Everything you need to know today

COLOMBO (News 1st)  1. Minister of Finance stated that there has been no reduction made from 24% to 15% to the tax rates used for calculating the income tax and PAYE tax for Doctors.  2. Two trains collided in Panaliya last evening (August 06) injuring 32 people. 3. Five suspects along with a firearm and Rs 16.5 million of the stolen money from an ATM robbery last month were taken into police custody yesterday. 4. 21 illegal immigrants have been arrested and handed over to the Colombo Harbour Police by the Sri Lankan Navy. 5. A retired SLAF pilot who currently works for a domestic Kenyan airline was arrested at the BIA for possessing a firearm. The suspect was due to depart to Dubai. 6. The Foreign Employment Bureau has filed 163 cases during the first seven months of this year against foreign employment agencies for illegal practices. 7. The Colombo District Court issued an interim injunction preventing the government from selling the Hilton Colombo according to an appeal made by Nihal Sri Amarasekara. 8.V.K. Anura who was earlier interdicted from his position as the Municipal Commissioner of Colombo has been reinstated. 8. Violating a textile ban, North Korea has exported more than US$100 million worth of goods, during the period of October 2017 to March 2018 to several countries including Sri Lanka. 9. Fertilizer subsidy which is to be provided to the farmers by the Ministry of Agriculture without the approval of the Agriculture research and production assistants.   INTERNATIONAL  1. The death toll from the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that occurred on Sunday (August 05) at the Lombok Island, Indonesia has been increased to 98 people. 2. Haitian President Jovenel Moise on Sunday (August 05) nominated former presidential candidate Jean-Henry Ceant to be the nation's new Prime Minister.   SPORTS  1. England cricketer Ben Stokes arrived at Bristol Crown Court for his affray trial on Monday (August 6).