99X Technology Quiz Team crowned Biz Quiz 2017 Champions

After hours of tense battle among some of the most knowledgeable masterminds in the corporate sector, the 99X Technology Quiz Team emerged victorious and was crowned the Overall Champions at the fifth Glitz Biz Quiz, in addition to sweeping up the Sector Award for the IT and Software Category – retaining this title for the fifth consecutive year.

Hilton Colombo Participates in Hilton’s Largest Annual Global Career Initiative

Hilton Colombohas taken part in Careers@Hilton Week, Hilton’s annual global career event showcasing the many opportunities available in the hospitality industry for youth and other job 

Top economist portrays SL’s economic ills with colourful metaphor

The ostriches, lame ducks and Icaruses in the government must be caged for it to take flight like a flamingo and transform the dead economy into a competitive Asian Tiger, a senior economist in the country told a forum in Colombo, this week. 

Commerce Minister refutes Lanka Sathosa privatization rumours

Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen yesterday rubbished rumours about a possible privatization of the state owned Lanka Sathosa chain to a diversified conglomerate in the country. 

Court orders notice be gazetted to liquidate Lanka Sugar

Commercial High Court ordered that a notice be gazetted to the effect that a case had been filed to liquidate Lanka Sugar Ltd. 

Watawala March profit soars as tea segment returns to profit

Watawala Plantations PLC group, which owns and runs tea, rubber and palm oil estates, reported earnings of 89 cents a share or Rs.211.8 million in after-tax profits for its fourth and final quarter ended in March 31, 2017, recording an increase of 168 percent year-on-year (YoY), the interim results released to the Colombo bourse showed. 

Sri Lanka to unveil new Private–Public Partnership unit during top business gathering

Sri Lanka will launch its Private –Public Partnership (PPP) Unit, set up through a Cabinet decision at the upcoming ‘Sri Lanka Investment and Business Conclave 2017’, which will take place on the 30th May to 01st June 2017, in Colombo.

MMBL-Pathfinder and ITC subsidiary to develop mid-market hotel chain in Sri Lanka

MMBL Leisure Holdings (Pvt.) Ltd. a subsidiary of the MMBL-Pathfinder Group and WelcomHotels Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd., a subsidiary of ITC Limited, India, have inked a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a mid-market hotel chain in Sri Lanka.

China says new Silk Road not about military ambitions

BEIJING: China’s ambition to build a new Silk Road is not about seeking to expand its military role abroad nor about seeking to set up foreign bases, the Defence Ministry said yesterday.

Food revolution: Megabrands turn to small start-ups for big ideas

LONDON: Food and drink megabrands are seeing their sales chewed away by smaller, nimbler, cooler rivals. They can’t beat them - so now they’re joining them.

NDB committed to bring success to women entrepreneurs

‘When sleeping women wake, mountains move’ a famous Chinese proverb is starting to become more and more relevant in today’s context, in an era where the role of women havebecome ever more essential in the development of economies across the world.

Samsung S8, S8 Plus exceed all expectations in market: Samsung Sri Lanka

Samsung Sri Lanka introduced the stylish and feature-packed S8 and S8 Plus to the Sri Lankan market with a mega launch last month. Already, S8 and S8 Plus have been well received in the country with exceptional results, said Samsung Sri Lanka Managing Director  Youngmin Shin.

India’s Infosys touts plan to hire Americans in face of visa pressures

REUTERS: Infosys Ltd, the India-based computer services giant, on Wednesday touted its new strategy to hire and train 10,000 American workers over the next two years at the company’s annual leadership meeting in San Francisco.

Clogard Fresh Blast Gel provides safe drinking water to NC schoolchildren

Clean drinking water is a basic necessity for healthy living. However, not everyone in Sri Lanka has easy access to safe drinking water. Having understood the battle against water-borne health hazards, Clogard, the flagship product of Hemas Manufacturing, initiated a novel campaign to provide 

India-Sri Lanka: A grim tale of economic cooperation

On May 11, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Sri Lanka to attend the International ‘Vesak Day’ celebrations, just two weeks after Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s five-day visit to New Delhi. PM Modi’s visit marked the seventh interaction between the Indian and Sri Lankan heads of state since 2015, which is suggestive of vigorous high-level  political engagement. 

The next migrant wave

Imagine that you are a farmer. Your crops are withering as weather patterns become more volatile, your well water is too salty to drink and rice is too expensive to buy at the market. So, you leave home in search of a better life.

Moody’s cuts China’s credit rating first time in 30 years

AFP: Moody’s this week slashed China’s credit rating for the first time in almost three decades citing concerns about the country’s rising debt and slowing growth, but Beijing rejected the downgrade as ‘inappropriate’.

HNB assists HelpAge to perform free cataract surgeries

Continuing in its efforts to restore the vision of needy citizens in the country, Sri Lanka’s premier private sector commercial bank, Hatton National Bank PLC (HNB) recently made a financial donation to HelpAge Sri Lanka (HASL) to conduct free cataract surgeries for underprivileged senior citizens.

UTE-IESL call applications for Raspberry Pi Challenge 2017

In an attempt to promote innovation through the latest technology, United Tractor & Equipment (Pvt.) Limited (UTE) and Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL), the nation’s apex body for professional engineers, invite applications for the Raspberry Pi Challenge 2017 competition, which is held for the first time. 

Priyantha Fernando appointed Union Bank Deputy Chairman

The Board of Directors of Union Bank of Colombo PLC announced the appointment of banker Priyantha Fernando as Deputy Chairman of the Bank.

HNB launches Cinnamon Gardens Customer Centre

HNB, recently acknowledged as the ‘Best Retail Bank in Sri Lanka’ for the ninth year by the ‘Asian Banker’, officially opened its newest customer centre – HNB Cinnamon Gardens Customer Centre at Barnes Place, Colombo 7. 

CLC’s Islamic finance wins Gold at 6th SLIBFI Awards Night

The Islamic Business Division (IBD) of Commercial Leasing & Finance PLC (CLC), the newest addition to the Islamic banking and finance industry has won the Gold Award for the ‘Emerging Islamic Finance Entity of the Year 2016’. 

Mangala assumes duties as new FinMin without much fanfare

Newly appointed Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera assumed duties yesterday at the Finance Ministry sans an official ceremony, something rare in Sri Lankan politics

Kaushal Rajapaksa: A visionary leader in recycling sector

His vision is to establish a Global Recycling Village in Sri Lanka utilizing state-of-the-art technology from around the world. The idea might seem far-fetched to many but for Indhra Kaushal Rajapaksa it is a very vivid dream that has slowly but surely become clearer and  more attainable.

Denmark’s Universal Robots to expand to more sectors in Sri Lanka

Taking the local manufacturing and production to the next level, Denmark’s Universal Robots, which entered the country in 2016, expressed its plans to further expand to different sectors in Sri Lanka. They said that they are expecting to sell over 100 cobots (robots) in Sri Lanka in the next three years.

Can-Sur-Vive Trust-Jetwing to conduct next CSR programme on June 4

The Can-Sur-Vive Trust of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Jetwing group will conduct ‘Can-Sur-Vive’ (Apekshawaka Udawak) corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme for the sixth occasion on June 4, 2017 at 8:00 a.m., at Lanka Hospitals, 10th floor auditorium.

Seylan Pahasara opens 126th library

The 126th library of Seylan Pahesara was successfully developed and handed over to the students of J/Imaiyaanan G T M Vidyalam in the Jaffna District. 

Style and Sensibility: Mackly Sleepwear introduces first ladies’ sleepwear collection

Premium sleepwear label Mackly will launch its first collection of ladies’ sleepwear together with its latest children’s collection with a runway event at Park Street Mews on 18 June. Mackly’slineup of 

Milo wins ‘Most Outstanding Junior Sports Promoter of the Year’

Nestlé Lanka’s popular beverage and mega nutritious energy brand Milo, that has been associated with school sports at grassroot level for three decades and been an inspiration to kids, has won the 

Cabinet approval for hybrid energy park in Punarin

The government plans to build a hybrid energy park consisting of 240 megawatt (MW) of wind power and 800 MW of solar power plants in Punarin.