Category:
” in Sri Lanka: Packer
Oct 18, 2013 (LBO) – A 400 million US dollar high end casino resort in Sri Lanka would employ 2,500 people and ‘redefine’ luxury tourism in the island, Australia’s Crown group has said.The opposition has said it will reverse tax holidays if it comes to power, and impose a 40 percent tax on gaming revenues […]
Google Gains
SAN FRANCISCO, October 18, 2013 (AFP) – Google shares surged to a record high, close to $1,000, after quarterly earnings figures showed the Internet giant’s profits are climbing despite a trend toward cheaper advertising on smartphones and tablets. The company on Thursday reported net income of $2.97 billion on revenue that rose to $14.89 billion […]
Skull discovery suggests 1.8mn year old evidence against nationalism
WASHINGTON, October 18, 2013 (AFP) – A stunningly well-preserved skull from 1.8 million years ago offers new evidence that early man was a single species with a vast array of different looks, researchers said Thursday.With a tiny brain about a third the size of a modern human’s, protruding brows and jutting jaws like an ape, […]
India police arrest crew of US ship over arms: reports
NEW DELHI, October 18, 2013 (AFP) – Indian police Friday arrested and questioned 33 people aboard a ship operated by a US anti-piracy firm for carrying guns and ammunition in Indian waters without proper permits, reports said.India’s coastguard stopped and detained the ship off the Indian coast on October 12 after discovering the cache of […]
Maldives polls in doubt: election chief
MALÉ, October 18, 2013 (AFP) – The Maldives’ electoral commission warned Friday that this weekend’s presidential polls could be scrapped at the last minute as two of the candidates have still to endorse the voting roll.Just hours before polling stations were due to open, commission chairman Fuwad Thowfeek said former president Mohamed Nasheed was the […]
‘s Bank of Ceylon says strong demand for debt offer
Oct 17, 2013 (LBO) – A planned 8.0 billion rupee debt offer by state-run Bank of Ceylon is seeing strong demand with preliminary orders and interest assessed at about 15 billion rupees, officials said. Tier II capital instruments are normally not intended for retailers, but only to institutions who are expected to keep an eye […]
‘s Sampath Bank to sell Rs5.0bn in debt
Oct 17, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Sampath Bank said it planned to sell 5.0 billion rupees of debt listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange. The bank will offer 25 million debentures of 100 rupees each, and another 25 million if the first tranche is oversubscribed. Interest earned on listed debentures is tax free. .
Maldives heads backs to the polls amid controversy
MALÉ, October 17, 2013 (AFP) – The Maldives returns to the polls on Saturday for another presidential election after a top court annulled last month’s results, deepening concern about political stability in the young democracy.Election officials were working overtime to ready the luxury tourist destination for Saturday, after the Supreme Court last week scrapped the […]
Sri Lanka Mattala airport duty free to open shortly
Oct 17, 2013 (LBO) – Duty free shopping facilities at Sri Lanka’s Mattala airport may open within two weeks, a top official said.Dufry said in August that it signed a master concessionaire agreement to run all airside duty free space in Mattala.It expected to have 1,000 square feet of space divided between arrival and departure […]
Allianz Lanka supports Paralympic movement in Sri Lanka
Oct 17, 2013 (LBO) – Allianz Lanka, a unit of Germany’s Allianz insurance group said it was supporting the Paralympic movement in Sri Lanka. Allianz has a partnership with the International Paralympic Committee since 20006 has tied up with Sri Lanka’s National Federation of Sports for the Disabled (NFSD). Surekha Alles, Allianz Lanka chief executive […]
Portfolio Expansion
Oct 16, 2013 (LBO) – International Finance Corporation, a unit of World Bank said it had invested 136 million US dollars in private firms in Sri Lanka over the past year, doubling its portfolio to 280 million US dollars. It had also invested in Cargills Bank, a start-up. IFC’s invested 25 million US dollars i […]
Sri Lanka, US look to boost trade ties
Oct 15, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka and the US, the top buyer of island’s exports has further room to grow, officials had said following a visit by business delegation. Though nationalists are trying to bring curbs, US imports of off-shoring services also raises living standards of residents and makes exports more competitive. Exports (and […]