<p>The Sri Lankan president, Maithripala Sirisena today called for a cross party conference to discuss a way forward to the island's ongoing political crisis. </p>
<p>The conference is expected to be held tomorrow at the Presidential Secreteriat. </p>
<p>It is not known which parties will send representatives. </p>
<p>Sri Lanka has been at a state of political turmoil for several weeks following the president's sacking of the prime minister last month and the appointment of the former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new premier.</p>
<p>Parliament was initially prorogued then dissolved before the Supreme Court intervened resulting in parliamentary sittings over the past two days which have been marred with violence. <br>
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A former Sri Lankan military officer has been arrested after he reportedly raped a…