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India has topped the list of Sri Lanka's source markets for inbound tourism with nearly 33,000 tourists from the country arriving the island nation in the first six months this year, registering an impressive 18.7 per cent increase, according to official figures.

China, which witnessed a growth a of 18.7 per cent, came second with 20,424 arrivals.

Tourist arrivals from India grew by 18.4 per cent to 32,971 to provide the largest inbound market up to June, the figures released by the state tourist board showed.

The overall tourist arrivals in the island nation rose 19 per cent to 146,828 in June 2018 year-on-year.

Besides India and China, tourists arrival from UK and Australia also witnessed double digit growth.

Visitors from the UK grew 16.1 per cent to 12,104 and Australia grew 57 per cent to 9,997.

German arrivals fell 17.5 per cent to 7,024.

Visitors from Japan saw an increase of 3.5 per cent to 3,074, while Malaysian arrivals rose 18.3 per cent to 2,019.
(PTI)

Government sources say Provincial council elections are set to be held in December. According to reports the decision has been made following a meeting held at the parliament complex between President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe and Speaker Karu Jayasuriya on June 29. 

Minister Faiszer Musthapha, members of the provincial delimitation committee and election commissions are also said to have been in attendance. 

Recently Elections Commissioner, Mahinda Deshapriya was quoted criticising the delay of the elections.  At a meeting held between the commission and party representatives, Deshapriya had said the commission would have to resign publicly if the elections are being delayed.

“We register voters to hold elections if we aren't holding elections in the due time then why bother?” he had questioned while threatening to resign.

Finance and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera in a special statement today said that the dark years of the Mahinda Rajapaksa presidency witnessed the highest number of journalists killed, disappeared, attacked and threatened including attacks made on media houses.  

Samaraweera condemned the virulent personal attacks made by individuals linked to the JO and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) in a bid to intimidate the journalists who worked on the New York Times report. 

Full statement by Minister Samaraweera is as follows;

"I was alarmed by recent attacks on two Sri Lankan journalists who contributed to the New York Times report on massive financial misappropriation linked to the former regime in Sri Lanka.

These allegations must be immediately investigated by the relevant authorities and action taken against perpetrators without fear or favour. But I am also disturbed with the virulent personal attacks by individuals linked to the JO and the SLPP in a bid to intimidate journalists who worked on the NYT report, attacking them for doing their job in reporting hugely questionable transactions amounting to billions of rupees that occurred under the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime.

As Media Minister, I vehemently condemn such practices where journalists are attacked for doing their job. There must be an immediate halt to these practices. Further, the SLPP leadership must take full responsibility for these attacks and ensure that there is no repetition of this behaviour.

This government came into power with the promise of media freedom and to break away from the violent tendencies of the previous government. The dark years of the Mahinda Rajapaksa presidency witnessed the highest number of journalists killed, disappeared, attacked and threatened and media houses attacked. We will not return to those dark years where individuals were targeted for unveiling the truth and reporting facts.

We now have a government that respects fundamental freedoms and civil liberties and upholds media freedom. This government reiterates its commitment to ensure that all journalists are safe to do their work, even when that means brooking scathing criticism against this administration by the media. Those who threaten our rights and freedoms must be condemned and held accountable for their actions".

As a public representative, State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran had no right to make comments which promotes separatism according to Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna MP Vijitha Herath. “She must apologise to the society at large for the statement,” he said at a press briefing yesterday held in parliament.  

“We condemn her statement” he further said adding that MP’s are bound to swear they will not work towards dividing the country. “She broke this oath” he accused. 

He also suggested that Maheswaran must face an inquiry and steps must be taken against her. “If not this will set a bad precedent” he added recalling the atrocities committed by the LTTE. 

Hearth also challenged the government to voice their stance regarding her statement.

A policeman attached to the Tellippalai Police was found dead in a guard room at the office of the Kankesanthurai Superintendent of Police. He appeared to have shot himself with his service weapon while on duty. 

The policeman was identified as 25-year-old Nazeer. The reason for his suicide has not been revealed the Police said.

Foreign Correspondents Association of Sri Lanka (FCA) has expressed their concerns over the claims made by the New York Times that Sri Lankan politicians are now targeting local reporters who took part in their investigation on Hambantota harbour. 

Releasing a communique on their facebook page they said : 

"The Foreign Correspondents' Association of Sri Lanka (FCA) is deeply concerned about a campaign of intimidation directed against foreign journalists who contributed to a recent New York Times report on corruption in the island".

"We are disturbed that several members of parliament have publicly vilified the authors of the report without utilising established channels to redress any grievances arising from the impugned report."

"The FCA, a professional body representing Colombo-based foreign media, appeals to all parties to take up any issue resulting from the publication of the report with the editors concerned as is the norm. We also urge the government of Sri Lanka to ensure the safety and security of all journalists in Sri Lanka, including colleagues visiting the island on reporting assignments," FCA said.

Lanka Sathosa, Sri Lanka’s largest state-owned retail chain has successfully boosted its own turnover with stronger numbers to Rs 31 Billion, highest so far.
 
“I am pleased to say that Lanka Sathosa achieved Rs 31 Billion turnover last year, the highest so far in this network with 15% growth compared to 2016. Also Lanka Sathosa is the main mechanism of the Unity government to give the lowest prices for consumers and a key mechanism in the determination of Sri Lanka’s cost of living” Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen said at the launch of Lanka Sathosa’s new website www.lankasathosa.org. 
 
According to officials the new portal will move to e-commerce next. “We are working towards e-commerce transactions from this website starting from January 2019. This new approach could be give a big boost for our sales” said CEO-Lanka Sathosa Dr Mohamed Faraz. “Lanka Sathosa total turnover is Rs 31 Bn –a 15% growth compared to 2016“ he added.
 
The growth trend became even stronger this year. In the first six months of 2018, turnover grew by 16% when national FMCG sector in the same six months showed a decline of 12%, according to AC Nielsen.
 
Lanka Sathosa now has 398 outlets island-wide with over 5000 employees, and is now preparing to launch a set of mega stores as part of its network expansion to reach out to other consumer segments.

A female police officer and another security services female are said to have been allegedly sexually abused within the Wadduwa Police station by an Inspector of Police. According to Panadura Division Police sources, the IP has been suspended pending an inquiry into the allegations. 

The incident is said to have taken place on June 29, after which a complaint had been made to ASP Panadura, Clement Fernando. An investigation is now underway.

Islamic State militant group (ISIS) announced on Tuesday that the son of its elusive leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has died in a suicide attack in the Homs province of Syria.

In a graphic released through official ISIS channels on Telegram, the jihadi group announced the death of Hudhayfah al-Badri, who shares the same birth surname as his father, Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim al-Badri, better known as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The graphic and accompanying statement was attributed to ISIS' Homs branch, Wilayah Hims, which said the son of the ISIS leader, or "khalifah," was killed battling supporters of the Syrian government.

It described Hudhayfah as being killed during an "inghimasi" operation—a term that refers to jihadis that charge enemy lines with the intent of doing maximum damage—against the "nusayriyyah," a term used by ultraconservative Sunni Muslims such as ISIS followers to describe the Alawites, a Shiite Muslim sect to which Syrian President Bashar al-Assad belongs, and Russians, which back Assad's government.

"Hudhayfah al-Badri (May Allah accept him), the son of the Khalifah (May Allah safeguard him), He was killed in an inghimasi operation against the nusayriyyah, and the Russians at the thermal power station in Hims Wilayah," the message read, accompanied by a photo of a young boy armed with a Kalashnikov-style assault rifle.

Source : Newsweek

Former Chairman of the Kotikawatta-Mulleriyawa Pradeshiya Sabha Prasanna Solangaarachchi was caught on video this week trying to intimidate the Police when a tipper belonging to him transporting soil had toppled in the Mulleriyawa area. The accident had taken place on June 30. 

Visiting the site of the accident OIC Mulleriyawa had requested for the permits for soil transportation to be submitted. However, no permits were available at the time. While the OIC noted that the law states permits should be in the tipper an angered Solangaarachchi in a threatening manner asked the OIC not to educate him the law as he is well aware of it. He claimed the permit had been taken away from the accident site and will be presented in due course. 

However, when the case was called before the Colombo additional magistrate Tanuja Jayatunge yesterday (03), it was revealed that Solangaarachchi had not submitted the relevant permits yet despite the threats to the Police. Meanwhile, the Police also reported that instead of handing over the tipper to the Police, the former Chairman had taken it away and hidden it. The Magistrate while ordering the release of the driver on a bail of Rs. 50 000 ordered Solangaarachchi to handover the tipper to the Police immediately. The Police are also investigating regarding two lands which he had been using to store the soil after several complaints by residents.

National Movement of Web Journalist’s filed a complaint with the Ceylon Electricity Board regarding illegal cable TV operations in the North and East.

The complaint requests for an immediate investigation into the use of cables for the operations of illegal cable TV services in the North and East. According to reports, several lives were lost in the Jaffna District owing to such incidents.

President of the National Movement of Web Journalist’s, Chathuranga De Alwis stated that the CEB is incurring losses due to actions of smugglers and those who engage in illegal businesses, looting from the national grid. He said that in addition to drawing their cables, they have used an anti-fire device to use the electricity from those posts.

The CEB does not see these incidents, said Chathuranga De Alwis adding that, as of yesterday, they were able to confirm that a cable TV operator had set up a post in the middle of two CEB posts in Kalmune in the east of the country and engaged in their business.

According to him, there are around 100 such posts in the Kalmune Town set by a person named Alex Kumar Balansingham.

Source : News First

Several education trade unions comprising of principals and teachers are set to call in sick today. The decision was taken following unsuccessful talks between the groups and the Prime Minister regarding providing appointments in the education system to those who allegedly were victims of political revenge. 

A number of trade unions including the Sri Lanka Education Administrative Service Officers’ Union, Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU), Sri Lanka Teacher Services Union and the Teacher Educators’ Service Union are scheduled to engage in today's strike action.

A protest march is also expected to be held in front of the Ministry of Education. 

Meanwhile, Minister of Education Akila Viraj Kariyawasam was quoted as saying that education staff who respect law and justice will report to work today.