Sri Lanka exports up 10.7-pct in August, imports down

Oct 21, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s exports rose 10.7 percent to 917.8 million US dollars in August 2013 from a year earlier, and import dropped 7.7 percent to 1.6 billion US dollars, the Central Bank said.Export earnings from tea grew 49.3 percent to 142.8 million US dollars and apparel exports barely grew 2.1 percent […]

Sri Lanka business chamber optimistic on northern elections

Oct 21, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Chamber of Commerce says recent elections in the former war-torn Northern Province, and subsequent events are give rise to optimism about the future. “These actions of the country’s political leadership, at both the national & provincial levels, provide grounds for optimism about the future prospects of all […]

Sri Lanka gaming resorts to tie-up with existing casinos: ministry

Oct 20, 2013 (LBO) – Two planned gaming resorts in Sri Lanka are expected to link up with existing casinos in the city and will require no new licenses to be issued, the investment promotion ministry has said.Australia’s Crown group and Sri Lanka’s John Keells Holdings are to build two ‘integrated resorts’ with luxury hotels, […]

Maldives ex-leader demands fresh vote under caretaker

MALÉ, October 20, 2013 (AFP) – Maldivian opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed Sunday demanded fresh elections under a caretaker president, a day after police forced the postponement of a vote he was expected to win.Nasheed, a former president, told reporters in the capital island Male that the outgoing President Mohamed Waheed should step down immediately and […]

” fears

COLOMBO, October 20, 2013 (AFP) – The Maldives embraced multi-party democracy in 2008 hoping to emerge a modern nation. Five years on, there are fears the honeymoon islands are becoming a “banana republic” ready to implode. The political crisis came to a head Saturday when police blocked elections designed to restore stability after the first […]

Sri Lanka hosts nuclear energy workshop

Oct 20, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is hosting a workshop on nuclear energy with the participation of domestic and international specialists, the island’s research and development ministry said. The workshop will create awareness on a safe, long term, nuclear energy program, the ministry said. International participants from Bangladesh, Belarus, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Peru […]

Foreign Finance

Oct 19, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Citizens Development Business Finance, said it had got a 6 million US dollar credit line (780 million rupees) from a Belgian development finance agency.Carole Maman, financial sector director for BIO said CDB offered financial services to rural bottom-of-the-pyramic cystomers. “We appreciate the motivation and quality of CDB’s staff […]

Maldives vote to go ahead despite court case

MALÉ, October 19, 2013 (AFP) – Presidential elections in the Maldives will go ahead on Saturday despite an 11th-hour court challenge by two candidates aimed at delaying the poll, the elections chief announced.Outgoing president Mohamed Waheed, who replaced Nasheed but is not running in the fresh polls, has promised a smooth transition of power. He […]

” in Sri Lanka: Packer

Oct 18, 2013 (LBO) – A 400 million US dollar high end casino resort in Sri Lanka would employ 2,500 people and ‘redefine’ luxury tourism in the island, Australia’s Crown group has said.The opposition has said it will reverse tax holidays if it comes to power, and impose a 40 percent tax on gaming revenues […]

Google Gains

SAN FRANCISCO, October 18, 2013 (AFP) – Google shares surged to a record high, close to $1,000, after quarterly earnings figures showed the Internet giant’s profits are climbing despite a trend toward cheaper advertising on smartphones and tablets. The company on Thursday reported net income of $2.97 billion on revenue that rose to $14.89 billion […]

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