Sri Lanka’s unemployment has risen to 4.5% in the first quarter of 2018 according to a survey by the state statistics office.

The unemployment level rose to 4.5%, up from 4.1% a year earlier.

The Department of Census and Statistics claims the drought may be to blame for the dip in the number of people on work, particularly agricultural workers.

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Sri Lanka is considering granting visa free entry to visitors from ‘tourist friendly nations’, including India, the country’s tourism minister said on Monday.

China and some West Asian and European countries are also being considered.

Over 384,000 Indians visited Sri Lanka last year. The Sri Lankan government said it wanted to increase that number to 440,000.

There was a tense situation in Potpathi, Kokkuvil yesterday after two Tamil youths, A Deniswaran and Sujivan, were injured by Sri Lankan police motorbikes. 

Residents condemned the police, accusing them of driving straight in front of the youths who were also on motorbikes at the time, causing the youths to veer off and crash into the police motorbikes.

Police officers were seen to be kicking the injured youths, before residents intervened and carried the two youths to Jaffna Teaching Hospital. 

The health of the incumbent Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president Kalaignar M Karunanidhi has deteriorated, the executive director of the hospital said in a statement today. 

The 94-year old five-time chief minister of Tamil Nadu was admitted into the Kauvery hospital branch in Chennai’s Alwarpet after contracting a UTI and high fever on July 28. 

Switzerland's Federal Councillor for the Department of Justice and Police, Simonetta Sommaruga arrived in Sri Lanka this week on a four day visit. 

"She is keen to see for herself Switzerland’s activities in various areas such as reconciliation, dealing with the past and strengthening of the rule of law in the country," the FDJP said in a statement. 

Ms Sommaruga is to meet with the Sri Lankan president, prime minister and the leader of the TNA, R Sampanthan. 

The Sri Lankan navy announced it had arrested a group of asylum seekers, who had attempted to flee the island this week.

A former pilot with the Sri Lankan Air Force was arrested at Colombo airport this morning, after he was found to be carrying an unregistered pistol.

The former head of Sri Lanka’s military intelligence has been further remanded over the 2008 abduction and assault of a journalist.

Former Military Intelligence Director and Chief of Staff of the Army, Major General Amal Karunasekara, was arrested earlier this year. The now retired Sri Lankan military officer has had his case remanded until August 20th.

He is one of eight suspects arrested over the abduction and assault of Keith Noyahr, who was an associate editor of The Nation when he was abducted in May 2008. The suspects include six Sri Lankan army personnel.

A protest by Tamil fishermen in Mullaitivu against illegal fishing by Sinhala fishermen has entered its 5^th day.

India and Sri Lanka held the tenth round of talks for widening the scope of the existing free trade agreement between the two countries.

A free trade agreement in goods has been in existence since March 2000, but talks are ongoing to widen the scope to include services and investments.

"The talks are going at a healthy pace and both the countries are targeting to conclude the talks by December for the Economic and Technology Co-operation Agreement (ETCA)," an official said, PTI reports.