Polling for presidential election opens in Sri Lanka

Amid tight security, polling for Sri Lanka's presidential elections opened on Tuesday morning in the first national election to be held in the country since the defeat of the Tamil rebels of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in May. Incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa, representing the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), faces former Army commander, General Sarath Fonseka, who has come forward as a common opposition candidate, backed by four leading political parties. Meanwhile, Residents echo hopes of peace and better economic conditions with the new leader.