Bangladesh Competes with India on Economic and Social Indicators

[Yead Mirza] Witnessing [the] progress, experts from both sides of the border have recently opined that life in Bangladesh is far more attractive than in India.

‘No-Deal Brexit’ Still Possible

[John Bruton] Deal or No-Deal, the EU and the UK will gradually draw further apart, as will Ireland and Britain. Irish people will need to pay much more attention to politics in Paris, Berlin and Warsaw, and a little less to the English speaking world.

Brexit Issue in the EU Summit

[John Bruton] Nobody wants a disruptive “No Deal”. But a poorly drafted, last minute, Agreement that, within a year, breaks down in a multitude of legal disputes would be no use.

European Commission’s Independence must be Preserved

[John Bruton] The weakening of the institutional independence of the Commission is very damaging to European integration and to the interests of smaller EU states. This should be of concern to the European Parliament.

German Court Sets a Wrong Precedent for Other EU Member States

[John Bruton]
By undermining the European Court of Justice, the German Court is providing a precedent that could be used by semi authoritarian governments in some EU states, who do not like some EU decisions on matters like the rule of law, academic freedom, or media pluralism.

BREXIT Heading for the Cliff Edge

[John Bruton]
The Conservative Party, which is driven by a narrative around re-establishing British identity and is quite insensitive to economic or trade arguments, wants Brexit done quickly because it fears the British people might change their minds. That is why there is such a mad rush. It is not rational. It is imperative!

European Union: Economy, Politics, Democracy, COVID-19

[John Bruton]
If the EU is to survive as a political project, it needs to create a European democratic constituency that complements the democratic constituencies to which national leaders appeal. The EU needs a political heart to sustain its economic body.

How will the EU Tackle COVID-19’s Economic Slump?

[John Bruton]
Article 122 of the EU Treaty already makes provision for the EU to give aid to help states suffering from “natural disasters and exceptional occurrences” beyond the control of a member state or states. COVID-19 meets this criterion.

India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative Requires Concerted Effort among Littoral Countries

[Dr. Pankaj Jha]
India’s Indo-pacific Oceans Initiative is a work in progress and requires concerted effort among littoral countries of the Indo-Pacific region.

COVID-19: Why was Italy the First Badly Affected Western Country despite being Half the World Away from China?

[Bahauddin Foizee]
Chinese tourists and business persons, elderly population, not maintaining social distancing, and the delay in imposing full lockdown — all these factors made Italy the first Western country to be badly affected by the COVID-19.

UK Backing Away from Commitments Made to EU

[John Bruton]
A fraught negotiation between the EU and the UK is looming, as Boris Johnson seems to be backing away from legally and politically binding commitments he gave to the EU last October.

Why did Sirisena Fail to Achieve a Balanced Policy for Sri Lanka?

[Bahauddin Foizee]
Despite his attempts to reduce Chinese influence during the initial stage of his tenure, Sirisena had later realized that China has already established so deep influence in his country that he had little power to change this reality.