The first IRB-sanctioned Women’s International Sevens tournament will take place as part of the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens on 2-3 December 2011. The tournament will be played alongside the men’s HSBC Sevens World Series Round 2 action in Dubai, with the semi finals and finals to be played on the main pitch at 7he ...

The just concluded 21st FACETS Sri Lanka 2011 international gem and jewellery exhibition saw strong sales to foreign buyers ‘easily exceeding US $ 10 Million’ but the overall totals could be far higher. More than 7300 visitors attended the show of which more than 1300 were foreign visitors. The topmost preference for foreign buyers was ...

Developing countries, having recovered pre-crisis growth trends, could now be affected by recession in developed economiesEconomic recovery may come to an end in developed economies because private domestic demand remains weak and supportive macroeconomic policies are being replaced by austerity measures as governments try to regain the confidence of the financial markets. By contrast, developing ...

The Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) has launched a new campaign with a budget of 19 million euros ($26.7 million) designed to boost international tourism to Cyprus this year. According to Alecos Orountiotis, CTO chairman, the “Cyprus in Your Heart” campaign will promote Cyprus’ history and culture, friendliness and hospitality, its mix of modern and contemporary ...

(Reuters) – Group of Eight finance chiefs pledged $38 billion on Saturday in financing to Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco and Jordan over 2011-13, widening a deal agreed in May and offering Libya the chance to partake too. The IMF promised a further $35 billion in funding to countries affected by Arab Spring uprisings and formally recognised ...

The gem mining sub-sector grew by 7.9% in 2010. The gem and jewellery exports too reported 1.56% positive growth in 2010. Even in the first-half of 2011, increased earnings from mineral exports were led by higher exports of gems which increased by 35.5% in the first half of 2011, according to the Central Bank. The ...

This is a headline article of Khaleej Times – one of the most prominent and leading newspapers in the United Arab Emirates.  According to the news item 350milion population in the Arab World is in need of 160,000 doctors.  In the UAE out of the population 80% are expatriates mainly from South Asia.   The ...

Despite crises in most world markets, the Government yesterday remained upbeat on prospects for Sri Lanka’s exports which have grown by 35% so far to reach $ 5 billion giving optimism that end 2011 figure would top $ 10 billion. “On the back of 21% growth in exports in 2010, current year’s exports have grown ...

WASHINGTON, D.C: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s decision last week to lift the country’s 28-year-old state of emergency will likely further endear him to a public that almost universally supports him. It may also potentially ease some of the international pressure the country is under over its human rights record. More than 9 in 10 ...

Reuters: England piled more misery on India with a thrilling six-wicket victory in a one-off Twenty20 match at Old Trafford on Wednesday. After losing the test series 4-0, India started brightly in the shortest version of the game and racked up 165 all out, only to see England reach their target with three balls to ...

Now Sri Lanka is enjoying the dividends of peace. The growth of the tourism sector can be witnessed. This is more important for economic growth since the country always depends on garments as well as traditional exports like tea. Especially for products like garments, we have to import the materials from overseas. So the net ...

Eshana De Silva, the Chairman of the Esna Group of Companies and Shermans Logistics has been officially appointed as the Honorary Consul to Kazakhstan. De Silva is also a Director of Pan Asia Bank, Mc Marine and functions as a board member of the Board of Investment (BOI) and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). ...

Move in partnership with Huichen Group inspired by Mahinda’s recent State visit to BeijingHVA Foods Ltd. has launched a unique ‘Infinity – President’ tea range in China in association with its partner there inspired by President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s recent State visit to Beijing. During the President’s recent visit to China, he made a special stop ...

By Marianne David Warm, welcoming and exuding good cheer, the Cinnamon Lakeside’s newest General Manager Denis Gruhier perfectly fits into the best qualities the hospitable hotel is well-known for and his affirmation of Sri Lanka’s optimistic post-war outlook for tourism in particular and the country in general is welcoming news indeed. Having joined the Lakeside ...

Sri Lanka’s exports to all key markets grew in the first half of 2011 helped by the improved global economic conditions. The highest exports growth was seen in exports to Singapore which reported a 74% growth in comparison to the first half of 2010, says the latest Report on Export Sector Performance for the first ...

Sri Lanka fails to find funding; project cost now at $2 bln Talks with Russia, S.Korea to double refinery capacity COLOMBO  (Reuters): Sri Lanka is eyeing at least $2 billion in foreign investment to double the capacity of its sole decades-old oil refinery, after the island nation was unable

A son of Muammar Gaddafi, previously reported captured, made a surprise appearance with jubilant supporters in Tripoli overnight, urging loyalists to fight off rebels who say they control most of the Libyan capital. Saif al-Islam, seen as his father’s chosen successor, visited the Tripoli hotel where foreign journalists are staying to declare that the government ...

Reuters: A hotel in orbit, lunar sightseeing flights and luxury rides into the cosmos – all are part of Russia’s vision to ensure it is not left behind in the growing space tourism industry. Russian firms unveiled their plans at the country’s premiere air show this week

By an Independent Analyst The State Assembly of Tamil Nadu (TN) passed a resolution on 8 June 2011, requesting the Indian Central Government to push the international community against Sri Lanka towards imposition of ‘economic sanctions’.  The resolution at the TN assembly moved by Jayalalitha as the Chief Minister passed unanimously with the ruling party ...

Manila (Reuters): Bumper sugar harvests in Thailand, India and the Philippines are tilting the global balance into surplus, sparking fierce competition and piling pressure on prices as fears over a slowdown in the world economy knocked futures off highs. New York raw sugar futures SBc1 have slid more than 11 per cent since hitting a ...

A queue of a different type Last Sunday when the sun was shining hot and bright in the western sky, thousands of youth — almost all were boys — had assembled themselves with backpacks still hanging on their backs, along the wrought iron fence of a park in Colombo ready for an overnight stay there. ...