Category: Industry
United Front
DHAKA, April 27, 2006 (AFP) – Health ministers from seven South Asian nations have decided to develop a common strategy to combat bird-flu in the region, a statement said Thursday.The health ministers said after their meeting in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka Wednesday that “an impending pandemic influenza” posed a threat to the region’s 1.40 billion […]
Pakistan’s Afridi withdraws retirement from Test cricket
KARACHI, April 27, 2006 (AFP) – Pakistani allrounder Shahid Afridi has withdrawn his temporary retirement from Test cricket, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Thursday.Afridi, 26, shocked his team when he announced earlier this month that he was giving up the longer form of the game until after the 2007 World Cup to concentrate […]
Waiting Game
Apr. 26 (Dow Jones)–A suicide attack in the Sri Lankan capital and airstrikes in the east of the country aren’t worrying foreign investors, and the government is on track to attract a record $1 billion worth of foreign direct investments this year, the chairman of the government’s investment arm said Wednesday. “Negotiations on some big […]
Close Circuit
Apr. 26 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has started a financial intelligence unit to track foreign exchange dealings in excess of 5,000 dollars, treasury secretary P B Jayasundara said Wednesday. Anti-money laundering activities, comes under the supervision of the country’s finance ministry. – Mel Gunasekera The move is part of the government’s drive to keep track […]
Cruising Along
Apr.26 (LBO) – Lanka IOC, a unit of Fortune 500 Indian Oil Corportaion, is confident of maintaining uninterrupted supplies from their tank farm in Trincomalee, amidst rising military activity and closure of key roads in the North East area, a top official said. “We are maintaining our supply lines, in spite of security situation near […]
Attacks unlikely to hurt tourism -Govt Official
Apr. 26 (Dow Jones)–Attacks by Sri Lanka’s military on Tamil Tiger rebel bases in the northeast since late Tuesday are unlikely to hurt the country’s tourism industry, the secretary to the Ministry of Tourism said Wednesday.“These are targeted attacks, so we don’t expect it to affect tourist arrivals in anyway. The government is still committed […]
Wide Berth
Apr.25 (LBO) – Virtusa Corp., the U.S. based software development company, Tuesday announced plans to invest 15 million dollars to expand operations in Sri Lanka. The investment plans forms part of Virtusa’s strategy to invest 48 million dollars in Asia for the fiscal year 2006-7, which includes 33 million dollars in India. “Most of the […]
Old Ghost
GENEVA, Apr. 25 (AFP) – The spectre of failure has returned to haunt the World Trade Organisation, as negotiators prove unable to maintain momentum in the Doha Round talks and developing countries warn that no deal is better than a bad deal.The 149-nation WTO has acknowledged that it will miss an April 30 deadline for […]
Thailand seeks bigger share of booming business tourism market
SINGAPORE, Apr.25 (AFP) – Thai tourism officials on Tuesday launched a regional campaign to promote the kingdom as Southeast Asia’s premier convention and exhibition hub, setting up a rivalry with major players Singapore and Hong Kong. Business tourism is a growing sector in the travel industry and Thailand — already with a worldwide reputation among […]
Scout Partner
DHAKA, Apr. 25 (AFP) – Cash-strapped national carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines is looking for a strategic partner to revive its financial fortunes, a minister said Tuesday.“We are seriously looking for strategic partners so that we can share management and aircraft with a reputed airline to make Biman a profitable corporation,” junior civil aviation minister Mirza […]
Ignorance Bliss
SINGAPORE, Apr. 25 (AFP) – The Philippines, Singapore and Japan escaped the 2004 tsunamis which devastated much of Asia but some potential travelers believe otherwise, a survey released Tuesday found. The poll of thousands of respondents across 10 global markets found that an average of 18 percent said several destinations untouched by the tragedy were […]
Jackpot
PARIS, Apr.24 (AFP) – While governments and consumers weep over the rise and rise of fuel prices, oil companies are rubbing their hands in glee. Last year the world’s 250 top oil companies earned profits totalling 243 billion euros (300 billion dollars), a 35-percent increase on 2004, and that in spite of hurricanes in the […]