WELLINGTON, 02 July 2022, (TON): New Zealand’s government has declared that American far-right groups the Proud Boys and The Base are terrorist organizations.

The two groups join 18 others including the Daesh group that have been given an official terrorist designation, making it illegal in New Zealand to fund, recruit or participate in the groups, and obligating authorities to take action against them.

The US groups are not known to be active in New Zealand, although the South Pacific nation has become more attuned to threats from the far right after a white supremacist shot and killed 51 Muslim worshippers at two Christchurch mosques in 2019.

The New Zealand massacre inspired other white supremacists around the world, including a white gunman who killed 10 Black people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, in May.

KYIV, 02 July 2022, (TON): Missile strikes killed 19 people and wounded dozens in Ukraine’s Odessa region, a day after Russian troops abandoned positions on a strategic island in a major setback to the Kremlin’s invasion.

Two children were among the dead and six others among the injured, Ukrainian officials said, one day after US President Joe Biden announced $800 million in new weapons for Kyiv at a NATO summit.

The missiles slammed into an apartment building and a recreation center early Friday in the town of Serhiivka about 80 kilometers south of the Black Sea port of Odessa, which has become a strategic flashpoint in the conflict.

“The death toll is 19 people,” wrote Sergiy Kruk, head of the Ukrainian emergency services, on Facebook.

He added “thirty-eight people were wounded, including six children.”

Kyrylo Tymoshenko, a senior official at the Ukrainian presidency, earlier put the death toll at 18, including two children.

LONDON, 02 July 2022, (TON): The UK government is lobbying for the release of a British archaeologist imprisoned in Iraq, it was revealed.

Jim Fitton was sentenced to 15 years in prison in June for attempting to smuggle artifacts out of the country, a crime that can also carry the death sentence.

Fitton’s family has criticized the British government for what it calls a poor response to the case, however UK foreign secretary Liz Truss told media “work was being carried out to convince the Iraqi government to release the archaeologist.”

She said “I know our ambassador is working on that, as is our ministerial team.”

RAMALLAH, 02 July 2022, (TON): The European Commission has told Ramallah-based NGO Al-Haq Human Rights Organization that the 13-month suspension of €40,000 funding from the EU will be lifted after finding that the suspension was illegal and was not devoid of political dimensions.

Al-Haq is one of six Palestinian human rights organizations that the Israeli government declared on Oct. 19 to be outlaws, citing its association with the (leftist) Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which it classifies as a terrorist group.

Israeli authorities issued a military order to close Al-Haq’s headquarters.

Al-Haq was established 43 years ago. It received the prestigious Bruno Kreisky Prize for Services to Human Rights in June.

CHICAGO, 02 July 2022, (TON): The continued exclusion of Arab Americans from being counted in the decennial US Census is another form of discrimination, resulting in the loss of financial benefits and critical data needed for healthcare and other programs, according to Samer Khalaf, national president of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.

During an interview on The Ray Hanania Show on the US Arab Radio Network and sponsored by Arab News, the ADC leader said “while he favors using the term “Arab” on the census, the community consensus to use MENA, or Middle East and North African, has the support of the Biden administration and cuts through the many divisions in the community.”

Being excluded in the census, Khalaf said, has resulted in Arab Americans losing benefits from receiving federal grants to being included in congressional political empowerment programs.

By Nasriya Naffin

Sri Lanka is well known as the paradise island throughout the world. The country has been one of the popular travel destinations among tourists for its climate, scenic environment, historical sites and for the diverse cultural heritage it is blessed with. The island nation has been heavily depended on the tourism industry for centuries. The sector has contributed towards FOREX earnings and steady supply of revenue to the government and has generated an enormous amount of employment opportunities to Sri Lankans.

The total employment opportunities provided by the tourism industry was approximately 403,000 in 2019.  The industry accounts for almost 12% of the country’s GDP and is the third largest source of foreign exchange reserves.  

The sector has had challenging times in the past by the civil war that lasted for nearly 30 years, Tsunami in 2004, the recent Easter bomb attack, the worst has been the covid-19 pandemic which halted tourists from China and European countries, the Ukraine–Russia conflict and the ongoing country's economic crisis has made it extremely hard for the sector to catch up.

During and after the pandemic Russia and Ukraine have been the largest market for the tourism industry. Around 20,000 tourists from Russia and Ukraine have travelled to Sri Lanka in January 2022. In the past local travelers helped the industry to survive as foreign visitors were absent. With the ongoing financial crisis, and the fuel shortage the locals have cut down on their spending and have reduced travelling long distances. A steady flow of tourists are necessary to recover the country from the disaster hit economy.

The ongoing political unrest, public protests and violence related to protests, long queues for essentials like fuel, LP gas and milk powder and the scarcity of commodities like essential medicine has negatively affected the tourism industry. Negative feedback and information that has been publicized on foreign media has severely affected the country's tourism sector. Many tourists contemplate whether to visit Sri Lanka while others cancel their bookings.  

According to the prime minister Ranil Wickramasinghe the country is expecting 800, 000 tourists in the latter part of this year. Sri Lanka has started developing a plan to attract more Indian tourists during the forth-coming months, and is intending to resume flights from northern Jaffna peninsula to India from next month. The Prime Minister has discussed with relevant stakeholders with regard to the possibilities of organizing cultural festivals which can attract many tourists. Minister of tourism Harin Fernando has requested the diplomatic community to lift travel bans imposed to travel to Sri Lanka as the country is promoting tourism in many countries to attract tourists.  

Leader of opposition Sajith Premadasa has requested the European Union to aid the country’s tourism industry by lifting adverse travel advisories imposed on Sri Lanka. He held discussions with the Russian ambassador and requested his help in encouraging Russian tourists to visit Sri Lanka.  

Depreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee is a benefit the tourists can enjoy now. Most importantly the country is now safe to travel. The pandemic is under control and has no other threats but shortages of some supplies still exists. This is a time Sri Lanka needs support from the tourists to help recover the country from the economic crisis. With limited resources the people have become more united and helpful.

People are living their normal life and getting adjusted to the situation. Many have started riding bikes, converting to solar power, and have found alternatives for cooking than using LP gas. Many new pizzerias are popping up in cities using traditional wooden ovens. Barbeque is another trend using charcoal. Many hotels have started candlelit dinners and bonfires to attract guests.  

The tourism industry has a direct and indirect impact on many other sectors like transport, restaurants, local industries, travel agencies, agriculture and fisheries. Decline in the industry has led to many business closures and job losses. Cultural centers have lost business but the professionals in the industry have not given up.

All that the country needs now is help to keep things moving forward. With adequate help not only, it will bounce back but will also contribute to the economy of the country.

The recent visit by the Australian cricket team has added some confidence to the world tourists who are planning to visit the country. Sri Lanka has been hit by the worst economic crisis since its independence and tourism is one of the major sectors that can help the country to recover from this situation.

Visiting the country at a time it needs support to recover from its economic crisis and eliminate the sufferings of its people who stand in long queues for days for their essentials. Travelers around the world have a great opportunity to help this little paradise by paying a visit to Sri Lanka on their next holiday.

DHAKA, 02 July 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen has reaffirmed Bangladesh's commitment to achieve all targets of Sustainable Development Goal 14 - conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

He said "to eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing, the government of Bangladesh declared an area totaling about 8.8% of its Exclusive Economic Zone as the Marine Protected Areas and implemented in its National Plan of Action in 2019.”

The foreign minister made the remarks while delivering the

Country’s statement at the plenary session of the 2nd UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon.

Foreign ministry's Maritime Affairs Unit secretary Rear Admiral (Retd) Md. Khurshed Alam, and Bangladesh Ambassador to Portugal Tarik Ahsan and other officials were the delegation members accompanying the Foreign Minister in the conference.

DHAKA, 02 July 2022, (TON): Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said “Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony as people of different faiths have been living on this soil in peace from time immemorial.”

He told the opening ceremony of a nine-day Ratha Jatra "the Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Christians have been living here from time immemorial in amity and peace.”

Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary, said religion always works for bringing peace and prosperity in the country which eliminates terrorism, extremism and fundamentalism.

He called upon all to avoid fundamentalists who infuse fundamentalism in the country.

MANILA, 02 July 2022, (TON): The Department of Foreign Affairs said “Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed Manila’s UN Ambassador Enrique Manalo as the country’s new foreign affairs secretary.” 

Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the late Philippine dictator, won a landslide victory in May’s presidential election and was sworn into office.

He has vowed to open a new chapter in the country’s history and said his administration would have an independent foreign policy.

Manalo is a career diplomat who has been serving as the Philippine permanent representative to the UN in New York and had twice served as the department’s undersecretary. 

RIYADH, 02 July 2022, (TON): The Kingdom’s deputy defense minister said “Saudi Arabia has announced a number of vital developmental projects in Yemen to bolster the economy.”

Prince Khalid bin Salman tweeted “the initiatives include 17 development projects in 6 sectors, valued at $400 million, in addition to $200 million in oil derivatives for power stations.”

The projects will be carried out by the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen and aim to help the Yemeni people.

Prince Khalid met with the President of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi and members of the council to convey the Kingdom’s support and appreciation for their efforts