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Petition in Court to Unseat actress Geetha

J.C. Weliamuna, Counsel for the Petitioners of a writ application challenging the election of cinema actress Geetha Samanmali Kumarasinghe to Parliament told Court that when she tendered her candidature application to contest a seat in Parliament at the last General Election she was not eligible to do so.

Counsel submitted that it is a constitutional disqualification for anyone holding dual citizenship to contest a local election.

This matter was taken up before the Bench comprising Justice Vijith Malalgoda (President of the Court of Appeal) and Justice Padman Sri Surasena.

N.K.D. Buwaneka, I.K. Kumarawardana, A.C. Gunasekera, J.K. Wijesiri, H.L.P. Deepthalal, all of whom are voters from Galle, filed this petition requesting Court to declare Geetha Kumarasinghe is not a Member of Parliament.

Geetha Kumarasinghe, Commissioner General of Immigration and Emigration, Secretary to Eksath Janatha Nidahas Sandanaya and Secretary General of Parliament Dammika Disanayaka have been cited as respondents.

Counsel further argued that at the time she tendered her candidature to contest the election, she held dual citizenship in Switzerland and Sri Lanka and was hence constitutionally barred from contesting any local State election, and is hence not to be considered a member of Parliament. After an election the names of the elected candidates are gazetted but she is not a Member of Parliament and she cannot sit or vote in Parliament, counsel added.

91(1) 3 of the Constitution very clearly states that "No dual citizen can become a Member of Parliament in Sri Lanka."
Court fixed further argument for 24 October.J.C. Weliamuna appeared for petitioners with Pulasthi Hewamanna.
Deputy Solicitor General Janak de Silva appeared for the Commissioner General of Immigration and Emigration.
President's Counsel Manohara de Silva appeared for Geetha Kumarasinghe.


If I was Muralidharan I will not accept this task - Arjuna

Former Test Cricket Captain Hon. Minister of Ports and Shipping Mr. Arjuna Ranatunga stated that if he was in the cricket board he will not allow former test cricketer Muttiah Muralidharan to leave to the Australian cricket team as the trainer. 

He stated this attending the third monthly sports forum organized by the ‘Save the Sports' Sports organization. 

This forum was held under the topic of “Cricket, Olympic and T20”, on Tuesday the 26th of July 2016 (today), at the Grand Oriental Hotel. For this forum, Former Test Cricket Captain Mr. Arjuna Ranatunga, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Athletic Training Association Mr. Susantha Fernando and Sports Consultant Mr. B.L.S. Perera attended.

“If I was Muralidharan I will not accept this task. Anyhow Muralidharan have taken over this task. If we are to see that if it is right or not, we will have to consider few areas. Firstly, what I see is that, the company who was complaining and blaming that Muralidharan was chucking the ball in Australia, now wants to engage him in the Australian cricket teams training. 

At this point we have proven to the world that we did the right thing. By Muralidharan getting involved and agreeing for this contract, for even a short period of time, he proves that he is innocent. Secondly, I personally think that, it will be more appropriate if Muralidharan didn’t agree on these terms. However, we have to look at this from another point of view. 

After the last cricket election how many players have been removed from the training portfolios who won the World Cup? Former Chief Selector Jayasooriya was removed first. Eric Upashantha was removed. Pushpakumara was removed. Chaminda Vaas, Upul Chandana was removed. Instead they brought foreign coaches to the country. Our country’s Cricket Board doesn’t want to give any opportunities to the talented cricketers. Because, they didn’t have the knowledge or was not aware about cricket. So they will be able to get them under control, and grant a good recognition or give positions by giving money. 

If our players were not recognized after spending more than 15 to 20 years playing and burning in the hot sun, they will have to go abroad. These incidents will happen in the future too. My personal point is that, there is no need of foreign trainers for us. The Sports Minister has to research on these occurrences. Anyhow, I doubt if the Sports Minister is below the Cricket Board. Finally, I would like to express my views, that if Murali asked me if he was to go as a trainer to the Australian Cricket Team I would not allow him to go…” Hon. Minister Arjuna Ranathunga stated.

At Least 19 Killed In Knife Attack In Japan

Nineteen residents have been killed in a knife attack at a care centre for people with mental disabilities in Japan, officials say.

The early morning attack in Sagamihara, west of Tokyo, is the worst mass killing in the country since the end of World War Two.

Police arrested a male former employee, who went to a nearby police station and allegedly admitted to the killings. He is reported to have said he wanted disabled people to disappear.

The 26-year-old was named in local media as Satoshi Uematsu. The Tsukui Yamayuri Garden facility, where the attack happened, is set in extensive grounds with separate living quarters for men and women. It had about 160 residents at the time of the attack, according to local officials.

Reports say the attacker entered the facility at about 02:30 local time (17:30 GMT) and began stabbing people. Eight staff members were on duty at the time. The victims were aged between 18 and 70, the Kyodo news agency said citing the Sagamihara City Fire Department. Another 25 people were injured, 20 seriously.

Yahoo sold to US telecoms giant Verizon

Seeking a wider digital audience, Verizon is buying Yahoo for $4.83 billion in a deal that marks the end of an era for a company that defined much of the early internet but struggled to stay relevant in an online world dominated by Google and Facebook.

It's the second time in as many years that Verizon has snapped up the remnants of a fallen internet star. The nation's largest wireless carrier paid $4.4 billion for AOL last year. The two brands will be rolled into the same operation.

"We have enormous respect for what Yahoo has accomplished: This transaction is about unleashing Yahoo's full potential," AOL CEO Tim Armstrong said in a statement.

Despite Yahoo's travails, its operations are a prize for Verizon, which wants to capitalize on the growing number of people living their digital lives on smartphones. The company already profits from the data plans that connect more than 100 million people and their devices to the internet. Now it's making plans to control more of the advertising on those devices.

Most analysts expect the deal to end the four-year reign of Yahoo's Mayer, who flopped in her much-watched attempt to turn around the company that was once a titan valued at $130 billion.

However, Mayer told employees Monday in an email that she intends to stay "to see Yahoo into its next chapter" without specifying for how long. In a later interview with The Associated Press, she said it's too early to know whether there will still be a desirable role for her after Yahoo and AOL are combined.

"It would be premature and presumptive of me to discuss what Verizon may or may not want to do. I will be open-minded," said Mayer, who could receive a severance package valued at $55 million If she leaves following the sale.

In its announcement, Verizon did not discuss Mayer's future or its long-term plans for Yahoo.

Shareholders fed up with a steep downturn in the company's revenue over the past eight years pressured Yahoo Inc. to part with its email service and still-popular websites devoted to news, finance and sports, in addition to its advertising tools.

The slump deepened even as advertisers poured torrents of cash into what is now a $160 billion market for digital advertising, according to research firm eMarketer.

But most of that money has flowed to Google and Facebook, two companies that eclipsed Yahoo during its long slide from a sensation to a dysfunctional also-ran.

The sale could result in thousands of layoffs as Verizon eliminates overlapping jobs and services in Yahoo and AOL. Mayer has already jettisoned 1,900 Yahoo workers since last September.

The merging of Yahoo's online operations with AOL's sets up a potential reunion between Mayer and Armstrong, who were both executives at Google for years. Armstrong tried unsuccessfully to persuade Mayer to combine the two companies when they both still independent.

"It makes a little less sense now than it did two or three years ago" when Yahoo and AOL were stronger," said Gartner analyst Andrew Frank. "But better late than never."

When the sale is complete early next year, Yahoo will become a holding company for its two stakes in China's e-commerce leader, Alibaba Group, and Yahoo Japan. Those investments, made more than a decade ago, are worth more than $40 billion before taxes, making them by far the most valuable pieces of Yahoo. The holding company will drop the Yahoo name and adopt a new identify after Verizon takes control of the operating business.

The name change is a strong indication that Verizon intends to retain the Yahoo brand on many services, an idea that Mayer told the AP came up in the preliminary discussions leading up to the deal.

"The Yahoo brand still holds a lot of consumer-affinity" and could help Verizon overcome the lukewarm feelings that many subscribers have toward their wireless service providers, said Forrester Research analyst Shar VanBoskirk.

Until the sale is done, Yahoo's users should not see any major changes in the company's mobile apps or websites.

Verizon, based in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, is buying Yahoo's online operations and its real estate. The Sunnyvale, California, company also has a patent portfolio that it intends to sell, and about $7.7 billion in cash.

Mayer, 41, is the latest in a succession of Yahoo CEOs who could not engineer a comeback. Yahoo's annual revenue, after subtracting ad commissions, has declined by about 20 percent from $4.4 billion before Mayer's arrival to a projected $3.5 billion this year.

But Mayer told the AP she does not consider her tenure to be a failure. She pointed to a 50 percent increase in Yahoo's total worldwide audience to more than 1 billion users, including 600 million people who now visit on mobile device, three times more than before her arrival.

"If you look at the state of products today, they are orders of magnitude better, more viable, better designed," Mayer said. "I am incredibly proud of all that. The next chapter is around how we can increase our relevance on mobile."

Yahoo's stock fell $1.06 Monday to close at $38.32. The shares have more than doubled since Mayer became Yahoo's CEO, largely because of the rising value of the Alibaba stake.

When millions of people began to flock to the internet with the advent of graphical web browsers in the 1990s, Yahoo was king. Co-founders Jerry Yang and David Filo began building a web directory as Stanford University graduate students in 1994, and Yahoo quickly established itself as the online hub for tens of millions of people. It proved that internet companies could indeed be profitable as other dot-com startups burned through millions of dollars.

But Yahoo strayed from internet search in an attempt to build a multimedia business, clearing Google's path to supremacy. To make matters worse, Yahoo failed to recognize the importance of social networking and was slow to make the leap into mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Yahoo attempted to buy Google and Facebook in their formative years, but it was rebuffed and then later dwarfed by them.

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Arbel reported from New York. Associated Press Writer Michelle Chapman in New York also contributed to this report.

KP's travel ban further extended

The Court of Appeal yesterday extended till Oct. 26, a travel ban imposed on Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP, the ex-international financial controller of the LTTE.

JVP MP Vijitha Herath has filed a writ application in the court requesting that the police to arrest KP in the North.

Among the respondents are the IGP, the Secretary Defence, the Commander of the Army, the Commanding officer of the Kilinochchi District and the Attorney General.

Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma instructed by Sunil Watagala appeared for the petitioner.

Priyantha Navvaranna appeared for the Attorney General.

The Bench comprised Justice Vijith Malalgoda, the President of the Court of Appeal and Justice H. C. J. Madawela.

Kabali fever in Sri Lanka - Fromoted on Facebook

Ceylon Theatres released ‘Kabali’ – the much awaited and hyped about upcoming Indian Tamil gangster ¬– drama film on July 22 at the Majestic Cineplex Jaffna.

Promotions in Jaffna Majestic Cineplex have been featured in the official Facebook Page of ‘Kabali’ with captions such as “Kabali fever in Sri Lanka”. ‘Kabali’ frenzy has reached epidemic levels with fans becoming ecstatic with anticipation. Larger than life posters motoring the streets of Jaffna have also been featured in this world famous social media site, much to the credit of Majestic Cineplex Jaffna.

¬¬Much to the delight of listeners, Majestic Cineplex Jaffna has partnered with Tamil FM in promoting this blockbuster film. The channel is currently keeping fans updated with titbits of the movie and its stars.

The film stars Rajinikanth, Radhika Apte, Kishore, Kalaiyarasan, Dhansika, and Dinesh Ravi. Director Pa Ranjith reveals the character of Kabali movie. Kabali is a self confident, angry man. But he doesn’t talk punch dialogues. He talks only thoughtful dialogues which will touch your heart. In Kabali, Rajini Superstar has given a reality performance.

‘Kabali’ is screening at Majestic Cineplex Jaffna.

former DIG Vass further remanded till August

Six suspects including former DIG Vass Gunawardena and his son Ravindu Gunawardena, arrested for the alleged possession of firearms, were ordered further remanded till August 8 by Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris.

Defence counsel Asitha Vipulanayake appearing on behalf of the suspects moved Court that several items which were taken into CID custody be released.


Accordingly, the Court directed the CID to submit in Court a report pertaining to those items on next hearing date.

The six suspects - former DIG Vaas Gunawardena, his son Ravindu Vaas Gunawardena, Sub Inspector Indika Bamunuge, Police Constable (PC) Gamini Sarath Chandra, PC Priyanka Sanjeewa and PC Kelum Ranga were sentenced to death by Colombo High Court for committing the murder of millionaire businessman Mohamed Shyam in 2013 at Dompe.

If Sri Lanka loses, they will say it is because of Murali

Sri Lanka’s record-breaking spinner Muttiah Muralitharan launched a blistering attack Monday on his former bosses after they complained about his behaviour in his new role as a mentor to Australia.

After his former employers said Muralitharan was damaging his legacy, the 44-year-old accused Sri Lanka’s board of setting him up as a fall guy if the hosts lose a series to the visiting Australians.

And Muralitharan, the highest wicket-taker in Test history, then accused the board president of knowing nothing about cricket and angrily denounced any suggestion of being “a traitor”. 

“If Sri Lanka loses, they (the board) will say it is because of Murali,” he said in a recorded statement which was sent to AFP. 

“They have no right to accuse me of being a traitor. Have they done one hundredth of what I have contributed to cricket in Sri Lanka?  This is a political game to cover their shortcomings,” he added. “I am being used as a pawn to cover their failings.”

His outburst was sparked by a complaint by the board that he had bullied groundsmen into letting the Australians practise on the pitch which hosts the opening match in a three-Test series from Tuesday. 
Cricket Australia confirmed they received a complaint about the incident at Pallekele Stadium, on the outskirts of Kandy, but said the issue had been resolved “after discussions between the two management teams”. 

Muralitharan is a hero in Sri Lanka after taking 800 Test wickets before retiring six years ago. 

But his decision to impart his local knowledge to the tourists has raised eyebrows, not least because he was once labelled a “chucker” by Australia’s then-prime minister John Howard.

Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews was more conciliatory, acknowledging his former teammate’s expertise. 

“The Australians obviously saw value in his knowledge of Sri Lankan conditions,” Mathews told reporters. 

In his video statement, Muralitharan said he had not received any approach from the Sri Lankan board to help the island’s next generation of spinners and accused it of favouring foreign coaches over locals. 

“They don’t give an opportunity to talented Sri Lankan coaches and prefer to bring white people from abroad,” he said. 

“That affects our economy too because we have to pay them dollars that leave the country. That is treachery.”

Sri Lanka has a history of employing foreign coaches and re-hired South Africa’s Graham Ford earlier this year for a second stint.