Sri Lanka’s war-time president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, has signed nomination papers to fight an Aug. 17 election as part of a coalition led by President Maithripala Sirisena, Rajapaksa’s spokesman said on Friday.

Sri Lanka’s main party of Buddhists monks is set to join the United National Party (UNP) in forming a new coalition to contest upcoming parliamentary election, political sources said a short while ago.

The former monitoring MP of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sajin De Vass Gunawardena and a group are reported to have decided to contest the general elections from the Galle District as independent candidates.

“If Vladimir Putin can become Prime Minister after serving as President of Russia, why not Mahinda Rajapaksa?”

President Maithripala Sirisena who met civil society leaders that strongly backed his presidential bid in January at his residence on Wednesday night, said the final decision on granting nominations to his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa was not in his hands.

The United States has decided to restore the GSP Plus facility and has also agreed to return the duty paid by Sri Lanka during the period it did not enjoy this facility.

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka has handed over nominations for General Elections, a short while ago.

Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has signed nominations to contest the upcoming general election from the Kurunegala district today, former MP Wimal Weerawansa said.

Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, who has played a major role to nominate former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the UPFA Prime Ministerial candidate, would not get nominations to contest the general election from the Gampaha District, UPFA sources said.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ajith P. Perera says that the United National Party (UNP) will defeat former President Mahinda Rajapaksa once again at the general election: “We would like to explain reality to him.”

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake has initiated an inquiry into the importation of high-value vehicles for tsunami relief and subsequently given to third parties without paying due taxes and depriving the state of billions of rupees.

The nomination boards of the SLFP and the UPFA have agreed not to give nominations to former MPs Duminda Silva, Mervyn Silva, Sajin de Vass Gunawardena and Sarana Gunawardena to contest the forthcoming general Election, political sources said.

A British Tamil League cricketer has died after being struck in the chest by a ball during a club match in Surrey.

President Maithripala Sirisena, after lengthy negotiations with different stakeholders of the UPFA, has agreed to offer conditional nominations for former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

UPFA MP Thenuka Widanagamage was remanded till July 14 by the Mahiyanganaya Magistrate today over an election violation.

Cricketer turned politician Sanath Jayasuriya has decided to quit politics. It is learnt that he had informed President Maithripala Sirisena of his decision to resign from politics.