War looms in Sri Lanka as politician assassinated

A prominent Tamil politician was assassinated in the Sri Lankan capital today and naval attack on two Tamil Tiger boats left six rebels dead, officials said - acts appearing to draw the South Asian country closer to full-scale war.

Nadaraja Raviraj, a member of the Tamil National Alliance, was leaving his house in Colombo when he was approached and shot at close range, said K Sivajilingam, a fellow member of Parliament. Raviraj’s bodyguard was also killed.