Sri Lanka, Norway discuss potential for investment partnerships in renewable energy.

The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to Sri Lanka Trine Jøranli Eskedal paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris on Monday (August 31) at the Foreign Ministry. During discussions, the foreign minister appreciated the mutually beneficial partnership exist…

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British stamps banned from Chagos Islands in Indian Ocean.

Mauritius has moved a symbolic step closer to wresting control of the Chagos Islands, in the Indian Ocean, from the UK. The Universal Postal Union (UPU), a UN agency in charge of the world's postal policies, voted to block the use of UK stamps from the remote archipelago…

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Philippines approves GMO 'golden rice' for commercial production.

The Philippines became the world's first country to approve the commercial production of genetically modified "golden rice" that experts hope will combat childhood blindness and save lives in the developing world. A biosafety permit issued by government regulat…

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UAE announces the world’s tallest observation wheel ‘Ain Dubai’

The world’s largest and tallest observation wheel is set to be unveiled in Dubai, UAE on October 21, 2021.  The observation wheel called as ‘Ain Dubai’, is 250 m (820 ft) in height, located at Bluewaters Island.  The record-breaking wheel is 42.5 m (139 ft) taller than the cu…

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Safe Cities Index 2021

The Safe Cities Index 2021 is a report from The Economist Intelligence Unit, sponsored by NEC Corporation. The report is based on the fourth iteration of the index, which ranks 60 cities across 76 indicators covering digital, health, infrastructure, personal and environment…

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Yahoo shuts down news sites in India over FDI regulations.

Yahoo has shut down its news websites in India due the new foreign direct investment (FDI) rules that limit foreign ownership of media companies that operate and publish digital content in India. This includes Yahoo News, Yahoo Cricket, Finance, Entertainment, and MAKERS Ind…

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Online Portal Launched to Obtain Covid-19 Smart Vaccine Certificate.

The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) announces the launch of Covid-19 Smart Vaccine  Certificate Portal from 25th August 2021, for the general public who have plans to travel overseas.  ICTA has introduced this initiative in collaboration with the Mini…

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World's highest expressway opens to traffic in China's Tibet.

The Lhasa-Nagqu expressway connecting Lhasa and Nagqu in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region opened to traffic on August 21, according to Tibet Autonomous Region Transportation Department.  It is a section of the G6 Beijing-Lhasa expressway, with a total length of …

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South Africa to host first ever Africa's Travel and Tourism Summit.

The Department of Tourism and South African Tourism will host Afrca's first ever Travel and Tourism Summit. The hybrid summit, which coincides with Tourism Month in South Africa, is set to take place from 19 to 21 September 2021. The summit aims to be a catalyst for engag…

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Germany suspends development aid to Afghanistan.

Germany has suspended development aid to Afghanistan after the Taliban’s takeover of the country. Other countries have also followed suit, although aid organizations say the cuts could hurt Afghanistan's poor the most. The beleaguered nation had been among the main recip…

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Uganda to Host 2,000 Afghan Refugees.

Uganda has agreed to temporarily host 2,000 Afghan refugees at the request of the United States.   Esther Anyakun, Uganda’s state minister for relief, disaster preparedness and refugees, says President Yoweri Museveni told her to make preparations to host 2,000 refugees from…

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Maki Kaji, creator of Sudoku puzzle passes away.

Maki Kaji, the creator of puzzle Sudoku passed away at the age of 69 years due to bile duct cancer. He was known as the father of Sodoku and was from Japan.  He was the president of Nikoli Co., Ltd., a Japanese puzzle manufacturer. Kaji established Japan’s first puzzle magaz…

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US Congress to award Congressional Gold Medal to Mahatma Gandhi.

An influential US lawmaker from New York on Friday (13) reintroduced a resolution in the US House of Representatives to posthumously award the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal to Mahatma Gandhi in recognition of his promotion of peace and nonviolence. The Congressional …

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UK announces plan to resettle 20,000 refugees from Afghanistan.

The United Kingdom says it will welcome as many as 20,000 Afghans under a new resettlement programme that will give priority to women, girls and religious and other minorities, according to reports in British news outlets. The scheme aimed at those seen “most at risk of huma…

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Haiti struck by deadly 7.2-magnitude earthquake.

A powerful earthquake has struck the Caribbean nation of Haiti, killing at least 304 people and injuring more than 1,800. The 7.2-magnitude quake hit the west of the country on Saturday (14) morning, toppling and damaging buildings including churches and hotels. The prime min…

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One virus case puts New Zealand into Nationwide Lockdown.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern put the nation into a three-day lockdown after the discovery of the first community case of Covid-19 since February. The snap lockdown will begin at midnight tonight (17) as authorities rush to identify the source of a single infecti…

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Indonesia's most active Mount Merapi in New Eruption.

Indonesia’s most active volcano erupted Monday (16) with its biggest lava flow in months, sending a river of lava and searing gas clouds flowing 3.5 kilometers (more than 2 miles) down its slopes on the densely populated island of Java. The rumbling sound could be heard seve…

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The World’s Top 10 Airports of 2021.

The World's Top 10 Airports of 2021, voted for by airport customers from across the world during the 2020-2021 World Airport Survey During the period of the global pandemic, Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar is named the World's Best Airport 2021, with Tokyo…

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Global Youth Development Index (YDI) 2020.

Prepared by the Commonwealth Secretariat Youth Division the Global Youth Development Index (YDI) is an aggregate of indicators that measure progress on youth development. The rankings and domain scores for 181 countries in the 2020 Global Youth Development Index (YDI), incl…

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K-pop star sentenced to 3 years in prostitution case.

A South Korean military court sentenced disgraced K-pop star Seungri to three years in prison on Thursday for crimes including providing prostitutes to foreign businessmen. The Defense Ministry said the former member of the boy band Big Bang was also fined 1.15 billion won (…

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