Mihin Lanka to discontinue flights from Oct. 30

Sri Lanka’s loss-making budget carrier, Mihin Lanka today announced the discontinuation of all flights and services with effect from October 30.

 “This decision has been made by the Government of Sri Lanka, as part of its long-term strategy to restructure the local aviation industry and strengthen the national carrier’s offering and efficiency,” Mihin Lanka CEO Suren Ratwatte, said in a notice to travel partners. 

He assured all travel partners, that the routes in Mihin Lanka’s route network, will now be serviced by SriLankan Airlines. “Whilst the discontinuation of Mihin Lanka marks the end of an era, it also marks the start of a new chapter in Sri Lanka’s aviation industry.”  

“This new beginning will consolidate our resources and we will thus dedicate our efforts to building a strong, efficient and competitive national carrier that will be a force to be reckoned with in the region,” he added.  

In this way, we will continue to contribute to the legacy of Sri Lanka’s aviation industry and we hope that you will join us on this new and exciting journey, says Captain Suren Ratwatte, who is also CEO of SriLankan Airlines. 

With a fleet comprising A320, A321 and A319 Airbus aircraft, Mihin Lanka’s destination network includes Dhaka in Bangladesh, Jakarta and Medan in Indonesia as well as Madurai, Kolkata, Gaya and Varanasi in India.  The airline also flies to Sharjah and Bahrain in the Middle East, as well as Lahore in Pakistan and the Seychelles. 

Popular Tea Brand Contains Cleaning Agent

In a recent statement, the National Consumer Rights Protection Movement they has pointed out that popular drink ‘Nestea’ by Nestle Company contains ‘Trisodium Phosphate’. Trisodium Phosphate is basically used as a as a cleaning product, the consumer movement said.

The statement further states that the company is using this compound to make the end product non-clotted.

World Food Organization does not recommend food containing Trisodium Phosphate as this compound cause kidney diseases. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mentions that more than 70mg per day is dangerous, the NCRPM said.

The statement calls for further actions regarding this urgent issue.So far more than 27,000 people in Sri Lanka are affected by kidney diseases.

No Hike In Electricity Prices Under Any Circumstances

Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy announced that electricity prices will not be increased under any circumstances, following the request made by the Ceylon Electricity Board to increase prices. 

The CEB made a request from the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka to increase the electricity prices by five percent, for a period of six months. The CEB has informed that it would incurr a loss of Rs 850 million per month if the current prices are kept in place.

Appropriation Bill 2017 on Oct.19

The Government has sought a special parliamentary sitting on October 19 to present the 2017 Appropriation Bill ahead of the annual budget debate.

Earlier, the government had intended presenting it on October 12. However, at yesterday’s Business Committee Meeting, the Finance Ministry said it could be only presented only on October 19.

The Appropriation Bill outlining allocations to be made for each ministry and seeking parliamentary approval for its passage through the House is presented ahead of the Budget speech.

Informed sources said the postponement would result in timetable of the annual budget debate being altered. The government was initially expected to present the Budget on November 10 by the Finance Minister. (Kelum Bandara)

India detains Pakistani messenger pigeon

The Punjab Police have said they have "taken into custody" a pigeon that was found near the state's border with Pakistan, carrying a note with a threat message for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to the NDTV, the police had said officers of the Border Security Force or BSF had found the bird in Pathankot, where Pakistani terrorists had attacked an Air Force base in January this year.

A police inspector, Rakesh Kumar, told news agency AFP that the bird was found with a note in Urdu tied to it. "It said something like 'Modi, we're not the same people from 1971. Now each and every child is ready to fight against India'," Mr Kumar said.

He said the note was apparently signed by the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and "so we are investigating the matter very seriously."

Security forces are on high alert at the borders with Pakistan in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir amid heightened tension after terrorists sneaked into India two weeks ago and attacked an Army base in Kashmir's Uri, killing 19 soldiers.

Last week, the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes across the Line of Control against terror launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where several teams of terrorists were waiting to infiltrate into India.

Recently, two balloons were found in Punjab with similar threat messages addressed to PM Modi in Urdu.

Last year, the police had captured a pigeon on suspicion that it was being used for espionage by Pakistan and had x-rayed it to check for spy cameras, transmitters or hidden chips. In 2013, security forces had found a dead falcon fitted with a small camera, and in 2010 another pigeon was captured over spying fears.

I never browbeat the media – MR

Brute force and maltreatment of the media is the current political culture said Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa in a sly reference to the recent antics of Deputy Minister of Social Welfare and Empowerment Ranjan Ramanayake.

Last week Ramanayake was caught on camera responding furiously to a question fired by a reporter and was filmed brushing aside a camera away in a rage.

Speaking to the media yesterday, at his office in Battaramulla, Rajapaksa addressed the media,

"You, the media, tend to ask all sort of questions from me; however, I don't yell, destroy cameras or twist fingers of the reporters and the cameramen. The real face of this government is finally being exposed. The public have been hoodwinked. The economy has collapsed. We are eagerly waiting to see how the budget turns out."

He further noted that the Ratnapura rally will be very successful.

Commenting on the cooperatives polls held recently, Rajapaksa noted that the government was losing momentum as it lost the support of the cooperatives.

"The general trend is that when a government changes, the cooperatives lean towards the incumbent government, in this case it is the opposite.

When asked about a recent reconstruction of a provincial government building in Dambulla, which was started during Rajapaksa's tenure but did not contain his name in the plaque, Rajapaksa responded that the government seeks to erase his name from its history and added that his name is etched in the hearts of the people.

Thajudeen Case : CID find 26 Body parts at SAITM

The CID team investigating the disappearance of body parts belonging to slain rugby player Wasim Thajudeen found twenty-six human body parts stored at SAITM,yesterday.

Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris granted the CID permission to enter the SAITM campus this morning, after it was reported the missing body parts were stored there.

The CID told the Court at an earlier date that the body parts belonging to Wasim Thajudeen, which were missing from the Colombo Judicial Medical Office mortuary coolers had been removed from the premises on the instructions of the former Colombo Chief JMO Professor Ananda Samarasekara.

The CID said the body parts had been moved in 15 parcels to the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM), of which Professor Ananda Samarasekara was also Vice Chancellor.

After his involvement in the disappearances was alleged, Professor Ananda Samarasekara filed an anticipatory bail application before the Supreme Court, seeking to prevent his arrest relating to the missing body parts.

He said he had retired from service in June 2012, and he was not involved in any activity with regard to the body parts thereafter.

The CID however reported that the missing body parts were stored at the SAITM campus in Malabe, and requested the Court issue a warrant for search - which it did this morning.

Former senior DIG Anura Senanayake and former Narahenpita Crimes OIC Sumith Perera are currently in custody for supressing evidence relating to the Thajudeen case.

It was alleged today that the former Senior DIG Anura Senanayake is being investigated on his involvement with supressing evidence relating to the murder of Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickremetunga.

Magistrate permits Gota to travel to China

Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya today permitted former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa to travel to China.

Rajapaksa was permitted to travel between October 5 and 30 to attend a Defense Seminar.

A travel ban was imposed on the suspects, including Rajapaksa on September 30 when they were released on bail. However, the Magistrate today lifted the ban on an additional personal surety bail of Rs. 5 million.

The decision comes amidst investigations by the Bribery Commission against Rajapaksa and seven others related to corruption charges at Avant Garde Maritime Services. (Shehan Chamika Silva)