COLOMBO (News 1st)

Your Thursday Morning Brief

1. The Department of Registration of Persons has stated that they are experiencing a shortfall of paper used for printing National ID cards.

2. An Indian national guilty of trafficking heroin was sentenced to death by the Negombo High Court yesterday (October 23).

3. The reports state that the National Elections Commission has received 1359 complaints from November 8th, ahead of the Presidential Election.

4. The report of the Parliament Special Committee appointed to look into the April 21st attacks, was presented in Parliament yesterday (October 23).

5. A vote on account of Rs. 1,474 billion was presented to parliament by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera for the first 4 months of the year 2020.

6. Series of tax amendments introduced by the Finance Ministry:

• Luxury tax on vehicles to be decided based on the vehicle model instead of the engine capacity.
• A 3.5% tax will be charged on all international credit and debit card transactions.
• Mobile Phone Telecommunication Towers have been released from tax.
• The Carbon Tax imposed on vehicles was abolished with effect from December 2018.
• The National Building Tax relief on cigarettes was removed.
• 14 Day combined allowance for Police Officers will be given as a 20-day allowance from December 14th, 2019

7. All transfers of police personnel have been suspended until the end of the Presidential Election.

8. Former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and IGP Pujith Jayasundara, who is on compulsory leave, have been further remanded until July 6th.

9. Thilanga Sumathipala has been appointed as a member of the Committee on Public Enterprises, following the demise of Chandrasiri Gajadeera. The JVP has objected to this appointment.

10. Ten suspects have been arrested for beating an 18-year-old to death in Maharagama, Pannipitiya.

“It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.”

• UN joins Thuru Kepakaru to preserve & protect fauna and flora
• Air quality likely to improve today (9)
• Advisory for Cyclonic storm “Mandous”
• Unhealthy Smog : Special Holiday for all Government, Govt-funded, Catholic schools on Friday (9)
• ‘Cold Colombo’: Temperatures plummet across smog-covered Sri Lanka