Sri Lanka parliamentary elections 2024: What’s at stake?
Sri Lankans will cast ballots in a snap parliamentary election on Thursday, months after electing a Marxist-leaning president in the Indian island nation’s first election since the 2022 economic meltdown and political crisis. The election was called by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who won the September election after blaming the country’s traditional ruling elite for the economic collapse that led to the country defaulting on its loans. Dissanayake’s National People’s Power (NPP) alliance has just three seats in the outgoing parliament, but opinion polls give the bloc an edge over parties that have ruled the island nation since its independence in 1948. Here’s a look at the significance of the elections and how they could affect Dissanayake’s political vision for the country of 22 million. What time does the election start in Sri Lanka? Polls open between 7am (01:30 GMT) and 4pm (10:30 GMT) local time. How do parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka work? An independent body called the Election Commission of Sri Lanka (ECSL) oversees the election. There are 225 seats in the unicameral parliament, and all of them are up for grabs this election. All members are elected for a five-year term. But 29 out of 225 seats are decided indirectly through a national list. Each party or independent group contesting the election submits a list of candidates for the national list. The number of national list candidates for each party is chosen based on the number of votes they win. Retired commissioner-general of elections, MM Mohamed, explained the process to the local publication, EconomyNext, in 2020. According to the publication, the formula applied for the number of national list candidates for a party is: the number of votes won by the party divided by the number of total votes cast, multiplied by 29. A party needs to secure 113 seats to secure a win in the parliament. There are 17 million registered voters out of Sri Lanka’s 22 million population, according to the ECSL. Voting will be conducted at 13,421 polling stations across the country, according to the ECSL. Votes are cast with paper ballots, and voters are required to show valid identification, such as a National Identity Card (NIC), passport, driving licence, senior citizens identity card, government pensioners’ identity card or identity card issued to clergy. Police, army and other public servants who cannot cast their votes in person on election day vote through postal ballots in advance. What’s at stake? Dissanayake, who has been critical of the “old political guard”, has pledged to abolish the country’s executive presidency, a system under which power is largely centralised under the president. The executive presidency, which first came into existence under President JR Jayawardene in 1978, has been widely criticised in the country for years, but no political party, once in power, has scrapped it until now. The system has in recent years been blamed by critics for the country’s economic and political crises. Dissanayake has promised to fight corruption and end austerity measures imposed by his predecessor, Ranil Wickremesinghe, as part of the bailout deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). “At stake is the ability of newly-elected President Dissanayake to pursue the ambitious agenda that won him election in September,” Alan Keenan, a senior consultant on Sri Lanka for the Belgium-based think tank International Crisis Group, told Al Jazeera. Dissanayake’s NPP alliance would need a parliamentary majority to pass laws and requires a two-thirds majority to bring constitutional amendments. He played an active role in the 2022 protests against former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s rule. Tens of thousands took to the streets when inflation skyrocketed and a foreign exchange crisis led to fuel and food shortages. Rajapaksa was forced to flee, after which Ranil Wickremesinghe took over as president. He lifted the country out of bankruptcy but at a cost to the common people. Wickremesinghe’s $2.9bn IMF deal led to a rise in the cost of living for Sri Lankans. He was also criticised for protecting the Rajapaksa family – a charge he has denied. “The people have great expectations for ‘system change’, including holding politicians accountable for corruption. But there is also a major debate happening about the economic trajectory,” Devaka Gunawardena, a political economist and research fellow at the Social Scientists’ Association in Sri Lanka, told Al Jazeera. “The question is whether Sri Lanka can get itself out of the debt trap while protecting people’s livelihoods, which have been devastated by the crisis and austerity,” he said. While Dissanayake was critical of the IMF deal and campaigned to restructure the deal, he has since announced – especially after an October meeting with a visiting team from the international lender – to stick to the deal. He has, however, sought “alternative means” to the severe austerity measures introduced by Wickremesinghe, and told the IMF team that his government would aim to provide relief to those Sri Lankans who have been worst affected by increased taxes. “This election is also about whether the NPP can consolidate its electoral gains in order to explore alternatives, such as redistribution and a shift towards local production,” Gunawardena said. Which parties hold seats in the current Sri Lankan parliament? In the current parliament, which was elected in 2020: The right-wing Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), also known as the Sri Lanka People’s Front of the Rajapaksa family, holds a majority with 145 of the 225 seats. The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) of leader Sajith Premadasa holds 54 seats. The Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), the largest Tamil party, has 10 seats. Dissanayake’s NPP has only three seats. Other smaller parties hold the remaining 13 seats. Dissanayake dissolved this parliament on September 24 this year. Which party is expected to win the parliament? Political analysts predict that Dissanayake’s NPP would win a majority, having gained popularity since the presidential election. “The NPP is almost certain to do well – the only question is how well. Most observers – and the limited polls available – suggest they will win a majority,” Keenan, from the
FBI raids home of Polymarket CEO
CEO Shayne Coplan accuses Biden administration of targeting company over its perceived political associations. Authorities in the United States have raided the home of the chief executive of Polymarket, a betting platform that drew widespread attention for strongly favouring Donald Trump to win the presidential election. The Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant on CEO Shayne Coplan at his Manhattan home on Wednesday. The New York Post, which first reported the raid, said that Coplan, 26, was roused from bed at 6am by federal agents who demanded he turn over his phone and other electronic devices. In a post on X, Coplan accused the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden of making a “last-ditch effort to go after companies they deem to be associated with political opponents”. “We are deeply committed to being non-partisan, and today is no different, but the incumbents should do some self-reflecting and recognise that taking a more pro-business, pro-startup approach may be what would have changed their fate this election,” Coplan said. Coplan added that Polymarket had provided “value” to tens of millions of people during the election campaign, while “causing harm to nobody”. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The raid drew sharp criticism from a number of prominent figures in the tech world. “What the f**** is wrong with this administration,” Brian Armstrong, the CEO of the cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, said in a post on X, using an expletive. “This will backfire – they just made Polymarket even more powerful.” Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who is set to co-lead a Department of Government Efficiency in Trump’s incoming administration, also weighed in, writing on X: “This seems messed up”. Founded in 2020, Polymarket allows users to place bets on upcoming events ranging from election outcomes to sport results and weather patterns. Polymarket blocked US users in 2022 after reaching a $1.4m settlement for failing to register with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, though it is possible to get around the ban by accessing the site using a VPN. The platform gained attention ahead of the election after giving Trump strong odds of beating Vice President Kamala Harris, despite opinion polls showing the race to be a dead heat. Adblock test (Why?)
Chennai Rains: IMD predicts heavy showers for 2 days in Tamil Nadu; Are schools, colleges closed today?
The city experienced heavy rainfall on Wednesday night, and the IMD bulletin indicates that several isolated areas of the capital are expected to see heavy downpours on Thursday.
Kerala lottery TODAY November 14: Karunya Plus KN- 547 result to be OUT at 3 PM, know how to check full winners list
The Kerala Lottery Result for Karunya Plus KN 547 is set to be drawn today (November 14, 2024). The draw is scheduled to be held at Gorky Bhavan near Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram. The public can view the Winning Number post at 2.55 pm during the Kerala Lottery Today live broadcast.
Fetterman rips Gaetz pick: ‘God tier kind of trolling just to trigger a meltdown’
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., described President-elect Trump’s choice of Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as his next attorney general as a “God tier kind of trolling.” Speaking with reporters, Fetterman acknowledged some of Trump’s picks were good but stopped short of putting Gaetz in that category. “It’s just kind of like a God tier kind of trolling just to trigger a meltdown,” he said. “But, really, the Dems’ opinions on Gaetz, that’s not really what’s interesting. The good ones are going to come by my colleagues on the other side, the GOP, on how they can justify voting for that j— off.” TED CRUZ GETS BEHIND RICK SCOTT FOR LEADER IN BLOW TO FELLOW TEXAN JOHN CORNYN Aside from Gaetz, Trump has nominated Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., to serve as secretary of state and Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., for ambassador to the United Nations. Those were serious picks, Fetterman said. He also noted that Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., served as attorney general of Missouri before being elected to Congress. “He would have been a solid pick. And then you put out someone like that,” Fetterman said of Gaetz’s selection. “That’s just nothing but trolling. The interesting answers are going to come from my colleagues on the GOP that they’re going to vote or justify voting for that mess.” Gaetz could face an uphill battle to get confirmed by the Senate. REPUBLICANS TO HUDDLE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS TO ELECT MCCONNELL’S SUCCESSOR WEDNESDAY “He will never get confirmed,” a Republican senator, granted anonymity to speak freely, told Fox News Digital. Another Senate Republican source said, “Ain’t gonna happen.” Gaetz resigned from the House of Representatives Wednesday after Trump announced his nomination. The House Ethics investigation is investigating Gaetz over allegations of sexual misconduct, illicit drug use and accepting improper gifts. Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., who chairs the Ethics Committee, said that “once a member is no longer a member of Congress, then ethics has no jurisdiction. So, if Matt Gaetz were to be appointed as the attorney general, the ethics investigation [which] is currently ongoing would cease at that point.” In addition to the ethics investigation, Gaetz was at one point being investigated by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in a yearslong probe into sex trafficking allegations. Last year, Gaetz’s office said the DOJ ended its investigation and determined he would not be charged with any crimes. Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind, Julia Johnson and Kelly Phares contributed to his report.
Trump taps foreign policy hawk Marco Rubio to lead US State Department
Putting an end to days of speculation, United States President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Florida Senator Marco Rubio to lead the State Department under the incoming administration. The choice of his former political rival had been rumoured for days and signals the new administration’s commitment to a hawkish foreign policy. A Cuban American known for his hardline views on China and staunch support for Israel, Rubio would be the first Hispanic American to serve as Washington’s top diplomat if confirmed to the role. “Marco is a Highly Respected Leader, and a very powerful Voice for Freedom,” Trump wrote in a statement announcing his choice on Wednesday. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries.” In a post on X, Rubio said that he is honoured “by the trust President Trump has placed in me”. “Under the leadership of President Trump we will deliver peace through strength and always put the interests of Americans and America above all else,” he added. Leading the U.S. Department of State is a tremendous responsibility and I am honored by the trust President Trump has placed in me. As Secretary of State, I will work every day to carry out his foreign policy agenda. Under the leadership of President Trump we will deliver peace… — Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 13, 2024 Trump also tapped former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to serve as director of national intelligence, a powerful position that sits atop the nation’s spy agencies and acts as the president’s top intelligence adviser. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our intelligence community, championing our constitutional rights and securing peace through strength,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard is a veteran who served for more than two decades in the Army National Guard and was deployed to Iraq and Kuwait. But she does not have the typical intelligence experience of past officeholders. She sought the Democratic nomination for president in 2020 on a progressive platform and her opposition to US involvement in foreign military conflicts. After leaving the Democratic Party, she became increasingly critical of President Joe Biden and his administration and grew popular among conservatives, often appearing on far-right TV and radio shows, where she became known for supporting isolationist policies and showing disdain for “wokeness”. President-elect Donald Trump and former US Representative Tulsi Gabbard embrace, joined by Tucker Carlson, onstage at a campaign event sponsored by conservative group Turning Point USA [Carlos Barria/ Reuters] From ‘Little Marco’ to Secretary of State Since his election to the Senate in 2010, Rubio has staked out a reputation for holding hawkish views on US adversaries such as China, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba. He has also staunchly backed Israel’s war in Gaza, telling a peace activist last year that Hamas was “100 percent to blame” for the deaths of Palestinians in the enclave. “I want them to destroy every element of Hamas they can get their hands on,” Rubio said in a confrontation with Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin in December. “These people are vicious animals who did horrifying crimes, and I hope you guys post that because that’s my position.” Rubio currently serves on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committee on Foreign Relations. His relationship with Trump has shifted significantly since the two first faced off in the 2016 presidential primary, and Rubio appears to have adapted his views on issues such as the war in Ukraine and immigration policies to Trump’s. In 2016, Trump famously mocked Rubio’s physical stature, branding him “Little Marco”. For his part, Rubio derided his rival, calling him “Small Hands Trump”. Compared to his soon-to-be boss, Rubio is more of a traditional interventionist when it comes to foreign policy, advocating for a muscular approach to foreign conflicts while Trump’s foreign policy has focused on avoiding military interventions abroad. This has, at times, moved Rubio to publicly criticise Trump’s foreign policy, including in 2019 when he accused the then-president of “abandoning” the US military effort in Syria before it was “completely finished”. Rubio heads a group of like-minded Cuban Americans in Congress seeking to prod US foreign policy in Latin America in a more conservative direction. “The tyrants in Havana, Caracas and Managua will not sleep today,” wrote a fellow Cuban American Republican from Miami, Representative Carlos Gimenez, in a post on X. “Their days are numbered. Their time is up.” Aligning with Trump However, in recent years, experts said, Rubio has softened his stance to fall in line with Trump. “Rubio is a flexible and pragmatic politician who has accommodated himself to the rise of President Trump,” Paul Musgrave, an associate professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar, told Al Jazeera. In the initial months after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, for instance, Rubio took to social media to fervently rally support for Ukraine among Americans. He labelled Russian President Vladimir Putin “a killer” and questioned his mental health – a significant departure from Trump’s at times deferential approach to the Russian leader. In recent interviews, Rubio has suggested Ukraine needs to seek “a negotiated settlement” with Russia, and he was one of 15 Republican senators to vote against a military aid package for Ukraine that passed in April. But some Trump loyalists view Rubio with suspicion. Al Jazeera’s Shihab Rattansi reported that there has been an “uproar” among some of the president-elect’s staunchest supporters over Rubio’s appointment. “He’s seen with great suspicion among the Trump base, but at the same time, he’s certainly charmed Donald Trump,” Rattansi said. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump picks loyalist Matt Gaetz of Florida as US attorney general
United States President-elect Donald Trump has announced that Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz, 42, will serve as his attorney general, a role that doubles as the country’s top prosecutor and the head of the Department of Justice. Trump announced the nomination in a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, citing Gaetz’s background as a lawyer and as a member of the House Judiciary Committee. He also indicated that Gaetz’s nomination would be part of his agenda to rout the government of perceived rivals. Trump has long accused Democrats of “weaponising” the Justice Department against him, an allegation he revisited in Wednesday’s announcement. “Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System,” Trump wrote in his statement. “Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department.” A Trump loyalist, Gaetz celebrated his nomination on social media, calling it an “an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General”. Earlier in the day, the US representative also echoed the president-elect’s remarks about perceived bias in the government. “We ought to have a full court press against this WEAPONIZED government that has been turned against our people,” Gaetz wrote. “And if that means ABOLISHING every one of the three letter agencies, from the FBI to the ATF, I’m ready to get going!” A fractious choice Gaetz’s ascent to the post, however, is by no means assured. As a nominee for a cabinet-level post, the firebrand Gaetz will have to pass what is sure to be a contentious confirmation vote in the US Senate. Republicans will take control of the Senate in January, but many in the party view the far-right Gaetz as an unlikeable careerist. Gaetz took a central role in splintering the Republican Party last October when he led an effort to topple former Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The ouster triggered weeks of uncertainty in the House, which struggled to elect a replacement for McCarthy. While Gaetz portrayed himself as an anti-establishment insurgent willing to take on powerful forces within his own party, some Republicans viewed McCarthy’s ejection as a publicity stunt meant to elevate Gaetz’s profile. One of his fellow Republicans from Florida, Representative Carlos Gimenez, even told the publication Politico that Gaetz is politically isolated even in his own home state. “Gaetz maybe has a couple of friends in the delegation,” Gimenez said in 2023. “But I’m not one of them.” Trump’s priorities But Gaetz’s selection as attorney general is the latest indicator of the ideas and priorities that could define Trump’s second term in office. On the campaign trail, Trump frequently spoke of retribution against political rivals and officials who criticised him or refused his demands, including some related to his efforts to illegitimately overturn his loss in the 2020 election. “Well, revenge does take time. I will say that,” Trump told TV host Phil McGraw in June. “And sometimes revenge can be justified, Phil. I have to be honest.” Trump has also frequently bashed the Department of Justice for its role in pursuing two of the four criminal indictments he faced. Led by Special Counsel Jack Smith, federal prosecutors charged Trump with crimes related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election and his refusal to surrender classified documents after leaving the White House in 2021. In response, Trump has called the Department of Justice the “Department of Injustice” and accused it of trying to sabotage his re-election campaign in 2024. “All of these FAKE POLITICAL PROSECUTIONS (PERSECUTIONS!) OF CROOKED JOE BIDEN’S POLITICAL OPPONENT MUST BE IMMEDIATELY HALTED!” he wrote on Truth Social in February. Legal troubles By aiming to place Gaetz as the head of the department, critics believe Trump is signalling that personal loyalty is central to his incoming administration. The choice of Gaetz also elevates a fellow Republican who, like Trump, has faced an investigation from the Department of Justice. In recent years, allegations have surfaced that the Florida lawmaker offered gifts to underage girls for sex. Gaetz has firmly denied the accusations. In February 2023, the Department of Justice concluded an investigation into the matter without bringing charges. McCarthy, meanwhile, responded to the allegations by calling Gaetz “a smart guy without morals” that “no one can stand”. Nevertheless, the House Ethics Committee has continued its investigation into allegations that Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct and drug use. In September, Gates said that he would no longer cooperate with the “uncomfortably nosy” committee and described the investigation as a “political payback exercise”. Adblock test (Why?)
One dead after two reported explosions near Brazil’s Supreme Court
Brazil’s Supreme Court has been evacuated as federal police swarm the area to investigate the evening attack. Federal police in Brazil are investigating after a pair of explosions rocked the heart of the country’s capital Brasilia, just steps away from the Federal Supreme Court (STF). At least one person was reported dead. The court itself was evacuated, as plumes of smoke and fire were visible from the air. “At the end of the [Supreme Court] session on Wednesday, two loud bangs were heard, and the ministers were safely removed from the building,” the court said in a press release. In a separate statement, the federal police indicated it had deployed a rapid intervention group and a bomb control squad to the area, known as Brasilia’s Three Powers Plaza. Those units, it explained, were in charge of “carrying out initial security actions and analysing the site”. “A police inquiry will be opened to investigate the attack,” the federal police added. The Three Powers Plaza is the seat of Brazil’s federal government: It contains the presidential palace, buildings for both chambers of Congress and the Supreme Court. The area has also been the target of political violence in recent years. On January 8, 2023, for instance, thousands of protesters descended on the Three Powers Plaza, ransacking the government buildings and clashing with law enforcement. The riot was largely seen as an attack on democracy, as it came just days after the inauguration of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Lula himself described the incident as a “coup” and blamed his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, for spreading false claims of election interference before his defeat. No motive has been released yet in Wednesday’s bombing incident. But local media have reported that the explosions took place near the Supreme Court and along a street near an annex building. Adblock test (Why?)
Matt Gaetz resigns from Congress over Trump nod to be attorney general, Johnson says
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., resigned from the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced. Gaetz gave House GOP leaders his resignation notice on the same day President-elect Trump tapped him to be his Attorney General. “I think out of deference to us, he issued his resignation letter effective immediately,” Johnson said. “That caught us by surprise a little bit. But I asked him what the reasoning was, and he said, well, you can’t have too many absences.” The speaker pointed out that Florida state law gave the governor “about an eight-week period” to fill a House vacancy and that by doing so, “we may be able to fill that seat as early as Jan. 3.” Johnson said he’s already in contact with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on the matter. This is a breaking story and will be updated…
U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul briefly detained after appearing intoxicated at airport
A nervous flier, the House Foreign Affairs chief said he made a “poor decision” to mix Ambien and alcohol before his flight home to Texas on Nov. 4.