Category: Other
India BPO industry suffers 55% attrition
NEW DELHI, April 14, 2011 (AFP) – The attrition rate in India’s business process outsourcing sector jumped to 55 percent from a year earlier, dealing a potentially fatal blow to the flagship industry, a study said on Thursday. India recently lost its crown to the Philippines as the call centre capital of the world. But […]
Reckitt Benckiser picks Indian boss in shock shake-up
LONDON, April 14, 2011 (AFP) – Reckitt Benckiser, the Anglo-Dutch household products and drugs group, on Thursday chose senior employee and Indian national Rakesh Kapoor to replace chief executive Bart Becht, who surprisingly retired. Reckitt’s share price slumped more than 7.0 percent in London on the unexpected announcements by the company whose major brands include […]
Energy crisis leaves Nepal in the dark
KATHMANDU, April 10, 2011 (AFP) – By the light of a single candle Shankar Prasad Bhandari strains his eyes as he tries to count out the correct change for a customer in his blacked out shop on the outskirts of Kathmandu. Rolling 14-hour power cuts, triggered by a growing energy crisis, mean that much of […]
China speaks better English than India: study
NEW DELHI, April 8, 2011 (AFP) – Emerging market giant China has pipped neighbouring rival India in English language proficiency skills, despite the South Asian nation’s strong anglophone tradition, according to a new study. Both countries were given a “low-proficiency” score, with China standing 29th, one place ahead of India in a list of 44 […]
Maldives forex shortages hit airlines: report
Apr 09, 2011 (LBO) – A dollar peg in the Maldives which is coming under pressure from excess domestic money has hit the airline business and also cut the real wages of expatriate workers, a media report said. Minivan News an online publication said Galaxy Enterprises which is the general sales agent for SriLankan Airlines […]
Sri Lanka tea prices hit by Middle East turmoil
Apr 08, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lankan tea prices fell at this week’s Colombo auction as turmoil in the Middle East, one of the main importing regions, affected shipments and payments, brokers said. All three elevations, high, medium and low have seen increases of 27.0, 20.45 and 7.28 rupees over last year. Prices of low […]
Gurkhas in first wave of British military job cuts
LONDON, April 7, 2011 (AFP) – Debt-laden Britain said Monday that 2,600 troops would lose their jobs in a first wave of redundancies forced by defence cuts, with 150 Nepalese Gurkha troops among the first to go. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that 1,000 soldiers and 1,600 Royal Navy personnel would be laid off. […]
‘s Satya Sai Baba in critical condition: doctors
HYDERABAD, April 5, 2011 (AFP) – One of India’s best-known spiritual leaders, known for his apparent miracles and long list of influential followers, is on life support in hospital, doctors said Tuesday. Satya Sai Baba, 85, who has devotees in more than 100 countries, was admitted to a hospital funded by his organisation in the […]
India charges ex-minister in telecom graft scandal
NEW DELHI, April 2, 2011 (AFP) – Indian police on Saturday charged a former telecom minister with abuse of power and conspiracy in an alleged mobile spectrum fraud that cost the country billions of dollars in lost revenue. The south Indian politician, A. Raja, was also accused of cheating, forgery and criminal misconduct on a […]
India eases foreign investment rules
NEW DELHI, April 1, 2011 (AFP) – India has eased regulations governing foreign companies and their Indian joint venture partners as it seeks to halt a decline in direct foreign investment. Foreign companies with an existing joint venture in India will no longer need the local partner’s permission if they want to set up a […]
Remanded
March 31, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lankan police remanded in custody on Thursday an employee of an anti-government website over allegations that he made threats to the brother of an arson suspect. Police spokesman Prishantha Jayakody said Bennet Rupasinghe, the Sri Lanka-based news editor of lankaenews.com, was arrested and remanded in custody until April 7. […]
Forex Fine
Apr 01, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has fined Standard Chartered Bank 27 billion rupees, (245 million US dollars) under the country’s exchange controls laws for a capital transfer over a disputed oil derivative, a media report said. Sri Lanka’s Standard Chartered Bank, Citibank, Deutsche Bank and two local banks sold complex leveraged options positions […]
