The EU should work together with emerging countries such as China and India to build a multi-polar, inclusive system of global governance that deals efficiently with global challenges. MEPs have adopted a report that points out that the EU shares a common interest with these countries in tackling global instability and security risks to economic [...]

As Iceland continues to make good progress in its efforts to become the EU’s latest member, interest in the tiny Nordic country is heating up. Yes, we all know about its many geysers, its erupting volcanoes and the quirky singer Björk. However, there is a lot more worth knowing about this island state. As the [...]

Renewable energy goes easy on the planet, comes without terrifying safety risks, and is by definition never-ending, so why are we not using it more of it? The EU wants renewable energies to account for 20% of Europe’s needs by 2020, but for this many obstacles still need to be overcome. A new study on [...]

After the widely followed January plenary debate with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, the Civil Liberties Committee is holding a public hearing on Thursday to assess the civil rights situation in the country. Representatives of European and international institutions, Hungarian civil society and the Hungarian government will take part in the debate. In January, MEPs [...]

European consumers could soon take up their place at the heart of the Single Market. The Commission is proposing a reinforcement of their rights, an online dispute resolution system, better education tools and more funding for European Consumer Centres. On Monday it presented its consumer agenda for 2014-2020 to the EP’s Internal Market and Consumer [...]

‘One principle of asylum law is that you seek protection at the first available opportunity. You don’t asylum shop,’ said Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney. The Canadian Minister made this comments in regard to the human smuggling ship MV Ocean Lady arrived off the West Coast carrying 76 Sri Lankan asylum seekers. More [...]

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will leave for Pakistan on February 10 for a two-day official visit. He will be visiting Pakistan on an invitation of Pakistani President, Asif Ali Zardari. During his two day visit, President Rajapaksa will meet President Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. Discussions will be held between the two sides on [...]

Sri Lanka’s apparel industry has surpassed the US $ 4 bn mark for the first time in its export earnings reaching $ 4.09 bn for 2011. As the industry tops $ 4 bn in foreign exchange it has also recorded a 22 percent growth over 2010 where the earnings were $ 3.2 bn. “We have [...]

Another group of rehabilitated ex-LTTE cadres was handed over to their parents and guardians at the Deyata Kirula venue at Anuradhapura yesterday (Feb. 8). Accordingly, forty (40) ex-LTTE cadres who underwent a rehabilitation programme at centres run by the Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Ministry entered normal life with the assistance of the Government. According to [...]

Sigiriya is one of Sri Lanka’s eight UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites and is for me a most spectacular monument, an absolutely vital part of any visit to this country, says the New Zealand Herald writer Jill Worrall in a report published today (9 Feb). In total there are about 1200 steps from the king’s beautiful [...]