, Nepal’s take over by its people in September 2025 came overnight as its police gunned down over 19 youth. Many international media have portrayed the protest as a social media ban triggered Gen Z uprising, this is…

Factum Special Perspective: Street Power in South Asia: Lessons from Colombo, Dhaka, and Kathmandu

International Development, Regional GeopoliticsSeptember 18, 2025959Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Dr. Viranjana Herath Recently, three South Asian nations, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal, have marked a significant chapter in modern world history through a theme of public uprising. In 2022, the people of Sri Lanka successfully ousted the top leaders of their government, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Nevertheless, the new…

Factum Perspective: Bright Potential, Dark Policy: The Cost of Rolling Back Energy Reform in Sri Lanka

Climate and environmentSeptember 14, 20253KViews 5Likes 0Comments

By Verangika Upananda Earlier this year, a nationwide blackout was famously triggered when a monkey entered a substation, highlighting the grid's continued instability. Blackouts, unpredictable supply, and the constant uncertainty of policy decisions demonstrate that Sri Lanka’s energy system is still struggling to keep pace with its ambition to achieve 70% renewable energy by…

Factum Perspective: The Global South’s New Axis? India-China Solidarity in the Era of U.S Protectionism

International Development, Regional GeopoliticsSeptember 7, 20251KViews 1Like 0Comments

By Madhuka Rukmalgama Introduction In 2025, Washington’s decision to dramatically increase tariffs on Indian goods up to 50 per cent, sent shockwaves across markets and strategic capitals alike. Initially targeted at curbing New Delhi’s Russian oil purchases and addressing trade imbalances, the move is producing unanticipated diplomatic reverberations. Rather than consolidating India's ties with the…

Factum Perspective: The Populist Surge, Europe’s Rightward Shift

International Development, Regional GeopoliticsAugust 31, 2025977Views 1Like 0Comments

By Chenuka Elwitigala Introduction to Right-Wing Populism Right-wing populism refers to the political ideology which unifies right-wing politics with the populist rhetoric often dubbed as right-wing nationalism. This rhetoric often reflects the anti-establishment sentiment in politics objecting to the elite capture of power in government and opposing establishment media escalating disconnection from the real people…