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☆ Sri Lanka has ended free long-term visas for Russians and Ukrainians following outrage over a 'whites only' party
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Sri Lankan authorities said it would scrap free long-term visas for Russian and Ukrainian tourists. Russian tourists have been a major boost to the struggling Sri Lankan economy. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementSri Lanka has scrapped free long-term visa extensions for Russians and Ukrainians who headed to the country in the last two years, Reuters reported. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Reuters, Party, Business Locations: Russian, Sri Lankan, Sri Lanka, Unawatuna

☆ A 'family vacation' for two: Why more parents are taking trips with one child at a time
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | Marylou Costa | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

They travel together, but time away with just one child and one parent has perks that family trips don't often provide, she said. "Travelling with only one child allows you to focus on the needs of only that child," she said. Source: Sonja ProkopecProkopec hasn't taken solo trips with her two youngest children, mostly because of Covid-19, she said. Mother-and-daughter trips in particular are on the rise, though father-and-child trips are also becoming more popular, according to the company. She said she vividly remembers the trips she took as a child with her mother and grandmother.

Persons: Sonja Prokopec, Prokopec, she's, —, Prokopec's, Laith, Sonja Prokopec Prokopec hasn't, Scott Dunn, Scott Dunn's, Mike Harlow, Scott Dunn's Mike Harlow, Harlow, Chiang, Monica Pitrelli, Madeline Austin Organizations: CNBC Travel, Istock, Getty, Yellowstone, Hollywood Locations: Rome, London, Turkey, Norway, Finland, Africa, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka, South Korea, India, Chiang Rai, Myanmar, Thai, California, Los Angeles , California

☆ Project Sunrise: Aircraft delays push back launch date for Qantas’ record-breaking flights
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Travelers who were hoping to experience Qantas’ long-awaited, record-breaking ‘Project Sunrise’ flights next year will have to be a bit more patient. Project Sunrise: Australian airline Qantas is gearing up to launch its ultra long-haul "Project Sunrise" flights between Australia and New York City and London. Qantas Business Suites: For the first time, Qantas will add a sliding door to its business class seats for added privacy. The layout includes six first class seats in a 1-1-1 configuration, 52 business class seats in 1-2-1, 40 premium economy seats in 2-4-2 and 140 economy seats in 3-3-3. Business class suites will be 42 inches wide with 25-inch-wide chairs that can be reclined into a two-meter bed.

Persons: ” Christian Scherer, – Organizations: CNN — Travelers, Qantas, Airbus, Sydney, Reuters, CNN, Sunrise, Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Boeing, Australian, Qantas Qantas, Singapore Airlines ’, JFK Locations: Australia, New York, London, Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Sri Lanka, New York City, Singapore Airlines ’ Singapore, JFK

☆ Elon Musk's X suspends some India accounts after order from Modi government
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Charmaine Jacob | In Charmainemariajacob | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk's social media platform X said Thursday it will block certain accounts and posts from India in response to executive orders by the government. X said it did not agree with the order but failure to comply would subject the company to "potential penalties including significant fines and imprisonment." Tens of thousands of Indian farmers — mostly from the northern state of Punjab — have been protesting since mid-February in renewed calls for better crop prices which were promised to them in 2021. In October, the Modi government warned Musk that X would have to comply to country's new and upcoming IT rules. However, it has written an appeal challenging the Indian government with accounts that are pending to be blocked, the company said.

Persons: Elon, X, Jack Dorsey —, Musk —, Narendra Modi's, Modi, Musk, Naman Tandon Organizations: Global Government Affairs, CNBC, country's Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, Reuters, Twitter Locations: Punjab, Haryana, Ambala, India, New Delhi, Delhi, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

Ameen Sayani, a pioneering radio presenter who drew generations of listeners in India with his melodic voice on a radio show that became a national phenomenon, died on Tuesday. Born in 1932, Ameen Sayani was introduced to radio by his elder brother who was an English-language presenter. In 1952, Ameen became one of the first voices to be heard on the airwaves in Asia by starting the radio program for which he became the most famous, “Binaca Geetmala,” showcasing Bollywood music. He hosted the program on Radio Ceylon, one of the oldest radio stations in the world, based in what is now Sri Lanka. The show was later moved to All India Radio, the state-owned public broadcaster.

Persons: Ameen, Narendra Modi, Sayani’s, “, ” Mr, Rajil, Ameen Sayani, Binaca Organizations: Radio Ceylon, India Radio Locations: India, English, Asia, Sri Lanka

☆ I'm an American who's lived in Nepal for 7 years. Adjusting to life here came with a steep learning curve.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Hayden Rue, an American traveler, shares what it's like to live in Nepal. AdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Hayden Rue, a 32-year-old expat who's lived in Nepal since 2016. Hayden Rue in Lumbini with World Bank Project. Hayden Rue in Patan Durbar Square. Hayden Rue lived in Kathmandu Valley when he first moved to Nepal.

Persons: Hayden Rue, Rue, —, who's, I've, Hayden, I'm Organizations: Service, Peace Corps, World Bank, Bank, Hayden Locations: American, Nepal, Salem , Oregon, West Coast, Lumbini, Patan Durbar, Kathmandu, Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Syangja, Khumai, Sri Lanka

☆ We've visited 50 states and 91 countries and almost always choose hotels over Airbnbs. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Initially, we were going to live in a golf community in Palm City, Florida, and also do some traveling. Courtesy of John and Beverly MartinJohn: When COVID hit, we realized we couldn't travel internationally. So we sold our house, bought the Airstream for $50,000, and visited all 50 states and 51 national parks in two years. John: After about a year, we started noticing we could stay at hotels for a similar price to the Airbnbs. Beverly: We've had some amazing stays, like a luxury hotel in Delhi.

Persons: —, John Martin, Beverly, Beverly Martin John, Bev, Beverly Martin Beverly, John, We've, Airbnb, we're, We're, would've Organizations: Service, Beverly, Central America, The, YouTube, Kruger National Park Locations: United States, Palm City , Florida, Beverly, New Zealand, California, Florida, Greece, Panama, Sri Lanka, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Europe, Central, Asia, Norway, Albania, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Santorini, Hyatts, Laos, Delhi, South Africa, Victoria Falls, West Africa

☆ I met my boyfriend on a Facebook housing group. We were roommates for 2 years before we started dating.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Waverly Colville | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

He had posted in a Facebook housing group stating he and another person were looking for two more roommates to fill out their four-bedroom loft. We had to become each other's best friends. The thought of us ever being anything more than roommates and best friends was alien, even gross. Our relationship was totally platonic — until it wasn'tIt wasn't until the following fall that things started to get confusing. He was not only one of my best friends but he was also my roommate.

Persons: John, Jack, Jewelyn, —, Waverly Colville, We've Organizations: Facebook Locations: East Williamsburg, Buffalo, New York, Costa Rica, Coachella, Cayman Islands, Sri Lanka

☆ Done with diamonds? Gemstone engagement rings are capturing hearts and market share
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Courtney Reagan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"We're seeing a shift in much larger center stone engagement rings, primarily as a result of lab-grown diamonds, and sapphires and rubies tend to be very hot," Daga said. A decade ago, about 5% of engagement rings were colored gemstones, according to Daga. watch nowIndustry giant Signet Jewelers is seeing the same gemstone trend in the wedding category as well as in fashion pieces. Beyond engagement rings, Signet said amethyst and ruby are always popular stones for the Valentine's season. Solidcolours | Istock | Getty ImagesWholesale prices for sapphire gemstones are up 12% per year over the past three years, Daga said.

Persons: Craig Hastings, Ankur Daga, Daga, Jared, Kay, Signet, Beth Gerstein, Gerstein, Boonyakiat, Tourmalines Organizations: Industry, Signet, Getty, Istock, Rolex Locations: London, Madagascar, Angara, Kashmir, Sri Lanka, Zambia, Colombian

☆ Chinese and Indian companies are about to be hit by sanctions because of their ties to Russia, reports say
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The European Union wants to sanction three Chinese companies for supporting Russia, according to reports. This would mark the first time the bloc has sanctioned Chinese and Indian businesses since the invasion of Ukraine. AdvertisementThe European Union wants to sanction three Chinese companies due to their ties to Russia, according to reports by Bloomberg and the Financial Times . In April 2023, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen traveled to Beijing to warn China’s leader Xi Jinping not to support Russia’s war efforts. "This visit is taking place in a challenging and increasingly volatile context, in particular because of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," she said in a press conference .

Persons: —, hasn’t, Ursula von der Leyen, China’s, Xi Jinping, von, Leyen Organizations: European Union, Bloomberg, Service, Union, Financial Times, EU, Kremlin, Moscow, European Locations: Russia, Hong Kong, India, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, EU, China, Beijing

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☆ Sri Lanka targets debt restructuring framework in first 6 months of 2024, says president
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Anti-government protesters gather to demonstrate outside the president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Wednesday, July 13, 2022. Sri Lanka expects to implement a debt restructuring framework within the first six months of 2024, the country's president said on Wednesday, expressing confidence that the nation was recovering from its worst financial crisis in decades. Sri Lanka's economy is estimated by the World Bank to have contracted by 3.8% last year but is expected to grow by 1.7% in 2024. Sri Lanka's central bank has projected a more optimistic growth of 3% for this year. There are no short-term solutions," he said, adding that Sri Lanka's overall debt at the end of September was at $91 billion.

Persons: Ranil Wickremesinghe Organizations: International Monetary Fund, World Bank Locations: Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka's

Officials in Ecuador have named the likely source of contaminated ground cinnamon used in fruit pouches tied to more than 400 potential cases of lead poisoning in U.S. children, the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday. Carlos Aguilera, a cinnamon-processing company in Ecuador, supplied the spice added to WanaBana and other applesauce pouches sent to the U.S., according to the Ecuadorian regulatory agency ARCSA. The cinnamon, which was sent to another supplier, Negasmart, was found to be contaminated with high levels of lead and chromium, an FDA analysis showed. The unprocessed cinnamon sticks used in the products were originally imported from Sri Lanka. The sticks were tested and found to have no lead contamination, ARCSA told FDA.

Persons: Carlos Aguilera, ARCSA Organizations: Food and Drug Administration, FDA, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: Ecuador, U.S, Ecuadorian, Sri Lanka

☆ Israel to Bring in 65,000 Foreign Building Workers to Replace Palestinians
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Israel's government said on Sunday it would bring in 65,000 foreign workers from India, Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan to resume construction stalled since Oct. 7 when Palestinian workers were sent home in the wake of the attack on Israel by Hamas. Some 72,000 Palestinian workers were employed on construction sites in Israel prior to the attack, which prompted the government to lay them off and exclude them from Israel for security reasons. Some 20,000 foreign workers remain but almost half the country's building sites have been closed down due to the labour shortage. A housing ministry spokesperson said new groups of foreign workers were expected to arrive in coming weeks as the government seeks to avoid a blockage in supply that would risk reigniting real estate prices as interest rates start to fall. War in Israel and Gaza View All 194 Images(Reporting by Steve Scheer; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)

Persons: Steve Scheer, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Reuters, Hamas Locations: TEL AVIV, India, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, Israel, Gaza

☆ Sierra Leone is losing its forests. This sanctuary is trying to save chimpanzees and their vital habitat
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( David Mckenzie | Sarah Dean | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Freetown, Sierra Leone CNN —When it comes to chimpanzee toddlers, girls rule. They are all orphans, rescued from across Sierra Leone and raised at the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Tacugama Chimpanzee SanctuaryHe has become something of a legend in Sierra Leone. The canopy decimation is replicated throughout Sierra Leone and much of West Africa. In the center of the mountains of the Western Area Forest, a verdant valley drops into the Guma Dam reservoir.

Persons: Mamma Posseh, Mamma P, ”, Bala Amarasekaran, Amarasekaran, Bruno, “, It’s, ” Amarasekaran, Pataya, David McKenzie, Sonkita Conteh, CNN Parks, Conteh, Alejandro Striediger, Zoe MacIntyre, Siama, Veternarian Zoe MacIntyre, Macintyre, Sierra Leone Organizations: Sierra Leone CNN, World Food Program, Sierra, CNN, Western, Technologies, Area, Maxar Locations: Freetown, Sierra Leone, Sierra, Sri Lanka, West Africa, “, Conteh, Siama's, West Africa’s

☆ Plunging 2,000 Feet Underground for a Critical Mineral — Graphite
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Selima Hussain | Karim Islam | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

One of Sri Lanka's oldest mines holds valuable deposits of graphite, a critical mineral that makes up the largest part of EV batteries. But even though the country produces the world's purest form, experts say Sri Lanka isn't a global competitor. So what can the country do to meet the world's skyrocketing demand? This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.

Organizations: Sri, EV, Business Locations: Sri Lanka's, Sri Lanka

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — For decades, India has focused its defense policy on its land borders with rivals Pakistan and China. Unless you are a maritime power you can never aspire to be a global power,” Chawla said. India, already a regional power, is positioning itself “as a global player today, an upcoming global power,” he said. Though we don’t own it, but we are probably the most capable and responsible resident naval power,” Chawla said. Chawla said India doesn't have “strength to project power into the South China Sea right now” because of the vast Chinese maritime assets there.

Persons: Adm, Anil Kumar Chawla, “, ” Chawla, ”, Darshana, Chawla, it’s Organizations: Pakistan, Hamas, U.S, Carnegie Endowment, International, Ocean Initiative, NATO Locations: SRINAGAR, India, China, Yemen, Iran, Tehran, Red, Gaza, U.S, Visakhapatnam, Marshall, Gulf, Aden, Picardy, “ China, South China, Beijing, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Australia, Japan, Pacific, South, Asia, asia

☆ Opinion: We Brits don’t need tea-brewing advice from Americans
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Opinion Rosa Prince | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Almost exactly 250 years after the Sons of Liberty dumped chests of tea into Boston Harbour, a professor from Bryn Mawr College has committed a crime against the British cuppa very nearly as grave. What purports to be a nice cuppa accompanied not by good honest cow’s milk but some kind of yellow citrus thing. Or, god forbid, arrives not in a good honest tea bag, but taking the false form of — shudder — tea leaves. You’re offered a cuppa char if you’ve given birth, witnessed a murder, come home from a crappy day at work. Whether in the seas of Boston Harbour or some mad prof’s lab in rural Pennsylvania, tea and salt do not mix and that, my Yank friends, is that.

Persons: Rosa Prince, Michelle Francl, Rosa Prince Rosa Prince, …, we’ve, Rosie Lee, limey, You’re, you’ll, ” Organizations: POLITICO, CNN, Bryn Mawr College, Embassy, Brit, Tetley, Boston Harbour Locations: London, Boston, Iceland, It’s, LA, Midtown Manhattan, Bucket Indiana, New York City, British, Ribena, Sri Lanka, Pennsylvania

☆ Police arrested a Thai woman whose pet lion was seen on video cruising around in a Bentley
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewPolice arrested a woman in Thailand whose pet lion was captured on video cruising around in an open-top Bentley, according to reports. The Pattaya News, a local news outlet, said police visited the woman on Wednesday after being made aware of a viral video showing the animal joyriding in the luxury car. During the police visit, Sawangjit presented officers with her ownership documents and allowed a veterinarian to inspect the animal, the Pattaya News said. AdvertisementThe local news outlet said that the lion was found to be in good health and had a microchip, which is mandatory under Thai law. The local news outlet said Sawangjit is currently seeking the necessary documents to retain her pet.

Persons: —, Ann Isaanrussia, — Sawangjit, Sawangjit Organizations: Service, Bentley, Business, Pattaya, BBC News, Pattaya News, Sawangjit Locations: Thailand, Sri Lankan

☆ Sri Lanka passes controversial bill to regulate online content
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Rhea Mogul | Morayo Ogunbayo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Sri Lanka’s lawmakers passed a bill on Wednesday regulating internet use among its citizens, in a move that has sparked fears among rights groups of a free speech crackdown. “Sri Lanka is still reeling from an economic crisis partly caused by misgovernment and failures of accountability,” said Human Rights Watch Deputy Asia Director Meenakshi Ganguly in a statement Tuesday. Then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was forced to flee the country after angry protesters, who blamed him for the financial situation, stormed his residence. But rights groups have accused him of cracking down on dissent and silencing protesters. “Sri Lanka’s repressive laws have facilitated widespread human rights violations for decades and contributed to economic and political crises,” said Ganguly.

Persons: ”, Lanka’s, Meenakshi Ganguly, “, Wickremesinghe, Jeff Paine, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Rajapaksa, Ganguly Organizations: CNN, Safety, Rights Watch, Asia Internet Coalition, United Nations Human Rights Locations: Lanka’s, Sri Lanka, Lankans

☆ Sri Lanka Votes on New Law to Regulate Online Content
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Uditha JayasingheCOLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's lawmakers are set to vote on a social media regulation bill on Wednesday which opposition politicians and activists allege will muzzle free speech. The Online Safety Bill proposes jail terms for content that a five-member commission considers illegal and make social media platforms such as Google, Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter, liable for those posted on their platforms. President Ranil Wickremesinghe's government says the bill is aimed at battling cyber crimes including child abuse, data theft and online fraud. This is why we are bringing this law," Public Security Minister Tiran Alles said on Tuesday while introducing the bill. "We unequivocally stand by our position that the Online Safety Bill, in its current form, is unworkable and would undermine potential growth and foreign direct investment into Sri Lanka's digital economy," the AIC said in a statement.

Persons: Uditha Jayasinghe, Bill, Ranil Wickremesinghe's, Wickremesinghe, Tiran Alles, Eran Wickramaratne, Jana Balawegaya, Sudipto Ganguly, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Reuters, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Public, Asian Internet Coalition, AIC, Yahoo, Sri, Wednesday Locations: Uditha Jayasinghe COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Lanka's

☆ Pope Francis takes on vested interests to speak out on humanitarian crises
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Analysis Christopher Lamb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

Pope Francis received an emotional welcome on the island during a visit showing solidarity with migrants fleeing war and poverty. ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis confesses in St. Peter's Basilica during the Vatican's Penitential Celebration on Friday, March 4, 2016. Alessandro Di Meo/AP Pope Francis arrives for his visit with prisoners in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, on Friday, July 10, 2015. Franco Origlia/Getty Images Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I address the faithful in Istanbul on Sunday, November 30, 2014. Gokhan Tan/Getty Images Pope Francis speaks during the feast-day Mass while on a one-day trip to Italy's Calabria region in June 2014.

Persons: Pope Francis, Cardinal Michael Czerny, Francis, “, ”, Regina Coeli, Vincenzo Pinto, Juan Manuel Santos, Santos, Alessandra Tarantino, L'Osservatore Romano, VINCENZO PINTO, Simon Bar Sabbae, Pope, FILIPPO MONTEFORTE, Karekin, TIZIANA FABI, Giuseppe Ciccia, MAX, Pope Francis tries, Pope Benedict XVI, Alessandro Di Meo, Evo Morales, OSSERVATORE ROMANO, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Federico Lombardi, Lombardi, Gregorio Borgia, Getty Pope Francis, Raul Castro, Castro, GABRIEL BOUYS, ANDREAS SOLARO, Kurukkal SivaSri, Mahadeva, Pope Francis in, Eranga, Franco Origlia, Bartholomew I, Gokhan Tan, San Gregorio Magno, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip , Duke of Edinburgh, Oli Scarff, Barack Obama, SAUL LOEB, Santa Sabina, Max ROSSI, Daniele De Sanctis, Pope Francis ', FABIO FRUSTACI, Benedict XVI, Benedict, L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO, Osservatore Romano Pope Francis, Vinicio Riva, Riva, CLAUDIO PERI, Rainbow Association Marco Iagulli Onlus, Fotografia, Father Don Renzo Zocca, Osservatore Romano, LUCA ZENNARO, Jorge Saenz, Dan Kitwood, Jesus, Internationalis Paulus VI, Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Roman Catholic Church's, Peter Macdiarmid, Pope Francis Prev, it’s, He’s, Filippo Monteforte, Donald Trump’s, Czerny, Trump, Donald Trump, Melania, Evan Vucci, Reuters “, ” Cardinal Czerny, Cardinal Czerny, doesn’t, Francis ’, “ Jesus Organizations: CNN, Getty Images, Colombian, Revolutionary Armed Forces, International Catholic Rural Association, Vatican, AFP, Getty, Catholic Chaldean, St, Mercy, ARIS MESSINIS, MAX ROSSI, Getty Images Bolivian, Cuban, Sunday, Queen, getty, Rainbow Association, Renault, Catholic, Roman Catholic, Intelligence, Warner Bros, Discovery, “, Republican, Reuters Locations: St, AFP, Colombia, Rome, Tbilisi , Georgia, Auschwitz, Birkenau, Poland, Etchmiadzin, Yerevan, Armenia, Vatican City, Moria, Lesbos, Peter's, Mexican, Havana, Cuba, Mexico, Santa Cruz , Bolivia, South America, Ecuador, Paraguay, La Paz, Bolivia, Italian, Ukraine, Iraq, Syria, Havana and Washington, Vatican, Pope Francis in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Istanbul, Italy's Calabria, Jerusalem's Old City, Argentina, Roman Parish, San, Rome's, Santa, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Argentine, America, Gaza, Nove, Lampedusa, Italy, Ciampino, Czechoslovakia, Canada, United States, Africa

The Maldives foreign ministry confirmed local media reports that research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 3 was headed to the Maldives. The ship arrives amid a diplomatic dispute between the Maldives and its giant neighbor India. Pro-China Muizzu was elected to office in November on a platform to evict Indian military personnel stationed in the Maldives. At least 75 Indian military personnel are said to be stationed in the Maldives, and Muizzu had accused his predecessor of compromising national sovereignty by allowing Indian personnel on Maldivian islands. The known activities of the Indian military include operating aircraft and assisting in the rescue of people stranded or faced with calamities at sea.

Persons: Xiang Yang Hong, Narendra Modi, Modi, Mohamed Muizzu, Muizzu, China Muizzu Organizations: —, Indian Locations: COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Maldives, India, China, Male, “, Lakshadweep, Asia, Africa, Europe, Maldivian

☆ 9 new around-the-world cruises have joined Royal Caribbean's Ultimate World Cruise at sea. See what they're like — from a sold-out 6-month luxury cruise to a cheaper $21,100 option.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Brittany Chang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Regent Seven Seas Seas Cruises — NCLH's $73,500 ultra-luxury 4 ½-month cruiseThe Seven Seas Mariner in Kotor, Montenegro. AzamaraAzamara's sold-out 2024 world cruise departed on January 5 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Silversea's fares started at $66,000 per person for the least expensive vista suite, cheaper than Regent Seven Seas' cruise of the same length. AdvertisementPrincess Cruises — Carnival Corp's almost four-month $21,100 vacationPrincess Cruises says its 2024 world cruise guests will have an overnight in Dubai and the opportunity to see 25 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Holland America Line — the four-month roundtrip Florida cruiseThe Zuiderdam's world cruise itinerary includes overnights in places like Tokyo and Aqaba, Jordan.

Persons: —, TikTok, Royal, it's, Fares, Azamara, Taj, Azamara Azamara's, Leo Caldas, Cunard, Queen Mary 2, Queen Mary, Queen Victoria, Mary 2, Southhampton, Jennifer Gauthier, would've Organizations: Service, Royal, Business, Oceania Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Regent Seven Seas, Seas, Regent Seven, Seven Seas Mariner, Cruises —, Getty, San, Cruises, UNESCO, Heritage, Princess, Carnival Corp, Seabourn, Fares, Corp's, Cunard, Holland America Line, Reuters, Holland, Holland America Locations: New York City, Sydney, Australia, Los Angeles, Norwegian, Hawaii, Islands, New Zealand, Asia, East, Europe, Canada, Yangon, Myanmar, Reykjavik, Iceland, Kotor, Montenegro, Miami, Central America, Islands , New Zealand, Bermuda, Oceania, Giza, Fort Lauderdale , Florida, Central, South America, Barcelona, Caribbean, AFP, San Francisco, Southeast, East Asia, Alaska, Dubai, Africa, Piraeus, Greece, Athens, China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Jordan, Cairns, Honolulu, Queen, York City, Aruba, North America, Holland, Florida, Tokyo, Aqaba, Holland America

☆ Sri Lanka to Continue Drug Crackdown Despite Rights Group Concerns - Minister
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Uditha JayasingheCOLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka vowed to continue an anti-narcotics campaign that has seen more than 35,000 people detained over the last few weeks despite concerns raised by multiple rights groups, top officials said on Thursday. Sri Lankan police have detained 38,525 people since the operation - code-named "Yuktiya" or "Justice" - began in December. Thirty-three rights organisations including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and International Commission of Jurists, this week expressed concerns over what they call "drastic intensification" of anti-narcotics operations in Sri Lanka leading to significant human rights violations. There is no reasonable suspicion, the kind of people arrested have a lower marginalised economic status," said Thiyagi Ruwanpathirana, a researcher for Amnesty International Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka had over 97,000 drug-related arrests in 2020 with 53% of arrests for heroin and 42% for cannabis including possession offences, according to latest data from state-run National Dangerous Drugs Control Board.

Persons: Uditha Jayasinghe, Tiran, Thiyagi Ruwanpathirana, Ruwanpathirana, Deshabandu Tennekoon, Sri, Toby Chopra Organizations: Reuters, Sri, Public, Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, International Commission of Jurists, Drugs, Board Locations: Uditha Jayasinghe COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka's

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