SDRs and debt holidays still just a band-aid for debt-hobbled countries

Debt experts, charity groups and investors welcomed news on Wednesday (07) that the world’s poorest countries will get new IMF funds and pandemic debt relief, but they also cautioned that for some it would still only be a band-aid solution. A new $650 billion allocation of t…

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Public awareness on Risks in investing in Virtual Currencies in Sri Lanka.

Considering the recent inquiries on virtual currency usage in the international and domestic markets, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) wishes to inform the public of the risks associated with investing in Virtual Currencies. “Virtual Currencies (VCs)” are digital tokens…

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Dilshi Kumarasinghe has set a new national record.

Dilshi Kumarasinghe has set a new national record at the National Athletics Trials 2021. Triple Gold medalist of South Asian Games blazed the track to clinch the victory of the women’s 800m crossing the tape in 2:02.52. The event commenced at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colomb…

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World Homeopathy Day - 10 April.

Every year on April 10th, World Homeopathy Day honors the memory of Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy. The day also challenges understanding and strategies that will further develop homeopathy. Homeopathy comes from the Greek words homeo, wh…

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China approves bid to build fifth rocket launch site.

A port city in eastern China has launched an ambitious plan to build the country’s fifth rocket launch site, under a longer-term goal to ramp up space infrastructure to meet the demands of an expected boom in commercial missions. An engineering company in eastern Zhejiang pr…

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New Zealand bans entry of travellers from India.

New Zealand has temporarily suspended entry for all travellers from India, including its own citizens, for about two weeks following a high number of positive coronavirus cases arriving from the South Asian country. The move comes after New Zealand recorded 23 new positive c…

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Vietnam National Assembly selects Prime Minister & President.

Vietnam's legislature voted Monday (05) to make Pham Minh Chinh, a member of the Communist party with a history as a security official, the country's next prime minister. Outgoing Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was appointed as the new president. The votes of the ne…

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Sri Lanka bans palm oil imports, tells producers to uproot plantations.

Sri Lanka banned imports of palm oil and new palm plantations, and told producers to uproot existing plantations in a phased manner, in a surprise move that baffled the edible oil industry. Palm oil imports and the number of plantations have been increasing in recent years i…

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NASA introduces America’s first astronauts on April 09, 1959.

On April 9, 1959, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) introduces America’s first astronauts to the press: Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon Cooper Jr., John H. Glenn Jr., Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Walter Schirra Jr., Alan Shepard Jr. and Donald Slayton. The seven …

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Inside of BIA goes live on Google Indoor Maps.

Google Indoor Maps was launched at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) today, becoming the first indoor facility to enable this feature in Sri Lanka. SriLankan Airlines and Airport & Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited teamed up in a remarkabl…

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Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) appoints new Selection Committee.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) today announced the appointment of a new Selection Committee chaired by former Sri Lankan cricketer Pramodya Wickramasinghe. The 06-member panel was ratified by the Minister of Youth and Sports Namal Rajapaksa, it said. Accordingly, the following membe…

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Import of textile fabrics to be banned in Sri Lanka.

State Minister of Batik, Handloom Fabrics, and Local Apparel Products Dayasiri Jayasekara says that steps have already been taken to ban the import of textile fabrics. The relevant gazette notification has been approved by Parliament as well, the State Minister said. Minister…

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Which countries will benefit most from an IMF SDR increase ?

The world’s top finance ministers are set to back a new $650 billion allocation of the International Monetary Fund’s own currency, Special Drawing Rights, to help low-income countries hit by the current global pandemic. We explain what SDRs are, how they are used and which c…

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Central Bank continues its Accommodative Monetary Policy Stance.

The Monetary Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, at its meeting held on 07 April 2021, decided to maintain the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and the Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) of the Central Bank at their current levels of 4.50 per cent and 5.50 per c…

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Ceylon Tea Demonstration and Tasting in South Africa.

Sri Lanka High Commission in South Africa in collaboration with Sri Lanka Tea Board organized a “Ceylon Tea Demonstration & Tasting” at Brooklyn Mall on 27 March 2021. Representing the tea traders, two leading Ceylon Tea brands in South Africa, Dilmah & Basilur join…

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FIFA suspends Pakistan, Chad football federations over interference.

FIFA has suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) due to third-party interference and also the Chadian Football Association (FTFA) with immediate effect due to government interference, soccer’s global governing body said. A group of football officials led by Ashfaq H…

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Current Sri Lanka cricketers to play Legends team in charity match.

A Sri Lanka Legends team is set to take on a team of current Sri Lankan cricketers, including those who have represented the national team, in a charity match on May 4 in Pallekele. The match is set to be televised and could also be the first in Sri Lanka to host fans since…

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International Romani Day - 08 April

International Romani Day is always marked on April 8th each year. It honors the first major international meeting of Romani representatives, April 7–12 1971 in Chelsfield near London. Romani were originally traveling court musicians in parts of what is now India and Pakistan…

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Justice N V Ramana to assume charge as next Chief Justice of India (CJI).

The senior-most Supreme Court judge Justice Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana has been appointed as the next Chief Justice of India (CJI).  Justice Ramana would succeed incumbent CJI Sharad Arvind Bobde to take over as the 48th CJI.  He would assume charge of the office from April 2…

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Robert Mundell, Nobel Laureate who Inspired the Euro, dies at age 88.

Robert Mundell, the Nobel Prize-winner and supply-side economist who was considered the intellectual father of the euro, has died. He was 88. A Columbia University professor of economics, Mundell won the Nobel Prize in economics in 1999 for his theory that flexible markets, …

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North Korea Decides "Not To Participate" in Tokyo Olympics.

North Korea has reportedly decided drop out of the forthcoming Tokyo Olympics due to concerns its athletes could contract coronavirus. The Games are currently scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 8. The Paralympics will follow, from August 24 to September 05. This i…

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Kosovo's parliament votes in Vjosa Osmani as president.

Kosovo's parliament on Sunday night swore in Vjosa Osmani, the former speaker of parliament and ally of Albin Kurti's Vetevendosje! movement, as president. A total of 71 lawmakers in the 120-seat parliament voted in favour of Osmani, with two opposition parties boyco…

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Forbes’ 35th Annual World’s Billionaires List: Facts & Figures 2021.

The Amazon.com Inc founder, Jeff Bezos has topped Forbes’ annual world’s billionaires list for the fourth consecutive year. The 35th edition Forbes World’s Billionaires list was released on April 06, 2021, comprising a record-breaking 2,755 billionaires. The list is prepare…

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India completes arch of world’s highest railway bridge in Jammu and Kashmir.

The construction of the arch of the world’s highest railway bridge that soars 359 metres above the bed of the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir was completed. The 1.3-kilometre-long bridge aims to boost connectivity to the Kashmir Valley and it is being constructed at a cos…

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Japanese scriptwriter Sugako Hashida, passes away aged 95.

Renowned Japanese scriptwriter Sugako Hashida, best known for the internationally popular TV drama series Oshin, has died of lymphoma. She was 95. Hashida had been treated for the illness since earlier this year. She died Sunday at her home in Atami, west of Tokyo, according…

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International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Rwanda Genocide - 07 April.

April 07, 2004 was recognized as the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda by the United Nations. Commemorative events were held in several world capitals including Kigali, Rwanda, New York City, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, and Geneva, Switzerland. As t…

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World Health Day - 07 April.

April 07 of each year marks the celebration of World Health Day. From its inception at the First Health Assembly in 1948 and since taking effect in 1950, the celebration has aimed to create awareness of a specific health theme to highlight a priority area of concern for the…

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Russian President Vladimir Putin signs law that could keep him in Kremlin until 2036.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law that could keep him in office in the Kremlin until 2036. The legislation allows him to run for two more six-year terms once his current stint ends in 2024.  Those changes were backed in a public vote last summer and could allo…

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Australia women create world record with 22 straight ODI wins.

Australia has set a new record for the most consecutive ODI wins in both men's and women's cricket.  The 29th of October, 2017 – that is the last time Australia tasted defeat in a women’s ODI. Since that loss, the Aussies have won 22 consecutive ODIs. Their 22-match w…

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Vietnam appoints ex-state security official Pham Minh Chinh as new Prime Minister.

Vietnam’s National Assembly confirmed Pham Minh Chinh, a career security official, as the country’s next prime minister at an official ceremony on Monday 05 April 2021. He will replace former Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Chinh, 62, was the sole nominee put forward by the …

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