shitty news

1. Darth Vader takes a shit.

2. Sri Lankan President Kumaratunga takes greater control of her country. A slice of news-sausage:

The crisis was ignited Tuesday while the prime minister was in the United States when Kumaratunga fired three key ministers who have been instrumental in the government's peace efforts, suspended Parliament for two weeks and deployed troops in the capital.

On Wednesday, she imposed a state of emergency to "take stock of the security situation," presidential aide Eric Fernando told The Associated Press. It was not immediately clear when the emergency order was to take effect.

The laws give broad power to the military controlled by Kumaratunga to make arrests, interrogate suspects and search houses at will. They also give the president lawmaking powers and allow for censorship of the media.

Wickremesinghe's supporters quickly struck back. On Wednesday, more than half the country's lawmakers pledged support for him and rejected the firings.

"We have full faith in the prime minister," Labor Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe told reporters, quoting from a letter signed by 124 of the country's 225 members of Parliament.

The Tamil Tigers, a secretive, ruthless rebel army that has taken control of wide swaths of northeastern Sri Lanka, has said little since the crisis began.

But the emergency order was certain to infuriate the rebels, whose 20-year-war for independence now 20 months into a cease-fire has killed 65,000 people.
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