Author: Noviseh Musakhel

he Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), a global processing standard for textiles manufactured using organic fibres, has revealed a substantial uptick in certified facilities within Sri Lanka, underlining a growing awareness of international best practices and sustainable manufacturing principles among Sri Lankan apparel companies. Sri Lanka’s apparel industry body the Joint Apparel Association (JAAF) has taken note of this positive trend and a South Asian representative of GOTS Ganesh Kasekar revealed a 21% increase in certified facilities compared to the previous year. Presently, 74 factories in Sri Lanka have secured GOTS certification for the period of 2023/2024. Local apparel giants…

ISLAMABAD, Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani on Monday terming a peaceful and stable Asia Pacific a priority said Pakistan stands ready to work with the member states of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) for attaining the goals of confidence-building and conflict prevention. Speaking at the inauguration of the ASEAN Corner at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), the foreign minister highlighted Pakistan’s efforts in forging the future prospects of its relations with ASEAN. Jilani reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for an international order based on peaceful co-existence, amicable settlements of disputes, win-win cooperation, and shared prosperity. He mentioned that Pakistan…

The counterterrorism expert and author of “Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday Massacre: Lessons for the International Community” explains how religious extremism manifested in Sri Lanka’s deadliest terror attack. On April 21, 2019 – Easter Sunday – a coordinated series of bombings ripped through Sri Lanka, targeting churches and luxury hotels. Over 260 people were killed, making it the deadliest terrorist attack ever suffered by Sri Lanka. The attack has continued to resonate in Sri Lankan society and politics, as the public demands to untangle questions of responsibility: Why was the attack not prevented, and what can be done to stop the…

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said that Microsoft can’t compete with Google and that the search engine’s market share is so large the internet has basically become the “Google web” Monday during more than three-and-a-half hours of testimony in Google’s antitrust trial, according to multiple news organizations. KEY FACTS Nadella reportedly testified that Microsoft and Bing, its search engine, was unable to compete with Google because of deals Google has made with partners like Apple and Samsung to make Google the default search engine on their devices and browsers. Nadella described Google’s deal with Apple in particular as “oligopolistic,” and said the deals in…

Union Minister and former Army chief General VK Singh has claimed that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) would merge with India soon “on its own”. “PoK will merge with India on its own, wait for some time,” the Union minister for State said while responding to a query in a press conference here in Dausa regarding demands of Shia Muslims in PoK seeking opening of border crossing with India. The minister was addressing a press conference in Dausa during a Parivartan Sankalp Yatra (PSY) programme of the BJP. The Union minister also spoke about the success of the recently concluded G20 Summit under…

Vistara, India’s finest full-service carrier and a joint venture of Tata group and Singapore Airlines, announced the addition of a new route to its growing international network.  The airline will be further expanding its presence in Malé with direct, daily flights to and from Delhi starting 01 October 2023. Vistara will operate its A320neo aircraft featuring a three-class configuration on the route as it enhances connectivity between India and the Republic of Maldives. Bookings for the flights are being progressively opened on all channels, including Vistara’s website, mobile app, and through travel agents. Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara, said, “We are thrilled…

There’s one word you won’t hear uttered at Kudadoo Maldives Private Island: No. “It’s not in my dictionary,” Resort Manager Ali Shameem says. The sentiment is echoed by Executive Chef Harshal Antil. “We never say no,” he agrees. “If there’s a particular item we don’t have, we try to accommodate requests in an alternative way.” When you’re running an ultra-luxe property on a dot of an island in the middle of the ocean, you can’t just put in a quick call to your local provider for Beluga caviar and a particular marque of vintage Champagne. Which makes Kudadoo’s Philosophy of…

Brussels (21/08 – 62.50) The theatrical performance, 40 Days of Miracles was shown in the main concert hall of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea by the Republican State Academic Korean Theater of Musical Comedy of Kazakhstan, which is on tour in South Korea. In total, more than 500 spectators attended the event, including the Chairman of the Korea-Kazakhstan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, Woo Won Shik, deputies, politicians, the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea, cultural and art figures, businessmen, as well as representatives of the…

Going beyond trade and transport connectivity and energy connectivity, digital connectivity is a rapidly emerging dimension of India-Bangladesh partnership. State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma jointly laid the foundation stone of the Knowledge Park at Chittagong on Sunday being built with government of India’s financing support. The IT Park at Chittagong is part of a project for establishment of IT/Hi-Tech Parks in 12 districts of Bangladesh under Government of India’s concessional Line of Credit worth nearly US$ 250 million. In his address at the event, High Commissioner Verma…

Islamabad, Pakistan – An average of 12 children per day – or one every two hours – were subjected to sexual abuse in Pakistan in 2023, a report by a nongovernmental organisation says. In its half-yearly report published on Thursday, Islamabad-based NGO Sahil said a total of 2,227 cases of child sexual abuse were reported to the authorities between January and June this year. The NGO, which has been operating since 1996, compiles its data from newspaper reports as well as from cases directly reported to them. It said there were 1,207 girls and 1,020 boys in the cases it recorded in 2023.…