InfoAnda - Sri Lanka president orders release of jailed rival |

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Six held over UN hostel attack: Afghan intelligence | 1 November 2009
Somali kidnappers free six foreigners | International | | 12 August 2009
Kenya seizes explosive equipment near Somali border | | 6 January 2012

Japan PM must reshuffle cabinet this month: party official | | 9 January 2011

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Sri Lanka president orders release of jailed rival |

Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Home Business Business Home Economy Technology Media Small Business Legal Deals Earnings Social Pulse Business Video The Freeland File Markets Markets Home U.S. Markets European Markets Asian Markets Global Market Data Indices M&A Stocks Bonds Currencies Commodities Futures Funds peHUB World World Home U.S. Brazil China Euro Zone Japan Mexico Russia India Insight World Video Reuters Investigates Decoder Politics Politics Home Election 2012 Issues 2012 Candidates 2012 Tales from the Trail Political Punchlines Supreme Court Politics Video Tech Technology Home MediaFile Science Tech Video Tech Tonic Social Pulse Opinion Opinion Home Chrystia Freeland John Lloyd Felix Salmon Jack Shafer David Rohde Bernd Debusmann Nader Mousavizadeh Lucy P. Marcus David Cay Johnston Bethany McLean Edward Hadas Hugo Dixon Ian Bremmer Lawrence Summers Susan Glasser The Great Debate Steven Brill Jack & Suzy Welch Frederick Kempe Christopher Papagianis Breakingviews Equities Credit Private Equity M&A Macro & Markets Politics Breakingviews Video Money Money Home Tax Break Lipper Awards 2012 Global Investing MuniLand Unstructured Finance Linda Stern Mark Miller John Wasik James Saft Analyst Research Alerts Watchlist Portfolio Stock Screener Fund Screener Personal Finance Video Money Clip Investing 201 Life Health Sports Arts Faithworld Business Traveler Entertainment Oddly Enough Lifestyle Video Pictures Pictures Home Reuters Photographers Full Focus Video Reuters TV Reuters News Article Comments (0) Slideshow Full Focus Photos of the week Our best photos from the past week. See more Top images of April Follow Reuters Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Read Strong quake hits North Italy, at least three dead 4:07am EDT Top Republican woman in Congress becomes a force 18 May 2012 Status update: Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg gets married 12:51am EDT World leaders back Greece, vow to combat financial turmoil | 19 May 2012 UPDATE 3-Status update: Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg gets married 12:50am EDT Discussed 158 Germany’s Merkel dealt heavy blow in state vote 157 Iran attack decision nears, Israeli elite locks down 111 Obama presses ailing Europe to focus on growth Watched Anti-capitalists protest in Frankfurt Sat, May 19 2012 A look at the UK’s most beautiful face Thu, May 10 2012 Blind Chinese dissident arrives in U.S. Sat, May 19 2012 Pictures Reuters Photojournalism Our day's top images, in-depth photo essays and offbeat slices of life. See the best of Reuters photography. See more | Photo caption Transgendered beauty Transgendered contestant Jenna Talackova takes part in Miss Universe Canada. Slideshow Inside Facebook A behind the scenes look at Facebook. Slideshow Sri Lanka president orders release of jailed rival Tweet Share this Email Print Factbox Sri Lanka's jailed ex-army chief Sarath Fonseka 3:42am EDT Analysis & Opinion Ending NATO’s double standard Saudi man spends 12 extra years in jail awaiting father’s pardon Related Topics World » United Nations » 1 of 2. Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa (in white) inspects a War Victory parade in Colombo May 19, 2012. Sri Lanka on Saturday held a military parade and memorial for fallen soldiers to mark the third anniversary of the defeat of the Tamil Tigers, which ended a quarter-century civil war in the Indian Ocean nation. Credit: Reuters/Dinuka Liyanawatte By Shihar Aneez and Ranga Sirilal COLOMBO | Sun May 20, 2012 3:44am EDT COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered the early release from jail of his highest-profile political rival Sarath Fonseka, the president's spokesman said on Sunday, in an apparent bid to quell international criticism of the government's human rights record. The authorisation for Fonseka's release will be sent to the justice ministry on Monday, spokesman Bandula Jayasekara said. The former general is expected to be free soon afterwards, but will not be able to leave the country. "(The) president signed the papers on Friday evening enabling the release of Sarath Fonseka," Jayasekara said. The United States calls former army general Fonseka, who was detained in February 2010 after challenging Rajapaksa for the presidency, a political prisoner, and has repeatedly said he should be freed. Many Sri Lankans regard Fonseka as a hero for helping to end the 25-year civil war against the Tamil Tiger rebels, and his case has gained prominence as international scrutiny of the Rajapaksa administration's human rights record has intensified. At a meeting in Washington on Friday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on Sri Lanka's foreign minister to address human rights issues. In March, the U.S. sponsored a United Nations resolution calling on the Colombo to investigate abuses alleged to have taken place in the final months of the war, a move which strained ties between the countries. Rajapaksa has until now defied the U.N. and U.S. criticism of his handling of the war's aftermath. Local analysts says Fonseka's release is partly aimed at distracting from local complaints about poor economic management. Last week, news of his impending liberation was welcomed by investors who hoped it would improve Sri Lanka's international image, and prompt more foreign inflows. His health has deteriorated in prison, and for the last few weeks he has been under guard in a hospital where he is being treated for respiratory problems stemming from war wounds. POPULAR LEADER Economic woes pushing up the cost of living have dented the government's popularity ahead of local elections this year, and Rajapaksa's decision could increase his party's chances by dividing the bickering opposition. Fonseka leads the Democratic National Alliance, which has seven seats in a 225-member legislature, and some lawmakers from other opposition parties have said they are ready to back him, citing his popularity and strident criticism of Rajapaksa. He trailed Rajapaksa by 17 points in the last presidential election. With the next one not due until 2016, he is not seen as an immediate political threat, although he remains a popular leader. His poor health has increased pressure on Rajapaksa to set him free. In Washington on Friday, Clinton told foreign minister G.L. Peiris that Sri Lanka should demilitarise the former Tiger strongholds in the north of the country. Rajapaksa responded by saying he would not be dictated to on matters of national security. Fonseka and the president's brother, Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, led the army to victory in the final stages of the war, but they fell out in peacetime. The general complained he was sidelined by the president, who grew concerned Fonseka was plotting a coup. Fonseka is serving two separate jail terms, one for misappropriation of funds and another for giving an interview in 2009 in which he said he was informed that Gotabaya Rajapaksa ordered troops to kill surrendering rebel leaders. Rights groups say both Fonseka and the president are implicated in shooting Tamil fighters as they sought to surrender. In recent months, rights workers and journalists have been targeted by a government media campaign against "traitors" it says helped the defeated guerrillas. (Writing by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Daniel Magnowski) World United Nations Tweet this Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/ Comments (0) Be the first to comment on reuters.com. Add yours using the box above. Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Back to top Reuters.com Business Markets World Politics Technology Opinion Money Pictures Videos Site Index Legal Bankruptcy Law California Legal New York Legal Securities Law Support & Contact Support Corrections Connect with Reuters Twitter Facebook LinkedIn RSS Podcast Newsletters Mobile About Privacy Policy Terms of Use AdChoices Copyright Our Flagship financial information platform incorporating Reuters Insider An ultra-low latency infrastructure for electronic trading and data distribution A connected approach to governance, risk and compliance Our next generation legal research platform Our global tax workstation Thomsonreuters.com About Thomson Reuters Investor Relations Careers Contact Us Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests. NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.

Other News on Sunday, 20 May 2012
Vote in Libya's Benghazi tests support for autonomy |
Turkish colonel arrested over suspected coup plot |
Google says it won China's approval for Motorola deal |
Blind Chinese activist Chen arrives in New York |
NATO leaders seek common path out of Afghanistan |
Strong quake hits North Italy, at least three dead |
World leaders back Greece, vow to combat financial turmoil |
UK may keep troops in Afghanistan post-2014 to fight terrorism |
Impatient Thai red shirts want justice from PM Yingluck |
Serbians vote for president under threat of protest |
Sri Lanka president orders release of jailed rival |
Youth protest former Mexican ruling party's rise |
Samsung's mobile chief says has options to settle war with Apple |
Google says it has China's approval for Motorola deal |
Lockerbie bomber Megrahi has died in Libya: brother |
Syrian army shelling kills 16 in Hama: rights groups |
U.N. seeks Iran nuclear deal before Baghdad talks |
Lone bomber, not mafia, sought for Italy school attack |
North Korea releases detained Chinese fishermen |
Sudan releases four foreigners arrested in border area |
Egypt's would-be president of the poor touts past |
Lebanese soldiers kill two anti-Assad activists |
Apple, Samsung CEOs head to court-ordered play date |
Cannes director Haneke faces death in moving Love |
'Avengers' overpowers 'Battleship' at U.S., Canadian box office |
Danish child abuse film shocks Cannes crowds |
Sean Penn opens wallets for Haiti at Cannes gala |
Tough times for small U.S. films despite bumper Cannes |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01