'Man of the Hole': Last of his tribe dies in Brazil.

The last remaining member of an uncontacted indigenous group in Brazil has died, officials say. The man, whose name was not known, had lived in total isolation for the past 26 years. He was known as Man of the Hole because he dug deep holes, some of which he used to trap anim…

Share:

Read More

Guinness World Record: Man rides 38 miles in giant pumpkin.

Duane Hansen has set a new Guinness World Record for riding 38 miles (61km) in a giant pumpkin. He grew the 846lb (384kg) pumpkin in his garden with the aim to beat the 25.5 mile record, set in 2018. Duane travelled down Missouri River and broke the record on his 60th birthda…

Share:

Read More

Special decision taken on 20% stake of state-owned banks.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe says the government has decided to allot 20% of shareholding in state-owned banks to the depositors and staff of those banks. The decision was taken in with the intention of meeting the recapitalization requirement borne out due to the increase…

Share:

Read More

Retirement age of govt & semi-govt employees to be reduced.

The retirement age of government and semi-government employees will be reduced to 60 years, President Ranil Wickremesinghe says. Presenting the Interim Budget 2022 for the remainder of the fiscal year 2022, the Head of State noted that all employees who have served up to the…

Share:

Read More

Indian billionaire Gautam Adani is now the world’s third richest man.

Now he's also the world's third richest person, overtaking LVMH (LVMHF) chairman Bernard Arnault and becoming the first Asian person to take that spot, according to Bloomberg and its Billionaires Index. Adani, who runs one of India's top conglomerates, is now bel…

Share:

Read More

Compulsory tax registration proposed for all aged above 18 years.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has proposed to introduce compulsory tax registration for all residents who are aged above 18 years without considering their annual income and tax-free thresholds. He stated this during the second reading of the Appropriation (Amendment) Bill,…

Share:

Read More

Sri Lanka to increase VAT from September.

The Value-Added Tax (VAT) will be increased from 12% to 15% effective from September 01, President Ranil Wickremesinghe told the parliament today (30). The Head of State, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization, and National Policies, presented the…

Share:

Read More

International Overdose Awareness Day - 31 August.

International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31st focuses on reducing the number of deaths caused by overdose and erasing the stigma associated with it. Besides death, drug overdoses also cause permanent injuries. Both of these scenarios devastate family members and friend…

Share:

Read More

Europe is experiencing its worst drought in at least 500 years.

Europe is experiencing its worst drought in at least 500 years, with hot and dry conditions fueling wildfires, reducing crop yields and reducing electricity generation, according to a preliminary analysis from the European Union’s Joint Research Center. The report from the E…

Share:

Read More

General Shavendra Silva bestowed with honorary title.

Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva has been bestowed with the honorary title of “Mahamanya Prathapadi-keshwara” by the Asgiri Maha Viharaya. In recognition of his services for the country, religion and national security, Chief of Defense Staff General Shavendra S…

Share:

Read More

South Korea records world's lowest fertility rate.

South Korea has again recorded the world's lowest fertility rate with the number sinking to a new low. The rate in the country first dropped lower than one child per woman in 2018. But on Wednesday, figures released by the government showed the figure had dropped to 0.81 …

Share:

Read More

First NASA moon mission in five decades.

NASA will launch a mission to return astronauts to the moon on 29 August 2022. More than 50 years after the Apollo Moon landing, NASA is getting ready to go back there. The Artemis I mission was scheduled to lift off from the Kennedy Space Center in the US state of Florida, d…

Share:

Read More

International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance - 30 August.

On August 30 of each year, the UN observes the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance. This day aims to increase awareness about the numbers of enforced disappearances around the world. There is cause for alarm. The sheer number of people who become victi…

Share:

Read More

International Whale Shark Day - 30 August.

International Whale Shark Day on August 30th aims to increase awareness about a magnificent sea-dwelling creature. The whale shark’s declining numbers alerts us to their need for protection and conservation. These gentle giants fascinate marine biologists and aquatic enthus…

Share:

Read More

Karim Benzema and Alexia Putellas won UEFA Player of the Year award.

Karim Benzema and Alexia Putellas were rewarded for outstanding seasons by winning the UEFA men’s and women’s player of the year prizes at a ceremony in Istanbul, Turkey. France striker Benzema captained Real Madrid to victory over Liverpool in the Champions League final an…

Share:

Read More

Mali appoints government spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga as Interim Prime Minister.

Mali has appointed an interim prime minister to act in place of leader Choguel Maiga, who is resting amid media reports he had been hospitalised. Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, currently government spokesman and minister of territorial administration, is the new acting prime minis…

Share:

Read More

The International Day Against Nuclear Tests - 29 August.

The International Day Against Nuclear Tests on August 29th raises awareness and educates about the harmful effects of nuclear testing. Nuclear weapons testing began in 1945. Since that time, nearly 2,000 nuclear tests have taken place. When nuclear testing first began, scien…

Share:

Read More

Women’s Equality Day - 26 August.

Women’s Equality Day is celebrated in the United States annually on August 26. The day commemorates the decision to give women official voting right in the USA in 1920 after a long struggle. An amendment known as the Nineteenth Amendment was made to the US constitution in 1…

Share:

Read More

UK economy shrank record 11% in 2020.

The British economy shrank by 11% in 2020, its sharpest contraction in more than 300 years, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, revised data by the official statistics body showed on Monday (22). The Office for National Statistics had originally estimated that Britain&#…

Share:

Read More

WHO pledges USD 4 million worth medical supplies to Sri Lanka.

Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pledged essential medical supplies worth USD 4 million to Sri Lanka, the President’s Media Division (PMD) says. The UN health agency’s chief said he has tasked the WHO Health Emergencies P…

Share:

Read More