News
Sri Lankan peace-keepers at ‘Ex-Steel Storm – 2020’
The Sri Lankan Force Protection Company (SLFP-Coy) serving the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), together with UN peace-keepers from France, Italy, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Germany, Slovenia, Ghana, South Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, India, Indonesia, Serbia, Brazil, Bangladesh, China, Poland, and Lebanese Armed Forces recently participated in a five-day-long direct live firing Exercise, ‘Ex-Steel Storm – 2020’.
The SLFP-Coy with three officers and 27 other ranks used four Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) mounted with machine guns, five Multipurpose Machine Guns (MPMGs) and ten personal weapons during this joint-Exercise, designed in order to develop and improve individual shooting skills and confidence in weapons systems, range safety and security measures, capability in drills and operations, serviceability of UNIFIL and Lebanese Armed Forces’ weapon systems, appropriate coordination mechanism and practise necessary liaison procedures between UNIFIL and Lebanese Armed Forces, etc.
Head of the Mission and Force Commander Major General Del Col witnessed the Exercise as the Chief Guest. Deputy Force Commander, Senior Lebanese Military Officers and UNIFIL military representatives were among others who watched the day’s proceedings in the Exercise. The conduct of the event followed strict COVID-19 health guidelines.
The SLFP-Coy is deployed mostly for force protection duties at UNIFIL Headquarters at Naqoura, South Lebanon. Sri Lanka as one of the Troop Contributing Countries (TCC) to the United Nations has been in the practice of sending her troops for UN Peace Keeping assignments since 2004 in large groups after the country became qualified to do so.
At present, Sri Lankan troops, majority being from the Sri Lanka Army have been deployed in Lebanon (UNIFIL), South Sudan (UNMISS), Mali (MINUSMA), Abyei (UNISFA), New York (UNHQ), Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and Western Sahara (MINURSO), either as military observers, Staff Officers, Staff Officer assistants or general contingent troops.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
Fair weather will prevail except for a few showers in the Uva, Eastern, Western and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Rathnapura districts
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Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
AKD: Govt. agenda on track despite Ditwah disaster
SL to receive 10 helicopters from US
Foreign couple held over alleged biopiracy at Horton Plains
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