Category: South Asia
Sri Lanka gifts a consignment of Ceylon Black Tea to China
Feb 06, 2020 (LBO) – President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday gifted a consignment of world-renowned Ceylon Black Tea to the Chinese Ambassador Cheng Xueyuan to be sent to those affected by the Coronavirus. Ambassador Xueyuan on behalf of President Xi Jinping and the Government of the People’s Republic of China has thanked Sri Lanka for […]
Sri Lankan students arriving from Wuhan to be directed to Diyatalawa army camp
Jan 28, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lankan students arriving from Wuhan city of Hubei Province in China will be directed to Diyatalawa army camp for two weeks for further examinations, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said. She added that the Chinese tourists and Chinese individuals on work permits too will be examined for any signs of […]
Epidemiology Unit advises public to adhere to standard health measures
Jan 27, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Epidemiology Unit advises the public to adhere to standard health measures needed for the prevention and control of respiratory infections including novel coronavirus infection. They are: • Avoid crowded places. • Frequently clean hands with soap and water or alcohol based hand rubs. • When coughing and sneezing […]
Discussion on Belt and Road Initiative, challenges & way forward
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce together with the Pathfinder Foundation will hold an informative discussion on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on 27 January 2020. The BRI program initiated by the Chinese Government aims to connect Asia with Africa and Europe through land and maritime networks along six corridors with the aim of improving […]
Sri Lanka ranks 71 out of 189 countries in Human Development Index
Dec 10, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Human Development Index value for 2018 is 0.780— which puts the country in the high human development category—positioning it at 71 out of 189 countries and territories, according to the latest Human Development report. Further to the global launch, the first official copy of the report titled, ‘Beyond […]
Sri Lanka bans import of spices, minor export crops for re-export
Dec 06, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Finance Ministry has prohibited the importation of spices and minor export crops for the purpose of re-export or re-export after minor processing. The Finance Ministry said in a statement that this restriction has been imposed as a measure to protect small export crop growers and SMEs. Accordingly, the […]
Dinesh Gunawardena calls on Foreign Ministry officials to rise to new challenges
Nov 27, 2019 (LBO) – Minister of Foreign Relations Dinesh Gunawardena assumed duties yesterday that the entire country is looking towards the Foreign Ministry to find solutions for external pressures and challenges. “Hence, it is necessary for the officers in the Ministry and the network of missions to work dedicatedly towards overcoming these challenges,” he […]
Sri Lankan spices & other products to benefit from Geographical Indications
Nov 06, 2019 (LBO) – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Primary Industries and Social Empowerment of Sri Lanka have launched a project aiming to establish a national system for Geographical Indications (GIs). GIs help consumers identify food and other products originating in a particular geographical location, […]
‘s developing country status that includes wealthiest countries
Oct 25, 2019 (LBO) – South Korea is to give up special treatment reserved for developing countries by the World Trade Organization in future negotiations given its enhanced global economic status, its finance minister said on Friday. South Korea, Asia’s fourth-largest economy, has maintained its developing country status as a member of the WTO since […]
Esala Weerakoon approved as next secretary-general SAARC
Oct 07, 2019 (LBO) – The informal meeting of the council of ministers of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) held in New York last week has approved the nomination of former Foreign Secretary and senior career diplomat Esala Weerakoon, to be the 14th Secretary General of the association. The office will come […]
‘s revises its growth forecasts for 16 Asian economies
Aug 23, 2019 (LBO) – Moody’s Investors Service in a newly released report has revised downwards its GDP growth forecast for 16 economies in Asia Pacific. Of the 16, Hong Kong and Singapore have shown particularly weak expansions this year, with very large deteriorations in real GDP growth when compared to the first half of […]
Pakistan suspends trade with India, downgrades diplomatic relations
Aug 08, 2019 (LBO) – Pakistan on Wednesday expelled India’s high commissioner and suspended bilateral trade as a response of India’s move to end special status for Jammu and Kashmir and split it into two union territories. Indian officials, however, says that Islamabad’s decision to suspend trade with its neighbor will hit Pakistan not India. […]