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Govt’s sound economic policy pays dividends:
Central Bank Reserves cross US $ 9 billion mark
The Gross Official Reserves of the Central Bank
of Sri Lanka crossed the US$ 9 billion mark on August 8, 2014 for
the first time in the country’s history, Central Bank sources told
the Sunday Observer yesterday. According to the sources, Sri Lanka’s
gross official reserves by end May 2014 amounted to US$ 8.8 billion,
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Ebola screening fully operational at BIA - Health Ministry
The screening facilities at the Bandaranaike
International Airport (BIA) at Katunayake set up by the Health
Ministry early last week to prevent the deadly Ebola virus from
entering the island are now fully operational, Director General of
Health Services, Dr P.G. Mahipala told the Sunday Observer. “A
strong surveillance system to monitor and screen all tourists
arriving at the airport has now been established.
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Appointment of international experts:
CJ hails Govt’s decision
Chief Justice Mohan Peiris dismissing criticism
over the appointment of three international experts to advise the
Commission on Missing Persons, said the Government could not have
taken a better decision to silence its international detractors.
“From what I know of the experts, they are of very high repute and
this action should satisfy the international community completely,”
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SLMC denies Opposition allegations
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) General
Secretary M.T.Hasan Ali MP denied Opposition accusations that the
government in a ploy to scatter Muslim votes, permitted two of its
Muslim allies to contest the September 20 Uva PC polls on their own.
The SLMC formed an alliance with three other Muslim parties,
including the All Ceylon Muslim Congress led by Minister Rishard
Bathiudeen,
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Only 20 percent receive preventive treatment:
Mental illness leads to 40 percent suicides
Almost half of the suicides in Sri Lanka - 40
percent is due to depression, the majority of victims being young
people, health officials told a discussion on mental health
organised by the Family Health Education Bureau (FHEB). UNFPA
Representative in Sri Lanka,
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President Maithripala Sirisena is in Thailand making a three-day official visit and attending the second Asia Cooperation Dialogue Summit. The Dialogue Summit that brings together 34 nations in the Asian region takes place from October 8 -10 in Bangkok under the theme "One Asia, Diverse Strength".
Official level discussions have commenced between Sri Lanka and Iran on reviving trade agreements that were signed between the two countries and will be put into operation soon after ironing out technicalities, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Rishad Bathiudeen said. 
Pakistan on Friday (September 30) officially postponed the 19th SAARC Summit scheduled to be held in Islamabad on November 9 and 10. A new set of dates for holding the Summit will be announced soon through the Chair of SAARC (Nepal), reports said. 
Due to the prevailing drought, water levels of the main reservoirs have dropped to half its capacity, with authorities warning that drastic measures may need to be taken if water is to be continuously released from the reservoirs for power generation. 
To avert a possible dengue outbreak in the next three months, when the number of mosquito breeding sites are likely to surge with the monsoon rains, the Dengue Control Unit of the Health Ministry will launch an island-wide Dengue Control Week starting on Tuesday, September 27 to Monday, October 3.
Sir Richard Jolly, former Deputy Executive Director, UNICEF, and Special Adviser to the Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (1996 to 2000), and Principal Coordinator of the widely-acclaimed Human Development Report will deliver a lecture on, “Development: Can Sri Lanka be a model for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs)?” on September 28 at 5 pm at the BMICH Committee Room D, on the invitation of the Gamani Corea Foundation. 
Richmondite Charith Asalanka joined the elite band of school cricketers by winning the coveted Schoolboy Cricketer Of The Year 2016 title for the second year in succession emulating the feats of former Sri Lankan greats Arjuna Ranatunga, 1980/82' ( Ananda) Roshan Mahanama, 1983/84'(Nalanda) Thilan Samaraweera 1994/95' ( Ananda) 'Lahiru Peiris 2004/2005 (St.Peter's) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa 2010'2011 (Royal) who had also won the award twice .
Cricketing legend and former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene will grace the occasion at the 38th Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year awards night scheduled to take place at the Galadari Hotel on September 20. 
Stern action will be taken against traders who sell sugar above the controlled price of Rs. 95. Instructions have been given to the relevant authorities to launch island-wide search operations, a press communique from the Minister of Finance Ravi Karunanayake said. 
Refuting speculations, Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said, no decision has been taken to impose power cuts on account of the current dry spell in the country. 
