Bangladesh-born Fahmida Azim wins Pulitzer Prize.

Bangladesh born illustrator and author Fahmida Azim who works in the USA has been selected for the 2022 Pulitzer prize under the category of “Illustrated Reporting and Commentary.”  She is one among the four journalists who have been selected for the prestigious award. The o…

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Pole-dancing axe thrower wins world title.

An Irish woman has been crowned the world axe-throwing champion after winning a competition in Canada. Ceola McGowan, from County Sligo, saw off competitors from across the world to win the World Double Bit Axe Throwing Championships on Sunday. She said she hoped her win woul…

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Dr. Anthony Fauci to step down from government.

Anthony Fauci will step down as head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden. Dr Fauci, who served as director of the NIAID for 38 years, said he would leave both positions in December to "pur…

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Sri Lanka to establish National Debt Management Agency.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his interim budget speech, said an independent National Debt Management Agency (NDMA) would be established in the country. Speaking further, he said the government debt management-related activities are carried out by the Central Bank of Sr…

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Special unit to be set up for restructuring state-owned enterprises.

The government has decided to establish a “State-Owned Enterprise Restructuring Unit” with the aim of facilitating the restructuring of government-owned business entities. Presenting the Interim Budget 2022 in the parliament, President Ranil Wickremesinghe further proposed t…

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Last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev dies.

Mikhail Gorbachev, who ended the Cold War without bloodshed but failed to prevent the collapse of the Soviet Union, died on Tuesday at the age of 91, hospital officials in Moscow said. Gorbachev, the last Soviet president, forged arms reduction deals with the United States a…

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'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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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,…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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 …

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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…

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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…

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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…

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