Cardinal requests to observe 2-minute silence on April 21.

His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, today requested the public to observe two minutes’ silence at 8.45 a.m. on April 21 as a mark of respect for the victims of the Easter Sunday bombings.  Sri Lanka on Wednesday 21 April 2021 marks two years since t…

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Actress Helen McCrory dies at age 52.

Actress Helen McCrory, known for her roles in Peaky Blinders and three Harry Potter films, has died of cancer at the age of 52, her husband, the actor Damian Lewis, announced. Read Full News

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Max Verstappen Wins Emilia Romagna F1 Grand Prix 2021.

Max Verstappen (Red Bull – Netherlands) won the Emilia Romagna F1 Grand Prix 2021, in Imola, Italy. This win is his first victory of the season. The race was the second round of the 2021 Formula One World Championship. The seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton (Merc…

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Mirabai Chanu creates a new Clean and Jerk world record.

Indian weightlifting ace Mirabai Chanu set a new clean and jerk world record en route to a bronze medal finish at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The 26-year-old Indian competing in the women’s 49kg category lifted a total of 205kgs (snatch 86k…

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Prince Philip’s car is now a Sri Lankan royal artifact.

The Duke of Edinburgh was a car aficionado who bought the 1935 Standard Nine for 12 pounds when he was based in Colombo. An almost 90-year-old car that once belonged to Britain’s late Prince Philip is now the centrepiece of a seaside museum in Sri Lanka. The Duke of Edinburgh…

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World Liver Day - 19 April.

World liver day is observed on April 19 every year, to spread awareness about the liver-related disease. The liver is the second largest and the most complex organ in the body, except the brain.  It is a key player in your body’s digestive system. Everything you eat or drink…

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Central Bank reduces percentage of mandatory conversion requirement of Export Proceeds into Sri Lankan Rupee.

The Monetary Board, having considered the requests made by exporters of goods, has amended the Rule No. 2 of 2021 as published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2218/38 dated 09.03.2021 to reflect the following. (a) To reduce the percentage of mandatory conversion requirement…

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Gazette issued banning 11 extremist organisations.

An extraordinary gazette notification has been issued banning 11 extremist organisations in Sri Lanka, including the Islamic State (ISIS) and Al Qaeda. The 11 groups banned are: 1. United Thawheed (Thowheedh) Jamma’ath (UTJ) 2. Ceylon Thawheed (Thowheedh) Jamma’ath (CTJ) 3. Sri…

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Railway introduces hotline to obtain information.

Sri Lanka Railways has introduced a new hotline 1971 for train passengers to lodge complaints or inquiries in case of an emergency and to obtain any other information related to trains, Railways Department said. Issuing a statement, the Railway Department said that this hotl…

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Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have Launched Construction of Central Asia International Centre for Trade and Economic Cooperation.

Kazakh Prime Minister Askar Mamin and Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov launched the construction of the Central Asia International Center for Trade and Economic Cooperation located at the Kazakh-Uzbek border, according to the Kazakh Prime Minister’s press service. The cen…

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Veteran Tamil actor and comedian Vivek passes away.

Renowned Tamil actor and comedian Vivek has passed away. He was launched by legendary filmmaker K Balachander in the late 1980s. He went on to become one of the most sought after comedy actors of Tamil cinema in the 1990s and retained a stronghold in the industry. The actor …

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The International Day for Monuments and Sites (World Heritage Day) - 18 April.

The International Day for Monuments and Sites (World Heritage Day) is held on April 18 each year around the world. The aim is to promote awareness about the diversity of cultural heritage, the vulnerability of sites and monuments, and the efforts required for their protecti…

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Castro era in Cuba to end as Raul confirms his retirement.

Raul Castro confirmed he was handing over the leadership of the Cuban Communist Party to a younger generation at its congress that kicked off on Friday, ending six decades of rule by himself and older brother Fidel. In a speech opening the four-day event, Castro, 89, said th…

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International Bat Appreciation Day - 17 April.

Each year on April 17th, International Bat Appreciation Day reminds us of the roles bats play in our daily lives.  April is also the best time of the year to observe bats, as they are now beginning to emerge from hibernation. The observance is an excellent time to learn abo…

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Turkey has banned the use of cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin.

Turkey’s central bank is banning the use of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin in payments for goods and services, according to a decision published in the country’s Official Gazette. News of the ban wiped over 4 per cent off the value of Bitcoin in morning trading, falling to…

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Wisden Award 2021 announced

To perpetuate the 50th anniversary of the first One-Day International, five ODI cricketers of the decade have been listed in Wisden Almanack’s 2021 edition. One cricketer has been selected from each decade between 1971 and 2021, with the Indian captain been granted the awar…

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Suresh Raina’s memoir ‘Believe’ to release in 2021.

A book titled ‘Believe – What Life and Cricket Taught Me’, the much-awaited Suresh Raina autobiography is set to hit the bookstands in May 2021. The book is Co-authored by Raina and sports author Bharat Sundaresan, the biography will be published by the prestigious publishi…

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NASA to launch SpaceX Crew 2 on April 22.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is set to launch four astronauts to the International Space Station on World Earth Day (April 22). NASA is to launch the mission along with SpaceX. It is the second crewed operational flight of Crew Dragon Spacecraft. The mis…

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Lifetime Achievement Award received by Roberto Benigni.

Director Roberto Benigni will be receiving the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, which runs from September 1 to 11. The organisers confirmed the news about the two-time Oscar-winning actor-director. The filmmaker had starred…

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NASA Awards $. 2.9 billion contract to SpaceX.

The United States space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has picked Elon Musk’s SpaceX for its Artemis programme, to develop the first commercial lander and take the next two US astronauts to the moon. The total value of this contract is $2.89 bil…

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Adobe co-founder and PDF developer Charles Geschke passes away.

Charles Geschke, the co-founder of the software company Adobe who helped develop the Portable Document Format (PDF), has died at the age of 81. Geschke set up Adobe in 1982 with fellow mate John Warnock, giving the world the ubiquitous PDF software, among many other audio-vi…

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World Hemophilia Day - 17 April.

World Hemophilia Day is always observed on April 17. Sometimes it is also called World Bleeding Disorders Awareness Day. The focus of the day is to identify and to reach out to new members of the bleeding disorders community. Hemophilia is a bleeding problem. People with hem…

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World Voice Day - 16 April.

World Voice Day is a global annual event dedicated to recognizing the boundless limits of the human voice. The mission is to share the excitement of the voice phenomenon with people, scientists, and other funding bodies. World Voice Day found its beginnings in 1999 as Brazil…

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Save The Elephant Day - 16 April.

They might be wildlife icons, but, sadly, elephants are in crisis. Save The Elephant Day is a chance to show our love and support for these much-loved giants and raise awareness of the threats to their future in both Africa and Asia, ranging from ivory poachers and traffick…

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US President Biden announces complete troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

US President Joe Biden has announced that all American troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan by September 11 this year, thus bringing to end the country’s longest war.  US troops, as well as forces deployed by NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Allies and operati…

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Russia sanctions eight US officials and expels diplomats in retaliation for Biden's actions.

Russia sanctioned eight senior US administration officials Friday, including FBI director Christopher Wray and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, one of several measures it took just a day after President Joe Biden announced sweeping sanctions against Russia an…

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The Inclusive Internet Index 2021

The Inclusive Internet Index, commissioned by Facebook and conducted by The Economist Intelligence Unit, returns for its fifth year. The index provides a rigorous benchmark of national-level internet inclusion in 120 countries across four categories: Availability, Affordabi…

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Prime Minister of Haiti Joseph Jouthe Resigns.

Prime Minister of Haiti, Joseph Jouthe has resigned following a situation of unrest in the country due to an increase in killing and kidnapping cases over the past few days.  Joseph Jouthe served as the Prime Minister of Haiti from March 4, 2020, until April 14, 2021. Preside…

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World Art Day - 15 April.

Every year World Art Day on April 15th celebrates to promote the development, diffusion and enjoyment of art. This day is being celebrated all over the world to emphasize the importance of art that nurtures creativity, innovation and cultural diversity for all peoples acros…

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UAE to send Emirati-made lunar rover ‘Rashid’ to the moon next year.

‘Rashid’, an Emirati-made lunar rover named after the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, will be launched next year, two years ahead of schedule, with prototype testing to commence this summer. The announcement was made during a press briefing held by Mohammed bin Rash…

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Israel honors Pfizer chief Albert Bourla.

Israel paid tribute to the chief executive of international drug maker Pfizer Inc. during its Independence Day celebrations Wednesday, thanking him for a partnership that has helped the country carry out one of the world's most successful coronavirus vaccination campaig…

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Babar Azam becomes No. 1 ODI batsman.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam is now the No.1-ranked ODI batsman, ending India captain Virat Kohli's long reign at the top of the charts. Babar's match-winning 82-ball 94 in the third ODI against South Africa helped him gain 13 rating points to reach career-best 865 p…

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NASA's InSight Mars lander is about to go into hibernation.

NASA's $800 million Mars lander is in an energy crisis. InSight, which landed in a Martian plain called Elysium Planitia in 2018, has detected more than 500 Mars quakes, felt more than 10,000 dust devils pass by, and started to measure the planet's core. But over the …

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Kane Williamson awarded Sir Richard Hadlee Medal.

New Zealand star cricketer Kane Williamson was recently awarded the Sir Richard Hadlee medal. It was his 4th Sir Richard Hadlee award in 6 years. He had a great test season. He scored 251 against West Indies followed by a century on the boxing day. Williamson’s staggering p…

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South Africa’s Lizelle Lee voted as Player of the Month for March 2021.

Lizelle Lee’s top-class performance against India in the South Africa Tour of India has been acknowledged by the ICC awards and she has been voted as the Player of the Month for March. A total of three players were nominated for the awards which included India’s Punam Raut …

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Seville to be host city for Laureus World Sports Awards 2021.

The Spanish city of Seville will host the 22nd Laureus World Sports Awards in a virtual ceremony owing to the raging pandemic. The awards show, featuring presentations and related news stories will be available to the world's media and broadcast extensively on Laureus s…

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Australia Gifts Sri Lanka Drones to Spot People Smuggling.

Australia has gifted Sri Lankan police five drones to monitor people smuggling between the two countries. It’s part of a wider project to help Sri Lanka establish a “drone surveillance capability” that will also conduct natural disaster scene assessments and recovery and tra…

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Ex-Zimbabwe cricket captain Heath Streak handed 8-year ban for corruption.

Former Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak has been banned for eight years after being charged with - and admitting to - five breaches of the ICC's anti-corruption code, including accepting a payment in bitcoins from a potential corruptor. Streak, Zimbabwe's greatest fast …

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Bhuvneshwar Kumar voted ICC Players of the Month for March 2021.

India seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has won the ICC Player of the Month award for his superlative show in the recent limited over series against England in March. Bhuvneshwar became the third successive Indian recipient of the award since its inception early this year. The 31-yea…

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International Moment of Laughter Day - 14 April.

April 14 every year is International Moment of Laughter Day, a day to remind people to laugh out loud every day. Originator Izzy Gesell says laughing out loud is as essential as breathing. He says, “Laughter comes right after breathing as just about the healthiest thing you…

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World Chagas Disease Day - 14 April.

Every year on April 14th, World Chagas Disease Day raises awareness for Chagas disease. It’s also a day that stresses the importance of prevention and finding ways to eliminate the disease. Chagas disease is also known as American trypanosomiasis and is named after Carlos Ju…

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Special Representative of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa visits Oman.

Special Representative of Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa, State Minister of Finance, Capital Market and State Enterprise Reforms Ajith Nivard Cabraal visited the Sultanate of Oman from 07-10 April 2021 carrying a special message from Prime Minister Mahinda Ra…

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US troops 'to leave Afghanistan by 11 September'.

US President Joe Biden is set to announce that American troops will leave Afghanistan by 11 September, officials have told US media. The US would miss a May deadline for a pull-out agreed with the Taliban by the Trump administration last year. The new deadline would coincide …

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Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra named as next Chief Election Commissioner of India.

The incumbent Election Commissioner (EC) Sushil Chandra has been named to become the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India. He was assumed charge with effect from April 13, 2021. He will replace incumbent CEC, Sunil Arora, who will retire on April 12, 2021. The Ele…

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Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: 102nd Anniversary.

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre marked its 102nd Anniversary on 13 April 2021. On 13 April 1919, people gathered at Jallianwala Bagh (Amritsar) to protest against the arrest of the two nationalist leaders, Satya Pal and Dr Saifuddin Kitchlew.  Suddenly, a British military officer,…

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Joseph Siravo, 'Sopranos' star, dies at age 64.

"Sopranos" star Joseph Siravo, who played Tony Soprano's father, has died following a long battle with cancer. He was 64. Siravo is best known for work in television as well as theater. On HBO's "Sopranos," he played Johnny Soprano — featuring pro…

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International Turban Day - 13 April.

The International Turban Day is celebrated every year on April 13 since 2004 to bring awareness of the strict requirement on Sikhs to put the turban as a mandatory part of their religion. The 2021 Turban Day marks the 552nd birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev and the festiv…

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