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American Centre in Colombo opens doors again

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The American Centre in Colombo has relocated to the new U.S. Embassy building and opened its doors to programme participants once again from Thursday.At the opening ceremony, the new and revamped American Centre in Colombo hosted library patrons, Youth Forum members, and past and present programme participants as well as programme implementing partners. With an eye on providing Sri Lankan youth the tools they need to seize the future, the new American Centre in Colombo shifted primary focus from being a library and programme venue to a space for collaborative learning and digital engagement, as well as a state-of-the-art location for technology such as virtual reality and 3D printing.

The American Centre will continue to host programmes such as English language training, public speaking, entrepreneurship development, coding, web development, media literacy, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) and, much more, all at no cost to participants. It will also continue to offer a space for Sri Lanka’s youth, university students, and friends of the United States where information is accessible, freedom of expression is celebrated, and the freedom to assemble is supported.

U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung joined the celebration and engaged with the patrons of the American Centre, remarking, “After three years of mostly virtual programming, my team and I are grateful to be able to continue the tradition of freedom of expression and exchange in this beautiful, modern space. I hope that over the coming weeks, months, and years we’ll see new and old friends coming together in this space to co-create dreams, programmes, and fulfilling futures.

“I often say that the United States and Sri Lanka are both friends and partners, with many shared values and so much shared history,” Ambassador Chung continued. “This is a challenging time for all Sri Lankans, but the United States continues to invest in the people of Sri Lanka, the importance of the bilateral relationship, and the future we share. This library is a great example of that partnership, that friendship, and that investment in the future!”

Over the course of its 73-year history, the American Centre has welcomed thousands of Sri Lankans seeking information about the United States of America and beyond. The American Centre was first located at the Galle Face Court on Flower Road before shifting to the historic Sri Ramya at 44, Galle Road. With the passage of time and the expansion of the programmes and activities being conducted by the American Centre in Colombo, the centre was moved to its current location: the new U.S. Embassy compound.



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President and representatives of IMF discuss progress of EFF

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A comprehensive discussion regarding the progress of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) took place on Thursday (06) at the Presidential Secretariat, between President Anura Kumara Disanayake and the IMF delegation.

The current government has already reached a staff-level agreement with the IMF on the third review regarding the extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of USD3 billion.

The details of this review are expected to be presented to the International Monetary Fund’s Board of Directors by the end of this month. In this regard, discussions were held regarding the progress and the government’s involvement in continuing the program moving forward.

Once the approval is granted by the IMF Executive Board, Sri Lanka is expected to release the fourth tranche of the extended loan, amounting to 333 million dollars.

The discussion was also attended by IMF Executive Director Dr. Krishnamurthy Subramanian, Alternate Executive Director Dr. P. K. G. Harischandra, Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwadana, and Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe.

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New Commanders of the Tri-Forces meet the President

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The newly appointed Commander of the Tri-Forces met with Commander-in-Chief, President Anura Kumara Disanayake on Thursday (6th)  afternoon  at the Presidential Secretariat.

The meeting was attended by Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo, the new Army Commander; Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, the new Navy Commander and Air Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe, the new Air Force Commander.

Following tradition, the new commanders formally met with the President after assuming their duties. During the meeting, they also presented the President with a commemorative token.

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Musk reveals ‘crazy waste’ of USAID funds in Sri Lanka

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Elon Musk

USD 7.9 mn spent on teaching Lankan journalists how to avoid “binary-gendered language”

USAID has spent $7.9 million to teach Sri Lankan journalists how to avoid “binary-gendered language”, Elon Musk who heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) said in a post on X on Thursday.

Musk called it a “Crazy waste of your tax money!”

Musk’s criticism came with a detailed breakdown of USAID’s spending across various countries, which he argued reflects misguided priorities. According to a document Musk shared, USAID has funded a range of projects globally, including $20 million for a new Sesame Street show in Iraq, $4.5 million to “combat disinformation” in Kazakhstan, and $6 million to transform digital spaces to reflect feminist democratic principles.

The list also included $1.5 million for art projects promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities and $2 million for sex changes and LGBT activism in Guatemala. $10 million worth of USAID-funded meals, allegedly ended up in the hands of an al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group, the document states.

Other USAID programmes include $25 million for Deloitte to promote green transportation in Georgia, $6 million for tourism development in Egypt, and $2.5 million to foster inclusion in Vietnam. The documents also pointed to $5 million awarded to EcoHealth Alliance, a group linked to bat virus research at the Wuhan lab, and $20 million for an organisation tied to what Musk described as a “key player” in the Russiagate impeachment inquiry.

Further funds were allocated for various LGBT-related initiatives worldwide, including $5.5 million for LGBT activism in Uganda, $6.3 million for men who have sex with men in South Africa, $3.9 million for LGBT causes in the western Balkans, and $6 million for advancing LGBT issues globally. Additionally, $2 million was allocated to promote LGBT equality through entrepreneurship in Latin America, while $1.5 million was designated for LGBT advocacy in Jamaica.

The data also highlighted spending closer to home, with $1.2 million going to help the African Methodist Episcopal Church Service and Development Agency in Washington, D.C., build a 440-seat auditorium. A further $1.3 million was provided to Arab and Jewish photographers, while $1.1 million supported an Armenian LGBT group.

Musk criticised other expenditures as well, including $3.9 million for artisanal gold mining in the Amazon and $500,000 aimed at solving sectarian violence in Israel just days before the October 7 Hamas attack.

Attention was also drawn to USAID’s $150 billion “whole-of-agency” climate strategy, which outlines efforts to build an “equitable world” while pursuing net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

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