UN UNABLE TO SEND OBSERVERS FOR SRI LANKAN ELECTIONS

The United Nations said it is unable to meet a request by Sri Lankato send observers for the Jan. 26 presidential election because of time constraints.

“In the light of the limited lead time available, and since, as per practice, the United Nations election observation requires a mandate from the General Assembly” the UN won’t provide observers, Martin Nesirky, a spokesman for Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon said in New York.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa called the election two years before his mandate expires as he bids to capitalize on his government defeating the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in May, ending a 26-year fight for a separate Tamil homeland. The U.K.last month said Sri Lankamust ensure the ballot covers all communities, including Tamils in the north and east.

The leading challenger to 64-year-old Rajapaksa is opposition candidate General Sarath Fonseka, the former army chief who led the battle against the Tigers. Fonseka, 59, this week won backing from the Tamil National Alliance, which holds 22 seats in the 225-member parliament.

Sri Lanka’s first election in recent history to be held in a unitary state will be free and fair, Cabinet spokesman Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said last month. Parliamentary elections will follow some time before April.

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STUDENTS SURROUND ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING AT J’PURA

A tense situation has broken out at the Jayawardenapura University after a group of students surrounded an administrative building. The students have reportedly surrounded Vice Chancellor N.L.A. Karunaratna ’ s office building following an announcement that he will not be issuing Mahapola scholarships.

PayPal wants report from Sri Lanka: Sampath, three other banks to introduce service

Though the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) was first to introduce PayPal to Sri Lanka through the Sampath Bank, it is revealed that three other banks too have been now earmarked by the CBSL. A senior official from the CBSL told AdaderanaBiz, “We were to first introduce PayPal through the Sampath Bank. However, we now plan to introduce this service to the country through four banks. We also plan to gradually involve the rest of the banks in the country.” While the CBSL is discussing with the PayPal branch in India to introduce the service to Sri Lanka, PayPal’s Indian arm has reportedly requested a report on Sri Lanka’s exports. The senior CBSL official told AdaderanaBiz that they would be submitting such a report and hence the introduction of PayPal to Sri Lanka would face a slight delay. Though cash cannot be remitted to Sri Lanka through the world renowned PayPal money transfer service sending money from Sri Lanka is possible even now.

Sexy reality star arrested for ‘filming sex tape with businessman and blackmailing him

A REALITY star is accused of making a sex tape with a wealthy businessman and trying to blackmail him with it. Serbian TV personality Anabela Scekic, 39, has been held for blackmail after allegedly filming a sex session with a 34-year-old named only as N.N. Scekic, also nicknamed Tigrica (tigress), was arrested along with 23-year-old Tijana S. and 41-year-old Radovan L. The two women were accused of demanding €20,000 (£17,770) from the Belgrade businessman as Radovan L. allegedly masterminded the operation. A police source said they threatened to post the videos online if he didn’t hand over the money. They added: “N.N. accepted their request but said he would give them the money in four instalments.

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