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Sri Lanka tourism loses some bookings for winter; counts on regional tourism traffic
August 15 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tourism industry has seen some cancellations from Europe for this year’s peak winter season following an outbreak in local violence, top industry officials said. Some cancellation of bookings have been reported for this November-December season, though others are withholding reservations and adopting a wait-and-see, Prathap Ramanujam, Secretary to the […]
New Generation
Aug 15 (LBO) –Sri Lanka’s largest mobile operator, Dialog Telekom, said it has started South Asia’s first commercial third generation mobile service, after formally receiving the license on Tuesday. Telecommunications is one of the fastest growth sectors in this South Asian island of 19.5 million people and the mobile connections per 100 people had risen […]
Poverty and conflict in South Asia breeding ground for AIDS: Experts
TORONTO, Canada, Aug 15, 2006 (AFP) – South Asia’s AIDS epidemic could smash through vulnerable populations unless India and its neighbours take the battle into high-risk areas, including the sex industry, the World Bank warned Monday.The report, issued at the world’s biggest-ever AIDS meeting, painted a picture of an HIV time bomb that ticked in […]
Arms deal made Pakistan envoy to Sri Lanka a target
Aug 15(AFP) – A bid to assassinate Pakistan’s envoy to Sri Lanka was triggered by plans for Islamabad to ship new arms to the island to battle Tamil rebels, a government spokesman said Tuesday. A similar push was launched by the Tigers Friday, according to the defence ministry, which said the military managed to resist […]
Sri Lankan protoganists jockey for power
Aug 15 (AFP) – The fiercest fighting between Sri Lankan troops and Tamil Tiger rebels for four years appears to be an attempt by both sides to gain the upper hand before eventual peace talks, analysts say.The Sri Lankan government ordered the closure of schools fearing rebel reprisals against school children elsewhere in a move […]
Security in Sri Lanka capital stepped up
Aug 15 (AFP) – Sri Lanka Tuesday stepped up security in Colombo after an unprecedented bomb attack on a diplomat, while all schools were shut amid fears of Tamil Tiger reprisals for an air raid that killed dozens of children. Police said new parking restrictions were put in place in the capital after a Claymore […]
Dollar bonds find favour in Sri Lanka as war jitters hit stocks
August 14 (LBO) – The oversubscription of a dollar bond issue was a reflection of the investor confidence in Sri Lanka government gilts, the country’s public debt office said in a statement Monday, as stocks lost ground over war jitters.The 3-year bond issue was more than twice oversubscribed when bids closed on August 11th. “The […]
Treasury in talks with ADB to structure donor backed bonds for plantations
August 14 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is in talks with the Asian Development Bank to structure donor backed bonds to encourage private investment into the plantation sector, top officials said Monday. “We are talking to the Asian Development Bank to see if long term bonds guaranteed by foreign funding can be worked out for the plantation […]
One Passenger
The first sale of a license to operate a taxi service, through a call option, ended with no competitive bidding as only one buyer came forward, raising doubts about the demand for the other licenses to be auctioned over the next eight days. Senok Trade Combine was the only bidder at Monday™s auction where a […]
Indian chosen to head Pepsico
NEW YORK, Aug 14, 2006 (AFP) – Global beverages giant PepsiCo Monday named Indra Nooyi as its new chief executive, capping a rapid rise to the highest ranks of corporate America for the Indian-born woman. Nooyi, 50, will succeed the 58-year-old Steve Reinemund on October 1st, although Reinemund will keep working for the company until […]