Asia e Pacifico | India (Associated Press) Once a fringe Indian ideology, Hindu nationalism is now mainstream, thanks to Modi’s decade in power - Hindu nationalism, once a fringe ideology in India, is now mainstream. Nobody has done more to advance this cause than Prime Minister Narendra Modi, one of India’s most beloved and polarizing political leaders. And no entity has had more influence on his political philosophy and ambitions than a paramilitary, right-wing group founded nearly a century ago and known as the RSS.
- Modi’s spiritual and political upbringing from the RSS is the driving force, experts say, in everything he’s done as prime minister over the past 10 years, a period that has seen India become a global power and the world’s fifth-largest economy.
- At the same time, his rule has seen brazen attacks against minorities — particularly Muslims — from hate speech to lynchings. India’s democracy, critics say, is faltering as the press, political opponents and courts face growing threats. And Modi has increasingly blurred the line between religion and state.
- At 73, Modi is campaigning for a third term in a general election, which starts Friday. He and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party are expected to win. He’s challenged by a broad but divided alliance of regional parties.
Solomon Islands (REUTERS) Solomon Islands election count underway, China critic Suidani regains seat - A prominent Solomon Islands critic of China, the ousted former governor of Malaita province Daniel Suidani, has been reelected, local media reported on Friday, as counting continues in an election being closely watched by China, the U.S. and Australia.
- The first results in national and provincial elections held in the Solomon Islands are expected to be announced on Friday, as counting continues over the weekend.
- As governor he had banned Chinese companies from Malaita, the Solomon Islands' most populous province, and accepted U.S. development aid before being ousted in a no confidence vote last year.
- China sent its top envoy for the South Pacific to Malaita province this month to sign a memorandum of understanding with the new governor.
Myanmar (REUTERS) In a rebel-held Myanmar town, fragile unity pushes junta to the brink - Myawaddy, a critical trading post in Myanmar that rebel forces seized from the ruling junta last week, offers a glimpse of dynamics playing out across the Southeast Asian country as its vaunted military reels from battlefield losses.
- At the border town's outskirts, the site of the most intense fighting, abandoned homes sat next to buildings pockmarked with bullet holes, gas stations damaged by blasts and structures flattened by airstrikes, Reuters reporters saw on a visit this week.
- The fall of Myawaddy means that Myanmar's two most important land border crossings are in resistance hands, after the rebels last year claimed control of Muse, near the Chinese border.
Pakistan: (Al Jazeera)Pakistan says it blocked social media platform X over ‘national security’ - Pakistan blocked access to social media platform X around the time of elections in February, the interior ministry said, citing national security concerns.
- Users had reported problems using the platform, formerly known as Twitter, since mid-February, when jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party called for protests against a government official’s admission of vote manipulation.
- At the time, both the government and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the state regulatory body, refused to comment on the outages that were also widely reported by internet watchdog groups.
- On Wednesday, the Ministry of Interior mentioned the shutdown in a written court submission.
- “It is very pertinent to mention here that the failure of Twitter/X to adhere to the lawful directives of the government of Pakistan and address concerns regarding the misuse of its platform necessitated the imposition of a ban,” said the report, seen by the Reuters news agency, which confirmed the long-suspected shutdown.
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