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A strong European Union is in the interest of India, New Delhi can do its bit to support this process.
Aceh is a little known Northwest province of Indonesia that shot into world fame on December 26, 2004. It was the closest point of land to the epicenter of the massive 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake that triggered a tsunami. The western coastal areas of Aceh, including Banda Aceh, the capital, were among the areas hardest-hit by the tsunami. Approximately 230,000 people were killed and 400,000 left homeless out of its total population of 4.01 milli
A consignment of over 100 tonnes of explosives, carried in six shipping containers. The ship was bound for Bander Abbas in Iran where the consignment was to be unlaoded and moved overland from Iran to Jaranz in Afghanistan since Pakistan does not permit such cargo to be sent from India over its territory. The consigment was of commercial grade explosives meant for use by Border Road Organization (BRO) for road construction.
With an increasing number of political parties, the potential of coalition politics is an imminent reality in South Africa as it heads to the polls
China uses history in imaginative fashion. This aspect is evident in Chinese expansionism over land and sea. Therefore, the challenge is often to locate South Asia within the broader configurations of land and sea, says Prof. Rila Mukherjee, Head of History of the Hyderabad University.
With the government declaring May 10 as the polling date for Provincial Council elections in the east, LTTE is worried about the outcome of the possibly "rigged" elections. The group has asked its parliamentary proxy, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to boycott the elections fearing a total rout in the predominantly Tamil majority area. On the other hand, the group has softened its stand on talking to the Rajapaksa government.
On the domestic front, Sri Lanka remained engaged in the forthcoming Provincial Council elections. On the eastern front, various electoral alignments are being worked out. Bargaining is taking place among political parties to woo winnable contenders to their side.
Both internal as well as external skepticism about the Rajapaksa government's warmth towards 'hard-line' countries like Pakistan, China and Iran is bound to grow with the impending visit of Iranian President Mahmud Ahmedinejad.
The US State Department, in its latest report on terrorism, came down heavily on LTTE for its extortionist activities. The terrorist group, despite world-wide ban on its various activities, has been raising funds by forcing business houses to pay tax in areas they dominate.
Amidst, growing concern and apprehension over the failure of political parties to reach an understanding on power-sharing, the first Seven Party Alliance meeting was held last week to evolve consensus and find a way out to the present crisis.
The CPN-Maoists are clear about their economic agenda: they want an economic miracle in Nepal within 10 years. To achieve this objective, they have promised to adopt a liberal economic policy to boost the country's economic development and revive the dormant industrial sector.
An unlikely crisis is causing headache to already besieged President Pervez Musharraf and his caretaker government. It is not Osama's men or the Taliban which is troubling Islamabad the most but the scarcity of wheat flour across the country.
Ending the month-long political stalemate and uncertainty, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala invited the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Chairman Prachanda, also the leader of the single largest party in the Constituent Assembly (CA), to form a new government.
Last week Nepal became a federal democratic republic. On May 28, the first sitting of the newly elected Constituent Assembly members endorsed a proposal to amend the interim Constitution and declare the country a republic.
The integration of the People's Liberation Army of the Maoists into the Nepal Army (NA) continues to remain a contentious issue. While, all the big parties namely the Nepali Congress and the CPN-Unified Marxist Leninist have stressed
Chief Election Commissioner of Bangladesh, Dr. ATM Shamsul Huda, on June 30th announced that the national parliamentary election would be held in the third week of December this year.
LTTE political chief P. Nadesan in an interview to a Tamil Weekly magazine urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Karunanidhi to assist them in their struggle for a separate Tamil Eelam. Expressing regret that India was supporting the war efforts of the Rajapaksa administration,
With Sri Lanka forces capturing strategic towns occupied by LTTE not long ago, the supporters of the LTTE Chief Prabhakaran have expressed fears about his safety. Prabhakaran, believed to be hiding in a bunker in the dense forests of Vanni,
After eight years of ruling Pakistan, former Army Chief and President Pervez Musharraf stepped down on August 18, 2008. It was amidst growing speculation and doubt that Musharraf, facing a possible impeachment in the National Assembly, announced the decision to quit in his last Address to the Nation.
Leading a 11-member delegation, Nepal's newly elected Prime Minister Prachanda, visited China on August 23, to attend the closing ceremony of Beijing Olympics Games. Prachanda met his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao and President Hu Jintao and discussed bilateral issues.
With Sri Lankan Army just two miles away from the de facto capital of the LTTE, Kilinochchi has turned into a ghost town. Most of the civilians have fled along with many humanitarian organisations leaving the LTTE cadres to carry out the counter-attacks.
Darra Adam Khel a semi-tribal town located between Kohat and Peshawar in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) came under intense threat from militants when conflict broke out between militants and the Pakistan military in the last week of January.
The historic second round of the presidential elections ended in the Maldives on October 8 with the victory of the Maldivian Democratic Party Alliance leader Mohamed "Anni" Nasheed. Known for his progressive views, Anni defeated his rival, the longest serving ruler in Asia,
Sri Lankan President unveiled the biggest ever war budget in the history of the country in view of the ongoing war with the Tamil Tigers. The budget has seen the massive rise of 7% in the war expenditure to a record 1.6 billion dollars in the year 2009.
In a major turnaround, the two former Prime Ministers and bitter rivals, Sheikh Hasina and Begum Khaleda, have agreed to meet each other. This is a significant event as both of them have not been on talking terms for nearly two decades.
The Taliban has renewed its activities in Peshawar. The Taliban militants and its allies have carried out a series of kidnappings and attacks on foreign nationals in the area recently to establish its presence, and taunt the Pakistan Army engaged in counter-insurgency operations in the nearby Bajaur and Mohmand.
Even as the war between LTTE and the Sri Lankan army is taking a heavy humanitarian toll, European Union decided to retain its GSP+ trade preferences for Sri Lanka till the time it completes its humanitarian probe in the troubled region.
The week saw India, specifically Tamil Nadu, adopting a rigid stand against the remarks made by the Sri Lankan Army Chief Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka during his interview with Sunday Leader. In his interview, Fonseka described Tamil Nadu politicians like Nedumaran and Vaiko as "jokers".
The series of bomb blasts killed 48 people between February 2 and 4 marred the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the Sri Lanka's Independence from the British rule... The celebrations, held at Galle Greens in full public view despite repeated threats, were also marred by party politics when opposition parties including UNP, JVP and TNA refused to be a part of the procession.
As the army advanced deeper into Mullaithivu to regain other territories under the LTTE control, rumours of Prabhakaran's escape to another country have strongly surfaced. Most believe that he could have either fled via sea to Eritrea, Australia and Myanmar or he may have not been able to flee at all.
The week began with the worsening of humanitarian situation in the areas under LTTE control. Nearly 250,000 people were reportedly trapped in crossfire between the LTTE and the state armed forces in a cramped area of around 30 sq. km in thick jungles
Last week, president's brother and defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa slammed Non-government organizations, domestic and foreign particularly United Nations and International Committee of Red Cross for being pro-LTTE and anti-government.
Barely a year after eastern Sri Lanka witnessed a ray of hope under the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP)-Sri Lanka Freedom Party coalition led by former LTTE child soldier Pillayan, things have been going from bad to worse.
With LTTE pushed to less than 100 sq km of area, there are strong rumours of Prabhakaran committing mass suicide with hundreds of his supporters. The incident is going to be video taped so that it can later be shown to incite sentiments of
Sri Lankan authorities considered 'hilarious' the ceasefire demand put forward by the LTTE, especially when it has only the few fighters left in an area which is less then 60 sq km. This week, LTTE requested the international community to bring
Terai region continues to reel under strike and the security situation remains to be worrisome. For nearly a week, the Tharu community has been staging massive protests in several Terai districts following the government's decision to label them as Madhesis.
Initially criticizing Sri Lanka for having to carry out military onslaughts on the LTTE, United Nations lately come face to face with the grim reality when one of its own aid worker died in a cross-firing and three others including a teen age girl was forcibly recruited by
The week received mixed reactions from international community vis-à-vis Sri Lanka, some of which were in favour and some were against the military approach adopted by the Rajapaksa regime against the LTTE. Sri Lanka realized the importance of being friends with the permanent members
The tiny nation's economy has become yet another victim of the protracted ethnic conflict between Tamils and Sinhalese. This week, Standard and Poor credit rating agency has downgraded the rating of Sri Lanka from 'stable' to 'negative' reflecting concerns about the weak fiscal consolidation efforts and the unfavourable trends evident in the country's debt profile.
In Sri Lanka, everybody is uncertain about the future. Nobody knows what happens next. Take for instance, the victory march of Sri Lankan Army (SLA) which was once again bogged down by the LTTE's resurgence. Though the week started with the forward march of the Sri Lanka defence forces after the killing of the three senior female LTTE leaders at sea including Lt. Colonel Kalai Arasi,
LTTE's operational capabilities, in different dimensions, were hit hard at several places this week. While the Sri Lanka Air Force jets pounded the LTTE¿s communication base with transmitting tower in the north-east of Oddusudan junction, British parliamentarians came down heavily on the group's credit card frauds to fund its terrorist activities.
Former prime minister and chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Begum Khaleda Zia has threatened to launch an agitation if any deal is signed between India and Bangladesh which will be "detrimental" to the country's national interest.
Former General Sarath Fonseka, who played a major role in decimating the LTTE, has formally announced his presidential candidature for the elections to be held in January 2010. He is all set to take on the current presidential incumbent and his former mentor Mahinda Rajapaksa as a common opposition candidate.
The United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee report on Sri Lanka released this week recommends that the US needs to adopt a fresh approach to this South Asian nation owing to its strategic importance in the Indian Ocean region.
Bangladesh is contemplating allowing the entry of Indian container trains up to Ghazipur, close to the capital Dhaka. This will benefit the traders of both the countries as there will be reduction in the transportation cost.
In a move that took many by surprise, Sri Lanka's Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe accepted most of the criticism leveled against his government by the United Nations over the resettlement of 250,000 Tamil refugees.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa-led ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party-United People's Freedom Alliance coalition won the southern provincial council elections with a heavy margin.
Several thousand Tamil refugees have started seeking asylum in Australia and Canada. Both the countries, however, are wary of accepting the asylum seekers for security reasons.
Sri Lankan authorities criticised the latest move by the international community, particularly the US, to 'interview' war hero former army chief General Sarath Fonseka about events that led to the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the death of its leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran.
