Author: LMD International

HANDLOOM SRI LANKA’S PRIDE Dominic Sansoni believes the local handloom trade can conquer global markets Steeped in heritage and artistry, Sri Lanka’s handloom sector is a treasure trove of culture, creativity and craftsmanship. According to available data, in 2020 approximately 962 manufacturers employed over 15,000 artisans across its vibrant landscape, weaving not just threads but the story of a nation. These products are celebrated for their exceptional quality, intricate designs and sustainable production; and they’re beginning to carve a unique niche in the world market. Yet, beneath the bright hues of the fabrics lie a tapestry of challenges that the…

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For the 23rd year, Forbes’ Global 2000 ranks the largest public companies in the world using four metrics—sales, profits, assets and market value—and despite the geopolitical uncertainty and combativeness resulting from Donald Trump’s tariffs, all four reached records this year. The 2,000 companies on the 2025 list account for $52.9 trillion in annual revenue, $4.9 trillion in profit, $242.2 trillion in assets and $91.3 trillion in market cap. Those figures for profit, market value and assets have all at least tripled in the last 20 years, with total sales up 140% in that span, demonstrating how much globalization has helped…

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2025 Growth Forecasts Cut for 70 Percent of Economies WASHINGTON, June 10, 2025—Heightened trade tensions and policy uncertainty are expected to drive global growth down this year to its slowest pace since 2008 outside of outright global recessions, according to the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report. The turmoil has resulted in growth forecasts being cut in nearly 70% of all economies—across all regions and income groups. Global growth is projected to slow to 2.3 percent in 2025, nearly half a percentage point lower than the rate that had been expected at the start of the year. A global recession is…

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Cardinal Robert Prevost has taken the name Leo XIV. He is the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church. As a missionary, Prevost, 69, spent his career ministering in Peru and led the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops. AP News – May 8, 2025 White smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney Thursday at 6:07 p.m. local time, signaling that a pontiff had been elected to lead the Catholic Church. New pope led order dedicated to the poor and service The new pope was formerly the prior general, or leader, of the Order of St. Augustine, formed in…

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