By Amantha Gunarathna
The recent UK riots have highlighted the destructive power of social media disinformation and its ability to incite real-world violence. Platforms like X and Telegram played crucial roles in disseminating this misinformation, with far-right groups using them to organize and incite violence.
The riots draw disturbing parallels to the race riots of…
By Uditha Devapriya
There are decades when years happen, years when months happen, and days when decades happen. Then there is Bangladesh. The images coming out of Dhaka over the last few weeks should astonish anybody who thought that Sheikh Hasina, who won a fifth consecutive term as Prime Minister in January this year, would…
By Vinod Moonesinghe
Russia launched its “Special Military Operation” (Spetsialnaya Voennaya Operatsiya – SVO), aimed at “demilitarizing” Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The Russian forces launched their campaign in much the same way as they did in the Crimea in 2014, when the Ukrainian forces did not resist. There is evidence to suggest that the…
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Over the past few decades, especially following the revelations by Wikileaks, the world learnt quite a lot about US intelligence involvement in political assassinations, both within the country and in other nations.
Simultaneously, thanks to the work of investigative journalists, who have used the Freedom of Information Act or worked with whistleblowers,…
By Britney Martil
In a dramatic escalation of unrest, Bangladeshi students have targeted the state broadcaster, Bangladesh Television (BTV), setting fire to its reception building and numerous vehicles parked outside.
This violence signifies a significant intensification of the ongoing protests against the country’s civil service hiring rules, with the death toll now reaching at least…
By Ramindu Perera
“Is there any reason why we in India should inherit the age-long rivalry of England against Russia? That is based on the greed and covetousness of British imperialism and our interests surely lie in ending this imperialism and not in supporting and strengthening it”
Jawaharlal Nehru (1929)
The recent meeting between Indian…
By Deshani Samaragunarathna
While Rishi Sunak's recent resignation after a disappointing loss may raise questions, it's noteworthy that Sir Keir Starmer, in his first address, specifically acknowledged him as "the first British Asian Prime Minister of our country." This, along with Kamala “Devi” Harris serving as US Vice President, highlights a growing trend of diaspora…
By Minoli Gunarathna
The recent UK general election has yielded profound changes with substantial implications for both domestic and international politics. Keir Starmer's Labour Party has emerged victorious, achieving a historic landslide win that signals the end of the Conservative Party's 14-year reign.
Labour now controls nearly two-thirds of the seats in the 650-seat House…
By Aakil Riyaz
News outlets were recently in a frenzy over Putin’s recent visit to North Korea. Reports of a pact between the Russian premier Vladimir Putin and the supreme leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) initially led to much speculation.
These rumors were not without a basis. It was later revealed…
By Aavin Abeydeera
On June 1, the world’s largest democratic exercise came to a close. India’s general elections ran for seven weeks through six weeks from the April 19 to June 1, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA coalition once more coming on top.
However, this time around, Prime Minister Modi’s government will not…
By Nilanthan Niruthan
The unexpected and tragic death of Ebrahim Raisi reveals the true brutality of geopolitics. While basic compassion dictates that we mourn the loss of human life first, almost all the media coverage on his death has focused instead on the political ramifications of the tragedy.
Although unfortunate, this is also inevitable. Iran…
By Uditha Devapriya
At the time of his death on May 19, in a helicopter crash that has yet to be fully investigated, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had risen through the ranks. Sanctioned by the West and nicknamed the “Butcher of Tehran” for his uncompromising attitude to protesters, he was seen as the successor to…