International Issues

The November 6 U.S. midterm elections may have come and gone, but the issue of voter suppression still lingers, drawing responses mostly along partisan lines. Many Republicans have wanted to tighten laws around voter eligibility, ostensibly to prevent fraud, and Democrats have wanted to make it easier for people to …

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen the testing of a “newly developed ultramodern tactical weapon”, Pyongyang’s state media reported on Friday, a move seen by analysts as more of a political message than a serious provocation.It marked the first official report of a weapons test by North Korea since …

Mahinda Rajapaksa lost a trust vote for the third time this week, on Friday, amid bedlam in the Sri Lankan parliament as some of Mr. Rajapkasa’s party MPs resorted to violence. The no-confidence motions were taken up in the wake of Mr. Rajapaksa’s controversial appointment as Prime Minister, replacing Ranil …

Speaking for the first time since Sri Lanka’s political turmoil began three weeks ago, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga said she regretted that some in her party were betraying the January 2015 mandate. “The country has reached a dangerous precipice of chaos, anarchy and breakdown of the rule of law,” she …

Boris Johnson writes to government Calls to the U.K. government to offer asylum to Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian woman who was acquitted by Pakistan’s Supreme Court last month, have grown, as former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson wrote to the incumbent Sajid Javid, arguing that Ms. Bibi had an “overwhelming …

Sri Lanka’s Speaker on Sunday accused President Maithripala Sirisena of “usurping” the rights of legislators and asked public servants not to carry out his “illegal orders”. Karu Jayasuriya said Mr. Sirisena’s actions since October 26 undermined the freedoms of the people. “I have watched over the last two weeks as …

From the time President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Mr. Wickremesinghe on October 26, till he dissolved parliament exactly two weeks later, doubts about the constitutional validity of his moves have been a recurring theme. The dissolution of the House in particular, shortly after Mr. Sirisena’s party declared it lacked numbers for …

Jo Johnson hits out at direction of government negotiations, calls for second referendum The British government was thrown into a fresh round of turbulence on Friday as Jo Johnson, the brother of Boris Johnson and the country’s Transport Minister, resigned unexpectedly and lashed out at the direction of government negotiations …

Senate and governor elections are in focus, Georgia governor race remains open With the prospect of vote recounts looming, two of the high profile U.S. midterm races — for State governor and a Senator from the State — continue to stay in focus even after the voting day. On Thursday …

Will deny it to migrants who enter country illegally; experts say move will face legal challenges President Donald Trump on Friday invoked extraordinary national security powers to deny asylum to migrants who enter the country illegally, tightening the border as caravans of Central Americans approach the U.S. Mr. Trump is …

Evading a resolution to Sri Lanka’s political crisis through Parliament, President Maithripala Sirisena late on Friday dissolved the House. The move came just hours after his political front admitted to lacking the majority needed for its controversially-installed Prime Minister to be declared legitimate. Mr. Sirisena signed an official notification dismissing …

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has mooted holding a floor test when Parliament reconvenes on November 14 to give the two rival political camps a chance to display majority. Issuing a statement after meeting representatives of all parties on Wednesday evening, Mr. Jayasuriya said that the government wanted the House adjourned soon …

It was a big win despite pressure from a nasty and hostile media, says President U.S. President Donald on Wednesday claimed victory in the midterm congressional elections despite his Republican Party losing control in the House of Representatives to the Democrats. “Those that worked with me in this incredible Midterm …

The Democrats made a significant comeback on Capitol Hill in Tuesday’s midterm congressional election as they took control of the U.S. House of Representatives, winning at least 220 of its 435 seats. They had 193 seats in the House. The Republicans, however, expanded their thin majority in the Senate, winning …

Protests greet President in Pittsburgh as he meets survivors With U.S. President Donald Trump getting a cool welcome from the Jewish community in Pittsburgh, Israel’s envoys came to his defence, saying it was “unfair and wrong” to link him to the tragedy. Mr. Trump was greeted by hundreds of chanting …

Speaker requests President Sirisena to convene Parliament Sri Lanka’s political deadlock entered its sixth day on Wednesday, with the sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, appointed in his place, vying for legitimacy. Mr. Rajapaksa, holding additional charge as Finance Minister in the new Cabinet, said: “We …

Christian woman was facing death for ‘insulting Islam’; SC says prosecution failed to prove charges The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday acquitted Asia Bibi, a Christian woman on death row for blasphemy. This was her final legal appeal before execution. Ms. Bibi was accused of committing blasphemy in 2009. …

China said on Tuesday that it has expressed concern to the U.S. over what it considered an affront to its sovereignty after two U.S. warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait. The move adds to increasingly fraught relations between the two countries, which have clashed over a number of issues, including …

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday inaugurated a 55-km bridge that will deepen the integration of Hong Kong and Macao with the rest of China. The world’s longest sea-crossing bridge will be at the heart of an integrated Greater Bay Area (GBA) covering 11 major neighbouring cities, which include Hong …

A caravan of more than 7,000 people, making its way through Central America, is being attacked by U.S. President Donald Trump as he seeks to rally people to vote for Republican candidates in the November 6 midterm elections to the U.S. Congress. The caravan, which began with over a 100 …