World News from the BBC.

The former Sri Lanka President Chandrika Kumaratunga has pledged support for the main opposition candidate in Tuesday's fiercely contested presidential election. Ms. Kumaratunga, a member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party of President Mahinda Rajapaksa said she was deeply concerned about violence during the campaign and urged her supporters to vote for the former army general Sarath Fonseka. Electron Neil Smith has more.

The endorsement of Chandrika Kumaratunga is seen as a big boost for General Fonseka. Her comments that she’s deeply concerned about violence, intimidation and corruption during the election campaign combined with her urging her supporters to vote for the opposition implies that the government is responsible. It's unclear whether her endorsement will be translated into votes, but her family does have loyal support among the Sri Lankan Freedom Party which her father, a former Prime Minister founded.

Life is slowly returning to normal in the central Nigerian city of Jos with people emerging from their homes a week after clashes between Christians and Muslims, left hundreds dead. The authorities in Plateau State have refused to be drawn on how many people were killed but some reports said the number could be in excess of 300. Jos has been a focus of religious violence.

A US airliner on a flight to Las Vegas had to be diverted when a passenger trying to open an emergency exit in mid flight. Police said he'd been drinking large amounts of alcohol and taking pills. Reports say the man made his way towards one of the emergency exits, carrying a brown paperbag. Fellow passengers then wrestled him to the ground and kept him pinned there until he was arrested by the police on arrival at Denver.