A Pakistani National Was Arrested With A Haul Of Heroin At Katunayake Airport

Airport Customs officers have arrested

a 35 year old Pakistani National with 1.606 Kilo Grammes of Heroin in his possession at Katunayake ,Bandaranaike International Airport this morning (17).

The suspect who had arrived in from Karachchi ,Pakistan had hidden the haul of Heroin deep inside of his luggage it has been revealed.

The Estimated value of the haul of Heroin taken into custody in possession of the suspect is more than Rs.10.5 million according to sources. The suspect is due to be handed over to the Police Anti Narcotic Bureau for further investigations. 

Government Has Reduced 15 Percent VAT Imposed On Imported Textiles To 5 Percent

The Ministry Of Finance has decided to

reduce the VAT  (Value added tax)imposed over imported Textiles by 10 percent from 15 percent to 5 percent with effect from midnight tonight (17).

The Minister of Finance Mangala Samaraweera has today (17)signed the Gazette Notification in this regard.

The 15 percent VAT Imposed on imported Textiles was implemented since 18 th of August 2018 as a 2018 annual Budget Proposal .Earlier Rs.100 sess tax was imposed per 1 Kilo Gramme of Imported Textiles.

The reduction of VAT Imposed on imported Textiles was made as per the requests made by several small and medium scale textile Businessmen from Finance Ministry. 

Seven Persons Including Five Students Had Been Injured And Hospitalized Due To A Road Accident

Seven Persons including five school

children had been injured ,one student critically and hospitalized after a small Lorry they were travelling in veering off the road and toppled over to a nearby House roof at Neluwa-Dikkanda-KukulKanda road today (17 ).

The injured including five grade six and seven students attached to Kaluboviyana School ,A mother of a student and the Lorry  driver were admitted to Karapitiya,Neluwa and Hinduma Hospitals for treatment .The accident has happened while the students were on the way home after school .

 A failure of brakes  of  the vehicle caused the accident according to Police.Neluwa Police are conducting an investigations over the incident .

HURRICANE FLORENCE WREAKS HAVOC IN NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA

https://www.cbsnews.com/live-

news/florence-hurricane-latest-weather-tropical-depression-flooding-power-outage-forecast-live-updates/

AUSTRALIA'S STRAWBERRY NEEDLE SCARE WIDENS

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-45543764

GOLDEN MELODIES

Around 35 Well Trained Elephants And Tuskers Kept Under Illegal Means By Various Persons Are Now Under Custody Of Wild Life Department -Health Minister

Around 35  Elephants and Tuskers kept

by the Religious places ,Businessmen and Politicians by illegal means  during the previous regime are now under custody of Wild Life Department according to Minister Of Health Dr.Rajitha Senaratne.

Those who had kept these trained Elephants and Tuskers in their possession had obtained licenses in proper way by providing various perks and  privileges  to officers he has stressed.Some Elephants  had been  stolen from Forests, the Minister has stated.

Due to this situation now there's a shortage of Elephants and Tuskers at Processions and President Maithripala Sirisena will solve this problem soon ,Health Minister has stated during the  depositing of the casket containing   Relics at 02 nd Binara Procession held at Sri Munasinghe Bodi Rajamaha Temple in Kalutara recently.