DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Sri Lanka seen returning to growth by year-end, president says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

COLOMBO, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's economy is expected to grow again from the end of this year and the government wants the country to exit bankruptcy by 2026, President Ranil Wickremesinghe told parliament on Wednesday. Wickremesinghe said the government could turn around the economy if Sri Lankans tolerated high direct taxes for another six months. Wickremesinghe said the aim was to reduce inflation to single digits by the end of the year. Sri Lanka's key inflation rate, the Colombo Consumer Price Index (LKCCPI=ECI), eased to 54.2% in January from 57.2% in December. Reporting by Uditha Jayasinghe; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Raju GopalakrishnanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Chinese ecommerce giant Alibaba-backed Daraz cuts workforce by 11%
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Ariba Shahid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KARACHI, PAKISTAN, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Alibaba Group subsidiary, Daraz Group, an e-commerce platform, is reducing its workforce by 11% to prepare for the 'current market reality', the group's CEO Bjarke Mikkelsen said in a letter to employees shared on the company website. The group operates in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Daraz, Pakistan's largest e-commerce retail platform, was founded in 2012 in Pakistan and acquired by Chinese giant Alibaba (9988.HK) in 2018. Daraz said in 2021 that it had access to 500 million customers with a team of 10,000 employees. It has invested $100 million in Pakistan and Bangladesh over the last two years.

☆ Paris Club creditors give assurances to back IMF bailout for Sri Lanka
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Jorgelina Do Rosario | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] A woman buys vegetables from a vendor at a market in the rampant food inflation, amid Sri Lanka's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 30 , 2022. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-HoonFeb 7 (Reuters) - The Paris Club of creditors has given financing assurances to support the International Monetary Fund's approval of an extended fund facility for Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan president's office said on Tuesday. The financing assurances from the Paris Club, which includes Japan - Sri Lanka's second biggest bilateral lender - was previously reported by Reuters. "Members further expressed appreciation for the specific and credible financing assurances issued by India on Jan. 16, 2023 and its coordination with the Paris Club," the group's statement added. Sri Lanka has to restructure debt payments of about $13 billion on 11 international bonds.

☆ India’s aircraft carriers are key to Indo-Pacific strategy
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A naval personnel stands guard on India's largest naval ship the INS Vikramaditya as she anchors in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Jan. 21, 2016. "This is significant in terms of India's power projection capabilities, primarily within the Indian Ocean," said Viraj Solanki, a London-based expert on Indo-Pacific defense with the International Institute for Strategic Studies. "This really gives India an option to display its ability to counter China within the Indian Ocean, which is the Indian navy's priority." China has not yet sailed an aircraft carrier into the Indian Ocean but is expected to do so within the next few years. "New Delhi sees Beijing as encroaching into its traditional sphere of influence, especially in the Indian Ocean region," said Ridzwan Rahmat, a Singapore-based analyst with the defense intelligence company Janes.

☆ Alibaba-backed Pakistani e-commerce platform Daraz cuts workforce by 11%
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Ariba Shahid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KARACHI, PAKISTAN, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Alibaba-owned e-commerce platform Daraz Group is reducing its workforce by 11% to prepare for the 'current market reality', Chief Executive Officer Bjarke Mikkelsen said. The group operates in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Daraz, Pakistan's largest e-commerce retail platform, was founded in 2012 in Pakistan and acquired by Chinese giant Alibaba (9988.HK) in 2018. Ehsan Saya, managing director of Daraz Pakistan, told Reuters that Pakistan is its biggest market and said that Pakistan has the most number of employees employed across Daraz markets. Saya confirmed to Reuters that the 11% employee cut across the group will also mean an 11% cut in Pakistan.

☆ Major deadly earthquakes in the past two decades
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

White Helmets/via REUTERSFeb 6 (Reuters) - Some of the world's most deadly earthquakes in the past two decades are listed below, after a 7.8 magnitude quake struck central Turkey and northwest Syria on Monday and killed hundreds of people. - Aug. 14, 2021 - HAITI - A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck southern Haiti, killing more than 2,200 people and destroying or damaging about 13,000 homes. - April 16, 2016 - ECUADOR - A magnitude 7.8 earthquake hammered Ecuador, killing more than 650 people on the country’s Pacific coast. - Sept 24, 2013 - PAKISTAN - Twin earthquakes, measuring 7.7 and 6.8 magnitude, rattled southwestern Balochistan province, killing at least 825 people. - May 12, 2008 - CHINA - A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Sichuan province, killing about 87,600 people.

☆ Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan martial ruler in 9/11 wars, dies
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has died in Dubai aged 79 after a long illness, the army said on February 5, 2023. By Sept. 12, then-U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told Musharraf that Pakistan would either be "with us or against us." They regrouped and the offshoot Pakistani Taliban emerged, beginning a yearslong insurgency in the mountainous border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Though Pakistan under Musharraf launched these operations, the militants still thrived as billions of American dollars flowed into the nation. Born Aug. 11, 1943, in New Delhi, India, Musharraf was the middle son of a diplomat.

☆ Sri Lanka completing pre-requisites for IMF aid - President
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Uditha Jayasinghe | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

COLOMBO, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka is completing the pre-requisites to unlock a $2.9 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and expects rapid approval from the global lender, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Saturday. "We are successfully completing the difficult stage required to get support from the International Monetary Fund. We expect to get their consent without delay," Wickremesinghe said in his address to the nation to mark the 75th Independence Day. Sri Lanka is currently focused on getting financing assurances from key bilateral creditors China and Japan. Sri Lanka's central bank estimates an economic turnaround in the second half of 2023 and inflation to reach single digits by the end of this year.

☆ Sri Lanka marks independence anniversary amid economic woes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Sri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe attends the the country's 75th Independence Day celebrations at Galle Face Green in Colombo, Sri Lanka February 4, 2023. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka marked its 75th independence anniversary on Saturday as a bankrupt nation, with many citizens angry, anxious and in no mood to celebrate. Cyril Gamini called this year's ceremony commemorating independence from British rule a "crime and waste" at a time when the country is experiencing such economic hardship. Sri Lanka is effectively bankrupt and has suspended repayment of nearly $7 billion in foreign debt due this year pending the outcome of talks with the International Monetary Fund. A group of activists began a silent protest on Friday in the capital, condemning the government's independence celebration and failure to ease the economic burden.

☆ Space power China to build ground stations on Antarctica to support satellites
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

China's global network of ground stations to support a growing number of satellites and outer space ambitions has drawn concern from some nations that it could be used for espionage, a suggestion China rejects. In 2020, Sweden's state-owned space company, which had provided ground stations that helped fly Chinese spacecraft and transmit data, declined to renew contracts with China or accept new Chinese business due to "changes" in geopolitics. The project was part of broader initiatives aimed at building China's marine economy and turning China into a marine power, according to China Space News. A Chinese-built ground station in Argentina's Patagonia has stirred concerns about its purpose despite China's assurance that the station's goal is peaceful space observation and spacecraft missions. China in October launched the last of three modules of its space station, which became the second permanently inhabited outpost in low-earth orbit after the NASA-led International Space Station.

☆ Exclusive: Paris Club to give Sri Lanka financing assurances amid IMF debt talks - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Jorgelina Do Rosario | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] A vendor of a stall exchanges money with a customer at a main market in Colombo, Sri Lanka November 30, 2016. REUTERS/Dinuka LiyanawatteLONDON, Feb 2 (Reuters) - The Paris Club of creditor nations is ready to provide financing assurances to Sri Lanka, a key step needed to unlock a $2.9 billion bailout by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. But it needs financing assurances from key bilateral lenders before the fund's executive board approves the programme. Another source said the informal group is currently reaching out to other non-Paris Club besides China on financing assurances, but did not provide any further details. We need to see credible and specific assurances that they will meet the IMF standard of debt relief," U.S.

"I can't imagine Pakistan not going on a back-to-back IMF programme." Pakistan's debt problemsPrime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s main election challenger is former cricket star Imran Khan, who was removed from the job last April but retains popularity. "There is just a long-term indebtedness problem," said Jeff Grills, the head of emerging markets debt at Aegon Asset Management, who held Pakistan bonds until the floods hit. Most of Pakistan's bonds are still trading at less than half their face value. Reuters GraphicsDIFFICULT TIMESSuch a restructuring of Pakistan's bonds would represent its first international default since 1999, according to the Bank of Canada-Bank of England Sovereign Default Database.

☆ S Africa's Kapp on compassionate leave after wife van Niekerk dropped from WC squad
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 1 (Reuters) - The South Africa women's cricket team have given all-rounder Marizanne Kapp compassionate leave after her wife Dane van Niekerk was dropped from the Women's Twenty20 World Cup squad. Hosts South Africa left regular captain Van Niekerk out of the squad on Tuesday after the all-rounder failed to meet fitness requirements. "The leave was granted so she can come back ready to play," South Africa coach Hilton Moreeng told the BBC. "She (Kapp) is part of the World Cup [and] she is committed to the World Cup cause," Moreeng added. South Africa begin their campaign against Sri Lanka in Cape Town on Feb. 10.

☆ UN expert warns Myanmar's military plans to seek legitimacy in 'sham' election
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The independent U.N. special investigator on Myanmar warned Tuesday that the country's military rulers plan to seek legitimacy by orchestrating a "sham" election this year and urged all countries to reject the illegal and "farcical" vote. Tom Andrews also called for nations that support human rights and democracy to recognize the underground umbrella organization for opponents of military rule as the legitimate representative of Myanmar's people. "You cannot have a free and fair election when the opposition is arrested, detained, tortured, and executed," journalists are prohibited from doing their job, and it is a crime to criticize the military, Andrews said at a news conference. Andrews called for recognition and support for the National Unity Government, the main underground group coordinating resistance to the military. It was established by elected legislators who were barred from taking their seats when the military seized power.

[1/2] People wait for their turn to get fuel at a petrol station in Peshawar, Pakistan January 30, 2023. If we don't have LCs (letters of credit) open right now, we might see shortages in the next fortnight," a senior official at one of the oil companies told Reuters. Oil traders, however, are shunning countries such as Pakistan and Sri Lanka due to an acute shortfall of foreign exchange. State-owned refiner Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and Pakistan LNG Ltd have left a flurry of fuel tenders unawarded in the last couple of months. Pakistan bought only 223,000 tonnes of gasoline in December versus 608,000 tonnes in the same period a year earlier, data from Kpler showed.

☆ Debt restructuring framework must improve to help distressed countries, Pakistan's ex-central banker says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Global bodies like the IMF need to step up and improve the framework for sovereign debt financing so that emerging market economies, like Sri Lanka, can get out of their debt distress problems faster. That's according to the former governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, the country's central bank. Reza Baqir, currently the global head of sovereign advisory services at Alvarez and Marsal, pointed out that Sri Lanka is still waiting for the International Monetary Fund debt relief to help restore stability as the country grapples with dire economic conditions. Sri Lanka "stopped paying its creditors in spring of last year and it's been close to nine months, and we are still waiting for a meeting of the IMF board," noted Baqir. "We need a more proactive response from the international financial community."

☆ Sri Lanka economy could shrink by -3.5% to -4%, president says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

COLOMBO, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's economy could contract by -3.5 or -4.0% in 2023 after shrinking -11% last year, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Saturday. "From 2024, we will take this economy to positive growth. Speaking at a religious event, he said: "The growth rate of the economy in 2022 was -11% and could be -3.5 or -4.0% this year." "No one can prevent the country from falling into crisis again similar to May and June last year," Wickremesinghe said. Reporting by Uditha Jayasinghe; writing by Rupam Jain; editing by Jason Neely and Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ India is a true bright spot in the midst of a global downturn, top execs and policymakers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

But India does shine out among the world's biggest economies, with Europe hovering on the brink of potential recession and U.S. growth slowing. "It's for the whole digital India, and creating a digital society in India," Ekholm told CNBC. watch nowIndia, he continued, "will very shortly have the best digital infrastructure outside of China," driven by telecoms juggernauts Bharti Airtel and Jio, he added. Strong tailwinds"We are very optimistic and very positive on India," the chief executive of Tata Consultancy Services, Rajesh Gopinathan, told CNBC. As Anish Shah, chief executive of Mahindra Group, told CNBC: "India will get impacted.

☆ Russia sanctions, Ukraine support to be G7 priority, says Japan diplomat
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Tetsushi Kajimoto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Sanctions against Russia and support for Ukraine will be a top priority at G7 financial leaders' meetings under Japan's chair," said Kanda, who will oversee G7 deputy-level talks on economic policy this year. While Kanda underscored the importance of G7 unity in standing up to Russia, some analysts say there may be differences on sanctions, particularly among Europeans who are being forced to wean themselves off Russian energy supplies. Kanda, who is vice finance minister for international affairs, listed the challenges the G7 will have to confront over the coming year. "If this is realised, it would pave the way to carry out debt restructuring for other middle-income countries." Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto; Additional reporting by Kentaro Sugiyama; Editing by Robert Birsel and Simon Cameron-MooreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China's EXIM bank gives Sri Lanka debt extension
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Yew Lun Tian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Jan 26 (Reuters) - China's Export-Import Bank of China (EXIM) has provided Sri Lanka with a debt extension, China's foreign ministry said on Thursday, confirming a Reuters report earlier this week. EXIM offered Sri Lanka a two-year moratorium on its debt and said it would support the country's efforts to secure a $2.9 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, according to a letter reviewed by Reuters. Regional rivals China and India are the biggest bilateral lenders to Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people that is facing its worst economic crisis in seven decades. At the end of 2020, China EXIM loaned Sri Lanka $2.83 billion which is 3.5% of the island's debt, according to an IMF report released in March last year. EXIM is a policy bank tasked by Beijing with lending to governments and key industries globally.

☆ Sri Lanka holds rates steady to rein in inflation, as expected
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

COLOMBO, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's central bank held interest rates steady for a third straight meeting on Wednesday, as widely expected, saying the prevailing tight monetary stance is critical to reining in inflationary pressures. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka had increased rates by a massive 950 basis points between August 2021 to July 2022 to tame stubbornly high inflation. The Standing Lending Facility (LKSLFR=ECI) rate was held steady at 15.50% while the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (LKSDFR=ECI) was kept unchanged at 14.50%. Thirteen out of 14 economists and analysts polled by Reuters expected CBSL to hold rates. Reporting by Swati Bhat and Uditha Jayasinghe; Editing by Jacqueline WongOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China offers Sri Lanka a 2-year debt moratorium
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Export-Import Bank of China has offered Sri Lanka a two-year moratorium on its debt and said it would support the country's efforts to secure a $2.9 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, according to a letter reviewed by Reuters. Regional rivals China and India are the biggest bilateral lenders to Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people that is facing its worst economic crisis in seven decades. India wrote to the IMF earlier this month, saying it would commit to supporting Sri Lanka with financing and debt relief, but the island nation also needs the backing of China in order to reach a final agreement with the global lender. However, China's Jan. 19 letter, sent to the finance ministry, may not be enough for Sri Lanka to immediately gain the IMF's approval for the critical loan, Sri Lankan sources with knowledge of the matter said. According to the letter, China EximBank said it was going to provide "an extension on the debt service due in 2022 and 2023 as an immediate contingency measure" based on Sri Lanka's request.

☆ Fact Check-Video showing Tamil celebration in Waterloo, Canada, does not involve UK government officials and staff
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

It does not involve officials or staff from Britain’s defence ministry or the UK Prime Minister’s office. Rather, the video shows a celebration among officials in the Canadian province of Ontario. The earliest version of the clip Reuters found was in a Facebook group named Tamil Culture Waterloo Region. The caption says it shows a Tamil Thai Pongal celebration involving “region of Waterloo politicians, regional chair city mayors, councilors and police chief and staff” (here). The video shows celebrations taking place in the Canadian city of Waterloo, with no British government officials or staff attending.

[1/2] Drivers push auto rickshaws in a line to buy petrol from a fuel station amid Sri Lanka's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 29, 2022. Regional rivals China and India are the biggest bilateral lenders to Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people that is facing its worst economic crisis in seven decades. At the end of 2020, China EximBank had loaned Sri Lanka $2.83 billion which is 3.5% of the island's debt, according to an IMF report released in March last year. "The bank will support Sri Lanka in your application for the IMF Extended Fund Facility (EFF) to help relieve the liquidity strain," China's letter said. DEBT SUSTAINABILITYIn a letter directly addressed to the IMF, India said last week that the financing or debt relief provided by Export-Import Bank of India would be consistent with restoring debt sustainability under the IMF-supported program.

Regional rivals China and India are the biggest bilateral lenders to Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people that is facing its worst economic crisis in seven decades. According to the letter, the Export-Import Bank of China said it was going to provide an extension on the debt service due in 2022 and 2023 as an immediate contingency measure based on Sri Lanka's request. At the end of 2020, China EXIM bank had loaned Sri Lanka $2.83 billion which is 3.5% of the island's debt, according to an IMF report released in March last year. "The bank will support Sri Lanka in your application for the IMF Extended Fund Facility (EFF) to help relieve the liquidity strain," the letter said. Sri Lanka's foreign and finance ministries did not immediately respond to questions from Reuters.

Search resuls for: "Sri Lanka"

25 mentions found