Continuing the upward momentum observed during the first half of the year, Sri Lanka's exports earnings grew by 11.1 per cent to US dollars 955 million in July 2014 recording a cumulative growth of 15.9 percent during the first seven months of 2014, the Central Bank said in its External Sector Performance Review for July 2014.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is a dangerous phenomenon, but the terrorist organisation can not be defeated by air strikes alone, reported Press Trust of India quoting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif .

US Secretary of State John Kerry says Washington’s military campaign against ISIL will take years and will stop only when the terrorist group is incapacitated.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday has expressed the hope that China and India will take their strategic and cooperative partnership to a higher plane.