MALE (Reuters): The former President of the Indian Ocean archipelago of the Maldives sat inside his house awaiting arrest on Thursday after being ousted from his post in what he said was a coup at gunpoint. About 200 supporters stood under umbrellas in the pouring rain outside as Mohamed Nasheed spoke to reporters at his ...

HAS democracy failed in the Maldives? As chaos engulfs the second closest country to Sri Lanka, it is impossible not to wonder over where this change will lead. Will the country still continue as a democracy or will it fall into extremist hands? What are the lessons that Sri Lanka can learn from what has ...

BANGKOK (Reuters): Thailand’s worst floods in 50 years have hit tourism at the start of the high season, but the country has recovered quickly in the recent past from all sorts of scourges and some tour operators are hopeful a recovery might start next month. Floodwater in some areas of the capital, Bangkok, and other ...

HONG KONG (AFP): Asian markets were mixed on Tuesday as Italy’s deepening debt and political crisis overshadowed progress by Greece, another stricken eurozone member, towards installing a new government. Italy’s borrowing rates have soared to unsustainable levels with the yield

BANGKOK (Reuters):  The Thai government is pushing ahead with a big rise in the minimum wage despite appeals from industry to shelve the plan to help companies cope with financial losses after the worst floods in half a century devastated parts of the country.  Flooding has killed at least 297 people since late July and ...

Global banking giant HSBC is upbeat on Sri Lanka’s external trade, predicting exponential growth above global average over the next 15 years. In its October 2011 dated HSBC Trade Connections Trade Forecast Quarterly Update, HSBC said Sri Lanka’s external trade would grow in volume terms by 105% by 2025 and value wise by 83% to ...

the political crisis in his country. The President ...

by Dr.Nihal Jayawickrama In an article published in a Sunday newspaper, and in a recycled version published on a popular website, Dr Dayan Jayatilaka continues his defence of the indefensible Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution. That piece of secret legislation...

Maldivian Vice President, Dr Mohamed Waheed speaking at the General Debate of the 65th Session of the UN General Assembly thanked President Mahinda Rajapaksa for his assistance in solving the Maldivian political crisis. "I would like to thank all members of the international community

Maldivian Vice-President Dr. Mohammed Waheed Hassan speaking at the 65th Session of the UN General Assembly has thanked Sri Lanka and President Mahinda Rajapaksa for his support during the Maldivian political crisis. The Maldivian Vice-President called on the international community to assist Sri

Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris has said the President’s mediation in defusing the political crisis in Maldives has brought honour to Sri Lanka. He expressed these views in Parliament this morning. The Minister said the President was able to hold discussions with the conflicting parties and help reach

President Rajapaksa is on a one-day official visit to the Maldives. The President left the island this morning on an invitation extended by his Maldivian counterpart Mohamed Nasheed. On arrival at the Male International Airport, the President was warmly greeted by the Deputy President Mohamed Washeed. The official Government website pointed out that the President ...

PTI, Thursday, July 1, 2010 19:09 China today backed Sri Lanka in its opposition to the setting up of a human rights panel by the UN to look into alleged rights abuses during the ethnic war, saying the government was...