Category: Industry
Vehicle Trend
Feb 25, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s vehicle registrations fell 1.5 percent to 27,827 in January 2014 from a year earlier, with used hybrid cars up and three wheelers down, a research analysis shows.Sri Lanka now taxes large hybrid vehicles at lower rates than small petrol cars. The larger cars are more fuel efficient, allowing […]
Cheap Smarts
BARCELONA, February 23, 2014 (AFP) – Firefox OS, an upstart smartphone operating system aimed a challenging the Apple and Google duopoly, will power a new category of $25 smartphones for developing countries, the California-based nonprofit Mozilla Foundation said Sunday. Mozilla sought to show off the success of its system, launched a year ago to prise […]
Mobile Sales
Feb 24, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Dialog Axiata Plc, said it has developed a mobile point of sale (mPOS) application with extra features that will be first deployed in the island’s largest taxi service.3 Wheel Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, which operates under the ‘Budget Taxi’ will carry the patent-pending ‘Dialog Street Smart’ product, using a […]
Revamped Sri Lanka sweep Bangladesh one-dayers
DHAKA, February 22, 2014 (AFP) – New-look Sri Lanka trounced Bangladesh by six wickets in the third and final one-day international in Dhaka on Saturday to sweep the series 3-0.The hosts missed premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who was handed a three-match ban for a lewd on-camera gesture during the second one-dayer on Thursday. Mominul […]
Pay Freedoms
Feb 22, 2014 (LBO) – A bank in Sri Lanka is in talks with US-based Paypal to become its partner bank for inward remittances, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said. But larger transactions like tourism services are also sold in many countries using Paypal. Sri Lanka allows outward payments through Paypal via credit cards, but […]
Cricket: Sri Lanka keep Bangladesh down to 240-8
DHAKA, February 22, 2014 (AFP) – Seamer Dhammika Prasad claimed three wickets in his first match of the series as new-look Sri Lanka restricted Bangladesh to 240-8 in the third and final one-day international in Dhaka on Saturday.New-ball partner Suranga Lakmal finished with two for 24 in 10 overs after Sri Lanka, enjoying an unassailable […]
Sri Lanka to launch two year tourism promotion campaign
Feb 21, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will launch a “comprehensive mega tourism promotional campaign” to boost arrivals including from newly developing markets, starting this year, information minister Keheliya Rambukwelle said. However there has been strong growth in the lower end of the sector with internet based bookings giving more affordable accommodation with pricing closer […]
Mass Transit
Feb 21, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is likely to opt for a 1.3 billion US dollar monorail mass transit system with Japanese finance to cut traffic congestion and boost mobility in the capital Colombo, an official said. A link is also planned from Kollupitiya to National Hospital. A second stage will involve a line […]
Cricket: Sehwag and Murali to star for MCC in Abu Dhabi
LONDON, February 20, 2014 (AFP) – India’s Virender Sehwag is to captain Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in their four-day match against English champion county Durham in Abu Dhabi next month, officials announced Thursday.This year marks the 200th anniversary of MCC’s move to its present Lord’s ground, with Sehwag among a host of famous names including […]
Bridge Plan
Feb 20, 2014 (LBO) – Japan will fund a 35 billion yen (343mn US dollar) bridge connecting Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo with an expressway network, information minister Keheliya Rambukwelle said.Sri Lanka is also planning an elevated road network to cater to rising traffic. Japan is also expected to fund a the first phase of a […]
White House counters nationalist attacks on trade freedom efforts
WASHINGTON, February 18, 2014 (AFP) – The White House moved Tuesday to fend off criticism of its efforts to seal two new giant free trade pacts, saying the deals would benefit US workers and protect the environment.“Some of the criticisms I hear of our agenda describe the state of the trade policy in 1994, not […]
Energy-starved Pakistan sets sights on coal
GADANI, February 19, 2014 (AFP) – After years of rolling blackouts that have wreaked havoc on industry and fuelled political unrest, energy-starved Pakistan has set its sights on a coal-fired future. Regarded as the dirtiest of all fossil fuels, recent discoveries of untapped coal fields in southern Pakistan have convinced the government they could be […]