China unveils 600 kph maglev train.

The world's first high-speed maglev transportation system running at a speed of 600 kilometers per hour has made its public debut in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, on Tuesday 20 July 2021.   As the fastest ground vehicle available so far, the system, self-d…

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Jeff Bezos launches to space aboard New Shepard rocket ship

Billionaire Jeff Bezos has made a short journey to space on 20th July 2021, in the first crewed flight of his rocket ship, New Shepard.  He was accompanied by Mark Bezos, his brother, Wally Funk, an 82-year-old pioneer of the space race, and an 18-year-old student. They trav…

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Pedro Castillo declared president-elect of Peru.

Pedro Castillo has been declared president-elect of Peru, weeks after winning the popular vote in a tightly-contested run-off election. The country's election authority announced its verdict after reviewing claims of electoral fraud by his right-wing rival, Keiko Fujimor…

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China reports first human death from rare Monkey B virus.

China has reported the first human infection and death in the country caused by a rare infectious disease found in primates known as the Monkey B virus.  The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said a 53-year-old veterinary surgeon who worked in a research inst…

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Russian troops to conduct military drills near the Afghanistan border.

Russia said  it will stage military drills next month with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan near the border with Afghanistan where the Taliban has led a lightning offensive against government troops. The joint drills will take place August 5-10 at the Kharbmaidon training ground in…

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Space Exploration Day - 20 July.

The annual holiday commemorates the anniversary of the first manned mission to the Moon. On July 20, 1969, Americans astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to step foot on the surface of the Moon. In 1984, the day was proclaimed a holiday by United…

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Zoom is buying cloud contact center provider Five9.

Zoom announced on Sunday 18 July 2021 that it’s buying Five9, a provider of cloud contact center software, in an all-stock transaction valuing the company at $14.7 billion. The deal marks Zoom’s first billion-dollar acquisition and comes as the company prepares for a post-pa…

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International Chess Day - 20 July.

International Chess Day on July 20th honors the founding of the International Chess Federation (FIDES) in 1924. The FIDES became the governing body of the game of chess, an ancient game played around the world. Chess developed in India during the fifth century. As the strate…

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Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE)'s All Share Price Index crosses 8,000 mark.

The All Share Price Index (ASPI) of Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) crossed the 8,000 mark today (July 19) as it went by 55.60 points. ASPI closed at 8,022.55, according to the CSE. Further, the value of turnover for today is at Rs 6.22 billion. Read Full News

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ICC inducts Mongolia, Tajikistan and Switzerland as new members.

The ICC has announced that Mongolia, Tajikistan and Switzerland will be its newest members during the 78th Annual General Meeting. Mongolia and Tajikistan are the 22nd and 23rd members of the Asia region, while Switzerland is Europe's 35th Member, with the ICC now compri…

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Japan sets new world record for internet speed with 319 Terabytes per second.

Researchers in Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology recently set a new world record for the world's fastest internet speed at 319 Terabytes  per second (Tbps). The long-haul transfer of data took place over 3,001 kilometres. This re…

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Lewis Hamilton wins British Grand Prix 2021.

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain), won the British Grand Prix 2021, for a record-extending eighth time. The event was held on July 18, 2021, at the Silverstone Circuit in the United Kingdom. This is the 99th career win of seven times world champion Hamilton and the fo…

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US, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan to form new quad grouping.

The US, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan have agreed in principle to establish a new quadrilateral diplomatic platform focused on enhancing regional connectivity. The parties consider long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan critical to regional connectivity and agr…

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Microsoft acquires cyber security firm RiskIQ for $500M.

Microsoft has reached a deal to acquire RiskIQ, a San Francisco-based provider of cybersecurity services, including malware and spyware monitoring and mobile app security. RiskIQ’s services and solutions will join Microsoft’s suite of cloud-native security products, includin…

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Cannes Film Festival 2021 winners list announced.

The Cannes Film Festival 2021 concluded on 17 July 2021. The jury, presided by Spike Lee, presented the awards at the Closing Ceremony. Julia Ducournau won the Cannes' top prize, the Palme d'Or, for her film Titane, making her the second woman ever to win the award.…

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Jeff Bezos is flying to space. Here's everything you need to know.

Jeff Bezos, the richest man on the planet, is preparing for a rocket-powered, 11-minute 2,300-mph excursion to the edge of space, capping off a month filled with rocket news and a bit of drama among the world's richest people who are dedicating large portions of their w…

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World leaders pledge to redouble Covid-19 fight at special APEC meeting.

Leaders of the Asia-Pacific trade group APEC, including US President Joe Biden, Russia's Vladimir Putin, and China's Xi Jinping, pledged on Friday 16 July 2021 to work to expand sharing and manufacturing of Covid-19 vaccines to fight the global pandemic. The leaders,…

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Top EU court rules hijab can be banned at work.

The European Union’s top court has ruled that employers may forbid the wearing of visible symbols of religious or political belief, such as headscarves. But the Luxembourg-based tribunal said in its ruling on Thursday that courts in the bloc’s 27 member states should weigh u…

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Eiffel Tower reopens after nine-month COVID closure.

The Eiffel Tower has reopened to visitors after nine months of shutdown caused by the COVID pandemic, the landmark’s longest closure since World War II. The lifts of the “Iron Lady” again whisked tourists to its 300-metre (1,000-foot) summit and its majestic views of the Fre…

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Biodegradable lunch sheets compulsory from August 01.

The Environment Ministry has made the use of biodegradable lunch sheets compulsory from August 1, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said. Addressing the media, he said biodegradable lunch sheets should be made available in shops from the said date. Non-perishable lunch …

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Sri Lanka to field 9 athletes for 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

Sri Lanka will field a nine-member team of athletes for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics Games, says the National Paralympic Committee (NPC). The squad will be led by former bronze medal winner at the Rio Paralympics Games, Javelin thrower Dinesh Priyantha Herath. Meanwhile, Sri La…

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WhatsApp blocks two million Indian accounts.

WhatsApp has said it blocked over two million accounts in India in May and June for violating rules. The service said 95% of these users were blocked for violating the limits of the number of times messages can be forwarded in India. The submissions were made by WhatsApp in i…

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Local boxer becomes first Sri Lankan female to judge Olympic event.

A Sri Lankan sportswoman has been selected to judge an Olympic gaming event for the first time in Sri Lanka’s sports history. Accordingly, T. Nelka Shiromala, a Chief Inspector of the Sri Lanka Police, acts as a referee and a judge for the boxing event of the 2020 Olympic ga…

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US, Central Asian Foreign Leaders Attend C5+1 Summit In Uzbekistan.

On Friday 16 July 2021, US officials and Central Asian foreign ministers met in Uzbekistan, to conclude the C5+1 summit, which was primarily focused on Afghanistan.  The two-day event took place in Tashkent on July 15-16 focused on exploring ways to enhance connectivity betw…

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Pakistan, Russia sign terms of accord for gas pipeline.

Pakistan and Russia signed Head of Terms Agreement for the construction of Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline Project (PSGPP). The agreement was signed here after three days talks here between Pakistan and Russia. From Pakistan side Secretary Petroleum Division Dr Arshad Mahmood i…

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Pak Parliament passes FATF related bill.

Pakistan's Parliament has passed a bill for providing legal assistance in international criminal matters as part of efforts to fulfil the conditions set by the global financial watchdog FATF. The Mutual Legal Assistance (Criminal Matters) Amendment Bill was passed by the…

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President Bashar al-Assad sworn in for 4th term in war-hit Syria.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been sworn in for a fourth seven-year term in the war-torn country, after winning more than 95.1 percent of the votes cast in government-held areas. Al-Assad took over in 2000 after the death of his father, Hafez, who had seized power in …

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Astronomers identify appearing, disappearing stars.

An international collaboration of astronomers, including scientists from India, has identified a curious occurrence of nine stars like objects that appeared and vanished in a small region within half an hour in an old photographic plate. Scientists from Sweden, Spain, the US…

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India, Sri Lanka and Maldives hold virtual trilateral exercise TTX-2021.

Top defence officials from India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives participated in a virtual trilateral tabletop exercise “TTX-2021”. The exercise focused on maritime crimes like curbing narcotics and assistance in maritime search and rescue in the region. The two-day exercise, T…

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Pulitzer Prize-winning Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui passes away.

Pulitzer Prize-winning Indian photojournalist, Danish Siddiqui, has passed away, after he was killed in a clash while reporting a fight between Afghan troops and the Taliban in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province in Afghanistan on July 13, 2021.  He was employed with t…

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