AFP – by Amal Jayasinghe COLOMBO (AFP) – A key opposition activist in Sri Lanka was targeted at home by a bomb attack Friday as violence escalated ahead of next week’s presidential election. The pre-dawn blast destroyed a car and severely damaged the home of Tiran Alles, a wealthy businessman and key ally of the […]
Press TV – A campaign poster for presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka. Sri Lanka’s opposition says it fears the president might use the military to remain in power if he is defeated in next week’s elections. The opposition candidate, Sarath Fonseka, said on Thursday that the government was preparing the ground to hold on to power. […]
Photo: Amantha Perera/IRIN (IRIN) – Concerns are rising that Sri Lanka’s presidential election will be undermined after the deaths of four people in a spate of campaign-related violence in the past week, say election monitors. The incumbent, President Mahinda Rajapaksa, is facing an unexpectedly strong challenge from his former army chief, Sarath Fonseka, raising tensions […]
Lanka E News The Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake at a meeting today (19) with the political party secretaries and representatives said, as the State media are not abiding by his orders, and undue pressures are being brought on the competent authority appointed by him, he had relieved the competent authority of his duties with effect […]
Reuters – Melanie Lee and Chris Buckley SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) – Google has postponed the launch of two mobile phones in China which use its Android platform, in the first sign its business in the country is starting to be affected by a dispute over hacking and censorship. The manufacturers of the telephone, which was scheduled […]
Two people have been killed in separate attacks in Sri Lanka ahead of a presidential election next week, officials say. A supporter of opposition candidate Gen Sarath Fonseka was killed in a clash involving ruling party activists in the north-western town of Waryiapola. Later, a ruling party supporter was killed in a nearby town when […]
A supporter of Sri Lanka’s opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka has been killed in a clash ahead of next week’s presidential election, police say. Opposition activists were attacked in Wariyapola town in the north-west of the country while they were putting up election posters, police said. The man was killed in a clash with ruling party […]
AFP – by Shaun Tandon Shaun Tandon WASHINGTON (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s upcoming election is raising hopes in the United States for better relations after a chilly spell if the island turns the page on a bloody war that brought international opprobrium. The January 26 election comes months after troops killed the top leadership of […]
transCurrent – by Rohini Hensman If we were to ask, ‘Is this a good time for a presidential election?’ the answer would have to be ‘No’. At a time when so many urgent tasks are pending – not least that of rebuilding the war-ravaged areas of the country and resettling lakhs of IDPs in proper […]
Source: TC – By Dayan Jayatilleka Douglas Devananda once likened Tamil nationalism to cholesterol, saying just as there is good and bad cholesterol, there is good and bad Tamil nationalism, and just as you need good cholesterol, you need the good Tamil nationalism. Certainly the history of Tamil nationalism shows plenty of examples of “bad […]
Source: Gov News – News.lk – Lankacnews Two accomplices of opposition candidate, Sarath Fonseka today were reported to have offered Rs.30 million as a ‘bribe’ to National Freedom Front Parliamentarian, M.Muzaimil at room number 205 at Hotel Sapphire, Wellawatte, authoritative sources said. The alleged bribe had been offered to the MP requesting his presence at […]
Source: Onlanka News – By Janaka Alahapperuma – Photo By Lalith Welivitigoda Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived on a sudden visit to Jaffna on Monday 11th January to participate at a meeting organised by ‘The Women’s Association that Serves the Country’. She was accompanied by Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) organiser for […]
Source: LBO – Pic by Reuters Sri Lanka’s opposition presidential candidate promised better governance which will lead to a continuation of trade concessions from the European Union and tough new anti corruption laws. Retired general Sarath Fonseka, who led a campaign to crush the Tamil Tigers said a return of better governance would ensure the […]
Source: Onlanka News – By Janaka Alahapperuma – Pic By Chandana Perera President Mahinda Rajapaksa inaugurated a bridge across the river at Hirana, Bandaragama and another flyover bridge at Pannipitiya this morning on 12th January. President Rajapaksa inspected the Bandaragama Bridge linking Hirana in Panadura and Kidelpitiya in Bandaragama and instructed to open it immediately […]
Source: AT – By Anjana Jayashan in Colombo President Mahinda Rajapaksa Contesting For His Second TermPostal voting for the Presidential elections to elect the country’s sixth executive president will commence today and tomorrow (January 12 and 13), the Elections Secretariat announced. A total of 401,118 are qualified for the postal voting and ballots papers are […]