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WORLD NEWS Monday 29 october 2018

Sri Lanka president: PM was sacked over assassination plot

By BHARATHA MALLA- wounded on Sunday in a
WARACHI shooting at the Petroleum
Associated Press Ministry, in the first violent
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) incident since the political
— Sri Lanka’s president said turmoil began on Friday
Sunday that the main rea- with the sacking of Wick-
son he decided to sack remesinghe.
his prime minister was the Pushpa Soyza, a spokes-
alleged involvement of a woman at Colombo Na-
Cabinet minister in a plot to tional Hospital, said three
assassinate him. people were admitted to
In a televised address to the the hospital following the
nation, President Maithri- shooting, and one of them
pala Sirisena said a person had died.
questioned by investigators Arjuna Ranatunga, who
had revealed the name of was petroleum minister un-
a minister in an alleged plot der Wickremesinghe, said
to assassinate him and a one of his security guards
former defense secretary. opened fire when Rajapak-
He said the only choice sa supporters mobbed him
for him under the circum- and protested against him
stances was to dismiss Ranil entering the ministry prem-
Wickremesinghe and invite Supporters of sacked Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe gather outside his official ises.
his former nemesis and ex- residence as a police commando stands guard in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018. Wickremesinghe has called
strongman Mahinda Raja- Associated Press Sirisena’s move to sack him
paksa to take over as prime garding a Cabinet minister Sunday was the first time former army commander unconstitutional and said
minister and form a new involved in the conspiracy Sirisena had commented Sarath Fonseka were be- he can prove his majority
government. to assassinate me.” publicly on it. A police in- hind the assassination plot. support in Parliament. On
“This information (received He did not reveal the name formant named Namal Ku- There was no immedi- Saturday, Sirisena suspend-
by investigators) contains a of the minister. mara who first came out ate comment from Wick- ed Parliament in an ap-
number of details hitherto Even though Sirisena’s sup- with the alleged assassina- remesinghe or Fonseka on parent move to give Raja-
hidden to the people,” Siris- porters had been talking tion plot told reporters Sun- the allegation. paksa time to try to muster
ena said. “The informant about an alleged plot to day that Wickremesinghe Meanwhile, one person enough support to survive
has made a statement re- assassinate him for weeks, and his Cabinet colleague died and two others were any no-confidence vote.q

Key Thai political party eyes elections with new leaders

By KAWEEWIT KAEWJINDA hundred party members,
Associated Press all wearing dark suits.
BANGKOK (AP) — The main “We are now getting ready
political party that will op- for the elections,” Viroj told
pose Thailand’s ruling mili- reporters. Pheu Thai, un-
tary government voted in der different name varia-
new leadership on Sunday tions, has won every elec-
as it prepares for elections tion since it was founded
scheduled for early next in 1998 by telecoms tycoon
year. It was the first time Thaksin Shinawatra. Its ad-
the Pheu Thai party had of- ministrations have since
ficially convened with all its been overthrown twice by
members since Thailand’s military coups, first in 2006,
military overthrew a Pheu when Thaksin was ousted
Thai-led government from as prime minister, and most
office in a 2014 coup and recently in May 2014, when
introduced a ban on politi- Members of Thailand’s Pheu Thai party pose on stage with clenched fists during a gathering in the current military govern-
cal gatherings of over five Bangkok, Thailand Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018. ment ousted his sister Yin-
people. The ban was par- Associated Press gluck Shinawatra from of-
tially lifted last month to al- Pheu Thai named 86-year- leader, while Phumtham The meeting where the fice after sometimes violent
low political parties to con- old senior party member Vechayaychai keeps his leadership votes were cast political demonstrations on
duct basic functions. Viroj Pao-in as its official role as secretary-general. was attended by several Bangkok’s streets. q