All Blogs
‘s fast-growing telecom sector dials up trouble
NEW DELHI, November 8, 2009 (AFP) – India is still adding a staggering 15 million new mobile phone connections a month but the world’s fastest-growing cellular market has hit rough waters.A cut-throat price war is hammering down call charges, putting pressure on telecom companies’ earnings and share prices, and threatening a bruising shakeout in a […]
Sri Lanka asked by France to end emergency, probe war crimes
November 7, 2009 (AFP) – A top French envoy Saturday asked Sri Lanka to end its state of emergency and probe war crimes ahead of a key European Union ruling on trade concessions to the troubled island. Ambassador for Human Rights, Francois Zimeray, said he hoped Colombo will signal the ending of its war with […]
Keel Laying
Nov 07, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shipyard Colombo Dockyard said it has laid the keel for construction of the fourth Multipurpose Platform Supply Vessel for Greatship India.The vessel is meant to support the offshore oil and gas industry, the yard said in a statement. The occasion was attended by the owner’s representatives, officials from […]
South Asian trade portal seen boosting regional trade
Nov 07, 2009 (LBO) – A trade portal launched for the south Asian region should improve trade within the region and especially help small businesses, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said in a statement. The portal www.saarctrade.info – gives importers, exporters and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of the South Asian region access to important […]
Sri Lanka passes IMF loan hurdle, despite failing fiscal target
Nov 07, 2009 (LBO) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a 413.4 million US dollar tranche under its stand by loan, despite the government failing to meet a key budget constraint, the lender said. Under the original deal, a net international reserve target, which excluded borrowed reserves other than that of the IMF […]
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LONDON, November 6, 2009 (AFP) – The price of gold hit a record high above 1,100 dollars an ounce in trading here on Friday following a report that Sri Lanka had joined India in purchasing the precious metal in favour of the US currency. “The Central Bank of Sri Lanka has announced that it is […]
Sri Lanka stocks rebound
Nov 06, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan share prices rebounded Friday after falling sharply in recent days with brokers saying better company earnings and falling interest rates likely to bring buyers back to the market. “Undisciplined trading practices may have contributed to the down trend.” The fall in interest rates and improved company earnings, and […]
Sri Lanka seeks to turn subsistence farming into agri-business
Nov 06, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka needs to develop and maintain consistent policies and provide appropriate support infrastructure to change subsistence farmers into commercially successful agri-businesses, an expert said.“The most important thing the government can do is to ensure consistent policies on agriculture, land, trade and investment,” said Anoma Ariyawardana of the Faculty of […]
Sri Lanka Tata unit shrugs off wage hike cost
Nov 06, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Watawala Plantations said September quarter group net profit fell 78 percent to 9.4 million rupees from a year ago but commodity prices were seen strong with a global economic recovery.The firm, a unit of India’s Tata group, said in a stock exchange filing that sales during the September […]
Awaiting Arrest
JEDDAH, November 6, 2009 (AFP) – Larita Delacruz sits on the concrete base of a bridge pylon, rubs her swollen belly and explains her predicament: she is five months pregnant with twins, and wants to go home to give birth. But after four years of working as a maid in Saudi Arabia, she lacks both […]