
During a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat today (11), Ms. Allison Hooker, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, expressed her confidence in President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s leadership in steering Sri Lanka’s recovery and rebuilding efforts. She affirmed that the United States stands ready to provide any necessary support to assist Sri Lanka’s recovery.
Ms. Hooker also conveyed her condolences to the families of the victims of the disaster and expressed satisfaction at being able to extend assistance during this challenging period.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake conveyed his appreciation for the assistance provided by the President of the United States and the government in dispatching various relief teams to the country during this challenging period. The President also acknowledged the sincere support offered to Sri Lanka by all friendly nations globally, including the United States.
President Dissanayake highlighted that Sri Lanka encountered this disaster while the nation’s economy was on the path to stabilization and economic indicators were showing improvement. He emphasized the need for future focus on enhancing the livelihoods of those affected and on the long-term development of infrastructure facilities.
The President stated that restoring infrastructure, including highways and railways, as well as key income sources such as agriculture, livestock and small to medium-sized enterprises, which have been devastated by floods and landslides, will require time. He also expressed the expectation of support from all friendly nations in this effort.
The Under Secretary of State emphasized that the United States has drawn its attention to restarting discussions regarding US tariffs. Additionally, she expressed support for enhancing tourism between the United States and Sri Lanka, as well as for the growth of trade and maritime operations between the two nations. Furthermore, she highlighted U.S. support for Sri Lanka’s initiatives to combat drug-related issues.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake noted that a significant number of American tourists have visited the country recently and that Sri Lanka anticipates a continued increase in such arrivals. He acknowledged the support of the U.S. government in assisting the Sri Lankan people to overcome the ongoing disaster and improve their quality of life.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma and members of the U.S. diplomatic mission, including U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Ms. Julie Chang.
Kuwait says a power and desalination plant has been hit by an Iranian attack.
Gulf countries continue to face retaliatory strikes on the 35th day, of the United States and Israel’s war on Iran.
Kuwaiti authorities said the plant was struck before midday local time on Friday. The extent of the damage is not yet known.
The attack came hours after the Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery was targeted in early morning drone strikes. State news agency KUNA said the attack caused fires in a “number of operational units,” and no employees were injured.
Emergency and firefighting teams were sent with environmental experts monitoring air quality.
Al Jazeera’s Malik Traina, reporting from the capital, Kuwait City, said this was the third time the refinery’s been hit and that people across the country are on “high alert”.
“It’s one of the biggest refineries in the Middle East and it is also critical for local consumption,” he said.
Kuwait “is the closest country to Iran – just 80 kilometres separates Kuwait from Iran’s coastlines, so it’s perhaps the most easily targeted from these attacks from Iran,” he added.
In an early post on X, KUNA warned that “hostile missile and drone attacks” on Kuwait were under way. Sirens sounded during midair explosions as interceptions of Iranian missiles were heard across the country, the agency reported.
Kuwait and much of the Gulf are highly dependent on desalinated water. An Indian national was killed on March 30 after a Kuwaiti power and desalination plant was hit. Iran denied claims it launched the attacks and blamed Israel.
Elsewhere, the United Arab Emirates’ defence ministry said the country was battling a new wave of suspected Iranian missile and drone attacks.
[Aljazeera]
The Sri Lanka Cricket Selection Panel has named a 15-member squad for the upcoming Tri- Series tour of Australia, which will also feature England.
During the tour, the team will play a total of six matches, comprising two One Day and four T20 games, scheduled for the 7th, 8th, 12th, 13th, 17th, and 18th of April.
The squad is scheduled to depart for Australia today [3rd April 2026.]
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has announced the following appointments to the National High Performance Center:
Ryan van Niekerk, who served as the bowling coach and interim head coach of the Netherlands national team from 2023 to 2026, was appointed as the national bowling coach of Sri Lanka Cricket.
In this role, he will oversee fast bowling across all national teams, including the national men’s team.
Before taking over the interim role, he worked as the assistant coach and bowling coach of the Netherlands national men’s team.
During his stint with the Netherlands team, Ryan has contributed to the team’s participation in major international tournaments such as the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, and ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
He was appointed for a two-year tenure, commencing on 15th April 2026.
Jordan Gregory, who has worked as a fielding consultant for Netherlands Cricket, was appointed as the national fielding and spin bowling coach.
He will be responsible for overseeing fielding and spin bowling across all national teams at the High Performance Center, including the national men’s team.
During his time with Netherlands Cricket, Gregory has contributed to several bilateral and multinational tournaments, including the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2023.
Jordan will begin his two-year tenure on 15th April 2026.
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