All Blogs
Knowledge Drive
Dec 11, 2009 (LBO) – Asia’s drive towards a knowledge economy is being helped by expanding and cheaper telecoms but fresh evidence-based policy interventions could speed this up, regulators and academics said at a policy forum in Colombo. Avoiding Miss-steps “The biggest contribution from research is not what is adopted, but what is not adopted,” […]
India sticks with stimulus despite good growth
NEW DELHI, December 11, 2009 (AFP) – India’s car sales are racing ahead, mobile phone sales are booming and share prices have rocketed, but policy makers are signalling a go-slow approach to ending economic stimulus and hiking rates.Even with inflationary pressure returning, central bankers and the government are suggesting only a gradual roll-back of stimulus […]
Indian navy rescues coastguard abducted on Sri Lanka trawler
NEW DELHI, December 11, 2009 (AFP) – The Indian navy on Friday rescued two coastguard personnel abducted earlier this week by Sri Lankan fishermen, a spokesman said.Navy spokesman P.V.S Satish said the two were among 14 coastguard officers who had boarded seven Sri Lankan trawlers found fishing in Indian waters on Tuesday. They had been […]
Oil Bids
Dec 11, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is ready to calls for bids for oil exploration in more blocks in the island’s north-west as well as the south, Petroleum Resources Minister A H M Fowzie said.Fowzie said oil and gas discoveries on the Indian side of the Mannar Basin meant there was a better chance […]
Sri Lanka business says worker training key in former war zone
Dec 11, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s former war zones in the north and east need vocational training to raise worker productivity, corporate leaders have told a visiting American diplomat.Better water supply and cold storage facilities to bring fresh produce to markets were also critical requirements, they told US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake […]
Sri Lankan stocks 0.24-pct up
Dec 10, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed up Thursday while high volume trading on Commercial Bank of Ceylon shares boosted turnover levels, brokers said.Sri Lanka’s largest celco Dialog Telekom, a unit of Telekom Malaysia closed flat at 7.00 rupee, and the largest fixed line operator Sri Lanka Telecom closed at 43.50 rupees, up […]
Retail Chain
Dec 10, 2009 (LBO) – Cargills (Ceylon) group, which runs Sri Lanka’s largest retail chain, said it plans to open 100 more supermarkets in all the island’s 25 districts in the next few years.The company said last month that net profits in the September 2009 quarter rose 35 percent to 139 million rupees from a […]
Progress Call
December 9, 2009 (AFP) – The United States said Wednesday it was willing to extend more aid to Sri Lanka provided there was progress in political reconciliation and human rights.He commended the government’s efforts to allow war-displaced civilians to leave state-run welfare camps in the north at their own free will and said Sri Lanka […]
Expansion
Dec 10, 2009 (LBO) – Mphasis, an Indian outsourcing firm, is opening a centre in Colombo which will offer legal, finance and accounting services starting with 600 people in the first stage, as a downturn is ending, officials said.“We have a fairly well established global footprint and with the Colombo office we are expanding it […]
‘s Supreme Court suggests legal prostitution: report
NEW DELHI, December 10, 2009 (AFP) – India’s Supreme Court suggested legalising prostitution as a solution to the rampant sex trade that has flourished despite a raft of laws, a report said Thursday.“When you say it is the world’s oldest profession and when you are not able to curb it by laws, why don’t you […]