Sri Lanka’s parliament passed a no-confidence motion against newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his government on Wednesday, opposition lawmakers said, throwing the country deeper into crisis.

The move comes a day after the Supreme Court overturned a presidential decree dissolving the legislature and calling for snap elections.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya ruled that a majority of the 225-member assembly supported a no-confidence motion against Rajapaksa, 72, who was appointed prime minister on October 26 in place of Ranil Wickremesinghe.

I rule that this House does not have confidence in the government (of Rajapaksa)

Karu Jayasuriya, the Speaker

“The ayes have it,” the Speaker announced over his public address system  “I rule that this House does not have confidence in the government (of Rajapaksa).”

Opposition leader R Sambanthan told Reuters that the motion presented by an opposition party was taken to a voice vote and had the majority support.

Chaotic scenes

Amid chaotic scenes, Rajapaksa, a former controversial president, and his legislator son Namal walked out of the chamber just before the Speaker called for a vote.

Members of Parliament loyal to Rajapaksa attempted to grab the mace, the symbol of authority of the legislature, to disrupt the vote, but Jayasuriya went ahead.

The result does not automatically mean that Wickremesinghe, whose United National Party (UNP) is the biggest in parliament, has won the constitutional showdown.

President Maithripala Sirisena retains the power to choose the next prime minister.

Sirisena’s October 26 decision has left the South Asian island nation with two prime ministers, with Wickremesinghe holed up in the official residence and refusing to step down.

The UNP had “vehemently” rejected the sacking of the parliament and demanded a House vote to prove that the deposed leader still had the backing of at least 113 legislators.

The United States, European Union and other members of the international community have raised concerns over the crisis.

Only China has recognised the appointment of Rajapaksa, who during his decade as president until 2015 relied heavily on Beijing for diplomatic and financial support.

SOURCE:
Al Jazeera and news agencies

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“Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” may be a decade old, but Beyoncé‘s finger-wagging anthem hasn’t lost its shine for Felicity Jones. It is now confirmed that the actress has used the hit to inspire two of her most high-profile, kick-ass roles: the fictional heroine Jyn Erso in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and the real-life icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the upcoming On the Basis of Sex.

Jones first discussed her love for Beyoncé in an interview with E! News in 2016, calling “Single Ladies” her favorite tune — “Jyn’s a single lady,” she reasoned — and saying she used Queen Bey as her character guide. “I think she’s someone who has incredible power and is devoted to what she does, but she also seems like a very nice person,” Jones said. “I think that’s very important to emulate.”

Almost two years later, the actress’s On the Basis of Sex co-star Cailee Spaeny revealed that Jones was still finding inspiration in the 2008 hit while “trying to loosen up” before her scenes as RBG. “We tried to replicate all the moves just to get all the jitters out,” Spaeny told The Hollywood Reporter.

Of course, Jones associating Beyoncé with her most empowering roles makes sense — it was Bey who declared girls “run this motha” and who regularly inserts female-centric words and symbols into her performances. Given Bey’s vocal stance on feminism, it stands to reason that she’d happily lend her art to others spreading the same message of power to girls everywhere.

News of Jones’s undying admiration for Bey dropped on Tuesday (November 13), the same day as the second trailer for On the Basis of Sex arrived. Check out her Beyoncé-fueled performance in the preview below.

Sri Lanka v England live – second Test, day one – Live – BBC Sport

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We know, you miss your headphone jack.

Like other smartphones, the Essential Phone has done away with the feature, but the company has just launched its long-touted external headphone adapter and DAC, which magnetically snaps on to the back of your phone.

And it ain’t cheap: The Audio Adapter HD will set you back an eye-watering $149.

To be fair, Essential’s adapter doesn’t claim to be like the other plasticky dongles, which are a fraction of the price.

Essential claims its titanium adapter “sports an audiophile-grade amp that can drive audiophile-grade headphones” thus providing “studio quality audio performance.” 

At the time of writing, the accessory has sold out, with stock to be replenished next week. It’s a different outcome to Essential’s first phone, the PH-1, which sold poorly following delays.

Still, Essential is reportedly working on a new phone which will be controlled entirely by your voice, which it is looking to unveil next year at CES. 

Phnom Penh, Cambodia – Vang Tam, 65, is in little doubt over what he would do if he ever encountered the Khmer Rouge responsible for the death of his parents and four siblings in the 1970s.

“Even if I died, I would take his head off. I’d do whatever,” he shouts, dragging on a cigarette inside his floating home on Cambodia’s Tonle Sap river.

“Our ancestors were executed near the mountains, I was the only one not killed.”

Tam is an ethnic Vietnamese fisherman who was born in Cambodia. Like hundreds of thousands of others, he was evacuated to Vietnam soon after the Maoists under Pol Pot took control of Cambodia, but many of his family stayed behind.

When he returned home in 1980, after the Vietnamese had overthrown the Khmer Rouge, he discovered about 40 of his family were dead.

Those who hadn’t been executed had died from overwork or starvation.

On Friday, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), better known as the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, will hand down its verdict on whether the regime’s “Brother Number Two,” Nuon Chea, 92, and its head of state, Khieu Samphan, 87, committed genocide against ethnic Vietnamese and Cham Muslims, another minority.

Judges will also rule on whether the two men are guilty of crimes against humanity related to prisons, worksites, forced marriages and sexual violence.

The court sentenced both men to life terms in 2014 for crimes against humanity for their role in the forced evacuation of cities soon after the Khmer Rouge took power.

Accountability

Friday’s decision comes with the tribunal facing widespread criticism for lengthy delays, government interference, and corruption.

While some argue the court has delivered long-awaited justice for victims, others have labelled the process a waste of time and money with convictions against only three people in 12 years.

Opinion was split among Cham and ethnic Vietnamese survivors of the regime interviewed by Al Jazeera. Many know nothing about the tribunal.

Sa Rom Ly, 62, a Cham who managed to survive mass purges in Kampong Cham by pretending he was ethnically Khmer, said he was sure the Khmer Rouge attempted to wipe out his people – something prosecutors have been attempting to prove.

“The Khmer Rouge wanted to get rid of Cham because of our religion,” he said, adding he supported the tribunal.

“We are happy that the ECCC held a trial of the senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge because it can help hold them accountable for their actions,” he said.

“They deserve to be punished because they were the ones who ordered the regional chiefs to execute people and they followed their orders. If not, they would be killed too.”

Talking after prayers at a mosque in Phnom Penh’s Russei Keo district, Kop Math, 64, recounted similar brutality meted out to Chams in Battambang after they had been evacuated from the capital.

“My father sneaked away to pray but they spotted him and took him away to be killed,” said Math, who lost 16 of his 20 close family members.

Math, who visited the tribunal twice during the genocide segment, said he believed the court was delivering true justice to the victims, but he wanted to see more people in the dock.

“I think they should bring regional commanders to justice … but we don’t want the lower levels. If we demand [the lower levels] to be brought to justice this could result in confrontation,” he said.

Looking for justice

Down a winding alley that runs alongside the Mekong River, El Los, 72, explained how he lost all his parents and siblings after being told they had been taken away on a boat and executed in Kampong Cham.

Los said he knew nothing of the tribunal but that all Khmer Rouge, from top to bottom, should be made to pay for their crimes.

“We really want to find justice but where are they? We are suffering but what can we do?” he said. “The lower levels point and say they were following orders – but all should be held accountable.”

Prime Minister Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge commander who helped overthrow Pol Pot after defecting to Vietnam, has been vocal in his opposition to further trials, claiming it could plunge Cambodia back into civil war.

Both Cambodian and international judges sit in the court and both sides have to agree on decisions. Local judges and prosecutors have been accused of being under the influence of the government, especially in ongoing investigations of mid-ranking former Khmer Rouge.

The fact such a small number from the regime have been brought to justice is a common frustration among many Cham survivors, explained Farina So, principal deputy director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia and author of The Hijab of Cambodia.

The Cham researcher said although the tribunal – particularly the genocide case – was important to many Cham, creating public forums for dialogue between victims and perpetrators and their children was vital in helping communities reconcile.

“It’s also effective because you need to get things out of the court and into the community. Then they can discuss openly without fear,” So said.

‘Just a show’

Back on the Tonle Sap river, barely any of the 15 ethnic Vietnamese interviewed said they knew about the tribunal.

“Nobody talks about it. I have no idea what this court is,” said Chroeng Yan, whose father was clubbed to death by a Khmer Rouge soldier.

Vang Tam, one of the few who was aware of the court, was scathing in his analysis.

“It’s just a show, it’s meaningless,” he said.

His friend sitting next to him, Veeng Thhan Yoeng, 65, interjected.

“About 40 of my relatives were killed… I don’t think we can get justice,” he said. “We want to see more on trial.”

As three devastating wildfires continue to blaze throughout California, Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth are speaking out about losing the Malibu home they shared together.

On Tuesday (November 13), Hemsworth took to Instagram to share a chilling photo of the damage, with the burned remains of the letters “L-O-V-E” that once adorned the space.

“It’s been a heartbreaking few days. This is what’s left of my house. Love,” the actor wrote. “Many people in Malibu and surrounding areas in California have lost their homes also and my heart goes out to everyone who was affected by these fires. I spent the day in Malibu yesterday and it was amazing to see the community pulling together to help each other out in any way they can. Malibu is a strong community and this event is only going to make it stronger.”

On his Instagram Story, the 28-year-old added a before-and-after look at the “L-O-V-E” letters.

Hemsworth also expressed his gratitude to the firefighters who continue to battle the blaze, and encouraged his followers to donate to relief efforts. According to the Associated Press, the couple are also donating $500,000 to The Malibu Foundation through Cyrus’s own Happy Hippie Foundation to “restore Malibu’s magic.”

Cyrus echoed her fiancé’s sentiments in her own series of tweets late Sunday night, writing, “Completely devastated by the fires affecting my community. I am one of the lucky ones. My animals and LOVE OF MY LIFE made it out safely & that’s all that matters right now. My house no longer stands but the memories shared with family & friends stand strong. I am grateful for all I have left.”

Deadly fires began tearing through California late last week, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes and leaving at least 42 people dead. Cyrus and Hemsworth, along with their pets, were among many celebrities — including Gerard Butler and Neil Young — who safely evacuated but sadly lost their homes.

Find out how you can take action and help those affected by the wildfires.

Everton defender Michael Keane says last season’s difficult campaign left him reluctant to leave the house.

Keane, who has four international caps, has been called into the England squad by manager Gareth Southgate for the first time in more than a year.

The 25-year-old joined the Toffees for £25m in July 2017, but struggled for form as the club went through three managers in his first season.

“When you’ve had a bad game, you don’t want to go out for dinner,” said Keane.

“I’ve never been out when people have shouted abuse at me. But there were a few months when things were going really badly and I did not really want to go and do things out of the house.”

Keane has made the England squad for their next two matches, both at Wembley, against the United States in a friendly on Thursday, and Croatia in the Nations League on Sunday.

The centre-back, who made his England debut in the 1-0 defeat by Germany in March 2017, last appeared for his country against Lithuania in October 2017.

His recall has come after a difficult early spell at Everton in the wake of his transfer from Burnley.

Keane was signed by Dutchman Ronald Koeman, who was sacked in October 2017 and replaced on a caretaker basis by David Unsworth, the club’s Under-23s coach.

Former England boss Sam Allardyce agreed in late November to take charge, leading the Merseyside club to an eighth-placed league finish before leaving in May this year.

Keane said: “It is really sad when managers get sacked and they talk to you for the last time and you see how visibly upset they are.

“That gets to you and makes you feel guilty and you want to make sure it does not happen again. We had three managers in the end and it was difficult: All the change constantly happening.

“Although it wasn’t a great year, I took a lot from it.

“I learned a lot about myself. I’m probably mentally stronger and developed that thick skin because a lot gets said about you when things aren’t going well.

“You’ve just got to learn to deal with it and try to not let it affect you and that’s something I can take from it. Now I can sit here in the England camp and says I’ve come through that.”

Image: DAVID MCNEW/AFP/Getty Images

Elon Musk could soon need a lemon wedge for a salty trademark battle with Mexico’s tequila industry.

The founder and CEO of Tesla announced a new brand of tequila called “Teslaquila” in October, vaguely tweeting it was “coming soon.”

But it may not be that straightforward for Musk if the intensely no-nonsense Mexican tequila industry has anything to say about it. 

According to Reuters, the billionaire’s attempts to trademark the word “Teslaquila” with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office are being opposed by Mexico’s Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT). 

The national industry group, which works to protect the prestige of the agave-based spirit, said the “name ‘Teslaquila’ evokes the word Tequila … (and) Tequila is a protected word.” 

According to the trademark application filed by Tesla, “Teslaquila” has been described as a “distilled agave liquor.” Reuters reports that similar applications have been filed in Mexico itself, as well as the European Union and Jamaica.

Run by the Mexican Government, the CRT takes tequila very seriously. In fact, their main mission is to maintain producer compliance with the official Mexican standard for tequila, and that includes incredibly strict adherence to rules of origin. 

Like Champagne in France, to pass the official standard, and to legally use the name “tequila,” the spirit must be made in the Mexican states of Jalisco, Guanajuato, Tamaulipas, Michoacan, or Nayarit. 

And yes, U.S. federal law stipulates that tequila sold in the U.S, manufactured in Mexico, must comply with the country’s strict tequila manufacturing laws.

That’s not to say Musk won’t adhere to these requirements – in fact, there are limited details on “Teslaquila” so far, with Musk merely tweeting a “visual approximation” of what a bottle of the spirit could look like.

Though, if Musk’s supremely keen on using the word “Teslaquila” for the spirit, he’ll need to play ball with Mexico’s government-appointed tequila guardians. 

Hey, it could be very worth it — just look at George Clooney‘s profits.