Who is leftist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Sri Lanka’s newly elected president
Politics

Who is leftist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Sri Lanka’s newly elected president

Politics tamfitronics Anura Kumara Dissanayake has emerged as Sri Lanka’s newly elected president, securing 42% of the vote in the country's first election since the 2022 economic collapse. The 55-year-old leader of the National People’s Power (NPP) coalition defeated his main rival, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, who garnered 23% of the vote, while outgoing President Ranil Wickremesinghe trailed in third. The election witnessed a high voter turnout, with 76% of Sri Lanka’s 17.1 million electorate participating in what is seen as a crucial vote for the country's future.Politics tamfitronics Anura Kumara Journey: From Student Activist to Political LeaderBorn in Thambuttegama, around 100 kilometers from Colombo, on November 24, 1968, Dissanayake’s political career began during his student days in the late 1980s. He joined the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a Marxist political party that led an...
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What the papers say – September 23
Politics

What the papers say – September 23

Politics tamfitronics The Monday papers mostly cover the Chancellor’s upcoming speech to the Labour conference in Liverpool.The Telegraph reports Rachel Reeves will warn Britain faces economic “ruin” unless public finances are stabilised.The i says the Chancellor will promise a difficult Budget next month will help economic growth.She will also hail Britain’s “immense” potential, according to The Times and Financial Times.The Daily Express leads with union backlash to Labour’s plans to strip winter fuel payments from 10 million pensioners.The Chancellor is set to promise action to tackle tax dodgers and claw back money from flawed Covid-era contracts, reports the Daily Mirror and The Guardian respectively.Elsewhere, the Daily Mail says Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner billed taxpayers for a photographer.The Sun reports Strictly Come Dancing has recorded the lowest viewing figures for the first live show of...
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Sri Lankans reject political establishment and vote for left-wing change in historic presidential election
Politics

Sri Lankans reject political establishment and vote for left-wing change in historic presidential election

Politics tamfitronics Sri Lankans elect Marxist candidate in historic presidential voteMarxist candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake has won Sri Lanka’s first presidential election since the country’s 2022 economic collapse. Dissanayake has promised to champion the country’s poor and rein in the power of wealthy elites. At podium after podium during Sri Lanka's presidential election campaign, Anura Kumara Dissanayake talked of the change he would bring to his debt-ridden country, which is mired in a fragile economic recovery."We will defeat those who use the influence of their family, their wealth, the influence of government," he told a large crowd on the last day rallies were allowed ahead of Saturday's vote."All will be defeated by the power of the people."That message against the established political order, accused of corruption and mismanaging funds, resonated deeply with millions of...
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