U.S. provides $1M worth of nuclear detection gear to Sri Lanka Navy

The U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka has provided state-of-the-art radiation and chemical detection equipment valued at $1 million (299 million LKR) to the Sri Lanka Navy, significantly boosting the country’s capacity to detect and respond to nuclear, radiological, and chemical threats in its maritime domain.

This advanced equipment, supplied through the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) and its Office of Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence (NSDD), was officially handed over during a ceremony at Sri Lanka Navy Headquarters on May 15, attended by U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung and Sri Lanka Navy Commander Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda.

The equipment enhances the Sri Lanka Navy’s capability to conduct visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) operations in the Indian Ocean while strengthening its ability to detect and intercept hazardous chemical, radiological, and nuclear materials, safeguarding the nation’s ports and maritime routes.

“This advanced equipment is a vital tool for protecting Sri Lanka’s maritime borders and ensuring the safety of the entire region,” said U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung. “By enhancing the Navy’s ability to detect and respond to nuclear and radiological threats, we are not just strengthening Sri Lanka’s security—we are also safeguarding international shipping routes, protecting communities, and making sure harmful materials don’t reach America’s and other countries’ shores. This partnership is about keeping people safe, maintaining secure trade, and reinforcing our shared commitment to regional security.”

This equipment transfer is the first major initiative following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in February 2024 between the Sri Lanka Navy and DOE/NNSA.

The MOU aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation in detecting and preventing the illegal transport of nuclear and radioactive materials.

In addition to this transfer, in March, the U.S. Embassy, through DOE/NNSA, donated $500,000 worth of new radiation detection equipment at Colombo Port’s West Container Terminal, further enhancing Sri Lanka Customs’ ability to detect radioactive materials and secure global supply chains. This equipment is crucial because it helps prevent dangerous radioactive materials from entering everyday products, protects communities from potential hazards, strengthens the safety of international shipping routes, and stops nuclear and radiological threats before they can reach U.S. shores.

NSDD will continue to support the Sri Lanka Navy in the future through specialized training in the use of radiation detection equipment, and further enhancement of the Navy’s VBSS capabilities. The United States remains committed to supporting Sri Lanka’s efforts to enhance maritime security, detect and deter nuclear threats, and ensure a safer, more secure Indian Ocean region and U.S. homeland.

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Sinopec facing obstacles in Sri Lanka top Chinese scholar

Sinopec, the leading Chinese petroleum company that has sought to invest in Sri Lanka, is facing obstacles in pressing ahead with implementation, a leading Chinese scholar who is presently in Sri Lanka told Daily Mirror yesterday.

In an interview with Senior Fellow and Director of Centre for South Asian Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, Prof. Liu Zongyi said that companies currently operating locally had gotten in the way of Sinopec, fearing competition.

He is a scholar with his research focus on Indian economy and foreign policy, China’s foreign policy, South Asia issues, the Belt and Road Initiative and global governance. He is in Sri Lanka at the moment at the invitation of Pathfinder Foundation.

“For example, Chinese oil company Sinopec. They would like to build a refinery here. Now, we are facing obstacles because local companies don’t want Chinese oil companies to come here. It is a problem of competition. If a Chinese oil company comes here, they have higher technologies. So the local companies will face severe competition. They don’t want to accept such pressure because now the market is theirs,” he said.

Responding to a query about allegations of unviability of Chinese investments, he said, “In the past, China invested a lot in Sri Lanka and built a lot of infrastructure projects such as the Hambantota Port. It’s a mega infrastructure project. It needs time to become effective. It cannot fall into effect in just one or two years. But the local people think why the Chinese want to invest so much and why they want to put in so much money here while the Chinese cannot create jobs for the locals. Now you can find that the Hambantota Port has created profits for the local people,” he said.

During the visit of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to Beijing early this year, a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) was signed with Chinese state-owned oil and gas giant China Petrochemical Corporation which is commonly known as Sinopec for US $ 3.7 billion oil refinery in Hambantota.

Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Energy and Sinopec signed the agreement for US $3.7 billion investment to construct an oil refinery with a capacity of 200,000 barrels in the Hambantota region, according to the PMD. Sinopec Energy Lanka, a subsidiary of Sinopec, is currently involved in fuel distribution in Sri Lanka.

Sinopec and Sri Lanka will have to work to resolve land, tax and water issues. Sinopec’s refinery in Sri Lanka places it in direct competition with India’s interests in expanding its role as an energy supplier.

During the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently, a MoU was signed among Sri Lanka, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to establish a multi-product petroleum pipeline as part of India-Sri Lanka connectivity.

Pilleyan files FR petition challenging arrest and detention by CID

Former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pilleyan, has filed a Fundamental Rights petition before the Supreme Court through his legal counsel.

The petition seeks an order declaring that his arrest and detention by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for the purpose of questioning constitutes a violation of his Fundamental Rights, said Ada Derana reporter.

The petitioner is seeking a ruling that the CID’s decision to arrest and detain him under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), in connection with the abduction and disappearance of the Vice Chancellor of the Eastern University, violates his fundamental human rights.

The respondents named in the petition include the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Special Investigation Unit of the CID, Madhava Gunawardena; Director of the CID, SSP Imesha Muthumala; Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasuriya; the Minister of Defence; and the Attorney General.

JVP’s 60th anniversary falls today

The 60th anniversary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna falls today (14).

A commemoration ceremony and cultural festival to mark the occasion will be held at 3.30 pm at the Viharamahadevi Open Air Theatre in Colombo today (14).

Leaders of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, members and supporters will participate.

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Media freedom under threat as Govt restricts journalists’ access to Cabinet briefings

A decision by the government to restrict access to a key Cabinet press briefing has drawn sharp criticism from the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA),

which accuses the administration of threatening media freedom.

The controversy erupted after Shantha Wijesuriya, editor of the Lanka Sky News website and a member of the SLWJA, was denied entry to the weekly Cabinet media briefing on May 8.

Officials cited the lack of a government-issued media ID, despite Wijesuriya holding a press card issued by the International Federation of Journalists and his outlet.

The SLWJA condemned the move, calling it a targeted attempt to silence independent journalists and suppress criticism.

In a letter to Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa and other top officials, the association warned that restricting access based on government-issued accreditation risks eroding press freedom and the public’s right to information.

The incident follows the Minister’s recent remarks stating that only journalists with official government IDs would be allowed into such briefings going forward, a policy seen by critics as exclusionary and undemocratic.

With Sri Lanka already ranking 139 out of 180 in the latest global press freedom index by Reporters Without Borders, media watchdogs say the incident reflects a deepening intolerance for dissent.

The SLWJA is calling for the introduction of an independent body to handle journalist accreditation and for immediate steps to ensure fair access to all legitimate media professionals.

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High costs keep Sri Lanka’s poor children out of pre-primary education: Human Rights Watch

In many countries, including Sri Lanka, where early childhood education or pre-primary education is not available for free, cost prevents children from low-income families from participating, Human Rights Watch has said.

“Although at least 68 percent of national constitutions explicitly protect the right to primary education, constitutional references to early childhood education are almost non-existent,” HRW said in a statement.

“When pre-primary education is not available free, cost prevents children from low-income families from participating.”

“Quality pre-primary education builds cognitive, social, and emotional skills during the most formative years,” HRW said.

In Sri Lanka, primary, secondary and even tertiary education in public institutions is free.

However, many families earn below the international poverty line, of under Rs. 1000 a day or under Rs.30,000 a month preventing them from enrolling children in pre-primary education institutions, which are not free.

“In Sri Lanka, a preschool teacher reported to Human Rights Watch in 2025 that students must pay 1000 LRK (US$3.50) monthly,” HRW said. “When families cannot pay, children do not come “for some months,” she said. In January 2025, only 3 out of 20 students in her class paid.”

“A Sri Lankan education officer said, “If you can’t afford to pay there is no space in the system… Only the families that have money can send their children to preschool.””

“Reasons for low attendance rates in some districts may include the unavailability of preschools near the home, high enrolment and tuition fees, and parents not seeing the benefit of a preschool education for their children and thus not demanding such services,” Sri Lanka’s National Policy on preschool education has told Human Rights Watch.

According to the National Census of Early Childhood Development Centres in Sri Lanka’s 2018 data, 19.8 percent of 19,668 preschools are public. 88.2 percent of the preschools in Sri Lanka charge a fee.

Studies have shown thar the early years of a child’s life are fundamental for overall development. The lack of access to quality education services can have long-term negative effects on cognitive, emotional, and social well-being.

HRW quoted a manager of a primary school in an area in Sri Lanka with high levels of children living in poverty as saying that 70 percent of incoming students had not benefited from any pre-primary education, and cited this as a reason for them facing learning challenges once in primary.

Ireland expanded free preschool to children aged 4 in 2010, and enrollment quickly became almost universal, HRW pointed out.

Pre-primary education is crucial for children with learning and physical disabilities.

Early exposure could strengthen the capacity to benefit from education and reduce stigmatization and discrimination against children with special needs.

The United Nations Sustainable Development goals aim to “By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.”

Sri Lanka, which is said to have a literacy rate of 92 percent, grapples in early childhood education with low enrolment rates as fees discriminate against the poor.

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Election Commission Requests Names of Elected Local Government Members Within 7 Days

The National Election Commission of Sri Lanka has instructed political parties and independent groups to submit the names of candidates elected through the recent local government elections within seven days, based on the number of votes each entity received.

According to the Commission, notifications have already been sent to the general secretaries of the relevant political parties and the leaders of independent groups, informing them of this requirement.

The Commission also issued guidelines regarding the inclusion of female representation in the nomination lists, emphasising the importance of adhering to gender quotas when finalising the elected members.

Once the names are submitted, the list of elected members at the divisional level will be officially published through a government gazette.

Furthermore, the Election Commission announced that the establishment of local government bodies is expected to begin on the 2nd of June.

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Court grants leave for petition to disqualify Ramanathan Archchuna as MP

The Court of Appeal has fixed for hearing a case filed seeking to disqualify Jaffna District Independent MP Ramanathan Archchuna from holding a parliamentary seat.

Accordingly, the court ordered the petition to be taken up to confirm the facts on June 26, 2025.

The petition, filed by social activist Oshala Herath, was taken up before the two-member Appeals Court bench comprising Justices Mayadunne Corea and Mahen Gopallawa this morning (14).

Terms of new Local Government authorities to commence on June 2

Elections Commission Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake announced that the official term of the newly elected Local Government authorities will commence on June 2.

Before convening the inaugural meetings of these bodies, the names of the elected members must be gazetted at Divisional level, he added.

Accordingly, the Elections Commission has requested political Parties and Independent Groups that secured majorities in their respective local authorities to submit, within one week, the names of individuals nominated for the positions of Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Chairman and Vice Chairman of those institutions.

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Now every terrorist knows price of removing women’s ‘Sindoor’: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday praised Operation Sindoor, stating that it is not just a name but a reflection of the nation’s countless emotions.

He added that the operation embodies India’s unwavering commitment to justice, highlighting how Pakistan, after slumping into gloom following the attack on terror camps, dared to attack instead of helping fight terror.

He said that today, every terrorist knows the consequences of wiping sindoor (vermilion) from the foreheads of our sisters and daughters.

“The terrorists removed the ‘sindoor’ of our sisters. That’s why India annihilated the terror headquarters. More than 100 dreaded terrorists were slaughtered in an Indian attack. Terrorists who were openly conspiring against India were openly roaming in Pakistan, but India slaughtered them in just one go. India’s actions were a huge setback for Pakistan,” PM Modi said in his address to the nation.

He also said that Operation Sindoor has redefined the fight against terror, setting a new benchmark and establishing a new normal. He added that while Pakistan had prepared to strike at our borders, India hit them directly at their core.

“We have only paused our retaliatory action on Pakistan’s terrorist and military infrastructures for now. In upcoming days, every step taken by Pakistan will be keenly observed based on the approach and conduct it adopts,” said PM Modi.

Under Operation Sindoor, terror headquarters of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen were targeted, with the Indian Air Force conducting night raids on nine hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

Among the precise targets hit were the Markaz Subhan Allah at Bahawalpur, Sarjal at Tehra Kalan, Markaz Abbas in Kotli, and Syedna Bilal camp in Muzaffarabad, all linked to the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Other targets included the Markaz Taiba at Murdike, Markaz Ahle Hadith at Barnala, and Shwawai Nalla camp at Muzaffarabad, all associated with the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba. Additionally, Makaz Raheel Shahid in Kotli and Mehmoona Joya in Sialkot, belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen, were also hit.

Of the nine targets, four were located in Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.

Source: Hindustan Times