Opposition leads in Sri Lanka poll

Colombo - Sri Lanka's opposition People's Alliance took an early lead today in parliamentary polls, winning in eight of the island's 160 electoral precincts, according to early unofficial returns. Official sources said the Alliance was leading in two more of the precincts, from which the 225 members of parliament will be chosen. The ruling United National Party had won two, sources said. The authorities imposed a nationwide curfew to avoid political violence while votes from yesterday's parliamentary election were counted, but threats of sabotage by Tamil separatists failed to materialise. Reuter