Author: Sasan Kashmiri

Casablanca (14/11 – 50). In a recent scan of the local left-wing press, an unsettling trend of pseudo-journalism was uncovered, aimed at manufacturing a scandal using the typical playbook of disinformation. The target? A concoction of conspiracy-laden narrative that blends elements of real-world controversies, celebrity gossip, geopolitical issues, and unfounded claims—essentially, an elaborate form of astro-turfing designed to mislead and create fake influence. At the heart of this questionable journalism is Philippe Engels, a reporter who seems to have drawn inspiration from various disjointed and unrelated stories. The method is familiar: take an American scandal, such as Scientology, mix it…

Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC, yesterday (10) found fault with Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena for the way he had handled the disciplinary inquiry in respect of State Minister of Tourism, Diana Gamage. Speaker Abeywardena had set a very bad precedent, Minister Rajapakshe who also holds Prisons Affairs and Constitutional reforms said, stressing the responsibility on the part of the Parliament to avert a similar situation in the future. The Minister said so when The Island sought his opinion on Speaker Abeywardena discarding recommendation made by a five-member committee that inquired into the unruly behaviour of three Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MPs,…

London (15/11 – 67) Colombo Supreme Court rules that former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his brother, former Prime Minister Mahinda, were among several government officials whose conduct contributed to Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis in decades. The court was ruling on a petition filed against 13 former officials by rights group Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) which said the Rajapaksa brothers and others were responsible for the crisis. “Their actions, omissions and conduct contributed to the crisis,” the ruling said. The court did not order any punishment, according to a statement by TISL. The two Rajapaksa brothers, two former central…

Toronto, Atlanta (28/11 – 20) A wise old expression intones “Behind every bad borrower is a bad lender”. Like many such cute, amusing aphorisms, it is accurate as far as it goes … but what if? What if a loan approval is held up, then granted, after a couple of phone calls from the office of the Vice President? What if the borrower is a crony or relative of Mr. Big, which is what practically bankrupted Indonesia, when the Soeharto vampire children took out multi-hundred-million-dollar “loans” (wink wink) for projects whose profit-making potential was near zero? What is the potential…

The Punjab government on Tuesday suspended PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s sentence in the Al-Azizia reference, the Punjab caretaker information minister and the former prime minister’s lawyer confirmed. However, caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi later clarified the case had been forwarded to the court. Nawaz, who returned to the country over the weekend after almost four years in self-exile, was convicted in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia references in 2018. The Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference pertains to a case in which Nawaz was sentenced to seven years in jail on Dec 24, 2018. He was also fined Rs1.5 billion and US$25 million. Interim…

COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s cabinet approved issuing free tourist visas to visitors from seven countries including China, India and Russia, a statement issued by the media ministry said on Tuesday, to boost tourism and help revive its crisis-hit economy. Tourists from China, India, Russia, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia will be issued free visas till March 31, 2024 under a pilot programme, the statement detailing cabinet decisions said. The scheme is part of attempts by Sri Lanka to boost tourism recovery and hit a target of five million arrivals by 2026, the statement added. The country of 22 million people,…

Brussels (27/10 – 50) Just in September this year, ten “distinguished” people in Tajikistan have been awarded general ranks. The decree on conferring general ranks was signed by the country’s president, Emomali Rahmon, on September 7th. According to this decree, there are now three more generals in the Agency for State Financial Control and Anti-Corruption. The rank of Major General of Justice was awarded to the head of the Finance and Economic Department, Fazliddin Khodjazoda, the head of the Special Operations Department, Abdurakhmon Davlatzoda, and the head of the Agency for GBAO, Zoir Gafurzoda. The rank of Major General of…

In 2024, as Bhutan commemorates 50 years of thriving tourism, The Luminaire invites travellers to embark on a unique journey through the Kingdom’s ecological marvels, guided by dedicated Bhutanese conservation experts. Discover the relentless efforts to preserve Bhutan’s rich biodiversity in a nation celebrated as the world’s first carbon-negative country. Immerse yourself in Bhutan’s unspoiled landscapes, where ancient forests, protected mountain sanctuaries, and diverse wildlife flourish, all while actively contributing to global conservation endeavours. Bhutan’s Breathtaking Ecological Treasures In a significant announcement on 1st September 2023, the Kingdom of Bhutan reduced the daily Sustainable Development Fee for overseas visitors to a mere…

Amid the risk of an outbreak of the Nipah virus that killed at least two people in India recently, the health authorities in Nepal said they are monitoring the situation. Officials at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division said they have asked the agencies concerned to step up their disease surveillance and analyse the risks. “We will take a decision as per the level of risk,” said Dr Hemanta Ojha, chief of the Zoonotic and Other Communicable Disease Control Section. Nipah is a zoonotic virus, which is transmitted from animals to humans. It is among the deadlier viruses with up…

Pakistan President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly on Wednesday at outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advice, marking an end to the current government’s tenure and paving the way for next general elections. The notification for the dissolution of the assembly was issued by the Aiwan-i-Sadr, which said the National Assembly was dissolved under Article 58 of the Constitution. Pakistan Prime Minister Sharif on Wednesday wrote to President Alvi and sought dissolution of the National Assembly three days before the end of its five-year constitutional term. President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly at midnight on Wednesday at outgoing Prime…