SLAF training aircraft crashes in Wariyapola (VIDEO)

A training aircraft of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) has crashed in the Wariyapola area, according to the SLAF Spokesman.

The aircraft, identified as a K-8 jet manufactured in China, was reportedly on a training mission when it suddenly went out of radar contact and later crashed at Minuwangete, Wariyapola.

Both pilots had ejected safely and descended by parachute, avoiding any injuries, while the jet has caught fire, he said.
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Japan provides fire trucks to Sri Lanka

The Government of Japan, through a grant assistance of JPY 300 million, has decided to provide state-of-the-art Japanese fire trucks to the Government of Sri Lanka to strengthen disaster response capabilities in the country’s Export Processing Zones (EPZs), ensuring a safer business environment and contributing to economic and social stability.

Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka – Mr. Akio Isomata SOMATA and Secretary of the Finance Ministry – Mr. K. M. M. Siriwardana, today (March 20) signed and exchanged notes in Colombo on this grant assistance.

The EPZs play a crucial role in Sri Lanka’s economy by attracting investment and driving industrial growth. 

The increasing risks of fire hazards and other emergencies risk hampering its critical functions. 

The Japanese fire trucks, equipped with cutting-edge technology, will bolster the capacity of EPZs, safeguarding businesses, workers, and communities.

The project also underscores Japan’s unwavering commitment to addressing Sri Lanka’s socio-economic challenges and promoting sustainable development.

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US Ambassador Invites More Sri Lankan Students to Study in America

The United States expects to see the number of Sri Lankan students visiting the US for their higher studies to increase, every year.

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, speaking at the U.S. university fair in Colombo said that various pathways available for Sri Lankan students to study in America, whether for bachelor’s, master’s, or other degrees across diverse fields of study.

The US university fair is hosted by EducationUSA, the U.S. government’s official source of information on U.S. higher education, together with the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka, in partnership with the U.S.-Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission.

Ambassador Chung underscored that studying in the United States is not solely about academics but also about the cultural experience.

She encouraged Sri Lankan students to immerse themselves in American culture and share the rich heritage and beauty of Sri Lanka with Americans. “It’s about the entire experience, the cultural experience, getting to know and learn about the United States and what it has to offer,” she said.

She also noted a significant increase in the number of Sri Lankan students studying in the United States, with a 10% rise last year.

Ambassador Chung expressed a desire to see this number continue to grow, welcoming more Sri Lankan students to some of the world’s best academic institutions.
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Sri Lanka Police Media Spokesman resigns

The Sri Lanka Police Media Spokesman SSP Buddhika Manatunga has reportedly tendered his resignation from the position.

He has already handed over his letter of resignation to the Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya, according to sources. 
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LG Polls: Over 100 political parties, nearly 50 ind. groups submit nominations

A total of 107 political parties and 49 independent groups have submitted their nominations for the 2025 Local Government Elections as of 4.15 p.m. yesterday (19), according to the Election Commission.

The accepting of nominations for the 2025 Local Government Elections commenced at district election offices on March 17 and concluded at 12 noon today (20). 
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Petition against levying withholding tax on Sri Lanka’s national team cricketers

Sri Lanka’s ODI captain Charith Asalanka and Test captain Dhananjaya de Silva have filed a petition in the Court of Appeal seeking a writ of certiorari to quash the decision of the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) to levy Withholding Tax on the players of the Sri Lanka national cricket team by considering them as employees of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

The petition was taken up today for the confirmation of facts before a bench comprising the Acting Chairman of the Appeals Court, Justice Mohamed Lafar Tahir and Justice K.P. Fernando.

The court ordered that the petition be called on March 28 for the confirmation of the facts.

The Commissioner General of Inland Revenue, its Deputy Commissioner, the Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), its Executive Committee members, the Auditor General and several others have been named as respondents in the petition.

The petitioners state that after Sri Lanka awarded Test cricket status in 1983, written contracts were signed by the national cricket team players with the Sri Lanka Cricket Board after winning the World Cup in 1996.

The petitioners claim that the Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket, which met on January 17, decided to classify the players playing at the national level under contracts with Sri Lanka Cricket as employees working under contract basis of that institution.


The petitioners, who point out that the said decision is completely against the law, stated that national level players are not members of the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) or the Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF) and that they have no such rights.

The petitioners state that they have sought legal advice from legal experts in this regard and that they have received legal advice that they are independent service providers to Sri Lanka Cricket and not its employees.

Under that situation, the Inland Revenue Department has decided to levy Withholding Tax on them considering them as employees of Sri Lanka Cricket, and as a result, the petitioners point out that this has caused severe prejudice towards national level cricketers.

Accordingly, the petitioners have requested the Court of Appeal to issue writ orders to quash the decision of the Sri Lanka cricket board to classify national level players as SLC employees and the decision of the Inland Revenue Department to levy Withholding Tax on them.

In addition, the petitioners have further requested that an interim injunction be issued to prevent the implementation of the decision of the Inland Revenue Department until this petition is heard and a final decision is announced.
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India’s Modi says Trump has ‘clear roadmap’ in second term

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said U.S. President Donald Trump was ‘far more prepared’ for his second term, furnished with a clear roadmap, speaking in a podcast interview weeks ahead of reciprocal tariffs planned by Washington.

India is among the trading partners set to face the tariffs from April, which threaten to cause distress to its exporters in industries from automobiles to agriculture.

After Modi and Trump met last month, the two nations agreed to resolve tariff rows and work on the first segment of a deal by the fall of 2025, aiming to reach two-way trade of $500 billion by 2030.

“This time, he seems far more prepared than before,” Modi said in a podcast with American computer scientist and podcaster Lex Fridman released on Sunday, referring to Trump’s second term, which began in January.

“He has a clear roadmap in his mind with well-defined steps, each one designed to lead him toward his goals,” he added.

During the discussion, which ran more than three hours, Modi spoke on issues from diplomacy and artificial intelligence to his early life, in a conversation Fridman called one of the most “powerful” of his life.

Modi praised Trump for his graciousness and humility, underscoring a strong bond between the leaders.

“His (Trump’s) reflection showed his ‘America First’ spirit, just as I believe in nation first. I stand for India first, and that’s why we connect so well,” Modi said.

INDIA’S NEIGHBOURS

India’s relations with neighbour China improved last year after striking a milestone pact to lower military tension on their Himalayan border following talks between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Russia.

“Slowly but surely, trust, enthusiasm, and energy will return,” Modi said during the podcast, as the two countries work to restore relations to their state before a military border skirmish in 2020.

“But of course, it will take some time, since there’s been a five-year gap,” he said, adding that the focus of the two nations was to ensure their differences “do not turn into disputes”.

On ties with archfoe Pakistan, Modi expressed hope for peaceful relations.

“Every noble attempt at fostering peace was met with hostility and betrayal,” he said, adding, “we sincerely hope that wisdom prevails upon them and they choose the path of peace.”

The foreign ministries of China and Pakistan did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.
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Will Govt opt for private sector partnership for SriLankan Airlines?

Partnership with the private sector is among the multiple options for the development of the state-run SriLankan Airlines but the government has not decided on any since its focus is now on the national carrier's debt restructuring, Daily Mirror learns.

The management of the airline has already submitted its business plan with numerous options to make the cash-strapped entity economically viable and the involvement of the private sector is one of them.

SriLankan Airlines lost Rs.1.9 billion in the seven-month period up to October, last year, according to the finance report. In contrast, it recorded a profit of over Rs.4 billion the previous year.

An informed source said that the government is fully focused on debt restructuring of the airline with comparability of treatment to all the creditors.

SriLankan Airlines borrowed from capital markets through a bond with a sovereign guarantee.

The government also announced Rs.20 billion in the budget for debt settlement of the national carrier.
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2025 LG Polls: Accepting of nominations begins

The accepting of nominations for the upcoming Local Government (LG) Elections begins today (Jan 17).

The Election Commission stated that nominations will be accepted from today until 12 noon on March 20.

The acceptance of nominations for 336 Local Government Institutions will commence today, and the election date is scheduled to be announced after the acceptance of nominations has concluded.

Meanwhile, the acceptance of postal voting applications for the LG Elections will end at 12 midnight today.

The Election Commission informs eligible applicants who have not yet applied to submit their postal voting applications to the District Election Office in the district where their institution is located, rather than submitting them by post.

The Commissioner General of Elections requests candidates to submit nominations in a manner that does not disrupt the G.C.E. Ordinary Level (O/L) examinations, which begins today.
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Cabinet Spokesman dismisses Wickremesinghe’s late responses

Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa yesterday said that former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s response to the Batalanda Commission report came far too late, noting that the Government is proceeding with legal action based on its findings. 

Speaking to the media, he pointed out that Wickremesinghe, more than anyone, was fully aware of the details surrounding the Batalanda incident, but remained silent for decades till Al Jazeera raised the issue in a recent interview earlier this month. 

“For 35 years, he [Wickremesinghe] had the opportunity to speak, but he chose not to. Now that Al Jazeera has brought it to the light of the world, he suddenly wants to respond – but it is too late for him now,” Dr. Jayatissa said.  He affirmed the Government’s commitment to transparency, noting that the report was tabled in Parliament as promised, and that a two-day debate has been scheduled for 10 April and another session in May. 

Dr. Jayatissa explained that the Government has decided to appoint a special committee to examine the matter further and will also refer the report to the Attorney General’s Department for legal review.

He also criticised the United National Party (UNP) and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) led by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa for initially opposing the debate, stressing that despite their objections, the Government ensured that the discussion would take place.

“This debate is crucial for democracy and justice in the country. The people have the right to know the truth,” Dr. Jayatissa asserted. 
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