Defence Hq project continues?
MoD blocks Sunday Observer’s entry:
Corruption probe begins:
A special committee may now be probing the
scandal-hit multi- billion rupee Defence Headquarters construction
project but construction work seems to have resumed despite the
earlier ordered work stoppage. The Sunday Observer’s efforts to
learn the truth by visiting the project site is,
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UN ‘War Crimes’ probe:
US to wait until September
The United States will not prejudge but wait
until September when the differed human rights report on Sri Lanka
is placed before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to
adopt a stance of supporting a UNHRC-driven initiative or a
bilateral mechanism, visiting US Assistant Secretary on Democracy,
Human Rights and Labor, Tom Malinowski,
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SriLankan Airlines probe:
Call for ‘criminal prosecution’ of former Chair, CEO
The Government-appointed Board of Inquiry into
operations of SriLankan Airlines has called for the ‘criminal
prosecution’ of its former Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer
and also for inquiry and action against several other company
officials and airline staff. The Board of Inquiry, headed by well
known anti-corruption activist and constitutional lawyer J. C.
Welimuna was appointed by the Minister of Ports, Shipping and
Aviation, Arjuna Ranatunga,
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Purchase of 300 cars under the microscope
Investigations will be launched soon on the
purchase of 300 cars with poor fuel efficiency ordered by the
Treasury at a cost of Rs. 1.68 billion, a few days before the
Presidential election, Anti Corruption Committee Secretariat sources
said. The Secretariat has received information that the Treasury had
placed the order for the Nissan Seder cars prior to the Presidential
election and the vehicles were delivered recently.
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FCID Probe:
Basil to make statement on April 24
Former Economic Development Minister Basil
Rajapaksa will make a statement to the Financial Crimes
Investigation Division (FCID) on April 24, his Attorney Udaya Rohan
de Silva said. Refuting reports that the former minister had fled
the United States to Vietnam, de Silva said Rajapaksa had been in
the US since January and will arrive in Sri Lanka after his medical
check up.
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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. 
