Everything you need to know today

COLOMBO (News 1st) 1. The Ministry of Education has decided to increase the value of the vouchers given to students to purchase uniforms. 2. As the dry weather condition continues to take place across the island, the DMC stated that up to 890,000 have been affected. 3. Former Secretary of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa provided a statement to the Criminal Investigations Department over the abduction and assault of journalist Keith Noyahr. 4. Lt. Cdr. Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi of the Sri Lanka Navy further remanded till the 26th of September by Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne. 5. A 27 year old Chinese national has been arrested in Kimbulapitiya, Negombo for the possession of Sea leeches and Seahorses. 6. Indictments were handed over to the Chairman of Avant-Garde Maritime Security (Pvt.) Limited, Nissanka Senadhipathi and Retired Major General Palitha Fernando at the Colombo High Court on Wednesday (September 12). 7. 4 fishermen die after their fishing boat collided with a merchant vessel 30 nautical miles from Galle. 8. The Bangladesh Naval Ship (BNS) ‘Somudra Joy’ arrived at the Port of Colombo on Wednesday (September 12) on a goodwill visit. 9. The Coconut Cultivation Board has taken a decision to enforce a law on the sale of bottled coconut oil. 10. Father of two killed in an elephant attack in the Ihala Ella, Dimbulagala on Wednesday (September 12). INTERNATIONAL 1. Beach communities in North and South Carolina emptied out on Wednesday (September 12) as Hurricane Florence threatened to unleash pounding surf and potentially deadly flooding as the most powerful storm to make a direct hit on the states in decades.